VALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 9002 06445 8921 Report of Old Fort Nassau Colonial Monument Commission of New Jersey 920 "fgCvt lfo'r.,th!sfoi&cmi&i'f: a. College theft Books II 1 c College in this£o0t§W^ \ ^**e*- Monument erected by the State of Now Jersey to commemorate Old Fort Nassau and the settlement of the Holland Dutch in 1623, at Gloucester Citv, N. J. OLD FORT NASSAU COLONIAL MONUMENT COMMISSION. JOHN HENRY FORT FRANK H. STEWART ALFRED M. HESTON Report of Old Fort Nassau Colonial Monument Commission of New Jersey 1920 I. F. HUNTZINGER COMPANY PRINTERS 119 Federal Street Camden, N.J. Eepobt of the Old Fobt Nassau Colonial Monument Commission of New Jeksey. After the discovery of America in 1492, till about 1584, very little was done in attempting to colonize the new world and most of the voyages were for additional discoveries, and to find, if possible, a passage to China, or far Cathav. ERRATTA : Page 4, line 18— read "1623" for "1621." Page 5, line 38— read "1664" for "1684." Page 6, line 18 — read "ninety-five years" for "thirty-five," or elsewhere if so stated. Page 24, line 13 — read "known" for "know." Page 24, line 39— read "fldus Aehatns" for "fidu Achatus." Dutch, and beyond granting in a general way charters to various personages of companies allowed the Dutch to develop the country occupied by them. The Virginia Report of the Old Fort Nassau Colonial Monument Commission of New Jersey. After the discovery of America in 1492, till about 1584, very little was done in attempting to colonize the new world and most of the voyages were for additional discoveries, and to find, if possible, a passage to China, or far Cathay, as it was then called. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh fitted out an expedition and it landed on the coast of what is now called North Carolina, and others made voyages as far North as New Foundland, and from then on, fairly accurate surveys of prominent rivers and bays were made and located by latitude and longitude. The place the Raleigh expedi tion landed at was called Roanoke, but the few settlers dis appeared and it was not till 1607, that the Virginia Colony settled in that territory and named it after the virgin queen. The charter of this company was formed after the East In dia Company's and covered land along the sea littoral from degree 34 to 45, and was divided into two colonial sections, the 1st, South and the 2nd, North. The promoters were from Bristol and Plymouth, and the only limitation upon them was subjection to the Supreme Council of the British Gov ernment. As the territory along the Atlantic Coast was so vast, extending from New Foundland, to what is now South Carolina, and all the terrain extending inland from rivers and bays flowing into the Atlantic, it was quite impossible for Great Britain to hold actual possession of these lands, and so in 1608, the Dutch, under the name of the United Netherlands, settled in New York under a survey by Henry Hudson, which England claimed as he was an English citi zen, but who had the year previously visited, while in the employ of England, Long Island and the Island Manhattan, and founded the city which the Dutch called "New Amster dam." Great Britain beyond protesting against these set tlements, made for a long time no effort to dispossess the Dutch, and beyond granting in a general way charters to various personages or companies allowed the Dutch to develop the country occupied by them. The Virginia Charter covered all land from degree 34 to 45, which in cluded what was afterwards called New England, New York, New Jersey and all other lands adjacent to the coast as far as was within these degrees of latitude. So that New Jer sey was originally part in the Virginia- South, First divi sion and the other part in the Second or Northern division of what was afterwards claimed as the Plymouth Colony. Presuming that their claim to New York, called New Hol land, and inland New Belguim, would not be disputed, the Dutch, who, at that time, had the carrying trade of the World, sent an expedition to what afterwards became New Jersey, under Capt. Cornelius Mey, who sailed up the now Delaware River, as far as the mouth of the BigTimber Creek where it empties into the now Delaware River, and named Cape Mey, after himself, and the Bay and River Zudt or South Bay and River or the New Netherlands River and Bay after the land they claimed and settled upon. This was in 1621, and the .settlement at or near what is now Gloucester City, was the first white settlement in West Jersey. Captain Mey built a log stockade or fort, which was for protection against the Indians, and named it Fort Nassau, after a town in the Rhinish Provinces in Germany. Settlement was made here and while the people traded with the Indians, who, while Mey was there, were friendly — either because they were afraid of his cannon on his ships or his friendly treat ment — he employed the time in exploring the territory. He finally returned to New Amsterdam, leaving a small colony at Fort Nassau Settlement, as it was called, and not until 1631, was the settlement visited by Europeans, when Capt. David Pieterson De Vries, on behalf of the Dutch West India Company, touched there intending on establishing a colony, and had ample stores for the purpose. He found the first settlers had either been murdered or carried away and Old Fort Nassau destroyed by fire, and he erected a new Fort, which naturally, was named after the first, which was always referred to as Old Fort Nassau in contradis tinction to the new one. It was the erection of this new Fort, by Oapt. DeVries, that has lead to the confusion as to the site of Old Fort Nassau, for after its destruction the settlement was known by the name of the old Fort. The location of the second Fort may have been on the sonth side of Big Timber Creek, for at the time that DeVries visited the New Netherlands, as New Jersey was then called, the Swedes, under Gustavus Adolphus, were at tempting to establish colonies in the New World and dis puted all claims to prior discoveries and had settled in West Jersey at the mouth of Raccoon Creek and established a community as far inland as Swedesborough and extending as far as the Salem Creek, north to Raccoon Creek, and to give color to their claim had purchased the land from the Indians. This was in 1627. About this same period, King Charles the First granted a charter to Lord Ploydon, who settled at the mouth of Pensaukin Creek, and attempted to found a principality there and established an Order of Knighthood, known as "The Albion Knights of the Con version of the Twenty-three Kings," A thousand knights, barons, viscounts, merchants and other adventurers were preparing to emigrate there and Lord Ploydon, under this charter, laid the whole Delaware River front, or New Sweden River, as the Swedes had renamed it, and the State New 'Sweden off into manors from the Pensauken Creek to Salem Creek and called New Jersey, "New Albion," when the Swedes suddenly swept down upon him and drove him and his followers out of