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HISTORY 

OF 

»■■  ■  ■ 

MIDDLESEX   COUNTY 


NEW  JERSEY 

1664—1920 

UNDER  THE  ASSOCIATE  EDITORSHIP 

OP 

JOHN  P.  WALL  AND  HAROLD  E.  PICKERSGILL 

ASSISTED  BY  AN 

Able  Corps  of  Local  Historians 
HIST0RICAL=B10GRAPHICAL 


yOLUME  X 


I  92  I 

LEWIS  HISTORICAL  PUBLISHING  COMPANY,  INC. 

NEW  YORK  AND  CHICAGO 


FOREWORD     ,    ,. 

J2C4213 

T  IS  now  nearly  half  a  century  since  the  publication  of 
a  history  of  Middlesex,  one  of  the  most  historic  and 
progressive  counties  of  New  Jersey.  The  present  work 
is  designed  to  he  at  once  a  well  digested  resume  of  its 
former  history,  hut  more  particularly  a  continuation 
down  to  the  present  time,  and  covering  a  period  of  phenomenal 
development  along  all  the  many  lines  which  go  to  make  up  the 
complex  community  of  to-day. 

The  value  of  the  work  rests  in  larger  degree  upon  the 
intelligent  labors  of  Messrs.  John  P.  Wall  and  Harold  E.  Pick- 
ersgill,  who  out  of  their  abundant  local  knowledge  have  not 
only  provided  nuich  of  the  matter  assembled  upon  its  pages, 
but  have  otherwise  abundantly  aided  the  field  editors,  Messrs. 
Frank  R.  Holmes  and  Peter  K.  Edgar,  in  pointing  out  most 
useful  sources  of  information.  Of  especial  value  are  various 
historical  papers  contributed  by  residents  who  are  recognized 
as  entire  masters  of  the  subjects  upon  which  they  treat,  and 
among  whom  may  be  named  Mr.  H.  Brewster  Willis,  on  Pub- 
lic Education;  Mr.  Adrian  Lyon,  on  the  Board  of  Proprietors; 
President  W.  H.  S.  Demarest,  on  Rutgers  College;  Dr.  D.  C. 
English,  on  the  Medical  Fraternity;  Dr.  Fred  B.  Kilmer,  on 
Christ  Church. 

The  genealogical  and  personal  memoirs  have  been  pre- 
pared with  all  due  care  from  such  data  as  were  accessible,  and 
in  each  case  has  been  submitted  to  the  immediate  subject  or  to 
his  proper  representative  for  verification  as  to  fact.  It  is 
believed  that  the  work,  in  all  its  features,  will  prove  a  real 
addition  to  the  mass  of  annals  concerning  the  people  of  the 
historic  region  under  consideration,  and  that  without  it,  much 
valuable  information  therein  contained  would  be  irretrievably 
lost,  owing  to  the  passing  away  of  many  custodians  of  records 
and  the  disappearance  of  such  material. 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


CONTENTS 


NOTE — The  History  proper  Is  paged  continuously,  extending  into  Volume  II,  and 
concluding  with  Index  at  page  503.  The  Biographical  Department  follows  lmme<Jl- 
ately  thereafter  in  Volume  II,  and  Is  paged  continuously  into  Volume  III,  concluding 
with  a  Biographical  Index. 


I'age 
CHAPTER  I — The  Leni-Lenapes — Indian  rights  to  the  land,  and  how  disposed 

of I 

CHAPTER  II — Occupation  by  the  Dutch — Character  of  the  Immigrants  from 

Holland    7 

CHAPTER  III— Coming  of  the  English— Title  of  the  Duke  of  York  and  his 

land  conveyances  to  Lord  Berkeley  and  Sir  George  Carteret 1 1 

CHAPTER  IV — Settlement  of  the  Raritan  Valley — VVoodbridge  and  Piscataway 

— Settlers  at  New  Brunswick  and  Perth  Amboy 19 

CHAPTER  V — The    East   Jersey    Proprietors — Acts    passed    by    the    General 

Assembly    27 

CHAPTER  VI — The   Proprietary  and   Colonial   Governors — Franklin   the   last  39 

CHAPTER  VII — Organization  of  Middlesex  County — Changes  of  Boundaries  49 

CHAPTER  VIII— East  and  West  Jersey— The  final  division 57 

CHAPTER  IX — The  early  Courts — Crimes  and  Misdemeanors 6.3 

CHAPTER  X— Study  of  the  Soil— Mineral  products 69 

CHAPTER  XI — Transportation — The   Indian  trails — First  mads  and   ferries — 

Water   transportation — Stage   wagons — Steamboats    and    railroads 7.^ 

CHAPTER  XII — Revolutionary  days — Home  life  of  the  people — The  dawn  of 

the    Revolution — Occupation   by    British   troops 81 

CHAPTER  XIII — Middlesex  men  in  the   Revolutionary  War — Notable  names 

— Roster  of  State  troops 97 

CHAPTER  XIV — After  the  War — Organization  of  State  government 113 

CHAPTER  XV— First  half  of  the  Nineteenth  Century— Political  contests 117 

CHAPTER  XVI — War  between   the    States — Middlesex   men   bear   a   splendid 

part   129 

CHAPTER  XVII — Finale — The  Spanish-American  War — The  political  land- 
slide of   1920 165 

CHAPTER  XVIII — Visitors,  Natives  and  Residents — Washington  and  Lafay- 
ette— Other   notables    171 

CHAPTER  XIX — Institutions  of  higher  education — Rutgers  College — Theo- 
logical Seminary  of  the  Reformed  Church — Academies  and  Private  Schools.     185 

CHAPTER  XX— Public     Education— Thirty-three     }ears'    growth     of     Public 

Schools   203 

CHAPTER  XXI — ^The  Press — First  newspapers — Later  journals 229 

CHAPTER  XXII — Bench  and  Bar — Early  lawyers  and  jurists — Notable  trials     233 

CHAPTER  XXIII — The  Medical  Fraternity — Pioneer  physicians — First  Medi- 
cal Society — Various  professional  bodies — Founders  of  County  and  State 
Medical  Societies — Prominent  Deceased  Physicians — Hospitals  and  Clinics..     243 

CHAPTER  XXIV— Manufacturing    Industries— At     Perth    Amboy    and     New 

Brunswick  271 


MIDDLESEX 

Page 
CHAPTER  XXV— City  of  New   Brunswick— Settlement— During  the    Revolu- 
tion— Early   Industries  and  Merchants — Development  of  City  to  its  present 

proportions   279 

CHAPTER  XXVI — City  of  New  Brunswick,  concluded — Notable  Characters...  347 

CHAPTER  XXVII— Perth  Amboy— Settlement— Old  Buildings— In  the  Revo- 
lution— The   City  of  to-day   361 

CHAPTER  XXVIII— City  of  South  Amboy  397 

CHAPTER  XXIX— Woodbridge  and  Piscataway  Townships 401 

CHAPTER  XXX — North   Brunswick,   East   Brunswick  and   South    Brunswick 

Townships    423 

CHAPTER  XXXI — Monroe,  Madison,  Raritan  and  Cranbury  Townships 437 

CHAPTER  XXXII— Boroughs  of  Middlesex  County 455 

APPENDIX— Military   Rolls    483 


LANinxG  (IK  ('A!:'ris!:i-:-L\ 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  LENI-LENAPES. 

When  Henry  Hudson,  in  the  employ  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Com- 
pany, sailed  up  the  broad  waters  of  what  was  then  known  as  the  Great 
North  River,  now  named  for  its  discoverer,  he  found  on  its  banks 
Aborigines  occupants.  They  were  members  of  the  Algonquin  family, 
and  by  writers  on  Indian  antiquities  have  been  considered  as  branches 
of  the  general  Delaware  nation  known  as  the  Leni-Lenapes,  which  in 
the  Red  Men's  language  means  "original  people,"  a  title  they  had  adopted 
under  the  claim  that  they  were  descended  from  the  most  ancient  of 
Indian  ancestry.  This  claim  was  admitted  by  other  tribal  organizations, 
who  accorded  to  the  Lcni-Lenapes  the  title  of  "grandfather,"  or  a  people 
whose  ancestry  antedated  their  own. 

Among  the  numerous  traditions,  the  leading  one  of  their  origin  was 
that  their  ancestors  lived  in  a  country  far  to  the  westward  of  the  rising 
sun,  and  in  the  hopes  of  finding  a  red  man's  paradise,  land  of  deer  and 
beaver  and  salmon,  they  left  their  western  home  and  journeying  across 
great  rivers  and  mountains,  at  last  came  to  the  western  banks  of  the 
Namisi  Sipu  (Mississippi),  where  they  met  another  nation  migrat- 
ing like  themselves.  This  adversary  for  a  settlement  in  the  east  was 
the  Mengwes,  and  for  centuries  these  two  aboriginal  nations  became 
rivals  and  enemies.  Their  explorations,  however,  were  to  receive  a 
check,  for  beyond  the  great  river  lay  the  domain  of  a  nation  named 
Allegewi,  who  disputed  their  passage.  This  opposing  nation,  while  not 
strong  in  numbers,  was  skilled  in  the  arts  of  war  and  had  reared  great 
defenses  of  earth  enclosing  their  village  and  strongholds.  An  alliance, 
offensive  and  defensive,  was  formed  by  the  Lenapes  and  Mengwes,  and 
after  a  severe  struggle  for  supremacy  the  Allegewis  were  humiliated  and 
exterminated  and  their  country  occupied  by  the  victors. 

The  two  victorious  nations  then  journeyed  eastward.  The  Mengwes 
taking  a  northern  route,  finally  reached  the  Mahicannick.  "River  of  the 
Mountains"  (Hudson  river),  while  the  Lenapes,  traveling  more  in  a 
southerly  direction,  rested  on  the  banks  of  the  Lenapi  Wihittuck,  the 
beautiful  river,  now  known  as  the  Delaware,  and  here  they  thought 
they  had  found  their  long-wished-for  elysium  of  an  Indian  paradise  for 
which  they  had  left  their  far  western  home.  This  tradition  may  have 
some  truthful  foundation :  the  unfortunate  Allegewis  may  have  been  the 
mound  builders  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  but  this  is  only  one  of  the 
many  profitless  conjectures  which  have  been  indulged  in  by  historical 
researchers.  Indian  tribes  were  fond  of  narrating  long  journeys  and 
great  deeds  of  their  ancestors,  tracing  their  ancestors  for  centuries,  but 

Mid— 1 


2  MIDDLESEX 

their  traditions  are  so  clouded  and  involved  in  improbabilities  and  inter- 
woven with  superstition  that  it  is  simply  speculative  on  the  part  of 
antiquarian  writers  to  form  a  decided  opinion  of  the  origin  of  the  Amer- 
ican aborigines. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  emigrants  from  Netherlands  at  the  Isle  of  Man- 
hattan, they  found  dwelling  there  the  fierce  Manhattans  whom  De  Laet 
calls  "a  wicked  nation  and  enemies  of  the  Dutch."  In  the  adjacent 
territory  the  Minsie  and  Mohican  nations  were  located.  The  Manhattans, 
who  were  members  of  the  Mohican  nation,  occupied  the  range  of  country 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Hudson  river  to  its  mouth.  On  Long  Island, 
called  by  the  natives  Sewanhacky,  "the  land  of  shells,"  were  the  savage 
Metonwacks,  divided  into  tribes  of  which  names  of  thirteen  have  been 
preserved ;  the  Canaise  and  Nyack  were  settled  at  the  Narrows ;  the 
Mantinecoes  in  Queens  county ;  and  the  Nissaquage,  Setauket,  Corchaug, 
Secataug,  Patachogue,  Shinnecoe  and  Montauk,  in  Suffolk  county. 

The  Minsies,  who  received  Hudson  with  peaceful  overtures  and  came 
daily  on  board  his  vessel  to  barter  furs,  oysters,  Indian  corn,  beans, 
pumpkins,  squashes  and  apples,  in  exchange  for  gewgaws  and  trifles, 
inhabited  the  country  from  the  Minisink  (a  place  named  after  them, 
where  they  had  their  council  seat  and  fire),  to  Staten  Island,  and  from 
the  Hudson  to  the  Raritan  Valley.  They  were  members  of  the  Leni- 
Lenape,  or  Delaware  nation,  which  occupied  a  domain  extending  along 
the  seacoast  from  Chesapeake  Bay  to  the  country  bordering  Long  Island 
Sound.  Back  from  the  east  it  reached  beyond  the  Susquehanna  Valley 
to  the  foothills  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  and  on  the  north  joined 
the  southern  frontier  of  the  hated  and  dreaded  Iroquois.  In  this  vast 
domain  was  included  all  of  the  present  State  of  New  Jersey. 

The  principal  tribes  of  the  Delawares  were  the  Unamis  or  Turtle, 
Unalachtgo  or  Turkey,  and  Minsi  or  Wolf.  The  latter  was  the  most 
powerful  and  warlike  of  these  tribes,  and  occupied  the  most  northerly 
portion  of  the  Delaware's  country,  keeping  guard  along  the  Iroquois 
border;  their  territory  extended  southward  to  the  northern  boundary 
of  the  present  county  of  Hunterdon.  The  Unamis  and  Unalachtgo 
branches  comprising  the  Assanpinks,  Matas,  Schackamaxons,  Chiche- 
quaas,  Raritans,  Nanticokes,  Tatelos,  and  many  others,  inhabited  all 
that  part  of  New  Jersey  south  of  the  northern  boundaries  of  the  present 
Hunterdon  and  Somerset  counties.  Statisticians  have  computed  that  the 
Indian  population  at  the  time  of  the  settlement  of  the  Dutch  at  New 
Amsterdam  was  probably  not  more  than  two  thousand  souls  in  the 
territory  comprising  the  present  State  of  New  Jersey. 

Before  the  arrival  of  the  European  explorers,  the  country  of  the 
Leni-Lenape  had  been  invaded  by  the  Iroquois,  who  had  reduced  the 
former  nation  to  the  condition  of  vassals.  The  Iroquois  attitude,  how- 
ever, was  not  wholly  of  conquerors,  it  was  more  of  the  character  of 


THE  LENI-LENAPES  3 

protectors  or  masters.  Their  overlordship  was  tempered  with  paternal 
regard  for  the  interests  of  the  Leni-Lenapes  in  their  negotiations  with 
the  whites,  care  being  taken  that  no  trespasses  should  be  committed  on 
their  rights  and  that  they  should  be  justly  dealt  with.  This  anxious 
solicitude  on  the  part  of  the  Iroquois  was  simply  to  see  that  no  others 
than  themselves  should  be  permitted  to  despoil  the  Lenapes.  They 
exacted  from  them  an  annual  tribute,  an  acknowledgment  of  their  state 
of  vassalage,  and  on  these  conditions  they  were  permitted  to  occupy  their 
former  hunting  grounds.  Bands  of  the  Five  Nations  were  interspersed 
among  the  Delawares  to  keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  them  and  their  move- 
ments. 

The  Delawares  regarded  their  conquerors  with  feelings  of  inextin- 
guishable hatred,  though  held  in  abeyance  by  fear.  They  had,  however, 
a  feeling  of  superiority  on  account  of  their  ancient  lineage  and  their 
removal  from  original  barbarism.  The  Iroquois  maintained  an  air  of 
haughty  superiority  towards  their  vassals,  and  no  longer  spoke  of  them 
as  men  and  warriors,  but  as  women.  This  opprobrium  was  removed 
from  the  Delawares  by  the  Iroquois  through  the  exertions  of  their  most 
noted  chief,  Teedyuscung,  who  by  his  masterly  oratory  and  diplomatic 
shrewdness  defeated  the  schemes  of  the  Proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania 
in  their  attempts  to  defraud  the  Delawares  of  their  rights  in  that  province. 

The  Indians  were  tenacious  of  the  common  right  in  which  they 
claimed  the  ownership  of  the  soil.  They  did  not  recognize  even  in  their 
chiefs  any  right  to  convey  lands  without  the  general  consent  of  the  tribe, 
and  often  refused  to  submit  to  treaties  unless  they  were  made  by  their 
representatives  chosen  by  popular  vote,  who  met  the  whites  in  council 
and  for  their  respective  tribes  ratified  the  deeds  disposing  of  their  lands. 
The  New  Jersey  settlers  at  all  times  were  conciliatory  of  their  rights, 
dealing  with  them  in  a  justifiable  and  legal  way,  hence  there  was  no 
occasion  for  hostilities  on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  The  white  settlers 
of  New  Jersey,  however,  suffered  on  account  of  the  outrageous  manage- 
ment of  Indian  affairs  by  the  Dutch  authorities  at  New  Amsterdam. 
The  Mohawks  in  1643  were  at  war  with  the  Weekquacsgecks,  Tanki- 
tekes,  and  Tappeans.  Director  Kieft  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Mohawks, 
and  on  the  night  of  February  23,  1643,  he  dispatched  a  force  of  eighty  men 
to  attack  the  Hackensacks,  who  were  bivouacked  one  thousand  strong 
at  Pavonia,  New  Jersey.  The  unsuspecting  Indians,  unaware  of  the 
Director's  secret  league  with  their  enemy,  were  suddenly  aroused  from 
their  sleep  by  a  murderous  attack  by  the  Dutch  soldiers,  who  spared 
neither  babies  nor  women  in  their  inhuman  massacre.  This  kind  of  war- 
fare could  not  fail  to  exasperate  the  natives,  and  in  retaliation  seven 
tribes  entered  into  an  alliance  for  a  relentless  war.  They  killed  all  the 
men  they  could  find,  dragged  the  women  and  children  into  captivity, 
burned  houses,  barns,  grain  and  haystacks,  and  laid  waste  the  farms  and 


4  MIDDLESEX 

plantations.  From  the  Raritan  to  the  Connecticut  not  a  white  person 
was  safe  from  the  murderous  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife,  except  those 
that  clustered  around  Fort  Amsterdam.  The  war  continued  in  all  its 
fury  for  several  months,  when  a  peace  was  concluded  which  lasted  only 
until  October,  1643,  when  the  Indians  again  went  on  the  warpath  and 
peace  was  not  permanently  secured  until  1645. 

There  were  no  further  Indian  troubles  of  any  magnitude  until  1655, 
when  during  an  absence  of  Governor  Stuyvesant  to  expel  the 
Swedes  from  Delaware,  five  hundred  warriors  on  the  night  of  September 
15  landed  at  New  Amsterdam.  They  were  repulsed  by  the 
garrison  and  driven  to  their  canoes.  In  retaliation  they  landed  at 
Pavonia,  which  they  laid  in  ashes.  From  thence  they  passed 
down  Staten  Island,  where  one  hundred  persons  were  killed,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  carried  into  captivity,  and  over  three  hundred 
deprived  of  their  homes.  The  savages  of  the  tribes  of  Hackensack, 
Tappaen,  Ahasimus  and  others,  were  present  and  took  part  in  this  fearful 
devastation,  and  perpetrated  inhuman  barbarities,  notwithstanding  their 
solemn  pledge  to  adhere  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty.  Governor  Stuyvesant 
made  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  which  proved  a  final  settlement  of  all 
difficulties  as  far  as  the  Dutch  were  concerned.  During  these  Indian 
troubles  the  inhabitants  of  the  ancient  territory  of  Bergen  county  were 
the  greatest  sufferers. 

The  Pomptons  and  Mennes  having  sold  their  lands,  removed  from 
New  Jersey  about  1737.  They  became  engaged  in  the  Indian  war  of 
1755  in  Northampton  county,  Pennsylvania,  which  was  carried  across 
the  Delaware  river  into  New  Jersey.  The  Indians  raided  the  settlers  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  Delaware  in  the  winter  of  1757-58,  and  twenty-seven 
murders  were  committed  by  them  in  Sussex  county.  Governor  Bernard 
in  June,  1758,  took  measures  to  put  a  stop  to  this  hideous  warfare; 
through  Teedyuscung,  king  of  the  Delawares,  he  obtained  a  conference 
with  the  Minisink  and  Pompton  Indians  on  August  7,  1758,  at  Burlington, 
New  Jersey.  This  resulted  in  a  time  being  fixed  for  a  conference  at  Eas 
ton,  Pennsylvania,  and  a  treaty  was  finally  signed,  the  Indians  relin- 
quishing all  their  claims  to  lands  in  New  Jersey,  reserving  the  right  to 
fish  in  all  the  rivers  and  bays  south  of  the  Raritan  and  to  hunt  in  all  unen- 
closed lands.  A  tract  of  land  comprising  three  thousand  acres  was  pur- 
chased in  Burlington  county  by  the  province,  and  on  this  the  few  remain- 
ing Delawares  of  New  Jersey,  about  sixty  in  number,  were  collected  and 
settled.  They  remained  there  until  1802,  when  they  joined  their  grand- 
sons, the  Stockbridge  tribe,  at  New  Stockbridge,  near  Oneida  Lake,  in 
the  State  of  New  York.  Several  years  after,  they  again  removed  and 
settled  on  a  large  tract  of  land  at  Fox  River,  Wisconsin,  which  had 
been  purchased  from  the  Menominee  Indians.  Here  they  engaged  in 
conjunction  with  the  Stockbridge  Indians  in  agricultural  pursuits  and 


THE  L.ENI-LENAPES  5 

formed  a  settlement  named  Statsburg.  There  were  alive  in  1832  at  this 
settlement  about  forty  of  the  Delawares,  who  still  kept  alive  the  tradi- 
tion that  they  were  owners  of  fishing  and  hunting  privileges  in  New 
Jersey.  They  resolved  to  lay  their  claim  before  the  legislature  of  the 
State,  requesting  that  $2,000  be  paid  them  for  the  relinquishing  of  their 
rights.  The  Legislature  referred  the  petition  to  a  committee  who  reported 
favorably  upon  the  request,  whereupon  the  Legislature  voted  the  amount 
asked  for,  in  consideration  of  their  relinquishment  of  their  last  rights  and 
claims  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey. 


CHAPTER  II. 
EARLY  OCCUPATION  OF  THE  PROVINCE  BY  THE  DUTCH. 

The  Dutch  East  India  Company  of  the  United  Netherlands,  who 
employed  Hudson  on  his  voyage  of  discovery,  combined  military  with 
commercial  operations,  and  was  divided  into  five  chambers  established 
in  five  of  the  principal  Dutch  cities.  Its  attention  was  devoted  more 
especially  to  making  reprisals  on  Spanish  commerce,  purchasing  slaves, 
the  conquest  of  Brazil,  etc.  New  Netherland  was  committed  to  the 
charge  of  the  Amsterdam  chamber. 

Five  years  after  Hudson's  voyage,  a  company  of  merchants  under 
the  title  of  the  United  Company  of  New  Netherland,  procured  from  the 
States-General  of  Holland  a  patent  for  the  exclusive  trade  on  the  Hudson 
river.  They  established  a  trading  post  at  New  Amsterdam,  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Battery.  A  small  redoubt  on  the  site  of  what  is  now 
a  part  of  the  city  of  Kingston,  New  York,  was  also  built ;  it  was  known 
as  the  Ronduit,  from  whence  comes  the  name  of  Rondout.  In  the  upper 
valley  of  the  Hudson  a  fort  was  erected  upon  Castle  Island,  near  and 
below  the  present  city  of  Albany.  One  of  their  navigators,  Adriaen 
Block,  extended  the  sphere  of  discovery  by  the  way  of  the  East  river, 
tracing  the  shores  of  Long  Island  and  Connecticut  as  far  as  Cape  Cod. 
He  sailed  up  the  Connecticut,  named  by  him  the  Fresh  river,  and  built 
a  trading  post  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  "The  House  of  Good  Hope," 
on  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Hartford.  It  was  more  than  probable 
as  early  as  1618  that  another  trading  post  was  erected  in  the  territory 
now  comprising  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  which  the  Dutch  called  Achter 
Kull  (or  Kill);  the  spelling  of  the  second  name  of  this  title  by  some 
historians  is  Coll. 

The  Dutch  also  claimed  as  a  part  of  New  Netherland  by  right  of  dis- 
covery, the  territory  adjacent  to  the  Delaware  river,  which  they  named 
the  South  river.  This  claim  was  based  on  Hudson  having  sailed  a  short 
distance  up  the  waters  of  that  river  prior  to  his  entering  New  York  Bay. 
As  early  as  1623  a  ship  under  the  command  of  Cornelius  Jacobse  May 
was  dispatched  to  take  possession  of  this  territory  and  effect  a  settle- 
ment. May  entered  the  Delaware  Bay  and  gave  his  name  to  the  northern 
cape — Cape  May.  After  exploring  the  river  he  landed  and  erected  a 
fort  which  he  named  Fort  Nassau,  situated  on  the  banks  of  a  small 
stream  called  by  the  Indians  Sassacknow,  below  the  present  city  of 
Camden,  New  Jersey. 

The  States-General,  on  the  expiration  of  the  grant  of  the  United 
Company  of  New  Netherland,  refused  to  renew  it,  but  they  continued 
to  trade  in  the  territory  until  1623,  when  the  Dutch  West  India  Company, 
a  powerful  mercantile  association,  chartered  in  1621,  took  possession  of 


8  .  MIDDLESEX 

the  lands  temporarily  granted  to  their  predecessors.  The  following  year 
Peter  IMinuit  was  appointed  director  of  New  Netherland  ;  he  built  Fort 
Amsterdam,  and  brought  over  new  colonists  who  settled  on  Long  Island. 
Staten  Island  and  Manhattan  were  purchased  from  the  Indians,  but  the 
settlements  for  the  next  five  years  were  merely  trading  posts. 

It  was  in  1629  or  1630  that  the  council  of  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company  adopted  plans  for  a  more  extensive  colonization  of  New  Neth- 
erland. They  granted  to  certain  individuals  extensive  seigniories  or 
tracts  of  land,  with  federal  rights  over  the  lives  and  persons  of  their 
subjects.  These  tracts  of  land  were  granted,  provided  that  a  settlement 
should  be  effected  within  a  specified  time,  besides  other  conditions. 
Under  these  provinces  Kiliaen  Van  Rensselaer,  a  pearl  merchant  of 
Amsterdam,  secured  in  1630  and  subsequently,  a  tract  of  land  twenty-four 
by  forty-eight  miles  in  extent,  comprising  the  present  counties  of  Albany, 
Rensselaer  and  part  of  Columbia.  Other  wealthy  patroons  obtained 
larger  grants  for  similar  seigniories  in  other  portions  of  New  Netherland. 

The  first  Indian  deed  to  territory  along  the  west  side  of  New  York 
Bay  and  the  Hudson  river  is  dated  July  12,  1630.  It  was  for  a  purchase 
made  by  the  Director-General  and  Council  of  New  Netherland  for 
Michael  Pauw,  Burgomaster  of  Amsterdam  and  Lord  of  Achtrenhoven, 
near  Utrecht,  Holland.  The  burgomaster  also  in  the  same  year  obtained 
a  deed  for  Staten  Island.  The  purchase  on  the  Jersey  shore  of  the  Hud- 
son was  named  Pavonia.  The  colony  established  by  Pauw  was  not  a 
success,  and  his  interests  were  purchased  by  the  directors  of  the  West 
India  Company,  and  it  became  known  as  the  West  India  Company's 
Farms. 

David  Pieterson  de  Vries.  who  had  made  two  unsuccessful  attempts 
to  establish  Dutch  settlements  on  the  shores  of  the  Delaware  in  1640, 
turned  his  attention  to  New  Netherland.  He  purchased  in  that  year  of 
the  Indians  a  tract  of  about  five  hundred  acres  at  Tappan,  on  the  Ackter 
Kull  shore  of  the  Hudson,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  Vriesendall.  Located 
along  the  riverside,  sheltered  by  high  hills,  with  a  stream  to  supply  mill 
sites  winding  its  course  through  its  center,  it  had  all  the  charms  of  nature, 
and  with  the  erection  of  buildings  became  an  ideal  home,  where  the 
energetic  owner  lived  for  several  years.  Settlements  were  also  made  at 
Communapaw,  Hoboken,  Ahasamus,  Paulus  Hoeck,  and  throughout 
the  territory  were  individual  settlements,  many  of  which  were,  however, 
destroyed  in  the  Indian  War  of  1644. 

The  policy  of  the  Dutch  government  was  to  encourage  the  settlement 
of  colonies  or  manors  similar  to  lordships  and  seigniories  of  the  Old 
World,  by  men  of  large  fortunes,  known  as  patroons,  to  whom  peculiar 
privileges  of  trade  and  government  were  accorded.  These  tracts  were 
sixteen  miles  in  extent  along  the  seashore  or  banks  of  some  navigable 
river,  or  eight  miles  when  both  banks  were  occupied  with  an  indefinite 
extent  inland,  the  company,  however,  reserving  the  island  of  Manhattan 


OCCUPATION  BY  THE  DUTCH  9 

and  the  fur  trade  with  the  Indians.  These  patroons  were  within  four 
years  from  the  granting  of  the  tract  to  settle  them  with  fifty  persons 
upwards  of  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  upon  all  trade  carried  on  by  them 
were  to  pay  five  per  cent,  to  the  company.  They  were  also  to  extinguish 
the  Indian  titles  to  the  land ;  their  tenants  were  not  to  acquire  a  free 
tenure  to  the  lands,  and  were  prohibited  from  making  any  woolen,  linen 
or  cotton  cloth  or  to  weave  any  other  material,  under  a  penalty  of  ban- 
ishment. This  restriction  was  to  keep  them  dependent  on  the  mother 
country  for  the  most  necessary  manufactures,  which  was  in  spirit  with 
the  colonial  system  adopted  by  all  the  nations  of  Europe.  This  scheme 
of  colonization  met  with  favor,  and  several  members  of  the  Dutch  West 
India  Company  selected  and  purchased  the  most  desirable  tracts  both 
on  the  North  and  South  rivers,  as  well  as  the  whole  neck  opposite  New 
Amsterdam  as  far  as  the  Kills  and  Newark  Bay,  together  with  Staten 
Island. 

Directly  west  of  these  tracts  stretched  for  miles  along  the  waters 
of  Achter  Kull  and  to  the  estuary  west  of  Staten  Island,  one  of  the  most 
inviting  regions  in  New  Netherland.  To  these  lands,  in  165 1,  Cornelius 
Van  Wcrckhoven,  one  of  the  schepens  of  Utrecht  in  Holland,  directed 
his  attention.  He  duly  notified  the  Amsterdam  chamber  of  his  intention 
to  plant  colonies  or  manors  in  New  Netherland.  A  commission  was 
thereupon  given  to  Augustine  Heermans,  who  resided  in  New  Amster- 
dam, to  open  negotiations  with  the  Indians  to  purchase  these  lands. 
After  negotiations  with  the  resident  proprietors,  Heermans  purchased 
for  Van  Werckhoven  the  tract  extending  from  the  mouth  of  the  Raritan 
creek  westerly  to  a  creek  known  by  the  name  of  Mankackkewacky, 
running  in  a  northwest  direction,  and  then  from  the  Raritan  creek  north- 
erly along  the  river  into  the  creek,  namely,  from  Raritan  Point,  called 
Ompage,  now  the  city  of  Perth  Amboy,  and  following  the  line  of  a  creek 
named  Pechelesse  to  its  head,  where  it  met  the  Mankackkewacky  before 
named.  The  land  thus  described  included  the  region  west  of  Staten 
Island  from  the  Raritan  to  the  Passaic  rivers,  and  extended  back  into 
the  country  indefinitely.  Three  other  tracts,  one  to  the  south  of  the 
Raritan  and  two  on  Long  Island,  were  acquired  by  this  enterprising 
Dutchman.  This  wholesale  grab  of  territory  aroused  objections  on  the 
part  of  other  greedy  speculators,  who  contended  it  was  too  much  terri- 
tory in  the  hands  of  one  owner,  and  on  its  being  referred  to  the  Amster- 
dam chamber  it  was  decided  that  Van  Werckhoven  could  retain  but  one 
of  the  tracts  in  question,  and  he  chose  to  locate  himself  on  Long  Island, 
and  the  title  to  the  land  described  above  reverted  therefore  to  the  original 
owners. 

Thus  was  the  colonization  of  New  Jersey  again  deferred ;  the  ravages 
of  the  Indians  also  was  a  check  to  making  any  permanent  settlement. 
Treaties,  however,  were  consummated  with  them  and  the  territory 
repurchased  by  Governor  Stuyvesant,  with  the  intention  of  erecting  a 


10  ,  MIDDLESEX 

fortified  town.  There  had.  however,  been  no  village  located  prior  to 
1660,  but  in  the  month  of  August  of  that  year  the  right  to  establish  a 
village  in  Achter  Kull  was  granted  to  several  inhabitants.  It  was  named 
Bergen,  from  a  small  village  in  Holland.  The  village,  located  on  a  hill, 
now  known  as  Jersey  City  Heights,  grew  rapidly,  and  in  May,  1761,  there 
was  not  a  vacant  lot  inside  of  the  fortifications.  This  was  the  first  per* 
manent  settlement  on  the  soil  of  New  Jersey. 

At  the  time  of  dismemberment  of  New  Netherland  by  the  English,  in 
what  was  known  afterwards  as  West  Jersey,  in  the  present  counties  of 
Gloucester  and  Burlington,  there  w^ere  a  few  Swedish  farmers  and  not 
to  exceed  three  Dutch  families  established  at  Burlington ;  it  contained 
not  even  a  hamlet.  In  East  Jersey,  whose  hills  had  been  praised  by 
\'errazzani  and  the  soil  trodden  by  the  mariners  of  Hudson,  there  were 
in  its  trackless  and  forest  depths  extending  from  the  seacoast  to  the 
waters  of  the  Raritan  and  Delaware  outside  of  the  settlement  at  Bergen, 
savages  who  roamed  at  will,  undisturbed  by  the  white  man. 

The  emigrants  from  Holland  were  of  various  lineage,  for  that  country 
had  long  been  the  gathering  place  of  the  unfortunate.  Refugees  from 
persecution  flocked  to  her  boundaries  from  England  and  continental 
Europe.  She  housed  from  the  heart  of  Bohemia  those  who  were  swayed 
by  the  voice  of  Huss,  the  Separatists  from  England,  the  Huguenots 
from  France,  the  Protestants  from  the  Reformation,  the  Walloons  from 
Belgium — all  came  to  her  hospitable  soil,  and  from  there  emigrated  to 
the  New  Eldorado  in  the  Western  Continent.  These  early  Dutch  set- 
tlers were  generally  persons  of  deep  religious  feeling,  honest  and  consci- 
entious, adding  to  these  qualities  industry  and  frugality,  and  the  majority 
were  prosperous.  Their  buildings  followed  the  Holland  style  of  archi- 
tecture, being  one  story,  with  a  low  ceiling,  with  nothing  more  than  the 
heavy  and  thick  boards  that  constructed  the  upper  floor  laid  on  mon- 
strous broad  and  heavy  beams  ;  this  portion  of  their  dwelling  they  utilized 
to  store  their  grain,  and  for  spinning  of  wool,  sometimes  being  divided 
into  sleeping  apartments.  The  fireplaces  in  these  abodes  were  unusually 
large,  sufficient  to  accommodate  the  whole  family  with  a  comfortable 
seat  around  the  fire.  The  buildings  were  built  large  enough  to  admit 
of  hanging  within  them  meat  to  smoke.  The  settlers  were  reluctant  to 
form  acquaintance  with  strangers,  lest  they  should  be  imposed  upon,  but 
when  a  friendship  was  formed  it  proved  lasting.  They  were  clannish 
in  their  relations  to  each  other ;  when  one  of  the  community  was  wrongly 
involved  or  in  trouble,  especially  in  litigation,  they  were  as  one  man. 

At  the  time  of  the  subjection  of  New  Netherland  by  the  English,  the 
colonists  were  satisfied  ;  very  few  embarked  for  Holland  ;  it  seemed  rather 
that  English  liberties  were  to  be  added  to  security  of  property.  The 
capitulation  of  the  Dutch  and  Swedes  early  in  October,  1664,  placed  the 
Atlantic  seacoast  of  the  thirteen  original  colonies  in  possession  of  Eng- 
land.   The  country  had  become  a  geographical  unity. 


DUKE  OF  YORK  AND  ALBANY 
Afterward  James  II.,  King  of  England 


CHAPTER  III. 
COMING   OF  THE   ENGLISH. 

The  English  claim  to  the  territory  occupied  by  the  Dutch  had  never 
been  relinquished,  and  in  1664  Charles  II.  determined  to  remove  from  the 
heart  of  his  American  colonies  the  Dutch  supremacy.  The  Duke  of  York- 
had  purchased  in  March,  1664,  the  claims  of  Lord  Stirling  under  grants 
which  he  had  received  from  the  extinct  council  of  New  England,  and  had 
received  from  the  King,  his  brother,  a  charter  for  the  valuable  tract 
between  the  Connecticut  and  Delaware  rivers,  which  was  New  Nether- 
land's  territorial  limits.  New  York  was  the  name  bestowed  on  this 
province.  Energetic  measures  were  promptly  taken  for  the  seizure  of 
New  Netherland.  three  ships  being  dispatched  with  six  hundred  soldiers, 
having  on  board  Colonel  Richard  Nicolls,  Colonel  George  Carteret,  Sir 
Robert  Carr  and  Samuel  Maverick,  as  commissioners.  On  Friday,  August 
19th,  the  fleet  cast  anchor  in  the  outer  bay  of  New  Amsterdam.  The  sur- 
render of  Manhattan  was  demanded  the  following  day,  but  Stuyvesant 
retorted  by  a  spirited  protest,  doubting  if  His  Majesty  of  Great  Britain 
was  well  informed,  and  asking  if  in  time  of  peace  it  was  judicious  to 
demand  a  capitulation  that  would  ofTend  Holland.  His  argument  or 
threats  produced  no  effect  upon  the  English  commander,  who  refused  to 
protract  negotiations  and  threatened  an  immediate  attack.  Mortifying  as 
it  was  for  the  doughty  old  soldier  to  surrender  without  a  struggle,  Stuy- 
vesant was  compelled  to  submit  to  circumstances ;  the  majority  of  the 
inhabitants  were  unwilling  to  run  the  risk  of  an  assault  to  which  they 
could  not  hope  to  offer  any  effectual  resistance  in  defense  of  a  govern- 
ment with  which  they  were  discontented,  and  against  another  which 
many  among  them  were  secretly  disposed  to  welcome.  A  liberal  capitu- 
lation was  arranged,  and  upon  Monday,  August  29th,  the  Dutch  authori- 
ties surrendered  the  town  and  fort  to  the  English,  who  immediately  took 
possession.  Colonel  Nicolls  was  proclaimed  deputy  governor,  and  the 
people  quietly  submitted  to  the  sway  of  the  conquerors. 

The  Duke  of  York  conveyed  the  country  between  the  Hudson  and 
Delaware  rivers  to  John  Lord  Berkeley  and  Sir  George  Carteret.  As  the 
extensive  tract  was  thinly  inhabited,  the  proprietaries  offered  favorable 
propositions  to  settlers.  Absolute  freedom  of  worship,  and  a  Colonial 
Assembly,  having  sole  power  of  taxation  and  a  share  of  the  legislation  of 
the  province,  were  among  the  principal  inducements.  The  new  grant 
was  named  Nova  Caesarea,  or  New  Jersey,  from  the  island  home  of  Sir 
George  Carteret ;  the  first  name,  however,  was  finally  dropped,  as  it  was 
not  popular  with  the  settlers. 

The  two  proprietors  were  ardent  sympathizers  of  the  royal  cause, 
and  had  been  in  the  service  of  Charles  I.     Berkeley  was  the  youngest 


12  '  MIDDLESEX 

son  of  Sir  Maurice  Berkeley  and  joined  the  royal  army  in  operations 
against  the  Scots  in  1638.  In  the  Parliamentary  war  he  was  commissary- 
general  for  the  King,  governor  of  Exeter,  and  general  of  the  forces  in 
Devon.  After  the  death  of  the  King  he  went  abroad  with  the  royal 
family,  and  was  made  governor  of  the  Duke  of  York's  household.  Hav- 
ing been  created  Baron  Berkeley  of  Stratton  at  the  time  of  the  Restora- 
tion, he  became  a  member  of  the  Privy  Council.  Carteret  was  a  son  of 
Heller  Carteret,  deputy  governor  of  the  Isle  of  Jersey.  The  family  was 
of  French  extraction,  descended  from  the  Lords  of  Carteret  in  the  Duchy 
of  Normandy,  and  had  been  connected  with  English  history  since  the 
time  of  William  the  Conqueror.  George  Carteret  entered  the  royal  navy 
at  an  early  age  and  for  great  services  rendered  the  King  he  was  knighted. 
At  the  time  of  the  Civil  War  he  withdrew  to  his  home  in  Jersey,  which 
he  bravely  defended  as  the  last  stronghold  of  the  monarchy,  and  it  became 
an  asylum  for  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  others  of  the  royal  party.  He 
followed  Charles  II.  to  France  and  at  the  instigation  of  Cromwell  was 
imprisoned  in  the  Bastile  and  subsequently  banished  from  the  kingdom. 
Charles  II.  being  in  Brussels  in  1659,  he  repaired  thence  and  was  one  of 
his  escort  when  the  King  was  received  by  the  city  of  London  the  follow- 
ing year.  Sir  George  after  the  Restoration  was  appointed  vice-chamber- 
lain and  treasurer  of  the  navy ;  also  a  member  of  the  Privy  Council,  and 
represented  Portsmouth  in  Parliament. 

The  trials  through  which  these  two  lords  had  passed  during  the  Civil 
War  had  brought  them  into  intimate  familiarity  with  the  royal  brothers 
and  gave  them  great  influence  at  court,  lucrative  offices  were  provided 
for  them,  and  opportunities  given  them  to  promote  their  wealth  and 
aggrandizement.  The  gifted  Winthrop,  who  visited  England  after  the 
Restoration  to  procure  a  new  charter  for  Connecticut,  by  his  representa- 
tions of  the  colonies  had  unwittingly  excited  the  greed  of  the  corrupt 
and  wily  parasites  of  the  royal  court. 

Berkeley  and  Carteret  having  received  information  of  the  territory 
west  of  the  Hudson  river,  became  eager  to  secure  an  investment  in  west- 
ern lands.  The  Duke  of  York  having  by  his  patent  the  right  of  sale  as 
well  as  that  of  possession  and  rule,  on  June  24,  1664,  conveyed  to  them 
for  a  competent  sum  of  money  the  territory  now  known  as  New  Jersey, 
which  was  then  considered  the  most  valuable  of  the  Duke's  territory. 
The  concessions  and  agreements  of  the  Lord  Proprietors  of  New  Jersey 
having  been  completed  and  signed  Feb.  10,  1665,  Captain  Philip  Carteret, 
a  distant  relative  of  Sir  George,  was  commissioned  governor  of  the  new 
province.  Robert  Vauquelin  (Sieur  des  Prairie)  of  the  city  of  Caen  in 
France,  was  appointed  surveyor-general. 

Philip  Carteret  was  born  on  the  Isle  of  Jersey  in  1639.  He  was  the 
eldest  son  of  Helier  de  Carteret,  attorney-general  of  Jersey,  and  Rachel, 
his  wife ;  and  a  grandson  of  Peter  De  Carteret,  jurat  of  the  Royal  Court 


COMING  OF  THE  ENGLISH  13 

of  Jersey.  By  inheritance  he  was  Seigneur  of  the  Manor  of  La  Huigue, 
Parish  of  Saint  Peter,  Jersey,  but  these  honors  did  not  prevent  him 
leaving  his  native  land  to  assume  the  government  of  a  province  in  the 
New  World.  His  early  training  on  the  Isle  of  Jersey,  which  retained  the 
spirit  of  feudalism  longer  than  more  travelled  parts,  hardly  fitted  him 
to  govern  a  people  in  whom  the  seeds  of  liberty  and  self-government 
seemed  already  sown. 

.  The  people  of  New  England  had  viewed  with  longing  eyes  the  lands 
located  about  the  Achter  Kull  and  on  the  Raritan.  They  had  crossed 
the  Sound  from  the  colony  of  New  Haven,  invading  Long  Island,  where 
they  could  scarcely  gain  a  subsistence  on  its  poor  and  barren  soil,  and 
were  desirous  of  locating  on  the  more  fertile  lands.  They  may  have 
been,  however,  actuated  by  political  reasons ;  the  people  of  New  England 
under  the  Protectorate  had  enjoyed  the  utmost  freedom  in  the  admin- 
istration of  civil  affairs,  and  it  was  natural  that  on  the  restoration  of 
Charles  II.  they  should  feel  some  misgivings  as  to  the  security  of  their 
rights  and  liberties.  The  colonists  of  New  Haven  were  strongly  embued 
with  republican  sentiments,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  reluctance  that 
they  consented  to  proclaim  the  new  monarch  and  to  congratulate  him  on 
his  accession  to  the  throne. 

The  thoughts  of  the  people  of  Connecticut  at  this  time  turned  to  the 
more  liberal  government  of  New  Netherland,  and  negotiations  were 
entered  into  with  Governor  Stuyvesant  by  those  who  had  settled  on 
Long  Island,  for  lands  at  Achter  Kull  on  Newark  Bay.  The  first  of  those 
applicants  was  John  Strickland,  a  resident  of  Huntington,  Long  Island, 
in  behalf  of  himself  and  other  New  England  people.  This  application 
was  received  by  the  Director-General  at  an  opportune  time,  as  the  Dutch 
rulers  had  decided  upon  the  policy  of  inviting  republicans  disaffected  on 
account  of  the  restoration  of  the  English  monarchy,  to  settle  in  their 
dominions,  where  they  could  enjoy  civil  and  religious  freedom.  The 
Dutch  West  India  Company  had  also  adopted  a  charter  of  "Conditions 
and  Privileges''  of  a  very  liberal  character.  Mr.  Strickland,  therefore, 
received  a  favorable  answer  to  his  application,  but  no  settlement  was 
effected. 

The  people  of  New  Haven  Colony  were  also  further  disturbed  by  the 
action  of  the  General  Court  of  Connecticut,  which  sent  its  governor, 
John  Winthrop,  to  England  to  procure  a  charter  for  the  colony  to  em- 
brace the  territory  "eastward  from  the  line  of  Plymouth  colony,  north- 
ward to  the  limits  of  Massachusetts  colony,  and  westward  to  the  Bay  of 
Delaware,  and  also  the  islands  contiguous."  It  was  not  strange  that  the 
liberal  proposals  of  the  Dutch  government  should  meet  with  favorable 
reception  in  the  towns  of  the  New  Haven  Colony.  A  deputation  was  sent 
to  New  Amsterdam  to  make  further  inquiry  and  ascertain  the  character 
of  the  lands  to  be  settled.    This  deputation  was  courteously  entertained 


14  .  MIDDLESEX 

by  the  governor  and  council,  and  made  so  favorable  a  report  that  a 
second  deputation  visited  New  Amsterdam,  with  power  to  negotiate  with 
Governor  Stuyvesant  for  the  settlement  of  a  plantation  near  the  Raritan 
river. 

This  attempt  to  effect  a  settlement  failed  on  account  of  one  condition 
which  the  Director-General  and  the  Council  of  New  Amsterdam  were 
unwilling  to  concede.  The  New  Haven  people  wanted  absolutely  an 
independent  community  with  all  the  rights  of  self-government.  They 
were  to  gather  a  church  in  the  congregational  way ;  the  right  of  calling  a 
Synod  by  the  English  churches  that  might  be  gathered  in  New  Nether- 
land  for  regulation  of  their  ecclesiastical  affairs ;  the  right  to  administer 
justice  in  civil  matters  within  themselves  by  magistrates  of  their  own 
selection,  without  appeal  to  other  authorities ;  the  purchase  of  the 
lands  by  the  Dutch  government  from  the  natives  and  a  full  conveyance 
thereof  to  the  associates  forever ;  none  to  be  allowed  to  settle  among 
them  except  by  their  own  consent ;  the  right  to  collect  debts — and  a  written 
charter  stipulating  these  rights  in  full.  All  these  conditions  were  freely 
granted  except  the  concession  of  self-government  without  appeal,  which 
would  give  the  proposed  colony  greater  liberty  than  was  enjoyed  by  the 
other  towns  and  settlements  of  New  Netherland.  The  delegation  insist- 
ing upon  the  fullest  concession  of  popular  rights,  the  conference  was 
broken  off.  Although  the  negotiations  were  renewed  at  subsequent 
times,  no  satisfactory  results  were  arrived  at  during  the  continuance  of 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Dutch.  Later,  in  1663,  occurred  the  revolt  against 
the  Dutch  government  by  the  English  people  of  Long  Island,  who  placed 
themselves  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Connecticut.  An  attempt  made  by  a 
party  of  twenty  Englishmen  from  Long  Island  to  land  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Raritan  river  with  the  intention  of  purchasing  a  plantation  from  the 
Indians,  was  frustrated  by  an  armed  party  sent  for  that  purpose  by 
Governor  Stuyvesant. 

Immediately  upon  the  assumption  of  the  government  by  Colonel 
Nicolls,  the  attention  of  those  settlers  who  several  years  before  sought 
removal  to  Achter  Kull,  was  directed  again  to  this  inviting  region.  An 
association  was  formed,  and  several  of  their  number  yvere  dispatched  to 
New  York  to  secure  from  the  governor  liberty  to  purchase  and  settle  a 
plantation.  Four  weeks  after  the  surrender  of  New  Amsterdam,  Gov- 
ernor Nicolls  granted  the  petition  of  John  Bailies,  Daniel  Denton, 
Thomas  Benydick,  Nathaniel  Denton,  John  Foster  and  Luke  Watson, 
for  the  settlement  of  a  plantation  of  New  Jersey.  A  tract  of  land  was 
purchased  of  the  Indians ;  in  a  deed  given  by  them  the  names  of  John 
Bayley,  Daniel  Denton  and  Luke  Watson  appear,  while  in  the  official 
confirmation  given  by  Governor  Nicolls  the  names  of  John  Ogden  of 
Northampton  and  Captain  John  Baker  of  New  York  are  added.  The 
tract  is  described  as  bounded  "on  the  south  by  the  Raritan  river,  east 


COMING  OF  THE  ENGLISH  15 

to  the  sea  which  divides  Staten  Island  from  the  main  land,  to  run  north- 
wards up  the  bay  until  you  come  to  the  first  river,  and  to  run  westward 
twice  the  length  of  the  breadth  of  the  tract  from  north  to  south."  This 
tract  contained  500,000  acres  upland  and  meadows,  in  fair  proportions, 
well  watered,  diversified  with  level  plains  and  ranges  of  hill  of  consider- 
able elevation,  the  soil  of  the  uplands  being  mostly  of  clay  loam  and 
shale  susceptible  of  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  It  extended  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Raritan  on  the  south  to  the  mouth  of  the  Passaic  on  the 
north,  a  distance  of  seventeen  miles,  and  running  back  into  the  country 
thirty-four  miles,  embracing  the  towns  of  Woodbridge,  Piscataway, 
Union  county,  parts  of  the  towns  of  Newark  and  Clinton,  a  small  part 
of  Morris  county,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  Somerset  county. 

Having  secured  absolute  proprietorship,  measures  were  taken  for  a 
speedy  and  effective  occupation  of  the  domain.  The  precise  date  when 
the  settlement  of  what  was  to  become  Elizabethtown,  was  actually  com- 
menced is  not  known.  When,  on  July  29,  1665,  Governor  Carteret 
arrived  on  the  good  ship  "Philip"  at  New  York,  with  a  party  of  thirty 
settlers,  including  eighteen  male  servants,  a  number  of  whom  were 
French,  he  allowed  but  a  few  days  to  elapse  before  taking  possession  of 
the  new  province.  Arriving  at  the  Point,  the  entrance  of  the  creek, 
where  the  Connecticut  settlers  had  laid  out  their  town,  he  was  met  by 
the  settlers  gathered  about  the  landing  to  receive  the  newcomers.  Gov- 
ernor Carteret  submitted  his  credentials  to  Ogden  and  his  townsmen. 
The  enterprising  settlers  had  unwittingly  prepared  a  capital  for  the  new 
governor  in  the  primitive  wilderness,  and  made  a  promising  beginning 
in  the  way  of  improvements. 

The  settlers  of  the  first  two  or  three  years  were  mainly  of  one  class 
and  of  the  same  origin,  almost  wholly  New  Englanders  from  Long 
Island  and  Connecticut.  Very  few  of  the  planters  for  the  first  five  years 
came  over  directly  from  the  Mother  Country.  Governor  Carteret,  anx- 
ious for  the  growth  of  the  new  province,  confirmed  the  grants  of  Gov- 
ernor Nicolls ;  although  they  were  repudiated  by  the  Duke  of  York,  he 
was  lenient  in  forcing  the  terms  of  the  concessions,  and  allowed  the 
Hempstead  Code  of  Laws  to  stand.  He  purchased  a  lot  from  one  of 
the  associates  and  established  a  residence,  and,  with  a  hoe  carried  on 
his  shoulder,  thereby  intimated  his  intention  to  become  a  planter.  He 
sent  word  far  and  wide  through  the  colonies  that  New  Jersey  was  open 
for  settlement  under  the  protection  of  a  governor.  Two  years  passed, 
the  province  commenced  to  grow,  ships  came  and  went,  bringing  settlers 
and  merchandise;  the  Puritans  of  Connecticut  obtained  a  grant  on  the 
Passaic  river.  In  April,  1668,  the  governor  issued  his  first  call  for  a 
General  Assembly  to  meet  at  Elizabethtown,  May  25,  1668.  It  was 
in  session  five  days,  and  enacted  the  Elizabethtown  Code  of  Laws.  This 
code  differed  but  slightly  from  the  Hempstead  Code  of  Laws  formulated 


i6  .  MIDDLESEX 

in  1664  at  Hempstead,  Long  Island.  Differences,  however,  arose  between 
the  governor  and  delegates ;  the  former  dissolved  the  Assembly,  and  for 
two  years  refused  to  call  another,  carrying  on  the  government  with  the 
aid  of  his  council. 

In  the  meantime  the  Lord  Proprietors  were  involved  in  financial 
troubles  in  England  ;  Berkeley  had  been  detected  in  the  basest  corrup- 
tion and  had  been  deprived  of  office ;  Carteret  was  accused  of  being  a 
defaulter  of  the  funds  of  the  navy.  These  circumstances  led  to  a  renewal 
of  a  scheme  to  annex  New  Jersey  to  the  province  of  New  York,  in 
which  Colonel  Nicolls  had  always  been  interested.  Measures  were 
accordingly  taken  by  the  Duke  of  York  to  further  this  scheme,  which 
was  nearly  consummated,  but  by  some  turn  of  the  political  wheels,  the 
two  proprietors  regained  royal  favors,  received  appointments  in  Ireland, 
retained  possession  of  their  charter,  and  Elizabethtown  remained  the 
seat  of  government,  the  residence  of  the  governor  and  his  officials. 

Between  the  governor  and  the  popular  branch  of  the  government 
had  grown  up  an  irreconcilable  difference.  The  Assembly,  though  the 
governor  refused  to  convene  it,  met  in  1670,  again  March  26,  1671, 
adjourning  to  May  14,  1671.  It  was  then  called  the  Assembly,  or  the 
House  of  Burgesses,  and  deputies  were  present  from  Elizabethtown, 
Newark,  Bergen,  Woodbridge  and  Piscataway.  The  governor  refusing 
to  preside  over  the  Assembly  either  in  person  or  by  deputy,  the  members 
appointed  Captain  James  Carteret,  a  son  of  Sir  George,  who  was  then 
residing  in  Elizabethtown,  presiding  officer.  The  occasion  of  Captain 
Carteret  being  in  Elizabethtown  was  that  he  was  on  his  way  to  North 
Carolina  to  take  possession  of  his  newly  acquired  domain  as  landgrave. 
He  had  been  requested  by  his  father  to  call  upon  Governor  Carteret  to 
confer  with  him  in  respect  to  the  affairs  of  the  province.  The  captain 
seems,  in  order  to  conciliate  the  aggrieved  planters,  to  have  taken  their 
side,  as  on  his  elevation  as  presiding  officer  of  the  Assembly  he  issued 
a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  William  Pardon,  the  secretary  of  the  House, 
for  refusing  to  deliver  the  acts  and  proceedings  of  the  Assembly,  which 
had  been  destroyed  by  the  order  of  the  governor.  Pardon  was  arrested, 
but  made  his  escape,  fleeing  to  Bergen,  where  Governor  Carteret  and  his 
council  were  in  session.  The  executive  and  his  council  issued  a  docu- 
ment at  Bergen,  May  28,  1671,  declaring  his  purpose  that  unless  the 
people  would  declare  their  submission  in  ten  days  he  should  proceed 
against  them  as  mutineers  and  enemies  of  the  government.  Pardon 
was  appointed  to  read  this  proclamation  before  a  town  meeting ;  an 
order  was  issued  for  his  arrest,  his  house  was  broken  into,  and  all  his 
movables  carried  away.  The  governor,  by  the  advice  of  his  council, 
determined  to  lay  the  grievances  of  the  province  before  the  Lord  Pro- 
prietors. Thereupon  he  sailed  for  England  with  some  of  his  officials, 
appointing  John   Berry  deputy  governor  in  his  place.     Captain  James 


SIR  EDMUND  ANDROS 


COMING  OF  THE  ENGLISH  17 

Carteret  occupied  the  government  house  at  EHzabethtown,  making 
frequent  visits  to  New  York,  and  on  April  15,  1673,  married  Frances, 
daughter  of  Captain  Thomas  Delavall,  merchant  and  mayor  of  that  city. 
He  had  hardly  completed  his  honeymoon  when  he  received  dispatches 
and  instructions  from  his  aged  father  requiring  him  to  retire  from  the 
scene  of  conflict  and  look  after  his  patrimony  in  Carolina.  Just  at  this 
juncture,  in  July,  1673,  New  York  surrendered  to  the  Dutch  rule.  By 
the  treat}'  of  Westminster,  concluded  the  following  year  between  Eng- 
land and  Holland,  all  conquests  were  mutually  restored ;  New  Jersey 
consequently  again  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  English. 

Governor  Carteret  returned  from  England  in  November,  1674, 
Berkeley  had  sold  his  half  of  the  province,  and  Sir  George  Carteret  had 
become  sole  proprietor  of  East  Jersey  under  a  new  patent  from  the  Duke 
of  York,  who  had  received  a  new  charter  from  Charles  II.  Time  had 
softened  the  animosity  of  the  people,  and  Governor  Carteret  was  warmly 
welcomed.  Life  at  the  court  of  the  Stuarts  had  confirmed  Carteret  in 
his  opinions,  and  the  Dutch  rule  had  strengthened  the  spirit  of  freedom 
in  the  people,  and  the  same  disagreement  arose  almost  at  once.  Not 
content  to  let  old  grievances  drop,  Carteret  revived  the  old  questions 
of  land  patents  and  other  matters  of  former  dissensions.  The  people 
offered  to  compromise,  but  the  governor  refused  to  recede  from  his 
position,  and  the  people  were  obliged  to  yield.  A  season  of  comparative 
peace  followed,  and  the  province  developed  under  Carteret's  rule. 

The  same  ship  in  which  Carteret  sailed  from  England  brought  as  a 
passenger  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  a  kinsman,  the  newly  appointed  governor 
of  New  York.  Later  he  became  governor  of  all  the  colonies,  and  in  his 
attempt  to  extend  his  jurisdiction  over  New  Jersey  came  in  conflict  with 
the  government  of  Carteret,  and  also  with  the  desires  and  interests  of 
the  people,  who  united  in  common  cause  against  a  formidable  enemy, 
and  all  former  animosities  were  forgotten.  In  March,  1680,  Andros 
notified  Carteret  that  he  intended  to  take  military  possession  of  the 
province  and  to  erect  a  fort  at  Sandy  Point.  Carteret  was  decided  in 
his  opposition,  but  the  dogmatic  Andros  in  a  cowardly  way  effected  the 
capture  of  the  governor,  confining  him  in  prison.  Carteret  was  brought 
to  trial  for  presuming  to  exercise  jurisdiction  within  the  bounds  of  His 
Majesty's  letters-patent  granted  to  the  Duke  of  York.  The  jury,  how- 
ever, declared  him  not  guilty,  and  he  was  acquitted,  but  an  order  was 
appended  to  the  judgment  of  the  court  requiring  him  to  give  security 
that  he  would  not  exercise  jurisdiction  either  civil  or  military  in  the 
province  of  New  Jersey.  Upon  his  release  on  parole,  Carteret  appealed 
to  the  new  government,  and  occupied  his  leisure  in  leading  the  life  of 
a  private  citizen  at  EHzabethtown,  improving  his  estate,  the  erection  of 
a  new  house,  and  in  getting  married.  In  March,  1681,  on  receipt  of 
letters  from  England,  Governor  Carteret  resumed  office  by  proclamation 

Mid— 2 


i8  MIDDLESEX 

and  took  up  the  controversy  with  the  people,  which  remained  a  matter 
of  litigation  until  the  Revolution  intervened.  The  heirs  of  Sir  George 
Carteret  having  sold  their  interests  in  East  Jersey,  the  governor  was 
superseded  in  November,  1682,  by  Deputy  Governor  Thomas  Rudyard. 
His  death  occurred  soon  afterwards,  December  10,  1682,  in  his  forty- 
fourth  year,  undoubtedly  hastened  by  the  exposure  and  ill  treatment  at 
the  time  of  his  arrest  by  Andros. 

Carteret  was  an  honorable  man  of  good  character,  and  sincerely  tried 
to  govern  his  people  well,  according  to  his  lights.  Unfortunately  he  was 
a  Royalist,  believing  in  the  divine  rights  of  kings,  and  could  have  had 
little  sympathy  with  the  Puritan  religion  and  Roundhead  politics.  Taken 
as  a  whole,  his  governorship  cannot  be  considered  a  failure.  He  was  a 
man  of  good  moral  character,  firmness,  even  temper,  and  simplicity. 
East  Jersey  developed  under  his  rule  without  check  or  failure.  He 
showed  possibly  a  lack  of  adaptability,  but  he  came  to  the  colonies  to 
rule,  not  to  be  ruled  by  those  under  his  authority. 


A  LOG  CABIN.  WITH   MODERN   ROOF 


CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  RARITAN  VALLEY. 

The  colonization  of  Elizabethtown  stimulated  and  encouraged  the 
settlement  of  the  country  laying  west  in  the  Valley  of  the  Raritan.  Dan- 
iel Pierce,  with  other  associates  residing  in  Newbury,  Massachusetts,  on 
May  21,  1666,  entered  into  an  agreement  with  Governor  Carteret,  John 
Ogden  and  Luke  Watson,  to  settle  two  townships.  The  tract  specified 
was  known  as  Arthur  Kull,  or  Amboyle,  originally  granted  by  Governor 
Nicolls  to  John  Bailey,  Daniel  Denton  and  Luke  Watson,  extending 
from  the  Raritan  river  to  the  Rawack  river  and  running  back  into  the 
country,  according  to  the  Indian  deed.  In  consideration  of  £80  sterling, 
one-half  of  this  tract  was  transferred  to  Pierce,  December  11,  1666.  A 
week  later  he  transferred  to  John  Martin,  Charles  Gilman,  Hugh  Dunn 
and  Hopewell  Hull  a  third  part  of  the  land  he  had  thus  acquired.  On 
December  3,  1667,  Pierce  was  commissioned  deputy-surveyor  to  lay  out 
the  bounds  of  a  town  to  be  known  as  Woodbridge,  and  to  apportion  the 
land  belonging  to  each  individual.  On  June  11,  1669,  he  and  his  asso- 
ciates received  a  charter  which  created  the  tract  of  land  therein  described 
(said  to  contain  six  miles  square)  into  a  township  to  consist  of  not  less 
than  sixty  families.  By  a  resolution  adopted  on  that  day,  this  number  of 
families  was  not  to  be  exceeded  unless  by  special  order  of  the  town. 

The  nine  original  associates  were  John  Bishop,  Robert  Dennis,  Henry 
Jacques,  Stephen  Kent,  Hugh  March,  John  Pike,  Daniel  Pierce,  Joshua 
Pierce,  and  John  Smith,  wheelwright,  to  designate  him  from  another  of 
the  same  name,  who  was  a  Scotchman.  These  associates  were  allowed 
to  retain  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  upland  and  forty  of  meadow  in 
addition  to  the  regular  allotment  to  each  freeholder.  The  Pikes,  Pierces, 
Bishops,  Jacques,  Kents  and  Marches  were  from  Newbury,  Massachu- 
setts ;  Dennis,  another  of  the  associates,  was  from  Yarmouth,  in  the  same 
colony.  John  Smith  was  honored  immediately  after  the  organization 
of  the  town  with  the  post  of  constable,  later  promoted  to  a  deputy  to 
the  Assembly  and  an  assistant  judge.  The  town  meetings  were  at  first 
held  at  his  house,  he  acting  as  moderator,  and  he  appears  to  have  been 
an  esteemed  citizen.  There  is  no  mention  made  in  the  records  of  his 
family,  and  his  identity  and  his  descendants  become  lost  in  the  numerous 
Smiths  in  the  vicinity. 

John  Pike  seems  to  have  become  the  prominent  man  of  the  town 
immediately  after  settlement ;  he  was  elected  president  of  Woodbridge, 
became  one  of  Governor  Carteret's  councillors,  and  was  appointed 
captain  of  the  militia.  Major  Zebulon  Pike,  of  the  Revolutionary  War, 
and  General  Zebulon  Montgomery  Pike,  who  distinguished  himself  in 


20  MIDDLESEX 

the  War  of  1812,  were  of  this  family.  Daniel  Pierce  was  a  blacksmith, 
whose  father  first  settled  at  Watertown,  Massachusetts,  in  1637.  He 
returned  to  Newbury,  Massachusetts,  soon  after  the  settlement  of  Wood- 
bridge  ;  Joshua,  his  son,  died  in  the  latter  part  of  1670.  Robert  Dennis, 
thoug-h  he  held  many  offices  in  the  township  and  was  highly  respected, 
owing  to  infirmities  of  body  ceases  to  be  mentioned  after  1675.  John 
Bishop  was  a  carpenter,  and  though  he  held  several  prominent  offices  in 
the  town  there  is  no  mention  in  any  way  to  throw  light  upon  his  char- 
acter. Henry  Jacques  was  also  a  carpenter.  Stephen  Kent,  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Newbury,  was  an  old  man  on  his  arrival  in  New  Jer- 
sey.    Hugh  March  subsequently  returned  to  Newbury. 

The  majority  of  the  first  settlers  came  from  New  England,  and  most 
of  them  were  descendants  from  the  Puritans.  The  inhabitants  of  Wood- 
bridge  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  their  ways  amidst  the  quietness  and 
sobriety  of  a  secluded  agricultural  people.  Woodbridge  had  ten  thou- 
sand acres  for  the  town  and  twenty  thousand  for  adjoining  plantations, 
several  of  these  being  highly  improved.  A  court  house  and  prison  were 
there,  and  the  possession  of  a  charter  gave  to  the  town  a  peculiar  con- 
sideration in  the  province.  At  the  time  of  the  transfer  of  East  Jersey  to 
the  twenty-four  Proprietors,  March  14,  1682,  Woodbridge's  population 
was  estimated  at  six  hundred.  The  inhabitants  were  loyal  to  the  Dutch 
and  English  governors,  to  the  proprietaries'  interests  or  royal  preroga- 
tives, whichever  had  the  ascendancy.  Plain  Samuel  Dennis,  justice 
under  English  rule,  became  Samuel  Dennis,  schepen,  when  the  Hol- 
landers temporarily  gained  the  supremacy.  The  town  with  equal  facility 
was  transferred  from  the  province  of  New  Jersey  to  the  schoutship  of 
Achter  Kull  in  the  New  Netherland. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Woodbridge  were  the  Bloomfields ; 
Thomas  and  his  son  Thomas  became  freeholders  in  1670.  The  elder 
Bloomfield  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  his  grandson.  Captain  John 
Bloomfield,  was  in  Colonel  Dayton's  Third  Continental  Regiment  in 
1776.  The  Comptons  came  to  Woodbridge  when  it  was  a  vast  forest, 
William  being  the  pioneer  settler,  and  he  was  the  first  white  man  to 
cut  down  the  timber.  His  daughter  Mary  was  the  first  white  child  born 
in  the  township.  John  French  worked  at  his  trade  of  mason  and  builder 
at  an  early  date.  The  Gannitt  and  Grasie  families  were  of  Huguenot 
descent  who  settled  upon  Staten  Island  and  subsequently  came  to  New 
Jersey.  Samuel  Hale  came  from  Newbury,  Massachusetts,  was  a  surgeon, 
held  official  relation  in  the  Assembly,  and  in  framing  the  charter  of  the 
township.  Samuel  Morse  was  the  first  town  clerk  and  held  the  office 
for  a  score  of  years.  He  and  his  brother  Matthew  made  New  Jersey 
their  permanent  abode  from  the  time  of  their  arrival.  Benjamin  and 
Elisha  Parker  were  not  relatives,  but  they  came  about  the  same  time 
to  Woodbridge;  Benjamin  was  a  freeholder  in  1670;  Elisha  first  settled 


THE  RARITAN  VALLEY  21 

in  Woodbridge  in  1675,  was  appointed  high  sheriff  of  the  county  of 
Middlesex  in  1694,  represented  the  county  in  the  Provincial  Assembly 
and  was  a  member  of  Governor  Hunter's  council.  Richard,  the  ancestor 
of  the  Connerly  family,  was  of  Scotch  descent,  and  came  to  Woodbridge 
in  1680.  He  settled  near  the  "Blazing  Star  Ferry,"  on  the  Kill  Von  Kull, 
and  probably  kept  the  ferry,  near  which  he  lived.  He  was  a  joiner  by 
trade.  George  Lockhart,  a  practitioner  of  physic,  is  mentioned  in  1679 
as  residing  in  Woodbridge.  Peter  Dessigny  was  another  practitioner 
of  physic,  or  "chirurgeon,"  and  was  living  in  the  township  in  1692.  The 
Rev.  Archibald  Riddell  was  a  passenger  on  the  ill-fated  ship  "Henry 
and  Francis"  that  brought  Scot's  cargo  of  Scottish  Covenanters  to 
America ;  he  officiated  as  pastor  to  the  people  of  Woodbridge  during  his 
enforced  residence  in  America.  Another  passenger  on  Scot's  vessel, 
Robert  Mcl-ellan,  bought  a  plantation  in  Woodbridge,  having  as  an 
inmate  of  his  family  Rev.  Mr.  Riddell.  They  sailed  for  Europe  together 
in  1689.  but  McLellan  subsequently  returned  and  took  possession  of 
his  lands  in  Woodbridge.  Adam  Hood  or  Hude  was  also  a  passenger 
in  the  "Henry  and  Francis ;"  he  is  styled  in  the  old  records  as  a  weaver ; 
he  purchased  in  1695  lands  in  Woodbridge,  and  became  in  1718  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Middlesex  county,  and  soon 
after  the  presiding  judge,  acting  in  that  capacity  until  1733. 

The  affairs  of  Woodbridge  were  managed  as  in  New  England  at 
town  meetings,  and  in  January,  1699,  it  became  necessary  to  make  it 
obligatory  to  attend  these  meetings  under  a  penalty  of  nine  pence  for 
non-attendance,  and  upon  refusal  to  pay  the  fine  the  delinquent  was  to 
be  turned  out  of  the  meeting  house.  The  early  residents  deemed  it 
necessary  to  prepare  against  Indian  attacks,  and  a  rate  was  levied  to 
provide  ten  pounds  of  powder  and  twenty  pounds  of  lead ;  the  prison 
was  ordered  to  be  fortified  by  stockades  of  a  half  or  whole  tree  of  nine 
feet  long  at  least,  to  provide  a  place  of  safety  for  the  women  and  chil- 
dren, but  it  was  never  occupied.  A  ranger  of  the  woods  was  appointed 
to  prevent  danger  threatened  by  the  French  and  Indians.  These  are 
the  only  occurrences  on  record  intimating  the  existence  of  any  appre- 
hended difficulty  with  the  natives.  The  first  grist  mill  in  the  township 
was  erected  in  1670-71  by  Jonathan  Dunham,  and  a  saw  mill  was  built 
on  Rahawack  river  by  James  Bishop  in  1682.  In  February,  1703,  John 
Clake  (or  Cleak)  was  encouraged  to  put  up  a  fulling  mill  by  a  grant  of 
twenty  acres  of  land  on  the  Rahawack.  The  first  tavern  was  established 
by  Samuel  Moore  in  1683,  where  rum  could  be  had  for  three  shillings 
per  gallon.  The  killer  of  wolves  was  allowed  from  ten  to  twenty-five 
shillings  for  each  head. 

The  early  associates  of  Piscataway  came  principally  from  the  region 
watered  by  the  Piscataqua  river,  which  now  is  a  portion  of  the  boundary 
line  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire.    It  is  the  Indian  name  of  one  of  the 


22  MIDDLESEX 

eastern  tribes,  and  the  orthography  of  the  town's  name  was  changed 
soon  after  its  settlement  to  its  present  form.  The  original  grantees 
were  Hugh  Dunn,  Hopewell  Hull,  John  Martin,  Charles  Oilman,  Robert 
Dennis,  John  Smith,  John  Oilman  and  Benjamin  Hull.  The  names 
first  mentioned  in  the  contracts  and  assignments  of  lands  in  this  town- 
ship were  the  Oilmans  in  1675 ;  the  Blackshaws,  Drakes,  Hands  and 
Hendricks  in  1677;  the  Dotys  (Doughtys)  and  Wolfs  in  1678;  the  Smal- 
leys,  Hulls  and  Trothers  in  1679;  the  Hansworths,  Martins  and  Higgins 
in  1680;  the  Dunhams,  Laflowers  (Laforge)  and  Fitz  Randolphs  in  1681 ; 
the  Suttons,  Brindleys,  Bounds  (Bound)  and  Fords  in  1682;  the  Orubs 
and  Adams  in  1683;  the  Pregmores  in  1684;  the  Davises  and  Slaughters 
in  1685 ;  the  Chandlers  and  Smiths  in  1689. 

In  the  southeastern  portion  of  the  township  lived  members  of  the 
Fields  family,  whose  ancestor  came  from  England  and  settled  at  New- 
port, Rhode  Island,  in  an  early  day.  He  removed  to  Flushing,  Long 
Island,  from  whence  John  Field  passed  into  New  Jersey,  purchasing 
1,050  acres  13'ing  between  Bound  Brook  and  New  Brunswick,  along  the 
Raritan  river.  The  Oarretsons  were  of  Dutch  stock,  the  first  of  the  fam- 
ily emigrating  from  Holland  in  1658.  A  descendant,  Hendrick  Oarretson, 
was  at  Richmond,  Staten  Island,  and  in  1698  purchased  of  Jacques  Poil- 
lion  a  farm  upon  the  Raritan  river.  John  Smalley  is  named  as  a  free- 
holder in  1691.  The  Martins  and  Dunhams  were  from  Dover,  New 
Hampshire,  and  of  the  latter  family  Rev.  Edward  Dunham  was  the  first 
clergyman  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  in  Piscataway.  Among 
the  first  members  of  this  church  were  Thomas  and  John  Fitz  Randolph, 
who  resided  in  the  center  of  the  township.  They  were  descendants  of 
Edward  Fitz  Randolph,  a  scion  of  an  ancient  family  of  Yorkshire  who 
traced  their  ancestry  to  Count  Herald  Fitz  Randolph,  who  accompanied 
William  the  Conqueror  to  England  and  upon  whom  he  settled  various 
estates.  The  American  ancestor,  in  company  with  his  widowed  mother, 
came  to  New  England  in  1630;  he  married  at  Barnstable,  Massachu- 
setts, Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Thomas  Blossom,  and  with  his  wife  and 
their  unmarried  children :  John,  Joseph,  Elizabeth,  Thomas,  Benjamin 
and  perhaps  Hope,  removed  from  Massachusetts  to  Piscataway  in  1668. 
Edward  Fitz  Randolph  was  a  man  of  note  and  is  mentioned  in  the  rec- 
ords of  Barnstable,  Massachusetts,  as  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  that 
town ;  he  died  shortly  after  coming  to  New  Jersey.  Edward  Slater 
was  a  freeholder  in  the  township  in  1683,  and  owned  a  large  number  of 
acres ;  he  was  the  first  clerk  of  the  courts  of  the  county.  Vincent  Rug- 
nion,  the  name  afterwards  becoming  Runyon,  was  of  Huguenot  descent ; 
he  removed  to  Piscataway  in  1677,  and  was  allotted  land  on  the  Raritan 
river.  Therefore,  by  a  cursory  examination  it  can  be  readily  seen  that 
the  first  settlers  of  Piscataway  were  of  more  mixed  nationality  than  the 
New  England  settlers  of  Woodbridge. 


THE  RARITAN  VALLEY 


23 


Lhe  original  settlers  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Brunswick  were  Dutch 
and  French  Protestants.  There  were,  however,  in  1683,  some  English 
and  Dutch  plantations  on  the  Raritan  above  and  below  the  present  city 
of  New  Brunswick,  while  the  central  part  was  only  a  swamp.  In  June, 
1681,  John  Inian  and  company  purchased  from  the  Indians  a  tract  of  land 
embracing  ten  thousand  acres  on  the  south  side  of  the  Raritan  river 
opposite  the  township  of  Piscataway.  This  tract  afterwards  became 
known  as  the  Raritan  lots,  and  is  now  the  lower  edge  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, running  along  the  river  to  near  Bound  Brook.  The  tract  was  soon 
afterwards  surveyed  and  laid  out  into  nineteen  lots  having  in  general 
less  than  a  half  of  mile  of  river  front  and  about  two  miles  deep,  aggre- 
gating about  six  hundred  and  forty  acres.  John  Inian  purchased  two 
of  these  lots  in  what  is  now  New  Brunswick ;  to  the  north  of  his  pur- 
chase, lots  were  sold  to  Gibbons,  Inian,  Bainbridge,  Bridgeman,  Miller, 
Jones,  Clements,  Antill  and  Dockwra.  South  of  Inian's  purchase, 
Thomas  Lawrence  bought  three  thousand  acres ;  this  tract  subsequently 
came  into  the  possession  of  Cornelius  Longfield  and  Governor  Barclay, 
while  that  of  Inian  was  purchased  by  Philip  French,  who  laid  out 
streets  upon  it  and  cut  it  up  into  building  lots  and  farms. 

The  first  Dutch  on  the  Raritan  came  about  1683,  principally  from 
Long  Island.  The  condition  of  affairs  cannot  be  better  illustrated  than 
giving  extracts  from  a  Scotchman's  letter  to  his  brother  in  Edinburgh. 
He  writes  that  the  Indians  are  nothing  to  fear,  the  country  being  as 
peaceable  as  anywhere  else.  There  are  no  bears,  nor  ravenous  beasts 
except  wolves,  which  are  harmless ;  snakes  are  not  to  be  noticed,  as 
they  give  timely  warning  of  an  attack  by  the  rattling  of  their  tails. 
Oxen  are  so  well  taught  they  go  sometimes  in  a  plough  or  cart  without 
horse  or  without  a  gad-man.  Horses  and  cattle  are  as  cheap  as  in  Scot- 
land. The  air,  he  writes,  is  healthful,  the  soil  fruitful,  Indian  corn  yielding 
commonly  two  or  three  hundred  fold  and  oats  twenty  fold.  He  informs 
his  brother  that  there  were  several  reasonably  good  towns  in  the  prov- 
ince of  more  than  eighty  families  each,  that  they  were  no  poor  people, 
and  the  liquor  they  used  was  cider,  as  there  was  a  great  store  of  fruit. 
The  old  inhabitants,  he  states,  are  a  most  careful  and  infrugal  people, 
their  profession  most  part  Protestants,  a  few  Quakers,  and  some  Ana- 
baptists, but  there  was  a  lack  of  preachers  and  he  hoped  his  brother 
would  be  instrumental  in  filling  this  want. 

The  point  at  the  mouth  of  the  Raritan  river  is  first  mentioned  in  the 
deed  of  Augustine  Heermans  by  the  name  of  Ompage.  In  the  subse- 
quent deed  to  Bailey,  Denton  and  Watson,  no  particular  name  is  given 
to  either  the  point  or  country,  but  the  next  year,  Bailey  transferring  his 
rights  to  Philip  Carteret,  calls  the  country,  Arthur  Cull  or  Emboyle, 
which  was  written  Amboyle;  from  these  names  Ambo  was  derived  and 
conferred  upon  the  point.     In  granting  the  charter  of  Woodbridge,  it 


24  '  MIDDLESEX 

was  specified  that  one  thousand  acres  should  be  reserved  in  and  about 
Ambo  Point,  one  hundred  acres  of  which  were  to  be  laid  out  in  the  most 
convenient  place  adjacent  to  the  point.  This  reservation  is  a  proof  of 
sound  discrimination  and  judgment  of  Governor  Carteret,  as  it  was  a 
most  eligible  site  tor  the  situation  of  a  city.  He  most  likely  had  in  mind 
the  opposition  to  his  authority  shown  at  Elizabethtown,  which  induced 
him  to  recommend  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  to  some 
place  where  the  interests  of  the  proprietaries  would  be  more  regarded. 
The  transfer  of  the  province  into  other  hands  and  the  death  of  Carteret 
prevented  the  realization  of  his  plans.  The  new  proprietaries  also  were 
interested  in  establishing  a  city  at  the  point,  and  contributed  £1,200 
in  furtherance  of  the  project,  but  their  deputy  governors  were  slow  in 
making  progress,  and  it  was  not  until  1684  that  any  effective  steps  were 
taken.  In  that  year,  Lawrie,  the  then  deputy  governor,  received  positive 
orders  to  remove  the  offices  of  government  from  Elizabethtown  to  what 
was  then  called  the  new  town  of  Perth. 

In  the  month  of  December,  1685,  an  arrival  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest  occurred  at  the  Point.    A  vessel  freighted  with  Scotchmen  upon 
whom  persecution  had  wrought  the  work  of  purification  and  whose  souls 
had  been  tempered  for  patient  endurance  by  sore  trials  and  misfortunes, 
anchored  in  the  harbor.     They  were  Scotch  Covenanters,  members  of 
the  Cameronians,  a  sect  of  Scotch  Presbyterian  dissenters.     James  I. 
had    enforced    on    his    Scottish    subjects    a    liturgy    which    the    people 
abhorred.     This  exercise  of  the  royal  prerogative  led  in    1638  to  the 
formation  of  a  covenant  in  behalf  of  the  true  religion  and  freedom  of  the 
Kirkdom.    The  organization  of  the  Scottish  Presbytery  was  still  further 
completed  in  the  adoption  of  the  Presbyterian  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, a  Calvinistic  confession  of  faith,  and  the  two  catechisms,  which 
documents  are  still  the  standard  of  the  Scottish  Kirk.    The  act  of  English 
and  Scottish  parliaments  against  conventicles,  the  legalized  persecutions, 
with  other  irritating  matters,  exasperated  the  Covenanters  to  a  point 
where  they  thought  forbearance  ceased  to  be  a  duty.     They  therefore 
took  up  arms  against  the  royal  power  and  were  disastrously  beaten,  and 
many  executed  and  imprisoned.     They  largely  were  inhabitants  of  the 
Lowlands  of  Scotland,  the  Highlanders  being  generally  adherents  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  religion  or  the  Church  of  England.    To  these  people 
America  offered  a  refuge,  and  through  the  exertions  of  George  Scot, 
Laird  of  Pitlochie,  early  in  May,  1685,  a  ship  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
tons  named  the  "Henry  and  Francis"  of  Newcastle,  England,  was  char- 
tered. On  September  5,  1685,  the  vessel  left  the  harbor  of  Leith,  Scotland, 
having  on  board  nearly  two  hundred  passengers,  some  of  whom  had 
been  on  board  since  the  previous  summer.     The  voyage  was  long  and 
disastrous,  fifteen  weeks  being  consumed  in  crossing  the  ocean.    A  fever 
of  a  malignant  type  broke  out,  and  the  meat,  owing  probably  to  the 


THE  RARITAN  VALLEY  25 

length  of  time  which  had  elapsed  since  the  vessel  was  chartered,  became 
offensive  and  uneatable.  As  many  as  seventy  died  at  sea,  among  whom 
was  George  Scot,  Laird  of  Pitlochie,  his  wife  also,  her  sister-in-law,  Lady 
Althernie,  and  her  two  children. 

The  charge  for  transportation  as  publicly  announced  was  £5  sterling 
for  each  adult,  and  to  each  of  those  who  were  unable  to  pay  for  their 
passage  was  promised  twenty-five  acres  of  land  and  a  suit  of  new  clothes 
on  the  completion  of  four  years'  service  to  those  who  advanced  the  requi- 
site amount.  After  their  arrival,  considerable  difficulty  took  place  on 
account  of  those  that  had  come  over  without  paying  their  passage  money. 
An  attempt  was  made  to  have  them  serve  their  four  years'  indenture  in 
consideration  of  the  expense  incurred  by  Scot  for  their  transportation. 
This  they  would  not  agree  to,  and  suits  were  brought.  The  jury  returned 
a  verdict  for  the  plaintiff  of  £5  sterling  and  costs.  It  is  a  difficult  matter 
to  determine  how  many  of  these  Scotch  Covenanters  became  permanent 
residents  of  Perth  Amboy.  A  large  number  of  them  returned  to  Eng- 
land ;  others,  on  the  accession  of  William  and  Mary  to  the  throne  of 
England,  returned  to  their  native  land.  A  more  detailed  account  of  those 
that  remained  in  Perth  Amboy  will  be  given  in  the  history  of  that  city 
in  this  work. 


CHAPTER  V. 
THE  EAST  JERSEY  PROPRIETORS. 

The  following  with  relation  to  the  East  Jersey  Proprietors,  by  Adrian 
Lyon,  registrar  of  the  Board  of  Proprietors  of  East  Jersey,  was  read  at 
the  meeting  of  the  Woman's  Branch  of  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society 
at  Newark,  May  lo,  1916: 

On  ]une  24,  1497,  John  and  Sebastian  Cabot,  sailing  under  the  author- 
ity of  Henry  VH.  of  England,  reached  North  America,  unfurled  the 
royal  banner  and  took  possession  in  the  name  of  the  King.  From  this 
is  derived  the  English  title.  On  March  12,  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  the 
reign  of  Charles  H.,  1664,  he  granted  to  his  brother  James,  Duke  of 
York,  the  lands  from  the  west  side  of  Connecticut  river  to  the  east  side 
of  Delaware  bay,  together  with  the  right  of  government. 

On  June  24,  1664,  James,  Duke  of  York,  granted  to  John  Lord  Berk- 
ley, Baron  of  Stratton,  and  Sir  George  Carteret,  of  Saltrum,  Knight, 
two  of  His  Majesty's  most  Honorable  Privy  Council,  "all  that  tract  of 
land  adjacent  to  New  England  and  lying  and  being  to  the  westward  of 
Long  Island  and  Manhitas  Island,  and  bounded  on  the  east  part  by  the 
main  sea,  and  part  by  Hudson  river,  and  hath  upon  the  west  Delaware 
bay  or  river,  and  extendeth  southward  to  the  main  ocean  as  far  as  Cape 
May  at  the  mouth  of  Delaware  bay ;  and  to  the  northward  as  far  as  the 
northermost  branch  of  the  said  bay  or  river  of  Delaware,  which  is  41°  40' 
of  latitude,  and  crosseth  over  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  Hudson's  river 
in  41  degrees  of  latitude ;  which  said  tract  of  land  is  hereafter  to  be 
called  by  the  name  or  names  of  New  Caeserea  or  New  Jersey."  This 
conveyance  was  by  the  common  form  of  lease  and  release,  and  conveyed 
the  soil  only,  but  did  not  transfer  the  right  of  government. 

On  July  30,  1673,  New  York  and  New  Jersey  were  taken  by  the 
Dutch.  On  Feb.  9,  1674,  a  treaty  of  peace  restored  the  country  to  the 
English,  and  they  continued  in  undisturbed  possession  until  the  war  of 
Independence. 

Because  the  country  was  conquered  by  the  Dutch  and  afterwards 
restored  to  the  English,  Charles  II.,  on  June  29,  1674,  gave  a  new  grant 
to  James,  Duke  of  York,  similar  to  the  former  grant,  and  on  July  29, 
1674,  James,  Duke  of  York,  gave  another  grant  to  Sir  George  Carteret 
for  that  part  of  New  Jersey  as  far  southward  as  Barnegat  creek. 

On  July  I,  1676,  the  quintipartite  deed  was  executed  between  Sir 
George  Carteret,  William  Penn,  Gawen  Lawry,  Nicholas  Lucas,  and 
Edward  Billinge,  by  which  East  New  Jersey  was  confirmed  to  Sir  George 
Carteret,  and  the  partition  line  between  East  Jersey  and  West  Jersey 
was  described.     This  division  line  ran  from  the  east  side  of  Little  Egg 


28  MIDDLESEX 

Harbour  to  a  point  on  the  Delaware  river  where  it  was  intersected  by 
the  old  partition  line  between  New  York  and  New  Jersey  as  intended 
by  the  original  grant  from  the  Duke  of  York  to  Berkley  and  Carteret. 
This  point  was  at  41°  40'  latitude,  and  was  some  distance  above  the 
point  where  the  river  curves  sharply  to  the  west.  This  results  in  throw- 
ing the  division  line  farther  to  the  west  than  can  be  readily  understood 
by  those  who  have  in  mind  the  most  northerly  point  of  the  State  as  it 
now  exists.  The  situation  can  readily  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  map 
in  Smith's  "History  of  New  Jersey."  This  line  is  commonly  known  as 
the  Lawrence  line,  because  it  was  run  by  John  Lawrence,  a  surveyor, 
in  1743. 

Sir  George  Carteret  died  in  16S0.  By  his  will  he  left  his  widow.  Lady 
Elizabeth,  executrix  of  his  estate  and  guardian  of  his  grandson  and  heir 
and  devised  to  six  persons  all  his  property  in  East  Jersey,  in  trust  for 
the  benefit  of  his  creditors.  These  trustees  were  Right  Hon.  John  Earl 
of  Bath,  Thomas  Lord  Creive,  the  Hon.  Barnard  Greenvill,  Esqr.,  brother 
of  the  =^aid  Earl  of  Bath,  Sr.  Robert  Atkins,  Knight  of  the  Bath,  Sr. 
"Edward  Atkins,  Knight,  one  of  the  Barons  of  His  Majesty's  Court  of 
Exchequer.  On  March  16,  1680,  by  a  writing,  they  declared  "that  all 
Pattents  of  any  Lands  in  the  said  Province  granted  or  to  be  granted  to 
any  Person  or  Persons  whatsoever  shall  hereafter  be  made  in  the  name 
only  of  the  Right  Honble  the  Lady  Elizabeth  Carteret,  widdow,  the 
Relict  and  sole  Executrix  of  the  said  Sr.  George  Carteret,  deceased,  and 
grandmother  and  gardian  to  Sr.  George  Carteret  Baronet  Grandsone 
and  heir  of  the  said  Sr.  George  Carteret  deceased."  These  trustees 
offered  said  property  in  East  Jersey  at  public  sale  to  the  highest  bidder. 
William  Penn  and  eleven  associates  purchased  it  for  £3,400,  and  it  was 
conveyed  to  them  on  Feb.  2,  1682.  Each  of  these  twelve  proprietors 
subsequently  sold  one-half  of  his  respective  right  to  a  new  associate, 
making  twenty-four  in  all. 

On  March  14,  1682,  the  Duke  of  York  confirmed  the  title  of  the 
twenty-four  proprietors  to  East  Jersey  by  name  as  follows :  Right  Hon. 
James  Earl  of  Perth,  the  Hon.  John  Drummond,  Esq.,  of  Lundy ;  Robert 
Barclay,  Esq.,  and  David  Barclay,  Junior,  Esq.,  of  Eury ;  Robert  Gordon, 
Esq..  of  Cluny ;  Arent  Sonmans,  Esq.,  of  Wallingford,  all  in  the  Kingdom 
of  Scotland;  William  Penn,  Esq.,  of  Worminghurst  in  the  county  of 
Sussex;  Robert  West,  Esq.,  of  the  Middle  Temple,  London;  Thomas 
Rudyard,  gentleman,  of  London;  Samuel  Groom,  mariner,  of  the  parish 
of  Stepney  in  the  county  of  Middlesex;  Thomas  Hart,  merchant,  of 
Enfield,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex;  Richard  Mew,  merchant,  of  Stepney, 
aforesaid;  Ambrose  Rigg,  gentleman,  of  Gatton  Place  in  the  county  of 
Surry ;  Thomas  Cooper,  citizen  and  merchant-taylor,  of  London ;  Gawen 
Lawry,  merchant,  of  London ;  Edward  Billing,  gentleman,  of  the  city  of 
Westminster,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex;  James  Braine,  merchant,  of 


EAST  JERSEY  PROPRIETORS  29 

London ;  William  Gibson,  citizen  and  haberdasher,  of  London ;  John 
Haywood,  citizen  and  skinner,  of  London ;  Hugh  Hartshorne,  citizen  and 
skinner,  of  London ;  Clement  Plunsteed,  citizen  and  draper,  of  London ; 
Thomas  Barker,  merchant,  of  London ;  Robert  Turner,  merchant,  and 
Thomas  Warne,  merchant,  both  of  the  city  of  Dublin,  in  the  Kingdom 
of  Ireland.  These  included  the  twelve  original  proprietors  with  the 
exception  of  Thomas  Wilcox,  who  had  sold  his  entire  interest  to  David 
Barclay.  This  grant  is  recorded  in  the  office  of  the  East  Jersey  Pro- 
prietors in  Book  A,  page  53. 

By  a  letter  under  date  of  Nov.  23,  1683,  addressed  to  the  Governor 
and  Council  of  East  New  Jersey,  and  to  the  planters,  inhabitants,  and 
all  others  concerned  in  the  Province,  Charles  II.  recognized  the  title  of 
the  twenty-four  proprietors  to  the  soil  and  the  right  of  government. 
In  Whitehead's  "History  of  East  Jersey  under  the  Proprietors"  he 
states  that : 

"The  greater  number  of  the  proprietaries  being  in  England  and 
Scotland,  all  orders  and  instructions,  however  minute,  emanated  at  first 
from  their  councils  there;  but  emigration  and  a  transfer  of  proprietary 
rights  soon  brought  to  the  province  such  a  number  of  those  directly 
interested  in  the  soil,  that  on  the  first  August,  1684,  a  board  of  com- 
missioners was  established,  comprising  all  the  proprietaries  that  might 
be  from  time  to  time  in  the  province,  to  act  with  the  deputy  governor 
in  the  temporary  approval  of  laws  passed  by  the  Assembly — the  settle- 
ment of  all  disputes  with  the  planters — the  purchase  and  laying  out  of 
lands,  and  other  matters.  This  soon  after  became  known  as  the  'Board 
of  Proprietors,'  and  continued  to  have  the  chief  management  within  the 
province,  of  those  concerns  which  were  connected  with  the  proprietary 
titles  to  the  government  and  soil.  To  this  board  was  also  intrusted  the 
adoption  of  such  measures  as  might  best  conduce  to  the  advancement 
and  improvement  of  a  new  town  to  be  called  'Perth,'  in  honor  of  the  Earl 
of  Perth,  one  of  the  proprietaries,  standing  on  what  was  then  known  as 
Ambo  Point." 

The  earliest  minutes  of  the  meetings  of  the  proprietors  are  found  in 
book  A.  B.,  No.  i.  This  is  entitled:  "The  Journal!  of  the  procedure  of 
the  proprietors  and  proxies  to  proprietors  of  this  province  of  East  New 
Jersey  from  and  after  the  9th  day  of  Aprill  Anno  dm  1685."  The 
writing  is  hard  to  decipher  by  those  not  familiar  with  it.  It  soon  yields 
to  diligence  and  attention,  however,  and  can  be  read  with  little  trouble. 
This  volume  is  interesting  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  it  contains  the 
minutes  to  the  year  1705,  and  thus  includes  the  whole  period  during 
which  the  proprietors  had  the  government  of  the  province  as  well  as 
the  title  to  the  soil. 

The  first  item  is  a  record  of  a  deputation  of  power  dated  Aug.  i, 
1684,  from  Robert  Barclay,  Governor,  and  other  proprietors  of  the 
province  to  Gawen  Lawrie,  the  deputy  governor,  to  do  sundry  things, 
among  which  was  to  approve  and  confirm  such  acts  of  Assembly  as 


30  MIDDLESEX 

shall  be  found  necessary  to  establish  before  copies  could  be  sent  to  them 
for  confirmation.  The  limitation  as  to  the  acts  to  be  approved  and  the 
temporary  nature  of  the  power  was  shown  by  the  concluding  words : 
"But  when  the  fundamentall  Constitutions  are  passed  in  Assembly  then 
to  proceed  according  to  them." 

Other  powers  given  by  this  and  another  similar  deputation  of  power 
dated  Nov.  13,  1684,  also  recorded  in  this  book,  were  to  end  all  matters 
in  debate  between  the  proprietors  and  the  former  planters ;  to  "order, 
settle,  sell,  or  dispose  of  by  Pattent,  the  Lotts  for  building  and  other 
Lands  of  Perth  so  as  may  best  conduce  to  the  advance  and  improvement 
of  that  towne ;"  to  purchase  and  take  lands  in  the  Proprietors'  names 
from  the  Indians ;  to  rent  lands  to  those  who  may  desire  to  settle,  and 
this  was  to  be  without  limit  "until  we  see  what  further  prospect  there 
may  be  of  sending  over  people  enough  from  England,  Scotland  and 
other  nations  for  that  end ;"  to  run  the  several  lines  of  division  between 
the  province  and  New  York  and  West  Jersey ;  to  raise  out  of  the  sale 
of  lands  or  quit  rents  £180  to  pay  to  Thomas  Rudyard  for  his  services 
while  Governor;  to  end  all  controversies  and  differences  with  men  of 
Neversinks  and  Elizabeth  Towne  or  any  other  planters,  expressly  stat- 
ing that  they  would  "not  enter  into  any  treaty  on  this  side  with  any  of 
those  people  who  claim  by  Collonell  Nicholl's  pattent  nor  with  any  other 
that  claims  land  by  pretenses  from  the  late  Governor  Carteret  as  being 
both  an  affront  to  the  Government  And  of  Evill  Consequence  to  make 
things  to  be  put  of  by  delays  and  thereby  hinder  the  settlement  of  our 
affairs  in  the  province ;"  to  remove  restrictions  in  favor  of  those  who 
have  purchased  shares  and  sent  over  stores ;  to  set  off  twenty-five  acres 
to  each  servant  that  may  come  into  the  province ;  to  grant  warrants  and 
patents,  on  the  signature  of  three  members  of  the  council  until  the  pas- 
sage of  the  fundamental  laws ;  to  fill  vacancies  in  the  offices  of  secretary, 
surveyor  general,  or  registrar;  to  lay  a  tax  of  £5  on  each  propriety  and 
collect  the  same. 

The  first  meeting,  of  which  the  minutes  are  recorded  in  this  book, 
was  held  at  Elizabeth  Towne  on  April  9,  1685.  There  were  present  at 
this  meeting  Gawen  Lawrie,  deputy  governor;  Thomas  Rudyard,  sec- 
retary ;  Thomas  Warne,  John  Campbell,  David  Mudy,  John  Barclay, 
Thomas  Fullerton,  Robert  Fullerton,  Thomas  Gordon,  and  James 
Johnson. 

At  this  first  meeting  the  deputation  to  Gawen  Lawrie  was  received 
and  ordered  to  be  put  on  record  in  a  book  to  contain  a  journal  of  the 
procedure  of  the  Proprietors.  George  Keith  also  produced  his  com- 
mission to  be  surveyor  general,  which  was  subscribed  in  Scotland  July 
31,  1684,  and  in  London,  Aug.  8,  1684,  by  a  major  part  of  the  proprietors. 
William  Haige  also  produced  a  commission  dated  July  27,  1683,  for  the 
surveyor  general's  place  which  was  still  in  force.     Upon  the  production 


EAST  JERSEY  PROPRIETORS  31 

of  these  commissions  a  resolution  was  passed  that  George  Keith  should 
have  a  warrant  for  five  hundred  acres  and  also  a  town  lot  to  be  laid  out 
to  him  by  the  governor  and  that  further  consideration  of  the  commis- 
sion for  the  surveyor  general  be  deferred  until  the  next  meeting  of  the 
council.  Pursuant  to  the  foregoing  order  it  was  agreed  that  George 
Keith  should  have  one  of  the  proprietors'  houses,  namely,  "that  wherein 
Thomas  Warne  now  inhabits." 

The  consideration  of  the  laying  out  of  Amboy  was  suggested  and 
was  deferred  until  the  next  meeting.  It  was  brought  up  at  the  next 
meeting  and  an  order  was  made  by  the  council  that  a  map  of  Perth 
Amboy  be  prepared.  There  is  to  be  found  in  the  office  a  map  made  on 
parchment  bearing  no  date  but  entitled  "A  Mapp  of  Perth  Amboy  East 
New  Jersey  containing  1,100  Acres  Subtract  30  for  the  Waste  Ground 
Remains  1,070  Acres."  This  map  shows  plots  to  various  persons,  among 
them  being  Peter  Sonmons,  Governor  Lawrie,  20  acres,  William  Haige, 
13  acres,  Governor  Robert  Barclay,  25  acres,  Thomas  Warne,  Benjamin 
Clark,  George  Wilcox,  John  Campbell,  12  acres,  Thomas  Gordon,  6 
acres.  Many  of  the  streets  are  laid  out  as  they  exist  at  present  in  Perth 
Amboy,  and  the  roads  from  Perth  Amboy  to  Piscataway  and  Wood- 
bridge  are  distinctly  marked.  Whether  or  not  this  is  the  map  that  was 
made  pursuant  to  this  first  action  of  the  council  of  course  cannot  be 
definitely  determined,  but  its  appearance  and  the  names  inscribed 
thereon  very  clearly  connect  it  with  the  earliest  times. 

The  function  of  government  at  this  time  was  of  very  little  importance 
in  this  sparsely  settled  community.  The  greater  part,  therefore,  of  the 
action  of  the  council  of  proprietors  had  to  do  with  the  laying  out  of 
lands,  the  granting  of  patents,  the  collection  of  quit  rents  and  the  pur- 
chasing of  lands  from  the  Indians. 

At  the  meeting  held  on  April  10,  1685,  the  board  resolved  to  hold 
meetings  of  the  council  monthly  at  Elizabethtown.  At  a  meeting  held 
at  Elizabethtown  on  Friday,  June  12,  1685,  George  Keith  was  made 
surveyor  general  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Haige.  In  November,  1685,  a 
confirmation  from  Governor  Barclay  and  several  others  of  the  pro- 
prietors in  England  to  George  Keith  for  the  office  of  surveyor  general 
was  received  and  it  was  ordered  that  Keith  be  installed  in  the  office. 
On  page  24  of  this  first  book  of  minutes  there  are  what  appear  to  be 
the  original  signatures  of  Gawen  Lawrie,  Jno.  Campbell,  Tho.  Fulertoun, 
David  Mudie,  Jr.,  John  Barclay,  Geo.  Willoks,  Thomas  Warne,  R. 
Fulertoune,  Thomas  Gordon,  John  Rudyard.  These  signatures  are  made 
under  date  of  Aug.  14,  1685.  Among  the  places  for  which  lands  were 
granted  at  this  early  time  were  Amboy,  Elizabethtown,  Newark,  Wood- 
bridge  and  Piscataway. 

In  the  midst  of  this  celebration  of  the  two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anni- 
versary of  the  founding  of  Newark,  it  is  fitting  to  refer  to  some  of  the 
actions  of  the  board  concerning  this  town. 


32  MIDDLESEX 

At  the  meeting  held  on  April  lo,  1685,  a  petition  was  presented  from 
Thomas  Johnson,  John  Ward  and  several  other  inhabitants  of  Newark 
requesting  a  patent  for  the  corporation  of  Newark.  Upon  consideration 
of  the  matter  in  the  petition  it  was  agreed  and  resolved  that  as  there 
were  patents  for  lands  made  by  the  former  governor  to  several  of  the 
petitioners  and  others,  it  was  not  safe  for  the  board  and  governor  to 
treat  upon  anything  in  the  petition  until  all  the  patents  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Newark  be  delivered  up  and  surrendered  to  the  board  for  the  use  of 
the  Lords  Proprietors. 

At  a  meeting  held  at  Elizabethtown  on  Oct.  15,  1685,  a  petition  of 
Thomas  Johnson,  John  Ward  and  others  to  the  number  of  eleven,  call- 
ing themselves  a  committee  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of 
Newark,  therein  desiring  the  council  to  grant  them  a  patent  for  their 
town  and  a  confirmation  of  their  just  rights  to  their  purchased  bounds, 
as  the  same  is  expressed  in  their  Indian  deed  of  sale,  they  being  willing 
to  pay  the  annual  rent  of  £10,  being  read,  it  was  "agreed  and  ordered 
that  when  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Newark  shall  pay  all  the  arrears 
of  quit  rent  for  the  land  they  already  hold  by  patent  that  then  this 
council  will  treat  with  them  concerning  the  subject  matter  in  the  peti- 
tion." 

On  February  28,  1692,  John  Curtice,  Edward  Ball,  Thomas  Richards 
and  George  Harrieson  came  before  the  board  and  represented  that  they 
were : 

"A  committee  chosen  by  the  town  of  Newark  to  discourse  the  board 
about  an  amicable  and  friendly  accommodation  concerning  their  lands 
which  they  hold  of  the  proprietors,  to  have  all  the  lands  which  they 
possess  by  legall  purchase  from  the  Indians,  for  a  yearly  acknowledge- 
ment, &c.  After  a  long  conference  between  the  board  and  the  aforesaid 
persons  in  behalf  of  the  said  town  of  Newark  the  governor  with  the 
consent  of  the  members  of  the  council  proposed  to  the  said  persons  that 
if  the  people  of  the  inhabitants  of  Newark  would  (such  of  them  as  yet 
had  not)  take  out  patents  forthwith  for  the  lands  which  they  possess 
and  pay  their  arrears  of  quit  rent  for  the  time  passed  and  in  time  coming 
that  then  all  the  old  settlers  and  first  adventurers  with  their  associates 
should  have  one  hundred  acres  of  land  per  piece  at  six  pence  per  annum 
quit  rent  v^'ithin  the  bounds  of  the  said  town  of  Newark.  The  committee 
for  the  town  of  Newark  aforesaid  taking  the  premises  into  consideration 
desired  fourteen  days'  time  to  acquaint  their  town  herewith  and  to  give 
their  answer,  which  was  agreed  to  by  this  board." 

At  the  meeting  held  at  Perth  Amboy  on  April  20,  1693,  it  was  reported 
in  reference  to  the  foregoing  matter: 

"That  several  of  the  old  settlers  of  Newark  had  already  agreed  and 
complied,  and  some  others  had  offered  to  comply,  and  had  petitioned  to 
have  the  same  terms  granted  to  them  as  others  of  the  pro\ince  and  the 
rest  of  their  neighbors  have  had.  After  a  full  debate  and  deliberate  con- 
sideration of  this  board  it  was  put  to  the  vote  whether  it  be  for  the 


EAST  JERSEY  PROPRIETORS  33 

interest  of  the  proprietors  or  not  that  the  inhabitants  of  Newark  who  are 
old  settlers  of  the  said  town  should  have  one  hundred  acres  of  land  each 
granted  them  at  six  pence  per  annum  quit  rent.  It  was  the  unanimous 
opinion  of  the  board  in  the  affirmative  that  it  was  for  the  interest  of  the 
proprietors  to  grant  the  request,  except  George  Willoks  who  differs." 

The  names  of  the  persons  to  whom  the  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
each  were  granted  were  then  given,  but  they  are  too  numerous  to  repeat 
here.  From  time  to  time  there  were  further  petitions  from  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Newark  as  old  settlers  for  one  hundred  acres  of  land  at  six 
pence  per  annum.  The  patents  were  granted  upon  condition  that  such 
of  them  as  had  old  patents  take  out  new  ones  and  resign  the  old  ones. 
Their  names  were  given. 

On  April  10,  1696,  a  petition  was  presented  by  John  Curtice  and 
Robert  Yong,  both  of  Newark,  in  behalf  of  the  rest  of  the  freeholders 
of  said  town  for  a  patent  for  their  streets,  market  places,  training  places, 
burial  places,  landing  places,  watering  places,  &c.,  and  also  two  hundred 
acres  for  a  parsonage.  It  was  agreed  and  ordered  they  have  a  patent 
granted  to  the  freeholders  in  common. 

The  proprietors  were  interested  in  the  propagation  of  religion, 
because  it  appears  that  they  frequently  granted  lands  for  meeting  houses 
and  parsonages.  In  addition  to  the  grants  to  Newark  it  appears  that  on 
Dec.  10,  1698,  it  was  agreed  and  ordered  that  one  of  the  old  houses  at 
the  point  and  the  lot  on  which  it  stands  be  given  and  allowed  by  the 
proprietors  to  be  a  church,  for  the  use  of  the  town  of  Perth  Amboy. 
This  was  doubtless  the  beginning  of  St.  Peter's  parish,  one  of  the  oldest 
in  the  State. 

In  the  minutes  of  a  meeting  held  at  Amboy  in  November  of  1685,  a 
reference  is  made  to  the  arrival  of  Lord  Neal  Campbell  and  other  gen- 
tlemen to  view  the  province. 

On  Sept.  16,  1692,  Colonel  Andrew  Hamilton  produced  a  commission 
to  be  chief  governor  of  the  province,  dated  at  London,  March  25,  1692. 

The  foregoing  references  to  the  minutes  of  the  board  of  proprietors 
are  given  as  examples  to  show  the  activities  of  the  board  in  those  early 
days.  Further  references  cannot  be  made  in  the  limited  time  at  my 
disposal. 

There  seems  to  be  a  break  in  the  records  of  the  meetings  of  the  board 
from  1705  to  1725;  but  beginning  on  March  25,  1725,  the  records  of  the 
meetings  of  the  council  of  proprietors  continue  with  regularity  until 
the  present  time.  There  is  no  record  of  any  meeting,  however,  between 
Aug.  14,  1778,  and  an  attempted  meeting  on  April  23,  1782,  owing 
doubtless  to  the  Revolutionary  War.  On  this  latter  date  a  number  of 
the  members  of  the  board  convened  at  the  house  of  Jacob  Arnold,  Esq., 
of  Morristown.  There  not  being  a  sufficient  number  to  form  a  board 
they  agreed  to  hold  another  meeting  at  Princeton  on  June  3,  1782.    The 

Mid- 3 


34  '  MIDDLESEX 

minutes  from  1725  to  1764  are  found  in  minute  book  A;  from  1764  to 
1794  in  minute  book  B;  from  1794  to  1867  in  minute  book  C;  and  from 
1867  to  date  in  minute  book  D. 

On  August  II,  1725,  the  proprietors  entered  into  an  agreement  by 
which  it  was  agreed  that  each  owner  of  propriety  should  have  one  vote 
for  each  quarter  held,  provided  that  no  one  proprietor  should  have  more 
than  twelve  votes ;  no  person  should  be  a  proxy  but  a  proprietor  or 
agent  for  a  proprietor ;  that  a  general  council  of  proprietors  at  their  two 
yearly  meetings  should  consist  of  ten  persons  (afterwards  changed  to 
seven  persons)  at  least,  whose  interests  or  those  they  represent  com- 
puted together  should  make  up  eight  whole  proprieties ;  and  that  the 
president  should  be  chosen  annually  and  all  other  officers  continued 
during  good  behavior.  The  minutes  of  these  meetings  instead  of  being 
signed  by  the  clerk  or  secretary  were  signed  by  all  of  the  members 
present.  This  would  now  be  a  very  unusual  proceeding,  but  it  adds 
much  to  the  interest  and  appearance  of  this  early  record.  Many  of  the 
signatures  are  exceedingly  original  and  some  of  them  have  the  appear- 
ance as  if  the  writer  were  trying  to  picture  a  bird's  nest  for  the  adorn- 
ment of  the  record. 

The  Hon.  Cortlandt  Parker  in  an  address  delivered  upon  the  occa- 
sion of  the  Bi-centennial  Celebration  of  the  Board  of  Proprietors  on 
Nov.  25,  1884,  makes  the  following  reference  to  the  minutes  just  referred 
to: 

"And  first  of  all  I  mention,  because  of  his  absorbing  interest  in  pro- 
prietary rights,  the  distinguished  James  Alexander.  The  minutes  of 
the  Council  of  Proprietors  from  1725  to  1756  are  a  monument  of  the 
devotion,  zeal,  intelligence  and  unremitting  and  absorbing  care  of  this 
gentleman  for  the  interests  of  this  Association.  How  much  earlier  he 
bestowed  this  attention  I  am  not  able  from  the  material  furnished  me 
to  say.  But  during  this  period  it  might  be  said  of  him  that  he  well-nigh 
embodied  the  Board.  If  he  did  not  with  his  own  hand  pen  the  minutes, 
they  must  have  received  his  particular  and  most  scrupulous  supervision. 
They  recount  his  history  and  the  employment  of  his  time.  They  refer 
to  incidents  now  historical  and  most  valuable  to  the  general  public." 

Reference  is  made  in  the  minutes  of  August  24,  1743,  to  the  agreement 
with  John  Lawrence  to  run  the  division  line.  His  compensation  was  to 
be  the  sum  of  £140  proclamation  money.  A  copy  of  the  instructions 
are  recorded  on  page  231  of  minute  book  A  and  the  following  pages. 

Space  here  will  not  suffice  to  refer  in  particular  to  all  of  the  records 
in  the  office  of  the  board  at  Perth  Amboy.  There  are  about  a  dozen 
books  of  miscellaneous  records  containing  copies  of  deeds,  wills,  grants, 
agreements  and  other  documents.  There  are  twelve  books  of  conveyances 
of  proprietary  rights.  There  are  books  of  warrants  which  are  the  records 
of  the  action  of  the  board  authorizing  surveys  of  lands  to  be  made  for 
the    proprietors    entitled    thereto.      There    are    books    containing    the 


EAST  JERSEY  PROPRIETORS  35 

accounts  of  the  proprietors  as  to  the  state  of  their  holdings  and  the 
charges  against  the  same  when  lands  have  been  taken  up  by  them.  The 
records  of  surveys  will  be  hereinafter  referred  to. 

Book  C  of  Laws  purports  to  be  copies  certified  by  Elisha  Dobree  and 
John  Hyndshaw,  made  under  the  authority  of  King  George  the  Second, 
under  date  of  Dec.  13,  1743,  and  to  which  the  great  seal  of  the  Province 
is  affixed,  of  all  "the  Entries  of  the  Public  Commissions  from  all  The 
Lords  Proprietors  of  the  said  Province  to  other  the  Proprietors  resident 
in  the  said  Province,  And  Also  the  Entries  of  the  Public  Commissions, 
Writts,  Warrants  and  Acts  of  General  Assembly  Granted,  made  and 
passed  under  the  Seal  of  the  said  Province  from  and  after  the  thirteenth 
day  of  November  Ano  Dom  1682." 

The  first  entry  is  a  proclamation  to  the  planters  and  inhabitants  of 
the  province  by  Robert  Barclay,  governor  and  proprietor,  and  the  other 
proprietors  of  the  province.  It  set  forth  that  the  proprietors  hold  them- 
selves obliged  by  the  law  of  God  and  just  laws  of  men  to  use  all  honest 
means  to  make  the  plantation  prosperous,  and  that  the  interest  of  the 
inhabitants  was  so  bound  up  with  their  own  that  they  could  not  suffer 
if  the  inhabitants  prospered  nor  prosper  where  the  inhabitants  were 
injured.     This  proclamation  was  expressed  in  the  most  friendly  terms. 

These  commissions  ran  to  officers  of  the  Board,  public  officials,  such 
as  justices  of  the  peace,  constables,  judges  of  the  courts  for  the  deter- 
mination of  small  causes,  members  or  justices  of  the  court  of  common 
right  and  such  other  officials  as  had  been  provided  for  by  the  Acts  of 
the  General  Assembly.  I  may  be  pardoned  for  stating  that  it  here 
appears  that  under  date  of  March  20,  1683,  Henry  Lyon,  who  was  the 
direct  ancestor  of  the  writer  of  this  paper,  with  two  others  were  appointed 
commissioners  to  hear  and  determine  small  causes  in  Elizabethtown. 
He  came  to  Newark  with  the  Fairfield  settlers,  of  which  town  he  was 
the  first  treasurer,  went  to  Elizabethtown  for  a  time  and  afterwards 
returned  to  Newark,  where  he  died.  His  was  the  eighth  name  on  the 
agreement  of  the  New  Milford  settlers  of  June  21,  1667,  on  which  the 
name  of  Robert  Treat  was  the  first. 

Among  the  Acts  passed  by  the  General  Assembly  were :  A  Bill  to 
make  Void  the  Proceedings  of  some  late  Courts,  a  Bill  to  Settle  the 
Court  of  Common  Right;  a  Bill  of  General  Laws;  a  Bill  against 
Fugitive  Servants ;  a  Bill  for  the  Orderly  Keeping  of  Swine ;  An  Act 
against  Trading  with  Negroes ;  An  Act  to  Encourage  the  Killing  of 
Wolves;  an  Act  to  Regulate  Treaties  with  the  Indians;  an  Act  for 
Dividing  the  County  of  Middlesex  into  two  counties ;  An  Act  Prohibit- 
mg  Selling  of  Strong  Drink  or  Liquor  to  the  Indians ;  and  many  other 
like  subjects.  An  Act  was  passed  as  early  as  1695  for  regulating  schools. 
An  early  act  provided  a  fine  of  five  shillings  for  being  drunk.  Another 
provided  for  restraining  and  punishing  of  privateers  and  pirates. 


36  ^  MIDDLESEX 

But  these  references  must  suffice  in  order  to  give  some  time  to  the 
consideration  of  the  most  important  function  of  the  Board,  namely,  the 
granting  of  land  to  the  Proprietors  and  others. 

By  a  document  bearing  date  April  15,  1702,  the  proprietors  surren- 
dered to  Queen  Anne  the  powers  of  government,  retaining  in  them- 
selves the  title  to  the  soil.  This  document  refers  at  length  to  the  original 
grant  and  states  that  her  Majesty  had  been  advised  that  the  proprietors 
had  no  right  to  nor  could  legally  execute  any  of  the  powers  of  govern- 
ment, but  that  it  belonged  to  her  in  right  of  her  Crown  of  England, 
and  that  the  proprietors  were  desirous  to  submit  themselves  to  her  and 
surrender  all  their  pretences  of  the  said  powers  of  government.  Refer- 
ence is  made  in  the  minutes  of  the  meeting  of  December  i,  1702,  to  a 
report  of  Lewis  Morris  of  his  negotiations  in  England  concerning  this 
surrender.  Upon  this  event,  to  use  the  language  of  Mr.  Parker,  in  the 
address  above  referred  to,  the  board  "became  what  it  ought  to  have 
been  from  the  beginning,  merely  an  association  of  landowners." 

Thus  the  twenty-four  proprietors,  each  owning  an  undivided  twenty- 
fourth  interest,  became  the  owners  as  tenants  in  common  of  all  the  land 
in  East  New  Jersey.  Back  to  them  all  the  titles  must  be  traced  to  be 
good  according  to  the  rules  of  law. 

Chief  Justice  Kirkpatrick,  in  the  case  of  Arnold  vs.  Mundy,  i  Hal- 
stead's  Reports,  at  page  67,  has  stated  the  rights  of  the  proprietors,  in 
the  following  language : 

"The  Proprietors  of  East  Jersey  are  tenants  in  common  of  the  soil ; 
their  mode  of  severing  this  common  estate  is  by  issuing  warrants,  from 
time  to  time,  to  the  several  proprietors,  according  to  their  respective 
rights,  authorizing  them  to  survey  and  appropriate  in  severalty,  the 
quantities  therein  contained.  Such  warrant  does  not  convey  a  title  to 
the  proprietor,  he  had  that  before ;  it  only  authorizes  him  to  sever  so 
much  from  the  common  stock,  and  when  so  severed,  by  the  proper 
officer,  it  operates  as  a  release  to  him  for  so  much.  This  is  the  case 
when  the  proprietor  locates  for  himself.  When  he  sells  his  warrant  to 
another,  that  other  becomes  a  tenant  in  common  with  all  the  proprietors 
pro  tanto,  and,  in  the  same  manner,  he  proceeds  to  convert  his  common, 
into  a  several,  right.  Regularly  there  is  a  deed  of  conveyance  upon 
the  transfer  of  this  warrant  for  so  much  of  the  common  property,  and 
that  deed  of  conveyance,  and  the  survey  upon  the  warrant,  is  the  title 
of  the  transferee.  It  is  true,  that  the  survey  must  be  inspected  and 
approved  by  the  board  of  proprietors,  and  must  be  carefully  entered  and 
kept  in  the'  secretary's  office,  or  in  the  office  of  the  surveyor  general  of 
the  division,  but  this  is  for  the  sake  of  security,  order  and  regularity 
only,  and  is,  by  no  means,  the  passing  of  the  title.  It  proves  that  the 
title  has  already  passed,  but  it  is  not  the  means  of  passing  it." 

In  the  case  of  the  Board  of  Proprietors  against  the  Estate  of  William 
M.  Force,  y2  New  Jersey  Equity  Reports,  page  56,  in  a  very  exhaustive 
opinion  by  Vice  Chancellor  Pitney,  he  refers  to  the  method  of  passing 
title  by  the  Proprietors  by  a  warrant  of  location  and  says  : 


EAST  JERSEY  PROPRIETORS  37 

"These  warrants  of  location  which  came  to  be  called  simply  'war- 
rants' or  'rights'  were  usually  issued  by  way  of  dividends  to  each  of  the 
proprietors  according  to  the  amount  of  his  holding,  and  when  issued, 
were  credited  to  the  proprietor  on  a  book  called  the  warrant  book,  and 
as  often  as  any  land  was  located  under  them  the  party  who  had  credit 
for  so  many  acres  was  charged  with  the  amount  actually  located.  The 
fact  that  the  most  usual  occasion  of  issuing  these  warrants  was  by  way 
of  dividends  among  the  proprietors  resulted  in  the  process  being  termed 
by  the  courts  a  mode  of  partition  among  the  proprietors." 

He  also  refers  to  the  custom  of  the  proprietors  in  later  years  of 
issuing  warrants  of  location  to  outside  parties  who  were  not  proprietors 
by  sales  with  or  without  auction,  and  criticised  the  opinion  of  the  court 
in  the  case  of  Jennings  vs.  Burnham,  27  Vroom's  Reports,  page  289, 
which  held  that  the  proprietors  could  not  transfer  title  to  their  lands 
to  a  stranger  by  the  use  of  a  warrant  and  survey.  The  Vice  Chancellor 
refers  to  the  case  of  Cornelius  vs.  Giberson,  i  Butcher's  Reports,  page 
I,  where  such  a  mode  of  transfer  had  been  approved  by  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  states  that  if  the  attention  of  the  court  in  the  case  of  Jennings 
vs.  Burnham  had  been  called  to  this  custom  of  the  proprietors,  and  to 
the  case  of  Cornelius  vs.  Giberson,  the  court  would  have  come  to  a 
different  conclusion.  "For  it  must  be  observed,"  said  he,  "that  the  mode 
of  severing  titles  by  partition  is  one  resting  entirely  in  the  custom  of  the 
proprietors,  and  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  course  of  the  common 
law." 

Since  the  surrender  of  the  powers  of  government  in  1702,  therefore, 
the  activities  of  the  Board  have  been  confined  to  the  granting  of  lands, 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  records  in  the  office  at  Perth  Amboy  are 
records  of  such  actions. 

The  most  usual  method  of  making  such  grants  was  upon  a  warrant 
issued  by  the  board  directing  that  a  survey  be  made  for  a  certain  number 
of  acres.  By  the  authority  of  this  warrant  a  survey  was  made  by  a 
deputy  surveyor  who  sent  his  brief  certificate  and  description  and  com- 
putation thereof  to  the  office  of  the  board,  or  of  the  surveyor  general, 
as  it  is  commonly  called.  Thereupon  the  surveyor  general  made  a  cer- 
tificate, called  a  "return,"  stating  that  the  deputy  surveyor  had  surveyed 
for  the  person  entitled  to  it  a  tract  of  land  as  described.  This  "return" 
was  recorded  in  the  office  in  the  book  of  "Surveys"  and  thereby  became 
the  muniment  or  evidence  of  title  of  the  proprietor  or  purchaser. 

There  are  in  the  office  three  very  old  books  of  Warrants  and  Surveys 
between  the  years  1673  and  1738.  They  are  valuable  from  an  historical 
point  of  view,  but,  by  reason  of  our  laws  concerning  the  limitation  of 
time  in  which  actions  for  the  possession  of  land  may  be  brought,  would 
be  seldom  referred  to  for  the  purpose  of  making  title.  In  addition  to 
these  is  the  regular  series  of  record  books  in  which  "surveys"  or 
"returns"  are  recorded,  beginning  with  1719  and  continuing  in  twenty- 
three  books  to  date. 


38  V  MIDDLESEX 

The  General  Proprietors  of  the  Eastern  Division  of  New  Jersey  is 
a  corporation.  It  is  the  oldest  private  corporation  in  this  State  doing 
business  at  the  present  time,  and  doubtless  the  oldest  in  this  country 
It  was  never  incorporated  under  the  authority  of  any  law.  Its  legal 
status  in  this  respect,  however,  has  been  before  the  courts,  and  in  the 
case  of  the  Proprietors  against  the  Force  Estate,  above  mentioned,  Vice 
Chancellor  Pitney  held  it  to  be  a  corporation  by  prescription,  and  his 
holding  was  affirmed  on  appeal. 

Its  relation  to  the  State  of  New  Jersey  and  especially  to  the  titles  to 
the  soil  is  anomalous.  It  had  its  origin  in  the  grant  of  a  King  to  his 
"dearest  Brother,"  of  a  land  far  away  beyond  the  seas,  over  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  ago.  Then  it  was  a  new  land,  roamed  by  wild  beasts 
and  inhabited  by  the  Indians.  Its  attractions  were  a  goodly  land,  a 
fertile  soil,  the  allurements  of  adventure,  and  the  freedom  of  the  vast 
unpeopled  domain.  Its  hardships  were  the  privations  of  the  primeval 
forests,  and  the  separation  from  the  ties  of  the  mother  land.  This  cor- 
poration still  exists  and  is  still  doing  business.  It  is  a  link  between  the 
present  and  the  past.  Through  it  we  are  reminded  of  the  sacrifices  of 
the  men  in  the  days  that  have  gone,  and  of  the  rewards  of  their  labors 
which  we  in  this  busy,  prosperous,  civilized  land,  are  enjoying  to  the  full. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  PROPRIETARY  AND  COLONIAL  GOVERNORS. 

The  Proprietaries  chose  Robert  Barclay,  one  of  their  members,  to 
succeed  Governor  Carteret.  He  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  having-  been 
born  in  1648  at  Gordonstown  in  Morayshire.  After  finishing  his  educa- 
tion in  Paris  he  was  inclined  to  accept  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  but 
eventually  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father.  Colonel  Barclay  of 
Urie,  and  joined  the  recently  formed  Society  of  Friends.  An  ardent 
theological  student,  a  man  of  warm  feelings,  and  considerable  mental 
powers,  he  soon  became  known  as  the  leading  apologist  of  the  new 
doctrine.  His  greatest  literary  production  was  published  in  Latin  in 
1676  under  the  title  of  "An  Apology  for  the  True  Christian  Divinity," 
which  is  still  the  most  important  manifesto  of  the  Quaker  Society.  His 
death  at  the  age  of  forty-two  years,  October  3,  1690,  robbed  the  Society  of 
Friends  of  one  of  the  most  able  exponents  of  its  doctrines.  Governor 
Barclay  never  visited  New  Jersey.  His  two  brothers,  John  and  David, 
however,  became  identified  with  the  province.  The  former  resided  first 
at  Elizabethtown,  subsequently  at  Plainfield,  and  became  a  permanent 
resident  of  Perth  Amboy  about  1688,  where  he  died  in  the  spring  of 
1 73 1  at  an  advanced  age,  with  the  character  of  a  good  neighbor  and 
useful  citizen.  David,  the  other  brother,  came  to  the  province  in  1684, 
returned  to  Scotland,  and  sailed  from  Aberdeen  in  the  summer  of  1685 
for  America,  but  died  at  sea. 

Thomas  Rudyard,  a  lawyer  and  attorney  of  London,  who  had  gained 
notoriety  for  his  assistance  in  the  trial  of  William  Penn  in  that  city, 
having  received  the  appointment  of  deputy  governor,  arrived  in  the 
province  in  the  early  part  of  1683.  In  his  letters  to  parties  in  England 
he  writes  of  making  Elizabethtown  his  place  of  residence  and  of  jour- 
neying to  Philadelphia,  stating  that  while  there  were  salt  marshes,  the 
country  was  free  from  mosquitoes.  He  also  writes  that  provisions  were 
plentiful,  there  being  vast  oyster  beds  and  fresh  fish  in  abundance.  The 
soil  he  pronounces  as  rich,  and  in  his  judgment  without  help  it  could 
be  ploughed  fifty  j'^ears  without  decaying  and  could  produce  multitudes 
of  winter  corn. 

The  stay  of  Governor  Rudyard  in  the  province  was  but  short,  as  his 
successor,  Gawen  Lawrie,  was  appointed  deputy  governor  in  July,  1683, 
but  did  not  reach  the  province  until  the  early  part  of  the  following 
year.  Governor  Lawrie  was  another  Londoner,  engaged  in  mercantile 
pursuits  in  that  city.  As  his  name  indicates,  he  was  of  Scotch  descent, 
a  staunch  Quaker.  He  settled  many  colonies  of  Friends  in  his  domain, 
of  which  he  was  one  of  the  twenty-two  proprietaries.     He  took  up  his 


40  MIDDLESEX 

residence  at  Elizabethtown,  and  though  strenuously  urged  to  remove 
to  Perth  Amboy,  of  which  town  he  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  founders, 
he  steadfastly  refused,  as  Elizabethtown,  having  grown  to  a  place  of 
some  pretensions,  could  offer  to  his  family,  who  accompanied  him, 
more  of  the  comforts  of  life  than  Perth  Amboy,  which  was  just  entering 
upon  its  existence.  His  administration  of  affairs  not  only  gave  satis- 
faction to  the  other  proprietaries  but  to  those  he  ruled  over.  He  was 
succeeded  in  1686  by  Lord  Niel  Campbell.  This  scion  of  nobility  was 
a  member  of  the  Scotch  clan  of  Campbells,  a  brother  of  the  Earl  of 
Argyle.  He  became  identified  with  Argyle's  expedition  in  connection 
with  the  Duke  of  Monmouth's  unsuccessful  attempt  to  prevent  the 
accession  of  James  H.  to  the  throne  of  Scotland,  and  became  obnoxious 
to  the  government,  being  subjected  to  much  severity  and  persecution. 
He  was  arrested  and  gave  a  bond  of  £5,000  to  confine  himself  to  a 
radius  of  six  miles  around  Edinburgh.  The  animosity  against  the 
Campbells  became  so  universal,  besides  all  Protestant  heritors  being 
required  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  supremacy,  that  Lord  Camp- 
bell's only  resource  was  in  flight.  Leaving  his  wife  and  family,  he 
embarkf-d  for  East  Jersey  in  the  autumn  of  1685,  having  purchased  a 
proprietary  right,  bringing  with  him  or  causing  to  be  sent  out  after- 
wards a  large  number  of  settlers.  The  precise  date  of  Lord  Campbell's 
arrival  in  the  province  is  not  known,  but  he  is  mentioned  in  the  pro- 
prietaries' minutes  of  November  27,  1685,  as  having  "newly  come  out." 
His  presence  in  the  province  led  the  proprietaries  to  avail  themselves  of 
his  services  as  their  deputy  governor,  and  he  was  commissioned  June  4, 
1686,  and  entered  upon  his  duties  the  ensuing  October.  A  change  in 
the  political  conditions  of  Scotland  enabled  him  to  return  to  his  family, 
and  he  left  East  Jersey  in  March,  1687. 

At  the  time  of  the  departure  of  Lord  Campbell  for  Scotland,  Andrew 
Hamilton  was  a  member  of  the  governor's  council  and  became  acting 
governor  of  the  province.  A  native  of  Scotland,  while  he  was  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits  in  Edinburgh  he  was  sent  to  East  Jersey  as  a 
special  agent  for  the  proprietaries.  He  was  continued  in  office  after 
the  consolidation  of  the  Jerseys,  New  York  and  New  England,  under 
the  control  of  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  but  when  the  latter  was  seized  at 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  April,  1689,  Governor  Hamilton  sailed  for 
England  to  consult  with  the  proprietaries.  He  was  appointed  governor 
of  both  Jerseys,  March  16,  1692,  retaining  this  office  until  1697,  when  he 
was  superseded  by  Jeremiah  Basse,  notwithstanding  that  his  rule  was 
satisfactory  to  the  colonies  and  proprietaries.  So  great  was  the  disorder 
and  maladministration  under  his  successor  that  he  was  reappointed 
deputy  governor  August  19,  1699,  holding  the  office  until  1701,  when  he 
became  deputy  governor  of  Pennsylvania.  His  death  occurred  at  Perth 
Amboy,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  family,  April  20,  1703.     During  his  term 


PROPRIETARY  AND  COLONIAL  GOVERNORS  41 

as  governor  he  resided  in  the  Brighton  house  at  Perth  Amboy,  which 
had  been  erected  on  grounds  near  the  public  square  as  the  first  govern- 
ment house  by  the  proprietaries  in  1684.  Hamilton  was  the  last  of  the 
proprietaries'  governors ;  wearied  out  with  struggling  with  the  settlers 
in  1702,  they  ceded  to  the  crown  their  rights  of  jurisdiction,  whereupon 
Queen  Anne  joined  New  Jersey  to  New  York  under  the  government 
of  Lord  Cornbury.  Edward  Hyde  (Lord  Cornbury)  was  one  of  the 
first  officers  to  desert  the  cause  of  James  II.,  his  uncle  by  marriage,  to 
join  the  standard  of  William  of  Orange,  in  1688.  He  afterwards  became 
a  member  of  Parliament,  but  being  harassed  by  creditors  and  desirous 
of  leaving  England,  he  eagerly  accepted  the  appointment  of  governor 
of  New  York,  tendered  to  him  by  Queen  Anne.  Of  an  arrogant,  despotic 
disposition,  also  dishonest  and  grasping,  incessant  in  his  demands  upon 
the  legislatures  of  the  two  provinces,  especially  New  Jersey,  the  cries 
of  discontent  of  the  oppressed  colonies  reached  Queen  Anne's  ears.  He 
was  superseded  in  the  spring  of  1708  by  Lord  Lovelace,  who  did  not 
reach  New  York  until  the  close  of  the  year.  Lord  Lovelace's  administra- 
tion of  affairs  was  of  short  duration,  as  he  died  early  in  the  year  of  1709. 
Robert  Hunter,  known  as  Brigadier  Hunter,  was  appointed  Lord 
Lovelace's  successor.  A  Scotchman  by  birth,  he  had  risen  from  a  humble 
station  to  high  military  rank.  He  was  the  first  of  the  royal  governors 
of  New  Jersey  who  regarded  the  province  with  sufficient  favor  to  secure 
upon  its  soil  anything  like  a  permanent  home.  Governor  Hunter  arrived 
at  New  York  in  September,  1709.  It  was  an  inauspicious  period  for  his 
own  comfort,  immediately  succeeding  the  unpopular  and  disorganizing 
administration  of  Lord  Cornbury,  his  immediate  predecessor,  not  living 
long  enough  to  effect  any  radical  change.  Governor  Hunter's  endeav- 
ors were  spent  in  harmonizing  the  discordant  elements  around  him. 
His  first  message  to  the  Assembly  is  pregnant  with  good  common  sense : 
"If  honesty  is  the  best  policy,  plainness  must  be  the  best  oratory ;  so  to 
deal  plainly  with  you,  as  long  as  these  unchristian  diversions,  which 
Her  Majesty  has  thought  to  deserve  her  repeated  notice,  reign  amongst 
you,  I  shall  have  small  hopes  of  a  happy  issue  to  our  meeting  *  *  * 
Let  every  man  begin  at  home  and  weed  the  rancor  out  of  his  mind,  and 
the  work  is  done  at  once.  Leave  disputes  of  property  to  the  laws,  and 
injuries  to  the  avenger  of  them,  and,  like  good  subjects  and  good  Chris- 
tians, join  hearts  and  hands  for  the  common  good."  Such  and  similar 
pregnant  sentences  had  effect  in  inducing  more  cordial  feelings  between 
the  executive  and  representatives  of  the  people,  but  it  was  a  work  of 
time.  Governor  Hunter's  home  in  Perth  Amboy  was  on  a  knoll  south  of 
St.  Peter's  Church,  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  harbor,  bay  and 
ocean.  Here  he  often  retired  to  obtain  rest  from  the  weighty  cares  which 
his  administration  of  the  affairs  of  New  York  brought  upon  him.  His 
wife,  the  widow  of  Lord  John  Hay  and  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Orby, 


42  *  MIDDLESEX 

accompanied  him  to  America.  Her  death  in  1716,  supplemented  by 
failing  health  and  his  private  interests  requiring  his  presence  in  London, 
he  left  his  government  in  1719,  never  to  return.  On  his  arrival  in 
England  he  effected  an  exchange  w^ith  William  Burnet,  taking  an  office 
held  by  him  in  customs,  and  resigning  in  his  favor  the  governments  of 
New  York  and  New  Jersey.  The  post  in  the  customs  he  retained  for 
several  years,  but  in  1727  was  appointed  governor  of  Jamaica.  Age 
began  to  wear  on  the  governor,  and  in  1732  he  retired  from  public  life; 
his  death  occurred  in  1734.  He  had  failings  common  to  all  mankind, 
but  there  is  abundant  evidence  of  his  possessing  high  integrity  and  other 
qualities  characterizing  the  gentleman ;  the  success  which  attended  his 
administration,  despite  the  unfavorable  circumstances  under  which  it 
was  carried  on,  is  ample  proof  that  he  was  intelligent,  able  and  perse- 
vering. 

The  successor  of  Governor  Hunter  derived  his  Christian  name  from 
William,  Prince  of  Orange,  who  stood  sponsor  for  him  at  his  baptism. 
His  education  had  been  under  the  supervision  of  his  father,  the  cele- 
brated Gilbert  Burnet,  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  and  author  of  the  "History  of 
His  Own  Times,"  and  Sir  Isaac  Newton.  Young  Burnet's  education 
was  improved  by  travel  and  other  advantages  which  had  resulted  in 
a  combination  of  studiousness  and  affability.  The  knowledge  of  men 
and  books  made  him  a  pleasant  conversationalist,  with  a  remarkable 
degree  of  assimilation  among  those  he  was  thrown  in  contact  with.  An 
inordinate  lover  of  books,  he  spent  large  sums  in  their  acquisition,  and 
this,  coupled  with  unfortunate  investments  in  South  Sea  schemes,  crip- 
pled his  income. 

Governor  Burnet  received  his  appointment  April  19,  1720,  and 
assumed  the  government  of  New  York  on  September  17.  A  few  days 
afterwards  he  visited  New  Jersey  and  went  through  the  usual  forms  of 
proclamations  at  Perth  Amboy  and  Burlington.  The  governor  was  of 
large  stature,  combining  with  frank  manners  a  dignified  demeanor,  his 
countenance  expressed  intelligence,  amiability  and  humor  combined. 
Governor  Hunter,  before  the  departure  of  his  successor  to  America, 
informed  him  of  the  acquaintance  he  had  made  with  leading  men  of 
New  Jersey,  which  was  extremely  advantageous  to  him,  as  he  entered 
society  in  the  colony  with  some  knowledge  of  the  character  as  well  as 
the  social  and  political  relations  of  the  individuals  composing  it.  The 
impressions  thus  derived  led  him  to  look  forward  to  frequent  and  longer 
visits  to  New  Jersey,  and  with  that  in  view  he  purchased  Hunter's  resi- 
dence in  Perth  Amboy. 

Governor  Burnet  was  averse  to  leaving  the  middle  colonies,  but  on 
the  accession  of  George  II.,  a  place  had  to  be  made  for  a  court  sycophant. 
He  was  appointed  governor  of  Massachusetts,  but,  independent  of  all 
private  considerations,  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  people  of  Massa- 


PROPRIETARY  AND  COLONIAL  GOVERNORS  43 

chusetts  Bay  were  not  so  consonant  with  his  own  as  those  he  had  been 
familiar  with  for  eight  years.  The  mandate  had,  however,  gone  forth 
and  he  gracefully  retired.  He  reached  Boston  on  July  12,  1728,  but  his 
administration  of  afifairs  was  of  short  duration,  his  death  occurring  Sep- 
tember 7,  1729. 

The  new  governor  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey  was  John  Mont- 
gomerie,  a  native  of  Scotland.  He  was  bred  a  soldier,  but  after  being  a 
member  of  Parliament  decided  to  enter  upon  the  career  of  a  courtier. 
He  became  groom  of  the  bedchamber  to  then  Prince  of  Wales,  after- 
wards George  II.  On  the  accession  of  his  patron  to  the  throne,  he 
received,  April  15,  1728,  the  appointment  of  the  governorship  of  New 
York  and  New  Jersey.  Governor  Montgomerie,  though  a  person  of 
good  character,  was  dull  intellectually,  and  was  modestly  conscious  of 
his  deficiencies,  therefore  he  had  no  controversies  with  the  legislatures. 
They  reciprocated  by  granting  him  supplies  which  they  persistently 
refused  to  do  for  several  of  his  predecessors.  His  administration  was 
evidently  cut  short  by  his  death,  July  i,  1731,  by  smallpox,  then  raging 
in  New  York 

Lewis  Morris  became  acting  governor  of  New  Jersey  ad  interim, 
serving  until  the  arrival  of  the  newly  appointed  governor,  William 
Cosby.  There  were  prospects  of  a  popular  administration  at  the  outset 
of  the  new  executive's  government.  Governor  Cosby  was  a  strict  mili- 
tary disciplinarian,  a  colonel  in  the  British  army,  of  an  arbitrary  and 
haughty  disposition,  and  his  act  of  keeping  the  same  Assembly  for  six 
years  without  dissolution  made  him  very  unpopular.  His  death  occurred 
May  10,  1736,  while  still  an  incumbent  of  the  executive  chair 

At  the  death  of  Governor  Cosby,  the  government  of  New  Jersey 
devolved  on  John  Anderson,  the  president  of  the  council,  but  he  too 
died  in  less  than  three  weeks  and  was  succeeded  by  the  next  eldest 
councillor,  John  Hamilton.  The  new  executive  was  a  son  of  Andrew 
Hamilton,  governor  under  the  proprietaries,  and  was  born  in  Scotland. 
He  first  appeared  in  public  life  as  one  of  Governor  Hunter's  council  in 
1713,  and  also  serv'ed  in  the  same  position  during  the  administrations 
of  Governors  Burnet,  Montgomerie  and  Cosby.  He  continued  to  admin- 
ister the  government  until  the  summer  of  1738,  when  he  was  relieved 
by  the  appointment  of  Lewis  Morris  as  governor  of  New  Jersey,  inde- 
pendent of  New  York.  Colonel  Hamilton,  by  which  title  he  was  known, 
tradition  states  possessed  a  high  and  overbearing  temper,  which  in 
connection  with  domestic  trials  rendered  his  declining  years,  invalid  as 
he  was,  a  period  of  great  distress  and  unhappiness.  He  resided  at  Perth 
Amboy  in  a  spacious  dwelling  overlooking  the  broad  bay  formed  by 
the  junction  of  the  Raritan  river  and  the  Sound  with  Sandy  Hook  inlet. 
His  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  colony  was  notable  for  two 
events — the  granting  of  the  first  charter  to  the  College  of  New  Jersey, 


44  "  MIDDLESEX 

and  the  aid  the  colony  gave  towards  the  Canadian  Expedition  in  the 
French  and  Indian  Wars. 

Lewis  Morris,  the  first  royal  governor  of  New  Jersey  independent 
of  New  York,  was  an  American  product.  He  was  the  son  of  Richard 
Morris,  an  officer  in  Cromwell's  army,  who  emigrated  from  England 
to  the  West  Indies  and  afterwards  came  to  New  York,  purchasing  three 
thousand  acres,  a  part  of  which  became  Morrisania.  Here  the  governor 
was  born  in  1671  ;  he  studied  law,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  became 
a  judge  of  the  Superior  Court  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey.  He  became 
a  member  of  the  governor's  council,  and  bitterly  opposed  Lord  Corn- 
bury.  As  a  member  of  the  Assembly  he  was  the  author  of  the  complaint 
against  his  lordship  which  was  formulated  by  that  body,  and  he  in 
person  presented  it  to  Queen  Anne.  It  was  mainly  through  his  endeav- 
ors that  the  division  was  effected  between  New  York  and  New  Jersey  in 
1738,  and  he  became  governor  of  the  latter,  holding  the  office  until  his 
death  at  Kingsbury,  New  Jersey,  May  21,  1746.  Colonel  Hamilton  again 
became  invested  with  the  chief  authority,  occasioned  by  the  vacancy  due 
to  the  death  of  Governor  Morris,  but  he  had  for  a  long  time  been  very 
infirm,  and  before  the  close  of  the  year  he  also  died,  and  was  succeeded 
by  the  next  oldest  councillor,  John  Reading. 

The  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Governor  Morris  was  filled  by 
the  appointment  of  Jonathan  Belcher.  His  predecessor  in  office  resided 
in  Trenton.  New  Jersey,  Governor  Belcher  chose  Elizabethtown  as  his 
place  of  abode,  it  offering  more  attractions  than  Perth  Amboy.  The 
newly  appointed  executive  by  birth  was  a  New  Englander,  his  grand- 
father, Andrew  Belcher,  being  on  record  as  early  as  1646  at  Cambridge, 
Massachusetts.  His  father,  a  second  Andrew,  was  a  provincial  counselor, 
a  man  of  wealth.  At  Cambridge,  on  January  8,  1682,  the  governor  was 
born,  spending  his  early  life  among  surroundings  of  wealth  and  culture. 
A  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  he  sailed  for  Europe  and  spent  six  years 
amidst  the  court  life  of  the  Electorate  of  Hanover,  where  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  the  future  George  I.  of  England.  Retiring  to  New  Eng- 
land, he  became  engaged  in  mercantile  trade,  and  in  1729  was  sent  to 
England  as  the  agent  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony.  He  returned  to  Bos- 
ton the  following  year  with  a  commission  appointing  him  governor  of 
Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire. 

Governor  Belcher  m  his  early  life  was  not  bred  to  the  ways  of 
economy,  therefore  in  his  manhood  days  he  spent  money  with  a  prodigal 
hand  and  an  elegant  liberality.  A  man  of  society  and  of  the  world,  he 
loved  intrigue,  and  he  attempted  to  instill  into  politics  some  of  the 
methods  of  trade.  This  brought  him  into  contention  with  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Massachusetts ;  his  insistence  for  a  fixed  salary  as  governor  was 
opposed  by  the  people.  This  difference  of  opinion  was  submitted  to  the 
British   courts  and   the  governor  was   fully   vindicated.     He   then  was 


PROPRIETARY  AND  COLONIAL  GOVERNORS  45 

offered  the  appointment  of  governor  for  New  Jersey,  which  he  accepted 
in  1747,  landing  at  Perth  Amboy  from  the  British  man-of-war  "Scar- 
borough" on  the  morning  of  August  8  of  that  year.  Governor  Belcher 
maintained  a  successful  administration  for  a  decade  of  years,  which 
was  terminated  by  his  death  at  Elizabethtown,  August  31,  1757.  He  was 
a  benevolent  patron  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  and  to  that  institution 
he  left  his  extensive  library. 

The  next  governor  of  New  Jersey  was  Sir  Francis  Bernard,  educated 
at  Oxford  University.  At  the  time  of  his  appointment  he  was  engaged 
in  the  profession  of  law  in  London.  He  landed  at  Perth  Amboy  from 
His  Majesty's  ship  "Terrible,"  June  14,  1758.  His  administration  was 
of  short  duration,  but  received  the  warm  approbation  of  the  people  of 
New  Jersey.  He  was  transferred  to  become  governor  of  Massachusetts, 
and  left  Perth  Amboy,  where  he  had  resided  during  the  term  of  his 
office,  in  the  month  of  July,  1760,  for  his  new  assignment. 

Thomas  Boone,  appointed  to  succeed  Governor  Bernard,  reached 
Perth  Amboy  by  land  from  New  York,  July  3,  1760.  The  ensuing  day 
the  oath  of  office  was  administered  and  his  commission  was  published 
with  the  usual  formalities.  There  was  nothing  important  in  the  matter 
of  legislation  during  Governor  Boone's  brief  term.  On  June  18,  1761,  it 
was  announced  in  New  York  that  Governor  Boone  had  been  on  April 
14,  1761,  appointed  to  the  chief  authority  in  the  province  of  South 
Carolina. 

His  successor,  Josiah  Hardy,  arrived  at  New  York  on  His  Majesty's 
ship  "Alcide,"  October  22,  1761,  and  he  was  met  seven  days  later  on  his 
landing  at  Elizabethtown  Point  on  his  way  to  Perth  Amboy  by  Governor 
Booth,  Lord  Stirling,  the  members  of  the  council,  gentlemen  and  magis- 
trates of  the  borough  of  Elizabethtown,  with  a  military  escort  com- 
manded by  Captains  Terrill  and  Parker.  Though  the  governor  met 
the  legislature  at  four  different  sessions,  but  little  of  any  important 
legislation  was  passed.  Owing  to  some  differences  arising  between 
his  superiors  in  England  relative  to  the  appointment  of  judges,  he  was 
recalled  in  1763  and  gave  place  to  William  Franklin,  the  last  of  the 
colonial  governors  of  New  Jersey. 

The  birth  of  this  last  royal  governor  of  New  Jersey  is  shrouded  in 
mystery;  that  it  took  place  somewhere  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania 
is  undisputable.  The  year  is  commonly  acknowledged  to  be  1731,  and 
that  he  was  the  only  son,  and  illegitimate  at  that,  of  the  noted  patriot, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  is  an  established  fact.  Of  his  maternal  parentage 
nothing  is  known ;  whether  he  received  a  mother's  care  and  love  is  not 
a  matter  of  record.  The  sage  philosopher  in  writing  of  his  son  in  1750 
says,  "Will  is  now  nineteen  years  of  age,  a  tall,  proper  youth,  and  much 
of  a  beau.  He  acquired  a  habit  of  idleness  in  the  expedition,  but  begins 
of  late  to  apply  himself  to  business,  and  I  hope  will  become  an  indus- 


46  '  MIDDLESEX 

trious  man.  He  imagined  his  father  had  got  enough  for  him,  but  I 
assured  him  that  I  intend  to  spend  what  little  I  have  for  myself,  if  it 
please  God  that  I  live  long  enough ;  and  as  he  by  no  means  wants  acute- 
ness,  he  can  see  by  my  going  on  that  I  mean  to  be  as  good  as  my  word." 
The  expedition  alluded  to  was  one  or  more  campaigns  in  which  the 
younger  Franklin  served  in  the  Pennsylvania  forces  on  the  northern 
frontiers  before  he  was  of  age,  rising  from  a  subordinate  position  to  the 
rank  of  captain.  On  his  return  to  Philadelphia  from  his  military  exploits, 
he  became  in  a  great  degree  a  companion  and  assistant  of  his  father  in 
his  various  scientific  and  professional  pursuits,  and  subsequently  him- 
self entered  into  official  life.  He  acted  as  comptroller  of  the  General 
Post  Office,  also  was  clerk  of  the  Provincial  Assembly,  and  when  his 
father  was  sent  to  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania  to  build  forts  accom- 
panied him.  Dr.  Franklin  was  appointed  in  June,  1757,  colonial  agent 
at  London,  and  his  son  sailed  with  him  for  Europe. 

Young  Franklin  on  his  arrival  in  London  entered  upon  the  study  of 
law  in  the  Middle  Temple,  and  was  called  to  the  bar  in  1758.  His  travels 
with  his  father  through  England,  Scotland,  Flanders  and  Holland,  gave 
him  the  opportunity  of  improving  his  mental  and  personal  attainments 
which  =uch  favorable  circumstances  naturally  afforded.  Like  his  father, 
his  society  was  courted  by  men  of  the  highest  literary  and  scientific 
acquirements,  therefore  he  could  not  help  to  imbibe  in  such  environments 
a  taste  for  similar  pursuits,  and  we  find  that  when  the  University  of 
Oxford  conferred  upon  his  talented  father  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Laws  for  great  proficiency  in  the  natural  sciences,  the  son  was  thought 
worthy  of  that  of  Master  of  Arts  for  having  distinguished  himself  in  the 
same  branches  of  knowledge. 

