142 P2 N2 —————— ^—— opy 1 rORICAL AND STATISTICAL MEMORANDA RELATIVE TO Passaic County, Ne^A^ Jersey COMPILED m W.M, NKLSOX. :(>:- PATERSON, N. J. ; rHISWEI.I. i WUKTS, JOB I'KFNTEKS. 1874. HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL MEMORANDA, RELATIVE TO Passaic County. New Jersey COMPILED BY \VM. NELSON, :o:- PATERSON, X. J. : CHISWELL A WURTS, ,IOB PHINTEKS. 1874. Tz ^^ eff i The following memoranda were compiled from original sources for the use of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Passaic county, New Jersey, by the Clerk of that body. Fifty copies were printed, thirty being annexed to the "Manual" of said Board, and twenty copies issued in this shape, for private circulation. W. N. -oo- -> »^^^«^-*-' Historical and Statistical Memoranda. Part I.— Historieal, FIRST SETTLEMENTS IN VHE COUNTY. The first settlement in Passaic county was at Acquack- anonk. The country so called by the Indians embraced the entire Passaic Valley, and highlands adjoining, on both sides the Passaic river, from the Yantacaw or Third river northerly to the Saddle river. The name appears to be first found in an Indian deed, dated April 4th, 1678, from Capteham Peeters, an ladian Sachem, to Hartman Mac- hielson (Vreeland), conveying " a great Island lyeing in the River of Pisaick near by Aquickanucke by the Indians called Menehenicke" (now known as Dundee Island). Hartman received a patent for the island from the E. J. Proprietors, January 6, 1685, he bargaining to pay yearly "the chief or quit rent of one fatt henn." We next find "Haquickenock " mentioned in a deed dated July 15, 1678, from Sir George Carteret (one of the original two propri- etors of New Jersey) to Christopher Hoogland, a New York merchant, for two adjoining tracts of land, 278 acres in all, lying in what is now the city of Passaic, and which may be roughly described as bounded on the east by the Passaic river ; north by Monroe street ; west by Lexing- ton avenue and Prospect street ; south by River street and the river. The consideration was a yearly quit-rent of half a penny per acre, or lis., 7d. in all. This tract was known, from the first purchaser, as " Stotfle's (Christo- pher's) Point." February 16, 1679-80 (1680, New Style), Hoogland sold the propel ty to Hartman Macheelsie (Vree- land), who occupied it with his brothers Johannes and Cornelius. H HISTORICAL MEMORANDA, March 28, 1679, Captahem, Indian Sachem and Chief, " in the Pr'sence and by the aprobation and consent of Memiseraen, Mindawas, Ghonnajea, Indians and Sachems of the said country, for and In Consideration of a certain P'rsall of Coates, Blankets, kettles, powder, and other goods," conveyed the tract " known by the name of Ha- quequenunck" unto Hans Dederick, Gerret Garretsen, Walling Jacobs and Hendrick George; the tract "Be- ginning from the northermost bound of the towne of New- ark from the Lowermost pa-t thereof to the Uppermost as fare as the steep Rocks or Mountaines, and from thence to Run *all along the said Pisawick River to a White Oake tree standing neere the said River on the north side of a small brook, and from thence run up *to the steep rocks or Mountaines, Which said tree was marked by the said Captaham In the Psence of La Prairie Survey" or General." March 16, 1684 (1685, N. S.), the E. J. Pro- prietors confirmed the above deed by a patent to Hanse Diderick, Garret Garretson (Garrison and Van Wagoner), Walling Jacobs (Van Winkle), Elias Machielson (Vree- land), Hartman Machielson (Vreeland), Johannes Mac- hielson (Vreeland), Cornelius Machielson (Vreeland), Ad- rian Post, Urian Tomason (Van Riper), Cornelius Rowlof- son (Van Houten), Symon Jacobs (Van Winkle), John Hendrick Speare, Cornelius Lubbers (Van Blarcom) and Abraham Bookey, for £50 and a yearly quit rent of half a penny per acre, or XUyearly.t With two or, three excep- tions, the patentees settled here about 1686-90, and from time to time thereafter divided up the tract into large parcels, each parcel being subdivided into twenty-eight lots of about equal size, each patentee having two lots in each parcel. Thus there were the "Boght" (Paterson), *Here there is a blank in the deed as recorded at Tren- ton. tThe original Patent, on a great sheet of parchment, is in the possession of ex-Judge Henry P. Simmons, of Pas- saic, who has recently had it photographed. PASSAIC COITATY. HI the "Wesel," the "Gotham'" and the "Acquackanonk" divisions, and " the Hundred \cre Lots." The next settlement appears to have been made at Pomp- ton. June 6, 1695, Major Anthony Brockholls and Capt- Arent Schuyler, both of New York, bought 5,500 .acres of land "at or near Pekquaneck and Pontam* creek." The grantors were