the territory. It has been claimed King Charles made this grant to Lord Ploydon, prepara tory to an effort to reclaim the whole of the Netherlands, ex tending from the Connecticut, or Fresh River, to the Dela ware Bay by the Dutch and New Sweden, or now New Jer sey, Delaware and Pennslyvania, which had been settled by the Swedes. For twelve years the Dutch and Swedes dis puted this territory, and one Swedish Governor and twelve Dutch Governors ruled the New Netherlands, or New Sweden, as respectively called by the government possess ing it and after several fights, the English conquered it, and the Dutch and Swedes submitted to them, until finally the Dutch reconquered it, and finally an English fleet captured New Amsterdam, and Peter Stuyvesant capitulated and all the territory under Dutch and Swedish Dominion passed into the possession of Great Britain. In 1684, King Charles of England, conveyed New York and New Jersey to his brother-in-law, Duke of York, afterwards King of England, and he to Lord Carteret and Berkley, whose title was finally settled by the English Court, and the territory offered for settlers. After the battle of Sedgemoor, where the Duke of Monmouth was defeated and his army dispersed or cap tured, many of those who escaped into Wales or France, as sumed to be Quakers, to obtain the protection of William Penn, who had in the meantime, become one of the assignees of Billings1, and who from a favorable report of George Fox, founder of the Friends or Quakers, who had visited this section and recommended it as a home or asylum for his persecuted people, established a colony here in 1676, a hun dred years before the Revolutionary War, and after landing at Raccoon Village, at mouth of the Raccoon Creek, were driven from there by the Swedes and landed at Gloucester and finally settled with others and established the City of Burlington, ,which afterwards became the shire town, as well as the capital, of West Jersey. While these facts have been known for two hundred and thirty-five years, and Gloucester City had, in the meantime, grown from a small trading post to the county town of the first county established in New Jersey by direct action of the people, which afterwards was ratified by legislation and established courts, erected a jail and court house, till in later years, after the Revolutionary War, Camden County and Atlantic County were set off from old Gloucester, and the seat of Government removed to Woodbury, its ancient history has been regarded with pride, but no effort his torically, to have the events marked by a monument to commemorate them, till in 1919, John Henry Fort, of Cam den, prepared a Bill and it was introduced into the Legis lature by Mr. Harry T. Rowland and unanimously passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, carrying an appropriation of $500 for the erection of a granite boulder or shaft with a bronze tablet giving the historical data. Then Governor Walter S. Edge, appointed the follow ing commission: President, John Henry Fort, Camden County, Frank S. Stewart, Gloucester County and Alfred M. Heston, Atlantic County, as representing old Gloucester County and the two new Counties created from her. Gloucester City, as a settlement, dates back to 1623, and Jamestown to 1607, and the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, to 1620, so that while these other settle- ments are t>lder than the Old Fort Nassau, yet, West Jer sey and Gloucester, as the oldest town historically, was claimed as belonging to both the Plymouth Colony and the Virginia or Jamestown Colony as well, under Capt. Smith. That the citizens of Gloucester City appreciate the honor of having the town marked as the most likely site of Fort Nassau is evidenced by the fact its City Council granted the privilege to the Old Fort Nassau Monument Commission to erect the monument in its City Square, and that at the dedication over a thousand of its citizens turned out to parade — with three bands of music — and among whom were the Masonic Lodge, Odd Fellows, Knights of Phythias, Redmen — in full uniform — Knights of Columbus, and all the school children of both the Public and Parochial schools. The latter singing patriotic airs. There were over 3000 people at the Dedication. A descendant of one of the Revo lutionary families, Miss Martha Powell, unveiled the monu ment and Father Maurice E. Brie delivered the Benediction and Rev. R. A. Conover the Invocation. The dedicatory programme was very interesting and is given as published in the newspapers, as well as the address by John Henry Fort, President of the Commission, in the absence of the Governor. Programme of Ceremonies Unveiling of Fort Nassau Shaft. 1. Singing — America. . .School Children and Band 2. Invocation Rev. R. A. Conover 3. Historic Address John H. Fort, Esq. 4. Unveiling Miss Martha Powell 5. Presentation of Shaft John H. Fort, Esq. 6. Acceptance of Shaft. .Hon. David M. Anderson, * Mayor 7. Singing— Star Spangled Banner. . .School Chil dren and Band 8. Benediction Rev. Maurice E. Brie Master of Ceremonies. G. William Barnard, Esq. 7 ^ The following is a copy of the Act of Assembly under which the monument was erected. Assembly, No. 81 STATE OF NEW JERSEY. Introduced February 18, 1919. By Mr. Rowland. Referred to Committee on Federal Relations. An Act creating a commission to mark the site of the settlement of the Dutch at Fort Nassau, Timber Creek, old Gloucester County, New Jersey, in one. thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and defining it powers and duties. Be it enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey : 1. The Governor of this State is hereby authorized to appoint three residents of this State, one residing in Camden, one in Gloucester and one in Atlantic County, who shall constitute and are hereby appointed as a commission by the name and style of the "Old Fort Nassau Colonial Monument Commission of New Jersey." The term of such commission to be for five years and no member of such commission shall receive any salary or compensation for any services. In case of death or vacancy the Governor shall have authority to fill such vacancy from the county where the commis sioner resided. Two of the commission shall constitute a quorum at any meeting. 2. The Governor shall designate the president of the commission, who shall serve during the existence of the commission. The commission shall elect from its members its secretary. 3. The commission shall have power to obtain consent from the owner or owners of the land on which Old Fort Nassau was located, a site to erect a granite shaft or boulder, with such description and history of the Old Fort Nassau settlement as shall be deemed advis able and will commemorate the historical facts and proper dates. 4. The said commission is hereby authorized to ex pend the sum of five hundred dollars for the purchase of and erection of a granite shaft or boulder with suit able bronze tablet or indented lettering thereon, and may invite proposals from at least five responsible bidders for the same, conducting business in the State of New Jersey. 