It  was  in  August,  1762,  that  he  was  appointed  through  the  influence 
of  Lord  Bute,  without  any  solicitation  on  the  part  of  his  father,  governor 
of  New  Jersey.  He  had  previously  undergone  a  close  examination  by 
Lord  Halifax,  Minister  of  American  Affairs,  who  deemed  it  advisable 
on  account  of  his  colonial  birth  and  youth,  he  at  that  time  being  only 
thirty  years  of  age.  Governor  Franklin  arrived  with  his  bride.  Miss 
Elizabeth  Downs,  at  the  Delaware  river,  in  February,  1763,  and  arrived 
at  Perth  Amboy  on  the  24th.  He  first  took  lodgings  at  Burlington, 
and  finally  took  up  his  permanent  residence  there  until  October,  1774, 
when  he  removed  to  Perth  Amboy.  Almost  immediately  after  his 
entrance  upon  his  duties  in  New  Jersey,  the  attitude  of  the  British  min- 
istry towards  the  colonies  began  to  excite  the  people.  Governor  Franklin 
was  favorably  disposed  towards  the  colonies  as  long  as  no  direct  oppo- 
sition to  the  authority  of  Parliament  was  manifested.  He  was  visited  by 
his  father  in  1775,  who  zealously  strove  to  draw  him  over  to  the  side 
of  the  colonies  ;  their  conversations  at  times  exhibited  a  degree  of  warmth 
not  favorable  to  continued  harmonious  intercourse,  but  each  failed  to 
convince  the  other  of  the  impropriety  of  the  course  he  was  pursuing. 


PROPRIETARY  AND  COLONIAL  GOVERNORS  47 

The  son,  however,  followed  his  father's  advice  in  avoiding  duplicity, 
for  he  did  not  hesitate  to  give  manifest  tokens  of  his  determination  to 
rise  or  fall  with  the  royal  cause. 

The  contentions  between  the  royal  governor  and  provincial  con- 
vention or  congress  continued  with  exasperating  bitterness  until  finally 
that  body  decreed  that  no  further  payments  should  be  made  on  account 
of  salary  to  the  governor,  and  an  order  was  issued  for  his  arrest.  A 
detachment  of  militia  under  the  command  of  Colonel  (afterwards  Gen- 
eral) Heard  made  the  arrest  at  Perth  Amboy,  June  17,  1776,  Governor 
Franklin  being  presented  with  a  parole  which  he  indignantly  refused  to 
sign ;  a  guard  of  sixty  men  was  placed  around  the  executive's  residence 
until  communication  could  be  had  with  the  convention.  That  body 
informed  the  Continental  Congress  of  the  arrest,  asking  what  disposition 
to  make  of  the  offender.  Under  date  of  June  24,  1776,  the  Continental 
Congress  placed  William  Franklin  under  charge  of  Governor  Trumbull 
of  Connecticut,  to  be  treated  agreeable  to  the  resolutions  of  Congress 
respecting  prisoners.  Governor  Trumbull  accepted  the  charge,  and 
Franklin  was  quartered  in  the  house  of  Captain  Ebenezer  Grant,  at 
East  Windsor.  Here  he  remained  a  prisoner  two  years  and  four  months, 
an  exchange  being  at  that  time  effected,  and  he  arrived  in  New  York, 
November  i,  1778.  He  was  a  resident  of  New  York  until  in  August, 
1782,  he  sailed  for  England.  In  consideration  of  the  losses  he  had  been 
subjected  to,  £1,800  was  granted  to  him  by  the  British  government, 
and  he  was  allowed  in  addition  a  yearly  pension  of  £800.  His  death 
occurred  November  17,  1813. 

Thus  ends  a  mortal  career  whose  birth  placed  a  bar  sinister  on  the 
Franklin  coat-of-arms.  He  must  have  inherited  from  his  maternal 
ancestor  his  opposition  to  the  rights  of  the  people,  for  self-government 
and  independence  were  advocated  by  his  sire.  That  he  was  of  American 
birth  and  descent  makes  his  professed  loyalty  to  the  King  more  offen- 
sive to  the  average  American  reader.  Benjamin  West,  in  his  picture 
representing  the  "Reception  of  the  American  Royalists  by  Great  Britain 
in  the  year  1783,"  makes  Franklin  one  of  the  prominent  personages  at 
the  head  of  a  group  of  figures,  and  in  a  description  of  the  picture  he  is 
mentioned  as  having  "preserved  his  fidelity  and  loyalty  to  his  sovereign 
from  the  commencement  to  the  conclusion  of  the  contest,  notwithstand- 
ing powerful  incitements  to  the  contrary."  Thus  his  disloyalty  to 
American  independence  is  flouted  to  the  world.  How  different  in  con- 
trast to  that  other  arch  traitor,  Benedict  Arnold,  who  a  few  days  before 
his  death,  clothing  himself  in  his  old  Continental  uniform,  on  his  bended 
knees  asked  God's  forgiveness  for  ever  wearing  any  other.  Thus  has 
been  imperfectly  sketched  the  career  of  the  proprietaries  and  colonial 
governors,  from  the  little  that  is  now  known  respecting  the  characters, 
habits,  attainments  or  adventures  of  the  incumbents  of  the  executive 
office  of  the  province  of  New  Jersey. 


RARITAN   BAY 


RAILROAD   BRIDGK 


CHAPTER  VII. 
THE   ORGANIZATION    OF    THE    COUNTY. 

The  Dutch  at  New  Netherland  took  the  first  steps  for  civil  organiza- 
tion of  East  Jersey.  They  established  in  1661  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
incorporated  town  of  Bergen  over  the  outlying  and  contiguous  planta- 
tions on  the  west  side  of  the  Hudson  river.  The  courts  of  Bergen  under 
the  supreme  authority  of  the  director-general  and  council  of  Manhattan 
were  sufficient  to  meet  all  requirements  of  local  administration  over  so 
limited  a  district  of  country,  and  were  continued  for  more  than  a  decade 
after  the  English  came  into  possession  of  the  country. 

In  the  meantime  a  sufficient  population  had  settled  about  Newark 
bay,  along  the  Passaic,  the  Raritan,  and  southward  to  the  Highlands 
of  the  Navesink,  to  foreshadow  in  outline  at  least  the  necessity  for 
erecting  four  original  counties  in  East  Jersey.  The  Legislature  of 
1675  enacted  that  Elizabethtown  and  Newark  make  a  county ;  Bergen 
and  adjacent  plantations  be  a  county ;  Woodbridge  and  Piscataqua  be  a 
county ;  and  that  the  two  towns,  Middletown  and  Shrewsbury  at  Nave- 
sink,  make  a  county.  By  this  act  the  incipient  counties  were  neither 
named  nor  their  limits  defined.  Seven  years  later  a  more  definite  divi- 
sion was  made.  The  General  Assembly  of  East  Jersey  convened  at 
Elizabethtown  in  1682  passed  an  act  erecting  the  counties  of  Bergen, 
Essex,  Middlesex  and  Monmouth.  The  preamble  for  the  erection  of 
these  counties  states  the  following:  "Having  taken  into  consideration 
the  necessity  of  dividing  the  province  into  respective  counties  for  the 
better  governing  and  settling  of  courts  in  the  same,"  etc. 

Middlesex  county  by  the  legislative  act  of  1682  was  to  begin  from 
the  parting  line  between  Essex  county  and  Woodbridge,  containing 
Woodbridge  and  Piscataway  and  all  the  plantations  on  both  sides  of 
the  Raritan  river  as  far  as  the  Delaware  river  eastward,  extending  south- 
west to  the  division  line  of  the  province,  and  northwest  to  the  utmost 
bounds  of  the  county. 

By  an  act  of  the  Assembly  in  March,  1688,  Somerset  county  was 
incorporated.  The  territory  thus  taken  from  Middlesex  county  was  its 
western  border  lands,  the  Raritan  river  forming  part  of  the  boundary 
lines.  The  reason  given  for  this  division  was  that  those  engaged  in 
husbandry  and  manuring  of  lands  in  the  valley  of  the  uppermost  part 
of  the  Raritan  river  were  forced  by  different  ways  and  methods  from 
the  other  farmers  and  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Middlesex,  because 
of  the  frequent  floods  that  carry  away  their  fences  on  their  meadows, 
the  only  available  land  they  have,  and  so  by  consequence  their  interest 
is   divided   from   the   other  inhabitants   of   the   county.      This   division, 

Mid-4 


50  •  MIDDLESEX 

however,  was  merely  nominal,  and  in  1709-10,  by  an  act  of  the  Assembly, 
Somerset  was  continued  subjected  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  courts  and 
officers  of  Middlesex  county  for  the  want  of  a  competent  number  of 
inhabitants  to  hold  court  and  for  juries.  Courts  continued  to  be  held 
in  Middlesex  for  the  two  counties  as  late  as  1720,  when  Somerset  county 
courts  were  duly  organized. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  acts  passed  by  the  Legislature  in  ref- 
erence to  regulating  the  boundary  lines  of  Middlesex  county.  On  January 
31,  1709-10,  an  act  was  passed  determining  the  boundaries  of  the  sev- 
eral counties.  This  act  was  supplemented  March  15,  1713,  setting  the 
boundaries  between  Somerset,  Middlesex  and  Monmouth  counties,  in 
which  the  line  between  Somerset  and  Middlesex  should  begin  with  the 
road  crossing  the  Raritan  at  Inian's  Ferry,  thence  to  run  along  a  road 
leading  to  the  falls  of  the  Delaware  as  far  as  the  partition  line  between 
East  and  West  Jersey. 

In  accordance  with  this  act,  Somerset  county  extended  down  one 
side  of  the  present  Albany  street.  New  Brunswick.  This,  however,  by 
an  act  passed  November  24,  1790,  was  altered,  the  boundary  line  between 
the  two  counties  being  established  by  the  lands  and  tenements  north- 
ward of  the  Raritan  river  to  be  annexed  to  Somerset  county,  while  those 
south  of  the  river  were  to  become  a  part  of  Middlesex  county.  This 
act  made  the  middle  of  the  main  road  from  New  Brunswick  to  Trenton 
the  boundary  line  between  Middlesex  and  Somerset  counties. 

The  easterly  bounds  of  Middlesex  county,  by  an  act  passed  November 
28,  1822,  were  declared  to  be  the  middle  or  midway  of  the  waters  of  the 
Staten  Island  Sound,  adjoining  same,  to  the  middle  of  the  channel  of 
the  waters  of  the  Sound,  with  the  waters  of  Raritan  river,  thence  to 
the  eastward  of  the  fiat  or  shoal  which  extends  from  South  Amboy  to 
the  mouth  of  Whale  creek,  the  beginning  of  the  bounds  of  the  counties 
of  Middlesex  and  Monmouth. 

A  part  of  Middlesex  with  a  portion  of  the  counties  of  Hunterdon 
and  Burlington  was  taken  by  an  act  dated  February  22,  1838,  to  form  the 
county  of  Mercer. 

By  acts  of  the  Legislature,  the  western  boundary  of  Middlesex 
county  in  the  towns  of  North  Brunswick  and  South  Brunswick  were 
made  to  conform  in  1855  and  1858  with  a  turnpike  road  extending  from 
Little  Rocky  Hill  to  New  Brunswick.  A  part  of  the  township  of  Wood- 
bridge,  by  an  act  of  February  16,  i860,  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of 
Rahway.  was  annexed  to  Union  county,  and  April  5,  1871,  by  another 
act  a  portion  of  Plainfield  in  Union  county  was  annexed  to  the  township 
of  Piscataway  in  Middlesex  county. 

The  first  act  dividing  the  newly  organized  counties  into  townships 
was  passed  in  1693.  The  division  in  Middlesex  county  was  into  the 
corporated  town  of  Woodbridge,  the  townships  of  Perth  x^mboy,  then 


ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY  51 

known  as  Perth,  and  Piscataway.  These  townships  were  not  definitely- 
defined  in  relation  to  their  boundaries,  and  were  merely  settlements  in 
a  wide  area  of  territory.  Soon  after  this,  nearly  contemporary  with  the 
organization  of  its  sister  townships,  North  Brunswick,  South  Amboy 
and  South  Brunswick  were  invested  with  township  honors.  These 
three  townships  embraced  all  of  the  present  area  of  Middlesex  county 
south  of  the  Raritan  river,  the  township  of  South  Amboy  consisting  of 
the  eastern  portion  of  that  territory  which  was  bounded  by  the  seacoast 
and  Monmouth  county ;  west  of  the  South  river,  near  the  geographical 
center  of  the  present  county,  was  the  northeast  boundary  line  of  the 
town  of  North  Brunswick,  which  extended  westward  to  the  division 
line  of  Somerset  county.  Its  southerly  line,  which  divided  it  from  the 
newly  erected  town  of  South  Brunswick,  located  in  the  southwest  corner 
of  the  present  county  limits,  was  very  irregular  in  shape. 

The  civil  divisions  of  the  county,  consisting  of  these  five  townships 
and  the  cities  of  New  Brunswick  and  Perth  Amboy,  remained  undis- 
turbed until  February  23,  1838,  when  the  southermost  portion  of  the  town 
of  South  Amboy,  about  eight  miles  long  and  six  wide,  was  erected  by 
the  Legislature  into  the  township  of  Monroe.  At  this  period  the  county 
had  obtained  a  population  of  21,894  outside  of  New  Brunswick,  divided 
as  follows:  At  Perth  Amboy,  1303;  in  the  township  of  South  Amboy, 
the  population  was  1,825;  the  village  of  the  same  name,  situated  on  a 
safe  and  deep  harbor  on  Raritan  bay  at  the  mouth  of  the  Raritan  river, 
twelve  miles  below  New  Brunswick,  was  one  of  the  terminals  of  the 
Camden  &  Amboy  railroad.  The  village  contained  an  academy  and 
about  twenty-five  dwellings.  Seven  miles  southwest  of  South  Amboy, 
on  the  line  of  the  railroad,  was  Old  Bridge,  on  the  South  river,  a  hamlet 
of  about  thirty-five  dwellings.  From  this  point  large  quantities  of  pine 
and  oak  wood  were  shipped  to  New  York  City.  In  the  same  township 
was  Jacksonville,  at  the  head  of  Cheesequake  creek,  where  were  a  Baptist 
and  Methodist  church,  and  about  fifteen  dwellings. 

The  township  of  North  Brunswick  was  about  eight  miles  long  and 
seven  miles  broad,  with  a  population  of  5,860.  The  city  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, which  was  incorporated  in  1784,  lay  partly  in  the  town  of  North 
Brunswick  and  partly  in  the  township  of  Franklin  in  Somerset  county. 
The  shores  of  the  Raritan  river  at  this  point  were  connected  by  a  toll- 
bridge  which  was  built  in  181 1  at  the  expense  of  $86,687,  which  had 
become  dilapidated,  therefore  of  little  use ;  and  by  the  railroad  bridge  of 
the  New  Jersey  railroad,  which  passed  through  the  city,  forming  a  part 
of  the  chain  of  railroads  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and 
Washington.  New  Brunswick  had  a  population  of  8,693,  and  was  the 
seat  of  Rutgers  College ;  it  contained  eight  churches,  two  female  semi- 
naries, one  bank,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  stores,  and  eight  hun- 
dred dwellings.    Four  miles  southeast  of  New  Brunswick  was  the  village 


52  V  MIDDLESEX 

of  Washington,  at  the  confluence  of  the  South  river  with  the  Raritan. 
It  contained  about  fifty  dwellings,  and  in  summer  steamers  plied  between 
there  and  New  York  with  produce  of  the  county. 

The  township  of  South  Brunswick,  about  eight  miles  long  and  seven 
miles  broad,  had  a  population  of  2,797.  In  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
township,  at  the  intersection  of  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  canal  with 
the  New  York  and  Philadelphia  turnpike,  was  the  village  of  Kingston. 
In  the  stagecoach  days,  Kingston,  being  on  the  great  thoroughfare 
between  New  York  and  the  South,  was  a  favorite  stopping  place.  In 
olden  times  in  front  of  Withington's  Inn  and  the  Vantilburgh  Tavern, 
there  were  seen  halted  at  the  same  time  nearly  fifty  stages  loaded  with 
about  four  hundred  passengers.  Vantilburgh's  Tavern  was  long  known 
as  a  favorite  stopping  place  for  Washington  and  the  governors  of  New 
Jersey  in  passing  from  the  eastern  towns  to  the  State  capital.  It  was 
at  this  village  that  Washington  and  his  army,  the  day  of  the  battle  of 
Princeton,  eluded  the  enemy  in  pursuit  by  filing  off  the  main  road  to 
the  left  of  the  church,  while  the  British  continued  on  the  New  Brunswick 
road,  thinking  the  American  army  had  gone  to  that  place  to  destroy 
their  winter  stores.  Cranbury,  partly  in  Monroe  township,  was  a  village 
built  on  a  single  street,  containing  two  Presbyterian  churches,  two 
academies,  seventy-three  dwellings,  and  about  six  hundred  inhabitants. 
Crossroads  and  Plainsborough  were  hamlets,  the  former  containing  two 
taverns,  two  stores,  and  about  fifteen  dwellings;  the  latter,  a  store,  a 
tavern,  gristmill  and  a  few  dwellings. 

Monroe,  the  newly  organized  township,  was  about  eight  miles  long 
and  six  miles  wide,  with  a  population  of  2,453.  Spotswood,  on  the  rail- 
road, ten  miles  from  South  Amboy,  was  a  village  containing  three  stores, 
a  grist  and  saw  mill,  two  churches  and  fifty-two  dwellings. 

The  population  of  Piscataway  was  2,828,  and  its  incorporated  limits 
were  about  eight  miles  long  and  six  miles  wide.  The  village  of  New 
Market,  formerly  Quibblestown,  situated  towards  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  township,  was  a  post-town  of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  houses. 
Piscataway,  about  three  miles  east  of  New  Brunswick,  was  originally 
an  old  Indian  village ;  in  early  days  it  was  a  seat  of  justice  for  Middlesex 
and  Somerset  covmties ;  it  contained  a  church  and  about  a  dozen  dwell- 
ings. The  small  village  of  Raritan  Landing,  two  miles  above  New 
Brunswick,  where  there  was  a  bridge  across  the  Raritan  river,  contained 
several  stores  and  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  dwellings. 

The  ancient  township  of  Woodbridge  had  an  area  of  ten  miles  in 
breadth  east  and  west  and  nine  miles  north  and  south,  having  a  popula- 
tion of  4,821.  Metuchen  and  Uniontown,  on  the  line  of  the  New  Jersey 
railroad,  contained  a  few  dwellings.  Rahway,  on  the  border  line  of 
Essex  county,  was  a  flourishing  village.  Woodbridge,  nine  miles  north- 
east  from   New   Brunswick,  contained   three  churches,  an  academy,  a 


ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY  53 

grist  and  saw  mill,  an  extensive  pottery,  and  fifty  dwellings.  Bonham- 
town  was  a  small  gathering  of  dwellings. 

Thus  we  review  in  retrospect  a  small  portion  of  a  vast  republic.  Four 
score  of  years  have  rolled  away.  The  manners  and  customs  of  the 
descendants  of  those  worthy  pioneers  who  made  the  forests  bloom  into 
cultivated  fields,  have  gone  to  their  last  resting  place.  Their  sons  and 
daughters  in  most  cases  have  strayed  away  from  the  old  homesteads 
to  the  more  diverting  and  alluring  life  in  the  busy  marts  of  the  country, 
their  places  taken  by  the  aliens  of  other  lands  who  left  the  vexatious 
tribulations  of  their  native  homes  in  the  Old  World  for  betterment  and 
success  in  the  New  World. 

In  the  place  of  the  worthy  pioneer  traveling  the  dirt  highway  with 
his  horse  and  wagon,  is  heard  the  buzz  and  whiz  of  the  ever-destructive 
automobile  propelled  by  the  refined  product  of  nature's  oil,  speeding 
over  the  macadamized  way  with  lightning  rapidity.  The  humming  of 
a  motor  is  brought  to  our  ears,  and  as  we  raise  our  eyes  skyward, 
instead  of  viewing  and  hearing  the  song  and  notes  of  a  feathered  visitor, 
we  are  greeted  with  the  fast-disappearing  aeroplane. 

There  were  no  further  sub-divisions  of  Middlesex  county  until  Feb- 
ruary 28,  i860,  when  East  Brunswick  was  incorporated  from  parts  of  the 
townships  North  Brunswick  and  Monroe.  On  the  same  day,  by  an  act  of 
the  Assembly,  New  Brunswick  was  separated  from  North  Brunswick, 
which  had  been  known  since  1803  as  the  North  Ward  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. The  next  township  to  be  organized  was  Madison,  from  South 
Amboy,  March  3,  1869.  The  following  year,  on  March  17,  Raritan 
became  a  township,  its  territory  being  taken  from  Woodbridge  and 
Piscataway.  The  township  of  Cranbury  was  formed  from  a  part  of 
South  Brunswick  and  Monroe,  March  7,  1872,  and  twelve  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  of  the  township  of  South  Amboy  was  incorporated  April  6, 
1876,  as  the  township  of  Sayreville. 

The  first  courthouse  and  jail  in  Middlesex  county  was  erected  at 
Perth  Amboy.  In  the  proprietary  minutes  under  date  of  May  14,  1685, 
it  was  ordered  that  a  town  house  be  built,  stipulating  it  should  be 
erected  on  a  lot  owned  by  one  Thomas  Warne.  The  location  of  this  lot 
is  uncertain,  but  it  was  probably  one  running  through  from  High  street 
to  Water  street,  in  the  new  town  of  Perth.  In  April,  1696,  £20  was 
voted  to  Mr.  Warne  to  release  this  lot  again.  However,  previous  to 
this,  Thomas  Gordon  was  directed  to  fit  up  one  of  the  old  houses  of 
the  proprietaries  for  a  courthouse.  Whether  this  was  occupied  under 
the  royal  provincial  government  is  not  known. 

An  act  was  passed  in  1713  for  building  and  repairing  jails  and  court- 
houses in  the  province,  and  Amboy  was  designated  as  the  site  for  the 
jail  and  courthouse  of  Middlesex  county.  The  building  erected  in  con- 
formity with  this  act  stood  on  the  northeast  corner  of  High  street  and 


54  ^  MIDDLESEX 

the  public  square,  and  served  for  both  tries  and  tried,  the  prison  being 
under  the  same  roof  with  the  courthouse.  It  was  also  used  for  legis- 
lative purposes  from  Governor  Hunter's  to  Governor  Franklin's  admin- 
istrations inclusive.  It  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1765-66,  accidentally, 
it  is  said,  in  the  act  providing  for  the  erection  of  another.  The  second 
courthouse  was  erected  June  28,  1766,  on  land  donated  by  the  inhabitants 
of  Perth  Amboy.  It  was  a  two-story  building  adorned  with  a  cupola 
or  belfry.  This  structure  was  used  until  the  transfer  of  the  county 
seat  to  New  Brunswick,  afterwards  became  a  school  house,  but  eventu- 
ally passed  into  private  hands.  The  jail  authorized  by  the  same  act  was 
finished  at  an  expense  of  £200  in  1767.  It  was  also  a  two-story  building 
containing  rooms  for  the  keeper's  family,  in  addition  to  those  for  pris- 
oners. The  city  authorities  of  Perth  Amboy  ordered  its  destruction  in 
1826. 

In  the  early  part  of  January,  1793,  a  matter  of  local  interest  was  the 
question  "where  shall  our  new  courthouse  be  situated?"  The  change 
of  the  county  seat  of  Middlesex  county  had  been  sanctioned  by  the 
Legislature,  and  the  two  rivals  for  the  honor  and  profit  were  Perth 
Amboy  and  New  Brunswick.  The  former  claimed  for  a  matter  of 
economy  the  courthouse  should  be  erected  in  that  city,  which  already 
had  a  suitable  building,  that  it  was  a  free  port  of  entry,  and  that  they 
were  willing  to  transport  ofificials,  witnesses,  and  those  interested  in 
matters  brought  before  the  court,  free  of  charge  across  the  ferry,  from 
Perth  Amboy  to  South  Amboy.  New  Brunswick  was  not  behind  hand 
in  its  offer,  claiming  to  be  the  largest  town,  on  the  line  of  a  stage  route, 
the  center  of  a  prosperous  agricultural  country ;  that  the  business  done 
far  exceeded  Perth  Amboy,  and  on  the  question  of  finance  they  were 
willing  to  contribute  £300  for  the  building  of  a  new  courthouse  in  that 
city.  The  election  was  held  March  10,  1793,  and  though  there  were 
2,540  ballots  cast,  as  late  as  nine  days  afterwards  only  1,900  of  these  had 
been  counted,  of  which  New  Brunswick  had  980  and  Perth  Amboy  900; 
this  seems,  however,  to  have  settled  the  contest,  as  New  Brunswick 
became  the  county  seat. 

The  common  council  of  New  Brunswick,  April  29,  1793,  assessed 
the  inhabitants  of  the  city  for  the  £300  promised  for  the  construction 
of  a  new  courthouse.  A  number  of  the  citizens  who  were  residents  of 
Somerset  county  refused  to  pay  the  taxes  thus  levied,  and  in  the  case 
of  one  delinquent  his  goods  were  attached.  The  case  was  carried  to 
the  Supreme  Court,  and  at  a  session  of  this  body  at  the  November  term, 
in  1796.  Chief  Justice  Kinsey  delivered  the  opinion  of  the  court.  The 
judgment  of  the  court  below  was  affirmed,  that  the  corporation  ordinance 
and  tax  were  illegal,  that  its  efifect  was  to  compel  inhabitants  of  the 
Somerset  side  of  the  city,  who  had  to  build  and  maintain  a  courthouse 
of  their  own,  to  assist  in  defraying  the  expenses  of  a  public  building 


ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY  55 

in  another  county.  The  Chief  Justice  reiterates,  "for  these  reasons 
alone,  without  entering  into  the  peculiar  circumstances  which  in  the 
case  furnish  strong  suspicions  of  intentional  and  premeditated  decep- 
tions in  this  double-faced  transaction,  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  vote 
of  the  2nd  of  February,  1793,  imposing  a  tax  of  £'300  upon  the  citizens 
of  New  Brunswick  for  purposes  set  forth,  was  illegal  and  void,  and  of 
consequence  the  assessment  of  it;  the  ordinance  directing  the  time  of 
payment,  the  duplicates  and  warrants  of  distress,  having  no  valid  foun- 
dation, are  all  likewise  void." 

The  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  did  not,  however,  interfere  with 
New  Brunswick  becoming  the  county  seat.  A  court  of  common  pleas 
had  been  held  in  that  city  since  1778,  and  £100  was  expended  on  the 
Barracks,  situated  on  the  west  side  of  George  street  near  Paterson  street, 
where  soldiers  were  quartered  during  the  Revolution.  The  barracks 
were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1794,  and  in  that  year  the  "Union"  or  Old  City 
Hall,  corner  of  Neilson  and  Bayard  streets,  was  built  and  used  for  a 
courthouse,  while  a  jail  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  Bayard  street 
public  school.  This  building  was  utilized  till  about  1840,  when  the 
present  courthouse  was  built,  the  sum  of  $30,000  being  obtained  from 
the  State,  borrowed  from  the  "Surplus  Revenue  Fund"  to  aid  in  its 
completion.  The  present  building  has  been  remodeled  and  renovated  at 
different  times,  making  a  commodious  and  substantial  building  for  the 
transaction  of  the  official  business  of  the  county. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EAST   AND    WEST   JERSEY. 

Lord  Berkeley  disposed  of  his  interests  in  the  proprietorship  of 
New  Jersey  to  John  Fenwick  and  Edward  Byllinge,  both  members  of 
the  Society  of  Friends.  Fenwick  in  1675  established  a  Quaker  settle- 
ment at  Salem,  near  the  Delaware  river,  and  claimed  authority  as  chief 
proprietor  over  all  parts  of  New  Jersey  southwest  of  a  line  drawn  from 
Little  Egg  Harbor  to  a  point  on  the  Delaware  river  in  the  forty-first 
degree  of  north  latitude.  For  a  number  of  years  the  province  was 
divided  into  East  Jersey,  with  its  capital  at  Perth  Amboy ;  and  West 
Jersey,  having  as  its  capital  Burlington. 

The  two  Quaker  proprietors  of  West  Jersey  quarreled  about  their 
respective  rights ;  the  tenets  of  their  sect  forbade  them  to  go  to  law 
for  an  adjustment  of  their  differences,  and  William  Penn,  the  founder 
of  Pennsylvania,  was  called  into  the  matter  as  an  arbitrator.  This  was 
the  first  introduction  of  that  prominent  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends 
in  the  affairs  of  America.  Byllinge,  being  burdened  with  debts,  assigned 
his  interests  to  his  creditors,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  right  and  title 
in  West  Jersey  fell  into  the  hands  of  William  Penn,  Gawen  Lawrie, 
and  Nicholas  Lucas.  The  matter  of  ownership  of  the  lands  in  the 
province  of  New  Jersey  became  complicated.  Lord  Berkeley  had  sold 
his  individual  half  of  the  colony,  and  negotiations  were  entered  into 
between  Sir  George  Carteret  on  the  one  side,  and  Penn,  Lawrie,  Fen- 
wick and  Lucas,  on  the  other  side,  to  divide  the  province  into  two  great 
portions  Finally  on  July  i,  1676,  (O.  S.)  a  deed  was  executed.  East 
Jersey  was  to  include  all  that  portion  lying  northeast  of  a  straight  drawn 
line  from  Little  Egg  Harbor  to  the  northermost  boundary  of  the  prov- 
ince on  the  Delaware  river,  and  West  Jersey  was  to  consist  of  all  the 
rest  of  the  province  granted  by  the  Duke  of  York.  West  Jersey  was 
divided  into  one  hundred  parts,  ten  of  which  were  set  aside  for  Fenwick, 
the  balance  to  be  disposed  of  for  the  benefit  of  Byllinge's  creditors. 

Disputes  having  arisen  between  Governor  Carteret  and  Governor 
Andros  of  New  York,  who  claimed  political  jurisdiction  over  the  prov- 
ince of  New  Jersey  in  the  name  of  the  Duke  of  York,  Carteret  declined 
to  negotiate  with  Governor  Andros,  and  the  Assembly  of  New  Jersey 
reluctantly  accepted  the  Duke's  laws.  Complaints  were  laid  before  the 
Duke  and  the  case  was  referred  to  the  Duke's  commissioners,  who  on 
legal  advice  being  taken,  decided  that  the  original  grant  reserved  no  jur- 
isdiction and  that  none  could  be  rightfully  claimed.  Therefore,  the  Duke 
signed  documents  relinquishing  all  rights  over  East  and  West  Jersey. 

The  heirs  of  Sir  George  Carteret  in  1682  sold  their  rights  in  East 
Jersey  to  a  society  of  Quakers  under  the  leadership  of  William  Penn, 


58  ^  MIDDLESEX 

who  had  been  encouraged  by  their  success  in  West  Jersey.  The  prog- 
ress of  the  province  had  l)een  rapid,  a  smelting  furnace  and  forge  were 
in  o{)eration  making  good  iron  ;  horses,  beef,  pork,  butter,  cheese,  pipe 
staves,  breads,  flour,  wheat,  barley,  rye,  and  Indian  corn,  were  exported 
to  Barbados,  Jamaica  and  other  adjacent  islands,  also  to  Portugal,  Spain, 
the  Canaries,  etc. ;  whale  oil,  whale  fins,  beaver,  mink,  raccoon  and  martin 
furs  were  sent  to  England. 

The  proprietor  interests  acquired  by  the  Society  of  Friends  induced 
members  of  that  sect  to  emigrate  to  the  province.  Monthly  meetings 
were  held  in  East  Jersey  as  early  as  1686  at  Perth  Amboy  and  Wood- 
bridge.  Their  meeting  houses  were,  however,  demolished  about  the 
Revolutionary  times,  and  in  their  old  burying  grounds  in  Woodbridge 
sleep  the  first  of  the  sect  in  East  Jersey.  This  burial  ground  in  1784 
was  sold  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Commissioners  to  determine  the  direction  of  the  boundary  line 
between  East  and  West  Jersey  were  not  appointed  until  ten  years  after 
the  deed  of  partition  was  drawn  up.  They  were  William  Emly  of 
Amwell,  West  Jersey,  and  John  Reid,  the  deputy  surveyor-general  of 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  province.  Reid  was  a  resident  of  the  town 
of  Perth,  and  was  sent  to  America  by  the  proprietaries  in  1683  as  a 
surveyor.  It  is  said  he  was  a  gardener  in  his  native  country ;  he  was 
repeatedly  a  member  of  the  Assembly,  and  in  1702  was  appointed  sur- 
veyor-general. He  subsequently  removed  to  Monmouth  county  and 
lived  on  a  tract  known  as  "Hortensia,"  on  the  east  branch  of  the  Hop 
river. 

The  commissioners  did  not  seem  to  be  governed  at  all  by  the  deed 
of  partition,  but  determined  the  direction  of  the  line  according  to  their 
own  arbitrary  pleasure.  The  deputy  governor  and  several  of  the  pro- 
prietors of  West  Jersey,  however,  acquiesced  in  their  award  and  placed 
themselves  under  bonds  in  the  sum  of  £5,000  to  abide  by  the  final 
decision.  The  next  step  was  the  actual  running  out  of  the  line.  The 
East  Jersey  proprietors  and  ofifacials  became  anxious  and  appointed 
commissioners  to  w^ait  upon  the  authorities  of  West  Jersey  to  remind 
them  of  their  contract  and  hurry  their  tardy  steps  so  to  have  the  line 
run  as  speedily  as  possible.  In  1687  ^^^  line  as  far  as  a 
point  on  the  south  branch  of  the  Raritan  was  surveyed  to  the  present 
boundary  line  between  Somerset  and  Hunterdon  counties,  there- 
fore, not  to  the  Delaware  river.  To  meet  the  conditions  of  the  original 
agreement,  a  surveyor,  George  Keith,  was  furnished  by  the  East  Jersey 
authorities.  Keith  was  a  native  of  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  an  eminent 
Quaker,  although  originally  a  Scotch  Presbyterian.  He  became 
acquainted  with  the  leading  Scotch  proprietaries  in  his  native  land  by 
teaching  a  son  of  Governor  Barclay  at  Theobalds,  Scotland.  The  pro- 
prietaries appointed  him  in   1684  surveyor-general,  and  he  reached  the 


EAST  AND  WEST  JERSEY  59 

province  the  following  year.  He  was  induced  by  the  Quakers  of  Phila- 
delphia in  1689  to  leave  Freehold,  New  Jersey,  of  which  settlement  he 
was  the  founder,  to  accept  the  superintendence  of  a  school  at  that  place. 
He  did  not,  however,  remain  in  this  humble  situation,  but  became  among 
the  Quakers  a  public  speaker  in  their  religious  assemblies.  Possessing 
quick  natural  talents  improved  by  considerable  literary  attainments, 
he  was  acute  in  argument,  ready  and  able  in  logical  disputations  and 
discussions  of  distinction  in  theological  matters,  but  having  great  self- 
esteem  he  was  apt  to  indulge  in  an  overbearing  disposition.  His  pecu- 
liarities of  mind  and  temperament  naturally  made  him  assume  the  post 
of  leader,  and  through  his  talents  and  energy  he  gathered  around  him 
followers  in  whom  he  inculcated  an  increased  attention  to  plainness  of 
garb  and  language  and  other  points  of  discipline.  With  these  religious 
tenets  he  connected  the  political  doctrines  of  the  abandonment  of  all 
forcible  measures  to  uphold  secular  or  worldly  government,  and  the 
emanci{>ation  of  negroes  after  a  reasonable  term  of  service. 

These  advanced  doctrines  caused  a  serious  division  in  the  Society 
of  Friends,  and  as  they  did  not  meet  with  the  general  acceptance  Keith 
expected,  he  became  captious  and  indulged  in  censure  and  reproach, 
declaring  only  those  that  associated  with  him  were  true  Quakers.  Keith 
was  charged  with  exercising  an  overbearing  temper,  also  an  unchristian 
disposition  of  mind  in  disparaging  many  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and 
his  conduct  was  publicly  denounced.  His  appeal  to  the  general  meeting 
of  Friends  at  Burlington,  as  well  as  to  the  yearly  meeting  at  London, 
where  he  appeared  in  person,  and  where  his  behavior  was  such  as  led 
to  approval  of  the  proceedings  against  him,  brought  his  authority  and 
influence  to  an  end.  Retaining  a  number  of  adherents  in  England,  Keith- 
abjured  the  doctrines  of  the  Quakers  and  became  a  zealous  clergyman  of 
the  Established  Church  of  England.  After  officiating  some  time  in 
the  mother  country,  in  1702  he  returned  to  America  as  a  missionary 
from  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel.  He  preached  in 
all  the  colonies  from  Massachusetts  to  North  Carolina,  his  labors  being 
very  successful  in  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey  and  New  York,  where  a 
large  number  of  Quakers  became  converted  to  the  doctrines  and  disci- 
pline of  the  Church  of  England.  He  returned  to  England  and  received 
a  benefice  in  Sussex,  where  he  continued  until  his  death  to  write  against 
the  doctrines  of  the  Quakers. 

The  partition  line  as  run  by  Keith  was  not  approved  by  some  of  the 
W^est  Jersey  proprietors,  though  the  award  subsequently  received  the 
sanction  and  approval  of  William  Penn.  Governor  Coxe,  of  West  Jersey, 
a  just  and  public-spirited  man,  above  the  imputation  of  mere  self-inter- 
est, claimed  that  East  Jersey  was  getting  the  lion's  share  of  the  award. 
He  openly  repudiated  the  Emly  and  Reid  award,  and  soon  brought  all 
the  West  Jersey  proprietors  to  his  way  of  thinking,  with  the  exception 


6o  *  MIDDLESEX 

of  William  Penn.  The  East  Jersey  proprietors  began  to  take  up  lands 
at  various  places  near  the  pretended  line  of  partition,  which  Governor 
Coxe  protested  against,  and  ordered  the  surveyor  of  West  Jersey  to 
take  up  in  the  name  of  that  province  all  lands  west  of  the  Millstone  and 
Raritan  rivers.  This  would  include  lands  within  three  miles  of  Perth 
Amboy,  the  town  of  Piscataway,  and  Inian's  Ferry. 

The  controversy  over  the  lands  continued  until  a  compromise  was 
effected  by  Governor  Coxe  and  Barclay  in  London,  September  5,  1688, 
each  binding  himself  to  fulfill  the  covenant  in  the  sum  of  £5,000.  The 
compromise  partition  line  extended  from  the  southwestern  terminus  of 
the  Keith  line  to  the  north  branch  of  the  Raritan  (called  Pepack  branch), 
a  distance  of  about  sixty  miles ;  from  there  up  the  north  branch  to  near 
its  head,  following  what  is  now  the  boundary  line  between  Somerset 
and  Morris  counties  and  coinciding  with  that  line  at  the  point  where  it 
strikes  the  Passaic  river ;  thence  it  follows  the  Passaic,  first  southward 
and  then  northward  to  the  mouth  of  Pequannock,  and  after  ascending 
that  stream  to  latitude  41°,  turned  directly  east,  running  parallel  to  the 
Hudson  river.  The  boundary  line  between  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
had  not  at  this  time  been  finally  determined,  and  was  not  for  nearly 
seventy  five  years  afterwards. 

The  compromise  line  continued  to  be  the  accepted  partition  line 
between  the  two  provinces  until  1743.  An  act  was  passed  by  the  Legis- 
lature in  1719  appointing  a  commission  to  ascertain  and  determine  the 
northern  station  point  described  in  the  grant  of  the  Duke  of  York. 
According  to  the  quintipartite  agreement,  the  divisional  line  from  the 
east  side  of  Little  Egg  Harbor  was  to  terminate  on  the  Delaware  river 
in  latitude  41°  40'.  This  commission  decided  that  at  the  Fishkill,  the 
northermost  branch  of  the  Delaware  river,  on  its  east  bank,  at  an  Indian 
village  railed  Casheightouch,  was  the  north  partition  or  division  point 
between  the  provinces  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  likewise  between 
the  eastern  and  western  division  of  the  latter  province.  This  report 
and  action  of  the  commissioners  and  surveyors  was  fully  concurred  in, 
and  ratified  by  the  proprietors  of  the  two  New  Jersey  provinces.  Though 
the  West  Jersey  proprietors  were  anxious  to  run  this  new  partition 
line,  they  lacked  the  necessary  funds  to  pay  their  share  of  the  expense. 
After  many  years  of  delay  the  East  Jersey  proprietors  in  1743  assumed 
the  responsibility  of  the  expense  and  employed  John  Lawrence  to  run 
the  division  line.  In  running  the  partition  line,  Lawrence  started  on 
the  east  side  of  Little  Egg  Harbor  and  ran  a  random  line  to  Cocheton ; 
he  then  found  the  station  point  established  in  17 19,  and  taking  his 
bearings,  returned,  making  his  corrections  and  marking  the  true  line 
southward  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  line  trees  in  the  random  line 
were  marked  with  three  notches  on  two  sides.  The  side  trees  were 
marked  with  one  blaze  looking  toward  the  lines.     The  mile  trees  were 


EAST  AND  WEST  JERSEY  6i 

marked   respectively   with    the   number   of   each   mile   and   with   three 
notches  on  four  sides. 

The  establishment  of  the  new  partition  line  between  the  eastern 
and  western  divisions  of  New  Jersey  was  to  unsettle  many  titles  of 
lands  given  by  the  respective  proprietors.  Many  grants  made  by  the 
West  Jersey  proprietors  were  found  to  be  in  East  Jersey  and  vice  versa. 
It  was,  however,  mutually  agreed  that  in  such  instances  the  equivalent 
should  be  given  to  the  owners  of  unsurveyed  land,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  partition  line. 

The  quintipartite  division,  by  which  name  it  became  known,  was 
accepted  and  acquiesced  in  by  the  proprietors  of  both  the  eastern  and 
western  sections,  until  the  time  of  the  settlement  in  1772  of  the  boun- 
dary line  between  New  Jersey  and  New  York.  Three  years  after  the 
establishment  of  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York  boundary  line,  the 
proprietors  of  the  western  division  commenced  to  claim  that  the  tripar- 
tite indenture  agreed  upon  by  the  commissioners  of  New  York  and 
New  Jersey  expressly  stipulated  the  north  station  point.  The  present 
boundary  line  between  New  York  and  New  Jersey  established  the 
northwest  boundary  point  at  Carpenter's  Point  on  the  Delaware, 
thirty  miles  south  of  Cocheton,  thereby  over  two  hundred  thousand 
acres  of  land  were  taken  from  New  Jersey.  Hence  they  alleged  that  at 
whatever  point  the  boundary  line  between  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
terminated  on  the  Delaware  river,  the  partition  line  should  terminate 
there  also.  This  was  the  origination  of  the  proposed  line  of  1775,  and 
in  that  year  the  proprietors  of  West  Jersey  petitioned  the  authorities 
of  New  Jersey  that  the  partition  line  might  be  changed.  This  on 
account  of  the  Revolutionary  War  was  never  acted  upon  by  the  Legis- 
lature. A  petition  of  similar  import  and  intent  was  presented  to  the 
Legislature  in  October,  1782.  The  proprietors  of  East  Jersey  remon- 
strated against  this  petition,  claiming  it  would  be  more  consonant  to 
reason  and  equity,  since  by  the  late  determination  and  decree  of  the 
boundary  line  between  New  York  and  New  Jersey  the  proprietors  of 
East  Jersey  should  demand  of  the  proprietors  of  West  Jersey  one  hun- 
dred thousand  acres,  being  one-half  of  the  quantity  cut  off  from  their 
territory  by  the  New  York  boundary  line.  The  quantities  of  land  accord- 
ing to  the  lines  of  partition  fixed  and  proposed  were  as  follows :  The 
angle  or  gore  which  East  Jersey  lost  in  the  controversy  with  New 
York,  amounted  to  210,000  acres;  this  left  in  what  is  now  the  State 
of  New  Jersey,  4,375,970  acres,  the  half  of  which  is  2,187,985  acres.  If 
the  Keith  line  extended  to  the  Delaware  river  was  to  be  the  line  of 
partition.  East  Jersey  would  have  contained  2,214,930  acres,  West  Jersey 
2,161,040  acres,  the  average  being  in  favor  of  East  Jersey  to  the  extent 
of  53,890  acres.  By  the  Lawrence  line.  West  Jersey  contained  2,689,680 
acres,   while   East  Jersey  contained    1,686,290    acres,    a    difference    of 


62  MIDDLESEX 

1,003.390  acres  in  favor  of  West  Jersey.  By  the  proposed  line  of  1775, 
West  Jersey  would  have  contained  3,119,260  acres,  while  the  number 
of  acres  allotted  to  East  Jersey  would  have  been  1,256,710  acres,  the 
difference  in  favor  of  West  Jersey  being  1,862,550  acres.  There  is  no 
doubt,  however,  that  there  was  more  barren  and  unprofitable  land  in 
West  Jersey  than  in  the  eastern  division.  The  proprietors  of  West 
Jersey  had  divided  their  entire  holdings  amongst  themselves  except 
the  rights  of  minors  and  people  abroad,  the  amount  in  1765  being  esti- 
mated at  2,625,000  acres.  East  Jersey  at  this  time  was  supposed  to 
have  located  nearly  468,000  acres  of  good  land,  and  96,000  of  pine  lands. 
The  rights  in  East  Jersey  sold  for  twenty  shillings  an  acre  for  lands 
valuable  for  cultivation,  and  ten  shillings  an  acre  for  pine  lands,  while 
in  West  Jersey  the  rights  for  a  hundred  acres  could  be  obtained  for 
from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  shillings. 

This  closes  the  history  of  the  partition  division  lines,  which  was 
the  important  controversy  in  the  province  of  New  Jersey  in  the 
eighteenth  century.  Reconveyance  of  land  titles,  the  establishment  of 
county  and  town  boundary  lines,  caused  the  demarcation  between  East 
and  West  Jersey  to  become  an  instance  of  the  past. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
THE  EARLY  COURTS. 

The  first  County  Court  of  Middlesex  county  was  held  at  Piscataway, 
June  19,  1683,  Samuel  Dennis  presiding  as  president  or  judge,  assisted 
by  five  assistants,  namely:  Edward  Slater,  James  Giles,  Captain  John 
Bishop,  Samuel  Hall  and  Benjamin  Hall.  The  clerk  of  the  court  was 
John  Pike,  Jr.,  and  in  accordance  with  the  minutes  there  was  but  a  single 
case  tried  at  the  town. 

The  second  court  was  held  at  Woodbridge,  September  18,  1683,  and 
thereafter  courts  were  held  alternately  at  Piscataway  and  Woodbridge, 
until  June  18,  1688,  when  a  session  was  held  for  the  first  time  at  Amboy. 
From  that  time  until  1699  the  courts  were  held  alternately  at  these 
three  places.  The  minutes  of  the  courts  between  1699  ^^^  1708  are 
defective,  but  in  the  latter  year  a  Court  of  Sessions  for  the  counties 
of  Middlesex  and  Somerset  was  held  at  Perth  Amboy,  and  for  a  long 
time  after  this  date  courts  were  held  at  that  city  only. 

Stocks  and  whipping  posts  were  used  for  punishment  for  crimes ; 
criminal  cases  of  theft  were  punished  by  fines  double  the  value  of  the 
goods  stolen.  This  method  of  dispensing  justice  was  no  doubt  due  to 
the  fact  that  there  were  no  jails  for  incarceration  of  the  prisoners.  The 
first  grand  jury  by  the  minutes  was  empanelled  September  16,  1684,  ^t 
Woodbridge.  John  English,  a  servant  of  Hopewell  Hull,  of  Piscataway, 
having  met  his  death  by  drowning  in  the  Raritan  river,  May  25,  1685, 
the  coroner  of  the  county,  Samuel  Hull,  of  Woodbridge,  empanelled 
a  coroner's  jury  and  held  an  inquest.  The  jurors  after  due  deliberation, 
rendered  a  verdict  that  water  was  the  only  cause  of  the  late  lamented 
servant's  death. 

The  minutes  of  the  court  show  that  an  indictment  was  presented  by 
the  grand  jury  against  Captain  John  Bishop  and  Samuel  Dennis  for 
being  the  principals  in  a  duel,  but  we  have  no  evidence  what  punish- 
ment was  inflicted  on  these  disturbers  of  the  peace  of  the  community. 
Owing  to  the  troubles  incident  to  the  close  of  the  proprietary  govern- 
ment, the  courts  appear  not  to  have  been  regularly  held.  The  last 
County  Court  convened  at  Perth  Amboy  on  the  third  Tuesday  of  Sep- 
tember, 1699.  The  first  Court  of  Sessions  for  the  county  of  Middlesex 
under  the  Queen  Anne  or  the  provincial  government,  of  which  there 
is  any  record,  though  royal  commissions  had  been  issued  as  early  as 
1703,  was  held  at  Perth  Amboy  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  September, 
1708,  Peter  Sonmans,  Esq.,  presiding  as  judge ;  Cornelius  Longfield, 
John  Tuneson  and  John  Drake,  justices ;  and  John  Bishop  Clark,  clerk. 
Scarcely  a  session  of  the  court  was  held  but  suits,  petty  and  vexatious, 
oftentimes  malignant,  were  brought  by  neighbors  against  each  other, 


64  MIDDLESEX 

while  fornication,  adultery  and  rape  were  a  few  among  the  many  grosser 
crimes  that  were  passed  upon. 

The  first  Court  of  Common  Pleas  to  be  held  in  New  Brunswick  was 
in  January,  1778,  and  in  the  minutes  of  the  court  July  21,  1778,  there  is 
the  first  mention  of  a  courthouse  at  that  place,  the  barracks  located  on 
King  street  (now  George)  between  Paterson  and  Bayard  streets  inclu- 
sive being  used  as  a  courthouse  and  jail  for  the  county.  The  barrack 
buildings  were  built  of  stone,  being  one  hundred  feet  front  by  sixty  feet 
in  depth. 

Each  town  was  obliged  by  law  as  early  as  1668  to  keep  an  "ordinary" 
or  tavern  for  relief  and  entertainment  of  strangers,  under  a  penalty  of 
forty  shillings  for  each  month's  neglect ;  the  innkeepers  alone  were 
permitted  to  retail  liquors  in  quantities  less  than  two  gallons.  This 
quantity  was  however  reduced  in  1677  to  one  gallon,  and  in  1683  the 
innkeepers  were  debarred  the  privilege  of  recovering  debts  in  excess  of 
five  shillings.  The  Assembly,  however,  authorized  the  keepers  of  "ordi- 
naries'" to  retail  strong  liquors  by  the  quart.  These  laws  led  to  great 
exorbitances  and  drunkenness  in  several  of  the  towns,  occasioned  by 
persons  selling  liquor  in  private  houses.  These  abuses  in  1692  led  to 
the  establishment  of  an  excise  law  by  the  Legislature,  which  was,  how- 
ever, repealed  the  following  year,  and  the  licensing  of  retailers  confined 
to  the  governor.  Fines  were  inflicted  for  drunkenness,  the  penalty  being 
one  shilling,  two  shillings,  two  shillings  and  sixpence,  for  the  first  three 
offenses,  with  corporal  punishment  should  the  offender  be  unable  to  pay 
the  fines ;  if  unruly,  he  was  put  in  the  stocks  until  he  became  sober.  The 
fines  not  being  excessive,  did  not  cause  the  check  of  intemperance,  and 
in  1682  offenders  were  treated  more  rigorously;  each  offense  incurred 
a  fine  of  five  shillings,  and  if  not  paid,  the  stocks  received  a  tenant  for 
six  hours ;  constables  for  not  performing  their  duties  were  fined  ten 
shillings  for  each  offense.  The  increase  of  punishment  seems  to  have 
stimulated  the  vice,  which  may  have  been  attributed  to  the  removal  of 
restrictions  on  the  sale  of  liquors  in  small  quantities. 

The  tavern  rates  were  fixed  by  law,  and  as  late  as  1748,  with  the 
standard  of  money  at  eight  shillings  to  the  ounce,  the  following  were 
the  established  prices: 

Shillings     Pence 

Hot  meal  of  meat,  etc 10 

Cold  meal  of   meat,  etc 7 

Lodging,    per    night    4 

Rum  by   the   gill    4 

Brandy  by  the   gill    (> 

Wine  by  the  quart    2  8 

Strong  beer  by  the  quart  5 

Cider  by  the  (|uart    4 

Methcglin  by  the  quart  i  6 

The  observance  of  the  Lord's  Day  was  strictly  enforced ;  all  servile 
work  was  to  be  abstained  from,  also  unlawful  recreations  and  unneces- 


THE  EARLY  COURTS  65 

sary  traveling;  disorderly  conduct  was  punishable  by  confinement  in 
the  stocks,  fines,  imprisonment  or  whippings.  Under  the  administra- 
tions of  the  royal  governors  many  of  these  early  prohibitions  were 
modified,  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  began  to  be  considered  necessary. 
Keepers  of  public  houses  were  not  to  allow  "tippling  on  the  Lord's  Day, 
except  for  necessary  refreshments."  The  taking  of  God's  name  in  vain 
was  punishable  by  a  shilling  fine  for  each  offense.  This  law  was  amended 
by  a  special  act  in  1682,  the  penalty  being  increased  to  two  shillings  and 
six  pence ;  if  not  paid,  the  offender  was  to  be  placed  in  the  stocks  or 
whipped. 

All  prizes,  stage-plays,  games,  masques,  revels,  bull-baitings,  and 
cock-fights,  which  excited  the  people  to  rudeness,  cruelty,  looseness  and 
irreligion,  were  discouraged,  and  punishable  by  courts  of  justice  in 
accordance  with  the  nature  of  the  offense.  The  curfew  laws  were 
enforced ;  night-walkers  or  revellers  after  nine  o'clock  were  to  be  secured 
by  the  constable  till  morning,  and  unless  excused,  to  be  bound  over  to 
appear  at  court.  The  resistance  to  lawful  authority,  by  word  or  action, 
or  the  expression  of  disrespectful  language  referring  to  those  in  office, 
was  made  punishable  either  by  fine,  corporal  punishment,  and,  previous 
to  1682,  by  banishment  from  the  province.  Liars  were  included  as 
penal  offenders ;  a  second  offense  was  punishable  by  a  fine  of  twenty 
shillings,  and  if  not  paid,  the  culprit  received  corporal  punishment  or 
was  put  in  the  stocks.  There  was  no  established  Thanksgiving  days, 
like  those  introduced  into  New  England  in  an  early  day.  The  General 
Assembly  in  1676  designated  the  second  Wednesday  of  November  "a 
day  of  thanksgiving  for  God's  mercy  in  preserving  and  continuing  peace 
in  the  midst  of  wars  around  and  about  the  province."  "In  consideration 
of  the  great  deliverance  of  our  nation  from  a  horrid  plot  of  the  Papists 
to  murder  the  King  and  destroy  all  the  Protestants,"  a  day  of  thanks- 
giving was  celebrated  November  26,  1679.  By  a  proclamation  of  the 
governor,  June  11,  1696,  a  day  was  appointed  to  celebrate  by  prayers 
the  discovery  of  "an  unsuccessful  barbarous  conspiracy  of  Papists 
against  the  life  of  William  IIL"  These  three  are  all  the  thangsgiving 
days  on  record  previous  to  the  surrender  of  the  government  by  the 
proprietors.  Under  the  royal  governors  the  first  thanksgiving  day  there 
is  any  record  of  was  November  28,  1750;  a  second  one  was  October  24, 
1760,  to  return  thanks  for  successes  in  Canada;  and  a  third  was  pro- 
claimed August  25,  1763.  The  only  fast  day  of  which  there  is  any 
notice  extant  previous  to  the  Revolution,  was  April  25,  1760. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  lotteries  were  prevalent 
throughout  the  colonies,  schemes  were  introduced  into  New  Jersey,  and 
the  Legislature  in  1730  passed  an  act  prohibiting  both  lotteries  and 
raffling,  as  their  frequency  had  given  opportunity  for  ill-minded  persons 
to  cheat  and  defraud  the  honest  inhabitants  of  the  province.     This  act 

Mid-5 


(^  *  MIDDLESEX 

referred  more  particularly  to  lotteries  for  the  disposal  of  "goods,  wares 
and  merchandise."  Those  who  were  inimical  to  its  provisions  or  who 
were  l)lind  to  their  deleterious  influences,  appear  to  have  thought  lot- 
teries for  money  not  affected  by  it,  and  in  1748  there  was  hardly  a  town 
that  did  not  have  some  scheme  on  foot.  At  New  Brunswick  there  was 
a  lottery  to  relieve  one  Peter  Cochran  from  imprisonment  for  debt ; 
another  at  the  same  place  was  to  complete  a  church  and  build  a  parson- 
age, the  capital  prize  being  £100.  Johannes  Ten  Brook  advertised  at 
Raritan  Landing  in  Piscataway  township,  a  lottery,  the  prizes  being 
real  estate;  another  of  the  same  kind  was  advertised  by  Peter  Bodine, 
the  prizes  being  195  lots  located  at  Raritan  Landing,  which  was  described 
"as  a  market  for  the  most  plentiful  wheat  country  of  its  bigness  in 
America  "  In  the  estimation  of  the  Legislature  "the  ends  did  not  sanc- 
tify the  means,"  and  towards  the  close  of  1748  an  act  was  passed  depre- 
cating the  increase  of  lotteries  and  their  attendant  vices,  "playing  of 
cards  and  dice  and  other  gaming  for  lucre  or  gain,"  and  prohibiting  the 
erection  of  any  lottery  within  the  province  under  heavy  penalties.  This 
act  was  evaded  by  having  the  lotteries  drawn  outside  of  the  province. 
In  1758  the  provincial  government  authorized  a  public  lottery  to  raise 
money  to  purchase  certain  lands  from  the  Indians.  This  example  was 
immediately  seized  upon  as  giving  a  license  to  the  practice  again  to  an 
unlimited  extent.  In  the  year  1759  a  lottery  to  raise  £1,500  for  the 
benefit  of  a  church  in  New  Brunswick  was  started.  This  lottery  was 
to  be  drawn  on  "Biles  Island,"  and  the  highest  prize  was  £1,000.  The 
Legislature  again  interposed  in  1760  by  an  act  to  prevent  "the  sale  of 
tickets  in  lotteries  erected  outside  of  the  province,  and  to  more  effectually 
prevent  gaming;"  but  with  great  inconsistency  by  the  same  act  revived 
three  public  lotteries  for  the  same  object  as  that  of  1758.  Schemes 
appear  to  have  decreased  in  some  measures  for  a  few  years,  but  notwith- 
standing legislative  enactments,  means  were  found  to  evade  the  designs 
of  the  law-makers,  and  lotteries  continued  to  exist  more  or  less  numerous 
until  the  Revolution. 

The  introduction  of  slavery  in  New  Jersey  was  coeval  with  its 
settlement.  There  were  no  preventive  measures  adopted,  and  it  is 
doubtful  with  the  then  prevailing  views  relative  to  the  slave  trade  that 
any  legal  measures  could  have  been  devised  for  its  prohibition.  The 
Concessions  of  1664-65  offered  as  an  inducement  to  each  freeman  who 
would  emigrate  to  Nova  Cesarea  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  for  himself, 
and  the  same  quantity  of  land  for  each  able  man-servant,  and  seventy- 
five  acres  for  every  weaker  servant  or  slave  over  fourteen  years  of  age 
that  might  accompany  him.  The  quantity  of  land  for  the  weaker  servant 
or  slave  decreased  in  the  three  ensuing  years,  and  in  the  third  year  the 
emigrant  was  entitled  to  only  thirty  acres  of  land  for  such  dependents. 

Whether  any  slaves  were  actually  brought  into  New  Jersey  under 
the   Concessions   is   doubtful,  but  if  so  they  must  have  been   few   in 


THE  EARLY  COURTS  6y 

numbers,  and  after  the  government  passed  into  the  hands  of  subsequent 
proprietors  it  is  uncertain  if  any  were  introduced.  The  East  Jersey- 
records  do  not  designate  any  of  the  servants  brought  over  as  slaves, 
and  in  all  real  estate  deeds  the  word  is  not  made  use  of,  which  it  would 
have  been  if  there  were  slaves  to  receive  a  less  quantity  of  land  than 
other  servants.  Thus  the  proprietors  cannot  be  charged  with  the 
encouragement  of  the  importation  of  slaves  at  the  period  of  settlement, 
although  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  existence  of  slavery  before  the  transfer 
of  the  province  to  the  Crown.  As  early  as  1696  the  Quakers  of  New 
Jersey  united  with  those  of  Pennsylvania  to  recommend  to  their  own 
sect  the  propriety  of  no  longer  employing  slaves,  or  at  least  to  cease 
from  further  importation  of  them ;  this  example  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  followed  by  other  denominations  of  Christians. 

Her  Majesty  Queen  Anne's  instructions  to  the  first  royal  governor 
of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  Lord  Cornbury,  was  to  stop  any  move- 
ments that  interfered  with  the  traffic  in  slaves,  the  Royal  African  Com- 
pany being  particularly  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  governor  as 
deserving  encouragement,  and  that  the  province  should  have  a  constant 
and  sufficient  supply  of  merchantable  negroes  at  moderate  rates  in 
money  or  commodities.  At  Perth  Amboy  there  were  barracks  in  which 
imported  slaves  were  immured,  and  in  almost  every  settlement  the  labor 
of  the  families  with  a  very  few  exceptions  was  exclusively  performed 
by  black  slaves.  As  late  as  1776  it  is  stated  there  was  but  one  household 
in  Perth  Amboy  that  was  served  by  hired  free  white  domestics. 

An  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  in  March,  1714,  which  provided 
for  the  trial  of  negroes  for  murder  and  other  capital  offenses  before  three 
or  more  justices  and  five  principal  freeholders  of  the  country,  the  pains  of 
death  to  be  suffered  in  such  manner  as  the  aggravation  or  enormity  of 
their  crimes  in  the  judgment  of  the  said  justices  and  freeholders  shall 
merit  and  require;  although  the  mode  of  trial  was  changed  in  1768,  even 
then  the  manner  in  which  death  should  be  inflicted  was  not  specified. 
There  were  several  executions  under  this  act ;  a  negro  man  named 
Prince  in  1729  was  burned  alive  at  Perth  Amboy  for  the  murder  of 
William  Cook,  a  white  man.  Perth  Amboy  was  again,  July  5,  1750, 
the  scene  of  another  of  these  judicial  murders ;  the  victims,  two  negroes, 
were  burned  alive  for  the  murder  of  their  mistress,  Mrs.  Obadiah  Ayres. 
The  execution  took  place  in  a  ravine  on  the  north  side  of  the  town,  which 
became  known  afterwards  as  "Negro  Gully,"  and  was  witnessed  by  the 
entire  black  population  of  the  town,  who  were  summoned  from  their 
homes,  being  obliged  to  be  present  in  order  that  they  might  be  deterred 
from  the  commission  of  like  offenses.  At  a  later  period  a  negro  was 
hung  a  short  distance  out  of  Perth  Amboy  for  theft. 

There  were  two  or  three  risings  amongst  the  negroes  that  disturbed 
the  peace  of  the  province.     One  occurred  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Raritan 


68  *  MIDDLESEX 

in  1734,  and  as  a  punishment  several  of  the  ringleaders  were  hung.  The 
design  of  the  insurrection  was  to  obtain  their  freedom  by  a  general  mas- 
sacre, and  then  join  the  Indians  in  the  interest  of  the  French.  An  insur- 
rection was  anticipated  in  1772.  but  was  prevented  by  due  precautionary 
measures. 

The  number  of  slaves  in  New  Jersey  in  1800  was  12,422,  in  the  next 
decade  the  number  had  decreased  to  10,851,  and  in  that  year  in  Wood- 
bridge,  with  a  population  of  4,247,  there  were  230  slaves ;  Piscataway, 
with  a  population  of  2,475,  had  251  slaves.  The  Legislature  on  February 
24,  1820,  passed  an  act  which  gave  freedom  to  every  child  born  of  slave 
parents  subsequent  to  July  4,  1804,  the  males  on  arriving  at  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  the  females  at  twenty-one  years  of  age.  Under  this  act, 
slavery  entirely  disappeared  from  the  State  of  New  Jersey  in  the  towns 
mentioned  above,  in  Woodbridge,  for  instance,  in  1840,  while  the  free 
colored  persons  numbered  351  in  a  population  of  4,821,  the  slaves  enu- 
merated were  only  seven.  In  Piscataway  in  the  same  year,  the  census 
reports  record  a  population  of  2,828,  of  which  there  were  298  free  colored 
persons  and  only  three  slaves ;  at  the  taking  of  the  next  census  a  decade 
later,  the  slave  element  of  each  of  these  towns  had  entirely  disappeared. 


CHAPTER  X. 
STUDY   OF  THE   SOIL. 

The  red  shale  drift  in  Middlesex  county  is  a  part  of  the  great  northern 
drift  of  the  glacial  epoch  which  covers  nearly  all  of  the  northern  ter- 
ritory of  New  Jersey.  This  portion  is  a  part  of  the  southern  end  of  the 
great  sheet  covering  the  continent.  The  city  of  Perth  Amboy  stands 
on  the  southermost  point  of  this  particular  drift  bank.  The  red  shale 
material,  the  predominating  and  characteristic  constituent  in  the  mass 
of  drift,  gives  character  to  the  surface  of  the  country,  the  red  shale 
cropping  out  in  places.  The  soil  has  that  peculiar  purplish-red  color 
which  forms  a  marked  contrast  to  the  sandy  soil  towards  the  west  and 
south.  The  forests  in  this  drift  area  are  quite  different  from  those  grown 
in  the  sandy  gravelly  loam  surfaces.  There  are  less  chestnut  and  pine 
trees,  which  largely  make  up  the  woodlands  south  of  the  Raritan  river. 

The  general  outline  of  the  drift  in  the  country  is  from  Staten 
Island  Sound  on  the  east  to  the  Raritan  river  on  the  south,  thence  west 
to  near  Bonhamtown  to  the  northerly  limits  of  the  country.  There  is 
no  shale  or  sandstone  to  be  found  south  of  the  Raritan  river  and  east 
of  the  South  river.  The  former  at  Perth  Amboy  divides  the  two  surface 
formations.  This  drift  is,  however,  of  yellow  sand  and  gravel  at  Ford's 
Corner  and  several  points  between  that  place  and  Perth  Amboy.  The 
matrix  of  this  drift  consists  of  red  shale  in  the  form  of  small  fragments 
and  a  fine  red  earth.  In  this  are  found  pebbles,  cobblestones,  boulders, 
and  other  rock  masses.  Fragments  of  red  and  bluish  sandstone  and 
trap-rocks  are  abundant.  The  surface  of  much  of  the  area  is  remarkably 
uneven.  The  hills  are  irregular  in  outline  and  of  uneven  slope,  sink- 
holes and  small  ponds  are  numerous.  These  irregularities  of  the  sur- 
face are  a  prominent  feature  in  the  higher  grounds  west  and  southwest 
of  Woodbridge.  The  thickness  of  the  red  shale  drift  does  not  exceed 
twenty  feet,  though  in  some  places  it  reaches  nearly  one  hundred  feet. 
No  organic  remains  have  been  discovered  in  this  drift,  although  it 
has  been  largely  excavated  at  several  points. 

The  yellow  sand  and  gravel  includes  the  layers  which  form  the  sur- 
face materials  or  superficial  covering  of  the  clay  district  outside  the 
boundaries  of  the  red  shale  or  northern  drift  which  overlays  it.  The 
thickness  of  this  surface  formation  varies  from  point  to  point  even  within 
the  limits  of  a  single  clay  bank.  The  materials  of  this  sand  and  gravel 
formation  are  always  stratified.  The  lines  or  layers  of  stratification 
sometimes  are  horizontal,  but  frequently  they  are  wavy  or  gently  undu- 
lating. The  inclination  of  these  layers  is  not  uniform,  the  prevailing 
dip  being  towards  the  northwest.    The  sand  and  gravel  generally  alter- 


-jQ  •  MIDDLESEX 

nate,  but  somewhat  irregularly,  and  in  some  places  there  are  thick  beds 
of  sand  without  any  lines  of  gravel ;  frequently  a  thin  gravel  stratum  a 
few  inches  thick  is  seen  lying  immediately  upon  the  clay.  The  sand  is 
mostly  of  a  fine  white  to  a  yellowish  white  granular  quartz  mass,  which 
in  some  layers  is  mixed  with  earthy  matter.  On  the  north  side  of  the 
Raritan  there  is  less  sand  and  a  larger  proportion  of  earth  and  gravel. 
The  yellow  sands  are  largely  quartz  in  the  form  of  grains  and  pebbles  of 
white  to  yellowish  transparent  translucent  chalcedonic  varieties.  Some- 
times black  grains  of  hornblende  and  very  small  grains  of  magnetite 
occur  with  the  quartz ;  in  some  places  these  grains  are  cemented  together 
by  oxide  of  iron  and  make  a  stony  mass.  There  is  an  absence  of  any 
quantities  of  spar  and  mica,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Piscataway  angular 
formation  of  red  shale  is  quite  abundant  in  the  formation.  Wherever 
the  white  sands  of  this  formation  constitute  the  surface,  the  soil  is  light 
and  poor,  and  the  timber  is  mainly  yellow  pine,  chestnut  and  scrubby 
oak.  The  gravel  has  more  earth  in  it  and  makes  a  firmer  and  better 
soil.  The  whole  area  of  this  sand  and  gravel  formation  is  inferior  to 
the  red  shale  drift  north  of  the  Raritan  river.  This  formation  has  been 
at  times  described  as  a  drift,  and  must  not  be  confounded  with  a  glacial 
drift,  as  its  origin  is  due  to  water.  Its  stratification,  lines  and  layers 
indicate  that  flowing  water,  not  ice,  was  the  moving  power. 

The  tidal  meadows  constitute  the  more  recent  alluvial  formation,  the 
red  shale  drift,  sand  or  gravel,  being  under  the  meadow  mud.  The 
boundary  lines  of  the  meadows  are  easily  traced,  the  alluvium  resting 
unconformably  upon  the  older  formations.  At  a  few  points  valuable 
clay  has  been  found  a  few  feet  beneath  the  surface  of  the  tide  meadows, 
but  the  expense  of  development  has  retarded  the  utilization  of  only 
that  near  the  upland  border.  Investigation  has  proved  that  the  clay 
beds  are  continuous  underneath  the  meadows  and  the  Raritan  river, 
therefore  it  is  evident  that  they  were  deposited  before  the  river  cut  its 
present  channel  to  the  sea. 

The  clay  district  of  Middlesex  county  has  been  a  source  of  great 
wealth  and  enterprise,  and  a  factor  in  the  industrial  world.  This  district 
is  confined  to  the  extreme  southerly  part  and  ranging  easterly,  in  the 
township  of  Woodbridge,  to  Staten  Island  Sound,  thence  it  runs  west 
and  southwest  into  the  township  of  Raritan  to  about  a  half  mile  north 
of  Bonhamtown,  thence  in  a  southwesterly  direction  to  Lawrence  brook 
in  the  township  of  East  Brunswick,  which  is  its  western  limit.  The 
southern  boundary  is  not  plainly  marked,  but  runs  in  the  direction  of 
Jacksonville  in  Madison  township  to  the  Monmouth  county  line.  On 
the  northwest  the  clay  district  joins  that  of  the  red  clay  and  sandstone 
and  the  frequent  outcrops  of  the  latter  mark  the  location  of  the  northern 
boundary  easy  and  accurate.  Towards  the  west  the  boundary  is  entirely 
arbitrary,  but  owing  to  geological  formation  is  hard  to  determine,  and 


STUDY  OF  THE  SOIL  71 

it  is  possible  that  it  extends  across  the  State  in  the  direction  of  the 
Delaware  river  and  beyond.  In  the  flat  and  sandy  country  south  of 
the  South  river  and  stretching  east  as  far  as  Jacksonville,  the  yellow 
sand  and  gravel  drift  reaches  down  to  tide  level,  so  this  must  be  con- 
sidered the  limit  of  the  district  where  clay  can  be  possibly  dug,  rather 
than  the  end  of  the  beds.  From  Jacksonville  to  the  bay  shore  the  out- 
cropping clay  marl  defines  the  southern  margin  of  the  clay  district. 
The  area  of  the  clay  district  in  Middlesex  county  which  has  been  devel- 
oped is  in  the  neighborhood  of  seventy-five  square  miles,  and  it  is 
estimated  that  in  New  Jersey  and  Staten  Island  the  belt  of  country 
underlaid  by  the  plastic  clays  includes  an  area  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  square  miles,  with  the  possibility  that  much  other  valuable  clay 
land  may  in  the  future  be  profitably  worked. 

Although  the  clay  district  borders  on  the  tide  waters  of  Staten 
Island  Sound  and  Raritan  Bay,  and  is  intersected  by  the  tide  waters  of 
the  Raritan  and  South  rivers,  it  is  not  like  the  general  Atlantic  slope 
of  the  country,  of  a  flat  surface.  On  the  contrary,  the  surface  is  uneven ; 
north  of  the  Raritan  river  the  elevation  exceeds  thirty  feet,  fully  one- 
third  of  it  is  over  one  hundred  feet,  and  forty  feet  above  tide  water  level. 

The  materials  of  the  clay  formation  are  earthy,  and  no  rocky  or 
stony  layers  or  beds  are  found  within  it.  Sometimes  the  sand  and 
gravel  are  cemented  with  oxide  of  iron,  so  as  to  form  a  rough  building 
stone ;  also,  concretions  of  clay  and  oxide  of  iron  of  a  stony  hardness  are 
found  in  some  of  the  clay  beds,  but  the  layers  of  sand  and  clay  of  which 
the  formation  is  made  are  all  earthy  and  so  soft  that  they  can  be  dug 
with  a  spade.  The  whole  formation  is  composed  of  a  series  of  fire-clay, 
potter's  clay,  brick  clay,  sand  and  lignite.  The  thickness  of  a  series  of 
strata  is  nearly  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  running  parallel  to  each 
other,  inclining  towards  the  southeast  with  an  average  dip  of  about 
forty-five  feet  per  mile. 

The  agricultural  district  of  the  country  is  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation,  the  drainage  being  supplied  by  extensive  waterways  that 
traverse  its  surface.  The  soil  is  good  tillable  land,  abounding  in  differ- 
ent places  in  gravel  and  containing  much  sandy  and  clayey  loam.  The 
surface  is  generally  rolling  and  yields  abundant  crops  of  hay,  cereals  and 
vegetables,  interspersed  with  orchards. 

The  mineral  products  of  the  country,  if  any,  have  not  been  developed. 
In  the  year  1748-50  several  lumps  of  virgin  copper  from  five  to  thirty 
pounds  in  weight  were  plowed  up  in  a  field  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
of  New  Brunswick.  This  discovery  induced  Elias  Boudinot  to  take 
a  lease  of  the  land  for  ninety-nine  3^ears.  He  with  several  other  gentle- 
men formed  a  partnership  in  1751  and  opened  a  pit  about  two  hundred 
to  three  hundred  yards  from  the  Raritan.  About  fifteen  feet  deep  the 
prospectors  came   upon  a  vein  of  bluish   stone  about  two   feet  thick, 


MIDDLESEX 


embedded  between  two  loose  bodies  of  red  rock,  covered  with  a  sheet 
of  pure  virf^in  copper  about  the  thickness  of  gold  leaf.  This  bluish  stone 
was  filled  with  sparks  of  copper  resembling-  filings,  and  here  and  there 
were  large  lumps  of  copper  from  five  to  thirty  pounds  in  weight.  They 
followed  this  vein  for  almost  thirty  feet,  when,  the  pit  filling  with  water, 
it  became  too  expensive  to  work.  A  stamping  mill  was  erected,  the 
bluish  stone  was  reduced  to  a  powder  washed  in  large  tubs,  resulting  in 
the  securing  of  tons  of  purest  copper  which  was  sent  to  England  without 
passing  through  fire.  The  cost  of  labor  was,  however,  too  high  to 
make  the  venture  profitable.  Sheets  of  copper  three  feet  square  on  the 
average,  having  a  thickness  of  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch,  were  taken  from 
between  the  rocks  within  four  feet  of  the  surface.  At  the  depth  of  fifty 
or  sixty  feet  a  body  of  solid  ore  was  found  in  the  midst  of  the  bluish 
vein  between  rocks  of  flinty  spar,  but  it  was  however  worked  out  in  a 
few  days.  Work  on  the  mine  was  abandoned,  though  the  vein  at  that 
time  showed  richer  developments. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
TRANSPORTATION. 

The  American  Indians  were  endowed  with  the  instincts  of  the  engi- 
neer. The  communicating  paths  they  made  were  direct  and  skillfully 
selected  for  their  combination  of  all  the  natural  advantages  that  were 
required.  If  their  paths  crossed  a  stream,  it  was  at  the  easiest  and  safest 
fording  place,  if  they  traversed  a  swamp,  it  was  where  there  was  per- 
manent or  solid  ground ;  the  hills  were  crossed  at  the  easiest  grade ;  in 
fact,  they  combined  economy  of  labor  and  perseverance  in  every  essential 
form.  The  Indian  paths  determined  the  location  and  course  of  the  roads 
that  were  afterwards  established  by  the  early  colonists. 

The  most  notable  path  established  by  the  Indians  in  New  Jersey  was 
known  as  the  "Minisink  Path."  Its  starting  point  was  near  the  Nave- 
sink  Hills,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Shrewsbury  river  or  inlet  in  Monmouth 
county,  thence  running  along  the  southern  shore  of  Raritan  bay  in  a 
northerly  direction  through  Middletown  to  the  Raritan  river  in  Mid- 
dlesex county,  crossing  at  Kent's  Neck  near  Crab  Island  about  three  miles 
above  Perth  Amboy.  After  crossing  the  Raritan,  the  path  ran  north- 
west to  the  headwaters  of  the  Rahway  river,  reaching  a  point  about 
six  miles  west  of  Elizabethtown  Point,  thence  it  ran  a  short  distance  due 
north,  and  for  the  remainder  of  its  route  north  and  northwest,  passing 
over  the  mountains  to  the  west  of  Springfield  and  Newark,  traversing 
the  whole  of  Morris  and  Essex  counties  to  the  Minisink  Island  in  the 
Delaware  river  below  Port  Jervis,  New  York.  The  distance  thus  cov- 
ered was  about  seventy-five  miles.  These  were  the  favorite  hunting 
grounds  of  the  Minisinks.  These  grounds  extended  throughout  the 
entire  valley  lying  north  of  the  Blue  Mountains  in  Pennsylvania, 
stretching  from  the  Wind  Gap  in  that  province  to  near  the  Hudson 
river  in  New  York.  This  path  the  Indians  located,  making  their  peri- 
odical visits  to  the  seacoast  during  the  season  of  the  oyster,  clam  and 
periwinkles,  to  obtain  their  shells  for  the  manufacture  of  wampum. 
Besides  this  extensive  path  there  were  many  others.  One  ran  from 
Perth  Amboy  to  New  Brunswick,  where  it  crossed  the  Raritan,  proceed- 
ing westward  through  Six-Mile  Run.  There  was  also  the  "Old  Bur- 
lington Path"  from  Shrewsbury  southerly  through  Monmouth  county, 
which  afterwards  became  a  part  of  the  highway  known  as  the  "Lower 
Road." 

The  earliest  description  of  a  journey  between  the  Raritan  and  Dela- 
ware rivers  is  obtained  from  an  original  Dutch  manuscript  in  the 
possession  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society.  Jaspar  Dankers  and 
Peter  Sluyter  on  December  29,  1679,  started  from  the  Falls  of  the  Dela- 


74  .  MIDDLESEX 

ware  (now  Trenton)  to  cross  the  country  eastward  to  Piscataway. 
There  was  at  this  time  no  settlement  between  these  points.  They  found 
the  country  deluged  with  water,  obliterating  the  Indian  path  and  over- 
flooding  the  flats,  valleys,  morasses,  enlarging  the  waterways,  and  pene- 
trating even  to  the  high  solid  ground.  They  traveled  about  twenty-five 
miles  the  first  day,  and  reaching  a  large  body  of  water  they  encountered 
Indians,  and  arranged  with  the  chief  to  row  them  across  the  river  in  a 
canoe.  The  river  they  crossed  was  a  portion  of  the  present  Raritan. 
The  vo3^agers  arrived  at  dusk  at  the  end  of  their  second  day's  journey 
at  the  house  of  Cornelius  Van  Langevelt,  a  Dutch  trader,  located  where 
the  branch  united  with  the  Raritan  river,  and  thence  flowed  to  the 
Achter  Kull.  This  was  not  far  from  the  present  site  of  New  Brunswick. 
The  two  travelers  on  the  first  day  of  the  year  1680  left  Van  Langevelt's 
trading  post  in  a  canoe  for  Elizabethtown  Point  on  their  way  to  New 
Amsterdam. 

The  first  roads  traversing  New  Jersey  made  by  the  European  settlers 
were  laid  by  the  Dutch  to  connect  New  Amsterdam  with  Fort  Nassau 
on  the  Delaware  river.  They  must  have  been  constructed  soon  after 
the  building  of  Fort  Nassau,  as  the  intercourse  between  the  settlements 
was  principally  by  letters,  they  being  dispatched  across  the  bay  to 
Elizabethtown,  thence  carried  by  runners,  generally  friendly  natives. 
Old  documents  state  that  Peter  Jegow  kept  a  house  of  entertainment 
for  travelers  as  early  as  1668,  about  eight  or  nine  miles  below  Delaware 
Falls,  between  what  is  now  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  and  Bristol,  Penn- 
sylvania. The  statement  is  made  that  at  this  time  there  was  no  settle- 
ment at  Perth  Amboy  or  near  it  on  Staten  Island,  nor  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Raritan  ;  there  were  no  ferries  nor  were  there  any  roads  lower 
down  the  Raritan  river  than  where  New  Brunswick  now  stands,  which 
was  the  principal  line  of  travel.  Therefore  there  is  no  doubt  that  the 
first  road  that  traversed  New  Jersey  passed  from  New  Amsterdam 
through  the  ba3-s  and  rivers  by  means  of  a  ferry  to  a  point  afterwards 
Elizabethtown,  thence  through  the  towns  afterward  known  as  Wood- 
bridge  and  Piscataway,  finally  ending  at  what  afterwards  was  known  as 
Inian's  Ferry.  At  this  latter  point  two  roads  were  formed.  One  of 
these,  originally  called  the  "Upper  Road,"  later  known  as  the  "King's 
Highway,"  passed  through  the  present  sites  of  Kingston  and  Princeton 
to  Trenton,  where  it  crossed  the  Delaware  river,  continuing  into  the 
present  State  of  Pennsylvania  to  Bristol,  eventually  to  Philadelphia. 
The  other  road,  known  in  early  times  as  the  "Lower  Road,"  diverged 
from  the  "Upper  Road"  several  miles  west  of  the  present  site  of  New 
Brunswick.  It  afterwards  was  shifted  within  the  present  limits  of  that 
city.  After  leaving  the  "Upper  Road"  it  went  southerly  and  westerly 
through  the  township  of  Cranbury  to  Burlington,  where  it  crossed  the 
Delaware  at  Bristol  and  rejoined  the  "Upper  Road." 


TRANSPORTATION  75 

In  the  eighties  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the  only  established  road 
of  importance  in  New  Jersey  was  the  Dutch  thoroughfare  established 
by  Governor  Stuyvesant.  Attempts  were  made  in  1683  to  divert  the 
travel  from  the  old  route  to  Perth  Amboy.  At  this  time  Perth  Amboy 
was  a  place  of  great  expectations.  It  was  a  seaport  having  a  magnifi- 
cent harbor,  the  seat  of  the  proprietary  government,  and  it  was  fondly 
hoped  it  would  become  the  great  maritime  center  of  America.  In 
response  to  the  wishes  and  instructions  of  the  proprietors.  Governor 
Gawen  Lawrie  in  1683  projected  a  ferry  across  the  Raritan  at  Radford 
(now  South  Amboy)  to  connect  with  a  road  through  Spotswood  to 
Burlington,  for  the  purpose  of  connecting  Perth  Town  and  Burlington. 
A  boat  was  run  between  Perth  and  New  York.  The  road  thus  estab- 
lished was  sometimes  known  as  the  "Lawrie  Road,"  and  was  located 
south  of  the  "Lower  Road,"  and  probably  intersected  it  before  reaching 
Burlington. 

The  effort  to  divert  the  travel  from  the  old  road  proved  ineffective, 
the  King's  Highway  accommodating  the  bulk  of  the  internal  intercourse 
of  the  province,  and  the  establishment  of  Inian's  Ferry  on  the  present 
site  of  New  Brunswick  made  it  the  most  popular  route  for  travelers ; 
though  even  as  late  as  1716,  when  it  had  been  established  a  score  of 
years,  no  provision  was  made  by  the  Assembly  to  pass  over  the  ferry 
anything  but  "horse  and  man  and  foot  passengers."  From  1684  to 
1686  numerous  roads  v/ere  projected  and  opened,  some  of  them  of  con- 
siderable importance,  some  of  them  remaining  in  use  to  the  present 
day.  During  the  period  from  1705  to  1713  no  less  than  thirty-five  dif- 
ferent roads  were  viewed,  opened  and  established  within  the  limits  of 
Middlesex  county.  The  only  public  conveyance,  however,  previous  to 
the  surrender  of  the  province  by  the  proprietors  to  the  crown,  was  on  the 
Amboy  road,  granted  to  one  Dellaman,  by  the  authority  of  Governor 
Hamilton,  to  drive  a  wagon  for  the  transportation  of  goods  and  pas- 
sengers in  connection  with  a  packet  boat  operated  between  Perth  and 
New  York.  There  was  no  set  time  or  fare  for  the  trips,  they  being  made 
irregularly.  The  next  road  of  public  importance  in  Middlesex  county 
was  what  was  known  as  "The  Road  up  the  Raritan."  It  branched  from 
the  main  highway  at  Piscataway,  running  to  Bound  Brook,  thence  to 
Somerset  county.  It  was  one  of  the  early  factors  along  the  Raritan  for 
pioneer  plantations.  It  did  not  follow  the  present  highway,  but  passed 
from  Piscataway  in  a  northwesterly  direction  west  of  Metuchen,  through 
Quibbletown  (now  New  Market),  thence  to  Bound  Brook,  where  it 
proceeded  west  to  what  was  then  known  as  Howell's  Ferry  (now  Lam- 
bertville).  The  remaining  roads  that  were  laid  out  in  the  country  in 
the  early  days  and  for  many  years  afterwards,  were  almost  entirely  local 
in  their  character,  intending  to  connect  the  clustered  neighborhoods  with 
the  important  towns  of  Woodbridge,  Piscataway,  Perth  Amboy  and 
New  Brup'swick. 


-je  .  MIDDLESEX 

The  Leg-islature  of  1716  seems  to  have  given  more  attention  to  the 
condition  of  pubHc  highways.  An  act  was  passed,  combining  all  high- 
ways that  were  six  rods  wide  which  had  been  laid  out  in  pursuance  of 
previous  laws,  and  annulling  all  others.  The  system  of  laying  out  of 
roads  was  remodelled,  rates  of  ferriage  established,  improvements  rec- 
ommended. The  ferries  in  existence  at  this  period  were :  One  from 
Perth  Amboy  to  Staten  Island,  opened  by  Captain  Billop ;  one  from 
Perth  Amboy  to  South  Amboy,  called  Redford's  Ferry ;  the  latter  place 
was  also  connected  with  Staten  Island,  and  those  already  mentioned  on 
the  Raritan  river.  The  ferries  across  the  Raritan  and  the  Sound  at 
Perth  Amboy  were  granted  in  1719  to  George  Willocks,  who  erected  a 
house  for  the  accommodation  of  the  traveling  public.  In  1728  Gabriel 
Steele  received  a  patent  for  a  ferry  from  South  Amboy  to  Staten  Island, 
touching  at  Perth  Amboy.  These  ferries  continued  to  be  of  essential 
service  until  traveling  and  transportation  fell  into  other  and  more  con- 
venient channels. 

In  the  first  decade  of  tlie  eighteenth  century  there  was  a  public  agita- 
tion claiming  that  a  monopoly  existed  in  the  transportation  of  freight  and 
passengers  on  the  road  from  Burlington  to  Perth  Amboy.  Grievances 
were  laid  before  the  Assembly,  but  nothing  was  done  until  1716,  when 
passenger  and  freight  rates  were  established.  This  act  of  the  Legislature 
stimulated  competition,  and  in  1732-33  Solomon  Smith  and  James  Moore, 
of  Burlington,  advertised  that  they  intended  to  run  two  stage  wagons 
between  Burlington  and  Perth  Amboy  once  every  week,  and  oftener  if 
business  warranted  it.  The  following  year  Arthur  Brown  operated  a 
boat  between  New  York  and  South  River,  New  Jersey,  freighting  goods 
as  w^ell  as  passengers  from  the  latter  point  to  Bordentown  on  the  Dela- 
ware river,  where  they  were  transferred  to  a  boat  for  Philadelphia. 

William  Atlee  and  Joseph  Yeats  operated  in  1742  a  stage  line  between 
Trenton  and  New  Brunswick,  which  was  purchased  in  1744  by  William 
Wilson,  of  New  Brunswick,  who  notified  the  public  he  would  make  trips 
twice  a  week,  leaving  Trenton  on  Mondays  and  Thursdays,  and  New 
Brunswick  on  Tuesdays  and  Fridays.  A  new  line  of  stages  was  estab- 
lished in  1750  by  Daniel  O'Brien,  a  resident  of  Perth  Amboy.  This  enter- 
prising Irish  citizen  informed  the  public  that  he  had  a  "stageboat"  well 
fitted  for  the  purpose,  which,  "wind  and  weather  permitting,"  would 
leave  New  York  every  Wednesday  for  the  ferry  at  Perth  Amboy.  The 
following  day  a  stage  wagon  would  be  ready  to  take  passengers  to  Bor- 
dentown, where  his  "stageboat"  would  receive  and  carry  them,  and  the 
freight  to  Philadelphia.  The  rates  of  charges  were  the  same  as  charged 
via  \-ew  Brunswick  and  Trenton,  and  the  passage  was  to  be  made  in 
forty-eight  hours.  In  March,  1752,  trips  were  made  twice  a  week.  The 
success  of  this  line  of  stages  led  to  the  formation  of  an  opposing  line. 
The  passengers  by  this  new  line  embarked  on  a  boat  at  Philadelphia  tor 


TRANSPORTATION  jy 

Burlington,  thence  by  stage  wagon  through  Cranbury  to  the  Perth 
Amboy  ferry.  There  a  palatial  passage-boat,  equipped  with  a  commo- 
dious cabin  fitted  up  with  a  tea  table  and  sundry  other  conveniences, 
was  to  carry  the  passengers  to  New  York.  A  stage  line  between  Phila- 
delphia and  New  York  was  instituted  via  Perth  Amboy  and  Trenton  in 
1756  by  John  Butler,  to  cover  the  distance  in  three  days.  This  was 
followed  about  ten  years  later  by  another  line  that  left  twice  a  week  from 
each  terminal,  using  a  covered  Jersey  wagon  without  springs  to  cover 
the  distance  in  three  days,  at  a  cost  to  the  passengers  of  twopence  a 
mile.  A  third  line  was  established  in  1766,  the  vehicle  used  having 
seats  on  springs.  The  journey  required  two  days  in  summer  and  three 
days  in  winter ;  the  cost  of  transportation  to  the  traveler  for  a  through 
passage  was  twenty  shillings.  This  line  connected  with  the  Blazing  Star 
ferry  on  the  Sound,  below  Elizabethtown. 

A  great  improvement  was  made  in  stage-coaching  in  New  Jersey 
when  John  Mersereau  in  1772  established  what  became  known  as  the 
"flying  machine"  route  between  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  the  time 
of  passage  being  fixed  at  one  day  and  a  half.  This,  however,  proved  to 
be  too  short,  and  two  days  became  the  scheduled  time.  His  machines, 
which  combined  all  of  the  improvements  known  at  that  date,  had  some 
semblance  of  a  coach.  Mersereau  established  another  line  of  stages 
leaving  Paulus  Hook  every  Tuesday  and  Friday  morning  at  sunrise, 
proceeding  as  far  as  Princeton ;  there  the  passengers  were  exchanged 
for  those  that  had  arrived  from  Philadelphia.  The  rates  of  passage 
were  thirty  shillings  for  inside  accommodations,  outside  twenty  shill- 
ings, each  passenger  being  allowed  fourteen  pounds  of  baggage,  in 
excess  of  that  amount  to  pay  two  pence  a  pound.  By  these  two  lines  of 
stages  leaving  on  different  days,  there  was  opportunity  of  leaving  the 
terminal  points  of  the  route  four  times  a  week.  During  the  Revolution, 
all  regular  lines  of  transportation  were  broken  up,  and  when  reestab- 
lished at  the  close  of  the  war  there  was  a  retrograde  movement  both  as  to 
speed  and  comfort. 

The  first  public  packet  was  established  by  Governor  Lawrie  in  1684 
to  carry  freight  as  well  as  passengers.  These  packets  supplied  the 
demand  of  travelers  until  the  establishment  of  the  land  routes  between 
Philadelphia  and  New  York,  and  when  Perth  Amboy  ceased  to  be  one 
of  the  terminals.  The  packets  continued  to  run  for  the  transportation 
of  merchandise,  but  became  less  numerous  until  about  1775,  when  there 
was  but  one  sailing  ship  making  the  trip  between  Perth  Amboy  and 
New  York. 

The  use  of  runners  and  messengers  for  sending  messages  and  dis- 
patches dates  back  many  centuries.  To  Andrew  Hamilton,  proprietary 
governor  of  New  Jersey,  belongs  the  honor  of  devising  a  scheme  by 
which  a  postoffice  was   established.     He  inaugurated  a  general  post- 


78  MIDDLESEX 

office  in  Philadelphia  on  which  he  obtained  a  patent  from  the  Crown 
in  the  year  1694,  and  which,  on  receipt  of  an  adequate  remuneration,  he 
reconveyed  to  the  government.  It  is  presumed  that  the  mails  were 
carried  regularly  either  by  riders  or  by  the  wagon  already  mentioned. 
Governor  Hamilton  for  some  years  acted  as  Postmaster-General  over 
the  infant  establishment.  The  progress  in  extension  of  the  mail  routes 
was,  however,  slow,  there  being  but  few  south  of  Philadelphia  as  late  as 
1732.  In  1754  the  postal  affairs  of  the  colonies  were  placed  in  the  hands 
of  Doctor  Franklin,  when  a  marked  improvement  took  place,  though 
for  some  time  the  only  offices  in  New  Jersey  were  at  Perth  Amboy  and 
Burlington,  they  being  on  the  direct  route  from  New  York  to  Philadel- 
phia. As  late  as  1791  there  were  only  six  offices  in  New  Jersey:  Newark, 
Elizabethtown,  Bridgeton  (Rahway),  New  Brunswick,  Princeton  and 
Trenton ;  Perth  Amboy  and  Burlington  being  then  off  the  mail  route. 
The  total  receipts  of  these  six  offices  in  that  year  were  $530,  of  which 
sum  the  postmasters  received  $108.20.  A  postoffice  was  established  at 
Perth  Amboy  in  1793 ;  others  soon  followed  throughout  the  county. 

At  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  agitation  for  the  build- 
ing of  canals  was  prominent  amongst  the  people ;  this,  with  the  intro- 
duction of  steam  as  to  navigation,  was  to  revolutionize  transportation 
facilities.  The  Legislature  of  New  Jersey  in  1800  empowered  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  State  to  incorporate  a  company  to  shorten  the  navigation 
of  Salem  creek.  The  first  waterway  development  of  a  national  character 
was  the  proposition  to  connect  the  largest  cities  in  the  nation  by  a  canal. 
The  agitation  for  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  canal  began  about  1804, 
and  the  New  Jersey  Legislature  of  that  year  chartered  the  New  Jersey 
Navigation  Company,  which  proposed  to  join  the  Delaware  river  with 
Raritan  bay.  This  effort,  however,  led  to  no  direct  results,  and  it  was 
not  until  1824  that  a  private  company  was  authorized  to  construct  the 
canal.  A  joint  stock  company  was  organized,  the  State  of  New  Jersey 
receiving  $100,000  for  the  privilege  of  building  the  canal;  the  assent 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  could  not  be  obtained  for  the  waters  of 
the  Delaware  river,  for  the  project,  and  the  premium  received  by  the 
State  of  New  Jersey  was  returned  to  the  company.  The  object  of  the 
building  of  the  canal  was  to  connect  the  coal  fields  of  Pennsylvania  with 
the  eastern  markets.  There  was,  however,  a  healthy  opposition  to  the 
canal  project,  as  the  building  of  the  railroad  between  New  York  and 
Philadelphia  was  being  agitated.  The  State  Legislature  of  New  Jersey 
finally  on  February  4,  1830,  passed  an  act  incorporating  the  Delaware 
and  Raritan  Canal  Company,  and  on  the  same  day  by  another  act  brought 
into  existence  the  Camden  &  Amboy  Railroad  Transportation  Company. 

The  canal  was  to  commence  at  the  confluence  of  the  Crosswicks 
creek  with  the  Delaware  river  at  Bordentown,  to  run  northeasterly  to 
Bound  Brook,  thence  southeasterly  following  the  valley  of  the  Raritan 


TRANSPORTATION  79 

river  to  New  Brunswick,  a  distance  of  forty-three  and  one-half  miles. 
It  was  to  be  fifty  feet  in  width  and  five  feet  deep,  which  was  amended  in 
183 1  to  seventy-five  feet  in  width  and  a  depth  of  seven  feet.  In  lieu  of  a 
premium,  the  company  was  to  pay  the  State  eight  cents  for  each  pas- 
senger and  the  same  amount  for  each  ton  of  freight  transported.  The 
traffic  was  largely  drawn  from  the  coal  regions  of  Pennsylvania,  but  its 
usefulness  as  a  competitor  against  railroad  transportation  became  neg- 
ligible in  1871,  when  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  acquired  a 
999-year  lease  of  the  property. 

The  era  of  steamboat  transportation  in  Middlesex  county  was  of 
short  duration.  On  the  completion  of  the  Camden  &  Amboy  railroad, 
Robert  L.  Stevens  built  three  steamboats,  the  "Swan,"  "Thistle"  and 
"Independence,"  to  connect  with  the  railroad  at  the  eastern  terminus 
at  South  Amboy,  to  convey  passengers  to  and  from  New  York.  In 
connection  with  his  brothers,  John  L.  and  Edwin,  they  placed  on  the 
Raritan  many  fine  boats,  among  them  the  well  known  "Raritan,"  "John 
Nelson,"  and  others.  The  regular  fare  between  New  Brunswick  and 
Perth  Amboy  was  twenty-five  cents,  but  as  soon  as  a  competing  line 
was  built  by  James  Bishop,  who  placed  in  commission  the  steamboat 
"Antelope,"  a  rivalry  between  the  two  lines  reduced  the  fare  to  six  and 
one-quarter  cents. 

The  multiplying  of  the  railroads  soon  brought  the  outmost  limits 
of  Middlesex  county  in  touch  with  a  common  center;  within  its  area 
the  lines  of  two  great  railroad  systems  traversed  its  surface.  This,  with 
the  development  of  the  interurban  lines  of  trolleys  and  jitneys,  brings 
the  citizens  of  any  portion  of  its  limits  within  ready  communication  with 
each  other.  The  days  of  steamboating  and  coaching  are  at  an  end, 
the  whirling  steam  and  electric  conveyances  annihilate  space ;  inter- 
course of  communication  travels  with  lightning  rapidity,  by  the  use  of 
the  electricity  of  the  air,  the  telegraph  key,  and  the  word  of  the  human 
mouth  transmitted  by  telephonic  connections. 


GILBERT  S'JUART'S   F^ORTRAIT  OF  WASHINGTON 


CHAPTER  XII. 
REVOLUTIONARY   DAYS. 

In  the  days  antecedent  to  the  Revolution,  the  inhabitants  of  Middle- 
sex county  were  enjoying  an  era  of  prosperity  and  happiness.  The 
hardships  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  county  had  been  overcome,  and 
their  succeeding  generations  were  living  in  a  flourishing  agricultural 
district,  dotted  here  and  there  with  small  villages. 

The  modes  of  transportation  were  limited,  the  country  roads  were 
few  and  rugged.  Journeys  were  mostly  undertaken  on  horseback,  vehi- 
cles being  confined  to  heavy  lumbering  wagons,  chaises,  and  gigs  whose 
bodies  sank  down  between  two  high  wheels  on  wooden  springs.  Their 
homes  were  furnished  with  simple  taste,  the  principal  articles  of  fur- 
niture even  in  the  best  ordered  household  were  not  numerous.  Many 
of  the  most  costly  were  made  of  mahogany,  white  pine,  walnut,  cherry, 
or  red  cedar,  the  latter  being  a  prime  favorite,  were  used  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  high-backed  bedsteads,  chests,  drawers,  stands,  tables  and 
buffets.  A  slawbank  or  slabank,  a  name  derived  from  the  Dutch,  signi- 
fying "sloop  banck"  or  sleeping  bench,  took  the  place  of  our  modern 
folding-bed.  It  was  simply  a  cupboard  with  folding  doors,  and  con- 
tained a  bed.  or  more  commonly  a  box  attached  to  the  wall  by  hinges 
holding  the  bedding,  which  was  folded  up  against  the  wall  by  day  and 
let  down  at  night  to  serve  as  a  bed.  Occasionally  it  took  the  shape  of 
a  bench  or  sofa  to  sit  on  during  the  day,  opening  on  hinges  to  form  a 
bed  by  night.  The  housewife  had  her  wheel  for  spinning  wool,  linen  and 
cotton,  also  her  loom  for  weaving  these  into  cloth  for  the  varied  uses 
of  the  household.  The  people  were  respectably  and  comfortably  clad,  the 
men  adorning  themselves  in  breeches  of  leather,  buckskin,  worsted, 
homespun,  stockinett,  black  and  brown  broadcloth,  plush  and  velvet,  for 
the  winter,  and  for  summer,  linen,  cotton,  nankin,  white  dimity  and 
drilling.  Dress-coats,  surtouts  and  great-coats  were  made  of  bearskins, 
buckskins,  homespun,  denim,  wilton,  camlet,  broadcloth,  velvet  and 
sagatha,  and  a  kind  of  serge.  Cloaks  and  vests  were  made  of  these  dif- 
ferent woven  materials ;  gloves  were  usually  of  leather,  cotton,  home- 
spun and  tow ;  the  stockings  were  knit  of  woolen,  cotton  and  linen  yarn. 
Boots  and  shoes  were  made  of  calfskin,  with  durable  soles. 

The  apparel  of  women  was  still  more  varied,  exhibiting  their  charac- 
teristic love  of  gay  colors  and  beautiful  fabrics.  The  assortment  was 
endless,  combining  the  useful  with  the  ornamental.  Bonnets  and 
hoods  of  beaver,  satin  and  bright  colored  silks  and  velvets,  cloaks  of 
broadcloth,  white  and  black  satin,  black  and  blue  velvet,  and  brilliant 
scarlet  cloth ;  dresses  and  gowns  made  of  boundless  variety  of  material — 

Mid-6 


82  «  MIDDLESEX 

gloves  knit  of  silk,  also  of  leather;  stockings  of  linen,  worsted  and  silk; 
with  shoes  of  cloth,  silk  and  leather.  In  table  service,  china  was  rare 
as  gold  :  plates,  platters,  spoons,  tea  and  coffee  pots  and  tankards  were 
made  of  pewter,  but  so  brilliantly  polished  as  to  rival  the  richest  silver 
in  lustre.  Pewter  and  copper  were  largely  used  in  ornamentation,  and 
from  them  were  made  basins,  ewers,  pint  and  quart  mugs,  porringers, 
ladles,  tea  and  coffee  kettles.  There  was  but  little  white  glassware  in 
use ;  wine  glasses,  salt-cellars,  tumblers  and  punch  goblets,  as  well  as 
china  cups  and  saucers,  were  highly  prized.  Looking  glasses  and  clocks 
were  only  found  in  the  homes  of  the  wealthy.  Stoves  were  not  in  gen- 
eral use,  wood,  charcoal  and  turf  being  the  only  fuel,  but  there  were 
always  fireplaces  provided  with  dogs  and  andirons.  In  the  kitchens  the 
huge  caverns  were  garnished  with  a  forest  of  chains  and  hooks,  pots  and 
trammels  swinging  on  iron  cranes,  the  fires  being  fed  with  great  logs 
from  four  to  six  feet  in  length. 

The  comforts  of  life  were  not  forgotten.  The  men  of  these  days 
were  liberal  providers  as  far  as  the  creature  comforts  of  food  and  drink 
were  concerned.  In  the  cellars  were  stored  barrels  of  pork  and  beef, 
sides  of  bacon,  carcasses  of  venison  and  mutton.  Roasting  pigs,  ducks, 
fowls,  turkeys  and  geese,  were  raised  in  great  abundance,  while  the 
menu  was  often  supplied  with  wild  fowl,  corn  and  beans.  The  water 
course  furnished  shad  and  herring  plentifully  in  their  season,  and  were 
laid  down  by  the  barrel  and  hogshead  for  winter  use. 

The  farms  produced  wheat,  rye,  buckwheat,  Indian  corn,  potatoes, 
beans,  turnips  and  other  vegetables.  From  the  orchards  came  a  great 
wealth  of  apples,  cherries,  peaches  and  pears.  Every  household  was 
supplied  with  butter,  lard,  eggs,  molasses,  sugar  and  honey,  the  last 
being  common,  as  every  farmer  had  his  hive  or  more  of  bees.  The 
common  beverages  were  tea,  cofTee,  cocoa  and  chocolate ;  the  apples 
furnished  cider,  while  metheglin  was  made  from  the  honey.  Nor  \vere 
the  stronger  alcoholic  drinks  lacking;  the  hospitable  host  could  offer 
from  his  Avine  cellar  to  his  guest  or  a  tired  traveler  brandy,  gin  and  rum, 
in  all  their  variety,  besides  cordials  and  wines  of  all  kinds.  Tobacco 
smoked  in  pipe,  and  chewed,  was  a  daily  solace,  while  the  gentility  gen- 
erally used  snuff.  Books  were  rare  as  rubies,  but  the  Bible  or  a  psalm 
book  was  found  in  the  most  of  families,  and  commonly  constituted  the 
entire  library.  Thus  we  have  briefly  sketched  the  elysium  of  content- 
ment that  prevailed  in  Middlesex  county,  and  that  was  soon  to  be  visited 
by  the  grim  visage  of  war. 

By  the  treaty  of  Paris,  France  surrendered  Canada,  and  Spain  Flor- 
ida, to  England,  who  thereby  obtained  sole  control  of  the  entire  territory 
in  North  America  from  the  Atlantic  ocean  westward  to  the  Mississippi 
river.  George  III.,  who  Green,  in  his  "History  of  the  English  People," 
says  "had  a  smaller  mind  than  any  English  King  before  him  save  James 


REVOLUTIONARY  DAYS  83 

II.,"  was  seated  on  the  throne  of  Great  Britain.  The  Mother  Country 
thought  she  had  gained  preeminence  in  renown  and  as  the  acknowledged 
mistress  of  the  seas.  This  success  had  been  attained  by  vast  expenditure 
of  moneys,  and  had  saddled  upon  the  country  a  debt  amounting  to 
£140,000,000.  It  was  but  natural  that  the  suggestion  of  Pitt,  the  then 
prime  minister,  that  some  steps  should  be  taken  to  obtain  a  revenue 
from  the  colonies,  was  popular  with  the  Crown  and  the  people  of  Eng- 
land. The  colonies  had  also  made  sacrifices  to  rid  themselves  of  the 
French  invaders  and  the  scalping  knife  and  tomahawk  of  the  Indians ; 
£16,000,000  had  been  spent,  of  which  five  millions  had  been  reimbursed 
by  Parliament,  and  thirty  thousand  of  their  soldiers  had  fallen  in  the 
struggle,  either  in  battle  or  by  disease.  The  colonies,  however,  were 
no  longer  weak  and  inexperienced ;  they  had  grown  from  childhood  to 
a  vigorous  youth,  able  and  willing  to  manifest  the  fact  whenever  it 
might  become  necessary.  Though  Parliament  had  exercised  its  power 
in  regulating  colonial  trade  for  the  exclusive  benefit  of  the  Mother 
Country,  and  to  which  the  colonists  had  submitted,  it  never  had 
attempted  the  levying  of  taxes  for  revenue.  The  English  populace, 
heavily  burdened  with  taxation,  was  in  sympathy  with  the  ministry  and 
Parliament  to  tax  the  colonists,  thinking  thus  to  relieve  themselves. 
This  enmity  was  further  enhanced  by  reports  that  were  circulated  in 
England  that  the  Americans  were  indulging  in  gaiety  and  luxury,  that 
the  planters  lived  like  princes,  while  the  inhabitants  of  Britain  labored 
hard  for  a  subsistence.  The  returning  officers  represented  the  colonists 
as  rich,  wealthy,  and  overgrown  in  fortune.  These  statements  were 
caused  on  account  of  the  generous  and  hospitable  people  who  since 
the  wars  were  terminated,  and  having  no  further  apprehension  of  dan- 
ger, the  power  of  their  late  foe  in  the  country  being  totally  broken, 
indulged  themselves  in  many  uncommon  expenses  to  honor  those  who 
had  contributed  to  this  security.  The  plenty  and  variety  of  provisions 
and  liquors,  with  the  borrowed  use  of  their  neighbors'  silver  plate, 
enabled  them  to  make  a  parade  of  riches  in  their  several  entertainments. 
Sir  Robert  Walpole,  prime  minister  of  England,  when  it  was  suggested 
to  levy  a  direct  tax  upon  the  colonies,  declined  making  so  dangerous  an 
experiment,  saying:  "I  shall  leave  this  operation  to  some  one  of  my 
successors  who  may  possess  more  courage  than  I,  and  have  less  regard 
for  the  commercial  interests  of  England.  My  opinion  is  that,  if  by 
favoring  the  trade  of  the  colonies  with  foreign  nations,  they  gain 
£500,000  at  the  end  of  two  years,  fully  one-half  of  it  will  have  come  into 
the  royal  exchequer  by  the  increased  demand  for  English  manufactures. 
This  is  a  mode  of  taxing  them  more  agreeable  to  their  own  constitution 
and  laws,  as  well  as  our  own." 

Walpole's  successor,  George  Grenville,  while  he  doubted  the  propriety 
of  taxing  the  colonies  without  allowing  them  representation,  loved  power 


84  •  MIDDLESEX 

and  the  favor  of  Parliament,  and  contemplating  the  immense  debt  of 
England  with  a  degree  of  horror,  was  ready  to  insist  upon  the  colonies 
helping  to  bear  the  burden,  bringing  forth  the  famous  Stamp  Act.  The 
act  proposed  to  impose  upon  the  colonists  the  payment  of  a  stamp  tax 
on  all  bills,  bonds,  notes,  leases,  policies  of  insurance,  legal  papers,  etc., 
and  afterwards  by  resolutions,  additional  duties  on  imports  into  the 
colonies  from  foreign  countries  on  sugar,  indigo,  coffee,  etc.,  it  being 
openly  avowed  that  the  object  in  view  was  to  raise  a  revenue  for  defray- 
ing the  expenses  of  defending,  protecting  and  securing  His  Majesty's 
dominions  in  America.  To  enforce  the  provisions  of  the  act,  penalties 
for  violating  it  and  all  other  revenue  laws,  might  be  recovered  in  the 
admiralty  courts  presided  over  by  judges  dependent  solely  on  the  King, 
without  the  intervention  of  a  jury.  The  act  and  resolutions  passed  the 
House  without  a  division,  it  being  resolved  "that  Parliament  had  the 
right  to  tax  the  colonies."  The  colonial  agents  in  London  forwarded 
the  resolutions  to  their  respective  colonies.  When  the  intelligence 
reached  America,  it  was  regarded  as  the  commencement  of  a  system 
of  oppression  which  if  not  vigorously  resisted  would  eventually  deprive 
them  of  the  liberty  of  British  subjects.  The  colonial  Houses  of  Repre- 
sentatives openly  defied  the  right  of  Parliament  to  pass  unjust  tax  laws, 
and  they  were  vigorously  denounced  by  Samuel  Adams  and  James  Otis 
in  Massachusetts,  and  the  prophetic  words  of  Patrick  Henry  resounded 
throughout  the  colonies.  The  agitation  in  America  increased ;  private 
citizens,  members  of  public  and  corporate  bodies,  asserted  that  Parlia- 
ment had  no  right  to  tax  the  colonies.  Political  circles  and  clubs  were 
formed ;  the  subject  of  all  conversations  was  the  fatal  tax.  On  October 
7,  1765,  committees  from  nine  of  the  colonies  assembled  in  New  York, 
and  in  the  course  of  a  three  weeks'  session  a  declaration  was  made  as  a 
birthright  of  the  colonists — among  the  rest,  the  right  of  being  taxed  only 
by  their  own  consent.  A  petition  to  the  King  and  memorials  to  each 
house  of  Parliament  was  prepared,  in  which  the  cause  of  the  colonists 
was  eloquently  pleaded.  Robert  Ogden,  one  of  the  New  Jersey  dele- 
gates, withheld  his  signature  on  the  plea  that  the  petition  and  memorials 
should  first  be  approved  by  the  several  colonial  assemblies,  and  he  was 
afterwards  buried  in  efifigy  by  the  people  of  New  Jersey  for  this  action. 
November  i,  1765,  was  the  day  appointed  for  the  Stamp  Act  to  go 
into  operation.  Ten  boxes  of  stamps  in  New  York  were  committed  to 
the  flames.  An  organization  known  as  the  Sons  of  Liberty  was  organ- 
ized, who  entered  into  an  agreement  to  march  at  their  own  expense  to 
the  relief  of  those  who  put  themselves  in  danger  from  the  Stamp  Act? 
Collectors  were  mobbed  and  maltreated,  and  the  Act,  as  far  as  becoming 
operative,  became  inactive.  A  change  occurred  in  the  English  ministry, 
the  Marquis  of  Rockingham  became  the  new  prime  minister,  and  Par- 
liament at  its  session  in  January,  1766,  turned  its  attention  to  colonial 


REVOLUTIONARY  DAYS  85 

affairs.  The  Stamp  Act  was  repealed  by  a  vote  of  one  hundred  and  five 
against  seventy-one,  and  the  King,  who  was  opposed  to  the  repeal,  but 
loath  to  proceed  to  force,  gave  his  consent  March  19,  1766.  Thus  the 
colonists  scored  the  first  victory  for  American  independence. 

The  contumacy  of  the  colonists  greatly  annoyed  the  King  and  min- 
istry. Charles  Townshend,  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  of  a  new 
ministry  under  the  nominal  leadership  of  William  Pitt,  Earl  of  Chatham, 
introduced  to  Parliament  a  new  scheme  of  taxation  based  upon  his  chief's 
distinction  between  a  direct  tax  and  commercial  imposts  for  regulating 
trade ;  thence  he  proposed  to  lay  a  duty  upon  teas  imported  into  Amer- 
ica, together  with  paints,  paper,  glass  and  lead,  which  were  articles  of 
British  production,  the  alleged  object  being  to  raise  a  revenue  for  the 
support  of  civil  government,  for  expenses  of  a  standing  army,  and  for 
a  permanent  salary  to  the  royal  governor.  This  bill  passed  Parliament 
with  little  opposition  and  received  the  royal  assent.  These  acts  were 
received  with  no  favor  in  America,  and  excitement  was  rekindled.  A 
party  sprang  into  existence  to  resist  in  the  name  of  right  and  national 
honor.  The  taxes  were  light  and  imposed  no  burden  upon  the  colonists, 
but  they  felt  more  keenly  the  wrongs  which  affected  the  mind,  and  could 
feel  no  repose  while  honor  was  unsatisfied.  The  English  ministry 
dreaded  any  step  which  seemed  to  encourage  a  prospect  of  a  cause  of 
action  on  the  part  of  the  colonies.  The  presence  of  the  newly  appointed 
officers  for  collecting  the  custom  house  duties  did  not  tend  to  allay  the 
excitement  of  the  public  mind.  The  excitement  was  enhanced  at  Boston 
by  the  quartering  of  two  British  regiments  in  their  midst,  which  finally 
led  to  the  Boston  Massacre.  Lord  North,  on  becoming  prime  minister, 
forwarded  a  motion  to  Parliament  to  repeal  the  whole  of  the  Townshend 
Act,  except  the  duty  on  tea.  This  was  retained  in  order  to  let  it  be  seen 
that  the  right  of  taxation  was  never  to  be  given  up. 

The  excitement  among  the  colonists  was  maintained  by  popular 
meetings  and  discussions.  The  trouble  was  augmented  by  making  the 
governors  and  judges  independent  of  the  provinces,  the  injustices  and 
insults  heaped  upon  Franklin  by  Parliament,  and  the  irritating  course 
of  the  English  ministry.  These  grievances  all  tended  to  urge  on  the 
Americans  to  proceed  to  extremities.  The  attempt  to  force  upon  the 
colonists  cargoes  of  tea  brought  matters  to  a  crisis.  Vessels  were  loaded 
with  the  commodity  and  dispatched  to  various  colonial  seaports.  Public 
meetings  were  held  protesting  against  this  action,  in  which  it  was 
resolved  that  "whosoever  shall  aid  or  abet  in  unloading,  receiving  or 
vending  tea"  was  an  enemy  of  his  country.  The  cargo  destined  for 
Boston  was  thrown  overboard  in  Boston  harbor ;  that  for  New  York  was 
dumped  into  the  river,  and  the  captain  of  the  vessel  was  sent  back  to 
England.  The  captain  of  a  vessel  with  a  cargo  destined  for  Philadelphia 
stopped  four  miles  below  the  city,  and  deeming  it  most  prudent,  returned 


86  MIDDLESEX 

with  his  cargo  to  England.     At  Charleston  the  teas  were  landed,  but 
were  stored  in  damp  cellars,  where  they  soon  spoiled. 

These  acts  of  the  colonists  aroused  the  indignation  of  Lord  North 
and  on  the  assembling  of  Parliament,  March  7,  1774,  he  presented  a 
message  from  the  King  advocating  the  adoption  of  resolutions  for  pun- 
ishment of  the  unwarrantable  practices  carried  on  in  North  America. 
This  was  the  cause  of  the  passing  of  a  bill  for  the  immediate  removal  of 
the  custom  house  ofificials  at  Boston,  and  to  discontinue  the  landing  and 
discharging,  loading  and  shipping  of  goods,  wares  and  merchandise,  at 
that  town  or  within  its  harbor,  commonly  known  as  the  Boston  Port 
Bill.  Another  bill  for  the  better  regulating  of  the  government  of  Massa- 
chusetts Bay  was  practically  a  complete  abrogation  of  its  charter.  A 
third  bill  provided  that  any  person  indicted  for  murder  or  any  other 
capital  ofifense  committed  in  aiding  the  magistracy,  the  offender  could  by 
the  governor  be  sent  to  another  colony  or  to  Great  Britain  for  trial.  The 
fourth  bill  provided  for  the  quartering  of  troops  in  America;  and  the 
fifth,  known  as  the  Quebec  Act,  placed  the  Roman  Catholics  and  Protes- 
tants on  an  equality,  that  confirmed  to  Roman  Catholic  clergy  their 
extensive  landed  property,  allowed  the  administration  of  justice  to  be 
carried  on  by  the  old  French  law,  created  a  legislative  council  to  be 
named  by  the  Crown,  and  enlarged  the  boundaries  of  the  province  as 
far  as  the  Ohio  river.  It  was  most  likely  owing  to  these  judicious 
measures  that  the  Canadians  declined  taking  part  subsequently  in  the 
open  resistance  which  the  other  colonies  organized  against  England. 

These  acts  of  Parliament  were  received  by  the  colonists  with  strong 
expressions  of  determined  opposition.  Boston  naturally  became  the  head 
center  of  the  revolt,  and  addresses  assuring  their  support  were  sent  by 
the  other  colonies  to  its  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose.  The 
subject  of  a  General  Congress  of  the  colonies  was  agitated,  and  town 
meetings  were  held  advocating  the  organization  of  such  a  body.  The 
first  held  in  New  Jersey  was  a  county  meeting  at  Newark,  June  11,  1774. 
This  was  followed  on  July  21  of  that  year  by  a  political  convention  Avhich 
met  at  New  Brunswick.  The  session  lasted  three  days,  and  among  the 
resolutions  adopted  was  a  recommendation  for  the  appointment  of  a 
General  Committee  of  Correspondence  for  the  whole  colony,  with  author- 
ity to  call  a  Provincial  Congress  when  in  its  judgment  it  should  become 
necessary. 

The  first  Continental  Congress  met  at  Philadelphia,  September  5, 
1774.  It  consisted  of  fifty-three  delegates,  and  all  the  colonies  were 
represented  with  the  exception  of  Georgia.  The  delegates  had  generally 
been  elected  by  the  authority  of  the  provincial  legislatures,  but  in  New 
Jersey  they  were  chosen  by  a  committee  chosen  in  the  several  counties 
for  that  purpose.  The  New  Jersey  members  to  the  First  Continental 
Congress  were  James  Kensey,  Stephen  Crane,  William  Livingston,  John 


REVOLUTIONARY  DAYS  87 

De  Hart,  and  Richard  Smith.  It  was  not  a  constitutional  body ;  many 
of  its  members  had  been  chosen  irregularly ;  its  authority  was  limited  to 
the  willingness  of  the  people  to  respect  and  obey  its  suggestions  and 
mandates.  It  was  less  a  congress  than  a  national  committee,  an  advisory 
council  of  continental  magnitude.  A  declaration  of  rights,  mild  but 
deeply  sincere;  an  address  to  the  King,  disavowing  a  desire  for  inde- 
pendence ;  another  to  the  people  of  England,  also  to  the  people  of  Canada, 
were  adopted.  They  approved  of  the  policy  of  non-intercourse  with 
Great  Britain,  and  formed  an  association  to  carry  it  out.  The  forming 
of  this  association,  which  at  first  constituted  the  revolutionary  machin- 
ery, was  an  act  of  great  importance.  Its  object  was  to  secure  the  redress 
of  grievances  by  peaceful  methods,  by  enforcing  the  non-importation 
and  non-consumption  agreement.  To  carry  out  this  purpose,  commit- 
tees were  formed  in  every  county  or  township  of  the  colonies,  who 
worked  under  guidance  of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence.  The  local 
committees  marked  out  for  persecution  every  loyalist  who  refused  to 
comply  with  the  recommendation  of  Congress.  It  was  not  until  the 
following  year  that  the  colonists  formed  associations  pledged  to  oppose 
the  aggressions  of  the  King  by  force  of  arms.  This  Congress  sat  for 
fifty-one  days,  when  it  adjourned,  after  having  made  provision  for  another 
Congress  to  meet  the  following  May,  in  case  it  was  needed.  The  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Congress  were  very  generally  and  heartily  approved. 
The  course  pursued  in  Middlesex  county  was  a  type  of  what  was  done 
in  other  counties.  The  inhabitants  met  in  public  town  and  township 
meetings  in  their  several  localities  during  the  fall  and  winter  of  1774-75, 
and  committees  of  observation  were  chosen  as  follows : 

Woodbridge — Ebenezer  Foster,  Henry  Freeman,  Nathaniel  Heard, 
Reuben  Potter,  William  Smith,  Jeremiah  Manning,  Matthew  Baker, 
Charles  Jackson,  Samuel  Force,  John  Pain,  James  Manning,  John  Heard, 
Daniel  Moores,  John  Ross,  Ellis  Barron,  William  Cutter,  Reuben  Evans, 
James  Randolph,  Timothy  Bloomfield,  John  Noe  and  John  Conway. 

Piscataway — John  Oilman,  Henry  Sutton,  John  LangstafT,  William 
Manning,  Benjamin  Manning,  Jacob  Martin,  Charles  Suydam,  Jeremiah 
Field,  Daniel  Bray,  Jacob  Titsworth,  Micajah  Dunn,  Melanethan  Free- 
man and  John  Dunn. 

South  Amboy — Stephen  Pangburn,  John  Lloyd,  Luke  Schenck,  Mat- 
thew Rue,  William  Vance  and  Joseph  Potter. 

New  Brunswick — Azariah  IDunham,  J.  Schureman,  John  Dennis, 
John  Lyle,  Jr.,  Abraham  Schuyler,  George  Hance,  Jacobus  Van  Huys, 
John  Slight,  John  Voorhees,  Barent  Stryker,  William  Williamson,  Peter 
Farmer,  Ferdinand  .Schureman,  Abraham  Buckalew  and  Jonathan  Roefif. 

South  Brunswick — David  Williamson,  William  Scudder,  Isaac  Van 
Dyck,  John  Wetherill,  Jr.,  Abraham  Terhune,  Jacob  Van  Dyck,  Charles 
Barclay. 

Windsor — James  Hebron,  Samuel  Minor,  Jonathan  Coombs,  Andrew 
Davison,  Isaac  Rogers,  Ezekiel  Smith  and  Jonathan  Baldwin. 


88  "  MIDDLESEX 

At  a  meeting  of  this  general  committee  assembled  at  New  Bruns- 
wick, January  i6,  1775,  James  Neilson,  William  Oake,  Ebenezer  Foster, 
Azariah  Dunham,  John  Wetherill,  Jonathan  Coombs,  Stephen  Pangburn, 
William  Smith,  Ebenezer  Foster,  Matthias  Balker,  Jacob  Titsworth, 
John  Dunn,  David  Williamson,  Jonathan  Baldwin  and  Jacob  Schenck 
were  appointed  a  Committee  of  Correspondence  to  confer  with  like 
committees  in  the  several  counties  of  the  province. 

In  response  to  a  call  of  the  Committee  on  Correspondence,  a  Provincial 
Congress  was  held  at  New  Brunswick,  January  14,  1775,  but  little  busi- 
ness of  importance  took  place.  The  stage  was  set  in  the  colonies,  the 
chessmen  placed  upon  the  board,  and  the  movement  of  the  first  pawn 
was  awaiting  the  opening  of  actual  hostilities.  The  first  demonstration 
was  to  be  made  in  Massachusetts.  General  Gage,  then  governor  of  that 
province,  issued  a  proclamation  offering  full  pardon  to  all  the  people 
except  Samuel  Adams  and  John  Hancock,  whom  he  was  ordered  to  take 
and  send  to  England  for  trial.  These  two  patriots,  fearing  arrest,  fled 
to  Lexington.  The  British  general,  learning  their  hiding  place,  on  the 
night  of  April  18  dispatched  a  body  of  eight  hundred  men  to  make  the 
arrest  and  destroy  the  military  stores  collected  by  the  Americans  at 
Concord.  The  news  of  the  approaching  enemy  spread  throughout  the 
country,  and  when  the  enemy  reached  the  greensward  of  Lexington 
Common  at  sunrise  the  following  morning,  a  body  of  forty  minute-men, 
armed  with  their  hunting  guns,  now  to  be  used  as  weapons  of  defense, 
barred  their  passage.  They  were  commanded  by  Captain  John  Parker, 
grandfather  of  the  great  New  England  preacher  and  abolitionist,  Theo- 
dore Parker.  His  command  to  his  men  was,  "Don't  fire  unless  you  are 
fired  on  ;  but  if  they  want  war,  it  may  as  well  begin  here."  The  British 
met  with  feeble  resistance  and  continued  on  to  Concord,  destroyed  the 
little  they  found  there,  cut  down  the  liberty  pole,  and  burned  the  court- 
house. Hancock  and  Adams,  having  been  notified  in  advance,  of  the 
coming  of  the  enemy,  escaped  and  quietly  proceeded  on  their  way  to 
Philadelphia  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  Continental  Congress  to  which 
they  had  been  elected  delegates. 

The  news  of  the  battle  soon  spread  beyond  the  confines  of  New  Eng- 
land. New  Jersey,  rejecting  overtures  of  reconciliation,  began  to  train 
her  militia.  The  news  reached  Middlesex  county,  April  24,  and  on  May 
2  following,  a  meeting  of  the  General  Committee  of  Correspondence  was 
held  at  New  Brunswick,  who  directed  their  chairman  to  call  a  Provin- 
cial Congress  to  meet  on  May  23.  In  response  to  this  call,  the  second 
convention  of  the  province  met  at  Trenton,  under  the  title  of  the  Pro- 
vincial Congress  of  New  Jersey.  There  were  eighty-seven  delegates  in 
attendance,  Middlesex  county  being  represented  by  Nathaniel  Heard, 
William  Smith,  John  Dunn,  John  Lloyd,  Azariah  Dunham,  John  Schure- 
men,  John  Wetherill,  David  Williamson,  Jonathan  Sergeant,  Jonathan 


REVOLUTIONARY  DAYS  89 

Baldwin  and  Jonathan  Deare.  The  Congress,  though  it  declared  its 
allegiance  to  the  rightful  authority  of  His  Sacred  Majesty,  George  III., 
deemed  its  assembling  was  absolutely  necessary  for  the  security  of  the 
province.  They  did  not  hesitate,  notwithstanding  this  seeming  loyalty, 
to  assume  and  exercise  the  functions  of  an  independent  and  supreme 
governing  and  legislative  body,  regardless  of  the  authority  of  the  royal 
governor,  and  unrestrained  by  the  check  of  any  other  power  than  the 
will  of  the  people.  They  promptly  gave  assuring  evidence  of  their 
voluntary  subordination  to  the  General  Congress,  and  their  disposition 
to  cooperate  with  it  in  securing  the  general  welfare.  It  was  ordered  that 
each  county  should  have  one  vote.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  open 
correspondence  with  the  recently  organized  Provincial  Congress  of  New 
York.  Articles  of  Association  were  adopted  to  be  sent  to  the  Committee 
of  Observation  and  Correspondence,  with  instructions  to  them  to  secure 
the  signatures  of  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  to  support  and  carry 
into  execution  the  measures  recommended  by  Continental  and  Provincial 
Congresses,  and  pledging  themselves  to  support  all  existing  magistrates 
and  civil  officers  in  the  execution  of  their  duties.  The  most  decided 
revolutionary  step  taken  was  the  adoption  of  a  bill  regulating  the  militia 
of  the  colony — that  one  or  more  companies  of  eighty  men  each  should 
be  formed  in  each  township  or  corporation,  of  the  inhabitants  between 
the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifty  years,  capable  of  bearing  arms ;  and  an 
ordinance  to  raise  £10,000  by  taxation  for  the  use  of  the  province  for 
the  expenses  of  this  militia.  The  tax  was  apportioned  to  the  several 
counties  the  amount  for  Middlesex  being  £872  6s.  6d.  The  Congress 
also  provided  for  a  Committee  of  Safety  of  fourteen  members,  three  of 
whom,  with  the  president  or  vice-president,  could  convene  Congress.  The 
members  of  this  committee  from  Middlesex  county  were  Azariah  Dun- 
ham, John  Schureman,  Jonathan  Deare,  Jonathan  Baldwin  and  Nathaniel 
Heard. 

The  second  session  of  the  Provincial  Congress  was  also  held  at 
Trenton,  convening  August  5,  1775,  continuing  until  August  17,  1775. 
The  object  of  the  session  was  to  prepare  for  the  dreaded  alternative,  and 
to  take  efficient  measures  for  the  collection  of  the  taxes  levied  at  a  former 
session ;  to  provide  for  the  government  of  the  province,  and  for  the  per- 
petuation of  the  Provincial  Congress  as  the  successor  to  and  substitute 
for  the  overthrown  royal  governor  and  Colonial  Legislature ;  to  perfect 
the  organization  of  the  Friends  of  Liberty  by  the  election  of  county  and 
township  committees  of  observation  and  correspondence ;  to  perfect  the 
bill  for  regulation  of  the  militia.  The  only  change  in  the  Middlesex 
county  delegation  was  the  substitution  of  Lucas  Schenck  for  David  Wil- 
liamson. The  first  business  which  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Congress 
was  to  provide  for  the  tax  already  levied,  which  was  required  to  be  paid 
before  September  10,  1775.     Delinquents  and  those  refusing  to  sign  the 


90  MIDDLESEX 

articles  of  association  were  to  be  reported  to  the  next  Provincial  Con- 
gress. An  ordinance  was  adopted  ordering  a  new  election  of  deputies  by 
those  qualified  to  vote  for  representatives  to  the  General  Assembly  to 
convene  at  Trenton  on  October  3,  1775. 

Having  thus  provided  for  the  perpetuation  of  the  civil  government  of 
the  colony,  the  Congress  turned  its  attention  to  more  effective  organ- 
ization of  the  military  strength  of  the  province.  It  was  thereby  ordered 
that  the  militia  should  consist  of  twenty-three  regiments,  of  which  num- 
ber Middlesex  county  was  to  furnish  two.  Those  inhabitants  between 
the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifty  that  refused  to  enroll  should  be  required  to 
pay  four  shillings  a  month  as  an  equivalent,  and  those  signers  of  the 
enrollment  list  refusing  to  attend  on  mustering  day  were  to  be  fined  two 
shillings  for  each  absence,  not  to  exceed  two  fines  a  month.  Each  pri- 
vate soldier  was  to  be  equipped  with  good  arms.  Besides  these  twenty- 
three  regiments  of  militia,  four  thousand  able-bodied  men  were  to  be 
enlisted  and  enrolled  to  be  known  as  "minute-men,"  and  were  to  hold 
themselves  in  readiness  to  march  at  the  shortest  notice  to  any  place 
where  their  assistance  might  be  required  in  the  province  or  any  neigh- 
boring colony,  these  minute-men  to  be  mustered  into  companies  of  sixty- 
four  men.  The  quota  for  Middlesex  county  was  six  companies.  The 
Congress  appointed  a  Committee  of  Safety  of  eleven  members,  the  Mid- 
dlesex county  representatives  being  Azariah  Dunham  and  John  Dennis. 

The  Provincial  Congress  up  to  this  time  had  been  purely  provisional. 
Its  deputies  had  not  been  elected  in  conformity  with  any  law  that  had 
been  enacted  by  a  representative  or  authorized  body,  but  were  chosen 
on  the  informal  call  of  self-constituted  or  spontaneous  meetings  or  con- 
ventions. The  preamble  providing  for  a  new  election  of  deputies  by  the 
people  now  demanded  a  formal  resort  to  the  people  as  the  source  of 
power  and  authority,  for  choice  of  those  who  were  to  represent  them. 
The  Provincial  Congress  that  assembled  at  Trenton,  October  3.  1775, 
and  continued  its  session  until  October  25  of  that  year,  was  composed 
of  deputies  elected  by  the  people.  Middlesex  county  had  sent  Azariah 
Dunham  and  John  Dennis.  This  Congress  was  flooded  with  petitions 
on  a  multitude  of  subjects,  from  every  county  and  from  nearly  every 
township.  These  petitions  received  due  consideration,  but  the  Congress 
was  more  materially  engaged  in  scrutinizing  the  reports  of  the  "associ- 
ation" and  committees  corresponding  with  the  Continental  Congress 
for  the  raising,  organizing,  and  equipping  and  forwarding  of  troops ;  in 
examining  the  state  of  finances  of  the  province,  estimating  the  expendi- 
tures required  for  the  maintenance  of  the  militia,  and  carrying  on  the 
government.  Their  attention  was  largely  occupied  in  deciding  com- 
plaints denouncing  loyalists  and  sympathizers  with  Great  Britain.  The 
amount  required  for  the  defense  of  the  colony  was  estimated  at  £30,000, 
and  proclamation  money  was  ordered  printed  for  that  amount,  to  be  paid 


REVOLUTIONARY  DAYS  91 

out  of  a  sinking  fund  to  be  derived  from  a  tax  levied  annually  in  1784, 1785 
and  1786.  Middlesex  county's  apportionment  of  the  £10,000  tax  was 
£827  6s.  gd.  One  of  the  most  important  matters  connected  with  the  pub- 
lic defense  was  a  resolution  of  the  Continental  Congress  recommending 
to  the  convention  of  New  Jersey  the  raising  of  two  battalions  of  eight 
companies,  each  consisting  of  sixty-eight  privates,  officered  by  one  cap- 
tain, one  lieutenant,  one  ensign,  four  sergeants  and  four  corporals.  The 
privates  were  to  be  enlisted  for  one  year  at  £5  a  month.  These  bat- 
talions became  known  as  the  Eastern  and  Western  Battalions,  and  on 
November  10,  1775,  six  companies  of  the  Eastern  were  ordered  to  gar- 
rison the  fort  in  the  Highlands  on  the  Hudson ;  the  remainder  of  the 
battalion  on  November  27,  1775,  was  ordered  into  barracks  near  New 
York,  and  were  mustered  into  the  Continental  army  at  New  York, 
December  26,  1775,  under  command  of  Lord  Stirling. 

The  people  of  Middlesex  county  were  familiar  with  the  sight  of 
British  troops  before  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  the  English  hav- 
ing erected  barracks  at  both  New  Brunswick  and  Perth  Amboy.  British 
troops  were  in  New  Jersey  as  early  as  1758,  and  in  December,  1759,  a 
battalion  of  Royal  Scotch  over  four  hundred  strong,  was  quartered  at 
New  Brunswick.  The  first  regular  garrison  was  probably  composed  of 
the  29th  Regiment  of  Foot,  who  garrisoned  Perth  Amboy,  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  other  towns,  for  a  considerable  period,  and  became  very  popu- 
lar in  the  province.  It  was  withdrawn  in  November,  1771,  the  next 
regular  garrison  being  a  part  of  the  6oth  Regiment,  that  sailed  in  Novem- 
ber, 1772,  for  Jamaica,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  47th  Regiment.  These 
troops  were  called  to  New  York  in  July,  1774,  and  partook  of  the  dangers 
of  Bunker  Hill  and  Saratoga.  The  Barracks  in  Perth  Amboy  and  New 
Brunswick  were  then  taken  possession  of  by  the  New  Jersey  provincial 
regiments. 

The  determined  stand  of  the  Americans  at  Bunker  Hill,  the  accept- 
ance of  the  office  of  commander  of  the  American  forces  by  Washington, 
with  the  success  of  Ethan  Allen  at  Ticonderoga,  and  the  American  vic- 
tories in  the  South,  caused  the  British  government  to  evolve  new  plans 
for  the  conquest  of  the  colonies.  The  secret  policy  of  the  government 
was  to  gain  possession  of  New  York  and  the  Hudson  river,  thereby  open- 
ing up  communication  between  Canada  and  New  York,  and  expose 
Massachusetts  and  the  eastern  colonies  to  the  inroads  of  the  Indians  in 
the  pay  of  the  government.  The  opening  of  the  second  year  of  the  War 
for  Independence  found  Washington  waiting  impatiently  before  Bos- 
ton. His  successful  fortification  of  Dorchester  Heights  led  to  the  evacu- 
ation of  that  city  and  the  embarkation  of  the  English  troops  and  royalists 
for  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  at  4  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  March  17,  1776. 

General  Washington,  leaving  a  force  for  the  protection  of  Boston, 
with  his  main  body  of  troops  marched  to  defend  New  York.    Sir  William 


92  MIDDLESEX 

Howe,  finding  his  quarters  at  Halifax  not  comfortable,  at  the  close  of 
June  arrived  at  Staten  Island  with  a  large  body  of  troops  to  prevent 
intercourse  between  the  eastern  and  middle  States,  thinking  thereby  to 
frustrate  any  common  plan  of  operation.  Washington  had  not  felt  him- 
self able  to  occupy  this  island,  but  deemed  it  expedient  to  form  a  camp 
in  its  immediate  region,  and  selected  Perth  Amboy,  placing  General 
Hugh  Mercer  in  command.  Troops  were  in  consequence  marched 
towards  Perth  Amboy,  one  thousand  strong,  among  the  first  being  four 
hundred  and  fifty  of  the  Middlesex  militia,  commanded  by  Major  John 
Duyckinck.  It  was  about  this  time  that  a  British  brig-of-war  mounting 
twelve  guns  entered  the  harbor  at  Perth  Amboy.  The  Americans  that 
night  procured  from  the  town  of  Woodbridge  an  eighteen-pounder  gun, 
placed  it  behind  breastworks,  and  at  dawn  opened  fire  upon  the  vessel. 
Though  the  latter  made  brisk  reply,  her  commander  retired  from  the 
conflict,  otherwise  his  ship  would  have  been  sunk. 

The  Committee  of  Safety  met  during  the  recess  of  the  Provincial 
Congress,  at  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  January  9,  1776,  and  established 
posts  at  proper  distances  to  carry  intelligence  to  the  different  parts  of 
the  colony.  A  man  and  horse  was  to  be  in  readiness  at  Newark,  Eliza- 
bethtown,  Woodbridge,  New  Brunswick,  Princeton  and  Trenton,  who 
was  to  forward  all  expresses  to  and  from  the  Continental  Congress.  This 
established  the  first  express  company  in  New  Jersey. 

The  first  election  that  gave  the  right  of  franchise  to  all  male  free- 
holders twenty-one  years  of  age  who  had  lived  in  the  province  one  year, 
who  was  worth  fifty  pounds  and  had  signed  the  articles  of  association, 
took  place  the  fourth  Monday  in  May,  1776.  The  deputies  elected  from 
Middlesex  county  were  Moses  Bloomfield,  John  Wetherill,  John  Dunn, 
Jonathan  D.  Sergeant  and  John  Coombs.  This  congress  or  convention 
deposed  Governor  Franklin  and  ordered  his  arrest ;  it  also  received  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  and  declared  that  they  would  support  the 
freedom  and  independence  of  the  united  colonies  with  their  lives  and 
fortunes  and  with  the  whole  force  of  New  Jersey. 

General  Washington  and  his  army  were  at  the  Heights  of  Brooklyn, 
at  York  Island  and  Paulus  Hook,  where  the  new  entrenched  batteries  of 
the  Americans  were  located.  The  citizens  of  New  York  awaited  the 
conflict  between  the  opposing  armies.  The  British  force  landed  on  Long 
Island  August  26,  gave  battle  and  obtained  a  complete  victory.  This  led 
to  the  occupation  of  New  York  City,  September  15,  1776.  The  American 
forces  continued  to  lose  ground  around  New  York,  and  though  on  the 
night  of  October  16,  1776,  General  Mercer  passed  over  to  Staten  Island 
from  Perth  Amboy  to  capture  a  force  of  British  Hessians  stationed  at 
Richmond,  the  enemy  having  been  warned  in  advance,  but  little  was 
accomplished. 

In  November,  1776,  Washington's  retreat  through  New  Jersey  com- 
menced.    His  headquarters  were  at  Hackensack  from   19th  to  21st  of 


REVOLUTIONARY  DAYS  93 

November;  at  Acquackanonck  on  the  21st;  at  Newark,  23rd-27th ;  at 
New  Brunswick,  November  30th  to  December  ist;  and  at  Trenton, 
December  3rd-i2th ;  the  army  crossing  the  Delaware  the  7th.  By  this 
retreat  New  Jersey  was  left  in  the  undisturbed  possession  of  the  enemy, 
the  English  taking  possession  of  Perth  Amboy,  December  i,  1776.  Wash- 
ington, however,  having  received  reinforcements,  crossed  the  Delaware 
on  the  night  of  December  25th,  and  by  the  battles  of  Trenton  and 
Princeton  reestablished  the  supremacy  of  the  American  arms  south  and 
west  of  New  Brunswick,  and  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Morristown. 

This  was  the  darkest  hour  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution.  No  aid  had 
been  received  from  France.  A  portion  of  the  people  sympathizing  with 
the  invaders,  the  patriots  were  everywhere  exposed  to  their  bitter  hatred, 
cupidity  and  treachery.  Trade  and  industry  were  paralyzed,  the  hus- 
bandman only  planted  for  the  bare  subsistence  of  his  family.  Precious 
metals  had  vanished  from  the  land,  paper  money  had  little  value,  the 
means  of  the  patriots  were  almost  exhausted,  and  their  hopes  wellnigh 
extinguished.  The  numerous  responses  for  volunteers  for  the  army  had 
left  only  old  men  and  women  and  children  at  home ;  their  houses  and 
garners  were  gleaned  of  every  superfluity  and  even  of  the  necessities  of 
life. 

The  British  occupied  New  Brunswick,  Perth  Amboy,  and  their  vicin- 
ity, including  Six-Mile  Run,  Middlebrush,  Piscataway,  Woodbridge  and 
Bonhamtown,  from  December  2,  1776,  till  June  22,  1777.  It  was  during 
this  occupation  that  the  true  character  of  the  enemy  was  divulged.  The 
soil  was  deluged  with  blood,  they  plundered  friends  and  foes,  suffered 
prisoners  to  perish  for  want  of  sustenance,  violated  the  chastity  of 
women,  disfigured  private  dwellings  and  churches.  There  were  also 
active  hostilities,  skirmishes  being  frequent,  with  varied  results.  The 
Jersey  militia  on  January  5,  1777,  attacked  a  regiment  of  British  troops  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Spanktown  (Rahway).  The  object  of  the  attack 
was  to  secure  possession  of  a  thousand  bushels  of  salt.  The  skirmish 
continued  two  hours,  when  the  enemy  being  reinforced,  the  Americans 
retired  from  the  conflict.  The  Sixth  Virginia  Regiment  attacked  a 
detachment  of  the  enemy  on  its  way  to  Perth  Amboy  from  New  Bruns- 
wick, causing  a  loss  of  sixty-five  in  killed  and  wounded,  their  commander. 
Colonel  Preston,  being  killed,  and  his  second  in  command  being  danger- 
ously wounded.     The  Americans  sustained  no  loss  in  this  engagement. 

There  was  a  skirmish  at  Piscataway  between  seven  hundred  Amer- 
icans and  about  one  thousand  British.  The  latter  were  at  first  defeated, 
but  returned  and  renewed  the  conflict,  obliging  the  Americans  to  retire. 
The  foraging  and  scouting  parties  of  the  Americans  cut  off  all  com- 
munication between  Perth  Amboy  and  New  Brunswick  excepting  by 
the  Raritan  river.  Lord  Cornwallis'  headquarters  were  at  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  his  detachment  becoming  short  of  provisions,  a  fleet  of  boats 


94  MIDDLESEX 

coming  up  the  Raritan  with  the  needed  supplies,  four  or  five  of  them 
were  sunk,  the  others  were  obliged  to  return  to  New  York,  by  the  oper- 
ation of  a  battery  of  six  thirty-two  pounders  placed  in  position  on  a  bluff 
overlooking  the  river  by  the  vigilant  provincials.  General  Howe  subse- 
quently attempted  to  open  communication  on  March  8,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Bonhamtown,  but  failed,  narrowly  escaping  capture,  and  New 
Brunswick  continued  shut  up  until  late  in  March.  There  were  several 
skirmishes  between  the  opposing  armies  near  Bonhamtown.  On  the  night 
of  April  15,  a  detachment  of  Americans  under  Captain  Alexander  Pater- 
son,  of  the  Pennsylvania  12th  Regiment,  attacked  the  picket  guard  of  the 
enemy,  capturing  it  entire,  twenty-five  in  number.  On  May  10  there 
was  a  skirmish  at  Piscataway  between  portions  of  Colonels  Cork's  and 
Hendrick's  regiments  and  the  71st  Regiment  of  Scotch  Regulars.  The 
latter  was  forced  to  retire,  but  a  reinforcement  arriving  from  Bonham- 
town, the  Highlanders  were  reinstated,  although  with  considerable  loss. 
The  British  did  nothing  against  Washington.  Towards  the  end  of 
May,  1777,  he  advanced  upon  New  Brunswick,  from  which  place  General 
Howe  marched  June  14th  to  take  the  field  against  him.  The  first  division 
under  Lord  Cornwallis  advanced  to  Hillsborough ;  the  second,  com- 
manded by  General  De  Hiester,  marched  to  Middlebrush,  with  a  view 
of  drawing  on  an  action  if  the  enemy  should  remove  from  the  mountains 
toward  the  Delaware.  The  Americans,  however,  retained  their  posit-^on, 
and  General  Howe  decided  to  withdraw  the  British  army  from  New 
Jersey,  returning  his  troops  to  the  camp  at  New  Brunswick.  On  June  22 
the  road  was  taken  for  Perth  Amboy,  intending  to  cross  to  Staten  Island 
from  thence  to  embark  for  New  York.  The  British  army  crossed  over 
to  Staten  Island,  the  rearguard  passing  Perth  Amboy  at  two  o'clock  on 
the  afternoon  of  June  30,  without  the  least  appearance  of  an  enemy. 
This  movement  was  a  matter  of  great  perplexity  to  Washington ;  Bur- 
goyne  was  in  command  of  a  large  force  in  Canada,  advancing  upon 
Ticonderoga ;  in  New  York,  preparations  were  under  way  for  a  sea 
expedition  against  either  New  England  or  Philadelphia  to  create  a  diver- 
sion in  favor  of  Burgoyne.  Washington  moved  his  forces  slowly,  think- 
ing the  real  intention  of  all  these  measures  was  that  the  British  might 
attempt  to  ascend  the  Hudson  river,  endeavoring  to  form  a  junction  with 
Burgoyne.  The  British  fleet  went  to  sea,  and  Washington  prepared  to 
guard  Philadelphia.  The  battles  of  Brandywine  and  Germantown 
decided  the  issue ;  the  British  occupied  Philadelphia,  and  Washington 
and  his  army  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Valley  Forge. 

The  two  momentous  events  in  the  history  of  the  American  cause  for 
independence  were  the  massacre  at  Wyoming,  and  the  surrender  of 
Burgoyne.  Thus  at  the  close  of  1777,  by  the  first  the  patriots  had  gained 
the  sympathy  of  foreign  nations,  who  were  dumbfounded  and  disgusted 
by  the  use  of  depraved  Indians  bought  by  English  gold  to  murder  and 


REVOLUTIONARY  DAYS  95 

scalp  not  only  men  of  fighting  age,  but  defenseless  men,  women  and 
children.  In  the  latter  event,  Americans  had  displayed  to  the  world 
their  fearless  courage,  the  ability  of  their  commanders  and  soldiers  to 
meet  experienced  troops  and  obtain  a  victory,  when  the  odds  were  to 
their  disadvantage.  These  two  events  were  to  bring  to  the  American 
cause  not  only  the  gold  and  soldiers  of  France,  but  the  cooperation  of 
the  entire  civilized  world  outside  of  their  inveterate  enemies. 

The  opening  of  1778  found  the  British  army  in  the  east,  quartered 
in  Philadelphia,  New  York  and  Rhode  Island,  totaling  about  33,000  men, 
while  Washington  had  only  about  15,000  to  20,000  men.  Sir  Henry 
Clinton,  then  in  supreme  command  of  the  British  forces,  decided  in  June, 
1778,  to  evacuate  Philadelphia,  and  remove  his  army  to  New  York.  Pro- 
ceeding leisurely  through  Haddonfield  and  Mount  Holly,  he  reached 
Crosswicks  and  Allentown,  June  24th,  having  in  seven  days  marched  less 
than  forty  miles.  This  slow  progress  was  looked  upon  by  the  Amer- 
icans as  if  Sir  Henry  desired  an  engagement,  but  it  was  undoubtedly  due 
for  the  protection  of  his  wagon  train,  which  was  twelve  miles  long. 
Washington,  leaving  Valley  Forge,  encamped  on  high  grounds  at  Hope- 
well on  June  2^. 

From  Allentown  there  were  two  roads  to  New  York — one  through 
South  Amboy  to  the  Hudson  river,  the  other  leading  to  Monmouth  and 
Sandy  Hook.  The  first  was  the  shorter  route,  but  Sir  Henry  resolved 
to  take  the  road  to  Sandy  Hook,  as  he  judged  it  would  be  difficult  to 
cross  the  Raritan  river  in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  Washington,  anticipat- 
ing a  battle,  dispatched  one  thousand  men  towards  Monmouth  Court 
House,  the  whole  army  following  at  a  proper  distance.  The  armies  came 
together  near  the  present  site  of  Freehold,  where  two  or  three  brief 
skirmishes  were  fought,  but  the  final  pitched  battle  took  place  about  two 
miles  from  that  county  seat.  The  day  was  one  of  excessive  heat,  nearly 
one  hundred  soldiers  were  found  dead  on  the  battlefield  without  even 
a  mark  of  a  bullet.  The  British  soldiers  suffered  worse  in  this  respect, 
as  the  clothing  of  the  American  was  much  lighter  in  weight.  At  the 
approach  of  night,  both  armies  occupied  the  field  of  battle,  and  the  inten- 
tion of  Washington  was  to  continue  the  fight  the  following  day.  The 
British,  however,  when  darkness  flooded  the  land  at  about  ten  o'clock, 
silently  took  up  their  march,  and  to  the  surprise  of  the  Americans  the 
morning  sun  showed  no  enemies  in  view.  Clinton  marched  his  army 
twenty-four  miles  that  day,  protected  his  immense  wagon  train,  arrived 
at  Perth  Amboy,  and  embarked  his  troops  for  New  York.  General 
Washington  declined  to  follow  the  retreating  army  in  the  morning.  The 
battle  of  Monmouth  was  the  last  conflict  of  any  importance  to  take  place 
in  the  eastern  colonies ;  the  seat  of  war  was  henceforth  to  be  in  the 
southern  colonies. 