Taepgan, Oragnap, Mansiem, Wickwam- Rookham, Paakek, Siekuak, Waweigin, Onagepunk, Nes- kilanitt, Peykqueneck and Poutom [Indians] and laiapogh, Sachem of Mininssing. November 11, 1695, various deeds releases and assignments having been executed by the in- dividual Proprietors, a patent for the above land was granted to Brockholls and Schuyler. August 10, 1696, they bought 240 acres more, " on Spring Brook, called by the Indian name Singanck." It was probably a few years later before Brockholls and Schuyler actually settled at Pompton. The sites of their dwellings were about where Maj. Wm. W. Colfax and Dr. Wm. W. Colfax now live, at Pompton, Brockholls on the former, and Schuyler on the latter site. Samuel Bayard, George Ryerson, John Mead, Samuel Berrie, David Mandeville and Hendrick Mandeville were associated with Brockholls and Schuyler In the purchase of the above tracts. The first property was subsequently divided into three parcels : the Lower Pacquanac Patent, 2750 acres ; the Upper Pacquanac Patent, 1260 acres; and the Pompton Patent, 1250 acres. September 16, 1709, Pecca Chica, Cancheris, Mochson, Thetochhulun, Mondsolom, Nachpunch, Ancnock, Gwach, pachtan, Amegatha (and four others), Indians of North- ern New Jersey, convey to George Ryerson of Pechque- nack, Francis Ryerson of New York, and Jurya Wester- velt of Hackensack, yeomen, "all that certain tract of land in Essex county, on Passaik river, beginning by the said river and running along Jacob Corlion (Cortelyou's?) line, backwards till it comes to the Great Stone, and then run- *A clerical error for Pomtan, as the name was generally written. IV HISTORICAL MEMORANDA, ning up west northwest line till it comes to the first hill and then running along to the foot of the second hill till it comes half the hill, then running along the same second hill till it comes to meet a small branch or gully, and then running along until it comes over the Road of Pompton, and so along the hill until it comes to a thick gully of wa- ter, running where the hill turns a little west and from thence down to Passaic river where that little Island is, only excepted SchIchamack."-(//idirtn Deed in possession of John J. Zabriskie, Hohokus.) The writer has not seen any Patent from the E. J. Proprietors for the above purchase, but it was doubtless granted, as the Ryersons and Wester- velts owned most of that land until the present century. Some time prior to 1710, Anthony Biockholls, Helmegh Roelofse (Van Houten) and Roelof Helmeghse (Van Hout- en) appear to have bought the Totowa tract, extending 261 chains (3>4 miles) northwest from the Passaic river. It was divided into Lots Nos. 1, 2 and 3, the Van Houtens owning No. 1, the most northwesterly, at or near Sin- gack. May 29, 1724, they bought of Susanna, widow and executrix of Brockholls, Lot No. 2, 313 acres, for £312. Dec. 27, 1768, the heirs of the Brockholls estate convey for £1800, Lot No. 3, 638 acres, to Garrcbrandt Van Hout- en, Marte Ryerse, Holmer Van Houten and Abraham God- win. November 27, 1711, Peter Sonmans, son of Arent Son- mans, one of the East Jersey Proprietors, conveys to frans Post, Jan Sip, Harmanus Gerritse, Thomas Jurlanse, Christopher Stynock (Stynniets), Cornelis Doramus, Peter poulosse and Hessel Pieterse, yeomen, for £660, a tract extending from the "Great Falls of Pesaick river" up the river to Peckamen river, and over to the mountains, etc., 2,800 acres in all. Oct. 9, 1717, Joseph Heale, of Stains, Middlesex county, England, and Mercy Beuthall, of Grace Church street, Lon- don, widow, and Richard Ashficld, grandson and heir of Patience Ashfleld (Mercy Benthall and Patience Ash- PASSAIC COUNTY. field being devisees of Thomas Hart, deceased, of Enfleld, Middlesex county, England, one of the E. J. Proprietors ; and Heale being executor of Patience Ashlield) convey to Dirrick Dey, of Bergen county, yeoman, a tract of 600 acres adjoining Johannes De Reimers (Doremus') laud on Slnghack brook ; bounded easterly partly by said brook and partly by Capt. Joris Ryerson's line ; southerly by the land of Rip Van Dam (Mayor of New York) ; and wester- ly by said De Reimer's land, April 5, 1751, David Ogden, one of the Proprietors, con- veyed to Gerrebrant Vanhouta and Hellmigh Vanhouta 105 acres of land, which they " took up " " at the moun- tain between Weg.aw and Pareknis, at the meeting of two small brooks called Palm brooks, and near Bare Mountain," The foregoing deeds indicate where the earliest settle- ments in the county were made. Pompton and West Milford townships were not much settled till about the middle of the last century, the London Iron Company hav- ing then bought most of the land north of Pompton, and imported German workmen, whose descendarfts principally occupy those two townships to this day, THE TOWNSHIPS. Acqvackanonk. — An act of 1693 provided that "the Township of Acquickanick, and New Barbados, shall in- clude all the Land on the Pissiack river above the third Riv- er, and from the Mouth of the said third River Northwest to the Partition Line of the Province, including also all the Land in New Barbados Neck, betwixt Hackinsack and Pissaick River, and thence to the Partition Line of the Province." An act of 1709 restricted Acquackanonk to the territory now embracing Passaic, Acquackanonk, Little Falls, and that portion of Pater.son lying south of the Passaic river. Pompton.