5. This uct shall take effect immediately. STATEMENT. The purpose of this bill is to create a commission to mark the site of the settlement of the Dutch, at Fort Nassau, Timber Creek, old Gloucester County, New Jersey, in 1623. It defines the powers and duties of the commission, who are to act without compensation. It also authorizes the commission to spend $500. REPORT OF THE COUNCILMANIC COMMITTEE. The following is the Resolution recommending Cumber land Square as a proper site for the monument and the agreement of Gloucester City giving authority for its erec tion therein and agreement to protect it. Gloucester City, N. J., August 21, 1919. At a meeting, held on the above date of the committee appointed by the Gloucester City Council for assisting the Old Fort Nassau Commission in locating the site of the old fort and settlement, the following resolution was unani mously adopted : "Resolved that this committee recommend to the commission, the spot between Atlantic Street and Broadway, on Cumberland Street, owned by the City of Gloucester City, as a proper site on which to erect the monument to commemorate the first white settle ment in Southwest Jersey, which is now Gloucester City." Signed : G. William Barnard, David J. Doran, Harris C. Powell, Committee. AGREEMENT DF GLOUCESTER CITY COUNCIL. Whereas, under and by virtue of Chapter 89, of the Laws of New Jersey, P. L. 1919, a commission of three was created by said act, under the name and style of "Old Fort Nassau, Colonial Mounment Commission of New Jersey." And whereas, under said law, the Governor of the State of New Jersey was empowered to appoint three residents of this State, one residing in Camden County, one in Gloucester County and one in Atlantic County. And whereas, by virtue of the authority aforesaid, the Governor of the State of New Jersey, did appoint the following persons, John H. Fort, President of the Commission, Frank H. Stewart and A. M, Heston, as the three members of said commission ; And whereas, the said commission was empowered under the act, to obtain consent from the owner or owners, of Ihe land on which "Old Fort Nassau" was located, to erect a granite shaft or boulder, with such description and history of the Old Fort Nassau settle ment as they shall deem advisable as will commemorate the historical facts and proper dates ; And whereas because of the fact that it was impos sible to locate the exact physical spot upon which Old Fort Nassau was built, the said commission has decided upon and agreed to accept a plot of ground owned by the Mayor and Common Council of Gloucester City, located on Cumberland Street between Broadway and Atlantic Street, nearest Atlantic Street, as the most suitable and proper location for said shaft or boulder ; And whereas, consent has been given by the Mayor and Common Council for the erection of said shaft or boulder on the plot of ground owned by it on Cumber land Street, nearest Atlantic Street, said City ; Now therefore, be it resolved by the Mayor and Com mon Council of Gloucester City, that permission is hereby granted to the State of New Jersey, through the commission appointed by the Governor, for the erection of said granite monument or boulder, to com memorate the erection of Old Fort Nassau, and the 10 Dutch settlement under Captain Cornelius Jacobese Mey, in 1623, at the mouth of Big Timber Creek, and it is hereby mutually agreed between the said commis sion and the said Mayor and Common Council of Glou cester City that the site offered by said City is hereby accepted by the said commission and the said Gloucester City to act as custodian, of the said granite monument or shaft and afford it every and all protection the same as any other public or private property in Gloucester City. Walt. W. Connelly, G. Wm. Barnard, Thomas F. Kelley, Property Committee. Gloucester City, N. J. Nov. 10, 1919. We hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy cf the Resolution adopted by Common Council, Glou cester City, N. J. on Thursday Evening, November 6, 1919. Chester Pancoast, (Seal) President of Common Covmcil. David M. Anderson, Mayor. Attest : Allan W. Redfield, City Clerk. The Commission feels that it should explain the reasons causing it to select this site for the monument. After a number of trips to Gloucester City and interviews with Us oldest inhabitants, there seemed to be differences of opinion as to the Old Forts' site, and as it has been two hundred and thirty-five years since its erection, no trace could be found of the old logs of which it was erected, and history is posi tive that the old Old Fort Nassau was destroyed and burnt by the Indians and a new one erected by Captain DeVries, and that the Swedes had settled in West Jersey and dis puted the Dutch title to the territory which fact Captain DeVries knew, and no doubt as the representative of the Dutch Colony, erected the second Fort Nassau in a more n commanding position and that those who claimed they had seen the Old Fort, naturally thought it was erected on the same spot, or was the old one which, with the early settlers, was destroyed by the Indians. After going over all the pos sible sites in and around Big Timber Creek and up as far as where Little Timber Creek flows into it and it into the Dela ware we found that the shore lines for nearly a mile along the Delaware front and a full half mile along Big Timber Creek, have been filled in for manufacturing purposes and the use of the excursion pavilions and ferry to Philadelphia, while the cutting off of the timber on Big Timber Creek has changed the whole topography and the embanking of large mud flats for making meadows and the filling in of the old race track and river front for the ship yard, has forever obliterated all that section, and today the made land where once the water was deep enough to allow the early settlers to row ashore almost up to where the monument now stands, convinced the commission that it is as near the site of the Old Fort as it is possible to locate it. Besides it is an ad mirable spot and the monument is, after all, only to com memorate the event of which Old Fort Nassau, as a settle ment, was named after in 1623. The contract for the monument was awarded to the 0. J. Hammell Co., of Camden and Pleasantville, and is of pink granite, selected on account of its durability. The dimen sions of the shaft are 11 feet 6 inches in height and four feet 6 inches in thickness. A bronze tablet — with a model of the Dutch ship "Wolvis" one, if not the actual ship he landed therein — is bolted to the shaft and bears this in scription : "Erected by the State of New Jersey in 1919 to com memorate the first white settlement in West Jersey, at the mouth of Big Timber Creek, and the erection of Old Fort Nassau, by the Holland Dutch in 1623, under Captain Cornelius Jacobese Mey, of the Dutch West India Co." COMMISSIONERS. John H. Fort. Alfred M. Heston. Frank H. Stewart. 