96  '  MIDDLESEX 

Several  minor  events  took  place  in  Middlesex  county.  A  detachment 
of  the  New  Jersey  Royal  Volunteers,  consisting-  of  sixty  men,  on  August 
19,  1777,  crossed  Staten  Island  Sound,  marched  twenty-seven  miles  into 
the  interior,  captured  fourteen  prisoners,  sixty-two  head  of  cattle,  nine 
horses,  destroyed  property,  and  successfully  transported  their  booty  in 
safety  to  the  island.  Commissioners  appointed  by  General  Washington 
and  Sir  Henry  Clinton  met  at  Perth  Amboy,  April  12,  1779,  to  make 
arrangements  for  a  general  exchange  of  prisoners.  Another  invasion 
was  made  by  about  fifty  of  the  "Greens"  who  crossed  from  Staten  Island 
in  the  early  morning  of  October  12,  1779,  and  secured  upwards  of  a 
hundred  cattle  and  horses,  but  a  company  of  American  troops  obliged 
them  to  retreat,  leaving  most  of  their  booty  behind.  The  raid  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Simcoe,  of  the  Queen's  Rangers,  on  the  night  of  October 
25,  1779,  in  which  the  gallant  leader  lost  his  life,  was  one  of  the  most 
notable  events  of  the  success  of  the  New  Jersey  militia.  A  band  of  thirty 
refugees  on  June  i,  1780,  captured  ten  prisoners  at  Woodbridge,  whom 
they  conveyed  to  New  York. 

Captain  Adam  Hyler  and  Captain  Marriver  were  enterprising  priva- 
teers of  New  Brunswick.  They  cruised  between  Egg  Harbor  and  Staten 
Island,  and  many  of  their  exploits  read  like  a  romance.  They  levied 
their  contributions  on  the  New  York  fishermen  on  the  fishing  banks,  and 
annoyed  the  enemy  so  much  that  an  armed  force  of  three  hundred  men 
was  sent  January  4,  1782,  to  destroy  their  boats.  Hyler,  the  most  suc- 
cessful of  the  two,  died  at  New  Brunswick  in  1782;  Marriver  lived  at 
Harlem,  New  York,  several  years  after  the  war.  There  is  scarcely  a  town 
or  village  in  the  State  that  has  not  its  local  traditions  or  veritable 
accounts  of  valiant  doings  in  the  country's  cause,  waiting  for  the  patient 
chronicler  to  gather  and  preserve  them. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR. 

Two  citizens  of  Middlesex  county,  Nathaniel  Heard  and  John  Neil- 
son,  received  the  military  rank  of  brigadier-general  in  the  New  Jersey 
State  troops  furnished  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  General  Heard 
was  a  native  of  Woodbridge,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  take  the  field 
against  the  enemy.  He  raised  in  1775  a  body  of  troops  which  he  placed 
at  the  disposition  of  the  Provincial  Congress  and  the  Committee  of 
Safety.  He  was  colonel  of  the  First  Middlesex  Regiment,  afterwards 
colonel  of  a  battalion  of  Minute-men,  later  was  in  command  of  a  battalion 
named  in  his  honor  Heard's  Battalion,  then  was  made  a  brigadier- 
general  and  finally  held  that  rank  in  the  militia.  He  suffered  a  heavy 
penalty  for  his  patriotism ;  his  dwelling  with  the  outside  buildings  were 
destroyed  by  fire  by  the  British,  who  also  appropriated  to  their  use  a 
thousand  bushels  of  grain,  seventy  tons  of  hay,  one  thousand  panels  of 
fence,  twenty-two  hogsheads  of  cider,  and  two  horses ;  he  lost  by  these 
depredations  over  £2,000.  After  the  Revolution,  he  held  several  offices 
under  the  National  and  State  governments,  being  marshal  of  New  Jersey 
and  collector  of  revenue  at  Amboy  under  the  former,  and  surrogate  under 
the  latter. 

General  Neilson  was  of  Scotch  and  Dutch  descent,  though  the  found- 
ers of  his  family  in  America  came  from  Belfast,  Ireland.  James  Neilson, 
with  his  brother  John  Neilson,  a  doctor,  arrived  in  Perth  Amboy  in  1716. 
The  former  became  a  resident  of  New  Brunswick  before  1730,  as  he  was 
one  of  the  patentees  for  a  charter  obtained  in  that  year.  The  mail  for 
Somerset  county  was  left  at  his  residence,  as  Perth  Amboy  was  the  near- 
est post  office.  James  Neilson  engaged  in  the  shipping  and  mercantile 
business,  was  one  of  the  first  trustees  of  Princeton  College  (then  the 
College  of  New  Jersey),  was  alderman  in  New  Brunswick,  judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  a  member  of  the  Revolutionary  Committee 
of  Correspondence.  He  died  at  New  Brunswick,  March  4,  1783,  in  the 
eighty-third  year  of  his  age.  Though  far  advanced  in  life  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  he  was  exceeded  by  no  one 
in  patriotism,  believing  that  the  injustice  aimed  at  the  colonies  was  clear 
and  unveiled.  He  was  a  true  friend  to  religion,  and  a  liberal  contributor 
to  its  support.  He  died  childless,  but  owing  to  the  early  death  of  General 
Neilson's  father,  he  adopted  his  brother's  son  as  his  own  and  left  him  his 
heir  by  his  will. 

Doctor  John  Neilson,  a  native  of  Belfast,  Ireland,  the  father  of  the 
General,  married  Joanna,  daughter  of  Andrew  Cojeman,  who  came  from 

Mid-7 


98  MIDDLESEX 

Holland  with  his  mother,  the  widow  of  Andreas  Cojeman.  The  family- 
settled  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  river  on  the  Cojeman's  patent,  after- 
wards removed  to  Raritan  Landing-.  Dr.  Neilson  died  March  19.  1745, 
in  consequence  of  an  accident  and  while  a  young  man. 

The  only  son  of  Doctor  John  and  Joanna  (Cojeman)  Neilson  was 
born  at  Raritan  Landing,  March  11,  1745,  and  given  the  name  of  his 
father.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  he  was  eng-aged  in  the  ship- 
ping business  with  his  uncle  James  Neilson.  Fired  with  patriotism  for 
his  native  country,  yovmg  Neilson  made  a  strong  speech  to  the  citizens 
of  New  Brunswick,  in  which  to  use  his  own  words,  he  "bitterly  resented 
the  attempt  of  a  venal  Parliament  fought  by  an  oppressive  ministry  to 
tax  his  country,  stating  that  the  only  alternative  was  victory  or  slavery." 
He  thrcAv  himself  with  energ}^  into  the  struggle,  raised  a  company  of 
militia,  and  was  appointed  its  captain.  The  company  was  called  into 
service  and  placed  under  command  of  General  Heard  at  the  east  end  of 
Long  Island.  Captain  Neilson  on  August  31,  1775,  was  commissioned 
colonel  of  a  battalion  of  minute-men  from  Middlesex  county  by  the  Pro- 
vincial Congress  of  New  Jersey. 

Such  was  the  public  appreciation  of  Colonel  Neilson's  ability  and 
patriotism  that  he  was  urged  early  in  1776  to  take  a  seat  in  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  of  that  year,  which  was  to  take  under  consideration  the 
grave  measure  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  His  presence  in  his 
native  State  being  deemed  so  necessary,  he  was  led  to  decline  the  honor. 
A  copy  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  however,  was  forwarded  to 
him  by  Congress,  and  he  was  solicited  to  use  his  efforts  for  it  to  receive 
a  favorable  reception  in  his  part  of  New  Jersey.  A  meeting  consisting 
of  a  large  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  Brunswick  was  held  in  the 
public  streets  to  hear  the  document  read,  and  a  violent  opposition  was 
feared.  Colonel  Neilson,  fearless  of  personal  danger,  read  the  instrument 
to  the  people,  and  at  its  conclusion  was  greeted  with  loud  cheers  by  so 
great  a  majority  that  the  opponents  of  the  measure  did  not  dare  to  avow 
themselves. 

In  the  dark  and  gloomy  days  of  1776,  when  Washington's  army  was 
reduced  to  a  mere  handful  and  the  country's  cause  was  trembling  in  the 
balance,  Colonel  Neilson,  in  command  of  the  Second  Regiment  Middle- 
sex County  Militia,  during  September  and  October,  was  stationed  in 
Bergen  and  Essex  counties.  His  command  in  December  retired  with 
Washington's  army  to  the  west  bank  of  the  Delaware  river.  On  the  last 
day  of  that  gloomy  year,  under  orders  of  General  Washington,  Colonel 
Neilson  with  other  New  Jersey  militia  officers  was  directed  to  proceed 
to  New  Jersey  to  use  their  exertions  to  call  together  and  embody  the 
militia  of  the  State.  The  efforts  of  these  and  a  few  other  brave  men  at 
this  critical  time,  and  the  patriotic  response  of  the  State  militia,  made 


MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  REVOLUTION  99 

possible  the  victories  of  Trenton,  Princeton  and  Monmouth,  which 
turned  the  scale  from  deep  despondency  and  finally  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  American  independence. 

Colonel  Neilson  with  a  detachment  of  his  regiment  surprised  and 
captured  every  man  of  an  outpost  of  refugees  stockaded  on  an  island  in 
the  river  about  three  miles  below  New  Brunswick,  without  firing  a  gun. 
In  acknowledgment  of  his  services  he  was  appointed,  February  21,  1777, 
brigadier-general  of  militia.  During  the  winter  of  1777  the  British  troops 
were  quartered  at  New  Brunswick,  their  commander,  Lord  Howe,  mak- 
ing his  headquarters  at  Colonel  Neilson's  residence  on  Burnet  street.  In 
the  months  of  September,  October  and  November,  1777,  the  colonel  was 
in  service  in  the  lines  at  Elizabethtown  with  the  militia  of  Middlesex  and 
Somerset  counties.  He  served  in  Monmouth  county  in  June  and  July, 
1778,  being  a  part  of  the  time  under  command  of  General  Dickerson,  and 
a  part  holding  a  separate  command.  The  Assembly  and  Council,  Novem- 
ber 6,  1778,  elected  him  a  delegate  to  the  Continental  Congress,  but  he 
never  took  his  seat,  as  his  services  could  not  be  spared  from  the  State. 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1779  he  commanded  the  militia  on  the 
lines  of  Elizabeth  and  Newark.  He  was  appointed  September  20,  1780, 
deputy  quartermaster-general  for  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  This  position 
threw  upon  him  great  responsibility,  as  the  State  failed  either  by  taxes 
or  loans  to  provide  for  the  support  of  the  army.  The  currency  was 
depreciated,  and  forage,  food,  clothing  and  transportation  were  hard  to 
obtain.  He  continued  in  this  position  until  the  close  of  the  war.  His 
useful  and  honorable  Revolutionary  career  was  terminated  by  his  appoint- 
ment, June  28,  1782,  as  one  of  the  commissioners  to  settle  the  remaining 
accounts  caused  by  the  depreciation  in  the  money  value  of  their  pay  with 
the  New  Jersey  troops. 

After  the  war  he  succeeded  to  the  property  and  business  of  his  uncle, 
and  carried  on  an  extensive  trade  with  Lisbon,  Maderia,  and  the  West 
Indies.  He  was  still,  however,  called  upon  for  services  to  the  public ;  he 
was  delegate  to  the  State  Convention  called  to  consider  the  adoption  of 
the  Federal  Constitution,  and  of  its  forty  members  was  the  last  survivor ; 
he  was  one  of  the  commissioners  to  build  bridges  over  the  Hackensack, 
Passaic  and  Raritan  rivers ;  and  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Assem- 
bly in  1800  and  1801.  General  Washington  never  passed  through  New 
Brunswick  without  calling  on  General  Neilson,  and  Lafayette  at  the 
time  of  his  visit  to  this  country  in  1824  presented  him  with  a  sword,  and 
evinced  the  warmest  pleasure  in  seeing  him  again.  General  Neilson  was 
an  elder  in  the  New  Brunswick  Presbyterian  church,  clerk  of  the  session 
fifty  years,  and  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Rutgers  College 
from  1782,  until  his  death  March  3,  1833. 

The  colonels  of  the  New  Jersey  Line  were  :  Jacob  Hyer,  John  Taylor, 
Robert  Taylor,  John  Webster  and  John   Wetherill.     Hyer  was  from 


lOO  MIDDLESEX 

Princeton,  and  was  first  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Third  Middlesex  Regi- 
ment ;  afterwards  became  its  colonel.  He  was  a  "fine  old  gentleman  of 
the  olden  times,"  and  was  at  one  time  an  innkeeper,  but  was  also  engaged 
in  his  trade  of  hatter.  Of  John  and  Robert  Taylor  there  is  little  known. 
Colonel  Webster  was  a  resident  of  Piscataway,  where  he  was  a  farmer 
on  a  large  scale.  He  was  first  a  captain  in  the  First  Middlesex  Regiment, 
afterwards  successively  its  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel.  Colonel 
Wetherill  was  from  South  Brunswick,  and  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war  was  colonel  of  the  Second  Middlesex  Regiment. 

Two  other  citizens  of  New  Brunswick  ranked  as  colonel  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary War.  Anthony  Walton  White  was  born  near  New  Brunswick, 
July  7,  1750,  the  only  son  of  Anthony  White  and  Elizabeth  Morris,  a 
daughter  of  Governor  Lewis  Morris.  His  ancestors  were  of  a  martial 
strain  of  blood.  The  progenitor  of  the  family,  Anthony  White,  a  royalist, 
left  England  shortly  after  the  execution  of  Charles  L,  settling  in  Ber- 
muda. His  son,  also  named  Anthony,  served  with  the  army  in  Ireland 
until  the  Battle  of  the  Boyne.  Leonard,  the  latter's  eldest  son,  was  an 
officer  in  the  British  navy ;  and  his  eldest  son,  Anthony  White,  lived  in 
New  York  in  1715  ;  son  of  the  latter  and  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
narrative  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  British  army  during  the  French 
and  Indian  War  in  1753. 

As  early  as  1761,  Anthony  Walton  White,  although  only  eleven  years 
of  age,  was  owing  to  paternal  influence  in  possession  of  several  official 
sinecures.  He  continued  a  nominal  holder  of  these  offices,  pursuing  his 
studies  in  the  meantime  under  his  father,  whom  he  in  turn  assisted  in 
care  of  his  estate,  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution.  In  October, 
1775,  he  also  was  appointed  an  aide  to  General  Washington,  and  the 
following  February  was  commissioned  by  Congress  lieutenant-colonel 
of  the  Third  Battalion  of  New  Jersey  troops,  and  as  such  commanded  the 
outposts  of  the  army  under  Washington,  continuing  in  service  in  the 
army  of  the  North  until  1780,  when  he  was  appointed  a  colonel. 

In  July,  1780,  Colonel  White  fitted  out  on  his  own  credit  two  regi- 
ments with  which  the  following  spring  he  joined  General  Gates'  army  in 
the  South.  His  command  was  engaged  in  skirmishes  with  General  Tarle- 
ton's  troops  until  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown.  Between 
1781  and  1783  he  was  with  General  Wayne  in  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia. 
He  unfortunately,  however,  became  security  for  the  debts  of  officers  and 
men  of  his  command,  which  he  was  obliged  to  pay,  thereby  depleting 
his  fortune.  In  the  spring  of  1783  he  married  Miss  Margaret  Ellis,  a 
young  lady  possessing  great  beauty  and  wealth,  who  resided  in  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina.  He  resided  from  1783  to  1793  in  New  York,  but 
after  that  lived  in  New  Brunswick,  where  he  died  February  10,  1803.  In 
his  late  life  his  fortunes  were  again  impoverished,  and  the  fortune  of  his 


MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  REVOLUTION  loi 

wife  was  wrecked  through  the  improvidence  of  a  friend  who  had  been 
intrusted  with  its  care,  and  his  efforts  to  obtain  relief  from  Congress 
on  account  of  his  expenditures  for  men  in  the  service  of  the  government 
proved  unavaiHng. 

The  ancestors  of  Colonel  John  Bayard  were  of  French  and  Dutch 
extraction.  Samuel  Bayard,  a  son  of  Rev.  Balthazar  Bayard,  a  French 
Protestant  divine  and  professor,  died  in  his  native  country  before  his 
widow  and  children  emigrated  to  America.  The  widow  was  a  daughter 
of  Rev.  Balthazar  Stuyvesant,  and  a  sister  of  Peter  Stuyvesant,  the 
famous  director-general  of  New  Netherlands,  whose  wife  was  a  sister  of 
Samuel  Bayard,  his  brother-in-law.  The  widow  with  her  four  children 
accompanied  her  brother  to  New  Amsterdam.  She  was  a  person  of 
imposing  presence,  highly  educated,  with  great  business  capacity,  and, 
like  her  brother,  had  an  imperious  temper.  Petrus,  her  son,  a  native  of 
Alphen,  South  Holland,  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  also  in  real  estate 
transactions.  Among  his  many  purchases  of  the  latter  was  in  connection 
with  a  party  of  Labodists  of  lands  in  Cecil  county,  Maryland,  known  as 
the  Labodie  Tract  of  Bohemia  Manor.  Petrus  died  in  New  Amsterdam 
in  1699.  His  son  Samuel,  with  his  brother-in-law,  Hendrick  Sluyter,  in 
1698  removed  from  New  Amsterdam  to  Bohemia  Manor,  where  he  built 
a  substantial  brick  mansion.  James,  his  son,  came  into  possession  of  the 
"Great  House"  in  Bohemia  Manor  at  the  time  of  his  mother's  death  in 
1750.  Here  he  spent  his  life,  one  of  the  most  influential  and  active  citi- 
zens of  Eastern  Maryland.  In  the  "Great  House"  were  born,  August  11, 
1738,  John  Bubenheim  and  James  Asheton  Bayard,  twins.  They  attended 
the  famous  Nottingham  Institution  in  Maryland,  then  under  the  super- 
vision of  Rev.  Samuel  Finley ;  subsequently  they  were  placed  under  the 
private  tutelage  of  Rev.  George  Duffield,  the  famous  Presbyterian  theo- 
logian. The  brothers  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  went  to  Philadelphia, 
John,  dropping  his  middle  name  of  Bubenheim,  entered  the  counting- 
house  of  John  Rhea,  while  his  brother  took  up  the  study  of  medicine. 
John  Bayard  later  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  becoming  one  of  the 
leading  importers  and  merchants  of  the  Quaker  City.  He  was  amongst 
the  first  to  protest  against  the  exactions  of  the  British  government,  and 
his  name  heads  the  list  that  signed  the  non-importation  agreement  of 
October  25,  1765.  When  the  period  of  aggression  took  place,  he  was 
found  at  the  forefront  of  the  struggle.  He  was  appointed  a  member  of 
the  Committee  of  Correspondence,  a  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Conven- 
tion, and  early  identified  himself  with  the  Sons  of  Liberty. 

In  1775  three  battalions  of  Associators  were  organized  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  Bayard  was  commissioned  major  of  the  second,  subsequently 
promoted  to  the  colonelcy,  and  saw  active  service  during  the  next  two 
years.     He  was  in  camp  with  his  command  at  Bristol,  Pennsylvania, 


I02  "  MIDDLESEX 

shortly  before  Washing-ton's  crossing  of  the  Delaware.  For  his  services 
at  the  battle  of  Princeton  he  received  the  personal  thanks  of  Washington, 
During  the  year  1777,  Colonel  Bayard  divided  his  time  between  his  mili- 
tary and  civil  duties.  He  was  appointed  March  13  of  that  year  a  member 
of  the  State  Board  of  War,  and  four  days  later  was  elected  speaker  of 
the  Assembly.  When  Lord  Howe  and  the  British  army  approached 
Philadelphia,  Colonel  Bayard  resumed  his  military  duties  and  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  Brandywine  and  Germantown.  Later,  when  hos- 
tilities were  discontinued  for  the  winter,  he  again  returned  to 
the  performance  of  his  executive  duties.  In  1780  he  served  as  a  member 
of  a  committee  to  report  the  causes  of  the  falling  ofT  of  the  State  rev- 
enues. He  was  chosen  October  13,  1781,  to  a  seat  in  the  Supreme  Execu- 
tive Council,  serving  until  November  4,  1782;  soon  after  he  was  com- 
missioned a  judge  of  the  High  Court  of  Appeals.  He  took  his  seat  as  a 
member  of  the  Continental  Congress,  November  22,  1785.  His  retire- 
ment from  active  business  took  place  in  1788,  when  he  removed  from 
Philadelphia  to  New  Brunswick,  where  he  built  a  handsome  residence  in 
which  he  entertained  many  distinguished  guests.  In  1790  he  was  made 
mayor  of  his  adopted  residential  city,  and  afterwards  commissioned  a 
judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Somerset  county.  His  death 
took  place  at  New  Brunswick,  January  7,  1807. 

Prominent  in  the  medical  history  of  the  American  army  was  Charles 
McKnight.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  Rev.  Charles  McKnight,  for  nearly 
forty  years  a  much  esteemed  and  highly  respected  clergyman  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  one  of  the  early  trustees  of  the  College  of  New 
Jersey.  Of  Scotch  descent,  his  forbears  emigrated  to  Ireland  at  the  time 
of  the  "Ulster  Plantation,"  which  took  place  at  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  The  reverend  gentleman  was  of  such  pronounced 
patriotism  for  the  American  cause  that  he  became  obnoxious  to  the 
Tories,  and  at  an  advanced  age  in  1777  was  imprisoned  by  the  British, 
who  treated  him  with  great  cruelty.  Upon  his  release  from  captivity  he 
survived  but  a  short  time,  his  death  occurring  January  i,  1778.  A 
younger  son  of  the  worthy  clergyman,  an  officer  in  the  New  Jersey  Line, 
was  also  confined  to  the  prison  ships  in  Wallabout  bay,  Long  Island, 
now  the  present  site  of  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard  ;  he  perished  during-  his 
imprisonment,  thus  joining  the  great  army  of  martyrs  to  the  cause  of 
independence.  The  future  surgeon-general  of  the  American  army  was 
born  at  Cranbury,  October  10,  1750;  after  receiving  an  excellent  educa- 
tion he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1771  from  Princeton  College.  He  sub- 
sequently studied  medicine  with  the  celebrated  surgeon,  Dr.  Shippen,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  owing  to  his  marked  abilities  was  appointed,  April  11, 
1777,  senior  surgeon  of  the  Flying  Hospital,  Middle  Department;  at  the 
age  of  thirty  years  he  was  made  surgeon-general  of  the  American  army, 


MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  REVOLUTION  103 

serving  until  January  i,  1782.  Dr.  McKnight  then  became  Professor  of 
Surgery  and  Anatomy  in  Columbia  College,  New  York.  He  gained  dis- 
tinction as  a  practitioner  and  teacher,  not  only  in  his  native  country,  but 
also  in  Europe.  A  life  of  constant  activity  was,  however,  relinquished  in 
his  forty-first  year,  owing  to  a  pulmonary  affection,  the  result  of  an 
injury  received  during  the  war,  and  which  caused  his  death.  Dr.  Mc- 
Knight, although  an  eminent  physician,  was  particularly  distinguished 
at  home  and  abroad  as  a  practical  surgeon,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
was  without  a  rival  in  this  branch  of  the  medical  profession.  Dr. 
McKnight's  only  son,  John  M.  Scott  McKnight,  was  a  prominent  physi- 
cian of  New  York  City.  A  grandson,  Charles  McKnight  Smith,  though 
a  native  of  Haverstraw,  New  York,  soon  after  obtaining  his  medical 
degree  located  at  Perth  Amboy,  where  he  continued  practice  until  his 
death  in  1874.  being  at  that  time  one  of  the  oldest  physicians  in  practice 
in  the  State.  He  was  for  many  years  health  officer  of  Perth  Amboy,  a 
vestryman  of  St.  Peter's  Church  in  that  city,  and  collector  of  the  port 
in  1841  and  at  intermediate  periods  till  his  death. 

A  noted  early  physician  of  New  Brunswick  who  gained  military  fame 
in  the  Revolutionary  War  was  Moses  Scott.  A  native  of  Neshaminy, 
Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  he  early  became  infatuated  with  military  life, 
and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  joined  the  unfortunate  expedition  of 
General  Braddock.  At  the  capture  of  Fort  Duquesne,  then  a  commis- 
sioned officer,  he  resigned  and  entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine.  He 
removed  to  New  Brunswick  before  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  and  on  February  14,  1776,  was  commissioned  surgeon  in  the 
general  hospital  of  the  Continental  army.  He  supplied  himself  with 
medicines  and  surgical  instruments  which  he  obtained  from  Europe 
chiefly  upon  his  own  credit ;  but  on  the  enemy  invading  New  Bruns- 
wick he  narrowly  made  his  escape  and  the  outfit  of  medical  supplies  was 
emptied  into  the  streets  by  the  British  soldiers.  Congress  took  the  entire 
direction  of  the  medical  staff  of  the  army  in  1777,  and  Dr.  Scott  was  com- 
missioned as  senior  physician  and  surgeon  of  the  hospitals  and  assistant 
director-general.  He  was  present  at  the  battles  of  Trenton,  Princeton, 
Brandywine  and  Germantown.  At  the  restoration  of  peace  he  resumed 
his  medical  duties  at  New  Brunswick,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until 
his  death,  December  28,  1821. 

Among  the  line  officers  of  the  regiments  of  the  New  Jersey  State 
troops  ranking  as  lieutenant-colonel  was  Samuel  Crow,  of  Woodbridge, 
who  was  successively  a  captain  in  the  First  Regiment  of  Middlesex,  then 
a  major,  and  subsequently  lieutenant-colonel  of  that  regiment.  Jonathan 
Deare  was  originally  from  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  but  must  have 
removed  before  the  commencement  of  hostilities  to  Amboy,  as  at  a 
meeting  held  to  discuss  measures  for  the  relief  of  the  country,  April  28, 


104  >  MIDDLESEX 

1775,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  standing  committee  of  correspondence 
for  the  north  ward  of  that  city.  He  attended  the  Provincial  Congress 
held  May  5,  1775,  taking  his  seat  as  a  member  from  Middlesex  county, 
and  not  especially  from  Amboy.  He  was  also  a  vestryman  of  St.  Peter's 
Church  of  Perth  Amboy  from  1770  to  1774.  His  name  appears  first  with 
rank  of  major,  to  a  pledge  signed  by  officers  of  the  First  Regiment  of 
Militia  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  dated  February  24,  1776.  Having 
been  promoted  to  lieutenant-colonel,  he  resigned  in  March,  1778,  to 
become  collector  of  customs  for  the  eastern  district  of  New  Jersey.  His 
fee  book  while  naval  officer  at  Amboy  from  June  8,  1784,  to  February  8, 
1788,  in  possession  of  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society,  shows  the 
entrance  of  fifty-two  sailing  vessels  and  the  clearance  of  fifty  during 
that  period. 

Azariah  Dunham  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham,  a  resident 
of  Piscataway.  He  was  a  civil  engineer,  residing  before  the  opening  of 
the  war  at  New  Brunswick.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Colonial  Assembly 
in  May,  1775,  and  during  the  preceding  year  a  member  of  the  conference 
held  in  the  city  of  New  York,  of  delegates  from  the  sister  colonies  to 
adopt  measures  to  protect  the  menaced  liberties  of  the  people.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  first  Provincial  Congress  of  New  Jersey,  also  of  the 
Committee  of  Safety.  Colonel  Dunham  was  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Second  Battalion  Middlesex  Militia,  but  resigned  to  devote  his  attention 
to  the  duties  of  superintendent  of  purchases,  also  to  raise  troops  and  sign 
bills  of  credit  for  the  Eastern  Department  of  New  Jersey,  a  position  to 
which  he  had  been  elected  by  the  Provincial  Congress  and  which  he 
filled  until  the  close  of  the  war.  There  is  little  known  of  Micajah  Dunn 
and  Richard  Lott.  Thomas  Hadden,  a  resident  of  Woodbridge,  was 
first  a  captain,  then  major,  and  afterwards  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  First 
Middlesex  Regiment.  William  Scudder  was  from  a  family  of  millers, 
and  his  grist  and  fulling  mill  at  Scudder's  mills  was  totally  destroyed  by 
the  British.  He  was  first  major  and  afterwards  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Third  Middlesex  Regiment. 

Amongst  those  line  officers  who  held  the  rank  of  major  was  John 
Dunn.  He  was  a  member  of  the  family  of  that  name  largely  identified 
with  the  township  of  Piscataway,  who  furnished  not  less  than  fifteen  offi- 
cers and  privates  of  the  name  of  Dunn  to  the  American  army.  Major 
Dunn  was  first  a  major  in  Colonel  Heard's  battalion  of  minute-men,  and 
afterwards  held  the  same  rank  in  Colonel  Samuel  Forman's  battalion  of 
detached  militia,  and  subsequently  was  first  major  of  the  First  Middlesex 
Regiment.  John  Lyle,  a  tanner,  of  New  Brunswick,  was  first  a  captain 
and  then  a  major  in  the  Third  Middlesex  Regiment.  Another  patriotic 
tanner  was  Robert  Nixon,  of  South  Brunswick,  who  was  first  a  captain  in 
a  troop  of  light-horse,  was  brevetted  major,  and  finally  was  first  major  of 


MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  REVOLUTION 


105 


the  Third  Middlesex  Regiment.  Samuel  F.  Parker,  a  son  of  the  pioneer 
printer,  James  Parker,  of  Woodbridge,  was  first  a  captain  in  Colonel 
Forman's  battalion  of  Heard's  brigade,  and  afterwards  a  major  in  same. 
Samuel  Randolph,  of  Piscataway,  was  first  a  captain  and  then  a  major  in 
the  First  Middlesex  Regiment.  John  Van  Emburgh,  a  resident  of  New 
Brunswick,  was  successively  second  and  first  major  of  the  Second  Mid- 
dlesex Regiment.  He  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  enemy  at  Tom's  River, 
New  Jersey,  May  14,  1780,  but  soon  effected  his  escape.  He  was  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  Presbyterian  church  at  New  Brunswick,  serv- 
ing as  one  of  its  trustees.  There  is  little  known  of  Edgar  Clarkson. 
Thomas  Egbert  and  Reuben  Potter  held  the  rank  of  major  in  the  New 
Jersey  militia.  Thomas  Stelle  or  Steele,  from  the  town  of  Piscataway, 
was  a  captain  and  afterwards  paymaster  of  the  Middlesex  Militia.  John 
Van  Kirk  held  the  rank  of  quartermaster. 

We  append  the  names  of  the  company  officers  and  privates  of  the 
Middlesex  men  in  the  Revolutionary  War : 


ROSTER  OF  STATE  TROOPS. 


Addis,  Simon. 
Anderson,  Andrew. 
Barron,  Ellis. 

Barr,  . 

Bonny,  James. 
Chambers,  David. 
Combs,  Thomas. 
Conover,  William. 

Curtis,  . 

De  Bow,  James. 
Dey,  John. 
Dunn,  Hugh. 
Ferguson,  Josiah. 
Frazier,  David. 
Freeman,  Matthew. 
Guest,  Moses. 
Guest,  William. 
Gulick,  Joakim. 
Harnott,  George. 
Hartipee,  William. 
Hope,  . 


Barricklo,  Farrington. 
Cape,  John. 
Dean,  Stephen. 
De  Groot,  William. 
Drake,  John. 
Field,  Jeremiah. 
Fisher,  Charles. 
Gilliland,  David. 
Lott,  George. 


Bareford,  Lewis. 
Carman,  Stephen. 
Dunn,  Ephraim. 
Gordon,  Archibald. 


CAPTAINS. 

Hulick,  . 

Jaquish,  — • . 

Johnston,  Heathcote. 
Lupardus,  Christian. 

Lupp,  . 

Manning,  Jeremiah. 
Manning,  William. 
McCulIough,  Benjamin 
Moore,  James. 
Morgan,  James. 
Nevius,  Peter. 
Pain,  John. 
Perrine,  Peter. 
Piatt,  Jacob. 

Piatt,  . 

Piatt,  . 

Randolph,  Asher  Fitz. 
Randolph,  Nathaniel  Fitz. 
Randolph,  Reuben. 
Ross,  Robert. 
Schenck,  John. 

LIEUTENANTS. 
McDowell,  Andrew. 
Morgan,  Nicholas. 
Mount,  John. 
Persall,  John. 

Van  Pelt,  — . 

Voorhees,  Daniel. 
Voorhees,  John  L. 
Edgar,  David. 
Marsh,  Ralph. 

ENSIGNS. 
Grove,  Samuel. 
Hampton,  John. 

Morford,  . 

Morgan,  James,  Jr. 


Schuyler,  Abram. 

Scudder,  . 

Sebring,  Jacob. 
Shearer, 


Skinner,  Richard. 
Smalley,  David. 
Statsors.  John. 
Stelle,  Thompson. 
Stout,  Samuel. 
Ten  Eyck,  Jeremiah. 
Van  Deventer,  Jacob. 
Van  Nest,  Peter. 
Van  Winkle,  Simeon. 
Voorhees,  John,  Jr. 

Wentzel,  . 

Wetherill,  . 

Wetherill,  . 

Williamson,  William. 

Wood,  . 

Woolsey,  . 


Mersurall,  Jacob. 
Schureman,  James. 
Skilton,  Joseph. 
Terhune,  Abram. 
Thompson,  George. 
Thompson,  John. 
Thompson,  John. 


Phares,  John. 
Randolph,  Lewis  F. 
Suydam,  Hendrick. 


io6 


MIDDLESEX 


Lott,  Daniel. 

Buckalew,  Josiah. 
Burlew,  Josiah. 
Covenhovcn,  Peter. 
Dailey,  John. 
Davison,  William. 
De  Hart,  William. 
Disbrow,  Daniel. 


Ball,  William. 
Crow,  Garret. 
Dunn,  John. 


Coddington,  Robert. 


Adams,  John. 
Addis,  Simeon. 
Alger,  Archibald. 
Allen,  Henry. 
Allen,  Jonathan. 
Allison,  Seth. 
Anderson,  John. 
Anderson,  Joseph. 
Appleby,  Ambrose. 
Applegate,  Andrew. 
Applegate,  Charles. 
Applegate,  Nathaniel. 
Applegate,  Noah. 
Applegate,  Robert  (i). 
Applegate,  Robert   (2). 
Applegate,  Thomas. 
Applegate,  William. 
Applegate,  Zebulon. 
Armstrong,  Robert. 
Armstrong,  William. 
Arnold,  James. 
Arnold,  John. 
Arnold,  Lewis. 
Arvin,  James. 
Arvin,  John. 
Arvin,  Peter. 
Asbondon,  William. 
Ashton,  Robert. 
Atten,  Evert. 
Attenger,  John. 
Ayres,  Benjamin. 
Ayers,  Ezekiel. 
Ayres,  Jacob. 
Ayers,  Jedah. 
Ayers,  Nathan. 
Ayers,  Reuben. 
Ayers,  Samuel. 
Ayres,  Elric. 
Ayres,  Lewis. 
Ayres,  Obadiah. 
Ayres,  Isaac. 
Ayres,  Phineas. 
Badcock,  Joseph. 
Bailey,  Daniel. 
Bailey,  Richard. 
Baker,  Cornelius. 


CORNET. 

SERGEANTS. 
Flinn,  Benjamin. 
Griggs,  John. 
Lyle,  Moses. 
Alarsh,  Joshua. 
Messier,  Simon. 
Morgan,  Abraham. 
Nevius,  Peter. 

CORPORALS. 
Green,  John. 
Height,  David. 
Isleton,  Jonathan. 

FIFERS. 
Hortrick,  Barent. 

PRIVATES. 

Baker,  John. 
Baldwin,  Caleb. 
Baldwin,  Enos. 
Baldwin,  Woolsey. 
Baley,  John. 
Barclay,  Lewis. 
Barkelow,  Coonrod. 
Barkelow,  Henry. 
Barkels,  Farronton. 
Barkels,  John. 
Bastedo,  Leo. 
Bateman.  Daniel. 
Bayles,  Daniel. 
Bayles,  Richard. 
Bayles,  Samuel. 
Bennet,  Abraham. 
Bennet,  Hendrick. 
Bennet,  William. 
Bennington,  Israel. 
Bercount,  Daniel. 
Bergen,  Christian. 
Berlew,  Abraham. 
Bicknel,  John. 
Bigner,  Michael. 
Bingle,  James. 
Bishop,  Aaron. 
Bishop,  James. 
Bishop,  John. 
Bishop,  Richard. 
Bishop,  Shotwell. 
Bishop,  William. 
Bisset,  Andrew. 
Black,  Alexander. 
Black,  Benjamin. 
Blackford,  David. 
Blackford,  Nathan. 
Blackford,  Phineas. 
Elanchard,  Clark. 
Elanchard,  Isaac. 
Blane,  Robert. 
Bloodgood,  John. 
Bloomficld,  Elias. 
Bloomfickl,  Ezekiel. 
Bloomfield,  John. 
Eloomfield,  Jonathan. 
Bloomfield,  Moses. 


Nefies,  Peter. 
Obert,  Henry. 
Sutton,  Joseph. 
Thompson,  James. 
Voorhees,  William. 
Williamson,  Isaac. 


Letts,  Francis. 
Toms,  Michael. 


Van  Derventer,  John. 


Bloomfield,  Nathan. 
Bloomfield,  Thomas,  Jr. 
Bloomfield,  Thomas.  Sr. 
Bloomfield,  William. 
Boice,  George. 
Bonger,  John. 
Boorum,  Hendrick. 
Boorum,  John. 
Boorum,  Nicholas. 
Borhies,  James. 
Bowers,  John. 
Bowman,  Andrew. 
Bowman,  Peter. 
Bowne,  John. 
Bradbury,  Hezekiah. 
Bradbury,  Hosea. 
Bradley,  Robert. 
Brecourt,  Solomon. 
Brewer,  Thomas. 
Brickcourt,  Daniel. 
Briggs,  John. 
Britton,  Joseph   (i). 
Britton,  Joseph   (2). 
Broockes,  John. 
Brotherton,  David. 
Brotherton,  William. 
Brower,  Thomas. 
Brown,  Benjamin. 
Brown,  James. 
Brown,  John. 
Brown,  Joseph   (i). 
Brown,  Joseph   (2). 
Brown,  Joseph  (3). 
Brown,  Lewis. 
Brown,  Peter. 
Brown,  William. 
Brown,  Zebulon. 
Buckalew,  Alexander. 
Buckalew,  Cornelius. 
Buckalew,  Edward. 
Buckalew,  Frederick. 
Buckalew,  Gilbert. 
Buckalew,  Isaac. 
Buckalew,  John. 
Buckalew,  Peter. 
Buckalew,  Runvon. 


MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  REVOLUTION 


107 


Buckalew,  Samuel. 
Buckalew,  William. 
Bullin,  James. 
Burcourt,  David. 
Burdine,  James. 
Burding,  Abel. 
Burlen,  Alexander. 
Burlen,  Edward. 
Berlen,  Frederick. 
Berlen,  Frederick,  Jr. 
Burlen,  Gilbert. 
Burlen,  Samuel. 
Burlen,  Thomas. 
Burlen,  William. 
Burlen,  Peter. 
Burrill,  Robert. 
Burwell,  Robert. 
Cahill,  James. 
Camburn,  Joseph. 
Camp,  John. 
Campbell,  Benajah. 
Campbell,  Dugal. 
Campbell,  Eliscus. 
Campbell,  Ellis  R. 
Campbell,  John. 
Campbell,  Lewis. 
Campbell,  Nathaniel. 
Campbell,  Robert. 
Campbell,  Spencer. 
Cafon,  Levi. 
Cafon,  Robert. 
Carlisle,  William. 
Carman,  Richard. 
Carr,  Samuel. 
Carson,  Joseph. 
Carter,  Richard. 
Caterline,  Ebenezer. 
Caywood,  John. 
Caywood,  Thomas. 
Caywood,  William. 
Celly,  Jesse. 
Chamberlain,  John. 
Chamberlain,  Joseph. 
Chamberlain,  Lewis. 
Chambers,  James. 
Chapman,  Daniel. 
Chapman,  James. 
Childs,  John. 
Cheeseman,  John. 
Cheeseman,  Joseph. 
Cheeseman,  Samuel. 
Cheeseman,  William. 
Cheeseman,  Zachariah. 
Clark,  Alexander. 
Clark,  Benjamin. 
Clark,  Eli. 
Clark,  Peter. 
Clark,  William.  _ 
Clarkson,  Jeremiah 
Clarkson,  Randolph. 
Clarkson,  Iraker. 
Clarkson,  James. 
Clarkson,  Lewis. 
Clinton,  James. 
Cock,  John. 
Coddington,  Enoch. 
Coddington,  James. 


Coddington,  John. 
Colleger,  Joseph. 
Coloni,  Caleb. 
Combs,  Jonathan. 
Combs,  Samuel. 
Combs,  Stephen. 
Combs,  William. 
Compton,  Ephraim. 
Compton,  Gabriel. 
Compton,  John. 
Compton,  Samuel. 
Con,  Elisha. 
Condon,  John. 
Conger,  David. 
Conger,  John. 
Conger,  Jonathan. 
Connel,  Michael. 
Connelly,  John. 
Connelly,  Ned. 
Connelly,  William. 
Cook,  David. 
Cook,  Elisha. 
Cook,  Peter. 
Cornelius,  John   (i) 
Cornelius,  John  (2). 
Cornell,  Peter. 
Cornell,  Roeliff. 
Cornell,  Elisha. 
Corriell,  Abraham. 
Corriell,  David. 
Corsat,  Anthony. 
Cortelyou,  Hann. 
Cortelyou,  John. 
Cortelyou,  Roeliff. 
Cotheal,  Alexander. 
Covenhoven,  Francis. 
Covenhoven,  Garret. 
Covenhoven,  John. 
Covenhoven,  Lucas. 
Covenhoven,  Restes. 
Covenhoven,  William. 
Covert,  John. 
Covert,  Thomas. 
Craig,  Daniel  T. 
Craig,  David. 
Crane,  Seth. 
Craw.  Thomas. 
Crawford,  William  G. 
Creasey,  Alexander. 
Creasey,  William. 
Creasey,  Andrew. 
Crow,  Abraham. 
Crow,  Eleseus. 
Crowell,  David. 
Crowell,  Edward. 
Crowell,  Joseph. 
Cuffee,  Amos. 
Culver,  Nathaniel. 
Culvert,  Azariah. 
Cutter,  John. 
Cutter,  Kelsey. 
Cutter,  Samuel. 
Cutter,  Stephen. 
Dally,  Jeremiah. 
Dally,  "Samuel. 
Daniels,  Jeremiah. 
Daniels,  Randolph. 


Damets,  Richard. 
Davidson,  George. 
Davidson,  John. 
Davis,  Benjamin. 
Davis,  David  Rhay. 
Davis,  Edmond. 
Davis,  John. 
Davis,  Lewis. 
Davis,  Nathan. 
Davis,  Peter. 
Davison,  James. 
Davison,  Jediah. 
Davison,  Jeptha. 
Davison,  John. 
Davison,  Thomas. 
Davison,  William. 
Dean,  Abraham. 
Dean,  Daniel. 
Dean,  Jacob. 
Drake,  Abram.  _ 
Drake,  Benjamin. 
Drake,  Cheeseman. 
Drake,  Chesur. 
Drake,  Elisha. 
Drake,  Ephraim.  _-« 
Drake,  George. 
Drake,  Joseph. 
Drake,  Samuel. 
Drake,  Simon. 
Dungan,  Samuel. 
Dunham,  Asher. 
Dunham,  Davis. 
Dunham,  Elijah. 
Dunham,  Enoch. 
Dunham,  Frazee. 
Dunham,  Jacob. 
Dunham,  Jehu. 
Dunham,  John  (1). 
Dunham,  John   (2). 
Dunham,  Jonathan. 
Dunham,  Joseph. 
Dunham,  Joshua. 
Dunham,  Samuel. 
Duryea,  Frederick. 
Duryea,  John. 
Dunn,  Benjamin. 
Dunn,  Clawson. 
Dunn,  Daniel. 
Dunn,  Enoch. 
Dunn,  Ephraim. 
Dunn,  Gershom. 
Dunn,  Ichabod. 
Dunn,  Isaac. 
Dunn,  James  F. 
Dunn,  Jeremiah. 
Dunn,  Joel. 
Dunn,  Moses. 
Dunn,  Philip. 
Dunn,  Reuben. 
Dunn,  Thomas. 
Dye,  Amos. 
Dye,  Daniel. 
Dye,  James. 
Dye,  John. 
Dve,  Joseph. 
Dye,  Lawrence. 
Dye,  Thomas. 


io8 


MIDDLESEX 


Eastburn,  Robert. 
Eastburn,  Thomas. 
Eastwood,  Amariah. 
Edgar,  James. 
Edgar,  William. 
Egbert,  James. 
Egbert,  Lewis. 
Egerton,  Matthew. 
Ellason,  Daniel. 
Ellason,  Joseph. 
Ellason,  Samuel. 
Ellason,  Seth. 
Elliott,  Daniel. 
Ellis,  Joseph. 
Ellison,  Samuel. 
Elston,  Andrew. 
Emmons,  Isaac. 
English,  David. 
English,  Robert. 
Ensley,  Daniel. 
Erwin,  John. 
Estle,  William. 
Evans,  Crowell. 
Evans,  James. 
Evans,  William. 
Everingham,  John. 
Farey,  Amariah. 
Farmer,  George. 
Farmer,  Jasper. 
Farmer,  Nathan. 
Farmer,  Peter. 
Feather,  John. 
Field,  Benjamin. 
Field,  Dennis. 
Field,  Elnathan. 
Field,  Jeremiah  B. 
Field,   John. 
Field,  John  B. 
Field,  Jonathan. 
Field,  Richard. 
Field,  Richard  R. 
Fisher,  Jacob. 
Fisher,  John. 
Fisher,  William. 
Flat,  John. 
Flood,  Stephen. 
Force,  Samuel. 
Force,  Thomas  P. 
Fordyce,  John. 
Forman,  Isaac. 
Foster,  Nathaniel. 
Fourat,  Henry. 
Frazee,  Benson. 
Frazee,  Hiram. 
Frazee,  Morris. 
Frazee,  Moses. 
Frazy,  Benjamin. 
Frcdenburgh,  Wm. 
C/arrits,  John. 
Garritson,  John. 
Garritson,  Peter. 
Gibbs,  John. 
Gibson,  David. 
Gibson,  Richard. 
Gibson,  William. 
Gilliland,  David. 
Gilliland,  Matthew. 


Gillman,  Charles. 
Gillman,  John. 
Gillman,  John,  Jr. 
Gilmore,  Charles. 
Godden,  Amos. 
Goodwin,  Amos. 
Gordon,  Archable. 
Gordon,  Ezekiel. 
Gordon,  James. 
Gordon,  Samuel. 
Gordon,  William. 
Graham,  James. 
Griffith,  John. 
Griggs,  James. 
Griggs,  Samuel. 
Griggs,  Thomas. 
Grove,  John. 
Grove,  Robert. 
Grove,  Samuel. 
Grosvendike,  John. 
Grosvendike,  Samuel. 
Guest,  Henry. 
Guest,  John. 
Gulacar,  Lewis. 
Gulick,  Abram  J. 
Gulick,  Benjamin. 
Gulick,  Cornelius. 
Gulick,  James. 
Gulick,  Peter. 
Gume,  John. 
Hagerman,  Barret. 
Hagerman,  Garret. 
Hagerman,  Henry. 
Halfpenny,  Isaac. 
Halfpenny,  James. 
Halfpenny,  John. 
Hall,  William. 
Hampton,  James. 
Hansell,  Anthony. 
Harber,  Edward. 
Harber,  Obadiah. 
Harbourt,  Edward. 
Harculus,  William. 
Harriott,  Samuel. 
Harris,  David. 
Harrison,  George. 
Harrison,  Isaac. 
Hart,  Cornelius  D. 
Hartman,  Christian. 
Hartman,  Conrad. 
Hartman,  Cornelius. 
Hatfield,  John. 
Hank,  Jacob. 
Hayback,  Solomon. 
Hazling,  Richard. 
Hedden,  Jos. 
Hendrickson,  Cornelius. 
Hendrickson,  Oaky. 
Herbert,  Obediah. 
Herbert,  Robert. 
Herrod,  Samuel. 
Higbey,  Henry. 
Higbey,  John. 
Higbey,  Obadiah. 
Higgins,  Jediah. 
High,  Nathan. 
Hight,  John  N. 


Hill,  John. 
Hillyard,  Wm. 
Hinds,  William. 
Hoagland,  Abram. 
Hoagland,  John. 
Hoagland,  William. 
Hobbs,  David. 
Holeman,  Thomas. 
Holl,  Jacob. 
Holloway,  Richard. 
Holten,  Ephraim. 
Holton,  Jos. 
Holton,  Peter. 
Hooper,  William. 
Horn,  John. 
Horn,  Stephen. 
Horn,  William. 
Horner,  Timothy. 
Hartwick,  John. 
Houke,  Tobias. 
Hudson,  Nathaniel. 
Hudson,  Samuel. 
Hulick,  Henry. 
Hulick,  John. 
Hulet,  William. 
Hull,  Benjamin. 
Hull,  John. 
Hull,  Reuben. 
Hulst,  John. 
Hulst,  William. 
Hunt,  James. 
Hutchings,  Isaac. 
Hutchinson,  Cornelius. 
Huyler,  William. 
Isleton,  Matthew. 
Isleton,  Samuel. 
Jackson,  Lewis. 
James,  Thomas. 
Jamison,  Alexander. 
Jaquish,  Jonathan. 
Jeffries,  John. 
Jewell,  Ichabod. 
Jewell,  William. 
Job,  Richard. 
Jobs,  Samuel. 
Johnson,  Andrew. 
Johnson,  Barrent. 
Johnson,  John. 
Johnson,  Lewis. 
Johnson,  William. 
Johnson,  Jacob. 
Jonas,  John. 
Jones,  David. 
Jones,  James, 
jordon,  John. 
Jorney,  John. 
Keenan,  Peter  B. 
Kelly,  Abraham. 
Kelly,  Jesse. 
Kemp,  John. 
Kent,  Phineas. 
King,  George. 
Kinsey.  James. 
Kipp,  Robert. 
Knowles,  Jesse. 
Knox,  Joseph. 
Lain,  Abraham. 


MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  REVOLUTION 


109 


Laing,  Abraham. 
Laird,  Richard. 
Lake,  Benjamin. 
Lake,  William. 
Lambert,  David. 
Lambertson,  Cornelius. 
Lambertson,  David. 
Lambertson,  Elijah. 
Lambertson,  Garret. 
Lambertson,  John. 
Lambertson,  Joshua. 
Lambertson,  Simon. 
Lambertson,  Thomas. 
Lane,  Isaac. 
Lane,  Jacob. 
Lane,  John. 
Langstaff,  Henry. 
Langstaff,  James. 
Langstaff,  John. 
Leach,  Richard. 
Leforge,  Benjamin. 
Leonard,  William. 
Leonard,  William  (2). 
Lester,  Samuel. 
Letts,  Elijah. 
Letts,  Elisha. 
Letts,  John. 
Letts,  William. 
Lewis,  John. 
Lickran,  Jacob. 
Light,  Peter. 
Lile,  John,  Sr. 
Lile,  John,  Jr. 
Lile,  Moses. 
Lincoln,  John. 
Lurcom,  Jacob. 
Lurcom,  John. 
Lipes,  John. 
Lisk,  John. 
Liston,  John. 
Levins,  Richard. 
Livingston,  William. 
Livingston,  Robert. 
Loiskerom,  Jacob. 
Longstreet,  Aaron. 
Longstreet,  Samuel. 
Lorton,  James. 
Lorton,  John. 
Lott,  Abraham. 
Lott,  Gershom. 
Lott,  Henry. 
Lott,  John. 
Lott,  Peter. 
Loughborough,  John. 
Loucherry,  Elias. 
Low,  Benjamin. 
Luke,  John. 
Luker,  Benjamin. 
Luston,  Jonathan. 
Lusbay,  Abraham. 
Lyon,  William. 
Magee,  James. 
Manning,  Andrew. 
Manning,  Benjamin. 
Manning,  Enoch. 
Manning,  David. 
Manning,  John,  Sr. 


Manning,  John,  Jr. 

Morgan,  Elijah. 

Manning,  Phineas. 

Morris,  John. 

Manning,  Samuel. 

Morris,  Randolph. 

Manning,  Thomas. 

Morris,  Reuben. 

Maple,  Stephen. 

Morris,  William. 

Maple,  William. 

Morrison,  James. 

Martin,  Nathaniel. 

Morse,  Randolph. 

Martin,  Benjamin. 

Morton,  Joseph. 

Martin,  Daniel. 

Moses,  Randolph. 

Martin,  David. 

Moss,  James. 

Martin,  Eliakim. 

Mount,  Hezekiah. 

Martin,  Gershom. 

Mount,  Humphrey. 

Martin,  Irenais. 

Mount,  Joseph. 

Martin,  Isaac. 

Mount,  Richard. 

Martin,  James. 

Mount,  William. 

Martin,  John. 

Mulford,  James. 

Martin,  Joshua. 

Mullen,  William. 

Martin,  Lewis. 

Munday,  Benjamin. 

Martin,  Merrick. 

Munday,  Clarkson. 

Martin,  Michael. 

Munday,  Gabriel. 

Martin,  Moses. 

Munday,  Henry. 

Martin,  Mulford. 

Munday,  Martin. 

Martin,  Nathan. 

Munday,  Nicholas. 

Martin,  Nathaniel. 

Munday,  Peter. 

Martin,  Robert. 

Munday,  Reuben. 

Martin,  William. 

Munday,  Samuel. 

Mason,  William. 

Myers,  John. 

Matterson,  Aaron. 

Myler,  Cornelius. 

Mattison,  Jacob. 

Myseler,  Simon. 

McAfee,  Benjamin. 

Neifes,  Garret  W. 

McAfee,  Richard. 

Neifes,  John. 

McDowell,  Thomas. 

Neifus,  William. 

McFadden,  Connoly. 

Nephus,  Jacob. 

McGee,  John. 

Nevins,  Peter,  Sr. 

McGee,  William. 

Nevins,  Peter,  Jr. 

Melvin,  Daniel. 

Newton,  Gilbert. 

Melvin,  George. 

Newton,  William. 

Melvin,  John. 

Nickolds,  Lewis. 

Melvin,  Thomas. 

Nickson,  Alexander 

Merrill,  Richard. 

Nifius,  Garret. 

Mershon,  Henry. 

Nixon,  Richard. 

Mershon,  Robert. 

Noe,  Andrew. 

Mershon,  William. 

Noe,  James. 

Messerol,  Charles. 

Noe,  John. 

Messerol,  Jacob. 

Norris,  William. 

Messerol,  John. 

Oakley,  Abraham. 

Messerol,  Nicholas. 

Obart,  George. 

Messerol,  Peter. 

Obart,  John. 

Messerol,  William. 

Obart,  Peter. 

Messier,  Abram. 

Obert,  George. 

Mickel,  John. 

Ockeman,  Garline. 

Miers,  John. 

Ockeman,  John. 

Miller,  Holse. 

Ogden,  Benjamin. 

Miller,  Marsh. 

Ogden,  John. 

Miller,  Noah. 

Olden,  John. 

Minor,  William.- 

Orman,  Benjamin. 

Mitchell,  John. 

Orman,  Stephen. 

Moon,  Jacob. 

Outsell,  Frederick. 

Moore,  David. 

Overt,  George. 

Moore,  James. 

Pack,  Edward. 

Moore,  Matthias. 

Pain,  Isaac. 

Moore,  Samuel. 

Pangborn,  Peter. 

Morehead,  Andrew. 

Pangborn,  William. 

Morgan,  Abraham. 

Panoman,  Peter. 

Morgan,  John. 

Parker,  John. 

Morgan,  Philip. 

Parr,  Thomas. 

Morgan,  Ephraim. 

Patrick,  Samuel. 

no 


MIDDLESEX 


Paul,  John. 
Paul,  Benjamin. 
Pearson,  Benjamin  P. 
Pence,  William. 
Perrine,  Andrew. 
Perrine,  Daniel. 
Perrine,  Henry. 
Perrine,  John. 
Perrine,  Joseph. 
Perrine,  Matthew. 
Perrine,  William. 
Perry,  Thomas. 
Pettit,  Daniel. 
Pettit,  David. 
Pettit,  Edward. 
Petty,  Andrew. 
Phares,  Amariah. 
Phares,  Andrew. 
Phillips,  Ralph. 
Piatt,  John. 
Pike,  Asher. 
Pike,  James. 
Pike,  Thomas. 
Plum,  John. 
Porter,  Nathaniel. 
Potter,  Enoch. 
Potter,  Gilbert. 
Potter,  Joseph. 
Potter,  Robert. 
Potts,  Samuel. 
Powell,  Thomas, 
Powelson,  Powell. 
Powers,  John. 
Pricket,  Isaac. 
Pricket,  John. 
Pricket,  Stephen. 
Pricket,  Williarfi. 
Prolan,  Garret. 
Provost,  David. 
Provost,  Jasper. 
Provost,  John. 
Provost,  Jonathan. 
Provost,  Peter. 
Quackenboss,  Isaac. 
Ray,  John. 
Reclan,  John. 
Reanalds,  James. 
Reed,  James. 
Reed,  Peter. 
Reed,  John. 
Rice,  Richard. 
Richmond,  William. 
Richero  (?),  Abraham. 
Rino,  William. 
Robbins,  Jesse. 
Robertson,  Joseph. 
Robinson,  Andrew. 
Roe,  Asabel. 
Roff,  Ebenezer. 
Rolan,  George. 
Rolen,  James. 
Roler,  George. 
Rolcr,  William. 
RoUe,  Moses. 
Rose,  William. 
Ross,  Isaac. 
Ross,  John. 


Ross,  William. 
Rowland,  Jacob. 
Rowlinson,  William. 
Rue,  Matthew. 
Runnals,  Jas. 
Runyan,  Asa. 
Runyan,  Enoch. 
Runyan,  Hugh. 
Runyan,  Job. 
Runyan,  Richard. 
Ryder,  Bernardus. 
Ryder,  Garret. 
Ryder,  John. 
Ryder,  William. 
Ryon,  William. 
Salard,  Benjamin. 
Sanderson,  John. 
Sands,  Jos. 
Sarvis,  David. 
Schenck,  Garret. 
Schenck,  Jos. 
Schenck,  Peter  F. 
Schenck,  Roeloff. 
Schureman,  Abraham. 
Scott,  John. 
Scott,  Thomas. 
Scott,  William. 
Sebring,  George. 
Sedam,  James. 
Sedam,  Ryke. 
Selleler,  William. 
Selover,  Isaac. 
Service,  John. 
Service,  Joseph. 
Service,  William. 
Sharp,  Jonathan. 
Shaw,  David. 
Sheldon,  Ephraim. 
Shippey,  John. 
Sherd,  Hugh. 
Shotwell,  Manning. 
Shubart,  James. 
Shubart,  John. 
Simpson,  Abraham. 
Skillman,  Jacob. 
Skinner,  John. 
Skinner,  William. 
Skitton,  Thomas. 
Slayback,  Abel. 
Slover,  John. 
Smalley,  John. 
Smith.  Andrew. 
Smith,  Gideon. 
Smith,  Hezekiah. 
Smith,  Jeremiah. 
Smith,  John. 
Smith,  Simeon. 
Smith,  William. 
Smock,  Hcndrick. 
Smock,  Robert. 
Snap,  George. 
Snedeker,  Cornelius. 
Snedeker,  Garret. 
Snedeker,  Isaac. 
Snedeker,  Jacob. 
Snedeker,  John. 
Soden,  John. 


Soden,  Thomas. 
Solomon,  John. 
Sofer,  Benjamin. 
Sofer,  Jonathan. 
Sofer,  Joseph. 
Sofer,  Reuben. 
Soulan,  Benjamin. 
South,  Elijah. 
South,  Isaac. 
South,  William. 
Southard,  Zachariah. 
Sparling,  Abraham. 
Sparlipg,  Isaac. 
Sparling,  James. 
Sparling,  John. 
Sparling,  Jos. 
Sparling,  Peter. 
Spencer,  Jos. 
Stanbury,  Joshua. 
Stanley,  Isaac. 
Starkey,  William. 
Stelle,  Abel. 
Stelle,  Isaac. 
Stelle,  Jacob. 
Stelle,  Jonah. 
Stelle,  Jos. 
Stelle,  Samuel. 
Stephens,  Jos. 
Stephenson,  John. 
Stephenson,  William. 
Stewart,  David. 
Stillwell,  Daniel. 
Stimas,  Christian. 
Stinton,  Jos. 
Stone,  David. 
Stone,  William. 
Stoneker,  John. 
Storey,  Daniel. 
Storey,  John. 
Storey,  William. 
Stotehoff,  Peter. 
Stout,  Abel. 
Stout,  John. 
Strieker,  Cornelius. 
Stultz,  Henry. 
Stultz,  Jacob. 
Stultz,  Peter. 
Sudam,  John. 
Sullivan,  Patrick. 
Sunderland,  Thomas. 
Sunderlin,  John. 
Surl,  William. 
Sutphen,  Dirck. 
Sutphen,  James. 
Sutphen,  James   (2). 
Sutton,  Henry. 
Sutton,  Henry  (2). 
Sutton,  Jeany. 
Sutton,  John. 
Sutton,  Joseph. 
Sutton,  Nihcmiah. 
Sutton,  Peter. 
Sutton,  Peter   (2). 
Sutton,  William. 
Suydam,  Cornelius. 
Suydam,  Charles. 
Suydam,  Jacob. 


MIDDLESEX  MEN  IN  REVOLUTION 


in 


Suydam,  Simon. 
Swart,  Baltus. 
Swart,  Stephen. 
Talmage,  Thomas. 
Tallyon.  Peter. 
Tomton,  Francis. 
Tappan,  Abraham. 
Tappan,  Isaac. 
Taylor,  Lewis. 
Taylor,  William. 
Ten  Broeck,  William, 
Tewell,  Enoch. 
Tharp,  Baker. 
Tharp,  Benjamin. 
Thaxton,  John. 
Thomas,  William. 
Thompson,  William. 
Thomson,  Charles. 
Thomson,  Cornelius. 
Thomson,  David. 
Thomson,  Hugh. 
Thomson,  James. 
Thomson,  John. 
Thom,  Richard. 
Thormell,  Benjamin. 
Thormell,  Israel. 
Thorp,  Jonathan. 
Till,  Peter. 
Tillny,  Peter. 
Tindall,  John. 
Tindall,  Richard. 
Tindall,  William. 
Tombs,  Lewis. 
Totten,  John. 
Totten,  Thomas. 
Touratee,  Peter. 
Toy,  John. 

Trembley,  Alexander. 
Trout,  Jacob. 
Turner,  Daniel. 
Underdunk,  Isaac. 
Updyke,  Clement. 
Updyke,  William. 
Van  Arsdalen,  John. 
Van  Arsdale,  Urias. 
Van  Campen,  Gideon. 
Van  Cleaf,  Michael. 


Van  Derbeck,  Benjamin. 
Van  Derhoven,  James. 
Van  Derveer,  Abraham. 
Van  Derventer,  Christian. 
Van  Derventer,  Isaac. 
Van  Derventer,  Jacob. 
Van  Derventer,  James. 
Van  Deursen,  William. 
Van  Dyke,  Hendrick. 
Van  Harlingen,  John. 
Van  Hess,  Garret. 
Van  Hess,  John. 
Van  Kirk,  Arthur. 
Van  Kirk,  Jameson. 
Van  Kirk,  William. 
Van  Zandt,  John. 
Van  Lew,  Frederick. 
Van  Mickler,  John. 
Van  Nest,  Henry. 
Van  Nice,  John. 
Van  Nortwick,  Samuel. 
Van  Orsdol,  Cornelius. 
Van  Orsdol,  Isaac. 
Van  Orsdol,  Jacob. 
Van  Orsdol,  John. 
Van  Ostrand,  John. 
Van  Pelt,  Joseph. 
Van  Pelt,  John. 
Van  Pelt,  Jacob. 
Van  Pelt,  Isaac. 
Van  Pelt,  Abraham. 
Van  Sickle,  John. 
Van  Sickle,  Stephen. 
Van  Tilburgh,  Henry. 
Van  Tilburgh,  John. 
Van  Tilburgh,  William. 
Vantine,  Abraham. 
Vantine,  Ephraim. 
Vantine,  Isaac. 
Van  Winkler,  Everet. 
Van  Zandt,  Peter. 
Vaugh,  Jacob. 
Vliet,  William. 
Voorhees,  Abraham. 
Voorhees,  James  J. 
Voorhees,  James  R. 
Voorhees,  James. 


Voorhees,  Nicholas. 
Voorhees,  William. 
Voorhees,  Garret  R. 
Voorhees,  Jacob. 
Voorhees,  Martines. 
Voorhees,  Daniel. 
Voorhees,  John  R. 
Vreeland,  Abraham. 
Waldron,  Chris. 
Walker,  Asher. 
Walker,  Francis. 
Walker,  Robert. 
Walker,  Samuel. 
Wall,  James. 
Wartenby,  William. 
Wartenabe,  WiUiam. 
Watre,  Jacob. 
Webster,  Thomas. 
White,  John. 
White,  Samuel. 
Whitehead,  Moses. 
Whitehead,  Samuel. 
Whitlock,  William. 
Wickoff,  Garret. 
WickoflF,  Jacob. 
Wilcocks,  Isaac. 
Wilkins,  Jeptha. 
Willett,  Hawsthorn. 
Willett,  Samuel. 
Williams,  Isaac. 
Williams,  Stephen. 
Williamson,  Henry. 
Willis,  Henry. 
Willis,  Joseph. 
Willis,  Samuel. 
Willock,  William. 
Wilmouth,  Lazarus. 
Wilson,  Daniel. 
Wilson,  Garret. 
Wilson,  Isaac. 
Woghun,  John. 
Wooding,  James. 
Wortman,  David. 
Wright,  Smith. 
Wyckoff,  John. 


i:.\lI(iR.\XTS  KX  KOLTK  TO  THK  WKSTKRX  COL'XTRV 
Kcpruduced  fruni  an  uld  engraving 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
AFTER  THE  WAR. 

The  long  and  arduous  struggle  for  liberty  and  independence  was  at 
last  ended.  Freed  from  all  foreign  domination,  with  a  vast  territory  in 
possession,  with  a  prospect  of  advancement  in  wealth  and  population, 
the  momentous  question  to  be  settled  was  a  unity  of  action  amongst 
the  former  colonies.  The  days  of  reconstruction  had  come,  and  the 
next  step  in  national  greatness  was  the  welding  of  the  various  sectional 
difficulties  into  a  form  of  universal  government  that  would  maintain  the 
prestige  of  a  nation.  In  the  southern  tier  of  colonies  now  operating 
under  State  governments,  the  important  issue  was  the  preservation  of 
slavery,  while  those  of  the  northern  tier  in  many  cases  had  promulgated 
laws  leading  to  the  abolishment  of  this  evil.  The  long  and  destructive 
war  had  exhausted  the  resources  of  the  country,  trade  and  commerce 
were  destroyed,  the  mechanics  were  ruined,  agriculture  was  withered, 
and  the  relations  of  man  to  man,  hardly  defined  by  law,  were  not  recog- 
nized and  acted  upon  on  the  principles  of  justice  and  equity.  A  moun- 
tain of  debt  pressed  upon  the  people,  and  they  were  on  the  very  brink 
of  anarchy  and  political  destruction.  Here  was  a  crisis  to  be  met,  as 
the  Articles  of  Confederation  under  which  the  war  had  been  prosecuted 
in  the  latter  years  of  the  Revolution  possessed  no  power  to  effect  and 
maintain  a  permanent  union  of  the  States. 

The  Continental  Congress,  while  it  had  the  power  to  make  and  con- 
clude treaties,  could  only  recommend  the  observance  of  them.  It  could 
appoint  ambassadors,  but  could  not  defray  their  expenses ;  could  borrow 
money  on  the  faith  of  the  Union,  but  they  could  not  pay  a  dollar ;  could 
make  war  and  determine  on  the  number  of  troops  necessary,  but  could 
not  raise  a  single  soldier.  For  years  efforts  were  made  by  those  most 
interested  in  a  State  government  to  enlarge  the  powers  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  but  their  efforts  failed  on  account  of  State  jealousies  and 
interests.  Therefore  the  Confederation  was  fast  expiring  of  its  own 
debility.  Difficulties  arose  with  foreign  nations,  a  commercial  treaty 
could  not  be  effected  with  Great  Britain,  and  Spain  would  not  allow 
the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  river  until  the  limits  of  Louisiana 
and  the  Floridas  were  definitely  settled.  Meanwhile  the  Valley  of  the 
West  was  filling  up  with  great  rapidity,  and  the  people  of  that  region 
were  fearful  that  their  interests  would  be  sacrificed  to  the  commercial 
policy  of  the  Atlantic  States.  Many  amongst  the  most  prominent  char- 
acters of  the  country  advocated  a  monarchial  form  of  government. 

The  first  concessions  made  by  the  States,  which  was  the  forerunner  of 
the  formation  of  a  republican  form  of  government,  was  made  by  Vir- 

Mid-8 


114  '■  MIDDLESEX 

ginia,  which  in  March,  1784,  ceded  all  her  claims  to  the  Northwestern 
Territory  to  Cong-ress.  This  act  was  followed  by  New  York,  Massachu- 
setts, Connecticut  and  South  Carolina,  making  like  concessions  of  their 
northwest  territories,  which  culminated  in  the  celebrated  Ordinance 
for  the  Government  of  the  Northwestern  Territory  passed  by  Congress, 
July  12,  1787,  and  its  principles  were  the  foundation  of  the  civil  polity 
of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  country. 

In  the  older  States,  two  great  parties  were  formed  which  pursued 
distinct  objects  with  systematic  arrangement,  which  have  been  described 
by  the  eminent  jurist,  John  Marshall,  in  the  following  words : 

The  one  struggled  for  the  exact  observance  of  public  and  private  con- 
tracts. Those  who  composed  it  were  the  uniform  friends  of  the  regular 
administration  of  justice  and  of  a  vigorous  course  of  taxation  which 
would  enable  the  State  to  comply  with  its  engagements.  By  a  natural 
association  of  ideas  they  were  also  in  favor  of  enlarging  the  powers  of 
the  federal  government,  and  of  enabling  it  to  protect  the  dignity  and  the 
character  of  the  nation  abroad  and  its  interest  at  home.  The  other  party 
marked  out  for  themselves  a  more  indulgent  course.  They  were  uni- 
formly in  favor  of  relaxing  the  administration  of  justice,  of  affording 
facilities  for  the  payment  of  debts,  and  of  suspending  their  collection  and 
of  remitting  taxes.  The  same  course  of  opinion  led  them  to  resist  every 
attempt  to  transfer  from  their  own  hands  into  those  of  Congress,  powers 
which  others  deemed  essential  to  the  preservation  of  the  Union. 
Wherever  this  party  was  predominant,  the  emission  of  paper  money,  the 
delay  of  legal  proceedings  and  the  suspension  of  taxes,  were  the  fruits  of 
their  rule.  Even  where  they  failed  to  carry  their  measures,  their  strength 
was  such  as  to  encourage  the  hope  of  succeeding  in  a  future  attempt. 
Throughout  the  Union,  the  contests  between  these  parties  were  annually 
revived,  and  the  public  mind  was  perpetually  agitated  with  hopes  and 
fears  on  subjects  which  affected  essentially  the  fortunes  of  a  considerable 
portion  of  society.  This  instability  in  principles  which  ought  to  be  ren- 
dered immutable,  produced  a  long  train  of  ills ;  and  is  believed  to  have 
been  among  the  operating  causes  of  those  pecuniary  embarrassments 
which  influenced  the  legislation  of  almost  every  State.  The  wise  and 
thinking  part  of  the  community  who  could  trace  evils  to  their  source, 
labored  unceasingly  to  inculcate  opinions  favorable  to  the  incorporation 
of  some  principles  into  the  political  system,  which  might  correct  its 
obvious  vices,  without  endangering  its  free  spirit. 

In  this  deplorable  state  of  affairs,  an  initiating  step  was  taken  by  the 
Assembly  of  Virginia,  which  appointed  commissioners  to  consider  the 
state  of  the  trade  of  the  United  States,  and  to  meet  with  commissioners 
from  the  other  States  at  Annapolis,  Maryland,  in  September,  1786.  This 
meeting  was  held,  the  convention  consisting  of  only  two  commissioners 
from  New  York  three  from  New  Jersey,  one  from  Pennsylvania,  three 
from  Delaware,  and  three  from  Virginia.  Nothing  was  done  with  ref- 
erence to  the  especial  object  of  the  meeting,  but  a  second  convention 
was  recommended  to  meet  at  Philadelphia  in  the  following  May  for  the 


AFTER  THE  WAR  115 

revision  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Federal  Government  to  render  it  ade- 
quate to  the  exigencies  of  the  Union. 

Congress  did  not  at  first  view  the  resolution  of  this  convention 
favorably,  being  in  doubt  whether  it  was  constitutional  on  account  of 
its  not  originating  in  that  body  as  provided  by  the  Articles  of  Confeder- 
ation. Their  views,  owing  to  the  acts  of  armed  insurgents  against  the 
laws  of  some  of  the  States,  tended  to  produce  a  reaction  in  their  decision ; 
accordingly,  they  passed  a  resolution  recommending  the  States  to  elect 
delegates  to  the  convention.  Acting  under  the  authority,  the  several 
States  except  Rhode  Island  proceeded  to  the  appointment. of  delegates 
to  the  Federal  Convention. 

A  number  of  the  deputies  to  the  Federal  Convention  appeared  on  May 
14,  1787,  at  the  State  House,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  A  majority  of  the 
States,  however,  were  not  represented,  and  an  adjournment  was  taken 
until  May  25th,  when  nine  States  were  represented  and  the  convention 
was  duly  organized.  The  New  Jersey  delegation  was  headed  by  William 
Livingston,  who  had  succeeded  the  renegade  governor  William  Franklin, 
and  had  been  the  able  executive  head  of  the  State  government  during 
the  period  of  the  Revolution.  The  Middlesex  county  representatives 
in  the  delegation  were  John  Neilsoti  and  William  Paterson ;  the  former, 
however,  failed  to  attend  the  convention. 

In  the  proceedings  of  the  convention,  William  Paterson  took  an 
important  part.  He  introduced  on  June  15th  a  set  of  nine  resolutions 
which  became  known  as  the  New  Jersey  Plan.  They  differed  from 
the  Virginia  Plan,  as  they  favored  only  one  branch  of  the  Legislature, 
whose  powers  were  derived  from  the  States ;  instead  of  one  executive 
head,  it  favored  several.  This  became  known  as  the  State  Sovereignty 
Plan.  Although  this  failed  to  meet  the  endorsement  of  a  majority  of  the 
delegates,  it  formed  the  basis  of  a  compromise. 

William  Paterson,  the  introducer  of  the  New  Jersey  Plan,  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  and  in  1747,  then  being  only  two  years  of  age,  came 
to  America  with  his  parents.  The  elder  Paterson  located  at  Trenton, 
afterwards  at  Princeton,  finally  at  Raritan  (now  Somerville).  Young 
Paterson  graduated  from  the  College  of  New  Jersey  in  1763,  read  law 
under  Richard  Stockton,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1769.  He  first 
practiced  in  Bromley,  Hunterdon  county ;  removing  to  Princeton,  he 
was  associated  with  his  father  and  brother  in  a  mercantile  business.  The 
year  1775  marked  the  commencement  of  his  public  career,  when  he  was 
chosen  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Congress ;  he  was  secretary  of  that 
body  at  its  two  sessions,  also  of  the  Congress  that  met  at  Burlington 
in  1776.  On  the  organization  of  the  State  government,  he  became  attor- 
ney-general, which  was  a  hazardous  position,  as  in  performance  of  his 
duties  he  was  obliged  to  attend  the  courts  in  the  various  counties,  thus 
exposing  himself  to  capture  by  British  soldiers.     On  the  restoration  of 


ii6  MIDDLESEX 

peace,  he  took  up  his  residence  in  New  Brunswick  and  resumed  his 
law  practice  On  the  formation  of  the  Federal  Constitution  he  became 
one  of  two  senators  from  New  Jersey.  This  seat  he  resigned  after  per- 
forming its  duties  for  a  single  year,  to  become  governor  of  New  Jersey. 
During  his  leisure  time  for  the  next  six  years  he  codified  the  statutes  of 
Great  Britain,  which  prior  to  the  Revolution  were  in  force  in  New  Jersey, 
together  with  those  enacted  by  the  State  Legislature  before  and  after 
separation  from  the  Mother  Country.  While  engaged  in  this  task  he 
was  appointed  by  President  Washington  as  associate  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  His  last  judicial  act  was  to  pre- 
side in  the  United  States  Circuit  Court  in  New  York  in  April,  1806 ;  his 
health  was  now  visibly  declining,  and  he  withdrew  from  all  active  con- 
cerns, and  died  September  9,  1806. 

The  Federal  Constitution  was  unanimously  ratified  by  the  convention 
of  New  Jersey,  December  17,  1787,  this  action  being  only  preceded  by 
the  conventions  of  Delaware  and  Pennsylvania.  Thus  New  Jersey 
became  an  integral  part  of  a  constituted  federal  government,  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Middlesex  county,  as  one  of  the  units  of  the  State,  became 
a  progressive  and  prosperous  community,  and,  as  the  future  years  flowed 
on,  to  increase  in  wealth  and  enterprise  due  to  the  stability  of  her  indus- 
tries and  the  loyal,  energetic  efforts  of  her  citizens. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
FIRST  HALF  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

In  the  days  of  Washington,  the  people's  adoration  for  the  Nation's 
defender  and  a  successful  termination  of  their  war  troubles  precluded 
any  political  division  or  the  formation  of  rival  political  parties.  The 
leaders  of  the  then  so-called  Federalist  party  in  many  cases  were  well 
known  to  the  citizens  of  Middlesex  county.  Washington  during  his  Rev- 
olutionary career  had  often  been  seen  by  the  people  within  its  limits. 
Hamilton  in  his  early  youth  was  a  student  at  an  academy  in  Elizabeth- 
town,  and  in  the  military  movements  later  in  New  Jersey  took  an  active 
part. 

The  New  England  aristocrat  Adams  in  his  frequent  ofificial  visits  to 
the  Continental  Congress  and  while  Vice-President,  passed  through  New 
Brunswick  on  his  journey  to  the  national  capital.  At  the  expiration  of 
Washington's  second  term  as  President,  Adams  became  his  logical  suc- 
cessor, and  it  was  not  until  towards  the  end  of  his  presidential  term, 
when  he  naturally  was  a  candidate  for  reelection,  that  any  decided  oppo- 
sition to  his  continuance  in  office  commenced  to  be  demonstrated. 
Thomas  Jefferson,  who  was  the  first  to  fill  the  office  of  Secretary  of  State 
in  Washington's  administration,  resigned  in  1793.  The  following  year, 
on  being  offered  an  appointment,  he  replied,  "No  circumstances  will  ever 
more  tempt  me  to  engage  in  anything  public."  But  notwithstanding  this 
determination,  he  became  a  candidate  in  1800  for  the  presidency  of  the 
country. 

The  administration  of  Adams  had  been  turbulent  and  in  no  way  har- 
monious for  the  country.  Though  the  second  President  of  the  United 
States  was  a  man  of  ability  and  purity  of  character,  he  was  also  quick, 
inflammable,  sanguine,  impatient  of  opposition,  and  desirous  of  popular 
applause.  The  attitude  of  affairs  with  respect  to  France  on  his  accession 
to  office  was  by  no  means  free  from  difficulty  and  danger.  Many  of  the 
members  of  Congress  advocated  open  hostilities  with  that  country. 
Washington  was  persuaded  to  become  the  commander  of  an  army  to 
operate  against  France.  The  Naval  Department  was  formed,  and  author- 
ity was  given  to  the  President  to  borrow  $5,000,000  for  the  public  service. 
While  these  arbitrary  actions  were  popular  with  the  masses,  the  Federal 
party  by  the  passage  of  the  alien  and  sedition  laws  by  Congress  in  1798 
received  a  setback  that  hastened  and  ultimately  caused  its  downfall.  The 
opposition  party  in  Congress  at  this  time  was  known  as  the  Republican 
party,  and,  being  in  the  minority,  retired  from  active  duty,  waited  their 
time  for  a  favorable  opportunity  to  bring  their  views  of  State  power  and 


ii8  MIDDLESEX 

influence  to  bear  upon  the  people.  The  year  1799  opened  with  extensive 
military  preparations  for  war :  the  elections  held  that  year  had  resulted 
in  favor  of  the  Federalists,  this  being  especially  the  case  in  the  South, 
where  considerable  changes  had  taken  place  in  favor  of  the  government. 

Jefferson  and  his  colleagues  were  energetically  placing  the  doctrines 
of  the  Republican  party  before  the  people,  and  the  opposition  of  Hamil- 
ton and  his  followers  to  Adams'  reelection,  the  latter  boldly  denouncing 
that  portion  of  the  Federal  party  who  did  not  favor  his  measures,  as  a 
British  faction,  were  the  forerunners  of  an  exciting  presidential  election 
in  1800.  In  the  election  in  the  State  of  New  York  for  members  of  the 
Legislature  in  the  early  part  of  that  year,  the  political  parties  were  nearly 
equally  balanced.  Hamilton,  as  the  leader  of  the  Federalists,  was  opposed 
by  Aaron  Burr,  who  devoted  himself  to  harmonizing  the  differences 
amongst  the  Republicans,  and  by  his  political  astuteness  and  ability 
succeeded  in  electing  the  candidates  of  that  party  to  the  State  Legisla- 
ture. Though  this  was  a  decided  victory,  this  defeat  of  the  Federal  party 
in  national  politics  was  not  lessened  by  the  results  of  the  New  York  elec- 
tion. There  was  a  decided  opposition  to  the  nomination  of  Adams  for 
President,  but  the  Federal  members  of  Congress  held  a  caucus  in  May, 
1800,  which  resulted  in  the  selection  of  John  Adams  and  Charles  Cotes- 
worth  Pickney  as  their  candidates.  The  Republicans  placed  their  depend- 
ence for  success  on  Thomas  Jefferson  and  Aaron  Burr. 

The  political  parties  were  known  as  the  Anglo-Federal,  the  Simple 
Federalists,  and  Republican  parties.  In  Middlesex  county,  Jefferson  was 
denounced  as  an  atheist  and  an  enemy  to  all  revealed  religion.  By  his 
election  to  the  ofifice  of  President,  the  claims  were  made  that  he  would 
become  a  hereditary  president  with  unlimited  power  and  a  permanent 
autocracy.  The  Republican  candidate  for  the  council  was  James  Morgan, 
who  was  opposed  on  the  Federal  ticket  by  Ephraim  Martin.  The  nomi- 
nees of  the  Republicans  for  the  Assembly  were:  John  Heard,  Phineas 
Manning,  John  Morgan,  and  Joseph  Randolph.  Those  named  for  that 
ofifice  on  the  Federal  ticket  were  John  Neilson,  Gershom  Dunn,  William 
Edgar  and  Benjamin  Manning.  The  Federalists  were  triumphant  in 
New  Jersey,  and  their  candidates  for  the  Council  and  Assembly  were 
elected  in  Middlesex  county. 

The  counting  of  the  electoral  votes  by  the  United  States  Senate 
resulted  in  Jackson  and  Burr  receiving  each  a  total  of  seventy-three 
votes,  which  was  a  clear  majority  of  the  whole  number.  This  resulted  in 
carrying  the  choice  for  President  to  the  House,  each  State  to  be  entitled 
to  one  vote,  which  on  the  thirty-sixth  ballot  resulted  in  favor  of  Thomas 
Jefferson  for  President  and  Aaron  Burr  for  Vice-President.  In  this 
election,  Hamilton  and  the  Federalist  leaders  were  actively  engaged,  as 
they  considered  Jefferson  a  far  less  dangerous  man  than  Burr.    Hamilton 


EARLY  NINETEENTH  CENTURY  119 

claimed  that  Jefferson  had  some  pretensions  to  character,  while  Burr  was 
devoid  of  any  principles  whatsoever  only  for  his  own  aggrandizement, 
comparing  and  naming  him  as  the  "Cataline  of  America."  Hamilton  was 
thus  able  by  his  severe  denunciations  of  Burr  to  overcome  the  bitter 
repugnance  of  the  Federalists  to  Jefferson,  which  resulted  in  his  choice 
for  President.  The  Republican  press  was  jubilant  over  the  final  election 
of  Jefferson  and  Burr,  and  their  encomiums  were  of  an  extravagant 
nature,  as  follows :  "Resplendently  Glorious,  a  complete  victory  obtained 
by  virtue  over  vice,  republicanism  over  autocracy,  and  the  consequent 
downfall  of  Hamiltonians,  Pickeronians,  British  agents  and  old  Tories." 

In  the  election  for  Governor  following  the  inauguration  of  Jefferson 
as  President,  the  Republicans  succeeded  in  electing  a  native  of  Middlesex 
county  to  that  office.  Joseph  Bloomfield  was  esteemed  as  a  sound  legis- 
lator and  a  judicious  leader.  As  a  presidential  elector  in  1792,  he  voted 
for  Washington  and  Adams,  but  soon  afterwards  became  an  avowed 
opponent  of  Adams  and,  becoming  friendly  with  Jefferson,  he  became  a 
leader  of  the  Republicans  in  New  Jersey.  In  1801  he  was  elected  Gov- 
ernor, and  was  reelected  each  succeeding  election  until  1812,  excepting  in 
1802,  when  there  was  a  tie  for  the  office  between  himself  and  Richard 
Stockton,  and  for  a  year  the  duties  of  that  office  was  performed  by  the 
vice-president  of  the  council.  Governor  Bloomfield  was  born  in  Wood- 
bridge,  in  1755,  attended  a  classical  school,  studied  law,  and  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar.  He  resigned  from  the  Continental  army  in  1778,  having 
been  commissioned  a  major.  His  political  and  official  life  commenced 
with  his  discharge  from  the  army,  continuing  until  near  the  time  of  his 
death  at  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  October  3,  1825. 

In  the  fifth  presidential  election,  while  the  Republicans  carried  New 
Jersey  for  Jefferson  and  Clinton,  the  Federalists  in  Middlesex  county 
were  successful  in  electing  their  candidates  to  the  Assembly  by  an  aver- 
age majority  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  votes.  The  Assembly  was,  how- 
ever, controlled  by  the  Republicans,  the  only  other  counties  in  the  State 
represented  by  Federalists  being  Bergen,  Burlington  and  Cape  May 
counties,  the  Assembly  standing  thirty-eight  Republicans  to  fifteen  Fed- 
eralists. 

Toward  the  close  of  Jefferson's  second  administration,  the  embargo 
question  with  all  its  perplexing  ramifications  not  only  occupied  the  atten- 
tion of  Congress,  but  was  a  vital  factor  in  the  political  life  of  the  country. 
The  mooted  question  whether  Jefferson  would  be  a  candidate  for  a  third 
term  was  finally  settled  by  his  fixed  determination  to  retire  to  private  life. 
He  allowed  his  mantle  to  fall  upon  his  favorite,  James  Madison,  who  with 
George  Clinton  became  the  Republican  candidates.  The  Federalists, 
divided  as  a  party,  with  hardly  any  chance  of  success,  selected  General 
C.  C.  Pinckney  and  Rufus  King  as  their  candidates.     Middlesex  county 


120  MIDDLESEX 

still  remained  true  to  her  Federalist  attachments,  the  electors  of  that 
party  receiving  155 1  votes  to  1216  cast  for  the  Republican  candidates. 
James  Voorhees,  James  Parker,  and  George  Boice  were  elected  on  the 
Federalist  ticket  to  the  Assembly,  with  majorities  averaging  331. 

James  Parker,  mentioned  above,  was  a  leader  in  public  affairs.  He 
was  a  descendant  of  Elisha  Parker,  a  pioneer  of  Woodbridge,  from  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  a  son  of  James  Parker,  a  leading  citizen  of  Perth  Amboy, 
a  captain  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  who  afterwards  was  engaged  as 
a  merchant  in  New  York  and  was  for  many  years  mayor  of  his  native 
city.  A  man  of  large  landed  property  and  vigorous  intellect,  he  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  American  Episcopal  church  in  New  Jersey. 

James  the  younger  was  a  man  of  great  ability  and  public  note.  He 
graduated  from  Columbia  College,  New  York,  in  1793,  but  on  account  of  ' 
the  death  of  his  father  when  he  was  only  twenty-one  years  of  age  he 
became  the  virtual  head  of  his  family.  He  managed  the  large  landed 
interests  left  by  his  father,  which  his  intimately  practical  knowledge  of 
law  and  sagacious  mind  fitted  him  to  perform.  His  entrance  into  public 
life  was  in  1806.  A  thorough  Federalist,  he  was,  nevertheless,  not  a  par- 
tisan, and  this  with  his  independence,  integrity  and  remarkable  capacity 
made  him  exceedingly  influential.  He  was  a  statesman  as  well  as  a 
speaker,  one  of  the  originators  of  the  fund  for  free  schools,  a  leader  in  the 
prohibition  of  the  domestic  slave  trade.  In  1790  one-twelfth  of  the  popu- 
lation of  the  United  States  were  slaves.  The  gradual  emancipation  act  in 
the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  was  adopted  in  the  Northern 
States.  In  New  Jersey  there  was  an  organized  movement  to  abolish 
slavery  as  early  as  1786,  when  the  New  Jersey  Abolition  Society,  com- 
posed mostly  of  Quakers,  received  a  charter  from  the  Legislature. 

Mr.  Parker,  both  as  a  member  of  the  Legislature  and  as  foreman  of 
the  Middlesex  grand  jury,  protected  the  negro  and  did  much  to  save  his 
State  from  the  disgrace  of  slavery.  Like  his  father,  he  was  for  many 
years  mayor  of  Perth  Amboy,  also  an  originator  and  director  of  the 
Delaware  and  Raritan  canal  and  a  commissioner  to  settle  the  boundary 
line  between  New  Jersey  and  New  York.  He  served  with  distinction  in 
the  National  House  of  Representatives,  winning  from  his  colleagues  the 
cognomen  of  "Honest  James  Parker,"  and  distinguishing  himself  as  a 
champion  of  the  right  of  petition  and  as  a  guardian  of  the  finances  of  the 
Union.  After  leaving  Congress  and  until  his  death,  April  i,  1868,  he  was 
first  a  Whig  and  then  a  Republican,  a  staunch  supporter  of  the  LInion 
and  of  emancipation. 

The  presidential  contest  in  181 2  was  enlivened  by  the  war  with  Great 
Britain.  Madison  had  acceded  to  the  views  of  the  war  party,  which 
caused  a  split  in  the  Republican  party.  The  regular  party  nominees  were 
Madison  and  Gerry,  while  those  in  opposition  named  Clinton  and  Inger- 


EARLY  NINETEENTH  CENTURY  121 

soil.  The  Federalists,  hoping  to  profit  by  the  division  in  the  ranks  of 
their  opponents,  mostly  voted  for  Clinton  and  Ingersoll.  The  voters  of 
Middlesex  county,  therefore,  deprived  of  a  regular  Federalist  nomination, 
cast  their  ballots  for  electors  for  President  and  Vice-President  for  Clinton 
and  Ingersoll,  though  they  elected  to  the  Assembly  a  solid  delegation 
consisting  of  James  Parker,  James  Voorhees  and  Ercucries  Beatty,  the 
first  mentioned  receiving  1,780  votes  to  1.427  cast  for  the  highest  can- 
didate on  the  opposition  ticket.  James  Schureman,  a  Federalist,  was 
elected  over  John  James,  a  Republican,  to  the  council  by  a  majority  of  343. 

The  War  of  181 2  played  no  important  part  in  the  history  of  Middlesex 
county.  Her  soil  was  not  invaded  by  a  foreign  foe,  and  her  seacoast  was 
ably  defended  by  the  United  States  navy  from  any  inroads  or  attacks  of 
the  enemy's  battleships.  President  Madison  commissioned  Governor 
Bloomfield  a  brigadier-general  in  the  army,  and  early  in  1813  his  brigade 
reached  Sacketts  Harbor,  New  York,  but  soon  after  their  commander 
was  transferred  to  take  command  of  a  military  district  with  headquarters 
at  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  until  peace  was  restored.  Middlesex 
county  furnished  sailors  and  soldiers  for  the  navy  and  army,  but  there 
were  no  detailed  companies  from  the  county  in  active  service. 

In  the  autumn  of  1816,  the  war  having  closed,  the  popular  agitation 
was  as  to  candidates  for  the  presidential  nomination,  Madison,  following 
the  example  of  his  predecessor,  decided  to  retire  to  private  life.  The  pre- 
dominance of  Virginia  was  still  in  evidence  when  James  Monroe  became 
an  avowed  candidate.  There  was  some  opposition  to  his  nomination 
from  those  who  disliked  the  rule  of  the  "Old  Dominion."  but  on  balloting 
in  senatorial  caucus  on  the  respective  claims  of  the  candidates,  James 
Monroe  and  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  were  selected  by  the  Republicans.  The 
Federalists,  with  no  hope  of  success,  selected  as  their  candidate  Rufus 
King,  leaving  to  the  electors  the  choice  for  Vice-President.  Though  the 
Republicans  carried  New  Jersey  for  their  candidates,  electing  their  Rep- 
resentatives to  Congress,  Middlesex  county  still  stood  faithful  to  the 
Federalists,  choosing  Ercucries  Beatty  to  the  council  and  James  Parker, 
Allison  Ely,  Jr.,  and  Hezekiah  Smith  to  the  Assembly. 

There  was  no  opposition  to  the  reelection  of  Monroe  and  Tompkins 
in  1820.  This  period  in  American  history  became  known  as  "The  era  of 
good  feeling,"  when  the  Republican,  afterwards  known  as  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  was  the  only  political  organization.  Monroe  received  all  the 
electoral  votes  of  the  States  excepting  one  that  was  cast  in  Massachu- 
setts for  John  Quincy  Adams.  Internal  improvements  and  tariff  legisla- 
tion was  the  cause  of  the  breaking  up  of  the  harmony  in  the  political 
affairs  of  the  nation.  These  harmonious  times  were,  however,  to  cause  a 
break  in  the  political  aspect  of  Middlesex  county ;  while  the  Republicans 
elected  Andrew  Kirkpatrick  to  the  council,  James  Cook,  also  a  Republi- 


122  MIDDLESEX 

can,  defeated  David  E.  Paten  for  the  Assembly  by  a  vote  of  925  to  793. 
Ercucries  Beatty  and  John  T.  McDowell,  Federalist  candidates,  defeated 
their  opponents  by  a  vote  866  to  859.  The  Republicans  had  a  majority  in 
the  Assembly  of  thirty-four. 

The  contest  for  the  presidency  in  1824  presented  new  names  for  can- 
didates. The  success  of  Andrew  Jackson  in  the  War  of  1812  and  Indian 
wars  in  the  South  made  him  a  popular  candidate,  while  John  Quincy 
Adams,  William  H.  Crawford  and  Henry  Clay  had  an  army  of  admirers. 
This  was  the  first  appearance  of  the  Whig  party  in  a  presidential  election, 
and  it  had  selected  for  its  candidate  the  "Great  Commoner"  from  Ken- 
tucky, Henry  Clay.  The  political  excitement  was  intensified  by  the  visit 
of  the  illustrious  Lafayette,  "the  hero  of  two  worlds."  New  Jersey 
showed  her  preference  in  the  presidential  campaign  by  choosing  electors 
favorable  to  Andrew  Jackson.  Middlesex  county,  however,  gave  John 
Quincy  Adams  a  plurality  of  eighty  votes ;  Robert  M.  Chesney  was 
elected  to  the  council ;  and  J.  T.  McDowell,  David  Schenck,  and  J.  F. 
Randolph  to  the  Assembly.  The  electoral  college  failed  to  cast  a  major- 
ity for  a  presidential  candidate,  and  the  matter,  in  accordance  with  laws 
governing  such  cases,  came  before  the  House  of  Representatives,  which 
elected  John  Quincy  Adams  as  President. 

The  presidential  campaign  of  1828  was  one  of  shameless  abuse  of 
private  character,  and  slanderous  imputations  of  everything  vmworthy 
and  disgraceful.  On  the  wave  of  this  sea  of  scandal  the  Democratic  party 
was  successful  in  electing  "Old  Hickory,"  otherwise  known  as  Andrew 
Jackson ;  Middlesex  county  still  stood  true  to  her  Federalist  ins-tincts, 
though  that  name  as  a  political  party  had  been  dropped,  but  in  the 
embers  of  its  dying  fires  had  arisen  an  organization  known  as  the  Peo- 
ple's party,  which  was  dubbed  by  the  press  as  the  Administration  party. 
New  Jersey  as  a  State  gave  its  vote  to  John  Quincy  Adams,  the  counties 
carried  by  Jackson  being  Sussex,  Warren,  Morris  and  Hunterdon.  The 
majority  for  the  Administration  party  in  Middlesex  county  was  598; 
while  its  candidates  for  the  council  and  Assembly  received  majorities 
from  132  to  355,  James  Fitz  Randolph  was  elected  to  Congress  to  fill  a 
vacancy  caused  by  death.  This  gentleman  was  a  native  of  Middlesex 
county,  who  after  receiving  a  common  school  education  served  an  appren- 
ticeship in  the  printing  business.  He  became  editor  in  1812  of  a  weekly 
paper  published  in  New  Brunswick  called  "Fredonia,"  in  which  capacity 
he  continued  thirty  years.  He  was  a  collector  of  internal  revenue,  clerk 
of  the  Common  Pleas  Court,  and  was  representative  in  Congress  from 
1828  to  1833,  and  after  his  retirement  was  president  of  a  bank  in  New 
Brunswick  for  ten  years.  He  was  the  father  of  Theodore  Frelinghuysen 
Randolph,  the  twenty-fourth  Governor  of  New  Jersey. 


EARLY  NINETEENTH  CENTURY  123 

Middlesex  county  was  visited  in  the  summer  of  1832  by  the  Asiatic 
cholera;  it  commenced  its  ravages  about  the  close  of  June,  continuing 
until  about  October  first,  leaving  in  its  path  desolation  and  death.  With 
a  battle-cry  of  protection  to  the  school  fund  and  no  monopolies,  the 
National  Republican  party  was  launched  in  1832  against  the  Jackson 
Administration  party.  Middlesex  county  swung  into  line  underneath  its 
banners  and  elected  their  candidates  on  that  ticket  to  the  Assembly. 
This  body  was  composed  of  forty-two  members  of  the  National  Republi- 
can party  to  twenty-two  Jacksonians,  thus  was  the  New  Jersey  Assembly 
added  to  the  hotbed  of  Federalism.  The  State,  however,  cast  its  electoral 
votes  for  Jackson  and  Van  Buren ;  the  Middlesex  county  electoral  vote 
was  for  Henry  Clay,  he  having  a  majority  of  eighty  votes.  The  changing 
of  the  complexion  of  the  New  Jersey  Assembly  was  a  great  reaction.  In 
the  House  of  1830  there  were  eighteen  National  Republicans  to  forty-six 
Jacksonians.  The  following  year  this  had  been  changed  to  thirty-one 
Jacksonians  to  thirty-three  National  Republicans,  and  in  two  years  from 
1830  the  Jacksonians'  majority  of  twenty-eight  had  been  changed  to 
twenty  for  the  National  Republicans. 

In  the  presidential  election  of  1836  the  electoral  vote  of  New  Jersey 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  Legislature,  for  the  reason  that  by  an  Act  of 
Congress  the  election  of  the  electors  of  the  several  States  should  take 
place  thirty-four  days  prior  to  the  meeting  of  the  electoral  college,  which 
was  fixed  in  1836  on  December  7th.  The  New  Jersey  State  Legislature 
by  an  act  passed  in  1807  required  the  presidential  election  to  be  held  the 
first  Tuesday  in  November,  this  being  in  1836  thirty-six  days  before  the 
meeting  of  the  electoral  college.  This  difficulty  also  occurred  in  1808, 
when  the  responsibility  devolved  on  the  Legislature.  The  New  Jersey 
electoral  vote  in  the  thirteenth  presidential  election  was  cast  for  Harrison 
and  Granger,  the  candidates  of  the  Whig  ticket.  The  Whig  nominee  for 
council,  George  T.  McDowell,  received  a  majority  of  only  twenty  votes. 
Three  of  the  Van  Buren  candidates,  William  C.  Alexander,  Thomas 
Edgar  and  Samuel  C.  Johns,  with  George  P.  MoUeson,  an  anti-Jacksonite, 
were  elected  to  the  Assembly.  The  county  went  for  Harrison  and 
Granger  by  a  majority  of  two  hundred  and  fifty. 

In  the  presidential  election  of  1820  the  Democratic  party  strived  to 
elect  Van  Buren  for  a  second  term.  The  Whigs  presented  their  defeated 
presidential  candidate  of  1836.  There  was  unprecedented  excitement 
during  the  campaign,  and  more  attention  was  bestowed  upon  politics  and 
the  numerous  questions  at  issue  than  had  ever  been  the  case  at  any 
previous  time.  There  was  hardly  a  definable  limit  to  the  conventions,  the 
speeches,  the  political  phamphlets,  the  newspaper  engineering,  on  the 
thousand  topics  which  were  brought  forward  and  debated  at  the  time. 
The  "hard  cider"  campaign  with  its  log  cabins  fully  supplied  with  barrels 


124  MIDDLESEX 

of  cider  all  over  the  country,  in  hamlets,  villages  and  cities,  marked  an 
important  epoch  in  the  political  history  of  the  United  States.  Van  Buren 
as  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party  carried  only  seven  States — New 
Hampshire,  Virginia,  South  Carolina,  Illinois,  Alabama,  Missouri  and 
Arkansas,  the  Whigs  being  triumphant  in  every  State  north  of  the  Mason 
and  Dixon  line  with  the  exception  of  those  mentioned  above,  and  gaining 
victories  in  some  of  the  Southern  and  border  States.  In  Middlesex 
county,  though  prodigious  efforts  were  made  by  the  Administration 
party,  a  full  Whig  delegation  was  elected  to  the  Assembly.  Harrison  and 
Tyler  received  a  majority  of  310  votes,  which  was  a  gain  of  159  over  the 
majority  given  Harrison  and  Granger. 

In  the  campaign  for  the  fifteenth  election  for  President,  the  Whigs 
were  handicapped  by  the  administration  of  afifairs  by  President  Tyler, 
who  by  the  death  of  General  Harrison  filled  the  executive  chair.  They 
presented  as  their  candidate  Henry  Clay,  who  received  the  cognomen 
"The  Friend  of  Popular  Rights."  The  war-cry  of  the  Whigs  was  the 
purification  of  the  Federal  Government,  the  maintenance  of  a  protective 
tariff,  the  distribution  of  the  moneys  from  the  sales  of  the  public  lands, 
the  maintenance  of  the  Union.  The  Democratic  party  was  condemned 
for  the  corrupt  system  of  making  Federal  offices  bribes,  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  existing  tariff  laws,  the  increase  of  taxation,  the  extension  of 
territory  already  too  vast  for  safe  government. 

The  nominee  on  the  Whig  ticket  for  Vice-President  was  Theodore 
Frelinghuysen,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  who  spent  the  later  years  of  his 
life  in  New  Brunswick,  where  he  died  April  12,  1861.  Mr.  Frelinghuysen 
was  a  man  of  great  piety,  possessed  of  the  deepest  religious  feelings,  and 
was  well  known  by  the  sobriquet  "The  Christian  Statesman."  He  was 
endowed  with  a  power  of  quick  and  determined  action  and  the  leadership 
of  men,  which  secured  for  himself  a  success  in  the  affairs  of  the  world. 
He  was  equally  successful  as  educator,  lawyer  and  statesman.  He  had 
filled  the  position  of  United  States  Senator,  and  declined  a  seat  on  the 
Supreme  Court  bench  of  the  State.  After  the  defeat  of  the  Whig  ticket, 
he  became  chancellor  of  the  University  of  New  York,  and  in  1850  he 
resigned  this  position  to  become  president  of  Rutgers  College,  which 
office  he  held  until  his  death. 

Middlesex  county  gave  the  Clay  and  Frelinghuysen  ticket  a  majority 
of  304,  electing  a  solid  Whig  delegation  to  the  Assembly.  The  Third 
Congressional  District,  which  combined  with  Middlesex  county,  Hunter- 
don, Mercer  and  Somerset  counties,  elected  John  Runk,  a  Whig,  as  Rep- 
resentative, by  a  majority  of  only  twenty-seven  votes. 

The  Whigs  in  1848,  passing  over  the  claims  of  Henry  Clay  and  Daniel 
Webster  for  their  candidates,  selected  General  Zachary  Taylor  as  their 
standard-bearer.    The  Democrats,  with  a  split  in  their  ranks  in  New  York 


EARLY  NINETEENTH  CENTURY  125 

State,  placed  in  nomination  Lewis  Cass,  his  running  mate  being  William 
O.  Butler.  The  Whig  candidate  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  war 
with  Mexico,  and  the  candidate  for  Vice-President,  Millard  Fillmore,  was 
a  prominent  statesman  of  the  Empire  State.  The  split  in  the  Democratic 
party,  mentioned  above,  consisted  mainly  of  dissatisfied  politicians  in 
New  York  State  who  met  in  convention  at  Utica  in  that  State  and  nom- 
inated Martin  Van  Buren  for  President.  The  Free-soil  party,  consisting 
mainly  of  Abolitionists,  in  a  convention  held  in  Buffalo,  New  York, 
endorsed  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Van  Buren,  selecting  as  their  candidate 
for  Vice-President  Charles  Francis  Adams. 

Previous  to  1848  the  New  Jersey  State  elections  had  been  held  in 
October,  and  the  polls  for  voting  had  been  kept  open  two  days.  The 
presidential  election  in  1848  was  the  first  time  the  ballots  for  National 
and  State  offices  were  cast  on  the  same  day,  and  the  time  of  voting  was 
limited  to  one  day.  A  distinct  opposition  was  made  by  the  Clay  Free 
Soil  Whigs  to  the  candidates  for  President  and  Vice-President  on  the 
Whig  ticket,  and  they  were  even  more  antagonistic  to  their  own  party 
than  they  were  to  their  Democratic  opponents.  The  normal  majority  of 
the  Whigs  in  Middlesex  county  was  not,  however,  materially  diminished. 
A  solid  Whig  delegation  was  elected  to  the  Council  and  Assembly,  the 
majority  in  these  bodies  on  joint  ballot  being  twenty-three  in  favor  of  the 
Whig  party.  Middlesex  was  the  banner  Whig  county  in  the  State,  every 
town  giving  "Old  Zack"  for  President  a  majority,  with  the  exception  of 
South  Amboy,  which  was  carried  by  Cass  by  a  majority  of  211. 

The  presidential  campaign  of  1852  was  devoid  of  any  political  excite- 
ment. Both  of  the  great  parties  set  aside  their  legitimate  leaders,  and 
turned  for  their  candidates  to  those  who  had  distinguished  themselves  by 
military  exploits  in  the  Mexican  War.  There  was  also  injected  into  the 
campaign  the  Free-soilers,  who  met  in  convention  at  Pittsburgh,  Penn- 
sylvania, nominating  John  P.  Hale,  of  New  Hampshire,  for  President, 
and  George  W.  Julian,  of  Indiana,  for  Vice-President.  Though  General 
Winfield  Scott  had  gained  more  distinction  than  his  opponent  in  the  mili- 
tary operations  in  Mexico,  he  was  badly  defeated  by  General  Franklin 
Pierce,  who  received  the  largest  electoral  vote  ever  cast  for  a  presidential 
candidate  previous  to  this  period,  he  receiving  in  the  electoral  college  the 
x^otes  of  all  the  States  with  the  exception  of  Vermont,  Massachusetts, 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  The  Whigs  of  Middlesex  county,  however, 
gave  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  for  their  presidential  candi- 
date, electing  Martin  A.  Howell  in  the  First  Assembly  District,  Abraham 
Everett  in  the  Second  District,  and  Josephus  Shann,  a  loco-foco,  in  the 
Third  District.  Samuel  Lilly,  a  Democrat,  member  of  the  medical  profes- 
sion, was  elected  representative  to  Congress. 


126  MIDDLESEX 

To  the  student  of  the  political  history  of  the  country  the  presidential 
campaign  of  1856  was  to  see  the  dissension  between  the  free  and  slave- 
holding  States  that  was  afterwards  to  culminate  in  open  hostilities.    The 
waning  power  of  the  South  in  the  United  States  Senate  by  the  creation 
of  free  States  in  the  Great  West,  which  they  had  bitterly  fought  in  the 
State  of  Kansas,  curtailed  the  extension  of  slavery.    The  Democrats  pre- 
sented as  their  candidates  James  Buchanan  and  John  C.  Breckinridge. 
The  newly  formed  Republican  party  had  for  their  standard-bearers  John 
C.  Fremont.  "The  Great  Pathfinder."  and  William  L.  Dayton,  a  prominent 
citizen  of  New  Jersey.     The  political  situation  was  further  complicated 
by  the  introduction  of  the  American  party,  with  Millard  Fillmore  and 
Andrew  Jackson  Donelson  as  its  candidates.     This  split  in  the  ranks  of 
old  Whig  party  placed  Middlesex  county  for  the  first  time  in  the  Demo- 
cratic column,  her  vote  for  President  being  for  Buchanan  2,468,   Fre- 
mont 1,200,  and  Fillmore  1,979.    In  the  Third  District,  Garnett  B.  Adrian 
was  elected  to  the  Thirty-fifth  Congress.    The  newly  elected  member  of 
Congress  was  of  French  extraction ;  his  paternal  grandfather  settled  in 
Ireland,  fleeing  from  his  native  France,  with  his  two  brothers,  from  reli- 
gious persecution  following  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.     He 
was  a  man  of  fine  cultivation,  remarkable  for  his  brilliant  wit  and  versa- 
tile power  of  conversation.     He  engaged  in  his  new  home  in  teaching, 
married,  and  reared  a  family  of  five  children.     Of  these,  Robert,  the 
eldest,  early  developed  an  aptitude  for  learning  that  amounted  to  genius. 
The  death  of  his  parents  when  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age  changed  his 
life  as  a  pupil  to  that  of  a  teacher.    In  the  rebellion  of  1798  he  commanded 
an  Irish  company,  but  on  account  of  his  independent  spirit  gained  the  ill 
will  of  the  government,  and  a  reward  was  offered  for  his  capture.     His 
having  been  wounded  by  one  of  his  men  gave  rise  to  a  rumor  of  his  death, 
and  he  eventually  escaped  to  America  disguised  as  a  weaver.     Here  he 
became  noted  for  his  mathematical  talents,  and  after  being  in  charge  of 
several  academies  in  1810  was  called  to  the  professorship  of  mathematics 
and  natural  philosophy  in  Queen's  (Rutgers)  College  ;   subsequently  he 
was   elected   to   the   chair  of   natural    philosophy  at   Columbia    College. 
Returning  to  Rutgers  in  1826,  he  accepted  after  three  years  a  professor- 
ship in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  of  which  institution  he  was  also 
vice-provost.     He  returned  to  his  home  in  New  Brunswick  in  1834,  and 
from  that  time  until  his  death,  August  10,  1843,  with  the  exception  of 
three  years,  he  relinquished  teaching.     Garnett  B.,  his  son,  was  born  in 
New  York  City,  December  20,  181 5.     After  receiving  a  collegiate  educa- 
tion he  entered  the  law  office  of  his  brother,  Robert  Adrian,  at  New 
Brunswick,  and  remained  in  continuous  legal  practice  until  his  death  on 
August  17,  1878.     He  inherited  the  genius  of  his  father  and  a  good  deal 
of  his  independent  spirit.     He  was  recognized  by  the  members  of  the 


EARLY  NINETEENTH  CENTURY  127 

bar  of  the  State  as  a  leg-al  light  of  the  highest  order,  a  favorable,  ready, 
witty,  eloquent  speaker,  who  had  few  equals  in  the  State.  In  politics  a 
Democrat  of  the  old  school,  he  was  an  ardent  adherent  of  Stephen  A. 
Douglas.    After  his  two  terms  in  Congress  he  retired  from  active  politics. 

The  campaign  for  the  presidential  election  in  i860  opened  with  four 
political  parties  in  the  field.  The  Republicans,  who  had  nominated  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  and  Hannibal  Hamlin,  declared  that  freedom  was  the  nor- 
mal condition  of  all  the  territories,  and  that  slavery  could  exist  only  by 
the  authority  of  municipal  law.  The  Democratic  party  was  divided ;  the 
radical  pro-slavery  wing,  whose  candidates  were  John  C.  Breckinridge 
and  Joseph  Lane,  declared  that  no  power  existed  that  might  lawfully 
control  slavery  in  the  territories,  and  it  was  the  duty  of  the  national  gov- 
ernment to  protect  the  institution.  The  other  wing  of  the  party,  whose 
platform  assumed  not  to  know  positively  whether  slavery  might  or  might 
not  have  lawful  existence  in  the  territories  but  expressed  a  willingness  to 
abide  by  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court,  had  for  its  candidates 
Stephen  A.  Douglas  and  Herschel  V.  Johnson.  The  National  Constitu- 
tional Union  party  adopted  as  its  platform,  "The  Union,  the  Constitution, 
and  the  enforcement  of  the  laws,"  and  declined  to  express  any  opinion 
upon  any  subject.  Its  candidates  were  John  Bell  and  Edward  Everett. 
The  conflict  waged  desperately  from  July  to  November.  New  Jersey  was 
the  only  State  in  the  Union  that  presented  a  ticket  which  combined 
fusion  electors  opposed  to  the  Republican  nominees.  This  ticket  received 
a  majority  of  650  in  Middlesex  county,  but  in  the  electoral  college  the 
Republican  candidates  received  four  votes,  the  other  three  being  cast 
for  the  ticket  headed  by  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  In  the  Third  Congres- 
sional District,  William  G.  Steele,  a  Democrat,  was  elected  by  a  majority 
of  2,115.  The  State  Senate  consisted  of  eleven  Republicans  to  ten 
Democrats,  the  Middlesex  representative  being  Abraham  Everett,  a 
Republican.  Three  Democrats — Elias  Ross,  James  T.  Crowell  and 
Orlando  Perrine,  were  elected  in  Middlesex  county  to  the  Assembly  by 
a  majority  of  two  hundred. 

Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  electoral  college  received  the  combined  votes 
of  the  State  north  of  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line,  with  the  exception  of 
three  votes  in  New  Jersey.  Breckinridge  carried  all  the  Southern 
States  with  the  exception  of  Virginia,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  whose 
entire  vote  was  received  by  Bell.  Douglas,  the  idol  of  the  Democratic 
party,  received  the  three  votes  of  New  Jersey  and  nine  from  Missouri. 
The  Republican  party  had  won  its  first  national  victory,  and  the  seeds 
were  sown  that  was  to  cause  slavery  to  be  forever  removed  as  a  national 
issue.  Grimvisaged  war  to  take  place  before  the  consummation  of 
this  momentous  question,  father  was  to  be  arrayed  against  son,  brother 
against  brother,  and  the  country  was  to  be  plunged  into  the  horrors  of 
civil  war. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
WAR   BETWEEN   THE   STATES. 

The  smoke  from  the  guns  that  were  fired  at  Fort  Sumter  had  hardly 
dissolved  in  the  air  when  President  Lincoln  issued  his  proclamation 
calling  for  seventy-five  thousand  militia  to  serve  in  the  Union  army  for 
three  months.  The  quota  of  this  call  for  New  Jersey  was  3,120,  or  four 
regiments  of  750  men  each.  The  War  Department  also  required  that 
in  addition  to  the  regiments  called,  a  reserve  militia  should  be  organ- 
ized as  rapidly  as  possible.  Governor  Olden,  who  at  this  period  filled 
the  executive  office  of  the  State,  issued  a  proclamation  directing  all 
individuals  or  organizations  to  report  for  duty  within  twenty  days.  The 
whole  State  rose  with  glorious  unanimity  to  vindicate  the  majesty  of 
insulted  law.  The  banks  pledged  a  fund  of  $451,000  to  support  the 
governor  in  his  extraordinary  expenses,  of  which  sum  the  State  Bank 
of  New  Brunswick  subscribed  $25,000.  The  first  regimental  offer  was 
made  by  the  First  Regiment  of  the  Hunterdon  Brigade,  under  date  of 
April  18,  1861.  The  first  company  actually  mustered  into  service  was  the 
Olden  Guards,  a  militia  organization  of  Trenton,  on  April  23,  1861. 
New  Jersey  was  a  carnival  of  patriotism  from  one  end  of  the  State  to 
the  other;  volunteers  came  forward  so  rapidly  that  the  quota  of  the 
State  was  completed  on  April  30,  1861,  and  the  regiments  stood  ready 
to  march  to  the  seat  of  war. 

The  four  regiments  were  quickly  mustered  into  a  brigade  known  as 
the  New  Jersey  Brigade,  afterwards  as  the  First  Brigade.  There  was 
not  in  this  brigade  an  organized  company  from  Middlesex  county. 

Governor  Olden  selected  for  commander  of  the  First  Brigade,  Theo- 
dore Runyon,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Newark,  then  about  thirty-eight 
years  of  age,  and  who  had  for  some  years  manifested  a  deep  interest 
in  military  affairs.  General  Runyon,  though  not  born  in  Middlesex 
county,  was  a  descendant  of  Vincent  Rognion,  a  native  of  France,  and 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Piscataway  township.  On  May  2,  1861,  the 
brigade  embarked  by  the  way  of  Annapolis  for  Washington,  and  on  the 
6th  reported  to  General  Scott.  The  three  thousand  Jerseymen  were 
thoroughly  armed  and  equipped,  and  their  arrival  at  the  capital  city  was 
hailed  with  pleasure,  as  they  could  be  depended  on  to  repel  all  assaults. 
In  the  First  Brigade  of  the  New  Jersey  Volunteers,  which  was  mustered 
into  service  under  the  call  of  the  President  for  three-year  volunteers, 
in  the  First  Regiment  of  Infantry,  Middlesex  county  had  three  full 
companies,  C,  F  and  G,  while  some  of  the  members  of  companies  A,  B 
and  E  were  from  that  county. 

Mid-9 


130  MIDDLESEX 

First  Rc^gimcnt — The  First  Regiment,  with  other  members  of  the  First 
Brigade  of  three-year  volunteers,  left  Trenton  on  June  28,  1861,  and 
immediately  on  arrival  in  Virginia  formed  a  part  of  General  Runyon's 
division  of  reserves  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  aiding  materially  in  cover- 
ing the  retreat  of  the  Union  forces  on  that  fatal  day.  Immediately  after 
the  battle,  the  regiment  w^ent  into  camp  near  Alexandria,  Virginia. 
Major  Philip  Kearny,  having  been  commissioned  a  brigadier-general, 
w^as  put  in  command  of  the  New  Jersey  troops.  The  fall  and  winter 
months  were  passed  in  camp  duties.  On  October  15  a  detachment  of 
the  First  Regiment  fell  in  with  the  enemy  cavalry,  when  a  brisk  skirmish 
took  place ;  after  emptying  a  number  of  saddles,  they  retired  with  a  loss 
of  three  or  four  killed.  In  the  spring  of  1862  the  regiment  was  ordered 
to  Burke's  Station,  on  the  Orange  &  Alexandria  railroad,  to  protect 
laborers.  The  First  Regiment  was  finally  advanced  to  Fairfax  Court 
House,  and  a  detachment  was  sent  forward  to  Centreville,  where  the 
remainder  of  the  regiment  shortly  after  joined  them.  Thus  this  regi- 
ment that  was  the  last  to  leave  Centerville  at  the  first  Bull  Run,  had  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  to  occupy  the  place  in  the  second  advance.  The 
brigade  in  April,  1862,  was  attached  to  the  First  Division  of  the  First 
Army  Corps,  was  advanced  to  Bristow  Station,  and  took  a  position  two 
miles  from  Warrenton  Junction,  at  Catlett's  Station.  This  was  a  stra- 
tegic movement  to  engage  the  attention  of  the  enemy  while  General 
McClellan  transferred  his  main  body  of  the  army  by  transports  to  the 
Peninsula.  The  First  Regiment,  as  part  of  the  First  Brigade,  abandon- 
ing their  position  at  Catlett's  Station,  returned  to  Alexandria,  where  it 
embarked  on  steamers  for  the  rendezvous  at  the  mouth  of  the  York 
river,  thence  proceeding  to  Yorktown,  and  finally  to  West  Point,  on 
the  York  river.  Here  the  regiment  was  disembarked  and  deployed  as 
skirmishers,  and  a  sharp  engagement  took  place  with  some  of  the  best 
soldiers  of  the  rebel  army.  A  junction  was  finally  effected  with  McClel- 
lan's  army  near  the  White  House,  whence  the  regiment  advanced  to 
Chickahominy,  remaining  in  camp  at  this  point  about  two  weeks. 

The  fighting  for  the  possession  of  Richmond  had  commenced,  and 
on  the  night  of  May  21  the  First  Regiment  was  detailed  to  guard  a 
working  party.  Six  days  later  the  regiment,  leaving  its  entrenched 
camp  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Chickahominy,  moved  down  to  Wood- 
bury's Bridge,  where  the  brigade  was  formed  into  two  lines,  and  though 
the  odds  of  position  and  numbers  were  against  them,  the  Jersey  Blues 
fought  steadily  on  until  nightfall.  One  by  one  their  officers  were  shot 
down,  and  though  the  day  was  lost,  it  was  not  the  fault  of  the  New  Jersey 
Brigade,  which  went  into  action  with  2,800  stout-hearted  men,  of  whom 
but  965  wearied,  scarred  and  dark  with  grime  of  battle,  answered  to  their 
names  in  the  solemn  midnight  when  the  morning  camp  was  reached. 
In  the  First  Regiment,  Major  David  Hatfield  was  wounded,  and  subse- 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES  131 

quently  died  of  his  injuries ;  Captain  E.  G.  Brewster  was  killed ;  while 
Captains  Way,  Mount  and  others  were  wounded ;  the  total  loss  of  the 
regiment  being  21  killed,  78  wounded  and  60  missing.  The  following 
morning  the  First  Brigade  was  withdrawn  to  the  woods  in  the  rear  of 
the  battlefield,  where  it  rested  until  midnight,  when  it  marched  towards 
Savage  Station,  pausing  to  take  part  in  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  and 
finally  reached  Harrison's  Landing,  where  it  found  a  brief  respite. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July,  General  John  Pope  was  appointed  to  com- 
mand the  forces  designated  as  the  Army  of  Virginia,  with  instructions 
to  make  fresh  demonstrations  against  Richmond  from  the  Rappahan- 
nock in  order  to  effect  a  diversion  in  favor  of  General  McClellan's  army. 
The  First  Regiment,  now  numbering  about  three  hundred  men,  in  con- 
nection with  other  regiments  of  the  First  Brigade,  was  sent  forward  by 
rail  to  Bull  Run  bridge,  where  it  was  supposed  that  there  was  no  more 
formidable  body  of  enemy  than  gangs  of  guerillas.  This,  however,  was 
found  to  be  a  mistake,  and  the  Jersey  troops  were  confronted  by  the 
enemy's  forces,  who  gave  battle,  causing  sad  havoc  amongst  their  ranks. 
Stonewall  Jackson,  who  was  present  on  the  field  of  battle,  afterwards 
said  he  had  rarely  seen  a  body  of  men  who  stood  up  so  gallantly  in  the 
face  of  overwhelming  odds  as  did  the  Jersey  troops  on  this  occasion. 
By  the  official  statement  the  First  Regiment  casualties  in  this  engage- 
ment were,  one  killed,  47  wounded,  80  taken  prisoners. 

General  Pope,  realizing  his  dangerous  position,  pushed  forward  all 
of  his  available  forces  upon  Centerville.  Here  General  Kearny's  division 
advanced  against  General  Stonewall  Jackson,  stationed  near  Gainesville. 
At  this  point  a  large  part  of  both  armies  became  engaged,  victory  and 
repulse  following  each  other  in  quick  succession,  and  Pope,  struggling 
with  a  hope  of  reinforcements  that  never  came,  was  badly  beaten.  The 
army  was  withdrawn  to  a  position  near  Centerville,  where  the  First 
Brigade  as  a  part  of  Franklin's  Corps  joined  the  main  army.  General 
Lee  determined  to  harass  the  right  wing  of  Pope's  army,  advanced 
General  Jackson's  army  toward  Fairfax  Court  House,  where  on  the  eve- 
ning of  September  ist  they  were  confronted  by  two  divisions  of  Sumner's 
Corps,  and  subsequently  by  Kearny's  Division,  the  latter  closing  the 
fight  by  driving  the  enemy  from  the  field.  The  victory,  however,  was 
a  costly  one.  General  Kearny  being  shot  dead  when  almost  within  the 
rebel  lines,  on  a  reconnaissance. 

Here  fell  on  the  field  of  battle  a  beau  ideal  of  an  American  soldier. 
General  Philip  Kearny,  though  not  a  native  of  Middlesex  county,  was 
descended  from  a  family  that  was  connected  with  its  history  in  the 
eighteenth  century.  It  was  in  1716  that  Michael  Kearny,  then  residing 
in  Monmouth  county,  purchased  a  lot  of  ground  in  Perth  Amboy  and 
soon  after  removed  thither.  He  was  originally  from  Ireland,  and  before 
coming  to  Perth  Amboy  had  married  for  his  second  wife,  Sarah,  daughter 


132  MIDDLESEX 

of  Lewis  Morris,  governor  of  the  province  of  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Kearny 
had  not  been  long  a  resident  of  Perth  Amboy  when  various  offices  were 
bestowed  upon  him.  He  was  secretary  of  the  province,  surrogate,  clerk 
of  the  Assembly,  also  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  His  eldest  son, 
Philip,  was  eminent  as  a  lawyer,  and  married  (first)  Lady  Barney 
Dexter,  whose  maiden  name  was  Ravaud ;  the  issue  of  this  marriage  was 
Philip,  Elizabeth,  Susannah  and  Ravaud.  The  eldest  Philip  resided  for 
many  years  at  Perth  Amboy,  but  finally  removed  to  Newark,  locating 
on  what  was  known  as  the  Kearny  homestead.  There  he  lived  until 
his  death,  and  his  son  Philip,  who  married  Susan  Watts,  succeeded  to 
his  father's  estate.  These  were  the  parents  of  General  Philip  Kearny, 
who  was  born  in  New  York  City,  June  2,  1815,  while  his  mother  was 
there  visiting  relatives.  Graduating  from  Columbia  College  in  1833, 
young  Kearny  visited  Europe,  and  while  there  was  especially  impressed 
by  the  manoeuvering  of  the  armies.  Returning  to  New  York,  he  studied 
law,  but  by  the  death  of  his  grandfather,  John  Watts,  in  1836,  he  inherited 
$1,000,000.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  army  life,  and  was  commis- 
sioned second  lieutenant  in  the  First  United  States  Dragoons.  He 
served  through  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  lost  his  left  arm  at  the  battle 
of  Cherubusco,  being  brevetted  major  for  his  gallantry.  After  the  close 
of  the  war  he  built  on  his  property,  "Belle  Grove,"  on  the  Passaic,  a 
French  chateau,  and  on  the  broad  acres  of  the  old  homestead  exercised 
his  horses,  which  he  had  imported  from  Europe.  At  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  War,  after  oiTering  his  services  to  the  United  States  and  his 
native  State  without  success,  he  aided  in  the  organization  of  the  First 
New  Jersey  Brigade.  He  was  commissioned  brigadier-general,  and  it 
was  through  his  superb  soldierly  qualities  and  masterly  drill  that  the 
First  Brigade  came  to  be  noted  for  its  wonderful  efficiency  and  esprit 
de  corps. 

The  weary  and  footsore  soldiers  of  the  First  Regiment  were  not 
yet  to  find  rest.  General  McClellan  was  again  in  supreme  command,  and 
the  regiment  was  moved  towards  South  Mountain,  taking  part  in  the 
battle  of  Crampton  Pass,  Maryland,  where  three  brigades  of  the  rebels 
under  General  Howell  Cobb  were  advantageously  posted.  After  a  short 
but  severe  engagement,  the  rebels  were  routed,  the  First  Regiment 
sufifering  a  loss  of  seven  killed  and  thirty-four  wounded.  The  battle  of 
Antietam  followed  in  three  days,  and  though  this  was  one  of  the  blood- 
iest and  costliest  of  the  war,  the  First  Regiment  was  not  actually 
engaged,  it  being  stationed  in  a  woods  for  forty-two  hours,  six  of  which 
they  were  exposed  to  a  severe  artillery  fire.  Lee  with  his  bleeding 
columns,  leaving  his  dead  on  the  field  of  battle,  crossed  the  Potomac, 
effecting  a  lodgment  in  Virginia  and  leisurely  retreating  down  the  Val- 
ley, awaiting  the  development  of  McClellan's  programme. 

The  First  Regiment  remained  in  Maryland  until  October  2,  when 
it  crossed  the  Potomac  to  participate  in  the  movement  against  Freder- 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES  133 

icksburg.  The  regiment  was  formed  in  line  of  battle  and  was  also 
engaged  in  picket  duty.  The  battle  of  Fredericksburg  terminated  the 
campaign  of  1862,  and  the  First  Regiment  went  into  winter  quarters 
near  Falmouth,  Virginia,  where  it  rested  for  four  months  in  comparative 
quietness. 

In  the  spring  of  1863,  General  McClellan  was  succeeded  in  the  com- 
mand of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  by  General  Joseph  Hooker.  The 
latter,  determined  upon  a  movement  against  the  enemy,  crossed  with 
the  bulk  of  his  forces  the  rivers  Rappahannock  and  Rapidan,  and  took 
position  at  Chancellorsville.  The  First  Brigade,  now  a  part  of  the 
Sixth  Corps,  crossed  the  Rappahannock  three  miles  below  Fredericks- 
burg on  the  morning  of  April  29,  1853.  On  the  evening  of  May  2nd,  the 
First  Regiment  attacked  and  drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets,  holding  the 
ground  thus  obtained.  The  regiment  moving  rapidly  through  Freder- 
icksburg, proceeded  some  three  miles  in  the  direction  of  Chancellorsville, 
where  it  formed  in  line  of  battle  and  advanced  until  Salem  Church  was 
reached.  Here  the  enemy  was  strongly  posted,  and  the  veterans  of 
Longstreet  stood  resolutely  at  bay.  Though  the  First  Brigade  did  not 
write  a  new  victory  on  its  banners,  it  proved  itself  once  more  worthy  to 
march  and  fight  in  the  van  of  the  battle-beaten  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
The  regiment  remained  on  the  field  during  the  whole  of  the  following 
day,  but  was  not  engaged  except  as  a  support  to  batteries.  On  the 
night  of  the  4th  the  entire  army  withdrew,  the  First  Regiment  proceed- 
ing by  slow  marches  to  its  old  camping  grounds.  The  First  Regiment 
loss  at  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  was  7  killed,  71  wounded,  and  27 
missing. 

General  Lee  having  defeated  Hooker's  movement  against  Richmond, 
determined  upon  an  offensive  campaign,  and  early  in  June  again  crossed 
the  Potomac,  taking  position  on  free  soil.  General  Meade  having  suc- 
ceeded General  Hooker,  came  up  with  the  advance  of  the  enemy  at 
Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania.  The  First  Regiment,  prior  to  this  movement, 
had  participated  in  various  aimless  marches  in  Virginia.  The  regiment 
crossed  the  Potomac  at  Edward's  Ferry  on  the  afternoon  of  June  27 
and  marched  rapidly  forward  to  Manchester,  where  it  arrived  July  i. 
The  following  day,  by  a  forced  march  of  thirty-six  miles,  it  reached 
Gettysburg,  and  at  once  was  sent  into  position  on  the  left  of  the  line. 
The  fighting  being  mainly  on  the  right  and  center,  the  First  did  not 
become  engaged  on  the  decisive  day  of  the  battle  except  on  the  picket 
line.  After  the  defeat  of  the  enemy,  the  regiment  on  July  19  crossed  the 
Potomac,  went  into  camp  near  Warrentown,  and  on  September  15 
removed  to  Culpeper  Court  House.  During  the  month  of  October  it 
participated  in  movements  along  the  Rappahannock,  but  subsequently 
went  into  camp  at  Warrentown,  whence  it  removed  to  Rappahannock 
Station,  and  early  in  December  to  near  Brandy  Station,  where  it  remained 
in  winter  quarters  until  late  in  April,  1864. 


134  MIDDLESEX 

On  May  a,  1864,  having  fully  matured  his  plans,  General  Grant,  who 
was  in  supreme  command,  set  all  his  columns  in  motion.  The  First 
Regiment  as  a  unit  in  these  decisive  attacks  on  the  enemy  which  were 
terminated  by  Lee's  surrender  at  Appomattox,  valiantly  performed  its 
part.  It  was  present  at  all  the  important  engagements  with  the  enemy 
on  the  Peninsula  in  Virginia  and  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  It  took 
part  in  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  Spottsylvania  Court 
House;  North  and  South  Anna  River,  Hanover  Court  House,  Tolopo- 
tomy  Creek.  Cold  Harbor,  before  Petersburg,  Snicker's  Gap,  Strasburg, 
Winchester,  Charlestown,  Opequan,  Fisher's  Hill,  New  Market,  Mount 
Jackson,  Cedar  Creek  and  Middletown,  Hatcher's  Run,  Fort  Stedman, 
capture  of  Petersburg,  Sailor's  Creek,  Farmville,  and  Lee's  surrender 
at  Appomattox. 

On  May  24,  1865,  the  regiment  marched  through  Richmond  on  its 
way  northward.  It  encamped  four  miles  from  Georgetown,  D.  C,  on 
June  2,  and  after  a  short  time  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service 
and  proceeded  to  Trenton,  New  Jersey,  where  it  was  dissolved  and 
ceased  to  exist. 

Ninth  Regiment — The  Ninth  Regiment  was  raised  under  authoriza- 
tion from  the  War  Department  to  recruit  a  regiment  of  riflemen.  Com- 
panies A  and  B  were  from  Middlesex  county.  The  recruiting  for  the 
regiment  was  begun  in  September,  1861,  and  the  first  muster  was  made 
at  Camp  Olden,  Trenton,  on  October  5.  The  regiment  was  soon  filled 
to  the  maximum,  and  remained  in  camp  until  December  4,  when  it  pro- 
ceeded to  Washington.  It  was  armed  with  Springfield  rifles,  and  was 
more  fully  equipped  than  any  regiment  which  up  to  that  time  had  left 
the  State.  The  regiment  went  into  camp  on  the  Bladensburg  turnpike, 
where  it  remained  until  January  4,  1862,  when  it  proceeded  to  Annapolis 
to  become  a  portion  of  Burnside's  expedition  to  North  Carolina.  It  was 
assigned  to  the  brigade  of  General  Jesse  L.  Reno,  and  embarked  for 
Fortress  Monroe,  January  10.  Arriving  at  its  destination,  sail  was  made 
for  some  point  southward.  On  February  6  all  the  vessels  arrived  off 
Roanoke  Island,  which  separates  the  Pamlico  and  Albemarle  sounds, 
and  where  the  Confederates  were  in  force  with  entrenchments,  batteries 
and  gunboats.  The  fleet  steamed  directly  up  Pamlico  Sound  led  by  a 
dozen  gunboats  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Goldsborough.  The 
Ninth  Regiment  as  part  of  Reno's  command  was  placed  in  the  second 
line  of  attack,  and  remained  inactive  about  a  half  a  mile  from  the  scene 
of  hostilities.  The  order  for  advance  was  soon  given,  and  the  regiment 
entered  the  swamp  and  up  to  hips  in  water  advanced  to  within  one 
hundred  yards  of  the  enemy's  fort.  Here  a  vigorous  fire  was  opened  on 
the  enemy,  which  was  responded  to  by  the  batteries  pouring  a  storm  of 
shot  and  shell  into  the  regiment.  The  rebel  guns  were,  however, 
silenced  by  the  sharpshooters  picking  ofif  their  cannoneers.     The  Con- 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES  135 

federates  retreated  about  11  o'clock.  The  conduct  of  the  Ninth  was 
highly  courageous,  the  enemy  admitting  after  the  battle  that  they  did 
not  suppose  a  body  of  troops  could  operate  in  the  swamp,  as  this  opera- 
tion on  the  rebel  flank  made  it  possible  to  secure  the  great  success  of 
the  day.  By  order  of  General  Burnside,  "Roanoke  Island,  Feb- 
urary  8,  1862,"  was  emblazoned  on  the  Ninth's  banners  in  compliment 
for  their  gallantry  on  that  day.  The  Ninth  lost  in  the  battle,  9  killed  and 
25  wounded.  The  capture  of  Roanoke  Island  gained  the  key  to  all  the 
inland  waters  of  North  Carolina,  thus  interrupting  communications 
which  at  that  time  were  essential  to  the  enemy. 

The  Ninth  remained  on  the  Island  until  early  in  March;  on  the  nth 
of  that  month  it  sailed  down  the  sound  to  Hatteras  Inlet  to  participate 
in  an  attack  on  Newberne.  In  the  line  of  battle  before  that  city,  the 
Ninth  occupied  the  extreme  left.  Discovering  a  movement  on  his  left 
flank.  Colonel  Heckman,  in  command  of  the  regiment,  reversed  his 
left  wing  in  time  to  repel  a  fierce  attack  of  the  enemy,  the  regiment  then 
resumed  a  direct  attack,  silencing  the  Confederates'  artillery  by  their 
sharpshooters.  The  Federal  troops  had  made  several  charges,  and  on 
the  solicitation  of  Colonel  Heckman,  General  Reno  ordered  the  Ninth  to 
make  a  charge.  Dashing  eagerly  forward,  leaping  from  ditch  to  ditch, 
wading  knee-deep  in  mire,  rushing  over  pitfalls  through  almost  impene- 
trable abattis,  the  irresistible  assailants  swept  up  to  the  earthworks, 
climbed  the  blood-stained  slippery  sides  and  captured  the  whole  line 
of  fortifications  in  their  front,  with  six  guns.  The  flags  of  the  Ninth 
waved  from  two  of  the  enemy's  redans,  while  the  right  guidon  floated 
from  a  third.  Soon  the  entire  division  took  complete  possession  of  the 
Confederate  works  mounting  some  sixty-nine  cannons.  The  river  bat- 
teries in  the  rear  were  evacuated,  thus  leaving  the  land  and  water 
approaches  to  Newberne  open,  all  that  remained  being  to  march  in  and 
take  possession.  The  Ninth  camped  at  the  junction  of  the  Trent  and 
Neuse  rivers  about  four  miles  from  the  captured  fortifications,  remaining 
until  April  i,  when  it  proceeded  to  Newport  Barracks,  where  its  head- 
quarters remained  during  the  siege  of  Fort  Macon.  On  July  26,  six 
companies  of  the  regiment  took  part  in  an  expedition  to  Young's  Cross 
Roads.  The  next  three  months  were  spent  in  reconnoitering  and  guer- 
illa warfare.  The  regiment  on  October  30,  1862,  joined  General  Foster's 
expedition  against  Tarborough,  while  two  brigades  were  transported 
by  water  to  Washington,  and  the  third,  which  included  the  Ninth, 
marched  overland.  It  was  on  the  morning  of  November  2  the  column 
was  first  attacked  by  rebel  rangers,  and  after  marching  some  nineteen 
miles  it  became  evident  that  an  engagement  was  imminent.  Two  Massa- 
chusetts regiments  having  been  forced  to  retire,  the  Ninth  was  ordered 
to  the  rescue.  Running  through  the  ranks  of  the  Massachusetts  regi- 
ments, the  Ninth  dashed  past  the  fort  of  the  enemy,  halting  upon  a 


136  MIDDLESEX 

high  clay  bank  beyond  the  swamp.  Here  parties  were  detailed  to  find 
convenient  fords,  but  on  receiving  a  report  that  the  river  could  be 
crossed  by  infantry,  Colonel  Heckman  placed  a  battery  in  position  to 
open  fire  with  canister  on  the  enemy,  then  ordered  the  Ninth  to  cross 
over  the  burning  bridge  into  the  works  of  the  Confederates.  The  latter 
fled  precipitately,  leaving  considerable  property  behind.  Few  achieve- 
ments of  the  North  Carolina  campaign  were  more  gallant  than  this 
passage  of  a  burning  bridge,  and  the  rout  of  the  enemy  strongly  posted, 
by  a  single  regiment.  The  expedition  moved  forward  in  the  direction 
of  Tarborough,  but  learning  that  the  enemy  had  been  reinforced,  it 
was  determined  to  return,  the  Ninth  reaching  Newport  on  November  12. 

In  accordance  with  an  order  from  the  War  Department  dated  Novem- 
ber 18,  1862,  the  regiment  was  reduced  from  twelve  to  ten  companies,  A 
and  L  being  disbanded,  and  the  enlisted  men  transferred  to  other  com- 
panies of  the  regiment.  Company  M  was  designated  as  Company  A. 
In  December,  1862,  the  regiment  took  part  in  Colonel  Heckman's  expe- 
dition to  destroy  railroad  junctions  in  North  Carolina,  in  which  it  took 
part  in  engagements  with  rebel  forces  at  Deep  Creek,  Southwest  Creek, 
before  Kinston,  Whitehall  and  Goldsborough.  On  December  24,  a 
beautiful  stand  of  colors  costing  seven  hundred  dollars,  was  presented 
to  the  Ninth  by  the  Legislature  of  New  Jersey. 

The  year  1863  opened  with  the  Ninth  in  camp  in  North  Carolina,  a 
part  of  what  was  known  as  "The  Star  Brigade."  In  the  early  part  of  that 
year  it  took  part  in  several  minor  expeditions,  but  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  time  was  in  camp  at  Morehead  City.  In  July,  1863,  an  expedition 
was  undertaken  into  the  interior  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  Ninth  took 
part  in  an  engagement  near  Winton  in  that  State.  Many  of  the  Ninth 
being  sick  with  chills  and  fever,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Carolina 
City,  where  it  remained  unemployed  for  a  month  and  a  half.  On  October 
18,  1863,  the  regiment  broke  camp  and  proceeded  to  Newport  News, 
Virginia,  where  it  remained  during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

The  term  for  which  the  Ninth  had  volunteered  having  in  the  early 
part  of  1864  nearly  expired,  two-thirds  of  the  regiment  immediately 
reenlisted  for  three  years  in  the  war,  being  designated  "Veteran  Volun- 
teers." This  number  entitled  them  to  a  veteran  furlough,  and  on  Febru- 
ary 2,  1864,  they  sailed  for  Jersey  City,  thence  proceeding  to  Trenton, 
where  their  arms  were  stored  and  the  men  scattered  for  their  homes. 
The  portion  of  the  regiment  that  did  not  reenlist,  in  a  reconnaisance  at 
Deep  Creek,  Virginia,  fell  in  with  a  body  of  rebels  who  compelled  them 
to  retreat. 

The  gallant  Ninth,  strengthened  by  a  number  of  recruits,  once  more 
set  its  face  towards  the  battlefields.  Reaching  Portsmouth,  Virginia, 
March  17,  1864,  it  proceeded  to  Getty's  Station,  where  it  reunited  with 
General  Heckman's  command.     This  command  sailed  up  Chuckatuck 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES  137 

river,  landing  April  15  at  Cherry  Grove,  where  the  enemy  w^ere  met 
and  engaged  by  several  companies  of  the  Ninth,  The  command  return- 
ing to  their  camp  at  Getty's  Station,  was  transferred  to  Yorktown, 
finally  sailing  to  Fortress  Monroe.  The  Ninth  disembarked  at  Bermuda 
Hundred,  on  the  south  side  of  James  river,  being  the  first  to  land. 
Bivouacking  about  two  miles  from  the  river  on  the  morning  of  May 
6,  the  division  moved  forward,  the  Ninth  as  usual  having  the  post  of 
honor  and  of  danger.  Moving  steadily  forward,  the  regiment  at  noon 
came  within  sight  of  Petersburg,  and  advanced  steadily  to  Port  Wal- 
thall Junction,  where  the  enemy  were  strongly  posted.  Here  it  met  a 
superior  force  of  the  enemy  and  after  two  hours'  fighting  was  obliged 
to  retire ;  the  Ninth  losing  four  killed  and  30  wounded.  The  following 
day  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  fighting,  but  it  was  less  severe  than 
the  preceding  day.  The  morning  of  the  9th  an  advance  was  made 
southward  to  Swift  Creek,  three  miles  from  Petersburg.  The  enemy 
was  driven  two  or  three  miles  with  heavy  loss,  the  Unionist  soldiers 
tearing  up  the  railroad  track  between  Petersburg  and  Richmond.  Both 
armies  held  during  the  night  the  ground  occupied  during  the  day.  The 
loss  of  the  Ninth  was  one  man  killed  and  nine  wounded.  The  Ninth 
was  not  again  engaged  until  the  12th,  when  the  whole  army  again 
advanced,  encountering  the  enemy  on  the  Richmond  and  Petersburg 
turnpike.  Night  closed  active  operations,  both  armies  resting  on  their 
arms,  skirmishing  was  resumed  at  daylight,  the  enemy  being  gradually 
driven  at  all  points  of  the  line.  The  morning  of  the  14th  the  artillery 
opened  vigorously  upon  the  enemy.  Companies  D  and  G  of  the  Ninth 
were  deployed  as  skirmishers  and  compelled  the  enemy  to  fall  back  to 
their  fortifications  During  the  15th  while  a  sharp  musketry  fire  was  kept 
up  all  day,  no  general  demonstration  was  made.  The  extreme  right  of 
Heckman's  command  was  held  by  the  Ninth.  The  commanding  general 
had  repeatedly  asked  for  reinforcements  which  had  been  denied  him.  At 
midnight  the  rebels  moved  out  of  their  works  strongly  massed,  and 
rushed  just  before  daylight  upon  the  pickets ;  they  were  forced  back,  but 
the  i6th  was  to  be  a  sad  day  for  the  "Star  Brigade."  Under  cover  of  a 
dense  fog,  five  picked  brigades  in  columns  debouched,  left  the  rebel 
fortifications,  drove  in  the  Union  pickets,  and  pressed  forward  on  a 
run  for  the  main  line.  Though  they  were  repulsed,  the  rebels  executed 
a  flank  movement  on  the  extreme  right,  and  the  Ninth,  defending  that 
position,  having  no  artillery  and  being  greatly  outnumbered,  was 
obliged  to  give  way.  The  Ninth  lost  heavily  in  this  battle,  which  is 
named  in  the  reports  as  Drury's  Bluflf,  one  hundred  and  fifty  being  killed 
and  wounded.  The  regiment  at  the  commencement  of  the  engagement 
had  nineteen  officers,  thirteen  of  whom  were  killed  and  wounded  and 
three  taken  prisoners.  Among  their  dead  officers  was  their  commander, 
Colonel  Abram  Zabriskie.    During  the  next  week  the  Ninth  was  more  or 


138  MIDDLESEX 

less  coii'^tantly  engaged  in  skirmishing,  severe  fighting  at  times,  and  on 
being  ordered  to  Cold  Harbor  on  June  3,  became  engaged  with  the 
enemy.  While  the  fighting  was  continued  along  the  whole  line  the 
following  day  the  Ninth  was  not  engaged.  On  the  12th  General  Smith's- 
army  withdrawing  from  its  position,  the  Ninth  covered  his  rear  and 
marched  directly  to  White  House,  where  it  embarked  and  sailed  to  Ber- 
muda Hundred.  The  total  loss  of  the  regiment  during  the  operations 
at  Cold  Harbor  was  five  killed  and  thirty  wounded. 

After  reaching  Bermuda  Hundred,  nine  companies  of  the  Ninth,  with 
a  part  of  the  Twenty-third  Massachusetts,  were  with  other  troops  united 
under  the  title  of  Provisional  Brigade,  and  attached  temporarily  to  the 
Tenth  Corps ;  with  this  organization  the  Ninth  took  part  in  the  move- 
ments before  Petersburg,  Virginia,  fighting  forty  days  in  the  rifle  pits. 

The  fighting  of  the  Ninth  in  Virginia  was  ended,  and  on  September 
17  it  proceeded  to  Bermuda  Hundred,  embarked  for  North  Carolina, 
reaching  Morehead  City  and  proceeded  to  its  old  camp  at  Caroline 
City.  On  October  21,  one  hundred  and  eight  men  whose  terms  of  serv- 
ice had  expired,  left  the  camp  for  Trenton,  New  Jersey,  to  be  mustered 
out.  The  Ninth  remained  in  North  Carolina  until  the  close  of  hostilities, 
taking  part  in  several  engagements — Gardiner's  Bridge,  Foster's  Bridge, 
Butler's  Bridge,  Southwest  Creek,  Wise's  Fork,  and  Goldsborough. 

The  Ninth  during  its  term  of  service  participated  in  forty-two  battles 
and  engagements.  Entering  the  service  with  1,042  men  and  at  various 
times  strengthened  by  recruits,  the  mean  strength  of  the  regiment  when 
mustered  out  was  only  six  hundred.  The  regiment  as  an  organization 
was  mustered  out  of  the  United  States  service  at  Greensborough,  North 
Carolina,  July  12,  1865,  and  proceeded  by  rail  to  Danville,  Virginia.  On 
the  15th  it  embarked  at  City  Point  for  Baltimore,  reaching  Trenton  the 
following  day,  where  it  was  furloughed  until  the  28th  when  the  final 
discharge  papers  were  issued,  and  on  the  day  following  the  Ninth  Regi- 
ment, after  nearly  four  years  of  service,  ceased  to  exist. 

Fourteenth  Regiment — The  Fourteenth  Regiment  was  mustered  into 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  August  25,  1862,  leaving  Freehold  for 
the  seat  of  war,  nine  hundred  and  fifty  strong,  September  2,  1862.  The 
regiment  was  composed  of  excellent  material.  Companies  D,  H.  I  and  K 
were  largely  from  Middlesex  county ;  there  were  also  a  number  in  Com- 
panies C  and  E  who  were  citizens  of  the  county.  Reaching  Baltimore, 
the  regiment  was  dispatched  to  guard  Monocacy  Bridge.  Receiving 
advice  of  the  advance  of  General  Lee  into  Maryland,  the  regiment  was 
transferred  to  Elysville.  The  Confederates  burned  the  bridge  crossing 
the  Monocacy,  and  the  Fourteenth  was  ordered  to  rebuild  it.  Here  for 
nine  months  the  regiment  remained  inactive ;  owing  to  poor  rations 
during  the  winter,  a  great  deal  of  sickness  ])revailed,  seventy-five  deaths 
occurring.     This  period  of  inactivity  came  to  an  end  after  the  battle  of 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES  139 

Chancellorsville,  when  the  Fourteenth  was  ordered  to  Harper's  Ferry 
and  took  position  on  Maryland  Heights.  Here  it  remained  two  weeks, 
when  General  Meade  assumed  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
and  ordered  the  position  abandoned.  The  regiment  then  marched  to 
the  relief  of  the  Union  army  at  Gettysburg,  but  did  not  join  the  main 
army  until  July  9,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  17th  crossed  the  Potomac 
at  Edward's  Ferry,  going  into  camp  at  Bealton  Station.  The  Fourteenth 
at  this  time  numbered  eight  hundred  men,  and  for  five  weeks  camped 
along  the  Rappahannock. 

