Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

Indian deed. It would aid greatly in establishing some suppposed, but really unknown, facts relating to the first settlement of Elizabeth Town, if the truth relative to these associates could be learned. There is a record in the town book of Elizabeth Town, which may give aid in that direction. Fifty years after the date of the first settlement there appears this record: "Richard Nicholls, by virtue of the power and authority vested in him by James (then) Duke of York, &c., Did thereby Grant Bargain sell and confirm unto Capt. John Baker (then) of New York, John Ogden (then) of North Hampton and John Bailey and Luke Watson and their associates the premises afores'd in ffee simple, which same associates (together with them the sd Baker, Ogden, Bailey and Watson equally seized Each to a third Lot-right in the premises), were the said John Baker, John Ogden, Jno. Bailey and Luke Watson and with them Thomas Young, Benjamin Price, John Woodruff, Philip Carteret, Two Third lotts, Robert Bond, Sealy Chapman (Transfer'd to Benjamin Parkhurst) William Meeker, Thomas Thompson, Samuel Marsh, Town Lott for the minister, Will'm Piles, Peter Covenhoven, John Brocket (Transfer'd to Sam'l Hopkins) James Bollen, Jacob Melyen, Nicholas Carter and Jeremiah Peck. And, To each a Second Lot-Right in the same Premises, Isaac Whitehead, Joseph Meeker, Humphrey Spinning, Jeoffry Jones, George Ross, Joseph Bond, Matthias Hetfield, Barnabas Winds, Robert White, Peter Morss, John Winans, Joseph Sayre, Richard Beach, Moses Thompson, John Gray, William Johnson, John Brockett, Jun'r, Simon Rouse, William Trotter, John Ogden, Jun'r, Jonas Wood, Robert Morss, Mr. Leprary, Caleb Carwithe, William Pardon and Stephen Osborne. And to each a first lot-Right in the same Premises. Jonathan Ogden, Abraham Shotwell, David Ogden, Nathaniel Tuttell, Benjamin Price, Jun'r, Roger Lambert, Abraham Lawrence, John Hindes, Thomas Moor, Joseph ffrazey, Yokam Andross, Denis White, Nathaniel Norton (since transer'd to Henry Norris) Great John Wilson, Hur Thompson, Benjamin Oman, Evan Salsbury, Little John Wilson, Stephen Crane, Henry Lyon, John Parker, John Ogden, Jr., John Dickinson, Leonard. Headley, Nathaniel Bonnel, George Morris, Joseph Osborn, Pardey, (Transfer'd to Henry Norris) George Pack, John Pope, ffrancis Barber, William Oliver, Richard Painter and Charles Tooker."

There were eighty of these associates, if this last extract be correct. Whether they all came to Elizabeth Town at the same time is problematical; it is not probable that they did. But it is certain that many of them

named in this record, forty in all, took the oath of allegiance on the 19th of February, 1665, and must have been at Elizabeth Town on that day. Many of the present inhabitants of Elizabeth and adjoining towns will recognize their ancestors in this list of worthies. It is now manifest that Philip Carteret and his thirty immigrants had little, if anything, to do with settling Elizabeth Town; when he landed he must have found quite a town there with perhaps two hundred inhabitants. Neither could they have exercised much influence in moulding the future of the settlement. Carteret was a youth of twenty-six years and although he showed some ability and a determination at times, yet in emergencies when he ought have risen superior to fear, he evinced at lack of courage which manifested that he was not equal to the demands made upon him as a ruler of a growing province, in a strange country, where firmness and intensity of purpose were required.'

The immigrants, who accompanied Carteret, were not qualified either by character, influence or education to make themselves felt by the community into which they were introduced. They made no impression whatever on the people or the State, and are never heard of again, with perhaps one exception, Mr. Robert Vauquellin, who filled quite a prominent position in the colony. He was, as already stated, afterwards surveyor-general, became a member of the Governor's Council and met with the first Legislature

The real founders of Elizabeth Town, the promoters of its best interest, its most permanent advantages, were to be found among the eighty associates; those sturdy, self-denying, God-fearing Puritans who left the mother country and their new homes in New England for conscience's sake and for principle. It is possible that earthly motives may have entered into the inducements which led them to New Jersey, but, undoubtedly, the main impelling force which sent these associates thither were the liberal concessions and generous promises made in the "grants and concessions" which had been scattered all through New England in the early part of 1664.

In 1661 a glowing description of the province had been published which expatiated on the goodness of the climate; the wonderful variety of its productions in fruits, vegetables, trees and grains; of the numer

1 On page 41 of this history, reference is made to the settlement of Elizabeth Town. It is there stated that Carteret and his thirty immigrants with the four families already there, founded that ancient and venerable town. This is an error. Investigations made since that page was written have complelely satisfied the author that he was mistaken. It is hoped that the error is now completely corrected.

ous kinds of game, fish, minerals, and of the exceeding fertility of the soil. If the account were to be believed, it was a veritable earthly paradise. As early as 1650, the natural beauty of the country, its great productiveness and its beautiful scenery had been described in most enthusiastic terms.