12 P HJT>rSXXiV4.KIA~jXVEsrTEBStY- VJC Visscher's Map 1651. As given by Companius Nar. History of America, Justin Winsor, Vol. IV. Map op Phillip Lee, London. Original in Lenox Branch Library, New York. History of North America, by George Carlton Lee, Vol. IV. 13 The two maps show that Old Fort Nassau was located on the Gloucester City side of Big Timber Creek, furnishing additional data as to its location. The contract was filed with the Governor for approval. SKETCH OF OLD FORT NASSAU SETTLEMENT. Address by John Henry Fort. Vice-President Camden County Historical Society. We are standing today upon historic soil, and can scarcely believe that 296 years ago, the first white settlers in West New Jersey, landed upon the banks of the Dela ware, at the mouth of Big Timber Creek. This was in 1623, and only one hundred and thirty-one years after the dis covery of America by Christopher Columbus. At that time New Jersey was unnamed and formed a part of what was called by the early Dutch navigators, "The New Nether lands" and extended from the Connecticut River, south, and included New York and New Jersey, under the title of 4 ' The New Netherlands. ' ' The States-General of Holland, or the Netherlands, claimed this territory by right of dis covery by Henry Hudson, an Englishman, in the employ of the Dutch West Indies Society. The City of New York, then called ' ' New Amsterdam, ' ' was the seat of Government and from time to time the Dutch sent out exploring expe ditions along the coast for trading purposes and discovery. While the Dutch claimed all this territory by virtue of the Hudson discovery, England also claimed it by virtue of the surveys made by John and Sebastian Cabot in 1497-98, from Labrador to Florida, and well defined maps show the various ocean coast lines along the Atlantic. At that early period the belief prevailed that the newly discovered country, was a part of the East Indies and a passageway was being sought for across this country to China. In 1623, a fleet from New Amsterdam, sailed south along the Jersey shore to the Delaware Bay and up it, to what is now Gloucester City, and landed at the mouth of Big Timber Creek, a colony, which erected a log stockade, 14 which was for protection when trading with the Indians, and was called "Fort Nassau," after a town in the circle of the Upper Rhine in Germany, and the settlement that later sprung up was known as the "Fort Nassau Settlement." There was no attempt at "that early date to divide this vast tract of land into States or Provinces at first, and it was known as "The New Netherlands" after the home nation, "The Netherlands," as Holland and Belgium were then called. Believing that the newly discovered country was a part of the Indies, several nations sent out expeditions of dis covery and each nation claimed the land the navigators discovered. This in time lead to numerous disputes as to territory, and while France seized Canada and claimed part of what is now the United States, England, by virtue of the Cabot discoveries, claimed from Hudson Bay, Labrador, Canada and the whole Atlantic Coast line to Florida. As the discovery of this new World was still in a chaotic state, but little attention was paid to surveying any section ex cept in a general way giving its latitude and longitude. The Holland Dutch at that time, had the carrying trade of the World, and sent out several expeditions to the new World, for trading purposes among the "Indians" as the aborig ines were called under the supposition that the newly dis covered land, was part of India. The Holland Dutch as stated, claimed all the land along the Atlantic Coast from the Connecticut, or Fresh River, as then called, to the now Delaware or Zudyt (South) River and up the river which had not been explored beyond Cooper Creek, then called Asoroches. This vast tract of land was regarded with indifference at first, but after the discoverers found that a good trade could be carried on in the trading of furs with the Indians, more ships were sent out and as the natives at first were inclined to trade and were friendly, gradually settlements were made more with a view to extend trade than to es tablish colonies. Thus, it was in 1623, Captain Cornelius Jacobese Mey visited the shores of New Jersey, then un named, and part of a vast tract called the "New Nether lands" after the home country, then consisting of Holland and Belgium. The Old Fort Nassau was a mere log stock- 15 ade on the shore of the point of land at the confluence of Big Timber Creek, and the Delaware River, which was called the Zuydt or South River and Big Timber Creek was called by the Indian name of "Arwames." This was the second West India Company and by this time a number of adven turers were beginning to take passage to America. To this Company the States-General of the Netherlands, granted title to this vast tract and the company, began to exploit it and already New Amsterdam, or New York, had sprung into existence and importance. The Plymouth Colony had landed at Massachusetts, and the nations of the old World began to vie with each other in exploiting the new World and sending out adventurers with a view of discovering what the new World possessed. It was found that not only a profitable trade could be established in furs with the natives, but that whales and fine fish and rich minerals abounded in the new World and the finest timber in existence, while the soil was adapted to raising almost any kind of vegetation. So that soon a flood tide of emigration started in and in 1643, the New Netherlands had a population of three thou sand, with three hundred men capable of bearing arms. The colony established at Fort Nassau, by Captain Mey, after he left it, from some reason incurred the animosity of the Indians, and as it was not visited by the Dutch again till 1631, by Captain David Pieterson De Vries, but little of its history is known. The visit of De Vries showed the old Fort was thrown down and burned by the Indians and that the colonists were either murdered or driven away and never heard of afterwards. That the Fort was erected and a settlement made here at that time and the settlers mas sacred, marks the era, of the settlement of the first white men in West Jersey, or "The New Netherlands" as our State was then called. About the period thatCaptainDeVries landed at Old Fort Nassau, the Swedes had also invaded this territory under Gustavus Adolphus, and founded a colony in New Jersey and Delaware and called the Dela ware Bay and River, the New Sweden Bay and River, and the territory New Sweden, and under John Printz, estab lished upon the shores of Delaware a principality with regal powers, and on that side of the river developed settlements as far north as the Falls of Trenton and on the Jersey side 16 as far north as the Raccoon Creek, Gloucester County, and purchased the land here from the Indians. When De Vries visited New Jersey in 1631, he undoubtedly had knowledge of the Swedish invasion of New Netherlands, or New Jersey, and a second Fort Nassau was built near Gloucester City^ with a view of not only establishing firmly a new colony, but a Fort of better workmanship to command the Dela ware or Zudyt River, and