The  regiment  still  was  located  in  Virginia,  and  on  October  30  was 
engaged  in  its  first  active  engagement,  at  Locust  Grove,  where  it  suf- 
fered a  loss  of  16  killed  and  58  wounded.  The  enemy  retiring  on  the 
approach  of  night,  General  Meade  ordered  a  withdrawal  across  the 
Rapidan,  and  on  December  4  the  regiment  went  into  winter  quarters  at 
Brandy  Station.  At  this  time  the  regiment  had  fit  for  duty  six  hundred 
men.  The  monotony  of  the  winter  quarters  was  not  disturbed  until 
February  6,  when  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  cross  the  Rapi- 
dan river.  General  Grant  having  been  placed  in  command  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  orders  were  issued  May  3,  1864,  for  a  forward  movement 
against  the  enemy  now  concentrated  in  the  Wilderness.  Here  the  Four- 
teenth was  engaged  for  several  hours,  fighting  valiantly  and  losing 
heavily.  On  the  second  day  the  enemy  retired,  and  Grant  advanced  his 
columns,  concentrating  around  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  and  late  in 
the  afternoon  the  Fourteenth  again  went  into  action.  The  six  days  fol- 
lowing were  occupied  in  manoeuvering  and  skirmishing;  on  the  night 
of  the  21  St  General  Grant  commenced  a  flanking  advance  to  the  North 
Anna,  the  Fourteenth  crossing  at  Jericho  Ford,  thence,  with  the  other 
regiments  of  the  brigade,  it  proceeded  to  Nole's  Station  and  destroyed  the 
Virginia  Central  railroad  for  a  distance  of  eight  miles.  During  Grant's 
retrograde  movement  north  of  the  Chickahominy,  the  Fourteenth  was  on 
the  skirmish  line.  The  army  resumed  its  advance  on  the  morning  <bf 
June  I  ;  after  marching  fifteen  miles  the  enemy's  position  at  Cold  Harbor 
was  reached,  the  Fourteenth  being  in  front.  Here  a  terrific  battle  ensued, 
the  Fourteenth  losing  in  two  hours  240  killed  and  wounded.  In  the 
second  day's  fight  the  Fourteenth  also  took  a  part,  losing  several 
men.  Grant  having  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  General  Lee's  position 
was  impregnable,  wisely  decided  to  pass  the  Chickahominy  far  to  Lee's 
right ;  thence  move  across  the  James  river,  to  advance  against  Richmond 
from  the  south.  The  Fourteenth  was  carried  by  transports  to  Bermuda 
Hundred,  where  it  was  united  with  Butler's  army,  then  investing  Peters- 
burg. It  was  engaged  on  the  Weldon  railroad  in  tearing  up  tracks,  when 
a  large  force  of  the  enemy  appeared,  and  in  an  action  that  followed  the 
regiment  lost  forty  men  in  killed  and  prisoners. 

General  Early's  successful  raid  in  the  Shenandoah  region  caused 
General  Grant  to  transfer  the  Third  Division  of  the  Sixth  Corps  from 


I40  MIDDLESEX 

the  front  of  Petersburg  to  that  seat  of  war.  The  Fourteenth  was  the 
first  regiment  to  reach  Monocacy.  Here  on  July  9,  dispositions  were 
made  for  battle,  the  Fourteenth  being  on  the  extreme  left.  The  Con- 
federates enveloping  the  Union  lines,  forced  them  to  retreat ;  the  Four- 
teenth in  this  engagement  suffered  severely.  Every  line  officer  with  the 
exception  of  Captain  J.  J.  Janeway,  of  Company  K,  was  either  killed  or 
wounded,  but  happily  the  regiment  extricated  itself  from  its  peril  and 
at  last  found  safety  six  miles  distant,  at  New  Market.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  the  casualties  in  the  Fourteenth  was  10  killed,  69  wounded,  and 
five  missing.  Of  the  950  men  that  left  New  Jersey,  but  ninety-five  were 
left  for  duty  on  the  night  of  July  8,  1864,  without  an  officer  to  command 
them.  Captain  Janeway  received  a  wound  after  taking  command  that 
obliged  him  to  leave  the  battle  field. 

This  engagement,  while  disastrous  to  the  Union  forces,  is  believed 
by  historians  of  the  war  to  have  retarded  the  Confederate's  advance  on 
Washington.  The  delay  thus  occasioned  enabled  divisions  of  the  Union 
army  to  reach  the  capital  before  General  Early  was  enabled  to  accom- 
plish the  object  of  his  expedition.  The  regiment  remained  at  Ellicott's 
Mills  until  the  nth,  when  it  proceeded  by  rail  to  Baltimore  to  join  in  the 
pursuit  of  Early,  who  was  now  retreating.  On  the  15th  it  crossed  the 
Potomac  at  Edward's  Ferry,  pushed  through  Leesburg  and  Snicker's 
Gap,  eventually  reaching  Harper's  Ferry  to  take  part  in  Sheridan's  cam- 
paign in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  This  expedition  moved  against  the 
enemy  August  10,  1864,  but  no  general  action  took  place  until  August  19, 
when  the  enemy  was  attacked  at  Opequan  Creek.  The  Fourteenth  by  the 
means  of  recruits  had  augmented  its  numbers  to  three  hundred  men ; 
their  loss  in  this  engagement  was  7  killed,  62  wounded,  and  one  missing. 
Its  greatest  loss,  however,  was  Major  Vredenburg,  who  while  at  the  head 
of  his  regiment,  ordering  a  charge  upon  a  rebel  battery,  was  struck  by 
a  shell  and  instantly  killed.  The  following  morning.  Early  having  taken 
position  at  Fisher's  Hill,  Sheridan  crossed  Cedar  Creek,  and  on  the  22nd 
gave  battle,  which  lasted  three  hours,  the  casualties  of  the  Fourteenth 
being  ten  killed  and  thirty  wounded. 

The  great  battle  of  the  campaign  was  yet  to  be  fought,  that  of  Cedar 
Creek.  Sheridan  had  gone  to  Washington  on  business,  and  the  wily 
Early  on  October  18  moved  his  entire  army  across  the  mountains  sepa- 
rating the  branches  of  the  Shenandoah.  Under  cover  of  fog  and  dark- 
ness, the  Eighth  Corps  was  attacked  on  both  flanks,  the  enemy  capturing 
twelve  hundred  prisoners,  twenty-four  guns,  and  much  camp  equipage. 
The  Eighth,  aroused  from  its  morning  slumbers,  was  unable  to  make  any 
great  resistance.  The  Sixth  Corps,  of  which  the  Fourteenth  Regiment 
was  a  member,  had  more  opportunity  to  rally,  and  held  the  rebels  in  check 
for  a  time.  A  general  retreat  was  ordered ;  the  Union  forces  fell  back 
five  miles  and  reformed  their  line  of  battle.     Then  Sheridan  appeared 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES  141 

on  the  scene,  having  made  his  famous  ride  from  Winchester.  Riding 
along  the  lines,  he  inspired  the  men  by  speaking  to  them,  stimulating 
them  to  new  endeavors,  and  prepared  them  for  a  fresh  encounter,  saying 
as  last  w^ords  to  them  the  effective  sentence,  "We  are  going  to  lick 
them  out  of  their  boots."  The  soldiers,  with  these  words  ringing  in  their 
ears,  assumed  the  ofifensive.  After  considerable  manoeuvering,  a  charge 
was  ordered,  the  enemy  was  driven  back,  the  trains,  artillery  and  other 
trophies  recaptured,  defeat  converted  into  victory,  by  the  inspiring 
spirit  of  Sheridan.  The  Fourteenth  Regiment,  which  took  an  active 
part,  lost  heavily.  It  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  Winchester  until 
December  3,  when  it  proceeded  to  Washington,  thence  by  transports 
to  City  Point,  whence  it  advanced  and  occupied  a  position  on  the  Wel- 
don  railroad.  Here  the  regiment  was  reorganized,  having  received 
recruits  to  the  number  of  two  hundred,  and  remained  in  winter  quarters 
until  late  in  March,  when  orders  were  received  to  join  the  armies  operat- 
ing against  Richmond. 

In  the  last  grand  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  Four- 
teenth Regiment,  as  usual,  was  in  the  advance.  It  participated  in  the 
engagement  at  Hatcher's  Run,  the  assault  on  Fort  Stedman,  which 
resulted  in  the  speedy  downfall  of  Petersburg,  and  the  surrender  of 
Lee  at  Appomattox.  The  Fourteenth,  now  reduced  to  one  hundred 
men,  proceeded  to  Barksdale,  where  it  remained  in  camp  until  April 
24,  when  it  moved  to  Danville  to  take  part  in  General  Sherman's  opera- 
tions against  General  Johnston.  Almost  simultaneously  news  was 
received  of  Johnston's  surrender,  and  the  war  was  ended.  The  regiment 
remained  at  Danville  until  May  16  when  it  proceeded  by  rail  to  Rich- 
mond, whence  it  marched  to  Washington,  and  on  June  8  was  reviewed  in 
that  city.  It  was  formally  mustered  out  of  service  June  19,  proceeded 
to  Trenton  the  following  day,  and  on  the  29th  received  final  payment. 
The  men  who  had  shared  so  many  perils  together  for  nearly  three  years 
exchanged  farewells,  and  separated  to  again  join  the  old  familiar  paths 
of  peace. 

Ttventy-eighth  Regiment — The  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  was  recruited 
in  Middlesex,  Monmouth,  Ocean,  Camden  and  Gloucester  counties,  and 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service  for  nine  months.  The  regiment 
might  be  rightly  named  "Middlesex's  Own,"  as  of  its  ten  companies 
Company  A  was  recruited  in  Middlesex  and  Monmouth  counties,  while 
Companies  B,  C,  D,  F,  I  and  K  were  raised  wholly  in  Middlesex  county. 

The  Twenty-eighth  was  mustered  into  service  at  Freehold,  Septem- 
ber 22,  1862,  nine  hundred  and  forty  strong.  The  regiment  reached 
Washington  on  the  night  of  October  5,  encamped  on  Capitol  Hill,  and 
was  furnished  a  few  days  afterwards  with  Springfield  muskets.  On  the 
13th  the  regiment  marched  into  Virginia,  where  after  several  different 
camping  stations  it  finally  on  December  8  proceeded  to  Falmouth.  Here 
it  was  attached  to  the  First  Brigade,  Third  Division,  Second  Army  Corps. 


142  MIDDLESEX 

The  plans  for  a  demonstration  against  Fredericksburg  having  been 
matured,  the  Twenty-eighth  crossed  the  Rappahannock  river,  marched 
into  position,  and  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  October  12  was 
ordered  into  line  and  at  once  advanced  upon  the  enemy.  The  advance 
was  made  in  the  face  of  a  murderous  fire,  the  ranks  of  the  regiment  being 
terribly  thinned,  not  less  than  one-fifth  of  the  regiment  having  been 
wounded  or  killed.  Still,  however,  the  command  stood  firm,  deliberately 
opening  fire  upon  the  enemy  from  the  shelter  of  a  ravine,  holding  their 
position  tenaciously  until  night  put  an  end  to  the  conflict.  Darkness 
coming  on,  the  Twenty-eighth  withdrew  to  the  town,  leaving  on  the 
field  nearly  two  hundred  of  the  six  hundred  who  had  advanced  in  the 
morning.  From  first  to  last  the  men  fought  with  the  same  heroism,  the 
same  cool  determination,  as  the  veteran  troops  around  them. 

The  regiment  remained  in  camp  until  April  28,  when  Hooker's  move- 
ment against  the  enem}-  having  commenced,  it  marched  to  United  States 
Ford,  where  it  was  detailed  for  picket  service.  Two  days  later  it  led  the 
advance  in  crossing  the  river,  and  pushed  forward  immediately  to  the 
Chancellor  House.  The  regiment  formed  in  line  of  battle  May  2,  but  was 
not  engaged  until  the  following  day,  when  it  was  detached  from  the 
brigade  and  posted  in  a  woods  some  three  or  four  hundred  yards  distant. 
A  reconnaisance  was  made,  and  it  was  discovered  that  the  regiment  was 
close  upon  the  rebel  line.  The  enemy  suddenly  made  an  attack  in  great 
force  on  the  front  and  right  flank  of  the  regiment,  causing  the  line  to 
give  way.  The  Twenty-eighth,  though  vastly  outnumbered,  behaved 
with  characteristic  gallantry,  delivered  a  vigorous  fire,  and  retired  to  its 
position  with  the  brigade.  The  loss  of  the  regiment  in  this  action  w^as 
some  thirty  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  During  the  4th  and  5th  the 
regiment  remained  in  line  of  battle  but  was  not  engaged,  the  fighting 
having  shifted  to  another  part  of  the  line.  On  the  6th  the  regiment 
withdrew  from  its  position  and  returned  with  the  army  to  the  camp  near 
Falmouth.  Here  it  remained  until  June  14  when  Lee  having  started 
towards  the  Upper  Potomac,  Hooker's  army  moved  in  pursuit,  the 
Twenty-eighth  marching  by  way  of  Stafford  Court  House  and  Dumfries 
to  Fairfax  Station.  Here,  its  term  of  service  having  expired,  it  was 
diverted  from  the  route  pursued  by  the  army  and  proceeded  to  Wash- 
ington, thence  it  was  sent  to  Freehold,  and  on  July  6,  1863,  was  mustered 
out  of  service. 

Thus  has  been  briefly  sketched  the  part  that  Middlesex  county  took  in 
the  war  between  the  States.  Many  of  her  citizens  were  connected  with 
other  regimental  organizations.  A  number  were  members  of  Companies 
A,  B  and  H  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  better  known  as  the  First  Regi- 
ment of  Cavalry,  which  was  authorized  by  an  order  given  by  President 
Lincoln,  August  4,  1861,  to  William  Halsted,  to  raise  a  regiment  of  volun- 
teer cavalry  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


143 


RECORD  OF  MIDDLESEX  COUNTY  MEN  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

FIRST  REGIMENT. 


Non-Commissioned  Staff. — Provost,  Wil- 
liam S.,  sergt.  Co.  G,  May  18,  1861 ; 
sergt.-maj.  Sept.  21,  1861 ;  pro.  to  2d 
lieut.  Co.  K,  nth  Regt.,  July  15,  1862; 
pro.  to  1st  lieut.  Co.  B,  May  4,  1863; 
disch.  Oct.  9,  1863,  dis. 

Company    A. — Dunham,    Samuel    H.,    ist 
sergt.   May   16,    1861  ;    disch.  at   Gen. 

Hosp.,  Fairfax  Sem.,  Va.,  July  9.  1862, 

dis. 
Crossan,  Cornelius,  recruit,  Aug.  13,  1861 ; 

disch.  at  Camp  Banks,  Va.,  Jan.  22,  1863, 

dis. 

Company  B. — Kelly,  Edward,  private, 
April  25,  1861 ;  re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863 ; 
served  in  Co.  A,  ist  Batt. ;  must,  out 
July  20,  1865. 

O'Brien,  Michael,  private,  April  25,  1861 ; 
must.  out.  July  22,  1864. 

Wickoff,  Peter,  private,  April  25,  1861 ; 
killed  in  action  at  Manassas,  Va.,  Aug. 
27,  1862. 

Williamson,  William  H.,  private,  April  25, 
1S61 ;  taken  prisoner  at  Wilderness, 
May  6,  1864;  died  of  scurvy  at  Ander- 
son ville,  Ga.,  Nov.  26,  1864;  buried  at 
Nat.  Cem.,  Andersonville. 

Whitlock,  George  W.  H.,  private,  June  15, 
1861 ;    must,  out  June  2^,  1864. 

Company  C. — Roberts,  Edward  F.,  sergt.. 

May  22,  1861 ;    ist  sergt.  June  8,  1861 ; 

1st  lieut.  July  2,  1862;    pro.  capt.  Co.  H, 

Nov.  4,  1862 ;  must,  out  June  2:^,  1864. 
Phelan,  Thomas  C,  sergt.,  May  22,  1861 ; 

1st  sergt.  Aug.  4,  1862;   2d  lieut.  Oct.  7, 

1862;    resigned  Feb.  12,  1863. 
Smith,   J.   Kearney,   corp.,   May  22,    1861  ; 

sergt.  June  7,  1861    pro.  adjt.  27th  Regt. 

Oct.  9,  1862;   pro.  capt.  Co.  K,  Nov.  11, 

1862;  res.  Dec.  22,  1862;   bvt.  maj.  U.  S. 

Vols.  March  13,  1865. 
Stumpf,     Philip,    Corp.,     May    22,     1861 ; 

sergt.  Sept.  26,  1861 ;    ist  sergt.  Jan.  10, 

1863;   must,  out  June  22,  1864. 
Benton,  William    H.,    ist    sergt..    May   22, 

1861 ;    disch.  at  Camp   Sem.,  Va.,  Sept. 

19,  1861,  dis. 
Faller,  John,  corp.,  May  22,   1861 ;    killed 

in  action  at  Gaines'  Farm,  Va.,  June  27, 

1862. 
Hallman,    Henry,    corp..    May    22,    1861 ; 

sergt.  Aug.  6,  1862;    killed  in  action  at 

Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  1864. 
Magnice,    Patrick,    corp.,    Jan.    16,    1862; 

sergt.  July  7,  1862;   disch.  at  U.  S.  Army 

Hosp.,  Phila.,  by  order  War  Dept.,  Oct. 

II,  1864. 
Carrigan,  Thomas,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 

corp.   July  2,    1862;    paroled   prisoner; 

disch.  May  10,  1865. 


Cody,  Martin,  private,  May  22,  1861 ;  de- 
serted at  camp  near  Belle  Plain,  Va., 
Dec.  10,  1862. 

Conover,  Thomas,  private.  May  22,  1861 ; 
corp.  April  2,  1862;  killed  in  action  at 
Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  Va.,  May  12,  1864. 

Cox,  James,  private.  May  22,  1861  ;  killed 
in  action  at  Crampton's  Pass,  Md.,  Sept. 
_  14,  1862. 

Cheesman,  George,  private.  May  22,  1861 ; 
deserted  July  27,  1861,  at  Camp  Prince- 
ton, Va. 

Dilling,  Henry,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 
trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Nov.  15,  1863 ; 
disch.  therefrom  April  27,  1864. 

Disbrow,  William  H.  H.,  private,  May  22, 
1862;  deserted  July  27,  1861,  at  Camp 
Princeton,  Va. 

Foster,  John,  recruit,  Oct.  13,  1861 ;  de- 
serted April  17,  1862;  returned  to  duty; 
sentenced  by  G.  C.  M.  to  make  good 
time  lost;  served  in  Co.  A,  ist  Batt.; 
must,  out  June  29,  1865. 

Guinot,  Jean  F.,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 
deserted  Tan.  20,  1863,  at  camp  near 
White  Oak  Church,  Va. 

Hamilton,  William,  private.  May  22,  1861 ; 
died  at  field  hosp.,  May  6,  1864,  of 
wounds  received  in  action  at  Wilder- 
ness, Va. 

Hamilton,  Archy,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  22,,  1864. 

Lott,  Thomas,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  22,  1864. 

Mullin,  Patrick,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 
deserted  Sept.  20,  1862,  near  Williams- 
port,  Md. 

Miller,  Henry,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  22,  1864. 

Noe,  Adam,  private,  May  22,  1861 ;  de- 
serted July  9,  1863,  at  Emmittsburg,  Md. 

O'Neil,  John,  private,  May  22,  1861 ;  died 
of  typhoid  fever,  etc.,  at  hospital  near 
Mechanicsville,  Va.,  June  15,  1862. 

Perry,  John  J.,  corp.,  May  22,  1861 ;  killed 
in  action  at  Gaines'  Farm,  Va.,  June  27, 
1862. 

Reilley,  Michael,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 
trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Sept.  i,  1863; 
returned  to  company  Jan.  28,  1864 ;  corp. 
Dec.  8,  1862;   must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Roberts,  Charles  H.,  corp.  May  22,  1861 ; 
died  at  Master  St.  Hosp.,  Philadelphia, 
Sept.  20,  1862,  of  wounds  received  in 
action  at  Gaines'  Farm,  Va. 

Stafford,  Joseph,  private.  May  22,  1861 ; 
died  at  U.  S.  Army  Hosp.,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  May  23,  1864,  of  wounds  received 
in  action  at  Spottsylvania,  Va. 

Stafford,  Thomas,  private.  May  22,  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Sharbock,  William,  private,  May  22,  1861 ; 


144 


MIDDLESEX 


disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  Phila- 
delphia, Oct.  22,  1862,  dis. 

Tappan,  David  B.,  private,  May  22,  1861  ; 
killed  in  action  at  Salem  Heights,  Va., 
May  3.  1862. 

Welsh,  Dennis,  private.  May  22.  1861 ;  de- 
serted at  camp  near  Belle  Plain,  Va., 
Dec.  10.  1862. 

Winchester,  Perley  F..  Corp.,  May  22, 
1861  ;  missing  in  action  at  Salem 
Heights,  Va.,  May  3,  1863;  supposed 
dead. 

Wittenburg.  Bustav.  private.  May  22,  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Company  E. — Ailt,  Joseph,  private.  May 
23,  1861 ;  disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen. 
Hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  Oct.  7,  1862,  dis. 

Casney,  James  H..  private,  May  23,  1861  ; 
deserted  April  18,  1863;  re-enl.  Dec.  28, 
1863;    served  in  Co.  A,  1st  Batt. 

Rosser,  Warren,  recruit,  Aug.  28,  1862; 
trans,  to  navy  April  18,  1864. 

Company  F. — Elkin,  Isaac  L,.  F.,  ist  sergt.. 
May  25,  1861  ;  2d  lieut.  vice  Voorhees, 
resigned,  Sept.  21,  1861 ;  pro.  to  ist  lieut. 
Co.  H,  Oct.  7,  1862;  trans,  to  Co.  D, 
March  14.  1863 ;  pro.  to  adjt.  Sept.  20, 
1863 ;  disch.  as  a  paroled  prisoner  March 
12,  1865. 

Blue,  Albert  L.,  sergt.,  May  25,  1861 ;  ist 
sergt.  Sept.  21,  1861 ;  2d  lieut  Oct.  7, 
1862;  pro.  1st  lieut.,  Co.  I,  Dec.  25, 
1862;    must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

DeHart,  James  W.,  sergt.,  May  25,  1861 ; 
1st  sergt.  Nov.  i,  1861 ;  must,  out  June 
22,.  1864. 

Smith,  George,  sergt,  May  25,  1861 ;  must, 
out  June  23,  1864. 

Taylor,  George  W.,  sergt..  May  18,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Philadel- 
phia, June  26.  1862,  dis. 

Croken,  John  H.,  ist  corp..  May  18,  1861 ; 
1st  sergt.  Dec.  8,  1862;  deserted  March 
I,  1863,  while  on  furlough. 

McElhaney,  Thomas,  corp..  May  25,  1861 ; 
sergt.  Aug.  i,  1863;  re-enl.  Dec.  28, 
1863;  served  in  Co.  B,  ist  Batt.;  must, 
out  June  29,  1865. 

Garrigan,  Miles,  corp..  May  18,  1861  ; 
sergt.  Nov.  i,  1862;  killed  in  action  at 
Fredericksburg,  Va.,  May  3.  1863. 

Hughes,  William  S.,  private.  May  25,  1861  ; 
re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863;  served  in  Co.  B, 
1st  Batt;    must,  out  June  29,  1865. 

Voorhees,  Richard  B.,  corp..  May  25,  1861 ; 
private,  April  18,  1863;  must,  out  June 
23,  1864. 

Moffett,  Benjamin  L.,  corp..  May  25,  1861  ; 
sergt.  Sept.  i,  1862;  2d  lieut.  March  10, 
1863 ;  killed  in  action  at  Wilderness, 
Va..  May  8,  1864. 

Souville,  Lloyd  A.,  corp.,  May  18.  1861  ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Dec.  13,  1862,  dis. 


Page,  Enoch,  corp..  May  18,  1861 ;  disch.  at 
U.    S.   Army  Gen.   Hosp.,   Philadelphia, 
Sept.  20,   1862,  dis. 
Croken,  James  A.,  musician,  June  17,  1861  ; 

disch.  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  July  30,  1864. 
Blake,   Price  P.,  wagoner.   May   18,   1861 ; 
killed    in    action    at    Spottsylvania,    Va., 
May  0,  1864 ;  buried  at  Nat.  Cem.,  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va. 
Barry,    Richard,    private,    June    10,    1861 ; 
corp.  Nov.  I,  1862;    died  at  Fredericks- 
burg, May  6,  1864,  of  wounds  received 
in  action  there. 
Britton,    Edward    M.,    private,    May    18, 
186 1 ;     Corp.    July    i,    1863;     must,    out 
June  23,  1864. 
Burns,  James,  private,  Mav  18,  1861  ;    died 
at  U.   S.  A.   Hosp.,  West  Philadelphia, 
Aug.  7,  1862,  of  wounds  received  in  ac- 
tion at  Gaines'  Farm,  Va. 
Burke,  Peter,  private.  May  18,  1861 ;  disch. 

Nov.  4,  1862,  to  join  regular  army. 
Boyce,    Ambrose,    private,    June    5.    1861 ; 
died   July   i,    1862,   of   wounds   received 
in  action  at  Gaines'  Farm,  Va. 
Breese,  William   H.  H.,  private,  May  18, 
1861 ;    deserted  July  31,   1861,  at   Camp 
Princeton,  Va. 
Cain,    Felix    V.,    private,    June    10,    1861  ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  Balti- 
more. Md.,  Nov.  6,  1862,  dis. 
Currie,    Thomas,    private.    May    18,    1861 ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  Ports- 
mouth Grove,  R.  I.,  March  5,  1863.  dis. 
Cook,    Samuel,    private,    May    18,    1861 ; 
disch.  at   U.   S.   A.  Gen.   Hosp..   Ports- 
mouth Grove,  R.  I.,  Jan.  9,  1863,  dis. 
Christian,  Henry  P.,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Annapo- 
lis. Md..  Feb.  16,  1863,  dis. 
Carroll,   Thomas,  private.   May   18,   1861 ; 
disch.  at  White  Oak  Church,  Va.,  Jan. 
3,  1863,  dis. 
Cherry,  John   B.,  private.   May   18,   1861 ; 
disch.  at   Camp  Olden,  Trenton,   N.  J., 
June  20,   1861,  dis. 
Churchward,   Abraham,  private,  May    18, 
1861 ;    deserted  June   10,  1861,  at  Camp 
Olden,   Trenton. 
Dunn,  George  A.,  private.  May  18.  1861 ; 
taken  prisoner  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 
6,  1864;   died  at  Andersonville.  Ga.,  Oct. 
8,  1864;   buried  there  in  Nat.  Cem. 
Dunn,    Patrick,    private,    June    5,    1861 ; 
trans,  to  Co.  F,  4th  Regt.,  June  4,  1864; 
re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863 ;    died  at  Winches- 
ter, Va.,  Sept.  20,   1864,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived  in   action  there,  buried  there. 
Dobson,     Alexander,     private.     May     18, 
1861  ;     killed    in    action    at    Wilderness, 
Va.,  May  6,  1864.  _ 
Dobson,    Henry,    private,    May    18,    1861  ; 
deserted  July  18,  1863,  on  march  to  Get- 
tysburg,  Pa. 
Dinton,    James,    recruit.    Sept.    25,    1861  ; 
corp.  Nov.   I,   1862;    1st  sergt  April  3, 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


145 


1863;  re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863;  com.  2d 
lieut.  Co.  F.  33d  Regt.,  Dec.  i,  1864; 
not  mustered;  pro.  ist  lieut.  Co.  A,  ist 
Batt.,  Feb.  2,  1865;  served  in  Co.  C,  ist 
Batt. 

Engster,  John  J.,  private.  June  5,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Philadel- 
phia, Jan.   16.   1863,  dis. 

Finnegan,  Edward,  private,  June  10,  1861 ; 
corp.  March  i,  1863;  sergt.  Julv  i,  1863; 
must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Ferguson,  Philip,  private,  May  18,  1861  ; 
deserted  July  18,  1863,  on  march  to  Get- 
tysburg, Pa. 

Ferguson,  Daniel,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863 ;  served  in  Co.  C, 
1st  Batt.;    must,  out  June  29,  1865. 

Ferry,  James,  private.  May  18,  1861  ;  disch. 
at  Camp  Banks,  Va..  Jan.  12,  1863,  dis. 

Fank,  Charles,  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Fleming,  Christopher,  private.  May  18, 
1861 ;  disch.  at  Camp  Seminarv,  Va., 
Feb.  3.  1862,  dis. 

Gaisbauer,  Charles,  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 
deserted  Oct.  25,  1862,  at  West  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Gack.  Jacob,  private.  May  18,  1861  ;  disch. 
at  Portsmouth  Grove,  R.  I.,  Dec.  27, 
1862,  dis. 

Guernsay,  Silas,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
re-enl.  Feb.  11,  1864;  served  in  Co.  B, 
1st  Batt. ;    must,  out  June  29,  1865. 

Haggerty,  Bernard,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
corp.  Sept.  I,  1862;  sergt.  Nov.  i,  1862; 
private,  Feb.  25,  1864;  sergt.  March  i, 
1864;    must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Hooker,  George  W.,  private,  May  18, 
1861 ;  sergt.  March  i,  1863;  died  "at  U. 
S.  A.  Hosp.,  Fredericksburg.  Va.,  May 
14,  1864,  of  wounds  received  in  action 
at  Wilderness,  Va. 

Henry,  Walter  M.,  private.  May  18,  1861  ; 
Corp.  Nov.  I,  1862:  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 
Corps  Nov.  15,  1863;  disch.  therefrom 
May  21,  1864. 

Hazard,  John  N..  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 
corp.  Sept.  I,  1862;  deserted  July  16, 
1863 ;  returned  to  duty  Feb.  10,  1864 ; 
must,  out  Dec.  10.  1864. 

Hickey,  Thomas,  private,  May  18.  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Hoagland,  Wyckoff  V.,  private.  May  18, 
1861 ;  re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863;  served  in 
Co.  C,  1st  Batt.;  must,  out  June  29, 
1865. 

Hutchinson,  John  H.,  private.  May  18, 
1861  ;  corp.  May  25.  1861 ;  must,  out 
June  23,  1864. 

Jackson,  Charles  C,  recruit,  Sept.  24,  1863; 
trans,  to  Co.  K ;  served  in  Co.  B,  1st 
Batt..;    must,  out  June  29,  1865. 

Kemp,  Thomas,  private.  May  18,  1861  ; 
must,  out  June  23.  1864. 

Kinney,    Daniel,    private,    May    18,    1861 ; 

Mid— 10 


corp.   March    i,    1863;     must,   out   June 

23,  1864. 
Klein,    John    H.,   private.    May    18,    1861 ; 

disch.  at  Camp   Seminary,  Va.,  Feb.  7, 

1862,  dis. 
Lester,  John   H.,  private,  May   18,    1861 ; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  West  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Dec.  24,  1863,  on  account  of 

wounds   received   in   action ;    leg   ampu- 
tated. 
Lowry,    James,    private,    May    18,     1861  ; 

re-enl.    Dec.    28,     1863 ;    served    in    Co. 

A.  1st  Batt.;   must,  out  June  23,  1864. 
McGrath.  Morris,  private.  May  18,   1861 ; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  Newark,  Jan. 

20,  1863,  dis. 
McDonald,  Martin,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 

must,  out  June  23,  1864. 
I^IcGovern,   Peter,  private.   May   18,   1861  ; 

disch.  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  Jan.  15,  1863, 

dis. 
Meyers,  Julius,    private.    May    18,     1861 ; 

must,  out  June  23,  1864. 
INIiller,  John,  private,  May  18,  1861 ;   must. 

out.  June  23,  1864. 
T\lartin.  John,  private.  May  18,  1861 ;  must. 

out  June  22,  1864. 
?*Torris,  John,  private,  May  18,  1861 ;  killed 

in  action  at  Gaines'  Farm,  Va.,  June  27, 

1862. 
AfcSpaden,  James,  private,  Aug.  13.  1861 ; 

disch.    at   Camp    Seminary,   Va.,   March 

4,  1862,  dis. 
O'Connor,    John,    private,    June    5.    1861 ; 

trans,  to  Mississippi  gun-boat  "Flotilla" 

Feb.  22,  1862. 
O'Neil,  John,  private,  May  18,  1861 ;  must. 

out  June  23,  1864. 
Osman,  George  H.,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 

disch.  at  Camp   Seminary,  Va.,  Oct.  18, 

1861,  dis. 
Plum,  Benijah  M..  private,  May  18.  1861 ; 

disch.  at  U.  S-  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Fortress 

Monroe,  Va.,  Sept.  18,  1862,  dis. 
Pixton,  Henry  A.,  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 

must,  out  June  23.  1864. 
Page,    John    D.,    private,    May    18,    1861 ; 

disch.    U.    S.    A.    Gen.    Hosp.,    Fairfax 

Seminary,  Va.,  Sept.  13,  1862,  dis. 
Prall.  David  B.  S.,  private,  June  18,  1861 ; 

died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  July  5,  1862,  of 

wounds    received    in    action    at    Gaines' 

Farm  ;    prisoner  of  war. 
Perdan.  Charles  A.,  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 

deserted  ]\Iay  26.  1861,  at  Camp  Olden, 

Trenton,  N.  J. 
Ryno,    Joseph,    private,     May    18,     1861 ; 

disch.    at    Convalescent    Camp,    Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  Oct.  II,  1862,  dis.;    sergt.  May 

25,   1861. 
Reed,  Stephen  M.,  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 

re-enl.  Feb.  11,  1864;    served  in  Co.  B, 

1st  Batt.;    must,  out  July  6,  1865. 
Reames,  Patrick  H.,  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 

must,  out  June  23,  1864. 


146 


MIDDLESEX 


Rhodes,  Edward,  recruit.  May  19,  1864; 
served  in  Co.  B,  ist  Batt. ;  must,  out 
June  29,  1865. 

Riker.  Joseph  L-  private,  May  18,  1861  ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  June  2,  1862,  dis. 

Rover.  Moses  H.,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  Camp  Seminary,  Va.,  Nov.  4, 
1861,  dis. 

Swan,  George  W.,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Dec.  II,  1862,  dis. 

Stout,  William  A.,  private.  May  18.  1861  ; 
re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863;  served  in  Co.  B, 
isl  Batt.;    must,  out  June  29,  1865. 

Smith,  Edward  W.,  private.  May  18,  1861 ; 
Corp.  Oct.  20,  1863;  must,  out  June  23, 
1864. 

Soden,  James  D.,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
dishonorably  disch.  Aug.  9,  1863,  at 
Warrenton,  Va. ;  deserted  at  Camp 
Princeton,  July  28,  1861  ;  returned  to 
duty  July  18,  1863. 

Smith,  James,  private.  May  18,  1861  ; 
disch.  at  Camp  Olden,  June  18,  1861,  dis. 

Ten  Broeck,  Van  Renseler,  private,  Aug. 
13,  1861  ;  Corp.  Nov.  i,  1862;  deserted 
June  28,  1863;  returned  to  duty;  disch. 
by  order  War  Dept,  May  17,  1865. 

\'an  Tillburgh,  William,  private,  May  18, 
1861  ;  deserted  April  28,  1863;  at  White 
Oak  Church,  Va. 

Voorhees,  George  W.,  private.  May  18, 
1861  ;  disch.  Dec.  11,  1862,  to  join  regu- 
lar army. 

Welsh,  Michael,  private.  May  18,  1861  ; 
must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Welsh,  Patrick,  private,  May  18,  1861  ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Newark, 
May  14,  1863,  dis. 

Welsh,  Thomas,  private,  May  18,  1861 ; 
must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Wilson,  George,  private,  June  5.  1861  ; 
died  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  Washington,  D. 
C,  of  wounds  received  in  action  at  Cold 
Harbor,  Va. ;   buried  at  Alexandria. 

Company    G. — Gilman,    Howard    M.,    1st 

sergt.,   May  28,    1861  ;     sergt.-maj.   July 

20,    1862;    2d   lieut.   vice   Wyckoff,   pro. 

Aug.  16,  1862;    1st  lieut.  Co.  E,  Nov.  27, 

1862,  vice  Taylor  res.;    must,  out  June 

23,  1864. 
Way,  Alexander  M.,  capt..  May  28,  1861 ; 

pro.   maj.,   July   21,    1863;     brev.    lieut.- 

col.  and  col.  March  13,  1865. 
Meserole,    Nicholas    W.,    sergt..    May   23, 

1861  ;    disch.  at  Trenton.  Oct.  6,  1862,  to 

accept  a  com.  as  ist  lieut.  Co.  G,  133d 

Regt.  N.  J.  State  Vols. 
Van    Liew,   Augustus   D.,   corp..   May   28, 

1861  ;    sergt.  Sept.  i,   1862;    re-cnl.  Dec. 

28,    1863;    served    in    Co.    B,   ist   Batt.; 

disch.  at  hosp.,  Newark,  by  order  War 

Dept.,  Aug.  9,  1865. 
Halstead,  Isaac  S.,  private,  May  23,  1861 ; 


deserted   April  28,    1863,  at  White   Oak 

Clnirch,  Va. ;    corp.  May  28,  1861 ;    pri- 
vate April  II,  1862. 
Dansbury,  William  F.,  corp..  May  23,  1861 ; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  New  York 

City,  Dec.   i,   1862,  dis. 
Buzzee,  Alexander,  private,  May  23,  1861 ; 

must,  out  June  23,  1864. 
Buzzee,    George    R.,    musician.    May    23, 

1861 ;     taken    prisoner    at    Wilderness, 

Va.,  May  5,  1S64;    died  at  Florence,  S. 

C,  Dec.  16,  1864. 
.Abrahams,  Austin,  recruit,  Aug.  15,  1861 ; 

served  in  4th  Regt. ;    must,  out  Aug.  26, 

1864. 
Buckley,    John,    private.    May    23,    1861 ; 

taken  prisoner  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 

6,  1864;   died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  June 

27,  1864. 
Bogart,  Charles  C,  private.  May  23,  1861  ; 

re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 

Corps  March  25.  1865  ;    disch.  therefrom 

Oct.  25,  1865. 
Clayton,    William    H.,    private.    May    23, 

1861  ;    disch.   at   U.    S.   A.   Gen.   Hosp.. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Sept.  16,  1862;    re-enl. 

Feb.  26,    1864;    disch.   March  28,    1864, 

dis. 
Davis,  William  L.,  recruit,  Aug.  15,  1861 ; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Jan.  5,  1863,  dis. 
Delhanty,    John,    recruit,    Aug.    15,    1861 ; 

re-enl.  Dec.  28,  1863 ;    served  in  Co.  B, 

1st  Batt.;    must,  out  June  29,  1865. 
De  Hart,  Jacob  S.,  private,  May  23,  1861  ; 

must,  out  June  23,  1864. 
Lawrence,   John,    recruit,    Aug.    15,    1861 ; 

Corp.  Jan.  i,  1863;    disch.  at  Strasburg, 

Va.,  Aug.  14,  1864;    served  in  Co.  D,  4th 

Regt. 
Lewis,   John    T.,    recruit,    Aug.    15,    1861 ; 

trans,   to   Co.   G,  4th   Regt. ;    must,  out 

Aug.  20,  1864. 
Lewis,  William  H.,  private.  May  23,  1861 ; 

must,  out  June  23,  1864. 
Long,  Edward  B.,  private.  May  23,  1861 ; 

disch.  at   U.    S.   A.   Gen.    Hosp.,   Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  Sept.  29,  1862,  dis. 
Minturn,    Edward,    Jr.,    private.    May    23, 

1861  ;    disch.  at   New   Brunswick,  N.  J., 

Oct.,  29,  1862,  to  accept  a  promotion. 
Minturn,    Benjamin    G.,   private.    May   23, 

1861 ;    disch.   at   Belle   Plain,   Va.,   Dec. 

18,  1862,  to  accept  com.  as  ist  lieut.  Co. 

C,  92d  Regt.  N.  J.  State  Vols. 
Mesrole,  William,  private,  May  23,  1861 ; 
killed   in   action   at   Gaines'   Farm,   Va., 
June  27,  1862. 
Phillips,    Theodore    F.,    sergt..    May    23, 

1861 ;     killed    in    action    at    Wilderness, 
Va.,  May  6,  1864;    buried  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va. 
De  Hart,  James  H.,  private,  May  23.  1861 ; 
Corp.  Oct.  2S,   18162;    disch.  to  join  the 

Signal  Corps  U.  S.  A. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


147 


Price,  George  W.,  Jr.,  private,  May  23, 
1861 ;  Corp.  April  23,  1863;  must,  out 
June  23,  1864. 

Peacock,  John,  private,  May  23,  1861  ; 
disch.  at  Trenton,  Nov.  2,  1864;  paroled 
prisoner. 

Rausch,  Peter,  private.  May  23,  1861 ;  died 
of  typhoid  fever  at  Regt.  Hosp.,  at  Har- 
rison's Landing,  Va.,  July  31,  1862. 

Seibert,  George,  private,  May  23,  1861  ; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Jan.  15,  1863;    disability. 

Skillman,  David,  recruit,  Aug.  15,  1861 ; 
must,  out  Aug.  19,  1864. 


Smith,  Osceola,  private,  May  23,  i86r ; 
disch.  at  Fairfax  Seminary,  Va.,  Sept. 
6,   1861,  disability. 

Vanderbilt,  Cornelius,  private.  May  23, 
1861 ;    must,  out  June  23,  1864. 

Van  Duyne,  Isaac,  private.  May  23,  1861 ; 
trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  July   i,   1863. 

Van  Fleet,  Abraham,  private.  May  2^, 
1861 ;  disch.  at  Convalescent  Camp, 
Alexandria,  Va.,  March  16,  1863 ;  disa- 
bility. 

Van  Liew,  John  H.,  fifer,  May  28,  1861  ; 
corp.  Dec.  8,  1862;  must,  out  June  23, 
1864. 


NINTH  REGIMENT. 


Gulick,  William  A.,  sergt.-maj.,  Sept.  23, 
1861 ;  disch.  at  Newberne,  N.  C,  for 
disability,  April  25,  1862. 

Company  A. — Grover,  Charles,  1st  sergt. 
Sept.    17,    1 861 ;    2d   lieut.   vice   Muller, 

must,  out;    res.  Oct.  30,  1864. 
Stillwell,    Symmes    H.,    sergt.,    Sept.    17, 

1861 ;    must,  out  Dec.  8,  1864. 
Applegate,    Arunah    D.,    sergt.,    Sept.    17, 
1861 ;    1st  sergt.  Jan.   18,   1864;    re-enl. 

Jan.  18,  1864;  2d  lieut.  vice  Grover,  res.; 

res.  May  13,  1865. 
Mount,    John    G.,    corp.    Sept.    17,    1861 ; 

must,  out  Sept.  22,  1864. 
Clayton,  David  C,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ; 

corp.    April    24,    1862;     sergt.    Sept.    6, 

1864;    must,  out  Dec.  8,  1864. 
Messroll,    Charles,    corp.,    Sept.    17,    i86r ; 

must,  out  Dec.  7,  1864. 
Wood,  Reuben  V.  P.,  corp.,  Sept.  17,  1862; 

sergt.    Sept.    18,    1863;     re-enl.   Jan.    18, 

1864;    1st  sergt.  Jan.  i,  1865;    com.  2d 

lieut.  May  22,  1865;    not  must.;    must. 

out  July  12,  1865. 
Applegate,   John,  private,   Sept.    17,    1861 ; 

re-enl.    Nov.   25,    1863;     disch.   at   New 

York    City    by    telegraphic    instruction 

War  Dept.,  May  4,  1865. 
Arlow,    Robert,    private,    Sept.    17,    1862; 

must,  out  Oct.  IS,  1864. 
Hoagland,  Cornelius  B.,  private,  Sept.  17, 

1861 ;    Corp.  July  i,  1863 ;    re-enl.  Nov. 

25,  1863;    sergt.  Nov.  I,  1864;    must,  out 

July  12,  1864. 
Clayton,  William,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ; 

re-enl.  Nov.  25,  1863 ;    missing  in  action 

at    Drury's    Bluff,    Va.,    May    16,    1864; 

died  at  Florence,  S.  C,  Nov.  18,  1864. 
Cook,  James,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ;    re- 
enl.  Jan.    18,   1864;    must,  out  July   12, 

1865. 
Carman,  Luke  K.,  private,  Sept.  5,   1864; 

must,  out  June  14,  1865. 
Dugan,   Thomas,  private,   Sept.   17,    1861 ; 

died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Newberne,  N. 

C.,  April  30,  1865. 
Fisher,  Henry  C,  recruit,  Feb.  29,   1864; 

corp.  Dec.  8,   1864;    must,  out  July  12, 

1865. 


Garry,  John,  private,  Sept.   17,   1861 ;    re- 
enl.  Jan.  18,  1864;    disch.  by  order  War 

Dept.,  May  4,  1865. 
Harris,   William,  private,   Sept.    17,   1861 ; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Sept.  i,  1863; 

disch.  therefrom  Nov.  10,  1865. 
Ives,    Milton   J.,    private,    Sept.    17,    1861 ; 

must,  out  Dec.  7,  1864. 
Kelley,   John    E.,    recruit,   Feb.    22,    1864; 

must,  out  July  12,  1865. 
Messroll,  B.  Isaac,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ; 

re-enl.  Jan.  18,  1864;    must,  out  July  12, 

1865. 
McGintay,  Michael,  private,  Sept.  17,  i86r ; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Sept.  i,  1863; 

disch.  therefrom  March  18,  1864. 
Eonham,  Lucius  C,  corp.,  Sept.  17.  1861 ; 

sergt.    June    15,    1863;    re-enl.   Jan.    18, 

1864;    2d   lieut.   Co.   H   Sept.    10,   1864; 

1st    lieut.    March    16,    1865 ;     capt.    vice 

Applegate,  promoted;   must,  out  July  12, 

1865. 
Rolfe,  George  N.,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. ;    disch.  there- 
from Sept.  21,  1864, 
Poxberry,  Joseph,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ; 

must,  out  Dec.  7,  1864. 
Stults,    Simeon,    private,    Sept.    17,    1861 ; 

must,  out  Sept.  22,  1864. 
Scully,  John,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ;    died 

at  field  hosp.,  July  9.   1864,  of  wounds 

received  in  action  at  Petersburg,  Va. 
Snediker,  Howard,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ; 

must,  out  Dec.  7,  1864. 
Stout,  William  K.,  private,  Sept.  17,  1861 ; 

re-enl.  Jan.  18,  1864;    disch.  at  hospital, 

Newark,  May  3,  1865. 
Stults,    Salter    S.,   private,   June    5,    1862; 

died  at  Charleston,  prisoner  of  war,  Oc- 
tober, 1864. 
Silvers,  William  H.,  recruit,  Feb.  29,  1864; 

died   at   field   hospital  near   Petersburg, 

Va.,  Aug.  I,  1864. 
Vanhise,    Andrew    M.,    private,    Sept.    17, 

1861 ;    re-enl.  Jan.   18,   1864;    must,  out 

July  12,  1865. 
Vandervere,  David  G.,  private,   March   i, 

1864;    trans,  to  S.  R.  S.  March  24,  1864. 
Witcraft,  Albert,  private,  Sept.   17,   1861 ; 


148 


MIDDLESEX 


re-cnl.  Jan.  i8,  1864;  must,  out  Tulv  12, 
1865. 

Company  B. — Blackenv.  Moses  C.  corp., 
Sept.  iS,  1861  :  sergt.  May  28,  i8()3;  re- 
enl.  lanuarv-,  1864;  must,  out  July  12, 
1S65. 

Bennett.  John,  corp.,  Sept.  18,  1861  ;  sergt. 
June  II,  1862;  re-enl.  Nov.  26,  1863;  2d 
lieut.  March  16,  1865;  ist  lieut.  mcc 
Sheppard,  pro.  April  10,  1865;  must. 
out  July  12,  1865. 

De  Hart,  Theodore,  corp.,  Sept.  18,  1861 ; 
sergt.  Oct.  16,  1863;  must,  out  Dec.  7, 
1864. 

Hoyes,  Eugene  M.,  sergt.,  Sept.  18,  1861 ; 
drowned  at  foot  of  Barclay  street,  New 
York  City,  Oct.  24,  1863 ;  while  on  fur- 
lough. 

\'anderhoef,  Robert  B.,  private,  Sept.  18, 
1S61  ;    must.  out.  Dec.  8,  1864. 

Lawrence.  John,  private,  Oct.  6,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  Beaufort,  N.  C,  Oct.  18,  1862, 
dis. 

Currie,  Edward,  corp.,  Sept.  28,  1861 ;  de- 
serted Sept.  5,  1863,  at  New  Brunswick, 
N.  J.,  while  on  a  furlough. 

Acker,  Francis,  recruit,  Feb.  26,  1864; 
must,  out  July  12,  1865. 

Butterworth,  Jonathan,  private,  Sept.  18, 
1861  ;  disch.  at  Newberne,  N.  C,  May 
30.  1863,  dis. 

Buckley,  Thomas,  private,  Sept.  26.  1861  ; 
disch,  at  Morehead  City,  N.  C,  Nov.  17, 

1862,  dis. 

Boudinot,    William    B.,    private,    Sept.   26, 

1861  ;    disch.  at   Camp  Olden,  Trenton, 

Nov.  2.  1861,  dis. 
Bloodgood,   Phincas  F.,   private,   Sept.  26, 

1861  ;    disch.   at   Morehead   City,   N.   C, 

Oct.  23,  1862;    wounded  accidentally. 
Boorman,  Edgar  J.,  private,  Oct.  12,  1861 ; 

disch.  at   Camp   Olden,   Trenton,   N.   J., 

Nov.  2.  1861 ;    dis. 
Brecse,  Henry,  private,  Oct.  4,  1861  ;  disch. 

at  Morehead  City,  N.  C,  Nov.  17,  1863, 

dis. 
Carolan,   Patrick,  recruit,  Oct.  6,   1864. 
Cosier,  John   W.,  private,   Sept.  26,   1861  ; 

disch.  at  Newberne,  N.  C,  May  30,  1863, 

dis. 
Clcrkin.  John,  private,  Sept.  18,  1861 ;  must. 

out.  Dec.  7,   1864. 
Church,  George  W.,  private,  Oct.  8,  1861 ; 

re-cnl.    Nov.   26,    1863;     disch.    at    New 

'i'ork  May  4,  1865,  by  order  War  Dept. 
Coburn,  Charles  A.,  private,  Sept.  18,  1861  ; 

Deserted  April,   1863;    returned  to  duty 

July  27,  1864;   must,  out  Dec.  8,  1864. 
Cahill.  Francis,  private,  Sept.   18,   1861. 
Crawford,  James,  private,  Sept.  18,  1861. 
Pierson.    John    L.,    corp.,    Sept.    18,    1861  ; 

disch.  at  Helena  Island,  S.  C,  March  28, 

1863,  dis. 

Collins,  William,  private,  Sept.  26,  1861  ; 
deserted  Oct.  i,  1861,  at  Camp  Olden, 
Trenton,  N.  J. 


Dye,    Walter   J.,   private,    Sept.    18.    1861; 

deserted   Oct.   2,    1861,  at   Camp   Olden, 

Trenton,  N.  J. 
Dye,    Isaac    S.,    private,    Sept.    18,    1861  ; 

trans,  to  Co.  C,  4th  Regt.,  Aug.  21,  1861. 
Danberry,    Henry    M.,    private,    Sept.    26, 

1861  ;    disch.  at   Newberne,   N.   C.  May 

30.  1863,  dis. 
Danberry,  William,  private,  Sept.  18,  1861  ; 

disch.  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Jan.  22,  1863; 

paroled  prisoner. 
Dock,   Isaac,  wagoner,   Oct.  2,   1861  ;    re- 
enl.   Jan.    18,    1864;    must,   out  July   12, 

1865. 
Deady,     John,     private,     Sept.     18,     1861 ; 

disch.  at  Trenton,  N.  J. ;    paroled  pris- 
oner. 
Disbrow,     Ferdinand,     private,     Oct.     16, 

1S61 ;    died  at  Hosp.  Roanoke,  N.  C,  of 

wounds  received   in   action   at  Roanoke 

Island,  N.  C. 
Dye,  Walter,  private,  Sept.  2,  1861  ;    disch. 

at   Newport   News,  Va.,  Nov.  20,   1863, 

dis. 
Fowler,  Joseph  W.,  private,  Sept.  26,  1861 ; 

disch.    at    Newberne,    N.    C,    Nov.    17, 

1862,  dis. 

Gould,  Richard  N.,  private,  Sept.  18,  1861. 
Gray,  David  V.  D.,  Sept.  18,  1861  ;    disch. 

at   Norfolk,   on    detached    service    Sept. 

22,  1864. 
Hall,     Reuben,     private,     Feb.    27,     1862; 

re-enl. 
Harrison,    George    W.,    private,    Aug.    15, 

1862. 
Hughes,   Theodore    V.,   private,    Sept.    18, 

1 861. 
Houghton,  Michael,  Sept.  18,  1861 ;    trans. 

to  Co.  C,  4th  Regt. 
Hagerty,   Daniel,   private,   Sept.   18,    1861  ; 

must,  out  Dec.  8,  1864. 
Hopkins,     Simon     F.,    private,     Sept.    29, 

1864. 
Johnson,   William,   private,   Dec.   3,    1861 ; 

re-enl.   June   18,    1864;    must,   out  July 

12,  1865. 
Labone,    Wallace    W.,    private,    Sept.    20, 

1861  ;     disch.   at   Morehead   City,   N.   C, 

Nov.    17,    1862,    of    wounds    received    in 

action  at  Roanoke  Island. 
Lally,    Patrick,    private,    Sept.    27,    1861  ; 

disch.    at    Newberne,    N.    C,    March    i, 

1863,  dis. 

Lawless,  Peter,  private,  Sept.  24,  1861. 
Moore,  William  H.,  Sept.  20,  1861. 
Moore,  Thomas  B.,  private,  Aug.  29,  1861 ; 

missing  in  action  at  Drury's  Bluff,  Va., 

May  16,  1864. 
Murphy,  James,  private,   Sept.  5,   1862. 
Morris,    William,    private,    Oct.    8,    1861  ; 

re-enl.    Dec.   20,    1863 ;     must,   out   July 

12,  1865. 
Meyers,    John,    private,    Sept.     18,     1861  ; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps.;    disch.  Sept. 

21,  1864. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


149 


Munslow,  Isaac  P.  H.,  private,  Oct.  i, 
1861  ;  deserted  at  Camp  Olden,  Tren- 
ton, Nov.  2,  1861. 

McClay,  James,  private,  Sept.  18,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  Dec.  31,   1864, 

McAndrew,  Allen,  recruit,  Jan.  12,  1864. 

Montaloo,  Frank,  recruit,  Feb.  11,  1864. 

Nevius,  Benjamin  F.,  recruit,  Jan.  5,  1862. 

Prall,  James,  musician,  Oct.  2,  1861 ;  re- 
enl.  Jan.  18,  1864;  must,  out  July  12, 
1865. 

Pierman,  Garret  V.,  recruit,  Feb.  27,  1864. 

Reynolds,  James,  private,  Sept.  26,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  Morehead  City,  N.  C,  May  7, 
1863,  dis. 

Silcox,  Bergen,  private,  Sept.  24,  1861. 


Shardlow,  William,  private,  Sept.  18,  1861. 
Skillman,  Joakin,  private,  Sept.   18,   1861  ; 

deserted  Jan.  8,  1862;    returned  to  duty 

Aug.  I,  1864;    must,  out  July  12,  1865. 
Sherry,    Peter,    private,    Sept.    18,    1861 ; 

disch.  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  May   10,   1865. 
Sheehan,  John,  private,  Sept.   18,  1861. 
Smith,  George,  recruit,  Sept.  2,  1862. 
Tutenberg,    Henry    M.,   private,    Sept.    18, 

1861. 
Van    Deventer,    John,    private,    Sept.    18, 

1861  ;    trans,  to  Co.  C,  4th  Regt. 
Voorhees,  John  C,  private,  Oct.  8,   1861 ; 

disch.    at    Newberne,    N.    C,    June    23, 

1862,  dis. 
Voorhees,  John  H.,  private,  Oct.  5,  1864. 


FOURTEENTH  REGIMENT. 


Company    C. — Bonnell,    William,    recruit, 

Sept.  13,  1864;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Culver,    William,    recruit,    Feb.    9,    1864; 

trans,  to  Co.  H.  (See  Co.  H). 
Cheesman,     Augustus,    recruit,     Sept.     9, 

1864;    trans,  to  Co.  K  (see  Co.  K). 
Christian,  Henry  P.,  recruit,  Sept.  5,  1864; 

disch.  at  draft  rendezvous,  Trenton,  N. 

J.,    Oct.   2,    1864;     rejected   by   medical 

board. 
Dunham,    Samuel    H.,    recruit,    Sept.    12, 

1864;    must,  out  June  15,  1865. 
Timmins,   William    H.,    recruit,    Sept.    12, 

1864;    trans,  to  Co.  K  (see  Co.  K). 
Young,  Peter  R.,   recruit,   Aug.   11,   1864; 

trans,  to  Co.  I  (see  Co.  I). 
Company  D. — Conover,  James   W.,  capt., 

Aug.  15,   1862;    died  at  Frederick  City, 

Md.,  Aug.  4,  1864,  of  wounds  received 

at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July  9,  1864. 
Bookstover,    Henry   D.,    ist   lieut.    Co.    K, 

Aug.  25,  1862 ;  capt.,  vice  Conover,  died ; 

disch.  May  22,  1865,  disability. 
Conine,  Henry  J.,  ist  lieut.,  Aug.  15,  1862; 

pro.  capt.  Co.  A.  Nov.  21,  1863;    killed 

in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July  9,  1864. 
Craig,  William  H.,  2d  lieut.,  Aug.  15,  1862; 

1st  lieu.,  vice  Conine,  promoted  Nov.  21, 

1863;    capt.  Aug.  9,  1864;  not  mustered; 

disch.    Nov.    8,     1864,    on    account    of 

wounds  received  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July 

9,  1864. 
Fletcher,  James,  ist  sergt,  Co.  I,  Aug.  11, 

1862;    1st  lieut.,  vice  Craig;    disch.  Nov. 

9,  1864;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Riddle,  James  H.,  ist  sergt.,  Aug.  13, 1862; 

2d    lieut.,    vice    Craig,    pro.;     com.    ist 

lieut.  Aug.  9,   1864;    not  must.;    disch. 

Oct.  17,  1864,  dis. 
Lane,   Gilbert,   sergt.,   July  28,    1862;     ist 

sergt.  Aug.  31,  1864;    com.  2d  lieut.,  Co. 

E,  June  26,  1865 ;    not  must. ;  must,  out 

June  18,  1865. 
Reed,  John  T.,  sergt.,  July  28,  1862;   disch. 

at  Trenton  by  order  War  Dept.,  May  3, 

1865. 
Winder,   Jacob    S.,   corp.,   July   28,    1862; 


sergt.    July    10,    1863 ;     must,   out    June 

18,  1865. 
Borden,    Richard,    corp.,    Aug.    18,    1862 ; 

sergt.   Dec.  7,   1863;    disch.  at  Trenton 

by  order  War  Dept.  May  15,  1865. 
Conk,  Jackson,  corp.,  July  28,  1862;    sergt. 

Aug.  31,  1864;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Emmons,  John  B.,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862; 

corp.  July  ID,  1863 ;    disch.  at  U.  S.  A. 

Gen.  Hosp.,  Newark,  May  3,  1865. 
Brown,    Joseph,    private,    July    20,     1862; 

Corp.  March  i,  1864;   must,  out  June  18, 

1865. 
Duncan,  Robert  T.,  corp.,  Aug.  11,  1862; 

disch.  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  by  order  War 

Dept.  May  3,  1865. 
Jolees,    Charles    S.,    corp.,    Aug.   7,    1862; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  May  3,  1865. 
Lacore,    William,    corp.,    July    28,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Hampton,   Grandon,   corp.,  July  28,   1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Stillwagon,  William,  private,  July  28,  1862; 

Corp.    Aug.   31,    1864;     disch.  at   U.    S. 

Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  May 

3,   1865. 
Matthews,  John  H.,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862; 

corp.  Aug.  31,  1864;    must,  out  June  18, 

1865. 
Harvey,  Cornelius,  musician,  July  26,  1862 ; 

pro.  to  principal  musician  May  i,  1863. 
Anderson,   William    A.,   private.   July   29, 

1863 ;   must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Applegate,  Asher,  private,  Aug.  29,  1862; 

must,  out  June   18,   1865. 
Allen,  John,  private,  Feb.  10,  1865;    trans. 

to  Co.  D,  2d  Regt.;    must,  out  July  11, 

1865. 
Addison,  William,  private,  July  28,  1862; 

died    of    chronic    diarrhoea    at    Brandy 

Station,  Va.,  Jan.  g,  1864. 
Armstrong,  Jacob  J.,  private,  July  30,  1862; 

died  near  Petersburg,  Va.,  Dec.  30,  1864, 

of  wounds  received  in  action  near  that 

city. 
Anderson,  Henry,  recruit,  March  10,  1864; 


150 


MIDDLESEX 


deserted  March  20,   1864,  at  draft  ren- 
dezvous, Trenton,  N.  J. 
Eennett,  Joseph  L.,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Bond.  William  R.,  private,  July  28,  1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Brewer,    Isaac,    private,    Aug.     12,     1862 

must,  out  June  18,  iSiSs. 
Brown,  William  L.,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862 

must,   out  June   18,   1865. 
Brower,  Charles  A.,  private,  July  28,  1862 

disch.  June  i,  1865,  wounds  received  in 

action  at  Cold  Harbor;    leg  amputated 
Bowden,     Charles    J.,    recruit,    Feb.     13 

1865;    trans,  to  Co.  D,  2d  Regt. ;    must 

out  July  II,  1865. 
Brown,  Nelson  P.,  private,  Aug.  20,  1862 

trans,  to  Yet.  Res.  Corps  Jan.    i,   1865 

disch.  therefrom  June  29,  1865. 
Brown,  Matthias,  recruit,  March  3,   1864 

trans,   to    Co.    E,   trans,    to    Co.    D,   2d 

Regt.;   must,  out  July  11,  1865. 
Barker,    Robert,    private,    July    26,    1862 

died    of   chronic   diarrhcEa   at    Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  April  19,  1865. 
Bills.  William  H.,  private,  Aug.  13.  1862 

killed    in   action  at    Cold    Harbor,    Va., 

June  I,  1864. 
Brown,  Peter,  recruit,  Feb.  25,  1864;    died 

at    Richmond,    Va.,    July    9,    1864,    of 

wounds    received    in    action ;     prisoner 

of  war. 
Clayton,   Edward,  private,  July  29,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Clayton,  William,   private,   Aug.   7,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Clayton,    William    H.,    private,    Aug.    12, 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Clayton,  John   V.,  private,  July  29,   1862; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  New- 
ark, Jan.  28,  1864,  dis. 
Clayton,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.   12,  1862; 

disch.  at  Newark,  Aug.  19,  1865,  dis. 
Caffery,     Charles     S.,    private,    Aug.     13, 

1862;    disch.  at  Newark,  Jan.  28,   1864, 

dis. 
Condit,    Charles,    recruit,    Sept.   20,    1864; 

trans,  to   Co.   C;    disch.  at   Newark  by 

order  War  Dept.,  May  3,  1865. 
Cook,     Abram     N.,     private,     Aug.     12, 

1862;    disch.  at  Newark  by  order  War 

Dept.,  May  3,   1865. 
Cook,  Andrew  J.,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Cook,    Samuel,    private,    Aug.    12,    1862 

must,  nut  June  18,  1865. 
Curtis,   Charles  H.,  Corp.,  Aug.    13,   1862 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Dec.  19,  1864 

disch.   therefrom   June  20,    1865;     corp 

Oct.  I,  1863. 
Cottrcll,  Daniel  G.,  recruit,  April  4,  1865 

trans,  to  Co.  D,  2d  Regt.,  June  18,  1865 

trans,  to  Co.   K. 
Church,  William,  ist  scrgt.,  July  28,  1862 

killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July 

9,   1864. 


Camp,  George  H.,  private,  July  28.   1862; 

died  of  chronic  diarrhoea  at  Brandy  Sta- 
tion, Va.,  Feb.  9,  1864. 
Dow,  Clinton,  private,  July  30,  1862;  must. 

out  June   18,   1865. 
Duncan,  Joseph  P.,  private,  Aug.  11,  1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Dismond,    William,    Aug.     13,    1862;    de- 
serted Feb.  7,  1863,  at  Monocacy,  Md. 
Emmons,    Charles    W.,    private,    July    28, 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Estell,  Andrew  J.,  private,  Aug.   13,  1862; 

died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Frederick  City, 

Md.,  Dec.  30,  1862. 
Estell,    James,     private,     Aug.     13,     1862; 

killed    in    action   at    Cold    Harbor,    Va., 

June  I,  1864;   buried  there  in  Nat.  Cem. 
Ford,  David,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862;   must. 

out  June  18,  1865. 
Gaskin,    Benjamin    W.,    private,    July    24, 

1862;    disch.  at  Newark,  Dec.   13,   1864, 

dis. 
Girard,  Frederick,  private,  July  24,   1862; 

disch.    Nov.    4,    1862,    to    join    regular 

army. 
Gravatt,    John,    private,    Aug.     12,    1862; 

disch.  at  Newark  Sept.  30,  1863,  dis. 
Gorman,  William,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862; 

killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July 

9,  1864. 
Hagerman,  Nicholas,  corp.,  July  28,  1862 ; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Jan.  15,  1864; 

disch.  therefrom  June  26,  1865. 
Hall,  Joseph,  recruit,  Feb.  i,  1865;    trans. 

to  Co.  D,  2d  Regt. 
Holmes,  Edward,  private,  Aug.   11.   1862; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Hosp.,  Baltimore, 

Md.,  Sept.  26,  1863,  dis. 
Hawkins,   James,    recruit,   Feb.    10,    1864; 

died  at  Field  Hospital,  Winchester,  Va., 

of  wounds  received  in  action  at  Cedar 

Creek,  Oct.  19,  1864. 
Havens,  Edward,  private,  Aug.   12,  1862; 

died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Frederick  City, 

Aid.,  Dec.  20,  1862;    buried  at  Antietam, 

Md. 
Imlay  (or  Emley),  Thomas,  private,  Aug. 

12,  1862;    trans,  as  a  deserter  to  Co.  L, 

1st  Cav.  Regt.,  Aug.  29,  1863. 
Imlay,  John,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862;   must. 

out  June  18,  1865. 
Jamison,  Isaac,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862. 
Jones,     James,     recruit,     Feb.     11,     1865; 

trans,  to  Co.  D,  2d  Regt. 
Lawyer,  Joseph  J.,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Lewis,  Joseph  O.,  private,  Aug.   12,   1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Lewis,  William  H.,  private,  Aug.  5,  1862; 

died  of  chronic   diarrhoea  at   Freehold, 

N.  J.,  Dec.  7,  1863. 
Longstreet,    Abraham,    private,    Aug.    12, 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Matthews,    Charles    T.,    private,    July    30, 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


151 


Matthews,  James  H.,  private,  Aug.  13, 
1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

McDermot,  Charles  V.,  private,  Aug.  13, 
1S62;  disch.  at  Trenton  by  order  War 
Dept.  May  15.   1865. 

Matthews.  Charles  J.,  private,  July  28, 
1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March 
1=;.     1864;    disch.    therefrom    June    18, 

1865. 
Minton,  James  F..  private,  Aug.  8,   1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Minton,    William    H..    private,    Aug.    28, 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Moore,  William  S.,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862; 

disch.  at  Trenton  by  order  War  Dept. 

May  3.  1865. 
Morton,  David  W.,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Morton,    Nicholas    P.,    private,    Aug.    13, 

1862;     disch.   at   hosp..    West    Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Oct.  II,  1864,  dis. 
Martin,  Levi,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862;    died 

of  pneumonia  at  South  Amboy,  Dec.  11, 

1863. 
Patterson,   Caleb,   private,  July  24,    1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Parker,  Jonathan,  recruit,  Feb.   13,   1865 

trans,  to  Co.  D,  2d  Regt. 
Pettit,  Richard  B.,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862 

must,   out  June   18,   1865. 
Pullen,    Charles,   private,   Aug.    12,    1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Pullen,  William  H.  H.,  private.  Aug.  12 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Reed,  Joseph,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862;  must 

out  June  18,  1865. 
Reynolds,  John  T.,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862 

disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Gen.  Hosp.,  New- 
ark, May  4,  1865. 
Reynolds,   William   P.,    private,    Aug.    13 

1862;     corp.   July   10,    1863;     must,   out 

June  18,  1865. 
Riddle,    Hyers,    private,    Aug.    13.    1862 

trans,  to  U.  S.  navy  April  10,  1864. 
Runyon,  Robert  H.,  private,  Aug.  11,  1862 

died  of  chronic  diarrhoea  at  Washing 

ton,  D.  C,  Sept.  24,  1863. 
Sherman,  Gordon,  private,  July  24,  1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Sherman,  Benajah,  recruit,  Aug.  24,  1863 

trans,  to  Co.  D,  2d  Regt. 
Sherman,    James    W.,    private,    Aug.    13 

1862;    trans,  to  U.  S.  navy. 
Shores,  William  A.  N.,  private,  Aug.   12 

1862;  killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md. 

July  9,  1864 ;   buried  at  Antietam. 
Soden,  Daniel  P.,  private,  Aug.  11,  1862 

killed   in    action    at    Cold    Harbor,    Va. 

June  I,  1864. 
Stimax,    James,    private,    July    28,    1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Strickland,    Alexander,    private,    July    28 

1862;    must,  out  June  18.  1865. 
Strickland,  Joseph,  sergt,  July  28,   1862 

died  of  chronic  diarrhoea  Dec.  3,  1863. 
Sutton,    Charles,    private,    July    24,    1862 


trans,  to  Co.  E,  Oct.  11,  1862;   must,  out 

June  18,  1865. 
Sullivan,   Daniel,  private,   Aug.    12,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Truax,  John,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862 ;  disch. 

at  Trenton  by  order  War  Dept.  May  3, 

1865. 
Van    Dusen,    Jeremiah,   private,   Aug.    12, 

1862;      died    at    Philadelphia,    Pa.,    of 

wounds    accidentally   received    at   Win- 
chester, Va.,  Oct.  31,  1864. 
Wagoner,    Reuben    H.,    private,    Aug.    2, 

1862;  disch.  at  U.  S.  Army  Hosp.,  New- 
ark, May  3,  1865. 
Van    Kirk,    Henry,    corp.,   July   24, _  1862; 

died  of  chronic  diarrhoea  at  Washington, 

D.  C,  Sept.  25,  1863. 
Yard,  Alexander,  private,  Aug.   12,  1862; 

trans,  as  a  deserter  to  Co.  L,  ist  Cav., 

Aug.  29,  1863. 
Yetman,    Tunis,    private,    July    23,    1862; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  April  17,  1864; 

disch.  therefrom   Sept.  9,   1864. 

Company  E. — Bayard,   Cornelius,  private, 

Aug.    12,    1862;     died   of   pneumonia  at 

Monocacy,   Md.,  April   12,   1863. 
Bodwell,  James  L.,  capt.,  Aug.  25,   1862; 

disch.  Dec.  30,  1864;    by  order  of  War 

Dept. 
Bloth,    William,    corp.,    Aug.     12,     1862; 

sergt.  April  i,  1865;    must,  out  June  18, 

1865. 
Dunham,  John  B.,  private,  Aug.  9.  1862; 

died   of    chronic    diarrhoea    at    Newark, 

N.  T.,  Jan.  18.  1864. 
Doll.  "Joseph,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862;    corp. 

Feb.  2,  1863;    disch.  at  Trenton  by  order 

War  Department.   May  3,    1865. 
Noe,  Elmer,  private,  Aug.  4,  1862;    killed 

in  action  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  i, 

1864. 
Potter.   David   J.,  private,    Aug.    i,    1862; 

deserted    April   28,    1863,   at    Monrovia, 

Md. 
Struby.    Lewis    B.,   corp.,    Aug.    13,    1862; 

disch.  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  May  3.  1865. 
Turner,    William    F.,    private,    July    25, 

1862;     trans,    to   navy    April    19,    1864; 

disch.   June   14,   1865. 
Yeteman,  Hubbard  R.,  musician,  Aug.  20, 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Company  H.— Wanser,  Jarvis,  ist  sergt, 
Aug.  II,  1862;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  Co.  F, 
May  7,  1864;  1st  lieut.  vice  Bailey,  pro. 
Aug.  9,  1864;  pro.  capt.  Co.  B,  Dec.  i, 
1864;   must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Everingham,  Alexander  L.,  sergt.,  Aug.  5, 
1862;  disch.  at  Trenton  by  order  War 
Dept.  May  3.  1865. 

Hutchinson,  John,  sergt.,  Aug.  12,  1862; 
m.ust.  out  Tune  18,  1865. 

Provost,  William  D.,  sergt,  Aug.  15,  1862; 
killed  in  action  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va., 
June  I,  1864. 


152 


MIDDLESEX 


Ingraham,  William  I.,  sergt.,  Aug.  5,  1862; 
ist  sergt.  May  18,  1864;    com.  2d  lieut. 

June   j6,    1865;    not   must.;     must,   out 

June  18,  1865. 
Fairgrieve,  George  B.,  corp.,  July  28,  1862 ; 

disch.  at  hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  May  3, 

1865,  by  order  War  Dept. 
Provost.    David,    sergt.,    Aug.    12,    1862; 

killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July 

9.  1864. 
Van  Dorn,  John  H.,  corp.,  Aug.  14.  1862; 

killed    in    action   at   Cold   Harbor,    Va., 

June  I,  1864. 
Carman,    Alfred,    corp.,    Aug.    13,    1862; 

killed  in   action   at  Locust  Grove,   Va., 

Nov.  27,  1863. 
Lott,  Henry,  private,  Aug.   11,   1862;    de- 
serted   Sept.    18,    1862;     returned    duty 

Feb.  5,  1863;    disch.  at  Trenton,  May  3, 

1865. 
Higgins,  James  P.,  Corp.,  Aug.   16,   1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Van    Hise,    George    W.,    corp.,    Aug.    18, 

1862;    trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Jan.  i, 

1865;    disch.  therefrom  July  21,  1865. 
Bradley,    Roderick,     musician,     Aug.     13, 

1862;     pro.    to    prin.    musician    May    i, 

1863. 
McDonnell,  John,  musician,  Aug.  13,  1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Anderson,  Henry  A.,  private,  Aug.  4,  1862; 

drowned  near  Frederick  City,  Md.,  July 

3,  1863. 
Applegate,  Thomas   F.,  private,   Aug.   14 

1862;    killed  in  action  at  Cedar  Creek 

Va.,  Oct.  19,  1864. 
Anderson,  Joseph,  private,  Aug.  4,   1862, 

killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July 

9,  1864. 
Arbuthnot,  Charles,  private,  Oct.  20,  1864 

trans,  to  Co.  H,  2d  Regt. 
Brewer,  William,  private,   Aug.  2,    1862 

died  at  rebel  prison  at  Richmond,  Va. 

March  22,  1864. 
Boorman,     Cornelius,     private,     Aug.     11 

1862;   killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md. 

July  9,  1864. 
Burton,  Thomas  A.,  private,  Aug.  14, 1862 

died    in    rebel    prison,    Richmond,    Va. 

April  I,  1864. 
Cunningham,    William,    private,    July    29 

1862 ;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Carhart,  George  W.,  private,  Aug.  9,  1862 

killed    in   action   at   Cold    Harbor,    Va 

June  I,  1864. 
Camp,  Gilbert  M.,  private,  Aug.  18,  1862 

disch.  at  Trenton,   N.  J.,   May  3,   1865 

order  War  Dept. 
Davidson,    James,    corp.,    Aug.    18,    1862 

disch.    at    hosp.,    at    Newark,    May    26, 

1865,  dis. 
Erwin,  Joseph  W.,  corp.,  Aug.    13,   1862 

pro.  hosp.  steward  Jan.  31,  1865. 
Emhoff,  Frederick,  private,  July  28,  1862 

deserted    Aug.    29,    1862,    at    Freehold, 

N.J. 


Emmons,    James    H.,    private,    Aug.    14, 

1862;     corp.    June    i,    1863;     must,    out 

June   18,   1865. 
Garigan,  Thomas,  private,  July  31,   1862; 

deserted  Aug.  6,  1862,  at  Freehold,  N.  J. 
Griggs,    Van    Winkle,    private,    Aug.    15, 

1862;   died  at  rebel  prison,  Danville,  Va., 

Dec.  16,  1864. 
Grover,    Samuel,   private,    Aug.    13,    1862; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March  15,  1864; 

disch.  therefrom  June  26,  1865. 
Hendricks,   William,  corp.,   Aug.  4,   1862; 

killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July  9, 

1864. 
Hagle,  Frederick,  private,  Aug.  16,  1862; 

disch.  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  May  3,  1865. 
Hoagland,     William,     private,     Aug.     15, 

1864;  killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md., 

July  9,  1864. 
Joily,  Joseph,  private,  Aug.  7,  1862;    died 

at    U.    S.    A.    Gen.    Hosp.,    Alexandria, 

Va.,   Dec.  4,    1863,   of  wounds   received 

at  Locust  Grove,  Va.,  Nov.  27,  1863. 
Kensell,   Kasimer,   private,   July  28,   1862; 

must,  out  June   18,  1865. 
Linder,  Frederick,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Leggett,   John   W.,   corp.,   Aug.    14,   1862; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Feb.  i,  1865; 

disch.  therefrom  July  24,  1865. 
Little,  James,  private,  Aug.  9,  1862;   killed 

in  action  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  i, 

1864. 
Lett,  William  F.,  private,  Aug.   15,  1862; 

sergt.  Nov.  i,  1863 ;    must,  out  June  18, 

1865. 
Logan,    George,    private,    Aug.    16,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
McLaughlin,     Patrick,    private,    July    25, 

1862;     trans,   to   Vet.    Res.    Corps   June 

16,     1864;     disch.    therefrom    July     13, 

1865. 
Mehan,   Thomas,  private,   Aug.   20,   1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Mount,    David,    private.    Aug.    9,    1862: 

disch.  at  hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  May  18, 

1S65;    dis.;    corp.  Dec.   i,  1863. 
Miller,  Peter,  private,  Aug.  4,  1862;    disch. 

at  Trenton  by  order  War  Dept.  May  3, 

1865. 
McDermot,  Luke,  private,  Aug.  11,  1862; 

deserted    Feb.    18,    1863,    at    Monocacy, 

Md. 
Newton,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.  11,   1862; 

deserted    Sept.    17,    1862,   at    Monocacy, 

Md. 
Pcrrine,  William,  private,  Aug.  18,  1862; 

must,  out  June   18,   1865. 
Quinn,  Michael  H.,  private,  Aug.  18,  1862; 

disch.  at  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  Jan.  24, 

1864,  dis. 

Ryan,   Thomas   P.,   sergt.,  July  22,    1862; 
disch.  at  Frederick  City,  Md.,  May  15, 

1865.  dis. 

Rue,  Peter,  private,  Aug.  4,  1862;    killed 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


153 


in   action    at   Locust   Grove,    Va.,   Nov. 

27,  1863. 
Rue,    Alfred    S.,    corp.,    Aug.    11,    1862; 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Feb.  8,  1865,  dis. 
Richards,    Elias,    private,    Aug.    9,    1862 

deserted    Aug.    18,    1862,    at    Freehold 

N.  J. 
Silvers,    Elwood    K.,    private,    Aug.     16, 

1S62;    killed  in  action  at  Opequan,  Va 

Sept.  19,  1864. 
Smith,    Thomas,    private,    Aug.    18,    1862 

died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Brandy  Station 

Va.,   April  2,    1864. 
Sickles,    Tilton,    private,    Aug.    11,    1862 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Sept.  30,  1863 

disch.  therefrom  Jan.  22,  1864. 
Sperling,    Daniel    D.,    private,    Aug.     11 

1862;  must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Sickles,  Solomon,  private,  Aug.  18,  1862 

disch.    at    hosp.,    Bristol,    Pa.,    June    6, 

1865,  dis. 
Snediker,  James  B.,  private,  July  25,  1862 

killed    in    action   at    Cold   Harbor,   Va 

June  I,  1864. 
Snediker,  Daniel  P.,  corp.,  Aug.  12,  1862 

disch.   at  hosp.,   Newark,   May  4,   1865 

by  order  War  Dept. 
Sherman,  Charles,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862 

disch.  at  Bristol,  Pa.,  May  3,  1865. 
Schultz,    John,    private,    Aug.    13,    1862 

must,  out  June   18,   1865. 
Sodan,  William  H.,  private,  Aug.  11,  1862 

died    June    11,     1864,    at    Gen.    Hosp., 

Washington,  D.  C,  of  wounds  received 

at  Cold  Harbor,  Va. 
Silvers,  John,  corp.,  Aug.  12,  1862,  trans. 

to   Vet.   Res.    Corps ;     disch.   therefrom 

July  27,  1865. 
Stewart,   John  J.,   recruit,   Oct.  20,    1864; 

trans,  to  Co.  H,  2d  Regt. 
Thomas,    Charles,   private,   Aug.  9,    1862; 

deserted    Jan.    18,    1863,    at    Monocacy, 

Md. 
Van  Hise,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.  15,  1862; 

killed  in   action  at   Locust  Grove,   Va., 

Nov.  27,  1863. 
Van   Pelt,  Jacob,  private,  Aug.   18,   1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Van    Dusen,    Robert    A.,    corp.,    Aug.    14, 

1862;     pro.   to    hosp.    steward    Jan.    31, 

1865;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Van  Dusen,  Elwood  R.,  private,  Aug.  14, 

1862;     corp.   June    i,    1863;     must,    out 

June  18,  1865. 
Williams,    James    R.,    private,    Aug.    12, 

1S62;     trans,   to    Vet.    Res.    Corps    Oct. 

17,  1864;    disch.  therefrom  July  6,  1865. 
Walters,  William,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862; 

disch.  at  hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  Dec.  19, 

1863,  dis. 
Whitlock,   John,   private,   Aug.    16,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Company  L — Nolan,   Wilson,  corp.,  Aug. 
12,    1862;    private,   Sept.    12,   1862;    de- 


serted April  28,  1863;    returned  to  duty 

Feb.  8,  1865;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Davis,    Henry    M.,    corp.,   June   26,    1862; 

deserted    Aug.    30,    1862,    at    Freehold, 

N.  J. 
Wilson,   Cornelius   V.,   musician,   July   24, 

1862;      deserted    June,    1S63 ;     returned 

to  duty  Aug.  31,  1863;    must,  out  June 

18,  1865. 
Weldon,    Charles    M.,    private,    Aug.    11, 

1862;    disch.   at  Alexandria,   Va.,   Nov. 

7,  1864,  dis. 
Browning,    William    A.,   private,   July   31, 

1862;    deserted  May  i,  1864,  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 
Bruce,    Garret,    private,     Aug.    9,     1862; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Nov.  15,  1863; 

disch.  therefrom  July  i,  1865. 
Bruce.  Joseph,  private,  Aug.  9,  1862 ;    died 

at    Camp    Parole,    Annapolis,    Aug.    26, 

1864,   of   wounds   received   in  action   at 

Monocacy ;    leg  amputated. 
Bradford,    George    H.,    private,    July    26, 

1862;    trans,  to  navy  April  19,  1864. 
Garrison,  Almerain,  private,  July  24.  1862; 

must,  out  June  27,  1865. 
Hoagland,    Ralph,   private,   Aug.   8,    1862; 

trans,  as  a  deserter  to  Co.  H,  ist  Cav- 
alry, Aug.  28,  1863. 
Johnson,  Theodore,  private,  Aug.  9,  1862 ; 

deserted  Sept.  2,  1862;    returned  to  duty 

Sept.  29,   1863 ;    disch.  May  4,  1865,  by 

order  of  War  Dept. 
Payton,   William,  private,  July  30,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Perdun,    Abraham    V.,    private,    Aug.    11, 

1862;    killed  in  action  at  Locust  Grove, 

Va.,  Nov.  27,  1863. 
Rively,  George  W.,  private,  Aug.  g.,  1862; 

trans,    to    Vet.    Res.    Corps    March    16, 

1864;    disch.  therefrom  July  7,   1865. 
Rogers,    Jefferson    H.,    private,    Aug.    22, 

1862 ;    killed  in  action  at  Locust  Grove, 

Va.,  Nov.  27,  1863. 
States,  Samuel  B.,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862; 

killed    in   action    near    Petersburg,    Va., 

April  2,  1865. 
Smock,  George  S.,  private,  Aug.  15,  1862; 

corp.  Sept.  14,  1862;    sergt.  July  9,  1864; 

2d    lieut.    vice    Fisher,    disch.    Jan.    21, 

1865 ;   must,  out  June  27,  1865. 
Stonaker,    Charles    S.,    private,    Aug.    14, 

1862;    disch.  at  Trenton  by  order  War 

Dept.,  May  3,  1865. 
Smith,    Henry,    private,    Aug.     11,    1862; 

died  at  hosp.,  Washington,  D.  C,  June 

17,   1864,  of  wounds  received  in  action 

at  Cold  Harbor. 
Stroble,    John,    private,    Aug.    11,    1862; 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Voorhees,  Wyckoff,  private,  July  24,  1862; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Jan.  i,  1865; 

disch.  therefrom  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Ward,  John,  private,  Aug.  31,   1862;    de- 
serted Sept.  2,   1862;    returned  to  duty 

April  17,  1863;   must,  out  June  18,  1865. 


^54 


MIDDLESEX 


Wriplit,    John,     private,    July     30,     1862; 

Corp.   Ian.  28,  186=;;    must,  out  June  18, 

1865. 
Wilson.    Jacob,    private,    Aug.    6,     1862; 

killed    in    action    at    Monocacv    Bridge, 

Aid.,  July  9,  1864. 
Young,   Peter  R.,  private.  Aug.   14,   1862 ; 

disch.  at  hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  Dec.  11, 

1863,  dis. 

Company  K. — Janeway,  Jacob  J.,  capt., 
Aug.  23,  1862;  pro.  to  maj.  Sept.  IQ, 
1864;  lieut.-col.  vice  Hall,  res.  Dec.  13, 
1864;    brev.  col.   April  2,   1865. 

Manning,  John  L.,  sergt.,  Aug.  6,  1862 ; 
1st  sergt.  Nov.  12,  i8i52;  ist  lieut.  Co. 
I,  Oct.  8,  1864;  capt.  z'icc  Janeway,  pro. 
Dec.  13,  1864:    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Fisher,  John  G.,  ist  sergt.,  Aug.  11,  1862; 
pro.  sergt-maj.  Nov.  10,  1862;  pro.  2d 
lieut.  Co.  I,  Jan.  11,  1864;  com.  1st  lieut, 
Co.  E,  June  20,  1864;  not  must.;  disch. 
Aug.  II,  1864,  on  account  of  wounds 
received  in  action. 

Danberry,  Edgar,  sergt.,  Aug.  6,  1862 ; 
private  June  30,  1864;  disch.  by  order 
War  Department  May  3,  1865. 

Hoaglann,  James  V.,  sergt.,  July  22,  1862; 
trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March  15, 
1865 ;    disch.  therefrom  July  12,  1865. 

Hoagiand,  John  V.,  corp.,  July  12,  1862: 
deserted  June  4,  1863,  at  Mount  Airy, 
Md. 

Holden,  Horatio,  sergt.,  Aug.  11,  1862; 
trans,  to  U.  S.  Signal  Corps  Feb.  i, 
1864;    disch.  therefrom  June  19,  1865. 

Kents,  Naum,  sergt.,  Aug.  11,  1864;  com. 
2d. lieut.  Co.  B,  June  26,  1865;  not  must.; 
must,  out  June,  1865. 

Meyers,  Isaac  W.,  corp.,  Aug.  11,  1862; 
died  of  scurvy  at  Raleigh,  N.  C. ;  pris- 
oner of  war. 

Stout.  George  H.,  corp.,  Aug,  11,  1862; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  Oct.  20,  1864,  disability. 

Ryno,  David,  corp.,  July  25,  1862 ;  died  of 
consumption  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  March 
21,  1863. 

Terrill,  John  N.,  corp.,  Aug.  11,  1862; 
must,  out  June,  1865. 

Siddlcs,  Abram  G.,  corp.,  Aug.  6,  1862; 
deserted  March  10,  1863,  at  Mt.  Airv, 
Md. 

Gardiner,  William  G.,  musician,  Aug.  4, 
1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Buckalew,  Jacob,  private,  Aug.  14,  1862; 
must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Buckalew,  Frederick,  private,  Aug.  12, 
1862;    must,  out  June  18,   1865. 

Boice,  Uriah,  private,  Aug.  18,  1862;  trans, 
to  Co.  K,  2d  Regt. 

Eritt,  George,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862; 
must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Bennett,  Hugh  M.,  private,  Aug.  4,  1862; 
trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  June  15,  1864; 
discharged  therefrom  July  8,  1865. 


Beihl,  John,  private,  July  31.  1862;    trans. 

to   Vet.    Res.    Corps;     disch.   therefrom 

July  8,  1865. 
Carver,    Daniel,    private,    Aug.    15.    1862; 

died  of  fever  at  Monocacy,  Md,,  Dec.  7, 

1862. 
Culver,  Jonathan,  private,  Aug.   14,  1862; 

disch.  at  the  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  New- 
ark, Aug.   12,  1864;    disability. 
Culver,    William,    recruit,    Feb.    9,    1864; 

died  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  Washington,  D. 

C,  June  26,  1864,  of  wounds  received  in 

action    at    Cold    Harbor,    Va.,    lune    i. 

1864. 
Dixon,  George  T.,  private,  July  31,  1862; 

deserted    April    12,    1864,    at    Newark, 

N.  J. 
Disbrow,  James  T.,  private,  Aug.  14,  1862; 

died  of  diarrhoea  at  Andersonville,  Ga., 

April  3,  1864. 
Daly.  Henry,  recruit,  June  i,  1863;    killed 

in  action  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  i, 

1864. 
Freese,    George,    private,    Aug.    15,    1862; 

disch.  at  Annapolis  Junction,  Md.,  May 

4.  1865. 
Geipel,  Adam,  corp.,  July  29,  1862;    must. 

out  June  18,  1865. 
Garrigus,    Jacob    W.,    private,    Aug.    13, 

1862;     corp.    March    22,    1863;     sergt. 

March  2,  1864;    ist  sergt.  Nov.  20,  1864; 

com.  2d  lieut.  Co.  B,  June  26,  1865;    not 

must. ;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Galligan,    David,    private,    July    29,    1862; 

killed   in   action   at   Locust   Grove,    Va., 

Nov.  27,  1863. 
Grogan,     William,     substitute,     Aug.     30, 

1864;   trans,  to  Co.  E,  7th  Regt. 
Hendricks,  Isaac,  private,  Aug.   15,   1862; 

disch.  at  Trenton,  June  28,  1865. 
Hatfield,    William    H.,    private,    Aug.    18, 

1862;   must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Hardy,    Jacob,    private,    Aug.    12,    1862; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  June  15,  1864; 

disch.   therefrom  July  5,   1865. 
Hagaman,  John  M.,  private,  Aug.  11.  1862; 

died  of  diarrhoea  at  Andersonville,  Ga., 

July  28,  1864;    buried  there. 
Hoagiand,    Henry    L.,    private,    July    22, 

1862;     trans,   to   Co.   A    Oct.    11,    1862; 

disch.    Nov.    15,    1862,    to    join    regular 

army. 
Hustwait,  Thomas,  recruit,  Feb.  22,  1864; 

trans,  to  Co.  K,  2d  Regt. 
Irving,  Edward  B.,  recruit,  Feb.  15,  1864; 

trans,  to  Co.  K,  2d  Regt. 
Lynch,  Peter,  private,  July  31,  1862;   disch. 

at    Frederick    City,    Md.,    May   3,    1865, 

order  War  Dept. 
Lake,  Henry  S.,  recruit,  March  11,  1864; 

disch.  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  June   18,   1865, 

wounds  received  in  action  before  Peters- 
burg, Va. 
Marsh,  Vincent  R.,  private.  Aug.  15,  1862; 

corp.  June  28,  1863;    sergt.  July  9,  1864; 

pro.  2d  lieut.  Co.  F,  Oct.  11,  1864;    pro. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


155 


1st  lieut.  Dec.  i,  1864;  capt.  z'ice  Patter- 
son, pro.,  Jan.  30,  1865;  must,  out  June 
18,  1865. 

Messrole,  Joseph,  private,  Aug.  4,  1862; 
disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J., 
Dec.  27,  1862;    disability. 

Outcalt,  William  E.,  private,  Aug.  15, 
1862;  disch.  at  Trenton,  by  order  War 
Dept.,  May  3,  1865. 

Patterson,  Thomas  A.,  corp.,  July  22, 
1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Riley,  James,  private,  July  26,  1862; 
must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Sylvester,  John,  private,  Aug.  20,  1862; 
disch.  at  Newark,  Aug.  3,  1864,  disa- 
bility. 

Schenck,  William  H.,  corp.,  Aug.  11,  1862; 
trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Jan.  19.  1864; 
disch.  therefrom  July  14,  1865. 

Sperling,  Ephraim  D.,  private,  Aug.  18, 
1862;  corp.  July  9,  1864;  sergt.  Nov.  20, 
1864;   must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Smith,  George,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862;  de- 
serted Sept.  I,  1862,  at  Freehold,  N.  J. 

Schurm,  Nicholas,  private,  Aug.  12,  1862; 
must,  out  June  18,  1865. 

Stout,  Luke,  private,  Aug.  5,  1862;  died 
of  fever  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  March  31, 
1863;    buried  at  Antietam,  Md. 

Schenck,  Aaron  P.,  private,  Aug.  i,  1862; 
killed  in  action  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va., 
June    I,    1864;    buried  there. 


Ten  Broeck,  Van  Rensselaer,  private,  Aug, 

5,  1862;    died  of  consumption  at  hosp. 

Newark,  N.  J.,  Dec.  24,  1863. 
Ten    Eick,    Cornelius,    private,    Aug.    11 

1862;   disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  AnnapO' 

lis,  Md.,  May  4,  1865. 
Ten    Eick,    John,    sergt.,    Aug.    11,    1862 

killed  in  action  at  Monocacy,  Md.,  July 

9,  1864. 
Thomas,     Henry     C,     private,     Aug.     13 

1862;    mustered  out  June  18,  1865. 
Tunison,  Cornelius  W.,  Jr.,  private,  Aug.  13 

1862;    trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Jan.  15 

1864;    disch.  therefrom  June  29,  1865. 
Taylor,    Benjamin    F.,    private,    Aug.    18 

1862;    must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Van    Deventer,   Charles,   private,    Aug.   8, 

1862;    deserted  Nov.  14,  1862,  at  Mon 

ocacy,  Md. 
Voorhees,  Stephen,  private,  Aug.  14,  1862 

corp.  Feb.  10,  1864;    killed  in  action  at 

Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  i,  1864. 
Van  Duyn,  William,  private,  Aug.  8,  1862 

died  of  disease  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

June  12.  1863. 
Wessel,    James,    private,    Aug.    12,    1862 

killed  in  action  at  Cold  Harbor,  June  i 

1864. 
Wilmot,    George,    corp.,    Aug.    13,    1862 

must,  out  June  18,  1865. 
Walters,  John,  private,  Aug.  13,  1862;    de- 
serted Sept.  I,  1862,  at  Freehold,  N.  J 


TWENTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 


Wisewell,    Moses,    col.,     Sept.    15,    1862; 

must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Roberts,   Edward   A.   L.,    lieut.-col.,   Sept. 

15.  1862;    cashiered  Jan.  12,  1863. 
Wiidrick,  John  A.,  capt.,  Co.  B,  2d  Regt., 

Jan.   21,   1862;    lieut.-col.  vice  Roberts, 

cashiered,  Feb.  11,  1863;    must,  out  July 

6,  1863. 
Wilson,    Samuel    K.,    Jr.,    maj.,    Sept.    15, 

1862;    must.  out.  July  6,  1863. 
GuHck,  William  A.,  adjt.,  Sept.  15,  1862; 

res.  Dec.  3,  1862. 
Robins,    Benjamin    A.,    ist    lieut.,    Co.    F, 

Sept.    15,    1862;     adjt.    vice   Gulick,   re- 
signed, March  19,  1863. 
Berdine,   William,   q.   m.,    Sept.    15,    1862; 

dismissed  Feb.  26,   1863. 
Martin,   Moses,   private,    Co.   I,   Sept.    15, 

1862;     q.    m.,   vice    Berdine,    dismissed, 

March  11,  1863;   must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Newell,  William  D.,  surg.,  Sept.  15,  1862; 

must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Baker,   Benjamin    N.,   asst.   surg.,   Oct.  2, 

1862;    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Berg,  Joseph  F.,  Jr.,  asst.  surg.,  Sept.  29, 

1862;    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Page,  Christian  J.,  chaplain,  Sept.  15,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 

Non-Commissioned  Staff. — Giles,  John  H., 
private,  Co.  F;  pro.  to  sergt.-maj.  Sept. 
22,  1862 ;    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 


Ford,  Charles  P.,  private,  Co.  K;    pro.  to 

q.    m.-sergt.    Sept.   22,    1862 ;    must,   out 

July  6,  1863. 
Furness,  William  T.,  private,  Co.  K ;    pro. 

to    com. -sergt.    Sept.    22,    1862 ;     must. 

out  July  6,  1863. 
Murphy,  Arthur  C,  private,   Co.  I ;    pro. 

to  hosp.  steward  Sept.  22,   1862;    must. 

out  July  6,  1863. 

Company    A. — Dobson,    John,    ist    sergt., 

Aug.  25,  1862;    2d  lieut.  Feb.   11,  1863; 

1st     lieut.     vice     Appleby,     discharged, 

March  11,  1863;    must,  out  July  6.  1863. 
Lefferts,    Henry    D.    B.,    sergt.,    Aug.    25, 

1862;    2d  lieut.  Z'ice  Dobson,  promoted, 

March  11,  1863;  must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Barcalow,  John  L.,  sergt.,  Aug.  22,  1862; 

must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Vandevender,  Christopher,  corp.,  Aug.  25, 

1862 ;    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Dobsons,  George,  private,  Aug.  28,   1862; 

corp.   May  6,    1863 ;    must,   out  July  6, 

1863. 
Floyd,    Charles    F.,    musician,    Aug.    27, 

1862;    disch.  at  Trenton,   N.  J.,  March 

26.   1863,  dis. 
Cozzens,  William  H.,  corp.,  Aug.  27,  1862 ; 

sergt.  March  i,  1863;    must,  out  July  6, 

1863. 
Appleby,  William  M.,  corp.,  Aug.  25,  1862; 

must,  out  July  6,  1863. 


156 


MIDDLESEX 


Applecrate.     William,     private.     Aur.     28, 

1862";    disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Feb.  22,  1863.  dis. 
Buckelew,    Frederick    C,    Corp.,    Aug.    26, 

1862 :    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Bush,  George   P.,  private,   Aug.  2y,   1862 

must,  out  with  regiment  July  6,  1863. 
Bennett,  Issac  S..  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regiment  July  6,  1863. 
Bowne,  Edmond  C,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bloodgood,   William   R.,  private,    Sept.    i 

1862;    disch.   at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Feb 

5,  1863,  dis. 
Craven,  John   F.,   private,    Sept.   i,    1862; 

died    of    sunstroke   at    camp   near    Fal- 
mouth. \'a..  May  18,  1863. 
Culver,  Augustus,  private,  Aug.  25,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Compton,    James,   private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Culver,  Jonathan,  private,  Aug.  28,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cole,    George   N.,   private,    Sept.    I,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Craven,  James  L.,  private,   Sept.   i,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Conoly,     John,     private,     Sept.     i,     1862, 

corp.  March  i,  1863;    must,  out  July  6 

1863. 
Dolan,    Patrick,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Emmons,  Gordon,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
French,  William,  private,   Aug.  28,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Gaston,   Forman,   private,   Aug.   28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Heardman,  John,  private.   Aug.  27,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hawkins,   Cornelius   H.,   private,   Sept.    i 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Imly,   William   B.,   private,   Sept.   i.   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Letts,  Isaac,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862;    disch 

at  U.   S.   A.  Hosp.,   Newark,  April  23 

1863,  dis. 
Letts,    William,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  Philadelphia 

Pa.,  Feb.  16,  1863,  dis. 
Lisk,    Theodore,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McGee,   John    L.,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McKeag,  Thomas,  private,  Sept.   i,   1862, 

killed   in  action  at  Fredericksburg,   De- 
cember 13,  1862. 
Pope,   John   W.,    private,   Aug.   27,    1862 

died  of  typhoid  fever  at  hosp.  3d  Div 

2d  Corps,  March  12,  1863. 
Ferdun,   Farmer,  private,   Aug.   27,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Pcarsall,   Nelson,   private,   Aug.   28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Perdun,    Charles    A.,    private,    Aug.    28 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 


Roller,   Abraham,  private,   Aug.   27,   1862; 

deserted  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  14, 

1863. 
Richards,  Andrew,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862; 

disch.   at  U.   S.   A.  Gen.   Hosp.,   Ports- 
mouth, R.  L,  March  19,  1863,  dis. 
Reynolds,     Archibald,     private,     Sept.     i 

1862 ;   disch.  at  Baltimore  March  8,  1863 

dis. 
Snoden,    Forman    S.,    private,    Aug.    25, 

1862;    must,  out  wtih  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Straley,    Jacob,    private,    Aug.    2-],    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Smith,  Jacob   S.,  private,  Aug.   28,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Smith.    George,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Service,  Theodore,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6.  1863. 
Smith,    Charles,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6.  1863. 
Smith,  Horatio  E.,  private^  Sept.   i,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Vandevender,  Theodore,  private,  Aug.  25 

1862;     disch.   at   U.    S.   A.   Gen.   Hosp. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  22,  1863,  dis. 
Ward,     Israel,    private,     Aug.    25,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Wheeler,   Samuel,  private,  Aug.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Yates,    Samuel,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J., 

March  3,  1863,  dis. 

Company  B. — Chamberlain,  Alfred,  sergt., 

Aug.  26,  1862;   must,  out  with  regt.  July 

6,  1863. 
Davison,  John  J.,  Jr.,  ist  sergt.,  Aug.  26 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Standford,  Jacob  T.,  sergt.,  Aug.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Eudd,   Charles  G..   sergt.,   Sept.   10,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Brown,     Alfred,    sergt.,    Aug.    26,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Barnes,  William  E.,  corp.,  Aug.  26,  1862 

disch.  at  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  Dec 

24.  1862,  dis. 
Dutcher,  George  W.,  corp.,  Aug.  29,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Herron,  William  R.,  corp.,  Aug.  26,  1862 , 

died   at  Washington,  D.   C,  of  wounds 

received    in    action    at    Fredericksburg 

Va.,  Dec.  13,  1862. 
Ferris,   Charles   E.,   corp.,   Aug.   29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Rue,  Edwin,  corp.,  Aug.  27,   1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Shann,  Peter,  corp.,  Aug.  27,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Gulick,    Spencer,    corp.,    Aug.    29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Henson,     Patrick,    must.     Sept.     i,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Amion,   William,   private,   Aug.   26,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


157 


Applegate,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1S63. 
Applegate,  Jacob  S.,  private,  Aug.  27, 1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bennett,    Martin,    private,   Aug.   29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bennett,     Isaac,    private,     Sept.     i,     1862 
disch.   at   U.    S.   A.   Hosp.,    Phila.,    Pa 
Feb.  5,  1863,  disability. 
Bergen,  George  D.,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Brady,  Alexander,  private,   Sept.   i,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Colby,  Allen  F.  G.,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862 
disch.  at  U.   S.   A.  Hosp.,  Washington, 
D.  C,  of  wounds  received  in  action  at 
Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  1862;    leg 
amputated. 
Crawford,    George    W.,    private,    Sept.    2 
1862 ;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Conover,    Edwin,    corp.,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Dean,     Aaron,     private,     Aug.    30,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Davison,   William    V.    P.,   corp.,   Aug.   29 
1862 ;    died  of  diarrhoea  at  Washington 
D._  C,  Feb.  17.  1863. 
Davison,  George,  private,  Aug.  29,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1862. 
Dey.    Alfred    W.,    corp.,    Sept.     i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Davidson,  David  A.,  private,  Sept.  i.  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Everingham,    Charles,    private,    Aug.    29 
1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Erwin,  William  E..  private,  Aug.  29,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 

Fisher,  Henry  C.,  private,  Aug.  26,   1862 

^  must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 

French,  Cornelius  V.  N.,  private,  Aug.  26 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 

Fate,  Peter,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Fine,  John,  private,  Aug.  29,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Forman  Selah  G.,  private,  Aug.  28,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Griggs,    Reuben,    private,    Aug.    29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Graft,  John,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Grant,    Brazilla,    private,    Sept.    i,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Gavitt,  Ellison   P.,  private,  Aug.  26,   1862 
died  at  Washington,  D.   C,  of  wounds 
received    in    action    at    Fredericksburg 
Dec.  13,   1862. 
Glenning,  Daniel  F.,  private,  Sept.  5.  1862 
disch.  at  Fort   Schuyler  Harbor,  N.  Y, 
March  31.  1862,  on  account  of  woimds 
received    in    action    at    Fredericksburg, 
Dec.  13,  1862;    arm  amputated. 
Hart,    Noah    L.,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 
disch.    at    Convalescent    Camp,    Alexan- 
dria, Va..  Feb.  25,  1863;    disability. 
Hammel,  John  F.,  private,  Sept.   i,  1862; 
must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


Hart,   George    S.,   private,   Sept.    i,    1862 

nmst.  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hulse,    Samuel,    private,    Aug.    27.    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hulse,  Thomas  L.,  private,  Aug.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hoffman,    Solon,    private.    Sept.    9,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Haggerty,  Henry  C,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Johnson,    David,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6.  1863. 
Jamison,  Joseph  J.,  private,  Aug.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Johnson,  John  N.,  private,  Aug.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Jolly,    Thomas,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

died   at    Fredericksburg,    Va.,    Dec.    14 

1862,  of  wounds  received  in  action  there 
Legitt,  Anthony  A.,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Lake,  William  C,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Labaw,  George  F.,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Linder,     John,     private,     Aug.     26,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Larkin,  Francis  E.,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McDougall,    Orlando,    private.    Aug.    26, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
McDougall,  Robert,  private,  Aug.  26, 1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Moran,    Patrick,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Mount,  William  G.,  private,  Aug.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Morse,  Garret  S.,  private,   Sept.   i,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Merryott,  vSamuel,  private,  Aug.  27.  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Merryott,  Peter  B.,  private,  Aug.  29.  1862 

disch.  at  the  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Wash- 

ineton,  D.   C,  Jan.   5,   1863,  disability. 
Mcllvain,  William,  private,  Sept.   i,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Millette,  William  P.,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862; 

disch.  at  army  hosp.,  Washington.  D.  C, 

Feb.  17,  1863,  on  account  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Fredericksburg. 
Monighan,  James,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Newton,  William,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Perrine,     Charles     H.,    private,    Aug.    26, 

1862;  disch.  at  hosp..  West  Philadelphia, 

Feb.  4,  1863,  disability. 
Penson,    Henry    H.,    musician,     \ug.    26, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Pullen,  George  E.,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Rumphy,    Carl,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Rhodes,    William    D.,    private,    Aug.   26, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Rodgers,    William    H.,    private,    Aug.    26, 


158 


MIDDLESEX 


1862 ;    died  of  typhoid  fever  near  Fred 

ericksburg,  Va.,  March  12,  1863. 
Rue,  Matthias  A.,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Reamer.  Parker  B.,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862 

mu.st.  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Snediker,   James,   private,   Aug.   28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Snediker,    John,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Snediker.  Forman,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,   1863. 
Sedam,    John    L.,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Silvers.    Isaac,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Silvers.    Henry,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Soden,    Joseph,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

disch.    at    camp    near    Falmouth,    Va 

April   10,   1863,  disability. 
Sparlin,    Nelson,   private,    Aug.    29,    1862, 

disch.  at  U.   S.  A.   Hosp.,  Washington, 

D.   C,   March   13,    1863,   on  account  of 

wounds  received  in  action  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va. 
Stultz.  Lewis   D.,  private,   Aug.  30,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Slover.    Stephen,    private,    Sept.    2,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Thompson,  John,  private,   Aug.   26,    1862; 

died  near  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  25, 

1862,  of  wounds  received  in  action  there. 
Taylor,  Eugene  Z.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
\'an    Lieu,    Edwin    F.,    private,    Aug.    29, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Vantilburg,  John,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Van  Arsdale.  Peter  P.,  private,  Aug.  26, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Wines,  John   A.,  private,   Aug.  29,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 

Company  C- — Calder,  Henry  C,  1st  sergt., 

Aug.  30,  1862;   must,  out  July  6,  1865. 
Sofield,  Daniel  W.,  sergt.,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  July  6,   1865. 
Hillyer,  Isaac,  sergt.,  Aug.  30,  1862;   must. 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Erokaw,   Isaac  C,   sergt.,  Aug.   30,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Brantingham,  Henry,  sergt.,  Aug.  30,  1862  ; 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 

Dec.    13,    1862. 
Conway,  Robert  S.,  sergt.,  Sept.  2,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Leston,  Joseph  C,  Jr.,  capt.,  Sept.  3,  1862; 

must,  out  July  6,   1863. 
Stelle,  William  H.,  ist  licut.  Sept.  3,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Conover,    Samuel    K.,    2d    licut.,    Sept.    3, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Gunther,     Gustav,    corp.,     Sept.    6,     1862 ; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Clawson,    John    V.,    Jr.,    corp,,    Aug.    30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


Dayton,    Isaac    S.,   corp.,    Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Munday,  Thomas  J.,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hummer,  Adam,  Jr.,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,   1S63. 
Stelle,   George    D.,   corp.,   Aug.   30,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Coulter,   William,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862 

corp.    April    15,    1863;     must,    out    with 

regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Drake,  Henry  C,  musician,  Sept.  2,  1862; 

must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Giles,  Joel,  musician,  Sept.  2,  1862;    must. 

out  with  regt.  July  6,   1863. 
Hummer,  Adam,    Sr.,   wagoner,  Aug.   30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Field,  Jeremiah  R.,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Dec. 

13,  1862. 
Adams,   Wesley,   private,    Aug.   30,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Baker,    Samuel,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Newark,  March 

22,  1863. 
Bauchman,  Benjamin  H.,  private,  Aug.  30 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Blackford,  Jeremiah  F.,  private.  Aug.  30 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Boice,     Cyrus,    private,     Aug.    30.     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Boice,  George  D.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va. 

Dec.  13,  1862. 
Brundage,  Warren,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Car,  Andre,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;    disch 

at  Camp  in  field  April  i,  1863,  dis. 
Clawson,    Jonathan   F.    R.,    private,    Aug, 

30,   1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6 

1863. 
Compton,   Israel,  private,   Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Conger,    Charles,    corp.,    Aug.    30,    1862 

disch.  at  camp  in  field  April  i,  1863.  dis 
Cooper,   Joseph,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Corsoflf,  Rudolph,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cronk,    Munson,   private,    Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Dayton,  Simon  R.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Dudling,  Benjamin,  private,  Aug.  30, 1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Davis,   Jeremiah,   private.   Aug.   30,    1862 

disch.  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Gen.  Hosp 

April  4,  1863,  dis. 
Davis,  William  B.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Cxen.  Hosp.,  Newark 

N.  J.,  March  31,   1863,  dis. 
Drake,    Calvin,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

disch.  at  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hosp.,  Newark 

N.  J.,  March  2,  1863,  dis. 
Dunham,     Daniel     V.,    private,     Sept.    4 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


159 


Dunham,    George    A.,    private,     Sept.    4 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Dunham,    Samuel    S.,    private,     Sept.    2 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Dunlap,    James,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Drum,   Jeremiah,   private,   Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Dutlinger,  Kasper,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
End,  Felix,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Fisher,    Charles,   private,   Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Freeman,  James  B.,  private,  Aug.  30, 1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Garretson,  Ralph,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,   1863. 
Giles,  George  F.,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Giles,    John    V.,   private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Giles,    George,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

disch.  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  March  12 

1863,  dis. 
Gleason,  Michael,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Green,  Clarendo  D.,  private,  Sept.  4,  1862 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Dec, 

13,  1862. 
Harris,    Lewis,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Henderson,  William  W.,  private,  Aug.  30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Lake,  Philip,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Lake,     George,    private,    Sept.    2,     1862 

disch.   at  Washington,   D.   C,   Jan.   15 

1863,  dis. 
Lane,  Aaron   H.,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862 

died   of   diarrhoea,   Washington,    D.    C 

Dec.  27,  1863. 
King,  Lewis,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 ;   must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Martin,    John,    private,    Aug.    30,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Matchet,   Amos,   private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Merrell,    John,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

disch.    at   Falmouth,   Va.,  Jan.   1,    1863 

dis. 
Langstaff,  Joel  F.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va. 

Dec.  13,  1862. 
Merrell,    William    C,    private,    Aug.    30 

1862;    died  at  hosp.,  Washington,  D.  C 

Jan.    I,    1863,    of    wounds    received    in 

action. 
McCray,  Martin,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862; 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 

Dec.  13,  1862. 
Mundy,   Phineas,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Pennington,  Nathan  C.,  private,  Aug.  30, 

1862 ;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Richards,   Jacob,   private,   Aug.   30,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


Randolph,   Joel   D.    F.,   private,   Aug.   30, 

1862;    disch.  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  April  8, 

1863,  dis. 
Robinson,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ryno,  Lewis,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;  must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ryno,  Augustus,   private,   Aug.  30,    1862 

died  of  injuries  at  Washington,  D.  C 

Jan.  22,  1863. 
Runyon,  Peter  F.,  private,  Sept.  3,  1862 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va, 

Dec.  13,  1862. 
Shiney,  George  H.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Smith,   David   S.,  private,   Aug.  30._  1862 

died   of  typhoid    fever   at   Washington 

D.  C,  Jan.  13,  1863. 
Soper,    Mahlon,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Stelle,   Isaac   R.,   private,   Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Stelle,    John    N.   private,    Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Straven,  William,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Taylor,  Gilbert  B.,  private.  Sept.  15,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ten  Broeck,  John,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Tingley,    Charles    D.,    private.    Aug.    30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Titsworth,    Calvin    D.,    private,    Aug.    30 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Toupet,    Charles    W.,    private,    .\ug.    30 

1862;    died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan 

I,  1863,  of  wounds  received  in  action. 
Van  Nest,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Van  Nest,  William,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Wendover,  William  A.,  private,  Aug.  30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Wooding,  Benjamin,  private,  Sept.  3,  1862 

disch.  at  hosp.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  March 

4,  1863,  dis. 

Company  D. — Dunham,  William  H.,  capt., 

Sept.  4,  1862;    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Hatfield,    Augustus,     ist    lieut.,    Sept.    4, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cook,  William  J.,  2d  lieut.,  dismissed  Feb. 

26,  1863. 
Voorhees,   John    H.,    ist   sergt.,   Aug.   27, 

1862;     2d    lieut.    vice    Cook,    dismissed, 

Feb.  27,  1863 ;   must,  out  with  regt.  July 

6,  1863. 
Randolph,   Alexander   F.,   corp.,   Aug.  27 

1862;    sergt.    Dec.   13,    1862;     ist  sergt 

March    i,    1863;     must,    out    with    regt 

July  6,  1863. 
Cause,  Andrew,  Jr.,  sergt.,  Sept.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Denton,    Charles,    sergt.,    Sept.    27.    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bauer,  Morris,  sergt.,  Sept.  27,  1862;  must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


i6o 


MIDDLESEX 


Dunn,    Isaac    E.,    sergt.,    Aug.    27.    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6.  1863. 
Martin,  Alexander,  corp.,   Aug.  29,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bergen,  Adrian  W.,  corp.,  Aug.  20,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ten    Broeck,    Gabriel    H.,    Corp.,    Sept.    3 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Alcutt,   Howard  J.,   Corp.,   Aug.  28,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Oakey,    David    V.,    corp.,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cathcart,  Merrit  G.,  corp.,  Sept.  2.  1862. 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hall.    Reuben,    musician,    Aug.    27,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Danberry,  ]Mark,  musician,  Aug.  27,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Agnew,  Robert  E.,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Applegate,    Oscar,    corp.,    Aug.    27,    1862 

disch.    at    Convalescent    Camp,    Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  Feb.  23.  1863.  dis. 
Baird.   David   S.,  private,  Aug.  29,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Baker,   Nicholas,  private,  Aug.   28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ballou,    Francis,    private,    Aug.    29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Barton,   William,   private,   Aug.   2y,    1862 

m.ust.  cut  with  regt.  July  6,   1863. 
Bass,    Phineas,    private,    Aug.    26,    1862 

nuist.  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Beggs,    Joseph,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bergen,  John,  private.  Aug.  29,  1862;  must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Boice,   Theodore,   private,   Aug.   29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bowman,  Isaac  L.,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bradley,    William    H.,    private,    Aug.    26, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Brannagan.     Thomas,     private,     Sept.     2 

1S62;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Buzzee,    John,     private,     Aug.    29,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Capes,    Reuben,    private,    Aug.    29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Carolan,    John,     private,     Sept.     2,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Carrigan,  Eugene,  private,  Aug.  29,   1862 

disch.    at    Convalescent    Camp,    Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  Feb.  19,  1863,  wounds  received 

at   Fredericksburg. 
Castner,  James  J.,  private,   Sept.  2,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cavilier,    Isaac,    private,    .-Xug.    29,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Churchward,   Geo.   W.,  private,   Aug.   29, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Coddington,   Martin    S.,   private,   Aug.  30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6.   1863. 
Combs,    Benjamin    P.,    private,    .-Xug.    29, 

1862;   killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg, 

Va.,  Dec.    13,   1862. 


Cummings,   George  W.,  private,   Aug.  29, 

1862;    died  at  hosp.,  Washington.  D.  C, 

Jan.  14,  1863,  of  wounds  received  in  ac- 
tion at  Fredericksburg. 
Davidson,  Enos  A.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ferote,    Simeon,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ferote,   William,    private,    Aug.   26,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Finch,  James   H.,  private,  Aug.  26,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
I'oster,    Francis,    private,    Sept.    2,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
French,    John,     private,     Sept.     2,     1862 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Dec 

13,  1862. 
Ferguson,  Edward,  private,  Aug.  29,  1862 

deserted    Dec.    i,    1862,   at   Washington 

D.   C. 
Gamble,   William,   private,    Sept.   2,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Gcrhardt,  Frederick  G.,  private,   Aug.  30, 

1862;      disch.     at     Convalescent     Camp 

Alexandria,  Va.,  April  2,  1863,  dis. 
Grace,    Hubert,    private,    Aug.    26,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Grogan,   William,   private,    Sept.   2,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Haggerty,   James,    private,    Sept.   3,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hargrove,   James,    Aug.    29,    1862;     must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Haviland,    Joseph    T.,    private,    Aug.    26 

1862;    disch.  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  Feb.  15 

1863,  disability. 
Hendrickson,  George  W.,  private,  Aug.  29, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Hickey,   Thomas,   private,   Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Holman,   George,   private,   Aug.   30,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1862. 
Holcomb,  Theophilus  M.,  private,  Aug.  28, 

1862;    died  of  fever  at  New  Brunswick 

N.  J.,  April  I,  1863. 
Jeffries,  Joseph  C,  private,  Sept.  I,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Jeffries,    John,    private,    Aug.    30,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Jones,  John  J.,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862;  must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Kenna,    Thomas,   private,   Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Lally,  ]\Iartin,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862;   must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Lovett.    Richard,    private,    Sept.    2,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McLaughlin,    Michael,     private,     Sept.     I 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Meyers,    John,    private,    Aug.    26,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Miller,  Adam,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862;   must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1S63. 
Marsh,    William,    private,    Sept.    2.    1862 

killed  in  action  at  Chancellorsville,  May 

3,  1863. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


i6i 


McDavitt,  Francis,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

deserted  Oct.   12,  1862,  at  Washington 

D.  C. 
Mooney,  William,  private,  Aug.  29,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Morris,    Michael,   private,    Sept.   3,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Oakey,  Blanchard,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 

discb.  at   Washington,    D.    C,   Feb.    12 

1863,  disability. 
Oliver,    Francis,    private,    Aug.    29,    1862 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va 

Dec.  13,  1862. 
Peyton,  John,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862;   must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Quinn,    Henry,    private,    Aug.    29,    1862 

died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  11,  1863, 

of  wounds  received  in  action  at  Fred- 
ericksburg. 
Reed,  John,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;    killed 

in    action    at    Chancellorsville.    May    3, 

1863. 
Romage,  George,  private,  Aug.  29,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ross,  George  W.,  private,  Aug.  29,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Sanderson,   Walter   E.,   private,    Aug.    29 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Shand,    James,    private,    Aug.    29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Shellady,    George    W.,   wagoner,    Sept.   8 

1862 ;   disch.  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  March  3 

1863 ;    disability. 
Skirm,    James,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Smith,  Henry  G.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Stryker,  David  S.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Suydam,  Peter  W.,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Tallman,    George    H.,    private,    Aug.    30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Taylor,    Joseph,    private,    Aug.   29,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Thompson,  Walter,  private,  Aug.  29,  1862 

deserted    Sept.    19,    1862,   at    Freehold 

N.J. 
Trout,    Garret,    private,    Aug.    27,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Van  Arsdale,  James  C,  private,  Aug.  29, 

1862;   must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Van  Natta,  Aaron,  private,  Sept.  3,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Van   Nortwick,  Henry  W.,  private,  Aug, 

29,  1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6 

1863. 
Van  Syckel,  Jacob,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Watson,    John,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6.  1863. 
Wilson,    Cornelius    B.,    private,    Aug.    26, 

1862   killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg, 

Va.,  Dec.  13,  1862. 
Wright,    Lewis,    private,    Aug.    31,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 

Mid-11 


Company  F. — Inslee,  Isaac,  Jr.,  capt.,  Sept. 

15,  1862;    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Robins,  Benjamin  A.,  ist  lieut.,  Sept.  15 

1862;    pro.  adjt.  March  19,  1863;    must, 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Wester  field,  John  W.,  2d  lieut.,  Sept.  15 

1862;    resigned  Oct.  31,   1862. 
Marsh,  Seymour,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

2d  lieut.  znce  Westerfield,  resigned,  Feb 

II,   1863;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6 

1863. 
Barton,   John,   sergt.,  Aug.  30,   1862;    ist 

sergt.  May  i,  1863;   must,  out  with  regt 

July  6,  1863. 
Coats,  Charles,  sergt.,  Sept.  i,  1862;   must, 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McClarence,  John  S.,  sergt.,  Aug.  29,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Harriott,  David  H.,  sergt.,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Stroud,  William  F.,  sergt.,  Sept.  2,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Martin,   Augustus,   corp.,   Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Grace,  Thomas,  corp.,  Sept.  2,  1862;   must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Giles,    David    S.,    corp.,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Munn,  John,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1&53. 
Bloodgood,  William  H.  H.,  corp.,  Aug.  30 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Payne,  Jeremiah  F.,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Baldwin,  William  R.,  corp.,  Sept.  26,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Baldwin,  Alfred,  corp.,  Sept.  3,  1863;  must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bogart,  John  H.,  musician,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bessler,   John,   musician,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Barton,  Augustus,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bedam,    Charles,    private,    Sept.   3,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bergen,  Charles  W.,  Aug.  30,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Blair,  David,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bloomfield,    Edwin    A.,    private,    Sept.    2 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Bones,  John,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862;    must, 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bowman,  Henry,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Brobell,   Ulrich,    private,    Aug.   30,    1862 

died    at   Fredericksburg,    Va.,    Dec.    14, 

1862,  of  wounds  received  the  previous 

day  in  action. 
Burns,  Christopher,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cahill,    Dennis,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Challhepp,  John,  private,  Aug.  28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


1 62 


MIDDLESEX 


Claus,  Tames,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;  must. 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Clayton,  Asher  M.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Collins,    Arthur,    private,    Aug.    26,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Connolly,  Edward,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Conners,    Patrick,  private,   Sept.  "i,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Coddington,  William   K.,   ist   sergt.,   Sept. 

2.    1862;    disch.   at  Washington,   D.   C, 

April   17,    1863,  on  account   of   wounds 

received    in    action    at    Fredericksburg, 

Va. 
Cook,  Henry,  private,  Sept.  3,  1862;   must. 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cushing,  Patrick,  private,  Aug.  29,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Cutter,    Joseph,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Dec. 

13,  1862. 
Debold,    Peter,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
DeWitt,  John  C,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862; 

died    of    measles    near    Falmouth,    Va., 

Jan.  15,  1863. 
Doty,    William,    private,    Sept.    2,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Dunning,  George  C,  private,  Sept.  3,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Dunnigan,    John,    private,    Sept.    i,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Foley,    Dennis,    private,    Aug.    26,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Fouratt,  George  E.,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 ; 
^  must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Freeman,  John  J.,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Furlong,  William,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Frazee,    Henry,    private,    Sept.    2,    1862; 

disch.  at  hosp.,  Phila.,  Pa.,  Feb.  9,  1863, 

dis. 
Gardner,  Francis,  private,   Sept.   3,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Garretson,    Albert    G.,    private,    Aug.    26, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Giles,    John    H.,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

pro.  to  sergt.-maj.  Sept.  22,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Gilman,  Charles  D.,  sergt.,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

died   of   typhoid    fever   near   Falmouth, 

Va.,  Jan.  24,  1863. 
Grace,  Thomas  K.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Haggerty,  William,  private,  Sept.  3,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hauxhurst,   Richard   F.,  private,    Sept.  3, 
1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hone,  Frederick,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Jackson,  John  T.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Jaques,  Mortimore,  private,  Sept.  3,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


Johnson,  James  H.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Keller,  Christopher,  private,  Aug.  26,  1862 ; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Kervin,    John,    private,    Aug.    26,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McElhaney,    William,    private,    Aug.    29, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McClay,    John,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862; 

deserted    Sept.    25,    1862,    at    Freehold, 

N.  J. 
McGrail,  Patrick,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862; 

died    at    Fredericksburg,    Va.,    Dec.    15, 

1862,  of  wounds  received  in  action  there 
on  the  13th. 

Manning,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 
disch.  at  Point  Lookout,  Md.,  April  10, 

1863,  disability. 

Mott,    Samuel,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

disch.   at   hospital.    New   York   Harbor, 

Feb.    14,    1863,   wounds   received   in   ac- 
tion   at    Fredericksburg,    Va.,    Dec.    13, 

1862. 
Moffett,  George  B.,  private,  Aug.  3,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Morris,  George  B.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Mulligan,    William    F.,    private,    Aug.    28, 

1862;   must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Munn,  David  C,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Oliver,  Thomas  A.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Patterson,  William  H.,  private,   .Aug.  30, 

1862. 
Payne,  Bethune  D.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Pressler,  Edward,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Roxbury,    Andrew    J.,    private,    Aug.    28, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Ruddy,    Robert,    private,    Sept.    2,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Toms,  Crowell  M.,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Temple,  Alfred  S.,  private,  Aug.  28,  1862; 

deserted    Sept.    25,    1862,    at    Freehold, 

N.  J. 
Tucker,    Patrick,   private,   Aug.  28,    1862; 

deserted    Sept.    25,    1862,    at    Freehold, 

N.J. 
Valentine,    Mulford    D.,   private,    Sept.   2, 

1862;    must  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Webber,    John,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Welsh,     John,    private,    Aug.    30,     1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Wright,  George  A.,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Welsh,  David  G.,  wagoner,  Sept.  2,  1862; 

died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  of  wounds 

received  at  Fredericksburg,  Va. 
Young,    Henry,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Young,  Henry  S.,  private,  Sept.  2,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 


163 


Young,   Theodore,  private,  Sept.  2,   1862; 
must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 

Company  K. — Storer,  George,  capt.,  Sept. 

20,  1862 ;    must,  out  July  6,  1863. 
Bresnahan,    James,    ist    lieut.,    Sept.    20 

1862;     dismissed   by   order   War    Dept 

May  15,  1863. 
Conk,  Thomas,  2d  lieut,   Sept.  20,   1862 

disch.  Jan.  2,  1863. 
Bolton,  John  T.,  ist  sergt.,  Aug.  30,  1862 

2d    lieut.    vice    Conk,    disch.    March    i 

1863. 
Stillwell,    Aaron,    sergt.,    Aug.    30,    1862, 

1st  sergt.  March  i,  1863;   must,  out  with 

regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Fowler,  Charles  S.,  sergt.,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Thorn,  William,  Jr.,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

sergt.    March    i,   1863;    must,   out   with 

regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Thomas,    David,    corp.,    Aug.    30,    1862 ; 

sergt.    March   i,   1863;    must,   out  with 

regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Van  Dusen,  David,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Thorn,  Andrew  C,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hudnet,    William,    corp.,    Sept.    2,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Fowler,    John    C,    corp.,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hulsehart,    Peter,    corp.,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Barber,  Peter,  corp.,  Aug.  30,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Drake,  Isaac,  corp.,  March  i,  1863;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Thorn,  Timothy  S.,  corp.,  March  i,  1863 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Buzzee,  Aaron,  musician,  Aug.  2Q,  1862. 
Laforge,  John,   wagoner,   Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Applegate,   Noah,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Arose,     Elisha,     private,     Sept.     i,     1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Arose,  Abraham,  private,  Aug.  30,   1862 

died   of   typhoid   fever   near   Falmouth 

Va.,  March  14,  1863. 
Bloodgood,  Peter,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bloodgood,  Michael,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bogart,  Abraham,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  witti  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bolton,  Thomas  O.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Bray,  George  W.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Brock,   William,   private,   Aug.    30,    1862 

deserted  Feb.  20,   1863,  at  Philadelphia 

Pa. 
Compton,  Henry,  private,  Aug.  29,   1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Culver,   George,   private,   Aug.   30,   1862 

must  out  with  regt.  Jiily  6,  1863 


Dayton,  John   D.,  private,   Sept.  2,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,   1863. 
Dewan,   Michael,  private,  Aug.  30,    1862; 

deserted  Jan.   14,  1863. 
Disbrow,     Cortlandt,     private,     Aug.     30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Dunn,    Thomas,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

missing  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 

Dec.  13,  1862;    supposed  dead. 
Durham,  John,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;. died 

at  U.  S.  A.  Hosp.,  at  Washington,  D.  C, 

of  wounds  reed,  in  action  at  Fredericks- 
burg. 
Ford,  Charles  P.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Furman,    William    H.,    private,    Aug.    30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Furness,    William    T.,    private,    Aug.    30, 

1862 ;    must,  out  with  regt  July  6,  1863 
Githens,  Joseph  M.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Gordon,  Embly  S.,  private,  Sept.  22,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hagar,    Abraham    C.,    private,    Aug.    30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 
Hogar,    David,    private,    Sept.    22,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hansell,  Cornelius,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

deserted   Jan.    14,    1863,   at   hosp.,    New 

York  Harbor. 
Hanzey,    Charles,   private,    Sept.   2,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hoagland,  John  H.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Hulsehart,    Cornelius,    Jr.,    private.    Sept 

2,    1862 ;    must,   out   with   regt.  July  6, 

1863. 
Hunt,    Robert,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Jackson,   Robert,  private,  Aug.   30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
King,    Robert,    private,    Aug.    28,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Keough,  Thomas,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

deserted  Sept.  23,  1862,  at  Camp  Vred 

enburgh.  Freehold,  N.  J. 
Lester,  Francis  W.,  private,  Sept.  2,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Letts,  George  V.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Martin,    James,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McGraw,    Isaac,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va. 

Dec.  13,  1862. 
McGrath,   John,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
McNally,  James,  private,   Aug.  30.   1862 

must,  out  with  regt  July  6,  1863. 
Miller,    Charles,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Mullenfels,    William,    private,     Aug.    30 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt  July  6,  1863 
O'Brien,  William,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Prink,  Jacob,  private,  Sept.  i,  1862;    must 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863 


i64 


MIDDiLESEX 


Rightmire,   William    H.,   private,    Sept.   2, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Rogers,  Henry  A.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Seward,  George  H.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862 ; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Seward,   John    A.,   Jr..    private,    Aug.   30, 

1862;    must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Shaffer,    Philip,    private,    Aug.    30.    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Smith.    Charles,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

missing    in    action    at    Fredericksburg, 

Dec.  13,  1862. 
Soden,    James,    private,    Aug.    30,    1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Stephens,   Miller,   private.   Aug.   29,   1862; 

must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Stolt,  John,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862;    must. 

out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 
Van    Nest,    Jacob    M.,    private,    Aug.    30, 

1862;    must!  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


Voorhees,  Peter  P.,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 
disch.  at  Convalescent  Camp,  Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  Feb.  17,  1863,  dis. 

Roberts,  Jonathan  R.,  private,  Aug.  30, 
1862;  disch.  for  disability  in  camp,  Vir- 
ginia, Nov.  ID,  1862. 

Robert,  Isaac,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 
disch.  for  disability  near  Washington,  D. 
C,  Jan.  3,  1863. 

Passell,  John  V.,  musician,  Aug.  30,  1862; 
disch.  at  Portsmouth  Grove,  R.  I., 
March  8,   1863,  dis. 

Heenan,  Martin,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 
disch.  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  3,  1863, 
dis. 

White,  Lewis  A.,  sergt.,  Sept.  i.  1862; 
disch.  at  Convalescent  Camp,  Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  June  6,  1863,  dis. 

Warner,  Benjamin,  private,  Aug.  30,  1862; 
must,  out  with  regt.  July  6,  1863. 


Company  A. — Smith,  John,  private,  March 

11,  1864;    trans,  to  Co.  M. 
Clifford,  James,  private. 

Company    B. — Page,    Charles    W.,    sergt., 

Aug.    5,    1861 ;     re-enl.    Jan.    i,    1864; 

killed  by  accident  Nov.  3,  1864. 
Pomeroy,  Christopher  F.,  private,  Aug.  7, 

1861 ;    disch.  at  Washington,  D.  C,  May 

29,  1862,  dis. 
Van  Derveer,  Arnold  H.,  private,  Aug.  31, 

1861 ;    sergt.  May  5,  1862;    re-enl.  Feb. 

I,  1864;    sergt.  May  20,  1864;   must,  out 

July  24,  1865. 
Wilson,    William    H.,    private,    Aug.    26, 

1861  ;    re-enl.  Jan.   i,   1864;    sergt.  Jan. 

15,  1864;    2d  lieut.  Co.  G  Jan.  30,  1865. 

Company  H. — Stewart,  Alexander,  ist 
sergt.,  Aug.  22,  1861 ;  2d  lieut.  Co.  E 
May  4,  1862;  res.  Dec.  22,  1862;  pa- 
roled prisoner. 

Marks,  Charles  W.,  private,  Oct.  4,  1862; 
in  hosp.  at  Washington  May  31,  1865. 

Lawrence,  James,  Jr.,  sergt.,  Aug.  21,  1861 ; 
disch.  at  Convalescent  Camp,  Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  April  14,  1863. 

Bailey,  Cornelius. 

Cause,  Robert  B.,  corp.,  Aug.  27,  1861 ; 
sergt.  June  15,  1862;  pro.  sergt. -maj. 
Feb.  4,  1863 ;    pro.  2d  lieut.  Co.  G,  Aug. 

12,  1863;  1st  lieut.  Co.  E,  March  29,  1864; 


FIRST  REGIMENT  CAVALRY. 


capt.  vice  Robins,  pro.  Nov.  i,  1864; 
must,  out  July  24,  1865. 

Senker,  Henry,  private,  Aug.  21.  1861 ; 
Corp.  Aug.  22,  1861 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 
Corps.  Aug.  I,  1863;  disch.  therefrom 
Jan.  30,  1864. 

Suydam,  Peter  H.,  saddler,  Sept.  7,  1861 ; 
pro.  saddler  sergt.,  3d  Batt.,  Feb.  19, 1862. 

Shulthise,  Jacob;  Alston,  William;  An- 
drews, Edward ;  Anderson,  Garret  T. ; 
Applegate,  George ;  Auld,  James  M. ; 
Bohn,  James ;  Bush,  John ;  Collhip,  John  ; 
Christ,  Leonard;  Corridan,  James; 
Cochran,  John  ;  Cone,  Daniel ;  Ectil, 
John  ;  Foster,  John  ;  Foller,  Michael ; 
Gray,  D.  Eugene;  Glenn,  William; 
Hunt,  Jonathan ;  Hart,  David ;  Hinckly, 
Charles;  Hinckle,  Theodore;  Hudson, 
William  ;  Hardy,  Pyatt ;  Jackson,  Wil- 
liam ;  Kelly,  Walter;  Kohler,  John; 
Labar,  Henry  B. ;  Letts,  George;  Letts, 
John ;  Messroll,  Jonathan ;  McClellan, 
James ;  McLaughlin,  James ;  Norman, 
Benjamin;  Oaks,  John;  Oliver,  John; 
Plum,  John;  Porter,  William;  Par- 
dunn,  Charles  A;  Rappleyea,  William; 
Reeder,  George ;  Suydam,  Stephen ; 
Snyder,  John ;  Snyder,  Stephen  ;  Stev- 
ens, William;  Telus,  Charles;  Van 
Note,  Peter;  Van  Heise,  Anthony; 
Van  Dervere,  Arnold;  Voorhees, 
Christopher. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
FINALE. 

In  the  words  of  the  immortal  Shakespeare,  "Grim  visaged  war  had 
smoothed  her  wrinkled  front,"  and  the  veterans  of  the  grand  armies  of 
the  Republic  had  returned  to  their  peaceful  vocations ;  the  banker  to 
attend  to  his  financial  obligations ;  the  lawyer  to  his  clients ;  the  doctor 
to  his  patients ;  the  farmer  to  his  agricultural  pursuits ;  the  mechanic 
to  engage  in  the  industrial  enterprises  of  the  country. 

While  Grant  was  hammering  at  the  gates  of  Richmond,  the  nine- 
teenth presidential  election  was  held.  Lincoln,  the  "Great  Emancipator," 
was  a  candidate  for  reelection ;  associated  with  him  was  An'drew  John- 
son, who  had  been  Senator  from  Tennessee  and  military  governor  of  that 
State.  Johnson,  while  he  was  of  southern  nativity  and  a  strong  adherent 
of  the  Democratic  party,  having  supported  Breckinridge  and  Lane  in 
i860,  was,  however,  a  pronounced  Unionist.  The  substituting  of  another 
candidate  by  the  Republicans  for  the  New  Englander  holding  the  office 
of  Vice-President  (Hamlin)  for  one  of  southern  birth,  was  to  conciliate 
the  Border  States,  and  thereby  weaken  the  geographical  lines  dividing 
the  combatants.  The  Democrats  placed  in  nomination  General  George 
B.  McClellan  and  George  H.  Pendleton.  The  campaign  was  enlivened 
by  torchlight  processions  carried  on  by  an  organization  amongst  the 
Republicans  called  the  "Wide  Awakes,"  and  stump  orators  who 
harangued  the  crowds  upon  the  necessity  and  advisability  of  Lin- 
coln's reelection ;  while  their  opponents  dwelt  on  the  military  exploits  of 
their  candidate,  whose  defeats  in  his  attempts  to  capture  Richmond 
were  not  laid  to  the  superiority  of  the  enemy's  forces,  but  to  political 
machinations  at  the  National  Capital.  Though  the  Democratic  candi- 
dates received  in  the  electoral  college  only  twenty-one  to  their  Repub- 
lican opponents'  212  votes.  New  Jersey,  true  to  her  Democratic  principles, 
gave  a  majority  of  7,301  for  McClellan  and  Pendleton,  of  which  Mid- 
dlesex county  contributed  seven  hundred.  This,  however,  was  a  distinct 
gain  for  the  Republicans  over  the  previous  State  election  in  1862,  when 
Joel  Parker,  the  Democratic  candidate  for  governor,  received  a  majority 
of  14,597.  In  Middlesex  county  Amos  Robbins,  a  Democrat,  was  elected 
to  the  Senate,  the  delegation  to  the  Assembly  consisting  of  one  Repub- 
lican and  two  Democrats. 

The  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  by  a  fanatic,  and  an  attempted 
conspiracy  against  the  lives  of  other  officials,  cast  a  shroud  of  mourning 
throughout  the  land.  Johnson,  who  succeeded  to  the  presidency, 
antagonized  the  Republican  leaders  in  his  favoritism  to  the  reconstruc- 
tion of  the  States  that  had  been  in  revolt  against  the  Union.    The  con- 


lOo  MIDDLESEX 

vention  of  that  party  in  1868  nominated  the  strongest  logical  candidate 
for  the  presidency,  the  conqueror  of  Richmond,  General  Ulysses  S. 
Grant ;  his  associate  on  the  ticket  was  Schuyler  Colfax.  The  Democrats 
turned  to  the  Empire  State  for  their  presidential  candidate  and  selected 
Horatio  Seymour,  who  had  been  governor  during  two  years  of  the  Civil 
War.  Associated  with  him  was  Francis  P.  Blair,  of  Missouri,  for  Vice- 
President.  New  Jersey  was  carried  by  the  Democrats  by  a  decreased 
majority ;  the  Middlesex  majority  was  365.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen 
Randolph,  a  native  of  New  Brunswick,  the  Democratic  nominee  for 
governor,  secured  a  majority  of  418  in  the  county.  One  Republican  and 
two  Democrats  were  elected  to  the  Assembly.  In  the  Third  Congres- 
sional District,  John  Taylor  Bird,  of  Flemington,  was  elected  to  the 
Forty-first  Congress. 

At  the  time  of  the  reelection  of  General  Grant  in  1872,  there  was  in 
New  Jersey  a  landslide  for  the  Republicans,  they  receiving  a  majority 
of  15,200,  which  was  the  largest  ever  given  any  presidential  candidate 
up  to  that  time.  Every  ward  in  the  city  of  New  Brunswick  went  Repub- 
lican ;  two  of  the  three  members  of  that  party  were  elected  to  the  Assem- 
bly. The  Republican  electoral  ticket  received  in  Middlesex  count}'  a- 
majority  of  seven  hundred.  Amos  Clark,  Jr.,  of  Elizabeth,  a  Republican, 
in  the  Third  District,  was  elected  to  the  Forty-third  Congress. 

The  Republican  majority  obtained  in  1872  was  overcome  in  1876  by 
the  Democrats  in  New  Jersey.  With  victory  floating  from  their  ban- 
ner, they  gave  Tilden  and  Hendricks  a  plurality  of  12,445.  This  was 
largely  due  to  the  reports  circulated  by  the  Democrats  that  Rutherford 

B.  Hayes,  the  Republican  candidate,  was  a  Sunday  man  and  strongly 
temperance,  which  caused  many  of  the  German  residents  of  the  State 
to  vote  the  Democratic  ticket.  Middlesex  county  not  only  supported  the 
Democratic  ticket  by  a  plurality  of  570,  but  elected  George  C.  Ludlow, 
a  resident  of  New  Brunswick,  to  the  Senate,  and  a  full  delegation  to  the 
Assembly. 

In  the  memorable  State  election  in  1877,  General  George  B.  McClel- 
lan,  the  Democratic  candidate  for  governor,  had  been  a  resident  of  the 
State  since  his  retirement  from  the  army.  New  Brunswick  gave  his 
Republican  opponent,  William  E.  Newell,  a  majority  of  534;  the  other 
districts  of  Middlesex  county  favored  McClellan  the  second,  giving  a 
majority  of  170;  the  third,  210 — thus  reducing  Newell's  majority  in  the 
county  to  154. 

In  the  presidential  election  of  1880,  Middlesex  county  was  still 
strongly  Democratic,  the  first  district,  which  consisted  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, gave  a  majority  of  652;  the  second,  156;  the  third,  559.  James  H. 
Van  Cleef,  of  New  Brunswick ;  Manning  Freeman,  of  Metuchen,  and 
Stephen  Martin,  of  South  Amboy,  were  elected  to  the  Assembly.    George 

C.  Ludlow,  a  resident  of  New  Brunswick,  was  elected  governor  by  a 
plurality  of  651. 


FINALE  167 

In  the  three  succeeding  presidential  elections,  Middlesex  county 
loyally  supported  the  Democratic  candidate,  Grover  Cleveland,  a  son  of 
New  Jersey.  His  majority  in  the  county  in  1884  was  171,  notwithstand- 
ing that  the  Republican  candidate  for  Assembly,  John  Carson,  in  one 
of  the  districts  received  a  majority  of  784,  and  John  Martin,  of  South 
Amboy,  and  Edward  S.  Savage,  of  Woodbridge,  on  the  Democratic 
ticket,  were  elected  by  only  fifteen  majority.  In  1888  the  county  gave 
a  plurality  of  1,148  for  Cleveland  and  Thurman ;  the  Assembly  delega- 
tion elected  consisted  of  two  Democrats  and  one  Republican. 

The  election  in  1892  was  a  Democratic  landslide,  the  national  ticket 
receiving  an  increased  plurality.  In  Middlesex  county,  three  Democratic 
members  of  the  Assembly  were  elected ;  also,  the  congressional  district 
elected  John  T.  Dunn,  of  Elizabeth,  a  Democrat,  to  the  Ffty-third  Con- 
gress. 

The  State  election  in  1895  in  New  Jersey  was  a  forerunner  of  the 
Republican  landslide  that  took  place  the  following  year;  for  the  first 
time  in  thirty  years  the  Republicans  elected  their  candidate  for  governor 
by  a  plurality  of  26,900  votes.  The  adherence  of  the  western  Democrats 
under  the  leadership  of  William  Jennings  Bryan  to  the  fallacy  of  free 
silver  with  an  unlimited  coinage  at  a  standard  of  sixteen  to  one,  coupled 
with  the  opposition  to  the  McKinley  tariff  bill  for  the  protection  of 
American  industries,  was  to  solidify  the  people  of  New  Jersey  and  cause 
the  desertion  of  many  Democrats  of  that  State  to  the  Republican  party, 
which  advocated  hard  money  and  protection  to  the  American  wage 
earner.  Although  Bryan,  whose  oratorical  achievements  at  the  Demo- 
cratic convention  in  1896  where  he  delivered  his  famous  "Cross  of  Gold" 
speech  made  him  the  candidate  of  the  party  for  President,  and  during 
the  campaign  he  delivered  political  speeches  in  the  State,  the  Repub- 
licans were  triumphant  in  New  Jersey,  giving  a  plurality  of  87,692  for 
the  McKinley  and  Hobart  electors.  To  this  plurality  Middlesex  county 
contributed  3,328.  For  the  first  time  in  the  election  of  members  of  the 
Assembly,  instead  of  voting  by  districts  the  three  candidates  were  elected 
by  the  entire  vote  of  the  county.  Their  pluralities  varied  from  2,650  to 
2,776,  and  Alexander  Charles  Letterst,  of  Menlo  Park;  Jacob  H.  Whit- 
field of  New  Brunswick,  and  James  Fountain,  of  Browntown,  were  the 
successful  candidates. 

The  next  notable  natural  event  that  the  people  of  Middlesex  county 
were  called  upon  to  take  part  in  was  the  Spanish-American  war.  It  was 
on  February  16,  1898,  that  the  naval  disaster  at  Havana,  Cuba,  occurred, 
resulting  in  the  sinking  of  the  battleship  "Maine."  Throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land  the  cry  went  forth,  "Remember  the 
'Maine'."  The  country's  ultimatum  was  handed  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment April  20,  1898,  which  was  immediately  followed  by  the  President's 
call  for   125,000  volunteers.     Enrollment  officers   were   opened   in   the 


i68  '  MIDDLESEX 

State  and  the  quota  of  New  Jersey  was  soon  filled.  Then  came  Dewey's 
victory  at  Manila  Bay,  and  an  additional  call  by  the  President  for  7^,000 
volunteers.  Middlesex  county  readily  filled  her  part  of  the  State's  quota, 
which  was  dispatched  to  the  regimental  camps  of  the  newly  created 
army.  While  these  troops  took  no  part  in  active  warfare,  they  were 
decimated  by  diseases  contracted  in  the  southern  mobilization  camps. 
The  destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet  and  the  surrender  of  the  Spanish 
army  at  Santiago  virtually  closed  the  war. 

In  the  campaign  of  1900,  the  Republican  plurality  in  Middlesex 
county  was  2,156,  the  members  of  the  Assembly,  State  senator  and 
governor  on  that  ticket  receiving  about  the  same  plurality.  The  vote 
of  the  county  in  the  presidential  campaign  in  1904  was  for  the  Republican 
electoral  ticket  10,116,  to  7,005  cast  for  the  Democratic  electors;  the 
Republican  Assembly  candidates  were  elected  by  about  the  same  plu- 
rality. The  presidential  election  of  1908  was  devoid  of  any  great  political 
excitement,  and  the  Republican  party  maintained  its  normal  majorities. 
The  vote  cast  for  the  Republican  electors  in  Middlesex  county  was 
11,261,  the  Democratic  electors  receiving  7,941.  The  same  plurality  was 
obtained  for  members  of  Congress  and  members  of  the  Assembly. 

In  the  State  election  two  years  later,  the  Democrats  placed  at  the 
head  of  their  ticket  for  governor,  Woodrow  Wilson.  Mr.  Wilson  was 
not  a  native  of  the  State,  and  though  he  was  a  graduate  of  Princeton 
College  in  1877  his  career  in  the  State  did  not  commence  until  September, 
1890,  when  he  entered  upon  his  duties  as  professor  of  jurisprudence  and 
political  economy  in  Princeton  University.  This  department  of  the 
University  was  divided  in  1895,  when  he  was  assigned  to  the  chair  of 
jurisprudence  and  as  the  result  of  a  large  gift  by  Cyrus  H.  McCormick 
of  Chicago  two  years  later  he  was  promoted  to  the  McCormick  profes- 
sorship of  jurisprudence  and  politics.  He  was  elected  president  of  the 
University  in  1902,  and  resigned  both  that  ofifice  and  his  professorship 
immediately  after  his  nomination  for  the  office  of  governor  of  New  Jer- 
sey. The  nomination  of  Governor  Wilson  by  the  Democrats,  though  it 
was  his  first  appearance  in  the  political  life  of  the  State,  was  to  turn  the 
tide  of  Republican  supremacy.  Middlesex  county  gave  the  Democratic 
nominee  a  plurality  of  1,894,  and  at  the  same  time  elected  a  Democratic 
congressman  in  the  district  and  three  members  of  the  Assembly. 

The  election  of  Governor  Wilson  by  a  plurality  of  49,056  made  him 
a  prominent  candidate  for  the  presidential  nomination.  His  State  pre- 
sented his  name  at  the  convention  held  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  in  1912, 
and  after  the  taking  of  a  number  of  ballots  he  became  the  party's  nom- 
inee. The  Republican  party  was  handicapped  by  the  organizatioti  within 
its  ranks  of  a  Progressive  party,  each  of  whom  nominated  a  candidate 
for  President,  thereby  making  it  a  triangular  fight  for  the  election.  Mid- 
dlesex county  divided  its  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party,  casting  the 


FINALE  169 

following  vote:  Republican,  4,730;  Progressive,  5,050;  Democratic,  8,177. 
The  split  in  the  Republican  ranks  caused  the  election  of  a  Democratic 
senator  and  assemblyman.  Four  years  later,  when  the  Democratic 
nominee  for  President  was  reelected,  Middlesex  county  retained  her 
nominal  plurality,  giving  the  Democratic  electors  11,851  votes  to  9,975 
cast  for  the  Republican  electors.  Joseph  S.  Frelinghuysen,  the  Repub- 
lican candidate  for  United  States  senator,  received  in  the  county  a 
majority,  while  Thomas  J.  Scully,  a  Democrat,  was  reelected  to  Con- 
gress after  a  recount  granted  by  the  Supreme  Court.  His  opponent  on 
the  first  face  of  the  returns  receiving  a  plurality  of  fourteen,  the  recount 
gave  Mr.  Scully  a  plurality  of  203.  A  Republican  delegation  was  elected 
to  the  Assembly. 

The  nation  again  made  a  peremptory  call  to  arms  in  the  spring  of 
1917.  The  Continental  War,  better  known  as  the  World  War,  had 
been  raging  for  over  two  years,  and  had  reached  such  a  condition  of 
affairs  that  threatened  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the  citizens  of  the 
country,  and  it  became  evident  that  the  United  States  must  take  her  place 
in  the  defense  of  the  rights  of  humanity.  Middlesex  county  was  thus 
called  upon  again  to  give  of  her  population  and  wealth  for  the  upholding 
of  those  principles  which  are  the  foundation  and  soul  of  every  republic. 
To  every  call  made  upon  her  citizens,  the  responses  were  patriotically 
and  bravely  met.  Many  of  her  sons  made  the  supreme  sacrifice,  while 
others  were  maimed  for  life ;  her  citizens  responded  liberally  to  the 
financial  aid  of  the  government.  The  war  between  the  Allies  and  the 
Central  Powers  is  of  so  recent  occurrence  that  it  does  not  become  the 
part  at  present  of  local  history ;  in  the  township  histories,  however,  will 
be  found  a  record  of  the  Roll  of  Honor. 

In  the  State  election  of  1919,  the  question  of  prohibition  was  the 
paramount  issue,  the  political  parties  becoming  known  as  "wet"  or 
"dry."  The  governor  elected  was  Edward  I.  Edwards,  on  a  Democratic 
"wet"  platform,  though  the  Republicans  carried  Middlesex  county  by  a 
plurality  of  376.  The  Democrats,  however,  elected  one  of  the  members 
of  the  Assembly,  who  beat  the  lowest  candidate  for  that  ofifice  on  the 
Republican  ticket  by  two  hundred  plurality. 