— This township was set off from Saddle River and Franklin townships, Bergen county, February 8, 1797. Pa/cr.soii.— Incorporated as a Towu, 1792, but never or- ganized, and not set off from Acquackanonk township nn- VI HISTORICAL MEMORANDA, til January 2T, 1831. March 19, 1851, incorporated as a city, and divided into three wards. March 2, 1854, part of Man- chester township annexed to Paterson, as the north ward of said city. March 17, 1855,the fifth ward was set off from the south. March 24, 1868, the north ward divided into the first and second wards ; the east into the third and fourth ; the west changed to the sixth ; the south divided into the seventh and eighth. March IT, 1869, parts of Acquackanonk and Little Falls annexed to Paterson as the ninth ward. March 23, 1871, the ninth ward incorpor- ated into the fourth, seventh and eighth, and the bounda- ries of the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth wards materi- ally altered. West Milford.—Set Off from Pompton township, Februa- ry 25, 1834. Maiicfiester.—Set off from Saddle River township, Ber- gen county, February 27, 1837. Jfiofj/ne.— Set off from Manchester township, February 10, 1847. Little Falls.— Set off from Acquackanonk, April 2, 1868. Passaic— Set off from Acquackanonk as a Village, March 21, 1871 ; incorporated as a city, and divided into first, sec- ond and third wards, April 7, 1873. REPRESENTATION IN THE COUNTY BOARD. Originally, each township was entitled to elect two Cho- sen Freeholders. When Paterson was incorporated as a city, with three wards, the city was still allowed but two members, elected at large. Feb. 18, 1853, two were allow- ed for each ward. Feb. 25, 1858, there then being five wards, they were allowed but one member for each, while all the townships still had two members. Feb. 20 and March 24, 1868, the city was again allowed two members for each of its eight wards, and that year the Board con- tained twenty-eight members. March 25. 1869, the repre- sentation was reduced to one member from each town- ship and ward, or fifteen in all, and that has been the law i; PASSAIC COUNTY. VII since. At present, 18T4, there are eight members from Paterson, three from Passaic, and one from each of the six townships. Total membership, seventeen. REPRESENTATION IN THE LEGISLATURE. The territory now Included in Passaic county was represented as follows tn the Legislature, from 1776 to 1837: In the Council— hj Theunis Dey, of Lower Preakness, 1779-80-81 ; Wm. Colfax, of Pompton, 1808,12-13 ; Charles Kinsey, of Paterson, 1814 ; Martin Ryerson, of Pompton, 1817; Charles Board, of Boardville, 1824-5-6; Nathaniel Board, of Boardvile, 1827-8-9-30; Jacob M. Ryerson, of Pompton, 1831 ; Charles Poard, 1832-3 ; Andrew Parsons, of Paterson, 1836. In the Assembly — by Henry Garritse of Acquackanonk, David Board, of Boardville, and Theunis Dey, of Lower Preakness, 1776; Jost Beam, of VVauaque, 1777-8; Henry Garritse, 1782-3-4-5-6-7-8 ; Theunis Dey, 1783 ; David Poard, Edow Merseallus, of Upper Preakness, 1784 ; David Board, 1786 ; John Benson (probably lived in what is now Water street, Paterson), 178S-9 ; Abraham Speer, of Acquacka- nonk, and John Benson, 1793 ; Abraham Speer, 1796, 98- '9- 1800 ; John Dey, of Lower Preakness, 1799-1800-01 ; Ralph Post, of Acquackanonk, 1801; Abraham Godwin, of Pat- erson, 1802-3; Martin J. Ryerson, of Pompton, 1803; Abraham Speer, 1806-7; William Colfax, 1806-7, '9-10-11 ; Abraham Godwin, Abraham Van Houten, both of Pater- son, 1807 ; Abraham Godwin, 1810, Abraham Ackerman, 1811 ; Martin Van Houten, of Totowa (?), 1812; Charles Kinsey, of I aterson, 1813 ; Jacob K. Mead, of Mead's Basin, 1814; Charles Board. 