probably was on the other side of the cove called Hermaomissing. De Vries came prepared to establish a colony and from that time on Holland at tempted to enforce its rights of discovery and sent a fleet to dispossess the Swedes of the soil they occupied. King James also made several grants, of land in 'New Jersey, and both the Plymouth and Jamestown Colonies or companies, claimed part of the State, and King Charles granted a tract in 1631, to Sir Edmund Ploy don, at the mouth of Pensauken Creek, who attempted to found a principality there, known as "The Albion Order of the Conversion of the Twenty-three Kings" and laid off the Delaware shore into manors for such knights, barons, vis counts, merchants and adventurers as might join his expedi tion. He erected a, fort at the mouth of the Pensauken Creek and named the settlement after aji Indian Chief "Erino- weck." The object was to convert the Indians and compel them by trade to enrich the settlers at the same time. The advent of the Swedes however disrupted this apostolic order and what was almost a kingdom here with the Palatine Powers. Ploydon named New Jersey, "New Albion," after the old name of "Albion" of England, which became a matter of early history. While the Swedes claimed the Dutch had abandoned "New Netherlands," as New Jersey was then called, the Dutch would not admit it and several fights occurred between them and even Peter Stuyvesant, the Governor of the Province, came here from New Amster dam with a fleet to settle the dispute. The Swedes finally gave in and the Dutch again came into possession. Several points along the Delaware were settled by the Swedes and on both sides of the river they erected forts, one at Wil mington, and one at Elsinborg, in now Salem County. The history of Old Fort Nassau and the Nassau set tlement is involved in considerable doubt as to its exact 17 location which probably wa§ occasioned by reason of its destruction and the erection of another one afterwards by Captain DeVries. Captain Mey brought with him everything necessary to establish a colony and erected a log stockade near the shore within command of the guns upon his ship. Primarily the Fort was for protection and the settlers built log cabins for dwellings and opened trade with the Indians. The Indians in those days were divided into families or clans and were sub-divisions of larger tribes. The tribe that domi nated the shore of the Zudyt or Delaware River, were known as the Lenni-Lenapes or first people, and the river was called the ''Lennape Whittuck" meaning the stream of the Lennape, Different families or clans lived upon the various creeks running from the interior into the river and bay and these streams marked the boundaries for fishing and hunt ing purposes. Very little attention was paid to agriculture aind Indian corn or maize, beans and peas, with roots and certain plants, combined with bearmeat, venison, fish, birds, clams and oysters and wild game constituted their diet. The various clans were known from the names of the streams on which they dwelt. The Cohanseys were called Siconessey, the Niraticons were from Raccoon Creek, the Manteses from Mantua Creek, and the Armewamexes from Timber Creek, and the Atsions, the Minquosees, the Minhi- gans had names corresponding to the localities and streams they lived upon. These clans were subject to larger ones and were collectively governed by a larger chief and were part of tbe great Delaware, or Algonquin, or Iroquois tribes. The West Jersey tribe was not a very large one and was computed at about 800. The Indians were disposed to be peaceful, and willingly traded with the settlers, furs and provisions for such gewgaws and things as met their fancy, and this soon lead to the erection of log houses, for the homes of these second early settlers. The settlers how ever, were more inclined to barter than seeking homes or developing farms. Just when Captain Mey left is not known, but soon there after a dispute arose among the settlers and Captain De Vries, who afterwards, visited the site of Fort Nassau in 1631, found no signs of the colony, but the skulls and bones 18 of them strewn over the ground. The weakness of his force prevented his revenging them and he narrowly escaped being murdered by a treacherous plan to entrap him in Coopers Creek, or "Hiorte," as called by the Indians, and now in Camden City. Another treaty was made with the Indians and another Fort Nassau again came into existence. The Swedes, as early as 1627, entered into New Jersey, and attempted to colonize it. They claimed from the Capes of the Delaware, first to Raccoon Creek and afterwards to Man tua Creek, and even purchased the lands from the Indians and called the bay the New Sweden Bay and the river New Sweden River. The Swedes, under Gustavus Adolphus, attempted colonization in America, and entered into Dela ware and settled about what is now Wilmington, and erected a fort, which they called Fort Christiana. They extended their possessions along the Delaware, or New Sweden River, into what is now Pennsylvania, as far north as the Falls of Trenton, upon the Delaware, and at intervals erected forts for defensive purposes. This was in 1638, and Fort Nassau by that time, was completely destroyed and the settlers either murdered or driven away. During all this time the abode of government of "The New Netherlands" was in New York, or New Amsterdam, and the action of the Swedes was severely criticized and a fleet sent out to capture it from them. The Swedes had built a fort at Elsinborg, at the mouth of Salem Creek, which was to be a defense as against old Fort Nassau, which was again rebuilt, or a stronger fort on another and more formidable site. In 1655, the Dutch sent out a fleet of six or seven ships and surprised the Swedes, and under the command of Peter Stuyvesant, captured the Swedish strongholds and made them acknowledge the Dutch supremacy, both in New Jersey and Delaware, and as far as Fort Trinity at Passyunk. The Swedes had developed the country and erected churches at Philadelphia, Swedesboro, and Wilmington, and it seemed as if they would dominate the whole country, but sur rendered to the Dutch and received an honorable armistice without any bloodshed. During all this time, old Fort Nas sau was recognized as a trading post and new houses erected along the river and Timber Creek, and upon the surrender of the Swedes, Fort Nassau became the capital of the New 19 Netherlands, upon the Zudyt or South River. There was considerable feeling however, between the Dutch and Swedes, and while they kept up the treaty, the Indians smartly sold and resold the land to each, occasionally, and murdered settlers, as the Swedes or Dutch seemed not to be strong enough to punish them alone. The Indians had a fine sense of location and all their streams were named after events or characteristics, the Mississippi meant the father of waters, and our Jersey streams, indicated by their names like facts for which they were known to them, the Raccoon for racoons, the Mantua for frogs, the Lenape, Whituck or