In  the  radical  wave  that  swept  over  the  political  landscape  in  1920, 
the  immediate  cause  in  which  was  woman  suffrage  and  the  high  cost  of 
living,  Middlesex  county  was  not  backward  in  doing  her  part.  For 
member  of  Congress  she  gave  the  Republican  candidate  23,380  votes, 
while  his  Democratic  opponent  received  13,714.  With  this  as  an  exam- 
ple, it  is  needless  to  say  that  State,  district  and  county  were  carried  by 
overwhelming  pluralities  for  the  Republican  candidates. 


VIKWS  ON  DELAWARE  AND  RARITAN  CANAL 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

VISITORS,   NATIVES   AND   RESIDENTS. 

The  bays  and  rivers  of  the  Atlantic  coast  of  New  Jersey  in  the  early  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century  were  visited  by  the  buccaneers  that  infested 
the  ocean.  The  harbor  of  Amboy  and  the  Raritan  river  were  amongst 
their  places  of  rendezvous.  Famous  amongst  this  gentry  was  Captain 
William  Kidd,  a  Scotchman  by  birth.  He  entered  the  merchant  marine 
service  in  his  youth  and  distinguished  himself  as  a  privateersman  against 
the  French  in  the  West  Indies.  He  became  actively  engaged  against 
the  pirates  that  infested  the  waters  near  New  York,  out  of  which  port 
he  sailed.  A  company  was  formed  in  England  to  suppress  piracv,  and 
amongst  its  shareholders  were  King  William  III.,  the  Earl  of  Bellernont 
(afterwards  governor  of  Massachusetts  and  New  York),  and  Robert 
Livingston,  of  New  York,  and  other  men  of  wealth  and  influence.  The 
"Adventure  Galley,"  a  ship  of  287  tonnage,  was  purchased,  and  Kidd 
was  appointed  commander.  Of  the  booty  obtained  from  privateering, 
the  King  was  to  receive  one-tenth,  the  balance  to  be  divided  amongst 
the  other  shareholders.  The  "Adventure  Galley"  arrived  at  New  York 
July  4,  1696,  and  was  well  provisioned;  its  crew  numbered  one  hundred 
and  fifty-four.  The  ship  sailed  for  Madagascar,  the  chief  rendezvous  of 
the  pirates  who  infested  the  India  seas.  A  year  passed,  rumors  reached 
England  that  Kidd  had  turned  pirate,  and  the  royal  shareholder  and 
his  associates  perceiving  the  necessity  of  taking  action,  orders  were 
issued  to  the  colonial  governors  to  arrest  their  erstwhile  piratical  partner. 
In  the  spring  of  1699,  Kidd  appeared  in  the  West  Indies  in  a  vessel  loaded 
with  treasure.  Leaving  this  ship  in  the  bay  on  the  coast  of  Hayti,  he 
sailed  in  a  sloop  with  forty  men,  his  objective  point  being  Boston,  where 
the  Earl  of  Bellemont  was  then  located  as  governor  of  Massachusetts. 
On  arriving  off  the  coast  of  Rhode  Island,  he  sent  his  legal  representa- 
tive to  inquire  how  his  partner  would  receive  him.  Bellemont's  answer 
was  such  that  Kidd  proceeded  to  Boston,  where  he  was  arrested,  sent 
to  England,  tried  on  the  charge  of  piracy  and  murder,  and  was  executed 
May  24,  1721,  protesting  his  innocence.  It  is  an  admitted  fact  that 
his  trial  was  grossly  unfair,  and  that  he  was  made  a  scapegoat  to  shield 
the  sins  of  men  in  higher  walks  of  life.  Bellemont  received  the  treasure 
hid  by  Kidd  on  Gardiner  Island,  also  that  which  was  on  the  sloop,  which 
aggregated  over  $70,000,  but  there  is  no  evidence  to  show  what  distri- 
bution he  made  of  the  plunder  secured  by  piracy.  There  is  little  doubt 
that  considerable  treasure  was  buried  by  Kidd  on  the  shores  of  Long 
Island  after  his  return  from  his  piratical  expeditions,  but  that  Amboy 
or  part  of  the  Raritan  river  were  favored  is  scarcely  possible.     Still,  the 


172  *  MIDDLESEX 

residents  of  that  section  of  the  country  have  made  various  searches  for 
the  hidden  gold,  though  no  attempt  has  resulted  in  obtaining  the  least 
portion  of  the  filthy  lucre.  A  boulder  at  Perth  Amboy  known  as  "the 
big  rock"  was  overturned,  but  expectations  were  not  realized.  Numerous 
pits  were  dug  in  what  was  known  as  the  "Cedars,"  and  even  the  Episco- 
pal church-yard  was  invaded  by  a  digging  expedition,  but  no  financial 
gains  were  obtained.  Kidd  and  his  buried  treasures  have  long  since  been 
forgotten,  and  the  reign  of  the  pirates  along  the  New  Jersey  Atlantic 
coast  came  to  an  inglorious  end  about  1725. 

It  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Cranbury  that  the  devoted  and  pious  evan- 
gelist, David  Brainerd,  in  1745  labored  to  make  religious  converts  of 
the  Indians.  This  self-sacrificing  champion  of  the  works  and  teachings 
of  his  Divine  Master  was  at  this  time  in  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  his 
age.  He  had  been  expelled  in  1743  from  Yale  College  for  disobeying 
orders,  refusing  to  acknowledge  his  error  in  attending  prohibited  meet- 
ings of  those  who  were  attached  to  the  preaching  of  Whitefield  and  Ten- 
nent.  He  at  that  time  resolved  to  become  a  missionary  amongst  the 
Indians,  and  commenced  his  theological  studies.  His  first  labors  were 
amongst  the  Stockbridge  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Kinderhook,  New 
York.  Here,  though  he  was  feeble  in  body  and  often  ill,  he  lived  in  a 
wigwam,  sleeping  on  straw,  his  food  being  boiled  corn,  hastypudding 
and  soup. 

Of  this  itinerancy  in  Middlesex  county  we  quote  extracts  from  his 
journal.  It  was  in  the  afternoon  of  August  8,  1745.  He  preached  to 
the  Indians,  their  number  being  sixty-five  men,  women  and  children. 
The  public  discourse  was  from  Luke  xiv:  16-23;  and  after  the  sermon, 
followed  by  personal  solicitations  on  the  part  of  the  missionary,  both 
the  old  and  the  young  bowed  in  mercy  and  rejoiced  in  Christ  Jesus.  The 
following  day  another  public  meeting  was  held,  the  evangelist's  text 
being  the  parable  of  the  sower,  his  concluding  remarks  were  a  few  words 
spoken  from  Matthew  xi  129.  The  shades  of  night  were  falling  when  the 
services  ended,  and  there  was  a  deep  agitation  amongst  the  Indians ; 
some  of  them  seemed  to  be  in  great  distress  to  find  and  secure  an  inter- 
est in  the  great  Redeemer ;  almost  every  one  was  praying  and  crying,  and 
on  every  side  was  heard  Guttunimau  kalunimeh,  Guttiimmau  kalummeh, 
i.  e.  "Have  mercy  upon  me,  have  mercy  upon  me!"  The  assiduous  duties 
of  the  young  missionary  caused  his  health  to  suffer,  compelling  him  in 
the  summer  of  1747  to  leave  his  chosen  field  of  work.  He  lingered  until 
the  autumn  of  that  year,  being  then  only  twenty-nine  years  of  age,  his 
spirit  passing  from  earth  October  9,  1747. 

It  was  on  the  heights  surrounding  New  Brunswick  that  Washington's 
first  meeting  with  Hamilton  took  place.  In  the  retreat  of  the  American 
army  through  Jersey  after  the  disastrous  battle  of  Long  Island, 
Washington's  intentions  were  to  make  a  stand  against  the  enemy  at  New 


VISITORS,  NATIVES  AND  RESIDENTS  173 

Brunswick,  but  his  rapidly  dissolving  army  was  not  strong  enough  to 
risk  an  engagement.  On  the  Heights  of  New  Brunswick,  near  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Raritan  river,  Hamilton,  then  a  captain  of  artillery,  with  his 
fieldpieces  effectually  checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  thus  giving 
Washington  several  hours  start  of  the  pursuing  British  army.  From  the 
river  bank  the  commander-in-chief's  attention  was  attracted  by  the 
courage  and  skill  displayed  by  the  young  officer  of  artillery.  He  ordered 
his  aide-de-camp  to  ascertain  who  the  officer  was,  and  at  the  first  call 
to  the  army  to  bring  him  to  headquarters.  In  the  interview  that  ensued, 
Washington  quickly  discovered  in  the  young  patriot  and  warrior  those 
qualities  of  head  and  heart  that  gained  him  renown  in  his  after  life. 

General  Washington  during  the  Revolutionary  War  was  frequently 
in  Middlesex  county.  On  his  journey  to  New  York  to  be  inaugurated  the 
first  President  of  the  United  States,  accompanied  by  Charles  Thomson, 
Colonel  Humphreys,  and  his  favorite  body  servant,  he  was  a  guest  on 
the  night  of  April  22,  1789,  at  the  Cross  and  Key  Tavern  in  Woodbridge, 
now  Rahway.  He  was  escorted  to  the  hotel  by  the  Woodbridge  cav- 
alry, under  command  of  Captain  Ichabod  Potter. 

The  visit  of  the  illustrious  Lafayette,  "the  hero  of  two  worlds,"  to 
the  United  States,  was  a  memorable  event  in  the  summer  of  1824.  He 
was  received  with  honor  and  distinction  throughout  the  whole  country, 
and,  during  the  course  of  his  travels,  celebrations,  processions,  dinners, 
illuminations,  bonfires,  parties,  balls,  serenades  and  rejoicings,  attended 
his  way  from  the  moment  he  set  foot  on  American  soil  until  his  embark- 
ation to  return  to  his  native  France.  He  visited  New  Brunswick,  and 
was  there  entertained  by  his  companion  in  arms,  General  John  Neilson. 
At  Woodbridge,  on  September  24,  1824,  one  of  the  special  features  of 
his  reception  was  the  presence  of  sixteen  little  girls  dressed  in  white, 
each  bearing  on  her  bosom  a  letter  made  of  marigolds  which  together 
formed  the  words  "Welcome  Lafayette." 

Amongst  those  who  attained  distinction  in  the  national  and  State 
annals  of  the  country,  who  were  natives  of  Middlesex  county,  none 
deserve  a  more  prominent  place  in  its  history  than  James  Schureman. 
Born  in  New  Brunswick  in  pre-revolutionary  times,  his  youth  fell  upon 
those  days  that  were  inflamed  with  great  waves  of  indignation  which 
wrought  momentous  changes  in  the  history  of  the  world.  On  the  eve 
of  the  hostilities  with  the  mother  country,  while  a  private  in  a  militia 
company,  the  captain  of  which  was  urging  his  command  to  volunteer  in 
the  colonial  army,  not  one  responding,  Schureman,  stepping  from  the 
ranks,  addressed  his  fellow  soldiers  in  such  moving  and  impassioned 
terms  that  a  sudden  reaction  took  place,  the  majority  of  his  associates 
immediately  pledging  themselves  for  the  war.  The  company  thus 
formed  gave  effective  services  at  the  battle  of  Long  Island. 

Schureman    was    taken    prisoner    during   the   war,   near    Lawrence 


174  MIDDLESEX 

Brook,  three  miles  south  of  his  birthplace.  After  being  confined  in  a 
guardhouse  in  that  locality  he  was  removed  to  a  sugar  house  in  New 
York  City.  By  bribing  the  guard,  he  obtained  the  privilege  of  the 
prison  yard.  One  night  liquor  was  given  the  sentinels,  and  our  youthful 
adventurer  dug  through  the  walls  of  the  prison,  making  his  escape  and 
joining  the  American  army  at  Morristown.  Schureman  was  a  man  of  parts, 
and  his  qualities  included  statesmanship  as  well  as  those  of  a  soldier. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress,  represented  his  con- 
gressional district  in  the  lower  house  of  Congress,  and  was  for  two  years 
a  member  of  the  Senate.  He  was  at  one  time  mayor  of  New  Brunswick, 
and  a  member  of  the  New  Jersey  Assembly.  He  died  in  New  Brunswick, 
January  24,  1824. 

The  lawyer,  soldier  and  governor,  Joseph  Bloomfield,  was  born  at 
Woodbridge,  in  1755,  the  son  of  Dr.  Moses  Bloomfield, 'and  a  descendant 
of  Thomas  Bloomfield,  the  American  pioneer  ancestor  who  settled  at 
Newbury,  Massachusetts,  in  1638.  After  receiving  a  classical  educa- 
tion at  Deerfield,  Cumberland  county.  New  Jersey,  he  studied  law  at 
Perth  Amboy  under  Cortlandt  Skinner,  and  entered  upon  practice  at 
Bridgton.  His  legal  activities  were  speedily  interrupted  by  the  war, 
and  in  February,  1776,  he  was  commissioned  captain  of  the  Third  New 
Jersey  Regiment,  destined  to  be  ordered  to  take  part  in  the  expedition 
against  Canada.  The  regiment  having  reached  Albany,  New  York, 
learned  of  the  Continental  repulse  at  Quebec,  and  was  dispatched  to  the 
Mohawk  Valley  to  overawe  the  Indians.  The  following  November  it 
was  marched  to  Ticonderoga,  and  there  Captain  Bloomfield  was 
appointed  judge  advocate,  ranking  as  major,  but  resigned  his  commis- 
sion in  1778. 

His  political  and  official  life  dates  from  his  resignation  from  the 
army.  In  the  fall  of  1778  he  was  chosen  clerk  of  the  Assembly,  and  was 
for  several  years  register  of  the  Court  of  Admiralty.  In  1783  he  became 
attorney-general  of  the  State,  resigning  from  that  office  in  1792.  As 
presidential  elector  in  1792,  he  voted  for  Washington  and  Adams,  but, 
contracting  a  friendly  acquaintance  with  Thomas  Jefferson,  he  became 
a  prominent  leader  of  the  Democratic  party.  At  this  period,  in  point 
of  ability  he  has  been  compared  with  Alexander  Hamilton,  the  great 
leader  of  the  Federalists.  As  a  general  of  militia  he  was  called  into 
service  to  take  part  in  quelling  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  was  the  first  governor  of  the  State  elected  on  the  Demo- 
cratic (then  called  the  Republican)  ticket.  In  the  fall  of  1801  the  State 
Legislature  was  for  the  first  time  Democratic,  and  General  Bloomfield 
received  thirty  votes  for  governor  against  twenty  cast  for  Richard 
Stockton.  The  following  year  the  parties  were  equally  divided,  and 
though  there  were  attempts  to  compromise,  all  propositions  were  refused 
by  the  Democrats,  therefore  there  was  no  choice  for  governor  and  the 


VISITORS,  NATIVES  AND  RESIDENTS  175 

vice-president  of  the  Council,  John  Lambert,  performed  the  duties  of 
the  executive  office.  The  next  year  Governor  Bloomfield  received  thirty- 
three  votes  and  Richard  Stockton  seventeen,  and  in  1804  he  had  thirty- 
seven  to  his  opponent's  sixteen  votes.  Afterwards  until  1812  he  was 
reelected  without  opposition. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  War  of  1812,  President  Madison  commis- 
sioned Governor  Bloomfield  a  brigadier-general  in  the  army.  His  bri- 
gade reached  Sacketts  Harbor  in  1813,  but  its  commanding  officer  was 
soon  transferred  to  the  command  of  a  military  district  with  headquarters 
at  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  until  peace  was  declared.  The 
Democrats  of  his  district  elected  him  to  Congress  in  1816,  and  he  was 
reelected  in  1818.  He  was  very  appropriately  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
committee  on  Revolutionary  pensions,  and  owing  to  his  energy  and 
perseverance  introduced  and  caused  to  be  enacted  bills  granting  pen- 
sions to  Revolutionary  War  soldiers  and  their  widows.  Governor  Bloom- 
field died  at  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  October  3,  1825. 

Alexander  Henry  was  a  man  of  no  common  abilities.  He  was  by  no 
means  a  mere  adventurer,  but  possessed  great  intellectual  curiosity 
and  had  a  talent  for  observation.  In  all  his  wanderings  in  the  wild 
Northwest  he  faithfully  kept  a  journal  which  even  in  condensed  form 
aggregated  nearly  one  thousand  pages.  This  journal,  which  was  in 
manuscript,  was  utilized  by  Dr.  Eliot  Coues  as  the  basis  of  his  "New 
Lights  on  the  Early  History  of  the  Greater  Northwest,"  published  in 
three  volumes  in  1897.  This  noted  fur  trapper  and  trader  was  born  in 
New  Brunswick  in  1739.  Arriving  at  manhood,  he  joined  the  army  of 
Sir  Jeffrey  Amherst,  and  in  1760  he  took  part  in  the  expedition  against 
Montreal.  The  surrender  of  that  important  post  opened  a  new  market, 
and  our  young  adventurer  was  induced  to  engage  in  the  fur  trade.  The 
following  year  he  went  to  Fort  Mackinaw,  at  that  time  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal trading  posts.  Securing  the  friendship  of  a  Chippewa  Indian,  he 
was  adopted  as  his  brother,  thus  his  life  was  saved  in  the  massacre  that 
took  place  at  that  post  June  4,  1763.  Henry  thereafter  lived  with  the 
Indians,  wearing  their  dress  and  speaking  their  language.  In  1764  he 
went  to  Fort  Niagara,  where  he  commanded  an  Indian  battalion,  and 
after  the  defeat  of  Pontiac  he  reengaged  in  the  fur  trade,  extending 
his  travels  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  He  organized  with  David  Thomp- 
son the  Northwest  Company,  for  which  he  acted  as  fur  trader  and  busi- 
ness manager,  Thompson  serving  as  official  geographer  and  explorer. 
They  extended  their  journeys  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  including  the  Red 
River  of  the  North,  the  heart  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Columbia 
river.  Henry  resided  at  Astoria,  or  Fort  George,  and  from  that  post 
traded  in  all  directions.    He  was  drowned  near  there,  May  22,  1814. 

A  son  of  Piscataway,  James  Manning,  was  born  October  22,  1738. 
His  great-grandfather,  Jeffrey  Manning,  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers 


1/6  MIDDLESEX 

in  Piscataway  township,  and  on  his  maternal  side  he  was  descended  from 
the  Fitz  Randolphs,  another  pioneer  family  of  his  native  town.  He 
graduated  from  the  College  of  New  Jersey  in  1762,  and  the  following 
year  was  ordained  as  an  evangelist  and  traveled  throughout  the  colonies. 
While  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  in  July,  1763,  he  suggested  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  college  to  be  conducted  by  the  Baptists.  He  was  solicited 
to  draw  up  a  plan,  and  a  rough  charter  was  laid  before  the  General 
Assembly  and  was  passed  by  that  body  after  a  warm  debate,  largely 
through  the  personal  influence  of  Mr.  Manning.  Having  received  a  call 
to  Warren,  Rhode  Island,  he  organized  a  church  of  fifty-eight  members 
and  became  its  pastor.  At  the  second  meeting  of  the  corporation  for 
founding  and  endowing  a  college  or  university,  held  in  September,  1765, 
Mr.  Manning  was  chosen  president,  and  the  institution  became  known 
as  the  Rhode  Island  College.  Its  name  was  changed,  however,  in  1S04 
to  Brown  University,  in  honor  of  Nicholas  Brown,  one  of  its  munificent 
benefactors.  In  May,  1770,  the  college  was  removed  to  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  and  President  Manning,  resigning  his  pastorate,  devoted 
his  time  to  the  college,  filling  the  chair  of  professor  of  languages.  Dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  War  the  college  doors  were  closed,  the  students 
prosecuting  their  studies  at  home.  The  college  exercises  were  resum.ed 
May  ^y,  1782.  President  Manning  was  a  delegate  to  the  Continental 
Congress,  1785-86,  and  it  was  largely  through  his  endeavors  that  Rhode 
Island  adopted  the  Federal  Constitution.  While  at  family  prayers  he 
died  of  apoplexy,  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  July  29,  1791. 

From  old  Middlesex  county  came  Luther  Martin,  born  in  New 
Brunswick,  February  9,  1748.  He  graduated  from  the  College  of  New 
Jersey  in  1766,  and  studied  law  at  Queenstown,  Maryland,  supporting 
himself  by  teaching.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1771,  and  the 
following  year  located  in  Williamsburg,  Virginia,  where  he  commenced 
the  practice  of  his  profession.  However,  he  finally  settled  in  Somerset 
county,  Maryland,  and  in  1778  was  appointed  attorney-general  of  his 
adopted  State,  and  vigorously,  almost  rigorously,  prosecuted  the  Tories. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress  in  1784-85,  also  of  the 
Constitutional  Convention  in  1787,  and  in  the  latter  body  took  an  active 
part  in  opposition  to  the  proposed  constitution,  finally  leaving  the 
hall  rather  than  sign  ihe  document.  Jefiferson  a  few  years  later  chris- 
tened him  with  the  sobriquet  "the  federal  bulldog."  He  also  opposed 
the  ratification  of  the  constitution  by  the  State  of  Maryland,  bitterly 
denouncing  the  license  allowed  by  that  instrument  to  the  African  sla\e 
trade,  and  declared  that  God  viewed  with  an  equal  eye  the  poor  African 
slave  and  his  American  master.  True,  however,  to  the  instincts  of  a 
lawyer,  his  next  public  appearance  was  as  a  staunch  supporter  of  the 
constitution,  when  he  acted  as  counsel  for  Judge  Samuel  Chase,  impeached 
before  the  United  States  Senate.    This  trial  is  memorable  on  account  of 


VISITORS,  NATIVES  AND  RESIDENTS  177 

the  excitement  it  produced,  the  ability  with  which  it  was  defended,  and 
the  nature  of  the  defendant's  acquital.  Mr.  Martin  resigned  his  attor- 
ney-generalship in  1805,  after  twenty-seven  years  of  service,  and  ev'en 
then  had  the  largest  practice  of  any  lawyer  in  Maryland.  Two  years 
later  he  was  one  of  the  counsel  for  Aaron  Burr,  on  trial  for  high  treason 
at  Richmond,  Virginia.  He  was  appointed  in  1814  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  for  the  city  and  county  of  Baltimore,  but 
the  court  was  abolished  in  1816.  In  February,  1818,  he  was  again 
appointed  attorney-general  of  Maryland,  but  two  years  later  suffered  a 
stroke  of  paralysis  and  was  thrown  entirely  upon  the  charity  of  his 
friends.  The  Maryland  Legislature  in  1822  passed  an  act  wholly 
unparalleled  in  American  history,  requiring  every  lawyer  in  that  State 
to  pay  annually  a  license  fee  of  five  dollars,  the  money  to  be  paid  over  to 
trustees  "for  the  use  of  Luther  Martin."  His  abilities  as  a  lawyer  were 
of  the  very  highest  order,  some  authorities  regarding  him  among  the 
best  which  the  country  ever  produced.  He  died  at  the  home  of  Aaron 
Burr,  in  New  York  City,  July  10,  1826. 

The  first  limner  of  whom  the  American  annals  of  art  makes  mention, 
was  John  Watson,  who  came  to  this  country  from  Scotland  about  the 
vv-ar  1715.  After  his  first  visit  to  America  he  reMtrned  to  Europe  and 
brought  thence  many  pictures  which,  with  those  of  his  own  composition, 
formed  the  first  collection  of  paintings  of  which  there  is  any  knowledge 
in  this  country.  When  he  became  a  resident  ot  Amboy  he  was  in  great 
poverty,  but  his  circumstances  improved  from  the  exercise  of  his  artistic 
talents.  What  became  of  his  collection  of  paintings  is  unknown ;  only  a 
few  of  his  miniature  sketches  in  India  ink  ire  extant,  which  are  toler- 
ably well  executed,  among  them  a  series  of  drawings  of  himself  at 
different  ages,  original  sketches  of  Governor  Burnet,  of  New  Jersey, 
Governor  Keith,  of  Pennsylvania,  Governor  Spotsv/o-zid  of  Virginia, 
judge  Bunnel  and  other  distinguished  men,  showing  that  some  notoriety 
was  enjoyed  by  the  painter.  He  was  unmarrit^d.  His  penurious  habits 
and  love  for  unlawful  interest  gained  for  him  the  titles  of  miser  and 
tisurer.  He  died  August  22,  1768,  aged  83  years  ;  his  remains  are  interred 
in  the  rear  of  St.  Peter's  Church  at  Perth  Amboy 

In  Perth  Amboy,  February  19,  1766,  was  born  William  Dunlap,  an 
American  painter  and  author.  He  was  the  on}v  child  of  Samuel  Dunlap, 
a  son  of  a  merchant  of  Londonderry,  Ireland.  The  elder  Dunlap  was 
a  soldier  in  "Wolfe's  Own,"  and  was  wounded  on  the  "Plains  of  Abra- 
nam."  After  the  French  War,  then  a  lieutenant  in  the  47th  Regiment, 
he-  was  stationed  at  Perth  Amboy,  where  he  married,  and  retired  from 
military  life  and  became  engaged  in  keeping  a  general  store.  The  boy- 
hood of  the  future  painter  and  author  was  passed  amongst  the  stirring 
events  of  the  Revolution.  His  education  was  limited  to  a  nursery  school 
under  an  Irish  schoolmaster  whom  he  stigmatizes  from  his  own  memoirs 

Mid— 12 


178  MIDDLESEX 

as  being  in  the  usual  acceptance  of  the  word  "bad."  The  martial 
spirit  of  his  father  was  evinced  in  his  offspring-  by  the  latter  becom- 
.•ng  in  the  early  part  of  1776  a  member  of  a  corps  of  boys,  whose  caps 
v/ere  adorned  with  the  motto  "Liberty  or  Death!"  and  were  called  "The 
Governor's  Guards."  These  boys  proved  serviceable  auxiliaries  to  the 
American  officers,  by  watching  the  sentinel'^  and  guards  and  reporting 
any  observed  failing  in  duty  or  discipline.  He  vividly  ])ortrays  in  his 
memoirs  the  pillage  of  the  British  soldiers  of  Lhe  houses  of  Piscataway, 
and  the  distress  of  the  men,  women  and  children  of  that  village. 

Dunlap  in  his  seventeenth  year  began  to  paint  portraits,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1783  executed  one  of  Washington.  The  next  s[)ring  he  went 
to  London,  and  for  several  years  was  a  pupil  of  Benjamin  West.  After 
his  return  to  America  he  tried  various  pursuits,  including  painting,  lit- 
erary work,  theatrical  management,  etc.,  but  at  the  age  of  fifty-one,  after 
repeated  failures,  he  became  permanently  a  painter.  He  executed  a  series 
of  pictures  on  subjects  selected  by  West  and  somewhat  after  his  style, 
which  were  exhibited  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States.  He  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Design.  His  "History 
of  the  American  Theatre,"  published  in  1832,  and  "Arts  of  Design  in  the 
United  States,"  are  standard  works.  He  also  wrote  a  number  of  plays, 
a  biography  of  Charles  Brockden  Brown,  and  a  posthumous  publication, 
the  "History  of  New  Netherlands,"  in  two  volumes,  in  1840.  His  death 
occurred  September  28,  1839. 

Two  noted  members  of  the  New  Jersey  bar,  though  of  different  eras, 
natives  of  Middlesex  county,  were  Joseph  Warren  Scott  and  Cortlandt 
Parker.  The  former  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  November  28,  1778, 
the  son  of  Dr.  Moses  Scott,  already  mentioned  in  this  work.  His  ances- 
tors were  of  Scotch  extraction,  the  original  American  settler,  John  Scott, 
grandfather  of  Joseph  Warren  Scott,  emigrated  to  America  at  an  early 
date,  settling  in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania.  Prior  to  the  Revolution, 
Dr.  Scott  removed  to  New  Brunswick. 

Joseph  Warren  Scott,  named  for  the  American  patriot,  attended  the 
schools  of  his  native  town,  and  graduated  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years 
from  Princeton  College.  He  at  first  selected  the  medical  profession  for 
his  future  calling,  but  disliking  his  professional  studies  he  decided  to 
become  a  clergyman  ;  finally,  after  a  short  course  in  theology,  he  resolved 
to  embrace  the  legal  profession.  He  therefore  became  a  student  in  the 
office  of  General  Frederick  Frelinghuysen,  in  New  Brunswick,  and  was 
licensed  as  an  attorney  in  1801.  After  his  admission  to  the  bar  he  began 
practice,  from  which  he  retired  about  1840,  resigning  a  large  and  lucra- 
tive clientage.  A  profound  lawyer,  an  able  barrister  and  counsellor,  the 
only  official  position  he  held  was  prosecutor  of  the  pleas  for  the  county 
of  Middlesex.  An  accomplished  gentleman,  well  versed  in  the  Latin 
tongue,  he  corresponded  with  his  friends  in  that  language.    He  was  like- 


VISITORS,  NATIVES  AND  RESIDENTS  179 

wise  an  excellent  English  scholar  and  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
old  poets.  He  died  in  New  Brunswick,  in  May,  1871,  having  nearly 
reached  the  great  age  of  ninety-three  years. 

Cortlandt  Parker  was  born  in  the  Parker  Mansion  in  Perth  Amboy, 
June  27,  1818.  The  Parker  family  was  early  identified  with  Perth 
Amboy.  Elisha  Parker,  under  date  of  April  19,  1675,  was  granted  182 
acres  in  Woodbridge,  on  the  highway  leading  to  Piscataway.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1694,  he  was  appointed  high  sheriff  of  Middlesex  county.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Provincial  Assembly,  also  of  Governor  Hunter's  council. 
His  notable  characteristics  were  a  good  father,  a  kind  master,  and  a 
sincere  Christian.  He  died  June  30,  1717,  and  by  the  records  he  seems  to 
have  been  married  three  times,  and  had  several  children.  John,  a  son 
by  Hannah  Rolph,  was  born  November  11,  1693,  and  married  Janet, 
a  daughter  of  Dr.  John  Johnstone.  He  was  engaged  in  business  in  New 
York  but  always  resided  at  Perth  Amboy.  He  held  several  minor  offices, 
but  was  appointed  by  Governor  Burnet  in  October,  1719,  one  of  his 
council,  and  continued  a  councillor  from  that  time  until  his  death  in 
1732.  James,  second  son,  born  in  1725,  was  the  only  one  that  left  issue. 
On  his  becoming  of  age  he  entered  the  provincial  military  service  and 
embarked  for  the  northern  frontier  with  the  rank  of  captain.  Returning 
from  this  campaign,  he  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in  New  York, 
his  transactions  being  principally  confined  to  the  West  Indies.  Captain 
Parker  in  175 1  took  up  his  abode  permanently  at  Perth  Amboy,  engrossed 
in  attending  to  large  landed  interests  possessed  by  the  family.  He 
became  a  member  of  Governor  Franklin's  council,  also  mayor  of  Perth 
Amboy,  and  a  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Congress,  but  did  not  attend  its 
sessions. 

At  the  time  of  the  Revolution,  Captain  Parker  maintained  a  strict 
neutrality,  owing  to  his  large  landed  interests.  He  removed  his  family 
to  a  farm  in  Bethlehem,  Hunterdon  county,  where  they  resided  until 
peace  was  declared,  when  they  removed  to  New  Brunswick,  but  later  to 
Perth  Amboy.  As  he  took  no  part  in  the  war,  his  property  escaped 
confiscation.  Captain  Parker  was  a  man  of  tall  stature  and  large  frame, 
possessing  a  mind  of  more  than  ordinary  strength  and  vigor.  He  died 
October  4,  1797.  Of  his  children,  James,  the  youngest  child,  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  work,  was  the  father  of  Cortlandt  Parker.  The  latter 
graduated  from  Rutgers  College  in  1836  with  first  honors  and  as  valedic- 
torian of  his  class.  He  studied  law  in  the  offices  of  Theodore  Freling- 
huysen  and  Amzi  Armstrong,  both  of  Newark,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  September,  1839.  In  his  political  affiliations  imbued  with  the 
doctrines  of  Hamilton,  derived  from  his  ancestors,  he  advocated  the 
principles  which  became  the  basis  of  the  Republican  party,  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  founders  in  New  Jersey.  In  his  career  throughout  the 
changing   political   conditions,    Mr.    Parker   maintained   an    active   and 


i8o  MIDDLESEX 

patriotic  interest,  frequently  addressing  his  fellow-citizens  on  questions 
of  the  day,  exercising  a  potent  influence  by  his  counsels,  and  contribut- 
ing to  the  press  many  papers  distinguished  for  dignity  and  solidity  of 
treatment  and  argument.  Though  continuously  and  intimately  identi- 
fied with  politics  for  sixty-five  years,  he  occupied  a  unique  personal 
position ;  with  a  single  exception  of  a  local  office,  though  at  various  times 
offered  National  and  State  appointments,  he  repeatedly  declined  the 
honors. 

As  an  orator,  Mr.  Parker  enjoyed  a  reputation  for  force,  scholarship, 
and  the  particular  type  of  eloquence  appealing  to  the  intelligence  of  men, 
which  harmonized  with  the  dignity  and  strength  manifested  in  his  public 
career,  his  writings,  and  his  well  known  individual  characteristics.  In 
his  personality  he  was  remarkable  for  a  physical  constitution  of  great 
vitality,  nurtured  throughout  life  by  a  vigorous  but  orderly  regime, 
possessed  of  a  commanding  figure  and  to  the  end  of  his  life  as  erect 
as  in  youth ;  with  a  distinction  of  manners  and  address  and  a  nature  of 
warm  sensibilities  and  strong  attachments  and  sympathies.  He  lived 
at  Newark,  with  a  summer  residence  at  Perth  Amboy.  His  death  took 
place  in  1907. 

The  American  capitalist  and  railroad  king,  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  in 
1817  became  captain  of  a  steamboat  plying  between  New  York  and  New 
Brunswick,  at  a  salary  of  $1,000  a  year.  The  following  year  he  com- 
manded a  larger  and  much  better  boat  on  the  same  line,  and  removed  his 
family  to  New  Brunswick.  Here  his  wife  managed  a  hotel,  and  on 
May  8,  1821,  his  eldest  son,  William  H.  Vanderbilt,  was  born,  first  see- 
ing the  light  of  day  amongst  the  pans  and  beds  of  a  country  hostelry. 
Thus  was  New  Brunswick  introduced  into  the  "Four  Hundred"  of  New 
York. 

A  pioneer  in  the  steamboat  and  railroad  history  of  Middlesex  county 
was  James  Neilson,  a  son  of  General  John  Neilson.  His  birth  took  place 
in  New  Brunswick,  December  3,  1784.  He  inherited  the  enterprise  of 
his  north  of  Ireland  ancestry  with  the  persistence  of  the  Holland  blood 
of  his  mother.  His  father  being  engaged  in  ship  building,  young  Neilson 
while  only  a  youth  of  seventeen  realized  the  importance  of  steam  for 
transportation.  We  find  him  as  early  as  1810  treasurer  of  the  New 
Brunswick  Team  Boat  and  Steam  Boat  Company.  He  became  amongst 
the  active  originators  of  a  canal  to  connect  the  waters  of  the  Delaware 
river  with  the  Raritan  river.  This  enterprise  was  so  hampered  by  the 
Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  that  it  was  abandoned.  Another  charter 
for  a  canal  was  obtained  from  the  New  Jersey  Legislature,  but  a  con- 
solidation was  effected  with  the  parties  interested  in  building  a  railroad 
under  the  title  of  the  Delaware  &  Raritan  Canal  and  Camden  &  Amboy 
Railroad  Company.  This  property  was  afterwards  leased  in  1871  to 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  for  999  years. 


VISITORS,  NATIVES  AND  RESIDENTS  i8i 

James  Neilson  continued  his  interests  in  transportation,  being-  in 
1831  treasurer  of  the  New  Brunswick  Steamboat  and  Canal  Transporta- 
tion Company,  which  was  in  1852  absorbed  by  the  Camden  &  Amboy 
Railroad  Company.  In  1835,  realizing  the  shipping  business  of  New 
Brunswick  must  be  eventually  cut  off  by  the  canals  and  railroads,  Mr. 
Neilson,  with  others,  incorporated  the  New  Brunswick  Manufacturing 
Company.  A  mill  was  built  for  the  manufacture  of  printing  cloths,  which 
were  sold  after  his  death  to  the  Norfolk  &  New  Brunswick  Hosiery 
Company,  the  whole  property  having  passed  into  his  hands.  Mr.  Neilson 
died  at  New  Brunswick,  February  21,  1862. 

Middlesex  county  contributed  to  the  gubernatorial  chair  of  New 
Jersey,  Theodore  Frelinghuysen  Randolph,  born  in  New  Brunswick, 
June  24,  1816.  He  attended  Rutgers  Grammar  School,  but  in  1840 
removed  to  Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  where  he  engaged  in  mercantile 
pursuits.  Returning  to  New  Jersey  in  1852,  he  located  in  Jersey  City 
and  became  interested  in  mining  and  transportation  of  coal  and  iron, 
and  was  president  of  the  Morris  &  Essex  railroad  for  many  years.  He 
was  a  representative  in  the  Legislature,  a  State  senator,  and  elected 
governor  in  1869.  He  was  United  States  senator  from  New  Jersey, 
1875-81,  and  a  member  of  the  Democratic  National  Committee.  He 
died  at  Morristown,  New  Jersey,  November  7,  1883. 

Amongst  those  who  spent  their  boyhood  days  in  Middlesex  county 
was  Zebulon  Montgomery  Pike.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Wood- 
bridge,  where  their  son  spent  his  youth.  His  father  was  an  officer  in 
the  army  of  the  United  States,  and  the  son  having  received  a  common 
school  education,  acquiring  also  some  knowledge  of  advanced  mathe- 
matics and  of  the  French  and  Spanish  languages,  entered  as  a  cadet  in 
a  company  under  his  father's  command  serving  on  the  western  frontiers. 
He  was  subsequently  commissioned  ensign  and  then  lieutenant  in  the 
First  United  States  Infantry  Regiment.  His  life  was  uneventful,  merely 
a  routine  of  military  duties,  until  1805,  when  the  government  having 
acquired  the  Louisiana  Purchase,  he  was  ordered  to  trace  the  sources  of 
the  Mississippi  river.  This  expedition  consumed  eight  months,  marked 
with  much  exposure  and  frequent  perils,  but  was  successful.  The  young 
commander  was  then  ordered  to  undertake  a  second  perilous  journey 
of  hardship  and  exposure  in  exploring  the  interior  of  the  Territory  of 
Louisiana.  It  was  during  this  expedition  that  Captain  Pike  discovered 
the  great  mountain  that  bears  his  name.  When  war  was  declared 
between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  in  1812,  Colonel  Pike  was 
commanding  his  regiment  on  the  northern  frontier.  The  following  year 
he  was  made  a  brigadier-general  and  given  the  command  of  the  forces 
dispatched  against  York  (now  Toronto)  in  Canada.  The  American 
forces  landed  near  York  April  27,  1813,  and  were  led  by  General  Pike 
in  person  against  the  British  works.     It  was  expected  at  any  moment 


i82  MIDDLESEX 

that  a  flag  of  surrender  would  be  raised  by  the  enemy,  when  a  tremen- 
dous explosion  of  a  British  magazine  took  place,  throwing  a  number  of 
stones  with  great  force  in  every  direction,  one  of  which  struck  General 
Pike  on  the  breast,  inflicting  a  mortal  wound.  The  American  troops 
soon  reformed,  and  passing  their  wounded  commander  were  hailed  by 
the  words,  "Push  on,  brave  fellows,  and  avenge  your  general."  While 
General  Pike  was  being  carried  from  the  field,  the  British  struck  their 
colors.  The  brave  general,  when  informed  of  the  surrender,  heaved  a 
heavy  sigh  and  smiled,  but  he  lingered  only  a  few  hours,  his  death  taking 
place  on  the  commodore's  ship. 

Another  distinguished  citizen  of  New  Jersey  who  roamed  the  streets 
and  lanes  of  New  Brunswick  in  his  youthful  days  was  Jonathan  Dixon, 
for  thirty-one  years  a  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  his  residential 
State.  Born  in  Liverpool,  England,  July  6,  1839,  ^is  father,  Jonathan 
Dixon,  in  1848  came  to  America  and  was  followed  two  years  later  by  his 
family,  settling  in  New  Brunswick.  Here  young  Dixon  attended  Rutgers 
College,  graduated  in  1859,  took  up  the  study  of  law,  and  on  his  admis- 
sion to  the  bar  removed  to  Jersey  City.  He  was  appointed  to  the 
Supreme  Court  in  1875,  a  position  he  honorably  filled  until  his  death  at 
Englewood,  New  Jersey,  May  21,  1906. 

For  twenty-one  years  New  Brunswick  was  the  residence  of  the  chief 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State — Andrew  Kirkpatrick.  He  was 
descended  from  an  honorable  and  noteworthy  Scottish  lineage,  the  sec- 
ond son  of  David  Kirkpatrick,  the  American  progenitor  of  the  family. 
The  future  chief  justice  was  born  at  Mine  Brook,  New  Jersey,  February 
17,  1756,  and  in  1775  graduated  from  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  now 
Princeton  University.  His  father,  who  was  an  ardent  Presbyterian, 
wished  him  to  become  a  minister,  and  after  his  graduation  he  studied 
divinity,  but  his  preference  was  in  the  direction  of  the  law,  and  finally 
he  became  a  student  in  the  office  of  William  Paterson,  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. He  was  admitted  to  the  New  Jersey  bar  in  1785,  and  for  a  short 
time  practiced  in  Morristown,  but  losing  his  library  and  office  equipment 
by  fire,  he  returned  to  New  Brunswick,  where  he  became  noted  for  his 
great  native  ability,  untiring  industry,  and  stern  integrity.  In  January, 
1798,  he  entered  upon  the  office  of  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  which  he  held  for  six  years,  when  he  became  Chief  Justice  of  that 
court  till  1825.  His  decisions  were  marked  by  extensive  learning,  great 
acumen,  and  power  of  logical  analysis ;  and  his  strictly  logical  mind  and 
great  personal  dignity,  coupled  with  his  other  qualities,  made  him  one 
of  the  great  historical  characters  of  the  New  Jersey  bench.  Among  his 
many  excellent  qualities,  he  was  especially  esteemed  and  admired  for 
his  keen  sense  of  justice,  his  consideration  and  loyalty.  He  died  in  New 
Brunswick  in  1831. 

The  twenty-eighth  governor  of  New  Jersey,  George  C.  Ludlow,  was 


VISITORS,  NATIVES  AND  RESIDENTS  183 

born  in  Milford,  Hunterdon  county,  New  Jersey,  April  6,  1830.  He 
entered  Rutgers  College  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  graduating  in  the  class  of 
1850,  studied  law,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1853,  and  engaged  in  prac- 
tice at  New  Brunswick.  He  soon  won  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  who 
came  in  contact  with  him,  by  his  undoubted  integrity  and  devotion  to 
the  interests  of  his  clients.  An  intense  Democrat,  he  took  a  conspicuous 
part  in  politics,  but  never  held  office  until  1876,  when  he  was  elected  to 
the  State  Senate.  Declining  a  renomination,  he  became  in  1880  the 
Democratic  nominee  for  the  governorship,  was  elected  that  year,  and 
came  into  office  January  18,  1881,  his  term  expiring  January  21,  1884.  He 
died  December  18,  1900. 

Woodbridge  Strong,  a  son  of  Professor  Theodore  Strong,  was  born 
in  Clinton,  Oneida  county,  New  York,  February  21,  1827,  his  father  at 
that  time  being  professor  of  mathematics  and  natural  philosophy  at  Ham- 
ilton College.  Soon  after  his  birth,  his  father  became  a  member  of  the 
faculty  of  Rutgers  College,  occupying  the  same  chair,  and  was  one  of 
the  most  distinguished  mathematicians  in  the  country.  Young  Strong 
entered  Rutgers  College  in  1847,  ^^^o  commenced  the  study  of  law  with 
John  Van  Dyke,  of  New  Brunswick,  afterwards  a  justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court.  During  the  gold  fever  of  1849  ^^  went  to  California,  but  returned 
to  New  Jersey,  where  he  resumed  his  studies  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1852.  He  was  judge  of  the  Middlesex  County  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  from  1874  to  1879,  ^"^  again  from  1896  to  1906. 


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CHAPTER  XIX. 
INSTITUTIONS  OF  HIGHER  EDUCATION. 

RUTGERS  COLLEGE. 
Rutgers  College,  originally  called  Queen's  College  in  honor  of  Queen 
Charlotte,  was  founded  by  royal  charter  November  lo,  1766,  twenty 
years  after  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  now  Princeton  University,  had 
been  founded  on  the  one  side,  and  twelve  years  after  King's  College,  now 
Columbia  University,  had  been  founded  on  the  other  side.  The  Dutch 
people,  members  of  the  Reformed  Church  from  the  Netherlands,  were 
not  quite  willing  to  devote  their  zeal  for  learning  and  their  pride  of 
institutions  to  either  existing  college.  The  movement  for  a  foundation 
of  their  own  had  begun  early  in  the  century  with  the  Rev.  Theodorus 
Jacobus  Frelinghuysen ;  it  was  substantially  fostered  by  his  son,  the 
Rev.  Theodorus  Frelinghuysen ;  and  it  came  to  accomplishment  espe- 
cially through  the  efforts  of  the  Rev.  Jacobus  Rutsen  Hardenbergh,  the 
Rev.  Johannes  Leydt,  and  the  elder,  Hendrick  Fisher.  The  college 
apparently  did  not  begin  work  at  once,  nor  was  its  location  at  once 
determined,  nor  is  there  extant  any  copy  of  the  charter  of  1766.  In 
1770,  March  20,  the  second  charter  was  granted,  differing  in  only  slight 
degree  from  the  first.  It  was  granted  by  George  III.  through  William 
Franklin,  Governor  of  the  Province  of  New  Jersey.  A  copy  of  this 
charter  of  1770,  printed  in  the  very  year  of  its  granting,  is  in  possession 
of  the  college.  It  is  very  full  and  explicit  in  its  provisions.  It  was  so 
wisely  and  liberally  drawn  that  very  few  and  slight  amendments  have 
seemed  necessary  or  desirable  in  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  since. 
The  occasion  of  its  granting  is  stated  to  be  a  petition  from  the  ministers 
and  elders  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  churches  presented  to  William  Frank- 
lin, Esq.,  Governor  of  the  Province  of  New  Jersey,  and  expressing  the 
need  of  the  churches  for  an  educated  ministry  and  the  need  of  an  institu- 
tion at  home  to  provide  the  appropriate  education.  The  charter,  there- 
fore grants  "that  there  be  a  College,  called  Queen's  College,  erected  in 
our  said  Province  of  New  Jersey,  for  the  education  of  youth  in  the 
learned  languages,  liberal  and  useful  arts  and  sciences."  The  words  thus 
expressing  the  original  purpose  of  the  College  are  so  broad  and  far- 
reaching  that,  unchanged,  they  cover  the  ideals  and  activities  of  the 
twentieth  century  college.  The  charter  creates  a  corporate  body  of 
forty-one  members,  twelve  of  whom  shall  be  a  quorum,  and  makes  such 
board  of  trustees  self-perpetuating,  all  its  members  to  be  elected  by  the 
board  itself,  except  the  Governor,  Chief-Justice  and  Attorney-General  of 
the  Province  (later  the  State)  of  New  Jersey,  who  shall  always  be 
members  ex-officio.     The  charter  appoints  by  name  the  original  thirty- 


i86  MIDDLESEX 

eight  other  trustees.  The  Governor,  it  is  provided,  shall  be  president 
at  meetings  of  the  trustees  if  he  is  in  attendance.  Ample  powers  are 
given  by  this  admirable  charter  for  all  appropriate  management  of  mat- 
ters of  property  and  instruction,  for  granting  of  degrees,  and  use  of  the 
college  seal. 

In  1781  certain  amendments  to  the  charter  were  ordained  by  the 
Legislature  of  New  Jersey.  For  one  thing,  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
government  of  New  Jersey  was  substituted  for  the  original  oath  of  alle- 
giance to  the  crown.  For  another  thing,  an  original  provision  restricting 
the  number  of  ordained  ministers  among  the  trustees  to  one-third  of  the 
whole  number  was  repealed.  In  1799,  by  act  of  the  Legislature  of  New 
Jersey,  the  act  of  1781  was  repealed,  but  its  provisions  in  efifect  were 
reenacted,  together  with  further  amendment  that  oath  to  support  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  be  required  of  each  trustee  on  his 
taking  office.  In  1825,  by  act  of  November  30,  the  charter  was  amended 
by  the  substitution  of  the  name  "Rutgers  College"  for  "Queen's  College," 
and  the  corporate  title  was  ordained  to  be  "The  Trustees  of  Rutgers 
College  in  New  Jersey."  In  1859  the  charter  received,  by  act  of  the 
Legislature,  a  further  amendment,  providing  a  more  liberal  property- 
holding  right  than  that  originally  conferred.  More  recent  general  laws 
of  the  State  have  made  such  right  entirely  unlimited.  In  1920  an 
amendment  was  adopted  removing  from  the  charter  any  aspect  of  it 
which  might  be  regarded  as  sectarian. 

The  motto  of  the  College  is  not  contained  in  the  charter.  It  was 
adopted  at  a  very  early  time,  however,  having  been  suggested,  no  doubt, 
by  the  Rev.  John  H.  Livingston,  who  returned  from  the  University  of 
Utrecht  in  1770  and  became  at  once  a  leader  in  church  and  college  affairs. 
"Sol  Justitiae  Illustra  Nos"  is  the  motto  of  the  University  of  Utrecht. 
The  motto  of  Rutgers  (Queen's)  College  was  made  "Sol  Justitiae  et 
Occidentem  Illustra." 

1770-1825 — The  trustees  created  by  the  charter,  in  session  at  Hacken- 
sack,  May  17,  1771,  decided  to  locate  the  College  at  New  Brunswick. 
Hackensack  desired  the  College,  and  was  strongly  advocated  as  the 
place  for  it.  New  Brunswick  was  chosen  apparently  because  of  a  some- 
what larger  subscription  obtained  there,  and  because  of  its  greater  con- 
venience to  an  expected  constituency  among  the  German  churches  in 
Pennsylvania. 

College  work,  it  seems,  was  actually  begun  in  November,  1771,  under 
Frederick  Frelinghuysen,  a  graduate  of  Princeton,  Class  of  1770.  Soon 
associated  with  him  and  succeeding  him  was  John  Taylor.  They  were 
called  tutors.  Both  became  colonels  in  the  American  army,  both  were 
trusted  counselors  of  the  American  leaders,  and  yet  both  held  steadfast 
relation  to  the  College  during  the  troubled  years  of  war.  While  they 
were  absent  in  the  field  or  in  council,  late  in  the  decade,  John  Bogart, 


RUTGERS  COLLEGE  187 

an  earlier  graduate  of  Queen's,  maintained  the  work  of  instruction.  At 
times  the  work,  driven  from  New  Brunswick  by  the  British  occupation, 
was  located  at  Hillsborough,  now  Millstone,  or  at  North  Branch,  now 
Readington.  The  students  were  drilled  as  a  military  company,  that 
they  might  be  ready  for  active  service,  if  called.  Probably  Dr.  Harden- 
bergh  presided  in  some  measure,  from  the  first,  over  the  destinies  of  the 
infant  College,  as  he  had  been  forward  in  its  organizing,  for  the  diploma 
of  Simeon  De  Witt,  Class  of  1776,  bears  his  name  as  president. 

For  more  than  fifty  years  the  College  had  little  growth,  and  at  times 
its  doors  were  closed.  Yet  notable  men  presided  over  it  and  taught  in  it, 
and  men  of  later  distinction  were  graduated  from  it  during  the  period. 
Dr.  Hardenbergh's  informal  and  formal  service  as  president  continued 
until  1790;  after  him  the  Rev.  William  Linn,  D.  D.,  was  acting  president 
until  1794,  and  from  1794  to  1810  the  Rev.  Ira  Condict,  D.  D.,  served  in 
the  same  way.  Then  came  the  presiding  in  full  office  of  Dr.  John  H. 
Livingston,  from  1810  to  1825.  A  distinguished  professor  of  the  early 
part  of  the  nineteenth  century  was  Robert  Adrain,  LL.  D.,  the  great 
mathematician.  Before  the  eighteenth  century  had  closed,  among  the 
graduates  were  Peter  Kimble,  President  of  the  Council  of  New  Jersey; 
James  Schureman,  United  States  Senator;  Simeon  De  Witt,  Chief 
Geographer  of  the  American  Army,  Surveyor-General  and  Chancellor  of 
the  State  of  New  York ;  Jeremiah  Smith,  member  of  Congress,  Governor 
of  New  Hampshire,  and  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 
Hampshire ;  Pierre  Van  Cortlandt,  member  of  Congress ;  Samuel  Kenne- 
day  Jennings,  President  of  Washington  College ;  John  Frelinghuysen, 
Brigadier-General ;  and  many  clergymen  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church 
and  other  denominations.  In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century 
some  of  the  distinguished  graduates  were  Jacob  Green,  Professor  at 
Princeton ;  Edward  Mundy,  successively  Lieutenant-Governor,  Attor- 
ney-General, and  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Michigan ;  Charles  C. 
Stratton,  Governor  of  New  Jersey;  Robert  B.  Croes,  D.  D.,  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  Samuel  Judah,  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  of  Indiana,  and  United  States  District  Attorney. 

1825-1850 — The  name  of  the  College  was  changed  by  the  trustees 
from  Queen's  to  Rutgers  in  1825,  in  honor  of  Colonel  Henry  Rutgers, 
"as  a  mark  of  their  respect  for  his  character  and  in  gratitude  for  his 
numerous  services  rendered  the  Reformed  Church."  Colonel  Rutgers 
was  a  resident  of  New  York  City,  the  first  president  of  the  Board  of 
Direction  of  the  Church,  and  a  foremost  supporter  of  all  good  causes. 
After  the  College  received  his  name  he  followed  earlier  donations  to  it 
with  a  gift  of  $5,000.  In  the  same  year  (1825)  the  Rev.  Philip  Milledoler, 
D.  D.,  became  president;  he  served  until  1840,  when  the  Honorable  A. 
Bruyn  Hasbrouck,  LL.  D.,  succeeded  him,  to  serve  until  1850.     From 


i88  MIDDLESEX 

the  beginning  of  this  period  until  the  present  day  Rutgers  has  never 
closed  its  doors.  During  the  period,  the  second  quarter  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  the  College  naturally  had  more  vigorous  growth,  gained  a 
larger  faculty,  added  buildings  and  graduated  increased  classes.  Perhaps 
most  famous  among  the  professors  were  Theodore  Strong,  LL.  D.,  the 
great  mathematician,  and  Alexander  McClelland,  D.  D.,  the  great 
teacher  of  languages.  The  life  and  service  of  a  college  are  largely 
defined  by  the  men  it  trains,  and  the  list  of  graduates  of  this  time  deserves 
more  rehearsing  than  space  permits.  Near  the  mid-point  is  the  cele- 
brated class  of  1836,  including  Frederick  T.  Frelinghuysen,  United 
States  Senator  and  Secretary  of  State ;  Joseph  P.  Bradley,  Justice  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States ;  William  A.  Newell,  member 
of  Congress,  Governor  of  New  Jersey,  and  Governor  of  Washington ; 
Henry  Waldron,  member  of  Congress;  Cortlandt  Parker,  president  of 
the  American  Bar  Association ;  George  W.  Coakley,  Professor  in  the 
University  of  New  York,  and  Alexander  Brown,  the  banker.  In  other 
classes  we  find  Peter  Vredenburgh,  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
New  Jersey ;  John  Romeyn  Brodhead,  the  historian ;  George  W.  Brown, 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Bench  of  Baltimore ;  Robert  H.  Pruyn, 
United  States  Minister  to  Japan ;  Theodoric  R.  Westbrook,  Justice  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  New  York;  Garnet  B.  Adrain,  John  W.  Ferdon, 
William  S.  Kenyon  and  Augustus  A.  Hardenbergh,  members  of  Con- 
gress; Charles  H.  Van  Wyck,  United  States  Senator;  George  H.  Sharpe, 
Major-General,  U.  S.  A.,  and  Surveyor  of  Customs,  Port  of  New  York, 
and  Henry  R.  Baldwin,  physician.  Well  known  ministers  of  denomina- 
tions other  than  the  Reformed  Church  are  in  the  list  in  no  small  num- 
ber, such  as  Hugh  Hamill,  for  thirty-six  years  principal  of  Lawrence- 
ville  School,  and  Eugene  A.  Hoffman,  dean  of  the  General  Theological 
Seminary  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  New  York  City.  Especially  note- 
worthy is  the  roll  of  graduates  of  this  time  entering  the  ministry  of 
the  Reformed  Church — pastors,  missionaries,  professors.  It  is  a  long 
list ;  a  few  names,  of  most  recent  memory,  perhaps,  suggest  the  part 
that  Rutgers  has  played  in  the  service  and  leadership  of  the  "Dutch 
Church":  John  Forsyth,  Professor  at  Princeton  and  Rutgers,  Professor 
and  Chaplain  at  West  Point;  Talbot  W.  Chambers,  of  the  Collegiate 
Church ;  David  D.  Demarest  and  John  De  Witt,  of  the  New  Brunswick 
Seminary;  William  H.  Steele,  James  A.  H.  Cornell  and  Cornelius  E. 
Crispell ;  William  J.  R.  Taylor  and  Abraham  R.  Van  Nest,  David  Cole, 
Goyn  and  John  V.  N.  Talmadge,  Paul  D.  Van  Cleef,  Charles  Scott, 
president  of  Hope  College ;  John  L.  See  and  J.  Romeyn  Berry,  Ezra  W. 
and  Joseph  Collier,  Samuel  D.  and  Joseph  Scudder,  T.  Romeyn  Beck, 
John  Gaston  and  William  H.  Ten  Eyck.  One,  the  Rev.  John  F.  Mesick, 
D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  of  the  class  of  1834,  died  in  1915,  at  the  age  of  102,  having 


RUTGERS  COLLEGE  189 

been  for  some  years  the  oldest  living  graduate  of  any  college  or  uni- 
versity. 

1850-1875 — In  1850  the  Hon.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  LL.  D., 
became  president.  He  was  distinguished  in  the  life  not  only  of  College, 
but  also  of  Church  and  State.  He  was  president  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  and  he  was  candidate  for  Vice-President  of  the  United  States 
with  Henry  Clay,  candidate  for  President.  He  served  until  1863,  and 
was  succeeded  by  William  H.  Campbell,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  who  was  called 
from  professorship  in  the  Theological  Seminary  and  who  served  the 
longest  term  of  any  president  of  the  College  thus  far,  nearly  twenty 
years,  retiring  in  1882.  During  the  third  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury there  was  still  marked  progress  in  the  College  life  and  usefulness. 

It  was  natural  that  at  this  time,  as  even  more  in  recent  years, 
the  study  of  science  should  have  peculiar  advancement  and  claim  a  place 
nearer  to  that  always  accorded  the  classics.  The  leader  in  this  scientific 
development,  and  at  the  same  time  a  great  friend  of  the  classics,  was 
George  H.  Cook,  Ph.  D.,  LL.  D.,  who  was  professor  from  1853  until  his 
death  in  1889,  and  vice-president  of  the  College  from  1864,  and  who  as  a 
man  and  scientist  rendered  incalculable  service  to  the  State  of  New  Jersey. 

The  marked  event  in  the  College  history  in  this  connection  is 
the  organizing  of  the  Scientific  School  and  the  declaring  of  the  Trustees 
of  Rutgers  College,  maintaining  such  school,  to  be  the  State  College  for 
the  Benefit  of  Agriculture  and  the  Mechanic  Arts.  This  action  of 
the  State  was  based  upon  the  so-called  Morrill  act  of  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States,  1862.  Perhaps  it  did  not  seem  at  the  time  or  for 
some  years  after  to  be  of  very  great  importance  to  the  College.  But  as 
the  years  have  passed,  and  the  national  and  State  emphasis  has  increased, 
the  relation  has  proved  to  be  a  vital  and  most  valuable  one,  greatly 
increasing  the  College's  power  and  field  of  usefulness,  as  like  relation 
has  been  vastly  fruitful  in  every  other  State  of  the  Union.  A  Board  of 
Visitors  was  created,  its  members  to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor 
of  the  State.  Among  the  professors  of  the  time  were  Dr.  Howard  Crosby, 
Dr.  David  Murray  and  DeWitt  T.  Reiley ;  also  Drs.  T.  Sandford 
Doolittle  and  Jacob  Cooper,  and  Edward  A.  Bowser,  whose  service 
extended  far  beyond  the  period.  More  buildings  were  erected,  and  the 
line  of  graduates  was  unbroken.  There  can  be  only  most  moderate 
suggestion  of  the  men  who  were  sent  forth :  Judge  Richard  L.  Larre- 
more,  Governor  George  C.  Ludlow,  Judge  Henry  W.  Bookstaver,  Justice 
Jonathan  Dixon,  Justice  Abram  Q.  Garretson,  Vice-President  Garret  A. 
Hobart,  various  Congressmen,  various  officers  in  the  Federal  army ; 
Edward  G.  Janeway,  the  foremost  physician  of  his  time;  Edward  A: 
Bowser,  the  mathematician ;  Alexander  Johnston,  professor  at  Prince- 
ton ;  many  ministers,  among  them  Rev.  Drs.  Joachim  Elmendorf,  Charles 


I90  "  MIDDLESEX 

I.  Shepard,  Edward  P.  Terhune,  William  Irvin  and  John  B.  Thompson; 
Edward  W.  and  Samuel  E.  Appleton,  of  the  Episcopal  Church ;  Cornelius 
L.  Wells,  William  R.  Duryee,  Silas  D.  and  John  Scudder,  John  B. 
Drury,  Egbert  Winter,  Charles  W.  Fritts,  Francis  A.  Horton,  Charles 
H.  Pool,  Judges  G.  D.  W.  Vroom,  William  H.  Vrendenburg,  and  Wil- 
lard  P.  Voorhees ;  George  William  Hill,  foremost  scholar  of  his  genera- 
tion in  astronomical  mathematics.  A  large  proportion  of  the  graduates 
of  the  time  are,  of  course,  living,  among  them  Albert  S.  Cook,  head  of 
the  Department  of  English  at  Yale  University;  Ichizo  Hattori,  Governor 
of  Hiogo  Ken,  Japan,  and  vice-president  of  the  University  of  Tokio; 
John  C.  Smock,  the  geologist ;  Dr.  J.  Preston  Searle,  dean  of  the  New 
Brunswick  Seminary ;  and  Dr.  Graham  Taylor,  of  the  Chicago  Seminary, 
besides  the  many  in  the  pastorate  and  missionary  service  of  our  own  and 
other  churches.  A  remarkable  number  are  in  the  very  successful  prac- 
tice of  other  professions  and  in  most  important  legal,  commercial  and 
banking  relations. 

1875-1900 — As  the  last  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century  began, 
Dr.  Campbell  was  still  serving  as  president.  At  his  retiring  in  1882, 
Merrill  E.  Gates,  Ph.  D.,  LL.  D.,  succeeded  him  and  served  until  1890. 
In  1891  Austin  Scott,  Ph.  D.,  LL.  D.,  became  president,  and  his  service 
in  the  office  continued  until  1906.  Steady  growth  marked  the  period, 
a  developing  of  the  corps  of  instruction  and  of  the  students  in  attend- 
ance. 

A  marked  feature  of  the  time  was  the  new  emphasis  by  College,  State 
and  Nation  on  the  State  relation  to  the  College.  The  national  govern- 
ment entered  upon  a  much  larger  and  more  generous  scheme  of  educa- 
tional work  through  such  State  institutions.  Great  State  universities 
and  colleges  were  springing  up,  and  the  State  of  New  Jersey  entered 
into  new  and  enlarged  cooperation  with  its  College.  The  College  itself 
seemed  to  come  to  new  and  clearer  and  higher  conception  of  the  duty 
and  opportunity  given  it  by  the  relation  existing.  Among  the  professors 
there  were:  Dr.  Cook,  until  his  death  in  1889;  Dr.  Doolittle,  until  his 
death  in  1893 ;  Dr.  Cooper,  whose  service  continued  into  the  twentieth 
century,  until  his  death  in  1904;  Dr.  Bowser,  whose  active  service  also 
continued  until  1904,  and  emeritus  relation  until  his  recent  death ;  Dr. 
Carl  Meyer,  from  1869,  until  his  death  in  1901  ;  Francis  A.  Wilber,  from 
1879,  until  his  death  in  1891  ;  Dr.  George  W.  Atherton,  whose  service 
was  from  1869  to  1882,  and  Dr.  Peter  T.  Austen,  from  1877  to  1890.  The 
graduates  of  this  period  are  to-day  widely  scattered  in  the  various  pro- 
fessions and  industries  of  our  own  and  other  lands.  Naturally,  out  of 
the  increased  study  of  science,  characteristic  of  the  time  and  of  colleges 
and  universities  in  general,  the  number  of  those  in  scientific  and  indus- 
trial vocations  has  especially    increased.      While,    therefore,    we    find 


RUTGERS  COLLEGE  191 

among  the  graduates  of  these  recent  years  men  in  political  life  like 
Foster  M.  Voorhees,  some  time  Governor  of  New  Jersey,  and  M.  Linn 
Bruce,  some  time  Lieutenant-Governor  and  later  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  New  York,  and  men  in  the  ministry  such  as  Rev.  Drs.  Paul  F. 
Sutphen,  of  Cleveland;  William  R.  Taylor,  of  Rochester;  William  P. 
Merrill  and  Henry  E.  Cobb,  of  New  York;  William  L  Chamberlain,  of 
New  Brunswick,  and  Professors  John  H.  Gillespie  and  John  H.  Raven, 
of  the  New  Brunswick  Seminary,  and  a  host  of  our  pastors  and  mis- 
sionaries, and  physicians  and  lawyers  in  distinguished  practice,  the 
leaders  of  great  enterprises  in  the  scientific  and  business  world  are 
conspicuous,  as  Leonor  F.  Loree,  president  of  the  Delaware  &  Hudson 
Company,  and  Charles  L.  Edgar,  president  of  the  Edison  and  other  light- 
ing companies  of  Boston.  Men  in  educational  work  also  are  in  emphatic 
evidence,  as  the  late  Egbert  L^Fevre,  LL.  D.,  dean  of  the  Medical 
School  of  New  York  University;  the  late  Edward  B,  Voorhees,  D.  Sc, 
director  of  New  Jersey  Experimental  Stations ;  John  E.  Hill,  C.  E.,  pro- 
fessor of  Civil  Engineering  in  Brown  University ;  J.  Livingston  R.  Mor- 
gan, Ph.  D.,  professor  of  Physical  Chemistry  in  Columbia  University; 
Frank  R.  Van  Horn,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  Geology  in  Case  School  of 
Applied  Science,  and  many  others. 

1900-1920 — In  the  twentieth  century  thus  far,  Rutgers  has  had  great 
advancement.  Dr.  Scott  continued  as  president  until  1906,  though  on 
leave  of  absence  during  1905-6,  and  the  Rev.  W.  H.  S.  Demarest,  D.  D., 
LL.  D,,  called  from  professorship  in  the  New  Brunswick  Seminary,  has 
been  president  since  1906,  the  first  graduate  of  the  College  in  that  office. 
During  the  twenty  years  the  campus  has  been  extended  and  the  College 
farm  greatly  enlarged,  seven  new  buildings  have  been  built,  the  course 
of  instruction  has  been  broadened  and  strengthened,  the  faculty  has 
been  enlarged,  the  number  of  undergraduates  has  increased  to  nearly 
700.  Short  courses  in  agriculture  have  been  established ;  a  summer 
session  is  maintained,  and  extension  courses  are  widely  given.  An 
affiliated  college  for  women  was  founded  in  1918. 

The  buildings  now  are :  Old  Queen's  College,  whose  cornerstone 
was  laid  in  1809;  the  Alumni  and  Faculty  House  (formerly  the  Presi- 
dent's House),  built  in  1841-42;  Van  Nest  Hall  (1845),  accommodating 
the  English  and  Oratory,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  the  Philoclean  Society ; 
Daniel  S.  Schanck  Observatory  (1865);  Geological  Hall  (1871),  with 
its  museum  and  departments  of  Geology  and  Physics ;  Kirkpatrick 
Chapel  (1873),  with  also  the  Fine  Arts  room  and  president's  office;  New 
Jersey  Hall  (1889),  with  the  Experiment  Station  and  Departments  of 
Agriculture,  Botany  and  Biology;  Winants  Hall  (1890),  the  dormitory; 
Robert  F.  Ballantine  Gymnasium  (1894);  the  Ceramics  Building  (1902); 
Ralph  Voorhees  Library   (1903);  the  Short  Course   Building   (1906); 


192  '  MIDDLESEX 

the  Engineering  Building  (1908-9);  the  Chemistry  Building  (1910); 
and  the  Entomology  Building  (1911);  the  Agricultural  Building  (1914); 
the  John  Howard  Ford  Dormitory  (1914). 

The  courses  of  instruction  lead  to  the  degrees  of  A.  B.,  Litt.  B.,  and 
B.  Sc.  The  Bachelor  of  Arts  course  includes  Greek  or  Latin  among  its 
liberal  studies,  required  and  elective.  The  Bachelor  of  Letters  course 
includes  liberal  studies  with  modern  languages.  The  Bachelor  of  Sci- 
ence course  allows  greater  privilege  in  the  study  of  science  and  offers 
several  distinct  groups  of  study  to  the  choice  of  the  student,  a  general 
science  group,  or  a  well-developed  technical  group  in  agriculture  or 
biology  or  chemistry  or  ceramics  or  civil,  electric  or  mechanical  engi- 
neering. There  are  now  over  seventy  men  on  the  teaching  staff.  The 
senior  professors  are  Dr.  Francis  Cuyler  Van  Dyck,  Physics,  Emeritus; 
Dr.  Austin  Scott,  Political  Science ;  Dr.  Louis  Bevier,  Jr.,  Greek ;  Dr. 
Alfred  A.  Titsworth,  Civil  Engineering ;  Dr.  John  C.  Van  Dyke,  Fine 
Arts — all  so  well  known,  with  others  of  later  appointment,  throughout  all 
the  College  constituency. 

The  number  of  students  now  enrolled  in  degree  courses  is  700 :  Stu- 
dents in  short  courses,  150;  in  the  Women's  College,  180;  in  the  summer 
session,  550;  bringing  the  total  registry  to  nearly  1,600,  exclusive  of  many 
hundreds  in  extension  work. 

The  College  and  the  State — The  Land  Grant  Act  or  Morrill  Act  of 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  in  1862  provided  for  a  grant  of  land 
to  a  College  for  the  Benefit  of  Agriculture  and  the  Mechanic  Arts  in  each 
State  of  the  Union.  The  act  describes  each  such  college  as  one  "where 
the  leading  object  shall  be,  without  excluding  other  scientific  and  classical 
studies,  and  including  military  tactics,  to  teach  such  branches  of  learning 
as  are  related  to  agriculture  and  the  mechanic  arts."  The  State  of  New 
Jersey  did  not  found  a  new  college,  but  availed  itself  of  the  Federal 
Act  by  entering  into  relations  with  Rutgers.  The  land  assigned  to  the 
State  realized  at  its  sale  $116,000.  This  amount  is  held  in  trust  and  the 
interest  is  annually  paid  to  the  Trustees  of  Rutgers  College  in  New 
Jersey.  A  later  Act  of  Congress,  known  as  the  second  Morrill  Act,  and 
a  still  later  supplement,  provide  a  certain  annual  amount,  known  as  the 
Morrill  Fund,  from  the  Federal  Treasury.  Other  acts,  known  as  the 
Hatch  Act  and  Adams  Act,  create  and  maintain  an  Experiment  Station 
at  the  College,  a  department  of  research,  not  instruction,  under  the 
College's  administration ;  and  the  Smith-Lever  Act  puts  its  extension 
work  also  in  charge  of  the  College. 

It  was  the  purpose  of  the  Federal  Acts  to  stimulate  and  secure  in 
each  State  similar  acts,  that  each  State  should  cooperate  with  liberal 
support.  The  State  of  New  Jersey  entered  upon  such  cooperation  when, 
in  1890,  it  created  certain  scholarships  for  New  Jersey  students  which  it 
annually  supports.     Since  that  time  it  has  established  a  department  of 


ki''i"(ii-:ks  (,()IJ.K(;k 

BALLEXTIXK  G^MXASIL'M     DELTA  UPSILON  CHAPTER  HOUSE 


RUTGERS  COLLEGE  193 

clay-working  and  ceramics  and  short  courses  in  agriculture  which  it 
definitely  maintains.  It  has  also  in  more  recent  years  provided  equip- 
ment for  certain  scientific  departments.  It  is  now  beginning  to  provide 
buildings  at  the  College  Farm  for  the  advancement  of  the  work  of 
instruction  and  experiment  in  agriculture  which  in  New  Jersey,  as 
well  as  in  all  other  States,  is  attaining  such  remarkable  importance  and 
such  high  academic  recognition.  The  State  is  fortunate  in  having  a 
college  of  old  foundation  and  traditions  to  administer  its  higher  educa- 
tion, and  the  College  is  honored  in  the  charge  thus  committed  to  it. 
The  State's  Board  of  Visitors  possesses  a  direct  connection  with  the 
work.  In  1917  by  act  of  the  Legislature  the  State  College  was  also  des- 
ignated the  State  University  of  New  Jersey. 

Property  and  Endowment — The  College  Campus,  known  in  part  as  the 
Queen's  Campus  and  in  part  as  the  Neilson  Campus,  has  been  acquired 
in  largest  part  by  gift.  Mr.  James  Parker,  of  Perth  Amboy,  was  donor 
of  part  of  the  Queen's  Campus  and  the  remainder  was  secured  from  his 
estate  in  1808.  The  Neilson  Campus  has  been  given  by  Mr.  James 
Neilson,  of  New  Brunswick,  during  the  last  twenty  years,  in  portions 
sufficient  for  the  erection  of  buildings  from  time  to  time,  and  in  greatest 
part  in  1906,  and  in  final  part  in  1920.  The  area  of  the  Neilson  Campus 
is  now  being  extended  by  purchase.  The  College  Farm,  purchased  in 
part  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  and  recently  extended  to  area  of  about  350 
acres  by  purchase  and  by  gifts,  lies  at  the  other  end  of  the  town  from  the 
College  Campus.  The  Athletic  Field,  for  many  years  allowed  to  the 
College  use  by  its  owner,  Mr.  James  Neilson,  has  now  been  deeded  by 
him  to  the  College. 

Queen's  College,  the  Faculty  and  Alumni  House  (formerly  the  Pres- 
ident's House)  and  Van  Nest  Hall  (named  in  honor  of  Abraham  Van 
Nest,  Esq.,  a  generous  benefactor  of  the  College)  were  erected  by  general 
subscription,  the  funds  being  secured  chiefly  among  the  people  of  the 
Reformed  Church  parishes  in  New  York  and  New  Jersey.  The  Observa- 
tory was  the  gift  of  Mr.  Daniel  S.  Schanck,  of  New  York  City.  Geological 
Hall  was  erected  by  funds  received  from  general  and  various  sources. 
Kirkpatrick  Chapel  carries  the  name  of  its  donor,  Mrs.  Sophia  Astley 
Kirkpatrick,  of  New  Brunswick,  who  made  the  College  a  beneficiary  of 
her  will.  Winants  Hall,  the  Dormitory,  was  the  gift  of  Mr.  Garret  E. 
Winants,  of  Bergen  Point.  Ballantine  Gymnasium  was  the  gift  of  Mr, 
Robert  F.  Ballantine,  of  Newark.  New  Jersey  Hall,  the  Ceramics  Build- 
ing, the  Short  Course  Building,  the  Agricultural  Building,  a  Horticul- 
tural Building  now  being  erected,  and  a  new  Ceramics  Building  now 
planned,  have  been  provided  by  the  State  of  New  Jersey  for  special 
work  maintained  by  it.  The  Ralph  Voorhees  Library  carries  the  name 
of  its  donor.  The  Engineering  Building  and  the  Chemistry  Building 
have  been  erected  by  funds  in  part  at  the  disposal  of  the  College  and 

Mid-13 


194  MIDDLESEX 

in  part  borrowed,  awaiting  the  needed  donations.  The  Ford  Dormitory 
is  the  gift  of  John  Howard  Ford. 

The  Class  of  1882,  the  Class  of  1883,  and  the  Class  of  1902  have 
erected  College  Gates,  and  many  classes  have  placed  windows  in  the 
Chapel.  The  Henry  R  Baldwin  Memorial  Gates  were  the  gift  of  many 
friends  and  associates  of  Dr.  Baldwin.  In  the  Library  is  the  Henry 
Janeway  Weston  Memorial  room ;  and  in  the  Fine  Arts  room.  Queen's 
Building,  is  the  Thomas  L.  Janeway  Memorial  collection.  In  the 
Museum  of  Geological  Hall  are  many  collections  bearing  the  names  of 
their  donors,  the  Lewis  C.  Beck  collection,  the  George  H.  Cook  collec- 
tion, the  John  H.  Frazee  collection,  and  the  Albert  H.  Chester 
collection.  In  the  Library  and  New  Jersey  Hall  are  the  George  D.  Hulst 
collection  and  the  John  B.  Smith  collection  of  Lepidoptera.  In  the 
Library  also  is  the  James  B.  Laing  collection  of  coins.  The  value  of 
buildings,  equipment  and  collections  now  probably  reaches  nearly 
$2,000,000. 

The  funds  of  the  College  have  been  acquired  j^  varied  amounts  at 
various  times  from  many  donors.  The  larger  part  of  the  endowment, 
received  from  general  sources,  is  included  in  a  general  fund.  There  are 
many  special  funds,  however,  maintenance,  beneficiary  and  prize  funds 
which  bear  special  names,  some  of  them  memorial.  The  Anna  Atkins 
Heckscher  Fund,  $200,000,  is  the  gift  of  August  Heckscher,  Esq.  The 
Hill  Professorship,  a  foundation  of  $75,000,  is  the  gift  of  Rev.  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  William  Bancroft  Hill.  The  Blair  Trust  Fund  was  the  gift  of 
Mr.  John  I.  Blair,  the  Gould  Memorial  Fund  was  the  gift  of  Miss  Helen 
M.  Gould,  the  Hobart  Memorial  Fund  was  the  gift  of  the  Hon.  Garret  A. 
Hobart,  the  Voorhees  Professorship  Fund  was  the  gift  of  Mr.  Abraham 
Voorhees,  and  the  Bookstaver  Fund  was  a  bequest  from  the  Hon.  Henry 
W.  Bookstaver.  Beneficiary  trust  funds  bear  the  names  of  Brownlee, 
Hedges,  Knox,  Mandeville,  Smock,  VanLiew,  Voorhees  and  Van  Ben- 
schoten.  Prize  funds  bear  the  names  of  Appleton,  Brodhead,  Cooper, 
Bussing,  Smith,  Spader,  Quick,  Suydam,  Upson,  Vail,  Van  Doren  and 
Van  Vechten.  There  are  two  Fellowship  Funds,  the  gifts  respectively 
of  James  H.  Blodgett  and  John  Arent  Vander  Poel.  Library  funds  bear 
the  names  of  their  donors,  Robert  H.  Pruyn,  P.  Vanderbilt  Spader  and 
Benjamin  Stephens.  Mr.  Robert  F.  Ballantine  gave  a  fund  to  maintain 
the  building  which  bears  his  name ;  and  Mr.  Garret  E.  Winants  gave  a 
fund  to  maintain  the  building  which  bears  his  name.  A  Lectureship  Fund 
has  been  given  by  Luther  Lafiin  Kellogg,  Esq.  Other  special  funds  bear 
the  names  of  Baldwin,  Demarest,  Duryee,  Elmendorf,  Suydam,  Wes- 
ton, Beardslee,  Lansing,  Raven,  Upson,  Cook,  Halsted,  Hardenbergh, 
Horton,  Sleght,  Patterson,  Taylor,  Canfield,  Nevius,  Van  Pelt.  The 
Henry  Rutgers  Fund  is  held  in  trust  for  the  College  by  the  General 
Synod  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America.     The  entire  endowment  of 


RUTGERS  COLLEGE  195 

the  College  is  now  about  $1,500,000,  about  $500,000  having  been  received 
in  1919-1920,  from  a  successful  million-dollar  campaign,  $500,000  remain- 
ing yet  to  be  paid  in. 

The  Board  of  Trustees — The  Charter  of  1766  named  as  the  original 
Trustees,  in  addition  to  the  Governor,  President  of  the  Council,  Chief 
Justice  and  Attorney-General,  men  whose  names  were  familiar  in  the 
Provinces  and  the  churches  of  the  time.  The  Charter  of  1770,  with  only 
slightest  variation,  names  the  same  men.  Sir  William  Johnson,  Baronet, 
is  first.  Then  follow  the  names  of  ministers,  Johannes  Henricus  Goet- 
schius,  Johannes  Leydt,  David  Maurinus,  Martinus  Van  Harlingen, 
Jacob  R.  Hardenbergh  and  William  Jackson,  of  the  Colony  of  New 
Jersey ;  Samuel  Verbryk,  Barent  Vrooman,  Maurice  Goetschius,  Eilardus 
Westerlo,  John  Schuneman,  of  the  Province  of  New  York ;  Philip 
Wyberg  and  Jonathan  Dubois,  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
names  of  laymen  conclude  the  list:  Hendrick  Fisher,  Peter  Zabriskie, 
Peter  Hasenclever,  Peter  Schenck,  Tunis  Dey,  Philip  French,  John 
Covenhoven,  Henricus  Kuyper,  of  the  Colony  of  New  Jersey,  Esqrs.,  and 
Simon  Johnson,  Philip  Livingston,  Johannes  Hardenbergh,  Abraham 
Hasbrouck,  Theodorus  Van  Wyck,  Abraham  Lott,  Robert  Livingston, 
Levi  Pauling,  John  Brinckerhoff,  Nicholas  Stillwill,  Martinus  Hoffman. 
Jacob  H.  Ten  Eyck,  John  Haring,  Isaac  Vrooman,  Barnardus  Ryder,  of 
the  Province  of  New  York,  Esqrs. 

During  the  years  since,  nearly  a  century  and  a  half,  both  State  and 
Church  have  continued  to  be  represented  in  the  body  of  Trustees  by 
men  of  distinction  in  all  professions  and  in  public  affairs.  Naturally, 
the  States  of  New  Jersey  and  New  York  have  given  most  of  the  mem- 
bers ;  naturally,  ministers  and  elders  of  the  Reformed  Church  have 
always  been  a  large  and  influential  element ;  and,  naturally,  the  gradu- 
ates of  the  College  have  been  increasingly  represented. 

W.  H.  S.  DEMAREST. 

THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 
The  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America 
had  its  origin  in  the  desire  to  educate  young  men  for  the  ministry  in 
this  country  instead  of  being  dependent  for  supply  upon  Holland  and 
particularly  upon  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  The  church  had  become 
divided  on  the  difference  of  opinion  of  this  important  question,  into 
the  Coetus  and  Conference  parties,  the  controversy  lasting  for  many 
years.  The  Coetus  party  struggled  for  independent  American  judica- 
tories and  the  establishment  of  a  university  with  regular  advantages 
for  a  theological  training.  With  these  objects  in  view,  the  Rev.  Theo- 
dore Frelinghuysen  was  commissioned  in  May,  1756,  to  solicit  for  funds 
in  Holland.  His  departure,  however,  was  delayed  four  years,  and  this, 
with  the  unhappy  schism  in  the  church,  defeated  the  movement.  Eight 
years  after  this,  J.  H.  Livingston,  who  was  studying  for  the  ministry 


196  MIDDLESEX 

in  Holland,  proposed  to  his  American  friends  that  both  of  the  contending 
parties  should  fix  upon  a  youth  and  send  him  to  that  country  to  be 
specially  trained  for  a  professor  in  the  American  churches,  thus  ulti- 
mately healing  the  schism  and  providing  for  the  churches  to  be  supplied 
with  satisfactory  ministry. 

This  plan  seems  not  to  have  been  entertained,  and  Mr.  Livingston 
forming  the  acquaintance  of  Dr.  Witherspoon,  who  had  been  called 
from  Europe  to  take  the  presidency  of  the  college  at  Princeton,  sought 
to  secure  arrangements  for  the  education  of  ministers  for  the  Reformed 
Church  at  that  institution.  This,  however,  was  opposed  by  the  party 
leaders  in  America,  also  that  of  the  Conferentie  to  establish  a  divinity 
professorship  in  King's  College.  The  subsequent  articles  of  union  stipu- 
lated that  the  professors  of  theology  were  to  be  chosen  from  the  Nether- 
lands by  the  advice  of  the  Classis,  and  should  not  have  any  connection 
with  any  English  academies,  but  should  deliver  lectures  on  theology  in 
their  own  houses.  They  were  not  intended  to  be  parsons ;  a  fund  was  to 
be  raised  for  their  support.  No  endowment,  however,  was  immediately 
obtained,  some  of  the  most  influential  churches  standing  aloof  from  the 
union ;  the  disturbed  political  condition  of  the  country  was  also  another 
factor,  and  matters  were  deferred  until  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution, 
the  Synod  in  the  meantime  advising  the  students  to  study  at  their  con- 
venience with  Drs.  Livingston,  Westerlow,  Rysdyck,  Hardenbergh  or 
Goetchius. 

While  the  subject  of  a  professorship  was  pending,  the  trustees  of 
Queen's  College  sought  to  carry  out  the  plans  of  the  Coetus  party  by 
calling  Rev.  John  Brown,  of  Haddington,  Scotland,  to  become  their 
professor  of  divinity ;  he,  however,  declined.  They  subsequently  wrote 
to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  and  to  the  Theological  Faculty  of  Utrecht, 
to  recommend  to  them  a  professor  of  theology  to  be  also  president  of 
the  college  and  a  member  of  the  ecclesiastical  judicatories  in  America. 
The  Synod  endorsed  the  action  of  the  trustees  in  1774,  and  the  following 
year  Dr.  Livingston  was  recommended  by  the  Classis  and  Faculty,  but 
no  action  was  taken,  owing  to  the  outbreak  of  hostilities. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  the  subject  of  the  professorship  occu- 
pied the  attention  of  the  churches.  Dr.  Livingston  was  in  favor  of 
opening  a  divinity  hall  in  New  Brunswick,  stating  as  his  reason  that 
it  was  the  most  central  point  for  all  portions  of  the  Reformed  Church — 
the  Dutch  in  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  and  the  Germans  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. This  the  Synod  opposed,  deciding  to  locate  the  chair  in  the  city 
of  New  York;  Dr.  J.  H.  Livingston,  in  October,  1784,  was  chosen  Pro- 
fessor of  Theology,  and  Dr.  H.  Meyer,  pastor  of  Totowa  and  Pompton 
Plain  churches.  Professor  of  Languages.  Dr.  Livingston  entered  upon 
his  duties  May  19,  1785,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  very  poorly 
supported  by  the  Synod.     Only  the  more  wealthy  of  the  students  were 


THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY  197 

able  to  meet  the  high  cost  of  living  in  the  city,  the  more  indigent  class 
was  obliged  to  pursue  their  studies  with  their  pastors  at  home.  This 
induced  the  Synod  to  appoint  authorized  lectors  in  theology  to  accom- 
modate the  country  students.  Dr.  H.  Meyer,  of  Pompton,  was  appointed 
in  1786,  and,  six  years  later,  Dr.  Soloman  Froeligh,  of  Hackensack,  and 
Dirck  Romeyn,  of  Schenectady. 

The  Synod  in  1791  took  active  measures  towards  raising  a  fund  for 
the  endowment  of  the  theological  professorship.  The  work  was,  how- 
ever, suspended  for  two  years  owing  to  a  proposition  from  Queen's 
College,  repeating  their  proposition  of  1773.  The  Synod  finally  decided 
that  they  could  not  recommend  to  the  college  a  Professor  of  Theology 
for  its  presidency  until  that  institution  was  properly  endowed.  This 
decision  caused  an  influence  to  be  brought  on  the  General  Synod  for  an 
independent  theological  professorship,  the  Classis  of  Hackensack  urging 
the  establishment  of  such  a  school  at  once,  claiming  that  a  professorship 
connected  with  Queen's  College  could  only  be  a  subordinate  ofifice.  A 
committee  appointed  by  the  General  Synod  in  June,  1794,  reported  that 
no  union  could  be  effected  with  Queen's  College  as  long  as  it  was  situ- 
ated at  New  Brunswick,  and  that  it  should  be  removed  to  Bergen  or 
Hackensack.  This  committee  also  reported  that  the  Divinity  School 
could  not  flourish  in  New  York  on  account  of  the  expense  of  living, 
and  its  continuance  there  prevented  the  raising  of  a  fund,  recommending 
that  it  be  removed  to  Flatbush,  where  a  classical  academy  existed,  or 
to  some  other  point. 

The  Synod  accepting  the  recommendations  of  its  committee.  Pro- 
fessor Livingston  in  the  spring  of  1796  removed  to  Flatbush.  The 
number  of  students  at  once  doubled ;  everything  appeared  encouraging. 
The  Synod,  however,  failed  to  meet  the  financial  requirements  of  the 
school,  and.  Dr.  Livingston's  health  failing,  he  deemed  it  advisable  to 
return  to  New  York.  Thereupon  the  Synod  distributed  the  school  into 
three  equal  parts,  thinking  that  different  localities  would  become  inter- 
ested by  having  a  professor  residing  among  them.  Drs.  Forleigh  and 
Romeyn  were  raised  to  the  rank  of  professors,  and  in  1800  two  pro- 
fessors of  Hebrew  were  appointed — Revs.  John  Bassett  and  Jeremiah 
Romeyn.  Thus  matters  remained  until  the  year  1806,  with  every  day 
the  prospects  of  the  professoriate  growing  more  dark  and  dubious.  The 
uncertainty  of  location  seemed  to  destroy  every  effort  in  its  behalf. 

At  this  time  the  trustees  of  Queen's  College  made  another  proposition, 
which  prepared  the  way  for  the  ultimate  success  of  the  institution.  The 
trustees  proposed  to  unite  with  the  theological  professoriate,  and  this 
was  sanctioned  by  the  General  Synod  with  the  proviso  that  all  moneys 
raised  in  the  State  of  New  York  should  be  applied  to  the  endowment  of 
the  theological  professorship. 

In  the  covenant  agreed  to  between  the  parties,  the  trustees  of  the 


198  MIDDLESEX 

college  promised  to  combine  the  literary  interests  of  the  college  with 
a  support  to  evangelical  truth,  and  the  promotion  of  an  able  and  faithful 
ministry  in  the  Dutch  Church ;  that  the  funds  raised  in  New  York  should 
be  appropriated  to  the  support  of  the  theological  professorship  in  the 
college,  and  to  the  assistance  of  poor  and  pious  young  men  preparing 
for  the  ministry.  The  trustees  were  to  hold  the  funds,  and  should  call 
the  Professor  of  Theology  elected  by  the  Synod  as  soon  as  the  funds 
would  allow.  A  board  of  superintendents  was  to  be  appointed  by  the 
S3nod  to  superintend  the  theological  professorship,  to  be  known  by  the 
name  of  "The  Superintendents  of  the  Theological  Institution  in  Queen's 
College."  The  Synod  was  to  provide  money  for  a  library,  and  both 
parties  were  to  unite  in  erecting  the  necessary  buildings,  and  the  pro- 
fessional fund  was  to  be  used  for  that  purpose  if  needed.  Funds  were 
collected  in  New  York ;  in  less  than  a  year  Dr.  Livingston  was  called  by 
the  college  trustees  as  their  Professor  of  Theology.  He  did  not  imme- 
diately remove  to  New  Brunswick,  but  he  opened  the  seminary  in 
October,  1810,  with  five  students. 

The  Rev.  Elias  Van  Bunschooten  donated  $17,000  to  the  institution, 
to  be  used  in  the  support  of  youths  educated  for  the  ministry.  Dr. 
Livingston  made  his  first  report  to  the  Synod  in  1812,  and  three  years 
later  that  body,  with  contributions  received  from  the  church  in  Albany 
and  New  Brunswick,  elected  Rev.  John  Schureman  as  Professor  of 
Pastoral  Theology  and  Ecclesiastical  History.  After  his  death  in  1818, 
the  second  professorship  embraced  the  department  of  Oriental  Litera- 
ture and  Ecclesiastical  History.  His  successor,  Rev.  John  Ludlow, 
continued  in  this  department  five  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
John  De  Witt.  The  further  endowment  of  the  institution  now  became 
necessary ;  Dr.  Livingston  opened  a  subscription  in  1822  to  which  nearly 
$27,000  was  subscribed  within  a  year  by  the  Particular  Synod  of  New 
York. 

The  Particular  Synod  of  Albany  in  the  fall  of  1825  subscribed  $27,000, 
for  the  endowment  of  third  professorship.  The  death  of  Dr.  Livingston 
occurred  a  short  time  previous  to  this  event,  but  he  lived  long  enough 
to  see  that  success  was  certain,  that  the  institution  for  which  he  had 
sacrificed  so  much  during  forty  years  of  his  life,  was  at  last  established 
on  a  firm  foundation.  It  was  not,  however,  until  after  his  death  that  the 
theological  institution  was  fully  organized  by  a  full  complement  of 
professors — De  Witt,  Millendoler  and  Woodhull. 

The  Synod  now  purchased  the  college  buildings  in  payment  of  the 
obligation  of  the  trustees  to  them.  The  trustees  had  saved  the  professor- 
iate in  1807  by  taking  it  under  their  care;  the  Synod  now  saved  the 
college  from  extinction  by  a  similar  kindness.  The  theological  pro- 
fessors became  professors  also  in  the  college,  which  was  reopened  under 
the  name  of  Rutgers  College.  The  theological  professors  were  relieved 
from  further  duties  in  the  college  about  1861. 


THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY  199 

The  want  of  a  theological  hall  separate  from  the  college  building 
became  a  needed  want  as  early  as  185 1.  The  students,  complaining  of 
the  high  cost  of  board  in  New  Brunswick,  united  in  a  memorial  stating 
their  difficulties  and  wants,  which  was  presented  to  the  faculty,  who 
transmitted  it  to  the  board  of  superintendents.  The  board  took  immedi- 
ate action  and  their  efforts  were  crowned  with  success.  At  the  personal 
solicitation  of  Dr.  Ludlow,  Mrs.  Anna  Hertzog,  of  Philadelphia,  donated 
$30,000  for  the  erection  of  a  building  that  should  be  called  "The  Peter 
Hertzog  Theological  Hall."  Colonel  James  Neilson  donated  land  valued 
at  $14,000,  and  other  lots  were  given  by  David  Bishop,  Charles  P.  Day- 
ton, Francis  and  Wessel  Wessels,  of  Paramus,  New  Jersey,  their  prop- 
erties forming  a  complete  rectangle.  The  new  building  was  speedily 
erected,  containing  dormitories,  refectory,  lecture  rooms,  chapel,  and 
library. 

The  Synod  in  1864  transferred  the  college  property  back  to  the 
trustees,  and  the  next  year  the  covenants  of  1807  and  1825  were  finally 
annulled.  The  money  thus  accruing  was  devoted  to  the  erection  of 
professorial  residences  then  in  course  of  erection.  In  the  same  year  the 
fourth  professorship,  that  of  Sacred  Rhetoric  and  Pastoral  Theology,  was 
created,  and  Dr.  David  D.  Demarest  was  elected  to  this  position.  Sub- 
scriptions and  moneys  were  received  in  1867  amounting  to  $62,233.09; 
the  balance  remaining  after  the  establishment  of  the  fourth  professorship 
was  to  be  used  in  finishing  the  three  professorial  residences.  A  large 
amount  of  these  subscriptions  proved  worthless,  and  the  Synod  in  1868 
appointed  an  agent  to  raise  $100,000  to  complete  the  endowment  of  the 
seminary  and  for  payment  of  the  debt  of  the  Synod.  An  endowment 
of  $60,000  was  received  from  James  Suydam  for  the  establishment  of  a 
chair  of  Didactic  and  Polemic  Theology,  and  the  Synod  very  appropri- 
ately attached  his  name  to  the  professorship.  Extensive  improvements 
and  repairs  were  made  to  the  Peter  Hertzog  Hall,  including  water  and 
heating  by  steam.  The  noble  gift  of  James  Suydam  Hall,  which  was 
erected  on  one  side  of  Hertzog  Hall,  was  dedicated  June  5,  1873.  It 
contained  a  spacious  gymnasium,  chapel,  museum,  and  four  lecture 
rooms.  In  front  of  it  a  bronze  statue  of  Mr.  Suydam  was  placed  by 
friends — a  well  deserved  tribute  to  the  memory  of  a  liberal  benefactor 
of  the  seminary,  whose  contributions  exceeded  $200,000. 

On  the  other  side  of  Peter  Hertzog  Hall  stands  the  Gardner  A.  Sage 
Library,  presented  by  a  citizen  of  New  York,  Gardner  A.  Sage,  to  the 
General  Synod,  and  dedicated  June  6,  1875.  In  addition  to  this  gift  of 
the  building,  Colonel  Sage  paid  the  salary  of  the  librarian,  the  services 
of  the  janitor,  coal,  and  other  incidental  expenses.  He  contributed 
$2,500  for  the  purchase  of  books,  which  was  augmented  by  the  efforts  of 
Dr.  Cornell,  who  secured  $50,000  for  the  library,  chiefly  in  subscriptions 
of  $2,500  each.     These  moneys  were  given  not  for  the  investment  but 


200  MIDDLESEX 

to  l)c  spent  in  the  purchase  of  books.  The  present  librarian  is  John  C. 
Van  Dyke,  and  the  collection  now  amounts  to  over  56,000  volumes  and 
fo.ooo  pamphlets.  In  1878,  Nicholas  T.  Vedder,  of  Utica,  New  York, 
by  the  donation  of  $10,000,  established  a  course  of  lectures  to  be  delivered 
by  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church  members  to  the  students  of  the  seminary, 
and  of  Rutgers  College  on  "The  Present  Aspect  of  Modern  Infidelity, 
Including  Its  Catise  and  Cure."  The  General  Synod  accepted  the  gift 
and  established  the  "Vedder  Lectures  on  Modern  Infidelity."  This  lec- 
tureship is  not  existent  now,  owing  to  the  failure  of  the  endowment  fund 
— no  fault  of  the  donor.  Colonel  Sage,  in  connection  with  Mr.  Suydam, 
presented  to  the  General  Synod  a  professorial  residence  at  the  cost  of 
$18,000.  These  gentlemen  left  at  their  respective  deaths,  large  sums  for 
the  endowment  of  the  buildings  erected  by  them,  and  of  the  grounds  and 
other  buildings.  Mr.  Sage  endowed  also  the  chair  now  named  for  him. 
These  two  men  altogether  more  than  doubled  the  previous  endowment, 
as  they  have  again  been  doubled  since  1890  by  gifts  from  many  donors, 
such  as  Mrs.  Ann  F.  Carver,  niece  of  Mrs.  Hertzog,  John  S.  Bussing,  and 
Miss  Anna  M.  Sandham. 

The  faculty  of  the  seminary  has  at  different  times  consisted  of  a 
number  of  noted  educators  and  scholars.  Prominent  among  these  not 
already  mentioned  were  Revs.  James  S.  Cannon,  Alexander  McClelland, 
Samuel  A.  Van  Vranken,  William  H.  Campbell,  Samuel  M.  Woodbridge, 
Joseph  F.  Berg,  Abraham  B.  Van  Zandt,  William  V.  V.  Mabon.  John 
DeWitt,  besides  many  others.  The  present  president  of  the  faculty  is  the 
Rev.  J.  Preston  Searle,  D.  D.  The  Seminary  now  has  five  professorial 
chairs,  three  "lectorships,"  and  employs  three  instructors,  making  a 
teaching  force  of  eleven.    It  has  also  three  endowed  lectureships. 

ACADEMIES  AND  PRIVATE  SCHOOLS. 

Little  is  known  of  the  early  private  schools  of  New  Brunswick  pre- 
vious to  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  From  1800  to  1850, 
private  schools  were  taught  by  Charles  Poole,  Samuel  Seymour,  Charles 
Burnham,  John  G.  Tarbell,  Charles  Spaulding,  Luke  Egerton,  Aaron 
Slack,  Thomas  Hobart,  Benjamin  Mortimer,  Miss  McLaughlin,  Miss 
Sally  Vickers,  Mrs.  and  Miss  Bell,  Miss  Johnson,  Abram  Ackerman, 
Samuel  Walker  and  Professor  David  Cole.  Boys  were  mostly  the  pupils, 
but  some  of  the  schools  taught  boys  and  girls.  As  teacher  of  girls 
exclusively  during  this  period,  mention  is  made  of  Miss  Hays,  Madam 
McKay,  Miss  Nancy  Drake,  Miss  Whiting  and  Miss  Hannah  Hoyt. 

One  of  the  earliest  private  schools  in  the  city  was  known  as  the 
"Lancasterian."  I»y  the  will  and  testament  of  William  Hall  in  1803, 
after  various  bequests,  the  remainder  of  his  property  was  left  in  trust  to 
be  expended  in  educating  poor  children  in  the  city  of  New  Brunswick. 


ACADEMIES  AND  PRIVATE  SCHOOLS  201 

This  ti-ast  amounted  to  about  $4,000,  and  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature 
a  board  of  trustees  was  created.  This  board  had  its  first  meeting  June 
8,  1809,  but  it  was  not  until  April  16,  1814,  that  the  first  teacher,  Shep- 
hard  Johnson,  was  appointed.  A  building  known  as  the  Queen's  College 
was  removed  to  Schureman  street,  and  on  June  i,  1814,  the  school  was 
opened  with  thirty-five  free  and  six  pay  pupils.  The  school  was  con- 
ducted for  many  years  on  the  "Lancasterian  or  Monitorial  plan."  Mr. 
Johnson  resigned  November  20,  1816,  and  Henry  B.  Poole  was  appointed 
his  successor.  The  latter  resigned  June  30,  1818,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Zerophon  T.  Maynard.  His  successor  was  Mr.  Harrison,  who 
retained  the  position  of  principal  until  the  close  of  1831,  and  February 
25,  1832,  Elihu  Cook  was  appointed  to  the  place.  He  resigned  in  1838 
and  A.  W.  Mayo  became  principal.  The  school  was  temporarily  sus- 
pended in  1853,  remaining  closed  until  December  i,  1855,  when  Mr. 
Mayo  again  took  charge  of  the  school,  which  flourished  for  over  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  but  finally  succumbed  to  the  public  school  system. 

The  private  schools  of  to-day  consist  of  the  Rice  Industrial  Literary 
Institute,  conducted  by  Ellen  M.  Rice,  on  Comstock  street;  the  Misses 
Anable's  School  on  Bayard  street ;  and  the  Rutgers  Preparatory  School 
on  College  avenue.  There  are  also  the  parochial  schools  in  charge  of 
Sisters  of  Charity,  connected  with  the  Roman  Catholic  parishes  of  St. 
Peter,  Sacred  Heart,  St.  John  the  Baptist,  St.  Lanislaus,  and  St.  Agnes 
Academy. 

There  were  in  the  other  towns  of  the  county  in  early  days,  before  the 
introduction  of  public  schools,  academies  supported  by  contributions 
from  the  inhabitants  of  the  towns.  Among  these  was  the  Woodbridge 
Academy,  which  was  built  in  1793  and  gained  a  farfamed  notoriety.  It 
was  built  by  Jonathan  Freeman  at  a  total  cost  of  £342  2s.  and  4d.  Many 
of  the  early  residents  of  the  county  were  educated  at  this  institution. 
The  building  was  finally  sold  in  185 1,  the  site  being  utilized  for  the 
erection  of  a  district  school.  Another  noted  academy  located  in  Wood- 
bridge  was  opened  as  a  high  school  in  1822  by  Professor  James  Schuyler; 
this  school  was  attended  by  scholars  from  neighboring  localities.  It  was 
first  known  as  Elm  Tree  Inn,  but  its  name  was  afterwards  changed  to 
Elm  Tree  Institute. 


()Ll)l-:.\   TIMK   SCHOOI, 


iiii':  oi.i)  SI  \(,i':  COACH 

Kriirnrlmiions   I'rnm  old  rn<iravin<>< 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PUBLIC  EDUCATION— THIRTY-THREE  YEARS  GROWTH  OF 
PUBLIC  SCHOOLS,  MIDDLESEX  COUNTY,  N.  J. 

Note — For  more  than  a  half  a  century,  the  Public  Schools  of  Middlesex  County 
have  been  under  the  superintendency  of  father  and  son,  Rev.  Ralph  Willis  and  H. 
Brewster  Willis.  By  reason  of  this  unusual  circumstance,  I  have  been  induced  to 
write  this  brief  sketch  of  the  Public  Schools  of  Middlesex  County,  keeping  in  mind 
those  who  have  rendered  more  than  ten  years  of  public  school  service  continuously  in 
supervisory,  teaching  and  administrative  positions  in  the  same  district.  It  is  quite  pos- 
sible that  some  names  of  those  worthy,  and  some  important  facts  have  been  omitted; 
if  so,  I  trust  the  omission  will  be  forgiven,  as  I  have  sought  the  fullest  information. 

School  service  is  a  patriotic  service.  The  preservation  and  continuation  of  our 
present  form  of  government  depends  very  largely  upon  the  public  schools  of  our  land. 
It  is  high  time  that  more  public  appreciation  shoulil  be  expressed  of  the  service  ren- 
dered by  those  working  in  the  Second  Line  of  National  Defense. 

H.  Brewster  Willis. 

July  I,  1920,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

Ralph  Willis  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  Schools  of  the  County 
of  Middlesex  more  than  fifty  years  ago  by  Governor  Joel  Parker,  about 
the  time  the  Legislature  discontinued  local  township  school  superin- 
tendents. For  a  period  of  twenty  years  he  continued  in  office,  improving 
the  County  Public  School  System,  a  record  of  which  may  be  found  in 
the  Annual  State  School  Reports. 

In  his  last  report  to  the  State  Board  of  Education  the  following 
appears:  "I  retire  from  the  office  with  a  grateful  sense  of  the  honor 
conferred  upon  me  by  so  many  reappointments ;  with  a  consciousness 
of  honest  efforts  in  the  performance  of  my  duties;  and  with  pleasant 
memories  of  the  respect  and  kindness  of  all  with  whom  I  have  been 
officially  connected."  His  official  mantle  fell  upon  the  shoulders  of  his 
son,  H.  Brewster  Willis,  in  1887. 

He  died  March  17,  1895,  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him, 
as  a  faithful  and  successful  school  official. 

In  1897,  County  Superintendent  H.  Brewster  Willis  attempted  to 
have  the  United  States  Flag  float  from  every  school  house  in  Middlesex 
county.  He  discovered  that  the  school  law  would  not  permit  the  Boards 
of  Education  to  expend  public  school  money  for  United  States  Flags. 
Upon  this  discovery,  a  campaign  was  conducted  among  the  Boards  of 
Education,  teachers  and  pupils,  and,  through  entertainments  and  dona- 
tions, the  school  districts  raised  the  sum  of  $3,000,  which  amount  pro- 
vided United  States  flags  of  varied  dimensions  and  quality,  to  every 
public  school  property  in  the  county. 

In  1898,  the  County  Superintendent  drew  an  amendment  to  the  school 
law,  which  included  the  purchase  of  United  States  Flags  among  the 
items  which  the  Board  of  Education  might  purchase  out  of  the  fund 
for  current  expenses.    This  amendment  became  a  law,  and  the  purchase 


204  MIDDLESEX 

of  United  States  Flags  was  made  permissible  by  Boards  of  Education 
out  of  school  funds.  In  1900,  by  a  further  Act  of  the  Legislature,  the 
Boards  of  Education  were  compelled  to  purchase  United  States  Flags 
and  display  the  same  upon  or  near  each  public  school  property,  each 
school  day  and  at  such  other  times,  as  said  Board  of  Education  deemed 
proper. 

Correspondence  with  the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  respective  States 
of  the  Union  in  1898,  revealed  the  fact  that  Middlesex  county  was  the 
first  county  to  uniformly  display  the  United  States  Flag  over  all  its 
school  houses,  and  that  the  State  of  New  Jersey  was  the  first  State  to 
require  by  law  the  United  States  Flag  to  float  upon  or  near  every  public 
school  building  in  the  State. 

City  of  New  Brunswick — In  the  very  early  days  there  was  established 
a  free-school,  conducted  under  the  Lancasterian  Plan.  This  famous 
school  was  located  in  the  old  four-room  wooden  building  on  Schureman 
street.  Part  of  the  building  was  occupied  as  the  living  quarters  of  the 
teachers. 

Under  the  township  act,  the  New  Brunswick  schools  were  known 
as  School  District  No.  i.  In  1890,  and  since  that  date,  modern  ward 
schools  have  been  erected. 

At  the  present  time  this  city  has  six  large  graded  elementary  schools, 
well  equipped;  Junior  High,  and  a  most  modern  Senior  High  School, 
comparing  favorably  with  any  high  school  in  the  State  in  a  city  of  the 
same  population.  The  graduates  of  eight  elementary  schools  in  dis- 
tricts immediately  surrounding  the  city,  attend  this  high  school.  The 
graduates  of  the  Senior  High  School  are  admitted  on  certificate  to  the 
leading  colleges  and  universities.  At  this  date  the  teaching  force  num- 
bers 175,  exclusive  of  a  number  of  evening  school  teachers  and  those 
who  are  teachers  in  classes  for  foreign  born  residents.  The  total  enroll- 
ment is  about  5,400  pupils.  Population  32,779.  A  large  number  of  the 
school  population  attend  the  excellent  Parochial  Schools. 

Among  the  City  Superintendents  who  have  rendered  valuable  serv- 
ice in  the  development  of  the  city  school  system,  might  be  mentioned 
Henry  B.  Pierce,  Charles  Jacobus,  Ellis  A.  Apgar,  George  G.  Ryan, 
William  Clinton  Armstrong,  George  H.  Eckels  and  the  present  City 
Superintendent,  Ira  T.  Chapman. 

Among  the  teachers  who  have  served  continuously  in  the  city  system 
for  many  years  are  Misses  Eleanor  S.  Lott,  Anne  Castner,  Cecelia  Bou- 
dinot,  Mary  Castner.  Cornelia  Schroeder,  Amanda  Voorhees,  Annie 
Rastall,  Grace  E.  March,  Carolyn  Plechner,  Emma  A.  McCoy,  Saidee 
Felter,  Josephine  Masso,  Angie  Wray,  Blanche  Johnston,  Mr.  Henry 
Miller,  Miss  Sarah  O.  Whitlock,  Mr.  George  W.  Wilmot,  Misses  Susie 
Crabiel,  Saidee  A.  Smith,  Chrissie  Bartle,  Jessie  M.  Gray,  Selma  Erick- 
son,  Margaret  Wall,  Bertha  Dewald.  Permelia  Wray.  May  U.  Bogan, 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  205 

Maude  Hart,  Suzanne  J.  Price,  Martha  Dewald,  Mr.  George  H.  Brooks, 
Misses  Faye  Van  DeVenter,  Helen  Morrison,  Jessie  Morrison,  Myra 
Selover,  Katherine  Boudinot,  Mrs.  Kate  C.  Marsh  (formerly  Miss  Kate 
C.  Garland)  ;  Misses  Marjorie  Deshler,  Sadie  Leary,  Elsie  Dunham,  Mrs. 
Josephine  de  Percin  (formerly  Miss  Josephine  Paulus);  Misses  Edith 
Richardson  and  Laura  Hughes. 

Many  of  the  most  distinguished  professional  and  business  men  have 
served  long  and  well  upon  the  Board  of  Education,  among  those  who 
have  served  for  a  period  of  ten  years  or  more,  mention  might  be  made 
of  Garret  Conover,  John  Cheeseman,  Thomas  N.  Doughty,  John  S.  Stew- 
art, Abram  R.  Provost,  Robert  L.  Hoagland,  John  Helm,  Joseph 
Eldridge,  E.  Leon  Loblein,  Charles  E.  Tindell,  James  A.  Morrison, 
Henry  G.  Parker,  Anthony  Viehman,  A.  L.  Smith,  Otto  O.  Stillman, 
George  C.  Ludlow,  Theodore  G.  Nelson,  Henry  R.  Baldwin,  Robert  J. 
Smith  and  A.  W.  Winckler.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  H.  B.  Zimmerman, 
Nelson  Dunham  and  Henry  L.  Janeway  each  served  for  a  period  of 
twenty-two  years,  and  that  Morris  Bauer  has  been  connected  with  the 
Board  of  Education  of  the  city  for  a  period  of  twenty-four  years. 

The  sum  of  $408,340  has  been  raised  for  the  next  school  year,  which 
is  an  indication  of  progress.  The  school  system  is  up-to-date,  and  with 
the  completion  of  the  school  buildings  now  being  erected,  the  citizens  of 
New  Brunswick  may  justly  be  proud  of  its  educational  privileges. 

City  of  Perth  Amboy — While  private  schools  were  maintained  for 
the  children  of  the  well-to-do,  education  in  the  public  schools  was  some- 
what delayed.  A  private  school  was  established  in  the  early  days  in 
what  was  known  as  the  "State  House,"  then  the  home  of  the  Governor  of 
East  Jersey,  and  later  known  as  The  Westminster. 

The  earliest  record  of  an  attempt  to  found  a  system  of  public  schools 
is  contained  in  a  minute  of  a  public  meeting,  bearing  date  January  9, 
1788.  The  work  of  the  public  schools  was  carried  on  for  many  years  in 
the  City  Hall,  or  in  rented  rooms,  until  1780,  when  the  first  public 
school  building  was  erected,  and  in  a  greatly  enlarged  capacity  still 
serves,  and  is  known  as  School  No.  i. 

In  1895,  the  city  took  on  a  new  life,  and  its  growth  developed  a  fine 
system  of  schools  consisting  of  thirteen  large,  well  equipped  elementary 
schools  and  an  up-to-date,  capacious  High  School.  Pupils  from  sur- 
rounding districts  enjoy  the  privileges  of  the  High  School.  Graduates 
of  the  High  School  are  admitted  on  certificate  to  twenty-two  colleges  and 
universities.  The  teaching  corps  numbers  over  two  hundred,  and  the 
total  enrollment  is  thought  to  be  8,500.    Population  41,707. 

Charles  C.  Hommann,  James  S.  White,  Adrian  Lyon  and  Samuel  E. 
Shull  have  rendered  valuable  service  as  City  Superintendents.  Mr. 
Shull  has  been  City  Superintendent  continuously  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
five  years,  and  his  leadership  is  very  generally  recognized. 


206  MIDDLESEX 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  following  named  have  taught  for  many 
years:  Miss  M.  Emma  MacWilliam,  Mr.  Edgar  H.  Kleinhans,  Mr. 
Charles  Dietz,  Misses  Jennie  Pemberton,  Anna  Joslin,  Mary  P.  Meade, 
Grace  Hawk,  Edith  L.  Sofield,  Mr.  Joseph  F.  Walker,  Misses  Harriet 
Eraser,  Katharine  McCormick,  Mary  Morris,  Lillian  E.  Fretz,  Mary  E. 
Hansen,  Grace  Carman,  Anna  Major,  Agnes  Hardiman,  Nellie  Shean, 
Ida  B.  Miller,  Mamie  B.  Miller,  Alice  Hegstrom,  Sue  Franke,  Rose 
McCormick,  Rose  M.  Blume,  Genevieve  Frank,  Bertha  Oxenford, 
Blanche  Van  Syckle,  Margaret  Connor,  Caroline  Kimball,  Mr.  Henry  S. 
Hulse,  Mr.  Will  W.  Ramsay,  Misses  Augusta  D.  Martin,  Wealthy  D. 
Heinzleman,  Pauline  Philo,  Margaret  J.  Slugg,  Ellen  M.  Ostrye,  Lillian 
M.  Cause,  Margaret  E.  Boughton,  Ingeborg  Oksen,  Margaret  Martin, 
Harriet  H.  Meade,  Alice  M.  Clack,  Philomena  Martin,  Emma  Clausen, 
Bertha  Brown,  Helena  M.  Wright,  Ruth  W.  Hancock,  Lucy  Woglom, 
Leisa  F.  Henry,  Mabel  Lanning,  Elsie  J.  Snyder,  Besse  R.  Hunter,  Jetta 
Stacey,  Florence  Leathers,  Florence  Garretson,  Virginia  Miller,  Leila 
Arnold,  Katharine  A.  Martin,  Harriet  Webster,  Esther  Laurey,  Mr. 
Mark  R.  Lefler,  Mr.  Glenworth  Sturgis,  and  Miss  Mabel  E.  Treen. 

Mr.  John  K.  Sheehy  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion for  ten  or  more  years  and  as  president  of  the  Board  for  a  number  of 
years.  The  sum  of  $200,000  for  maintenance  has  been  raised  for  the 
next  school  year.  The  public  school  system  of  the  city  of  Perth  Amboy 
has  kept  pace  with  its  remarkable  growth. 

City  of  South  Amboy — For  many  years  the  town  of  South  Amboy 
comprised  two  school  districts,  each  containing  one  school  building,  in 
the  township  of  Sayreville,  viz.,  Park  School  and  Raritan  School.  One 
of  the  original  school  buildings  is  still  in  use,  however,  very  much 
enlarged  and  modified. 

In  1880  the  town  of  South  Amboy  became  a  borough,  and  in  1908 
the  borough  was  incorporated  into  the  city  of  South  Amboy,  and 
recently  School  No.  i  has  been  remodeled  into  a  fine  high  school  build- 
ing, with  all  modern  facilities  and  containing  a  junior  and  a  senior  high 
school  department.  At  this  date  the  teaching  force  includes  thirty  or 
more  teachers,  exclusive  of  the  vocational  evening  school  teachers.  The 
school  enrollment  has  reached  about  nine  hundred.  This  is  exclusive  of 
pupils  attending  large  Parochial  Schools.     Population  7,897. 

In  considering  the  names  of  those  who  were  in  school  supervisory 
positions  in  this  municipality,  should  be  mentioned  the  names  of  James 
Corkery,  Miss  Kate  McCoy,  Miss  Mary  Thomas,  R.  M.  Fitch,  and  City 
Superintendent  O.  O.  Barr,  who  has  been  in  charge  of  the  city  schools 
for  the  past  six  years. 

Among  the  teaching  corps  who  have  served  continuously  for  many 
years  are  Misses  Laura  Rutan,  Kate  C.  Bogart,  Katharine  O'Connor, 
Mary  J.  Watson,  Mary  E.  Buchanan,  Mrs.  Florence  Matteson  (formerly 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  207 

Miss  Florence  Coker),  Misses  Helen  Brown,  Martha  Buchanan,  Ruth 
Campbell,  Edna  M,  Agan,  Margaret  Gallagher,  Cecilia  McGonigle,  Helen 
Applegate  and  Mary  Mack. 

The  two  names  that  stand  out  conspicuously  as  school  board  men 
who  have  rendered  long  and  valuable  service  are  Frank  E.  DeGraw,  who 
served  eighteen  years;  and  Alonzo  L.  Grace,  who  gave  his  services  for 
eleven  years.  The  last  appropriation  for  school  purposes  called  for 
$42,250.  Under  the  recent  administration  the  school  system  of  this 
municipality  has  greatly  improved,  and  the  quality  of  the  high  school 
work  is  recognized  in  college  entrance  examinations. 

Borough  of  Diinellen — In  the  beginning  of  the  last  half  century,  the 
school  district  of  Dunellen  possessed  a  one-room  school  on  the  site  of 
the  present  Whittier  School.  In  1880  this  building  was  added  to  and 
remodeled  into  a  modern  four-room  school  building,  with  greatly 
increased  school  facilities. 

In  1885  the  village  of  Dunellen  was  formed  into  a  borough  from  the 
township  of  Piscataway. 

Quite  recently  the  Lincoln  School  building  was  erected,  providing 
eight  very  desirable  school  rooms,  and  at  the  present  time  the  Whittier 
School  building  is  being  again  enlarged  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $100,000. 
Upon  the  completion  of  this  building  the  borough  of  Dunellen  will  have 
two  very  excellent  elementary  school  buildings.  The  school  enrollment 
of  the  borough  is  about  700  pupils,  and  those  who  complete  the  eighth 
year  are  permitted  to  attend  the  Plainfield  High  School.     Population 

3.394- 

Among  the  school  supervisors  of  recent  years  in  this  borough>  we 
recall  E.  W.  Oley,  Lester  Meseroll,  Guy  H.  Rentschler  and  M.  Burr 
Mann,  who  has  been  supervising  principal  for  the  past  two  years.  The 
teachers  who  have  served  long  and  well  in  this  district  are  Misses  Imo- 
gene  Smith,  Fannie  Smith,  Ritie  G.  Brokaw,  E.  May  Higgins,  Ethel  C. 
Rogers  and  Mary  H.  Lindsley. 

Among  the  school  board  men  who  have  given  their  services  for  more 
than  ten  years  are  August  F.  Todd ;  Arthur  J.  Hanley  and  Theodore 
W.  Day,  who  has  just  completed  his  twentieth  year  of  service  on  the 
Board  of  Education. 

The  appropriation  made  for  the  current  expenses  for  the  coming 
school  vear  of  this  district  is  $28,400.  The  school  facilities  of  this  munici- 
pality are  quite  up-to-date,  especially  with  the  privilege  of  sending  eighth 
year  pupils  to  so  excellent  a  high  school  as  Plainfield  maintains. 

Borough  of  Helmetta — The  growth  of  the  Helmetta  school  shows  a 
progressive  transition  from  a  one-room  frame  building,  erected  in  1885, 
to  a  new  brick  building  of  modern  construction  containing  five  rooms, 
erected  in  1912. 

The  school  of  Helmetta  was  one  of  the  first  propositions  considered 


2o8  MIDDLESEX 

by  Mr.  George  W.  Helme  when  he  built  the  early  snuff  mills  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Helmetta,  said  to  be  named  after  Mr.  Helme  and  one  of  his 
daughters.  The  founder  of  the  village  of  Helmetta  was  very  greatly 
interested  in  public  education,  and  the  George  W.  Helme  Company  has 
always  befriended  the  public  school  interests  of  the  borough  and  county 
generally. 

Originally,  this  district  was  a  portion  of  East  Brunswick  township, 
and  was  known  as  School  No.  74.  In  1888  it  became  a  borough.  The 
school  facilities  are  considered  among  the  best  in  the  county.  It  has 
approximately  200  school  population,  and  transports  its  eighth  year 
pupils  to  the  Jamesburg  High  School,  upon  the  completion  of  the  ele- 
mentary school  course.    Population  687. 

The  school  supervision  has  been  in  charge  of  Miss  Lizzie  F.  Straub 
for  the  past  thirty  years,  and  her  faithfulness  and  usefulness  have  been 
recognized  and  appreciated  by  the  citizens  of  the  borough.  The  teach- 
ers who  have  served  faithfully  for  a  number  of  years  are  Mrs.  Jessie  R. 
Colburn  (formerly  Miss  Jessie  R.  Henkel),  Misses  Alida  E.  Franklin  and 
F.  Lillian  Franklin. 

Among  the  School  Board  men  who  have  given  their  services  for  over 
ten  years  are  Clinton  M.  Clemmons,  Robert  J.  Franklin,  Sr.,  Walter  B. 
Helme,  James  Deming,  and  Chester  A.  Burt,  who  served  for  a  period  of 
twenty-one  years  The  names  of  Welcome  G.  Clemmons  and  William 
H.  Clemmons  will  always  be  associated  with  Helmetta  schools. 

Appropriation  has  been  made  for  current  expenses  for  the  coming 
school  year  of  $6,000.  For  a  borough  of  its  size,  its  school  facilities 
compare  very  favorably  with  others,  and  is  likely  to  do  so  as  long  as  the 
George  W.  Helme  Company  officials  reside  in  the  borough. 

Borough  of  Highland  Park — The  first  public  school  in  Highland  Park 
was  organized  in  1885  in  a  private  house,  with  Miss  Chrissie  Bartle  as 
the  first  teacher.  In  1886  a  one-room  school  building  was  erected  on 
the  site  of  the  present  Lafayette  School.  From  time  to  time,  by  reason 
of  the  increased  school  population  of  the  borough,  additional  rooms  and 
wings  were  added  until  at  the  present  time  the  Lafayette  School  is  a 
large,  well-equipped  elementary  building  with  spacious  grounds.  Quite 
recently  two  new  buildings  of  modern  type,  of  four  rooms  each,  known 
as  the  Hamilton  and  Irving  Schools,  have  been  erected,  and  yet  the 
school  accommodations  are  wholly  inadequate. 

The  borough  was  formed  in  1905,  since  which  time  a  very  unusual 
growth  in  school  population  has  taken  place.  The  erection  of  a  new 
up-to-date  building  with  a  spacious  auditorium  and  gymnasium  is  now 
being  contemplated  to  fill  a  much  needed  want.  It  is  quite  likely  that 
the  school  population  of  the  borough  of  Highland  Park  has  increased  in 
a  larger  percentage  than  any  other  district  in  the  county  within  the  past 
decade,  with  the  exception  of  one  district.     The  district  furnishes  very 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  209 

excellent  elementary  school  privileges,  and  sends  those  leaving  the 
elementary  school  to  the  New  Brunswick  High  School,  where  they  have 
very  excellent  instruction.  The  enrollment  is  nearly  900  school  chil- 
dren. Population  4,866.  The  corps  of  teachers  at  present  number  over 
thirty. 

Among  those  who  have  had  a  leading  part  in  the  school  supervision 
of  the  borough  are  Thomas  G.  Van  Kirk,  J.  A.  Wilson,  Justin  Warbasse, 
Frank  E.  Spring,  and  F.  Willard  Furth,  the  present  supervising  principal. 
Misses  Mabel  W.  Stoothoff,  Blendina  Smock  and  Bertha  Snediker  have 
served  for  a  number  of  years  faithfully  in  the  school  system.  Among 
the  School  Board  men  who  have  rendered  faithful  and  efficient  service 
for  a  number  of  years,  the  name  of  Condit  S.  Atkinson  is  most  fre- 
quently mentioned 

The  sum  of  $67,800  has  recently  been  appropriated  for  current  school 
expenses  for  the  coming  school  year.  The  borough  is  growing  in  leaps 
and  bounds  and  its  citizens  are  ambitious  to  keep  pace  in  educational 
matters.  Considerable  community  school  work  is  being  well  directed 
by  school  organizations. 

Borough  of  Jameshurg — In  1887  the  village  of  Jamesburg  was  incor- 
porated into  a  borough  out  of  a  portion  of  the  territory  of  the  township 
of  Monroe. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  pupils  attended  the  one-room  school 
located  on  the  Old  Englishtown  road.  Later  a  two-room  building  was 
erected  on  a  lot  adjoining  the  Presbyterian  church.  This  building  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  A  two-room  building  was  erected  where  the  elemen- 
tary school  building  now  stands.  By  reason  of  the  growth  of  the  bor- 
ough and  the  appreciation  of  the  course  of  instruction  by  those  living 
outside  of  the  borough,  not  only  the  elementary  school  facilties  have 
been  greatly  enlarged,  but  a  modern  high  school  has  been  erected.  The 
high  school  diplomas  are  recognized  by  the  normal  schools  and  col- 
leges. The  school  population  of  the  municipality  is  about  700.  Popu- 
lation 2,671. 

Charles  Stout,  Forman  Coosaboom  and  Curtis  A.  Deveney  have  had 
charge  of  the  school  supervision  of  the  borough  for  a  number  of  years. 
Mr.  Deveney,  the  present  supervising  principal,  has  been  at  the  helm 
for  the  past  fifteen  years,  and  his  good  work  is  generally  recognized. 
Among  the  teachers  who  have  rendered  a  considerable  term  of  service 
are  Charles  L.  Stout,  Misses  Maggie  Pownall,  Blendina  Smock  and 
Hilda  Baremore.  John  H.  Baremore  has  been  a  valuable  member  of 
the  School  Board  for  more  than  thirteen  years,  and  John  Waddy  has 
rendered  efficient  service  as  a  School  Board  man  for  more  than  twenty 
years. 

The  appropriation  for  the  ensuing  year  for  current  school  expenses 
is  $17,843.     By  reason  of  the  large  elementary  school  population  the 

Mid— 14 


210  MIDDLESEX 

Board  of  Education  has  decided  to  build  another  modern  school  building 
At  a  cost  of  $85,000,  adjoining  the  present  high  school  building.  Not 
less  than  seven  borough  and  township  school  districts  adjoining  and 
surrounding  the  Jamesburg  High  School  transport  in  large  numbers 
the  graduates  from  the  eighth  year.  This  school  under  the  present  effi- 
cient management  offers  very  excellent  high  school  facilities. 

Borough  of  Mctiichcn — Many  years  ago  the  present  school  district  of 
the  borough  of  Metuchen  was  known  as  Franklin  School  District,  No. 
15,  township  of  Raritan,  and  the  building  was  known  as  the  Franklin 
Civic  House,  a  one-story  building  with  one  room.  This  large  room  was 
divided  into  two  rooms,  one  of  which  was  used  by  the  Presbyterian  con- 
gregation for  weekly  prayer  meetings,  and  the  other  for  public  school 
purposes.  In  1872  a  two-story  frame  building  was  built  on  the  site  of 
the  present  high  school  building,  and  in  1907  the  present  high  school 
building  was  erected.  More  recently,  Mr.  Charles  S.  Edgar,  now 
deceased,  donated  a  plot  of  groimd  containing  seven  acres  for  school 
purposes,  upon  which  an  up-to-date  elementary  school  has  been  erected 
and  designated  as  the  "Edgar  School."  These  two  buildings,  together 
with  a  movable  two-room  building,  adjoining  the  high  school,  furnish 
very  excellent  school  accommodations,  for  a  school  population  of  about 
800  children.    Population  3,334. 

The  names  which  stand  out  the  most  prominently  as  school  super- 
visors in  this  district,  are  A.  T.  S.  Clark,  Henry  Anderson,  and  Thomas 
G.  Van  Kirk,  the  present  incumbent,  who  has  occupied  the  position  of 
supervising  principal  for  more  than  twenty  years,  serving  the  township 
of  Raritan  for  six  years  and  the  borough  since  its  formation  in  1904. 
Misses  Anna  Cheeseman  and  Martha  C.  Vogel,  and  Mrs.  Jasper  H. 
Hogan  (formerly  Miss  Emma  Siemons),  have  been  faithful  and  effi- 
cient teachers  in  this  district  for  a  number  of  years.  Prominent  among 
the  School  Board  men,  are  the  names  of  Thorfin  Tait  and  that  "grand 
old  man,"  Robert  Bruce  Crowell,  recently  deceased,  who  served  on  the 
School  Board  continuously  for  nearly  half  a  century. 

The  recent  appropriation  for  current  school  expenses  was  $29,960. 
The  high  school  graduates  are  received  in  the  normal  schools  and  col- 
leges upon  evidence  of  graduation.  The  citizens  of  Metuchen  have 
always  manifested  a  pride  in  the  work  of  the  public  school. 

Borough  of  Middlesex — For  many  years  the  district  now  included  in 
the  borough  of  Middlesex,  which  was  formed  in  1913,  had  but  a  single 
one-room  school,  known  as  Harris  Lane  School.  This  building,  which  is 
still  standing,  was  erected  over  one  hundred  years  ago,  and  is  possibly 
the  oldest  existing  school  building  in  the  county  of  Middlesex.  The  land 
on  which  the  building  stands  was  donated  to  the  community  by  Mr. 
Hendrick  Smock.  The  teachers  were  paid  by  the  parents  of  the  pupils 
attending,  and  the  money  for  the  erection  of  the  school  house  was  raised 
by  public  subscription. 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  211 

The  Pierce,  Watchung  and  Parker  schools,  all  elementary,  accommo- 
date the  500  school  population  with  some  difficulty.  Population  1,852. 
At  a  recent  meeting  the  district  voted  the  sum  of  $112,000  for  an  up-to- 
date,  fireproof  school  building  with  all  modern  equipment,  much  to  the 
credit  of  the  public-spirited  citizens  of  the  borough. 

Mr.  William  Love  has  been  in  charge  of  the  school  supervision  since 
the  borough  formation,  and  the  results  of  his  work  are  very  commenda- 
ble. The  name  of  Miss  Nora  B.  Henderson,  who  taught  in  the  township 
of  Piscataway  for  a  number  of  years  and  in  the  borough  of  Middlesex 
since  its  formation,  a  total  experience  of  twenty-six  years,  is  a  household 
name  in  the  community. 

The  men  who  were  most  interested  in  the  educational  facilities  of  the 
new  borough  were  Max  F.  Wirtz,  James  V.  N.  Polhemus,  Louis  V. 
Poulson,  Stewart  C.  Crouse,  Clinton  M.  Cary,  John  L.  Douglass,  Bayard 
Naylor,  Augustus  C.  Ramsey,  Everett  A.  Gowdy,  John  H.  Sebring  and 
Joseph  White. 

The  recent  appropriation  for  current  school  expenses  was  $41,483, 
and  this  amount,  together  with  the  amount  appropriated  for  the  new 
building,  makes  a  total  appropriation  of  $153,483.  The  elementary 
school  graduates  attend  the  Plainfield  and  Bound  Brook  high  schools. 
For  its  age,  this  young  borough  is  exceedingly  promising  in  educational 
matters. 

Borough  of  Milltozvn — The  village  of  Milltown  was  formerly  a  por- 
tion of  East  Brunswick  and  North  Brunswick  townships,  separated  by 
a  stream  known  as  Lawrence  brook.  The  first  school  was  located  some- 
where back  of  the  Methodist  church.  Later  a  two-room  school  on  Main 
street,  was  erected. 

Milltown  was  formed  into  a  borough  commission  in  1888,  and  erected 
a  four-room  school  building.  Later,  the  borough  commission  became  a 
full-fledged  borough,  and  a  fine  modern  eight-room  school  was  erected 
on  a  desirable  lot,  donated  to  the  borough  by  Mr.  James  Ford,  a  resident 
of  New  York  City,  who  for  many  years  was  interested  in  Milltown. 
Later  there  were  four  more  rooms  added  to  the  building,  which  at  the 
present  time  is  wholly  inadequate  for  a  school  population  of  600  chil- 
dren.   Population  2,573. 

The  men  who  have  been  most  prominent  in  the  school  supervision 
of  the  district  are  E.  W.  Merritt,  Warren  A.  Roe,  Harry  R.  B.  Meyers, 
and  the  present  incumbent,  Stephen  F.  Weston,  who  very  recently  has 
taken  charge.  The  teachers  who  have  served  for  a  considerable  period 
in  the  school  are  Misses  Eva  Benham  and  Annie  Merritt.  Miss  Grace 
Shaw  is  now  completing  her  tenth  year  of  faithful  service.  J.  Milton 
Brindle,  Howard  S.  DeHart  and  George  Heyle  have  served  more  than 
ten  years  each  on  the  Board  of  Education.  The  sum  of  $28,750  has  been 
raised  for  the  next  school  year,  and  the  sum  of  $65,000  has  recently  been 


212  MIDDLESEX 

voted  for  the  purchase  of  a  playground  and  the  erection  of  an  additional 
school  building.  With  these  additional  school  accommodations.  Mill- 
town  school  facilities  will  be  abreast  with  boroughs  of  like  population. 

Borough  of  Roosevelt — The  district  known  as  Roosevelt  was  formerly- 
known  as  Blazing  Star  District,  No.  22,  and  a  part  of  Woodbridge  town- 
ship. The  borough  of  Roosevelt  was  incorporated  in  1906.  At  that  time 
there  was  a  thirteen-room  school  in  Chrome  section  of  the  borough ;  a 
four-room  school  in  the  Carteret  section,  and  a  one-room  school  at 
the  East  Rahway  section,  which  school  was  later  discontinued. 
So  marvelous  has  been  the  growth  in  valuations  and  population  that 
in  order  to  provide  adequate  school  accommodations,  addition  after 
addition  to  the  school  buildings  became  necessary  in  order  to  accom- 
modate 2,000  children  of  school  age.    Population  11,047. 

The  borough  has  a  teaching  corps  of  about  fifty  teachers.  Some 
seventy-five  high  school  children  attend  the  Rahway  High  School,  and 
many  of  the  high  school  graduates  have  attended  the  New  Jersey  Normal 
Schools  and  Columbia  University. 

The  school  supervision  has  been  in  charge  of  Miss  Barbara  V.  Her- 
mann as  supervising  principal  for  the  past  thirteen  years.  The  teachers 
who  have  served  faithfully  for  ten  years  or  more  in  said  borough  are 
Miss  Catherine  Hermann,  principal  of  the  Carteret  section  school : 
Misses  Anna  Devereux,  Mary  Devereux,  Mary  Connolly  and  Ethel 
Keller. 

The  School  Board  men  who  have  served  faithfully  for  more  than  ten 
years  are  Edward  J.  Heil,  Matthew  A.  Hermann,  Charles  H.  Morris, 
Frank  J.  Born,  Patrick  J.  Coughlin,  George  W.  Morgan  and  Valentine 
Gleckner.  Appropriation  has  been  made  for  current  expenses  for  the 
coming  school  year  of  $83,862.  The  school  system  of  the  borough  of 
Roosevelt  is  one  of  the  most  complete  elementary  systems  in  the  county. 
Its  equipment,  including  its  home-making  department,  will  compare 
favorably  with  any  borough  of  the  State,  of  the  same  population. 

Borough  of  Sayreville — Prior  to  187 1  the  village  of  Sayreville  was  a 
part  of  the  township  of  South  Amboy.  In  this  year  the  town  of  South 
Amboy  was  incorporated  into  a  borough  by  a  special  Act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture. The  remaining  section  of  the  township  was  named  after  James  R. 
Sayre,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Sayre-Fisher  Manufacturing  Company, 
which  at  that  time  was  the  only  industry  in  the  township,  but  to-day 
it  is  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  largest  industries  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 
The  school  trustees  of  the  district,  which  was  then  known  as  Dis- 
trict No.  37,  advocated  and  erected  a  school  building  at  a  cost  of  $4,000, 
which  was  then  and  still  is  known  as  School  No.  i  in  said  district.  This 
district  has  recently  been  made  the  borough  of  Sayreville.  At  the  present 
time,  the  district  embraces  three  school  buildings,  the  school  property 
at  Ernston  having  been  taken  by  the  Government  during  the  war.     The 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  213 

school  population  numbers  about  600.  The  graduates  of  the  elementary- 
school  attend  high  school  in  South  Amboy  and  New  Brunswick.  Popula- 
tion 7,181. 

Mr.  Jesse  Selover  has  been  supervising  principal  of  this  district  for 
fourteen  years,  or  more,  having  acted  previously  as  principal  of  No.  i 
School  for  a  period  of  five  years.  Among  the  teachers  who  have  served 
faithfully  and  well  for  the  past  ten  years  or  more,  are  Misses  Mercy 
Hillmann,  Emma  Arleth  and  Catherine  Samsel.  Mr.  James  N.  Blew, 
now  deceased,  served  as  a  School  Board  man  for  a  period  of  twenty  years 
and  Mr.  George  L.  Sullivan  for  more  than  ten  years. 

The  current  expense  appropriation  for  the  coming  year  is  about 
$25,000,  and  at  a  recent  meeting  an  appropriation  of  $105,000  was  voted 
for  a  new  school  building  which  has  been  greatly  needed  for  a  number 
of  years.  With  the  completion  of  the  new  building,  the  borough  of 
Sayreville  will  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  its  public  school  accommoda- 
tions and  instruction. 

Borough  of  South  River — The  borough  of  South  River  was  formerly 
a  part  of  the  township  of  East  Brunswick.  Later  it  was  made  a  commis- 
sion by  special  Act  of  the  Legislature,  and  at  a  comparatively  recent 
date  it  was  made  a  full  fledged  borough.  Until  1908  the  three-room  brick 
building,  with  several  additions,  met  the  school  requirements.  After 
that  date  the  growth  of  the  borough  necessitated  additional  school  build- 
ings. No.  2  and  No.  3,  buildings  of  considerable  size,  have  been  erected 
to  meet  the  demands  of  the  school  population,  and  No.  3  is  used  for 
High  School  purposes.  The  school  population  is  about  1,300,  and  the 
teachers  number  ^6.    Population  6,596. 

Those  most  prominently  in  charge  of  the  school  supervision  of  recent 
years  have  been  William  Campbell,  Francis  P.  O'Brien,  Louis  J. 
Kaser,  William  H.  Connors,  and  T.  Frank  Tabor,  who  has  been  super- 
vising principal  for  the  past  three  years.  Among  the  teachers  who  have 
served  long  and  well  in  this  district  are  Misses  Sarah  T.  M.  Brown,  Mary 
Stadler,  Estelle  Van  Arsdale,  Theresa  Smith  and  Jessie  Henderson. 
Their  long  term  of  faithful  service  justifies  special  mention.  Mr.  George 
Allgair  has  been  a  member  of  the  School  Board  for  twenty-four  contin- 
uous years,  and  Rev.  William  J.  Kern  for  a  period  of  ten  years. 

The  sum  of  $55,998  has  been  appropriated  for  the  current  expenses 
for  the  coming  school  year,  and  $155,000  for  alterations  to  School  No.  i. 
School  No.  I,  while  among  the  most  substantially  built  school  buildings 
of  the  county,  has  become  antiquated,  and  the  Board  of  Education  is 
planning  to  make  either  substantial  alterations  or  erect  a  new  building. 
When  this  has  been  accomplished,  the  borough  of  South  River  will  have 
provided  ample  and  modern  school  accommodations  for  the  school  popu- 
lation, which  is  increasing  very  rapidly. 

Borough  of  Spotswood — The  borough  of  Spotswood  was  formerly  a 
part  of  the  township  of  East  Brunswick,  and  became  a  borough  in  1908. 


214  MIDDLESEX 

For  many  years  the  one-room  school  taught  by  Miss  Eugenia  Dimmick 
was  well  known  throughout  the  county  for  its  high  grade  of  work.  Later 
an  additional  room  was  added,  and  Mr.  Thomas  G.  Van  Kirk  became  the 
principal.  In  1901,  the  old  school  building  was  used  for  a  fire  department, 
and  an  up-to-date  four-room  brick  building  was  erected  across  the  road- 
way immediately  opposite  the  old  building.  This  borough  has  a  school 
population  of  about  250,  and  at  present  necessitates  half-day  classes  in 
some  of  the  grades.    Population  704. 

School  supervision  has  been  in  charge  of  Miss  Anna  Fitts,  who  has 
taught  in  the  district  for  a  period  of  twenty-six  years,  and  has  been  act- 
ing as  supervising  principal  for  the  past  eleven  years.  The  names  of 
Roy  P.  Stillwell  and  Mark  W.  Swetland  appear  prominently  as  princi- 
pals of  the  school,  immediately  prior  to  the  borough  formation.  Mr. 
John  O.  Cozzens  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  contin- 
uously for  a  period  of  forty-four  years,  and  is  the  dean  of  School  Board 
men  of  the  county.  Mr.  Charles  DeVoe  has  rendered  many  years  of 
valuable  service  as  a  School  Board  man. 

The  sum  of  $3,027  has  been  appropriated  for  the  current  school 
expenses  during  the  coming  year.  This  district  is  in  need  of  additional 
school  accommodations.  At  least  two  rooms  should  be  added  at  once 
to  the  present  school  building.  The  grounds  are  ample  and  well  kept. 
The  graduates  of  this  school  are  transported  by  automobile  to  the  James- 
burg  High  School. 

Toumship  of  Cranbiiry — The  history  of  the  Cranbury  schools  dates 
from  the  organization  of  the  first  church  in  1738.  There  is  a  record  of  an 
Indian  mission  school  about  1756,  established  by  David  Brainard.  Later, 
two  district  schools  were  organized,  one  known  as  the  South  Cranbury 
School,  and  the  other  as  the  Bunker  Hill  School.  These  schools  were 
separated  by  a  considerable  lake,  and  continued  to  vie  with  each  other 
until  the  new  grammar  school  was  built  in  1896.  The  Board  of  Educa- 
tion closed  the  school  at  Cranbury  Neck  and  Wycofif's  Mills,  and  trans- 
ported the  pupils  to  a  central  grammar  school.  This  transportation 
necessitated  an  enlargement  of  the  grammar  school  building  to  eight 
rooms,  with  a  manual  training  room  equipment. 

In  1919,  that  portion  of  the  township  of  Cranbury  commonly  known 
as  Plainsboro,  was  set  off  by  the  Legislature  into  the  new  township  of 
Plainsboro.  This  separation  leaves  one  large  elementary  school  building 
in  the  township,  to  which  children  are  transported  by  a  number  of  con- 
veyances. The  graduates  of  this  elementary  school  are  transported  by 
autos  to  the  high  school  in  Hightstown.  The  school  population  of  Cran- 
bury township  is  about  250,  and  the  corps  of  teachers  is  eight  in  num- 
ber.    Population  1,083. 

Valuable  service  was  rendered  during  the  two-school  period  by  Miss 
Ella  Davis  (later  Mrs.  Amzi  Duncan),  and  Miss  Holmes.     Miss  Laura 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  215 

Scudder  has  been  a  teacher  in  said  district  continuously  for  a  period  of 
twenty-two  years,  and  Miss  Anna  L.  Ervin  for  a  period  of  sixteen  years. 
For  the  past  eight  years  Mr.  Floyd  L.  Evans  has  occupied  the  position 
of  supervising  principal  of  said  district. 

Mr.  William  F.  Pcrrine  and  Howard  J.  Butcher  have  been  board 
members  continuously  for  over  twenty-five  years,  and  John  V.  B, 
Wicoff,  R.  S.  Mason,  E.  S.  Barclay,  S.  H.  Perrine,  D.  J.  Wilson  and 
J.  H.  Conover  have  served  on  the  Board  of  Education  for  a  period  of 
more  than  ten  years.  The  current  expense  appropriation  for  the  coming 
year  was  $13,300.  This  district  requires  additional  school  accommo- 
dations of  at  least  two  rooms  and  an  auditorium.  These  improvements 
are  now  being  considered  by  the  Board  of  Education. 

Township  of  East  Brunswick — Some  years  ago,  the  township  of  East 
Brunswick  included  what  is  now  known  as  the  borough  of  South  River, 
borough  of  Helmetta,  borough  of  Spotswood,  and  a  portion  of  the  bor- 
ough of  Milltown.  The  oldest  building  in  the  district  is  the  Weston's 
Mills  School,  No.  2,  which  is  still  standing,  but  abandoned.  It  is  situated 
near  the  location  of  the  old  tollgate  on  the  New  Brunswick  and  Old 
Bridge  turnpike.  Theie  are  five  school  buildings  within  the  district, 
three  of  which  are  graded  schools.  The  graduates  from  the  elementarv 
school  are  transported  to  the  high  school  at  South  River  and  the  high 
school  at  New  Brunswick.  The  school  population  is  about  500  and  the 
number  of  instructors  12.    Population  1,857. 

The  school  supervision  of  this  district  has  been  in  charge  of  Mr. 
John  F.  D.  Heineken  for  a  period  of  twenty-one  years.  Misses  Kathryn 
A.  Newmyer  and  Mae  A.  Newmyer  have  rendered  valuable  service  as 
teachers  continuously  for  more  than  ten  years  in  this  district.  Nine 
years  of  valuable  service  was  rendered  by  Mr.  Harry  R.  B.  Meyers  as 
principal  of  School  No.  7,  Dunham's  Corner,  immediately  prior  to  his 
election  as  supervising  principal  of  the  borough  of  Milltown.  Dr.  I.  C. 
Crandall  has  served  upon  the  School  Board  for  twenty-one  years,  and 
Mr.  Henry  Warnsdorfer  for  more  than  ten  years.  The  current  school 
expense  appropriation  for  the  coming  year  is  $8,500. 

The  townships  of  Sayreville  and  Madison  send  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  pupils  to  the  Old  Bridge  School,  in  which  there  is  not  sufficient 
room  for  desirable  work,  and,  unless  said  townships  erect  additional 
school  buildings  for  the  accommodation  of  their  pupils,  it  will  be  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  the  Board  of  Education  to  enlarge  the  present  school 
building  at  Old  Bridge.  The  township  territory  remaining,  after  the 
formation  of  four  boroughs,  presents  a  difficult  problem  to  the  school 
administrators,  the  solution  of  which  will  ultimately  be  a  consolidation 
of  schools,  with  transportation. 

Township  of  Madison — Madison  township  contains  seven  public 
schools.    The  building  located  in  the  Morristown  section  is  undoubtedly 


2i6  MIDDLESEX 

the  oldest  building  in  the  township.  The  school  population  in  the  district 
is  about  400.  The  graduates  of  the  elementary  school  attend  the  high 
schools  at  Jamesburg,  Matawan  and  Perth  Amboy.    Population  1,808. 

The  school  administration  of  this  district  was  in  charge  of  Mr.  Asburj- 
Fountain  for  more  than  ten  years.  He  was  succeeded  three  years  ago 
by  Mr.  Raymond  E.  Voorhees,  the  present  supervising  principal.  Miss 
Marguerite  Winter  has  given  twenty-four  years  of  continuous  service  in 
the  Morristown  district,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  overvalue  her  work 
in  that  community.  Mrs.  Lambertson  (formerly  Miss  Bessie  Warne), 
and  Miss  Viola  Wilson  have  given  more  than  ten  years,  respectively,  of 
teaching.  The  School  Board  men,  who  have  rendered  more  than  ten 
years  of  service,  are  Edward  Barker,  John  Otto,  Michael  Schulmeister 
and  D.  H.  Brown. 

Appropriation  has  been  made  for  current  expenses  for  the  coming 
school  year  of  $8,802.  By  reason  of  the  proximity  of  so  many  school 
children  living  on  the  Madison  township  line  near  the  village  of  Old 
Bridge,  and  the  establishment  of  the  sections  known  as  Nos.  i  and  2, 
Brunswick  Gardens,  a  new  four-room  school  building  is  very  much 
needed  and  should  be  located  centrally,  so  as  to  provide  school  accom- 
modations for  the  children  of  these  three  sections.  The  Board  of  Educa- 
tion realizes  the  condition,  and  will  undoubtedly  meet  the  requirements 
of  the  law. 

Township  of  Monroe — In  the  early  days  the  township  of  Monroe  had 
seven  schools.  The  same  school  locations  still  exist  with  improved 
school  buildings.  The  school  population  numbers  about  300  pupils,  and 
all  of  the  graduates  of  the  elementary  schools  attend  the  Jamesburg 
High  School  or  Hightstown  High  School.    Population  2,006. 

The  school  supervision  has  been  in  charge  of  the  following  super- 
vising principals :  Messrs.  William  H.  Connors,  Roy  R.  Stillwell,  Harris 
A.  Jamison  and  Raymond  E.  Voorhees,  who  is  the  present  supervisor. 
Miss  Rebecca  T.  Allen  has  rendered  faithful  service  in  this  district  for 
a  period  of  twenty-nine  years  continuously.  Mr.  Daniel  W.  Clayton, 
Mr.  George  Mount  and  Mr.  James  H.  Tilton  have  served  upon  the  Board 
of  Education  for  many  years.  Mr.  Daniel  W.  Clayton  was  a  charter 
member  of  the  County  School  Board  Association,  and  has  been  its 
treasurer  ever  since  its  organization.  The  current  expense  appropria- 
tion for  the  coming  school  year  is  $12,000. 

The  schools  known  as  Gravel  Hill,  Dey  Grove,  Pleasant  Grove  and 
Old  Church,  should  be  closed,  and  the  pupils  transported  to  a  new, 
up-to-date  school  building  in  a  central  location. 

Township  of  North  Brunszvick — There  are  four  school  buildings  in  the 
township  of  North  Brunswick,  the  oldest  of  which  is  Oak  Hill,  which 
is  known  to  have  been  in  existence  for  more  than  eighty  years.  The 
earliest  record  (1861),  reveals  the  fact  that  George  B.  Wight,  who  later 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  217 

became  the  Rev.  George  B.  Wight,  was  the  teacher.  Mr.  Wight  entered 
the  Civil  War,  and  later  he  became  one  of  the  best  known  Methodist 
ministers  in  the  State. 

The  other  schools  are  known  as  Red  Lion,  Livingston  Park  and 
Adams.  The  city  of  New  Brunswick  has  recently  taken  a  portion  of 
North  Brunswick  township  into  the  city  limits,  which  will  to  some  extent 
affect  the  attendance  in  the  Livingston  Park  School.  The  graduates 
from  the  elementary  schools  attend  the  New  Brunswick  High  School. 
The  school  population  numbers  200.     Population  1,399. 

