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Notes on Old Gloucester County, New Jersey

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Notes on Old Gloucester County, New Jersey This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com OLD GLOUCESTER COUNTY COURT HOUSE AT WOODBURY. FROM SKETCH BY FRANK H. TAYLOR NOTES ON Old Gloucester County NEW JERSEY Historical Records Published by The New Jersey Society of Pennsylvania volume I Compiled and Edited by FRANK H. STEWART HISTORIAN OF THE SOCIETY 1917 0 Copyeighted 1917, ey The New Jeesey Society of Pennsylvania Peinted ey Sinnickson Chew & Sons Company Camden, New Jeesey New Jersey Down from thy hills the streams go leaping, Up from thy shores the tides come creeping, In bay and river the waters meet, Singing and singing with rhythmic beat Songs no orchestra may repeat, New Jersey! Fled from the southern sun's fierce burning, Back from the chill of the north wind turning, With mayflowers decking her form so rare And magnolias redolent in her hair, Queen Flora rests on thy bosom fair, New Jersey! Lakes the feet of thy mountains are laving, Over thy plains the forests are waving, Across thy meadows and marshes and sands Orchards and farms are clasping their hands, Garden of States in fairest of lands ! New Jersey! Smoke from thy cities' chimneys rising Looms to the sky, a Genius surprising, — A Genius whose touch to new visions gives birth. Of homes rejoicing in music and mirth, And song floating everywhere over the earth, New Jersey! Quaker and Dutchman, long ago meeting, Hailed thy shores with immigrants' greeting, And still on the old home sites to-day Their children's children sturdily stay, Glad for thy progress and leading the way, New Jersey! Mother, dear Mother, thy sons are proclaiming Loyalty; with their banners aflaming The Jersey Blues still march at thy side, Eager to cheer thee with love and with pride, Ready to guard thee, whatever betide. New Jersey! James Lane Pennypacker, Haddonfield, June 2, 1917. (RECAF? "2 597:317 The New Jersey Society of Pennsylvania PHILADELPHIA The action of The New Jersey Society of Pennsyl vania in causing to be printed the "Notes on Old Glouces ter County, New Jersey," compiled by Mr. Frank H. Stewart, the Historian of the Society, was the result of a motion made at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Society, held on May 4th, 191 7. At that meeting the following action was taken : On motion duly made by Mr. John W. Sparks, and seconded by Mr. George B. Hurff, the Chair appointed Messrs. Mulford and Stewart a committee of two to act in conjunction with the Ban quet Committee, and cause to be printed at the expense of the Society and distributed at the annual banquet of the Society, to be held on December 18th, 1917, copies of "Notes on Old Gloucester County," written and edited by the Historian of the Society, Mr. Frank H. Stewart. WILLIAM J. CONLEN, Secretary. FOREWORD All over the State of New Jersey there are priceless historical and genealogical manuscript records gradually decaying and wearing away. Every year destruction by fire, age and carelessness takes place. Books and papers of a public nature are in private hands, sometimes rightly and oftentimes otherwise. Before it is too late legisla tion should be enacted providing at Trenton or elsewhere a fire-proof building suitable for preserving and making accessible the old unknown and unused records that are now stored in boxes or jammed in drawers in the various county buildings. In all of the New Jersey counties are marriage records. These by all means should be printed in the New Jersey Archives. Various Church records of great value for the vital statistics they contain are stowed away in attics and every time the clergyman changes loss is likely to occur. Township records, unrecorded deeds, ancient diaries, surveyors' maps, church documents and letters are invariably in private hands, and many of the owners would gladly give them to the State of New Jer sey if a proper custody were provided. The New Jersey Society of Pennsylvania believes it can do a noble work by publishing, from time to time, county by county, as its funds permit, the most important happenings of a historical character. With nothing but a deep desire to preserve worthy records, the compiler has possibly followed an unique course in the belief that the ordinary man is selfish enough to desire that the his tory of his family should be forever saved. Therefore, 6 Foreword. if this publication should seem to be over-burdened with names it is because of the wish to impress on as many people as possible that they have a personal family inter est in the records that will not exist a few years hence if immediate action is not taken either to copy them or safeguard the originals. The compilation of this book has taken altogether several months of time, and to many kind friends whose names appear as authors of different papers the Society here makes acknowledgment. The names of the con tributors are George E. Pierson, Wallace McGeorge, M. D., Louis B. Moffett, Rev. Edgar Campbell, George B. Macaltioner, Gideon Peaslee, Frank H. Taylor, James L. Pennypacker and Samuel N. Rhoads. To other good friends who have otherwise assisted by making easily accessible countless pages of manuscript records the compiler is indebted. Frank H. Stewart. Contents Page. New Jersey, a poem 3 Gloucester County Court Records, 1686 to 1799 9-28 Old Trinity Church, Swedesboro 29 Battle of Red Bank 35 Gloucester County Merchant S1 Township Book of Great Egg Harbor 55 Inn and Tavern Licenses 60 Slavery in Old Gloucester 65 King's Highway 69 Moravian Church 77 Gloucester County Freeholders' Records, 1701 to 1800 87-132 James B. Cooper, a Hero of Two Wars 133 Gen. Franklin Davenport 139 Col. Thomas Heston 143 The Indian King 147 Woodbury Fire Company 151 Samuel Mickle's Diary ■■ 155 Job Whitall's Diary 255 Spelling of Family Names 261 First Quakers in Old Gloucester 263 Ancient Burial Places 265 Old Gloucester County, its Formation and its Divisions 289 Distinguished Clergymen 291 Haddon Hall, of Haddonfield 293 Journal of Thomas Clark 3<>3 Battle of Chestnut Neck 307 Life of Dr. Bodo Otto, Jr 309 Custom House of Little Egg Harbor 313 Diary of Ann Whitall 315 Historical Notes 31 7 Gloucester Fox Hunting Club 322 Docket of John Litle, J. P 325 Historical References 329 Officers, Committees and Members of The New Jersey Society of Pennsylvania 332-336 Index 337 Illustrations Page. Old Gloucester County Courthouse, 1787-1885 Frontispiece Defying the Hessians, Red Bank 34 Old Milestone on King's Highway 68 Old Moravian Church 76 Indian King Tavern, Haddonfield 146 Woodbury Fire Engine, 1799 T5° Old Tatem Oak, Mt. Royal 154 Proprietors' Tree at Gloucester 254 Graveyard, Moravian Church 264 Elizabeth Haddon House 292 Notes on Old Gloucester County- Gloucester County Court Records* Two hundred and thirty-one years ago Gloucester county was established, and despite the fact that several fires have occurred in the County Court houses since then, the Court records still exist in fair condition after the ravages of time and use are considered. Gloucester county was the first county in America established by its inhabitants. The first page of the first Court book con tains the following : Gloucester ye 28th May, 1686 By the Proprietors, Freeholders and inhabitants of the Third and Fourth Tenths (Alias County of Glouces ter) then agreed as followeth : Imprimis — That a Court be held for the Jurisdiction and limits of the aforesaid Tenths or County one Tyme at Axnamus alias Gloucester and an other tyme at Red Bank. Item — That there be four courts for the Jurisdiction aforesaid held in one year at ye days and tymes hereafter mentioned viz, upon the first day of the first month, upon the first day of the fourth month, on the first day of the seventh month and upon ye first day of the tenth month. Item — That the first Court shall be held at Gloucester aforesaid upon the first day of September next. Item — That all warrants and summons shall be drawne by the Clerke of the Courte and signed by a Justice and soe delivered to the Sheriff or his Deputy to execute. * By Frank H. Stewart. io Notes on Old Gloucester County. Item — That the bodye of each warrant &c shall Contayne or Intimate the nature of action. Item — That a copy of the Declaration be given along with ye warrant by the Clerke of the Court that soe the defendant may have the longer tyme to considder the same and prepare his answer. Item — That all summons warrants &c shall be served and declaration given at least ten days before the Court. Item — That the Sheriff e shall give the jury summons six dayes before the Courte be held at which they are to appear. Item — That all persons within ye jurisdiction aforesaid bring into the next Courte ye marks of their Hoggs and other Cattell in order to be approved and recorded. The Ear Mark Book. This book contains about two hundred and fifty ear mark registrations, and is a practical directory of all of the first settlers of the county, beginning at 1686. A fac simile copy of the book has been made by request of the writer and is now in The Genealogical Society of Penna., 1300 Locust street, Philadelphia. Many of the members of the New Jersey Society of Pennsylvania will find the hog ear marks of their ancestors in this book.
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