L HISTORICAL DISCOURSE ON OCCASION OF THE Centennial y\NNiYERSARY OF THE jjformctr Sittd) OEfturc]^, ( CPl O O' OF MILLSTONE. c. BY EDWAED TA:N"J0EE COEWIjST, Pabtoe. 1866. 1/ K E W-Y R K : <<^^ J. J. REED, PRINTER, 43 CENTRE STREET. 1866. , AUG? PREFAC E. The Keformed Dutch Cliiircli of Hillsboroiigli, at Mill- stone, celebrated lier centennial anniversary on Saturday, August 11th, 1866. The following Historical Discourse was delivered by the pastor, on the morning of that day, in connection with appropriate religious exercises. On motion of Hon. A. O. Zabriskie, its publication was called for, with the request that notes and appendices be added. The writer has accordingly given it to the public, hoping tJiat thereby, the memory of early times may be preserved, and also, (which is more important,) that by a proper appreciation of the past, Israel may understand what she ought to do in the future. Having noticed shortly after his settlement at Millstone, that the church was rapidly completing her first century, he directed his attention, as time permitted, to her history, and in the course of a couple of years, the within material collected in his hands. The sources whence he has gathered his facts, were the Millstone Church Kecords, (which are complete, with the exception of four years, 1810-1814;) IV PEEFACE. and tlie records of some of the neighboring churches ; the minutes of Classis, and of the early Synod, and such local histories and biographical notices as could be found ; the Documentary and Colonial Histories of New York ; the early Colonial Records at Amboy and Trenton, and some few private papers. He also feels particularly indebted to the "Contributions to the .History of East Jersey," and other volumes, of Wm. A. Whitehead, Esq., which have proved of great value, both in facts given, and in directing to sources of information. Hon. Ralph Yoorhees, of Middle- bush, loaned a number of papers, from which the facts concerning the church at Three Mile Run were gleaned, and for which the writer would express his thanks ; and also especially indebted is he to Mrs. E. F. L. Read, and Miss Sarah C. Souder, of Philadelphia, for their kind and valuable assistance in reference to the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Eoering, the first regularly installed minister in this place. He would also take this opportunity of returning his thanks to Rev. Mr. Kiekenveldt and Mr. Louis H. Balder, for valuable assistance in the translation of Dutch and German documents. Millstone, August 30 ^A, 1866. August 11, 1860. ^ The following was the Programme of tlie occasion :— Chant-CPs. 90)-by the Choir. Invocation : By REV. W. J. K TAYLOR, D.D. Beading of Scriptures— (Ps. 103) : By REY. C. C. YAN CLEEF. Prayer : By PROF. DE WITT, D.D. Singing— Hymn 458. Historical Discourse By the Pastor. \ Singing— Ps. 137, 3d Part Benediction. RECESS. Singing-Ps. 87. Address by REY. GABRIEL LUDLOW, D.D. (Reminiscences of Drs. Cannon and Schureman.) Address by REY. P. D. YAN CLEEF, D.D. " REY. J. C. SEARS, D.D. " " HON. A. 0. ZABRISKIE. " HON. P. T. FRELINGHUYSEN. " PROF. JOHN DE WITT, D.D. Anthem by the Choir. Doxology X Benediction. PRESENT CHURCH OFFICERS. PASTOR : EDWARD TAWORE CORWIN. Ralph Terhune Sutphen, ROELOFF DiTMAES, ELDERS: James Longstreet Yoorhees, John SmxH. DEACONS: John Yredenburgh Yan Nest, I Cornelius Hoagland Broach, ] Frederick T. SmiH, 1 John Staats. | HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. The histories of the individual churches of Christ are worthy of preservation, because they represent the eiForts of particular communities, to carry forward, at least in their own localities, those glorious principles of heavenly truth, which the Saviour brought from heaven, and which when understood and appropriated, will regenerate mankind. Each faithful church stands as the representative of the kingdom of Heaven, of the triumphs of righteousness, on the earth. Her history must therefore ever be the record of noble deeds of piety and love ; of steady, earnest eflort in the work of enlightening, benefiting, and saving men ; of pure devotedness to the Spirit and cause of the Master. It is true, indeed, that each church lives in an atmosphere of sin, that the imperfections of even the friends of Christ, tend often greatly to obscure her glory, so that in her efforts to build up the cause of truth and righteousness, the world may look upon her as a simple belligerent, having no superior aims to her opponents ; nevertheless, each churcli is a little ]-ill, helping to make up the ever-swelling tide of Christian influence, which is flowing onward with resistless volume, to purify and save our race. And if a church's history, as a whole, represent progress in this direction ; if it show souls gathered into the kingdom ; if a community have been leavened with Christian truths, or better still, with Christian practices, and been made to appreciate, and exhibit, the Eternal Law of Love — then has that church 8 HISTORICAL DISCOrRSE. accomplished a great and glorious mission/ She lias per- formed her part, though imperfectly, in the grand manoeu- vres of that great army, whose Captain is Jesus Christ, and by which army, in all the harmony of the plan, which shall ultimately be developed even to our understandings, shall the world be conquered to the obedience of the faith. It should, therefore, be a profitable task for us, as a church, at this marked period of our history, to glance over the past, that our memories may be refreshed, and our souls quickened anew, as we enter upon the second century of our career. For with each succeeding age, is the church of Christ called to higher duties and responsibilities, to greater self-denials and boldness in the cause of the Master — a proj)er understanding of which ever-expanding duties, it would be sad for her to fail to appreciate. But while dwelling upon and getting almost lost, perhaps, in interest- ing details, yet let us ever remember that the ultimate objects of history are, by understanding the Providence of God, to enable us to mount from the experience of the past to higher elevations in the future. I am requested by the Consistory to give to-day, not only a history of the church, but also as necessarily introductory to it, a brief sketch of the civil settlement of this region. The civil history, befove the period of our church, naturally divides itself into two parts. First, the Dutch sway, lasting from the first settlement of the country for a little more than half a century,^ (1609-1666) ; and second, the English sway, lasting for a little more than a century, (166i-17T6). * The Synod of Dort (1618-19,) was held just before the time that the Dutch emigration fairlv began. The Dutch West India Company, which gave groat impetus to emigration, was chartered in 1621 ; the monopoly of the company was abolished in 1638, HISTORICAL DISCOUESE. 9 During the Dutcli sway, the central portions of "New Jersey, including of course our own localities, remained entirely unsettled, and almost untrodden by the foot of a European.* Tlie Dutch clung to the shores of the great rivers on either side of our State, and to the immediate vicinity of the noble harbor of the western world, f Per- haps the yet vivid remembrance of the encroaching seas of Holland, wdiich they loved to fight so well, kept them so near the coast ; perhaps their paucity of numbers, though they had reached 10,000 before the English conquest ; perhaps the hostilities of the Indians, in the interior, with whom they had had some misunderstandings, though the natives of the soil, in all our State, only numbered 2,000 ; ^ or perhaps their love of trade, and a mariner's life, or still other reasons, may have kept them along the shores of tlie larger bays and rivers. And although some grants of large tracts of land, covering portions of our county, § were * Mr. Rockhill Robeson, now living at Weston, has informed me, since this was written, that private papers in his family state that his ancestry settled on the Millstone Branch of the Raritan in 1642, and in 1666 moved to Phi!adelphia. t A few Dutch had penetrated and settled near Hackensack, as early as 1644. — Whitehead's East Jersey, p. 277. I The Indians of New Jersey were divided among twenty petty kings, of whom the king of the Raritans was the greatest. About 1655 there was quite a slaughter by the Indians, around New Amsterdam, Pavouia, Staten Island, and Long Island. In 1640 the Raritan Indians had been wrongfully accused of theft, and a number of them killed. — Riker, p. 37. '" The seat of the Raritan kings was upon an inland mountain (prob- ably the Nechanic mountain, which answers approximately to the description). — See Whitehead's E. /., p. 24. § Augustine Herman received, in 1651, a square of land, having the Raritan from Amboy to North Branch for its southern side. — White' head, pp. 19, 37, 38. 10 HISTORICAL DISCOITRSE. made dnring tlie Dutcli government of the conntiy, yet not a single Dutcli settlement was made in the interior. * The English, meanwhile, claimed the territory of the !N"ew ISTetherlands by right of prior discovery, f but did not make very strenuous efforts to conquer the Dutch, :j: imtil 1664 ; and among other reasons or pretexts, one wa» that the Dutch refused to allow the people of ISTew England to settle in the ]^ew IS'etherlands. The conquest was made unexpectedly, and therefore easily, and a little more than two centuries ago, the Dutch sway passed away from America forever. But with this change of government, the emigration from Holland virtually ceased. The Dutcli families in this country (excepting the more recent immigrants), have all been here, it may be safely said, for more than two cen- turies, or about seven generations. But with the English conquest, a new period of colonization and settlement of the territory of our present State began. The English sway lasting for 112 years, divides itself into three marked periods; viz., under Carteret, for eighteen years, under the Proprietors for twenty, and the rest of the time, seventy-two,*under the crown. The Isew JS'etherlands extended from the borders of Connecticut to the Delaware Kiver. But as the English fleet started on their mission of- * "We of course except the remarkable Dutch settlement, long lost in the wilderness, of Minisink, begun in 1634. — See Gordon, p. 10. t Sebastian Cabot, in 1498, sailed along the coast. X In 1634 England granted to Sir Edmund Ploy den and his associates all the lands between Long Island Sound and Cape May. This was erected into a free county palatine, to be called New Albion, and it is said he ruled over five hundred people. (?) He returned to England in 1741. The Dutch offered to sell out at one time, but not being accepted, they finally refused to sell altogether. mSTOEICAL DISCOUESE. 11 conquest, so certain did Charles IL, king of England, feel of accomplishing it, that he gave the territory of the Dutch to his brother James, Duke of York and Albany; and he in turn, while the fleet was yet on the sea, to raise money for his extravagances, ceded a large part of his newly acquired territory west of the Hudson, that is, the territory of our present State, to Sir George Carteret, and Lord John Berkeley. Philip Carteret, a brother of Sir George, was appointed governor, which position he held with slight in- terruption* for eighteen years, (1664-1682,) and this is the first period of tlie English sway. During his administration, there was a large English im- migration to this State, both from Old England and from New. The policy of Carteret and Berkeley, was very lib- eral. They published and scattered their offers to settlers, in what were called, '' Grants and Concessions," which were nothing else than a sort of republican constitution,f mem- bers elected by the people, forming part of the legislature ^ and grants of 150 acres of land being given to every man, and smaller quantities to women and to servants, after a time, who would come and settle, provided the men and servants could come armed with a musket and provision for a few months. The population of the province was thus vastly increased by English settlers, who located around * In 1673 the Dutch re-conquered the State and held it for one year. In 1679, Andross, governor of Jfew York, made Carteret a prisoner for a time, endeavoring to unite New Jersey to ISTew York, but without success. t They contrasted it with that of Carolina, which was aristocratic. — Whitehead''s E. J. p. 308. J The first legislative assembly was held in 1668, when Bergen, Eliz- abethtown,- Newark, Woodbridge and Middletown, were represented. These were at that time the only towns. 12 HISTOEICAL DISCOURSE. Amboy, "Woodbridge, Elizabetlitown and I^ewark. But no settlements were made during this time up the Haritan, or on its tributaries, although a few grants of land in this coimt}^, on the north of the Raritan, were given.* But during this time, Berkeley having failed, West Jer- sey was set off as his portion to be sold for the benefit of his creditors, and East Jersey remained to Carteret. Tlie first division line soon after run, (1676,) is the present western bound of our county, that is, south of the South Branch of the Earitan. But Sir George Carteret, dying in 1679, East Jersey, his property, was sold for the settling of his estate, and "after some legal manceuvering for three years, it finally became, in 1682, the property of twelve- proprietors, all Quakers, with William Penn at the head.f Each of these sold out one lialf of his interest to another person, so that in this same year, East Jersey became the property of twenty-four proprietors, embracing almost every religious sect.:t This was done from motives, of policy. *Johii Bailey, Daniel Denton, and Luke Watson, of Long Island, pnr^ chased the tract formerly purchased by Augustine Herman, for articles valued at $200. The same Indians sold the same tract, twice, (1651 and 1664.) It was bought by permission of Gov. Nicholls, not knowing at the time of the cession already of iSTew Jersey to Carteret and Berke- ley. This was iiltimately the cause of the great Elizabethtown bill in chancery respecting the lands north of the Raritan, about a century ago, and which, after many years of litigation, was dropped at the Revolu- tion, antl never revived. t They paid £ 8,400 for East Jersey. Their names were : TTilliam Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groom, Thomas Ilart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Riggs, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorne, Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, and Thomas Wilcox, who at once sold out his interest. X The names of the additional purchasers, were, James, Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barclay, (the first Governor), David Barclay, HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 13. These proprietors liberally governed their territory, and it is under them that the Earitan and Millstone valleys began to be settled. Their sway lasted, with some little interrup- tions, from 1682, for twenty years. Each of them had an equal interest in the territory, and either of them could have his share* set off to him in lands unappropriated, or conld sell out his interest or a portion of his interest, or jointly, they could deed away any tract of land, whicli was gener- ally done by a fully authorized agent. Within two yenrs after East Jersey became the property of the proprietors, the South side of the Karitan, from below 'New Brunswick to Bound Brook,f was laid out in nineteen lots, J having in general, a little less than half a mile of river-front, and about two miles in depth, extending in this vicinity, to the neighborhood of Middlebush, and the most of these were in process of improvement. The last one of these lots hav- ing its face on the Earitan immediately below Bound Brook, followed the curve of that river, and extended back almost to the mouth of the Millstone, or to the present farm of Henry Garretson, and with the adjoining plot on the South, was owned by Mr. William Dockwra, the two containing 000 acres ; and behind these, facing the Millstone, were a Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, Gawen Lawrie, Edward Byllinge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner, and Thomas Warren. * One share or propriety, contained 10,800 acres. t John Inions & Co., bought on Nov. 1st, 1681, two lots, where now stands ISTew Brunswick, containing a mile of river-front, and two miles of depth. In 1683, Middlesex was assessed £ 10 in a tax of £50, being one of the four counties then existing. In 1694, a, perm-anent ferry was Established at New Brunswick. — Whitehead's Amhoy^ p. 269. I See first map of East Jersey, made in 1685, which locates these lot3. {Library of Historical Society, Newark.) 14 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. conple of lots reaching to the present farm of Benjamin Smith, the lower, containing 800 acres, and belonging to George Willox ; and the upper, containing 500 acres and belonging to Mr. "William Dockwra, before mentioned. On the north side of the Karitan,* from Bound Brook to tlio JS'orth Branch, and extending back to the Blue Hills, as they were called, six large plotsf had already been survey- ed and laid off to as many parties or companies ; while the large tract of land on the south, extending from the mouth of the Millstone, three and a half miles up the E>aritan, to an island, just above the present covered bridge, and thence running south by west, about two miles ; and east, two miles to the Millstone, on a line which is said to be the pre- sent northerly line of Mr. James Elmendorf s farm,+ this tract containing 3,000 acres, (exclusive of 250 acres of meadows), § having been bought a few years before, by a company consisting of Capt. Anthony Brockholls, William Pinhorne, John Robinson, Capt. Mathias Nicholls, and Samuel Edsall, was in the year 1685 confirmed to Royce & Co., of Kew York, and to be thenceforward known by the name of Roycefield.| So that the only lands taken up on * In 1685 John Forbes took np about 400 acres of land on the Raritan, about twenty miles above Amboy, for the purpose of improvement and speculation. — See Whitehead'' s E. J. p. 821. t Beginning at Bound Brook, the names of these owners were : Rud- yard, Codrington, White, — Graham, Winder, & Co. — Robinson, and Lord ^Q\\\ Campbell. X Peter G. Quick. § These meadows had been formerly granted to James Graham, John White, Samuel Winder, and Cov.Covirz^n.-Liber A. 273, Amloy Records. \ The bounds were: beginning at a place called "Hunter's Wigwam" on the Millstone River, thence north by west, two miles to a fresh brook called Manamtaqua ; thence north by east and north north-east, to the Raritan River, opposite the west end of a small island, formerly HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 16 tlie Millstone in tlie year 1685, were these two plots near its mouth, on the east side, owned by Willox and Dockwra, (now called Weston,) and the one on the west side, owned by Boyce, excepting a little plot, at the mouth of Stony Brook,* away up the stream solitary and alone in the wil- derness, which had previously been purchased by Dr. Henry Greenland. What a change in 180 years ! Where all is now smiling farms, interspersed with Christian temples, then roamed the savage ; and only seldom, and timorously too, had civilized man ventured to break the stillness of the scene, by his adventurous tread. Within six years after the proprietors began to dispose of the land, the population along the Earitan had so increased,t that they had the new county of Somerset X set off from belonging to Robert Vanquellin, and now in possession of John Eobin- son ; and tbence down tbe Raritan three and a half miles ; and np the Millstone to the place of beginning. * This can hardly be the Stony Brook, now known by that name, above Princeton, but must be another stream near Rocky Hill, then called by that name. Reed, on his map in 1685, locates him on Stony Brook, but not above fourteen miles above the mouth of the Millstone. t The great thorouglifares from Amboy and Brunswick to the Dela- ware were laid out about this time. In 1682, the population was about 4,000 (Smith,- p. 161.) In 1689, it was estimated at 10,000. ' I Bergen, Essex, Middlesex and Monmouth, the first counties, were made in'l682, the eastern and northern bounds of Middlesex being then about the same as now, and running westward to the limits of the prov- ince (which had not yet been fixed by survey). In 1687, the division line between East and West Jersey was first run, and this became the western bound of the new county of Somerset. But this line, the own- ers of West Jersey always insisted, bore too much to the west; there- fore in 1T43, another line was run, which passed through the centre of our present township of Hillsborough, being altogether east of I^echanic Mountain, and of which the line between Stillwater and Newtown town- ships, in Sussex county, is still a vestige.— See Gordon, p. 73. 