Mrs.  Anna  Williams  has  given  seventeen  continuous  years  of  school 
service  in  this  district,  and  Mrs.  Ruckman  (formerly  Miss  Mamie  F. 
Tracy),  has  taught  in  this  district  for  fourteen  years.  Miss  Bessie  M. 
Schoenly,  the  supervising  principal,  has  been  in  charge  for  the  past  five 
years.  Mr.  Thomas  W.  Buckelew  has  been  a  member  of  the  School 
Board  for  thirty  years,  and  Mr.  Edward  W.  Suydam  has  served  for  a 
period  of  over  ten  years. 

The  appropriation  for  this  district  for  current  expenses  is  $11,480. 
The  board  is  wisely  transporting  the  children  from  the  Oak  Hill  school 
to  the  graded  school  at  Milltown.  It  has  purchased  a  valuable  lot  upon 
which  to  erect  a  new  school  building  at  or  near  Berdine's  Corner.  A 
new  one-room  school  building  has  just  been  completed  at  Adams  Sta- 
tion, which  is  known  as  an  Italian  settlement.  This  new  building  will 
give  much  needed  relief  to  the  Red  Lion  Graded  School,  which  was 
greatly  overcrowded. 

Township  of  Piscataway — Fifty  years  ago,  the  township  of  Piscataway 
included  within  its  borders  what  are  now  known  as  the  borough  of  Dun- 
nellen  and  the  borough  of  Middlesex.  There  were  seven  small  ungraded 
schools,  with  seven  teachers.  Now  there  are  three  large  graded  schools 
and  one  ungraded  school,  with  a  corps  of  twenty-four  teachers.  The 
school  building  at  New  Market,  South  Plainfield  and  Brunswick  avenue, 
are  large  and  well  equipped  schools.  The  school  population  is  about 
1,000  pupils.  The  graduates  of  the  elementary  schools  attend  the  high 
school  at   Plainfield,  New   Brunswick  and   Bound   Brook.     Population 

5,385- 

The  school  supervision  has  been  in  charge  of  Mr.  Alfred  Wilson 
(now  principal  of  one  of  the  largest  schools  in  Newark),  and  Mr.  William 
F.  Mets,  who  has  occupied  the  position  of  supervising  principal  of  the 
township  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  Misses  Meta  F.  Soper,  Carolyn 
Van  Pelt,  Harriet  I.  Gregory  and  Mabel  A.  Bowers,  and  Mr.  Frank 
Meskill,  have  taught  successfully  and  continuously  for  many  years  in 
the  district.  Among  the  men  who  have  served  more  than  ten  years  upon 
the  School  Board  are:  Everett  Marshall,  A.  G.  Nelson,  John  Geary, 
J.  F.  Ten  Eyck  and  F.  O.  Nelson.  The  appropriation  for  the  approaching 
year  is  $47,141.    By  reason  of  the  increase  of  school  population  in  South 


2i8  MIDDLESEX 

Plainfield,  another  graded  school  building  is  required  to  provide  the 
school  accommodations  demanded  by  law.  The  Board  of  Education  is 
already  considering  such  a  building,  and  when  it  shall  have  been  erected, 
Piscataway  school  district  will  have  reason  to  feel  proud  of  its  public 
school  facilities. 

Toxoiship  of  Plainsboro — What  is  now  known  as  the  township  of 
Plainsboro  has  had  only  one  school  building  in  its  territory  for  many 
many  years.  The  rapid  growth  of  the  community  required  buildings 
providing  four  school-rooms.  The  people  of  the  district  have  voted 
$50,000  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  an  up-to-date  four-room  school,  of 
Princeton  stone,  with  spacious  auditorium,  home-making  department, 
shower  baths,  electric  light,  with  ample  recreation  grounds.  School 
population  of  this  district  is  125.    Population  800. 

The  school  supervision  has  been  in  charge  of  Mr.  Floyd  L.  Evans, 
who  has  acted  in  the  capacity  of  supervising  principal  for  the  past  ten 
years.  Miss  Luella  Hults  has  taught  in  this  community  for  a  period  of 
ten  years.  Mr.  John  V.  B.  WicofT,  who  as  a  young  man  attended  the  old 
one-room  school,  has  for  many  years  been  the  firm  and  progressive 
friend  of  the  public  school  interests  of  Plainsboro,  and  together  with 
Mr.  H.  W.  Jefifers,  was  largely  instrumental  in  the  formation  of  the  dis- 
trict. 

Appropriation  has  been  made  for  current  expenses  for  the  coming 
year  of  $4,000.  Since  the  recent  formation  of  this  new  district,  which 
includes  a  portion  of  the  territory  of  Cranbury  and  South  Brunswick 
townships,  a  number  of  prominent  men  have  become  interested  in  the 
character  of  the  school  facilities  and  the  government  of  the  township ; 
among  them  are  Mr.  Henry  W.  Jefifers,  superintendent  of  the  Walker- 
Gordon  Dairy  Farms,  and  a  number  of  officials  from  the  Rockefeller 
Institute.  This  locality  catches  the  educational  echo  from  old  Prince- 
ton College.  Graduates  from  the  elementary  department  are  transported 
to  the  Princeton  High  School.  The  school  facilities  of  this  new  town- 
ship are  full  of  promise. 

Toivnship  of  Raritan — The  township  of  Raritan,  prior  to  1904,  con- 
tained ten  school  districts,  nearly  all  one-room  school  buildings.  In  1904, 
the  borough  of  Metuchen  was  formed,  and  in  1906  the  borough  of  High- 
land Park  was  organized  out  of  the  territory  of  Raritan  township,  thus 
removing  from  the  township  all  the  graded  school  buildings.  In  1908, 
a  movement  for  larger  and  better  schools  was  begun,  which  resulted  in 
the  building  of  two  four-room  school  buildings  in  the  following  year. 
The  population  in  the  Piscatawaytown-Lindenau  section  grew  so  rap- 
idly as  to  necessitate  an  up-to-date  eight-room  brick  building,  which 
at  the  present  time  is  inadequate.  The  school  population  is  about  1,100, 
and  is  distributed  so  widely  over  the  district  that  transportation  is 
required  in  several  directions.     Population  5,419. 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  219 

For  a  number  of  years,  Mr.  Thomas  G.  Van  Kirk  was  supervising 
principal  of  the  district.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Charles  Runyon,  who 
has  acted  in  the  capacity  of  supervising  principal  for  the  past  sixteen 
years.  The  names  of  Wilfred  R.  Woodward,  Miss  Dillie  F.  Thornall, 
Miss  Susan  M.  Fillips,  Mrs.  Charles  Runyon  (formerly  Miss  Jennie  E. 
Serviss),  Mrs.  Elizabeth  L.  Swackhamer,  Mrs.  Charlotte  R.  Haas,  Miss 
Clara  E.  Runyon,  Mrs.  George  Carman  (formerly  Miss  Josephine  Flana- 
gan), and  Samuel  R.  Brash,  are  worthy  of  notice  for  long  terms  of  service, 
especially  Misses  Susan  M.  Fillips  and  Dillie  F.  Thornall,  who  have 
taught  in  the  district  continuously  for  twenty-eight  years ;  and  Mrs. 
George  Carman  and  Mr.  Wilfred  R.  Woodward,  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
four  years.  The  administrative  line  of  work  has  been  largely  con- 
trolled by  William  T.  Woerner,  who  has  been  a  member  of  the  board 
continuously  for  thirty-six  years,  William  Carman,  35  years,  and  Jerry 
W.  Letson,  who  served  on  the  board  for  a  period  of  more  than  ten  years. 

The  appropriation  for  the  coming  year  is  $60,000.  The  district  has 
recently  raised  for  new  buildings  $250,000.  It  is  proposed  to  pur- 
chase a  desirable  lot  of  considerable  size  on  the  trolley  line  between 
Metuchen  and  Fords,  and  erect  an  up-to-date  eight-room  building,  and 
to  add  six  or  eight  rooms  to  the  Piscatawaytown  building.  When  these 
improvements  shall  have  been  made,  the  district  will  have  excellent 
school  facilities,  considering  the  awkward  territory  left  in  the  township 
after  taking  away  the  borough  territory  of  Metuchen  and  Highland  Park, 

Township  of  South  Brunswick — Some  years  ago  the  school  system 
of  the  township  of  South  Brunswick  consisted  of  thirteen  schools,  twelve 
of  which  were  one-room  rural  school  buildings,  Kingston  being  the  only 
two-room  school  building  in  the  district.  Three  new  buildings  have 
more  recently  been  erected — one  single  room  building  at  the  Ridge,  two 
four-room  buildings,  one  at  Dayton,  and  one  at  Monmouth  Junction. 
The  old  school  buildings  at  Mapleton,  Scott's  Corner,  Little  Rocky  Hill 
have  been  abandoned.  The  school  population  of  the  township  is  about 
650,  and  the  graduates  of  the  elementary  schools  attend  the  high  school 
at  Jamesburg,  Princeton  and  New  Brunswick.    Population  2,666. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  Rev.  J.  N.  Folwell  occupied  the  position 
of  supervising  principal.  His  successor,  Mr.  Floyd  L.  Evans,  has  been 
in  supervisory  control  for  the  past  thirteen  years.  The  teachers  who 
have  taught  in  this  district  for  a  number  of  years  are  Misses  Margaret 
Terhune,  Mary  A.  Green,  Henrietta  M.  Osborne  and  Gertrude  W.  Shann. 
Among  those  who  have  served  on  the  Board  of  Education  are  Mr.  Salter 
S.  Selover,  thirty-two  years;  Mr.  Frank  W.  Stout,  twenty-nine  years; 
Mr.  William  Perkins,  ten  years. 

The  sum  of  $27,000  has  been  appropriated  for  current  expenses  for 
the  coming  year.  From  present  indications,  it  would  appear  that  within 
the  near  future  a  large  graded  school  of  eight  or  more  rooms  should  be 


220  MIDDLESEX 

erected  at  or  near  Dayton,  to  which  the  children  from  Pleasant  Hill,  Road 
Hall,  Fresh  Ponds  and  Deans  could  be  transported.  Great  difficulty  has 
already  been  experienced  in  securing  teachers  for  these  one-room  rural 
schools.  The  remedy  is  consolidation  of  one-room  schools,  which  would 
also  be  a  blessing  to  the  children. 

Township  of  Woodbrid^e — Previous  to  the  year  1876,  the  only  schools 
outside  of  Woodbridge  proper  were  Iselin,  Locust  Grove,  Six  Roads  and 
Fords,  Rahway  Neck  and  Blazing  Star.  About  this  time  the  Woodbridge 
grammar  school  was  constructed,  which  was  the  most  noticeable  school 
building  in  this  section  of  the  county.  In  1906  the  borough  of  Roosevelt 
was  formed,  leaving  within  the  district  of  Woodbridge  eight  school 
buildings,  most  of  which  are  up-to-date  school  buildings  with  most 
modern  appointments. 

The  district  maintains  a  central  high  school,  a  central  grammar  school 
and  six  elementary  schools  which  prepare  the  children  for  the  gram- 
mar school  previous  to  their  attendance  at  the  high  school.  The  special 
teachers  of  the  high  school  faculty  supervise  the  drawing,  music,  manual 
training,  the  manual  arts,  penmanship  and  physical  training,  in  these 
outlying  elementary  schools.  The  school  population  approaches  3,000 
children.    Population  13,423. 

Mr.  John  H.  Love  has  been  the  supervisory  officer  of  the  district 
for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  being  the  dean  of  supervisors  in  Mid- 
dlesex county.  The  following  are  the  names  of  teachers  who  have 
rendered  valuable  service  in  this  district:  Misses  Annie  Richards,  Viola 
E.  Dunham,  Ethel  A.  Inslee,  Jennie  D.  Garthwaite,  Grace  C.  Huber,  Mr. 
Isaac  H.  Gilhuly,  Misses  Margaret  Lockwood,  Helen  V.  Ensign,  Helen 
Lorch,  Louise  A.  Huber,  Rena  Allen,  Mrs.  Ruth  K.  Green,  Misses  Orpah 
Harvey,  Beatrice  L.  Meyer,  Stella  J.  Wright,  Grace  A.  E.  Bayliss,  Julia 
E.  M.  Bayliss,  Sophie  K.  Johnson,  Edith  G.  Hinsdale,  Mrs.  Mary  La- 
Forge  (formerly  Miss  Mary  S.  Clark),  Mrs.  Adelaide  Noble  (formerly 
Miss  Adelaide  Paxton),  Mrs.  Jeanne  Travis  (formerly  Miss  J.  Jeanne 
Adams),  and  Mrs.  Hazel  Matthews  (formerly  Miss  Hazel  Gilhuly).  Mr. 
Everett  C.  Ensign  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  for 
a  period  of  twenty-four  years,  and  Mr.  Howard  A.  Tappen,  Mr.  Howard 
R.  Valentine,  Mr.  Charles  Farrell  and  Mr.  Melvin  Clum  for  more  than 
ten  years. 

The  school  appropriation  for  next  year  is  $196,997.  The  school 
facilities  of  Woodbridge  township  will  bear  a  favorable  comparison, 
from  the  standpoint  of  school  buildings,  equipment  and  supervision,  with 
any  township  school  district  in  the  State,  with  a  similar  population  and 
valuation.    Woodbridge  has  always  been  a  leader  in  educational  matters. 

The  following  is  a  table  of  comparison  of  thirty-three  years  of  growth  : 

School  Phases. 

Number  of  Male   Teachers   Employed 

Number  of  Female   Teachers   Employed 


57. 

1920. 

Increase. 

20 

83 

e^ 

60 

783 

623 

i,6oo 

800 

1,100 

550 

30,000 

21,150 

22,317 

16,317 

3,454, 100 

3,184,100 

958,046 

898,046 

454.673 

384,673 

1,412,719 

1,282,719 

PUBLIC  EDUCATION  221 

Average  Salary  Paid  to  Male   Teachers    800 

Average  Salary  Paid  to  Female   Teachers    550 

Total  Number  of  Pupils  Enrolled 8,850 

Average  Daily  Attendance 6,000 

Value  of  School  Property 270,000 

Total  District  School  Appropriation 60,000 

Total  State    School  Appropriation 70,000 

Total  Amount  Received  from  all  Sources 130,000 

Honor  Roll — So  many  of  the  residents  of  the  county  have  rendered 
such  long  and  valuable  public  school  service  in  Middlesex  county  that  I 
take  pleasure  in  mentioning  the  names  of  those  who  have  served  suc- 
cessfully and  continuously  for  many  years,  hoping  that  the  public  vj'iW 
appreciate  these  faithful  workers  upon  whom  depend  Business  Enterprise ; 
Good  Citizenship;  Public  Security;  State  Pride;  National  Prosperity — 
aye,  the  very  perpetuity  of  our  institutions  depend  upon  our  Public 
School  Teachers,  Public  School  Officials,  Public  School  Facilities. 

The  following  named  have  been  supervising  principals,  with  an 
active  service  for  more  than  ten  years  ;  years  of  service : 

Samuel  E.  ShuU  (Supt.)  Perth  Amboy,  25;  John  H.  Love,  Wood- 
bridge,  25;  Miss  Lizzie  F.  Straub,  South  Amboy,  20;  John  F.  D.  Heine- 
ken,  Milltown,  19;  Thomas  G.  Van  Kirk,  Metuchen,  19;  Charles  Runyon, 
New  Brunswick,  17;  William  F.  Mets,  New  Market,  15;  Curtis  A. 
Deveney,  Jamesburg,  15 ;  Jesse  Selover,  South  River,  14;  Floyd  L.  Evans, 
Dayton,  13;  Barbara  V.  Hermann,  Chrome,  13;  Anna  Fitts,  Spots- 
wood,  13. 

The  following  named  have  served  as  teachers,  in  active  service  for 
more  than  twenty  years ;  years  of  service : 

Fifty  Years — Eleanor  S.  Lott,  New  Brunswick. 

Thirty  to  Forty  Years — Mary  Castner,  New  Brunswick,  35 ;  Cecelia 
Boudinot,  New  Brunswick,  35;  Cornelia  Schroeder,  New  Brunswick,  34; 
Annie  Richards,  Woodbridge,  34;  M.  Emma  MacWilliam,  Perth  Amboy, 
33;  Katharine  O'Connor,  South  Amboy,  33;  Mary  Stadler,  South  River, 
33 ;  Sarah  T.  M.  Brown,  South  River,  33 ;  Gertrude  W.  Shann,  Kingston, 
33;  Amanda  Voorhees,  New  Brunswick,  31  ;  Viola  E.  Dunham,  Wood- 
bridge,  30;  Miss  Meta  F.  Soper,  Metuchen,  30;  Mr.  Charles  Dietz,  Perth 
Amboy,  30. 

Twenty  to  Thirty  Years — Jennie  Pemberton,  Perth  Amboy,  29 ;  Mary 
J.  Watson,  South  Amboy,  29;  Carolyn  Plechner,  New  Brunswick,  28; 
Dillie  F.  Thornall,  Metuchen,  28;  Susan  M.  Fillips,  Metuchen,  28;  Mar- 
guerite Winter,  Cliffwood,  27;  Susie  B.  Felter,  New  Brunswick,  26; 
Sarah  O.  Witlock,  New  Brunswick,  25 ;  Margaret  Terhune,  New  Bruns- 
wick, 25 ;  Emma  A.  McCoy,  New  Brunswick,  24 ;  Anna  Joslin,  Perth 
Amboy  24;  Wilfred  R.  Woodward,  New  Brunswick,  24;  Mrs.  Josephine 
F.  Carman,  Metuchen,  24;  Josephine  Masso^  New  Brunswick,  23;  Angie 
Wray,  New  Brunswick,  23 ;  Edith  L.  Sofield,  New  Brunswick,  23 ;  Kath- 
arine McCormick,  Perth  Amboy,  23 ;  Edgar  H.  Kleinhans,  Perth  Amboy, 
23 ;  Mrs.  Florence  C.  Matteson,  South  Amboy,  23 ;  Blanche  Johnston, 
New  Brunswick,  22 ;  Joseph  F.  Walker,  Perth  Amboy,  22 ;  Mary  P. 
Meade,  Perth  Amboy,  22;  Grace  Hawk,  Perth  Amboy,  22;  Mary  E. 
Buchanan,   South   Amboy,   22 ;   Laura   Scudder,   Cranbury,   22 ;   Henry 


222  MIDDLESEX 

Miller,  New  Brunswick,  21  ;  Adelle  Williams,  Perth  Amboy,  21 ;  Frank 
Meskill,  South  Plainfield,  21  ;  Henrietta  M.  Osborne,  Dayton,  21  ;  Ethel 
A.  Inslee,  Woodbridge,  21;  George  W.  Wilmot,  New  Brunswick,  20; 
Susan  Crabiel,  Milltown,  20;  Harriet  Eraser,  Perth  Amboy,  20;  Helen 
Brown,  Perth  Amboy,  20 ;  Estelle  Van  Arsdale,  South  River,  20 ;  Mercy 
Hillmann,  South  Amboy,  20. 

Names  of  those  who  have  rendered  unusually  long  term  of  service 
but  not  on  the  Honor  Roll  by  reason  of  change  of  district : 

Blendina  Smock,  New  Brunswick,  36  years;  Nora  B.  Henderson, 
Freehold,  35 ;  Chrissie  Bartle,  New  Brunswick,  35 ;  Anna  Cheeseman, 
Metuchen,  29. 

Names  of  those  who  have  rendered  unusually  long  term  of  service, 
but  have  retired  with  pension : 

Amanda  E.  Van  Nuis,  Perth  Amboy ;  *Anne  Caster,  New  Brunswick ; 
Rebecca  T.  Allen,  Hightstown ;  Louise  H.  Connell,  Emma  Oilman,  Ella 
Kent,  Frances  Kent,  Perth  Amboy ;  Laura  Rutan,  Kate  C.  Bogart,  South 
Amboy ;  Mary  Wakeham,  Laura  Wilson,  New  Brunswick ;  *Isabelle 
Huff,  *Mary  E.  Vaughan,  Perth  Amboy ;  *Sarah  J.  Price,  *Elizabeth 
Heward,  New  Brunswick. 

♦Deceased. 

Names  of  School  Board  members,  with  address  and  years  of  service : 

Forty  to  Fifty  Years — John  O.  Cozzens,  Spotswood,  42. 

Thirty  to  Forty  Years — William  T.  Woerner,  New  Brunswick,  36; 
William  Carman,  Metuchen,  35;  Salter  S.  Selover,  Jamesburg,  32; 
Thomas  W.  Buckelew,  New  Brunswick,  30. 

Twenty  to  Thirty  Years — Frank  W.  Stout,  Monmouth  Junction,  29; 
William  F.  Perrine.  Cranbury,  26;  Howard  J.  Butcher,  Cranbury,  25; 
Everett  C.  Ensign,  Woodbridge,  24;  George  Allgair,  South  River,  24; 
Chester  A.  Burt,  Helmetta,  21  ;  L  C.  Crandall,  Old  Bridge,  21  ;  Theodore 
W.  Day,  Dunellen,  20. 

Note — Mr.  R.  Bruce  Crowell,  of  Metuchen,  N.  J.,  who  recently  died, 
had  served  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  for  fifty  years. 

Realizing  that  there  would  be  a  much  greater  proportional  return 
from  combined  effort  than  from  individual  effort,  the  following  organiza- 
tions have  been  established  for  a  number  of  years  and  have  been  very 
helpful  from  the  viewpoint  of  better  preparation,  unity  of  purpose,  socia- 
bility and  community  interests : 

Teachers'  Library — Twenty-five  years  ago  there  was  organized  a 
Teachers'  Library,  composed  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  professional  works, 
established  in  the  third  story  of  the  old  Free  Circulating  Library,  corner 
of  George  and  Paterson  streets.  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey.  The 
object  of  this  library  was  to  provide  the  most  recent  professional  publi- 
cations for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  teachers  of  the  county.  The 
board  of  managers  consisted  of  H.  Brewster  Willis,  County  Superin- 
tendent, president ;  George  G.  Ryan,  Superintendent  of  Schools  of  the 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  223 

City  of  New  Brunswick,  vice-president;  Alfred  J.  Wilson,  Supervising 
Principal  of  Piscataway  Township,  secretary ;  Samuel  E.  Shull,  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  of  the  City  of  Perth  Amboy;  Harry  Cathers,  John 
F.  D.  Heineken,  R.  M.  Fitch,  librarians ;  Thomas  G.  Van  Kirk,  recorder. 

This  library  is  now  established  in  desirable  rooms  in  the  Free  Public 
Library  on  Livingston  avenue,  New  Brunswick,  containing  over  3,000 
volumes,  with  a  librarian  in  attendance.  New  works  are  added  yearly. 
This  library  is  considered  one  of  the  best  teachers'  libraries  in  the  State 
of  New  Jersey.  The  management  of  the  library  at  present  is  as  fol- 
lows:  H.  Brewster  Willis,  president;  Ira  T.  Chapman,  Oscar  O.  Barr, 
vice-presidents ;  Thomas  G.  Van  Kirk,  secretary ;  Samuel  E.  Shull,  treas- 
urer ;  John  F.  D.  Heineken  and  Miss  Kathryn  A.  Newmyer,  librarian. 

School  Board  Association — The  Middlesex  County  School  Board  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  twenty-four  years  ago ;  H.  Brewster  Willis  was 
elected  president;  John  H.  Wade,  vice-president;  William  Carman,  sec- 
retary; and  Daniel  W.  Clayton,  treasurer.  The  following  persons  were 
present  and  became  charter  members  of  the  Association,  in  addition  to 
the  officers:  Brognard  Betts,  Edward  S.  Hammell,  John  Evans,  Ferdi- 
nand E.  Riva,  William  H.  Clemmons,  Welcome  G.  Clemmons,  John  H. 
Kuhlthau,  Manning  Freeman,  William  Fitz  Randolph,  Aaron  W.  Deane, 
George  P.  Smith,  Charles  W.  Fisher,  D.  E.  Lowrie,  John  C.  Morris, 
Rev.  J.  A.  Trimmer  and  Wilson  S.  Frederick.  The  object  of  the  Asso- 
ciation was  to  meet  the  State  and  county  school  officials,  consider  public 
school  interests  generally,  and  exchange  views  upon  the  administrative 
and  professional  lines  of  school  work.  Several  of  the  governors  of  the 
State,  all  of  the  officers  of  the  State  Department,  a  considerable  number 
of  State  Senators  and  Assemblymen,  together  with  the  leading  educators 
of  the  State  and  from  other  States,  have  appeared  before  this  organiza- 
tion on  important  school  matters. 

This  is  the  first  organization  of  its  kind  in  the  State,  and  it  is  believed 
the  first  of  the  kind  in  the  country ;  its  direct  object  being  to  prepare 
School  Board  men  for  their  responsible  duties.  At  present  the  mem- 
bership of  this  Association  nun^bers  two  hundred,  and  the  management 
is  under  H.  Brewster  Willis,  president;  Samuel  E.  Shull,  Ira  T.  Chapman, 
Oscar  O.  Barr,  vice-presidents ;  Daniel  W.  Clayton,  treasurer ;  William 
Carman,  secretary,  and  Thomas  G.  Van  Kirk,  assistant  secretary.  It  is 
rather  noticeable  that  County  Superintendent  Willis,  County  Surrogate 
Daniel  W.  Clayton  and  ex-Sheriflf  William  Carman  have  continued  for 
a  period  of  twenty-four  years  officials  in  this  Association. 

Supervising  Principals*  Association — The  Supervising  Principals' 
Association  was  organized  eighteen  years  ago  with  H.  Brewster  Willis, 
County  Superintendent,  president;  John  F.  D.  Heineken,  secretary; 
Asbury  Fountain,  treasurer,  together  with  Harry  Cathers,  Thomas  G, 
Van  Kirk,  J.  N.  Folwell,  William  Campbell,  John  H.  Love,  Russel  M. 


224  MIDDLESEX 

Fitch  and  others,  at  the  Sewaren  House,  Woodbridge,  in  1902.  The 
object  of  this  organization  was  to  prepare  and  enforce  uniform  courses 
of  study,  rules  and  regulations  for  the  government  of  schools,  distribute 
printed  matter  to  pupils,  teachers  and  parents,  secure  from  the  boards 
of  education  the  necessary  district  school  stationery,  and  hear  the  leading 
school  men  of  the  State  on  important  school  problems. 

This  organization  at  present  has  a  membership  of  thirty  supervising 
principals,  and  has  been  an  educational  force  in  the  school  matters  of 
the  county.  The  present  officials  of  the  Association  are :  H.  Brewster 
Willis,  president ;  Samuel  E.  Shull,  Ira  T.  Chapman,  Oscar  O.  Barr, 
vice-presidents;  John  F.  D.  Heineken,  secretary;  Floyd  L.  Evans,  assist- 
ant secretary.  This  organization  is  the  first  of  its  kind  to  be  established 
m  the  State.    Nearly  all  of  the  counties  have  now  fallen  in  line. 

District  Teachers*  Association — In  1902  each  of  the  borough  and  town- 
ship school  districts  of  the  county  organized  a  monthly  teachers'  meeting. 
Each  district  was  organized  by  a  president,  vice-president,  secretary  and 
treasurer,  with  a  distinct  yearly  program  approved  by  the  County  Super- 
intendent, and  usually  included  special  papers  to  be  prepared  by  one  or 
more  of  the  members,  the  review  of  a  pedagogical  work  which  had  pre- 
viously been  assigned,  an  address  from  an  outside  school  man,  and  a 
class  demonstration.  The  pedagogical  works  used  by  these  associations 
were  secured  at  the  Teachers'  Library  from  the  large  number  of  writers 
on  theory  and  practice,  history  of  education,  school  administration,  psy- 
chology, physical  training,  agriculture,  manual  arts,  domestic  science, 
moral  education,  ethics  and  miscellaneous  works. 

At  the  close  of  the  school  year  a  report  has  been  made  by  the  presi- 
dent and  secretary  of  the  work  accomplished  and  filed  the  same  in  the 
office  of  the  County  Superintendent.  These  monthly  meetings  have 
afforded  an  opportunity  for  a  demonstration  of  the  best  teaching  in  the 
county,  and  created  a  sociability  among  the  teachers,  especially  in  the 
rural  sections.  The  high  school  commencement  exercises,  the  elemen- 
tary school  closing  exercises  and  the  annual  field  day  demonstrations 
and  exercises  are  under  the  control  of  these  district  organizations. 

Parent-Teachers*  Association — For  some  years  Middlesex  county  has 
had  the  benefit  of  the  active  work  of  a  County  Council  Parent-Teachers' 
Association,  with  local  district  associations.  Very  many  of  the  substan- 
tial improvements  to  school  buildings  and  the  ornamentation  to  the 
school  grounds  are  the  result  of  the  activity  of  the  Parent-Teachers' 
Association. 

The  officers  of  the  County  Council  of  Parent-Teachers'  Association 
are  as  follows:  Mrs.  Charles  A.  DeRussy,  of  Woodbridge,  president; 
Mrs.  W.  O.  Whitney,  of  Highland  Park,  vice-president;  Mrs.  A.  N. 
Mullin,  of  Highland  Park,  secretary ;  Mrs.  G.  H.  Boynton,  of  Wood- 
bridge,  corresponding  secretary ;  Mrs.  George  G.  Johnson,  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, treasurer. 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  225 

There  is  not  a  county  in  the  State,  where  there  is  more  professional 
help  for  teachers  than  in  Middlesex. 

County  Vocational  Schools — At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  County 
School  Board  Association  held  in  the  city  of  Perth  Amboy,  on  the  31st 
day  of  January,  1914,  a  resolution  was  passed  instructing  the  president 
of  the  Association,  Mr.  H.  Brewster  Willis,  to  appoint  a  committee  of 
five,  of  whom  the  County  Superintendent  should  be  one,  to  investigate 
the  necessity  for  and  to  consider  the  advisability  of  County  Vocational 
Schools,  and  to  submit  the  findings  of  the  committee  in  a  report  to  this 
Association,  at  an  early  date. 

Mr.  Willis  appointed  as  members  of  this  committee,  Mr.  A.  Clayton 
Clark,  superintendent  of  the  Raritan  Copper  Works,  Perth  Amboy; 
Mr.  Howard  V.  Buttler,  president  of  the  Buttler-Howell  Co.,  New 
Brunswick ;  Mr.  Douglas  J.  Fisher,  of  the  Sayre  &  Fisher  Co.,  Sayre- 
ville;  Mr.  John  V.  B.  Wicoff,  counsellor-at-law,  Plainsboro.  The  com- 
mittee made  a  thorough  investigation  of  school  and  industrial  condi- 
tions in  the  county,  and  visited  a  number  of  vocational  schools  in  this 
and  other  States.  This  committee  reported  that  1,113  pupils  had  left 
the  schools  of  the  county  during  the  previous  year,  before  they  had  com- 
pleted the  eighth  year  of  work ;  that  these  children  were  not  prepared 
for  life  work;  that  out  of  sixty  representative  manufacturing  industries 
in  the  county,  fifty-four  were  favorable  to  the  establishment  of  voca- 
tional schools.  A  definite  recommendation  was  made  to  the  effect  that 
County  Vocational  Schools  should  be  established  in  Middlesex  county. 

The  report  of  this  committee  was  submitted  to  Hon.  Peter  F.  Daly, 
judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  who  appointed  the  same  gentle- 
men who  had  so  ably  served  as  an  investigating  committee,  as  members 
of  the  Board  of  Education  of  the  Vocational  Schools.  The  members  of 
the  newly  appointed  board  organized  as  follows:  Mr.  A.  Clayton  Clark, 
Perth  Amboy,  president ;  Mr.  Howard  V.  Buttler,  New  Brunswick,  vice- 
president;  Mr.  Douglas  J.  Fisher,  Sayreville;  Mr.  John  V.  B.  Wicoff, 
Plainsboro ;  Mr.  H.  Brewster  Willis,  New  Brunswick,  secretary ;  Mr. 
Thorfin  Tait,  Metuchen,  treasurer,  (all  college  men),  on  November  2, 
1914. 

The  board  made  a  very  careful  search  throughout  this  State  and 
other  states  for  a  suitable  man,  in  education  and  vocational  experience, 
to  act  as  a  County  Director  of  Vocational  Schools.  Clifford  E.  Parsil, 
assistant  to  James  E.  Dougan,  headmaster  of  the  Newark  Boys'  Voca- 
tional School,  was  the  unanimous  choice  of  the  county  board,  and  his 
successful  administration  for  the  past  five  years  is  the  best  evidence  of 
the  fact  that  the  board  acted  wisely  in  its  selection. 

Vocational  School  No.  i,  at  New  Brunswick,  was  opened  in  Septem- 
ber, 1915.  A  building  on  Guilden  street,  which  had  formerly  been  used 
for  public  school  purposes,  was  equipped  with  woodworking  machinery 

Mid— 15 


226  MIDDLESEX 

and  benches,  a  drafting-  room,  and  a  room  where  the  related  academic 
subjects  could  be  taught.  On  opening  day  about  thirty-five  boys  reported 
for  work,  but  before  the  first  term  was  well  under  way  there  were  but 
two  or  three  vacancies.  The  school  at  that  time  was  equipped  to  accom- 
modate fifty-four  boys.  In  September,  1916,  a  printing  department  was 
added  to  School  No.  i,  and  this  increased  the  capacity  to  seventy-two 
boys. 

Within  the  past  year  the  board  has  erected  an  up-to-date  strictly 
vocational  school  building,  at  an  approximate  cost  of  $120,000,  with  a 
capacity  for  the  industrial  instruction  to  150  boys.  This  building  is 
located  on  a  very  desirable  site  on  Easton  avenue,  in  the  city  of  New 
Brunswick,  directly  opposite  to  Buccleuh  Park,  where  the  boys  have 
the  privilege  of  enjoying  all  the  facilities  of  the  park  and  the  athletic 
grounds.  The  building  is  equipped  with  most  modern  facilities,  includ- 
ing a  spacious  and  well  furnished  auditorium,  named  after  Hon.  Peter 
F.  Daly,  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Middlesex  county, 
who  has  been  such  a  staunch  advocate  of  the  County  Vocational  Schools, 
and  furnished  by  the  donation  of  $1,500  from  Mr.  Joseph  Hayden,  of 
Omaha,  Nebraska,  a  friend  to  the  school.  Mr.  Floyd  S.  Stein,  principal, 
is  the  head  of  the  woodworking  department;  Mr.  Frank  M.  Tomer,  head 
of  the  drafting ;  Mr.  Alfred  J.  Cardinal  and  Mrs.  Bertha  L.  Schaeffer  in 
charge  of  the  academic  subjects;  Mr.  Morton  H.  Roby,  head  of  the 
printing,  and  Mr.  William  F.  Van  Pelt,  head  of  the  auto  repair  depart- 
ment. The  foundry  and  electrical  departments  will  be  opened  in  due 
time. 

The  Guilden  Street  School  property,  since  the  opening  of  the  new 
school  building  in  October,  1919,  has  been  used  as  a  County  Vocational 
School  for  Girls,  in  which  is  taught  practical  dressmaking,  practical  cook- 
ing, food  values,  food  selection  and  purchasing,  household  accounts, 
hygiene,  home  nursing,  together  with  the  academic  branches.  The  direct 
object  of  the  school  is  to  teach  young  girls  all  phases  of  American  home 
making.  Miss  Carolyn  Argast,  of  Columbia  College  (principal),  is  head 
of  the  practical  dressmaking  department ;  Mrs.  Alice  B.  Rose  is  in  charge 
of  all  phases  of  the  cooking  and  food  department,  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
Wallack  is  in  charge  of  the  academic  department. 

In  September,  1916,  County  Vocational  School  for  Boys,  No.  2,  was 
opened  in  the  city  of  Perth  Amboy.  The  building  was  made  of  brick, 
and  especially  constructed  for  the  purpose.  At  this  center  a  very  large 
and  well  equipped  machine  shop  was  established ;  mechanical  drafting 
and  related  academic  subjects  are  taught,  and  instruction  given  in  indus- 
trial chemistry,  requested  by  and  generously  supported  by  the  large 
industries  of  the  city  maintaining  chemical  laboratories.  This  property 
has  recently  been  purchased  by  the  board  for  $20,500.  Mr.  John  M. 
Shoe   (principal),  is  at  the  head  of  the  machine  shop  department;  Mr. 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION  227 

Albert  Gardner,  drafting;  Mr.  Otto  B.  Durholtz,  related  academic  sub- 
jects ;  Mr.  Joseph  Tatton,  head  of  the  department  of  industrial  chemistry. 

Plans  and  specifications  have  been  prepared  for  an  additional  building 
on  the  five  unoccupied  lots,  adjoining  the  present  school,  at  a  cost  not 
to  exceed  $135,000.  The  County  Board  of  Estimate  has  acted  favorably 
upon  this  building  proposition. 

In  addition  to  the  day  courses  for  boys,  the  board  has  maintained 
since  191 5  evening  schools  in  three  centers — the  city  of  New  Brunswick, 
the  city  of  Perth  Amboy,  and  the  city  of  South  Amboy,  in  which  about 
800  men  and  women  received  instructions  in  carpentry,  pattern  making, 
mechanical  drafting,  architectural  drafting,  show  card  writing,  machine 
shop  practice,  automobile  repairing,  shop  mathematics,  agriculture, 
dressmaking,  millinery  and  cooking. 

The  County  Vocational  Schools  have  graduated  about  fifty  boys  who 
are  holding  their  own  in  the  industrial  world. 

In  view  of  the  critical  condition  of  industry,  Middlesex  county  may 
justly  feel  proud  of  the  vocational  schools  she  owns  and  maintains  for 
the  boys  and  the  girls  who  have  received  elementary  academic  instruc- 
tion and  desire  to  prepare  themselves  for  the  industries.  The  demand 
for  vocational  education  is  a  widespread  one,  and  is  rooted  in  the  social 
and  economic  changes  of  the  times. 

The  Boards  of  Chosen  Freeholders  have  given  substantial  help  in 
the  establishment  of  the  County  Vocational  School  system.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders  who  made  the  appropriation 
which  made  possible  the  organization  of  County  Vocational  Schools 
were :  A.  J.  Gebhardt,  director,  New  Brunswick ;  Andrew  Ely,  Dayton ; 
William  D.  Casey.  Roosevelt;  Alfred  Kerr,  South  Amboy,  and  Theodore 
Cohn,  New  Brunswick. 

The  members  of  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders  who  voted  the 
appropriation  to  provide  permanent  buildings  for  the  County  Vocational 
School  in  the  city  of  Perth  Amboy  and  in  the  city  of  New  Brunswick 
are:  William  S.  Dey,  director,  South  Amboy;  Clarence  M.  Haight, 
Dunellen ;  E.  Leon  Loblein,  New  Brunswick ;  Frederick  Gebhardt,  Sr., 
New  Brunswick ;  Louis  J.  Belloff,  New  Brunswick ;  F.  William  Hilker, 
Perth  Amboy,  and  Christian  Jorgensen,  Perth  Amboy. 

For  friendly  help  in  the  public  school  work  during  the  past  thirty- 
three  years,  I  am  pleased  to  mention  the  State  Department  of  Public 
Instruction ;  the  County  Press ;  Rutgers  College ;  the  several  school 
organizations,  and  in  the  preparation  of  this  brief  sketch  I  am  pleased  to 
acknowledge  the  aid  of  Mr.  Clifford  E.  Parssil,  Middlesex  County 
Director  of  Vocational  Schools ;  the  Supervising  Principals ;  and  Miss 
Anna  J.  Lagerstedt.  who  has  been  the  efficient  secretary  of  the  County 
Superintendent  for  the  past  fourteen  years. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE   PRESS. 

It  was  to  be  expected  that  the  first  periodical  published  in  Middle- 
sex county  would  be  issued  from  its  first  printing  office,  and  this 
occurred  in  1758,  when  James  Parker,  who  had  established  the  first 
office  in  the  State,  near  what  is  now  the  corner  of  Perth  Amboy  avenue 
and  Grove  street,  in  Woodbridge,  issued  the  first  number  of  "The  New 
American  Magazine,"  published  monthly  for  years  and  edited  by  Samuel 
Nevill,  of  Perth  Amboy,  who  wrote  under  the  nom  de  plume  of  "Syl- 
vanus  Americanus."  Each  number  was  of  forty  pages  octavo,  and 
contained  a  variety  of  instructive  and  entertaining  matter.  Mr.  Parker, 
to  whom  further  and  more  complete  reference  is  made  in  the  chapter  on 
Woodbridge  township,  was  a  remarkable  man,  and,  with  Governor 
Joseph  Bloomfield  and  General  Zebulon  Montgomery  Pike,  were  the 
most  prominent  men  in  the  history  of  the  township  of  Woodbridge.  He 
published  the  second  volume  of  "Nevill's  Laws  of  New  Jersey,"  and 
established  "The  Gazette,"  in  New  Haven,  the  first  newspaper  in  Con- 
necticut. His  most  important  contribution  to  history  was  made  in  1765, 
when  he  printed  at  Burlington,  for  Samuel  Smith,  the  historian,  the  first 
issue  of  the  "History  of  New  Jersey." 

In  1866,  James  E.  Berry  commenced  the  publication  of  the  weekly 
"Woodbridge  Gazette,"  and  continued  it  for  about  two  years,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in  New  York,  and  dis- 
continued the  publication.  In  the  spring  of  1876,  Colonel  Alfred  W. 
Jones,  of  Virginia,  who  had  formerly  been  interested  with  Henry  Farmer 
in  the  publication  of  the  "Middlesex  County  Democrat,"  at  Perth  Amboy, 
established  the  weekly  "Independent  Hour"  at  Woodbridge,  and  con- 
tinued its  publication  until  1879,  when  he  removed  to  Virginia,  and 
Peter  K.  Edgar,  who  had  been  the  local  editor,  purchased  the  paper  and 
published  it  until  1900,  when  he  disposed  of  the  property  and  the  plant 
was  removed  to  Gloucester  county. 

Henry  B.  Rollinson,  of  the  "Rahway  Advocate,"  commenced  the 
publication  of  the  "Woodbridge  Register"  in  1896,  which  was  finally 
merged  in  the  "Woodbridge  Leader,"  a  weekly,  owned  by  a  syndicate, 
and  which  is  still  published.  Maxwell  W.  Logan,  who  had  been  oper- 
ating a  printing  office  for  several  years,  issued  the  "Weekly  Independent" 
in  1919,  and  is  still  publishing  it  in  connection  with  "The  Mosquito," 
which  he  purchased  from  H.  E.  Pickersgill,  of  Perth  Amboy. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  New  Brunswick,  of  which  there  is 
any  record,  was  the  "Political  Intelligencer  and  New  Jersey  Adver- 
tiser," edited  by  Shepard  Kollock,  of  Delaware,  in  1783.     In  1779,  Kol- 


230  MIDDLESEX 

lock,  a  lieutenant  in  Colonel  John  Lamb's  artillery  regiment,  of  the 
Revolutionary  army,  started  the  "New  Jersey  Journal"  at  Chatham, 
Morris  county.  Like  many  of  his  successors,  Kollock  had  much  trouble 
in  collecting  from  his  subscribers,  and  offered  to  take  in  payment  any- 
thing from  firewood  to  needles,  and  fresh  country  produce  of  every 
description.  He  carried  on  a  general  store  at  Chatham,  selling  tea  and 
negro  boys  and  girls,  Bibles  and  rum,  calicoes  and  hoes,  "chocolat"  and 
turnips.  At  the  close  of  the  war  in  1783,  he  removed  to  New  Brunswick, 
where  until  1785  he  published  the  above-mentioned  paper  in  one  of  the 
buildings  belonging  to  Queen's  (now  Rutgers)  College.  He  died  in 
Elizabeth  in  1839,  aged  eighty-eight,  after  having  acceptably  filled  many 
offices  of  profit  and  trust  in  Union  county.  The  paper  was  succeeded 
in  1792  by  "The  Guardian  and  New  Brunswick  Advertiser,"  published 
by  Abraham  Blauvelt,  of  Tappan,  New  York,  and  circulated  for  many 
years  in  Middlesex,  Somerset  and  Monmouth  counties. 

The  "New  Brunswick  Fredonian"  was  established  April  10,  181 1,  by 
James  and  David  F.  Randolph,  brothers,  of  Piscataway  township. 
They  were  experienced  printers,  having  served  an  apprenticeship  in  the 
office  of  the  "Alexandria  (Virginia)  Gazette."  They  were  active  in  all 
social,  religious  and  political  movements  in  the  city,  county  and  State. 
From  1828  to  1832  James  was  a  member  of  Congress  and  was  the 
father  of  Governor  and  United  States  Senator  Theodore  F.  Randolph. 
In  1854,  John  F.  Babcock,  of  New  York,  who  had  been  foreman  of  the 
paper  for  two  years,  purchased  the  plant  and  added  a  daily  edition.  Mr. 
Babcock  was  probably  the  most  aggressive  and  influential  editor  the 
county  has  ever  known.  A  forcible  and  interesting  writer,  absolutely 
fearless  and  progressive,  his  editorials  always  commanded  respect  and 
caused  comment,  and  were  of  the  greatest  value  to  his  party.  From  the 
first  he  became  a  prominent  leader  of  the  Republican  party,  was  for 
years  secretary  of  the  State  Senate,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  and 
successively  secretary  and  president  of  the  State  Editorial  Association. 
He  disposed  of  the  paper  in  1886  to  a  syndicate,  who  renamed  it  "The 
Press."  After  retiring  from  the  editorship  of  "The  Fredonian,"  Mr. 
Babcock  was  for  several  years  manager  and  instructor  in  the  printing 
office  connected  with  the  State  School  for  Boys  at  Jamesburg. 

The  "New  Brunswick  Times  and  General  Advertiser"  was  estab- 
lished June  I,  1815,  by  Deare  &  Myer,  and  a  number  of  years  later  pur- 
chased by  Albert  Speer,  a  prominent  Democrat,  and  conducted  by  him 
until  his  death  in  1869.  For  a  brief  period,  subsequent  to  1846,  he  advo- 
cated the  Free-Soil  principles,  which  induced  Alphonso  E.  Gordon,  of 
Philadelphia,  to  start  the  "New  Jersey  Union"  as  a  regular  Democratic 
organ  in  1847,  and  the  "Daily  News"  in  1851.  In  1855,  Mr.  Speer 
returned  to  the  Democratic  fold,  and  Mr.  Gordon  sold  him  his  daily  and 
weekly  and  removed  to  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan.     In  1871  Mr.  Gordon 


THE  PRESS  231 

purchased  "The  Times"  and  published  it  until  1890,  when  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  a  syndicate  composed  of  Millard  F.  Ross,  Judge  J.  Kearney 
Rice,  William  H.  Price,  Oliver  Kelly,  W.  Parker  Runyon  and  Edwin  W. 
Furman. 

In  1880,  Hugh  Boyd,  a  native  of  Bangor,  Ireland,  who  for  a  number 
of  years  was  a  compositor,  reporter  and  city  editor  of  "The  Times," 
purchased  from  Albert  L.  Blue  and  Joseph  Fischer,  the  "Home  News," 
which  had  been  established  by  them  a  few  months  before.  Mr.  Boyd's 
success  was  rapid,  and  has  been  continuous.  A  man  of  untiring  energy 
and  a  born  journalist,  he  soon  built  up  a  flourishing  printing  business  in 
addition  to  the  increased  circulation  of  his  daily  and  weekly  papers.  He 
now  publishes  the  daily  and  weekly  "Home  News,"  and  the  daily  (on 
Sundays)  "Times."  He  also  acquired  the  plants  of  both  "The  Free- 
donian"  and  "Times."  His  career  is  a  bright  example  to  all  ambitious 
editors  and  printers. 

Other  publications  which  had  an  ephemeral  existence  in  New  Bruns- 
wick were,  with  their  editors  and  publishers,  as  follows :  "The  Mail," 
William  H.  Fiske ;  "The  Mosquito,"  J.  Morgan  Macom ;  "Catholic  Rec- 
ord," E.  J.  McMurtry  and  Eugene  A.  Morris;  "Watkin's  Weekly," 
Charles  A.  Banks ;  and  the  "Jeffersonian  Magazine." 

The  "Perth  Amboy  Times"  was  published  in  1858-59  by  Augustus 
Watters.  of  Newark,  a  poet  of  considerable  reputation,  who  is  still  living. 
This  was  antedated  by  "The  Mirror,"  which  existed  for  about  one  year. 
In  1868  Colonel  Alfred  W.  Jones  and  Henry  Farmer,  of  Orange,  founded 
the  "Middlesex  County  Democrat,"  which,  after  several  changes,  passed 
about  1884  into  the  control  of  St.  George  Kempson,  who  also  in  1892 
began  the  publication  of  the  "Middlesex  County  Herald,"  the  first  daily 
published  in  the  city. 

In  1879,  James  L.  and  William  H.  Tooker,  of  Port  Jefferson,  New 
York,  issued  the  first  number  of  the  "Perth  Amboy  Republican,"  and 
published  it  for  many  years  until  it  passed  into  the  control  of  Misses 
Louise  and  Georgia  Boynton,  of  Sewaren,  and  eventually  was  disposed 
of  to  the  present  owners,  Messrs.  Runyon,  Olmstead  and  Clevenger,  who 
changed  the  name  to  the  "Evening  News,"  and  have  recently  erected  a 
large  and  handsome  brick  building  on  the  corner  of  Madison  avenue  and 
Jefferson  street.  Cortlandt  L.  Parker  published  "The  Gazette,"  and 
Wilbur  La  Roe  and  the  late  James  L.  Wight  "The  Chronicle,"  both 
weeklies,  for  several  years.  Recorder  H.  E.  Pickersgill,  among  his  multi- 
farious duties,  still  finds  time  to  publish  "The  Jersey  Mosquito." 

George  W.  Burroughs  began  the  publication  of  the  "Cranbury  Press" 
in  1885.  He  has  had  much  newspaper  experience,  and  for  several  years 
managed  the  "New  Brunswick  Fredonian."  He  publishes  a  neat  and 
interesting  weekly,  and  has  established  a  good  printing  business. 


232  MIDDLESEX 

J.  Eraser  Kempson,  a  brother  of  St.  George,  published  the  "Metuchen 
Inquirer"  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  "The  Recorder," 
still  published  by  Charles  A.  Prickitt. 

Other  journals  published  in  the  county  are:  The  "Roosevelt  News," 
Thomas  Yorke ;  the  "South  Amboy  Citizen,"  M.  N.  Roll,  and  the  "Dunel- 
len  Call,"  Publishing  Company. 

In  preparing  this  brief  sketch  of  "The  Eourth  Estate"  in  Middlesex 
county,  much  of  the  data  has  been  very  difficult,  and  in  some  cases  almost 
impossible,  to  obtain,  and  we  are  much  indebted  in  this  regard  to 
Recorder  H.  E.  Pickersgill  and  Mr.  James  L.  Tooker,  of  Perth  Amboy, 
and  Mr.  John  P.  Wall,  and  Librarians  Osborne  and  Graham,  of  the  Rut- 
gers College  Library,  New  Brunswick.  P.  K.  E. 


^feJD^^ 


COURT  HdlTSIO.   NEW    ] ;  liUXSW  ICK. 
Shcnviii!-:;  the   ■\Maine'"   MDiuiment. 


-MASdXlC    TKMI'h 


iJ^L'^'-^' 


.Sdi.i  II  i:i;s'  .\.vi  1  .s.\i  i,(ii;s'  ak  ixr.\i  i;\'r.  mow    r.urxsw  ick 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
THE    BENCH   AND   BAR. 

Lawyers  were  in  regular  practice  in  this  county  at  an  earlier  period 
than  in  any  other  county  in  East  Jersey,  except  Bergen.  This  may 
be  due  to  the  fact  that  Perth  Amboy,  being  intended  as  the  capital  of 
the  county,  drew  thither  soon  after  its  founding  many  men  who  had 
studied  law  and  politics  in  the  schools  of  England  and  Scotland. 

The  first  records  of  counselors  being  called  in  the  county  courts  was 
at  the  General  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace,  held  in  Perth  Amboy  in 
September,  1708,  when  the  names  of  Francis  Sites,  John  Lofton  and 
Corse  Froam,  "counselors,"  were  called.  Thomas  Gordon,  of  Pitlurg, 
Scotland,  who  came  to  Perth  Amboy  with  the  first  settlers  in  1684,  was 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Province  in  1709,  Attorney-General  in  1719,  and 
became  a  very  prominent  and  useful  citizen.  In  1692  he  was  made 
Judge  of  Probate,  and  in  1694  an  officer  of  the  customs,  Perth  Amboy 
having  been  made  a  port  of  entry.  He  was  the  representative  of  the 
county  in  the  General  Assembly  from  1703  to  1709,  and  a  portion  of  the 
time  speaker  of  the  House.  From  1710  to  1719  he  was  Receiver-General 
and  Treasurer  of  the  Province. 

Thomas  Farmer  came  to  Perth  Amboy  from  Staten  Island  in  171 1, 
and  was  made  Chief  Justice  in  1728.  Philip  Kearny,  born  in  Monmouth 
county,  settled  in  Perth  Amboy  in  1716,  and  was  made  secretary  of  the 
Province,  clerk  of  the  Assembly  and  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in 
1720.  He  practiced  law  in  this  and  other  counties  for  thirty-four  years. 
Cortlandt  Skinner,  of  Perth  Amboy,  practiced  in  this  and  other  counties 
from  1742  until  he  left  the  country  at  the  commencement  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. He  was  Attorney-General  of  the  Province  and  speaker  of  the 
General  Assembly  under  the  Crown,  which  position  he  continued  to 
occupy  until  1775.  He  was  a  strong  loyalist;  but  disapproved  of  the 
arbitrary  measures  of  the  British  ministry  toward  the  Colonies,  as 
calculated  to  force  them  into  an  effort  to  secure  their  independence.  In 
consequence  of  a  letter  written  to  his  brother  in  January,  1776.  the 
latter  being  an  officer  in  the  British  army,  the  Continental  Congress 
ordered  that  he  be  arrested  and  kept  in  safe  custody.  He  had,  however, 
taken  refuge  on  an  English  man-of-war,  and  after  the  war  went  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  remained  until  the  end  of  his  life. 

The  first  county  court  was  held  in  Piscataway,  June  19,  1683,  by  act 
of  the  General  Assembly,  and  by  virtue  of  a  commission  published  under 
the  seal  of  the  Province  and  signed,  by  order  of  the  Council,  by  Governor 
Thomas  Rudyard,  dated  March  28,  1683,  the  officers  being  as  follows: 
Samuel  Dennis,  president,  or  judge;  assistants — Edward  Slater,  James 


234  MIDDLESEX 

Giles,  Captain  John  Bishop.  Samuel  Hall  and  Benjamin  Hull.  John 
Pike.  Jr..  of  Woodbridge,  was  made  clerk,  and  Geoffrey  Manning,  mar- 
shal, or  crier.  A  single  case  was  tried  at  the  session,  in  which  Slater, 
one  of  the  assistant  judges,  acted  as  bail  for  the  defendant.  We  wonder 
what  our  lawyers  would  say  now  if  one  of  our  judges  should  attempt  to 
follow  the  example  of  his  predecessor  in  1683. 

The  second  court  was  held  at  Woodbridge  on  September  18  of  the 
same  year ;  and  thereafter  it  continued  to  be  held  alternately  at  Piscata- 
way  and  Woodbridge  until  June  28,  1688,  when  it  is  recorded  to  have 
been  held  for  the  first  time  at  Perth  Amboy.  From  that  time  until  1699 
the  courts  were  held  alternately  at  the  three  above-mentioned  places. 

There  is  a  break  in  the  records  from  1699  till  1708,  when  it  appears 
that  a  "Court  of  Sessions  for  the  County  Middlesex  and  Somerset"  was 
held  at  Perth  Amboy.  For  a  long  time  after  this  date,  courts  were 
held  at  Perth  Amboy  only,  and  the  now  separate  counties  were  always 
named  conjointly  in  the  record  as  one  county,  as  in  the  above  instance. 
The  above  record  is  taken  from  a  venerable  parchment-bound  manu- 
script in  the  county  clerk's  ofifice,  containing  the  minutes  of  the  county 
court  from  its  first  session,  June  19,  1683,  to  February  22,  1720.  It  is  in 
the  original  handwriting  of  the  several  county  clerks — John  Pike, 
Edward  Slater  and  others.  The  last  eleven  pages  of  the  book  is  an 
original  record  of  the  acts  of  the  road  commissioners  appointed  by  the 
General  Assembly  in  1704,  and  comprises  a  period  from  June  14,  1705, 
to  July  13.  1713. 

New  Brunswick  is  first  mentioned  in  the  records  of  our  county 
courts  April  7,  1724,  when  two  surveyors  of  roads  and  two  constables 
were  appointed  for  it.  Courts  of  Common  Pleas  for  the  county  were 
first  held  in  New  Brunswick  in  January,  1778,  and  a  courthouse  is  first 
mentioned  in  connection  with  the  city  on  July  2,  1778,  when  "the  Bar- 
racks," on  George  street,  near  Paterson,  where  the  soldiers  of  the 
Revolution  were  quartered,  were  granted  by  the  Legislature,  to  be  used 
until  a  suitable  building  could  be  erected.  Prior  to  this,  and  as  early 
as  May  21,  171 7,  there  was  a  courthouse  and  jail  at  Perth  Amboy.  In 
1794  the  Barracks  were  burned,  and  the  "Union,"  or  Old  City  Hall,  was 
built  and  used  as  a  courthouse  until  about  1840,  when  the  present  build- 
ing was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $30,000,  with  money  obtained  from  the 
State. 

Lewis  Morris,  whose  name  appears  as  a  lawyer  at  the  county  bar  in 
1742,  was  at  that  time  Governor  of  the  Province  and  resided  in  the 
gubernatorial  mansion  at  Perth  Amboy.  He  was  an  eminent  jurist, 
and  the  first  Governor  appointed  who  was  a  native  of  the  Province,  and 
was  very  popular  with  the  people.  He  was  also  the  first  Governor  who 
was  not  also  Governor  of  New  York.  In  1738  a  royal  commission 
arrived  from  England  for  him  as  Governor  of  New  Jersey,  separate 
from  New  York ;  he  served  until  his  death  in  1746. 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  235 

Richard  Stockton,  of  Princeton,  then  a  part  of  this  county,  was  a 
judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  before  the  Revolution,  and  a  signer  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  the  famous  family 
of  that  name  in  the  State.  Robert  Hunter  Morris  was  Chief  Justice 
from  1738  until  his  death  in  1764.  His  son  Robert  also  resided  in  New 
Brunswick,  and  was  the  first  Chief  Justice  under  the  Constitution,  having 
been  elected  by  the  joint  meeting  of  the  Legislature  in  1777.  In  1790 
President  Washington  appointed  him  judge  of  the  United  States  District 
Court  for  New  Jersey,  a  position  he  occupied  until  his  death  in  1815. 

Governor  Joseph  Bloomfield  was  born  at  Woodbridge,  in  1755,  read 
law  with  Cortlandt  Skinner,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1776.  In 
1783  he  was  elected  by  the  joint  meeting  Attorney-General,  in  1801  was 
elected  Governor  and  for  eight  years  thereafter  reelected  without  oppo- 
sition.   He  was  also  a  gallant  soldier  in  the  Revolution. 

Andrew  Kirkpatrick  was  born  in  Somerset  county,  in  1756,  but 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  New  Brunswick.  He  studied  law 
with  Governor  William  Paterson,  and  was  admitted  in  1785.  In  1803 
he  was  appointed  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  served  for 
twenty-seven  years,  a  longer  period  than  any  other  judge  except  Isaac 
Smith.  James  S.  Nevius  was  born  in  Somerset  county,  but  practiced  his 
profession  in  New  Brunswick.  He  served  as  a  justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  for  fourteen  years,  and  at  the  end  of  his  second  term  removed  to 
Jersey  City,  where  he  died  in  1859.  George  Wood  was  born  in  Bur- 
lington county,  read  law  with  Judge  Stockton,  was  admitted  in  1812, 
and  commenced  to  practice  in  New  Brunswick.  He  was  probably  one 
of  the  ablest  lawyers  at  the  bar;  but  his  reputation  is  not  confined  to  this 
county  and  State.  He  removed  to  New  York  after  a  few  years,  and 
was  considered  the  equal  of  the  best  practitioners  of  the  metropolis. 
Joseph  Warren  Scott,  son  of  Dr.  Moses  Scott,  of  New  Brunswick,  was 
born  in  1779.  He  was  a  profound  student  of  the  law  and  an  eloquent 
advocate.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  retired  with  a  colonel's 
commission.  From  1844  until  his  death  in  1871,  he  was  president  of  the 
New  Jersey  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

George  P.  Molleson  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1805,  and  was 
prosecutor  for  one  year,  and  Attorney-General  from  1841-44. 

Cortlandt  Parker,  son  of  James  Parker,  was  born  in  Perth  Amboy, 
in  1818.  He  graduated  at  Rutgers  College  in  1836,  read  law  with  Hon. 
Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1839.  He 
began  practice  in  Newark,  being  associated  with  Joseph  P.  Bradley, 
afterward  justice  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  and  Frederick 
F.  Frelinghuysen,  later  United  States  Senator  and  Secretary  of  State. 
In  1857  Governor  Newell  appointed  him  prosecutor  for  Essex  county, 
a  position  he  filled  for  ten  years,  and  was  the  only  public  office  he  ever 
accepted.     He  was  generally  acknowledged  for  many  years  to  be  the 


236  MIDDLESEX 

head,  and  at  his  death  was  the  oldest  and  most  distinguished  active 
representative  of  the  New  Jersey  bar.  He  declined  nominations  to 
Congress,  a  judgeship  in  a  court  to  adjust  the  Alabama  Claims,  and  the 
ambassadorships  to  Russia  and  Austria.  In  connection  with  Chief 
Justice  Beasley  and  Judge  Depue  of  the  Supreme  Court,  he  revised 
the  laws  of  the  State.  He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from 
Princeton  University  and  Rutgers  College,  and  was  president  of  the 
American  Bar  Association  for  several  years.  He  was  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  was  one  of  their  most  trusted 
and  active  legal  advisers.  His  sons  are:  Major-General  James  Parker, 
of  the  United  States  army ;  Congressman  R.  Wayne  Parker ;  Supreme 
Court  Justice  Charles  W.  Parker;  Chauncey  and  Cortlandt  Parker. 

William  H.  Leupp  was  born  in  this  county,  and  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1827.  He  distinguished  himself  as  an  able  advocate  and  lawyer,  and 
died  after  a  successful  career  of  nearly  a  half  century.  Henry  V.  Speer 
was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  graduated  from  Rutgers  College,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1834,  and  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1869, 
was  an  active  and  brilliant  advocate.  He  was  Senator  from  1856-58. 
Joseph  F.  Randolph  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1825,  and  made  a  justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  in  1845.  -^^  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  returned 
to  New  Brunswick  and  formed  a  partnership  with  ex-Mayor  McDowell. 
He  died  in  Jersey  City,  in  1S70. 

The  first  trial  held  in  the  present  courthouse  was  that  of  the  State  vs. 
Peter  Robinson  for  the  murder  of  Abraham  Suydam,  president  of  the 
Farmers'  and  Mechanics'  Bank  of  New  Brunswick.  John  Van  Dyke 
was  the  prosecutor,  assisted  by  Attorney-General  Molleson,  a  brilliant 
orator.  Van  Dyke  was  an  eloquent  and  able  advocate,  especially  in 
presenting  a  case  before  a  jury.  He  was  the  law  partner  of  A.  V. 
Schenck  for  eight  years,  removed  to  Trenton  in  1855,  and  later  was 
appointed  a  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court.  David  Graham,  the  celebrated 
criminal  lawyer  of  New  York,  was  counsel  for  the  defense,  and  moved  to 
quash  the  indictment  on  the  ground  that  it  did  not  specify  the  degree 
of  murder,  and  cited  a  number  of  cases  in  the  courts  of  the  Southern 
States.  Chief  Justice  Hornblower  overruled  the  motion,  remarking  that 
he  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  go  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  to 
ascertain  the  law  to  settle  the  degrees  of  murder  in  New  Jersey. 

William  B.  Paterson,  grandson  of  ex-Governor  Paterson,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1806,  was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention of  1844,  and  the  father  of  the  late  William  Paterson,  of  Perth 
Amboy.  His  son  William  was  born  in  Perth  Amboy  in  1817,  graduated 
from  Princeton,  and  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1838.  Between  1845  ^"^ 
1878  he  was  mayor  of  Perth  Amboy  for  twelve  years.  In  1882  he  was 
a  judge  of  the  Court  of  Errors  and  Appeals  and  served  from  1883-89. 
He  published  a  number  of  works,  among  which  were  "Poems  of  Twin- 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  237 

Graduates  of  Princeton,"  which  were  deservedly  popular.  John  C. 
Elmendorf  was  born  near  Somerville  in  1814.  He  read  law  with  Judge 
Nevius,  and  in  1839  removed  to  New  Brunswick,  where  he  resided  for 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  prosecutor  for  fifteen  years,  after 
which  he  became  a  register  in  bankruptcy.  Robert  and  Garnett  B. 
Adrain  were  sons  of  Professor  Robert  Adrain,  a  distinguished  scholar 
and  mathematician,  who  came  from  Ireland  in  1798  and  was  connected 
successively  with  Columbia  and  Rutgers  colleges.  Robert  was  a  suc- 
cessful lawyer,  and  served  a  term  as  surrogate.  Garnett  read  law  with 
his  brother,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1836,  and  became  eminently 
successful  both  as  an  advocate  and  counselor.  He  was  recognized  by 
the  bar  as  a  legal  light  of  the  highest  order,  and  a  forcible,  ready,  witty 
and  eloquent  speaker  who  had  few  equals  in  the  State.  He  was  a 
member  of  Congress  from  1857-61. 

Abraham  V.  Schenck  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  in  1821,  read  law 
with  Henry  V.  Speer,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1843  ^^^  took  part  in 
many  of  the  most  important  causes  in  the  county.  He  had  the  distinc- 
tion, in  the  case  of  the  State  vs.  Hart  Moore,  county  collector,  of  obtain- 
ing a  favorable  decision  from  the  Court  of  Errors,  reversing  the  action 
of  the  lower  courts.  In  this  case  the  question  arose  whether  the  act 
of  the  Legislature  which  extended  the  time  of  the  prosecution  of  public 
officers  in  the  State  from  two  to  five  years  was  an  ex  post  facto  law.  Mr. 
Schenck  maintained  that  it  was,  and  that  it  impaired  the  defendant's 
vested  rights  under  the  Constitution.  Supreme  Court  Justice  Scudder 
overruled  him,  and  he  carried  the  judgment  of  conviction,  by  writ  of  error, 
to  the  Supreme  Court,  where  Chief  Justice  Beasley  affirmed  the  judg- 
ment of  the  court  below ;  but  the  Court  of  Errors  and  Appeals  reversed 
the  judgments  of  the  lower  courts,  and  fully  sustained  Mr.  Schenck. 
This  was  one  of  the  most  important  decisions  in  the  State,  and  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  leading  journals  of  the  country.  The  "Central  Law 
Journal,"  July  29,  1881,  declared  that  Mr.  Schenck's  argument  before 
the  Court  of  Errors  was  the  ablest  ever  made  in  that  court.  He  was 
prosecutor  of  the  pleas  from  1871  to  1877,  and  during  that  time  not  a 
single  indictment  was  quashed,  nor  one  of  his  convictions  reversed,  or 
carried  to  a  higher  court  for  review. 

Woodbridge  Strong  was  born  in  Clinton,  New  York,  and  came  to 
New  Brunswick  when  quite  young.  He  graduated  from  Rutgers  College, 
read  law  with  John  Van  Dyke,  and  practiced  his  profession  in  the  city 
during  his  entire  life,  except  during  1849-1850,  when  he  was  in  the 
West,  and  from  1874-1879  and  1896-1905,  when  he  was  law  judge.  He 
was  an  excellent  lawyer,  and  made  a  very  acceptable  judge.  A  genial 
and  cultured  gentleman,  he  was  deservedly  popular  with  the  profession 
and  with  the  people.  His  sons,  Alan  H.  and  Theodore,  became  lawyers, 
and  were  partners  until  the  former  was  made  general  counsel  for  the 


238  MIDDLESEX 

Penns}-lvania  Railroad  Company,  and  removed  to  Philadelphia.  Theo- 
dore remained  in  New  Brunswick  and  succeeded  his  brother  as  local 
counsel  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company.  He  was  Senator  from 
1901-3. 

George  Craig  Ludlow,  Governor  from  1881-84,  was  born  in  Milford, 
Hunterdon  county,  in  1830.  At  the  age  of  five  years  his  parents 
removed  to  New  Brunswick,  where  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  read 
law  with  William  H.  Leupp,  and  was  a  careful,  able  lawyer,  and  enjoyed 
a  lucrative  practice.  He  was  Senator  from  1877-79,  ^^^  president  in 
1878.  He  was  a  Supreme  Court  justice  from  1895-1901.  James  M. 
Chapman  was  born  in  Perth  Amboy  in  1822  and  read  law  with  Judge 
Elias  Ogden.  He  practiced  principally  in  New  York.  He  was  mayor  of 
Perth  Amboy  in  1869-70.  Willard  T.  Voorhees  was  born  in  New  Bruns- 
wick in  185 1,  read  law  with  Judge  Strong,  and  had  a  large  practice  until 
appointed  Supreme  Court  Justice  in  1908;  he  died  in  office  in  1914. 
Captain  James  Parker,  a  nephew  of  Cortlandt  Parker,  was  born  in 
Newark,  Ohio,  and  graduated  at  the  United  States  Naval  Academy  in 
1852,  but  resigned,  studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Ohio  bar  in 
1857.  In  1861  he  rejoined  the  navy,  served  throughout  the  Civil  War, 
and  retired  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-commander.  In  1891  he  became 
a  member  of  the  county  bar,  made  his  residence  in  Perth  Amboy,  and 
practiced  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  John  W.  Beekman  was  born 
in  Somerset  county  in  1846,  and  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1875.  He  was 
city  attorney  of  Perth  Amboy  from  1877-95  and  made  District  Court 
judge  in  1909.  He  was  an  Assemblyman  from  1891-93,  and  appointed 
United  States  District  Attorney  for  New  Jersey  in  1894,  and  resigned 
in  1896.  James  H.  Van  Cleef  was  born  in  Somerset  county  in  1841,  and 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1867.  He  was  for  several  years  counsel  to  the 
Board  of  Freeholders,  and  corporation  attorney  for  New  Brunswick. 
From  1898-1900  he  was  Senator,  and  for  several  terms  mayor  of  the  city. 

Charles  T.  Cowenhoven  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  read  law  with 

A.  V.  Schenck,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1865.  He  was  the  first 
law  judge  of  the  Common  Pleas,  and  was  appointed  in  1869  and  again 
in  1885.  His  successors  have  been  Woodbridge  Strong,  Andrew  Cogs- 
well, J.  Kearny  Rice,  Theodore  B.  Booraem,  Adrian  Lyon  and  Peter  F. 
Daly.  The  records  previous  to  1862,  as  to  the  prosecutors,  have  been 
kept  in  such  manner  that  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  accurate  information. 
John  C.  Elmendorf  served  from  1847  to  1857;  George  A.  Vroom,  1857-62; 
and  Elmendorf,  1862-67.     Since  then  the  appointees  have  been  Charles 

B.  Herbert,  Abraham  V.  Schenck,  C.  T.  Cowenhoven,  J.  Kearny  Rice, 
Robert  Adrain,  John  S.  Voorhees,  George  Berdine,  Theodore  B.  Boo- 
raem, George  S.  Silzer,  William  E.  Florence  and  Joseph  E.  Strieker. 

J.  Kearny  was  born  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  1849,  read  law  with 
Judge  Strong  and  was  admitted  in   1876.     From  1882-90  he  was  prose- 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  239 

cutor,  was  made  law  judge  in  1890  and  United  States  District  Attorney 
in  1896.  Theodore  B.  Booraem  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1861, 
read  law  with  A.  V.  Schenck,  was  law  judge  from  1901  to  1909,  and 
prosecutor  from  1909-12.  Adrian  Lyon  was  born  in  Pluckamin  in  1869, 
read  law  with  James  S.  Wight,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1892. 
He  was  assemblyman  1899-1900,  law  judge  1909-1910,  judge  of  District 
Court  of  Perth  Amboy  1901-10.  Since  1899  he  has  been  president  of 
the  Perth  Amboy  Savings  Institution,  and  for  many  years  registrar 
of  the  Board  of  Proprietors  of  East  Jersey.  Robert  Adrain,  son  of  Gar- 
nett  B.  Adrain,  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1853,  read  law  with  his 
father,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1876.  He  was  prosecutor  from 
1890-1896,  and  appointed  other  years  ad  interim.  He  was  Senator  from 
1889-94,  and  president  1891-93.  John  S.  Voorhees  was  born  in  Somerset 
county  in  1855,  read  law  with  his  uncle,  Frederick  Voorhees,  and 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1879;  he  was  prosecutor  from  1896  to  1904.  Peter 
F.  Daly  was  born  in  New  York,  in  1867,  and  the  family  removed  to 
New  Brunswick  in  his  boyhood.  He  read  law  with  James  H.  Van  Cleef, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1888.  He  was  deputy  surrogate  from 
1892-1902,  and  surrogate  from  1902-12.  He  was  appointed  law  judge 
in  191 1,  and  reappointed  in  1916.  George  S.  Silzer  was  born  in  New 
Brunswick,  in  1870,  read  law  with  Judge  Rice,  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1892,  was  made  prosecutor  in  1912,  and  Circuit  Court  judge  in  1914. 
He  was  Senator  from  1907-13.  His  circuit  consists  of  Passaic,  Union, 
Somerset,  Sussex  and  Warren  counties.  William  E.  Florence  was  born 
in  New  Brunswick  in  1865,  read  law  with  Judge  Willard  Voorhees,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1887,  was  prosecutor  from  1914-16,  and  Senator 
from  1917-1919.  Joseph  E.  Strieker  was  born  in  Wittingau,  Bohemia, 
in  1870,  read  law  with  Wallis,  Bumsted  &  Edwards,  attended  the  New 
York  Law  School,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1897.  He  was  made 
assistant  prosecutor  in   1912,  and  appointed  prosecutor  in  1916. 

Charles  C.  Hommann  was  born  in  Wisconsin,  in  185 1,  read  law  with 
Charles  Morgan,  of  South  Amboy,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1880. 
He  was  corporation  attorney  of  Perth  Amboy  for  several  years,  and  was 
appointed  District  Court  judge  for  Perth  Amboy  in  191 5,  and  reap- 
pointed in  1920.  H.  Brewster  Willis  was  born  in  this  county,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1881.  He  has  been  counsel  to  the  Board  of  Free- 
holders, and  for  over  thirty  years  county  superintendent  of  the  Board 
of  Education.  Ephraim  Cutler  was  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1854,  gradu- 
ated from  Rutgers  College,  read  law  with  Andrew  Dutcher  and  Magie  & 
Cross,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1877.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
township  committee  from  1884-89,  and  for  three  years  its  chairman ; 
assemblyman  1888-89,  counsel  for  several  years  of  the  township  com- 
mittee, and  president  of  the  Board  of  Education.  Frederick  Weigel 
was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  in  1859,  read  law  with  Senator  Adrain,  and 


240  MIDDLESEX 

was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1883.  He  has  been  corporation  attorney  for 
many  years.  James  S.  Wight  was  born  in  Warren  county  in  1859, 
read  law  with  Bedle,  Muirheid  &  McGee,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1S83.  He  was  city  clerk  and  attorney  for  Perth  Amboy  for  many 
years.  His  son,  Andrew  J.,  was  born  in  Perth  Amboy  in  1886,  studied 
with  his  father,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1907;  he  was  an  Assem- 
blyman in  1918.  Joseph  H.  Thayer  Martin  was  born  in  Woodbridge, 
graduated  from  Harvard  University  and  its  Law  School,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1899.  He  is  a  partner  of  ex-Judge  Guild,  of 
Newark :  he  was  an  Assemblyman  in  1904-1905,  and  is  counsel  for  the 
Woodbridge  Township  Committee. 

Freeman  W'oodbridge  was  born  in  Saratoga,  New  York,  in  1866,  read 
law  with  Judge  Strong  &  Sons,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1892. 
He  w^as  appointed  judge  of  the  District  Court  of  New  Brunswick  in  191 1 
and  still. holds  that  position.  For  many  years  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  New  Jersey  Reformatory.  Edward  W. 
Hicks  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1868,  read  law  with  John  S.  Voor- 
hees,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1890.  He  was  an  Assemblyman 
in  1894-5,  and  judge  of  the  District  Court  of  New  Brunswick  from 
1901-11.  Alfred  S.  March  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1876,  read 
law  with  Van  Cleef,  Daly  &  Woodbridge,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1900.  In  1907  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law,  Judge 
Freeman  Woodbridge,  which  continued  until  191 1,  when  the  latter  was 
made  District  Court  judge.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Aldermen,  and  in  1917  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  Public  Utility 
Commissioners,  from  which  he  resigned  last  year.  Schuyler  C.  Van 
Cleef  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1873,  read  law  with  his  father, 
Senator  Van  Cleef,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1900.  Thomas  Brown 
was  born  in  England,  in  1877,  while  his  parents  were  sojourning  in 
that  country.  He  was  brought  to  this  country,  and  has  always  resided 
in  this  county.  He  graduated  from  the  New  York  Law  School  in  1905, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1907.  He  was  elected  Senator  in  1918 
by  a  plurality  of  1,378  over  James  A.  Edgar.  Last  year  he  served  on 
the  committees  on  highways,  municipal  corporations,  riparian  rights, 
taxation.  New  Jersey  Reformatory,  Soldiers'  Home,  Epileptic  Village, 
and  Industrial  School  for  Colored  Youths. 

Frederick  W.  De  Voe  was  born  at  Old  Bridge,  in  1889,  attended  the 
New  York  Law  School,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  191 5.  He 
resides  at  Milltown,  with  an  office  in  New  Brunswick.  He  was  elected 
to  the  Assembly  1918-19.  C.  Raymond  Lyons  was  born  in  New  Bruns- 
wick in  1894,  graduated  from  Fordham  University  in  1916.  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  1917 ;  he  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  in  1919. 

A  number  of  eminent  jurists  have  presided  in  the  Middlesex 
Circuit,  and   none  more   so   than   Judge   Vredenbergh,   of  Freehold,   of 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR 


241 


whom  it  was  said  that  his  charge  to  the  jury  in  criminal  cases  was  more 
dreaded  by  the  counsel  for  the  defense  than  the  arguments  of  their 
opponents.  An  amusing  story  is  told  of  one  of  our  circuit  judges  in  the 
old  days,  who  was  very  arbitrary  in  his  rulings,  and  often  aroused  the 
ire  of  the  lawyers.  Upon  one  occasion  a  counselor,  being  much  exas- 
perated by  the  judge's  course,  suddenly  seized  his  books  and  papers, 
strode  wrathfully  toward  the  door  and  had  just  reached  it,  when  the 
judge  loudly  exclaimed :  "Stop,  sir !"  The  counselor  obeyed,  and  His 
Honor  continued :  "Are  you  trying  to  show  your  contempt  for  this 
court?"  Sweeping  him  a  low  bow,  the  lawyer  replied :  "Oh,  no,  sir;  I  am 
only  trying  to  conceal  it." 


Mid— 16 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY. 

As  the  smoke  of  the  battle  is  disappearing  and  the  echoes  of  the 
terrible  World  War  are  dying  out,  men  are  looking  backward,  reviewing 
the  past  and  drawing  helpful  lessons  for  a  better  and  more  prosperous 
future.  We  are  taking  great  pride  in  the  part  America  played  in  the 
war  and  we  are  not  ashamed  of  the  record  the  medical  profession 
played.  We  are  conscious  of  the  fact  that  New  Jersey  and  Middlesex 
County  were  not  slack  in  making  full  contributions  to  the  vast  amount 
of  sacrifice  of  time,  money  and  life  that  resulted  in  the  achievement  of 
victory.  But  we  take  no  superficial  view  by  confining  our  thought  and 
investigation  to  the  recent  past  as  we  estimate  the  valor  of  our  troops 
and  the  devotion  and  efficiency  of  our  surgeons  and  set  high  estimates 
on  their  bravery  and  their  persistency.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  mere  coin- 
cidence that  as  we  are  contemplating  and  drawing  lessons  from  the 
recent  war,  that  following  that  war  so  closely  our  minds  have  been 
occupied,  stirred  and  thrilled  by  the  contemplation  of  the  Landing  of 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers  on  our  shores  three  hundred  years  ago.  As  we 
have  thought  of  their  heroic  deeds  and  sacrifices  that  demonstrated 
the  nobility  of  their  characters  and  their  sublime  and  persistent  devotion 
to  truth  and  righteousness,  we  are  led  irresistibly  to  that  wider,  fuller, 
more  comprehensive  view  that  takes  in  the  three  centuries  of  the  past 
and  to  give  proper  consideration  to  the  influences  of  bygone  generations 
that  have  given  to  the  American  manhood  of  today  the  stamp  of  char- 
acter that  has  made  possible  noble  living  and  great  achievements.  The 
Pilgrim  Fathers  laid  the  foundation  for  America's  greatness.  We  feel 
justified  in  taking  a  very  brief  portion  of  the  allotted  small  space  to 
query  whether  the  medical  profession  does  not  owe  much  to  one  member 
of  that  noble  band,  as  will  further  appear. 

Dr.  Charles  Howard  Bangs,  in  the  "Boston  Medical  and  Surgi- 
cal Journal"  of  December,  1920,  gives  an  interesting  account  of  Samuel 
Fuller,  the  Pilgrims'  Doctor — the  first  doctor  in  the  Colonies  of  whom 
we  have  any  record — who  came  with  the  Pilgrims  in  the  Mayflower. 
Dr.  Bangs  says:  "He  ministered  not  only  to  the  Pilgrims  and  the  natives, 
but  was  also  called  upon  to  render  medical  assistance  among  the  Puri- 
tans as  well.  At  the  call  of  humanity,  wherever  his  services  were  needed, 
he  performed  the  duties  of  his  profession  from  Cape  Cod  to  Cape  Ann, 
serving  from  1620  until  his  death  in  1633.  *  *  He  earned  the  title  of  First 
Resident  Physician  of  New  England,  ministering  to  the  spiritual  as 
well  as  the  bodily  needs  of  all  the  colonists,  endearing  himself  to  all 
by  his  professional  ability  and  by  his  upright  life.  Governor  Endicott 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony  wrote  to  Governor  Bradford  highly 


244  MIDDLESEX 

commending  Dr.  Fuller  for  the  great  services  he  had  rendered.  He  was 
a  man  of  decided  usefulness  in  the  business  affairs  of  the  Colony ;  was 
the  eighth  signer  of  the  Mayflower  Compact.  He  was  an  ideal  physician." 
We  have  digressed  from  our  subject  to  cite  his  life  and  work  because  the 
early  physicians  of  Middlesex  County — like  McKean,  Cochran,  Bloom- 
field,  Scott  and  others  had  much  of  his  character  and  devotion  to  duty. 

No  attempt  will  be  made  to  give  a  lengthy  detailed  account  of  the 
conditions  existing  in  East  Jersey  in  the  seventeenth  and  early  eighteenth 
centuries.  Quacks  abounded  in  the  Colonies  and  Middlesex  County  had 
its  full  share  of  them. 

Dr.  Shrady,  in  his  "History  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, of  New  York  City,"  refers  to  barbers  as  surgeons  in  New  York 
— then  New  Amsterdam — says  that  in  February,  1652:  "On  the  petition 
of  the  Chirurgeons  of  New  Amsterdam,  none  but  they  be  allowed  to 
shave,  the  Director  General  and  Council  understanding  that  shaving 
doth  not  appertain  exclusively  to  Chirurgery,  but  is  an  appendix  there- 
unto ;  that  no  man  can  be  prevented  operating  upon  himself,  nor  to  do 
another  this  friendly  act  provided  it  be  through  courtesy,  and  not  for 
gain,  which  is  hereby  forbidden."  It  was  added,  "Ship  Barbers  shall 
not  be  allowed  to  dress  wounds  nor  administer  any  potions  on  shore 
without  the  previous  knowledge  and  special  consent  of  the  Petitioners, 
or  at  least  of  Johannes  La  Montague."  Dr.  Shrady  refers  that  those 
petitioners  were  Hans  Kierstede,  Jacob  H.  Verrevanger  and  Jacob 
L'Oragne — the  only  surgeons  then  known  to  be  in  New  Amsterdam. 
It  is  an  interesting  fact  Dr.  Shrady  records — that  a  descendant  of  Hans 
Kierstede,  Christopher  Kierstede,  graduated  from  the  Albany  Medical 
College  in  1846,  practiced  in  New  York  and  vicinity  over  half  a  century 
and  died  at  his  home  in  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  January  23,  1903,  aged  81 
years. 

Whitehead  in  his  contributions  to  the  "History  of  Amboy,"  cites 
the  following:  "Charles  Gordon  of  Woodbridge,  writing  to  his  brother, 
Dr.  John  Gordon,  March  7,  1685,  after  describing  the  salubrity  of  the 
climate,  said:  *If  you  design  to  come  hither  yourself,  you  may  come  as 
a  planter,  or  as  a  merchant,  or  as  a  doctor  of  medicine.  I  cannot  advise 
you,  as  I  can  hear  of  no  diseases  here  to  cure,  but  some  agues,  and  some 
cutted  fingers  and  legs,  but  there  are  no  want  of  empiricks  for  these 
already  abound.  I  confess  that  you  could  do  more  than  any  yet  in 
America,  being  versed  in  Chirurgery  and  Pharmacie,  for  here  are  abun- 
dance of  herbs,  shrubs  and  trees  and  no  doubt  medicinell  ones  for  making 
drugs,  but  there  is  no  Imployment  this  way.'"  Yet  there  is  definite  rec- 
ord of  the  prevalence  of  malarial  fevers,  smallpox,  venereal  disease, 
yellow  fever  and  epidemics  of  "Throat  Distemper,"  at  different  times 
from  1638  to  1736. 

Again,  in  the  "New  York  Gazette,"  January  18,  1732,  it  is  stated 
"The  smallpox  spreads  very  much  in  this  Province  and  in  New  Jersey, 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  245 

also  at  Amboy,  New  Brunswick  and  Thereaway.  Many  have  been 
inoculated  and  not  one  of  them  have  died,  but  have  had  the  distemper 
very  easy."  That  was  true  of  smallpox  a  little  later  when  Dr.  John 
Cochran,  one  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  of  New  Brunswick,  rented 
a  house  there — three  miles  from  the  center  of  the  town — in  which  during 
the  winter  and  spring-  of  1774-5  he  inoculated  400  persons,  without  a 
death  occurring.  Kaim  in  1748  and  Winterbottom  in  1796  say  that 
women  constituted  the  greater  number  that  administered  medicine. 
Smith,  in  his  "History  of  New  York,"  says:  "Few  physicians  are  eminent 
for  their  skill.  Quacks  abound  like  the  locusts  of  Egypt.  *  *  The  pro- 
fession is  under  no  kind  of  regulation." 

Doubtless  an  advance  in  medicine  in  New  Jersey  occurred  during 
the  French  and  English  War,  1758-1766.  Dr.  Toner's  "Medical  Progress" 
says :  "The  war  gave,  perhaps  the  first  material  improvement  to  the 
condition  of  medicine  in  America.  The  English  army  was  accompanied 
by  a  highly  respectable  medical  stafiE,  most  of  whom  landed  in  New 
York  and  continued  for  some  years  in  the  neighboring  territory,  afford- 
ing to  m.any  young  Americans  opportunity  of  attending  military  hospi- 
tals and  receiving  professional  instruction."  That  was  the  case  in 
New  Jersey  and  notably  in  Middlesex  County.  The  Port  of  Perth 
Amboy  was  one  of  the  best  in  the  country  and  that  city  was  one  of 
the  favorite  gathering  places  of  medical  men,  as  Dr.  John  Lawrence, 
referred  to  elsewhere,  used  to  say,  that  his  residence  in  Amboy  in  those 
early  days  "was  the  happiest  part  of  his  life,  for  the  reason  that  the 
officers  of  the  Crown,  resident  there,  formed  a  social  circle  superior  to 
that  of  New  York  or  Philadelphia."  New  Brunswick  had  a  reputation 
somewhat  similar,  especially  during  the  years  1774-79  when  the  Barracks 
built  there  housed  may  hundreds  of  the  English  troops.  The  earliest 
physicians  in  Middlesex  county  of  whom  our  records  speak  were : 

1.  Henry  Greenland,  of  New  Brunswick,  was  the  first  physician  in 
Middlesex  County  of  which  there  is  any  reliable  record.  He  lived  in 
Newbury,  Massachusetts,  in  1662  and  in  Kittery  from  1665-1672.  He 
had  a  good  education  and  was  an  able  physician,  but  passionate  and  being 
a  Royalist  he  became  involved  in  many  quarrels  with  the  Puritans,  which 
caused  him  to  leave  the  Province  and  he  came  to  East  Jersey  about 
1675  and  settled  at  "The  River,"  as  New  Brunswick  was  then  called. 
He  practiced  here  to  a  very  limited  extent ;  kept  a  tavern  on  or  about 
the  site  of  the  R.  W.  Johnson  residence  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Rari- 
tan ;  he  was  the  captain  of  the  Piscataway  military  company  organized 
for  protection  against  the  Indians. 

2.  John  Johnstone  was  born  in  Edinburgh  in  1661  ;  came  to  this 
country  about  1685 ;  first  practiced  in  New  York ;  removed  to  Perth 
Amboy  in  1706.  In  1709-10  he  was  a  member  of  the  Provincial  Assembly 
of  New  Jersey.  Soon  after  he  returned  to  New  York  and  served  as  Mayor 
of  the  city  from  1714-1718;  but  he  returned  to  Amboy  and  thereafter  re- 
sided there.  He  represented  Middlesex  County  in  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Province  thirteen  years,  during  ten  of  which  he  held  the  office  of 


246  MIDDLESEX 

Speaker.  He  was  one  of  the  Commissioners  appointed  to  settle  the 
boundaiy  line  between  New  York  and  New  Jersey.  He  died  September 
7,  1732.  The  Philadelphia  Weekly  Mercury  in  an  obituary  notice  of  him 
said  that  "he  died  very  much  lamented  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  to 
the  unexpressible  loss  of  the  poor  w-ho  were  always  his  particular  care." 
He  was  a  very  skilled  physician  and  a  man  of  estimable  character  and 
abounding  charity. 

3.  Lewis  Johnstone,  a  son  of  John,  was  born  in  1704;  he  adopted 
his  father's  profession  ;  went  to  Leyden,  Holland,  for  his  medical  educa- 
tion ;  returned  to  this  country  and  practiced  medicine  in  Perth  Amboy. 
He  was  "a  physician  of  highest  reputation  by  all  who  knew  him.  He 
held  a  high  place  in  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  associates  in  the 
profession."  He  died  November  22,  1773  ;  left  a  very  large  estate.  He  had 
immense  tracts  of  land  in  New  Jersey. 

4.  George  Lockhart,  of  whom  there  is  little  known.  He  was  a 
resident  of  Woodbridge  ;  a  "practitioner  of  physic,"  in  1689.  Dr.  Wickes 
in  his  History  of  Medicine  says  that  in  1683,  he  then  being  in  England 
"the  Proprietaries  mention  him  as  possessing,  according  to  his  own 
statement,  a  considerable  plantation  in  the  Province,  and  'desirous  of 
having  the  Marshall's  place,'  he  offering  in  case  they  would  grant  him 
the  commission  and  a  lot  of  ten  acres  in  'Perthtown,'  to  build  them  a 
prison  and  town  house"    There  is  no  record  of  the  commission. 

5.  Adam  Hay  was  a  resident  of  Woodbridge  as  early  as  1737,  of 
whom  little  is  known.  In  1739  he  was  one  of  the  vestrymen  of  St. 
Peter's  Episcopal  Church  at  Perth  Amboy.  His  will — Adam  Hay 
"Doctor  of  Physick"  of  Woodbridge,  was  dated  November  12,  1739. 

6.  W^illiam  Farquhar,  moved  from  New  York  to  New  Brunswick, 
where  he  is  known  to  have  resided  before  1740,  for  about  ten  years.  He 
then  returned  to  New  York.  He  married  here  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Farmer,  who  w^as  one  of  the  Provincial  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  and 
who  represented  Middlesex  in  the  General  Assembly  from  1740-43. 
After  the  death  of  his  wife,  Dr.  Farquhar  married  a  daughter  of  Gov- 
ernor Colden  of  New  York. 

7.  John  Van  Beuren  is  known  to  have  lived  in  New  Brunswick  as 
early  as  1741  as  in  that  year  it  is  on  record  that  Philip  French  leased  to 
"John  Van  Beuren  of  the  said  city — Chirurgeon,"  some  property. 

8.  Hezekiah  Stites  of  Cranbury,  and — 

9.  Robert  McKean,  of  Perth  Amboy,  biographical  notes  of  both 
will  apj)ear  later. 

10.  Henry  Dongan,  was  a  Surgeon's  Mate;  he  had  charge  of  300  or 
400  of  the  English  Troops,  quartered  in  the  Barracks  that  w-ere  built  in 
New  Brunswick  in  1758.  When  the  troops  left  New  Brunswick,  he 
remained  and  practiced  medicine.  In  his  advertisement  announcing  his 
])ractice  he  stated  that  he  had  had  thirteen  years  practice  in  the  army. 
He  joined  the  Medical  Society  of  New  Jersey,  May  10,  1774. 

11.  Alexander  Ross,  practiced  medicine  in  New  Brunswick,  he  was 
originally  from  Scotland  ;  later  from  the  Island  of  Jamaica.  He  resided 
at  "Ross  Hall"  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Raritan ;  probably  actively 
engaged  in  his  profession,  as  he  had  at  least  one  student  who  subse- 
c|uently  practiced  in  that  city.  Dr.  C.  A.  Floward,  referred  to  later,  who 
subsc(|ucnt  to  Dr.  Ross'  death  married  his  widow^  who  was  a  daughter 
of  Thomas  Farmer,  one  of  New  Brunswick's  most  prominent  justices 
and  Assembly  representatives. 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  247 

12.  Nehemiah  Ludlum  was  one  of  the  earliest  physicians  in  Cran- 
bury.  He  graduated  in  Princeton  in  1762.  In  1768  he  joined  the  Medi- 
cal Society  of  New  Jersey,  but  died  on  October  28  of  that  year.  The 
inscription  on  his  tomb  says  he  was  29  years  of  age  at  death. 

13.  John  Griffith  of  Rahway,  and — 

14.  Thomas  Wiggins  of  Princeton,  referred  to  later — Rahway  and 
Princeton  were  then  in  Middlesex  County. 

These  men,  and  doubtless  others  of  whom  we  have  no  record  were 
able,  conscientious  devoted  practitioners,  most  of  whom  had  lofty  con- 
ceptions of  their  profession's  future  possibilities  in  the  service  of  human- 
ity that  led  them  to  consider  how  they  could  best  unite  the  profession 
and  thereby  become  better  qualified  to  practice  their  high  and  holy 
calling.  Thomas  F.  Gordon,  in  his  "Gazetteer  and  History  of  New  Jer- 
sey," published  in  1834  says:  "No  portion  of  the  history  of  this  great 
country  is  more  filled  with  cause  for  grateful  exaltation  than  the  State 
of  New  Jersey — none  can  boast  greater  purity  in  its  organization — none 
more  wisdom,  more  happiness  in  its  growth."  That  is  true,  and  when 
the  medical  part  of  that  history  is  considered,  there  is  abundant  cause 
to  be  proud  of  the  contribution  that  the  members  of  the  medical  pro- 
fession within  the  bounds  of  Middlesex  County  made  in  initiating  and 
establishing  a  State-wide  organization  of  the  medical  profession  thereby 
making  possible  the  development  and  wonderful  growth  of  the  science 
and  art  of  medicine,  as  other  States  have  followed  New  Jersey's  example 
until  all  the  States  and  territories  have  now  their  organizations,  and  has 
led  in  these  later  years  and  made  vast  progress  in  the  development  of  that 
great  branch  of  its  activities  which  is  the  profession's  glory — Preventive 
Medicine — which  has  for  its  object  the  eradication  of  all  preventable 
disease — the  profession  sacrificing  its  material  interests  in  the  blessing  of 
humanity. 

The  organization  of  the  Medical  Society  of  New  Jersey  was  con- 
ceived by  the  physicians  of  Middlesex  County — Drs.  Kean,  Cochran  and 
Bloomfield — who  enlisting  a  dozen  others  in  that  and  the  adjoining 
counties  issued  the  call  for  the  memorable  meeting  at  New  Brunswick 
on  July  23,  1766.  That  call  was  inserted  in  the  "New  York  Mercury"  and 
was  as  follows : 

A  certain  number  of  practitioners  of  physic  and  surgery  in  East  New 
Jersey,  having  agreed  to  form  a  Society  for  their  mutual  improvement, 
the  advancement  of  the  profession  and  promotion  of  the  public  good, 
and  desirous  of  extending  as  much  as  possible  the  usefulness  of  their 
scheme,  and  cultivating  the  utmost  harmony  and  friendship  with  their 
brethren,  hereby  request  and  invite  every  gentleman  of  the  profession 
in  the  Province,  that  may  approve  of  their  design,  to  attend  their  first 
meeting,  which  will  be  held  at  Mr.  Duff's,  in  the  City  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, on  Wednesday,  the  23d  of  July,  at  which  time  and  place  the  Con- 
stitution and  Regulations  of  the  Society  are  to  be  settled  and  subscribed. 
East  New  Jersey,  June  27,  1766. 


248  MIDDLESEX 

Seventeen  practitioners,  mainly  of  Middlesex,  Somerset  and  what  is 
now  Union  counties,  met  on  the  appointed  day  and  adopted  "Instru- 
ments of  Association  and  Constitutions  of  the  New  Jersey  Medical 
Society,"  which  was  a  model  document  showing  the  need  of  such  united 
association  and  the  methods  of  securing  efficiency  for  attaining  its  three- 
fold object — Mutual  Improvement,  Advancement  of  the  Profession, 
Promotion  of  the  Public  Good.  This  document  was  signed  by :  Bern 
Budd.  John  Griffith,  John  Cochran,  James  Gilliland,  Thomas  Wiggins, 
Robt.  McKean,  Chris.  Manlove,  Moses  Bloomfield,  Wm.  Burnet,  Law- 
rence V.  Derveer,  Isaac  Harris,  Joseph  Sackett,  Jr.,  Jona.  Dayton,  Wil- 
liam Adams. 

On  the  same  day  the  Society  elected  Dr.  Robert  McKean  president; 
Chris.  Manlove,  secretary,  and  John  Cochran,  treasurer — the  first  and 
last  named  were  Middlesex  county  physicians.  In  addition  to  the  14 
above  signers  appear  as  present  Drs.  Pezant,  Blatchley  and  Camp. 

Then  began  the  history  of  one  of  the  greatest  events  that  has  occurred 
in  Middlesex  county  or  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  It  is  impossible  to 
rehearse  even  briefly  the  record  of  that  Society,  the  results  of  its  work  on 
the  State  and  Nation.  To  do  so  would  require  the  tracing  of  all  the  influ- 
ence that  has  flowed  from  that  one  day's  meeting  if  we  would  know  all. 
All  that  the  Society  enabled  its  originators  and  those  who  came  after 
them  to  do,  or  the  better  to  do,  in  saving  human  life  and  in  relieving 
the  sufferings  of  men  never  can  be  fully  estimated.  The  facts  that 
should  be  stated  are:  (i)  That  the  Society's  records  show  that  the  last 
one  of  the  three  objects  for  which  it  was  created — The  Public  Good — 
has  been  its  chief  concern  and  that  the  other  two  objects  have  been 
largely  contributory  thereto;  (2)  That  the  Middlesex  County  Society's 
members  have  contributed  their  full  share  in  its  work  and  have  been 
honored  with  official  positions  in  its  management  to  an  unusual  degree, 
serving  in  office  as  follows: 

President — Robert  McKean,  1766;  John  Cochran,  1768;  Thomas  Wig- 
gins,^ 1774  ;  Hezekiah  Stites,  1775  ;  John  Beatty,^  1782  ;  Moses  Bloomfield, 
1785;  Moses  Scott,  1789;  John  Griffith,  1790;  Lewis  Dunham,  1791,  1816; 
Isaac  Harris,  1792;  Lewis  Morgan,-  1809;  Charles  Smith,  1811;  John 
Van  Cleve,  1815,  1S18;  Augustus  R.  Taylor,  1822,  1830;  E.  F.  R.  Smith, 
1832;  J.  T.  B.  Skillman.  1847;  Ezra  M.  Hunt,  1864;  Henry  R.  Baldwin, 
1878;  David  C.  English,  1897. 

Vice-President — Enoch  Wilson,  1816;  Jacob  Dunham,  1826;  George 
McLean,'  1839;  Ezra  M.  Hunt,  1861-63;  Henry  R.  Baldwin,  1875-77; 
D.  C.  English,  1894-96. 

Corresponding  Secretary — William  Van  Deursen,  1822-26;  Aug.  R. 
Taylor,  1844-5. 

Recording  Secretary — John  Van  Cleve,'  1820-23;  William  Van  Deur- 
sen, 1827. 

Treasurer — Ephraim  E.  R.  Smith,  1818-30;  Henry  R.  Baldwin,  1865- 
1873- 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  249 

Stan(='ing'  Committee — Chairmen — Aug.  R.  Taylor,  1824,  1827; 
Charles  Smith,  1826,  1834;  William  Van  Deursen,  1830;  J.  T.  B.  Skillman, 
1842;  D.  C.  English,  1891-93.  Three  years,  all  three  members  of  it  were 
Middlesex  men ;  and  members  from  that  county  have  served  on  it  for 
more  than  134  years  of  its  existence ;  it  was  instituted  at  the  May  9,  1820, 
meeting. 

The  Monthly  Journal  of  the  Society  was  begun  in  1904;  since  1906, 
Dr.  D.  C.  English  of  Middlesex  has  been  and  still  is  its  editor.  There 
is  one  example  of  many  that  might  be  cited  of  the  work  of  Middlesex 
County  members — that  of  Ezra  M.  Hunt,  who  for  six  years  led  the  fight 
before  Governors  and  legislators  for  a  State  Board  of  Health  until  in 
1877  victory  crowned  his,  his  fellow  workers'  and  the  Society's  earnest 
efforts. 

About  one  quarter  of  the  State  Society's  ninety-one  members  up 
to  the  year  1796,  and  of  the  additional  fifty-five  members  from  1796  to 
1818  were  Middlesex  County  physicians,  so  that  while  the  practitioners 
of  that  county  were  not  organized  as  a  county  society  until  1816,  it  is 
a  question  whether  they  might  not  claim  that  they  were  organized  in 
1766  in  a  far  wider  sphere  of  activity  than  they  could  have  exerted  if 
their  field  had  been  confined  to  the  limits  of  that  county.  But  in  1816 
the  Society  secured  the  passage  of  a  new  Act  to  Incorporate  the  Medical 
Society  of  New  Jersey,  passed  at  Trenton,  February  16,  1816,  which 
authorized  the  reorganization  of  the  State  Society  and  provided  that  its 
annual  meeting  thereafter  should  be  constituted  by  delegations  from  the 
District  or  County  Societies  which  were  to  be  formed,  under  the  pro- 
visions of  that  Act. 

A  meetine  of  the  State  Society  was  held  May  7,  1816,  when  Dr.  John 
Van  Cleve  was  chosen  chairman  and  a  Board  of  Fifteen  Managers  was 
elected — ten  of  whom  were  from  Middlesex  County  and  they  elected 
the  Society's  officers  as  follows :  President,  Lewis  Dunham ;  vice-presi- 
dent, Enoch  Wilson ;  treasurer,  E.  F.  R.  Smith ;  corresponding  secretary, 
Aug.  R.  Taylor;  recording  secretary,  Wm.  McKissack — four  of  the  five 
Middlesex  physicians.  Five  County  or  District  Societies  ordered  to  be 
formed  and  Drs.  Jacob  and  Lewis  Dunham,  E.  Wilson,  M.  Freeman, 
Charles  Smith,  Nath.  Manning,  R.  T.  Lott  and  John  Van  Cleve  were  ap- 
pointed to  organize  Middlesex,  which  they  did  in  New  Brunswick  on  June 
13, 1816,  and  at  the  State  Society  meeting  May  12,  1818,  its  first  delegation 
was  received.  The  splendid  history  of  this  County  Society  cannot  be 
rehearsed  in  any  detail,  its  early  records  are  reported  lost  or  mislaid, 
nor  is  it  necessary ;  the  fact  should  be  emphasized  that  the  all-important, 
essential  basis  of  a  medical  society's  value,  its  greatness  and  its  influ- 
ence is  not  because  of  its  perfect,  well-oiled  machinery,  but  in  the  char- 
acter and  devotion  of  the  men  who  compose  its  membership.  The  major 
part  of  the  balance  of  this  will  refer  to  some  of  the  societies  and  organiza- 


250  MIDDLESEX 

tions  they  founded  for  the  public  good,  and  also  a  few  brief  biographical 
sketches  of  the  men. 

It  should  be  observed,  however,  that  the  effect  of  the  new  law 
organizing  county  societies  was  remarkably  beneficial  to  the  State  and 
County  Societies'  growth  and  prosperity.  The  State  Society's  member- 
ship increased  from  a  few  scores  to  400  in  the  sixties,  to  898  in  1900  and 
in  1921  to  over  2,200,  the  County  Society  from  about  a  dozen  members 
when  organized,  to  40  in  1904  and  86  in  1921.  It  is  believed  that  the 
publishing  of  the  monthly  Journal  by  the  State  Society — in  place  of  the 
annual  volume  of  "Transactions,"  contributed  largely  to  the  increase. 
Another  fact  is  to  be  noted — members  were  received  by  both  societies 
with  great  care.  The  proper  preliminary  as  well  as  medical  education 
as  essential  qualifications  for  licensure  was  insisted  on.  The  creation 
of  the  State  Board  of  Medical  Examiners  by  the  legislature  in  1890  has 
been  of  service,  as  they  are  specifically  required  by  the  law  to  license 
only  those  who  have  the  prescribed  educational  qualifications.  Since  the 
creation  of  that  Board  2,730  applicants  have  taken  the  examination  and 
440  were  rejected.  During  the  year  1920,  43  were  examined,  one  of 
whom  failed  and  one  was  expelled.  It  should  be  remembered  that  there 
were  no  medical  colleges  in  the  United  States  until  1769  when  King's 
College  established  one  and  about  the  same  time  there  was  one  in 
Philadelphia,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  special  interest  that  Middlesex  County 
came  very  near  to  having  two  medical  colleges.  Queen's,  now  Rutgers, 
did  have  one,  and  Princeton,  then  within  the  bounds  of  Middlesex 
County,  made  two  attempts  and  in  the  second  would  probably  have  suc- 
ceeded had  not  the  eminent  Dr.  John  Van  Cleve — on  whom  they  de- 
pended, died.  Queen's  did  organize  three  times  under  the  efiforts  of  Dr. 
Nicholas  Romayne,  with  its  school  located  in  New  York  City,  but 
because  of  opposition  from  New  York  finally  abandoned  the  medical 
school.  It  actually  granted  79  degrees  as  follows:  1792  three  of  Med. 
Bac. — one  of  them  being  Dr.  Charles  Smith  of  New  Brunswick — and  four 
honorary  degrees  of  M.  D. ;  in  1793,  six  degrees  of  M.  D.  and  two  hon- 
orary degrees ;  then  in  the  second  attempt,  in  1812,  five  degrees  of  M.  D. ; 
in  1813,  one  degree  of  M.  D. ;  1814,  two  M.  D.'s ;  1815,  seven  M.  D.'s ; 
1816,  six  M.  D.'s.  On  the  third  attempt — in  1827,  were  conferred  27 
M.  D.'s  and  nine  honorary  M.  D.'s;  1830,  honorary  degree  of  M.  D.  on 
two  and  in  1831  two  more  honorary  M.  D.'s;  in  1832  two  M.  D.'s  and  in 
1835  one  honorary  M.  D.  Solomon  Andrews  of  Perth  Amboy  was  one 
of  the  number  who  received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  1827. 

The  loss  or  misplacement  of  records  by  their  custodians  has  com- 
pelled the  author  of  this  article  to  give  an  utterly  inadequate  report  of 
the  work  of  the  Middlesex  physicians  of  the  past.  The  data  that  fol- 
lows of  organized  work,  mainly  of  the  recent  past  and  the  brief  bio- 
graphical notes  concerning  many  of  the  workers,  will  g-ive  some  slight 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  .  251 

conception  of  the  magnitude  of  that  work.  The  biographies  will  partially 
show  that  the  Middlesex  physicians  were  not  only  able  men  devoted  to 
the  profession,  but  they  were  also  patriots  serving  their  country  in  times 
of  war,  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  Civil  War  and  the  great  World 
War  especially.  (General  Washington  had  no  abler  surgeons  whom  he 
more  appreciated  than  Drs.  Moses  Scott  and  John  Cochran  of  New 
Brunswick).  In  civic  life  the  same  devotion  was  manifested  by  service 
as  mayors  (New  Brunswick  had  four  of  the  best  in  her  city's  record), 
in  City  Councils,  in  educational  institutions,  in  various  public  health, 
public  welfare  and  civic  righteousness  movements.  And  their  contri- 
butions in  the  promotion  of  the  religious  life  in  their  various  communi- 
ties was  marked  by  service  as  elders,  deacons,  trustees  and  otherwise 
that  showed  them  to  be  mindful  of  the  fact  that  they  were  worthy 
members  of  a  high  and  holy  calling — worthy  followers  of  the  Pilgrims' 
"Good  Doctor  Fuller,"  as  he  was  called. 

It  is  impossible  for  the  mind  to  conceive,  certainly  of  the  pen  to 
describe,  the  full  results  of  the  two  meetings  held  in  New  Brunswick  on 
July  23,  1766  and  June  13,  1816.  We  refer  in  brief  outline  without 
comment,  to  a  few  of  the  results  following  those  meetings :  The  organ- 
ization of  County  and  City  medical  societies,  insane  asylums,  hospitals, 
dispensaries,  infirmaries,  sanitary  associations,  the  State  Board  of  Health 
and  the  various  local  boards,  now  in  every  city,  town  and  township,  with 
their  health  officers,  medical  school  inspectors,  clinics,  etc.,  doing  an 
immense  amount  of  charity  work  for  the  public  good ;  then,  as  we  glance 
beyond  the  confines  of  the  State,  New  Jersey  appears  as  the  Parent 
Society,  leading  other  States  in  the  establishment  of  such  societies  until 
now  every  State  and  Territory  has  its  society,  and  from  these  have  come 
the  American  Medical  Association,  the  Pan-American  Association,  the 
Educational  Medical  Congress,  the  American  Public  Health  Association, 
the  College  of  Surgeons  and  other  societies  scattered  throughout  the 
land,  whose  members  are  devoting  their  time  and  efforts,  as  specialists 
in  the  various  departments  of  medical,  surgical,  obstetrical  and  other 
branches  of  science,  in  the  advancement  of  the  profession.  It  should 
be  remembered  when  speaking  of  the  science,  art  and  literature  of  the 
profession,  that  there  was  no  true  science  in  those  early  years.  The 
dawn  of  true  science  really  began  in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury ;  the  art  was  very  slow  in  its  development  and  progress  and  the 
literature  would  about  fill  the  "five-foot  shelf."  It  should  also  be 
remembered  that  the  wonderful  discoveries  that  caused  the  profession's 
great  advancement  have  been  made  since  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  e.  g,,  the  telegraph,  telephone,  improved  methods  of  travel,  the 
microscope,  the  x-ray  and  other  instruments  for  precession  in  diagnosis, 
the  laboratories  with  their  various  scientific  tests,  the  antitoxins,  vac- 
cines, sera,  and  the  institutions  like  the  Rockefeller  and  other  research 


252 


MIDDLESEX 


organizations  for  the  promotion  of  scientific  knowledge  and  the  art  that 
applies  it. 

It  is  not  strange  that,  in  view  of  the  above  facts  and  the  importance 
of  maintaining  and  advancing  the  profession's  standing  and  the  promo- 
tion of  its  greatest  efficiency  in  the  service  of  humanity,  that  the  State 
and  County  Societies  in  1920  were  compelled  to  take  action  and  the 
following  committees  were  appointed : 

I\Ieml:)ers  of  the  Middlesex  County  Medical  Society,  February  i,  1921, 
and  their  residences : 


President,  George  W.  Fithian,  Perth 
Amboy ;  vice-president,  Barth  M.  Howley, 
New  Brunswick;  secretary  and  reporter, 
Matthew  F.  Urbanski,  Perth  Amboy ; 
treasurer,  David  C.  English,  New  Bruns- 
wick. 

New  Brunstnck — John  F.  Anderson, 
Grover  T.  Applegate,  James  O'Carrington, 
William  J.  Condon,  E.  Irving  Cronk, 
Thomas  A.  Devan,  James  L.  Fagan,  Ralph 
J.  Faulkingham,  Anthony  Gruessner,  Ben- 
jamin Gutmann,  Florentine  M.  Hoffman, 
Charles  V.  Halst,  William  Klein,  George 

F.  Leonard,  Mortimer  H.  Linden,  Pauline 
A.  Long,  John  F.  McGovern,  Robert  L. 
McKiernan,  Charles  F.  Merrill,  Daniel  L. 
Morrison,  Herbert  W.  Nafey,  J.  Warren 
Rice,  Laurence  P.  Runyon,  Charles  E. 
Saulsberry,  James  P.  Schureman,  Fred. 
W.  Scott,  Arthur  L.  Smith,  Charles  J. 
Sullivan,  Howard  C.  Voorhees. 

Perth  Amboy — Morris  S.  Coble,  Judson 

G.  Cottrell,  Edward  W.  Hanson,  Joseph  E. 
Hay,  Frank  C.  Henry,  John  L.  Lund,  Wil- 
liam London,  William  H.  McCormick, 
John  L.  MacDowall,  Jacob  J.  Mann,  Mar- 
tin S.  Meinzer,  Charles  W.  Naulty,  Wil- 
liam E.  Ramsay,  J.  Virgil  Shull,  Isadore 
Seigel,  Charles  I.  Silk,  Bern.  H.  Sirott, 
Benjamin  F.  Slobodien,  John  V.  Smith, 
George  W.  Tyrrell,  John  G.  Wilson. 


IVoodbridge — Ira  T.  Spencer. 

Carteret — Herbert  L.  Strandberg. 

Chrome — Samuel   Messenger. 

Roosevelt — John  J.  Reason. 

Metuchen — Stanley  Eiss,  Alfred  L.  Ellis, 
Clarence  A.  Hofer,  A.  Clark  Hunt,  Lans- 
ing Y.  Lippincott. 

Dunellen — George  W.  Longbothum, 
Thomas  H.  Piatt,  Jr. 

Netv  Market — William  J.  Nelson. 

M  Hit  own — Norman  N.  Forney,  Ferd  E. 
Riva. 

Dayton — Edgar  Carroll. 

Cranbury — Benjamin  S.  Van  Dyke. 

Franklin  Park — James  C.  Dunn. 

Sayreville — Jesse  H.  Beekman. 

South  River — Charles  B.  Burnett,  Mel- 
vin  M.  Hunt,  Sarah  Evans  Selover,  A. 
Lincoln  Woods. 

South  Amboy — Selden  T.  Kinney,  Eu- 
gene A.  Meacham,  J.  Francis  Weber. 

Behnar — Clarence  M.  Slack. 

Jamesburg — John   L.    Suydam. 

New  York  City — A.  Schuyler  Clark, 
Henry  H.  Janeway.* 


•Dr.    Janeway    died    February    1,    1921. 

Dr.  Bonn  W.  Hoagland  is  also  in  Wood- 
bridge,  but  his  membership  is  in  the  Union 
County  Society. 


Permanent  Delegates  to  the  State  Society.  Nominated  by  the 
County  Society  and  Elected  by  the  State  Society :  Drs.  C.  H.  Andrus,* 
John  Helm,*  Edw.  B.  Dana,*  A.  Treganowan,*  C.  H.  Voorhees,*  F.  M. 
Donahue.*  David  Stephens,*  John  G.  Wilson,  Edgar  Carroll,  A.  Clark 
Hunt,  Arthur  L.  Smith,  Frank  C.  Henry. 

Physicians  practicing  in  Middlesex  county  not  members  of  the 
County  .Society  at  present :  Drs.  Ira  C.  Crandall,  Old  Bridge ;  J.  J.  Col- 
lins, Woodbridge ;  George  S.  Dudley,  C.  T.  Maas,  New  Brunswick; 
E.  H.  Eulner,  South  Amboy,  Joseph  S.  Marks,  Chrome ;  Jacob  C.  Shinn, 
H.  D.  Zandt,  Jamesburg;  Myron  J.  Whitford,  Dunellen. 

Middlesex  Physicians  in  World  War  Service:  Drs.  Judson  G.  Cottrell, 
George  W.  Fithian.  Edward  K.  Hanson,*  John  L.  Lund,  Benj.  F.  Slo- 


•Decease«1. 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY 


253 


bodein,  of  Perth  Amboy;  Drs.  William  J.  Condon,*  James  L.  Fagan, 
Anthony  Gruessner,  Charles  F.  Merrill,  John  F.  McGovern,^  Robert  L. 
McKeernan,*  Herbert  W.  Nafey,$  James  P.  Schureman,  of  New  Bruns- 
wick; J.  Francis  Weber,|  of  South  Amboy. 

A  number  of  others  served  on  the  Local  Exemption  Boards:  Drs. 
E.  I.  Cronk,  G.  W.  Fithian,  I.  C.  Crandall,  B.  S.  Van  Dyke,  Edgar  Carroll. 

The  following  served  on  the  County  Advisory  Exemption  Board : 
Drs.  J.  G.  Wilson,  chairman ;  John  F.  Anderson,  F.  M.  Donohue,  Benj. 
Gutmann,  G.  T.  Applegate,  B.  M.  Howley,  L.  Y.  Lippincott,  C.  W. 
Naulty,  Jr.,  C.  I.  Silk,  A.  L.  Smith,  C.  J.  Sullivan. 

Several  Middlesex  physicians  were  enrolled  in  the  Medical  Reserve 
Corps,  U.  S.  Army,  and  also  in  the  Volunteer  Medical  Service  Corps, 
authorized  by  the  Council  of  National  Defense  and  approved  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States. 

The  following  have  been  officers  of  the  Society  since  its  organization 
in  1816: 


Presidents — Charles    Smith,    1816,    1822, 
1826-28,  1836-37;  Matthias  Freeman,  1817; 
Nathaniel  Manning,  1818;  Jacob  Dunham, 
1819,    1825,    1829;    William  Van    Deursen, 
1820;  Josiah  B.  Andrews,  1821 ;  Lewis  A. 
Hall,   1830;   Jacob  T.    B.    Skillman,    1831 ; 
James  Clark,  1834;  E.  F.  R.  Smith,  1835, 
1840;    Samuel   Abernethy,    1841  ;    Ellis    B. 
Freeman,  1842,  1846;  John  H.  Van  Deur- 
sen,   1843;    Azariah    D.    Newell,    1844-45 
(No  meetings  were  held  from  1845-1857) 
Augustus  F.  Taylor,  1857;  Clifford  Mor- 
rogh,  1858,  1881 ;  J.  T.  B.  Skillman,  i860 
Henrv  M.  Stone,  1861 ;  Henry  R.  Baldwin 
1862-64,  1882;  Ezra  M.  Hunt,  1865;  Am- 
brose    Treganowan,     1866,     1871,     1887 
Charles    Dunham,    Jr.,    1867;    Charles    H 
Voorhees,    1868;   Samuel   St.  John   Smith 
1870;  David  C.  English,  1872;  Rush  Van 
Dyke,  1873 ;  Clarence  M.  Slack,  1874,  1898 
William  E.  Mattison,  1875  ;  Nicholas  Wil- 
liamson,   1876;    Thomas    T.    Devan,    1877 
P.  A.  Shannon,  1878;    Charles  H.  Andrus 
1879,    1890;   J.   Warren   Rice,   1880,   1894 
Thomas    L.    Janeway,     1884;     Frank    M. 
Donohue,   1885,   1904,  1916;   A.  Van  Nest 
Baldwin,    1888;    David   Davis,    1889;    John 
Helm,     1891;     Edward     B.     Dana,     1892; 
Staats  Van  Deursen   Clark,   1895 ;  Arthur 
L.    Smith,    1896;    John    G.    Wilson,    1897; 
John  L.  Suydam,  1899;  William  M.  Moore, 
1900;    A.    Clark   Hunt,    1901 ;    Edward   E. 
Haines,    1902;   William   E.   Ramsey,    1903; 
William   V.    McKenzie,    1905 ;    Henry    H. 
Janeway,  1906;  Edgar  Carroll,  1907;  Ferd 
E.    Riva,    1908;    John    C.    Albright,    1909; 
Benjamin   Gutmann,   191 1;   John   L.   Lund, 
1912;   Howard   C.  Voorhees,  1913;   Frank 


C.  Henry,  1914;  Martin  S.  Meinzer,  1915; 
Clarence  A.  Hofer,  1917;  Eugene  A. 
Meacham,  1918;  Norman  N.  Forney,  1919; 
Lawrence  P.  Runyon,  1920;  George  W. 
Fithian,   1921. 

Secretaries — John  Van  Cleve,  1816;  Wil- 
liam Van  Deursen,  1817-1836;  Jacob  T.  B. 
Skillman,  1836-1846;  Henry  R.  Baldwin, 
1857;  Charles  Dunham,  Jr.,  1858;  L.  Fred. 
Baker,  1859;  Joseph  S.  Martin,  i860; 
Samuel  E.  Freeman,  1861-1864;  George  W. 
Stout,  1865;  James  W.  Meeker,  1866-1868; 
David  Stephens,  1868-1874,  1888-1889; 
Rush  Van  Dyke,  1874-1876;  William  E. 
Mattison,  1876-1880;  George  G.  Clark, 
1880-1882;  William  Mabon,  1884;  A.  Van 
Nest  Baldwin,  1885 ;  Frank  M.  Donohue, 
1886;  John  Helm,  1887;  William  M. 
Moore,  1903-1904;  Alfred  L.  Ellis,  1905- 
1907;  Benjamin  Gutmann,  1908-1909; 
Howard  C.  Voorhees,  1910-1911 ;  Martin 
S.  Meinzer,  1912-1913;  Fred  L.  Brown, 
1914-1917;  William  H.  McCormick,  1918; 
Charles  J.  Sullivan,  1919;  Herbert  W. 
Nafey,  1920;  Matt.  N.  Urbanski,  1921. 

Treasurers — Jacob  Dunham,  1816-1818; 
William  Van  Deursen,  1818;  Nathaniel 
Manning,  1819-1825;  John  Adams  Pool, 
1825-1838,  1839;  Garret  P.  Voorhees,  1838; 
Ellis  B.  Freeman,  1840-1844;  E.  F.  R. 
Smith,  1844-1846;  Henry  M.  Stone,  1857- 
1860;  John  C.  Thompson,  i860;  J.  S.  Mar- 
tin, 1861-1866;  F.  S.  Barbarin,  1866-1868; 
Charles  Dunham,  Jr.,  1868-1875;  Thomas 
T.  Devan,  1875;  David  C.  English,  1876 
to  date. 

Reporters  to  the  State  Societx — Ezra  M. 
Hunt,  1862-1864,  1868-1869,  1882;  Ambrose 


•In  U.  S.  Navy, 
tin  U.  S.  Army. 
tDr.  Weber  received  a  medal  for  meritorious  service  from  General  McRae. 


254  MIDDLESEX 

Trepanowan,    1865,    1890-1891  ;    Henry    R.  Nest  Baldwin,  1892-1896 ;  Arthur  L.  Smith, 

Baldwin.     1870-1873;     David     C.     English,  1897-1910;  Benjamin  Gutmann,  1911-1914; 

1874-1877;   Charles   H.  Andrus,   1878-1879,  Anthony    Grnessner,    1915-1916;    Fred    L. 

1889;     Thomas     L.     Janeway,     1880-1881  ;  Brown,     1917-1919;     Herbert    W.     Nafey, 

Frank    M.    Donohue.    1883-1888;    A.    Van  1919-1920;   Matthew  F.  Urbanski,  1921. 

Societies  Organized  by  Middlesex  County  Physicians: 

The  Medical  Section  of  the  Rutgers  Club  was  practically  the  New- 
Brunswick  Medical  Society  as  its  membership  was  composed  entirely 
of  physicians  of  that  city  and  Milltown.  It  was  organized  February  14, 
1917,  when  Drs.  L.  P.  Runyon,  A.  L.  Smith,  B.  Gutmann,  H.  C.  Voor- 
hees,  F.  E.  Riva.  C.  E.  Saulsberry,  D.  C.  English,  B.  M.  Howley,  F.  L. 
Brown,  F.  W.  Scott,  I.  E.  Cronk,  C.  J.  Sullivan,  G.  Merrill,  J.  F.  Ander- 
son, J.  P.  Schureman,  N.  N.  Forney,  F.  M.  Hoffman  and  H.  W.  Nafey 
met  in  the  Alumni  Hall  of  Rutgers  College,  and  received  an  offer  from 
the  Rutgers  Alumni  Club  of  the  use  of  their  club  house,  which  was 
accepted,  an  organization  was  effected.  Constitution  and  By-laws  adopted 
constituting  as  members  physicians  who  were  alumni  of  the  College 
and  other  physicians  of  New  Brunswick  becoming  members  of  the 
Rutgers  Club  by  election  and  payment  to  the  club  of  annual  dues.  Dr. 
Runyon  was  elected  chairman  of  the  organization ;  Dr.  Smith  vice- 
chairman ;  Dr.  Nafey,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Dr.  Brown,  reporter. 

The  officers  for  1920-21  are:  Dr.  D.  C.  English,  chairman;  Dr.  Hoff- 
man, vice-chairman  ;  Dr.  C.  W.  Merrill,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The 
Society  meets  monthly  except  in  July  and  August.  One  meeting,  held 
at  the  residence  of  Dr.  English,  should  have  special  notice.  It  was  held 
in  September,  1920,  to  do  honor  to  the  New  Brunswick  young  men  who 
had  studied  inedicine  and  achieved  great  success  in  practice  in  Newark 
and  New  York— Drs.  L.  F.  Bishop,  A.  S.  Clark,  J.  F.  Hagerty,  H.  H. 
Janeway.  J.  L.  Trainor,  E.  H.  Pool  and  Bernard  Daly,  the  latter  having 
sacrificed  his  own  life  in  the  saving  of  another's  life. 

Perth  Amboy  Medical  Society  was  organized  May  26,  1919.  The 
present  officers  are:  President,  Dr.  William  E.  Ramsay;  vice-presi- 
dent, Dr.  M.  F.  Urbanski;  secretary,  Dr.  Charles  W.  Naulty,  Jr.;  treas- 
urer. Dr.  Martin  S.  Meinzer.  The  Society  meets  every  second  month 
except  in  July  and  August. 

The  New  Jersey  State  Microscopical  Society.  Organized  by  Dr. 
J.  W.  Meeker,  in  1871.  He  had  bought  a  fine  microscope  a  few  years 
before  and  Prof.  G.  H.  Cook  and  Prof.  F.  C.  Van  Dyck  had  been  meeting 
at  Dr.  Meeker's  residence  experimenting  with  it.  In  1871  most  of  the 
following  doctors  of  the  city  met  and  organized  this  Society :  Drs.  J.  W. 
Meeker,  C.  Morrogh,  C.  Dunham,  H.  R.  Baldwin,  D.  C.  English,  C.  H. 
Voorhees.  N.  Williamson,  with  Prof.  Van  Dyck,  Rev.  Samuel  Lockwood 
and  Julius  Bloom,  all  New  Brunswick  men.  They  held  frequent  meet- 
ings, three  of  them  public  ;  at  one  Liquid  Air  was  exhibited  and  dis- 
cussed ;  at  another  a  sym]H)sium  on  the  Microscope,  its  uses  in  medical 
science.  In  1880  the  Society  was  incorporated  and  in  1881  its  enroll- 
ment was  59  active  and  corresponding  members.  February  18,  1914, 
the  name  was  changed  to  "The  New  Brunswick  Scientific  Society;"  its 
membership  embracing  men  of  all  scientific  professions. 

The  New  Jersey  Sanitary  Association  was  formed  to  create  a  strong 
public  sentitnent  in  favor  of  the  earnest  efforts  to  create  a  State  Board 
of  Health  as  Governors  and  Legislators  had  been  indifferent.  It  was  not 
a  Middlesex  organization,  but  Dr.  Ezra  M.  Hunt  was  the  originator  and 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  255 

inspirer  of  doctors  and  prominent  laymen  of  our  County  and  State.  It 
had  a  powerful  effect  in  securing  the  State  Board  in  1877  and  Dr.  Hunt 
became  the  leader  in  establishing  and  conducting  the  work  for  many 
years.  His  son,  Dr.  A.  Clark  Hunt,  of  Metuchen,  is  Chief  of  the  Bureau 
of  Medical  Supervision  and  is  the  editor  of  the  Bulletin  published  by 
the  Board.  He  was  president  of  the  New  Jersey  Sanitary  Association 
last  year 

The  Board  of  Health  in  New  Brunswick  was  instituted  in  1879  with 
Dr.  H.  R.  Baldwin  as  president.  The  Health  Officers  have  been  in  suc- 
cession as  follows :  Drs.  Edward  A.  Reiley,  Thomas  L.  Janeway,  A.  Van 
Nest  Baldwin,  Staats  V.  D.  Clark,  Benjamin  Gutmann  and  E.  Irving 
Cronk,  the  last  named  was  elected  in  1910  and  is  still  serving. 

There  were  520  deaths  in  1920  in  the  city,  the  death  rate  was  1.5  per 
1,000  of  population. 

The  Board  of  Health  in  Perth  Amboy  was  instituted  in  1879.  Dr. 
Matthew  F.  Urbanski  is  president  of  the  Board.  Charles  S.  Thompson, 
D.  V.  S.,  is  the  Health  Officer.  There  were  498  deaths  in  Perth  Aml^oy 
in  1920,  the  death  rate  was  11.46  per  1,000  of  population. 

Dr.  J.  V.  Smith  is  Health  Officer  of  the  Port  of  Perth  Amboy, 
appointed  by  the  Governor  of  the  State.  Dr.  Charles  W.  Naulty,  Jr.,  has 
been  Medical  Officer  in  charge  of  the  Perth  Amboy  Quarantine  since 
1907.  The  Medical  Inspectors  of  Schools  are  Drs.  Jacob  J.  Mann  and 
William  H.  McCormick. 

Welfare  Committees — During  the  year  1920  Welfare  Committees 
were  appointed  in  the  various  counties  to  guard  against  legislation  tend- 
ing to  destroy  the  efficiency  of  the  profession  in  serving  the  public. 
The  Middlesex  County  Committee  is :  Drs.  B.  M.  Howley,  F.  M.  Hoff- 
man. C.  I.  Silk,  F.  L.  Brown  and  B.  S.  Van  Dyke. 

Professional  Guilds — There  were  also  established  in  each  of  the 
counties  Professional  Guilds  to  oppose  harmful  legislation,  in  which 
physicians,  dentists,  druggists  and  nurses  have  been  deeply  interested. 

The  Middlesex  County  Guild's  officers  are :  President,  Dr.  B.  F. 
Howley :  vice-president,  Henry  H.  Petz,  druggist ;  treasurer.  Dr.  P.  L. 
Schwartz,  dentist;  secretary,  Miss  Marie  Nielson,  nurse;  chairman 
executive  council,  Dr.  D.  C.  English.  A  State  Professional  Guild  has 
also  been  formed. 

The  writer  calls  the  reader's  attention  to  what  he  regards  as  the 
best  and  most  important  part  of  this  article — that  which  sets  forth  the 
lives  and  activities  of  those  who  made  the  State  and  County  Societies 
what  they  were,  and  the  medical  profession's  record  one  that  is  worthy 
of  our  pride  and  of  our  undying  devotion  in  best  efforts  to  sustain  its 
high  standing  and  greatest  efficiency  in  blessing  humanity.  We  deeply 
regret  our  inability  to  give  biographies  also  of  the  long  list  of  "Other 
Deceased  Physicians  of  Middlesex  County."  Many  of  them  belonged 
to  that  grand  class  known  as  "Country  Doctors,"  who  often  denied 
themselves  comfort  and  needed  rest,  responding  to  calls  day  or  night,  at 
any  distance,  to  relieve  suffering  patients. 

Never  in  the  history  of  our  country  and  the  world  has  there  been 
greater  need  of  contemplating  and  imitating  the  lives  and   service  of 


256  MIDDLESEX 

such  men  as  Samuel  Fuller  and  the  devoted  godly  men  who  were 
founders  of  our  State  and  County  Societies.  We  need  to  bear  in  mind 
that  the  greatness  and  achievements  of  the  founders  and  deceased  mem- 
bers of  our  County  Society  came  from  the  facts  that  they  were  actuated 
by  the  consciousness  that  they  belonged  to  a  high  and  holy  calling 
and  that  thev  were  governed  by  a  deep  sense  of  their  personal  responsi- 
bility in  dealing  with  the  lives  and  health  of  those  whom  they  served. 
The  sense  of  responsibility  is  ever  the  foundation  principle  of  all  true, 
manly  service,  and  the  sine  qua  non  of  all  great  achievements. 

After  the  biographical  sketches  we  will  give  a  brief  outline  in  tabular 
form,  of  the  present  activities  of  the  Middlesex  County  practitioners. 
They  look  forward  to  the  future  with  no  fear,  notwithstanding  the 
attempts  to  drag  down  scientific  medicine,  to  stop  its  marvelous  progress 
and  destroy  its  efficiency,  as  they  are  sure  that  the  right  will  triumph 
over  ignorance  and  prejudice.  The  added  burden  that  has  been  laid  upon 
the  profession — of  educating  the  public  through  the  Welfare  Committee 
and  the  Professional  Guild,  concerning  the  fact  that  the  profession's 
position,  taken  154  years  ago — that  the  three-fold  object  of  its  organiza- 
tion were — Mutual  Improvement,  Advancement  of  the  Profession  and 
the  Public  Good,  still  remain  and  will  ever  remain  the  same.  The  his- 
tories of  both  State  and  County  Societies  prove  that  the  Public  Good 
has  been  the  chief  object.  We  are  encouraged  in  the  belief  that  the 
efforts  to  educate  the  public  will  succeed,  by  the  results  of  similar  efforts 
on  the  Pacific  Coast.  Two  bills  were  introduced  in  the  California  legis- 
lature— one  to  prohibit  vaccination  in  the  State ;  the  other  for  the 
prevention  of  vivisection  ;  they  were  submitted  to  popular  vote  in  the 
election  last  November  with  the  following  result:  -For  the  anti-vaccina- 
tion law,  359,987;  against  it,  468,911.  For  the  anti-vivisection 
law,  272,288;  against  it,  527,130.  Also  in  the  Oregon  legislature  a 
constitutional  amendment  was  introduced  against  compulsory  vaccina- 
tion;  it  was  submitted  to  popular  vote,  with  the  result:  For  it,  63,038; 
against  it,  127,200.  Surely  a  good  beginning.  Medicine  is  making  great 
advance.  The  medical  research  institutions  are  greatly  increasing  the 
knowledge  of  etiology  and  diagnoses  of  diseases  and  thereby  enabling 
the  profession  not  only  to  cure  but  also  stamp  out  preventable  diseases. 
Smallpox,  yellow  fever,  the  bubonic  plague,  have  been  practically  wiped 
out  except  where  ignorance  and  prejudice  exist ;  other  diseases  have 
been  greatly  lessened  ;  tuberculosis,  syphilis  and  cancer  have  been  the 
hardest  problems  in  recent  years,  but  they  are  beginning  to  yield.  The 
public  should  stop  and  think  what  this  preventive  work  and  what  the 
general  public  health  work,  the  hospitals,  the  clinics,  etc.,  mean  in  cut- 
ting down  the  profession's  incomes  and  mightily  promoting  the  Public 
Good. 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  257 

Biographical  Sketches  of  Middlesex  Founders  of  the  State  Society : 

Robert  McKean,  Perth  Amboy,  was  in  1757  ordained  to  the  Mission 
of  New  Brunswick,  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 
in  Foreign  Parts.  He  removed  to  Perth  Amboy  in  1763.  Previous  to 
his  settlement  in  Amboy,  his  mission  embraced  the  towns  of  Piscataway 
and  Spotswood.  He  devoted  himself  to  the  conscientious  discharge  of 
his  duties,  as  far  as  a  somewhat  delicate  constitution  would  permit,  and 
made  occasional  visits  to  Readingtown,  twenty-five  miles  distant.  He 
was  also  a  practicing  physician.  That  he  was  distinguished  as  such 
and  for  his  zeal  in  promoting  the  science  of  medicine,  is  illustrated  by 
the  fact  that  he  was  one  of  the  original  seventeen  medical  men  who 
organized  the  New  Jersey  Medical  Society  in  July,  1766.  He  was  the 
first  signer  to  its  "instruments  of  Association  and  Constitutions,"  and 
received  the  honor  of  being  its  first  president. 

In  a  letter  dated  October  12,  1767,  Rev.  Dr.  Chandler,  of  Elizabeth- 
town,  informed  the  Society  that  "wasted  away  with  tedious  disorder,  the 
worthy,  the  eminently  useful  and  amiable  Mr.  McKean  is  judged  by  his 
physicians  to  be  at  present  at  the  point  of  death."  He  adds,  "a  better  man 
was  never  in  the  Society's  service."  He  died  October  17,  1767,  and  he 
was  buried  in  the  graveyard  of  St.  Peter's  Church  in  Amboy.  His  mon- 
ument now  stands  there,  erected  by  Hon.  Thomas  McKean,  an  early 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  bearing  the  inscription : 

In  memory  of  Robert  McKean,  M.  A.,  Practitioner  of  Physic,  etc.,  and  Missionary 
from  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  to  the  City  of 
Perth  Amboy,  who  was  born  July  13,  1732.  N.  S.,  and  died  October  17th,  1767.  An 
unshaken  friend,  an  agreeable  companion,  a  rational  Divine,  a  skillful  Physician  and  in 
every  relation  in  life  a  truly  benevolent  and  honest  man.  Fraternal  love  hath  erected 
this  monument. 

Dr.  Stephen  Wickes,  in  History  of  Medicine  in  New  Jersey  and  of  its 
Medical  Men,  says :  In  the  early  history  of  the  colonies,  the  practice  of 
the  healing  art  was  chiefly  in  the  care  of  the  clergy.  Many  of  them 
were  men  of  profound  minds  and  highly  educated. 

John  Cochran,  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  was  born  in  Chester  County, 
Pennsylvania,  September,  1730.  About  the  time  he  completed  his 
medical  education,  the  war  of  1758  between  England  and  France  began 
in  America.  As  there  were  no  great  hospitals  in  the  Colonies  he  realized 
that  the  army  would  be  a  good  school  for  improvement  in  medicine  and 
surgery.  He  obtained  appointment  of  surgeon's  mate  in  the  hospital 
department  and  continued  in  that  office  during  the  war,  enjoying  the 
friendship  and  advice  of  several  English  physicians.  While  lying  off 
Oswego  in  a  British  vessel  during  that  war,  a  shot  from  the  French 
fleet  entered  the  place  where  he  was  operating  and  carried  away  the 
operating  table  and  his  instruments.  He  at  last  quitted  the  service  with 
a  high  reputation  as  a  practitioner,  and  settled  first  in  Albany,  New  York, 
where  he  married  a  daughter  of  General  Schuyler.  In  a  short  time  he 
removed  to  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey,  where  he  continued  to  practice 
medicine  with  great  success.  He  rented  and  maintained  a  house,  "within 
three  miles  of  New  Brunswick,"  for  the  reception  of  patients  who  wished 
to  be  inoculated  for  smallpox,  and  he  attended  over  400  there  during  the 
winter  and  spring  of  1774.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  State 
Medical  Society  in  1766  and  in  1769  was  elected  its  president.  He 
became  a  zealous  Whig  and  when  hostilities  commenced  in  the  War  of 

Mid— 17 


258  MIDDLESEX 

the  Revolution,  he  was  driven  from  New  Brunswick  by  the  British,  who 
burned  his  house.  The  Doctor  offered  his  services  in  1776  as  a  volunteer 
in  the  hospital  department.  General  Washington  appreciated  his  ability 
and  recommended  him  to  Congress  in  the  following  words: 

I  would  take  the  liberty  of  mentioning  a  gentleman  whom  I  think  highly  deserving 
of  notice,  not  only  on  account  of  his  ability,  but  for  the  very  great  assistance  which  he 
has  afforded  us  in  the  course  of  this  winter,  merely  in  the  nature  of  a  volunteer.  This 
gentleman  is  Dr.  John  Cochran,  well  known  to  all  the  faculty.  The  place  for  which  he 
is  fitted,  and  which  would  be  most  agreeable  to  him  is,  Surgeon-General  of  the  Middle 
Department.  In  this  line  he  served  all  the  last  war  in  the  British  Service  and  has  distin- 
guished himself  this  winter  particularly  in  his  attention  to  the  smallpox  patients  and 
the  wounded. 

He  was  appointed  April  10,  1777,  Physician  and  Surgeon  General  in 
the  Middle  Department.  In  October,  1781,  Congress  commissioned 
him  Director  General  of  the  Hospitals  of  the  United  States  and  he  was 
attached  to  headquarters,  to  General  Washington's  staff.  His  pay  was 
five  dollars  per  day.  After  the  war  the  cordial  relations  formed  in  the 
war  between  General  Washington  and  Dr.  Cochran  were  continued,  as 
appears  from  a  letter  from  the  former  which  is  published  in  Irving's 
"Life  of  Washington,"  Vol.  Ill,  page  477.  The  historian  remarks :  "It  is 
almost  the  only  instance  of  sportive  writing  in  all  Washington's  corre- 
spondence." It  was  concerning  an  invitation  to  a  dinner  party  at  head- 
quarters. West  Point,  1779,  at  which  Mrs.  Cochran  and  Mrs.  Livingston 
were  to  dine  with  him.  He  was  often  addressed  by  Washington  and 
Lafayette  as  "Dear  Doctor  Bones."  Soon  after  the  war  he  removed  to 
New  York  and  resumed  practice  of  his  profession.  Upon  the  adoption 
of  the  new  constitution,  President  Washington,  retaining  "a  cheerful 
recollection  of  his  past  services,"  nominated  him  to  the  office  of  Com- 
missioner of  Loans  for  the  State  of  New  York.  A  stroke  of  paralysis 
subsequently  caused  him  to  resign  and  he  went  to  Schenectady,  where 
he  died  on  April  6,  1807. 

Moses  Bloomfield,  Woodbridge — He  was  born  December  4,  1729;  was 
for  forty  years  a  practitioner  of  medicine  at  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey ; 
he  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability ;  was  considered  one  of  the 
best  physicians  of  his  day.  He  became  a  member  of  the  State  Society 
in  1776  and  was  active  and  efficient  in  its  service.  He  was  its  secretary 
in  1767;  its  president  in  1785.  He  was  a  representative  in  the  Provincial 
Congress  and  the  General  Assembly.  He  was  commissioned  surgeon 
United  States  Hospital,  Continental  Army,  May  14,  1777;  was  an  upright 
magistrate ;  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  died  August  14, 
1791.  The  "New  Jersey  Journal"  of  August  31,  1791,  in  an  obituary 
notice  of  him,  said :  "He  maintained  an  eminent  character  as  a  scholar, 
a  physician  and  a  Christian.  He  served  in  civil  offices  of  trust  and  honor. 
*  *  He  was  benevolent  and  liberal  to  the  poor,  religious  without 
bigotry.  *  *  In  his  death  the  State  has  lost  a  worthy  citizen  and  the 
Presbyterian  Church  an  important  member." 

James  Gilliand,  New  Bnmswick,  was  born  in  that  city.  Was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  State  Society  in  1766;  the  following  year,  as  he 
proposed  to  embark  for  Europe,  the  Society  gave  him  credentials  as  a 
member  in  good  standing  and  well  qualified  as  a  practitioner  of  medicine. 
We  have  found  no  other  records  of  him. 

John  Griffith  was  born  November  19,  1736.  He  resided  in  Rahway — 
then  in  Middlesex  county,  where  for  many  years  he  practiced  medicine 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  259 

and  war,  lugnly  esteemed  as  a  physician  and  citizen.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  State  Society,  was  elected  its  president  in  1790, 
delivering  the  following  year  an  able  dissertation  on  pulmonary  con- 
sumption. He  died  August  23,  1805.  He  had  a  son,  Thomas,  who 
practiced  medicine  many  years  in  Newark,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Society. 

Isaac  Harris  was  born  and  educated  in  East  Jersey  in  1741.  He  settled 
in  Quibbletown — now  New  Market,  where  he  practiced  several  years 
and  where  he  owned  an  elegant  residence  and  farm.  He  removed  to 
Salem  county  in  1771  where  he  practiced  many  years.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  State  Society  in  1766  and  was  elected  its  president  in 
1792.  In  the  Revolutionary  War  he  was  commissioned  Surgeon  in  Gen- 
eral Newcomb's  Brigade,  State  Troops.  One  son — Isaac — practiced  in 
Salem  county,  another  son — Samuel — in  Camden,  and  a  grandson — 
Henry  S. — in  Belvidere.  The  doctor  died  in  1808;  on  his  tombstone  it 
is  stated,  "He  sustained  the  character  of  an  eminent  physician,  an  upright 
civil  magistrate  and  a  faithful  elder  and  deacon  of  the  Church  of  Christ." 

Thomas  Wiggins  was  bom  in  Southold,  Long  Island,  in  1731.  Gradu- 
ated at  Yale  College  in  1752.  He  removed  to  New  Jersey  and  settled  in 
the  practice  of  medicine  at  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  where  for  many  years 
he  was  greatly  esteemed  practitioner  of  medicine  and  Christian  gentle- 
man. He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  State  Medical  Society  in  1766, 
was  its  president  in  1774  and  its  secretary  in  1781  and  1782.  He  was 
treasurer  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  in  1786-7.  He  was  an  elder  in 
the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  he  bequeathed  a  house  and  a  tract 
of  land,  which  for  many  years  was  used  as  the  manse.  When  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  was  in  session  in  Princeton,  he  extended  the  hospitali- 
ties of  his  house  to  General  Washington  and  his  lady.  He  died  in  Prince- 
ton on  November  14,  1801. 

Organizers  of  the  Middlesex  County  Medical  Society : 

Lewis  Dunham  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1754;  he  was  the  great- 
great-grandson  of  Edmond,  who  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  Mid- 
dlesex county.  His  father,  Azariah,  was  an  active  Revolutionary  patriot. 
In  1775  he  was  a  member  of  the  Colonial  Assembly  from  Middlesex; 
was  a  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Congress.  He  commenced  practice  in 
New  Brunswick  and  continued  it  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war;  was 
commissioned  surgeon  of  the  Third  Regiment  February  21,  1776;  sur- 
geon Third  Battalion  November  28,  1776.  He  became  a  member  of  the 
State  Medical  Society  in  1783,  and  was  one  of  its  most  active  members; 
was  secretary  in  1883  and  1884;  was  elected  its  president  in  1791,  and 
again  in  1816.    He  died  August  26,  1821. 

The  inscription  on  his  monument  in  the  Presbyterian  graveyard  contains  these 
words :  "Few  men  have  ever  shown  greater  energy  of  character  wisely  and  uniformly 
directed  in  all  the  relations  of  life.  Truely  a  patriot  during  the  whole  war  of  Independ- 
ence, he  was  to  his  country  a  devoted  son.  In  peace  he  resumed  his  profession  and  dur- 
ing a  practice  of  more  than  forty  years  he  was  indefatigable  beyond  expression,"  etc. 

Jacob  Dunham  was  a  brother  of  Lewis ;  was  bom  in  New  Brunswick, 
September  29,  1767.  He  attended  lectures  in  Philadelphia  when  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age ;  was  a  classmate  of  the  eminent  Dr.  W.  P.  Dewces 
and  there  was  always  a  close  intimacy  between  them.  The  doctor's 
practice   was   an   extensive   one,   covering  a   wide   territory.      He   was 


26o  MIDDLESEX 

elected  a  member  of  the  State  Society  November  6,  1792;  was  its  treas- 
urer from  1808  to  1815.    He  died  August  7,  1832. 

Enoch  Wilson — We  have  not  been  able  to  trace  Dr.  Wilson  historically, 
but  we  have  found  in  the  State  Society  transactions  that  he  was  corre- 
sponding secretary  of  the  State  Society  in  1815  ;  in  1816  and  1817  he 
was  one  of  the  managers;  also  in  1816  and  1817  he  was  vice-president 
of  the  State  Society  and  one  of  the  censors  for  Middlesex  county.  He 
was  very  regular  in  attendance  at  the  State  Society  meetings. 

Matthias  Freeman  was  born  in  Woodbridge,  where  he  practiced  many 
years ;  he  was  very  highly  esteemed ;  was  elected  a  member  of  the  State 
Society  in  1808;  was  regular  in  attendance  and  served  on  important  com- 
mittees ;  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers ;  a  censor  for  Middle- 
sex county  several  years. 

Charles  Smith  was  born  near  Princeton  1768;  graduated  from  Prince- 
ton College  1786;  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Moses  Scott;  received  the 
degree  of  M.  D.  from  Queen's  (now  Rutgers)  College  in  its  first  class 
to  graduate  1792;  became  Dr.  Scott's  partner  and  married  his  daughter. 
He  served  as  surgeon  in  State  troops  during  the  Whiskey  Insurrection 
in  1794;  was  elected  a  trustee  of  Rutgers  College  1804.  He  was  a  skilled 
and  successful  practitioner,  one  of  the  most  accomplished  of  his  day ; 
was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  College  of  P.  &  S.,  New  York  City  in  1814. 
He  was  corresponding  secretary  of  the  State  Society  1807  and  1808; 
vice-president  in  1810  and  president  in  1811.  He  died  May  7,  1848.  He 
left  an  estate  of  about  $150,000.  Our  State  Society  took  action  on  his 
death  which  characterized  him  "One  of  the  most  learned  and  skillful 
members  of  the  profession  in  the  State." 

Nathaniel  Manning  is  said  to  have  belonged  to  the  family  that  came 
to  Perth  Amboy  in  the  "Caledonia"  from  Scotland  in  171 5.  He  received 
his  medical  education  under  the  tuition  of  the  "Faculty  of  Philadelphia ;" 
he  presented  testimonials  from  them  as  to  his  proficiency  in  medicine 
when  he  joined  the  State  Medical  Society  in  1767.  He  first  practiced  in 
Metuchen  and  was  considered  an  able  physician.  He  graduated  from 
the  College  of  New  Jersey  in  1762,  and  is  noted  in  its  catalogue  as  a 
clergyman.  In  1771,  being  about  to  leave  the  province,  he  applied  to 
the  State  Society  for  a  certificate  of  character  as  a  physician,  which  was 
granted.  He  went  to  England  in  1771  and  was  soon  afterward  ordained 
by  the  Bishop  of  London  for  Hampton  Parish,  Virginia.  In  1775  he  was 
its  incumbent. 

Ralph  P.  Lott  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Hezekiah  Stites  of  Cranbury; 
he  attended  lectures  in  Philadelphia ;  attended  as  a  delegate  from  Mid- 
dlesex county  several  meetings  of  the  State  Society;  was  one  of  the 
committee  appointed  to  organize  the  Middlesex  County  District  Society. 
He  had  a  large  practice  and  accumulated  considerable  property.  He 
died  September  17,  1845,  i^i  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age. 

John  Van  Cleve  was  born  at  Maidenhead,  now  Lawrence,  Mercer 
county,  1778;  graduated  from  Princeton  in  1797;  studied  medicine 
with  Drs.  Stockton  and  Maclean  ;  graduated  from  the  College  of  Physi- 
cians and  Surgeons,  New  York  City,  in  1819,  was  associate  in  partner- 
ship for  several  years  with  Dr.  Stockton.  He  was  held  in  great  respect 
as  a  man  of  talent  and  skill  in  his  profession,  so  much  so  that  at  a 
meeting  of  the  college  trustees  held  September  27.  1825,  the  following 
resolution  was  adopted :  "Resolved.  That  the  president  and  faculty  be 
empowered  to  make  such  a  temporary  arrangement  with  Dr.  Van  Cleve 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  261 

for  the  introduction  of  lectures  on  medicine,  or  the  auxiliary  branches 
of  knowledge,  as  they  may  think  proper,  and  to  make  thereon  at  the 
next  meeting  of  the  board."  This  was  intended  to  be  merely  preliminary 
to  the  establishment  of  a  medical  department  in  the  college,  with  Dr. 
Van  Cleve  as  its  head.  His  death  the  following  year  put  an  end  to  any 
further  action. 

