negotiated by ferries. For the time being all the inhabitants were grouped about the Meeting House as a precautionary measure against possible attacks from the savages, for there were known to be Indians, hostile in character, just beyond on the Raritan and the Minnesink, and in the country beyond, called lankackewackky.

Just to the northeast of the main landing was the Town House for the community, used both for civil and religious meetings, but despite the fact the usual inducements were made to engage a minister of the gospel, it was to be another three years before one could be secured for the infant colony. Close by the Town House was the Ordinary, an all important part of every new community. Just above the Town House, or Meeting house was the "Trayning Green" where all the male colonists between 16 and 60 were subject to training for defense in the military company, commanded by Isaac Whitehead. As a further precaution against Indian Raids, the exposed walls of each hut and fence were constructed of eight foot high palisades, and the river served as an efficient means of communication by canoe to and from their dwellings, the Meeting House, and the general Headquarters. All the colonists were skilled in some sort of craft, and Peter, as were his fellow colonists John Winans and Matthias Hatfield, was a weaver, an occupation so needful in the English colonies that each early settler had been urged to see that at least one of his sons was so trained. 3o busy were these early pioneers in their subduing of the wilderness, that they had little time to construct their permanent homes, and for some time continued to live in their Indian type of dwelling, called "wigwam". But four finished houses graced their modest settlement; nor had they even yet decided upon a name for the infant colony (which they thought was to remain their own little community under the jurisdiction of the Governor in New York), when they were hastily summoned to the waterfront on a hot July day, in 1665.

A strange ship, flying the royal pennant, had anchored off the "point", Captain Philip Careret stepped ashore, from the ship's pinnace, exchanged greetings with the group of husky Englishmen now gathered at the Landing and announced himself the new Governor in place of Richard Nichols. His ship had not come directly from England, but had arrived, first, at "Newporte Neuce", Va. He told them, as he had told Richard Nichols, in New York a few days before, that the territory had been subdivided, and Lord John Berkeley, Baron of Stratton, and Sir George Carteret, instead of the Duke of York, Carteret, their new Governor, and

were now the Proprietors.

*

a relative of Sir George was pleased to find a town already under

* See Appendix 18

See Appendix 19

way, and selected the unfinished clearing as the Capital of what was now to be called "New-Jersey." The location of the Government House for the entire province was duly selected, and probably in deference to the sympathetic and beloved wife of Sir George, the new settlement, as well as the Associates' tract of half a million acres, mountains, meadows, and streams, was named the "Elizabeth-towne Plantations", or simply Elizabeth-Towne, as it eventually came to be called. This method of designating a large section by the name of its prime settlement was, and often still is, in rural communities a not unusual practice.

-

The Elizabeth Towne main settlement, by the establishment of the Governor's Headquarters was destined to become a more important town than was originally planned. The completion of the puncheon houses -- sort of walled-in plaisades pierced with a few openings and topped with a roof was accelerated. Peter's six acres of Home Lott lay between the west banks of the Elizabeth river, as it was now designated, and an ill-defined path leading to the Minnesink trail, and adjoined his brother Robert's. The highways bordering these comfortable though primitive dwellings were made exceedingly wide, and served as a part of the "commons" where cattle and pigs ran wild and unattended. Near the principal landing • shortly to be bridged the Governor shortly set up his residence and his official offices, and just north of the new bridge, John Ogden built his dam and mill. The town Meeting House was soon enlarged and eventually was topped with a weather vane, mounting a ball and a weathercock. In order not to interfere with the day's work, town meetings were held in the evening and the colonists were summoned to assemble by a loud and prolonged blast of a horn, until sometime later when a bell was acquired. From time to time new members of the Association were added to its Rolls, but only after careful scrutiny and proper assessment. The presence of the Governor in their midst was to prove both an advantage and a handicap. The Achter Kol or "Elizabeth-town" Associates, still believing themselves to be the essential element of the population were becoming annoyed from time to time by the new arrivals from Governor Carteret's ship-load. These latter people, some thirty men and women, including the Governor himself, were indeed much more French than British in their background and culture, so that these English yeomen even yet incompletely adjusted to the prevailing Dutch environment -- to say nothing of the Indians found it difficult to fit in readily with Carteret and his followers. *

11

See Appendix 20