Delaware, as the first peoples' river, and so the Assinuck, Pensauken, Asoroches, Arwames, Sassackon, Remokokes and a score of other creeks, all had a meaning in the Indian tongue. William Penn pronounced the names as very sweet and euphonious, as was their language. These creeks marked the boundary of tribes and clans, and were mutually respected by each other. Annual pilgrimages were made to the shore and the trails are still well defined across the Jersey pine belt, where they often stopped to feast upon clams and seashore fish, which they also dried for winter use. The Indians set but little value upon the land, and traded it for a few gewgaws, as to them it was only for hunt ing purposes, and the streams were considered of more value. A tract of land from the Rancocas to Timber Creek was sold for thirty blankets, fifty pounds of powder, ,250 fathoms of wampum, a lot of knives, kettles, axes, hoes, mirrors, socks, anchors of rum, a few bars of lead, jews- harps, combs, tongs, tobacco boxes, fishhooks, spoons, scissors, and Dutch pipes. These articles might have been of more value then than now, but the Indians were well sat isfied as the territory was open to them for hunting and fishing purposes. In 1623, the Hermaomissing, or cove, at the mouth of Big Timber Creek, was greater than now, as it has been filled in by banking the mud flats for meadow purposes, and later improvements both in the cove and along the Delaware River front, from Gloucester City down, have so altered the conformation by from a half to three-quarters of a mile, that the exact site of Old Fort Nassau is lost. Even if 20 known, it was destroyed by the Indians, and only its site could be marked. Gloucester City, for many years after Old Fort Nassau was destroyed, was known by tradition as the settlement, and had the honor or distinction of being the first shire town of old Gloucester County, and tradition has linked it with the history of all the old traditions back to 1623, so that the Old Fort Nassau Colonial Monument Commission did not hesitate to accept the offer from the City of Gloucester of the square on which to locate the monu ment to commemorate the oldest historical event in West New Jersey. Ih 1664, King Charles granted to his brother, the Duke of York, all the land constituting the New Netherlands from the Connecticut River, including New York and New Jersey. It is claimed he did this to settle the dispute of great Britain to her American discoveries. The Duke of York and Albany, afterwards, became the King of England, and the title to him and by him to others, was settled by the highest courts of England, and by the treaty of Westmin ster, England obtained a, perfect title to the disputed ter ritory. A part of this land (East and West Jersey) was conveyed to Lord Carteret and Sir George Berkely. Berkely getting into debt, conveyed his share to William Penn, Gauren Lawrie and Nicholas Lucas, as trustees, and Penn at once set about to get the Quakers to emigrate to New Jersey, as it then began to be called. He had heard favorably of ^t from George Fox. This with the Dutch and Swedish concessions, was the beginning of title to lands in New Jersey, and the grants were confirmed by releases from the Indians. As Old Fort Nassau marked the spot where the first white settlers landed and was again brought into prominence by the erection of a second fort called Fort Nassau Settlement, naturally Red Bank (Udde Rude), as called by the Dutch, and Gloucester Point became prominent places, and the abundance of timber on Timber Creek added importance to the vicinity. In a short time the Dutch and Swedes, having submitted to the English, began to erect log homes, and the English, arriving from the mother country, soon formed quite large communities. At that time West Jersey, as it was known, consisted of only two counties, Burlington and Salem. Burlington extended from 21 the Sunpink Creek to the Pensauken and Salem, from there to the Delaware Cape, and both from the Delaware to the Atlantic Ocean. In 1682, Gloucester was set off from Salem, and its people organized the country or shire, the first in the State, and Gloucester, the outgrowth of the Fort Nassau Settlement, was made the shire town. Red Bank also, for a time, was the county town, and court was alternately held there. Gloucester City is named after & cathedral town on the Severn, "Glaw caer," meaning a beautiful town, soon became the recognized county seat and the people of Old Gloucester adopted the first constitution in America, in fact before there was any United States of America, this was in 1686, and was afterward approved by the legislature of the State. The county was laid off into constabularies or townships, namely, Pensauken, Gloucester, Waterford and Deptford and New Town or Newton* Burlington was the capital of West Jersey, until united with East Jersey, and Perth Amboy was the captial of East Jersey. This was long before Philadelphia was thought of, and in fact at that time, the Swedes and Dutch both, claimed the territory that was ceded afterwards to William Penn, who was engaged as trustee and part owner of West Jersey in establishing colonies here. The county court was held at Gloucester City, and after a State Govern ment was formed, the Governor, who also acted as Chan cellor, held court there. Gloucester City became quite a fashionable town, and a celebrated spring gave it a repu tation as a health resort. A log court house with a jail was built and it was the most important town in South Jersey. Some years afterward, in 1767, the county buildings were bufned down, and Woodbury was selected as the new county seat, and a stone jail and court house erected, which stood until a short time ago. Nearly all the townships of old Gloucester were named after English places by the early settlers. Deptford is after a town where Peter the Great learned the trade of ship building, and a later township, Woolwich, is af ter the town where the English Arsenal is located. Swedesboro is after the Swedish settlement at the Racoon Creek, Greenwich, a later township, is after the famous observatory town where 22 longitude is defined, Waterford was named after a fishing town on the Barrow by its Irish settlers. Thus, the early con stabularies and townships were named. Woodbury is after two towns, Wood and Berry, in Lancashire, England. All of which shows the affection of the early settlers for their home towns in Great Britain, In fact most of the counties were likewise named after English shires or counties. While the Swedes claimed, without the right, a part of New Jersey and Delaware, and along the shore of the Dela ware River, a part of Pennsylvania, and as far as the falls at Trenton, and erected forts and established colonies and built churches at Wilmington, Philadelphia and Swedesboro, they, only after 1652, acted on their individual strength, aa the death of Gustavus Adolphus, left them without a na tional support. But for a time it appeared as if Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, were destined to become a Swedish- American