16 HISTORICAL DISCOrESE. Middlesex, altliongli it was not till some time after, that the founds of the new county were made to include the Yalley of the Millstone, * in this vicinity. But it was now a stir- ring period of settlement and colonization. Glowing ap- peals were made respecting the desirability of the lands on the Earitan and its branches, and the large patentees had hardly received their grants before they found many eager purchasers for smaller tracts. On June 10th, 16S8, Wm. Dockwra, for having induced large emigration from Eng- land and Scotland to Xew Jersey, received patents for 2,000 acres in the valleys of the Millstone f and Raritan, and for 3,815 acres on the tributaries of the Millstone, — to be after- wards located. He also came into possession of many other immense tracts of land, in various parts of the province. He was a Scotchman by birth, but at this time a merchant in London. The proprietors had such confidence in him, that they gave him full powers of attorney to cede lands in East Jersey at his own option. But, sad to say, he abused their confidence, to his own interest, and was subsequently superseded.:}: He died in ITlT.g * The present turnpike line, bet^yeen Somerset and Middlesex, was fixed in 1766. — Early Records of New Brunswick, Map. t ^' Tlie western part of Middlesex County is watered bj Millstone River, which runs through a pleasant valley belonging to Mr. William Dockwra, of London." — Extract from Oldmixon' s Hist. Brit. Emp., fur- nished by Wm. A. Whitehead, Esq. These lands were mostly on the east side of the Millstone, extending from the present farm of Mr. Cropsey, more than two miles up the river. He also came into possession of 6,800 acres in Montgomery township, north of Blawenburgh, in 1706, which he sold the next year to John Van Home. + Governors Rudyard and Lawrie had acted a similar part, with lands on the Raritan, and with a similar fate. § Mr. Dockwra was never in this country. HISTOEICAL DISCOTJESE. 17 About 1690, Capt. Clement Plumstead obtained a large grant of land, including tlie territory of our present vil- lage. William Plumstead (probably a brother,) had lands to the north-west, in the vicinity of the farm of the late Henry Wilson. Clement Plumstead's land extend- ed up the Millstone two miles, to what is now Black- well's Mills, and west, to the road leading by the pres- ent John P. Staats' house to Cross Koads. Thomas Barker had the next plantation up the stream, having a mile and a half of river front, and extending west as far as Plumstead's ; while Mr. Hart and Walter Benthall owned the next two plantations, which carry us up to the hills this side of Princeton, The next large plot of land in this vicinity was purchased or inherited by Peter Sonmans.* His father, Arent Son- mans, was one of the twenty-four proprietors,! and who, at length, became possessed of &ve full shares of East Jersey. In 1693, his son Peter obtained a deed for about 36 square miles of the western part of our present township of Hills- borough, and a large part of Montgomery. His line began near Clover Hill,J and ran S. E. along the present county * Mr. Sonmans was a native of Holland, having been educated at Leyden, and held important offices under the Prince of Orange, after he became King William III. He was Surveyor-General of Jersey for four years, a member of the Council, a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and represented the County of Bergen in the House of Assembly. He was a churchman by profession, but gave land for a dissenting church at Hopewell, and for a Dutch Church at what is now Harlingen. He is said to hav^ borne a bad character. — Col. Hist. N. Y., vol. v., pp. 204, 328, 535. t Probably this tract had not been laid off to Arent Sonmans in his life-time. Peter may have inherited his father's interest, merely. I Beginning at the south corner of a tract of land, of 3,000 acres, for- merly laid out to Peter Sonmans, on the South Branch, fronting south- east by east, 3° more easterly, and running along the division line of 18 HISTORICAL DISC0UE6E. line, for six and a quarter miles, to a point directly west of Blawenburg, and tlienceeast and south-east, border- ing on Dr. Greenland's land to the Millstone Eiver, near Eocky Hill, and thence down the river a mile and a half, to the previous river grants (Benthall, etc.), and so along the southerly and westerly sides of these, and the lands of Eoyce^ until it struck the Earitan, following which river and the South Branch, and winding around a couple of plantations previously ceded to Hooper^ and Bennett, his bounds re- turned to Clover Hill, the place of beginning. Thus, our township began to be ceded about 1683, and all its lands had been actually taken up by individuals or companies by 1693, and the same was true of Montgomery township on the south, and of Bridge water on the north, at least to the East and West Jersey six and a quarter miles, to the corner of William Penn's land, thence east one and a half miles and five chains, east-sonth- east two and a half miles and five chains, to north corner of Henry- Greenland's land, thence east by south along his line to Millstone River, down said river one and a half miles, to upper corner of Walter Benthall's land, thence opposite to the foot of Rocky Hills, thence west- north-west two and three-quarter miles and two chains, north-north-east three and three-quarter miles and three chains, east- south-east one mile and eighteen chains, west by north one and three-eight miles, to south- east corner of Thomas Cooper's land, west by north one mile and ten chains, north by east two and a half miles and nine chains, to Raritan River, up said River one-half mile and five chains, to corner of Dan. Hooper's land, around which, south-west by south and north-west by west, to the South Branch, np said Branch to the lower corner of Robt. Bennett's land, thence south-east by east two miles, less sis chains, south-west by west one mile and s>ix chains, thence west-south-west to place of beginning, containing 23,000 acres. — Deed in possessioti of Peter A. Voorhees, Esq., of Six Mile Run. t Dan Hooper received 640 acres on Feb. ITth, 1692, beginning at the junction of i^orth and South Branches, running down the river about half a mile, and up the South Branch about two miles. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 19 Blue Hills, if not farther. Tlie Millstone Yalley began to be permanently settled about 1690, 176 years ago.* Respecting tlie present Franklin township on tlie east (not including tlie Raritan lots before referred to,) there seem to be conflicting grants.f While Wni. Dockwra owned an im- mense tract, extending more than two miles along the Mill- stone, yet in or before the year 1700, John Harrison, of Flushing, Long Island, purchased of the Indians :|: directly, a tract west of the Raritan lots, and apparently running back to tlie Millstone River, reaching nearly to Griggstown, on the river, and a little beyond Six Mile Run on the south-east. It embraced about 27 square miles. By or before the year 1700, therefore, all the neighboring territory w^as in the hands of Europeans. Royce and Sonmans, in the west, and Harrison and Dockwra, in the east, were among the first great landholders of the territory of our present congrega- tion. But the Government of Kew York was at this time administered by Governors appointed by the Crown, and was quite oppressive.g The same was also true of ^N'ew * In the charter of the Church of Hillsborough, it is stated that the people of this place represent " That their ancestors and predecessors have been inhabitants of the township of Hillsborough and places adja- cent, from the first Christian settlement of the colony." t For further particulars, see Early Records at New Bnmswicic, p.^l^. t The Indian titles and those of the proprietors often conflicted. Eojce is represented as a troublesome man, because he incited the peo- ple to hold their lands bj the Indian titles aXone.— Whitehead's East Jersey, p. 224. Yet it is also known that Dockwra sold portions of Franklin township afterward.— Papcr.s of Jacob Wyclcoff, of Middlehush. Some of his grants had been located here. § Rikefs Newtown, pp. 101, 137, and the historical authorities rally. 250 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. England. East Jersey was goyerned in a totally different manner. It was comparatively a free State. The twenty- four proprietors failed not to disseminate information, not only concerning the climate and soil of Jersey, but also con- cerning the freedom of its government, which had been increased under their rule. The Dutcli * around l!^ew York had always been dissatisfied with the encroachments of the English, since the conquest, not only politically, but also in their church affairs, the Church of England having been established by law. Many of them took advantage, there- fore, of this opportunity to change tbeir residence. Dutch comjDanies and individuals soon began to buy tracts of vari- ous sizes of the original purchasers. Scotch and English emigrants also, who were exposed to not a little persecution from the national church at home, by the ship-load, arrived at Amboy, and penetrated up the Earitan.f In 1742, (Feb. 28,) Clement Plumstead gave 2,000 acres of his land, including part of the territory of the present vil- lage of Millstone, to "William Plumstead. Its northern bound was Peace Brook, and it extended up the river to Mr. Barker's land. In 1752, (May 1st,) ^Ym. Plumstead sold 246 acres of this plot, on the south of the Am well road, to Christian Yan Doreu, for £740, and he three years later sold the same to his son, John Yan Doren, for £100. Mr. * The first Dutch on the Earitan came about 1683, and settled proba- bly near its mouth. — See Whitehead's East Jersey, pp. 289, 294. t The town of Piscataway received a charter in 1666 {Whitehead's Amboy, p. 401) ; and as earlj as 1680 there were some English planta- tions on the Raritan, below New Brunswick. Thomas Lawrence, a banker in New York, had 3,000 acres. Also at Raritan Landing, set- tlements had begun in this year {Whitehead's East Jersey, p. 92, 272). The last day of August, 1683, was set apart to meet the Indians and buy the lands at the head of the Raritan. — Smith. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 21 Plamstead* Lad previously sold the strip between tlie Am- well road and Peace Brook, to Benjamin TLompson, while Lawrence Yan Oleef had bought (also previously), to the south and west, of what now became the Yan Doren tract. Henry Yanderveer had purchased to the west of Thompson. Early in the century, Mr. Dockwra had sold on the banks of the Karitan and Millstone, 2,000 acres to John Covers and John Brocars ; f 1,800 acres to Yan Wickland Bohoart, 400 to Thomas Purcell, 460 to Kichard Davis, and 800 to Evert Yan \Yickland.:j: He also sold a tract of 400 acres up the Earitan, to Grotes Beekman and Evert Yan Wickle, of I^ew York.g In 1701 John Harrison sold a portion of his tract to a Dutch company, consisting of Peter Cortelyou, Stoffel Pro- basco, Theodore Polhemus, Hendrick Lott, Hendrick Hen- dricks, Jacques Cortelyou, and Dennis Tunis, all of Long * Plnmstead"'s land began at the mouth of Peace Brook, running along said brook, west-north-west, 124 chains, south-south-west, 126, east- soutli-east 206 chains, to Millstone Eiver, opposite to Reverdie Brook, and down the Millstone to the mouth of Peace Brook, leaving Barker on the south, Reneer Veghte on the west, and Powelson and John Post on the north. t He was probably the ancestor of the Scotch Brokaws in this coun- try. The French Ilnguenot Brokaw family originally wrote their name Brogaw (see Rikcr), and in France, Broucard. Bourgon Broucard came to America in 1675. He was born in 1645, and married Catherine Le Febre. He left five sons and three daughters ; Isaac (born 1676,) re- mained on Long Island, while John (born 16T8), Jacob (born 1680), Peter (born 1682), and Abraham (born 168-4), removed to Somerset County, early in the last century. I These sales of Dockwra were furnished by Mr. "Wm. A. Whitehead, from MSS. in his possession. § Trenton deeds in Secretary's office (I think). This last tract was bounded south-east by Cover's and Brogaw's land ; east and west by 22 HISTORICAL DISCOFKSE. iBland.* Tliey divided tlieir plot iuto twelve equal lots, and in 1703, Cor. AYjckofF,f of Long Island, joined the party, purchasing lot ISTo. 5 (1,200 acres), being in part the farm now owned by Mr. Jacob Wyckoff, of Middlebush. It then extended back to the Millstone. Still later, in 1723, Christian Yan Doren (before mentioned,) purchased:]: nearly a square mile to the north of the present Middlebush church, running back to the Raritan and Millstone lots, already laid out. He came from Monmouth, whither the stream of Dutch emigration from Long Island had first set. The sales of John Royce are involved in considerable perplexity, on account of conflicting grants, and human dis- honesty. § Royce's patent originally took in, as we have seen, a square of land between the Millstone and the Rari- Dockwra's ; south by land formerly owned by Stacklius ; and north by Eich. Davis' and Evert Van Wickle's land. * Papers of Jacob WijcJcoff. The next tract south, John Harrison sold to Thos. Cardale, TVilliain Creed, Sam. Dean, Jona Wood and Sam. Smith, in 1702, and Cardale sold his share to John Berrien in 1703. — Early Uec. at New Brunswick, p. 272. t He sold to his son John 300 acres for £200, who built a log house, where Sam Garretson now lives. John's son, Cornelius, was the first child born in Middlebush, and succeeded his father on this tract, dying in 1795. — Ralph Voorhccs. The ancestor of tlie Wyckoff family came to this country in 1636 (Pieter Claesz Wyckoff), and settled at FlatLmds. He married Grietje Yan ]^ess, and his sons were Claes, Hendrick, Cornelius, John, Gerrit, Martin and Peter. (Riker's Newtown, p. 324.) This Cornelius is proba- bly the one who bought land at Middlebush, in 1703. I He appears to have purchased of Dockwra, from certain documents in possession of Jacob "Wyckotf, of Middlebush. It is also said that the Van Dorens come to Monmouth direct from Holland. § Concerning Royce's dishonesty, see WhiteheaiVs East Jersey, p. 224. But iMr. Hamilton's references to the situation of the neighbors, upon whom Eoyce encroached, do not seem to be in harmony with well- known facts of their location. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 23 tan, and extended from the covered bridge south and south- west for two miles, and thence east to the Millstone. Eut Mr. Rojce fraudulently obtained another patent, still re- taining his old, which extended his possessions three miles further up the Raritan, and to Peace Brook, in this village, (the brook flo-^'ing under the arch bridge,) encroaching greatly on Mr. Plumstead, on the south, and on Mr. Cooper on the west. While he originally received less tlian five square miles in 1685, in 1693 he leased about eight square miles of land for 1,000 years to Charles Winder,* for £206, with the privilege of redeeming it in three years. This he never did, but still continued to dispose of the lands, and the executors of both parties, after their deaths, claimed the same territory. In 1702, John Coevers (or Coevert,) bought 2,500 acres of Eoyce and Dockwra, on the Millstone and Royce's Brook ; while in 1703, Andrew Coeymans, of Al- bany, bought 500 acres of Royce, it being stipulated in the deed that that tract especially should henceforth be called Roycefield.f This is the present district of that name. Royce died in 1708, and his executors sold 1470 acres of his land to the east of Roycefield, and between the Raritan and * Earlij Rec. at New Brunswick, p. 197. Though called a lease, it seems to have been of the nature of a mortgage. t Royce was now living at Piscataway. This deed is dated June 2d, and the tract was sold for £80. Beginning at a small maple tree, at the mouth of a small stream of water, in a gully, by Ed. Drink water's land, then south ninety-one chains, west forty -eight chains, north 123 chains, north 3° west, twenty-three chains to the Raritan ; then by said river west, six chains twenty-five links, south 3° east twenty-three chains, east six chains twenty-five links, to a walnut-tree, thence east by meadow land, formerly sold by Royce to Graham, and so to the place of beginning. — Parchment Deed, Amboy, (These bearings are not altogether consistent, though copied correctly from the deed.) » 24 HISTOEICAL DISCOUKSE. llillstone Eivers and Eojce's Brook, (to be Iiencefortli known bj the name of Koyston,"^) to Philip Iledman, for less than five dollars an acre ; and four years later (1712) Iledman sold the same tract to Michael Yan Yechty f and his asso- ciates, -viz., Yolkerse, Post, Allen, Wortman, Tunison, An- driese, and Yan ISTest. J But this land, afs well as the adjoining tract to the south, was now also claimed by the executors of Winder ; and this Dutch comj^any, hav- ing come in some way into possession of £500 of Poyce's estate, from whom the land had been honestly purchased, with this money leased the two tracts § of Winder's execu- tors for the yet unexpired term of Winder's lease — yiz., 979 * Royce's executors were John Borron, John Harrison and Mary Crawley ; besides the streams, on their sides, Royston is described as having the lands of John Van Dine and Ananias Allen, on the west. (Coeymans had probably sold a part of Roycefield to these. Hedman paid in all £1,350. Royce's will was written in 1706. — Early Records at New Brunswick, p. 174. t Early Rcc. N. 5., p. 179. This Michael Tan Yechty is not the one still remembered by some of the old people, but an ancestor of bis. He also owned land on the north of the Raritan. I A law was passed in 1694 to raise a tax of £150 in the province, and Peter Yan Nest was appointed for Somerset. But the sparseness of population at this time is shown in that Somerset's proportion was only £4 16s 6d. While the other counties had their several towns, Somerset could not specify a single one. (Laws of State.) Rev. Ry- nier Yan Nest (son of Peter,) was born in 1738, near the Raritan, and received the early part of his education under Rev. John Frelinghuy- sen. He was licensed in 1100.— Riker's Newtown, p. 242. § The tract leased by Royce to Winder in 1603, and now claimed by Winder's executors, and bought a second time by Yan Yechty, is thu3 described : Beginning at the west end of an island in Raritan River, forinerly owned by John Robinson, deceased, then south by west along Thomas Cooper's land, three miles, thence in a direct line to the head of a stream, now agreed to be called Peace Brook, being the north bound HISTOEICAL DISCOURSE. 25 years— binding themselves mutually to make up tlie £500, if Eoyce's lieirs should ever recover it. Thus were the titles of Yan Yechty & Co. made perfect. In 1703, therefore, the Dutch came into Eoycefield, and in 1712 into Eoyston, a name now forgotten by the inhabitants of Harmony Plains. On June 1st, 1702, John Covers bought of John Royce 512 acres of meadow land on Millstone Eiver, then in the county of Middlesex. On March 6th, 1711, Covers sold this tract to William Post for £300.--^ The central portion of Peter Sonman's great tract of 23,000 acres in the west of this and the next township soutli, was sold to seventeen Dutch settlers in 1710.t The north-eastern corner of this of Clement Plumstead's land, tlience down said Brook to Millstone Eiver, and dowu the Millstone four miles to the Earitan, and up the Earitan six and a half-miles to the place of beginning (excluding Gra- ham's meadows, 250 acres). TVinder died in 1710, and George WiUocks was his executor. He gave a quit claim to Yan Yechty & Co. for £5o5. Early Rec. New Brunswick, pp. 192, 197. ^ ^ Early Records at New Brunswick, p. 160. On June 10th, 1<0., Thomas Cooper, of London, by his attorneys, Eichard Ilartshorne and Eichard Salter, sold 2,000 acres on the south side of the Earitan, to Peter De Munt, for £380; beginning at a gullj on said river, opposite the upper end of a great island (being also Eoyce's pretended bounds), thence south by west three miles (less ten chains), thence west by north one mile ten chains, thence north by east two and three quarter miles (less two chains), to Earitan Eiver, and along said river to place of be- ginning. — Early Record at New Brunswick, p. 171. t On June 10th. This is known as the 9,000 acre, or the Harlingen tract. It embraces a large section of Montgomery and Hillsborough townships, and contained 8,939 acres. The names of the parties were Octavio Conraats, Ab. Wendell, merchant, Adrian Hooghlandt, Isaac Governeur, all of city of ^w York; Anna Yolkers, widow, of King's County, Long Island; Henry Hegeman, Francis Yan Lewen, Wm. Beekman, all of Queen's County, Long Island; Joseph Hegeman, 26 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. tract reached to the present farm of Adrian Merrill, from thence running west near to what is now AYood's tavern, and thence south-west in a straight line to Rock Mills, abont seven miles ; while its eastern bound went in a straiirht line from said Adrian Merrill's farm, striking and following the present road, which is on that line, to the present farm of Tlieodore "WjckoiF, and thence across to the old Harlingen Cemetery, and thence south-west and west to Eock Mills. Among these seventeen purchasers, we find the names of Yeghte, Corteljou, Yan Dujn, Yan Dike, Beekman, and Hooglandt. Thus came the Dutch into the western half of our present township/'^ Tliis great immigration and settlement of this portion of I^ew Jersey, began nnder the proprietors ; but while it was progressing, they were induced by certain embarrassments which they experienced, to surrender their charter to the crown. This took place in 1702, and from that time till the Eevolution, Kew Jersey was under royal governors, being Hendrick Yeghte, Cor. Yan Duyn, Wouten Yan Pelt, Ort Yan Pelt, all of King's County, L. I. ; Dirck Yolkers, of New Jersey ; Peter Cor- telyou, Jacob Yan Dyke, Claas Yolkertse, all of King's County, L. I. Bounded as follows : — Beginniug at the south corner of land of William Plumstead, being one and a half miles and four chains from Millstone Eiver (by what is now the new Amwell road) thence south-south- west two and three-quarter miles and eight chains, west-north-west one mile eighteen chains, south-south-west two and three-quarter miles and seven chains, west three and a half miles and three chains, to the par- tition line between East and West Jersey, thence north 14° west thirty chadns, north 53° east seven miles and twenty chains, east one mile and seventeen chains, to place of beginning, having lands of Plumstead, Barker, Hart and Benthall on the east, and the division line and other lands of Peter Sonman on the west. * The Staats family settled on the farm now owned by Peter P. Staats about 1730-40.