Van  Cleve  joined  the  society  at  the  time  of  its  reorganization  June 

23,  1807,  and  was  ever  thereafter  one  of  the  most  active  and  influential 
members.  He  was  corresponding  secretary  1810-15;  president  1815, 
again  in  1818;  recording  secretary  1820-24.  He  was  for  many  years  a 
ruling  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Princeton,  a  trustee  of  the 
college  and  a  director  in  the  Theological  Seminary.    He  died  December 

24,  1826. 

Prominent  Deceased  Physicians  in  Middlesex : 

Moses  Scott  was  one  of  the  noblest  of  the  early  physicians  of  Middlesex 
county.  He  was  born  in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1738.  At 
seventeen  years  of  age  he  went  with  the  unfortunate  expedition  under 
Braddock.  At  the  capture  of  Fort  Du  Quesne  he  had  risen  to  be  a  com- 
missioned officer,  but  he  resigned  his  position  and  began  the  study  of 
medicine  and  at  about  1774  commenced  practice  at  New  Brunswick  and 
soon  gained  a  high  reputation  as  a  practitioner.  But  he  was  a  patriot 
and  he  entered  the  service  on  February  14,  1776,  commissioned  sur- 
geon of  the  Second  Middlesex  Regiment,  and  subsequently  surgeon  in 
the  General  Hospital,  Continental  Army.  He  procured  from  Europe  a 
large  supply  of  medicines  and  surgical  instruments,  but  most  of  it  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  on  their  sudden  invasion  of  New  Brunswick 
when  he  barely  escaped  capture,  as  they  entered  his  house  and  ate  his 
prepared  dinner.  In  1777  Congress  having  taken  the  entire  direction  of 
the  medical  staff,  commissioned  Dr.  Scott  as  Senior  Physician  and  Su**- 
geon  of  the  Hospitals  and  Assistant  Director  General.  He  was  at  the 
battles  of  Trenton,  Princeton,  Brandywine  and  Germantown  and  was 
near  General  Mercer  when  he  fell  at  Princeton.  On  the  restoration  of 
peace  he  resumed  practice  at  New  Brunswick.  He  became  a  member 
of  the  Medical  Society  of  New  Jersey  in  1782  and  was  very  active  in  its 
work;  was  elected  its  president  in  1789.  In  1814  he  was  made  a  Fellow 
of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New  York.  In  early  life  he 
made  a  profession  of  religion,  was  ever  loyal  to  the  church  and  for 
many  years  a  most  efficient  elder,  as  well  as  treasurer  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  died  on  December  28,  1821. 
One  daughter  married  Dr.  Charles  Smith,  another  daughter  married  Dr. 
Ephraim  F.  R.  Smith,  both  of  New  Brunswick. 

Hezekiah  Stttes,  of  Cranbury,  was  descended  from  one  of  the  original 
emigrants  to  New  England  who  lived  to  the  extraordinary  age  of  122 
years.  Little  is  known  concerning  the  doctor's  early  years.  When  the 
State  Medical  Society  was  formed  in  1766  he  was  40  years  of  age  and 
had  been  in  practice  several  years ;  he  became  a  member  of  the  State 
Society  in  1767  and  was  elected  its  president  in  1775. 

Melancthon  Freeman  was  born  in  Piscataway,  New  Jersey,  in  1746. 
He  practiced  several  years  in  Metuchen.  He  was  commissioned  "Sur- 
geon of  State  Troops,  Colonel  Forman's  Battalion,  Heard's  Brigade,  June 
21,  1776."    A  son  and  a  grandson,  each  bearing  his  name,  were  physicians. 

Henry  Drake  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1773.  His  father  was 
James  Drake,  the  proprietor  of  the  famous  Indian  Queen  Hotel,  where 


262  MIDDLESEX 

several  noted  tra\  elers  by  the  stage  route  between  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia rested  en  route.  The  State  Medical  Society  often  met  "at  the 
house  of  James  Drake."  Though  a  man  of  some  skill,  Dr.  Drake  soon 
abandoned  practice  and  assumed  management  of  the  hotel,  doubtless 
without  any  regret  expressed  by  the  profession  as  he  was  not  a  man 
of  high  moral  character. 

John  Lawrence  was  born  in  Monmouth  county,  graduated  from 
Princeton  College  in  1764  and  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in 
1768,  being  one  of  the  first  to  receive  a  medical  degree  in  America.  He 
began  practice  in  Perth  Amboy  in  1776,  where  he  was  very  successful 
for  a  few  years  when  he  went  to  New  York,  but  in  1783  returned  to 
New  Jersey  and  settled  in  Freehold,  where  he  died  April  29,  1830,  aged 
83  years. 

Charles  A.  Howard  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Alex.  Ross  in  New 
Brunswick  and  after  the  death  of  his  preceptor  in  1775,  married  his 
widow.  Being  in  sympathy  with  the  British  he  was  under  guard  of 
the  Council  of  Safety  in  New  York,  upon  taking  the  oath  of  abjuration 
and  allegiance  he  returned  to  New  Brunswick,  settled  at  "Ross  Hall"  and 
engaged  in  practice,  acquiring  reputation  as  a  surgeon  and  was  held  in 
high  social  position.  He  joined  the  State  Medical  Society  in  1786.  He 
was  a  warden  in  Christ  Church  in  1790.    He  died  September  21,  1794. 

John  Galen  Wall  was  born  at  Middletown,  December  17,  1759.  He 
joined  the  State  Medical  Society  in  1783.  He  practiced  for  a  short  time 
at  Perth  Amboy,  then  removed  to  Woodbridge.  He  was  thirteen  years 
in  practice  in  those  places.    He  died  in  January,  1798. 

Isaac  Ogden,  bom  in  1764.  studied  medicine  and  settled  at  Six  Mile 
Run,  where  he  had  an  extensive  practice.  He  became  a  member  of  the 
State  Medical  Society  in  1788.  About  the  year  1820  he  removed  to  New 
Brunswick,  where  he  died  in  1829.  "He  was  a  man  of  purest  life,  a 
practical  Christian,  promoting  the  interests  of  religion  by  every  means 
in  his  power." 

Ephraim  Fitz-Randolph  Smith  was  born  near  New  Brunswick  in 
1786;  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Moses  Scott;  graduated  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  Medical  School  in  1808  and  began  practice  in 
New  Brunswick.  He  served  as  treasurer  of  the  State  Medical  Society 
from  1817  to  1829;  was  elected  vice-president  in  1830  and  president  in 
1832.  He  was  an  eminent  physician.  For  many  years  he  was  president 
of  the  leading  banking  institution  in  the  city;  served  as  mayor  of  the 
city  in  1842.  He  retired  from  practice  in  1854.  He  was  an  earnest 
Christian  man  who  died  in  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  May  4,  1865. 

Wn.LL\M  Van  Deursen  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  May  16,  1791 ; 
after  graduating  from  Queen's  College  in  1809,  he  studied  medicine  and 
graduated  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New  York,  in 
1814.  He  first  settled  in  practice  at  Imlaystown,  but  very  soon  removed 
to  New  Brunswick,  where  he  secured  an  extensive  practice ;  was  espe- 
cially distinguished  for  his  skill  in  surgery.  He  had  many  students  who 
entered  the  {)rofession  from  his  office.  For  more  than  fifty  years  he  was 
the  leading  physician  of  the  city.  He  was  elected  a  trustee  of  Rutgers 
College,  New  Brunswick,  in  1814.  He  had  a  son,  Dr.  John  H.,  who 
practiced  in  New  Brunswick,  and  also  a  grandson.  Dr.  D.  Clark  Van 
Deursen,  who  practiced  there  a  short  time  and  then  in  Somerset  county. 

John  Adams  Pool  was  born  in  New  Brunswick — at  the  Landing — in 
1796.    He  studied  medicine  and  was  licensed  by  the  Medical  Society  of 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  263 

New  Jersey,  receiving  his  diploma  from  Dr.  Lewis  Dunham,  then  presi- 
dent, November  13,  1816.  He  practiced  medicine  but  to  a  very  limited 
extent.  He  was  very  active  in  the  State  and  County  Medical  Societies, 
often  serving  in  official  position.  He  died  May  i,  i860.  A  grandson, 
Dr.  Eugene  H.  Pool,  is  an  able  practitioner  and  professor  in  medical  insti- 
tutions in  New  York  City. 

Samuel  Abernethy,  of  Rahway,  was  born  February  26,  1806;  gradu- 
ated in  Medicine  from  the  University  of  Philadelphia  in  1830  and  after 
one  year  in  hospital  there  settled  in  Rahway,  then  in  Middlesex  county, 
where  he  practiced  until  his  death,  February  13,  1874;  he  had  an  exten- 
sive practice  and  was  an  eminent  physician  and  surgeon. 

Solomon  Andrews — The  only  information  we  have  been  able  to  get 
concerning  him  is  that  he  received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  from  Rutgers 
College  in  1827;  that  he  was  given  his  diploma  by  Dr.  Isaac  Pearson, 
president  of  the  State  Society  that  year ;  that  he  was  Collector  of  the 
Port  of  Perth  Amboy  in  1844-45  and  that  he  was  the  inventor  of  the 
locks  used  in  the  United  States  mail  pouches.    He  died  October  20,  1872. 

Jacob  T.  B.  Skillman  was  born  at  Three  Mile  Run,  Somerset  county, 
March  10,  1794.  He  graduated  from  Union  College  in  1819  and  after 
spending  three  years  teaching  he  removed  to  New  Brunswick  and  began 
the  study  of  medicine,  completing  the  course  under  Dr.  A.  R.  Taylor ; 
he  was  licensed  to  practice  by  the  State  Medical  Society,  receiving  his 
diploma  November  8,  1825.  He  began  practice  in  Woodbridge,  but 
after  three  years  removed  to  Rahway  and  two  years  later  to  New  Bruns- 
wick, where  for  thirty  years  he  had  the  respect  of  all  who  knew  him 
for  his  ability,  modesty,  kindness  and  strict  integrity.  For  several  years 
he  was  a  faithful  office  bearer  in  the  First  Reformed  Chvirch  of  New 
Brunswick.     He  died  June  26,  1864. 

C.  McKnight  Smith  was  born  at  Haverstraw,  New  York,  September 
29,  1803,  son  of  Samuel  Smith,  lawyer  and  on  mother's  side  grandson 
of  Dr.  Charles  McKnight,  a  prominent  surgeon  in  the  American  army 
during  the  Revolutionary  War.  Dr.  Smith  studied  medicine  and  grad- 
uated from  the  Medical  College,  New  York,  in  1827 ;  commenced  prac- 
tice in  St.  Mary  county,  Maryland,  and  soon  after  settled  in  Perth 
Amboy,  where  until  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  recognized  as  the  most 
prominent  physician  ;  few  underwent  more  arduous  work  and  exposure 
than  he.  President  Harrison  appointed  him  Collector  of  the  Port  of 
Perth  Amboy  in  1842 ;  President  Taylor  appointed  him  to  the  same 
office  in  1848  and  President  Grant  reappointed  him  in  1869  and  again  in 
1873.  For  many  years  he  was  health  officer  of  the  city.  For  30  years  he 
was  a  vestryman  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  of  which  the  first  president  of  our 
State  Society  was  formerly  the  rector.  He  was  an  exceedingly  active 
and  efficient  member  and  officer  of  our  State  Society.  He  died  at  Perth 
Amboy  February  3,  1874. 

George  J.  Janeway  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  October  14,  1806;  gradu- 
ated from  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in 
1830;  in  1831  he  went  to  Paris  and  studied  in  the  French  hospitals; 
returned  to  New  York  in  1832  and  practiced  there  during  the  cholera 
outbreak  there;  he  removed  to  New  Brunswick  in  1847,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  practice  over  40  years.  He  was  of  a  kind  and  genial  disposition, 
a  benevolent,  unselfish  man,  serving  devotedly  the  poor  and  needy.  He 
was  mayor  of  New  Brunswick  in  1869  and  1870.  He  was  long  a  devoted 
and  beloved  elder  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church.    He  died  September 


264  MIDDLESEX 

i6,  1889,  aged  83  years.  He  was  the  father  of  Prof.  E.  G.  Janeway,  M.  D., 
of  New  York  City. 

Clifford  Morrogh  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1821 ;  his  father,  mother  and 
their  ten  children  came  to  America  in  1834.  He  studied  medicine  and 
graduated  from  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  1847 !  came 
to  New  Brunswick  with  his  brother,  Dr.  Archibald  Morrogh,  who  prac- 
ticed here  a  short  time  and  then  went  to  the  West  Indies. 

Dr.  C.  Morrogh  was  called  the  Irish  doctor ;  he  met  with  some  oppo- 
sition at  first,  but  his  skill  as  a  surgeon  soon  gave  him  a  commanding 
position  and  his  progress  was  rapid ;  his  reputation  extended  far  beyond 
the  city  and  even  the  State ;  he  was  the  first  to  use  chloroform  in  that 
section  of  the  State,  in  amputating  a  leg  from  each  of  two  colored  people 
at  request  of  Dr.  A.  F.  Taylor,  township  physician  ;  soon  after  he  oper- 
ated on  a  lad  for  stone  in  the  bladder,  the  first  time  it  had  been  done  in 
the  city ;  subsequently  he  performed  that  operation  thirty-two  times. 
An  operation  that  won  him  great  praise  was  for  carious  bone  of  ankle 
joint,  the  first  time  it  was  performed  in  this  country,  with  modifications 
in  operating  original  with  him.  With  all  his  great  skill  he  was  exceed- 
ingly modest,  rarely  consenting  to  prepare  papers,  though  two  or  three 
are  published  in  the  State  Society's  transactions.  He  excelled  in  diag- 
nosis ;  a  man  of  mechanical  genius,  if  he  had  not  a  splint  at  hand  he 
made  one  and  he  devised  three  or  four  surgical  instruments.  He  also 
drew  the  designs  for  a  sailing  yacht  that  took  two  prizes.  He  responded 
to  calls  for  service  after  several  of  the  great  battles  of  the  Civil  War. 
He  was  a  director  of  the  State  Bank ;  director  of  the  New  Brunswick 
Savings  Institution  twenty-nine  years,  and  its  vice-president  a  few  years. 
His  financial  ability  was  shown  in  St.  Peter's  R.  C.  Church,  of  which  he 
was  treasurer ;  he  issued  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $60,000  for  it  which 
he  placed,  and  when  he  went  to  Europe  in  1868  but  a  few  thousand 
dollars  were  outstanding;  he  was  largely  instrumental  in  securing  chimes 
costing  $4,000  for  the  church.  He  was  the  leading  surgeon  of  the  State 
and  his  many  excellent  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  won  for  him  great 
respect.     He  died  March  13,  1882. 

Charles  Dunham  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1830;  he  was  a 
grandson  of  Dr.  Jacob  Dunham.  He  studied  medicine  and  graduated 
from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  Medical  Department  in  1850;  began 
practice  at  Bordentown  but  the  next  year  removed  to  New  Brunswick, 
where  he  acquired  an  extensive  practice.  He  served  several  years  as  a 
member  of  the  board  of  public  school  trustees  and  was  prominent  in 
Masonic  organizations.    He  died  December  9,  1875. 

Charles  H.  Voorhees  was  born  in  New  Brunswick.  August  3,  1824; 
graduated  from  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  in  1850, 
and  began  practice  in  New  Brunswick  that  year.  He  was  very  active 
in  the  County  and  State  Medical  Societies  and  often  represented  the 
latter  in  national  organizations.  He  was  a  member  of  his  city's  Board 
of  Health  and  was  county  physician  for  sixteen  years.  He  served  as 
surgeon  of  New  Jersey  Volunteers  in  the  Civil  War  from  1862  to  1865. 
He  died  May  13,  1900. 

Henry  R.  Baldwin,  of  New  Brunswick,  was  born  in  New  York  City, 
September  18,  1829.  His  ancestors  were  Hollanders  on  the  maternal 
side ;  paternally  they  were  among  the  original  settlers  of  1639  in  Con- 
necticut. In  early  life  he  came  with  his  parents  to  New  Brunswick ; 
graduated  from  Rutgers  College  in   1849,  studied  medicine  and  gradu- 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  265 

ated  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New  York  in  1853 ; 
served  as  resident  physician  at  Bellevue  Hospital  eighteen  months.  In 
December,  1855,  he  settled  in  New  Brunswick  and  practiced  there  until 
his  death  on  February  3,  1902.  His  practice  was  very  extensive,  so 
that  he  was  glad  to  have  his  son,  who  graduated  in  medicine  in  1882, 
associated  with  him  until  the  son's  death  in  1897, 

He  was  one  of  the  most  faithful  members  of  both  County  and  State 
Medical  Societies;  he  was  treasurer  of  the  State  Society  from  1866  to 
1874,  when  he  was  elected  third  vice-president  and  in  June,  1877,  was 
elected  president ;  he  served  on  the  Business  Committee  as  chairman 
fourteen  years  and  on  the  Fellows'  Prize  Essay  Committee  several  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  several  medical  societies ;  was  appointed  by  Gov- 
ernor Griggs,  in  1897,  one  of  the  managers  of  the  State  Hospital  for  the 
Insane ;  he  was  surgeon  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  for  this  section ; 
was  president  of  the  staff  of  Wells  Hospital  from  its  organization  in 
1889  until  his  death ;  also  was  president  of  the  City  Board  of  Health. 

He  sought  also  the  public  good  as  a  citizen ;  was  for  two  terms  an 
Alderman;  served  12  years  on  Board  of  Water  Commissioners;  and 
on  the  Board  of  Education  17  years;  he  was  elected  a  trustee  of  Rutgers 
College  in  1884  and  that  college  conferred  on  him  in  1893  the  honorary 
degree  of  LL.  D.  His  friends  erected  beautiful  gates  at  one  of  the 
entrances  to  the  college  grounds  to  his  memory. 

He  was  an  officer  of  the  Second  Reformed  Church  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. 

Ezra  M.  Hunt  was  born  in  Metuchen,  New  Jersey,  January  4,  1830; 
after  a  preparatory  course  at  Irving  Institute,  Tarrytown,  he  entered 
Princeton  College  in  1845,  graduating  in  1849;  studied  medicine  under 
Dr.  Abraham  Coles ;  received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  from  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New  York  City,  in  1852;  he  began  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine  in  his  native  town  in  1853;  was  appointed  lecturer  on 
Materia  Medica  in  Vermont  Medical  College ;  the  next  year  he  was 
elected  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  same  institution,  but  in  1855  he 
resumed  practice  in  Metuchen,  continuing  until  he  joined  the  army  in 
1862,  as  assistant  surgeon  of  the  29th  New  Jersey  Infantry ;  after  two 
months  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Calvert  Street  Hospital,  Balti- 
more, Maryland,  and  remained  there  till  his  term  expired,  when  he 
returned  to  Metuchen  and  again  resumed  practice. 

He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Middlesex  County  Medical 
Society.  In  1864  he  was  elected  president  of  the  State  Society  of  which 
he  was  a  most  influential  member  and  frequently  represented  it  in  na- 
tional and  international  medical  societies.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
influential  members  of  the  American  Public  Health  Association  and 
was  its  president  in  1883.  To  his  untiring  efforts  as  our  State  Society's 
leader  in  the  movement  was  largely  due  the  organization  of  the  State 
Board  of  Health  in  1877,  and  he  was  chosen  as  the  one  best  fitted  to 
conduct  its  work  and  he  served  most  efficiently  for  many  years. 

The  degree  of  LL.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Lafayette  College 
and  that  of  Sc.  D.  by  Princeton  College.  In  1888  he  was  elected  an 
honorary  member  of  the  Epidemiological  Society  of  London,  England. 
A  prominent  writer,  in  a  sketch  of  his  life  said :  "The  secret  of  Dr.  Hunt's 
life  of  activity,  faithfulness,  earnestness  and  perseverance,  is  to  be  found 
in  his  deep  personal  piety  and  consistent  humble  Christian  life — his  firm 
unwavering  trust  in  God."    He  died  in  Metuchen,  July  i,  1894. 


266  MIDDLESEX 

Nicholas  \\'illiamson  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  March  9,  1845. 
After  an  excellent  preliminary  education  he  studied  medicine  with  Dr. 
H.  R.  Baldwin  and  graduated  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, New  York  City,  in  1872,  and  began  practice  in  New  Brunswick. 
He  was  an  able  physician  and  had  a  large  practice,  and  yet  he  had  time 
to.  act  the  good  citizen  in  the  service  of  his  city  and  also  to  serve  his 
God  in  official  position  in  his  church.  He  was  twice  elected  mayor  of 
New  Brunswick  and  served  with  conspicuous  ability. 

Universally  respected  by  all,  he  died  August  15,  1902,  and  his  loss  was 
mourned  by  all. 

Frank  M.  Donohue,  New  Brunswick,  was  born  in  that  city,  August 
17,  1859,  after  a  liberal  education,  he  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Clifford 
Morrogh  ;  graduated  from  the  New  York  University  Medical  College 
in  1881  and  was  associated  with  his  preceptor  in  practice  until  the  death 
of  the  latter  in  1882,  when  he  assumed  entire  charge  of  the  very  exten- 
sive practice  they  had  had,  and  as  the  minute  adopted  by  the  County 
Society  said — "by  the  exhibition  of  similar  skill  and  efficiency  he  became 
the  w^orthy  successor  of  that  distinguished  surgeon."  He  took  a  deep 
interest  in  the  work  of  the  County  Medical  Society ;  was  three  times 
its  president  and  though  a  busy  practitioner  was  regular  in  attendance 
and  contributed  largely  to  the  scientific  programs.  His  annual  reception 
of  its  members  at  his  beautiful  summer  residence — Cedar  Crest — were 
occasions  of  greatest  pleasure.  He  served  two  terms  as  chairman  of 
the  State  Society's  Business  Committee  and  was  reelected  for  the  third 
term  two  months  before  his  sudden  death,  June  28,  1919.  His  services 
in  the  New  Brunswick  hospitals  were  very  strenuous  and  remarkable 
in  results.  He  was  a  manager  several  years  and  for  two  years  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  managers  of  the  Boys'  Home  at  Jamesburg;  was  a 
director  and  vice-president  of  the  People's  Bank,  a  director  of  the  New 
Brunswick  Trust  Company  and  a  member  of  the  funding  committee  of 
the  managers  of  the  New  Brunswick  Savings  Institution.  He  served 
three  years  as  Sinking  Fund  Commissioner  of  the  City.  As  a  member 
of  the  Advisory  Medical  Examining  Board  during  the  World  War  he 
served  so  actively  and  faithfully  that  it  is  a  question  if  it  was  one  of  the 
factors  contributing  to  his  last  illness.  His  death  has  been  universally 
mourned. 

Henry  Harrington  Janeway  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1873; 
graduated  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  1898.  He 
settled  in  practice  in  New  Brunswick  in  1902 ;  removed  to  New  York 
City  in  1907,  where  he  practiced  till  a  few  weeks  before  his  death.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  New  Jersey  State  and  also  of  the  New  York  State 
Medical  Societies ;  a  Fellow  of  the  American  Medical  Association  ;  a 
member  of  the  National  Society  for  Cancer  Research ;  the  National 
Radium  Society ;  the  National  Society  for  Experimental  Medicine  ;  the 
New  York  Academy  of  Medicine  and  the  Harvey  Society.  He  was 
attending  surgeon  and  chief  of  the  Radium  Department  of  the  Memorial 
Hospital.  His  specialty  was  Cancer  Therapy,  of  which  disease  he  died 
February  i,  1921.  He  continued  his  membership  in  the  Middlesex 
County  Medical  Society  till  his  death. 

Bernard  A.  Daly  was  l>orn  in  New  Brunswick,  April  5.  1876:  he  studied 
medicine  and  graduated  from  the  University  of  Medicine,  Richmond, 
Virginia,  in  1899.  He  located  first  at  Harrison,  New  Jersey,  was  presi- 
dent of  the  local  health  board  during  a  severe  epidemic  of  smallpox.    He 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  267 

died  at  Newark  from  the  effects  of  an  infected  wound  of  arm  in  operating 
on  a  patient,  whose  life  was  saved  at  the  expense  of  his  own,  November 
2,  1903. 

Other  Deceased  Physicians  of  Middlesex  County,  many  of  whom 
were  druggists  as  well  as  practicing  physicians : 

Drs.  D.  C.  English,  Sr.,  J.  W.  Meeker  and  David  Stephens,  New 
Brunswick ;  J.  C.  Albright  and  J.  H.  Price,  South  Amboy ;  P.  W.  Brake- 
ley,  Dunellen.  Many  had  very  extensive  town  and  country  practice  as 
Drs.  Ambrose  Treganowan  and  G.  W.  Stout,  South  Amboy ;  H.  S.  Clow, 
J.  C.  Holmes  and  H.  C.  Symmes,  Cranbury ;  R.  J.  Brumagen  and  H.  B. 
Garner,  Spotswood ;  A.  P.  Knappen,  Jamesburg;  S.  M.  Disbrow,  Old 
Bridge ;  C.  H.  Andrus,  Frank  Decker,  Herman  Gross,  Metuchen ;  John 
C.  Thompson  and  H.  B.  Poole,  South  River;  Lewis  Drake,  D.  E.  Decker 
and  S.  P  Harned,  Woodbridge ;  Wallace  Coriell,  Elias  Runyon,  A.  S. 
Titsworth  and  D.  P.  Vail,  New  Market  and  Dunellen;  H.  Martyn  Brace 
and  Henry  M.  Stone,  Perth  Amboy. 

Besides  the  above,  we  have  records  of: 

Drs.  Josiah  B.  Andrews,  L.  Fred  Baker,  F.  S.  Barbarin,  John  J. 
Bissett,  L.  S.  Blackwell,  Geo.  E.  Blackham,  George  W.  Britton,  Fred 
W.  Buckelew,  Charles  V.  Buttler,  John  H.  Carman,  James  Clark,  F.  F. 
Corson,  J.  H.  Crawford,  Edward  B.  Dana,  David  Davis,  Ireneas  P. 
Davis,  John  J.  De  Mott,  Thomas  T.  Devan  (Rev.),  Lewis  A.  Hall, 
Edward  E.  Haines,  Theodore  Hardenberg,  John  Helm,  George  J.  Howell, 
W.  W.  Hubbard,  Eugene  A.  Hults,  D.  Brainerd  Hunt,  Ellsworth  E. 
Hunt,  A.  C.  Hutton,  Thomas  L.  Janeway,  Cornelius  Johnson,  Nich. 
Kaemerer,  W.  P.  Keasbey,  E.  B.  P.  Kelly,  A.  S.  Knight,  William  Knight, 
H.  D.  B.  Lefferts,  J.  W.  Leighton,  Henry  Levy,  Samuel  Long,  William 
Mabon,  J.  I.  Marcley,  Caroline  H.  Marsh,  William  Martin,  W.  V.  Mc- 
Kenzie,  William  M.  Moore,  Lawrence  O.  Morgan,  J.  L.  Mulford,  Aza- 
riah  D.  Newell,  F.  B.  Norton,  Henry  T.  Pierce,  John  Pierson,  Moses 
Pierson,  Edward  A.  Reiley,  Frederick  Richmond,  John  B.  Richmond, 
H.  D.  Robinson,  George  H.  Sears,  A.  Sophian,  Clifford  M.  Stelle,  Nelson 
Stelle,  Roland  H.  Stubbs,  Benj.  E.  Tomlinson,  J.  L.  Van  Deventer, 
Rush  Van  Dyke,  D.  Clark  Van  Deursen,  John  H.  Van  Deursen,  J.  S. 
Van  Marter,  Garret  I.  Voorhees,  Van  Meulen,  James  B.  Wain- 
right,  J.  Leon  White,  W.  S.  Willis,  William  V.  Wilson,  C.  E.  Wood- 
ward, Edwin  B.  Young. 

A  few  of  the  above  named  doctors,  after  practicing  in  the  county 
several  years,  moved  to  other  States  where  they  practiced  and  died. 

The  following,  among  other  matter,  indicates  the  activities  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Middlesex  County  Medical  Society. 

Military  Hospital  in  New  Brunswick — The  "Pennsylvania  Packet,"  June 
17,  1779,  had  the  following:  We  hear  from  New  Brunswick  in  New 
Jersey  that  out  of  upwards  of  1,500  sick  who  were  admitted  in  the  Mili- 
tary Hospital  in  that  place  since  November  last,  only  22  have  died.  This 
extraordinary  success  in  the  management  of  the  sick  (compared  with 
former  years)  has  been  justly  ascribed,  next  to  the  diligence  and  care  of 
the  surgeons,  to  the  plentiful  and  punctual  supplies  of  stores  and  neces- 


268  MIDDLESEX 

saries  of  all  kinds  for  the  sick,  by  the  present  Purveyors  of  the  Hospital. 
— N.  J.  Archives,  Vol  3,  Second  Series. 

Perth  Amhoy  City  Hospital — This  Hospital  was  organized  in  1889. 
It  is  governed  by  a  Board  of  Directors  of  which  Mr.  S.  Riddlestorffer 
is  president ;  Adrian  Lyon  is  treasurer ;  I.  R.  Holt,  secretary,  and  Miss 
M.  P.  Blauvelt,  R.  N.,  is  superintendent.  There  were  1,425  patients 
admitted  in  1920;  free  patients,  210;  pay  patients,  1,215.  There  were 
discharged:  Cured,  968;  improved,  309;  unimproved,  53;  deaths,  95; 
remaining  January  i,  192 1,  47.  The  cost  per  patient  per  day  was  $2.38. 
There  were  125  babies  born  in  1920. 

There  is  a  Nurses'  Training  School  from  which  10  graduated  last 
year.  There  are  28  pupil  nurses.  The  members  of  the  Surgical  Staff 
are:  Drs.  J.  G.  Wilson,  Dean,  G.  W.  Tyrrell,  F.  C.  Henry,  M.  S.  Mein- 
zer.  Medical  Staff:  Drs.  J.  L.  Lund,  W.  E.  Ramsay,  C.  I.  Silk  and  G. 
W.  Fithian.  Specialists :  Drs.  J.  L.  MacDowell,  Eye,  Ear,  Nose  and 
Throat;  C.  I.  Silk,  Radiographer,  and  J.  V.  Shull,  Anaesthetizer.  There 
is  also  a  Consulting  Staff:  Drs.  Ill,  Lambert,  Thompson,  Booth,  Brewer, 
Reisman  and  Dwyer. 

The  Nezv  Bmnsivick  Hospital — During  the  winter  of  1883  the  city 
physicians  provided  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  subject:  "First  Aid  to 
the  Injured"  and  as  a  result  the  Hospital  Aid  Association  w^as  formed. 
The  necessity  of  a  Hospital  was  felt  and  in  February,  1884,  a  number 
of  ladies  met  and  organized  an  Association,  "Whose  object  and  aim 
was  the  securing  of  a  hospital  for  the  City  of  New  Brunswick,"  and  in 
March,  1885,  the  New  Brunswick  City  Hospital  was  organized.  A  cot- 
tage was  hired  in  Commercial  avenue  and  in  1887  a  larger  house  was 
secured  and  a  matron  placed  in  charge.  In  1888  the  Directors  raised 
$3,000  to  purchase  a  lot  for  a  new  hospital  and  Mrs.  Grace  T.  Wells 
erected  thereon  a  fine  building  in  memory  of  her  husband,  to  be  called — 

The  John  Wells  Memorial  Hospital — The  Board  of  Directors  consisted 
of  John  N.  Carpenter,  president;  James  Neilson,  vice-president;  Nahum 
Kent,  treasurer,  and  Miss  Alice  Campbell,  secretary. 

The  Medical  Staff  consisted  of  Drs.  H.  R.  Baldwin,  N.  Williamson, 
C.  H.  Voorhees,  D.  C.  English,  F.  M.  Donohue  and  S.  V.  D.  Clark,  with 
Dr.  A.  V.  N.  Baldwin,  Curator. 

In  1916  the  name  of  the  hospital  was  changed  and  is  now — 

The  Middlesex  General  Hospital— It  has  had  a  remarkably  successful  his- 
tory under  both  recent  names.  A  few  years  ago  a  large  additional  building 
was  erected.  Two  years  ago  a  Victor  Radiograph  Machine  was  intro- 
duced at  a  cost  of  nearly  $2,000,  contributed  by  the  Medical  Staff. 
Recently  Drs.  Smith  and  Gutmann  purchased  sixty  milligrams  of  radium 
which  will  be  used  there. 

The  report  for  the  year  ending  February  28.  1921,  shows :  In  hospital 
March  i,  1920,  number  of  patients,  51  ;  admitted  to  wards  during  the 
year  377,  and  to  private  rooms  474,  a  total  of  902  treated;  births,  131. 
Discharged:  Cured,  ^199;  improved,  104;  unimproved,  20;  died,  44. 
Patients  remaining  in  hospital  February  28,  35. 

The  present  Medical  and  Surgical  Staff  is :  Drs.  L.  P.  Runyon,  presi- 
dent;  B.  Gutmann,  vice-president;  F.  L.  Brown,  secretary;  D.  C.  English, 
consulting  physician,  with  Drs.  A.  L.  Smith,  J.  P.  Schureman,  F.  E. 
Riva,  F.  M.  Hoffman,  N.  N.  Forney,  F.  W.  Scott,  H.  W.  Nafey,  D.  L. 
Morrison,  B.  M.  Howley,  J.  F.  Anderson,  G.  F.  Leonard,  and  as  dental 
surgeons:  E.  S.  Griggs,  H.  Iredell  and  F.  L.  Hindle. 


THE  MEDICAL  FRATERNITY  269 

Last  year  the  hospital  met  with  a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  the 
president  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  who  had  served  many  years,  Mr. 
C.  J.  Carpender.  Mr.  William  H.  Leupp  is  now  president  of  the  Board, 
and  Miss  E.  B.  Strong  is  secretary. 

St.  Peter's  General  Hospital — This  hospital  established  thirteen  years 
ago  has  made  an  excellent  record  and  its  success  has  been  due  to  a 
considerable  extent  to  the  efforts  of  Monsignor  O'Grady  and  Dr.  Frank 
M.  Donohue,  whose  deaths  two  years  ago  have  been  keenly  felt  by  the 
hospital  authorities  and  the  public.  The  Thirteenth  Annual  Report  of 
the  work  done  during  the  year  1920  has  been  issued.  It  shows  one  of 
the  busiest  and  most  successful  of  its  existence.  3,620  patients  were 
admitted — 1,740  males  and  1,880  females.  In  addition  there  were  2,195 
outside  patients.  There  were  discharged :  Cured,  3,340 ;  improved,  41 ; 
unimproved,  21;  deaths,  53;  besides  57  that  were  in  a  dying  condition 
when  admitted;  98  remained  in  the  hospital  December  31,  1920. 

The  average  cost  per  day  per  patient  was  $1.96.  There  were  1,363 
free  patients,  2,061  pay  and  196  half  pay  patients.  There  were  1,294 
operations — major  and  minor.  There  were  249  births,  6  Cesarean  sec- 
tions. There  is  an  excellent  Training  School  for  Nurses ;  7  graduated  in 
1920;  there  are  now  7  in  the  senior  class  and  9  in  the  junior.  The 
interior  management  of  the  institution  is  in  charge  of  the  far  famed 
Grey  Nurses  of  Montreal.  About  21,000  patients  have  been  admitted 
and  treated  in  this  hospital  since  it  was  organized. 

Gradwohl  Laboratories — In  order  to  carry  out  the  American  Medical 
Association  requirements,  it  was  found  that  neither  of  the  hospitals  in 
New  Brunswick  had  an  adequate  laboratory.  The  Staff  of  the  Middlesex 
Hospital  suggested  that  Dr.  R.  L.  McKiernan  be  made  Urologist  and 
that  he  should  obtain  the  Gradwohl  Laboratories  of  which  he  should  be 
the  Director,  which  he  did.  The  chief  aim  and  leading  work  he  will 
do  is  in  assisting  the  physicians  in  making  diagnoses  by  means  of  all 
the  up-to-date  methods  used  in  a  modern  laboratory,  and  giving  every 
aid  by  means  of  bacteriological,  biological,  chemical,  histological  and 
serological  analyses,  particular  stress  to  be  laid  on  serological  work, 
performing  the  Wassermann  and  Hecht  tests  on  every  blood  specimen, 
so  that  no  possible  mistake  will  be  made.  As  urologist  Dr.  McKiernan 
has  rendered  good  service  in  the  Middlesex  Hospital  and  he  will  do  like 
service  in  St.  Peter's  General  Hospital,  as  well  as  assist  the  city  physi- 
cian generally. 

Anti-Tuberculosis  Clinics  in  New  Brunswick  and  Perth  Amboy  were 
opened  in  June,  1917,  through  the  efforts  of  the  State  Tuberculosis 
League,  cooperating  with  the  County  Advisory  Committee.  In  Perth 
Amboy  there  are  two  clinics  a  week  held  at  the  City  Hospital  with  Dr. 
Charles  I.  Silk  in  charge.  In  New  Brunswick  the  clinic  is  held  once  a 
week  at  the  State  Clinic  Rooms,  adjoining  the  Middlesex  General  Hos- 
pital, with  Drs.  F.  L.  Brown  and  Benj.  Gutmann  in  charge. 

The  Perth  Amboy  Clinic  report  for  the  year  1920  is  as  follows :  New 
patients,  308;  Clinic  attendance — new,  200;  old,  140;  total,  340;  deaths, 
63;  sent  to  Sanatoria:  Bonnie  Burn,  iii;  Glen  Gardner,  3;  total,  114; 
sputum  examinations  were:  positive,  13;  negative,  87;  total,  100;  also 
Von  Pirquet  tests:  48  positive,  8  negative,  5  doubtful,  total  61  ;  15  visits 
were  made  to  schools.  Two  Registered  Nurses  are  employed.  The 
Clinic  is  held  at  217  Smith  street. 

The  New  Brunswick  Clinic  report  for  six  months — June  to  December, 
1920,  was  as  follows:  Calls  from  office,  1,013;  new  patients,  28;  deaths, 


2-0  MIDDLESEX 

13;  clinic  attendance,  73;  sent  to  Sanatoria:  Bonnie  Burn,  5;  White 
Haven,  i  ;  total,  6.  The  efficient  nurse  who  was  in  charge  the  year  before 
left  January  i,  1920,  and  another  could  not  be  obtained  until  June,  the 
Clinic  was  thereby  closed.  From  June,  1917,  to  June,  1920 — except  the 
6  months  referred  to,  had  879  cases,  of  which  431  were  positive,  415  nega- 
tive and  33  suspicious. 

Venereal  Climes — These  are  conducted  under  the  auspices  of  the  United 
States  Public  Health  Service,  the  State  Board  of  Health,  cooperating 
with  the  local  Health  Board. 

The  New  Brunswick  Clinic  was  opened  January  6,  1920,  with  Dr. 
R.  L.  McKiernan  as  Director,  at  the  Middlesex  General  Hospital,  and 
notwithstanding  some  disfavor,  it  has  steadily  advanced,  though  the 
need  of  a  more  active  cooperation  on  the  part  of  the  city  government 
with  the  Health  Officers,  has  been  felt.  During  the  year  1920  the  record 
has  been  as  follows :  Total  number  of  cases  of  syphilis,  197 ;  of  gonor- 
rhoea, 233;  mixed  cases,  12;  total,  442;  number  of  visits  to  the  Clinic, 
1,965.  The  results  have  been:  Gonorrhoea  cases  absolutely  cured,  53; 
syphilis  cases  rendered  non-infectious,  190;  Wassermann  tests,  112; 
smears  for  gonococci  examined,  281. 

The  Perth  Amboy  Clinic,  with  Dr.  W.  H.  McCormick  as  Director, 
is  doing  like  work,  and  although  the  Clinic  has  had  considerable  difficulty 
in  perfecting  organization,  it  gives  promise  of  accomplishing  a  great 
work.    The  figures  of  work  done  have  not  yet  been  published. 

Baby  Welfare  Clinics — The  Perth  Amboy  Qinic  is  held  weekly,  Wednes- 
day, 10  to  12  A.  M.,  at  the  Public  Library.  Dr.  Wm.  London  in  charge. 
The  report  is:  Number  of  babies  examined,  150;  number  of  visits  to  the 
Clinic,  781. 

The  New  Brunswick  Clinic  is  held  weekly  in  the  Washington  Public 
School  building.  It  is  in  charge  of  Dr.  E.  Irving  Cronk.  There  were 
1,141  babies  cared  for  during  the  year  1920  with  no  deaths.  Weights 
and  measurements  were  taken  and  helpful  advice  given  to  mothers. 

David  C.  English,  M.  D. 


TUTTEX\'TLLE  FERRY 


FERRY  BOAT  AT  PERTH  AM  BOY 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 

Perth  Amhoy  and  Vicinity — ^The  manufacture  of  clay  products  has 
always  been  one  of  the  most  important  industries  of  the  county,  and 
the  most  prominent  figure  in  that  branch  of  business  was  the  late  Alfred 
Hall,  of  Perth  Amboy,  who  was  born  May  22,  1803,  in  Meriden,  Con- 
necticut. At  an  early  age  he  went  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  for  fifteen 
years  was  successfully  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick.  During 
that  period,  in  1842,  he  invented  and  patented  a  brick-moulding  machine, 
which  was  adopted  generally  by  the  trade  and  is  still  universally  used 
throughout  the  country.  In  1845  he  located  in  Perth  Amboy  and  erected 
a  factory  for  the  manufacture  of  fire-brick.  In  1856  a  portion  of  the 
buildings  were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  were  at  once  replaced  by  extensive 
brick  buildings  containing  many  improvements.  Rockingham  and  yel- 
low ware  and  terra  cotta  were  also  made  later  on.  In  addition  to  the 
Perth  Amboy  works,  A.  Hall  &  Sons  had  a  similar  plant  of  about  the 
same  capacity,  for  the  manufacture  of  fire-brick  at  Buffalo,  New  York, 
and  one  at  Towanda,  Pennsylvania,  for  red  brick,  which  produced 
about  2,250,000  brick  annually,  one  million  of  which  were  of  the  char- 
acter of  Philadelphia  front  brick.  When  in  full  force  the  three  plants 
produced  about  5,000,000  fire-brick  and  2,250,000  red  brick  annually. 
Edward  J.,  Mr.  Hall's  eldest  son,  was  in  charge  of  the  Buffalo  and 
Towanda  works. 

Mr.  Hall  retired  from  the  presidency  of  the  Perth  Amboy  Terra  Cotta 
Company  in  1880,  and  organized  a  company  to  erect  new  works,  which 
were  completed  about  1882,  and  were  the  most  extensive  of  any  in 
the  United  States.    In  a  letter  to  the  State  Geologist  in  1881  he  wrote : 

"I  am  doing  all  I  can  to  develop  and  bring  into  use  the  great  varieties 
of  clay,  which  should  be  a  great  source  of  wealth  to  the  State  of  New 
Jersey.  We  have  in  our  employ  men  of  all  nationalities,  who  are  familiar 
with  the  working  of  clay  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  their  opinion  is 
unanimous  that  the  red  and  other  colored  clays  of  New  Jersey  are 
superior  for  making  terra  cotta  to  any  in  the  world.  There  are  also 
many  clays  that  are  now  considered  worthless  that  show  qualities  that 
I  think  will  be  of  great  value  when  applied  to  the  uses  for  which  they 
are  adapted.  Perth  Amboy  is  the  natural  centre  for  the  manufacture 
of  architectural  terra  cotta,  both  on  account  of  the  abundance  of  the 
raw  material  and  the  great  facilities  for  shipping,  the  docks  here  having 
been  unimpeded  by  ice  all  through  the  last  severe  frost.  The  present 
works  cannot  supply  the  increasing  demand,  the  sales  of  the  six  months 
ending  December  31st,  amounting  to  $72,916.  January  ist  there  were 
orders  exceeding  $55,000,  and  several  large  works  for  which  terra  cotta 
is  specified  and  for  which  estimates  have  been  given,  aggregate  nearly 
$200,000  more.  Perth  Amboy  ought  to  become  as  noted  for  terra  cotta 
as  Trenton  is  for  pottery." 


272  MIDDLESEX 

Mr.  Hall  was  connected  with  the  Terra  Cotta  Works  until  a  short 
time  before  his  death.  The  manufacture  of  brick  and  terra  cotta  has 
been  benefited  to  an  almost  unlimited  extent  by  Mr.  Hall's  inventions 
and  improvements.  He  was  a  broad-minded,  public-spirited  citizen,  and 
took  a  great  interest  in  public  afifairs,  having  three  times  been  elected 
mayor  of  the  city,  and  in  1882  was  president  of  the  Fire-Brick  Makers' 
Association  of  the  United  States. 

Henry  Maurer,  a  native  of  Germany,  came  to  Perth  Amboy  in  1875 
from  New  York,  where  he  had  been  in  business  for  many  years,  and 
purchased  the  fire-brick  works  of  Joseph  Forbes,  near  the  mouth  of 
Woodbridge  Creek.  He  expended  over  $50,000  in  enlarging  and  im- 
proving the  plant,  and  proceeded  to  manufacture  fire-brick,  red  brick, 
gas  retorts,  furnace  blocks,  tile,  hollow  brick  and  French  roofing  tile. 
The  works  are  now  equal  to  any  of  the  kind  in  the  country,  and  contain 
many  of  Mr.  Maurer's  valuable  inventions.  He  died  a  number  of  years 
ago,  and  the  business  is  conducted  by  his  sons. 

About  1883,  Edward  M.  Keasbey,  who  had  been  mining  clay  for 
several  years  in  what  is  now  known  as  Keasbey,  in  connection  with  his 
brother,  A.  Q.  Keasbey,  of  Newark,  erected  a  factory  where  they  manu- 
factured building  brick,  and  later  on  fire-proofing  materials.  This  was 
the  forerunner  of  a  large  plant  consisting  of  three  extensive  buildings, 
and  a  similar  one  at  Lorillard,  in  Monmouth  county,  now  owned  and 
operated  by  the  National  Fire-Proofing  Company,  of  Pittsburgh,  of 
which  Henry  M.  Keasbey,  a  son  of  one  of  the  brothers  above  mentioned, 
is  president.  This  corporation  owns  and  operates  thirty  plants  and  does 
an  immense  business. 

Adam  Weber,  of  New  York,  erected  large  works  at  Keasbey  about 
thirty  years  ago,  and  manufactured  fire-brick,  gas  retorts,  etc.  In  1905 
he  sold  the  plant  to  the  Didier-March  Company,  who  operated  it  until 
a  few  months  ago,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  another  company. 

The  American  Encaustic  Tiling  Company  began  business  in  1913, 
manufacturing  wall  tile,  and  also  dealing  in  decorative  tile  in  colors, 
employing  about  ninety  men.  The  officers  are :  Emil  Kohler,  president, 
and  H.  D.  Lillibridge,  vice-president  and  general  superintendent. 

The  C.  Pardee  Company  purchased  the  Eagleswood  property  about 
1900,  and  erected  Steel  and  Enameled  Tile  Works.  The  former  has  since 
passed  into  the  control  of  other  parties,  who  continue  the  business  and 
retain  the  Pardee  name. 

Abel  Hansen  does  a  large  business  at  Fords,  manufacturing  bath 
tubs,  tanks,  basins,  toilet  fixtures,  etc.,  all  of  porcelain,  using  the  native 
clays. 

The  Roessler  &  Hasslacher  Chemical  Company,  with  offices  corner 
of  High  and  Fayette  streets,  commenced  business  in  Brooklyn  in  1882, 
and  removed  to  Perth  Amboy  two  years  later.     The  first  property  the 


MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES  273 

firm  purchased  was  the  old  cork  factory  of  William  King,  at  the  foot 
of  Commerce  street.  From  that  small  beginning  has  arisen  the  large 
plant,  fronting  on  Staten  Island  Sound,  and  composed  of  forty  buildings. 
All  varieties  of  chemical  goods  are  manufactured,  and  about  four  hun- 
dred men  and  boys  are  employed.  The  present  large  and  beautiful 
office  building  was  erected  in  1910.  In  addition  to  the  large  business 
done  in  the  United  States,  the  firm  has  a  very  considerable  trade  with 
Mexico  and  South  America.  A  New  York  office  is  maintained  at  609 
Sixth  avenue.  The  officers  are  Franz  Roessler,  president ;  William  H. 
Hamm,  vice-president  and  treasurer ;  and  P.  Schleussner,  secretary. 

The  Standard  Underground  Cable  Company  was  established  on  High 
street  in  1898,  the  cable  department  being  first  installed.  In  1902  the  rod, 
wire,  weather-proof  and  rubber  departments  were  added.  From  1914- 
1918  the  plant  was  largely  employed  by  the  United  States  government 
and  produced  vast  quantities  of  tubes  and  other  war  materials.  The 
daily  output  is  from  300,000  to  400,000  pounds  of  various  products.  The 
average  number  of  employes,  under  normal  conditions,  is  about  1,500. 
The  executive  offices  are  in  Pittsburgh,  and  the  present  officials  are  as 
follows :  J.  W.  Marsh,  president  (from  the  foundation  of  the  corpora- 
tion); P.  H.  W.  Smith,  of  Pittsburgh,  C.  J.  Marsh,  of  New  York,  and 
C.  C.  Baldwin,  of  Perth  Amboy,  vice-presidents ;  C.  M.  Hagen,  of  Pitts- 
burgh, secretary  and  treasurer;  and  H.  W.  Fisher,  assistant  secretary. 

The  Perth  Amboy  Dry  Dock  Company,  with  W.  Parker  Runyon, 
president,  and  Charles  D.  Snedeker,  secretary  and  treasurer,  was  incor- 
porated in  1887,  ^"d  developed  from  a  marine  railway  established  in 
i860.  Since  the  incorporation,  four  dry  docks  have  been  installed,  with 
a  capacity  of  2,500  tons,  eight  piers,  370  to  400  feet  long,  floating  equip- 
ment, electric  and  air-welding  plants,  complete  power  equipment,  der- 
ricks, blacksmith  and  machine  shops,  sawmills,  etc.  The  average 
number  of  employes  is  between  three  hundred  and  four  hundred. 
Adjoining  frontage,  recently  purchased,  gives  the  plant  a  water  front 
of  over  one  thousand  feet.  The  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation  of  the 
United  States  Government  Shipping  Board  has  been  building  a  number 
of  modern  drydocks,  with  a  view  of  placing  them  with  reliable  estab- 
lished shipyards  for  operation,  giving  the  shipyard  owners  the  privilege 
of  purchasing  them  upon  reasonable  terms.  The  Perth  Amboy  Com- 
pany was  awarded  one  of  these  docks,  with  a  capacity  of  one  thousand 
tons,  and  it  is  now  installed. 

The  Raritan  Copper  Works,  on  the  site  of  the  old  John  R.  Watson 
fire-brick  works,  was  erected  in  1898  by  the  Lewissohn  Brothers,  of 
New  York,  and  the  first  copper  was  produced  in  April  of  the  following 
year.  The  business  consists  of  the  refining  of  copper  and  its  by-products 
— silver,  gold,  platinum,  palladium,  selenium  and  tellurium.  Several 
years  later  the  works  passed  into  the  control  and  became  a  subsidiary 

Mid— 18 


274  MIDDLESEX 

corporation  of  the  Anaconda  Mining  Company.  The  average  number 
of  employees  is  1,400.     Mr.  A.  C.  Clark  is  the  general  manager. 

The  American  Smelting  and  Refining  Company  established  a  large 
plant  fronting  on  the  Staten  Island  Sound  in  1895  for  the  refining  of 
lead  and  copper  ores,  and  other  branches  of  the  business.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  inability  to  secure  a  sufficient  number  of  employees  about 
one-half  of  the  plant  is  closed  at  the  present  writing,  the  working  force 
being  only  about  seven  hundred;  formerly  1,800  men  and  boys  were 
employed.    J.  F.  Austin  is  the  general  manager. 

New  Briinsunck — The  wall  paper  business  of  Janeway  &  Company,  of 
New  Brunswick,  was  started  by  John  P.  Hardenbergh  in  1844,  in  two 
small  buildings  on  Water  street,  the  wall  paper  being  printed  on  hand 
presses.  In  1846,  Henry  L.  Janeway,  who  was  born  in  Philadelphia  and 
came  to  New  Brunswick  in  1833,  bought  an  interest  in  the  business, 
and  the  firm  introduced  the  first  machine  for  printing  wall  paper.  It 
was  made  in  the  machine  shop  of  Haley  Fiske,  of  the  city,  and  was  a 
very  crude  affair.  Later  on  an  improved  machine  was  made  in  the 
locomotive  works  at  Paterson,  which  printed  four  colors  and  worked 
very  satisfactorily.  In  those  early  days  Mr.  Janeway  invented  the  plan 
for  a  machine  for  hanging  wall  paper  while  in  the  drying  process,  by 
passing  it  over  ropes  on  grooved  pulleys.  It  was  made  in  William 
Waldron's  machine  works,  in  the  city,  and  remained  a  secret  for  eight 
years,  although  it  was  never  patented.  Later  on  a  foreman,  who  had 
been  in  the  employ  of  Hardenbergh  &  Janeway,  introduced  it  into  other 
factories.  The  plan  has  been  greatly  improved  since  then,  but  the  main 
idea  remains  the  same.  About  1850,  William  R.  Janeway,  brother  of 
Henry  L.,  bought  Mr.  Hardenbergh's  interest,  the  firm  became  Janeway 
&  Company,  and  an  office  was  opened  in  Maiden  Lane,  New  York. 
Steam  power  was  installed  in  1846,  and  many  additions  were  made  to 
the  factory,  which  were  continued  from  year  to  year  until  1876,  when 
the  storehouse  on  Water  street  was  built,  and  the  plant  continually 
enlarged  until  it  covered  the  entire  block.  The  works  were  destroyed 
by  fire,  February  7,  1885,  the  warehouse  alone  being  saved.  Rebuilding 
was  immediately  commenced,  and  the  new  factory  was  occupied  October 
ist  of  the  same  year.  The  main  building  had  five  floors,  65x315  feet,  and 
the  warehouse  four  floors,  70x160  feet,  with  a  frontage  on  the  Delaware 
and  Raritan  canal  of  315  feet.  The  equipment  included  engines  of  120 
horsepower,  boilers  of  240  horsepower,  and  sixteen  printing  presses, 
and  employed  a  working  force  of  over  200.  The  capacity  of  the  works 
was  from  ten  to  twelve  million  rolls  of  paper  annually.  The  paper 
was  sold  all  over  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  over  twenty-five 
salesmen  were  employed.  Mr.  Janeway's  generosity  to  the  employees 
during  the  winter  of  the  great  fire,  when  the  factory  was  destroyed, 
was  most  praiseworthy.     Among  other  benefactions,  he  replaced  the 


MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES  275 

destroyed  tools  of  the  print  cutters,  which  were  very  valuable.  He 
died  in  1909,  and  the  business  and  factory  were  sold  in  1914.  He  was 
a  trustee  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  for  thirty-six  years,  trustee 
of  Rutgers  College  since  1862,  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  for 
twenty-two  years  and  its  president  for  seven  years,  director  of  the  New 
Brunswick  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company,  charter  member  of  the 
company  who  built  the  City  Water  Works,  member  of  the  Water  Board 
for  four  years,  and  a  bank  and  gas  company  director  for  forty-two  years. 

In  1863,  Belcher  &  Nicholson,  the  latter  being  a  former  member  of 
the  firm  of  Janeway  &  Company,  established  a  wall  paper  factory  in 
New  Brunswick,  manufacturing  chiefly  bronzes  and  what  are  techni- 
cally known  as  French  drawn  stripes  and  mouldings.  In  1870,  Charles 
J.  Carpender,  and  in  1872,  Colonel  Jacob  J.  Janeway,  came  into  the 
business,  and  the  firm  of  Janeway  &  Carpender  was  formed.  A  factory 
165x50  feet  was  erected,  fifty  employees  engaged,  and  the  business  greatly 
enlarged,  including  the  printing  of  blanks,  satins,  tints,  gold  and  silver 
paper.  The  great  specialty  is  the  French  drawn  stripes  and  mouldings. 
The  former  are  used  in  paneling  a  room  in  imitation  of  fresco,  the 
mouldings  being  surmounted  by  caps  and  corners  to  complete  the  panels. 
The  drawn  stripes,  which  are  made  by  but  one  other  firm  in  the  country, 
are  combinations  of  shades  and  stripes,  which  take  the  place  of  figures 
in  wall  paper.  Over  seven  hundred  and  fifty  styles  of  paper  are  kept 
in  stock,  and  salesmen  travel  through  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
selling  a  vast  amount  of  goods.    Mr.  Carpender  died  several  months  ago. 

United  States  Rubber  Company — In  1839,  Christopher  Meyer,  a  native 
of  Hanover,  Germany,  came  to  New  Brunswick,  to  put  up  for  Horace 
H.  Day  a  steam  engine  and  machinery  for  the  first  manufacture  of 
rubber  goods  in  the  city.  Mr.  Day  was  then  having  carriage  and 
rubber  shoes  failures.  Mr.  Meyer  made  his  first  essay  at  manufacturing 
under  the  Goodyear  patent,  inventing  and  improving  machinery,  and 
perfecting  the  progress  of  rubber  shoe  making.  He  discovered  a  plan 
by  which  the  disagreeable  odor  of  the  rubber  was  almost  entirely  elimi- 
nated, and  the  cloth  and  shoes  rendered  more  durable,  a  plan  which 
was  only  surpassed  by  the  subsequent  discovery  of  the  process  of  vul- 
canization. Mr.  Day  refused  to  recognize  the  value  of  this  process, 
and  the  two  parted.  For  about  two  years  Mr.  Meyer  operated  a  small 
plant  at  the  Landing  Bridge,  and  in  1843  J.  C.  Ackerman,  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, proposed  to  build  for  him  a  factory  on  the  site  of  the  old  Milltown 
grist  mill,  which  was  done,  James  Bishop  joining  with  Mr.  Meyer  in 
the  management.  Shirred  goods,  carriage  cloth  and  rubber  shoes  were 
manufactured,  and  also  rubber  pontoon  bridges  for  United  States 
government  use  in  the  Mexican  War,  until  1845,  when  the  factory  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  including  Mr.  Meyer's  residence,  leaving  him  almost 
penniless.    John  R.  Ford,  a  New  York  merchant,  came  to  his  aid,  and 


276  MIDDLESEX 

together  they  rebuilt  the  works,  and  the  firm  of  Ford  &  Company  con- 
tinued business  until  1850,  when  a  joint  stock  company  was  organized 
under  the  general  law  under  the  name  of  the  Ford  Rubber  Company. 
Four  years  later  the  name  was  changed  to  the  Meyer  Rubber  Company, 
and  continued  as  such,  with  Mr.  Meyer  as  president  and  Mr.  Ford 
as  treasurer.  In  1877  he  organized  the  New  Jersey  Rubber  Shoe  Com- 
pany, erected  large  buildings  in  Little  Burnet  street,  and  manufactured 
boats,  shoes,  canes,  etc.  He  also  established  the  Novelty  Rubber 
Works  in  Neilson  street,  above  the  railroad  bridge,  for  the  manufacture 
of  hard  rubber.  The  goods  manufactured  amounted  to  about  $600,000 
annually,  and  included  every  possible  variety  of  hard  rubber  goods, 
as  follows :  Buttons  in  great  variety,  smokers'  requisites,  as  pipes,  pipe- 
stems  and  bowls  in  great  diversity  of  shapes  and  sizes ;  pipe  and 
tobacco  boxes,  cigar  cases,  match  boxes,  etc.,  crochet  hooks,  knitting 
pins  and  tatting  needles,  and  a  variety  of  articles  used  in  trimming  ladies' 
dresses.  Round  rulers  of  all  sizes,  also  hotel,  restaurant,  billiard,  poker 
and  jewelers'  checks,  elegant  canes,  and  many  other  goods  under  the 
name  of  Yankee  Notions.  These  articles  were  shipped  to  all  parts  of 
the  world.  Germany  and  England  were  a  large  market,  also  Cape 
Town,  South  Africa,  Australia,  Central  and  South  America,  in  addition 
to  the  large  quantities  sold  to  pipe  manufacturers  and  dealers  in  this 
country.  The  rubber  business  is  still  continued  in  New  Brunswick 
under  the  title  of  the  United  States  Rubber  Company,  with  James  Desh- 
ler  as  president. 

Mr.  Meyer  became  interested  in  the  rubber  business  in  New  Bruns- 
wick when  it  was  in  its  infancy,  and  to  him  alone  is  largely  due  its 
development,  which  has  made  such  rapid  progress  among  the  most 
important  manufactures  of  the  country.  This  interest  increased  under 
his  management  and  superior  ability  from  a  business  of  a  few  thousand 
dollars  until  it  reached  several  millions  annually.  He  may  well  be 
classed  among  the  self-made  business  men,  and  a  shining  example  of 
what  ambition  and  a  will  to  succeed  under  adverse  circumstances  may 
achieve. 

In  1887  Robert  W.,  James  W.  and  Edward  M.  Johnson  secured  the 
old  Parsons  Mill  property,  near  the  Pennsylvania  railroad,  and  began 
the  manufacture  of  absorbent  and  surgical  dressing  materials.  In  1893 
the  old  Novelty  Button  Works  was  purchased,  and  in  1900  the  cotton 
mill  was  erected.  The  property  of  the  Norfolk  and  New  Brunswick 
Hosiery  Company  was  acquired  in  1908,  and  the  company  has  been 
continually  enlarging  and  improving  the  plant.  In  1897,  having  had 
much  difficulty  in  shipping  their  goods  by  rail,  the  company  secured 
two  steam  freight  boats,  which  from  that  time  to  the  present  have  made 
daily  trips  to  New  York  during  the  navigable  season.  During  the  late 
European  War  the  company,  under   the   direction   of  the   Red   Cross, 


MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES  277 

supplied  the  armies  of  the  United  States  and  the  Allies  with  all  the 
absorbent  cotton,  gauze  bandages  and  other  surgical  supplies  that  were 
needed.  The  average  number  of  employes  is  2,000.  Robert  W.  John- 
son, Sr.,  the  president,  died  in  1910.  The  present  officers  are  James  W. 
Johnson,  president ;  Frank  Jones  and  Robert  W.  Johnson,  vice-presi- 
dents ;  Robert  C.  Nicholas,  secretary ;  and  Charles  A.  McCormick, 
treasurer. 

The  Neverslip  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized  in  February, 
1896,  with  Robert  W.  Johnson,  president;  James  W.  Johnson,  vice- 
president  ;  and  William  J.  McCurdy,  secretary  and  treasurer,  for  the 
manufacture  of  horseshoes,  calks  and  tools.  On  May  29,  1917,  the 
Manufacturers'  Iron  and  Steel  Company  was  incorporated,  which 
included  the  Neverslip  Manufacturing  Company,  of  New  Brunswick ; 
the  Neverslip  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Montreal,  Canada ;  and  the 
Bryden  Horseshoe  Company,  of  Catasauqua,  Pennsylvania,  with  the 
following  officers :  James  W.  Johnson,  president  and  general  manager ; 
Robert  C.  Nicholas,  vice-president  and  secretary ;  George  F.  McCormick, 
treasurer;  and  H.  Morley  Holton,  assistant  treasurer;  directors:  J.  W. 
Johnson,  R.  C.  Nicholas,  G.  F.  McCormick,  Paul  E.  Miller,  H.  Morley 
Holton,  Sidney  B.  Carpender  and  Royal  W.  Mattice.  The  average 
number  of  employees  in  the  New  Brunswick  plant  is  125,  and  only 
adjustable  calks  and  tools  are  made. 

The  Consolidated  Fruit  Jar  Company  was  organized  December  14, 
1871,  in  its  present  building  on  Water  street,  by  R.  W.  Booth,  of  New 
York,  for  the  manufacture  of  sheet  and  cast  metal  goods,  and  at  first 
made  principally  fruit-jar  tops  and  can  screws.  Later  on,  bottle  caps, 
collapsible  tubes,  oil  cans  and  sprinkler  tops  for  toilet  waters  and  per- 
fumes were  manufactured.  The  average  number  of  employees  is  330, 
and  the  output  is  disposed  of  to  manufacturers  and  jobbers.  The  officers 
are :  Henry  B.  Kent,  president ;  Charles  P.  Buckley,  vice-president,  and 
Benj.  W.  Erickson,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

In  1852  George  Buttler  and  John  Y.  Brokaw  began  to  manufacture 
sash  doors,  blinds,  shelving,  stair  work,  counters,  office  fixtures,  etc., 
and  many  years  after  the  firm  became  the  Buttler-Howell  Company, 
with  the  following  officers:  Howard  V.  Buttler,  president;  Abram  S. 
Howell,  vice-president  and  treasurer;  Robert  V.  Buttler,  secretary,  and 
G.  Harold  Buttler,  superintendent.  The  firm  makes  a  specialty  of  lay- 
ing hardwood  floors  and  the  interior  finishing  of  houses.  A  stockroom 
for  the  sale  of  goods  is  maintained  in  Elizabeth. 

One  of  the  oldest  industries  in  the  city  was  the  carriage  factory  of 
John  Van  Nuis,  built  by  him  in  1810  on  Albany  street.  The  wood- 
work, blacksmithing,  trimming  and  painting  were  done  in  separate 
buildings,  with  a  repository  in  front.  In  1813  he  shipped  some  car- 
riages to  Norfolk,  Virginia,  and  found  a  ready  sale,  and  finally  established 


278 


MIDDLESEX 


an  agency  there.  His  sons  made  trips  through  the  South  and  eventually- 
extended  the  trade  to  North  and  South  Carolina.  In  1840  a  repository 
was  opened  at  Mobile,  where  carriages  were  sold  over  a  territory  of 
500  miles  around  the  city.  In  1858,  when  the  Civil  War  appeared  immi- 
nent, the  Southern  business  was  abandoned.  The  firm  lost  much  money 
and  was  never  able  to  regain  its  immense  business.  The  factory  was 
closed  in  1915. 

Other  manufactures  are  mentioned  in  the  chapters  on  Woodbridge, 
Piscataway,  East  Brunswick,  and  the  Boroughs  of  South  River,  Hel- 
metta,  Jamesburg,  Sayreville,  Roosevelt  and  Middlesex,  and  the  city 
of  South  Amboy. 


I  111'  ■B»ii  I  iintMflassca&jt.y -> 


-   ?UMU.b<.£&     %^:^ 


FALLS  RARLIAX   RI\'ER,   NEW   BRUXSWICK 


PLXXSVLVAXIA    RAILl>;(jAI)    IIKIDGL,  X  l'A\'  I'.RUXSWICK 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
CITY    OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK. 

In  the  seventeenth  century,  where  New  Brunswick  now  stands  there 
was  a  dense  cedar  forest  interspersed  with  a  swamp.  A  mystic  tradition 
which  the  ancient  records  do  not  verify  states  that  the  first  inhabitant 
Daniel  Cooper,  settled  where  the  postroad  afterwards  crossed  the  river, 
and  kept  a  ferry.  This  Cooper  was  one  of  the  early  purchasers  and 
settlers  under  the  proprietors,  and  his  name  appears  as  such  on  the 
schedule  to  the  Elizabethtown  Bill.  This  record  states  that  his  tract 
of  land  of  two  thousand  acres  was  on  the  "Passack"  river,  and  there- 
fore the  conclusion  is  drawn  that  it  did  not  extend  as  far  west  as  the 
Raritan  river,  therefore  he  had  no  connection  with  the  early  settlement 
of  New  Brunswick. 

In  Watson's  "Annals  of  Philadelphia"  is  preserved  an  item  from 
William  Edmundson's  Journal.  An  early  traveler  in  East  Jersey  in  1675, 
he  made  a  journey  southward  from  New  York,  and  in  going  from  Mid- 
dletown  to  the  Delaware  river,  accompanied  by  an  Indian  guide,  they 
lost  their  way  in  the  wilderness,  and  were  obliged  to  return  to  the 
Raritan  river  to  enable  them  to  discover  the  proper  course.  He  tells 
of  coming  to  a  "small  landing  from  New  York,"  which  was  no  doubt 
the  crossing  of  the  path  where  afterwards  Inian's  Ferry  was  established. 
These  early  travelers  wended  their  way  along  a  small  path,  with  no 
tame  animal  in  sight,  kindling  in  the  wilderness  a  fire  by  the  side  of 
which  they  slept,  and  finally  reaching  Delaware  Falls,  now  the  site  of 
the  city  of  Trenton. 

It  was  on  November  10,  1681,  John  Inian  and  company  bought  two 
lots  which  form  the  principal  site  of  the  city  of  New  Brunswick.  The 
tract  thus  purchased  had  a  mile  of  river  front  and  was  two  miles  in 
depth.  Inian,  in  connection  with  Joseph  Benbridge  and  others,  peti- 
tioned the  Governor  and  Council  on  March  i,  1682,  for  a  patent  of  the 
lands  they  had  purchased  from  the  Indians.  The  warrant  was  for  six 
thousand  acres  but  it  appears  that  the  surveyor  had  laid  out  7,680  acres 
without  the  reservation  of  the  seventh  that  was  the  proportion  of  the 
proprietors.  The  Council,  however,  determined  that  the  petitioners 
should  have  patents  for  the  land,  John  Inian  to  receive  one  thousand 
acres,  and  all  others  five  hundred  acres  each  on  payment  of  one  half- 
penny an  acre,  the  overplus  of  the  tract  to  be  appropriated  to  the  pro- 
prietors in  lieu  of  their  seventh.  A  map  made  in  1685  by  John  Reid, 
at  that  time  first  deputy  surveyor  under  the  proprietors,  gives  the  situ- 
ation and  outlines  of  nineteen  lots  designated  as  the  "Raritan  Lots," 
lying  on  the  mouth  of  South  river,  past  the  present  site  of  New  Bruns- 


28o  MIDDLESEX 

wick  to  Bound  Brook,  seventeen  of  which  have  each  about  a  half  a  mile 
of  river  front  by  about  two  miles  in  depth,  and  extending  in  a  south- 
westerly direction  inland.  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  South  river,  the 
first  of  these  lots  is  marked  to  "Law  Baker,  and  contains  1,300  acres; 
the  next  to  "C.  P.  Sommans,"  1,000  acres;  the  next  to  "Governor  Bar- 
clay," 500  acres ;  the  next  to  C.  Longfield,  500  acres ;  the  two  next  to 
"John  Inians,"  each  640  acres.  This  last  is  shown  on  the  map  to  be  the 
"fording  place,"  designated  by  a  hand  pointing  towards  it,  also  by  the 
word  "falles"  written  opposite.  This  was  the  original  site  of  New 
Brunswick ;  the  falles  were  a  rocky  rift  extending  across  the  river,  mak- 
ing the  stream  so  shallow  it  could  be  easily  crossed  at  low  water  in  a 
wagon  or  on  horseback. 

Soon  after  Inian's  settlement,  he  operated  a  ferry,  and  on  April  19, 
1686,  he  addressed  a  communication  to  the  Governor  and  Council  of 
East  Jersey,  stating  that  at  considerable  expense  he  had  made  a  road 
to  Delaware  Falls  from  his  house  on  the  Raritan,  which  was  six  miles 
shorter  than  a  former  road,  and  had  furnished  himself  with  all  accommo- 
dations as  boats,  canoes,  etc.,  for  ferrying  over  the  Raritan  river  all  those 
traveling  with  horses  and  cattle.  He  desired  the  board  to  settle  the 
rates  to  be  charged  for  transportation  across  the  Raritan,  but  whether 
it  was  legally  established  as  a  ferry  at  this  time  is  doubtful.  The  pro- 
prietors, however,  on  November  2,  1697,  granted  the  ferry  for  the  lives 
of  Inian  and  his  wife  and  to  the  survivor  at  a  rental  of  five  shillings 
sterling  per  annum. 

The  place  continued  to  be  called  Inian's  Ferry,  though  it  was  vari- 
ously corrupted  into  Inions,  Innions,  Onions  and  Inyance,  in  the  public 
acts  and  records  as  late  as  1723.  In  that  year,  there  being  only  one 
street  in  the  hamlet,  called  Broad  street  and  now  Burnet  street,  the  county 
court  was  petitioned  by  Henry  Freeman,  William  Harris,  Timothy 
Bloomfield  and  Dirck  Van  Aersdalen,  asking  to  lay  out  a  road  and  two 
streets. 

John  Inian  was  unquestionably  a  man  of  some  consequence  in  the 
community.  Besides  being  an  associate  justice  of  the  court,  he  was  a 
member  of  Governors  Hamilton's  and  Basse's  councils,  and  was  often 
designated  in  the  records  as  "Captain  John  Inians." 

The  earliest  use  of  the  name  New  Brunswick  is  found  in  the  minutes 
of  the  county  court,  April  7,  1724,  when  two  surveyors  of  the  roads  and 
two  constables  were  appointed.  After  this  date  it  ceased  to  be  called 
by  the  name  of  Inian's.  Though  this  was  ten  years  after  the  accession 
of  the  House  of  Brunswick  to  the  throne  of  Great  Britain,  it  is  pre- 
sumable that  the  future  city  was  named  in  its  honor.  At  this  early 
period  of  settlement  the  population  was  very  small,  although  it  was 
beginning  to  overshadow  the  older  settlements  of  Woodbridge,  Perth 
Amboy  and  Piscataway,  and  its  importance  as  a  commercial  center  was 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  281 

at  least  flattering.  The  adjacent  territory  was  rapidly  filling  up  with 
settlers,  and  quoting  James  Alexander,  who  settled  at  Inian's  Ferry  in 
1715,  there  were  at  that  time  only  four  or  five  houses  in  the  thirty  miles 
between  Inian's  Ferry  and  Falls  of  the  Delaware  (Trenton).  Fifteen  years 
later  there  was  almost  a  continuous  line  of  fences  and  houses  of  farm- 
ers engaged  in  raising  wheat,  and  as  New  Brunswick  was  the  nearest 
landing,  it  became  the  store  house  for  their  produce.  This  caused  the 
embyro  town  to  increase  in  population,  and  a  plot  of  ground  in  the 
center  of  the  village  commanded  as  high  a  price  as  the  same  size  lot  in 
the  heart  of  New  York  City. 

About  this  period  several  Dutch  families  immigrated  from  Albany, 
New  York,  bringing  with  them  building  material  and  locating  along  the 
public  road.  They  were  men  of  considerable  property  and  enterprise ; 
prominent  amongst  them  were  Dirck  Schuyler,  Hendrick  Van  Deursen, 
Dirck  Van  Veghten,  Abraham  Schuyler,  John  Ten  Broeck,  Nicholas 
Van  Dyke,  and  Dirck  Van  Alen.  The  arrival  of  these  Dutch  settlers 
gave  a  fresh  impulse  to  trade.  The  principal  streets  were  Burnet,  Water 
and  Albany,  with  a  few  buildings  on  Church,  the  inhabitants  living 
along  the  river  as  far  south  as  Sonman's  Hill,  extending  north  a  short 
distance  above  the  ferry ;  the  increased  population  and  activity  resulted 
in  the  incorporation  in  1730  of  the  township  of  New  Brunswick. 

Peter  Kalm,  a  professor  of  the  University  of  Abo  in  Swedish  Finland, 
who  visited  North  America  in  1748  as  a  naturalist,  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Swedish  Royal  Academy  of  Science,  gives  this  description  of  New 
Brunswick : 

About  noon  we  arrived  at  New  Brunswick,  a  pretty  little  town  in  a  valley  on  the 
west  side  of  the  river  Raritan.  On  account  of  its  low  situation  it  cannot  be  seen  coming 
from  Pennsylvania  before  arriving  at  the  top  of  the  hill  which  is  close  to  it.  The  town 
extends  north  and  south  along  the  river.  The  town-house  makes  a  pretty  good  appear- 
ance. The  town  has  only  one  street  lengthwise,  and  at  its  northern  extremity  there  is  a 
street  across.  Both  of  these  are  of  considerable  length.  One  of  the  streets  is  almost 
entirely  inhabited  by  Dutchmen  who  came  hither  from  Albany,  and  for  that  reason  they 
call  it  Albany  street.  On  the  road  from  Trenton  to  New  Brunswick  I  never  saw  any 
place  in  America,  the  towns  excepted,  so  well  peopled. 

The  greater  part  of  New  Brunswick's  trade  is  to  New  York,  which  is  about  forty 
English  miles  distant.  To  that  place  they  send  corn,  flour  in  great  quantities,  bread,  sev- 
eral other  necessaries,  a  great  quantity  of  linseed,  boards,  timber,  wooden  vessels,  and  all 
sorts  of  carpenter's  work.  Several  small  yachts  are  every  day  going  backward  and  for- 
ward between  these  two  towns.  The  inhabitants  likewise  get  a  considerable  profit  from 
the  travelers  who  every  hour  pass  through  on  the  high  road. 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  the  embyro  town  must  have  been  of  very 
diminutive  proportions,  for  a  little  over  a  quarter  of  a  century  later, 
in  fact  a  year  before  the  opening  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  John  Adams, 
afterwards  President  of  the  United  States,  describes  it  as  follows: 
"Went  to  view  the  village  of  New  Brunswick.  There  is  a  Church  of 
England,  a  Dutch  church  and  a  Presbyterian  church  in  this  town.  There 
is  some  little  trade  here;  small  craft  can  come  up  to  this  town.  We  saw 
a  few  small  sloops.    The  river  is  very  beautiful.    There  is  a  store  build- 


282  MIDDLESEX 

ing  for  barracks,*  which  is  tolerably  handsome ;  it  is  about  the  size  of 
Boston  jail.  Some  of  the  streets  are  paved,  and  there  are  three  or 
four  handsome  houses ;  only  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  families  in  the 
town." 

The  granting  of  a  Royal  city  charter  to  New  Brunswick,  December  30, 
1730,  established  two  cities  in  Middlesex  county,  which  was  at  that  time 
the  only  county  in  America  to  embrace  within  its  limits  chartered  munici- 
palities. It  was  not  for  the  growing  density  of  population  that  there 
was  a  demand  for  the  forming  of  cities,  it  was  not  a  result  of  a  necessity, 
the  real  movement  being  for  an  essential  unity,  which  was  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  a  greater  part  of  these  cities  were  in  the  middle  of  the 
colonies,  the  only  notable  exceptions  being  Annapolis  and  Albany.  The 
first  corporation  seal  of  the  new  city  is  described  as  follows :  On  the  right 
side  of  the  seal,  the  goddess  of  agricultural  bounty  is  represented  by 
a  sheaf  of  wheat  alongside  a  pair  of  scales ;  the  motto  reads  Alma  sed 
Alcqua,  signifying  "kindly  but  just."  On  the  left  side  appears  a  ship 
riding  at  anchor  in  the  Raritan,  typifying  commerce.  The  words  Laeta 
revcrtor  may  be  freely  translated  'T  am  glad  to  return  home." 

The  petitioners  for  the  Royal  Charter  were  Thomas  Farmar,  Jacob 
Okey,  James  Hude,  Dolin  Hegerman,  Lawrence  Williamson,  Duncan 
Hutchinson,  Derrick  Schuyler,  William  Okey,  Paul  Miller,  William 
Williamson,  Abraham  Bennet,  Cort  Voorhees,  James  Neilson,  John 
Balding,  besides  others.  The  boundaries  were  described  as  all  that 
tract  of  land  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  South  river  upon  the  bounds 
of  the  city  and  precincts  of  Perth  Amboy,  and  from  thence  following 
the  said  bounds  up  the  said  river  unto  the  post  road  that  leads  from 
Perth  Amboy  to  Burlington,  and  along  said  road  to  Milston  brook  or 
river  from  thence  down  the  same  brook  or  river  as  it  runs  into  the 
country  road  that  leads  from  Trenton  to  Inian's  Ferry,  thence  easterly 
along  the  said  road  unto  a  brook  called  the  Mile  run  about  a  mile  dis- 
tant from  said  ferry,  thence  down  the  said  brook  as  it  runs  (including 
the  same)  unto  the  mouth  thereof  where  it  empties  itself  into  Raritan 
river,  thence  on  a  line  to  the  north  side  of  the  said  river,  thence  down 
the  said  river  as  it  runs  (including  the  same  to  high  water  mark  on  the 
northeasterly  side  thereof)  unto  the  bounds  of  Perth  Amboy  aforesaid, 
and  from  thence  along  the  said  bounds  to  the  point  of  beginning. 

The  charter  appointed  Thomas  Farmar  mayor,  and  a  board  of  alder- 
men, consisting  of  William  Cox,  Jacob  Okey,  Dolin  Hegeman,  William 
Cheesman,  Josiah  Davison  and  Law  Williamson.  There  was  another 
corporated  body  called  in  the  charter  "assistants,"  but  known  as  the 
Common  Council.  The  members  appointed  for  this  board  were  John 
Thomson,  Cort  Voorhees,  Minne  Voorhees,  Henry  Longfield,  William 
Williamson  and  John  Van  Dyck ;  James  Neilson  was  made  clerk ;  Evan 


*The    barracks    were    located    on    George    street,    between    Bayard    and    Paterson 
rtreets. 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  283 

Drummond,  sheriff;  Alexander  Moore,  treasurer;  Thomas  Marshall, 
coroner;  John  Dally  to  be  sergeant  of  the  mace,  the  mayor  to  have  the 
honor  of  having  a  mace  borne  before  him.  The  overseers  of  the  poor 
were  John  Van  Nuys,  Daniel  Fitch  and  John  Stevens.  David  Lee  and 
Michael  Moore  w^ere  made  constables.  Elections  were  to  be  held  annu- 
ally on  the  second  Thursday  in  April,  although  it  reads  in  original 
document  the  second  Tuesday.  The  first  meeting  held  under  the  city 
charter  was  on  March  16,  17301.  Among  the  early  ordinances  passed 
in  the  first  score  of  years  of  the  city  government  was  a  curfew  law  for- 
bidding a  negro,  mulatto  or  Indian  slave  above  the  age  of  fourteen  in 
the  streets  after  ten  o'clock,  unless  with  a  certificate  from  master  or 
mistress,  or  carrying  a  lantern  with  a  lighted  candle;  a  market  place 
was  appointed  under  the  court  room ;  hucksters  were  not  to  sell  until 
the  first  two  hours  of  the  market  had  expired.  Viewers  of  chimneys 
were  appointed  to  prevent  fire;  no  hay,  straw,  shingles  or  shavings  of 
wood  were  to  be  within  six  inches  of  any  chimney.  Constables  were 
to  make  strict  search  and  inquiries  about  strangers,  and  furnish  the 
mayor  with  a  list  of  their  names.  Children  and  servants  were  forbidden 
to  play  on  the  Lord's  Day. 

The  paving  of  streets  early  engaged  the  attention  of  city  govern- 
ment, the  firing  of  guns  and  throwing  of  squibs  or  other  fireworks  in 
the  streets  was  strictly  prohibited ;  citizens  were  required  to  provide 
leather  buckets  to  be  used  in  case  of  fire.  The  curfew  law  for  slaves 
was  amended  in  1738,  fixing  the  hour  at  nine  instead  of  ten  o'clock. 
Citizens  were  forbidden  to  entertain  or  lodge  any  stranger  for  the  space 
of  twenty-four  hours  unless  they  notified  the  authorities ;  every  violation 
of  this  ordinance  was  subject  to  a  fine  of  twenty  shillings.  The  taverns 
were  prohibited  from  selling  liquid  refreshments  on  the  Lord's  Day. 
A  market  house,  thirty  feet  in  length  and  fourteen  feet  in  width,  was 
built  in  1743  by  subscriptions.  Tuesdays  and  Saturdays  were  designated 
as  market  days.  The  following  year  a  night  watch  was  established  from 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  until  daybreak.  The  venerable  Thomas 
Farmar  continued  to  occupy  the  mayoralty  chair  until  1747,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  James  Hude.  The  city  at  about  this  time  provided 
a  fire  engine  which  had  been  purchased  in  New  York  City.  James  Hude 
continued  in  the  office  of  mayor  until  1762.  A  new  charter  was  granted 
the  city  by  George  III.  on  February  12,  1763,  but  devoid  of  its  legal 
verbiage  there  is  little  difference  in  its  importance  from  the  one  secured 
from  George  II.,  thirty-three  years  before.  The  third  occupant  of  the 
mayoralty  chair  was  William  Ouke  or  Oake,  who  administered  the 
duties  of  the  office  until  his  death  in  1778.  The  next  executive  officer  of 
the  city  was  William  Harrison,  who  served  as  mayor  until  the  adoption 
of  the  new  charter. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution,  the  citizens  of  New  Jersey  assem- 
bled at  New  Brunswick  for  the  purpose  of  formulating  plans  for  the 


284  MIDDLESEX 

protection  and  support  of  the  new-born  Republic.  The  old  town  on 
the  Raritan  was  honored  by  being-  the  meeting-  place  of  the  first  Provin- 
cial Council  of  the  colony.  After  this  meeting  the  name  of  New  Bruns- 
wick hardly  appears  on  the  pages  of  the  country's  history.  The  city, 
however,  played  its  part  in  the  stirring  events  of  the  time.  It  harbored 
within  its  walls  an  element,  wealthy  and  aristocratic,  who  exerted  so 
overshadowing  an  influence  over  their  less  fortunate  neighbors  that  it 
was  impossible  to  tell  who  were  for  or  against  the  patriotic  cause. 
There  were  many  who  were  avowed  Tories,  and  a  number  of  citizens 
who  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  proved  treacherous  to  the  cause  they 
had  sworn  to  support.  Laying  as  it  did  in  the  path  of  the  two  armies 
crossing  and  recrossing  New  Jersey,  with  the  varying  fortunes  of  war, 
it  suffered  to  an  extent  which  few  cities  were  subjected.  The  winter 
of  1776-77  found  it  in  possession  of  a  large  force  of  the  British  army, 
with  Lord  Howe,  its  commander-in-chief,  his  headquarters  being  on 
Burnet  street,  in  the  Neilson  house,  while  the  Hessian  commander,  De- 
Heister,  occupied  the  Van  Nuise  house  on  Queen  street.  The  hill  beyond 
the  Theological  Seminary  was  fortified ;  a  post  erected  at  Raritan  Land- 
ing; another  two  miles  below  the  city  on  Bennet's  Island.  The  British 
officers  were  quartered  upon  the  inhabitants ;  citizens  compelled  to 
abandon  their  residences ;  business  was  suspended ;  schools  and  churches 
broken  up — the  whole  town  being  under  the  sway  of  the  enemy.  The 
British  remained  in  possession  about  six  months,  Lord  Cornwallis  having 
command  of  the  post.  In  the  winter  of  1777  the  British  were  cut  off 
from  the  base  of  their  supplies  at  Amboy,  and  a  fleet  was  started  up 
the  Raritan  to  relieve  their  necessities.  The  Americans  planted  a 
battery  of  six  guns  below  New  Brunswick  that  destroyed  five  of  the 
boats,  the  remainder  returning  in  a  crippled  condition  to  Amboy.  Gen- 
eral Howe  at  this  time  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  open  communi- 
cation by  land.  The  farmers  throughout  the  neighborhood  were  com- 
pelled to  deliver  over  their  stores  to  the  enemy ;  buildings  were  fired,  and 
barns  torn  down  to  supply  lumber  for  the  construction  of  a  temporary 
bridge  over  the  Raritan ;  and  most  wanton  cruelties  were  inflicted.  The 
British  were  not,  however,  allowed  to  remain  in  undisturbed  possession 
of  the  city.  Colonels  Neilson  and  Taylor  continually  harrassed  them. 
The  former  organized  a  secret  expedition  against  Bennett's  Island.  With 
a  picked  command  of  two  hundred  men,  sometime  before  daybreak  on 
February  18,  1777,  he  surprised  the  British  garrison,  capturing  one 
captain,  several  subordinate  officers,  and  fifty-five  privates,  besides  a 
quantity  of  munitions  of  war.  The  British  finally  in  the  summer  of 
1777  evacuated  New  Brunswick. 

The  romantic  exploits  of  those  who  have  been  named  by  a  historian 
as  the  "Commanders  of  New  Brunswick's  Navy  in  the  War  of  the  Revo- 
lution," had  their  effect  on  the  British  forces.     Prominent  among  these 


CITY  OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  285 

was  William  Marriner,  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  who  at  the  outbreak  of 
hostilities  joined  Lord  Stirling's  regiment.  Being  of  a  daring  and  adven- 
turous spirit,  he  was  given  full  swing  in  his  operations  to  harrass  the 
British.  His  success  was  phenomenal  on  June  11,  1777,  when  with 
twenty-six  picked  men  he  crossed  from  New  Brunswick  to  Flatbush 
in  two  flat  bottom  boats  and  made  a  night  attack,  capturing  Sherbrooke 
and  Bache,  two  noted  Tories.  Numerous  other  sorties  were  made  by 
Marriner  on  Flatbush,  and  captures  of  noted  Tories,  specie,  and  other 
property.  He  kept  up  this  method  of  warfare  until  he  was  captured 
and  paroled,  his  exchange  being  effected  by  Colonel  Simcoe,  who  ex- 
plained to  General  Clinton,  the  British  commander,  that  Marriner  had  once 
saved  his  life  when  a  soldier  was  about  to  bayonet  him  as  he  lay  sense- 
less on  the  field  of  battle.  The  capture  and  parole  of  Marriner  removed 
him  from  all  active  participation  in  any  more  raids.  He  lived  to  a  green 
old  age,  and  in  his  later  years  kept  a  public  house  on  John  street,  near 
Nassau  street,  New  York  City,  where  he  died  in  1814,  aged  eighty-five 
years,  from  injuries  by  being  thrown  from  his  wagon. 

Worthy  successors  of  Captain  Marriner  were  one  of  his  associates. 
Captain  Dickie,  and  Captain  Adam  Hyler.  The  latter  was  one  of  the 
most  daring  American  officers  in  this  part  of  the  country,  having  the 
rare  faculty  of  inspiring  his  men  with  his  own  spirit  of  venture  and 
daring.  His  usual  plan  was  to  glide  out  of  his  hiding  place,  pass  quickly 
down  the  river,  make  his  captures,  and  return.  The  enemy,  having 
heavier  vessels,  did  not  dare  to  follow  him,  owing  to  the  shallow  and 
treacherous  channel  of  the  river.  Amongst  his  many  exploits  mention 
is  made  of  the  following:  On  the  night  of  April  15,  1781,  he  brought 
the  Hessian  Major  Moncreif  and  an  ensign,  with  their  servants,  from 
Long  Island.  The  following  week  he  captured  the  pilot  boat  of  Captain 
David  Morris,  and  two  other  boats  between  Robin's  Reef  and  Yellow 
Hook.  Two  of  his  whale  boats  visited  Nicholas  Schenck,  a  Tory,  living 
three  miles  south  of  Flatbush,  carrying  off  plate  and  money.  Two 
months  later  he  again  visited  Long  Island,  capturing  Colonel  Lott  and 
two  slaves ;  the  former  was  supposed  to  be  rich,  and  though  his  cup- 
boards were  searched,  little  silver  was  obtained,  but  two  bags  were 
taken  supposed  to  contain  about  $3,000,  but  on  opening  them  they 
yielded  only  half  pennies  belonging  to  a  church  at  Flatbush.  The  British 
were  determined  to  capture  Huyler,  and  on  January  7,  1782,  dispatched  a 
command  in  six  boats  under  Captain  Beckwith.  They  landed  at  New 
Brunswick  at  five  o'clock  the  following  morning  and  captured  all  of 
Hyler's  boats.  This  was  a  hard  blow  to  the  venturesome  captain,  but 
he  immediately  rebuilt  his  little  navy,  and  early  in  June  he  was  back 
at  his  old  tricks.  He  captured  two  fishing  boats  near  the  Narrows,  and 
on  July  21,  with  Captain  Dickie  and  three  twenty-four  oared  boats, 
attempted  to  capture  a  British  galley  at  Princess  Bay.     This  proved 


286  MIDDLESEX 

unsuccessful,  and  was  his  last  raid,  as  his  death  occurred  September  6, 
1782.  after  a  tedious  and  painful  illness,  the  cause  of  which  was  an 
accidental  wound  in  the  knee  received  while  cleaning  his  gun.  His 
death  removed  the  principal  leader  of  this  band  of  free  lances.  His 
place  was  taken  by  Captain  Storer,  who  promised  to  become  a  genuine 
successor  of  Hyler,  but  the  spirit  of  venture  in  the  men  seemed  to  have 
died  out  with  the  death  of  their  leader;  they  either  went  into  the  regu- 
lar service  or  drifted  to  other  scenes  of  excitement ;  it  was  not  long 
before  New  Brunswick's  small  but  active  and  destructive  navy  became 
a  matter  of  unrecorded  history. 

In  the  first  charter  obtained  from  the  State  Assembly  in  1784,  New 
Brunswick  was  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  city.  Within  its  limits  were 
the  present  city  and  townships  of  North  and  East  Brunswick.  From 
1784  to  1801,  New  Brunswick  was  governed  by  a  president,  register, 
four  directors  and  six  assistants,  all  twelve  of  whom  constituted  a  single 
chamber  known  as  the  common  council.  They  were  elected  by  the 
people,  but  by  a  new  charter  obtained  in  1801,  the  governor  and  legisla- 
ture appointed  a  mayor,  recorder  and  three  aldermen,  holding  office  for 
five  years,  and  meeting  together  in  common  council,  with  six  councilmen 
elected  annually  by  popular  vote.  The  mayor  had  some  judicial  author- 
ity, presiding  over  the  mayor's  court ;  the  recorder  had  about  the  same 
jurisdiction  as  at  the  present  time ;  the  aldermen  until  1838  had  the 
criminal  authority  of  the  present  justice  of  the  peace. 

At  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  city  of  New  Brunswick 
was  noted  as  a  shipping  and  commercial  point.  Among  the  early  ship- 
owners was  John  Dennis,  whose  place  of  business  was  on  Little  Burnet 
street;  his  sloops  were  named  "Cluster  Valle,"  "May,"  "Elizabeth,"  and 
"General  Lee."  We  find  also  the  "Polly,"  owned  by  Barnet  D.  Kline ; 
the  "Catherine,"  a  sloop  of  forty-five  tons  burthen,  whose  master  was 
James  Richardson.  The  "Sally"  of  forty  tons  had  as  master  John  Voor- 
hees.  A  larger  sloop  was  the  "Maria,"  Simon  Hillyer,  master ;  one  of 
thirty-four  tons  burthen,  the  "Ranger,"  was  in  charge  of  Caleb  Anthony. 
The  names  of  some  of  the  other  sloops  were  Duy  Knick's  boat,  "Ger- 
natia,"  "The  Hope  for  Peace,"  and  "Independence."  "The  Neptune,"  a 
schooner,  Andrew  Brown,  master,  was  succeeded  in  1784  by  the  "Poet 
Moses  Guest."  In  1799  the  "Hannah,"  a  sloop  of  forty-five  tons,  had  for 
master  John  Brush ;  the  "Eliza,"  commanded  by  James  Richmond,  was 
a  sloop  of  fifty-nine  tons  burthen.  During  the  early  part  of  the  cen- 
tury the  "Lawrence,"  owned  by  Peter  I.  Nevivis,  was  in  the  carrying 
trade  ;  she  was  too  large  to  navigate  the  Raritan  above  the  city.  These 
vessels  made  voyages  to  the  Bermudas,  Bahamas,  Jamaica,  and  His- 
paniola  in  the  West  Indies ;  also  to  Charleston,  South  Carolina ;  Wil- 
mington, Delaware;  Newberne,  North  Carolina;  Savannah.  Georgia; 
Newport,  Rhode  Island  ;  besides  other  ports.    Among  the  cargoes  shipped 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  287 

from  New  Brunswick  in  the  last  two  years  of  the  eighteenth  century- 
were  thirty-four  tons  of  iron  ore  to  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts;  1,800 
bushels  of  grain ;  twenty-six  barrels  of  pork ;  twenty-two  sides  of  leather, 
to  Boston,  Massachusetts ;  to  Wareham,  Massachusetts,  thirty-five  tons 
of  iron  ore ;  also  another  shipment  of  fifty  tons  of  iron  ore  was  made  at 
the  same  time.  Carriages  were  shipped  to  the  South,  and  the  vessels 
brought  back  sweet  potatoes  and  other  products.  The  sloops  and 
schooners  varied  from  thirty  to  eighty  tons  burthen,  and  used  lateral 
boards  for  centre  boards. 

With  the  restoration  of  peace  came  a  revival  of  business  and  con- 
sequent increase  of  travel  between  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  The 
highways  were  in  a  deplorable  condition,  and  travelers  gladly  availed 
themselves  of  the  water  routes,  which  were  less  tiresome  and  much 
more  comfortable  than  the  bolstered  wagons,  the  stage  coaches  of  that 
period. 

The  first  civil  magistrate  under  the  new  charter  was  Azariah  Dun- 
ham, who  served  until  1796,  when  Abraham  Schuyler  became  his  suc- 
cessor. After  five  years'  service.  Mayor  Schuyler  retired,  and  his 
successor,  James  Schureman,  was  inaugurated  in  1801.  At  the  opening 
of  the  nineteenth  century  the  population  of  New  Brunswick  was  about 
two  thousand  souls.  Among  its  principal  merchants  were  Robert  East- 
burn,  Jacob  R.  Hardenbergh,  Samuel  Clarkson,  Samuel  Barker,  all 
located  on  Church  street ;  William  Lawson,  Jr.,  near  the  Market ;  Perez 
Rowley,  S.  J.  and  H.  Rudderow,  on  Albany  street;  and  George  Young, 
Jr.,  on  Peace  street,  who  dealt  in  dry  goods,  groceries,  medicines,  etc. 
The  hardware  merchant  was  Willett  Warne,  on  Albany  street.  Build- 
ers could  purchase  lumber  from  James  Richmond  or  William  Forman, 
the  former  could  also  supply  plaster,  grass  seeds,  etc. ;  John  Dennis, 
Jr.,  carried  on  a  varied  business — lumber,  plaster,  paints,  etc.,  could 
rent  a  house,  or  sell  a  ticket  or  arrange  for  freight  by  the  packets  and 
sailing  vessels;  Michael  Pool,  on  Queen  street,  dealt  in  hats  and  furs; 
while  Williams  &  Leslie  were  watch  and  clock  makers,  dealing  also  in 
plated  ware,  silver  knee  buckles,  etc.,  with  a  branch  store  at  Trenton. 
Thomas  Brush  conducted  a  land  and  intelligence  office,  was  also  an  auc- 
tioneer, and  could  sell  houses,  lots,  plantations,  negro  men,  wenches  and 
children,  let  or  hire  them  for  service.  Miss  (?)  Burnet  at  her  Young 
Ladies'  High  School  taught  French,  music,  dancing,  etc.  The  letters  for 
Somerset,  Scotch  Plains,  Raritan  Landing,  Amboy,  North,  South  and 
Middle  Branches,  Cranbury,  Bonhamtown,  Millstone,  Stony  Hill,  Pis- 
cataway,  Basking  Ridge,  Spotswood,  Bridgewater,  Six  Mile  Run,  etc., 
all  came  to  New  Brunswick  on  account  of  its  being  the  nearest  post- 
office.  The  office  was  located  on  Albany  street,  below  Neilson  street. 
John  Voorhees  was  appointed  the  first  postmaster,  November  16,  1790; 
he  was  succeeded  by  Peter  Keenan,  March  20,  1793,  who  on  December 


288  MIDDLESEX 

31  of  that  year  gave  way  to  Robert  Hude,  who  after  serving  only  six 
months  was  replaced  on  July  i,  1794,  by  Jacob  Tallman.  News  from 
Europe,  six  weeks  in  transit  to  the  city,  when  it  arrived  was  eagerly 
read,  as  the  citizens  were  deeply  interested  in  the  war  of  France  and 
England  then  in  progress.  On  business  trips  to  New  York,  the  city's 
merchants  generally  proceeded  by  private  conveyances  to  what  is  now 
Jersey  Cit}-  and  Hoboken,  where  they  crossed  New  York  harbor  either 
in  a  sail  or  row  boat,  the  journey  taking  the  better  part  of  three  days. 
Stray  negroes  were  occasionally  put  in  jail ;  if  no  owners  appeared,  they 
were  sold  to  pay  the  expense  of  arrest  and  jail  fees. 

In  the  first  decade  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  population  of  New 
Brunswick  increased  1,017,  making  the  total  3,042,  of  which  2,826  were 
free  white  males  and  females,  53  blacks,  164  slaves.  The  number  of 
families  was  469  inhabiting  375  dwellings.  Internal  communications 
were  by  stage  coach  to  Elizabeth  and  New  York,  also  to  Trenton  and 
Philadelphia,  and  by  water  a  line  of  sloops  carried  freight  and  passengers 
to  New  York,  Albany,  Troy  and  other  points.  The  two  newspapers 
of  the  day  were  "The  Fredonian,"  a  staunch  supporter  of  Jeffersonian 
policies,  and  "The  Guardian,  or  New  Brunswick  Advertiser,"  a  Feder- 
alist sheet  in  opposition  to  the  national  administration.  The  religious 
denominations  were  Reform,  Episcopal,  Presbyterian  and  Baptist;  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  organized  in  181 1.  The  New  Bruns- 
wick Bank  was  chartered  in  1807,  the  State  Bank  in  1812.  Mail  facili- 
ties depended  on  the  roads — if  they  were  dry,  mail  arrived ;  if  muddy, 
there  was  delay.  William  Ten  Broeck  was  appointed  postmaster  April 
I,  1801.  and  filled  the  office  until  April  28,  1810,  when  Bernard  Smith 
succeeded  him  and  removed  the  office  to  the  south  side  of  Albany  street, 
below  George  street,  where  it  remained  until  it  was  removed  to  the  cor- 
ner of  Church  and  Dennis  streets. 

In  mercantile  trade,  the  leading  men  conducting  general  stores  were 
Ayers  &  Freeman,  Dennis  &  Kinnan,  Peter  Buckelew,  on  Queen  street ; 
R.  S.  Garretson  on  Church  street ;  Van  Dorn,  Beekman  &  Company,  and 
Dunham  Brothers,  also  kept  a  general  supply  of  merchandise;  James 
Richmond  offered  pine  boards  for  sale  ;  Israel  Freeman  had  two  establish- 
ments where  he  carried  on  coach  and  sign  painting :  Peter  Perrine  had 
a  cut  nail  factory  opposite  the  Dutch  church  ;  L.  Deare  traded  in  wall 
paper;  while  K.  Newell  &  Company  kept  a  fine  assortment  of  dry  goods, 
also  selling  good  brandy  and  raisins,  at  their  store,  corner  of  Church 
and  Queen  streets.  Schureman,  Perrine  &  Company  dealt  in  Delaware 
river  shad.  John  C.  Davie,  Samuel  Hunt  and  James  Seabrook  were 
tailors.  The  hostelry  opposite  the  public  market,  known  as  "Sign  of  the 
Paddock,"  had  for  landlord  Marimus  W.  Warne;  Simpson  &  Bray,  on 
the  wharf  near  the  old  market  house,  sold  fish.  Even  those  days  were 
employment  offices  carried  on  in  Church  street  by  Samuel  Walker.    The 


CITY  OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  289 

citizens  were  supplied  with  white  lead  and  oil  by  Robert  Eastburn,  Sr., 
on  Church  street;  he  also  dealt  in  drugs,  paints,  books  on  history  and 
divinity ;  also  dye  woods  and  family  medicine  chests.  Benjamin  Earner 
manufactured  tobacco,  while  Stephen  Scale  was  a  pump  maker,  with  a 
shop  on  Church  street.  Coaches  were  made  by  Thomas  McDowell,  on 
Schureman  street;  Moses  Guest  carried  a  stock  of  shoes  and  groceries 
on  Burnet  street;  Mr.  Desabaye,  a  piano  dealer,  was  located  on 
George  street,  while  on  the  north  side  of  Church  street  Henry  Plum 
had  a  brass  foundry.  Thomas  Eastburn  was  a  hardware  merchant  on 
Church  street ;  ale  and  porter  were  brewed  by  John  Dorey,  at  the  New 
Brunswick  Brewery.  On  Water  street  was  Henry  C.  Guest  &  Company, 
dry  goods  and  groceries ;  William  Naid  was  a  bookbinder ;  Samuel  H. 
Day,  on  Burnet  street,  catered  to  the  female  sex  with  his  stock  of  mil- 
linery and  shoes ;  a  sadler  was  Charles  Rarsbeck  on  Queen  street,  and 
the  White  Hall  Tavern  was  kept  by  Mr.  Degraw.  On  Burnet  street, 
Bernard  S.  Judah  dealt  in  oil  and  window  glass ;  while  Edward  Sullivan 
carried  a  stock  of  shovels,  tongs,  copper  tea  kettles,  looking  glasses  and 
dry  goods.  Among  the  coachmakers  were  John  Van  Nuis  and  Nathan- 
iel McChesney,  on  Albany  street,  and  William  Roland  on  Schureman 
street.  Joslin  &  Mulford  had  their  harness  shop  on  Albany  street,  and 
Price  &  Meeker  were  cabinet  makers  on  Church  street.  The  public  were 
supplied  with  earthenware  by  E.  J.  Mackey,  corner  of  Liberty  and  George 
streets,  and  with  wool  for  spinning  and  hatters'  use  by  Thomas  Letson. 
Aaron  M.  Freeman,  another  harness  maker  on  Peace  street,  could  also 
supply  the  infantry  caps  for  soldiers.  George  White,  corner  of  Burnet 
and  New  streets,  sold  shovels,  molasses,  jewsharps,  muslin,  gun-flints, 
lump  sugar,  bellows,  corkscrews,  etc.  Next  door,  liquor  could  be 
obtained  from  Captain  Powers.  Douwe  D.  Williamson  and  David  Abeel 
had  an  ironmongery  and  lumber  yard  on  Burnet  street.  French  was 
taught  to  the  ladies  by  Mary  Ann  Guest,  and  S.  C.  Aiken  taught  writing. 
At  the  foot  of  Easton  avenue  on  Albany  street  was  Josiah  Simpson's 
book  and  stationery  store,  with  a  circulating  library ;  this  business  was 
purchased  in  January,  181 2,  by  Charles  D.  Greene.  Dr.  Ira  Condict  also 
had  a  private  circulating  library  to  which  a  person  could  become  a  mem- 
ber by  paying  a  small  annual  dues;  he  died  in  181 1  and  his  library  was 
sold.  Dancing  academies  were  in  evidence.  Mr.  Kennedy  opened  one 
in  the  early  part  of  January,  1812.  Mr.  Berault  also  held  dancing  school 
in  Keyworth's  tavern,  and  he  politely  informed  the  male  sex  that  no 
gentleman  was  allowed  to  dance  with  boots  on,  on  public  evenings. 

The  Washington  Benevolent  Society  was  organized  December  2, 
181 1 ;  it  was  a  patriotic  society  opposed  to  President  Madison  and  his 
foreign  policy.  A  hall  was  built  by  Nicholas  Van  Brunt,  for  the  use  of 
the  organization,  which  was  formally  dedicated  July  4,  1813,  with  appro- 
priate ceremonies 

Mid-19 


290  MIDDLESEX 

The  ferry  across  the  Raritan  river  accommodated  the  public  for  over 
a  century.  The  Inian  rights  were  acquired  by  Thomas  Farmer  in  1716, 
by  an  Act  of  Assembly,  toll  rates  were  fixed  for  a  horse  and  man,  four 
pence,  for  a  single  person  two  pence.  In  1732  Thomas  Farmer  conveyed 
his  ferry  rights  to  Philip  French  in  consideration  of  £300.  It  was  not, 
however,  until  1790  that  agitations  were  started  to  build  a  bridge;  that 
year  James  Parker,  of  Perth  Amboy,  gave  notice  that  he  would  apply  to 
the  legislature  for  a  toll  bridge  across  the  river  Raritan.  This  movement 
coming  from  a  citizen  of  Perth  Amboy  was  not  entirely  for  the  benefit 
of  New  Brunswick.  Perth  Amboy  was  then  a  seaport  with  consider- 
able foreign  commerce,  and  the  object  of  the  people  of  that  city  was 
to  shorten  the  distance  of  the  agricultural  districts  around  New  Bruns- 
wick so  trade  could  be  diverted  to  their  own  seaport.  The  legislature 
having  passed  an  act  to  build  a  bridge  at  New  Brunswick,  appointed 
commissioners  to  designate  a  site.  They  met  February  21,  1791,  at  the 
tavern  of  John  Lane.  Subsequent  meetings  were  held  and  it  was  decided 
to  build  at  the  foot  of  Albany  street.  The  bridge,  completed  in  1796, 
was  an  open  structure.  The  stone  for  facing  the  original  piers  was 
freighted  from  Blackwell's  Island,  the  outside  casing  of  stone  was  filled 
with  shale  quarried  on  the  east  side  of  the  Raritan  river,  mixed  with 
cement.    The  original  cost  of  the  bridge  was  $86,695.71. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  second  war  with  England,  a  majority  of 
the  citizens  of  New  Brunswick  were  opposed  to  the  acts  of  the  national 
administration.  On  April  15,  1812,  a  requisition  was  made  by  the  United 
States  government  on  the  State  for  5,000  men,  who  were  furnished  and 
placed  under  the  command  of  Major-General  Ludlow.  A  company  of 
ninety  men  of  the  Fifth  Regiment,  United  States  Infantry,  encamped  at 
New  Brunswick  on  the  night  of  April  17, 1812,  on  their  way  from  Ellison's 
Island  to  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania.  Governor  Ogden  passed  through  the 
city  November  2,  1812,  traveling  to  Trenton.  He  was  met  at  Clarkson's 
Tavern  by  Captain  Veghte's  company  of  Light  Dragoons  and  a  large 
number  of  citizens  on  horseback,  who  accompanied  him  to  the  heights, 
where  Captain  Neilson's  company  of  artillery  and  Captain  Scott's  com- 
pany of  infantry,  attended  by  the  artillery  band,  awaited  his  arrival.  He 
was  officially  welcomed  at  the  Queen's  Hotel  by  Mayor  Schureman,  and 
after  dinner  was  escorted  by  the  dragoons  and  a  delegation  of  citizens 
as  far  as  Princeton.  The  New  Jersey  legislature  on  November  9,  1812, 
passed  an  act  deprecating  the  war,  but  on  the  i6th  a  general  order  was 
issued  requiring  all  companies  whether  of  cavalry,  artillery,  light  infan- 
try, or  riflemen,  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  take  the  field  on 
twenty-four  hours'  notice.  The  city  companies  made  all  necessary 
preparations,  and  reported  themselves  ready.  The  patriotism  of  the 
citizens  was  intensified  on  the  receipt  of  the  intelligence  of  Captain 
Decatur's  victory  over  the  frigate  "Macedonian."     On   December    10, 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  291 

1812,  the  day  following  the  battle,  seventy  of  the  brave  tars  of  the 
"Wasp"  passed  through  the  city  on  their  way  to  Washington.  As  the 
war  progressed,  politics  grew  bitter,  a  memorable  campaign  took  place 
in  January,  181 3,  when  James  Schureman  was  elected  to  Congress  on 
a  peace  ticket.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  mayoralty  chair  by  James 
Bennett.  Party  feeling  was  antagonistic ;  the  city  was  divided  on  the 
war  issue,  John  P.  Cowenhoven,  Bernard  Smith,  James  Randolph  and 
Jarvis  Brewster  were  the  leaders  of  the  war  party ;  and  the  Schuremans, 
Neilsons,  Hardenberghs  and  Elmendorfs  lined  up  in  favor  of  peace. 
The  political  pot  was  boiling;  meetings  were  held  on  one  night  to 
denounce  the  war,  and  on  the  next  in  favor  of  it.  The  elections  were 
dominated  by  the  peace  party.  At  this  time,  the  city  was  partly  in 
Middlesex  and  partly  in  Somerset  county,  the  center  of  Albany  street 
forming  the  boundary  line,  to  the  considerable  annoyance  of  voters.  As 
the  war  progressed,  the  citizens  did  not  fail  in  their  patriotism,  as  New 
Brunswick  was  well  represented  in  the  army  and  navy.  The  citizens 
dreading  an  attack  by  the  British,  every  man  by  suggestion  of  the 
common  council,  was  required  to  provide  himself  with  a  gun  and  twenty- 
four  rounds  of  ball  cartridges.  A  code  of  signals  was  arranged  with 
Perth  Amboy,  to  be  used  in  case  the  enemy  should  enter  the  river  at 
that  place.  No  definite  action  was  taken  looking  towards  the  safety  of 
the  city,  which  was  the  central  meeting  place  of  the  militia  for  sur- 
rounding country.  The  brigade  judge  advocate  for  Middlesex  county, 
William  Dunham,  and  the  brigade  board,  met  once  a  month  for  trans- 
action of  business  relative  to  the  militia  of  the  county,  at  Colonel  Peter 
Keenon's  tavern  in  New  Brunswick.  There  was  great  animosity  between 
the  regular  troops  and  the  militia.  The  companies  that  volunteered 
from  New  Brunswick  did  so  with  the  understanding  that  they  were  to 
defend  the  river  and  city  in  case  of  an  attack.  The  militia  claimed  they 
could  not  be  forced  to  do  garrison  duty  or  any  of  the  other  duties 
required  of  the  standing  army,  nor  could  they  be  compelled  to  leave 
their  own  State  to  wage  a  foreign  war.  The  militia  were  drafted  and 
driven  from  their  homes  into  camps  and  placed  under  regular  army 
officers.  To  add  to  their  discontent,  they  were  not  properly  cared  for 
and  could  not  obtain  sufficient  food.  This  caused  groups  of  the  militia 
to  desert  and  leave  for  their  homes.  A  party  of  these  discontented  militia 
reached  New  Brunswick  July  5,  1813,  and  had  hardly  entered  the  town 
before  they  were  captured  by  a  troop  of  regular  cavalry,  and  this  pre- 
cipitated a  free  fight,  in  which  the  town  people  took  part.  Such  dis- 
turbances became  frequent  until  Mayor  Schureman  appointed  a  special 
committee  to  make  a  protest  against  any  more  of  the  militia  being  sent 
out  of  the  State.  Robert  Boggs  was  also  appointed  to  call  the  atten- 
tion of  the  governor  to  the  defenseless  condition  of  the  city ;  the  execu- 
tive promised  to  do  what  he  could,  but  nothing  was  accomplished. 


292  MIDDLESEX 

It  was  not  until  the  second  presidential  call  for  troops,  on  July  14, 

1814,  that  New  Brunswick's  patriotism  was  thoroughly  aroused,  and 
she  promptly  furnished  four  fully  uniformed  and  armed  companies — 
the  New  Brunswick  Artillery,  Captain  Neilson  ;  New  Brunswick  Horse 
Artillery  Captain  Van  Dyke ;  Captain  Scott's  Light  Infantry ;  and  the 
New  Brunswick  Rifles  under  Captain  McKay.  These  companies  were' 
ordered  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  under  orders  from 
Brigadier-General  William  Coleman,  who  was  in  command  at  Paulus 
Hook. 

The  people  were  still  in  fear  of  an  attack,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  by  the  common  council,  September  11,  1814,  to  inquire  into 
the  defenses  of  the  city.  They  reported  that  the  four  companies  had 
been  ordered  outside  of  the  State,  and  that  the  three  companies  still 
remaining  in  the  city  were  not  armed ;  they  suggested  that  a  demand 
should  be  made  for  the  return  of  the  volunteer  companies,  and  a  requi- 
sition made  on  the  governor  for  arms  for  the  three  companies  of  militia. 
While  this  report  was  received  and  adopted,  no  practical  results  were 
obtained.    On  receipt  of  the  signing  of  the  treaty  of  peace  in  February, 

181 5,  in  response  to  a  proclamation  of  the  mayor  the  public  buildings 
were  illuminated,  flags  and  banners  waved,  and  cannons  boomed.  The 
citizens  welcomed  the  return  of  peace  and  relief  from  the  weary  days 
of  war. 

After  the  restoration  of  peace,  New  Brunswick  became  the  depot 
for  the  reception  of  grain  from  the  counties  of  Warren,  Hunterdon, 
Sussex,  Somerset,  also  Northampton,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  country 
along  the  upper  Delaware.  Large  wagons  drawn  by  four  and  six  horses 
and  carrying  twenty-eight  barrels  of  flour,  sometimes  as  many  as  five 
hundred  a  day,  came  down  the  valley  of  the  Raritan.  At  Raritan  Land- 
ing were  large  store  houses  which  received  the  grain,  the  sloops  would 
take  on  a  half  a  cargo,  then  drop  down  to  New  Brunswick,  complete 
their  load,  and  proceed  to  their  destination.  The  White  Hall  tavern  was 
headquarters  for  news,  where  the  grain  merchants  could  congregate, 
consult  a  New  York  paper,  and  fix  the  market  prices.  The  New  Bruns- 
wick shippers  paid  cash  for  merchandise,  while  at  Newark  and  Philadel- 
phia barter  was  used. 

The  successful  application  of  steam  for  the  purpose  of  navigation 
was  to  revolutionize  the  slower  methods  of  transportation.  The  State 
of  New  York  had  granted  to  Livingston  and  Fulton  the  exclusive 
right  of  steam  navigation.  Under  this  right,  John  R.  and  Robert  James 
Livingston  had  purchased  the  right  of  navigating  the  waters  of  the 
Raritan  to  New  Brunswick — the  head  of  navigation  on  that  river.  They 
placed  on  this  water  route  the  steamboat  "Raritan,"  but  in  1818  Thomas 
Gibbons  placed  upon  the  same  route  the  "Bellona,"  a  steamer  of  one 
hundred  and   sixteen  tons,  regularly   registered  at  the  port  of   Perth 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  293 

Amboy  for  the  coasting  trade  under  the  United  States  law.  The  Liv- 
ingstons secured  an  injunction  restraining  Gibbons  from  using  his 
boat,  claiming  the  exclusive  right  of  steam  navigation  on  the  Raritan. 
Gibbons  denied  this  right  and  sued  for  damages ;  the  ablest  legal  talent 
of  the  period  was  employed ;  after  elaborate  arguments  by  learned 
attorneys  and  exhaustive  opinions  by  the  presiding  justices,  judgment 
was  rendered  for  the  plaintiff,  thus  establishing  an  important  judicial 
principle,  namely,  the  right  of  comity  in  steam  navigation  between 
adjoining  States  under  the  Federal  Constitution.  Competing  lines  were 
soon  organized,  and  rivalry  became  active  and  exciting,  the  inhabitants 
turning  out  in  crowds  to  welcome  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the 
steamboats.  The  region  surrounding  Bordertown  and  Burlington  was 
a  great  peach  growing  section,  and  wagon  after  wagon  load  of  this 
delicious  fruit  was  sent  to  the  wharfs  at  New  Brunswick  for  transporta- 
tion to  New  York  and  other  eastern  points.  The  Delaware  and  Raritan 
canal  was  completed  during  the  year  1833,  ^^^  the  shipment  of  products 
was  stimulated ;  the  annual  exportation  of  corn  reached  300,000  bush- 
els;  rye,  57,000  bushels;  and  a  few  years  later  1,000,000  bushels  passed 
down  the  river.  Such  was  the  magnitude  of  trade  that  the  Raritan 
was  rated  as  one  of  the  three  greatest  rivers  in  the  country  as  to  ton- 
nage. This  increase  of  business  called  many  other  steamboats  into 
requisition. 

In  1828  the  city's  population  was  about  5,000;  there  were  750  dwell- 
ings, over  a  hundred  stores,  and  twenty  taverns.  The  city's  compact 
population  was  bounded  by  George  and  New  streets ;  south  of  New 
street,  houses  could  be  numbered  on  the  fingers  of  one  hand,  barring 
out  Burnet  street,  which  led  to  the  steamboat  dock.  The  old  stone 
mansion  on  the  corner  of  Livingston  avenue  and  Carrol  place,  was  built 
in  1760  by  Henry  Guest;  here  Tom  Paine  was  barricaded  by  his  hosts, 
the  Guests,  from  the  violence  of  a  royal  mob,  seeking  to  punish  him 
for  his  treasonable  writings.  Here,  too,  were  written  those  poems  of 
the  son  of  Moses  Guest,  afterwards  published  in  Cincinnati,  among  which 
figure  that  gem,  "To  Pave  or  Not  to  Pave,"  and  the  humorous  satire, 
"Toll  Bridge."  The  aristocracy  lived  on  Little  Burnet  street,  in  a  row 
of  elaborately  finished  brick  houses.  The  dry  goods  marts  were  on 
Burnet  street,  the  shops  on  Church  street,  grain  warehouses  on  Water 
street,  where  also  were  the  hotels  for  traders.  The  trade  was  largely 
wholesale,  the  northwestern  counties  of  the  State  and  the  country  along 
the  Delaware  forwarding  grain,  and  supplied  in  turn  with  fish,  salt,  dry 
goods  and  merchandise.  The  country  south  of  the  city  towards  Mon- 
mouth county  was  little  better  than  a  desert  of  sand ;  this  was  before 
the  mines  of  marl  had  been  exploited. 

The  death  of  Mayor  Bennett  causing  a  vacancy,  James  Schureman 
was  again  appointed  mayor;  he  filled  the  office  until   1824,  when  Dr. 


294  MIDDLESEX 

Augustus  R.  Taylor  became  his  successor  for  a  term  of  five  years.  David 
F.  Randolph  became  postmaster  February  15,  1819,  succeeded  May  12, 
1820,  by  William  Meyer,  who  removed  the  office  to  Church  street,  above 
Neilson  street,  afterwards  to  Albany  street,  near  Neilson  street,  and 
finally  to  what  was  known  as  No.  30  Albany  street,  where  it  remained 
until  1841. 

In  the  early  part  of  June,  1817,  when  President  Monroe  inaugurated 
the  presidential  swing  around  the  circle,  he  was  entertained  by  the  citi- 
zens of  New  Brunswick.  In  October,  1824,  General  Lafayette  came  and 
was  lionized  by  the  common  council,  who  extended  him  a  reception  at 
an  expense  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  The  General  passed 
through  the  city  again  on  July  15,  1825,  when  he  was  given  another 
reception  by  the  citizens.  The  Asiatic  cholera  in  1832  caused  the 
authorities  to  create  the  office  of  health  officer.  The  first  incumbent  was 
Dr.  William  Van  Dursen ;  the  second  and  last  was  Dr.  A.  R.  Taylor. 
The  cholera  continued  forty-seven  days,  with  174  cases,  of  which  fifty- 
two  proved  fatal.  Another  presidential  reception  took  place  in  1833, 
when  General  Andrew  Jackson  was  entertained  by  the  common  council, 
June  12.  1833,  at  an  expense  of  $500  for  a  banquet,  etc.  The  city  on 
June  19,  1835,  was  visited  by  a  tornado.  Two  dark  clouds  appeared  on 
the  heavens,  and  joining  together  a  full  blown  tornado  swept  on  a  path 
of  devastation,  through  Six  Mile  Run  and  Middlebush  towards  the 
city.  It  was  about  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  when  the  hurricane  with 
a  fearful  violence  took  an  easterly  course,  threatening  Albany  and 
Church  streets,  actually  striking  at  the  heads  of  Paterson,  Bayard, 
Liberty  and  Schureman  streets,  whence  it  took  its  destructive  way 
across  Neilson  and  Burnet  streets,  killing  several  people  in  its  path; 
thence  it  proceeded  over  the  Raritan  to  Piscataway,  and  on  to  the 
seacoast.  Schureman,  Liberty  and  Burnet  streets  were  a  mass  of  ruins; 
over  one  hundred  and  twenty  dwellings,  exclusive  of  stores  and  store- 
houses, were  destroyed  or  greatly  damaged.  The  loss  reached  $150,000; 
the  razed  parts  were  speedily  rebuilt,  and  the  industry  and  commerce 
of  the  city  received  no  serious  check. 

The  third  city  charter  was  obtained  in  1838.  The  Whigs  that  year 
had  obtained  the  popular  ear  in  New  Jersey,  as  well  as  a  few  years  before 
in  New  Brunswick.  The  party  wanted  to  obtain  control  of  the  common 
council,  then  in  possession  of  their  opponents ;  by  the  aid  of  their  assem- 
blyman, George  P.  Molleson,  the  political  cards  were  shuffled  and  a 
new  charter  granted.  It  made  all  the  City  Fathers  elective  for  one  year ; 
though  not  changing  their  number  or  composition,  they  were  to  form 
only  a  single  chamber.  The  judicial  power  of  the  aldermen  was  sac- 
rificed, justices  of  the  peace  being  appointed  for  five  years.  Though 
there  were  remonstrances  and  attempts  by  the  members  of  the  com- 
mon council,  to  thwart  the  act  of  the  legislature,  thus   quietly   lifted 


CITY   OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  295 

from  official  life  and  patronage,  they  were  obliged  to  bow  to  the  inevit- 
able. Jacob  R.  Hardenbergh  (1829-30)  and  Cornelius  L.  Hardenbergh 
(1830-38)  were  the  two  last  occupants  of  the  mayoralty  chair  by  appoint- 
ment.   The  first  mayor  under  the  new  charter  was  Dr.  Augustus  Taylor. 

On  January  3,  1836,  a  new  locomotive  named  "New  Brunswick," 
with  thirteen  cars  full  of  guests,  and  decorated  with  banners  bearing  the 
names  of  the  counties,  cities  and  villages  along  the  route,  operated  by 
the  New  Jersey  Railroad  and  Transportation  Company,  was  received 
by  a  committee  of  citizens  in  carriages,  who  escorted  the  visitors  over 
Albany  street  bridge  to  a  hotel,  where  a  sumptuous  feast  was  served. 
At  this  time  all  trains  stopped  across  the  river,  and  passengers  were 
transferred  across  the  bridge  in  stages  at  a  cost  of  six  and  a  half  cents 
each.  The  railroad  company  built  a  bridge  during  the  year  1837,  the 
first  train  crossing  the  river  to  the  depot  on  Somerset  street,  January 
I,  1838.  The  company  bought  the  franchise  from  the  New  York  and 
Philadelphia  Turnpike  Company,  rebuilding  the  bridge  and  using  it 
until  they  constructed  a  wooden  railroad  and  wagon  bridge  on  the  site 
of  the  present  railroad  bridge.  The  advent  of  a  railroad  and  the  com- 
petition of  the  canal  practically  killed  the  shipping  trade  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, as  it  allowed  the  farmers  to  send  their  products  direct  to  market 
from  stations  near  their  farms,  and  New  Brunswick  became  a  deserted 
village  when  the  railroad  came  to  town,  to  be  revived,  however,  in  the 
future,  by  her  manufacturing  industries. 

At  the  opening  of  the  fourth  decade  of  the  nineteenth  century.  New 
Brunswick  doffed  the  swaddling  clothes  of  an  infant  municipality  and 
assumed  the  air  of  a  modern  city.  Though  the  marshal  had  been  since 
1784  a  regular  official  of  the  city,  either  elected  by  the  people  or  chosen 
by  the  council,  also  a  night  watch  established,  it  was  not  until  1835  that 
a  police  force  was  organized.  In  August  of  that  year,  Peter  V.  Spader 
and  John  Nafey  were  duly  appointed  to  protect  the  citizens  from  crime 
and  disorder.  This  primitive  force  has  gradually  increased,  and  in 
1857  a  chief  of  the  force  was  for  the  first  time  elected. 

The  second  mayor  under  the  new  charter  was  David  M.  Vail,  who 
held  the  office  one  year  and  was  succeeded  in  1841  by  Littleton 
Kirkpatrick.  The  newly  elected  mayor  was  a  son  of  Chief  Justice  Kirk- 
patrick  and  his  wife  Jane,  daughter  of  Colonel  John  Bayard,  a  distin- 
guished patriot  and  soldier  of  Revolutionary  fame.  He  was  a  graduate 
of  Princeton  College,  a  lawyer  by  profession.  He  afterward  became  a 
member  of  Congress  for  one  term,  and  had  been  surrogate  of  the  county 
for  five  years.  On  the  appointment  of  Samuel  C.  Cook,  August  7,  184T, 
who  succeeded  as  postmaster  Ephraim  F.  Randolph,  who  held  the  office 
six  months,  the  location  of  the  office  was  changed  to  No.  217  Neilson 
street,  where  it  remained  for  twenty  years.  Mr.  Cook  was  succeeded 
March  9,  1843,  by  John  Simpson,  and  the  latter  in  turn  by  Henry  San- 
derson on  March  14,  1849. 


296  MIDDLESEX 

The  destinies  of  the  city  were  presided  over  for  the  next  score  of 
years  by  able  citizens  who  had  gained  distinction  as  manufacturers, 
bankers,  or  members  of  the  legal  and  medical  professions.  The  suc- 
cessor of  Mayor  Kirkpatrick  was  Fitz  Randolph  Smith,  who  served  one 
term;  his  successor  in  1843  was  John  Acken,  who  was  reelected.  The 
next  mayor  was  a  member  of  the  Middlesex  county  bar,  William  H. 
Leupp,  who  was  succeeded  in  1846  by  a  brother  attorney,  John  Van  Dyke. 
Judge  Van  Dyke  was  afterwards  a  member  of  Congress  (1847- 1851), 
also  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  Jersey ;  he  was  again  mayor 
after  his  retirement  from  Congress,  from  1852  to  1853.  In  his  later  life 
he  removed  to  Minnesota.  The  next  occupant  of  the  mayoralty  chair 
was  Martin  A.  Howell,  and  succeeded  in  1848  by  Dr.  Augustus  F.  Taylor, 
this  being  his  second  election  to  the  office.  Dr.  Taylor  was  a  son  of  a 
medical  practitioner,  a  native  of  the  city  who  had  been  New  Bruns- 
wick's mayor,  1824-29.  The  elder  Taylor  was  a  son  of  a  professor  of 
mathematics  and  natural  philosophy  in  Queen's  College,  who  removed 
to  Schenectady,  New  York,  to  occupy  the  same  chair  in  Union  College. 
In  that  city  the  newly  elected  mayor  was  born ;  graduated  from  Rutgers 
College,  studied  medicine  and  though  he  had  not  been  licensed  to 
practice,  during  the  period  of  the  Asiatic  cholera  in  the  city  he  was 
placed  in  charge  of  a  hospital  devised  by  the  citizens.  His  successor 
in  1849  was  D.  Fitz  Randolph,  who  was  reelected,  and  was  followed  in 
185 1  by  Peter  N.  Wycoff.  As  stated  before,  his  successor  was  Judge 
Van  Dyke.  For  the  next  two  terms  John  B.  Hill  occupied  the  executive 
chair.  He  was  a  descendant  of  an  English  family  that  settled  in  New 
Brunswick  when  it  was  in  its  infancy,  and  at  the  time  of  his  election 
was  president  of  the  National  Bank  of  New  Jersey.  His  successor, 
Abraham  V.  Schenck,  was  a  native  of  the  city,  and  an  attorney  of  high 
repute.  His  successor  in  1857  was  John  Bayard  Kirkpatrick,  a  brother 
of  Littleton  Kirkpatrick,  who  had  been  an  official  of  the  United  States 
Treasury.  Mayor  Kirkpatrick  was  elected  for  two  terms  but  resigned 
and  was  succeeded  in  1859  by  Tunis  V.  D.  Hoagland,  who  in  turn  gave 
place  to  Peter  C.  Onderdonk,  a  prominent  manufacturer ;  he  was  suc- 
ceeded in  i860  by  Ezekiel  M.  Paterson.  The  thirteenth  mayor  under 
the  new  charter  was  Lyle  Van  Nuis,  who  was  also  mayor  for  two  terms 
from  1861  to  1863. 

New  Brunswick  in  1845,  with  a  neighborhood  of  9,000  inhabitants, 
presented  an  enterprising  city  with  its  courthouse,  jail,  eight  churches, 
college  buildings,  bank,  one  hundred  and  twenty  stores  and  eight  hun- 
dred dwellings.  Though  the  streets  immediately  on  the  river  were 
narrow  and  the  ground  low,  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city  the  roadways 
were  wide  and  there  were  many  fine  buildings.  Two  bridges  crossed  the 
Raritan,  though  the  Albany  street  bridge  was  dilapidated  and  not  much 
used.    The  railroad  bridge  was  also  used  for  wagons  and  foot  passengers. 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  297 

the  trains  crossing  the  river  overhead  on  the  upper  portion  of  the  bridge. 
This  continued  to  be  the  mode  of  travel  for  several  years,  until  the  citizens 
deeming  it  unsafe,  the  New  Brunswick  Bridge  Company  was  incor- 
porated and  a  new  bridge  was  constructed  at  the  foot  of  Albany  street. 
This  bridge  was  conducted  by  the  company  until  July  3,  1875,  when  it 
was  purchased  by  the  county  for  $58,000  and  made  free.  There  had 
been  paid  in  bridge  tolls  over  $300,000  from  November  i,  1795,  to  the 
time  of  its  purchase  by  the  county.  The  freeing  of  the  bridge  was  cele- 
brated by  a  procession,  headed  by  Darrow's  Cornet  Band,  that  marched 
through  the  streets  of  the  city,  the  sidewalks  lined  with  people  who, 
to  exhibit  their  joy,  waved  flags  and  handkerchiefs.  The  reason  of  this 
demonstration  was  that  the  proprietors  of  the  bridge  had  for  several 
years  resisted  all  attempts  for  the  purchase  of  the  property  by  the  county, 
thus  retarding  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  city.  New  Brunswick, 
which  had  been  partly  located  in  Somerset  county,  was  by  an  act  of 
legislation  in  1854  freed  from  the  Somerset  jurisdiction.  The  custom  of 
having  officials  under  different  names  to  constitute  a  common  council 
for  local  legislation  over  which  the  mayor  presided  was  persisted  in  until 
1862,  when  the  mayor  and  recorder  were  dropped  from  that  body,  and  a 
president  of  the  common  council  was  elected.  This  action  dropped  the 
ambiguous  title,  "The  Mayor,  Recorder,  Aldermen  and  Common  Coun- 
cil," and  from  a  division  of  four  different  divisions,  all  meeting  together 
made  a  compact  body  of  twelve  aldermen. 

The  office  of  city  physician  was  established  in  1849,  o"  the  second 
approach  of  the  Asiatic  cholera.  The  first  to  be  appointed  to  the  office 
was  Dr.  A.  D.  Newell.  The  second  period  of  the  cholera  lasted  ninety- 
seven  days,  there  being  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  cases,  of  which 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  proved  fatal.  The  election  for  the  city  fathers 
was  first  held  in  the  town  meetings,  then  election  districts  were  estab- 
lished, first  two,  afterwards  three;  and  in  1863  the  city  was  divided  into 
six  wards.  The  town  meetings  were  first  held  in  the  old  courthouse. 
This  building,  known  as  "Union  Hall,"  was  purchased  in  1842  by  the 
city  and  named  City  Hall.  It  continued  to  be  used  until  1853,  when  a 
new  city  hall  was  built  on  Liberty  street.  It  was  not  until  after  the 
consolidation  of  the  city  and  township  of  New  Brunswick  in  1861  that 
any  other  officers  than  the  mayor,  recorder,  members  of  the  council,  etc., 
were  elected  by  the  people.  After  this  period  there  were  chosen  a 
mayor,  recorder,  six  aldermen,  six  common  councilmen,  an  assessor, 
collector,  justices  of  the  peace,  chosen  freeholders,  judges  of  election, 
school  superintendent,  town  clerk,  surveyors  of  the  highways,  con- 
stables, commissioners  of  appeal  and  overseer  of  the  poor;  these  from 
time  to  time  lengthened  until  in  1877  the  citizens  were  called  upon  to 
vote  for  ninety-nine  officials,  of  whom  three  were  general  and  ninety-six 
ward  officers.     The  vote  cast  had  largely  increased ;  there  is  no  record 


298  MIDDLESEX 

previous  to  1844,  Avhen  the  ballot  was  taken  by  "show  of  hands  ;"  that 
year  the  total  poll  was  only  304;  this  had  increased  to  3,918  in  1877. 

The  city  in  1850  having  about  10,000  inhabitants,  a  company  was 
formed  for  the  introduction  of  gas.  Owing  to  circumstances,  this  com- 
pany relinquished  its  franchises,  and  the  following  year  John  W.  Stout, 

E.  ■M.  Paterson,  Peter  Spader,  David  Bishop,  Benjamin  D.  Steele  and 
]\Ioses  F.  Webb  received  a  legislative  charter  for  the  manufacture  of 
gas.  A  company  being  organized,  John  W.  Stout  became  president, 
with  John  B.  Hall,  secretary,  superintendent  and  engineer.  The  erection 
of  works  was  immediately  proceeded  with,  pipes  were  laid,  and  a  gas 
holder  built  on  the  corner  of  \\^ater  and  Washington  streets.  The  water 
supply  for  the  city  is  taken  from  Lawrence's  brook,  southeast  of  the 
city  limits.  The  works  were  constructed  in  1864,  the  water  being  raised 
by  steam  pumps  to  a  reservoir.  The  New  Brunswick  Water  Company, 
the  owner  of  the  works,  transferred  their  interests  to  the  city  April  30, 
1873,  which  from  this  time  to  the  adoption  of  a  commission  form  of 
government  was  managed  by  a  board  of  water  commissioners,  their  term 
of  service  being  three  years. 

New  Bnmswick  was  to  receive  her  seventh  city  charter  in  1863. 
Legislation,  however,  did  not  greatly  affect  the  provisions  of  the  pre- 
vious charter.  The  term  of  office  of  the  mayor  was  made  two  years. 
The  first  mayor  under  the  new  charter  was  Richard  McDonald ;  his 
successors  have  been  as  follows :  Augustus  T.  Stout,  1865 ;  John  T. 
Jenkins,  1865-67;  Miles  Ross,  1867-69;  Dr.  George  J.  Janeway,  1869-71; 
Garret  Conover,  1871-73;  Thomas  DeRussy.  1873-75;  Isaiah  Rolfe, 
1875-77;  Dewitt  T.  Reiley,  1879-81;  William  S.  Strong,  1881-89;  James 
H.  Van  Cleef,  1889-95;  Nicholas  Williamson,  1895-1902;  George  A. 
Viehmann.  1902-04;  William  S.  Myers,  1904-06;  Drury  W.  Cooper, 
1906-08;  W.  Edwin  Florance,  1908-10;  John  J.  Morrison,  1910-14;  Austin 
Scott,  1914-15;  Edward  F.  Farrington,  1915-18;  John  J.  Morrison,  1918. 
New  Brunswick  adopted  the  commission  form  of  government  March  7, 
191 5,  under  the  State  law  for  governing  cities,  passed  by  the  legisla- 
ture of  1914. 

The  location  of  the  postoffice  was  still  of  transitory  migration.  On 
the  appointment  in  1861  of  John  T.  Jenkins  as  postmaster,  the  office 
was  removed  to  40  Dennis  street,  afterward  to  No.  202  Neilson  street, 
and  later  to  Burnet  street,  opposite  Commerce  square,  where  it  remained 
during  the  occupancy  of  the  office  of  Joseph  F.  Fisher,  appointed  April 
5,  1869.  and  his  successor,  Levi  B.  Jarrard,  October  26,  1881.    When  John 

F.  Babcock  became  postmaster.  June  7,  1883,  he  proposed  to  remove  the 
office  to  the  old  Masonic  Hall — this  raised  a  storm  of  protest  from  the 
merchants ;  as  the  city  did  not  at  that  time  possess  a  free  delivery  system, 
the  location  was  considered  too  far  uptown.  Though  a  petition  was 
circulated  and   signed   by   hundreds  of  citizens,   Mr.   Babcock  was   tri- 


CITY   OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  299 

umphant.  Here  the  office  remained  during  the  occupancy  of  Robert 
Carson,  who  was  appointed  February  2.^,  1885,  and  William  H.  Price, 
who  became  postmaster  April  4,  1887.  On  the  reappointment  of  Robert 
Carson,  January  6,  1892,  he  removed  the  office  in  July  of  that  year  to 
the  corner  of  George  and  Paterson  streets,  where  it  continued  under 
Charles  D.  Deshler,  appointed  April  4,  1896,  and  his  successor,  Charles 
W.  Russell,  who  took  charge  in  April,  1900;  until  it  was  removed  to  its 
present  permanent  home,  built  by  the  government  at  an  expense  of 
$125,000,  October  i,  1903.  The  present  incumbent  of  the  office,  Peter 
H.  S.  Hendricks,  succeeded  Postmaster  Russell,  May  29,  1913.  Rural 
delivery  was  established  December  15,  1900;  there  are  now  six  routes. 

New  Brunswick's  great  industrial  awakening  had  its  birth  in  the 
thirties  and  forties  of  the  last  century.  The  city  at  that  time  was  largely 
college  ruled,  its  streets  with  a  few  exceptions  unpaved,  no  gas 
or  sewers,  was  supplied  only  with  well  water  for  drinking  purposes, 
which  was  in  danger  of  being  contaminated  in  the  lower  portion  of  the 
city  by  the  drainage  from  the  upper  section,  thus  being  menaced  with 
epidemics  of  typhoid,  though  science  had  not  at  that  period  taken  cog- 
nizance of  the  dangerous  properties  of  drinking  water  thus  exposed. 

Though  there  were  industries  previous  to  this  period,  they  were  of 
primitive  character.  New  Brunswick  in  early  days  being  a  seaport,  it 
was  natural  that  a  shipbuilding  industry  would  be  generated,  hence 
an  important  industry  in  that  line  was  carried  on  by  the  Orams,  the 
Runyons,  the  Hoaglands,  the  Kemptons,  and  the  Waterhouses.  Large 
fleet  schooners  and  sloops,  also  seagoing  craft  for  coast  service,  as  well 
as  barges,  were  built.  Luke  Hoagland  constructed  several  yachts  for 
the  New  York  Yacht  Club,  notable  among  them  the  "Minnie,"  a  prize 
winner;  the  "Siren,"  and  "Ibis,"  then  the  largest  steam  yacht  of  the 
squadron.  He  afterwards  built  launches  and  torpedo  boats  for  the 
government.  When  New  Brunswick  ceased  to  be  a  seaport,  these  indus- 
tries died  a  natural  death.  An  industry  of  antiquity  was  the  carriage 
manufactory  of  John  Van  Nuis,  who  as  early  as  1810-11  built  a  factory 
on  Albany  street,  consisting  of  several  frame  buildings  arranged  as  a 
quadrangle.  From  181 3  to  1840  the  Van  Nuis  carriages  were  known 
throughout  the  Southern  States.  The  business  after  his  death  was 
conducted  by  his  three  sons — Lyle,  Robert  and  James,  who  had  been 
his  partners.  The  death  of  his  two  brothers  caused  a  change  in  the 
firm  name,  and  Lyle  Van  Nuis  in  1867  became  the  sole  owner.  The  repu- 
tation of  their  work  was  second  to  none,  and  a  line  of  handsome  carriages 
was  always  kept  in  stock ;  the  change  to  the  modern  transportation, 
however,  sounded  the  knell  of  carriage  repositories. 

The  father  of  the  foundation  of  the  present  industrial  life  of  New 
Brunswick  was  Martin  A.  Howell,  a  native  of  New  Brunswick.  He 
combined  the  sterling  qualities  of  his  paternal  grandfather,  who  was 


300  MIDDLESEX 

of  Welsh  descent,  with  the  craftiness  and  hardheadedness  of  his  maternal 
grandfather,  who  came  from  the  land  of  the  Scots.     Young  Howell's 
qualifications  were  energy,  economy,  and  untiring  industry,  with  which 
he  overcame  many  youthful  disappointments  and  difficulties.    He  finally 
in  1837  erected  what  was  the  first  manufactory  built  in  the  city  for  the 
production  of  wall  paper,  one  of  the  first  erected  for  that  industry  in 
the  United  States.     It  was  operated  on  Water  street,  by  canal  water- 
power,  and  from  an  annual  production  of  $8,000  grew  and  increased  in 
a  few  years  to  $150,000.     It  was  two  years  later  that  Horace  H.  Day, 
in  his  little  shop  on  Dennis  street,  turned  out  carriage  cloth  made  by 
spreading  over  cloth,  rubber  dissolved  in  turpentine,  and  shoes  made 
from  rubber  uppers  fitted  on  leather  bottoms.     In  the  shipping  trade 
of  New  Brunswick  at  that  time  was  a  young  man,  James  Bishop,  whose 
vessels  plied  between  New  York  and  Para,  South  America,  and  through 
his  agent  at  that  point  he  came  to  know  of  the  inexhaustible  supply 
of  rubber  on  the  banks  of  the  Amazon  river  and  its  tributaries.    Know- 
ing the  value  of  this  Brazilian  product,  he  readily  became  interested  in 
its  exportation  and  became  a  pioneer  in  the  rubber  industry.    The  rubber 
trade  antecedent  to  its  development  as  an  industry  in  the  United  States 
was  recognized  in  Europe.     The  valuable  properties  of  the  gum  were 
utilized  about  1767,  when  it  was  oflFered  in  a  stationer's  store  in  London 
in  cubes  an  inch  square  at  three  shillings  sixpence,  as  an  eraser  of  pencil 
marks.     Mackintosh,  a  haberdasher,  in   1823  patented  a  varnish  com- 
pounded by  dissolving  rubber  gum  in    coal    oil ;    with    this    liquid    he 
smeared  fabrics,  thus  rendering  them  waterproof.     Even  to  this  day, 
Mackintosh   is  the  general   term  for  all   waterproof  material.     Subse- 
quently, other  patents  were  taken  out  in  England  for  the  manufacture 
of  shirred  goods,  availing  of  the  properties  of  the  elasticity  of  the  gum 
for  that  purpose,  but  beyond  that  English  inventors  never  ventured,  leav- 
ing the  more  important  inventions  to  the  Americans.     The  pioneer  in 
the   successful   manufacture   of  rubber  goods   in   America   was    E.    M. 
Chaffee,  a  native  of  Massachusetts.     He  invented  a  machine  in   1832 
that  would  spread  upon  cloth  a  preparation  of  rubber  gum  dissolved 
in  turpentine,  to  which  was  added  lamp  black.     This  made  the  material 
waterproof,  and  was  successfully  used  for  goods  exposed  to  the  elements, 
such  as  covers  for  life  preservers,  coaches,  storm  hats,  or  sou'westers. 
ChafTee,  to  extend  his  manufacturing,  organized  a  stock  company  with 
which  Daniel  Hayward  became  identified,  but  in  producing  the     cloth 
in  large  quantities  it  became  uneven  and  inferior  in  quality.     Charles 
Goodyear  and  his  brother  Nelson  also  engaged  in  experimenting,  and 
while  they  met  with  some  success  in  elastic  goods,  in  other  appliances 
they  produced  a  material  that  became  sticky  when  exposed  to  heat  or 
became  hard  when  exposed  to  cold.     The  rubber  shoes  were  a  solid 
piece  of  unglazed  rubber,  which  fitted  closely  over  the  leather  shoe  and 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  301 

was  ungainly  looking,  like  an  ugly  black  stocking.  They  also  made  a 
shoe  with  uppers  of  leather,  while  between  the  soles  was  placed  a  cloth 
smeared  with  a  compound  of  rubber  gum.  Here  in  New  Brunswick, 
Horace  Day  was  keeping  pace  with  them,  and  the  interesting  spectacle 
was  presented  of  four  young  men — Chaffee,  Hayward,  Goodyear  and 
Day — all  penniless,  but  with  an  abiding  faith  in  themselves  and  their 
own  inventive  powers.  In  1838  there  came  to  New  Brunswick  to  assist 
Mr.  Da)^  a  German,  Christopher  Meyer.  He  was  of  a  naturally  ingenious 
turn  of  mind,  with  some  knowledge  of  machinery.  Mr.  Day  engaged 
his  services  for  two  years  in  perfecting  patterns  and  machinery  for 
operating  in  the  manufacture  of  rubber  goods.  The  Goodyear  vulcan- 
ization process  came  out  in  1844;  Mr.  Day  claimed  the  right  of  using  it 
for  the  New  Jersey  Rubber  Shoe  Company,  which  he  had  established 
in  1839,  basing  his  claim  on  the  plea  that  it  was  an  unpatented  English 
invention,  and  began  making  improved  shoes.  This  resulted  in  law- 
suits in  which  Mr.  Day  was  finally  vanquished.  His  assistant,  how- 
ever, Mr.  Meyers,  spent  his  evenings  in  making  his  patterns,  and  soon 
had  his  machinery  ready  for  a  beginning.  Through  the  assistant  of 
James  Bishop,  who  granted  him  financial  aid,  he  started  in  a  small  way 
at  Landing  Bridge,  on  the  canal,  manufacturing  rubber  shoes  and  rubber 
carriage  cloth.  This  undertaking  he  eventually  sold,  and  in  1845,  asso- 
ciated with  John  R.  Ford,  he  rebuilt  his  factory  that  had  been  destroyed 
by  fire.  The  Ford  &  Company  in  1850  became  a  corporation,  the  Ford 
Company,  and  four  years  later  its  name  was  changed  to  the  Meyer 
Rubber  Company.  After  Mr.  Day's  unsuccessful  litigation,  the  New 
Jersey  Rubber  Shoe  Company  met  with  varied  changes.  They  manu- 
factured rubber  blankets  for  the  use  of  the  soldiers  during  the  Civil 
War,  but  the  works  finally  came  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Meyers  and 
others  who  formed  the  New  Jersey  Rubber  Company  in  April,  1870. 
Previous  to  this  Messrs.  Meyers  and  Ford  had  built  in  1858  the  Novelty 
Rubber  Company  mills  on  Neilson  street,  above  the  railroad  bridge  for 
the  manufacture  of  hard  rubber  articles.  Their  output  soon  amounted 
to  $600,000  annually,  an  endless  variety  of  articles  being  manufactured 
and  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  firm  of  Onderdonk  &  Letson 
had  acquired  the  Goodyear  rights  for  manufacturing  rubber  boots  and 
shoes,  which  they  disposed  of  in  1849  to  the  New  Brunswick  Rubber 
Company,  who  employed  three  hundred  hands,  doing  an  annual  business 
of  about  $700,000.  All  these  rubber  industries  have  long  since  ceased 
to  exist  under  their  former  names,  the  manufacture  of  rubber  boots 
and  shoes  in  New  Brunswick  being  confined  at  the  present  day  to  the 
United  States  Rubber  Company,  having  salesroom  in  New  York  City 
and  Chicago,  Illinois. 

It  was  some  years  after  the  Delaware  &  Raritan  Canal  was  in  opera- 
tion that  Commodore  Robert  F.  Stockton,  with  the  idea  of  utilizing 


302 


MIDDLESEX 


to  advantage  the  fall  of  water  between  the  upper  and  lower  level  of  the 
locks  in  New  Brunswick,  induced  his  friend  James  Neilson  to  join  with 
him  in  the  erection  of  a  plant  for  a  cotton  spinning  mill,  the  power  to 
operate  the  works  to  be  derived  from  the  canal.  This  scheme  was  put 
into  practice  and  carried  on  for  some  years,  giving  employment  to  men 
and  women,  and  is  cited  as  the  first  organized  industry  in  the  city  ofifering 
employment  to  either  sex.  The  cotton  milling,  however,  was  not  remu- 
nerative ;  the  buildings  remained  idle  until  1866,  when  parties  interested 
in  Norfolk,  Connecticut,  in  the  manufacture  of  yarn,  who  had  invented 
a  machine  to  produce  knit  goods,  wishing  to  obtain  another  location, 
bought  the  works  and  established  in  New  Brunswick  the  Norfolk  and 
New  Brunswick  Hosiery  Company.  This  was  one  of  the  enterprising 
industries  of  the  city,  with  extensive  works  located  on  the  corner  of 
Neilson  and  Hamilton  streets  until  a  few  years  ago,  when  it  discontinued 
business. 

The  early  endeavors  in  the  manufacture  of  wall  paper  have  been 
mentioned.  In  1844  John  P.  Hardenbergh  commenced  the  manufacture 
of  wall  paper  on  Water  street.  He  disposed  of  his  interests  in  1849  to 
William  R.  Janeway,  the  firm  becoming  Janeway  &  Company.  The  early 
factory,  measuring  forty  feet  by  twenty-five  feet,  soon  gave  way  to  an 
immense  structure  facing  on  Water  street,  which  with  other  buildings 
covered  two  acres  of  grounds.  Here  ordinary  wall  paper  was  printed 
from  maple  rollers,  gilt  paper  and  water  colors  from  maple  blocks. 
The  printing  machines  were  made  by  the  Waldron  Machine  Works, 
established  by  William  Waldron  in  1848.  These  machines  were  after- 
wards made  by  this  concern  for  exportation  to  Europe,  the  business 
being  still  carried  on  by  descendants  of  the  original  founder,  on  the 
River  road,  under  the  style  of  the  John  Waldron  Company.  The  busi- 
ness of  Janeway  Company  extended  from  Maine  to  California ;  the 
competition  became  severe,  but  Janeway  &  Company  with  their  exten- 
sive facilities  for  business  outlived  all  competition.  Wall  paper  is 
manufactured  at  the  present  day  in  New  Brunswick  by  Janeway  & 
Carpender. 