1815; Cornelius Merselis, of Preakness, 1816-17; Nathaniel Board, 1818; Charles Kin- sey, 1819 ; Charles Board, 1820-21 ; Philemon Dickerson, of Paterson, 1821-2-3 ; Abraham Godwin, Jr., of Paterson, and Nathaniel Board, 1824 ; John Travers, of Paterson, 1825; Brant Van Blarcom, of Paterson, 1826; Abraham VIII HISTORICAL MEMORANDA, Godwin, Jr., of Paterson, 1828; Cornelins G. Van Riper, of Acquackanonk, 1830 ; John P. Jackson, of Acquacka- uonk, and William Dickey, of Paterson, 1831-2 ; Cornelius G. Van Riper, and Robert Morrell, of Acquackanonk, 1833; Andrew Parsons, of Paterson, 1834-5 ; Jetur R. Rlggs, of West Milford, 1836. The list of members since 1837 is given in appendix to Proceedings of the Board for 1873-4 ; see pp. 137-42, ORGANIZATION OP THE COUNTY. In the winter of 1828-9 two or three bills were Introduc- ed into the Legislature for the division of Essex, Bergen and Morris counties ; one being for the erection of Pater- son county, embracing the territory now in Passaic coun- ty, except Pompton and West Milford, and including part of Morris county; the other bill being for setting off Pompton and West Milford and parts of Morris into a new county, to be called " Pompton county." Both bills failed, in common with a project for the erection of Atlantic county, in the southern part of the state. In the winter of 1836-7, new county projects were revived, and the friends of the proposed Passaic and Atlantic counties making common cause, both counties were created, by act of February 27, 1837. Andrew Parsons was the flrst Councillor from the new county ; Aaron S. Pennington, of Paterson, and Henry M. Brown, of West Milford, the first Assemblymen. Peri- grine Sandford, of Paterson, the first County Clerk ; Silas D. Canfield, of Paterson, the first Surrogate ; Rynier S. Speer, of Acquackanonk, the first Sheriff. The Chosen Freeholders elected in April hired a room in the Passaic hotel, at River and Bank streets, Paterson, for county purposes, and the first term of the courts was held there. The first annual meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders was held at Jacob Ru tan's house (North Main street, north side, about midway between Jefferson street and Ilaledon avenue, but long since PASSAIC COUNTY. IX removed), Manchester, and organized by the election of Cornelius I. Westervelt as Director, Andrew Mead as Clerk, and Geo. I. Ryerson as Collector. Messrs. Joseph Jackson, Cornelius I. Westervelt, Peter A. Hop- per and Geo. I. Ryerson are the only survivors of the first members and officers. May 30, 1837, the Board resolved to rent the basement of the Cross street M. E. Church for the holding of the courts, at $60 per year, and that place was occupied immediately for that purpose. THE COUNTY BUILDINGS. June 26, 1837, the Board decided to buy the site now occupied, for court house and Jail, $1,000 being promised by citizens as an extra inducement. Two of the members favored locating on Broadway, near Straight street. The property was conveyed by the '* So- ciety for Establisiug Useful Manufactures," to the county, by deed dated July 3, 1837, and recorded in Book A of Deeds, Passaic county, pp. 292-3, for the consideration of one dollar, and is thus described : "Beginning on the south side of Oliver street at its inter- section with the west side of Main street, and running thence (1) southerly along Main street 290 feet thence (2) westerly at right angles to Main street 214 feet to a point 125 feet from the east side of Marshall street thence (3) northerly parallel with Marshall street 129 feet to a point 140 feet 4 inches southerly from Oliver street thence (4) easterly parallel with Oliver street 160 feet 6 inches to a point 73 feet 9 inches from Main street thence (5) norther- ly parallel with Main street 60 feet 8 inches to a point in the second of the Catholic church lot which point is 80 feet distant on a southerly course from Oliver street tht-nce (6) northerly along the line of said Catholic church lot 80 feet to the south side of Oliver street thence (7) easterly along the south side of Oliver street S3 feet to the place of beginning." '^Provided, however, and this deed is given upon the express condition, that the parties of the second part shall cause a Court House and Jail to be erected on the said lot within live Years from the date hereof otherwise this deed and everything herein con- tained shall be void and of no effect." July 11, the Board adopted plans for a jail. Au- gust 3, contracts awarded for the mason work to Isaac J. Stagg and Isaac Van Blarcom, for $5,845 ; for the HIS TO RICA L MEMO R A NDA , carpenter work to Cornelius G. Garrison, for $1,645; and for tne iron work to Cornelius G. Post, for lie. per lb. August 17, plans for court house adopted. Sept. 12, con- tracts awarded, for the carpenter work to David Reid, for $3,100; and to William Kay for the mason work, for $7,- 000. Oct. 18, a petition to lay the corner-stone (with Ma- sonic ceremonies) was rejected. March 16, the jail ready for prisoners. Feb 'i2, 1839, C. G. Garrison employed to finish the interior of the court house by day's work. May 8, the Board held its first meeting at the court house. July 16, the new court house was dedicated, and the courts occu- pied it for the tirst time. The cost of the court house and jail appears to have been $29,313 31, up to August 13, 1840. Of this, $18,450 was received as the county's share of the U. S. Surplus Revenue, from the sale of public lauds dur- ing the speculative fever which preceded the panic of j 1837. The southern half of the present court house is ■ what was built in 1837-9. The entrance to the court room upstairs was by a huge stone stoop at the middle of the northern front. A square cupola, in which hung a bell, surmounted the centre of the roof ; the cupola appearing to interfere with tlie tightness of the roof, was removed in the fall of 1846 or the spring of 1847. The stoop was removed probably in 18P0, and inside stairways to the court room erected. The Surrogate's office was originally in the northwestern corner of the building, in the small | apartment opening off the room now occupied by the Board of Freeholders ; his vault has since been merged into that in which the deeds are kept. In 1847 the Surro- gate's oftlce was changed to the eastern front, the entrance being by the present centre door on that front. In 1871-2 the court house was doubled in size and the old portion quite reconstructed, at a total cost of about $22,000. The old jail was a plain, homely structure, of stone, the front being ashlar, with Little Falls principal stone about the front entrance. The front part was about ^CxlS fec^ ; the S!;i'Vifi"s omce, isxl", b-^i^^ on th-^ n'^rth PASSAIC COUNTY. XI Side, the kitchen, 18x18, on the south side, and the hall, 12x18, in the middle. In the rear, was the prison, about 36x45 feet, divided in the middle by an arched corridor, the continuation of the front hall, from which it was sep- arated by a stout iron door. On each side of the corridor were six cells, about 8x12 feet, with arched ceiling of ma- sonry. The second floor was similarly arranged. In the attic were ten or twelve rooms— for imprisoned females, debtors, and the better class of alleged criminals. The roof was of slate. The windows and front door were plain and square. The whole building was exceedingly uncomfortable and unhealthy, and in a few years was too small. It occupied about the same site as the present prison, which, in fact, is in part erected on the founda- tions of the old jail. May 11, 1853, the committee on public buildings (J. P. Huntoon, Edward Sweeney and Peter J. Terhune) were instructed to inquire into the ne- cessity and propriety of building a public workhouse. Au- gust 16, the committee reported favorably, and were au- thorized to solicit plans. November 9, plans were re- ceived and it was resolved to build a workhouse. Decem- ber 7, five plans were presented, and that of Mr. Nash, of Bridgeport, Conn., was adopted, with some modifications, the cost not to exceed $20,000. May 1, 1854, contracts were awarded: for the iron work, to Ilolden & Drew; carpenter work, to Cornelius Q. Garrison; grading and leveling, to Garside & Beaumont ; the mason work was ordered to be done by day's work. Nov. 16, the Collector reported $23,097 expended on account of public buildings. On that day the Board attended the funeral of Henry Lawback, a young man who fell off the roof timbers at the jail and was killed. March 27, 1855, rules for the govern- ment of the work house were adopted, showing that the building must have been nearly ready. May 13, 1856, it was reported that $U,980 had been expended on the jail and workhouse during the preceding year. Thus the total cost was $35,077. One of the principal objects in view in Xn HISTORICAL MEMORANDA, the erection of the present jail was to set the prisoners to work, and they were actually employed for a time at bas- ket making, and a deputy-keeper was appointed over them, at $400 a year. The experiment proved a failure, financially, as the men destroyed a great deal of material, and May 14, 1856, it was resolved, 13 to 7, to discontinue work. There has been but one execution at the jail. April 30' 1850, John Jonstan, an Englishman, was executed in the yard in the rear of the old jail, by Sheriff Nathaniel Lane, pursuant to conviction and sentence, for the murder of Mr. and Mrs. John S. Van Winkle, at tlie Qoffle, on the night of January 9, 1S50. CUSTODY AND BOARD OP PRISONERS. The Sheriff originally had the custody of the jail and Its inmates, generally living in the jail, and boarding the prisoners. March 6, 1833, the sheriff was allowed twenty- five cents per day for feeding prisoners ; November 23, 1340, twenty-two cents per day ; May 10, 1843, twenty cents per day ; May 11, 1858, twenty-five cents per day ; May 10, 1854, the same ; March 27, 1S55, $2 per week, besides lights and fuel ; May 13, 1857, $2.25 per week. An act having been passed in 1857 authorizing the Board of Chosen Free- holders to assume the custody of the jail and appoint a k3eper or warden, the Board voted, Oct. 9, 1857, to do so, and that action was confirmed Nov. 11, when the salary was fixed at $250, and Samuel Demarest, Freeholder from the East Ward, was appointed warden for five years ; he was re-appolnted November 12, 1862. In September, 1863, three prisoners escaped from jail, one of them being an accomplished iturglar, who attempted to rob Mr. F. C. Beckwith's house, but was captured in the attempt. Dem- arest was suspected of conniving at his escape from pris- on, and after a long and searching investigation, he was compellefl to resign, May 10, 1864, to take effect the next day, on which day Nathaniel James Green was appointed. May 11, 1869, Harmon B. Goodridge was appointed, and PASSAIC COUMT. XliI was succeeded, May 12, 1874, by John F. Buckley. The salary was raised from time to time until May 8, 1872, when it was fixed at $600. The board of prisoners for the follow- ing-named years has cost per week : Warden. 1867-8 Green 1868-9 " 1869-70 Goodridge 1870-1. 1871-2. 1872-3. 1873-4. Including Xot Includ- Salaries. ing Salaries. $1.84 $1.52. 2.12%.... 1.84% 2.07 1.83 1.67 .... 1.4T 1,98 1.69 2.13 .... 1.77 2.24 .... 1.93 INSTITUTIONS BEGUN, BUT ABANDONED. May 8, 1850, a committee (P. Sandford, John A. Mac- pherson and Rynier S. Speer) was appointed to inquire in- to the expediency of purchasing a farm and creeting a county poor house. (The poor had always been taken care of by the respective townships.) November 13, the com- mittee unanimously recommended that a county poor- house and farm be provided without unnecessary delay. Agreed to, and a committee of one from each township appointed to select sites, who reported January 8, 1851, recommending the purchase of a farm of two hundred acres, situated on the road that leads from the old Pater- son and Hamburgh turnpike to Pompton Plains, about two miles northwest of Barney R. Sisco's, in Wayne town- ship ; the property of Isaac Schuyler, the price being $8,- 000. The Board at once executed a contract with Mr. Schuyler, to consummate the transfer, under a penalty of $1,000 for forfeiture. The project excited a great deal of opposition throughout the county, and on February 27, a public meeting held at Preakness remonstrated against It, but March 3d the Board resolved to adhere to its action, partly on account of the forfeiture provided for ; the deed was executed, a committee appointed to take possession XI V HISTORIC A L MEMORA NDA , of the premises, and proposals soliciterl for erecting an ad- dition to the house on the farm. March 17, Conrad Beam appointed Keeper, for a year, at a salary of $400, besides board and lodging for himself and family ; a series of rules adopted for the government of the poorhouse, and Freeholders Eynier S. Speer, William W. Colfax and Ed- ward D'Camp appointed Trustees until the annual meet- ing of the Board. March 31, the Board received proposals for constructing the addition to the poorhouse, but re- solved to do it by day's work. May 14, the " new Board" resolved to advertise the poorhouse farm for sale, at the price paid. Aug. 11, it was resolved to accept $7,500 for the property ; March 15, 1852, it was agreed to accept $6,- 000. After several vain efforts, the farm being meanwhile worked on shares, the property was sold, in November, 1853, to Samuel Smith (a quarryman at Haledon, since de- ceased), for $6,000. July 2, 1872, the Board was notified to remove ten pa- tients from the State Lunatic asylum, being the surplus over the county's quota, and the asylum being largely over crowded. September 3, the committee on lunacy re- ported that the city of Paterson offered a plot of five acres, whereon to erect a county lunatic asylum, but the committee recommended no action at present. October 3, the committee reported having made extensive inquiries, and finally concluded to recommend the erection of a county lunatic asylum. The Board authorized the com- mittee to award contracts for the erection of such an asylum, to cost not more than $20,000. November 20, the committee reported contracts awarded for the excavation, for supplying the brick, and for building the first story, of stone. Some doubts having been expressed as to the power of the Board to erect a county asylum (although other counties had done the same thing), a bill was intro- duced in the