— Pe^er P. StaaU. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 27 at times united to N"ew York. Many Dutcli families for many years afterward, however, continued to remove to this part of New Jersey, and to purchase lands of their for- mer relatives, as well as from the English settlers, until in time, it became ^ almost altogether in possession of the Dutch. "^ But it is plainly impracticable to trace this any further in detail. We now turn, after this perhaps too long introduction, to the ecclesiastical history proper. Churches and religious j^rivileges did not by any means, keep pace with the population.f Yet there was a constant call among the people of all this State, for religious teachers. All denominations w^ere equally tole- rated. Tlie first minister in the State was Eev. Ab. Pierson, of ]!^ewark, in 1666, a Presbyterian, and a church was organized there the next year. The country about Amboy and Elizabeth were very early supplied to some extent, as before the year 1700, Fletcher and Riddle, and Airsdale and Allen, and Drake and Harri- son, and Shepherd, :j: had labored in that field, besides some missionary Episcopalian efibrts. § The first Dutch minister in this State, was the Rev. Guil- liam Berthplf, who preached for thirty years at Hackensack and Aquacononck, beginning in 1694 ; || and in 1709, the * In the charter of the five Collegiate Dutch churches in 1753, it is represented that the Dutch are now very numerous in these localities, and constantly increasing. t See Whitehead: s East Jersey, pp. 294, 302, 330, and his History of Perth Amboy, p. 383. X Whitehead's Amboy, pp. 28, 212, 3T1, 384, 404. § Whitehead's Amboy, pp. 209-212. Whitehead's East Jersey, p. 169. II The church of Hackensack was founded in 1686, but the Dutch church of Bergen is the oldest in the State, having been founded in 1660. The first Dutch minister in America was Jonas Michaelius, in 28 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE, Diitcli cluirclies in Monmoutli couiitj, wlncli had been earlier settled, obtained the services of Eev. Joseph Morgan, who labored there for twentj-two years. Tliese two in Xew Jersey, and never more at one time than two in ^ew York citv, and two on Long Island (and at one period from 1702-1705, these four were reduced to one), constituted all the Dutch ministers around !N"ew York city or in I^ew Jersey, being never more than six at one time ; and indeed, before the arrival of Frelinghuysen, in 1720, in these parts, there had never been more than seven Dutch ministers at tlie same time in America. How little divine service could these then distant settlements enjoy ! * The church of Millstone is, indeed, one of the younger Dutch churches in this section of the State, and it would be a comparatively easy task simply to take up her history fi'om the organization ; but such a plan would leave much of the ecclesiastical history of the families now on our terri- tory, in an obscurity, always unpleasant to the thoughtful student, who is not satisfied with a work partially per- formed. A brief reference to the neighboring churches, which for more than half a century the inhabitants of the Millstone Yalley attended, and with some of which they 1628. The settlers procured ministers from Classis of Amsterdam, in Holland, through the West India Co. Taylor's Annals of Classis of Bergen, p. 17-4. Col His. N. r., vol. a., pp. 759-770. * Gualterus Dubois labored in New York from 1699 to 1751 ; Ber- nardus Freeman, on Long Island, from 1705 to 1741 ; Yicentius x\nto- nides, also on Long Island, being colleague with the former, from 1705 to 1744 ; and Henricus Boel, in New York, as colleague with Dubois from 1713 to 1754. These were the onlj Dutch ministers, in the vicinity of New York, in tlie first quarter of the last century, and from these, and the two in Jersey, all the*' help must have come. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. . 29 several times conjointly called a pastor, will surely not be deemed inappropriate.* About 1699, Eev. Guilliam Bertholf, the only Dutch minister then in 'New Jersey, organized tlie cbiircb of Earitan. The place of worsliip stood at first and until the Eevolution, just over the Raritan, near the residence of the late Mr. Dunn. But in 1703, we find also a church organi- zation, and probably a building, at Three Mile Run, where the old grave-yard yet rem-ains ; for in that year, we find a list of pei'sons subscribing to the amount of £10 16s. and 6d. to pay the expenses of a minister from Holland. These were families f who had settled on the Harrison tract, and on the Raritan lots, and some few from beyond the Mill- stone. But no pastor could be procured till 1720, when Rev. T. J. Frelinghuysen arrived. But in the meantime (1717:j:), the little church of Three Mile Run, sent out two colonies, establishing from itself the churches of l^ew Brunswick and Six Mile Run. And about the same time, or a little after, a Dutch church was organized at the * The large correspondence of the Classis of Amsterdam, in Holland, with the Dutch churches in this country, will no doubt throw con- siderable light upon the history of all these early churches. It will soon be accessible to the public. See Mints, of Gen. Sijn. for 18G6, p. 112. t Their names were Hegeman, Tunis Quick, Ilend. Emens, Thos. Cort, Jac. Probasco, Is'eclas Wyckoff, — — avi L. Draver, Mic. L. Moore, John Schedemeun, Nee. Yan Dike, John Yan Houten, Wil. Bennet, Folkert Yan ISTostrand, Jac. Bennet, Hend. Fanger, Ab. Bennet, Cor. Peterson, Philip Folkerson, Geo. Anderson, Stobel Probasco, Isaac Le Priere, Simon Yan Wicklen, Cobes Banat, Garret Cotman, Lucas Coevert, Brogun Coevert, Wil. Yan Duin, Dennis Yan Duin, John Folkerson, Jost. Banat. J Possibly Six Mile Run was organized as early as 1710. I am told there was a letter published in the "Christian Intelligencer" some y^ars ago, stating such a fact, derived from some records in Bucks CcuLty, Pa.; but I have not seen it. 30 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. Branches of tlie Karitan, called the church of ^orth Brancli, and which, in 1738, was removed to Eeadington. Thus by the year 1720, there were no less than five Dutch churches on the Karitan and its branches, plainly showing that in the twenty years preceding, there had been a large immigration of Dutch from New York and Long Island. A Mr. Alexander, in writing to ex-Governor Hunter, in 1730, says that the road from Brunswick to the Delaware is lined with white fences, and comfortable look- ing farm-houses ; whereas, in 1715, when he traveled that road before, there were only four or five houses between the Earitan and the Delaware. The country was then, how- ever, as we have already seen, and as the list for Three Mile Kun proves, more thickly settled back in Franklin township, and along the Earitan. Do. Frelinghuysen lived a little west of Three Mile Eun, proving probably that the main part of his people lived in that vicinity, and his grave is pointed out in that locality to this day, though without a stone to mark the spot.* We cannot, of course, go into his history in detail, f as all that is known of him has been published in various forms heretofore. Suffice it to say, that the long lack of frequent religious services had produced a most lamentable declen- sion in the i3iety of the people, which had perhaps been * Do. Frelinghuysen lived in the place now owned by John Bronson. — R. Voorhees, of M/ddlebush. t He was born at Lingen, in East Friesland, Hanover, about 1691, He was ordained in Friesland in 1717, by John Brunius, and settled at Embden. The churches of the Raritan obtained Mr. Frelinghuysen through the kind offices of Rev. Mr. Freeman, of Long Island, who also afterward vindicated him from the aspersions of his enemies. See Frelinghuysen' $ Sermons, pp. 5, 7, 299, 357. Messler's Memorial^ Taylor's Annals, p. 170. Gunn's Livingston^ p. 359. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 31 somewhat formal before, and Frelinghuysen, being tho- roughly evangelical, and bold withal,^ not sparing their sins of any kind, necessarily aroused great opposition, (1723.) But in the strength of God he persevered, and maintained his position to the end, and succeeded in impressing upon the new generation, his own deeply religious character ; and now for his fidelity, he is univer- sally honored by the descendants of those w^ho once opposed him. * It wa-3 during his time, also, that the Dutch denomina- tion became rent into two factions — the Coetus, represent- ing the thoroughly evangelical party, the party of progress and reform, and to which Frelinghuysen contributed not a little ;t and the Conferentie, as the other party was called, representing formality, and adherence to custom, and horror at innovation,:!: even when change would be undeniable * His enemies shut his churches against him, so that he had to preach in barns; in 1725. In the same year a slanderous book appeared against him, and afterward a lawsuit was begun, to try to eject him, but he was acquitted by the court ; they also complained of him to the Classis of Amsterdam, but they sustained him. New Brunswick is not named in the protest against him. Frel in ghuy sen's Sermons, pp. 7, 8, 353. Wliit^ehead's East Jersey, pp. 168, 291, 305-7. t Mr. Frelinghuysen was one of the originators of the Coetus, in 1738 ; the eminent and useful elder, Hendrick Fisher, of New Bruns- wick, accompanying' him. The text in Mints, of Gen. Syn., vol. i., pp. 8, 13, does not decide whether the Frelinghuysen who is there said not to have won over his consistory yet to the Coetus, is Theodore of Raritan or John of Albany. I Both the Frelinghuysens had helpers, (like the Apostles,) to par- tially supply their places when absent ; but some found great fault with this innovation. The Conferentie, seeing their waning influence, became at last unwilling to have the majority rule. — Mints. Gen. Syn. vol. i., p. 96., and Messlefs MemoriaU 32 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. improvement. For fifty years did tlie strife continue, wliicli was often very bitter, all tlie churclies in this county having two consistories, * representing, respectively, the progressive and the nnprogressive parties. And it was only through the changes brought about by the American Revolution, that this strife was at length effectually allayed, f It was during the first Frelinghuysen's ministry, more- over, that the church at what is now called Harlingen was formally organized, although for some cause, not now well understood, he himself was not invited to do this work, though it lay within his pastoral fi.eld4 Kev. Ilenricus Coens, who had commenced to labor during the preceding year at Ac[uacononck, ordained the Consistory on May 18th, 1727. They called themselves the church " over the Mill- stone^^ § indicating apparently thereby, that the inhabitants * Mints. Gen. Syn.^ vol. i., p. 103. Gunn'.s Livingston, pp. 141-143. Harlingen Records, 1Y34. Kain, the Swedish traveler, in 1728, speaks of one Presbyterian and two German (Dutch ?) churches in ISTew Brunswick. Possibly the Con- sistory was divided, or Kain may have been mistaken. t The Conferentie frequently refused to recognize the ministers of the Coetus as legitimate, but God had received them, and they finally pre- vailed. "While negotiations were progressing for several years before, to free the American churches from infantile dependence on Holland, the independence of the country settled the matter forever. X See Mints. Gen. Syn., vol. i., p. 4, respecting this church, under the younger Frelinghuysen. § Die Kerk op der Millstone. The name Millstone, applied to the river, occurs in the first references to this section of country. There is a tradition, (though not very reliable,) that a millstone was once lost in the river, when crossing a bridge, and never recovered, and hence the name. Scot, writing in 1685, says that the hills on the north were filled with good millstones, {Whitehead's East Jersey, p. 2G5,) and this may have suggested the name for this branch of the Raritan : bot it is HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 33 of tliat region liad previously attended cliurch at Six Mile Bun. It was known by the name of tlie Church of Mill- stone,* and afterwards sometimes by the name of Sourland, until after the death of the elder Eev. Yan Harlingen, when out of memory to him, and to distinguish it from our own village, it became incorporated, under the name of IIarlingen,^in 1801. It was soon after organization, very largely increased in numbers, and prospered much. Fifty- three members were received in the first twenty years. It began with only seven, f Two years after the organization of what is now the church of Harlingen, (viz., 1729,) the old church of Three Mile Run, although Frelinghuysen was living close by, made an efi*ort to call a minister for themselves ; and since they were not acting in concert with the other churches, but alone, it would seem, that it must have been disaifec- tion on their part toward the faithful Frelinghuysen. In the same document,^ the chnrch building at that place is also Sometimes early spelled as mile-stone, perhaps a mile-stone on some route, standing on its banks, and in what place so likely, as where the road from Brunswick to Trenton crosses the Millstone, near Prince- ton, that being just twenty miles from the Karitan? This is the most probable derivation. The present village of Millstone is frequently called Middleburgh in early deeds. * "The Church of Millstone," in all records before 1766, and some- times after, means the church now at Harlingen. Hence the error in the Manual of R. P. D. 0., which dates the organization of Millstone in 1727,^ the writer not then being acquainted with these localities. t For a fuller account of the church of Harlingen, see Christopher 0. Hoagland's pamphlet. I Papers in possession of Hon. Ealph Yoorhees, of Middlebush. Henry Vroom and Fred. Yan Liew were appointed a committee to carry out these matters, if successful, in procuring a minister. The fol- lowing names are attached to the salary-list for this call : A. Boorham, Simon Wyckoff, Dennis Van Duyn, Smock, Cor. Peter- 34 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. represented as old and dilapidated, and thej agree, if tlicy secure a minister, to build a new place of worship sliortly, 'to be located on the lands of John Pittenger, at Three Mile Run. But they did not procure a new minister, and pro- bably the new building was never begun, and with the disuse of the old, the cliurch in that place expired. The last reference to it is in 1751.* For a long time previous, it had had two consistories. Dos. Antonides, De Ronde, and Arondeus,t of Long Island, were the troublesome men, who visited all the churches in Frelinghuysen's field several times a year. They were formal and unevangelical men themselves, organizing consistories, which were opposed to the regular consistories, :[: and baptizing the childi'en of the disaffected. § These actions began in 1734, and thirteen years later, Arondeus permanently removed to these parts, and died in 1751. But the locality of his home and grave are unknown. After the death] of Rev. T. J. Frelinghuysen. about son, Geo. Anderson, T7m. Yan Duyn, Jac. Boise, Hen. Smock, Chris. Probasco, Wm. Kouwenhoven, Jac. Bennet, Pet. Bodiue, Gid. Marlat, Wm. Bennet, Paul Le Boyton, Francis Harrison, Ab. Bennett, Isaac Le Queer, Jac. Bennet, , Nic. Daily, Ad. Hardenbrook, Luke Covert, Jac. Probasco. * See 3Iints. Gen. Syn., vol. i., pp. Iv., cxxxi. t See Mints, of Gen. Syn., vol. !., session of 1751. I See vol. i. Gen. Syn., pp. cxxxi., ciii., Iv., Ivi., for fuller particulars. § The Harlingen Records have a list of baptisms by Arondeus, from 1744 to 1749, including certain baptisms at 'Raritan.— Frelinghuysen's Sermons, pp. 355-58. See also the second paragraph of p. 840, and pp. 354 358, of Frcling- huysen^s Sermons. Mr. Frelinghuysen called him a dead man. II He left five sons and two daughters ; viz., Theodore, who preached at Albany, 1745-1760, when he went to Holland to raise funds for a ' HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 35 174:7, tlie cliurclies of New Brunswick and Six Mile Eiin conjointly called Eev. John Leyclt, who was one of the students prepared and examined by the Coetus in this country. His call was approved, September 27, 1748. The other three churches, viz., Raritan, Harlingen and Readington, united and called Rev. John Frelinghuysen,* the son of their preceding pastor^ and who arrived in this country in August, 1750. He lived near Somerville. During his time, the people of Harlingen built a new church near the present site, leaving the land originally given to them, where the cemetery remains. The youthful pastor dedicated the new building in 1752, preaching from the texts — 1 Kings viii. 29, and Psalm xxvii. 4: "That thine eyes may be open toward this house, night and day, even toward the place of which Thou hast said, My name shall be there : that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place." And, " One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple." During the ministry of Leydt and the younger Freling- huysen, in 1753, the -Q-VQ Dutch churches over which they presided, obtained a common charter, including them all under one corporation, ' But the youthful Frelinghuysen's labors were not long in literary institution, and on his return was lost at sea ; John, who suc- ceeded his father in Somerset County ; Jacob and Ferdinand, died at sea on their return from Holland in 1753; Henry, who settled at Warwarsing and Rochester in 1756, and died in 1757 ; Anna, married Rev. Wm. Jackson, of Bergen, and Margaret married Rev. Thos. Romeyn, of Long Island. * See Mints. Gen. Syn., vol. 1., pp. liii., xcvii. 36 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. the cliurcli below. After only four years of service, and at the early age of twenty-eight, he died. This took place in September, 1754.* An effort was then made by the church of ^orth Branch, to induce the united congregations to call Rev. John C. Freyenmoet, who had been preaching for ten years at Minisink and connected places, on the upper waters of the Delaware. And though there was a strong party in his favor in each of the churches, they did not succeed in their design,f having their eye already on Mr. Jacob R. Hardenbergh, who had married young Fre- linghuysen's widow. In the meantime, in 1758, the churches of JN^echanic and Bedminster were organized, and these two, in connection with the other three, in the same year called Mr. Hardenbergh, (who was ordained in October,) and who served the three northern churches, (with the excep- tion of a visit to Holland of two years,) for twenty-three years. But Sourland and IN'echanic, during his absence, called Eev. John M. Yan Harlingen,:j: in 1761,§ and he served these two churches till his death, in 1795, the people making great lamentation over him. In 1759,1 the year after Mr. Hardenbergh had been called * He died suddenly on Long Island, while there to attend the Coetus. — Min. Gen. Syn., p. Ixxxix. He left one son, Frederick, who was the father of the late Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen. t They had only three or four services in two years, after Frelinghuy- sen's death. — Mints. Gen. Syn., vol. i., pp. ciii., xcix. X He was a native of Millstone, but had gone to Holland to be educated. § Doc. Hist. N. Y., vol. i., p. 406. He was no doubt a descendant of Frans Van Harlingen, of Holland, with whom Dr. Livingston frequently stayed when in that country. — Gunn's Livingston, p. 80. B Rev. Wra. Jackson,. of Bergen, a great field orator, and second only HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 37 to the five clmrclies north and west of the Earitan and the Millstone, the English settlers of Millstone petitioned to have regular preaching in this locality.* While we have been tracing the history of the Dutch Presbyterians, we must remember that the English Presbyterians w^ere increasing in even a more rapid ratio. The Presbytery of 'New Brunswick had been organized since 1738, and all around, Presbyterian churches had sprung up. Many ship- loads of persecuted dissenters, from England and Scotland, had arrived at Amboy, and moved directly up the Earitan, and were the founders of the early Presbyterian churches in our county,t and these are represented, by early writers, as persons w^ho had been refined and purified by afflictions and persecutions. to Whitefield, was called in this year as a colleague with Hardenbergh, but did not accept. — Taylorh Annals^ p. 125. * Rec. Presbytery of New Brunswick. The Presbytery met at Basken- ridge, Oct. 30th, 1759. It then consisted of Revs. John Guild, Israel Keed, Benj. Hart, Sam. Kennedy, Sam. Harker, l^m. Tennent, David Cowl, Chs. McKnight, Jaa. McCrea, Thos. Lewis, John Prudden, and Conrad Wortz, besides elders. t The first Presbytery organized in America was that of Philadelphia in 1705. The Wall-street Presbyterian church, (the first in city of New York,) was organized in 1716. {Doc. Hist, iii., 79. Riker's Newtown^ p. 138.) The Long Island Presbytery was organized in 1717, taking in New York and Westchester. That of East Jersey a little later, and that of New Brunswick in 1738. This Presbytery, at its organization, included the following churches in this vicinity : — Paepack, Crosswick*s, Cranberry, Maidenhead, Hopewell, Bound Brook, Baskenridge, Leba- non, Eeadington, Neshaminy, and New Brunswick. (See Whitehead's East Jersey, pp. 204, 257, 268. Whitehead's Amboy, pp. 23, 35. Smith's New Jersey, p. 166.) This rapid immigration, and the feelings of the immigrants themselves, show a powerful religious prescience, that God intended America as the field for the development of liberty and religion. Compare Eev. xiL, which certainly received its crowning fulfillment, in the flight of the many religious exiles to these shores. 