This was the country to which came these hardy settlers imbued with the peculiar religious tenets of their Puritanic faith, and these were the elements with which this new colony was to begin the battle with the wilderness; subdue its savage fastnesses; to introduce the arts of a cultivated and educated life and interject a christian civilization into this western world. In some respects they seemed unfitted for those high ends, but they had peculiarities of temperament and culture which placed them in the front of the battle. from the mother country was of little aid; the true contestants in that noble strife.

The governor sent them they were the real heroes,

The enterprise had not been undertaken without thought, examination and discussion. Persons with wisdom and large experience were sent to view the land where the settlement was proposed to be made; the prospects and other circumstances connected with the undertaking were discussed, and doubtless, the blessing of Almighty God was invoked for guidance.

It was agreed that the land of the colony should be divided among the immigrants in the following proportions, according to the amount. of money paid; first, second and third lot; the second to be double, and the third, treble the first. But whatever may have been the rights of the settlers as to the division of land, in the allotment of homesteads all settlers were on the same footing, each receiving a lot of six acres; the only difference being the location, which, as in Newark, was probably determined by lot. These home lots were laid out on both sides of the creek and the lands thus divided extended some two miles westward. There could be no exact regularity in these lots; the course of the stream, the conformation of the land and other circumstances undoubtedly prevented that.

Very soon immigration began to pour in its scores of settlers who came mostly from the same source, New England, and were of the same class of people. Some came directly from Long Island, but originally from Connecticut and other parts of New England. For the first five or six years very few, if any, were emigrants from the mother country.

Like most of the towns in New Jersey the business of the municipality was conducted at town meetings, and of these meetings a correct record was kept for nearly fifty years, or until 1718, when the town records disappeared in some mysterious manner, the probability being that they were stolen or destroyed by some person interested in their destruction. Fortunately, some few extracts from them have been preserved, from one of which a glimpse may be obtained of the growth of the town. In 1665-6, this appears: "At a meeting Court held at Elizabeth Town in the province of New Jersey, the 19th of February, 1665-6, by the Freeholders and Inhabitants thereof, James Bollen, Esq., President by the approbation of the Governor Philip Carteret, Esq., it was concluded and agreed that the aforesaid town shall consist of fourscore families for the present and that if hereafter more shall present they may make an addition of twenty more, according to their discretion for the good and benefit of the town (as to them) shall seem fit." This is certified to be "A true copy from Elizabeth Town Book of Records, No A. fol. 14. per "

"SAMUEL WHITEHEAD, Town Clerk." The number A, of this Book denotes that it must have been the first record kept. The number of the page also denotes that the record of some town meetings must have preceded that particular entry. The town was settled in the autumn of 1664. This record was made in February, 1666, according to modern methods of computing time. The town meetings were held annually, but, in the early history of the town it may have been necessary to convene the voters oftener.

Elizabeth Town sent John Ogden, jr., and Jacob Mollins as their deputies or representatives to the first Legislature of New Jersey. These men both took the oath of allegiance, Mollins as Moullaines, and both are named among the eighty associates, Mollins by the name of Melyen.

Newark was settled two years later than Elizabeth Town, by the same class of people-Puritans from New England. The immigrants at Newark were made of sterner stuff than those of Elizabeth Town, but there was always a brotherly feeling between the two communities; it could not be otherwise.

The first colonists at "our Town on the Passaick" took instant measures, as soon as possible after their arrival, to make an equitable division of the land among the settlers, according to the "Fundamental Agreements." They accordingly laid out three main streets, the Broad

Street, the West Back Lane and the East Back Lane, now called Broad, Washington and Mulberry Streets. After providing that the inhabitants of the principal localities in New England from which the colonists came, should not be separated, they divided the land fronting on these three principal streets into home lots of six acres each, then, meeting together, they invoked the divine blessing and proceeded to draw lots for the choice of the plots of land thus divided. They first resolved, however, that specified parcels should be devoted to certain purposes; the minister's lot; the watering place; the burying place; the training places; the market place; the boatman's lot; the mill lot and the elder's lot were those which were thus excepted from the division by chance. Robert Treat, who was the Magnus Apollo of the colony, was not required to submit his choice to hazard, but was permitted to make the first selection. His election showed the wisdom and the forethought of the man, for it fell on the premises on the southeast corner of Broad and Market streets, always the most valuable ground in the town.

After attending to these preliminaries, the people proceeded to draw lots. It can be determined to-day with perfect certainty which lot was drawn by each individual settler. A record has been preserved to this time of those who received their lands by this method of distribution. There is only one of the lots thus divided, any part of which is, to-day, in the possession of a descendant of the first proprietor. William Campe, one of the original settlers and one of those who signed the fundamental agreements, had alotted to him the ground now situate on the corner of Broad and Chestnut Streets extending southward towards what is now Pennington Street, and bounded on the east by the West Back Lane, as Mulberry Street was then called. One of his descendants, of the same name, still owns and occupies a portion of that ground. Until a very few years ago a part of another lot was occupied and owned by a descendant of Samuel Plum, former owner of the whole premises the title to which was acquired by lot.

So soon as the necessary settlement of the division of the ground to the colonists was determined, the people went diligently to work to improve their homesteads; to erect their modest homes; to provide for the wants of their families and to protect the town and people against the attacks of wild beasts. These first settlers of "our town on the Passaick "were bold men; ready for any emergency, but while mindful of present duties and provident for the future, they did not neglect to

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »