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 25, 2 - # 7, & 5 FROM THE BRIG-HT LEG-ACY. | One half the income from this Legacy, which was received in 188o under the will of | JONATHAN BRowN BRIGHT of Waltham, Massachusetts, is to be expended for books for the College Library. The other half of the income is devoted to scholarships in Harvard Uni versity for the benefit of descendants of HENRY BRIGHT, J.R., who died at Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1686. In the absence of such descendants, other persons are eligible to the scholarships. The will requires that this announcement shall be made in every book added to the Library under its provisions. <--…， （*~*** :：：：： ;3. w º º zzº - Kºż7= gº flºº - Zz }% º ſº ſº # #: º º ſºlº % aſſº *S*= Ž - 4 + | º . º H % : - "ill Fº iii.;; --*º: L | #|||}}}}} ſº OLD GLOUCESTER COUNTY COURT HOUSE, AT wooDBURY. From sketch ey. Frank H. Tayl-on . died ty * - . i. W. A. RT ". sº ºty * * * , NOTES ON Old Gloucester County N E W J E R S E Y HISTORICAL RECORDS PUBLISHED BY THE New JERSEY Society of PENNSYLVANIA • VOLUME I Compiled and Edited by FRANK H. STEWART HistoriaN of The society 1917 * * ** a sº &ºirs HEB 27 1918 ° £1sraex º * CopyRIGHTED 1917, By THE New JERsky Society of Pennsylvania Printed by Sinnickson Chew & Sons Company CAMDEN, New Jersey 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. 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, 1917. 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................................ 51 º' 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, 17ol to 1800. 87–132 James B. Cooper, a Hero of Two Wars. I33 Gen. Franklin Davenport................................... I39 Col. Thomas Heston........................................ I43 The Indian King... I47 Woodbury Fire Company.... I5I Samuel Mickle's Diary...................................... I55 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.................................... 29I Haddon Hall, of Haddonfield............. 293 Journal of Thomas Clark................................... 303 Battle of Chestnut Neck.................................... 307 Life of Dr. Bodo Otto, Jr................................... 309 Custom House of Little Egg Harbor........................ 3I3 Diary of Ann Whitall...................................... 315 Historical Notes............................................ 317 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 . | 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................................ I50 Old Tatem Oak, Mt. Royal................................. I54 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,