Legislature at its next session, authorizing the erection and maintenance of a Passaic county lunatic asylum. March 4, 1873, the committee on lunacy reported PASSAIC COUNTY. XV having "abandoned work on the new county asylum, and withdrawn from the Legislature the bill legalizing such institution, there appearing to be opposition to the pro- ject at home and in the Legislature, where general rather than special legislation was favored for the relief of the surplus indigent insane of the several counties." The committee were authorized to fill up the excavation made and dispose of the material on hand. August 5, the com- mittee were directed to confer with the city authorities of Patersou, to see if arrangements could not be effected for the accommodation of incurable lunatics at the I'ater- son almshouse. October 7, the committee reported such arrangements effected. November 19, it was resolved to pay $4C0 a year to the Superintendent of the almshouse, for caring for the lunatics there chargeable to the county. Part II.- -Statistical. CENSUSES OF THE COUNTY. 1840 1850 1855 1860 1865 Paterson : 1st W ard f ■{ 2414 295T 3596 2d " i Bd " ( ^a695 4411 4821 4th " ( .5th " -^340 318:J 3724 6th " 3118 38S5 4911 7th " ( ^4291 5152 7841 8th " ( 9th " (with Acquackanouk and Little Falls) Total < ity 7598 ll341 16458 19585 24893 Acquackanouk) 2473 2941 3067 3235 4490 Little Falls ) Manchester 3105 2787 590 842 *1029 Pompton 1437 17-0 1434 1591 1472 Wavue 1164 1040 1355 1440 West Milford 2108 2624 2035 2402 2561 Total County, 16721 22577 24624 29013 36779 •Estimated, as there was no census reported of chest,^:'. 1870. 2904 3174 4467 3574 720.i 40ii0 3093 4(4-> 968 33518. 4370 1287 1166 lS4(t 1518 2650 46349. Man- XVI HISTORICAL MEMORAXDA, It shouUt be remembered that a portiou of Manchester was annexed to Paterson between 1S60 and 1S55. Passaic was included in Acquackanonk in 1S70 and prior thereto. The following statistics of the population of Paterson are gleaned from various sources: census in ISIO, 292; in 1S20. isrs ; in 1S24, -iTST ; in 1S25, 50S4 ; in 1S2T, 6236 ; in 1S29, 7033 ; in 1S30. 7731 ; in 1832, 90S5. The decrease of 2,000. from 1S32 to 1S40, is attributable to the ''sliding scale tariflf." The population of the village of Manchester, or North Paterson (also includeil in population of Paterson, as above\ was in 1S24, 2S9: in 1S27, 625; in 1S29, S52 ; in 1S32, 1214. In lSoo-4. Messrs. John J. Brown and Andrew Derrom took a special census of Paterson, of population, dwellmgs, manufactures, etc., and reported the number of inhabitants: in the south ward, 7S94 ; westward, 4223; east ward, 3594 ; north ward, 2514. Total, 17615, or 1157 more than were reported by the ward assessors who took the State census in 1S55. The rate of increase in the county's popu-ation has been : from 1S40 to 1S50, 35 per cent. ; from 1S50 to 1S55, 10 per cent.: from 1S55 to 1S60, 20 per cent, ; from 1S60 to 1S65, 33 per cent. : from 1S455 to 1S70. 26 per c^n*^. I PASSAIC COUXTY. XVII 1837— For 1838— " 1839— " 1840— " 1841— " 1842— " 1843— " 1844— " 1845— " 1846— " 1847— " 1848— " 1849— " 1850— " 1851— " 1852— " 1853— " 1854— " 1855— " 1S56— " 1857— " 1853— " 1859— " 1860— " 1861— " 1862— " 1863— " 1864— " 1865— " 1866— " 1867— " 1%8- " 1869— " 1870— " 1871— " 1872— " 1873— " 1874— " VOTE OF THE COUNTY. Whig or Eep. Dem. Pouucll 1166 922. . Congress 1214 955. . Council 1002 905.. President 1362 962 . . Council 846 899.. " 1195 1071.. Congress 949 1065.. President 1602 1291 Coroners 1179 1237. . Congress 1608 1090 . . Governor 1404 1333. . President 1749 1304. . ....1436.. ....1604.. ....1390.. ....1825.. ....1478.. ....1358.. .. .13t»3.. ....1618., Total. ..51 .2088 .2169 .1907 .2324 .1796 2266 2014 ....2893 2416 2698 .73t...2810 .120tt.3173 2.560 2990 2455 3495 2822 3214 .3260 .954t..3994 County Clerk ("Scrub Race") 3651 Congress 2112. Governor 2460. President 2814. Senator 24S4. Governor 1927. Sheriff 2260. Senator 1124.. Coroners 1386.. Sheriff 1065., President 1670.. Governor 1344.. Congress 18.56., Senator •*1867., President 1422. 1881. 1870. 2484. 1895. 240S. 24.59. 3993 4330 5293 4379 4335 4719 President 2934 2773 5707 Governor 3365 2666 6031 Congress 341 9 2862 6281 Senator 2767 3215 5982 President 4058 3406 T464 Sheriflf 2S86 3145 6031 r-ongress 43T1 3S15 8186 Governor 4141 3322 7463 President 5148 3484 8632 Senator 3751 3778 . . . .99t . . . 