The  manufacture  of  shoes  was  at  one  time  a  leading  factor  in  the 
industrial  life  of  the  city.  The  genesis  of  the  industry  was  in  1856,  when 
one  Felter,  with  a  shop  at  the  head  of  Deleven  street,  employed  two 
hands  in  the  making  of  hand-sewed  shoes.  This  grew  into  an  industry, 
with  a  factory  located  on  Bayard  street  between  Neilson  and  George 
streets,  where  employment  was  given  to  over  three  hundred  hands,  nearly 
half  of  whom  were  females.  The  weekly  production  was  over  five 
thousand  pairs  of  boots  and  shoes — men's  and  boys'  boots  and  shoes; 
ladies'  misses'  and  children's  shoes,  sewed  and  nailed,  having  a  yearly 
production  value  of  over  $400,000.  In  the  old  courthouse,  John  Boundey 
in  the  early  sixties  started  a  shoe  factory  employing  about  fifty  hands, 


CITY  OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  303 

from  which  he  removed,  finally  locating  on  Spring  street  near  Albany 
street.  An  extensive  strike  by  the  Knights  of  St.  Crispin  in  February, 
1 87 1,  caused  the  outgrowth  of  shoe  factories  to  be  operated  on  the 
cooperative  plan.  This  caused  the  formation  in  New  Brunswick  of 
the  firms  of  Motisher  &  Shyers,  and  Vosper  &  Kramer,  young  men  who 
for  a  time  conducted  a  thriving  business.  Mr.  Kramer  in  1879  purchased 
the  interest  of  his  partner,  and  established  a  shoe  factory  on  Hamilton 
street  near  Division  street,  where  he  for  several  years  carried  on  an  exten- 
sive shoe  trade.  In  the  year  1877  Frank  E.  and  James  T.  Kilpatrick 
formed  a  firm  for  the  manufacture  of  leather  shoes,  styled  Kilpatrick 
&:  Company.  A  large  brick  factory  on  the  corner  of  Neilson  and  Hamil- 
ton streets  was  occupied ;  women's,  misses'  and  children's  grain,  pebble, 
goat  and  kid,  also  men's,  youths'  and  boys'  calf  and  fine  calf  splits  boots 
and  shoes  were  manufactured.  While  the  firm  did  an  extensive  home 
trade,  they  also  found  a  market  for  their  productions  in  the  Eastern  and 
Southern  States. 

Among  the  present  industries  of  New  Brunswick  is  the  Consolidated 
Fruit  Jar  Company,  established  in  1858  and  incorporated  in  1871.  They 
commenced  operations  under  the  combined  patents  of  three  or  four 
former  factories,  with  a  paid  up  capital  stock  of  $500,000.  They  are  the 
proprietors  and  manufacturers  of  the  Mason  fruit  jar  trimmings ;  Boyd's 
and  Chace's  oillers,  can  screws,  spouts,  and  general  white  metal  goods, 
making  a  specialty  of  collapsible  tubes,  rectal  and  nasal  tubes,  sprinkler 
tops  for  perfumes  and  toilet  waters  and  tooth  powders.  Their  factory 
is  situated  on  Water  street,  near  Railroad  street. 

Among  other  prominent  industries  was  the  saw  mill  of  Isaac  Rolfe 
&  Son,  which  was  established  by  Mr.  Rolfe  in  company  with  G.  W. 
Metlar,  on  Burnet  street,  at  the  foot  of  New  street.  The  old  Neilson 
mill,  which  supplied  the  public  with  sawed  lumber,  had  for  many  years 
been  shut  down.  The  new  mill  measured  180  feet  on  Burnet  street,  was 
300  feet  deep,  and  had  a  canal  front  of  340  feet.  Engaged  in  a  kindred 
enterprise  was  William  S.  Van  Doren's  sash  and  blind  factory  midway 
between  Morris  and  Oliver  streets,  on  Neilson  street.  The  business 
was  started  in  1852  by  William  Wright,  but  was  purchased  in  1866  by 
Mr.  Van  Doren,  who  enlarged  the  works.  He  suffered  considerable  loss 
by  fire  in  November,  1872,  which  destroyed  half  of  his  premises,  but 
within  a  month  the  factory  was  in  operation  again.  There  was  estab- 
lished in  1856  another  sash  and  blind  factory  on  John  street,  foot  of 
Morris  street,  by  A.  J.  Butler,  where  a  large  amount  of  work  was  pro- 
duced annually.  Mr.  Butler  was  also  interested  in  a  pottery  located  on 
Burnet  street,  which  was  celebrated  for  its  line  of  terra  cotta. 

One  of  the  thriving  industries  of  its  day  was  the  furniture  manu- 
factory of  Cornelius  Powelson.  The  business  sprang  from  a  small  shop 
on  the  corner  of  New  and  George  streets ;  the  trade  increased,  and  in 


304  MIDDLESEX 

1S47  ^  four-story  brick  structure  was  erected  on  the  corner  of  George 
and  Schureman  streets,  where  exclusive  first-class  furniture  and  uphol- 
stery work  was  made  for  customers  all  over  the  country.  Equally 
unique  was  the  confectionery  establishment  of  William  Frank,  who 
opened  in  1850  a  small  place  on  the  east  side  of  Peace  street  for  the 
sale  of  candies ;  to  this  was  afterwards  added  toys  imported  from  Ger- 
many, and  the  manufacture  of  French  and  American  candies  in  over 
two  hundred  varieties.  His  wholesale  trade  was  limited  to  the  various 
country  towns  within  twenty  miles  of  the  city.  Three  brothers  by  the 
name  of  McCrellis  in  185 1  established  on  Somerset  street  a  factory  for 
the  manufacture  of  carriages,  wagons  and  sleighs.  A  large  number  of 
workmen  were  employed,  and  it  soon  became  one  of  the  most  extensive 
manufacturing  firms  in  the  city.  Mention  has  already  been  made  of 
the  Waldron  Machine  Works ;  there  was  also  the  National  Iron  Works, 
established  in  1847  by  Elijah  Kelly,  that  specialized  in  rubber  goods 
machinery,  also  manufactured  a  newly  patented  powder-making  machine. 
The  Empire  Machine  W^orks  made  improved  knitting  machines.  The 
New  Brunswick  Carpet  Company  was  established  in  1871  for  the  manu- 
facture of  tapestry  Brussels  carpets.  They  built  extensive  brick  build- 
ings covering  some  three  acres  of  grounds  on  Water  street  near  Somerset 
street.  They  employed  nearly  three  hundred  hands,  producing  nearly 
$1,000,000  worth  of  goods  annually.  The  business  was  relinquished  in 
1877,  the  company  closing  their  works.  In  a  large  substantial  brick 
factory  on  the  corner  of  Hamilton  and  Union  streets,  in  1882,  D.  McNair 
&  Son  were  actively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  buckram,  mosquito 
netting  and  light  muslin,  employing  a  large  number  of  hands,  weaving 
these  materials  which  had  a  continual  demand  in  the  market.  The  senior 
Mr.  McNair  established  the  business  in  the  early  sixties  of  the  past 
century  The  Home  Valley  Preserving  Company  was  established  in 
1884  by  Benjamin  F.  Holmes  with  a  capital  stock  of  $25,000;  the  com- 
pany were  growers  and  packers  of  all  kinds  of  fruits  and  vegetables, 
also  conducted  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  within  the  city  limits,  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  besides  contracting  for  the  products  of  some 
three  hundred  or  more  acres  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  The  factory 
purchased  and  utilized  for  this  industry  was  originally  the  old  Raritan 
Steam  Mills,  a  brick  structure  on  Water  street.  The  tin  containers 
were  manufactured  on  the  premises ;  some  six  hundred  thousand  cans 
comprising  apples,  pears,  peaches,  plums,  grapes,  strawberries,  rasp- 
berries, blackberries,  cherries,  etc..  corn,  asparagus  and  other  vegetables, 
also  poultry,  beef  and  mutton,  jams  and  jellies,  were  preserved  and 
packed  annually. 

Today  the  principal  manufacturing  industries  not  already  mentioned 
are  the  laboratory  and  chemical  establishment  of  Johnson  &  Johnson, 
which  gives  employment  to  2,100  hands;  the  Neverslip  Works,  manu- 


CITY  OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  305 

facturing  Red  Top  horse  shoe  calks,  horses'  and  mules'  shoes,  soft  steel 
rivets,  with  branch  offices  at  Catasauqua,  Pennsylvania;  Montreal, 
Canada ;  New  York.  Chicago  and  Boston ;  employment  is  furnished  for 
about  250  employees.  The  cigar  manufacturing  industry  is  one  of  the 
most  thriving  of  New  Brunswick ;  Bayuk  Brothers  &  Company  employed 
in  the  neighborhood  of  300  males  and  females ;  the  New  Brunswick 
Cigar  Company  have  on  their  payroll  750  employees ;  the  Forty-four 
Cigar  Company,  Incorporated,  gives  employment  to  185 ;  the  Cans  Broth- 
ers have  about  85  in  their  employ;  the  Tri-State  Cigar  Company  has 
employment  for  about  40;  and  there  are  other  small  cigar  manufacturers. 
William  Black  &  Company  do  an  extensive  business  in  supplying  these 
and  other  manufacturers  with  cigar  boxes. 

Besides  the  United  States  Rubber  Company,  previously  mentioned, 
who  carry  on  their  payroll  500  employees,  there  are  engaged  in  the  rubber 
industry  the  Howe  Rubber  Company,  who  manufacture  automobile 
inner  tubes,  employing  225  hands;  and  the  Indian  Tire  and  Rubber 
Company,  who  manufacture  hard  rubber  goods,  furnishing  employment 
to  400.  The  Somerset  Rubber  Reclaiming  Works  are  situated  on  George 
road.  There  are  two  machine  shops  manufacturing  knitting  machine 
needles — the  Loyal  T.  Ives  Company,  employing  in  that  industry  about 
250  employees,  and  Fred  J.  Potter  Company,  on  Somerset  and  Bethany 
streets,  while  knitting  machinery  is  made  by  the  Crawford  Manufactur- 
ing Company  and  the  Kilboum  Manufacturing  Company.  The  manu- 
facture of  aprons  is  carried  on  by  J.  M.  Barkelew  &  Company  on  the 
corner  of  Weldon  street  and  Remsen  avenue.  Instead  of  a  carpet  factory 
there  are  two  weaving  establishments  that  convert  rags  into  carpets  and 
rugs.  The  Ringwalt  Linoleum  Works  are  also  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
turing of  floor  coverings. 

The  Brunswick  Refrigerating  Company  at  their  plant  at  the  end 
of  Jersey  avenue,  manufactures  refrigerating  and  ice  making  machinery, 
employing  175  hands.  The  National  Musical  String  Company  on 
Georges  road,  near  the  city  line,  gives  employment  to  125  hands;  musi- 
cal strings  and  harmonicas  are  produced.  The  Janeway  Button  Com- 
pany, employing  150  hands,  are  engaged  in  producing  a  vegetable  ivory 
button.  The  New  Brunswick  Brass  Foundry  produces  brass,  bronze 
and  aluminum  castings.  The  Cronk  Manufacturing  Company  furnishes 
doors,  sashes,  mouldings,  interior  finish,  mantels,  tiles  and  packing  cases. 
The  Consolidated  Fruit  Jar  Company,  already  mentioned,  employs  325 
hands.  The  Webb  Wire  Works  on  Liberty  street  manufactures  musical 
wire  and  is  vhe  largest  factory  in  the  United  States  for  the  production 
of  this  article  of  merchandise.  The  Wright-Martin  Aircraft  Corporation, 
of  which  the  celebrated  engineer,  General  George  W.  Goethals,  was 
president,  occupied  during  the  war  the  plant  of  the  Simplex  Automobile 
Company  on  Jersey  avenue,  near  Sandford  street.     Here  aviation  and 

Mid-20 


3o6  MIDDLESEX 

Liberty  engines  were  manufactured,  three  shifts  being  employed  daily 
during  the  duration  of  the  war,  employment  being  given  to  over  8,ooo 
employees.  The  works  are  now  operated  by  International  Motor  Com- 
pany, who  employed  at  the  present  time  about  1,500  hands.  These 
industries  have  been  further  dealt  with  in  another  chapter  of  this  work, 
devoted  to  the  manufacturing  industries  of  the  county. 

The  introduction  of  rapid  transit  marked  an  important  era  in  the 
history  of  New  Brunswick's  progress  and  enterprise.  The  legislature 
on  February  13,  1867,  by  an  act  granted  a  charter  for  a  street  railway 
which  included  an  ordinance  of  the  city  for  a  franchise  passed  November 
30,  1866.  The  parties  interested  in  this  charter  never  availed  themselves 
of  its  privileges.  Matters  laid  dormant  until  in  September,  1885,  when 
George  W.  Ballou  and  F.  M.  Delano,  residents  of  New  York,  came  to 
the  city,  looking  for  an  opportunity  to  develop  street  railway  territory. 
After  the  investigation  of  several  routes,  they  employed  C.  T.  Cowen- 
hoven  as  their  counsel  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to  procure  them  a 
legal  status.  Judge  Cowenhoven  discovered  the  existence  of  the  former 
charter,  and  that  it  was  still  alive  and  effective.  In  February,  1886,  he 
secured  from  the  surviving  charter  parties  a  transfer  of  their  rights  to 
the  New  Brunswick  City  Railroad  Company.  This  corporation  after 
being  duly  organized  elected  C.  T.  Cowenhoven,  president ;  George  C. 
Tolle,  secretary ;  Carroll  Sprigg,  treasurer,  and  Josiah  Tice,  superinten- 
dent. The  directors  were  C.  T.  Cowenhoven,  R.  H.  Becker,  George 
Berdine,  C.  W.  Kent,  all  of  New  Brunswick,  and  F.  M.  Delano,  Carroll 
Sprigg.  George  W.  Ballou,  all  of  New  York. 

While  these  movements  were  in  progress,  Woodbridge  Strong,  rep- 
resenting New  York  capitalists,  filed  a  certificate  of  incorporation  under 
the  general  incorporation  act  for  the  New  Brunswick  &  Suburban 
Railway  Company.  The  two  eminent  attorneys,  Cowenhoven  &  Strong, 
soon  locked  their  legal  horns,  and  a  struggle  was  commenced  before 
the  city  council  as  to  which  company  should  be  granted  the  city  fran- 
chise. This  rivalry  soon  assumed  a  partisan  aspect,  but  was  of  short 
duration,  it  being  decided  in  favor  of  the  Cowenhoven  road.  The  ordi- 
nance granting  the  New  Brunswick  City  Railway  Company  the  franchise 
was  passed  by  the  common  council,  March  26,  1886.  Work  on  the 
railroad  began  on  Somerset  street,  but  in  a  week's  time,  owing  to  lack 
of  material,  it  was  suspended  until  May  26,  1886,  when  a  formal  contract 
was  made  with  Philip  Richardson,  of  New  York,  to  build  and  equip  the 
road,  he  agreeing  to  have  it  in  running  order  September  15,  1886,  which 
was  in  compliance  with  the  terms  of  the  ordinance  granting  the  fran- 
chise. Mr.  Richardson  sublet  the  contract  to  Thomas  B.  Conway  of 
New  York,  who  commenced  work  about  July  i,  pushing  it  forward  with 
vigor  until  September  i,  when  he  stopped  and  filed  a  mechanic's  lien 
for  the  work  already  done.     This  trouble  was  settled  in  a  few  days, 


CITY   OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  307 

George  W.  Ballou  furnishing  funds  to  meet  the  indebtedness  to  the 
contractor.  This  delay  necessitated  an  application  to  the  city  council 
for  an  extension  for  completion  to  October  15,  which  was  granted. 

In  the  meantime  Judge  Cowenhoven  resigned  the  presidency.  The 
railroad  from  its  inception  has  been  known  as  "the  Cowenhoven  road," 
to  distinguish  from  "the  Strong  road."  Judge  Cowenhoven  had  been 
its  godfather  at  its  birth  and  during  its  sickly  infancy ;  it  was  to  his 
patience  and  perseverance  that  its  completion  was  due;  he  had  fulfilled 
every  pledge  given  to  the  public  or  the  city  council,  and  shirked  no 
legal  or  moral  obligation  in  connection  with  the  enterprise.  He  resigned 
the  presidency  and  directorship  in  the  company  and  was  succeeded  by 
F.  M.  Delano. 

The  road  was  opened  for  public  travel  October  14,  1886,  and  in  honor 
of  the  occasion  the  city  buildings,  business  blocks  and  residences  were 
decorated  with  flags  and  bunting.  Soon  after  noon,  along  George  street 
the  people  began  to  collect ;  five  cars  were  promptly  lined  up,  the  first 
carried  Union  Cornet  Band,  the  second,  members  of  the  city  council 
and  press,  the  others  being  filled  with  the  clergy  and  citizens.  The 
train  started  at  half  past  two  o'clock  and  proceeded  to  the  Elmwood 
Cemetery ;  on  its  return  trip  passed  St.  Mary's  Orphans'  Home,  finally 
landing  the  passengers  at  the  Central  Hotel,  where  the  cars  were  given 
over  to  the  public  for  a  free  ride  during  the  afternoon.  The  invited 
guests  were  entertained  with  a  collation  given  at  the  hotel ;  while  salads, 
both  lobster  and  chicken,  with  bread  sandwiches,  cold  ham  and  corned 
beef,  played  an  important  part  on  the  menu,  the  liquid  wants  of  the 
invited  guests  were  not  neglected,  as  both  brandy  punch  and  claret  punch 
added  their  charms,  to  be  dispensed  to  the  hungry  and  thirsty  partici- 
pants. The  tracks  for  this  road  were  laid  on  College  avenue,  but  later 
were  taken  up  and  the  Easton  avenue  route  substituted. 

The  days  of  street  horse  car  railroads  have  long  since  passed  into 
oblivion ;  those  of  the  elder  generation  can  recall  when  they  had  to 
leave  their  comfortable  seats  to  place  their  shoulders  at  the  front  or 
back  of  the  car  to  help  the  overworked  equines  to  proceed  on  their 
journey  Electricity  in  course  of  time  was  applied  to  the  street  railroad 
system  of  New  Brunswick,  and  with  its  introduction  the  city  became 
the  center  of  a  trolley  system  diverging  north,  south,  east  and  west, 
giving  connection  with  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  neighboring  cities 
and  towns. 

The  oldest  fire  organization  formed  in  New  Brunswick  was  in  1764, 
when  a  bucket  company  was  established;  in  1796  two  engines  were 
purchased  by  the  city.  There  had  been  previous  to  this  several  dis- 
astrous fires.  In  the  dead  of  night  on  February  17,  1741,  the  home  of 
Philip  French,  with  its  entire  contents,  was  destroyed.  The  residence 
was  one  of  the  largest  and  most  complete  in  the  province  of  New  Jersey, 


3o8  MIDDLESEX 

and  had  only  been  built  a  year.  Mr.  French  and  his  family  hardly 
escaped  with  their  lives ;  two  of  his  daughters  were  forced  to  jump  out 
a  window  two  stories  high.  A  noted  conflagration  was  that  of  April  14, 
1768,  when  a  fire  broke  out  in  the  house  of  Widow  Dilldine  ;  the  residence 
of  the  widow,  also  the  bake  shop  and  house  of  John  Van  Nordan,  Jr., 
were  a  total  wreck.  A  high  wind  spread  the  flames  across  the  street 
to  the  house  of  James  Neilson,  which  was  destroyed,  with  cooper  shop 
and  bottling  establishment.  The  dwelling  house  and  store  of  Peter 
Vandenburg  and  the  residence  of  Widow  Cramer  were  also  burned ; 
with  the  help  of  the  military  and  citizens,  adjoining  buildings  were 
pulled  down  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  flames.  At  one  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  February  28,  1771,  a  fire  broke  out  in  the  barn  of  John 
Dennis,  which  resulted  in  the  loss  amounting  to  over  £1,000.  During 
the  occupation  of  the  city  by  General  Howe  and  the  British  troops,  the 
house  of  Brook  Farmer,  with  adjoining  residences,  was  completely 
destroyed  by  fire. 

The  Washington  Engine  Company  was  organized  October  11,  1795. 
They  were  equipped  with  buckets  only ;  later  a  hand  engine  was  supplied, 
and  in  1867  the  first  steam  engine  was  purchased,  which  was  kept  in  use 
until  1902,  when  another  engine  was  purchased  from  the  American 
Steam  Engine  Company.  The  Neptune  Engine  Company  was  organized 
within  the  same  year.  Its  first  home  was  on  the  Christ  Church  grounds, 
corner  of  Neilson  and  Church  streets.  The  company  was  reorganized 
and  at  the  time  they  received  their  first  hand  engine  became  known  as 
the  "Red  Jackets."  Later  the  company  removed  to  the  corner  of  Bayard 
and  Neilson  streets.  In  1857  they  were  housed  in  the  City  Hall  on 
Liberty  Street,  but  in  December,  1877,  they  removed  to  New 
Street.  The  first  steam  engine  was  purchased  in  1865;  it  was 
replaced  by  a  La  Franc  engine  in  1888.  The  Phoenix  Engine  Company, 
organized  in  1798,  had  three  engines  before  receiving  their  first  steam 
engine,  an  Amoskeag  apparatus,  March  31,  1866.  This  was  replaced  in 
1902  by  a  Metropolitan  engine.  The  first  home  of  the  company  was  on 
Little  Burnet  street.  Later  they  were  located  on  the  corner  of  Neilson 
and  Bayard  streets.  Their  third  removal  was  to  the  old  City  Hall  on 
Liberty  street,  and  finally  to  their  present  quarters  on  Dennis  street. 

The  first  great  conflagration  took  place  in  1796,  when  nearly  the 
entire  city  was  wiped  out.  The  State  at  that  time  appropriated  $5,000 
for  the  relief  of  the  sufiferers.  The  Christ  Church  steeple  was  struck 
by  lightning  on  Washington's  birthday  in  1802,  causing  the  spire  to 
burn  to  the  l>ase  of  the  tower,  when  a  snowstorm  put  the  fire  out.  In 
1813  the  city  was  visited  by  another  disastrous  fire;  this  was  of  an 
incendiary  origin.  A  negress  nursing  a  real  or  fancied  grievance  against 
a  resident  of  the  city,  fired  his  house  in  revenge.  Five  years  later  there 
were  twenty-five  wells  in  the  city  to  be  used  for  fire  protection,  and  in 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  309 

1818  fifteen  more  were  added.  It  was  about  the  year  1820  that  the 
common  council  named  nine  citizens  to  act  as  "bagman."  Their  duties 
were  to  attend  fires,  with  large  leather  bags  in  which  to  place  valuables 
and  remove  them  to  a  place  of  safety.  This  was  one  of  the  first  salvage 
corps  organized  in  the  State.  A  fire  broke  out  October  18,  182 1,  in  a 
paint  shop  near  Dennis  and  Church  streets.  The  flames  quickly  spread 
to  the  Schenck  homestead;  it  was  thought  at  first  that  A.  V.  Schenck, 
later  a  mayor  of  the  city,  then  an  infant  of  two  weeks,  had  perished, 
but  later  developments  revealed  the  fact  that  the  baby  had  been  bor- 
rowed by  a  neighbor  before  the  commencement  of  the  fire.  Two  hotels 
and  stables  on  Water  street  were  destroyed  by  fire  July  11,  1832.  In 
that  year  the  Raritan  Engine  Company  was  formed  with  a  roll  of  thirty 
members.  Their  first  apparatus  was  the  box  engine  originally  used  by 
the  Phoenix  Company.  The  company's  first  home  was  a  frame  building 
on  the  corner  of  George  and  Schureman  streets,  where  it  remained  for 
fifty  years.  After  a  temporary  location  of  seven  years,  the  company 
secured  quarters  on  Remsen  avenue.  Previous  to  obtaining  its  Clapp 
&  Jones  steam  engine  in  1881,  it  had  used  several  hand  apparatuses. 
The  company  was  furnished  with  a  new  engine  in  1907.  The  Protection 
Engine  Company's  history  dates  back  prior  to  the  year  1830,  when  it 
was  located  on  George  street.  In  1843  ^t  moved  to  George  and  Somerset 
streets,  and  is  now  ensconced  in  a  handsome  building  on  Wall  street. 
Like  other  companies  in  the  city,  it  started  out  with  a  hand  engine. 
After  it  entered  the  city  department  it  was  supplied  with  a  Hope  steamer, 
which  was  replaced  in  1885  by  a  Silsby  engine.  Before  the  organization 
in  1835  of  a  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  ladders  were  placed  in  the 
homes  of  various  citizens  for  the  use  of  firemen.  An  up-to-date  truck 
was  purchased  in  1876.  The  White  Hall  Hotel  stables  were  for  a  sec- 
ond time  destroyed  by  fire  July  3,  1834.  A  large  fire  took  place  May 
21,  1842,  when  the  Raritan  Hotel  near  the  depot  was  destroyed.  The 
Liberty  Hose  Company  was  organized  July  31,  1853.  It  was  later 
equipped  with  combination  wagon  with  hook  and  ladder  outfit,  chemical 
apparatus  and  a  full  supply  of  fire  hose.  The  Hibernia  Engine  Company 
started  in  1865  with  a  hand  engine,  which  was  replaced  by  a  Dennison 
steam  engine  in  1871. 

Among  the  other  important  fires  of  the  city  was  that  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  1849;  the  previous  year  the  steamboat  "Raritan"  on  its  pas- 
sage from  New  Brunswick  to  New  York  was  totally  destroyed ;  the 
machine  shop  of  Randolph  &  Holmes,  July  15,  1850,  the  rubber  factory 
on  the  corner  of  New  and  Drift  streets  in  1853  also  suffered  loss  by  fire. 
The  fire  on  Commerce  square  occurred  January  15,  1862;  the  Star  Lin- 
seed Oil  Works  were  a  total  loss  November  21,  1871 ;  was  rebuilt  and 
burned  again  in  September,  1875.  The  Canal  stables  suffered  a  loss  by 
fire  October  24,  1873,  and  were  totally  destroyed  by  another  fire  March 


3IO 


MIDDLESEX 


i6,  1874.  The  grocery  stand  of  Suydam  &  Nevius  succumbed  to  the 
flames  in  November,  1875,  and  in  the  same  year  the  old  Swan  stables 
near  Washington  street  were  destroyed  by  fire.  The  Augustus  Hyatt 
Rubber  Company's  works  on  Neilson  street  suffered  a  complete  loss  of 
property  and  machinery  in  1876;  the  same  year  fire  broke  out  in  Charles 
Lemon's  dwelling  on  the  corner  of  Suydam  and  Drift  streets,  its  owner 
being  consumed  in  the  flames. 

The  Pennsylvania  railroad's  wooden  bridge  was  burned  November 
9,  1878.  Its  successor  was  an  iron  structure  which  in  turn  was  replaced 
by  the  present  stone  bridge,  the  first  train  passing  over  the  latter  May 
II,  1903.  The  railroad  shops  on  Easton  avenue  were  the  scene  of  a 
fire  November  22,  1879.  The  next  year,  June  30,  Hammell's  store  was 
reduced  to  ashes  and  George  Rebotham  was  killed ;  the  same  year, 
November  20,  the  old  ice  house  at  the  upper  lock  was  destroyed.  The 
important  fire  in  1882  was  February  28,  when  the  Holmes  canning  shop, 
foot  of  Albany  street,  was  a  total  loss ;  the  following  year,  on  May  6, 
Jarrod's  cigar  factory  was  burned.  The  great  oil  train  fire  occurred 
February  7,  1883,  Frank  Deeman,  brakeman,  and  Patrick  Dougherty 
were  burned  to  death.  The  fire  was  caused  by  two  oil  trains  colliding 
on  the  Pennsylvania  railroad  bridge.  The  flaming  oil  ran  into  the 
sewer  and  reaching  the  buildings  of  Janeway  &  Company,  completely 
destroyed  the  building.  The  well  known  landmark  "The  Rink,"  was 
burned  July  28,  1891.  The  steamboat  "New  Brunswick,"  when  on  its 
regular  trip  between  New  Brunswick  and  New  York,  was  consumed  by 
fire  August  7,  1902.  It  was  a  total  loss,  and  the  remains  of  the  steam- 
boat were  towed  to  Gregory's  Graveyard  at  Perth  Amboy.  The  large 
factory  of  Janeway  &  Carpender  on  the  corner  of  Schuyler  and  Pater- 
son  streets  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1907;  the  present  factory  was  then 
built  in  Highland  Park.  Fire  swept  the  plant  of  the  Empire  Foundry 
Company  on  Jersey  avenue,  March  19,  1909,  causing  a  loss  of  $100,000, 
the  pattern  storage  house,  the  engine  house  and  one  or  two  other  small 
buildings  were  destroyed.  The  plant  was  originally  built  by  the  New 
Brunswick  Foundry  Company  in  1897.  Gray  iron  castings,  gas  and 
coal  stoves  and  automobile  cylinders  were  manufactured. 

The  present  paid  fire  department  of  six  companies  is  equipped  with 
four  steamers,  one  hook  and  ladder  truck,  one  chemical  engine ;  all  of 
automobile  construction. 

Free  Public  Library — The  foundation  of  a  public  library  in  New 
Brunswick  was  agitated  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
when  a  meeting  was  called  January  15,  1796,  for  establishing  such  an 
institution.  The  library  of  Rutgers  College,  founded  thirty  years  pre- 
vious to  this,  was  exclusively  for  the  use  of  the  students.  The  fifteen 
gentlemen  who  attended  the  primary  meeting  agreed  that  a  share  in 
the  new  library  should  be  five  dollars,  subject  to  an  annual  tax  of  one 


PUBLIC  LlHRAin,  \KW  HRUXSWICK 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  311 

dollar  and  fifty  cents.  The  name  chosen  was  the  "Union  Library  Com- 
pany." It  was  located  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Albany  and  Neilson 
streets.  The  librarian  was  John  Hill,  who  continued  to  perform  the 
duties  until  his  death  in  181 1,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Miss  Hannah 
Scott.  During  the  War  of  1812,  the  library  was  wholly  suspended,  but 
later  was  revived  by  a  few  of  the  original  members. 

A  second  library  was  incorporated  in  1820,  but  in  May  of  the  fol- 
lowing year  the  two  libraries  were  merged  into  one,  under  the  name  of 
the  "New  Brunswick  Library  Company."  This  company  continued  in 
existence  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  but  finally  suspended;  the 
books  were  consigned  to  the  trustees  of  Rutgers  College  for  safe- 
keeping. In  May,  1868,  they  were  transferred  to  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  for  the  foundation  of  their  library,  and  continued 
under  their  control  until  1888,  when  the  directors  presented  about 
2,900  volumes  to  the  New  Brunswick  Free  Circulating  Library,  incor- 
porated March  3,  1883,  which  was  opened  to  the  public  March  23,  1883. 
This  was  the  first  free  circulation  of  books  in  New  Jersey ;  previous 
to  this  date,  while  a  number  of  libraries  had  free  reading  rooms,  a 
charge  was  made  for  the  home  use  of  the  books.  The  library  was 
situated  in  a  small  frame  house  on  the  corner  of  George  and  Church 
streets ;  afterwards  moved  to  a  building  on  the  northwest  corner  of 
Albany  and  Peace  streets. 

At  the  municipal  election  in  1890,  the  question  whether  the  library 
should  be  supported  by  taxation  was  submitted  to  the  people,  and 
resulted  in  practically  a  unanimous  vote  in  its  favor.  The  Free 
Public  Library  of  New  Brunswick  was  incorporated  and  began  its  work 
April  I,  1891.  The  Free  Public  Library  and  Free  Circulating  Library 
both  moved  in  1892  to  the  southwest  corner  of  George  and  Paterson 
streets,  which  they  continued  to  occupy  until  November  17,  1903.  The 
city  of  New  Brunswick  was  presented  by  Andrew  Carnegie  in  1902 
with  $50,000  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  library  building,  on  condition 
that  the  city  engaged  to  contribute  $5,000  a  year  for  its  maintenance 
and  support,  and  provide  a  suitable  site  for  the  building.  A  lot  was 
purchased  by  the  city  on  Livingston  avenue,  between  Morris  and  Welton 
streets,  on  which  was  erected  the  present  building.  Notable  donations 
of  books  have  been  received  at  various  times,  among  which  mention  is 
made  of  the  Ladies'  Book  Club  of  1,141  volumes,  and  the  New  Bruns- 
wick Book  Club  of  310  volumes.  The  Free  Circulating  Library  was 
disbanded  May  8,  1907,  and  its  10,480  books  were  given  to  the  Free 
Library ;  the  cash  balance  of  the  former,  amounting  to  $2,800,  was 
expended  for  new  books,  making  a  total  of  26,000  volumes  on  the  shelves 
of  the  Free  Library,  and  increased  at  the  present  time  to  40,462  vol- 
umes; the  circulation  for  the  year  1920  was  over  108,000  volumes.  The 
present  librarian  is  Miss  Mary  A.  Walker,  who  has  been  connected 
with  the  institution  for  over  a  score  of  years. 


312 


MIDDLESEX 


There  was  established  by  the  Board  of  Education  in  1921  a  Public 
School  Library  Advisory  Board  of  six  members,  for  the  purpose  of 
extending  and  adding  the  school  libraries  of  the  city.  The  members  of 
the  board  are :  John  P.  Wall,  chairman ;  Mrs.  Robert  C.  Nicholas,  vice- 
chairman  ;  Miss  Susan  V.  Knox,  secretary ;  Mr.  George  A.  Osborn, 
Mrs.  Ira  T.  Chapman  and  Mrs.  A.  L.  Smith. 

The  "New  Brunswick  Times,"  now  published  at  New  Brunswick, 
New  Jersey,  as  "The  Sunday  Times,"  is  one  of  the  five  oldest  newspapers 
in  the  United  States,  having  first  appeared  as  the  "Guardian  and  New 
Brunswick  Advertiser"  in  1792  as  a  weekly.  It  has  the  distinction  of 
having  been  published  in  three  centuries. 

Its  founder,  Abraham  Blauvelt,  who  was  born  in  Tappan,  Rockland 
county.  New  York,  was  one  of  New  Brunswick's  leading  citizens.  Under 
his  direction  the  "Guardian  and  New  Brunswick  Advertiser"  was  a 
staunch  Federal  organ,  and  had  quite  a  circulation  in  Central  New 
Jersey.  On  June  i,  1815,  the  name  was  changed  to  the  "New  Bruns- 
wick Times  and  General  Advertiser."  The  paper  was  then  published 
every  Thursday  by  Deare  and  Myer,  at  Washington's  Head,  New 
Brunswick.  The  subscription  rate  was  $2.50  per  annum,  the  same  rate 
at  which  it  is  now  published,  one  hundred  twenty-nine  years  later.  Then 
Albert  Speer  became  the  publisher  and  the  newspaper  became  Demo- 
cratic in  principle.  Mr.  Speer  continued  the  publication  until  his  death 
in  1869.  The  "Daily  News,"  started  by  Alphonso  E.  Gordon  in  March, 
185 1,  and  a  new  Democratic  paper,  the  "New  Jersey  Union,"  first 
issued  in  May,  1847,  also  by  Mr.  Gordon,  were  sold  by  him  to  Mr. 
Speer.  He  combined  all  three  papers  under  the  name  of  the  "New 
Brunswick  Times."  On  his  death,  William  B.  Guild  of  Newark  bought 
the  paper  and  in  November,  1869,  published  "The  Daily  Times."  Mr. 
Gordon  returned  from  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan,  on  December  28,  1871, 
and  again  became  owner  of  "The  Times."  He  conducted  it  very  suc- 
cessfully for  several  years,  being  offered  $35,000  for  the  business  at  one 
time.  Mr.  Gordon  became  a  United  States  marshal  under  the  admin- 
istration of  Grover  Cleveland,  and  for  a  time  the  paper  was  run  by 
subordinates.  In  1890,  former  State  Senator  John  Carpender  of  Clinton, 
New  Jersey,  became  its  owner. 

Two  years  later  the  Times  Publishing  Company  bought  it  out.  This 
stock  company  was  composed  of  Millard  F.  Ross,  William  H.  Price, 
James  Deshler,  Oliver  Kelly,  W.  Parker  Runyon,  J.  Kearney  Rice  and 
Edward  Furman.  The  paper  was  made  an  eight-page  daily  and  other- 
wise improved.  It  still  remained  Democratic  in  politics.  J.  D.  Chandlee 
acted  as  editor  until  1896,  when  Francis  W.  Daire  succeeded  him.  On 
September  11,  1906,  he  purchased  the  stock,  with  the  exception  of  four 
shares  to  continue  the  life  of  the  corporation,  and  became  owner  as 
well  as  editor.     He  sold  his  stock  in  May,  1908,  to  Linn  E.  Wheeler, 


CITY  OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  313 

who  was  editor  until  October  25,  1909,  when  he  resigned.     Samuel  M. 
Christie  succeeded  him. 

The  control  of  the  paper  was  purchased  on  May  15,  1912,  by  J.  David 
Stern,  no  change  being  made  in  the  staff  until  January  23,  1913,  when 
Mr.  Christie  resigned  as  editor  and  George  D.  Johnson  was  elected  his 
successor.  In  May,  191 5,  the  "New  Brunswick  Times"  was  purchased 
by  the  Home  News  Publishing  Company,  and  George  C.  Ingling  was 
made  editor.  A  year  later,  on  May  16,  1916,  it  was  discontinued  as  a 
daily,  and  has  since  been  published  as  "The  Sunday  Times"  under  the 
same  management  and  editor.  The  paper  is  independent  in  politics,  its 
chief  policy  being  to  boost  every  movement  for  the  welfare  of  the  city. 

Board  of  Trade — With  a  clear  vision  of  what  might  be  achieved  for 
the  advancement  of  the  city  by  the  cooperation  of  the  merchants,  manu- 
facturers and  professional  men,  a  conference  of  public-spirited  citizens 
was  held  May  10,  1909,  to  discuss  the  organization  of  a  Board  of  Trade 
in  New  Brunswick.  Those  who  took  an  active  interest  in  the  movement 
felt  that  a  time  had  arrived  when  the  interests  of  the  city  could  be  better 
advanced  by  the  formation  of  some  civic  or  commercial  body  to  serve 
as  a  clearing  house  for  many  of  the  activities  that  were  likely  to  develop 
with  the  further  growth  of  the  community.  The  list  of  men  interested 
comprised  Henry  G.  Parker,  Charles  A.  McCormick,  George  A.  Vieh- 
mann,  William  R.  Reed,  Edward  W.  Hicks,  P.  P.  Runyon,  H.  B.  Zim- 
merman, Peter  F.  Daly,  Neilson  T.  Parker,  James  Mershon  and  George 
Berdine.  A  committee  of  twelve  was  named  to  submit  plans  for  an 
organization,  with  Mr.  George  A.  Viehmann  as  chairman.  Mr.  H.  G. 
Parker,  president  of  the  National  Bank  of  New  Jersey,  was  the  first 
president.  Mr.  F.  M.  Yorston  was  chosen  secretary,  and  served  con- 
tinuously in  that  capacity  until  February  12,  1920.  Fresh  impetus  was 
given  to  the  work  of  the  Board  of  Trade  on  January  12,  1910,  when 
eighty-seven  new  members  were  elected,  and  twenty-six  more  names 
were  added  at  the  meeting  held  February  9,  1910. 

Each  successive  year  saw  an  increased  membership  and  a  broadening 
of  the  activities  of  the  organization  with  a  corresponding  benefit  to  the 
city.  It  took  the  lead  in  all  movements  for  civic  improvement,  and  in 
June,  1916,  a  comprehensive  plan  for  a  "city  planning"  scheme  was 
prepared  by  Mr.  H.  J.  March  under  its  direction.  Although  nothing 
has  as  yet  been  accomplished  along  these  lines,  the  matter  was  revived 
several  months  ago  when  the  Rotary  Club  had  Mr.  March  outline  the 
details  of  his  plan  at  a  public  meeting,  and  all  of  the  various  organiza- 
tions of  the  city  were  asked  to  name  a  representative  to  serve  on  a 
committee  to  take  up  the  matter  with  the  City  Commission.  Some  day 
New  Brunswick  will  have  a  definite  City  Planning  Scheme,  and  it  will 
owe  its  success  to  the  preliminary  work  conducted  by  the  Board  of 
Trade. 


314 


MIDDLESEX 


Good  government  is  a  subject  in  which  the  organization  has  displayed 
great  interest.  Its  members  have  advocated  clean,  honest  and  efficient 
government  in  city,  county  and  State  affairs  throughout  its  existence. 
It  started  the  campaign  for  a  Commission  Form  of  Government  in  June, 
191 1,  v^hen  resolutions  v^ere  adopted  committing  the  Board  to  that 
movement,  and  its  members  fought  valiantly  for  the  change  until  it  w^as 
ultimately  accomplished. 

The  interests  of  the  taxpayers,  both  of  the  city  and  county,  have 
always  appealed  to  the  Board  of  Trade.  Through  its  active  work  in 
following  the  affairs  of  the  county,  the  burden  of  repairs  incident  to  the 
two  big  bridges  spanning  the  Raritan  river — the  one  between  Perth 
Amboy  and  South  Amboy,  and  the  bridge  at  the  foot  of  Albany  street 
to  Highland  Park — were  both  taken  over  by  the  State  Highway  Com- 
mission, thereby  relieving  the  taxpayers  of  Middlesex  county  of  an 
annual  expense  for  maintenance  of  approximately  $50,000;  and  the  erec- 
tion of  a  new  bridge  at  Perth  Amboy  at  an  estimated  cost  of  $2,500,000, 
of  which  $1,000,000  will  be  paid  by  the  Federal  government,  the  balance 
representing  an  expense  the  county  would  have  had  to  bear  had  the 
present  bridge  not  been  taken  over. 

The  Board  took  up  the  matter  of  the  bond  issue  in  connection  with 
the  building  of  the  Cranbury  turnpike,  and  the  ultimate  outcome  of  the 
matter  was  a  saving  of  $334,000  to  the  taxpayers.  The  organization 
made  a  fight  for  the  annexation  of  the  Lincoln  Gardens  Section  to  the 
city,  which  was  finally  accomplished,  and  it  resulted  in  adding  a  pro- 
gressive community  and  giving  New  Brunswick  additional  railroad 
siding  facilities.  Repeatedly,  the  Board  has  gone  on  record  in  favor 
of  "open  specifications"  for  road  work,  and  the  efforts  of  Mr.  S.  P. 
Leeds,  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Atlantic  City,  to  free 
the  State  from  the  grip  of  the  patent  pavement  trust,  has  had  the 
endorsement  of  the  organization. 

When  the  rate  of  fare  charged  for  commutation  tickets  between  New 
Brunswick  and  New  York  was  increased  to  twelve  dollars  in  191 1,  the 
Board  of  Trade  championed  the  cause  of  the  commuters.  The  fight  was 
won,  and  approximately  from  $10,000  to  $12,000  a  year  was  saved  to 
the  commuters  until  the  Federal  government  took  over  the  big  trans- 
portation lines  and  arbitrarily  raised  the  rates. 

In  civic  affairs  the  Board  of  Trade  has  always  been  found  as  sponsor 
for  every  movement  that  meant  a  Bigger  and  Better  New  Brunswick.  It 
recommended  a  Paid  Fire  Department ;  appointive  School  Board ;  Voca- 
tional School  System  ;  a  filtration  plant  for  the  Water  System ;  a  Traffic 
Ordinance ;  better  paved  sidewalks  and  improved  streets — and  had  much 
to  do  with  the  extension  of  a  sewer  system  to  a  part  of  the  city  which 
was  quickly  developed  into  a  residential  section. 

Much  work  has  been  done  by  the  Board  of  Trade  towards  better 
shipping  facilities   for   New   Brunswick  and   vicinity.     Just   before   the 


CITY  OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  315 

war,  the  Pennsylvania  railroad  had  agreed  to  spend  nearly  $100,000  for 
a  new  freight  station  and  yard  facilities.  When  the  railroad  is  in  better 
shape  financially,  this  will  probably  be  done.  The  Lehigh  Valley 
railroad  industrial  siding  is  now  within  a  mile  and  a  quarter  of  Highland 
Park,  to  which  point  it  will  be  extended  before  long.  The  extension 
of  the  express  service  has  been  accomplished  both  in  the  city  and  High- 
land Park. 

Through  the  work  of  the  Board  of  Trade  it  is  estimated  that  more 
than  a  score  of  important  industries  have  been  located  in  and  near  the 
city,  and  there  has  been  spent  for  plants  and  equipment  approximately 
$8,000,000.  The  Simplex  Automobile  Company  was  brought  here  in 
1910.  Through  an  agreement  whereby  the  Board  of  Trade  agreed  to 
assume  a  certain  part  of  the  taxes  of  that  concern,  the  Company  remained 
in  the  city,  enlarged  its  plant  and  its  payroll  was  considerably  increased. 
It  was  followed  by  the  Wright  Martin  Automobile  Company,  which  in 
turn  was  succeeded  by  the  Wright  Aeronautical  Corporation.  When 
the  Armistice  was  signed,  November  11,  1918,  there  were  close  to  eight 
thousand  war  workers  employed  in  this  one  big  essential  industry. 
Many  other  industries,  too,  had  their  share  of  war  work,  and  the  city 
enjoyed  a  wave  of  unparalleled  prosperity  due  to  the  high  wages  that 
were  being  paid  to  the  workers. 

In  1915,  when  the  movement  was  launched  for  the  establishment  of 
the  New  Jersey  College  for  Women,  it  had  the  endorsement  of  the 
Board.  The  organization  has  always  stood  back  of  Rutgers  College,  the 
Rutgers  Preparatory  School  and  the  school  system  of  New  Brunswick, 
the  interests  of  which  the  members  have  always  sought  in  advance. 

New  Brunswick  distinguished  itself  in  all  of  the  Liberty  Loan  cam- 
paigns by  always  subscribing  more  than  the  quotas  assigned  to  it, 
which  was  true  in  the  United  War  Work  campaign,  and  all  subsequent 
benevolent  drives.  The  Board  of  Trade  did  its  full  share  in  all  of  these 
campaigns. 

In  1919  the  Retail  Merchants'  Division  was  formed,  and  the  history 
of  this  adjunct  of  the  Board  is  along  the  lines  of  the  parent  organiza- 
tion. It  has  conducted  various  campaigns  of  all  kinds,  "dollar  day 
sales,"  and  its  cooperation  in  the  work  of  the  Board  of  Trade  advances 
the  interests  of  the  merchants  in  every  respect. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  organization  conferences  were  held  with 
Congressman  Benjamin  F.  Howell  regarding  the  improvement  of  the 
Raritan  river,  the  need  of  which  has  long  been  apparent.  Many  years  ago 
steamers  plied  between  New  Brunswick  and  New  York,  and  it  was 
through  one  of  these  lines  that  Commodore  Cornelius  Vanderbilt  earned 
the  foundation  of  his  great  fortune.  In  November,  191 1,  Wilfred  H. 
Schoff,  secretary  of  the  Atlantic  Deeper  Waterways  Association,  ad- 
dressed the  Board.     In  June,  1913,  a  committee  had  a  conference  with 


3i6  MIDDLESEX 

Congressman  Thomas  J.  Scully.  In  December,  1916,  Hon.  J.  Spencer 
Smith,  of  the  State  Board  of  Commerce  and  Navigation,  spoke  before  the 
Board.  It  soon  developed  that  the  lack  of  a  terminal  at  New  Brunswick, 
which  would  provide  a  docking  place  for  boats,  miUtated  against  all 
efforts  for  deeper  water.  The  Federal  government  in  1919  adopted  the 
policy  that  no  waterway  would  be  improved  unless  the  municipality 
provided  adequate  terminal  facilities. 

Then  the  advocates  of  deeper  water  had  their  attention  directed  to 
the  need  for  a  better  channel  when  the  Eastern  Potash  Corporation 
began  the  erection  of  its  immense  potash  plant  on  the  banks  of  the 
Raritan  river,  about  two  miles  below  the  city.  The  announcement  that 
this  company  planned  to  bring  tank  steamers  carrying  eight  thousand 
barrels  of  crude  oil  from  Mexico  for  fuel  purposes,  made  it  apparent  that 
the  steamers  would  not  be  able  to  land  at  the  dock  of  the  company  until 
the  Raritan  river  was  deepened. 

About  this  time  the  Raritan  Terminal  and  Waterways  Association 
was  projected.  It  is  made  up  of  the  affiliated  civic  and  governing  bodies 
of  nine  municipalities  on  the  Raritan  river  and  bay,  and  New  Brunswick 
took  an  active  part  in  its  organization,  and  the  Board  of  Trade  has 
several  of  its  members  numbered  among  the  directors.  This  organiza- 
tion has  advocated  deeper  channels  to  New  Brunswick,  and  its  ultimate 
object  is  to  make  Perth  Amboy,  South  Amboy,  Keyport  and  New  Bruns- 
wick all  seaports.  As  a  result  of  its  work,  a  hearing  on  the  project  was 
held  at  New  Brunswick  in  December,  1920,  by  Colonel  J.  N.  Sanford, 
the  district  engineer,  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  need  for  making 
the  channel  fifteen  feet  in  depth  to  New  Brunswick.  Also,  the  chief  of 
engineers  recommended  $100,000  for  the  Raritan  river,  but  the  river 
and  harbor  bill  was  reduced  from  $36,000,000  to  $12,000,000,  and  the 
Raritan  river  appropriation  was  cut  proportionately.  Because  of  the 
importance  to  the  commercial  growth  of  New  Brunswick,  the  deepening 
of  the  Raritan  river  will  be  advocated  by  the  Waterways  Association, 
backed  by  the  Board  of  Trade,  until  it  is  finally  accomplished. 

The  annual  banquets  of  the  Board  of  Trade  have  been  notable  affairs 
throughout  its  existence,  and  some  of  the  best  after-dinner  speakers  in 
the  country  have  spoken  before  its  members.  Among  them  are  Hon. 
J.  S.  Frelinghuysen,  United  States  Senator  from  New  Jersey;  J.  Adam 
Bede,  the  former  humorist  of  Congress;  Dr.  Charles  A.  Eaton,  Hon. 
John  H.  Fahey,  of  Chicago ;  Rev.  S.  Parkes  Cadman,  of  Brooklyn ;  Hon. 
Charles  S.  Whitman,  former  Governor  of  New  York;  Haley  Fiske, 
president  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company;  Dr.  Frank 
Crane,  the  noted  writer ;  former  Governor  J.  F.  Fielder ;  Mayor  J.  Hamp- 
ton Moore,  of  Philadelphia ;  Job  E.  Hedges,  of  New  York,  and  others. 

The  Board  of  Trade  of  New  Brunswick  holds  membership  in  the 
United  States  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  New  Jersey  State  Chamber 


CITY   OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  317 

of  Commerce,  the  Atlantic  Deeper  Waterways  Association,  and  the 
Raritan  Terminal  and  Waterways  Association.  The  officers  are :  Presi- 
dent, Prof.  Ralph  G.  Wright;  first  vice-president,  William  G.  Bearman; 
second  vice-president,  Harry  Weida;  third  vice-president,  Elmer  E. 
Connolly ;  treasurer,  William  Van  Nuis,  Jr. ;  secretary,  C.  S.  Atkinson. 
The  list  of  former  presidents  follows :  Henry  G.  Parker,  George  A.  Vieh- 
mann  (deceased),  Charles  A.  McCormick,  William  R.  Reed,  Leonard 
S.  Webb,  E.  P.  Darrow,  Robert  Carson,  O.  O.  Stillman,  S.  B.  Carpender, 
and  P.  J.  Young. 

Clubs  and  Societies — The  New  Brunswick  Historical  Club  was  in  ex- 
istence several  years  before  its  complete  organization,  August  17,  1875. 
A  constitution  and  by-laws  were  adopted  in  1871,  members'  names  were 
annexed  as  -oon  as  they  were  admitted.  The  club  held  annual  meet- 
ings at  Rutgers  College  until  1878,  when  a  suite  of  rooms  was  fitted 
up  in  the  Booraem  House  on  Church  street.  The  expenses  being  heavy, 
after  a  year  the  club  became  inactive,  but  through  the  efiforts  of  a  few 
literary  citizens,  it  was  revived,  becoming  one  of  the  leading  organiza- 
tions of  its  kind  in  the  eastern  section  of  New  Jersey.  Meetings  are 
held  the  third  Thursday  in  each  month  during  the  college  year,  in 
the  Fine  Arts  room,  Rutgers  College. 

Inspired  with  the  spirit  of  good  fellowship  and  a  desire  to  extend 
the  principles  of  International  Rotary,  a  group  of  twenty-three  business 
men  met  at  the  Hotel  Klein  in  May,  1920.  Subsequent  meetings  were 
held,  and  James  Orr,  of  the  Elizabeth  Rotary  Club,  attended  the  pre- 
liminary meetings  and  explained  the  scope  of  the  organization  and  did 
some  excellent  work  in  aiding  with  the  formation  of  the  Rotary  Club 
of  New  Brunswick. 

The  Club  then  adjourned  for  the  summer  months,  and  on  September 
9,  1920,  the  charter  was  presented  to  the  Club,  with  the  following  enrolled 
as  charter  members :  C.  S.  Atkinson,  Lawrence  Ballou,  William  G. 
Bearman,  Harry  F.  Beldon,  Elmer  B.  Boyd,  Charles  H.  Bruns,  G.  Harold 
Buttler,  Sydney  B.  Carpender,  Rev.  C.  J.  Culp,  Walter  B.  Flavell,  H.  J. 
Long,  Alex.  Merchant,  Henry  Moraff,  John  J.  Monigan,  Ramon  Mon- 
talvo,  Jr.,  Dr.  R.  L.  McKiernan,  Clififord  Parsil,  Martin  E.  Roach,  H.  R. 
Segoine,  Bert  Stowell,  F.  V.  Terrill,  Harry  Weida,  Dr.  H.  F.  Zerfing. 

The  following  officers  were  elected:  President,  Ramon  Montalvo,  Jr.; 
vice-president,  F.  V.  Terrill ;  secretary.  Dr.  R.  L.  McKiernan ;  treasurer, 
Rev.  C.  J.  Culp ;  sergeant-at-arms,  Harry  F.  Beldon.  Directors — Harry 
F.  Beldon,  Sydney  B.  Carpender,  Rev.  C.  J.  Culp,  Walter  B.  Flavell, 
Dr.  R.  L.  McKiernan,  Ramon  Montalvo,  Jr.,  Martin  E.  Roach,  Frank  V. 
Terrill,  Harry  Weida. 

Twenty  boys  who  had  never  been  on  Broadway  enjoyed  the  hospi- 
tality of  the  Club  at  Christmas,  and  the  Hippodrome,  with  many  other 
interesting  sights,  will  be  pleasant  thoughts  in  years  to  come.    Through 


3i8  MIDDLESEX 

the  efforts  of  the  Club  a  Municipal   Christmas  Tree  was   enjoyed  at 
Christmas,  and  the  singing  of  carols  was  a  rare  treat  for  the  citizens. 

The  Club  took  an  active  interest  in  the  Red  Cross  Campaign,  and 
over  $500  was  raised  towards  the  campaign  fund.  The  generosity  of 
the  Club  was  enjoyed  by  the  boys  of  the  Rice  Industrial  School  (col- 
ored) when  about  forty  boys  were  given  a  Christmas  dinner  at  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  and  each  presented  with  several  toys.  A  Ladies'  Night 
was  enjoyed  by  the  members  and  their  wives,  February  23,  1921,  at  Hotel 
Klein.  The  Club  was  well  represented  at  the  Poughkeepsie  Conference 
and  at  "Jersey  Day,"  held  at  the  McAlpin  Hotel,  New  York,  when 
twenty-six  out  of  thirty-three  members  were  in  attendance,  which  was 
a  remarkable  showing  for  an  out-of-town  luncheon. 

The  Club  increased  in  numbers  during  the  first  year  of  its  existence, 
and  it  became  an  organization  that  displayed  an  active  interest  in  all 
matters  affecting  the  civic  welfare  of  the  city. 

Although  organized  here  so  recently  as  March  23rd  of  the  present 
year  (1921).  the  New  Brunswick  Den  of  Lions  body  has  had  an  auspi- 
cious beginning,  and  has  scheduled  an  array  of  activities  j^romising  of 
great  benefit  to  the  city  in  all  its  varied  relations.  It  is  one  of  a  multitude 
of  "Dens"  throughout  the  country,  whose  membership  is  of  the  best, 
representing  every  profession,  but  mainly  of  active  business  men  who 
are  necessarily  brought  into  intimate  association  with  public  affairs. 
Its  meetings  are  at  the  noon  hour,  and  their  declared  purpose  is  "For  the 
promotion  of  greater  efftciency  through  the  exchange  of  experiences, 
ideas  and  methods." 

The  New  Brunswick  Den  already  numbers  forty  members — citizens 
of  every  walk  of  life — who  are  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  city, 
both  materially  and  morally,  and  whose  patriotism  is  of  the  highest 
order.  They  realize  that  the  present  time  is  one  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance, burdened  with  problems  such  as  have  never  before  been 
known — with  business  embarrassments,  with  conflicting  interests,  with 
varied  views  as  to  legislation  and  governmental  authority  in  the  com- 
munity, the  State  and  the  Nation.  At  the  base  of  all  this  is  the  individ- 
ual citizen,  whom  the  Lions  seek  to  bring  into  intimate  association  with 
his  fellows,  that  they  may  through  consultation  and  united  effort  exert 
a  potent  influence  upon  society  and  in  all  the  channels  of  citizenship 
duty,  upholding  and  maintaining  that  which  is  best  for  city.  State  and 
Nation,  and  furthering  by  all  that  in  them  lies,  all  proper  movements 
looking  to  the  betterment  of  mankind  and  the  establishment  of  a  reign 
of  peace  throughout  the  world. 

The  organization  of  the  New  Brunswick  Den  of  Lions  was  effected 
on  the  date  before  mentioned,  at  Hotel  Klein,  when  the  following  officers 
were  elected:  Norman  H.  Smith,  president;  John  J.  Morrison,  Edward 
J.  Houghton  and  Walter  C.  Sedam,  vice-presidents ;  Edward  H.  Mon- 
aghan,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  and  the  following  named  trustees :  Har- 


CITY   OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  319 

court  St.  P,  Ward,  Dr.  Edwin  I.  Cronk,  Dr.  Philip  L.  Schwartz,  Frederick 
Gowen,  James  A.  Harkins  and  Raymond  P.  Wilson. 

Among  the  clubs  organized  for  athletics  and  sports  are  the  New 
Brunswick  Boat  Club,  incorporated  in  1892,  having  a  clubhouse  at 
Albany  street  bridge.  The  New  Brunswick  Country  Club,  organized 
in  1894,  is  located  on  the  River  road  near  the  New  Market  road.  The 
New  Brunswick  Yacht  Club,  incorporated  in  191 1,  maintains  rooms 
on  Albany  street,  and  a  station  near  Albany  street  bridge.  The  New 
Brunswick  Gun  Club  has  a  house  and  rifle  range  on  the  River  road. 

Religious  associations  and  clubs  are  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association,  and  Christ  Church 
Club,  whose  objects  and  aims  are  to  foster  church  life  and  church 
work  among  the  males  of  the  parish,  to  promote  Christian  and  social 
fellowship  among  its  members.  The  Catholic  Club  was  organized  May 
4,  1869.  The  Love  and  Brotherhood  Hebrew  Society  meets  on  Burnet 
street.  There  are  also  miscellaneous  associations,  societies  and  clubs, 
whose  members  are  interested  in  the  social,  benevolent  or  business 
interests  of  the  city. 

The  Charity  Organization  Society  of  New  Brunswick  was  established 
in  October,  1884,  for  the  promotion  of  whatever  tends  to  the  permanent 
improvement  of  the  condition  of  the  poor;  first,  by  aiding  and  directing 
those  who  have  gifts  to  bestow ;  second,  by  suppressing  professional 
begging  by  preventing  indiscriminate  giving.  The  Children's  Indus- 
trial Home  on  Somerset  street  was  established  in  1877,  for  the  reception 
of  girls  and  boys  between  the  ages  of  three  and  ten  years,  instructing 
and  providing  for  them  until  old  enough  to  be  placed  in  good  homes, 
or  becoming  of  age,  when  they  can  care  for  themselves.  The  institution 
is  controlled  by  a  directorate  of  twenty-seven  ladies  and  gentlemen, 
and  accommodation  is  given  to  about  seventy  inmates,  the  average  being 
about  fifty. 

The  Humane  Society,  organized  in  1806,  distributes  coal  to  the  worthy 
poor  during  the  winter  season.  The  city  is  divided  into  thirteen  dis- 
tricts under  the  charge  of  resident  managers.  The  Middlesex  County 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children  was  incorporated  in 
1884,  and  the  Middlesex  County  District  Society  for  the  Prevention 
of  Cruelty  to  Animals  in  1907.  The  Dorcas  Society  and  Day  Nursery 
was  established  in  1813,  and  holds  meetings  at  No.  14  French  street.  St. 
Mary's  Orphan  Asylum,  a  Roman  Catholic  institution  under  the  control 
of  the  Diocese  of  Trenton,  was  founded  in  1883.  It  is  located  on  Easton 
avenue,  opposite  Huntington  street,  and  is  under  the  charge  of  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Francis. 

Banking  and  Insurance — The  early  financial  history  of  New  Bruns- 
wick seems  to  have  been  attended  with  more  or  less  disaster.  The  first 
bank  was  the  Bank  of  New  Brunswick,  in  1807,  founded  by  Jacob  R. 


320 


MIDDLESEX 


Hardenbergh  and  others,  and  locally  known  as  Hardenbergh's  Bank.  It 
was  located  at  the  corner  of  George  and  Paterson  streets,  and  continued 
to  do  business  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  suspending  about  1834. 

The  State  Bank  of  New  Brunswick  was  chartered  under  an  act  of 
the  legislature  of  1812,  entitled  "Act  to  Establish  State  Banks."  This  act 
also  chartered  banks  in  Camden,  Trenton,  Elizabeth,  Newark  and  Mor- 
ristown.  The  directors  named  in  the  charter  were  Robert  Lee,  Bernard 
Smith,  Phineas  Carman,  Henry  V.  Low,  John  Outcalt,  John  Bray, 
Jonathan  Hutchings,  Jonathan  Squire,  John  Brewster,  Daniel  Perrine, 
Robert  McChesney,  Jacob  Snyder  and  Jacob  Van  Winckle.  The  bank 
did  business  in  the  old  State  Bank  building  at  the  corner  of  Peace  and 
Albany  streets.  The  first  cashier  was  Daniel  W.  Disbrow,  and  its 
presidents  were  Charles  Smith,  F.  R.  Smith,  John  B.  Hill,  John  R.  Ford 
and  Abraham  Voorhees.  During  the  money  panic  of  1873  the  bank 
closed  Its  doers,  September  13,  but  paid  all  its  liabilities  and  was  resus- 
citated the  following  October  by  means  of  contributions  from  stock- 
holders and  others  amounting  to  $750,000.  It  failed  a  second  time, 
March  31,  1877,  when  its  affairs  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  Colonel 
John  W.  Newell  as  receiver. 

The  third  bank  to  be  incorporated  and  the  successor  of  the  Bank 
of  New  Brunswick,  was  the  Farmers'  and  Merchants'  Bank  of  New 
Brunswick.  The  act  of  incorporation  passed  the  legislature  February 
26,  1834.  Its  first  president  was  James  F.  Randolph,  who  was  succeeded 
by  Charles  Dunham,  who  gave  way  to  Abraham  Suydam.  The  first 
cashier  was  Lewis  Carman.  The  bank  first  did  business  on  Burnet 
street,  but  subsequently  removed  to  Church  street,  where  it  remained 
until  by  a  special  State  charter  the  Bank  of  New  Jersey  succeeded  to 
its  business  and  as  agent  liquidated  its  affairs.  The  Bank  of  New 
Jersey  was  chartered  June  19,  1854;  its  first  president  was  John  Van 
Dyke,  and  its  cashier  Moses  T.  Webb,  who  became  president  after 
the  resignation  of  Mr.  Van  Dyke  in  1859.  The  vacancy  thus  created 
was  filled  by  the  appointment  of  John  T.  Hill  as  cashier,  in  which 
office  he  remained  only  a  short  time,  when  Isaac  H.  Voorhees  became 
his  successor.  Mr.  Webb,  on  receiving  an  important  commission  in 
the  army  in  September,  1861,  was  succeeded  in  the  presidency  by 
Garrett  G.  Voorhees.  In  February,  1864,  John  B.  Hill  became  president, 
and  November  22,  1864.  the  Bank  of  New  Jersey  took  advantage  of  the 
new  National  Bank  Act  and  was  re-incorporated  as  a  national  bank,  with 
the  title  of  the  National  Bank  of  New  Jersey.  The  act  of  incorporation 
was  for  twenty  years,  and  was  renewed  in  1884  and  1904. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  New  Brunswick,  under  the  presidency 
of  Israel  H.  Hutchings,  which  had  been  organized  with  a  capital  stock 
of  $100,000,  was  merged  in  1870  with  the  National  Bank  of  New  Jersey. 
The  capital  stock  of  the  National  Bank  of  New  Jersey  is  $250,000,  and 


NATIONAL  BANK.  NEW  BRUNSWICK 


GEORGE  STREET,  NEW  BRUNSWICK 


CITY  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK  321 

its  banking  building  was  situated  on  the  corner  of  Church  and  Neilson 
streets.  Mr.  Hill's  death  occurring  in  1874,  he  was  succeeded  as 
president  by  James  Dayton,  who  died  in  1877;  his  successor  was  Mahlon 
Runyon.  Mr.  Runyon  died  in  1884,  when  Lewis  T.  Howell  became 
president,  serving  until  his  death  in  1903,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
V.  M.  W.  Suydam,  who  resigned  January  1908,  and  Henry  G.  Parker, 
who  had  been  cashier  since  January  i,  1894,  was  elected  president,  a 
position  which  he  now  fills.  The  bank  remained  at  the  corner  of 
Church  and  Neilson  streets  until  1910,  when  the  present  eight-story 
building  on  the  corner  of  George  and  Church  streets  was  erected.  This 
seemed  at  the  time  an  ambitious  plan,  there  being  one  hundred  offices 
to  rent  in  the  building,  but  its  success  was  immediate,  as  all  rentable 
space  was  taken  within  six  months  of  the  completion  of  the  building. 
The  bank  shows  a  continuous  existence  since  the  first  charter  taken  in 
1808  as  the  Bank  of  New  Brunswick,  which  was  succeeded  by  the 
Farmers'  and  Mechanics'  Bank,  and  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  the  Bank 
of  New  Jersey,  the  latter  becoming  the  National  Bank  of  New  Jersey. 
Its  deposits  have  grown  rapidly ;  at  the  time  of  moving  into  the  new 
quarters  they  amounted  to  $2,200,000,  and  at  the  present  time  are  over 
$10,000,000. 

The  People's  National  Bank  was  organized  in  March,  1887,  and 
opened  for  business  the  following  May  16.  Its  first  banking  office  was 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Neilson  and  Church  streets.  The  growth 
of  this  bank  was  phenomenal.  With  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000,  it 
soon  accumulated  undivided  profits,  and  on  June  3,  1895,  i^  removed 
to  its  present  banking  building  on  the  corner  of  George  and  Church 
streets.  Its  first  president  was  George  W.  Devoe,  who  died  November 
20,  1890,  and  was  succeeded  by  present  incumbent,  Benjamin  F.  Howell, 
The  surplus  of  the  bank  is  $200,000,  with  undivided  profits  amounting 
to  $25,000. 

The  New  Brunswick  Trust  Company,  located  at  352  George  street, 
was  chartered  in  1902.  The  company  transacts  a  general  banking 
business,  and  acts  as  executor,  trustee,  guardian,  agent  for  investing 
personal  funds  and  separate  estates,  etc.  It  also  acts  as  trustee  under 
mortgage  issued  by  a  municipality  or  corporation  to  secure  bond  issues. 
Its  capital  stock  is  $100,000,  and  there  is  a  large  undivided  surplus. 

The  Middlesex  Title  Guarantee  and  Trust  Company  was  organized 
in  1907,  to  do  a  general  trust  business  and  especially  to  examine  and 
guarantee  titles  to  real  estate,  and  has  established  a  thorough  system 
covering  Middlesex  county.  Much  of  its  success  is  due  to  the  energy 
and  activity  of  its  first  president,  George  A.  Viehmann.  Its  office  is 
at  No.  40  Paterson  street,  and  since  the  death  of  Mr.  Viehmann  in  1918, 
August  C.  Streitwolf  has  filled  the  office  of  president. 

The  New  Brunswick  Savings  Institution  was  incorporated  March 
Mid-21 


322  MIDDLESEX 

15,  1851,  and  established  its  banking  house  at  17  Albany  street.  The 
first  president  was  Garrett  G.  Voorhees ;  secretary  and  treasurer,  Neilson 
Dunham.  The  present  location  is  the  corner  of  George  and  Church 
streets,  in  a  banking  building  erected  in  1888.  The  bank  has  always 
been  conducted  in  a  careful  and  conservative  manner.  The  deposits 
range  over  $3,000,000,  and  a  handsome  surplus  has  been  accumulated. 
The  president  is  Nicholas  G.  Rutgers ;  the  secretary  and  treasurer, 
Charles  A.  Dunham. 

The  Dime  Savings  Bank  was  incorporated  by  an  act  approved 
February  7,  1871.  It  commenced  business  at  137  George  street,  and 
deposits  were  received  from  ten  cents  upwards,  on  which  interest  was 
allowed  from  first  of  each  month.  The  first  directors  were :  Levi  D, 
Jarrard,  Lyle  Van  Nuis,  A.  V.  Schenck,  Henry  De  Hart,  Henry  K. 
Howe,  Garrett  G.  Voorhees,  Jehiel  K.  Hoyt,  Robert  G.  Miller,  Peter 
I.  Stryker,  Uriah  De  Hart,  John  V.  H.  Van  Cleef,  Henry  N.  Marsh, 
Adrian  Vermeule,  George  C.  Ludlow,  Amos  Robins,  Joseph  L.  Mul- 
ford,  Jacob  E.  Stout,  Garret  Conover,  John  M.  Cornell  and  Miles  Ross. 
Even  with  this  formidable  array  of  names  it  failed  to  be  prosperous, 
and  finally  suspended  in  1886,  its  depositors  receiving  a  dividend  of 
sixteen  cents  on  the  dollar. 

The  New  Brunswick  Fire  Insurance  Company  was  organized 
December  27,  1826,  and  commenced  business  May  i,  1832.  Its  original 
capital  stock  was  $50,000,  and  for  over  seventy  years  it  did  purely  local 
business.  In  1903  the  capital  stock  was  increased  to  $200,000,  the  man- 
agement being  vested  in  an  able  directorate  consisting  of  George  A. 
Viehmann,  president ;  D.  L.  Morrison,  vice-president ;  Charles  D.  Ross, 
secretary ;  and  E.  B.  Wyckofif,  assistant  secretary ;  these,  with  Theodore 
F.  Hicks,  William  B.  Lloyd,  W.  L.  Perrin,  W.  F.  RoUo  and  M.  F. 
Ross,  formed  the  board  of  directors.  The  business  was  soon  extended 
into  twenty-eight  States,  and  in  1908  premiums  received  amounting 
to  $460,000.  The  capital  stock  has  been  increased  several  times,  at 
present  being  $500,000.  It  is  represented  in  most  of  the  States,  except- 
ing those  generally  known  as  of  the  Pacific  Slope  and  a  few  of  the  South- 
ern and  Western  States.  The  death  of  Mr.  Viehmann  in  1918  caused  the 
election  of  Charles  D.  Ross  as  president.  The  vice-presidents  are  Daniel 
L.  Morrison  and  I.  D.  Clark ;  the  secretary  and  treasurer,  E.  B.  Wyckoff. 
The  general  office  of  the  company  was  formerly  at  No.  40  Paterson  street ; 
in  August,  1920,  removed  to  a  new  building  constructed  by  the  com- 
pany, and  devoted  exclusively  to  its  business,  on  Bayard  street,  oppo- 
site the  court  house. 

In  the  forties  and  fifties  of  the  past  century,  there  was  an  epidemic 
of  organizing  assessment  fire  insurance  companies  under  the  general 
laws  of  the  State.  Among  these  in  1846  was  formed  with  a  euphonic 
title,  the  New  Brunswick  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company.     Its  busi- 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  323 

ness  was  simply  local,  being  confined  to  writing  policies  of  insurance 
on  real  estate  risks  in  Middlesex  county.  The  general  office  of  the 
company  is  confined  to  the  legal  offices  of  its  president,  W.  E.  Florance, 
in  the  National  Bank  of  New  Jersey  building  on  George  street,  who, 
with  J,  W.  Helm  as  secretary,  are  its  executive  officers. 

CHURCH  HISTORY. 

First  Presbyterian  Church — The  first  authentic  date  in  the  history 
of  the  church  is  1726,  when  Gilbert  Tennent  became  its  pastor.  Its 
organization  may  have  preceded  this  settlement,  but  the  loss  of  the 
church  records  in  1776  places  its  history  for  its  first  half  century  with 
no  authentic  testimony.  The  old  records  were  supposed  to  have  been 
destroyed  during  the  Revolution,  when  the  house  of  Dr.  Moses  Scott, 
a  prominent  elder,  was  entered  and  plundered  by  British  troops.  A 
wooden  building  was  erected  by  the  congregation  in  1727,  small  and 
unpretentious,  on  Burnet  street,  just  north  of  Oliver  street,  in  the 
center  of  the  old  Presbyterian  burying  ground.  The  accepted  tradi-^ 
tion  is  that  this  building  was  set  on  fire  and  destroyed  by  the  British 
in  their  attack  on  New  Brunswick. 

The  first  great  controversy  in  the  Presbyterian  church  in  this 
country  was  the  disruption  in  1741,  which  was  not  healed  until  1758. 
The  question  between  the  elements  which  were  known  as  "Old"  and 
"New,"  was,  briefly,  whether  or  not  revivals  were  to  be  encouraged, 
and  whether  piety  or  education  was  most  important  in  the  gospel 
ministry.  Of  the  "New"  side,  Gilbert  Tennent  was  the  acknowledged 
leader.  The  New  Brunswick  church,  which  had  been  first  connected 
with  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  was  in  1733  transferred  to  that 
of  East  Jersey;  subsequently,  when  the  Presbyteries  of  East  Jersey 
and  Long  Island  were  merged  in  1738  in  that  of  New  York,  it  was 
set  off  with  other  churches  to  form  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick. 
Here  we  have  the  origin  of  a  Presbytery  that  has  exerted  in  the  course 
of  its  long  history  a  more  commanding  influence  than  any  other  in 
the  Presbyterian  body.  In  the  history  of  the  church  at  this  time,  the 
terms  the  "New  Side"  and  the  "New  Brunswick  party"  are  constantly 
occurring  as  interchangeable.  Between  this  party  and  the  Synod  of 
Philadelphia,  the  "Old  Side,"  the  Presbytery  of  New  York  occupied 
for  a  time  an  intermediate  position.  It  finally  came  into  organic  union 
with  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  the  united  body  growing  into 
the  Synod  of  New  York,  which  on  the  reunion  of  1758  outnumbered 
the  "Old  Side"  three  to  one,  and  included  within  itself  the  best  part  of 
the  vigor  and  piety  of  the  Presbyterian  body. 

Mr.  Tennent  removed  to  Philadelphia  in  1745,  and  the  congregation 
was  left  without  a  settled  pastor  for  several  years.  There  is  a  tradition 
that  Rev.  Thomas  Arthur  was  pastor  from  1746  to  1751.    The  minutes  of 


324 


MIDDLESEX 


the  Presbytery  show  that  a  temporary  supply  was  appointed  in  1760, 
which  was  repeated  from  time  to  time  until  1768,  when  Rev.  Israel 
Reed  became  pastor.  In  1784,  solid  facts  are  obtainable.  Lots  were 
purchased,  and  the  following  year  church  walls  were  up  and  under 
cover,  but  the  edifice  was  not  actually  completed  for  several  years.  The 
structure  stood  on  the  corner  of  George  street,  fronting  on  Paterson 
street.  It  was  built  of  bricks  painted  yellow,  hence  became  known  as 
the  "Old  Yellow  Church."  An  act  of  incorporation  was  obtained  in 
1784;  two  years  later  the  congregation  relinquished  its  partial  claim 
on  Rev.  Israel  Reed,  and  Rev.  Walter  Monteith  was  called  to  the 
pastorate.  The  congregation  being  short  of  funds,  in  1786,  applied  to 
the  Legislature  for  the  questionable  aid  of  a  lottery.  This  scheme  was 
entitled  "The  Elizabethtown  and  New  Brunswick  Church  Lottery ;"  the 
highest  prize  was  $2,000,  the  lowest  $20.  The  net  result  to  the  New 
Brunswick  church  was  £665  13s.  5d.,  proclamation  money.  This 
amount  proved  inadequate  to  discharge  all  debts,  which  were  stated 
to  be,  March  30,  1786,  £1,426  3s.  2d.,  and  was  not  finally  liquidated 
until  May  6,  1801.  The  next  pastor.  Rev.  Joseph  Clark,  installed  Janu- 
ary 4,  1797,  died  suddenly  in  office,  October  20,  1813.  He  was  a  most 
impressive  preacher,  of  commanding  influence,  and  left  the  church 
with  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  members,  nearly  double  the  num- 
ber at  his  accession.  Rev.  Leverett  J.  F.  Huntington  was  installed 
pastor  December  5,  181 5.  His  services  were  particularly  attractive 
to  the  young,  and  during  his  pastorate,  in  the  year  1816,  the  Sabbath 
school  was  established.  It  was  the  first  in  the  city  to  be  organized, 
like  the  original  ones  in  England,  for  neglected  children  rather  than 
those  of  Christian  families.  Mr.  Huntington  died  May  11,  1820,  and 
Rev.  Samuel  B.  How  was  installed  pastor  in  1821.  His  term  of  service 
was  brief,  as  on  July  25,  1825,  Rev.  Joseph  H.  Jones  was  installed. 
Under  his  pastorate  the  church  immediately  entered  on  a  new 
career.  A  parsonage  was  built  in  1827;  and  a  new  church  fronting  on 
George  street  instead  of  Paterson  street,  was  dedicated  December  15, 
1836,  at  the  cost  of  $23,328.26.  Dr.  Jones  was  a  man  of  rare  gifts,  both 
in  pulpit  and  parish.  He  had  the  hearts  of  the  congregation  with  him 
and  its  cooperation  in  all  his  eflforts.  He  resigned  in  1838  to  accept  a 
call  to  the  Sixth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia.  The  member- 
ship of  the  church  when  he  left  was  411  souls.  The  congregation  next 
enjoyed  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Robert  Birch,  who  was  Installed  March 
4,  1839;  ^^^  pastorate  was  short,  being  terminated  by  his  death,  Septem- 
ber 12,  1842.  Then  followed  one  of  the  longest  pastorates  in  the  history 
of  the  church.  The  Rev.  Robert  Davidson  was  installed  May  4.  1843. 
Gas  was  introduced,  and  repairs  made  on  the  session  house  in  1852; 
a  year  or  two  later  a  thorough  refurnishing  of  the  church  was  under- 
taken.    Dr.  Davidson's  pastoral  relations  were  dissolved  in  September, 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  325 

1859,  and  Dr.  Howard  Crosby,  Professor  of  Greek  in  Rutgers  College, 
was  elected  pastor  on  February  18,  1861.  His  occupancy  of  the,  office 
was  brief,  as  Rev.  William  Beatty  was  installed  as  pastor  June  2,  1863. 
He  was  in  charge  of  the  congregation  about  four  years,  when  he  resigned 
to  accept  a  call  to  the  Shadyside  Church  of  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 
The  installation  of  Rev.  A.  D.  L.  Jewett  took  place  March  2,  1868.  The 
organization  of  the  church  was  completed  in  187 1  by  the  election  of 
deacons ;  the  eldership  was  increased  in  1873.  Dr.  Jewett's  labors  during 
the  latter  portion  of  his  term  were  interrupted  by  continued  ill  health. 
He  resigned  October  16,  1874,  and  on  May  17,  1875,  Rev.  Thomas 
Nichols  was  installed.  His  successor  in  1879  was  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Mc- 
Knight,  who  continued  in  the  pastorate  until  1892,  and  the  following 
year  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  William  W.  Knox.  Dr.  Knox  was  to  serve 
the  congregation  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  was  made  pastor 
emeritus  in  1917,  and  the  next  year  the  Rev.  Cordie  J.  Culp,  the  present 
incumbent,  was  chosen  his  successor. 

Hungarian  Evangelist  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church — This  was 
organized  July  21,  1904.  The  organization  ceremonies  were  held  in 
the  chapel  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  where  the  congregation 
commenced  holding  meetings.  It  was  largely  through  the  assistance 
of  Rev.  J.  Kozma,  of  Perth  Amboy,  that  the  organization  was  effected. 
The  rapid  growth  of  the  congregation  soon  required  larger  accommo- 
dations, and  a  church  was  procured  on  the  corner  of  Easton  avenue 
and  Hamilton  street.  The  first  regularly  installed  minister  was  Rev. 
Paul  Hamborsky,  who  served  until  he  decided  to  join  the  ranks  of 
those  ministers  who  were  working  under  the  Conventus  of  the  Reformed 
Church  of  Hungary.  Through  his  influence  the  congregation  for  a 
time  joined  this  church  organization ;  the  original  members  not  being 
satisfied  with  this  transaction,  took  the  matter  before  the  courts  and 
eventually  won  the  control  of  the  church  property.  This  litigation 
was  the  cause  of  a  great  unrest  and  difficulties  amongst  the  congrega- 
tion, and  religious  services  were  suspended.  The  Easton  Avenue 
Church  was  exchanged  for  the  present  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Bayard 
and  Schuyler  streets,  formerly  occupied  by  St.  James  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  After  the  retirement  of  the  Rev.  Hamborsky  from  the 
ministry,  the  Rev.  Ladislaus  Gerenday  was  called  as  pastor ;  he  remained 
in  charge  until  1916,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  present  pastor, 
Rev.  Sigismund  Laky,  who  resigned  the  charge  of  a  large  congregation 
at  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  to  accept  the  position.  The  church  is  a 
member  of  the  New  Brunswick  Presbytery  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  the  United  States.  There  is  a  membership  of  two  hundred,  besides 
a  large  number  of  co-believers  who  attend  the  regular  services.  The 
auxiliary  societies  of  the  church  are:  The  Lorantflfy  Sussannah  Ladies' 


326  MIDDLESEX 

Aid  Society,  the  Daily  Vocation  Bible  Class,  and  the  People's  Christian 
Association. 

Christ  Church* — The  Church  of  England  early  sent  its  missionaries 
into  the  colony  of  New  Jersey.  Along  the  Raritan  there  were  established 
churches  at  Amboy,  Spotswood  and  Piscataway.  In  1701,  "The  Vener- 
able Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts"  was 
formed,  and  its  missionaries  were  sent  out  to  the  churches  and  formed 
new  parishes.  Keith  and  Talbot,  the  first  missionaries  from  this  society, 
covered  New  Jersey,  holding  services  among  the  English  residents  of 
New  Brunswick.  One  of  the  early  historians  of  Christ  Church  laments 
the  loss  of  its  early  records.  The  fragments  which  remain  are  largely 
the  reports  of  these  missionaries. 

In  1745,  Skinner,  the  first  missionary  to  Perth  Amboy,  reports,  "Zeal 
for  God's  work  among  the  inhabitants  of  New  Brunswick  has  stirred 
them  up  to  the  building  of  a  Church."  The  next  year  he  reports,  "the 
inhabitants  of  New  Brunswick  have  petitioned  to  send  them  a  mission- 
ary ;  they  have  erected  a  church  of  stone  which  may  be  of  great  service 
not  only  to  themselves,  but  to  the  well  settled  country  extending  many 
miles,  in  which  many  of  the  inhabitants  profess  the  faith  of  the  Church 
of  England,  and  others  who  were  formerly  dissenters  seem  well  affected 
towards  it." 

New  Brunswick's  Carnegie,  Philip  French  (1745),  presented  the 
tract  of  land  on  which  the  church  was  built.  Mr.  Skinner's  statement, 
"they  have  erected  a  church,"  was  somewhat  premature,  as  the  records 
show  that  more  than  ten  years  later  the  church  was  still  in  the  course 
of  construction,  and  in  1773  the  steeple  was  nearing  completion.  The 
land  given  by  Mr.  French  is  that  on  which  the  church  now  stands  on 
the  corner  of  Church  and  Neilson  streets.  The  size  of  the  original 
structure,  as  reported  by  the  Society,  was  fifty-five  feet  long,  forty-five 
feet  wide  and  twenty  feet  high.  The  first  edifice  followed  closely  the 
lines  of  the  English  parish  churches  which  the  builders  had  left  behind; 
a  "noble  window  of  small  panes  of  glass  covered  almost  the  entire  east 
end."  The  building  was  of  stone,  and  tradition  has  it  that  it  was  put 
together  mainly  by  the  hands  of  the  faithful  parishioners.  The  tower 
as  originally  constructed  remains  as  a  part  of  the  present  edifice,  a 
monument  of  striking  beauty,  linking  the  present  with  the  past. 

The  Society  sent  as  its  first  stated  missionary  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wood, 
characterized  as  "a  gentleman,  bred  to  physic  and  surgery,"  as  well  as 
theology.  Mr.  Wood's  parish  reached  from  Elizabethtown  to  Trenton, 
and  his  medical  practice  extended  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia.  He 
remained  two  years,  and  removed  to  Nova  Scotia. 

The  Society  "then  thought  proper  to  fix  on  the  Rev.  Samuel  Seabury 


•This  narrative  is  by  Dr.  Fred  B.  Kilmer,    of   New   Brunswick. 


CITY  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK  327 

who  arrived  happily  on  the  25th  of  May,  1754,  and  was  received 
with  a  most  hearty  welcome  from  the  inhabitants,  who  appeared  very 
susceptible  to  the  Society's  goodness  in  sending  a  missionary  to  them, 
and  disposed  to  do  everything  in  their  power  to  show  their  encourage- 
ment. *  *  The  church  is  a  very  handsome  stone  building  which,  when 
finished,  will  hold  a  large  congregation,  and  this  it  is  proposed  to  do 
the  ensuing  summer.  It  is  generally  well  filled.  *  *  As  there  was  no 
visiting  teacher,  at  the  present  time,  of  any  sort,  he  had  the  satisfaction 
of  having  persons  of  various  denominations  come  to  it,  and  he  hoped 
they  would  in  the  course  of  time,  through  the  grace  of  God,  conform." 

Rev.  Samuel  Seabury  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Seabury,  an  Episco- 
palian clergyman,  who  had  formerly  been  a  Congregational  minister. 
After  graduation  at  Yale  (1748),  he  went  to  Scotland  and  studied  medi- 
cine, but  turning  his  attention  to  theology,  took  orders  in  England,  and 
became  the  Society's  missionary  at  New  Brunswick.  His  is  an  illus- 
trious figure  in  the  church  annals.  From  New  Brunswick,  he  removed 
to  Grace  Church,  Hempstead,  Long  Island  (1752),  thence  to  St.  Peter's, 
West  Chester,  New  York,  (1766).  At  the  latter  place  he  established 
a  church  school.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  he 
adhered  to  the  Crown  and  became  chaplain  of  the  Royal  forces.  During 
the  strife  he  was,  on  one  hand,  subject  to  severe  handling  by  the  patriots, 
and  on  the  other  hand  given  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  by  Oxford 
University.  At  the  close  of  the  conflict  he  went  to  England,  bearing 
the  recommendation  of  some  of  the  clergy  of  New  York  and  Connec- 
ticut, and  was  consecrated  the  first  American  Bishop  of  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

In  1757,  the  Parish  of  Christ  Church  "returned  their  thanks  for  the 
Society's  goodness  in  appointing  the  Rev.  Dr.  McKean  to  succeed  their 
late  missionary,  Rev.  Samuel  Seabury.  It  was  with  great  pleasure  they 
saw  the  Church  of  England,  by  the  benevolence  of  the  Society,  raising 
its  head  in  an  infant  country."  Dr.  McKean  arrived  in  New  Brunswick 
in  1757'  ^"d  was  kindly  received  by  his  congregation.  He  had  friends 
at  court,  and  the  second  year  of  the  reign  of  George  II.,  Christ  Church 
became  a  body  corporate  under  the  name  of  "The  Rector,  Wardens 
and  Vestrymen  of  Christ  Church  of  the  City  of  New  Brunswick."  It 
is  under  this  charter,  bearing  the  great  seal  of  his  Majesty,  that  it  still 
elects  its  vestrymen  and  wardens  and  holds  its  corporate  power. 

Dr.  McKean  was  a  prominent  figure  in  medical  circles.  He  was 
active  in  organizing  the  New  Jersey  Medical  Society,  and  was  its  first 
president.  Upon  the  removal  of  Dr.  McKean  to  Pennsylvania  (1763), 
the  mantle  fell  upon  Hon.  Edward  Antill,  "a  man  of  most  exemplary 
life  and  singular  piety,  who  undertook  to  read  prayers  and  singing 
every  two  Sundays  in  New  Brunswick,  and  every  other  two  Sundays  in 
Piscataway,  until  the  arrival  of  a  missionary." 


328  MIDDLESEX 

In  1762,  it  was  agreed  to  unite  Piscataway  to  the  mission  at  New 
Brunswick,  and  the  Rev.  Leonard  Cutting  was  appointed  to  the  mission. 
In  a  report  to  the  Society  it  is  stated  "in  New  Brunswick  there  are  about 
150  families,  most  of  them  in  moderate  circumstances.  *  *  In  this 
town  there  are  three  churches — the  Church  of  England,  the  Baptist 
church,  and  a  Presbyterian  meeting  house,  the  members  of  which  live 
together  in  a  friendly  manner  without  disputes  or  animosities  on  ac- 
count of  religion."  He  reports  that  "his  communicants  at  present  are 
about  twenty-five.  He  catechises  the  children  of  New  Brunswick  and 
Piscataway  every  Sunday.  The  congregation  at  New  Brunswick  has 
agreed  upon  £40  per  year,  and  will  allow  £20  currency  for  house  rental 
until  they  can  afford  to  purchase  a  glebe."  In  1769,  he  reports  "with 
pleasure  that  in  New  Brunswick  the  same  catholic  spirit  prevails,  all 
denominations  living  together  without  dispute  or  animosity."  In  Pis- 
cataway, he  states  "the  church  is  well  filled,  and  the  people  appear 
serious  and  affected."  In  removing  to  Hempstead,  a  year  later,  he 
reports  that  "the  church  had  increased  in  numbers,  and  the  communi- 
cants had  increased  to  thirty-four." 

The  next  incumbent  was  the  Rev,  Abraham  Beach,  who  showed 
himself  to  be  not  only  a  missionary  but  a  diplomat  and  leader  of  no 
mean  order.  His  report  to  the  Parent  Society  shows  "that  his  con- 
gregation are  frequented  by  serious  people  of  all  denominations."  He 
organized  the  parish,  taught  catechism  to  the  children  and  the  negroes ; 
the  church  was  repaired  and  the  steeple  completed.  The  Society  Pro- 
ceedings for  1773  state  that  "The  Rev.  Dr.  Beach's  mission  is  in  good 
state.  He  endeavoreth  by  kind  and  candid  treatment  to  overcome  the 
prejudice  of  dissenters ;  and  hath  experienced  the  good  effects  of  it  in 
several  instances." 

In  1774  Dr.  Beach  wrote  the  Society  "how  heartful  are  the  American 
disputes  to  the  clergy ;"  he  assures  the  Society  "that  he  has  endeavored 
to  promote  moderation,  peace  and  good  order."  Then  came  the  storm 
cloud  of  the  Revolution.  The  parish  was  rent  asunder,  and  received 
a  baptism  of  blood  and  fire.  Mr.  Beach  has  been  characterized  as 
"mildly  loyal,"  and  as  "neutral"  he  deplored  the  political  agitation  which 
preceded  the  struggle  as  "hurtful  to  the  church  and  to  the  clergy."  He 
strove  "to  promote  moderation,  peace  and  good  order."  He  "hoped  at 
all  times  to  preserve  a  conscience  void  of  offense  toward  God  and  man." 

At  the  inception  of  the  struggle,  the  congregation  at  once  divided ; 
the  Loyalists  fled  to  the  British  lines ;  the  Patriots,  in  fair  numbers 
and  of  sturdy  mien,  remained  until  the  British  army  took  possession  of 
New  Brunswick.  The  Church  of  England  and  its  adherents  in  this 
crisis  were  under  the  ban.  Christ  Church  has  the  unique  record  of 
being  open  during  the  whole  of  the  struggle.  Mr.  Beach's  records  show 
a  fairly  continuous  regularity  in  church  services  even  in  times  when 


CITY  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK  329 

shot  and  shell  broke  over  the  steeple.  He  went  about  attending  to  the 
sick,  baptizing,  uniting  in  marriage,  burying  the  dead.  He  ministered 
in  neighboring  parishes  from  which  the  clergy  fled.  He  was  ever  at 
his  post.  His  home  just  without  the  city  was  supposed  to  be  neutral 
ground,  but  this  did  not  prevent  its  being  pierced  with  bullets.  During 
the  whole  time  he  received  no  remittance  from  the  Society  and  no  pay 
from  the  church.  At  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  Mr.  Beach  accepted 
the  position  of  assistant  minister  of  Trinity  Church,  New  York,  but 
he  still  retained  a  fostering  care  over  Christ  Church.  He  became  an 
important  factor  in  the  formation  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United 
States. 

Long  prior  to  the  war,  efforts  had  been  made  to  secure  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  Bishop  for  the  Colonies,  but  strong  forces  opposed  the  setting 
up  of  a  Bishop  in  America.  The  controversy  waxed  strong  and  became 
a  part  of  the  inciting  cause  of  the  Revolution.  With  the  dawn  of  peace 
all  changed ;  the  Church  in  the  United  States  had  become  separated  from 
the  Church  of  England  through  the  acts  of  war.  At  the  invitation  of 
Dr.  Beach,  a  few  of  the  scattered  clergy  from  New  York,  New  Jersey 
and  Pennsylvania  gathered  in  Christ  Church  to  "consider  the  state  of 
the  Church."  Among  them  was  the  Rev.  William  White,  of  Phila- 
delphia (afterwards  Bishop).  The  session  continued  for  two  days, 
and  plans  were  laid  to  promote  a  union  of  the  churches  in  the  several 
States.  During  the  session  a  document  was  made  out  in  which  the 
name  "The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United  States"  was 
used  for  the  first  time.  At  this  meeting  the  right  of  lay  delegates  in 
the  councils  of  the  churches  was  established.  The  sessions  were  the 
beginning  of  the  line  of  general  conventions — the  great  governing  body 
of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Thus  within  the  walls  of  Christ  Church  the 
American  Church  had  its  origin  and  received  its  name. 

Rev.  Mr.  Beach  was  active  in  the  formation  of  the  diocese  of  New 
Jersey,  in  1785;  the  first  convention  looking  to  that  end  was  held  in 
Christ  Church.  Mr.  Beach  preached  the  sermon,  and  was  chosen 
president  and  delegate  to  the  General  Convention.  All  during  the  for- 
mation period  of  the  diocese,  Mr.  Beach  attended  the  conventions,  giving 
wise  counsel  in  the  formation  of  the  canons  and  regulations  for  the 
government  of  the  church,  and  the  revision  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer.  With  a  record  of  seventeen  years  as  minister  of  Christ  Church, 
and  twenty-five  years  in  Trinity  Parish  in  New  York,  he  retired  to  his 
household  at  New  Brunswick,  where  he  died  in  1828.  He  was  buried 
in  Christ  Church  yard,  and  a  marble  tablet  to  his  memory  adorns  the 
walls  of  the  edifice. 

Hamilton  Rowland  was  elected  rector  of  the  parish  in  1786;  he 
removed  to  Nova  Scotia  at  the  end  of  one  year ;  from  the  time  of  Mr. 
Rowland's  removal  (1787),  the  church  was  without  a  rector  until  1791, 


330  MIDDLESEX 

when  the  Rev.  Henry  Van  Dyke  was  chosen  minister  of  the  parish ; 
he  served  until  1793  or  1794. 

The  parish  was  again  vacant  until  1799,  when  the  Rev.  John  Henry 
Hobart,  then  a  student  at  Princeton,  was  "invited  to  perform  divine 
service  for  the  congregation  for  one  year,"  and  "the  sum  of  $266.67 
was  allowed  for  such  services."  Rev.  Mr.  Hobart,  apparently  much  to 
his  disadvantage,  fulfilled  his  contract  for  the  year,  and  afterwards 
attained  a  high  place  in  the  church.  He  became  assistant  minister  of 
Trinity  Parish,  New  York,  succeeding  Dr.  Moore  as  Bishop  of  New 
York.  He  was  also  Bishop  of  Connecticut  for  three  years.  He  was 
instrumental  in  opening  the  Theological  Seminary  in  New  York,  and  a 
member  of  the  faculty.  He  was  a  prolific  writer  and  a  most  energetic 
Christian  gentleman.  With  Mr.  Hobart's  departure  from  Christ  Church, 
"Mr.  Beasley  was  invited  to  read  prayers  until  a  rector  could  be  pro- 
vided." 

The  minutes  of  the  wardens  and  vestrymen  beginning  with  1790 
have  been  preserved.  The  first  pages  of  these  records  are  filled  with 
quaint  references  to  the  "Church  Lottery."  This  calls  to  mind  the 
fact  that  in  the  colonial  days  lotteries  were  the  financial  fashion,  and 
were  considered  as  legitimate  as  is  today  the  placing  upon  the  market  of 
authorized  financial  securities.  Colleges,  churches,  societies  and  indi- 
viduals floated  lotteries  under  government  license.  At  least  three  lot- 
teries were  drawn  for  the  benefit  of  Christ  Church,  and  there  is  no 
record  that  any  of  them  were  markedly  successful  from  a  monetary 
point  of  view.  The  records  of  the  "settlements"  of  the  last  one  (issued 
about  1790)  was  disastrous.  The  church  was  defrauded  of  money  col- 
lected by  some  of  its  agents,  quarrels  and  lawsuits  ensued.  Much  harm 
was  done  with  little  or  no  good.  In  1800,  Mr.  Charles  Cotton  was 
engaged  to  take  charge  of  the  parish,  and  remained  for  one  year. 

A  most  auspicious  era  of  the  parish  history  begins  with  the  record 
of  the  warden  and  vestrymen  of  March,  1801 :  "Resolved  and  agreed 
unanimously  that  the  Rev.  John  Croes  be  invited  to  accept  the  perma- 
nent rectorship  of  this  Church  at  a  salary  of  $375  per  annum."  This 
call  was  made  in  conjunction  with  the  trustees  of  Queens  (Rutgers) 
College,  who  desired  his  services  as  headmaster  of  the  Grammar  School. 

Mr.  Croes'  rectorship  was  long  and  eventful.  His  was  the  task  of 
reconstruction  of  a  parish  which  had  been  scattered  and  rent  by  war 
and  by  frequent  change  of  ministers  since  the  departure  of  Mr.  Beach. 
He  organized  the  congregation  and  established  sound  systems  of 
finance ;  the  latter  included  the  sale  of  pews  at  auction.  He  inaugurated 
a  Missionary  Society  and  opened  a  Sunday  School.  He  overcame  the 
long  existing  prejudice  against  the  "English"  Church,  and  made  it  a 
center  of  religious  life  in  the  community. 

An  interesting  incident  of  his  time  occurred  in  February,  1803,  when 


CITY  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK  331 

the  spire  of  the  church  was  struck  by  lightning  and  wholly  consumed ; 
the  buiding  itself  was  in  imminent  danger  of  being  destroyed.  This 
was  a  severe  blow  to  the  struggling  parish.  The  spire  had  only  recently 
been  repaired  and  its  restoration  was  a  matter  of  over  $3,000,  a  most 
formidable  burden  under  the  conditions.  By  heroic  efforts  of  the  con- 
gregation, the  citizens  of  New  Brunswick,  and  friends  outside  of  the 
parish,  the  spire  was  rebuilt  within  a  few  months.  In  1808,  Mr.  Croes 
gave  up  his  position  in  the  College,  but  for  a  time  he  taught  in  the  Young 
Ladies'  Seminary  conducted  by  Miss  Hay. 

Rev.  Mr.  Croes  took  an  active  part  in  the  work  of  the  diocese,  and  in 
1815  he  was  chosen  as  its  first  Bishop.  He  did  not  resign  his  rectorship, 
but  cared  for  the  parish  and  diocese  conjointly.  He  was  almost  simul- 
taneously chosen  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  Connecticut,  but  chose  to 
accept  that  of  New  Jersey.  A  notable  event  of  his  rectorship  was  the 
remodeling  of  the  interior  of  the  church  edifice.  In  the  first  construction 
the  chancel  was  placed  at  the  east  end  (Neilson  street)  of  the  church, 
but  the  pulpit  and  reading  desk  were  on  the  north  or  Church  street 
side.  In  1814  the  whole  was  changed  by  placing  the  pulpit  and  reading 
desk  and  chancel  at  the  east  end  and  turning  the  pews  so  as  to  face 
that  end.  A  gallery  was  also  installed.  In  the  early  days  a  bass  viol 
and  a  violin  were  introduced  to  furnish  music;  in  1788  an  organ  was 
installed  which  cost  $100,  but  in  Mr.  Croes'  time  it  is  recorded  that  Mr. 
William  Leupp  presented  the  church  with  a  new  instrument  and  became 
organist.  The  services  of  the  church  under  the  Bishop  would  be  con- 
sidered simple  in  these  days  of  elaborateness.  At  the  time,  those  not 
in  sympathy  with  the  church  made  strong  objections  to  their  ritualistic 
formality.  The  fast  and  festival  days  were  observed  in  great  regularity, 
Easter  Day  and  Christmas  Day  being  as  now  "high"  days.  Baptisms 
were  mainly  held  in  the  church,  the  first  font  being  a  stone  bowl  carved 
by  hand  and  set  in  a  log.  The  present  handsome  marble  font  was  the 
gift  of  Edward  Antill,  and  has  been  in  use  since  some  time  before  the 
Revolution.  Funerals  were  held  at  the  homes  of  the  deceased ;  the 
bodies  were  either  buried  on  the  land  of  the  departed  or  in  the  church 
yards.  Weddings  were  seldom  held  in  the  church.  For  many  years 
the  church  was  not  heated  in  any  manner.  In  1800  wood  fires  were 
introduced;  coal  fires  came  in  1829.  The  church  was  lighted  with  can- 
dles and  oil,  a  feature  being  an  elaborate  glass  chandelier  hanging  in 
the  center  of  the  nave. 

During  Bishop  Croes'  rectorship  a  Sunday  school  building  was 
erected  on  the  west  side  of  the  church  lot.  Following  the  lead  of  such 
parishes  as  Trinity,  the  church  erected  buildings  on  the  Church  street 
side  of  its  property  and  rented  them  for  business  purposes.  The  venture 
was  only  moderately  successful  and  later  they  were  torn  down. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Croes  was  of  Polish  parentage  (born  1762).     While 


332 


MIDDLESEX 


yet  a  lad  he  entered  the  Revolutionary  army.  His  education  was  mainly 
under  private  tutors  in  Newark,  New  Jersey.  He  became  a  tutor  in 
the  Newark  Academy,  meanwhile  preparing  himself  for  the  University. 
His  first  charge  was  at  Swedesboro,  New  Jersey,  and  his  second  at  New 
Brunswick.  He  was  of  commanding  presence,  being  over  six  feet  in 
height.  His  biographers  pay  great  tribute  to  his  urbanity,  strong  in- 
tellectuality, sound  common  sense,  clear  judgment,  and  general  business 
qualifications. 

In  1830,  he  asked  that  his  son  John  Croes,  Jr.,  be  appointed  assistant 
in  the  parish,  and  to  this  the  vestry  acceded.  Bishop  Croes  entered  into 
rest,  July  30,  1832.  He  was  buried  under  the  chancel  of  the  church 
wall.  His  son,  Rev.  John  Croes,  Jr.,  succeeded  him  as  rector.  This 
position  he  held  until  1839,  when  owing  to  ill  health  he  resigned,  and 
took  up  missionary  labors  at  Keyport,  New  Jersey.    He  died  in  1849. 

The  year  1839  marks  the  beginning  of  a  long  and  successful  rector- 
ship of  the  Rev.  Alfred  Stubbs,  who  while  still  a  deacon  came  into  the 
parish  almost  directly  from  the  General  Theological  Seminary.  The 
following  year  he  was  elevated  to  the  priesthood  by  Bishop  Doane,  and 
instituted  to  the  rectorship  of  the  parish.  Though  but  twenty-four  years 
of  age,  he  grasped  the  responsibilities  of  his  office  and  began  a  remark- 
able career.  Time  after  time  in  reports  to  the  convention  appear  state- 
ments showing  an  increase  in  the  numbers ;  "the  parish  is  in  a  prosperous 
condition.  *  *  the  harmony  and  peace  which  prevail  encourages  the 
hope  that  our  people  are  also  increasing  in  spirituality." 

Each  year  marked  material  progress,  there  were  additions  to  the 
church  property,  new  furnishings  and  adornments  for  the  church.  In 
1842,  Mr.  Charles  M.  Leupp  presented  a  new  organ,  and  in  1846  a  rec- 
tory was  purchased  at  100  Bayard  street,  and  the  same  year  a  plot  of 
ground  next  to  that  of  the  original  tract,  known  as  the  "Vickers  prop- 
erty," was  bequeathed  to  the  parish  by  Mrs.  Mary  Leupp.  In  1852,  the 
entire  church  edifice,  with  the  exception  of  the  tower,  was  taken  down 
and  rebuilt.  During  the  rebuilding,  services  were  held  in  the  Presby- 
terian Session  House  on  George  street,  which  was  kindly  loaned  for  the 
purpose.  In  rebuilding  the  edifice,  all  of  the  stone  of  the  first  structure 
was  utilized,  together  with  a  fresh  supply  taken  from  the  original  quarry. 
The  new  building  consisted  of  a  nave  50x75  feet,  with  a  semicircular 
chancel  20  feet  in  depth.  The  architecture  was  Norman  style,  and  with 
only  a  slight  change  constitutes  the  present  edifice.  It  was  at  this  time 
that  the  stained  glass  windows  were  installed.  Out  of  the  original  par- 
ish, Dr.  Stubbs  created  three  new  parishes — St.  John's,  Somerville 
(1852),  St.  Luke's,  Bound  Brook  (1862).  St.  John  the  Evangelist  at  New 
Brunswick  (1861).  In  1874,  a  commodious  brick  Sunday  school  building 
was  erected  on  the  church  grounds. 

Some  twenty  young  men  who  were  members  of  the  parish  during 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  333 

Dr.  Stubbs'  ministry,  were  admitted  to  Holy  Orders ;  these  included  two 
of  the  rector's  sons,  the  Rev.  Alfred  H.  Stubbs,  the  Rev.  Francis  H. 
Stubbs,  and  the  Rev.  A.  B.  Baker,  Dr.  A.  B.  Carter,  Rev.  Eugene  and 
Charles  Hoffman,  Edward  and  Samuel  Appleton,  Rev.  Guy  Leacock, 
Henry  H.  Long,  Edward  B.  Boggs  and  John  Cornell. 

One  incident  in  Dr.  Stubbs'  life  focused  upon  him,  and  incidentally 
upon  the  parish,  a  nation-wide  and,  at  the  time,  unpleasant  notoriety. 
This  was  the  celebrated  controversy  with  the  Rev.  Stephen  H.  Tyng, 
rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  New  York — the  trial  question 
as  to  whether  the  clergy  are  bound  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  church.  In 
later  times  he  counted  among  his  friends  those  who  had  opposed  him 
at  the  trial,  including  Dr.  Tyng  himself.  In  1882,  failing  in  health.  Dr. 
E.  B.  Joyce  was  called  as  assistant  to  Dr.  Stubbs. 

Dr.  Stubbs  entered  into  rest,  December  12,  1882.  He  was  buried  in 
a  spot  selected  by  himself  at  the  foot  of  the  tower,  and  a  tablet  upon 
the  wall  of  the  tower  and  in  the  chancel  of  the  church  is  erected  to 
his  memory.  Dr.  Stubbs  had  been  entrusted  with  a  prominent  place  in 
the  councils  of  the  church,  and  was  beloved  by  his  fellow-citizens ;  "the 
fine  ability  and  excellent  scholarship  which  distinguished  him  were 
intensely  devoted  to  Christ  and  His  Church." 

The  Rev.  E.  B.  Joyce  came  to  Christ  Church  Parish  while  yet  in 
deacon's  orders,  as  assistant  in  1882 ;  at  the  death  of  Dr.  Stubbs  he  was 
called  to  the  rectorship  (1883).  Under  his  guidance  the  congregation 
moved  forward  spiritually  and  materially,  and  was  marked  by  an  in- 
crease in  church  attendance  and  interest  in  the  service  and  work  of  the 
parish.  He  formed  many  parish  organizations  and  guided  their  work. 
The  church  was  renovated  throughout,  hardwood  floors  put  in,  a  new 
pulpit  and  chancel  furniture  installed.  In  1892  he  formed  a  surpliced 
choir  of  male  voices  under  charge  of  Prof.  George  W.  Wilmot.  In  the 
same  year  a  new  rectory  was  purchased  at  56  Bayard  street ;  a  new  and 
commodious  parish  house  was  erected  at  the  corner  of  Neilson  and 
Paterson  streets.  An  innovation  at  the  time  was  the  organization  of 
young  men  called  Christ  Church  Club,  who  gave  attention  not  only 
to  the  parish  and  church  affairs,  literature  and  the  like,  but  who  installed 
a  bowling  alley,  gymnasium  and  poolroom.  A  week  of  service  commem- 
orating the  150th  anniversary  of  the  church  was  held  in  1892. 

While  all  of  Mr.  Joyce's  efforts  were  far  from  sensational,  one  ser- 
mon delivered  in  1890  attracted  widespread  attention  and  was  published 
in  pamphlet  form  by  the  Central  Nationalist  Club.  This  was  a  sermon 
on  the  text,  "Am  I  My  Brother's  Keeper?"  In  this  sermon  the  relations 
between  capital  and  labor  and  the  church's  duty  therein  were  discussed 
in  a  way  that  was  markedly  prophetic  of  the  discussions  so  abundant 
in  later  years.  During  his  rectorship,  early  celebrations  of  Holy  Com- 
munion each  Sunday  were  instituted,  and  for  a  time  daily  services  were 
held  in  the  church. 


334  MIDDLESEX 

Mr.  Joyce  graduated  from  Yale  College  and  the  General  Theological 
Seminary,  and  in  1916  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred 
upon  him  by  Rutgers  College.  Failing  health  compelled  Mr.  Joyce  to 
resign  his  rectorship,  and  he  was  made  rector  emeritus,  which  position 
he  still  holds,  beloved  and  honored  by  his  parish  and  throughout  the 
diocese. 

The  Rev.  Herbert  Parrish,  who  had  supplied  the  pulpit  during  Mr. 
Joyce's  illness,  was  called  to  the  rectorship  May  i,  191 5,  and  under  his 
guidance  the  parish  has  retained  its  traditions  of  progress  and  vigor 
which  has  marked  its  entire  history.  In  1917  an  important  movement 
toward  church  unity  was  started  in  which  Christ  Church  under  Mr. 
Parrish  took  an  active  part.  Services  were  held  on  Sunday  evenings 
in  rotation  in  Christ  Church,  the  First  and  Second  Reformed  Churches, 
and  the  First  Presbyterian,  in  which  services  the  choirs  and  clergy  of  the 
respective  organizations  united.  The  parish  took  an  active  part  in  the 
nation-wide  campaign  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  1919,  the  rector 
being  campaign  chairman  for  the  diocese.  Under  Mr.  Parrish  the  con- 
gregation has  made  great  advancement.  It  has  discharged  all  indebted- 
ness, some  of  long  standing.  It  has  established  an  endowment  fund. 
The  pews  have  been  made  free.  It  has  more  than  quadrupled  contribu- 
tions for  missionary  purposes.  Mr.  Parrish  possesses  exceptional  powers 
as  a  preacher  and  teacher,  and  is  able  to  gather  a  goodly  congregation 
even  in  these  times  when  church  attendance  is  not  popular. 

Christ  Church  holds  a  remarkable  record  for  growth  and  strength. 
Of  exceptional  character  have  been  its  rectors  and  distinguished  laymen. 
After  one  hundred  and  eighty-years  it  can  look  to  the  future  with  trust 
and  confidence. 

St.  John  the  Evangelist — A  movement  was  started  in  1852  among  the 
congregation  of  Christ  Church  to  establish  another  parish  in  New 
Brunswick.  The  mother  church  was  too  small  to  accommodate  its 
congregation,  and  was  not  strong  enough  in  finances  or  numbers  to 
bear  the  expense  of  erecting  a  church  edifice  in  another  section  of  the 
city.  It  was  at  this  time  decided  to  build  an  addition  to  the  church 
and  establish  another  parish  later.  Other  obstacles  interposed ;  it  was 
not,  however,  until  i860,  under  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  Alfred  Stubbs, 
that  money  was  raised  for  the  building  of  a  mission  chapel  on  the  present 
site  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  November 
28,  i860,  and  the  new  chapel  was  consecrated  December  27,  1861,  when 
Rev.  Louis  Bevieu  Van  Dyke  was  chosen  by  the  vestry  to  officiate  as 
deacon  in  charge.  He  was  succeeded  in  1864  by  Rev.  Alfred  B.  Baker 
as  assistant  in  charge. 

St.  John's  drew  away  from  Christ  Church  and  was  organized  as  an 
independent  parish,  April  25,  1866.    The  Rev.  Edward  B.  Boggs  became 


CITY  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK  335 

the  first  pastor  of  the  new  parish.  He  was  succeeded  in  1869  by  Rev. 
Charles  Edward  Phelphs.  The  church  building  comprised  only  one 
room ;  in  1885  the  edifice  was  considerably  enlarged  and  beautified  by 
the  addition  of  a  tower,  transept  and  parish  room,  these  alterations 
costing  over  $10,000. 

Rev.  Charles  E.  Phelphs  resigned  in  1898  and  was  appointed  rector- 
emeritus.  The  Rev.  W.  Button  Dale,  after  acting  as  assistant  minister 
for  one  year,  was  elected  rector,  assuming  the  duties  of  the  incumbency 
on  Easter  Day,  1898.  He  resigned  March  31,  1909,  to  accept  a  call  to 
Rumsen,  New  Jersey,  and  the  present  rector.  Rev.  Edward  Wheeler 
Hall,  was  called  by  the  congregation  and  was  installed  as  rector  in 
July,  1909.  An  addition  to  the  rear  of  the  church  building  was  built  in 
1909  at  an  expenditure  of  $3,000. 

The  First  Reformed  Church — This  is  the  oldest  church  organization 
in  the  city  of  New  Brunswick.  Its  corporate  title  is,  "The  Ministers, 
Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  Congregation  of  New  Brunswick." 

Guillaem  Bertholf,  a  resident  of  Hackensack,  as  a  lay  worker  fre- 
quently visited  this  section.  As  voorleser  in  the  Holland  church,  he 
rendered  invaluable  services  in  a  large  portion  of  Northern  New  Jersey. 
So  acceptable  were  his  services  as  reader  and  comforter  of  the  sick  that 
he  was  sent  to  Holland  in  1693  for  ordination.  Upon  his  return  he  had 
the  spiritual  oversight  of  all  the  Holland  communities  in  New  Jersey. 
His  work  resulted  in  the  organization  of  many  Reformed  churches, 
including  those  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Brunswick. 

A  church  was  erected  as  early  as  1703,  about  three  miles  west  of 
the  present  city  limits.  The  congregation  which  worshipped  there  soon 
divided  to  form  two  churches,  now  known  as  the  Reformed  Church  of 
Franklin  Park,  and  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  New  Brunswick. 
From  the  early  maps  and  records  of  the  city  it  appears  that  the  first 
church  was  built  about  1714,  at  the  corner  of  Schureman  and  Burnet 
streets.  The  earliest  church  record  is  dated  April  12,  1717.  The  archives 
of  the  church  contain  a  complete  register  of  baptism  and  the  list  of 
church  members  and  officers  from  1717.  The  second  church  edifice 
was  erected  on  the  present  site  in  1767.  This  was  built  of  stones  which 
were  brought  up  the  Raritan  on  sloops  from  Hell  Gate.  When  this 
building  was  demolished  to  make  way  for  a  new  one,  these  stones  were 
used  in  the  walls  of  the  present  structure  which  was  dedicated  in  1812. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  Rev.  Theodorus  Jacobus  Freling- 
huysen.  He  also  served  the  churches  at  Raritan  (Somerville),  Six 
Mile  Run  (Franklin  Park),  and  North  Branch  (Readington).  Mr. 
Frelinghuysen  came  directly  from  Holland,  bringing  with  him  a  school- 
master. Jacobus  Schureman,  who  was  also  chorister  and  voorleser. 
These  men  were  the  progenitors  of  many  distinguished  citizens  who 


336  MIDDLESEX 

have  rendered  signal  service  to  the  State.  The  next  three  pastors  were 
closely  connected  with  the  college  also.  Rev,  Johannes  Leydt  was  a  leader 
in  the  movement  resulting  in  the  founding  of  Queen's  College,  later 
known  as  Rutgers  College.  Rev.  Jacob  Rutsen  Hardenbergh,  D.  D.,  in 
1786  became  the  pastor  of  the  church  and  also  president  of  the  college. 
He  was  a  staunch  personal  friend  of  General  Washington.  His  suc- 
cessor in  the  pastorate,  Rev.  Ira  Condict,  D.  D.,  was  also  vice-president 
of  the  college  and  professor  of  moral  philosophy. 

During  the  two  hundred  years  of  its  history,  the  church  has  been 
served  by  fifteen  pastors.  Besides  those  mentioned,  the  list  includes 
John  Schureman,  D.  D.,  Jesse  Fonda,  John  Ludlow,  D.  D.,  Isaac  Ferris, 
D.  D.,  James  B.  Hardenbergh,  D.  D.,  Jacob  J.  Janeway,  D.  D.,  Samuel 
B.  How,  D.  D.,  Richard  H.  Steele,  D.  D.,  Thomas  C.  Easton,  D.  D.,  P. 
Theodore  Pockman,  D.  D.,  and  Jasper  S.  Hogan,  D.  D. 

For  manv  years  the  "Old  First"  has  been  popularly  known  as  the 
"Town  Clock  Church,"  on  account  of  the  clock  in  the  steeple,  placed 
there  and  maintained  by  the  city.  Many  of  the  stones  in  the  cemetery 
around  the  church  mark  the  resting  places  of  some  of  the  most  honored 
leaders  in  the  Reformed  Church  in  America.  Prominent  among  these 
is  the  Scudder  monument  testifying  to  the  pioneer  missionary  zeal  of 
the  family  which  has  given  a  total  of  more  than  one  thousand  years 
to  foreign  missionary  service.  The  church  itself  has  been  greatly  ad- 
mired, and  its  picture  is  included  with  a  score  of  other  historic  churches 
which  are  regarded  as  the  best  specimens  of  ecclesiastical  architecture 
in  the  country  in  the  colonial  days. 

Second  Reformed  Church — This  was  organized  by  members  of  the 
First  Reformed  Church  in  1843.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  David  D. 
Demarest,  who  was  called  in  1843  ^^'^  continued  in  charge  for  nearly 
ten  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Woodbridge, 
who  continued  until  1857,  when  he  resigned  to  take  the  chair  of  ecclesi- 
astical history  in  the  Theological  Seminary.  The  Rev.  Hugh  N.  Wilson 
became  pastor  in  1858,  and  the  cornerstone  of  the  present  church  on 
the  corner  of  George  and  Albany  streets,  was  laid  October  26,  1857, 
the  building  being  completed  and  dedicated  April  10,  1861.  The  next 
pastor  was  the  Rev.  John  W.  Schenck,  who  supplied  the  pulpit  from 
February,  1863,  to  June  i,  1866.  The  same  year  the  Rev.  Chester  D. 
Hartranft  was  chosen  pastor,  continuing  until  1878.  The  long  pastorate 
of  the  Rev.  Mancius  H.  Hutton  commenced  October  17,  1879,  continuing 
over  thirty  years  until  his  death,  December  19,  1909.  The  next  pastor 
was  Rev.  John  A.  Ingham,  who  was  installed  March  2,  1910,  serving 
till  December  i,  1920.  The  chapel  adjoining  the  church  was  erected  in 
1895,  as  a  semi-centennial  memorial.  The  present  membership  is  312, 
the  church  properties  being  valued  at  $200,000. 


CITY  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK  337 

The  Suydam  Street  Reformed  Church — The  Suydam  Street  Reformed 
Church  was  organized  October  30,  1884,  with  fourteen  members.  The 
Rev.  William  H.  Campbell,  D.  D.,  who  had  just  resigned  the  presidency 
of  Rutgers  College,  was  its  first  pastor.  He  was  installed  January  11, 
1885.  The  cornerstone  of  the  church  was  laid  July  6th  the  same  year. 
In  October,  1889,  Dr.  Campbell  resigned,  and  his  son,  the  Rev.  Alan  D. 
Campbell,  was  invited  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  three  months  and  then 
was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church.  He  served  it  faithfully  until 
his  death,  April  i,  1913.  In  1892  the  parsonage  was  built  on  Livingston 
avenue.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  George  H.  Payson,  supplied  the  pulpit 
for  two  years,  at  the  same  time  occupying  the  Chair  of  Ethics  and  Evi- 
dences of  Christianity  in  Rutgers  College.  In  191 5  he  resigned  his 
professorship  and  accepted  a  call  to  the  church  and  was  installed  in 
October. 

Other  Churches — For  the  benefit  of  the  German  population  of  the 
city,  the  Third  Reformed  Church  was  established  in  185 1.  The  Rev. 
Francis  M.  Serenbets  was  chosen  pastor,  continuing  until  1854.  The 
following  year  the  Rev.  Franz  Schneevius  was  called,  remaining  until 
1858,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  Hones.  The  Rev.  Prof.  Carl 
Meyer  took  charge  in  the  early  sixties  of  the  last  century,  the  congre- 
gation worshipping  in  a  small  frame  building  erected  in  1857  on  Guilden 
street.  On  the  organization  of  the  St.  John's  German  Reformed  Church 
in  1861,  the  members  of  the  Third  Reformed  Church  united  with  that 
church,  making  the  total  membership  sixty.  The  congregation  wor- 
shipped in  a  frame  building  on  the  corner  of  Albany  and  George  streets. 
The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  A.  Hocking,  who  resigned  in  1864,  when  Rev. 
I.  N.  Steiner  had  charge  of  the  congregation  for  a  year.  The  third 
pastor,  Rev.  Oscar  Lohr  stayed  only  a  few  months ;  his  successor,  the 
Rev.  Charles  Banks,  was  installed  in  1868,  remaining  until  1904,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  M.  H.  Qual. 

The  church  property  was  sold  on  the  corner  of  Albany  and  George 
streets  and  the  congregation  built  a  cement  block  structure  capable  of 
seating  five  hundred  persons,  on  the  corner  of  Livingston  avenue  and 
Suydam  street.  The  name  of  the  congregation  was  changed  to  the 
Livingston  Avenue  Reformed  Church ;  services  are  given  in  both  the 
German  and  English  languages.  The  present  pastor,  the  Rev.  W.  H. 
Bollman,  succeeded  in  1920  the  Rev.  Otto  B.  Moor. 

The  Suydam  Street  Reformed  Church  was  organized  October  30, 
1884,  by  the  Rev.  William  H.  Campbell,  who  was  its  first  pastor.  He 
was  succeeded  in  1889  by  his  son,  the  Rev.  Alan  D.  Campbell,  who 
remained  in  charge  for  over  a  score  of  years.  The  membership  of  the 
church  is  about  three  hundred  souls,  and  they  are  comfortably  housed  in 
a  brick  building  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Suydam  and  Drift  streets. 
The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  George  H.  Payson. 

Mid— 22 


338  MIDDLESEX 

The  Magyar  Evangelical  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  known  as 
the  Magyar  Reformed  Church,  in  1908  purchased  the  Second  Presbyter- 
ian Church,  on  Somerset,  corner  of  Division  streets.  The  congregation, 
composed  mainly  of  Hungarian,  numbers  over  five  hundred  members. 
It  is  an  intensely  earnest  and  active  body  under  the  leadership  of  the 
present  pastor,  the  Rev.  Paul  F.  B.  Hamborszky,  who  has  had  charge 
for  almost  twenty  years.     It  is  a  strong  and  prosperous  society. 

Methodist  Churches — Methodism  was  established  in  America  in  1766. 
Members  of  the  denomination  from  Ireland  settled  in  New  York,  amon,^ 
whom  were  Philip  Embury  and  Barbara  Heck,  whose  names  are  house- 
hold words  in  Methodist  circles.  It  was  planted  late  in  the  eighteenth 
century  in  Trenton  and  Elizabethtown.  The  record  of  its  beginnings  in 
New  Brunswick  dates  back  to  1798,  when  Rev.  Francis  Asbury,  the 
missionary  bishop,  visited  the  place.  He  states  in  his  Journal  that  on 
June  15,  1800,  he  had  a  meeting  in  New  Brunswick,  and  that  many  under 
his  exhortation  felt  the  Word.  He  again  writes  that  he  gave  a  discourse 
in  the  court  house  in  May,  1810. 

A  charter  was  granted  the  church  June  13,  1799,  and  the  first  minister 
installed  was  Rev.  J.  Totten.  The  progress  of  the  denomination  seems 
to  have  laid  dormant  for  over  a  decade,  when  a  meeting  for  the  election 
of  trustees  was  held  May  27,  1811.  It  appears  that  on  July  18,  1811, 
that  Jacob  Snyder,  James  Williams,  David  Oliver,  Michael  Pool,  Joel 
Conger,  Henry  Goose  and  John  Viliet  took  oath  severally  to  faithfully 
administer  the  office  of  trustee  of  the  Shiloh  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
of  New  Brunswick.  A  lot  was  purchased  in  181 1  on  Liberty  street 
by  the  Rev.  James  Smith,  of  the  Philadelphia  Conference,  from  the 
trustees  of  Queen's  College,  for  $528,  and  was  by  him  deeded  to  the 
trustees  April  26,  1817.  A  brick  church  was  erected  in  181 1  on  this 
lot.  For  the  following  nine  years,  most  of  the  time  the  congregation 
was  a  part  of  a  circuit.  The  Rev.  Charles  Pitman  in  1820  became  the 
first  settled  pastor ;  he  found  twenty  members,  which  in  two  years  was 
increased  to  sixty.  The  church  building  was  completely  destroyed  by 
a  tornado  on  June  19,  1835 ;  its  pastor  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Bull  was  so 
severely  injured  that  he  died. 

Rev.  James  Ayars  was  appointed  pastor  in  1836;  during  his  ministry 
the  church  was  rebuilt  on  the  same  lot,  its  construction  being  of  wood. 
The  congregation  worshipped  in  this  church  until  May,  1876.  During 
the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  B.  S.  Sharp,  1869-71,  the  foundation  of  a  new 
church  was  laid  on  the  corner  of  Liberty  and  George  streets.  The 
church  was  70x95  feet,  and  during  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  John  S. 
Phelps,  1875-77,  was  occupied.  Its  dedication  took  place  in  May,  1876, 
Bishop  Matthew  Simpson  officiating.  For  nearly  twenty  years  the 
building  was  incomplete,  but  in  June,  1896,  when  Rev.  George  C.  Stanger 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH   A\n  SOLDIERS' 
MONUMENT,  NEW  BRUNSWICK 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  339 

was  pastor,  the  steeple  was  raised  to  the  height  of  144  feei,  the  outside 
brick  walls  plastered  with  Portland  cement,  the  interior  remodeled,  the 
pews  equipped  with  cushions,  and  a  pipe  organ  installed.  It  was  dur- 
ing the  pastorate  of  Rev.  William  P.  Davis  that  the  chapel  building  was 
commenced.  The  church  in  late  years  has  been  known  as  the  First 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church ;  its  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Joseph  B.  Kulp. 

It  was  during  a  revival  of  religion  in  185 1  that  the  Rev.  James  D. 
Blain,  pastor  of  the  mother  church,  owing  to  the  prosperous  condition 
of  Methodism  in  New  Brunswick  and  the  prospective  growth  of  the 
city,  advocated  the  establishment  of  another  organization.  A  site  was 
obtained  on  the  corner  of  George  and  Oliver  streets,  and  a  frame  build- 
ing on  brick  foundation  was  erected,  and  was  dedicated  by  Bishop 
Edmund  S.  Jaynes,  August  11,  1852.  The  name  of  the  Pitman  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church  was  given  to  the  congregation  in  honor  of  the 
Rev.  Charles  Pitman,  the  first  settled  minister  of  the  parent  church. 
To  constitute  the  membership  of  the  new  organization,  it  was  decided 
at  a  meeting  of  the  officers  of  the  mother  church,  twelve  in  number, 
that  one-half  of  their  number  should  be  chosen  by  the  pastor,  with 
their  families,  to  constitute  the  new  church.  The  six  persons  chosen 
were  David  Carel,  Robert  Miller,  John  Helm,  William  Ovens,  George 
W.  Price  and  Staten  JeflFries,  so  that  the  actual  membership  of  the 
new  church  was  nearly  fifty  persons.  In  April,  1909,  during  the  pas- 
torate of  Rev.  Herbert  J.  Belting,  a  movement  was  begun  looking 
towards  the  erection  of  a  new  and  modern  structure.  This  enterprise 
was  carried  to  a  successful  completion,  and  the  building  was  dedicated 
December  19.  1909.     The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Leon  Chamberlain. 

In  the  spring  of  1856  the  Rev.  R.  A.  Chalker  was  transferred  from  the 
New  York  Conference  to  the  New  Jersey  Conference,  and  appointed  to 
the  Shiloh  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  There  was  in  that  year  an  exten- 
sive revival  in  the  Liberty  Street  Church ;  about  one  hundred  and  seventy 
persons  were  received  into  the  church  on  probation.  The  church  building 
becoming  too  small  for  the  congregation,  Christopher  Meyers  made  a 
proposition  to  establish  a  third  Methodist  congregation  in  the  city.  He 
offered  to  pay  one-third  of  the  cost  up  to  $20,000  to  build  another  church, 
on  the  condition  that  it  should  be  a  pewed  church  where  his  family  could 
sit  together  during  devotional  services.  This  proposition  was  too 
liberal  to  be  ignored,  and  with  the  cooperation  of  several  members  of 
the  church,  a  sufficient  amount  was  realized  and  a  lot  on  the  corner 
of  Bayard  and  Schuyler  streets  was  purchased.  A  chapel  was  first 
erected,  and  in  1866,  Rev.  John  McClinlock,  afterwards  president  of  Drew 
Theological  Seminary  at  Madison,  New  Jersey,  was  secured  as  a  supply ; 
in  this  capacity  he  served  the  church  for  one  year  and  six  months. 
Meanwhile,  the  main  building  was  completed,  and  dedicated  by  Bishop 
Matthew  Simpson,  November  11,  1866.     It  was  during  the  pastorate  of 


340 


MIDDLESEX 


Rev.  Frederick  C.  Ijhl  that  the  beautiful  church  on  December  13,  1908, 
was  gutted  by  fire,  only  the  walls  and  steeple  remained  standing. 

A  great  social  change  had  been  going  on  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
church,  the  Magyars  coming  into  the  locality  in  decided  numbers,  and  H 
was  decided  to  sell  the  burned  building  to  them  and  purchase  the 
edifice  they  had  been  using  at  the  junction  of  Easton  avenue  and 
Hamilton  street.  This  was  done,  the  Magyar  Hungarian  Presbyterian 
people  receiving  for  their  structure  and  valuable  lot  the  sum  of  $13,000, 
with  the  old  church  and  parsonage  on  Schuyler  street.  The  building 
was  remodeled  to  suit  the  work  of  a  Methodist  Episcopal  church  ;  a  new 
parsonage  was  built  facing  Easton  avenue.  Among  the  early  pastors 
were  Revs.  John  E.  Cookman,  Frank  B.  Rose,  R.  M.  Stratton,  Robert 
Laird  Collier  and  Otis  H.  Tiffany.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Percy  R. 
Comer. 

The  Mount  Zion  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  one  of  the  oldest 
organizations  among  the  colored  people  of  the  city.  The  congregation 
commenced  to  hold  religious  services  in  1827  at  different  places,  finally 
a  church  was  built  on  Division  street.  The  congregation  is  small,  but 
regular  services  are  held.    The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Samuel  L.  Sturges. 

The  Union  African  Methodist  Church  was  organized  with  a  small 
membership  in  1879.  The  Rev.  E.  H.  Chippey  took  charge  in  1880, 
hoping  to  increase  the  membership,  but  his  efforts  were  not  attended 
with  much  success,  and  the  congregation  not  being  self-supporting,  the 
enterprise  was  abandoned. 

Baptist  Churches — Prior  to  1816,  the  Baptists  residing  in  New  Bruns- 
wick were  for  the  most  part  members  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Piscata- 
way  township,  and  occasional  services  were  conducted  for  these  people 
in  New  Brunswick  by  the  pastor  of  the  Piscataway  church.  In  the  year 
1 81 3  a  commodious  church  building  was  erected  on  Somerset  street, 
near  George,  on  a  lot  donated  for  the  purpose  by  Mrs.  Gertrude  Parker. 
On  September  21,  1816,  the  First  Baptist  Church  was  formally  organ- 
ized with  the  following  named  charter  members:  Asa  Runyon,  Henry 
Wright,  Richard  Lupardus,  Sarah  Merrill,  Joseph  Runyon,  Hephzibah 
Walker,  Phoebe  Runyon,  Abigail  Coon,  Elizabeth  Runyon,  Squire  Mar- 
tin, Charlotte  Lupardus,  Sarah  Post,  Sarah  Runyon,  Sarah  Probasco, 
Walter  M.  Henry,  Ruth  Brenner,  Abram  Potts,  Susannah  Martin, 
Richard  E.  Runyon,  Sarah  Ayres,  Sarah  L.  Dunham,  Charles  E.  Hol- 
lingshed,  Sarah  Kent,  Esther  Potts. 

In  1838  the  church  edifice  in  use  at  present,  corner  of  George  and 
Bayard  streets,  was  erected,  and  the  building  and  grounds  formerly 
occupied  was  two  years  later  sold  to  the  New  Jersey  Railroad  and 
Transportation  Company.  The  church  throughout  its  history  of  more 
than  one  hundred  years  has  been  prosperous,  aggressive,  and  profoundly 


LIVINGSTON  AVENUE  BAPTIST  CHURCH.  NEW  BRUNSWICK 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  341 

missionary  in  spirit.  It  has  sent  out  three  colonies  which  have  become 
thriving  churches,  viz. :  The  Livingstone  Avenue  Baptist  Church  of 
New  Brunswick,  the  George's  Road  Baptist  Church,  and  the  South 
River  Baptist  Church. 

In  the  year  1887  the  church  secured  a  lot  at  the  corner  of  Somerset 
and  High  streets,  and  having  erected  thereon  a  substantial  structure 
began  missionary  work  in  that  locality.  This  work  was  carried  on  with 
a  good  degree  of  success  until  the  Hungarians  preempted  that  neighbor- 
hood a  few  years  ago,  when  it  was  changed  from  an  English  speaking 
mission  to  a  Hungarian,  with  a  Hungarian  mission  worker  in  charge. 
An  independent  Baptist  church  composed  of  the  people  of  that  nation- 
ality is  about  to  be  organized.  In  1895  the  church,  encouraged  by  its 
work  in  High  street,  erected  another  chapel  at  the  corner  of  Raritan 
and  Second  avenues.  Highland  Park,  and  there  carries  on  Sunday 
school  work  on  the  Sabbath  and  holds  a  week  night  service.  The  fol- 
lowing named  pastors  have  served  the  church :  James  McLaughlin,  John 
Johnson,  Greenleaf  S.  Webb,  George  R.  Bliss,  Shobal  S.  Parker,  George 
Kempton,  Thomas  R.  Howlett,  Mortimer  S.  Riddell,  Henry  F.  Smith, 
Henry  C.  Applegarth,  Mathew  H.  Pogson,  Linn  E.  Wheeler,  Edwin  F. 
Garrett,  Newton  A.  Merritt,  Howard  A.  Bulson,  and  Linn  E.  Wheeler 
again,  and  for  the  second  time  its  pastor.  The  terms  of  service  of  Webb, 
Smith  and  Wheeler  aggregate  fifty  years.  The  present  membership 
is  818. 

A  large  number  of  the  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  desirous 
of  having  a  new  organization,  organized  a  Bible  school  March  17,  1872. 
A  church  consisting  of  ninety-three  constituent  members,  eighty-two 
of  whom  were  dismissed  by  letter  from  the  First  Baptist  Church,  was 
organized  April  g,  1872,  and  recognized  by  a  council  of  Baptist  churches 
May  9,  1872.  Six  of  these  original  members  are  still  connected  with 
the  church.  Before  the  organization  of  the  church,  Deacon  S.  Van 
Wickle,  of  the  First  Church,  donated  a  site,  and  members  of  the  First 
Church  contributed  $10,000  for  a  new  building.  A  church  edifice  was 
built  on  Remsen  avenue,  corner  of  Redmond  street,  at  a  cost  of  $37,000, 
and  dedicated  May  29,  1873.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  A.  E.  Waffle, 
who  served  from  1873  to  1880.  His  successor  was  Rev.  W.  H.  H.  Marsh, 
who  after  a  pastorate  of  five  years  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  M.  V.  Mc- 
Duffie,  who  continued  in  charge  of  the  congregation  until  1895.  It 
was  during  his  pastorate  that  the  old  church  building  (now  the  Masonic 
Temple)  was  sold,  and  a  new  edifice  erected  on  Livingston  avenue  and 
Welton  street  at  an  expenditure  of  $49,500,  and  the  name  of  the  church 
changed  from  Remsen  Avenue  to  Livingston  Avenue  Baptist  Church. 
The  value  of  the  church  plant  has  been  increased  by  the  addition  of 
a  new  organ,  and  the  completion  of  the  social  rooms  at  a  cost  of  about 
$15,000.     Dr.  McDuilie  was  succeeded  in   May,    1875,  by   Rev.   C.  A. 


342 


MIDDLESEX 


Jenkins,  who  continued  until  1900.  In  April,  1901,  Rev.  Albert  Bacon 
Sears  became  pastor;  the  membership  of  the  church  at  this  time  was 
568.  and  it  was  entirely  free  of  debt,  its  pews  were  free,  the  amount  of 
expenses  being  met  by  subscriptions  in  advance  by  the  members.  No 
fairs  or  festivals  were  ever  held,  and  no  contributions  ever  solicited 
save  from  its  own  members.  The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Paul  Hayne, 
succeeded  Rev.  Mr.  Sears  in  1910.  The  present  membership  is  625, 
and  the  auditorium  has  a  seating  capacity  of  600,  which  can  be  increased 
200  by  the  opening  of  the  adjoining  lecture  room. 

A  number  of  colored  people  in  1876  belonging  to  the  First  Baptist 
Church  met  and  organized  the  Ebenezer  Colored  Baptist  Church.  They 
worshipped  in  a  brick  building  built  for  them  by  the  First  Baptist  Church 
on  Hale  street,  near  Lee  avenue.  The  church  accommodated  about 
one  hundred.  They  were  supplied  with  regular  services,  and  Rev. 
Archie  G.  Young  took  charge  of  the  congregation  in  1880.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Young  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  R.  E.  W.  Roberts,  whose  successor 
was  Rev.  D.  Y.  Campbell,  who  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  A.  Parish, 
The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  E.  E.  Jackson,  who  was  called  in  1915,  and 
during  his  ministry,  the  membership  was  increased  from  sixty-five  to 
two  hundred  and  forty,  the  church  building  remodeled,  a  parsonage 
bought,  and  the  congregation  was  free  of  debt.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson 
resigned  his  charge  July  14,  1920,  to  accept  a  call  to  the  Mount  Calvary 
Church  at  Norwich,  Connecticut.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  J.  W. 
Washington,  formerly  a  resident  of  the  State  of  Texas,  took  charge  in 
December,  1920. 

There  is  a  Hungarian  Baptist  church  in  the  city  that  occupies  a 
small  building  on  Somerset  street  near  Scott  street.  It  has  for  its 
pastor  the  Rev.  John  Fazekas. 

Catholic  Churches — The  first  Catholics  who  came  to  New  Brunswick 
were  a  colony  from  the  province  of  Ulster,  Ireland.  They  came  in  two 
divisions,  numbering  about  fifty  souls  in  all,  the  first  arriving  about 
1814,  the  second  two  years  later.  Among  these  emigrants  were  repre- 
sentatives of  the  McDede,  McConlough,  McGrady,  McShane,  Campbell, 
Hagerty,  Gillen,  Kelly,  DeVinne,  Murphy,  Butler  and  Hasson  families. 
These  formed  the  original  stock  of  the  present  Catholic  population  of 
the  city.  They  met  for  years  in  dififerent  houses  to  recite  the  rosary, 
on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  priests ;  also,  the  difficulty  of  transit  from 
New  York  made  it  impossible  to  obtain  a  priest  to  say  Mass.  The  first 
priest  of  whom  there  is  any  recollection  was  Father  McDonough,  who 
visited  New  Brunswick  on  his  way  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia, 
who  remained  over  night,  preaching  at  the  house  oi  one  of  their  number. 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Powers,  from  St.  Peter's,  New  York,  celebrated  in  1825 
the  first  Mass  in  the  city,  in  a  house  occupied  by  Terence  Rice,  in  the 


ST.  PETER'S  KOiMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,  XEVV  BRUXSWICK 


CITY  OF  NEW   BRUNSWICK  343 

upper  end  of  Albany  street.  The  first  baptism  was  administered  to 
Sarah  Butler  in  the  same  year. 

Four  years  later,  Father  Schneller  came  in  Dr.  Powers'  place  every 
month.  He  suggested  and  urged  the  building  of  a  church,  but  while 
his  congregation  were  enthusiastic  with  the  idea,  no  one  would  sell 
them  ground  for  a  Catholic  church.  A  lot  was  finally  obtained  on 
Bayard  street,  and  a  plain  brick  structure  was  built  in  1830,  and  called 
St.  Patrick's  Church,  but  later  the  name  was  changed  to  Sts.  Peter  and 
Paul.  The  entire  population  of  the  city  at  this  time  was  six  thousand, 
the  Catholic  portion  being  some  three  hundred  souls.  Father  Schneller 
made  monthly  visits  until  1833,  when  his  place  was  filled  by  Father 
(afterward  Bishop)  O'Reilly,  who  was  a  passenger  on  the  ill-fated 
steamer  "President"  when  she  was  wrecked. 

Father  McArdle  took  up  his  residence  in  New  Brunswick  in  1833, 
and  remained  until  1839,  when  he  was  transferred  to  Paterson,  New 
Jersey.  It  was  during  his  pastorate  that  the  tornado  of  1835  took  place, 
which  tore  away  the  rear-end  of  the  church.  For  some  time  the  con- 
gregation were  without  a  resident  priest,  but  Father  Medina  and  after 
him  Father  Deniber  came  every  two  weeks.  Next  came  Father  Mc- 
Guire,  who  became  a  resident  of  the  city  and  remained  until  1845, 
holding  Mass  every  Sunday  in  the  little  brick  church. 

It  was  in  1845  that  Bishop  Hughes  sent  Father  Rogers  to  admin- 
ister to  this  struggling  congregation ;  the  year  before  his  arrival  the 
church  building  had  been  sold  under  a  foreclosure,  and  had  been  bought 
in  for  $600  by  the  members  of  the  church.  Father  Rogers'  first  step 
was  to  lift  this  debt.  In  two  years  he  tore  away  the  boards  that  enclosed 
the  back  of  the  church  and  enlarged  the  edifice ;  next,  he  built  a  school- 
house  and  had  about  thirty  scholars  in  attendance.  Father  Rogers, 
besides  attending  to  the  New  Brunswick  parish,  visited  Perth  Amboy, 
South  Amboy,  Woodbridge,  Somerville,  Millstone,  Plainfield  and 
Princeton.  He  enlarged  the  church  already  built  at  Perth  Amboy, 
also  in  1854  the  Bayard  Street  church,  which  about  this  time  became 
known  by  its  present  title.  He  built  a  gallery  in  the  church  and  in- 
stalled an  organ. 

The  building  of  the  railroad  bridge,  the  erection  of  a  sawmill,  the 
starting  of  the  rubber  industry,  brought  an  increase  of  population  to 
the  city,  principally  Irish  Catholics,  and  it  became  necessary  to  build 
a  larger  church.  The  site  on  Somerset  near  George  street,  where  St. 
Peter's  now  stands,  was  purchased,  and  a  church  building  completed 
which  was  a  credit  to  the  parish.  Father  Rogers  was  succeeded  by 
Father  McCosker,  followed  by  Fathers  Miles  C.  Duggan  and  Patrick 
Downes.  In  1876  Father  John  A.  O'Grady  became  resident  priest; 
he  remained  only  a  short  time,  going  to  Boonton,  New  Jersey,  but  after 
a  short  stay  there  in  1881  returned  to  New  Brunswick  as  acting  pastor 
of  St.  Peter's  Church. 


344 


MIDDLESEX 


John  A.  O'Grady  was  born  in  the  hamlet  of  Montague,  in  the  hills 
of  Sussex  county,  New  Jersey.  Of  throughbred  Celtic  origin,  both 
paternally  and  maternally,  he  was  reared  and  born  a  Jerseyman.  From 
boyhood  he  seemed  to  have  the  vocation  for  the  divine  ministry,  as 
he  assisted  the  mission  priests  in  serving  Mass  in  the  various  churches 
of  his  native  county.  After  attending  the  district  schools,  at  the  age 
of  sixteen,  feeling  he  had  been  called  to  the  priesthood,  he  entered  St. 
Charles'  College,  Ellicott  City,  Maryland,  and  finishing  his  course  at 
this  institution,  he  took  up  the  study  of  theology  and  philosophy  at 
Seton  Hall  College,  South  Orange,  New  Jersey.  Upon  his  ordination 
May  30,  1874,  he  was  appointed  private  secretary  to  Bishop  M.  A. 
Corrigan.  He  was  subsequently  curate  at  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral, 
Newark,  coming  thence  to  New  Brunswick.  On  his  assuming  charge 
of  St.  Peter's  parish,  though  it  had  grown  largely  in  numbers  under 
the  care  of  his  predecessors,  he  faced  an  immense  debt  of  $100,000.  This 
he  eventually  wiped  out;  built  the  parochial  school  and  Columbia  Hall 
at  the  cost  of  $90,000;  made  acquisitions  to  the  cemetery  property  to 
the  extent  of  $20,000;  provided  a  new  $5,000  church  sacristy;  made  an 
addition  to  the  handsome  Gothic  house  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  at  an 
expense  of  $5,000,  and  also  enlarged  the  rectory,  expending  $5,000.  As 
a  crowning  work  of  his  career  in  this  direction,  he  built  and  equipped 
the  non-sectarian  institution,  St.  Peter's  General  Hospital,  at  a  cost 
of  $90,000,  thus  having  under  his  immediate  charge  and  keeping,  prop- 
erty of  the  material  value  of  a  half  million  dollars.  Father  O'Grady 
was  honored  by  the  church  with  the  title  of  Monsignor.  His  thoughts 
and  interests  were  not  limited  to  his  own  parish.  When  he  came  to 
New  Brunswick,  all  the  English  speaking  Catholics  of  the  city  and  its 
immediate  suburbs  were  his  parishioners.  One  of  his  first  movements 
was  the  organization  of  the  parish  of  the  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart. 
He  also  assisted  in  organizing  the  parishes  of  St.  Ladislaus,  Our  Lady 
of  Mt.  Carmel,  St.  Paul's  of  Highland  Park.  He  was  the  rural  dean  of  the 
northern  section  of  the  Diocese  of  Trenton.  His  labors  only  ceased 
with  his  death,  January  15,  1919.  His  successor  is  the  present  priest 
of  the  parish,  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  W.  Norris. 

Sacred  Heart  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  established  in  1883  by 
members  of  St.  Peter's  Roman  Catholic  Church  living  in  the  southern 
section  of  the  city.  The  Rev.  P.  J.  Mulligan,  the  first  priest  in  charge 
of  the  parish,  built  on  the  present  site  a  basement,  the  corner-stone 
being  laid  October  14,  1883.  Services  were  held  in  the  basement  until 
the  church  being  completed,  was  dedicated  May  26,  1886.  The  parochial 
school  building  was  erected  on  Suydam  street,  and  opened  under  the 
tuition  of  Sisters  of  Charity,  July  26,  1886.  Father  Mulligan  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1895  by  Rev.  James  F.  Devine,  who  remained  in  charge  until 
his  death  in  1917,  when  Rev.  Joseph  A.  Ryan  became  his  successor. 


CITY  OF   NEW   BRUNSWICK  345 

The  congregation  now  numbers  1,500  souls,  and  the  real  estate  valuation 
of  the  church  properties  is  $150,000. 

The  German  members  of  the  congregation  of  St.  Peter's  Roman 
Catholic  Church  in  1865  organized  St.  John  the  Baptist  German  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  They  built  their  present  church  on  Neilson  near 
Carman  street,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  about  four  hundred  persons. 
The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Father  Midgeol.  The  Rev.  Horace  T.  Mar- 
tens took  charge  in  1874.  The  church  was  ministered  to  in  1908  by 
Rev.  Joseph  F.  Keuper.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Linneus  E. 
Schwarze. 

Owing  to  the  large  and  increasing  number  of  Hungarians  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith  becoming  residents  of  the  city,  the  St.  Ladislaus 
Hungarian  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  established  in  1904.  The  church 
is  located  on  Somerset  street,  with  a  handsome  rectory  adjoining,  and 
since  the  inception  of  the  parish  the  Rev.  Father  John  N.  Szeneczey  has 
been  in  charge. 

The  St.  Mary  of  Mt.  Virgin  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  organized 
in  1905,  ani.^  a  church  was  built  on  Remsen  avenue,  corner  of  Delevan 
street,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  three  hundred  people,  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  Italian  Roman  Catholics  of  the  city.  The  Rev.  Gerardo 
Christiano  is  in  charge. 

The  St.  Joseph's  Greek  Catholic  Hungarian  Church  was  organized 
in  191 5.  They  worship  in  a  church  located  on  High  street,  under  the 
ministry  of  the  Rev.  George  Hirtz. 

Lutheran — Some  of  the  members  of  the  St.  John's  German  Reformed 
Church  in  1878  withdrew,  and  formed  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Eman- 
uel Church,  which  was  organized  July  14,  1878.  The  congregation  was 
temporarily  in  charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Berkemeyer,  who  was  succeeded  on 
September  14,  1878,  by  Rev.  John  A.  Dewald.  A  place  of  worship  was 
built  in  1879  ^t  the  corner  of  New  and  Kirkpatrick  streets,  having  a 
seating  capacity  of  five  hundred  persons.  The  society  has  had  a  steady 
growth,  and  is  among  the  largest  of  the  German  speaking  churches  in 
the  State.  Rev.  Mr.  Dewald  after  over  forty  years'  service  is  still  in 
charge  of  the  congregation. 

The  First  Hungarian  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  is  situated  on 
Plum  street.    The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  Alexander  Sabol. 

Jewish — The  Jewish  families  residing  in  the  city,  feeling  an  interest 
in  having  a  synagogue  in  New  Brunswick,  and  to  avoid  the  expense  of 
traveling  to  New  York  on  their  Sabbaths,  organized  in  1861  a  congre- 
gation that  met  in  a  hall  on  Peace  street.  They  named  the  congregation 
"Anshe  Emeth"— the  "Man  of  Truth."  The  first  reader  was  Rev.  Isaac 
Schicklen.     They  eventually   erected   a  synagogue   on   the   north   side 


346 


MIDDLESEX 


of  Albany  street  between  Peace  and  Neilson  streets.  There  are  two 
other  Jewish  temples  in  the  city  :  "The  Ahvas  Achim,"  located  on  Rich- 
mond street  between  Dennis  and  Neilson  streets,  of  which  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Ratner  is  the  present  rabbi ;  the  other  "Paile  Sedek"  Synagogue 
on  Neilson  street. 


20 


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