38 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. The Dutcli and English in this vicinity therefore Tinitecl, and built a common place of worship, about 1760. Eleven years before, tlie Presbyterian churcli of Bound Brook had called and settled a young man by the name of Israel Eead, and now the Presbyterians of this place enter into an engagement with the churcli of Bound Brook,* to secure a service once a month. The Dutch also held service about as often in the same building, which stood on the present jpi'emiges of Mr. Yan Mater Yan Cleef, of this village. Dos. Leydt, Yan Harlingen, and especially Har- denbergh, preached for them in this place. After a few years, however, some difficulty occurred between the parties, in reference to the church building, the points of which have not been distinctly ascertained, and the Dutch resolved to build a church edifice for them- selves. Mr. Israel Eead f served the English in this place for about nine years, after which he divided his labors between Bound Brook and New Brunswick, till 1786, when Eev. Walter Monteith succeeded him in the latter place. Mr. Eead continued at Bound Brook till 1793, when he was killed by being thrown from his wagon at Earitan landing, :N'ovember 28, 1793, being in his seventy-fifth year. J After he ceased to preach in Millstone, about * The Presbyterian churcli of Bound Brook was organized about 1700, and that of Baskenridge in 1T32. English and Scotch Presby- terians -began to locate on the Raritan as early as 1683, the first ones coming from Amboy, Woodbridge and vicinity.— Dr. Rogers' Hist. Ser- mon pf Bound Brook. t Pwev. Mr. Lamb, of Baskenridge, occasionally, and Rev. Mr. Crea, from about l745-'50, supplied the Presbyterian church of Bonnd Brook before the settlement of Mr. Reed. X His successors were— Rev. David Barclay, 1794-1805; Rev. Selah Strong Woodhull, 1805-1806, when he went to R. D. C, of Brooklyn; Rev. Jas. Paterson, 1809-1813; Rev.'Wm. A. McDowell, 1813-1814 ; HISTOEICAL DISCOURSE. 39 1769, they had supplies occasionally,* from the neighboring Presbyterian churches, until the Eevolution, and between the close of that event, and the beginning of this century, a Eev. Mr. Elmore,t from Elizabethtown, preached here a part of his time, as tradition says, though no documentary evi- dence concerning him at this time, has been met with. After the Eevolution, considerable correspondence ^ took place between the Presbytery of I^w Brunswick, and the Chassis of Kew Brunswick, respecting this Presbyterian church in Millstone ; but the early books and papers of Classis, which contained this correspondence, are lost,— said to have been destroyed by fire. The Dutch complained that the Presbyterians encroached on their territory, and committees of conference were appointed. But the Presby- terian congregation gradually dwindled, until it became extinct. The\uilding, no longer safe, was taken down about 1809.§ On July 26th, 1766, seventy heads 1 of famihes of the Rev. Jolm Boggs, 1815-1828 ; Rev. Dr. Rodgers, 1830 to present time. —Dr. Rodgers' MSS. Sermons. * In 1770 the licentiate, Wm. Schenck, supplied tliem two Sabbaths, and subsequently Rev. Sara Kennedy, of Baskenridge, Rev. Mr. Van Arsdale, and Rev. Mr. Smith, of Cranberry. In 1775 this Presbyterian churcli united with Kingston in calling a man, but without success ; on April 23d, 1776, they petitioned for a minister to assist Mr. Elmore in the celebration of the Lord's supper, (hence Mr. Elmore must have been at this time unlicensed,) and Mr. Kennedy was appointed. t He died between sixty and seventy years ago. ^ X Mints. Gen. Sijn., vol. i., pp. 104, 108. § It was a small building with a very steep roof. It is said that the land belonging to it, having been sold, the proceeds were divided among the heirs of the original donor, by the name of Ten Eyck. I Peter Schenck, Cornelius Van Liew, Hend. Probasco, Ab. Van Beuren, Hend. Schenck, Jice Smock, John Vanderveer, Lawr. Van 40' HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. Dutch settlers of the Millstone Yalley, addressed a petition to the Dutch ministers and elders of Karitan, New Bruns- wick, Six Mile Eun, and Millstone, (i. e. now Harlingen,) as follows : — " "We, the undersigned, belonging to the afore- said congregations, and living where the four congregations rtneet, finding it verj inconvenient, and sometimes impos- sible to attend the Dutch church or Dutch services with our families, which, in view of God's command, and our baptizmal vows, we feel to be tlie dutj of ourselves and children, and also for other reasons which we might ]3re- sent ; therefore we have deliberated, Avhether a new congre- gation ought not to be established by taking some from each of these congregations ; and having considered it advisable, we request respectfully jour council and advice. If our desire be approved, (and our prayer is that it may prosper,) and we on the Lord's day, once a month, or as often as pos- sible, may be served, by our three ministers ; then, for the accomplishment of the same, we will provide a place of worship, and salary. This petition, we sign with respect, Cleef, Ram. Ditraars, Bergen Coevert, Jr., Sam. Brewer, John Yan Doren, John Smock, Peter Stryker, Dan. Covert, Jac. Wjckoff, Jac. Yan I^Toorstrandt, Hend. Wilson, Jer. Doutj, John Stryker, Cor. Lott, John Probasco, Christiaen Yan Doren, Ab. Yan Doren, Phil. Folker- son, John Blauw, Pet. Blauw, Ab. Metzelaer, Peter Perrine, Burgon Hoff, Jer. Silwil], Jac. Stryker, "Wm. Geo. Prall, Mary Arrismith, Jac. Metzelaer, Aron Yan Dorn, "Wm. Spader, Pet. Cavaleer, Peter "Wilson, John Christopher, John Brokau, John Hoogeland, John Covert, Mindert Wilson, Isaac Brokau, Joseph Arrismith, Joseph Yanderveer, Rem. Gerritson, Juryee Yan Cleef, Dirrick Croesen, Peter Wyckoff, John Powelson, Stephen Turhune, Douwe Ditmars, Hend. Yander- veer, Luke Rynierson, Reynier Yan Hengelen, Sam. Gerretson, Jac. Gerritson, Stoffel Yan Arsdalen, Gerret Turhune, Jos. Cornel, Barent Stryker, Gretje Cornel, John Ditmars, Roelof Turhune, Marritje Yan Nuys, Wm. Corteljou. HISTOEICAL DISCOUKGE. 41 submission and love, praying God Almighty to overrule all tilings for the best. " And furthermore, the salary, as is usual, shall be paid by each one of us. Tlie Eev. ministers, above mentioned, are invited, with elders from each of the congregations, to come together at the house of Peter Schenck, on Monday, the eleventh of August, prox." Accordingly on the eleventh of August, 1T66, Eev. John Leydt, pastor of the churches of 'New Brunswick and Six Mile Run, with an elder respectively from each, viz., Hendrick Fisher, and Ab. Yoorheese ; Eev. Jacob E. Har- denbergh, of Earitan, with the elder Eeynier Yan :N:este ; and the Eev. J. M. Yan Harlingen, of :Nechanic and Sour- land, with elders Simon Yan Arsdalen, and Johannes De Mott, met together at the house of Peter Schenck, (which stood on the present premises of Deacon Broach,) and after prayer, each of the points of the petition were thoroughly discussed, and the petition and plan were approved ; except that the new congregation should not have the services of the three ministers without the consent of their respective cohgregations, as it would infringe on their calls. They at once proceeded to erect a Consistory, and to establish the con- gregation under the name of New Millstone. They accord- ingly elected Joseph Cornell and Peter Schenck for elders, and Johannes Hogelandt, and Ab. Yan Beuren, M.D., for deacons. Dominie Leydt, of Ke w Brunswick, was appointed to ordain the new Consistory on a certain day, the date of which is not given, but being prevented by an accident, this duty was performed by Dominie Hardenbergh, of Earitan. A little difficulty was at once experienced in reference to the bounds of the new congregation, as the Consistories of each of the other churches complained that it was taking 42 mSTOEICAL DISCOUESE. too many families from tliem.* Accordingly each Consis- tory determined what families could be spared, and no others should attempt to go, and those who were permitted to go, should also have the privilege of remaining in their old connections if they chose. Our Consistory protested that these arrangements very much contracted them, but still promised to do nothing to disturb the peace. The three neighboring ministers, by an arrangement en- tered into with their con^egations, each preached at 'New Millstone four times a year, giving them conjointly a ser- vice once a month. Tims matters stood for eight years. The first thing the new consistory attempted to do, was to erect a house of worship, in accordance with their pro- mise, and also because it was not agreeable longer to use the Presbyterian edifice, which it would seem from the withdrawal of the Dutch, had been built chiefly by the English. A subscription was begun, in December of the same year, which received seventy-eight names,f and an aggregate amount of £446 or $1,115 00, the subscribers agreeing to pay the sums promised, in four installments of six months each, beginning May 1st, 1767. The subscrip- tion paper states that the Church should be built on a piece of land near the Somerset Co. Court House, (this being the County-seat,) which land should be bought by the builders of John Smock. It was further stipulated, that the congre- gation should belong to the Coetus, i. e., the progressive party in the church, showing that the efforts of the First Frelinghuysen, on the people of this locality, had not been * This subject was agitated for many years. In 1700 the road run- ning west from the brick- walled cemetery, was made the division line between Raritan and Millstone, Weston also being included in Raritan. Consist. Book 2. p. 13. + See Appendix. Note 1, HISTOEICAL DISCOURSE. 4:3 ill vain. Subscriptions * were also solicited for lielp in Kew-York and on Long Island, and £10^ 10s. lid. or $260 were thus received for the onginal building of the Church. John Yan Doren gave land to the church immediately north of the present parsonage lot, on what is now the gar- den of Dr. Fred. Blackwell. But John Smock, who owned the plot where the church now stands, being Avilling to exchange with the Consistory, they ghadly accepted of the proposal, on account of the superiority of the site, and hence the deed for the ground stands in the name of John Smock, dated Jan. 7th, 1767, to certain trustees,'!' in behalf of the congregation. The land comprised eight and a half tenths of an acre, and was valued at £10. This plot was subse- quently increased, by three different purchases of land, viz., the square west of the Lecture Room of Dan. Disborough, in 1S14,:|: the western end of the grave-yard of John Broach, in 1S31,§ and a small plot in the northwest corner of the yard, of Dan. Disborough, in 1835, || costing in all $191. * The Committee to build the Church consisted of Rem Ditmars, Hendrick Willson, Jan Probasco, Jan Vanderveer, Cor. Van Lewen, Hend. Probasco, and John Van Doren. t These were Rem Ditmars, Hend. "Willson, John Probasco, John Vanderveer, Cor. Van Lewe, John Van Doren, and Hend. Probasco. Bounded as follows : — Beginning at a point in Benj. Thompson's line, thence north 87^° east, 3 chains and 14 links, to the middle of the road, south 2^° west, 3 chains, to John Van Doren's line, along which south S7}4° west, 2 chains, 75 links, north 9}^° west, 3 chains, to place of beginning. X This was a rectangle of 38X72 feet, and cost $40. § Beginning in the Amwell road in Van Doren's line, north 4)^° west, 3 chains, 4 links, to Disborough's line, along which north 87)^° east^ 46 links, thence south 10° east, 3 chains, 6 links, to Amwell road, and up said road north 87° west, 75 links, to place of beginning, containing 2-10 of an acre. 11 Beginning at north-east corner of John Broach's lot, being also a corner of Disborough's lot, north 4)^° west, 57 links, north 87>2° east, 4* HISTOKICAL DISCOURSE. Tliesc several plots together constitute the present church- yard, including a little more than an acre. This first house of worship was probably completed within a year and a quarter from the organization of the church. Its breadth, like many of the old churches, was greater than its depth. It contained in all sixty-six pews, two being reserved by the pulpit for the Consistory, one by the west wall, (the wall pews faced the congregation,) for the justice, and two tiers or eight pews in the back of the church, were free. A stairway ran up in the south-west corner to the belfry. The church contained three aisles, and two large pillars arose, in the midst of either block of pews, to sup- port the roof. This building, though considerably damaged by fire in the Revolution, and having undergone a couple of thorough repairings, stood for sixty years. The baptismal register of the church begins April 3d, 1767, when Eva, daughter of Dr. Yan Beuren, one of the deacons, was baptized, and baptisms occur afterwards every few months, showing regular services. But only fifteen formed the original membership of the church, including ofiicers, and ten were added by profession and two by cer- tificate, during the period that they remained without a pastor.* 53 links, to a corner of Phebe Lott's lot, south 4° east, 57 links, south 87)^° west, 53 links, to place of beginning, containing 3-100 of an acre. $1. The plot now occupied bj the lecture-room, was given by Dan. Dis- borough for a school lot, in 1814. It is 130X38 feet. In 1860, by an act of the Legislature, the school district obtained power to sell this lot, that they might locate the school on the hill, north of the town ; it was bought by certain trustees in behalf of the members of the congregation of Hillsborough, living in school district ISTo. 3, to be used by them for educational and moral purposes. * Our Consistory paid to each of the neighboring Consistories about $40 a year, for the services of their ministers. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 45 It was also during tins time, that the great convention of Dutch ministers and elders was held in IS'ew York, for the purpose of consummating the independence of the Dutch churches in America, of the parent church in Holland. Peter Schenck, of this church, signed the articles,* which bound the conflicting parties, to union and peace, in behalf of the church of New Millstone, the Coetus having at last triumphed in their reformatory efforts. It is probable that at this convention, (October, 1772,) Mr. Schenck, the elder from this place, became acquainted with Eev. Christian F. Toering, then preaching in the German church in the city of New York, and which ulti- mately resulted in Mr. Foering's settling at Millstone. He was first called in November, 1773, as a colleague of Do. Hardenbergh, of Karitan, the two churches uniting in the call. They promised him £130, a house, and sixty acres of land, and urged him strongly to accept. But his congrega- tion in New York being very feeble, and his Consistory fearing that their church would die if he left, he resolved to his own temporal discomfort to remain in New York. The congregation of New Millstone, notwithstanding their ill success in procuring at present the services of Mr. Foering, did not despair. In the summer of 1774, (July 23d,) they bought a parson- age farm in two unequal plots, containing about fifty-three acres, and for which they gave bonds to nine individuals, (of whom they borrowed money to pay for it,) amounting to £34:8. Four and a half acres additional were added the next spring. It is the place now occupied by John Henry * At this convention, the Circle (or Classis,) of ITew Brunswick was organized, 1771. The first volume of their minutes, reaching from 1771-1811, is lost, and thus probably much material, which might have been used profitably in this history. L 46 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. "Wilson, Esq., of tliis township.* The two larger plots were bought of Peter Wilsonjf the smaller one of John Bannett. * The trustees for this farm were Peter Schenck, Esq., Jos. Cornell, Ernestus Yaii Harlingen, Johannes Hoagland, Dr. Ab. Van Beuren, John Probasco, Dr. Lawrence Vanderveer, Cor. Lott, Hend. Wilson, Cor. Van Lewe, Hend. Probasco, John Van Doren, Ram Ditmars, John Smock, John Strjker, Garret Terhune, Jr., John Bennett, and TTra. Van Doren. Bounded as follows : — Beginning on the Millstone at the south-east corner of lands of Hend. Willson, west along his line 11 chains, on the edge of the upland, north 22° east, 5 chains, 'To links, north 89° west, 33 chains, 35 links, to the middle of the road that leads from the Somerset Court House to the Pwaritan ; along said road south 17^° west, 12 chains, to north-west corner of Cor. Lottos land ; along his line north 87^^° east, 28 chains, 40 links, to a corner of John Ben- nett's land ; along his line north 1° west, 1 chain, 92 links, thence north 87M° east, 2 chains, 60 links, south 54° east, 12 chains, 40 links, to the Millstone River, along which 10 chains 82 links to place of beginning, containing 42 2-10 acres. AIso^ another lot, beginning at a stake, thence north 89° east, along Hend. "Willson's line, 24 chains, 58 links, south 10° east, along Isaac Van Hujs' line, 4 chains, south 87)^° west, 24 chains, 58 links, along line of Ernest. Van Harlingen, north 4° west, along Cor. Lott's line, 3 chains, 40 links, to place of beginning, contain- ing 9 1-10 acres. On May 1st, 1775, John Bennett sold an additional lot to the parsonage for £30, on the south-east corner, as follows : — Beginning at north-east corner of Cor. Lott's land at Millstone River, north 53)^° west, 9 chains, 50 links, north 30' west, 2 chains, 44 links, south 77>3° west, 2 chains, 56 links, to a corner of the Parsonage farm, along Parsonage line north 30' west, 1 chain 92 links, north 77>2° ^^st, 2 chains, 60 links, south 53)^° east, 12 chains 40 links, to a corner of Parsonage, thence down the Millstone to the place of beginning, con- taining 4:}4 acres, and 20 perches. t Hendrick "VTilson had come from Long Island in the second quarter of the last century. He was born about 1680, and died in 1750. He bought a large tract of land, (probably of Michael Van Vechty,) and by will directed it to be divided between his four sons, and daughter, giving to Myndert £20 additional, as his birthright. Myndert, (born about 1716, died about 1800,) received the western part, and lived HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. ' 47 The house was at once repaired, Henry "Wilson, Peter Stryker, Sr., John Stryker, Henry Probasco, and Lawrence Van Cleef, being the building committee, and when ready for use, the Consistory found themselves indebted £393. The final payment was made in 1779. * In the fall of 1774, therefore, they renew their invitation to 3Ir. Foering, and this time with better success. He accepted of this call in the early part of October, 1774, and moved the following month. He states in a letter, that the low Dutch language was rapidly passing away in Millstone, and that he was called to preach altogether in English. Christian Frederick Foering was born in Hanover about 1736. His father was a soldier in that kingdom, (at this time united to the English crown,) and died in the military service. His mother was a woman of great energy, and looked with dread to the time when her son should grow up to manhood, only to be impressed into the army, and per- haps to lose his life, in some of the petty personal disputes of princes and kings. She therefore determined to leave the country, with her only son, and seek for him liberty, and a proper chance in the race of life, in the wilds of America. But it was difiicult to escape with one, who would in due time become subject to military duty, yet she devised a plan. She tied her boy, then seven years old, to where now lives llv. French ; John lived on what is now the farm of Albert Voorhees ; Hendrick lived on the present place of Jas. Elmen- dorf, (died about 1802,) and who gave about $1000 to the church,^ which, with other legacies, has been invested in successive parsonages ; and Peter, (not yet of age in 1750,) who lived on the present place of John H. Wilson, and who sold a part of his land in 1774 for a parson- age. Myndert left four sons— Hendrick, William, Myndert, and Jacob— of whom the first is the grandfather of Lawyer Wilson, of this place. * See Appendix — N'ote 2. 