Empire. The landing, under the patron age of William Penn, of a colony of English Quakers, of about 280 in number, in 1676, changed the situation in New Jersey, and the establishment of the City of Burlington, as the capital of West New Jersey, was the beginning of the development of all this section of the New World, as it was then called. These colonists came over in the ship Kent, from London, in 1676, and others in the Shield, a hundred years before the Revolutionary War. While the county passed through many eventful periods, from then to the Revolution, Burlington and Gloucester City were the prin cipal towns and are greatly linked with the early history of West Jersey. At this time, John Fenwich, a Quaker, had acquired a large tract of land in West Jersey, which he called Salem, meaning "Peace," and established Salem City and County. This tract included everything from Burlington, or the first tenth to Cape May, and from the Delaware to the At lantic Ocean. In 1686, the people of Gloucester County, after estab lishing their own form of Government, established courts, and appointed justices of the peace, as judges, and estab lished a county town. This was afterwards recognized by the General Assembly, and soon Cumberland County and Cape May County were established, and in 1837, Atlantic 23 was set off from Gloucester, and in 1844, Camden, till we now have as the Old West Jersey, the Counties of Burling ton, Camden, Atlantic, Cumberland, Cape May and Salem. How passing strange it is, that from the small and peaceful towns or hamlets, settled by our mixed ancestors from Europe, to day exist upon these shores where they landed, vast -cities and great shipbuilding industries and manufacturing plants that now supply the whole world with necessary products. And that, in this section, which was then New Netherlands, now comprises the great Empire State and City of. New York, Connecticut and its great in dustries, New Jersey and Delaware, and that Pennsylvania, then only know as a vast forest region, should be part of the great Middle States that largely made our great Nation, and with Maryland and Virginia., other British col onies, afterwards became the most important part of our great American Republic. The names of New- Jersey were New Netherlands, New Sweden, New Albion, .Nova Caesarea, East Jersey, West Jersey .and finally New Jersey and part of the Cabot ex ploration in 1597, during the reign of Henry VII of Eng land. Between 1606 and 1623, several grants of New Jersey and other parts of the Middle States and Virgina, had been granted by the English Crown to various companies, namely, the London Company, the Virginia Company and the Plymouth Company, and disputes between these com panies probably lead to other nations claiming them as un occupied. Lord De la War made extensive explorations of the New Sweden Bay and River and after him the bay and river were finally named. This was before the Swedes came, who had no claim of title except the strong will of Gustavus Adolphus, and under these grants part of New Jersey or West Jersey, was in New England and the rest not. In 1631, Charles I granted land in New Jersey to Sir Edmund Ployden, who was the first Englishman to .settle in New Jersey. He was a rank royalist and was Earl Palatine and attempted to found in New Jersey an Earldom known as New Albion. A man named Beauehamp Plantagenet, was his fidu Aehatus and with seven Sir Knights attempted to found a Kingdom in New Jersey and settled at the mouth of the Pensauken Creek and traded with the Indians in 1636, 24 and named the place "Erinoweck" after an Indian Chief. This Palatine lasted several years and was extensively advertised in England, and attempts made to get a thousand knights and viscounts over. In West Jersey different counties were created, Glou cester 1682 from Salem, Atlantic from Gloucester in 1837 and Camden from Gloucester in 1844, Cumberland from Salem in 1747 and Cape May from Salem in 1692. The whole of West Jersey appears to have been sold to the early Qua ker settlers for £1000 and they dominated West Jersey from the Rancocas Valley to Cape May. The lives of the early set tlers in New Jersey, Jamestown, Plymouth Rock and else where are historical, but no state has made a greater con tribution to American History than New Jersey. East Jer sey was settled as early as. 1609 and our State was claimed as part of the old Plymouth Company, and under the Virginia Company's charter, so it shares in their his tory as Camden County does in that of Gloucester County from which it was set off in 1844. New Jersey under different names, was governed by Holland when that country was the States-General and known as the Netherlands and later by Sweden under Gus tavus Adolphus and then under the name of New Albion and then as Nova Caesarea as an English province and at last as New Jersey, and separated from Great Britain in 1776. Dur ing all this time Gloucester City, either as Bethlem, Arwames or "Gloucester City" as it named itself, has held sway and while robbed of the honor of being the shire town still, proudly boasts of being the first county seat where the Colonial Governors dined and wined when they held court in those days and whose early history was familiar to Wil liam Penn and his compeers, long before Philadelphia was thought of, and running back of all this modern history, to the period when only the Indians, wild beasts and a hand full of Dutch, Swedes, Belgians and other adventurers had just arrived into this wooded wilderness along the lordly Delaware, then only known as the Zuydt River, which, like the great Oregon " heard no sound save its own dashmgs." How proud the citizens of old Gloucester should be and as the site of Old Fort Nassau is in dispute, it is but proper that Gloucester City dating its birth back to that period 25 should be selected as the place for the erection of this monu ment to commemorate this event. May this patriotic contribution by the State of New Jer sey lead to the marking of other Colonial and Revolutionary sites of historical importances to Camden County and Old West Jersey. The Commission desires to explain why the Governor is not present. In shipping the monument from the quarry the car became lost on the way to Gloucester, which neces sitated the postponment of the dedication for another week and unfortunately the Governor had two engagements for the same day making it impossible for him to be present, as well as several other distinguished personages. As the winter was approaching and the weather getting too cold for outdoor services the Commission decided to go ahead with the dedicatory services. 