7743 Governor 4051 4047 8121 •Temperance, find. ttFree Soil. **Fusion, or antl- Lecorapton. t"American." The ratio of population to voters has been : in 1840, 7.2; in 1850, 6.45; in 18.5.5, 6.15 ; in 1860, 5.47; In 1865, 6.1 ; In 1870, 5.45. This calculation is based on the heaviest vote polled nearest a census year. XVITI ST A TISTICA L MEMORA NBA , ] COUNTY JAIL STATISTICS. The following table shows the whole number of prison- ers confined in the county jail for the years named, ending May 1st ; the number of each sex, the number of natives and foreigners ; and of the former, the number of natives of New Jersey, and of the foreigners, the number of nat- ives of Ireland : 1857— 1858— 1862- IBiiS- 1864— 1868- 1869— 1H70— 1871— 1872— 1873— 1874— M. 454 422 191 170 169 345 361 498 685 662 752 718 Total. Native. For. N, J. Ire. 114 92 54 58 61 69 91 109 131 132 144 144 568 514 245 228 230 414 452 607 816 794 896 862 204 364 138 202 93 103 108 172 183 257 32-^ 332 398 409 152 125 122 242 269 3f)0 491 462 496 453 71 81 87 12•^ 137 151 190 232 281 276 112 95 84 146 154 209 307 273 289 260 During the war, large numbers of ly persons left the county, to enlist vagrant and disorder- in or to follow the army. Hence, the great falling off in the numbers of prisoners, 1860-65. COUNTY TAXES AND TAX RATE. Years. Valuation. 1837 1838-44 1845 1846 $2,084,000 1847-50 1851-3 1854 1855 8,878,000 1856-9 1860-1 1862 12,1S9,000 1863 12,365>,O00 1864 n,vn,{) 1865 12.S7t',(0«l 1866 1«,377,000 1867 18,918,000 1868 25,S26,000 1869 25,4H0.000 1S70 26,215,000 1871 28,056,000 1872 30,668,727 18-^3 34.625,812 1874 33,D-'.',059 County Tax. Rate pr. ct $5,000 7(00 4,500 7,000 .0033 7,000 l4,ono 20,000 45,000 .005 25,000 27,000 27,000 .0022 3 ',000 .0024 30,000 .0023 27,000 .0021 27,000 .0016 40,000 .0021 100,0<>0 .004^^ 120,000 .0047 120,000 .0040 150,000 .0053 150,000 .0049 1.50,000 ,0043 20J.UrO .006 PASSAIC COUNTY. 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The bonded debt of the county consists of four classes of bonds : 1st, bounty bonds, authorized by act of March 16, 1864 ; $54,000 issued ; several instalments paid off since 1867. 2d, bridge bonds, authorized by act of April 3, 1867; $40,000 issued, payable 1871-6. 3d, bridge bonds, author- ized by act of March 1, 1870 ; $100,000 issued, payable 1878- 87. 4th, funding bonds, authorized by act of March 12, 1873; $75,000 issued ; payable 1878-87. The following ta- ble shows the amount of each class of bonds falling due each year : 1st. 2d. 3d. 1874 $3,000 $7,000 1875 3,000 7,000 1876 3,000 5,000 1877 3,000 1878 3,000 $10,000 1879 4,000 10,000 1880 4,000 10,000 1881 4,000 10,000 1882 4,000 10,000 1883 4,000 10,000 1884 4,000 10,000 1885 10,000 1886 10,000 1887 10,000 4th. Total. $10,000 10,000 8,000 3,000 $7,500 20,500 7,500 21,500 7,500 21,500 7,500 21,500 7,500 21,500 7,500 21,500 7,500 21,500 7,500 17,500 7,500 17,500 7,500 17,500 Total $39,000 $19,000 $100,000 $75,000 $233,000 PASSAIC COUNTY. XXIII APPORTIONMENT OP STATE AND COUNTY TAXRS. The following table shows the apportionment of State tax, State school tax, county tax and bounty tax (for payment of interest and principal on county bounty bonds) for 1874. Fractions of a dollar are omitted, but are reckoned in the totals : State State. School. County. Bounty. Total. Paterson $36,473 $48,631 $133,613 $ 18*5 $218,904 Passaic 6,271 8,3t51 2ii,826 1,114 45,572 Acquackanonk.. 2,201 3,601 14,250 596 21,147 Little Falls 988 1,317 3,885 394 6,583 Manchester 1,053 1,403 4,309 219 6,934 Wayne 1,183 1,578 4,482 690 7,934 Pompton 1,200 1,600 6,069 721 9,591 WestMilford.... 913 1,218 3,566 1,600 7,496 $50,782 $67,709 $200,000 $5,520 $324,012 The proceeds of the State school tax are appropriated to the several counties in proportion to the number of children between the ages of five and eighteen years. The appropriation of State school moneys to Passaic county for 1S74 was $75,006.63, or about $7,300 more than the coun- ty was required to pay to the State. XXIV STATISTICAL MEMORANDA. STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL TAXES. The following is a summary of municipal taxes in Pas- sale county, in addition to the State and county taxes j cited above : State and State District School. School. Local. Total. Paterson ..$218,904 $42,000 $440,096 $700,0.)0 Passaic .. 45,5T2 10,500 45,000 101,000 Acquackanonk. .. 21,147 1,409 2,200 24,756 Little Falls . . 6,583 505 2,700 9,788 Manchester... .. 6,984 1,555 3,600 12,139 Wayne . . 7,934 1,750 2,000 11,684 ! Pompton . . 9,591 1,950 2,500 14,041 WestMllford... . . 7,'29d $324,012 302 3,000 $501,096 10,598 $895,079 $(59,971 The "local" taxes of the townshi ps are for roads and poor, and in several of the townships include a special tax for local bounty and road bonds. The tax for county bounty bonds is not included in this table. The total tax- ation in the cou nty is about $930,00i' , or nearly three per cent, of the valuation. 1 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 208 549 5