48 HISTORICAL DISOOmSE. her back, and thus skated across the noble river Khine, and at some one of the neighboring ports, secured a passage to New York. In this country, but under what auspices, has not been positively ascertained ; he was educated for the ministry, probably under Dorsius, of Pennsylvania. In September, lYYl, he was called to a German Keformed church* at Germantown, in this State, which congregation was under the care of the German Coetus. A couple of years before, he had married Miss Margaret Miller, daugh- ter of Sebastian Miller, a merchant of that place. Mr. Foering only remained at Germantown about eight months, having been called, on March 21st, 1YY2, to the German Eeformed church in the city of !N'ew York. He succeeded Eev. Mr. Kern, who had been laboring there for eight years, and at the same time transferred his relations to the Dutch Coetus. In that place he preached twice every Sabbath in German, and on Wednesday evenings in English. He was able also to preach in the Dutch tongue. But his stay in New York was not very long. In eighteen months after his settlement, he received his first call to New Millstone, and eleven months later the second call, which he accepted. His congregation in New York were very loathe to part with him, because of his fidelity and zeal. But when he at length felt it his duty to remove, his church sent a letter to the Consistory here, warmly commending him to their love and care, hoping that he would win many souls to Christ, and that he would dwell and prosper among them, until his Lord should call him to his ever- lasting rest. This was, indeed, literally fulfilled. As he * Which one of the early Germantowns this is, I do not know. It was a German Reformed, and not a Lutheran church, as the call, still preserved, shows. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 49 I left them, his congregation presented him with a service of silver, in token of their regard, and which is used by his descendants, and the descendants of his wife by a second marriage, now living in Philadelphia, to the present day. ' Mr. Foering was a man of deep personal piety. He had been called to 'New York, as his call, (still preserved,) expressly states, npon the recommendation of Eev, Mr. Weybiirgh, hecause he was a man who had spirit and life, and who would taJce trouhle to hring souls to the Lord Jesus, Some scraps of correspondence, which have been preserved in his family, have a peculiar unction of piety about them. He also was the author of several poetic effusions, on religious topics, and of at least one, which has been preserved, said to be descriptive of the lady to whom he was engaged, and whom he afterward married. He was an ardent and active patriot also, in the American Revolu- tion, and one of the original trustees in Queen's College.* During the first eighteen months of his ministry here, which brings us down to the Declaration of Independence, eighteen persons united with the church on profession of their faith. During the next three years, down to his death, not a single one. The excitement and the party strife, and the frequent proximity of the armies, seriously interfered even with the religious services. * During his ministry here, (April 6th, 1775,) the church was incor- porated under the name of Hillsborongh, (the name of the township,) to distinguish it from the church at Harlingen, which was then called Millstone. Our township may have taken its name from the [fTechanic mountain, within its bounds, or possibly from Lord Hillsborough, though it is not known that he had any interest in these immediate localities. {Boc. Hist. New York, vol. i., pp. 354, 499, etc.) All the deeds of church property were now made out anew to the Con- sistory. 50 HISTOEICAL DISC0IJE8E. Tlie Consistory of tlie cliiircli well understood the ques- tions and princij^les involved in tlie approaching conflict, and six months before the Declaration of Independence, recorded their sentiments upon the records of the church. Thej called the brewing strife, '' an unhappy and unnatural dispute between the ill-disposed ministry of Great Britain, and the oppressed colonies ;" they mounied over the many sins and iniquities of the whole empire ; and set apart one day a month, in which the congregation should come together for humiliation and prayer."'^ The manoeuverings of the contending armies, in liberty's conflict, frequently involved the quiet and peace of the Millstone valley. In TTashington's retreat across the State, in the fall of 1776, he passed within a few miles east of us, along the road from 'New Brunswick to Princeton, and through Six Mile Kun. The first winter of the war, to the no little discouragement of many, the enemy held our State. The main British army was at New Brunswick, and the Hessian mercenaries were roaming through all the country, acting like Goths and Yandals, plundering and outraging the inhabitants. But in January, 1777, having recently captured Trenton and Princeton, "Washington marched his forces through our townshi]), on his way to Morristown. It was on this march, or possibly on a similar one in December of the same year, as the army of liberty passed the parsonage, half clothed, unshod, and in want of food, that the patriotic Foering, collecting all the stores of his house, (it being, moreover, just after baking time,) and cutting the food into convenient portions, distributed them, as far as they would go, to the weary and hungry soldiers, * July 17th, 1776, "New Jersey answers the letter of the provisional Congress, promising to stand with the others for Independence. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 51 as tliey liurried on their way. On one of these occasions, as the army passed, they encamped for the night on the field directly south of the present parsonage, Washington himself sleeping in the north-west corner of the parlor of the present homestead of John Yan Doren. , On Jan; 20th, 1777, a skirmish took place on the bridge at Weston, An American party had destroyed the boats ascending the Karitan,* laden with provisions, for the Bptish at New Brunswick. They accordingly sent out a foraging party to collect supplies from the country. The Americans met them at this bridge, and attempted to cross, but could not, as the enemy had three field pieces. They numbered six hundred, and had a large number of cattle and a quantity of forage. The Americans numbered four hundred and fifty men, and were under the command of Gen. Dickinson. They therefore sought a ford below, and breaking through the ice, waded the river, flanked the enemy, and routed them, capturing 43 baggage wagons, 104 horses, 118 cattle, 60 or 70 sheep, and made 12 prisoners. They lost five men in this effort, while the enemy lost about thirty, Washington warmly commended Gen. Dickinson for his gallant success, Eaids up the Raritan at this time were common. In the spring of the same year, Washington encamped his men at Middlebrook, near Chimney Rock, 8,000 in number, where he remained for some wrecks. The British forces under Howe approached him here, in two eolumns, Gen. De Ileyster halting at Middlebush, and Lord Corn- wallis, proceeding to Millstone, encamping on the present farm of Mr. John Wyckoff, on the east side of the river, and both columns fortifying themselves. Millstone was at this time plundered by the British, (June, 1777,) the Pres- * Whitehead's Amboy^ p. 340. 62 HI8T0EICAL DISC0IJE8E. byterian and Dutch cliurclies both set on fire,* and the interior at least of the Dutch, completely demolished, t^ongh the building was sayed. Several farm houses were also burned. But the British, finding Washington's position too strong for them, retired to iN"ew Brunswick, and soon evacuated the State, through Amboy and Staten Island, Washington holding Newark and Elizabeth. Previous to this advance of the British, Millstone had been, for at least the six months preceding, in the American lines. This por- tion of the State was, after the spring of 1777, left com- paratively free, for a year and a half. But the church was - not effectually repaired till 1784:, five years after. Yet religious services were held frequently, somewhere, as the records show that upwards of one hundred infants were bap- tized during these five years, and also before the church was effectually repaired, no less than forty-two persons pro- fessed the faith, though these were imder Do. Foering's successor (1780-1784). In the fall of 1778, after the battle of Freehold, Washington took up his winter-quarters again at Middlebrook. About this time Mr. Foering preached a very patriotic sermon, so as to lead to the formation of a company, from his congre- gation. Tlie British sent out a party to capture him, so as to prevent his efforts among his people. But his wife received word, in some way, of their intentions, and he being sick in bed, she quickly despatched some of the men- servants to a safe place with a wagon load of goods, and * " On June 24, (1777,) Gen. Howe's army made a movement, and advanced as far as Somerset, a small town lying on the Rarington, betwixt Boundbroock and Princetown, which they plundered, and set fire to two small churches, and several farm houses adjacent, etc.'* Narrative of Serjeant Grant. Col. Hist. N. Y., viii., pp. 728-730. HISTOEICAL DISCOTJESE. 53 helping her husband to prepare for his flight, she next, with the terrified maid, geared up the horse herself; and he, though hardly able to proceed, after bidding his wife a sad farewell, started for a place of safety, probably to "Washing- ton's camp, and his wife returned into the house to lier three children, the oldest but eight years of age. " In a very short time the enemy came up, and in their angry search for one whom with oaths they stigmatized as ' That rebel Foering,' thrust their swords through every bed in the house." Millstone was during a part of this winter (17T8-9) again in the British lines. Several officers were quartered on the Parsonage. ^' With the exception of one petty subordinate, they all treated their compulsory hostess, with the utmost courtesy and respect. Every day after dinner, they gave her little son a glass of wine, to carry to his mother, with a message to drink Gen. Washington's health. But day by day, as she received it, she poured it into a demijohn, reserving it for her absent and sick liusband, whom, she believed, in his feeble health, it w^ould greatly benefit. Upon the departure of her guests, by the evacuation of the neighborhood, by the British, and her husband's return, greatly enfeebled in health, she told him she had a treat for liim. But to her consternation, when she took down the demijohn, it was empty. An Irish woman in her employ had drank it all."* An anecdote is still preserved in the family, of Mrs. Eoering's patriotism and courage. " In the dark days of the occupancy of the British, they made frequent levies upon the parsonage for butter, even after they had stolen all the cows they could lay their hands on. Mrs. Foering requested the girl, (Katy Davis, mother of our late member * Extract from letter of Miss Sarah C. Souder. 54 HISTOEICAL DISCOURSE. Ab. Davis,) to hide it, when she knew of their approach. A couple of British soldiers soon came with their nsual demand. Mrs. Foering replied that she had no butter for them^ (her veracity depending on the emphasis.) 'A likely story, indeed,' they said, ' that such a fine place is without butter.' ' How can you expect butter,' exclaimed she, ' when you have already taken away my cows V Just then, Katy Davis came into the room, not knowing of the soldiers' presence, with a great pewter dish of butter, fresh from the churn, exclaiming, ' Where shall I hide it ? what shall I do with it V ' Do with it,' exclaimed Mrs. Foering, ' why throw it to the hogs, sooner than let them have it.' Seizing the butter from the terrified maid, she gave it a sling across the kitchen, and over the oven, behind which it lodged out of sight of the men, and as they supposed, out of reach. Exasperated as they wer«, they did not injure her, and after the men were gone, the butter was re- covered." * This was just before her husband's return. Mr. Foering leaving home sick, and subjected to exposure in his flight, took a heavy cold, from which consumption resulted, and he soon died. The day before his death, he baptized an infant son, five days old. His mother proposed naming her son Jacob, after her brother. ISTo, replied Mr. Foering, Jacob was a deceiver. Let him be called Abra- ham,-)* who was faithful ! So after the " Friend of God " ^ Extract from a letter of Miss Sarah 0. Sonder. t Mr. Foering left four sons, Samuel, John, Frederick, and Abraham P. Mrs. Laudenslager, of Philadelphia, is a daughter of Abraham, and Mrs. Bead, h.er daughter, contributed a valuable letter concerning her ancestor. Mr. Foering's widow, afterward married Dr. Janus, of Philadelphia, and she was again left a widow in 1796. She died in 1823. Miss Sarah C. Souder, her grand- daughter by this second mar- riage, has contributed a number of valuable papers and letters, whiob have greatly aided in the preparation of this discourse. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 55 the child was named, and it is said, he well deserved it This was the last official act of an earnest, holy, patriotic life. The next day, being March 29th, 1779, the first pastor of this church breathed his last. His body was deposited under the church, in front of the sacred desk, whence had issued the kindred lessons of religion and liberty, and his dust yet reposes beneath us, in this second edifice, to this day."^ His wife, after his death, being administratrix in connec- tion with her father, at once loaned the struggling govern- ment, in good currency, the sum of $100. Her patriotism did not die with her husband. Eev. Cor. T. Demarest describes Mr. Foering as a gentle- man of the German Calvinistic Church, of orthodox senti- ments, and of true piety. Three weeks before his death, the Consistory, notwithstanding the lamentable times, raised the sum of £172, or $1190, for tlie last payment on the par- sonage. (March 6, 1779.) In the fall of the same year, the Court House in this vil- lage w^as burned. It stood on the lot now partly occupied by Miss Mary Suydam. Its destruction was connected with the successful efforts of the British, to defeat Washington's plan for the capture of New York. For tliis purpose he secretly built fifty flat boats, on the Delaware, capable of holding seventy men each, and, putting them on wheels, rolled them across the State, to Yan Yeghten's Bridge, over the Karitan, (near Harmony Plains.) Some of the older peo- ple still remember their parents' accounts of these strange wheeled craft, passing through this place. In these he in- tended ultimately to cross the Hudson with his men. Lt. Col. Simcoe of the Queen's rangers, offered himself for the * By a receipt still preserved, it appears that he once paid £120 for a negro boj by the name of Frank,— bought of Ab. Quilp. 56 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. dangerous task of burning these boats, and defeating Wasli- ington's design. His superior officers approved the plan, and he undertook it. The Americans were all absent from the locality to be traversed, only the militia being left. His plan was to ride from Amboy, keeping back from the river, on the North side of the Raritan, get to the boats before day-light and burn them, and avoiding ]S"ew Brunswick by keepiiig to the west of it, to reappear on the Earitan below Brunswick, at the South River, wdiere he was to meet ano- ther party of the British under Major Armstrong, and try and decoy the by this time pursuing Americans into an ambuscade. Tliey started on October 25th, with eighty troopers from Staten Island, but were delayed in crossing, and were not ready to leave Amboy till day-break the next morning. Still they proceeded. They feigned to be Americans, and accosted the people pleasantly as they passed. But Simcoe was recognized when a little East of Bound Brook, and word was instantly sent to Gov. Livingston at JSTew Bruns- wick, to prepare to head them off. They tried to burn "Washington's huts at Middlebrook, but did not succeed. They reached the bridge and found eighteen of the boats, and spent forty minutes in firing them. They went to the Raritan Dutch Church standing close by, which contained harness and provision stores, and fired it, making the Commissary and his men prisoners. A shot was now fired at the party from the opposite bank, but they at once cross- ed, and came up to Millstpne, to the Court House here. Limcoe lamented that they had been delayed in starting, as it w^as now late, and the country was becoming alarmed and beginning to assemble about him. He found three tories as prisoners in the court-house : one of them (he says was chained to the floor and was a dreadful spectacle, being almost starved. These were liberated, and the soldiers asked HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 57 permission to burn the conrt-lionse, wliich, since it was un- connected with any other building, was granted. But it was an unfortunate circumstance for Simcoe, as the light showed his enemies his position ; alarm guns w^ere fired in every direction, and Gov. Livingston notified to judge of the ene- my's whereabouts, by these shots. The party passed down through Middlebush, threatening the inhabitants that if the firing in the rear were not discontinued, they would burn their houses ; but as they approached New Brunswick, in- tending to turn south-ward and leave that city on their left, at the road a couple of miles this side, but which they miss- ed, they fell into an ambuscade of Americans, Simcoe's horse being shot under him, and himself and some of his men being made prisoners. He remained a prisoner a couple of months at Burlington.* An American Captain, by the name of Yoorheese, was killed. There were but few events of general interest, after this, in this vicinity, during the war. The congregation knew not where to look for another minister in those ,troublous times, and were reduced to their former circumstances, of depending upon the neighboring churches, when unexpectedly a refugee preacher arrived in the midst of them. Solomon Froeligh had been born at Red Hook, near Al- bany, on May 29th, 1Y50, O. S. In his fourteenth 3^ear, his mind was deeply impressed with religious convictions, he being then under the pastoral care of Rev. John Schenema, the minister of Catskill and Coxsackie. His father was a farmer. Young Solomon begged his parents to give him a liberal education, but their circumstances hardly permitted it. But at length, through his mother's influence, when in his 18th year, he was placed under the care of Rev. Dirck * Whitehead's Amboy, p. 353. 58 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. Romeyn, the pastor of Marbletown, Warwarslng and Rochester, to begin the study of Latin and Greek. He never received any assistance from his father, but assisted himself by teaching schooL Soon after, to possess better privileges, he removed to Hackensack, and entered there the celebrated academy of Dr. Peter Wilson. Here he made such progress that Princeton College conferred on him the degree of A. B. About the same time (Nov, 11, 1771,) he married Rachel Yanderbeck. He now proceeded to the study of theology, under Rev. John H. Goetschius, formerly of Switzerland, but now preaching at Hackensack. He was licensed to preach the Gospel Oct. 1st, 1YT4, and on June llth,1775,was ordained pastor of the four united churches of Long Island, it being only a year before the breaking out of the Revolution. With his ardent nature he could not help taking sides in that great struggle. The district in which he lived was noted also for its disaffection to the cause of Independence. Yet in the midst of enemies^ he labored and prayed boldly for his country's freedom."^ Shortly after the battle of Long Island in August 1776, and which occurred in the territory of his congregations, he found it necessary to flee to save his life, narrowly escaping. He fled to Jamaica, and IlTewtown, and having been con- cealed one night in the house of Mr. Rapalje at Hurl-gate, he was put across the river to Harlem. He went first to Hackensack, and preached while there a most patriotic ser- mon from 2 Chron. 11 : 4, exhorting the inhabitants not to fight against the cause of Independence, to which many there were inclined. Dr. Laidlie, the colleague of Dr. Living- ston, heard him, and warmly commended him. In his flight he lost his cattle, furniture, books, and clothing, indeed every * Kiken's Annals of itTewtown^ p. 199, and pamphlets on the secession. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 59 tiling. In company with Dr. Livingston, both being on horseback, he started for Fonghkeepsie, keeping on the west-side of the Hudson, and for three years he supplied the pulpits of Fishkill and Poughkeepsie (1776-1779). But in 1799, he left them, probably on account of the campaigns, then beginning in that vicinity. In the spring of 1780, he appeared in Millstone, one year after Mr. Foering's death, and the Consistory at once ap- pointed Mr. Ernestus Yan Harlingen to wait upon him and try and secure his services, till he could return to his churches on Long Island. Tliey offered to give him as salary 268 bushels of wheat a year, each bushel to weigh 60 pounds. He declined entering into a temporary arrangement, but said he would accept a call, which the Consistory gladly offered to give him, and he moved into the parsonage, June 5th, 1780. The Consistory paid his expenses of moving, which in the money of the day, amounted to $1455, one dollar in gold being worth at the time $10 of the Continen- tal currency. But it was impossible for him to get a formal dismission from his churches on Long Island, as the enemy held both the Island and the city. But the Synod, meeting in Octo- ber^ 1780, at New Paltz, appointed a committee to settle a question of dispute between our congregation and the three neighboring congregations, in respect to the bounds of each, and if they succeeded in effecting amity, they were then empowered in the name of the Synod, to approve the call, and in this very unusual case to dismiss him from his con- gregations on Long Island. But during the summer of 1780, and before the call was acted on from this congregation, INechanic* sought to unite * In 1775 (November 13th) we find an order from the Consistorj of 60 ^ HISTOKICAL DISCOURSE. Tvith ITS, and secure a part of Mr. Froeligli's services, Xeclianie and Sourland being then under tlie care of Rev. John M. Yan Ilarlingen. Articles of agreement were entered into, and Mr. Froeligli's call, as finally ap^Droved, stands in the name of the two churches, and is dated Sept. 4, 17S0.* He ^Yas to preach two Sundays out of three, at Millstone, and one at iJ^echanic, and was to alter- nate between the Dutch and English. At Nechanic, when the days were long, he was to preach twice a day. Mill- stone was to furnish one hundred and sixty bushels of good winter wheat, and Mechanic one hundred and eight. In 1784 (April 12,) by mutual consent, his salary was changed to £120 proclamation money, of which !N'echanic paid £40, and Millstone £80 a year. The next year, October 1st, 1T82, the Synod met in the church of JSTew Millstone. JS'ew York was their general place of meeting, both before and after the war, but during the war their meetings were held at places remote from the scene of hostilities, and in 1782, our defaced and desolated church, almost unfit to be occupied, welcomed the Synod of tlie denomination within its blackened walls. The Rev. Harmanus Meyer, the pastor at Paterson and Pompton Plains, presided over the body, which consisted, however, of only nine members. Rev. Dr. Dirck Romeyn preached the opening sermon, from Isaiah iv. 5 : " And the Lord will create ujyoii every dwelling place of Mount Zio?i, aiid ujyon all her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the £5 los. lid,, on account of his salary. Possibly some arrangement iDetween Mr. Foering and XechaAic may have temporarily existed. * The dates on the call, and the statements in the Mints, of Gen. Synod, vol. i., pp. 80-97, do not altogether agree. I follow the ofiScial documents in possession of this church. HISTOEICAL DISCOUKSE. 61 sinning of a flaming fire bj night, for above all, the glory shall be a defence," a grand text from which to draw encouragement and consolation for the people of God, in those troublous times. For He was indeed ever present with them and their cause, as He had been visibly present to Israel in the cloud and fire. It was at this meeting that Simeon Yan Arsdale was examined and afterward licensed, and who settled at Eeadington soon after, and died in early life, (1783-1787.) The war now being over, and no further dangers being apprehended, the Consistory felt the necessity of efi'ectually repairing the church.* But they had suffered so much from the raids and depredations of the enemy, that they were really unable to go to the necessary expense. There liad been an almost constant accession of immigrants from Long Island to this county, from among the Dutch, up to the beginning of the war. The ties of relationship were not yet forgotten, and undoubtedly frequent visitations back and forth, when the state of the country did not forbid, were made. Mr. Froeligh, moreover, had labored among the immediate relatives of the people here, when he had been settled on Long Island, and in fact this people was a colony from his former charges, though before his settlement over them. They therefore appointed a committee, consisting of Mr. Froeligh, Capt. Cornelius Lott, and Peter Ditmarse, to visit Long Island, and solicit help, as the congregations there had suffered very little, they having been in the British lines throughout the war. The subscription states that our church had been much distressed, the inhabitants plundered, and the church building in part destroyed, and rendered useless ; that the people were unable to bear all * It appears that in 1779, Cor. Cornell had given £137 for repairing the church, and another individual (name unknown) £91. 62 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. the expense required alone, and hence were nnder the disagreealle necessity of appealing for help to those whom Providence had smiled on more kindly, hoping that from sympathy, they would be induced to charity and benevo- lence toward us. The subscription also states, that the names of such as gave should be handed down to posterity on the records of the church.* This has been done. Tliey secured thus, on Long Island, the sum of £85, or about $212, and the church was now repaired and rendered again com- fortable. The seats were now also sold, by which $100 were raised in addition, and thus the repairs paid for. While on Long Island, soliciting funds, Mr. Froeligh's old charges tried hard to keep him there, as he had never been regularly dismissed.f But he said he was now united to another, and refused to remain. He labored here about six years. He was greatly encouraged at the beginning of his ministry, by a large accession to the cliurch. This is, indeed, the more remarkable, as the times of the Revolution are noted for their profligacy and immorality. The first winter that he was here, he received fourteen on profession, and three by certificate. The next fall, he received sixteen by profession, and two by certificate, but during the rest of his ministry only six. The revivals under him occurred while they had no respectable place of worship. Mr. Froeligh's life and experience were somewhat peculiar. His spiritual exercises were very deep and overpowering. He says of himself in a letter, " While preaching at Mill- stone and JS'echanic, I experienced God's smiles and his frowns. Here 1 have been both on the mount and in the valley. The neighboring ministers opposed my settlement, and I was not installed for a whole year. I had officiated but a short time in these congregations, when to my great * See Appendix— Note 3. t Riker's Annals, p. 241. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 63 joy, a general awakening broke out among my people. It affected persons of every age and color. The word preached became Npowerful ; many became soUcitons inquirers what they should do to be saved ; many of profligate morals became professing and praying Christians. This unexpected season filled my heart with great delight, as I began to des- pair that God would ever own me by His blessing on my labors. But alas ! I was too much elated. I imputed too much to my own abilities, and did not give God all the glory. Therefore my joy was changed into sorrow. I was seized with a dangerous illness, and brought to the gates of death. I cannot say that my confidence in the redemption of Christ was much shaken during my illness, and it pleased the Lord to restore me. But soon after he gave me up to the most gloomy despair, in which I continued for six years ; sometimes sunk into inexpressible blackness of despondency, overwhelmed with sadness, bereaved of all satisfaction, haunted by shocking fears of misery, and assaulted by the most horrid temptations to deism, of which I had never experienced the least before. My situation was frequently rendered intolerable by sudden injections of Satan's fiery darts. Tlie arch-fiend so far succeeded, that I thought I could not preach, and did actually desist for several weeks ; but it pleased the Lord to show me that it was a delusion, and I again betook myself to the work, and was enabled to preach with more accuracy than I had anticipated. The Lord was pleased to deliver me out of this horrible pit, and out of the miry clay ; since which I have uniformly enjoyed considerable peace and tranquillity of mind." * In 1786 he received a call to the two congregations of Hackensack and Schraalenberg, which he accepted, and in * This letter was written in Lis old age, nearly fortj years aftei- ward. 64 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. wliicli places lie continued to labor till his death, which occurred October 8th, 1827. With his life subsequent to his departure from us, we have but little to do. In 1791 he was elected Professor of Theology, in place of Dr. Meyer, of Pompton, who had died. In his new field, he found his churches divided into two parties, with two Consistories, on account of a difficulty which had begun fifty years before, and having tried to unite them, and failing, he took sides with the party which were very strenuous in doctrine, and opposed to the commingling of Christians of diff'erent names, virtually exalting doctrine above practical religion, and refusing to unite in the great efforts of Christian union and fraternization, under the power of which the Bible and Tract and Missionary, and other union Societies, were organized, until at last himself and four others seceded from the Dutch church in 1822, when he was seventy-two years of age, thirty-six years after his departure from Millstone. He was accordingly deposed from the professorship and the ministry by General Synod, and although the True Peformed Dutch church which he organized continued to increase, for six years quite rapidly,* since that time it has been steadily declining, and but few congregations of any strength remain. Yet the division caused an incalculable amount of bad feeling and of sin in Bergen county, and some other places. With his departure from this place, the union between IS'echanic and Millstone ended, (June 8, 1786,) and Kev. Mr. Leydt, of l^ew Brunswick and Six Mile Kun, having died in 1783,t that union was also dissolved, and now Six * The Seceder church culminated in 1830, when they had thirty congregations. \ f He died June 2d, aged sixty-five. His tombstone yet remains at Three Mile Kun. His wife, Treyntje Sleght Egugnoort, died December HISTOEICAL DISCOrRSE. G5 Mile Eim and Millstone enter into an agreement to call a minister together. Tliej agree to pay £130 in eqnal parts, and to have equal services. In Millstone one-half the preaching was to be in Dutch, and one-half in English, while in Six Mile Eun two-thirds to be in Dutch and one- third in English. Indeed these two congregations made a formal call to retain Mr. Froeligh, when he contemplated removing to Hackensack, but without success. In the meantime, during the vacancy, John M. Yan Har- lingen, the son of Ernestus Yan Harlingen, of this place, and nej^hew of the old pastor of the same name at Sonrland, was examined by Synod in 'New York, (October, 1786,) and licensed to preach the Gospel ; and on May 1st, 1787, the call of the two churches upon him was approved by Synod. He was ordained during the summer. His own father was one of his elders. John M. Yan Harlingen labored in these churches about eight years. It was during his ministry, that the title and incorporation of the church were finally fixed. Immediately after the Eevolution, (1784,) they took measures to have tlieir old English charter confirmed by the General Assem- bly of the State of l!^ew Jersey, and to have all their former legal acts ratified. This was secured on the condition that the allegiance required in the charter to the king, should henceforth be given to the State of I^ew Jersey, (the union of the States not yet existing.) This was under Froeligh But in 1790, all the neighboring churches, whether col legiate or single, including our own, repudiated their old charters, that they might incorporate, according to the new law of 1789. In 1790, therefore, the Consistory became 2d, 1763, aged thirty-six. His daughter, Elizabeth, died October 27tli, 1760, aged twelve, and Anne, died June 10th, 1760, aged seven months. 66 mSTOEICAL DISC0UE8E. incorporated under the laws of the United States and the State of Xew Jersey, by the name of " The ]S^ew Corpora- tion of the Minister, Elders, and Deacons, of the Congrega- tion of Hillsborough." Six Mile Kun being freed from the common charter of the five churches obtained in 1753, by the mutual relinquishment of the same in 1790, also became incorporated by herself this year. The union between our own church and theirs was ecclesiastical simply, but not corporate. Eut each of the churches had a parsonage, and in refer- ence to this, they agreed that Mr. Yan Harlingen should live in the parsonage at Millstone on the hill, and that Six Mile Eun should sell theirs, (it belonging equally to the church of New Brunswick,) and that half the money they received, should be paid to Millstone, which should be con- sidered a full compensation. Accordingly, they sold their parsonage property to Mr. Jacob Skillman, for £390 16s. 8d., (proclamation money,) and paid £195 Ss. 4d. (or $4:88) to Millstone. It was situated about a mile and a half east of Six Mile Eun Church, on the IS'ew Brunswick road. Here Dominie Leydt had lived for thirty-five years, and before him, near the same place, the first Frelinghuysen. The Dutch language was now rapidly losing ground. Although used to a great extent as the language of the household, yet the theological and biblical expressions, owing to English education, were better understood in English. "While twenty years before, Dominie Foering had been called to preach at Millstone, wholly in English, yet under Froeligh and Yan Harlingen, the arrangement was changed, out of deference to the older people. The day after Christmas, however, in 1791, Consistory resolved that the services on the holidays, which do not fall on Sabbath days, shall henceforth be performed wholly in English. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 67 Mr. Yan Ilarliugen's ministry, if we may judge from tlie additions to the chnrcb, was successful. Tliirtj-four united wdth the church during the first five years of his ministry, two of these by certificate. During the last three, not one. "We have seen before the same process of additions at first in the minist Aof each of his predecessors. The first few years they were blessed ; during the last years of their min- istry, no visible fruits appear. Mr, Yan Harlingen, for reasons not stated,* resigned in the summer of 1795, but continued to live in this village. He was a man of extensive acquisitions, and in June, 1812, when the plan of the Theological school was fully organized, such confidence was had in his abilities, that he was elected by the General Synod, Professor of Hebrew and Ecclesiasti- cal History, in place of Dr. Bassett, of Albany, who had just resigned. He was thus associated with Dr. Livingston and Rev. Sol. Froeligh. Dr. Livingston taught in New Brunswick, The other two were expected to teach at their own homes, as Dr. Froeligh had already been doing for twenty-one years. Mr. Yan Harlingen was the translator of the English version of Yanderkemp on the Heidelbergh Catechism. But his services in his new field were of short duration. The Master called him to his rest in about a year from his appointment. He died, June 16th, 1813, in the fifty- second year of his age.f His remains lie in the adjacent church-yard, awaiting the resurrection of the just. After the resignation of Mr. Yan Harlingen, (1796,) this * His last text, as pastor here, is said to have been Jer. xx. 10. t The Classis have recorded a lamentation, in their minutes, that since Dos. Condict and Van Harlingen have died, strict examinations of students must cease. (Vol. ii., p. 66.) Surely not very compliment- ary to the survivors I 68 HISTORICAL DISCOIJESE. cliurcli first called Eev. Peter Lowe, who had been examined and licensed at the same time as Mr. Yan Harlingen, and who was now laboring in the former charges of Mr. Froeligh, on Long Island. But he did not accept the call. But among the members of Classis w^ho suj^nlied the pulpit during the vacancy, appeared a young manH^om the Classis of Hackensack, in September and IS'ovember, 1796, and in March, 1797, and with whom the people were well pleased. This was James Spencer Cannon. Six Mile Eun again united watli Millstone in the call, and he was ordained and installed at Millstone, May 1st, 1797. He writes in the church record in his own hand, the date of his ordination, and adds concerning himself : " To whom, therefore, this church register book is committed, to pre- serve inviolate, and to transmit to posterity the acts and proceedings of the Dutch Eeformed Congregation of Hills- borough, under my^ministry among them." He was born in the island of Cura^oa, (one of the "West Indies,) Jan. 28th, 1776. His father was of Irish descent, his mother of JSTew England. Their home was in the city of 'New York, when not on the sea. James was sent to school to Dr. Peter Wilson at Hackensack, and in a few years his father was lost at sea. He completed his acade- mical education under Dr. Miller, Dr. AVilson's successor. In 1794, he professed religion, under Dr. Solomon Froe- ligh at Hackensack, under whom he studied theology also till the spring of 1796, com]3leting his course under Dr. Livingston, then on Long Island, and was, during that sea- son, licensed by the Classis of Hackensack, in company with Peter Labagh. After considering several calls which were made upon him, he settled over this and the neighboring church of Six Mile Eun, at the time already stated Dur- ing the vacancy, and intending to continue united with Six HISTOEICAL DISCOUKSE. 69 Mile Klin, the Consistory here sold their parsonage property, to Martin Shenck, for £iOO, proclamation money, to be paid in four equal payments ; £200 of this they paid to Six Mile Eun. On the first of May of the same year, the two churches purchased a house and lot of land, containing twenty-two acres, about a mile west of Six Mile Eun Church, and five acres of woodland near the Six Mile Eun Church, on the same road, and fourteen acres of woodland on sand hills, in the Swamp, (of Cor. Barcaloo,) paying for all £62L Dr. Cannon lived in the parsonage provided, a few years, when it was sold, and the use of the money allowed him, while he himself bought a place at Pleasant Plains, where he con- tinued to reside until his removal to 'New Brunswick. But we have now come down to the opening of the pre- isent century, and what wonderful changes have taken i^lace ! A century before, an almost unbroken wilderness, but now covered with enterprising farmers and artisans, and nine Dutch churches, not to speak of many others, in a circumfer- ence of twenty miles diameter. Earitan, the oldest church, had seen Hardenberg dismissed to the IlTorth, (to the churches of Marbletown and Eochester) in 1781, who five years later returned to this section to take charge of the church of New Brunswick, and to preside over the College. In 1793, the Lord took him home, and Dr. Ira Condict suc- ceeded him there, for 18 years. Theodore Frelinghuysen Eomeyn^ had succeeded Hardenberg at Earitan, and in less than a year and-a-half, death called him away, at the early age of 25, (1781-1785 ;) and he had been succeeded by Eev. John Duryee in 1786, who labored at Somerville for thir- teen years, when, having taken charge of Bedminster and "Whitehouse for a couple of years, he removed to Fairfield * Son of Key. Thos. Romeyn, who had married Margaret Freling- huysen. 70 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. in Passaic County, where be died about tbirtj years ago ; and at tbe opening of the century tbe excellent Yredenburgb bad begun bis labors at Somerville, and whose wondrous fruits api^eared after bis death. Old Dr. Studdiford with his forty years of service, (1T8T-1826,) yet remembered by many, bad succeeded the short ministry of Yan Arsdale at Kead- ington, (1783-1787,) who like tbe second Frelinghuysen and Eomeyn in tbe same localities had so early been called to rest. Old Dominie Yan Harlingen, who gave name to one of bis congregations after bis death, a native originally of our own village, and a brother of our active elder Ernes- tus, having labored for a generation (1761-1795,) in Father Ludlow's and Brother Gardner's churches, preaching only in the Dutch, and having for a time at ISrecbanic a colleague in our own Froeligb received a year or two before bis death, (1794:,) an Engbsb colleague, in Rev. Wm. E,. Smith, the brother of President Smith of Princeton College. And be in turn, after burying bis venerable father in the ministry in 1795, received three years later the Rev. Henry Polhe- mus, as bis colleague, a native of Harlingen, who labored with him for ten years. So that in the year 1800 we have laborino- in the Dutch churches of the Raritan and its branches, and as companions of the yet youthful and after- ward eminent Cannon, the sainted Yredenburgb and Stud- diford, Polhemus and Smith, Duryee and Condict, and Yan Harhngen without charge in this village, and an attendant on young Cannon's ministry. Here were nine Dutch churches, and eight ministers, (seven settled,) where a little more than a-half century before, there bad been but one ambassador of Christ to cultivate this extended field. - * See appendix, Kote 4, where the main data of the history of these and the later Dutch churches of the Earitan Valley are carried down to tha present time. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 71 The old church in this year again received a thoroiio-h re- pairing, and the seats were taxed to defray the expenses. Four years later the music of a church bell first resounded over these fields. It was made to order, in IS^ew Haven, and cost £16.12s. and9d, or a little more than $40, and about $20 more for transportation. But Mr. Cannon's field, with the increase of population, was becoming too large for one man. Each of the churches also began to feel able to sup- port a preacher alone. He lived moreover remote from Millstone, which often j)roved very inconvenient. Tliese, and other reasons not necessary to be specified, induced Mr. Cannon early in 1807, after ten years of labor, to resign his call to Millstone, and our ecclesiastical relation with Six Mile Run was at the same time dissolved, the latter church calling Mr. Cannon alone. He has left a list of the actual number of communicants for the year 1801, whence it appears that this church, then had seventy members. But another list in his own hand in 1806,* reports only fifty-five, not one-fifth the present number. He received during the first six and-a-half years of his ministry here, thirty-seven on profession, and sixteen by certificate. During the last year and-a-half, none. He was eminently a pastor, as his excel- lent work on Pastoral Theology, adopted in many institu- tions of our land, abundantly proves. With the close of his ministry among you, ended your collegiate connections with other congregations, about sixty years ago. During the first eight years, being without a pastor, and dependent upon the neighboring ministers for supply ; and then after Foering's four and-a-half years ministry here alone, for twenty-seven years you had shared your Sabbath services with ]^echanic and Six Mile Run. Henceforth, you deter- * See appendix, Note 5 72 HISTOEICAL DISCOUESE. mined to meet every Sabbatli in your own sanctuary, to enjoy the privileges of the Gospel. Mr. Cannon, after about twenty years of service at Six Mile Hun, was in 1826, elected as Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Government, as successor to the lament- ed "WoodhuU, in the Seminary at JSTew Brunswick. He became then colleague of Eev. Dr. John De Witt, (the father of the present Professor of the same name,) and of Rev. Dr. Milledoler, the successor of Dr. Livingston. Here for a quarter of a century he labored for his Master, till He called him to a higher sphere of duties above. He died on Sab- bath, July 25th, 1852. Kev. John Schureman became the fifth pastor of this church. He was called on April 20th, 1807, from the church of Bedminster, and began his duties here soon after. He was born October 19th, 1778, near ]N"ew Brunswick. He graduated from the college in that place in 1795, and after pursuing his theological studies under Dr. Livingston, he was licensed to preach in 1800. The next year he settled at Bedminster, where he remained for six years. He was probably a descendant of the schoolmaster Schureman, who came to America in 1719 with Mr. Frelinghuysen, and set- tled with him at Three Mile Pun. The Consistory, having no parsonage, having sold out their interest in their last property to Six Mile Run church, Mr. Schureman lived on the place now occupied by Mr. Jacob Yan Cleeve, near Blackwell's Mills. During his ministry, an important reformation in the management of the finances of the church was attempted, and partly suc- ceeded. Many of the pew-holders gave up their old deeds to the Consistory, and received new ones in return, in which the pews were made directly assessable for all the expenses of the church. But his short pastorate here pre- HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 73 vented tlie plan from being carried out fully, and in 1S28, at the rebuilding of the church, unfortunately, it was not established. This is now a change eminently desirable, for the interests and character of the church. It should not be longer delayed. In the fall of 1809 Q^ov. 17) the Consistory agreed to his request to dissolve their relations, he having accepted a call to the Collegiate church in [N'ew York. During the two years and a half of his ministry here, he received into the churcli, on profession, seventeen, and by certificate, ten, in all twenty-seven. Mr. Schureman was not of strong constitution. His health soon failed him in 'New York, and in two years after he left this church, (viz., in 1811,) he removed to New Brunswick, having been chosen Yice-President of the Col- lege, as successor to Dr. Condict.^ But the College was at this time almost dead. He received, meanwhile, successive calls from the church of ITew Brunswick, and in the spring of 1813, was installed as its pastor. But his poor health in three months compelled him to give up this charge. In 1815, the church, realizing his abilities, appointed him Pro- fessor of History and Churcli Government. But in May, 1818, he died. Dr. Livingston writes concerning him : " He was mild and pleasant ; discerning and firm ; stead- fast, but not obstinate ; zealous, bnt not assuming. The frequent hemorrhage of his Inngs, and the habitual weak- ness of his constitution, prevented him from close and intense studies; yet he was a good Belle-lettres scholar. His style was correct and pure ; and he made such progress in the official branches of his professorship, that his lectures upon ecclesiastical history and pastoral theology were highly * See Gunn's Liuingston, p. 289. Dr. Condict died June 1st, 1811. 74 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. acceptable and very useful. The suavity of his manners, and the 23roprietj of his conduct, endeared him to the stu- dents, and recommended him to the respect and affection of all who knew him. He was growing into extensive nse- fulness, and had he lived and progressed, as he begun, would have become a treasure to the Theological College." TVe have now come down to a time within the memory of many yet living, viz., the beginning of Kev. John L, Zabriskie's ministry, a man w^ho served this church nearly half of its term of existence. Mr. Zabriskie was of Polish extraction, having descended from Albert Saboroweski, who arrived in this country in the ship Fox, in 1662, settling at once at Hackensack. Hiis Albert had studied for the Lutheran ministry, it is said,* but was in some way impressed into the army, and at length availed himself of an opportunity which offered, to come to this country. He bought a large tract of land of the Indians, called Paramns, where his children mostly settled, and whence the family have spread abroad. Kev. Mr. Zabriskie was the son of John, and of the fourth generation in this country, having been born March 4th, 1779, three weeks before yonr first pastor's death. He graduated at Union College in 1798, being a member of the first class in that institution, and was licensed to preach in 1801 by the Classis of Eensselaer. He first settled over the united churches of Greenbush and Wynants- kill, succeeding Kev. J. Y. C. Komeyn, and wliere he con- tinued for about eight years. He preached here for the first in the month of February, 1810, and moved to Mill- stone in May, 1811,t fifty-five years ago, and was installed by Kev. Mr. Cannon. * Winjield's Historical Sermon at Paramns. t Minutes of Classis of New Brunswick, vol. ii., pp. 14 56. HISTORICAL DISC0UB8E. '^^ The clmrcli at tlie time of Lis settlement had not more than about seventy membei-s, and eighty-fom- famihes TMs may appear strange, since there ^vere about as many signatures to the first petition for a « "-ch nearly h fa cfntury before. But it must be remembered that not all of Severe allowed to join the new congregation then and S:; families had been broken up dm4ng the Eevo u^on Zl the country much impoverished. The church ot Mill- Tone rs'ti beginnLg of Mr. Zabrislde's mimsti,, fmon-Tth weakest on the Earitan and its branches ; wh e r'ls far as members go, and ability it is among the st'oiUest. His ministry began about the time when the ncipfent steps were in progress, of all those great union Satlons of piety, philanthropy, and benevolence, wlrida We since so greatly blessed, and are still blessing, our tor d He -as among the earliest friends of the New Jersey Bible Society, the first of those State societies which, wh n'^tl^eir numbers had increased, merged themselves into he one Vand American Bible Society. It was a grand and Hlifrto unequalled privilege to begin Hfe -th this Century, and in this new and freed country^ amid all the rap dly developing plans of Providence, for the progress of Sfs cWh, and the elevation of mankind ;-to live m an ?.e when vender succeeded wonder in the i^iysical, and sdentific and moral worlds; and with each succedmg decade! the privileges and blessings and causes oad^at.on still increasing. It is now a blessed P-- '^f /" ^^.^ Christian to appreciate and help on hese^yorks of P o i dence It seems to have been Mr. Zabnskie's work to bmld urtWs church to strength and numbers through the Spirit s ifiuence, that she might then take an active -d jpoi- ant yea, a prominent part in these great plans of God Let us Tot fail, as ancient Israel so often did, to understand our duty. 76 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. Shortly after Mr. Zabriskie's settlement here, early in 1812, the Consistory again provided a parsonage property for themselves. They bought the plot^ now occupied by Dr. Fred. Blackwell, of Dan. Disborough, for $1,250, and imme- diate repairs bestowed, swelled this amount to $2,232. But this j^lace was only occupied three or four years, when Mr. Zabriskie purchased a prop>erty of his own on the hill, where he resided till his death. And the Consistory sold their parsonage to Dr. AYm. McKissack. During the first eighteen years of his ministry here, he preached in the old church, reminding them still of early times, of poverty and strife and victory, in freedom's con- flict. But it had long been felt that this church was too small for the growing congregation, and repeated efforts had been made to remedy the evil. The building had re- ceived a slight repairing during the Revolution, and a more considerable one in 1783, when money had been solicited abroad. Again in 1800, it was very thoroughly renovated, and the pews re-arranged and sold anew to pay expenses, In 1805, they agitated the matter of putting a gallery in tlie church, to increase the accommodation, but failed of suc- cess ; and again in 1816, $800 were subscribed for this ob- ject, but without result. The old building continued to be occupied till April 22d, 1828, the subject of re-building hav- ing been agitated, (says Dominie Zabriskie, in a certain paper,) for twenty-five years, without being able to agree on the best course. But on May 26th, 1827, a memorial was presented to the Consistory, signed by eighty persons, * Beginning at the end of a large flat stone, on the road leading from John Bayard's, to Wm. Blackwell's Mills, on the N. side of a small brook, thence along the road S. 3° W. 1 eh. 38 links, thence N. 87^° E. along Yan Doren's land, 6 ch. 22 links, K 3° E. 1 ch. 38 links, K 2^° W. 3 chains, S. S7}i° W. G chains to said road, and along said road to placo_ of beginning, containing 2 4-10 acres. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 77 respectfully requesting tlie Consistory to call a meeting of the congregation, to devise means for enlarging or rebuild- ing the church. Frequent meetings were held, and at last the Consistory determined that in conformity with the wishes of a large portion of the congregation, a new church should be erected. $1,000 were allowed to the pew-holders in the old church, to be properly credited between them, to go toward the purchase of pews in the new church, and John Sutphen, Fan-ington, Barcaloo, and Abraham Beek- man were appointed a Committee, to appraise the value of the old pews. The edifice was to be built after the model of the new church at Six Mile Kun. They had built their second edifice in the same year that our church had been or- ganized,* (1766,) and now a year or two before, and probably stimulating this congregation to the work, they had built the edifice which they now use. Their second building, and our first, both stood for just sixty years, and the present buildings of both congregations are identical in size, being 70x55 feet. The building committee consisted of Stephen Garretson, Dan. H. Disborough, and Ab. Beekman, subject to the direction of the Consistory. They contracted with Joachim G-. Quick for $5,000, including the old church materiaL Extra expenses accrued, amounting to $317. The corner stone was laid on June 8th, 1828, and an address delivered by the Pastor from Gen. xxviii : 22. " And this stone which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house ; and of all that Thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto Thee," — important and suggestive words. Prayer was also offered for God's blessing on the undertaking. A committee was then appointed, consisting of James B. Elmendorf, Ab. Staats, and John Sutphen, to appraize the pews, the aggre- gate sum to amount to $6,500. The church was dedicated * Early records at New Brunswick. 78 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. on Christmas Sabbath, 182 8, the pastor preaching from Ex. XX : 24, " An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thj burnt offerings and thj peace of- ferings, thj sheep, and thine oxen ; in all places where I record My name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." The following Thursday the pews were sold, and §7689 were realized, leaving a considerable surplus in the hands of Consistory. Mr. Zabriskie's ministry had been quite successful respect- ing additions to the church, during the time that they worshiped in the old building. Up to the year they demo- lished their house, he had received 210 members,* of whom 166, had been on profession of their faith. In this same year, (1827) he reports 100 families, and about 200 commu- nicants. The membership had therefore more than doubled during his ministry in the old edifice. But they had now built a large and spacious house, much larger than many supposed to be necessary, and the Lord soon filled it. They had made room for a blessing, and it came. God rewarded, as He ever will, their largeness of spirit, and liberality to Zion. Thirtynew families are at once found reported as attend- ants, and in 1831, the Spirit of grace was most richly pour- ed out on this congregation.f There had been a considera- ble number of accessions in certain former years ; in 1822, and in 1823, twenty-five and fifteen respectively professed the faith ; in 1817 and 1818, twenty-eight and sixteen respectively had acknowledged Christ before men ; but at this time it averaged nearly one out of every family. In the fall of 1831, 108 were received at a single communion, * "We have the names of only 197, but in a report to Olassis for 1813, he states that he had received since his settlement here thirteen on profession. t The revival of this year was universal through the country. HI8T0KICAL DISCOUKSE. 79 by far the greater proportion of "^^liom are no longer witli us. It was indeed a rich blessiug from heaven, snch as we might again well desire. It remains on record as God's tes- timony to us, of His fidelity to His promises, and of His love. And let us never forget that by repentance and faith and prayer. He may show us even greater things than these, that w^e may marvel. On three subsequent occasions, under Father Zabriskie's ministry,viz. in 1837,1838, and 184:3, he received respectively, nineteen, seventeen, and twenty- five, in single years. During his whole ministry in the new church of twenty-two years, he received 280 on profession of faith, and 118 by certificates from other churches, and during his whole pastorate of forty years, the total number received were 446 by profession, and 162 by certificate, or 608 in all. His last report to Classis in the spring of 1850, makes the church membership to be then 291, and 176 fami- lies.* The congregation was indeed built up to great strength in numbers during his long pastorate here. The member- ship had nearly trebled, the families had increased by three- fourths. What a power for good might such an army of Christ become if directing their energies into great. Chris- tian, philanthropic, world-wide, yea divine eflTorts ! This is indeed what our Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us by His own blood, now calls upon us to do. Father Zabriskie died August 15th, 1850, at the age of 71 years. His dust lies in the adjoining church yard, where his memorial monument reminds the passer-by of the vene- * It must also be remembered ia considering this statement, that during his ministry, several new churclies had been formed, in the bounds, or in the outskirts of his congregation, which frequently de- creased the number of his families and church members. Middlebush, Raritan 2nd, Greggstone, Bound Brook, and Raritan 3rd, (Dutch,) wero thus formed, besides some Methodist Churches. 80 fflSTORICAL DISCOURSE. rable " Minister of God^'' of more than half a century's ser- vice. The congregation had for some time before his death thought of calling a colleague, but did not do so till the spring of 1850, when Rev. John DeWitt was invited to such position. His call was approved on June 25th, and the time of his installation fixed for August 20th. But five days before the time fixed for the installation, Mr. Zabriskie died. The following year the Consistory provided the present parsonage property, consisting of a little more tlian three acres of land, which they bought of John Yan Doren, for $755.* They immediately built the pleasant and substantial house, which now adorns the j^lot, using for this purpose certain legacies which had been left by members, for the support of the Gospel at Millstone. They considered that this was putting those legacies in a permanent shape.f During Dr. DeWitt's ministry here, the church building having reached more than a quarter of a century of age, was thoroughly repaired, and the pews and pulpit modified to their present neat and beautiful appearance, and the w^alls * Beginning at sonth-west corner of Dr. "VTm. McKissack's land, in the road, thence running south 873^° east, 6 ch. 23 links, north 2° west, 1 ch. 38 links, south 88° east, 4 ch. 52 links, to west bank of the Mill- stone, thence up said river south 9)^° east, 1 ch. 78 links, south 79^;^° west, 3 ch. 51 links, south 19>c^° east, 1 ch. 95 links, north 70>^° west, 7 ch. 96 links, to middle of the road, down which, north 4^^° west, 2 ch. 79 links, to place of beginning, containing 3 2-100 acres. t Hendrick Wilson, who died about 1800, left about $1,000, (it is said,) to the Consistory ; and Ejnier Smock, a few years later, left $375, and Peter Yoorhees $500, though this last did not become avail- able till a number of years after his death. {Search ly Ferd. E. Wilson^ Esq.) Possibly there were others, which have not come to the writer's knowledge. These with other moneys which had accumulated, amounted in 1850 to more than $4,000. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 81 frescoed. He received, during liis ministry here, two hun- dred and one on profession of their faith, and seventy-nine by certificate, in all two hundred and eighty, almost the same number as he found to be communicants, at his settle- ment.^ Dr. DeWitt's last report made the church to con- tain two hundred and ninety-nine members in full com- munion. His connection with this church ceased on Sept. 1st, 1S63, he having accepted the Professorship of Oriental languages and Biblical Exegesis, in our Theological Semi- nary at New Brunswick, to which he had been elected by General Synod the preceding June. But a short vacancy ensued. Eev. Chs. Stitt was first called, but declined, and your present servant for Jesus' sake was installed, Dec. 29th of the same year. Twenty-eight by profession, and thirty- seven by certificate, in all sixty-five, have been received into the communion of this church during your present relations. Our last report to Classis made three hundred and eleven communicants. As we look back over our church's history, it is certainly a remarkable fact, and worthy of being mentioned, that five of the seven preceding pastors of this church, were called sooner or later to a professorship in our Theological Seminary, viz., Froellgh, Yan Harlingen, Cannon, Schure- man, and DeWitt. The other two — Messrs. Foering and Zabriskie — died in the exercise of their pastoral office here.f It is doubtful whether many other churches can show a similar record. There have been received in this church during the cen- tury, eight hundred and eighteen persons on profession, and * The church of East Millstone, organized in 1855, took a number of families and sixteen members, besides the Methodists, some. Branch- ville, also organized in 1855, probablj affected the church of Millstone to some extent. t See Appendix, tTote 6, for Pastors and Officers. 82 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. three hundred and twenty-nine by certificates from other churches, in all, eleven hundred and forty-seven. But making allowance for the loss of the records of four years, and possibly of the accidental omission of some names, (which we have good reason to suppose to have been the case,) the actual number of communicants in this church has been about twelve hundred,* of which a little more than two-thirds were received by profession of faith. ^Not that this, indeed, is the actual amount of good done by this church, during all this time. There have been undoubtedly other unnumbered, silent influences, whose results can never be gathered up in figures and in history. Many a truth here dropped from the pulpit or- from the faithful Christian, may have lain buried in the recesses of the heart for years, and at last, and in other places, blossomed and have borne fruit unto eternal life, perhaps when its pos- sessor stood on the very borders of the grave. Other influ- ences likewise have gone forth, as far as we have helped to send the Gospel through other agencies, to our own western and to foreign lands, and to sustain the institutions of edu- cation and religion in their various forms. In faith, some- thing has thus been accomplished, though we cannot point out the definite, specific fruits, for our benevolence was thrown in a common treasury with that of the church in general. The records on high will show what we have done in these respects, how little or how much. But as far as we can ascertain by our records, eight hundred and eighteen in these courts, have been brought to the acknow- ledgment of Jesus Christ as their only and all sufficient Savior. This, in our own homes, has visibly been our century's work, — a fraction more than eight a year. And while in many respects it may be an unfair comparison, to * See Appendix — Note 7. HISTOEICAL DISCOURSE. 8.3 average the ostensible success of the respective pastors, yet when (lone in a proper spirit, and properly nnderstood, it is certainly interesting and perhaps may not be unprofitable for reflection. During the vacancy before the first pastor, of eight years, ten were received on profession, or at the rate of one and a quarter a year ; and the number received on profession under the respective pastors, per year on an average, is as follows ; — Under Foering, four ; under Froe- ligh, seven ; under Van Harlingen, four ; under Cannon, three and three-quarters ; under Schureman, eight and a half; under Zabriskie, ten and three-quarters; under DeWitt, sixteen and three-quarters; and since his departure, the additions, by profession, have averaged a little more than eleven a year. "We should resolve and pray that these numbers, with each advancing decade, may be vastly increased. What a glorious thing, if on an average, for successive terms of years, each week could witness at least one brought to Christ. Let us set this standard, high as it now appears, before us, until having reached it, we may displace it for something better. Let us remember that each church represents the kingdom of heaven on earth, and that it should be our unceasing effort, by means direct and indirect, in public and in private, at home and abroad, to advance the interests of that kingdom. Let us pray that we may begin this . century with a new and higher, and advance with an ever-increasing, life. Let us henceforth seek to have definite results to show in the foreign field as well as at home. Yea, let each succeeding year, till the Saviour's promise of the universal triumph of his kingdom, be completely realized, witness an ever accelerating pro- gress in piety and philanthropy, which two are the fulfilling of the Law,— the realization, and the exhibition of the restored image of a perfect and divine Love. APPENDIX NOTE 1. T%e Subscription List for the Building of the First Church, Dec. Qth, 1766. £ Peter Schenck 38 Josiys Cornel 12 Ab. VanBueren 10 Johannes Hogelandt 10 Cor, Van Lewe 14 Eem Ditmars 14 Kern Gerritsen 10 Gerret Terheune 15 John Smock 1 5 Jan Vander Veer.... 14 Hendk. Wilson 14 Peter Stryker 12 Chathrine Stryker 3 Cornelias Lott 10 John Stryker 5 John VanDoren 14 Jurias VanClcef 7 ' Hendk. Prohasco 12 Grietie Cornell 3 John Ditmars 2 Peter WyckoflF. 7 Bergen Covert, Jr 3 Daniel Covert 4 Hend. Schenck 25 John Brokavr 12 Cor. Cornell 1 JohnProbasco 8 Bergon Huff. 3 Ab. Messeler 1 John Blaw 1 Altie Dorlant 1 s. d. 10 10 e 10 15 10 15 8 10 Derrick Kroesen 6 Roeloff Van Aersdalen 7 Peter Stryker, Jr 1 Wm. Corteljou 6 Rullef Terheune 6 Jacobus Garretson 7 Rynie VanHengelen 7 Cuke Rynierse 3 Hendk. VanderVeer 5 Stephen Terheune 8 Johannes 4 Joseph VanderVeer 8 Laurence Vancleef 3 Tise Smock 3 Wm. George Prall 4 Jacobus Stryker 4 Yacobus Messelar 1 Wm. Spader 3 Jacob Wyckof 3 Johannes Van Zandt Ab. Brokaw 2 Tobias VanNorden 1 Folkerd Buse 2 Jacob Buse, Jr 3 Denice Van Lewe 3 Barnardus Gerretsen 4 Peter Wickoff, Sr 1 Jan Kroesen 4 Corn. Wyckof 2 Jobs. Levdt 8 Wm. Williamson 1 s. d. 15 10 10 1 6 10 8 10 10 8 10 10 10 10 5 8 5 10 5 10 1 86 APPENDIX. £ s. d. Wm. Williamson, Jr 14 Phillip Fulkerson 2 10 Peter VanPelt 13 4 Jocham Quick 2 10 Ouke YanHengelen 1 10 Corn. Stotehofif 4 Simon Hegeman 1 10 Benj. Hegeman 2 £ 8. d. Wm. Vliet 10 Peter Sedam 15 Wilhelmus Stoothof 15 Nicholas Johnson 1 3 4 Hendk. Cortelyou 1 3 4 Jaques Cortelyou 10 Jaques Stoothof 1 PeterStaats 4 NOTE 2. March 6, 1777. We, the subscribers, promise to pay, or cause to be paid, to the Consistory of the Church of Hillsborough, the sums annexed to each of our names, for the use of the last payment of the Parsonage. Peter Schenck 18 Gerret Terheune 10 Ernestus Van Harlingen 15 John J. Schenck 8 Hendrick Wilson 11 Corn. Cornell 11 Hendrick Probasco 10 Ab. Van Beuren, M.D 10 John Van Doren 15 FulkertBuys 6 Peter Ditmars 15 Laurance Vander Veer 17 Peter Btaats 11 Jacob Boyce 3 Jacobus Gerretson 11 Ab. Ditmarse 9 Isaac Van Cleef 1 Johanes Hoog-dland 11 J. Van. Cleef 6 Wm. Willson 1 John Bennett 11 Nicholas Cowenhoven 9 Sam. Davis Cornelius Lott 15 Laurence Van Cleef .15 Philip Fulkerson 1 John Scheurman 2 John Probasco 3 s. d. £ s. d. Ab. VanDoren 2 Peter Blaw 1 John Blaw 1 Isaac Huff 1 Cyrenius Thompson 3 Peter Stryker, son of Peter.. . .10 Benj. Brokaw 3 Peter Stryker, L. Island 15 Isaac Van Nuys 6 Myndert Willson 3 Johannes VanZandt 3 John Christopher 1 John Stryker 10 John Nowlen 1 Coonraat Van Wagenner 1 Brogone Broka-w 1 Christn. VanArsdalen Taylor. . 1 Ann Van Lewe, widow 10 Benj. Arrosmith John Smock 1 Abm. Duryea 11 Joseph Cornell 3 Peter Wyckofif. 11 Peter Schenck, Jr 11 Albert Cornell 9 Covert Voorheese 00 Garret Terheune, Jr 11 Rem Gerritson 11 5 10 15 2 6 3 15 6 10 5 9 10 2 6 10 2 •5 15 10 1 5 5 5 15 5 5 APPElfDIX. 87 £ 8. d. Michael YanderVeer 7 10 2 Thomas VanDike 3 4 6 John VanderVeer 11 5 Peter Stryker 1 10 Garret Van Cleef. 1 10 Nic. Van Brandt 3 15 Wni. Cortelyou 7 10 Teunis Covert 3 £ s.d. Stephen Terheune 3 John Ditmarse 3 John Staats, Jr 3 Elsye Eyneerson 10 Jacobug VanNuys, son of John 10 . Corn. VanNuys, •' " 15 Garret R. Garretson 11 5 Lucas Voorheese .2 NOTE 3. After the -war, they found themselves unable to repair the church, owing to the ravages of the raiding parties, &c., and therefore the Consistory issued the following appeal for help : — Whereas the Dutch Reformed Congregation of New Millstone, in the County of Somerset, and State of New Jersey, has been much distressed by the late destruc- tive war, the inhabitants plundered of their property, their church in part destroy- ed, and rendered useless; and whereas said congregation is by such sufferings rendered in a manner incapable of repairing their church : — We, the subscribers, Elders and Deacons of said congregation, find ourselves under the disagreeable necessity of applying for assistance to the brethren of our profession, and especial- ly to those whom a kind Providence has protected against similar distress ; who from pure motives of sympathy, we trust, will be induced to charity and benevo- lence. And in order to promote this, our purpose, we have appointed and author- ized our Pastor, the Rev. Solomon Froeligh, Capt. Cor. Lott, and Petei* Ditmarse, to present this our application to such of our brethren, as they from personal acquaintance, or recommendation, may deem persons of a benevolent disposition, and to assure them from us, that their donations will be received with gratitude, and their names perpetuated on the records of our church, as examples of gener- osity by their Elders. Signed. AB. VAN BEUREN, CORNELIUS CORNELL, HEND. PROBASCO, JOHN STRYKER, £ s. d. Jeremiah Van Derbilt 1 17 4 John Ryerson 1 17 4 Martin Skenk 1 17 4 Anne Johnson 1 17 4 Abraham Remaen 1 17 4 Jacob Byerson 1 17 4 Rem A. Remsen 1 17 4 Humble servants. Deacons. AB. DITMARSE, PETER WYKOFF, GARRIT R. GARRETSON, FULKERT BUYS. £ s. d. Mathias Vandyk 1 17 4 Nicalaus Vandyk 1 17 4 John Johnson 1 17 4 Johannes De Bevois 1 12 John R. Couwenhoven 1 17 4 John Cowenhoven. 1 17 4 Lamberth Suydam 1 17 4 88 APPENDIX. £ s. d. Leffert Leffertse 1 17 4 Barent Leffertse 1 17 4 Jacobus Lott and i Widow Jolinson \ ^ ^^ ^ Barent Jolinson 8 Johannes Stoothoff. 8 Peter Vanderbilt 8 Jeromus Lott 1 4 Petrus Lott.. 1 17 4 Jeremiah Vanderbilt 16 4 Abraham Voorhees 1 4 Fulkert Sprough 16 Johannes Ditmarse 2 13 4 Peter Cowehoven 16 Johannes Remsen 1 4 Derick Eemsen 12 John Williamson 8 John Vanderveer 18 8 Nicolaus Wykoff. 1 4 Tennis Skenk 1 12 Gabriel Duryee 16 Johannes Titus 12 Ab. Laquier 1 17 6 Corn. Vanderveer 1 17 4 John Ditmarse ., 1 17 4 Arjaantje Voorhees, wido-w. ... 1 4 Jacobus Vanderveer 1 17 4 Rem Hegeman 18 8 £ 8. d. Hend. Vanderveer 1 4 Jas. J. VanBuren 16 Jer. Vanderbilt 1 4 Peter Lafferts 1 12 Seytie Hegeman 16 Leffert Martinse 16 Peter Cornell 16 Philippus Nagle 1 4 Joris Martise 1 12 John Vanderbilt 1 17 4 Dr. Hend. VanBuren 12 John Hegeman 8 Leffert Leffertse 8 Jacob Leffertse 1 8 John Beuren .0 8 Garret Stryker 1 4 Peter Antonides 1 17 4 Henry Staats 16 Hendk. Suydam 16 Jacob Suydam 16 Johannes E. Lott 1 17 4 Hendk. Suydam 16 John Striker 16 Thomas Elseworth 16 Elias Hubbard .- 16 Isaac Stover 8 Garrit Wykoff. 10 £85 NOTE 4. The valleys of the Karitan and its tributaries, are now comparatively well sup- plied with churches. While in the year 1700, there was only one of the Dutch name, there are now more than thirty on the same territory, not to speak of the many of other denominations. Besides the Dutch churches referred to in this discourse, the following have been organized in later years, viz. : — Whitehouse, (1793,) to which successively have ministered Revs. John Duryee, (1799-1801,) Cor. T. Demarest, (1808-13,) Jac. I. Schultz, (1816-34,) Peter S. Williamson, (1835-39,) Jas. Otterson, (1840-45,) Goyn Talmage, (1845-51,) Law- rence Comfort, (1852-54,) Aaron Lloyd, (1855-56,) Smith Sturges, (1857-63,) and Evert Van Slyke, since 1864 :— Lebanon, (1813,) Revs. Jac. I. Schultz, (1816-34,) Chs. P. Wack, (1835-40,) Robt. VanAmburgh, (1840-48,) John Steele, (1848-53,) and Robt. VanAmburgh again, since 1853 : — APPENDIX. 89 Spottswood, (1821.) Revs. John McClure, (1822-25,) Henry L. Eice, (1825-34,) John C. VanLiew, (1834-42,) Wm. R. S. Betts, (1842-45,) William Knight, (184G- 47,) John H. Manning, (1847-54,) and A. Vandewater, since 1856 :— North Branch, (1825,) Rfevs. George H. Fisher, (1826-30,) Ab. D. Wilson, (1831-38,) Jas. K. Campbell, (1839-54,) and Philip W. Doolittle, since 1856 :— Blawenburqh, (1832,) Revs. Henry Heermance, (1832-35,) Jas. R. Talmage, (1836-48,) Theodore B. Romeyn, (1849-65,) and C. W. Fritts, since 1865 :— MiDDLEBUSH, (1834,) Revs. Jac. I.Schultz, (1834-38,) John A. VanDoren, (1838- 66,) and Geo. W. Swayne, the present pastor :^ Clover Hill, (1834,) Revs. Garret C. Schenck, (1835-36,) William Demarest, (1837-39,) after this, this church became Presbyterian, but subsequently returned to the Dutch denomination, and Rev. W. B. Voorhees has labored there since 1864 :— Rakitak 2nd, (1834,) Revs. Chs. Whitehead, (1835-39,) Talbot W. Chambers, (1840-49,) Elijah R. Craven, (18^^0-54,) and John F. Mesick, since 1855 :— New Bbunstvick 2nd, (1842,) Revs. David D. Demarest, (1843-52,) Samuel M. Woodbridge, (1852-57,) Hugh M. Wilson, (1858-62,) and John W. Schenck, (1863- 66,) and at present without a pastor : — Gkiggstown, (1842,) Revs. Jer. S. Lord, (1843-48,) John' A. Todd, (1848-55,) Edward P. Livingston, (1855-58,) and Stephen T. Searle, since 1859 :— Bound Brook, (1846,) Revs. Geo. J. Van Nest, (1848-53,) Wm. Demarest, (1854- 67,) Henry V. Voorhees, (1858-62,) and Benj. F. Romaine, since 1862 :— Raritan 3rd, (1848,) Revs. Peter Stryker, (1848-51,) Jas. A. H. Cornell, (1853- 56,) and Jas. Le Fevre, since 1857 : — Peapack, (1848,) Revs. Wm. A. Anderson, (1849-56,) and Henry P. Thompson, since 1857 :— New Brunswick 3rd, German, (1851,) Rev. Francis M. Serenbetts, (1851-54,1 Franz M. Schneeweiss, (1855-58,) Julius Hones, stated supply, (1858-60,) Carl Meyer, stated supply, (1863-64,) and T. Cludius, since 1865 : — Branohville, (1850,) Revs. Henry Dater, (1851-53,) and Wm. Pitcner, since 1854 :— East Millstone, (1855,) Revs. Giles Vandewall, (1856-58,) David Cole, (1858- 63,) Martin L. Berger, (1863-66,) and Wm. H. Phraner, the present pastor:— Warren, German, (1856,) Revs. John H. Oerter, (1856-58,) Jacob F. Neef, stated supply, {I808-GO, pastor 1860-64,) and Wm. Wolf, since 1865 :— Rocky Hill, (1857,) Revs. Martin L. Schenck, (1857-64,) and 0. Gesner, since 1865 :— Metuchen, (1857,) Rev. J. B. Thompson, since 1859 :— Plainfield, German, (1858,) Revs. Jacob F. Neef, stated supply, (1858-60, pastor, 1860-64,) and Wm. Wolf, since 1865 :— Central Plainfield, (1863,) Rev. John Simonson, since 1863 :— Pottersville, (1865,) without pastor :— High Bridge, (1865,) without pastor :— In reference to the older churches, (to take up the line in brief, where it was dropped in the discourse,)— Rev. JohnS. Vredenburgh having labored at Raritan for twenty-two years, died in 1821, and his successors are Revs. Richard D. Van Kleek, (1826-31,) and Abraham Messier, since 1832 :— 90 APPENDIX. Eev. Jas. Romeyn, succeeded Dr. Cannon at Six Mile Euw, (1828-33,) and Rev. Jacob C. Sears, since 1833 :— • Rev. Jesse Fonda succeeded Dr. John Schureman at New Brunstvigk, (1814-17,) and his successors are Revs. John Ludlow, (1817-19,) Isaac M. Ferris, (1821-24,) Jas. B. Hardenbergh, (1825-29,) Jacob J. Janeway, ^1830-31,) Sam. B. How, who labored in this field for a generation, (1832-61,) and Rich. H. Steele, since 1863 :— Rev. John Van Liew succeeded to the pastorate of the church of Readington in 1828, made vacant by the death of Dr. Studdiford in 1826 :— Rev. Peter Labagh was called in 1809, to succeed Rev. Henry Polhemus at Hab lingen and Nechaxic, and as colleague of Rev. Wm. R. Smith, who continued to serve these congregations till 1817, when with increasing infirmities, (though only sixty-four years of age,) he resigned, and died in 1820. Mr. Labagh served the two churches till 1821, when he limited his services to Harlingen alone, till 1844, when he resigned, and Rev. John Gardner succeeded him, in the same year, and is the present pastor; while Rev. Gabriel Ludlow succeeded Mr. Labagh at Nechanic, in 1821, and still continues to serve that church : — After the single year of service of Rev. Theodore F. Romeyn, at Bedmixsteb, (1785-86,) Rev. Mr. Studdiford, of Readington, united this church with his other charge, (1787-1800,) and Rev. John Duryee succeeded him, (1800-1,) and subse- quently have ministered there. Revs. John Schureman, (1801-7,) Charles Harden- bergh, (1808-20,) I. M. Fisher, (1821-39,) Geo. Schenck, (1840-52,) William Brush, (1852-65,) and Charles H.Poole, since 1865 :— Thus the valleys of the Raritan and its tributaries, in early times so poorly supplied with Gospel privileges, have been even in reference to our single denomination, most signally blessed of Prov- idence, in the large multiplication of churches and of pastors. There are now no less than thirty- one churches and forty- one ministers on the territory, whose his- tory we have been considering, and three-fourths of these ministers are settled pastors. If the material were at hand to show the numbers and conditions of the churches of other denominations, on the same ground, the benevolence of Provi- dence toward this region would appear indeed most wonderful. It has often been called " The Garden of the Church." God has here richly poured out His Spirit, time and again. All the records of the older congregations, and of many of the younger.show unwonted numbers of accessions to the church. The bold, true, evangelical, untrammelled spirit of faith, of the first pastors, and of the second and third generations, in these valleys, and their earnest, importunate prayers, seem to have commanded God's blessing upon their children, and their children's children. But let us not fail to remember that the greatness of these former bless- ings constitutes now a source of danger. All history confirms this. It must be OUR OWN earnest, diligent, ardent piety, conformed to the new and wonderful developments of Providence, which alone can retain and increase these heavenly experiences of the past. Let us prove ourselves worthy of our birthright, by our fidelity to the cause of God and man. Where much is given, much will be required. APPENDIX. 91 NOTE 5. ( * Peter Wykoff, i| Jochamyntic Vecliter ■ w. of Josiah J. Scheuck, Gertrude Brokaw, Gertrude Pcwelson, Martha Sebring, J Harry Nevius,* ( Henrietta, * Diana, servt. of Josiah Schenck,b j John Vred. Van Neste,* c 1 Mary Tabitha Stryker,* c Adaline Stryker,* w. ofD. S.Young, c. Oct., 1856. Marg. Beardslee,* b. Kachel Beardslee,* w. ofP. N. Beekman, b. Jane M. Huff, w. of John S. Wyckoff, c. Mary Dolliver, Sep., ■w. of Alex. B. Staats, c . Cath. Van Vleck,c.> Cath. M. Suydam,* c. Mary Voorhees,* yr. of Cor. Gulick, o. Phebe Staats,* w. of C. L. Hoagland, c. Gertrude Hoagland. May, 1857. Isaac Sebring, Jr. * Sarah Maria Van Vleck, Ellen Ann Hoagland, Mary Walyns, w. of Joseph Phillips, c. Sarah Maria Hoagland,* "W of JohnVandeEipe, c. Sept., 1857. Maria Voorhees, widow of , Cornell, c. j David C. Hubbard,* (Mary ,* c. Feb., Martha Hummer,* w. of P. S. "Williamson. Mar., 1858. Ab. V. D. Staats,* Sarah H. Bernart,* Mary Elizb. Van Doren, May. Francis Van Vleck, Marg. Ann Nevius, Margaret Powelson, w. of Peter L. Powelson, c. 1858. j Caleb Brokaw, Jr., ( Mary Eliz. Veghte, John VanderRipe,* Matilda R. Merrill,* ( Cor. G. Van Cleef, ( Maria G. Hoagland, Sarah Maria Gulick, Jane Ann Garretson,* Henrietta Brokaw,* w. of H. .V. D. Stryker, C Jas. J. Garretson, c. (Elsie Wortman,* Mary Voorhees,* w. of Min- na V. Van Doren, c. Jas. H. Stryker, c. Elizb. Stryker, wid. of Ab. Stryker, Abby Ann Sater. 1858. \ John C. Van Vliet, 1 Mary Merrill, j James Van Nuys,* ( Letitia Staats * (Isaac V. C. Wyckoff,* 1 Cath. Wyckoff,* Henry S. Van Nuys,* Harriet Beardslee, Cath. Blackwell,* ' Eleanor French,* Jane Ann Cornell,* Theresa Van Cleef, Abigail V. Gulick,* Alette Jane Stryker,* Mrs. Patience RockfelloW, Sarah Staats,* w. of Henry S. Van Nuys, c. Jane Staats, wid. of James J.Stryker. 1859. John Staats,* Virginia Schenck, John Shields Haynes,* b. c Elijah Rouser, c. ( Maria Bergen, c. , 1859. Fred. A. Smith,* Mary Ann Polhemns,* "W. of 112 APPENDIX. La-w. V. Van Nuys, Mary Elmerdorf,* J Sam. Francis,* b. ' Jane Ann Van Doren,* c. f Sanford B. Wakeman,* c. "J Cath. Van Vliet,* c. f John B. Wjkoflf, c. Oct., 1861. \ Cath. Onderdonk, c. Jas. Nevius,* o. Oct., 1857. Henry Wilson, Cath. A. Hoagland, Hollo-vray W. Pierce, c. Lydia Voorhces,* tt. of Jo- siah S. Smith, c. Feb., 1860. James H. Hageman,* Mary Gertrude Sutphen,* Lucinda Skinner, w. of Isaac Hughey. June, 1860. Lydia A. Powelson,* John Garretson,t Feb., 1862. j Whilden Foster, b. ( Jane 0. Baker, b. Maria H. Hulce,* Elizb. Stryker,* w. of Thos... Layton, June, 1882. Christina Flagg,* c. Mrs. Maria Sylvester, c. Jas. H. Sylvester, c. j Abraham Quick,* c. l Martha French,* c. Oct., 1860. Mary A. Voorhees,* Sarah Wyckoff,* wid. of Sep., 1862. Jac. Smith, c. Feb., 1863. Letty Flagg, w. of Wm. F. Feb., 1861. Alex. B. Staats,* Cornelia A. Stryker,* Sarah S. Stryker, Mary Voorhees,* Ab. Davis, c. Lemmy Cordelia Hulick,* May, 1863. Josephine Outhout Van Har- lingen, Martha Louisa Annen, ( Ralph Voorhees, c. I Ann B. Brokavr, c. June, 1861. Jacob V. N. Smith,* TNow a iiceutiate. Peter W. Garretson, \ Car. V. N. Field,* ( Josiah Boisnot,* c. 1 Elizabeth Stryker,* c. Phebe Smith,* w. of John Cruser, c. ( Joseph Christopher,* I Cath. M. Van Nuys,* Anna Maria Merrill,* Anna Maria Ditmars,* Charlotte S. DeWitt, John T7. French, Magdalena VanderPipe, Maria Louisa Smith,* Gertrude Wilson,* tv. of Wnx. Blackwell, Ann Lott, w. of Isaac Davis, Jane Ann Houghton, w. of John Rightmire, c. James T. Elmendorf,* John R. Ditmars,* Dinah V. C. French,* j Peter W. WikofF,* c. 1 Cath. A. Ditmars,* c. Cor. Elizb. Smith,* Marg. V. D. Lott, w. of Peter Powelson, c. Henry Hulick, c. t Joseph Conover,* c. "I Jane Hoagland,* c. Mary E. Conover,* c. Ellen Ann Conover,* Matilda Beekman,* Fannie M. Beekman,* Sarah G. Van Nest,* Cath.- Van Nest, Cath. S. Hoagland, Sarah Van Doren, w. of Jack Van Doren. Martha L. Brokavr,* Cath. J. A. Brokaw,* Henry P. Hoagland,* Henrietta Holmes, j Alex. B. Brokaw, c. ( Letitia Quick, c. Thos. Hobart,* c. Sarah H. Hobart,* c. APPENDIX. 113 j John H. Vandervoort,* c. l Eliza Brokaw,* c. Elizb. H. Vandervoort,* c. Aletta Ann Vandervoort,* c. Mary S. Vandervoort,* c. Oct., 1863. Sjrah Aletta Staats,* Feb., 1864. Mary E. Brokaw,* Maria Stryker,* » Mary Esther Kipp,* w. of Rev. E. T. Corwin, c. May, 1864. Cor. H. Broach,* Elizb. S. Merrill,* Eleanor Schenck,* w. of Sam. Brown, c. Aug., 1865. Sarah Jane Voorhees,* Sarah Auten, Sarah E. VanNostrand,* w. of Jacob V. N. Smith, c. t Wm. C. Burniston, c. J Jane Ann Cornell, c. Nov., 1865. Anna Wyckoff,* c. Aug., 1864. Martha V. Gulick,* Martha Batcheller,* w. of Jas. Y. Elmendorf, c. Sar.Smith,* w.of J. Haynes. Feb., 1866. Nov., 1864. j Israel Fisher,* c. May, 1866. ( Maria Vanderipe,* c. Sarah Staats, c. Eleanor Smith,* w. of Cerard Voorhees, c. ^ Maria S. FrenclWwld. of Ab. G. Van Nest, c. Guretta Q. Powelson,* wid. of Wm. Gulick, c. Isaac W. Van Doren,* c. Aug., 1866 Feb., 1865. Isaac H. Powelson,* Ab. Van Cleef,* Margaret Van Doren,* Anna M. Van Deventer,* Lewis H. Colthra,* c. John Van Nest,* May, 1865. Julia Miller,* Cor. B. Veghte,* r. of of Sarah V.N. Veghte,* A.lex. A. Brokaw. j Joseph H. Van Cleef, ^ c. l Mary Jane Field,* c. Hannah F. Vroom, c. Henry Hulick,* c. J Philip E. Van Arsdale,* c. ( Elcy Voorhees,* c. Cath. Skillman,* w. of Wm. D. Van Dyke, c. Lucy S. Van Dyke,* c. Mary 0. Serv'is,* w. of John Hoagland, c. Wm. G. Williamson,* Sarah Jane Conover. Susan Dinah Wyckofif,* Mary Ann Felmly,* w. Ab. Van Cleef, c. Ellen Van Nuys, c. Magdalene Van Nuys,* Sarah Jane Nevius,* \ Elias Wilson, c. ( Wm. E. Mattison,*M.D.,c. ( Frances T. Race.* c. Caroline Staats. Eliza T. Beekman,* wife of Fred. V. L. Voorhees, c. Mrs. Isabella Scott,* j Albert Voorhees,* c. I Kate Blackwell,* c. Ann Elizi Jewell,* wid. of Ab. Veghte, Cath. Smith,* wife of James Garretson, c. , Garret Voorhees.* c. ( John I. Van Cleef,* c. ( Eliza Van Doren,* c. Ann Eliza Smith,* Mary T. Van Nest,* Mary Ann Apgar,* w. of Zelius Culver, Peter G. Quick.* \/ ^ '/ -- 7 \ 4 . ""■^X^-^ •