26 COMMENTS OF THE PRESS. A MONUMENT FOR OLD FORT NASSAU From the Camden Daily Courier. There is a bill pending in the Legislature, prepared by John H. Fort, president of the Valley Forge Revolutionary Encampment Com mission, for marking the site of Old Fort Nassau at Gloucester Point, where Cap tain Cornelius Mey planted a Dutch Colony in 1623, which was the first white settle ment in South Jersey, which then was claimed by Holland and Sweden. Camden County and Atlantic County were set off from old Gloucester, and the bill creates a commis sion of one for each of these counties. Every county historical society in West Jer sey has endorsed the bill and it has already passed the House and is now in the Senate. The bill calls for an appropriation of $500. John H. Fort, chairman of the commission - appointed to erect a shaft at Fort Nassau, addressed council, and explained what is going to be done, and asked that a com mittee be appointed to assist in locating the spot. A committee, consisting of David J. Doran, president of the Gloucester Historical Society; Councilman G. "William Barnard and A. Powell, was appointed. FORT HEADS BODY TO ERECT SHAFT Perpetuate Spot Where Pi oneer Dutch Colony Lo cated at Gloucester. From the Camden Daily Courier. John H. Port, of Camden, has Deen selected president of the commission appointed by Governor Edge to erect a shaft at Fort Nassau, upon the site occupied hy the Dutch colony which settled at the mouth of the old Timber Creek in 1623, before South Jersey was even a British Province, but was claimed by Holland. The other members are: Frank Stewart, Woodbury, representing Gloucester County, and A. M. Heston, Atlantic City, Atlantic County. The three counties com prised old Gloucester County at one time. The shaft, which is to be erected close to the office of the Pusey & Jones shipyard, will be granite and not a monument as Fort Nassau was not the scene of a battle but purely a historical event and the tablet will give his torical data. The official data is being ob tained from The Hague in Holland. Invitations will be sent to the Holland Society in New York, the oldest Colonial Society in America, and the Society of the Netherlands and all of the colonial and his torical organizations of the State to partici pate in the exercises when the shaft is un veiled. Societies ln New York, Delaware and Pennsylvania which existed in the early days will also be invited along with the gov ernors. The settlement of the Dutch was on the banks of the creek which was known in those days as "Arwames" and now known as the Gloucester Point. There were only 34 settlers in the colony and all were Hollanders. They built Fort Nassau for protection against the Indians and it consisted of a log stockade. Homes were erected of logs and finally the colonists traded with the Indians. Soon after the visit of Captain Be Vries in 1S2S, the colonists scattered through South Jersey. AWARD CONTRACT FOR MONUMENT From the Camden Daily Courier. The Old Fort Nassau Colonial Monument Commission awarded the contract for the monument to the O. J. Hammell Company, of Pleasant ville, which firm built the Valley Forge monument for the New Jersey Brigade of the Revolutionary War and the Elks* Rest at Harleigh Cemetery. After finishing all details the commission visited Gloucester City as the guests of John F. Harned, and carefully went over the shore front of Big Timber and Little Timber Creeks where they enter into the Delaware River at Gloucester City, and where the Dutch, under command of Captain Cornelius Jacobeae Mey, landed and erected a log fort, which was called Fort Nassau, and established a colony in 1623, when Holland claimed the State of New Jersey. This was the first white set tlement in West Jersey. Owing to the fact that the exact site of the Old Fort is lost, having been destroyed by the Ind ians and the creeks, and the Delaware River having been filled in by the shipyard and other industrial plants, the Commission accepted the offer of Gloucester City of a square located on Cumberland Street, on tbe main driveway from Woodbury to Camden, and near the site, as a suitable place for the monument, which will be suitably inscribed on a bronze tablet. An interesting demonstration will be ar ranged for at the dedication, and the Gov- ernors of New Jersey, J>elaware, New York and Connecticut, all part of the old New Netherlands, will be invited to be present, and the Holland, Netherlands and Swedish Historical Societies and their ambassadors invited as well as all the Historical Societies of West Jersey and the city and county rep resentatives. This is In commemoration ef 27 the most historical event in West Jersey, and antedates the history of William Penn and the settlement of Pennslyvania. The unveiling of the monument will take place some time in November. The com mittee appointed by Governor Edge, is ' John H. Fort, of Camden County; Frank H. Stuart, of Gloucester County, and A, M. Heston, of Atlantic County, which formerly composed old Gloucester County. GLEANINGS FROM GLOUCESTER CITY Fort Nassau Ceremony is Postponed. Gloucester City, Nov. 13. . From the Camden Daily Courier. The ceremonies pertaining to the unveiling of the State shaft to commemorate the land ing of the Dutch at old Fort Nassau, in 1623, have been postponed for at least one week. The shaft has not arrived, and it is not known where it is. It was shipped on October 23, from North Carolina, but where it is now is a mystery, as no trace of it can be found. It is supposed that it is on a siding some where between Gloucester and that place. All of the organizations here and also organiza tions of other towns have made arrangements to take part, and the postponement is quite a disappointment to them, but it would not be appropriate to hold the parade and ex ercises with no shaft to unveil. Councilman G. William Barnard, who is Chairman of the Gloucester Committee, re ceived a communication from Chairman John H. Fort, of the State Commission, last night, advising him of the postponement. Jacobson Mey. The parade started at 1.30 o'clock at Broadway and Monmouth Street. In line were pupils of the public and paro chial schools, Police Department, City Officials, Liberty Band, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Veterans and other organizations. At Broad way and King Street the State Commission, consisting of John H. Fort, of Camden; Frank H. Stewart, of Woodbury, and Alfred M. Hestor of Atlantic City, with its escort of members of the Camden Lodge of Elks and other organizations were met. They proceeded down Broadway to Burlington Street thence to Monmouth Street to Broadway to the City Square,' where the exercises were held. The school children formed a hollow square and sang "America." Rev. R. A. Conover, pastor First M. E. Curch, opened with prayer, after which there was a historical address by Chairman John H. Fort, who presented the shaft to the City of Gloucester, after lt was unveiled by Miss Alice Powell, daughter of City Treasurer Harris C. Powell. It was ac cepted by Mayor Anderson for the City. The school children sang and benediction was pro nounced by Rev. Maurice E. Brie, rector of St. Mary's Church. The shaft is attractive and has a bronze tablet, on the top of which is carved a picture of the old British sailing ship Walvis while below it is the inscription: "Erected by the State of New Jersey to commemorate the first white settlement ln West Jersey at the mouth of Big Timber Creek and the erection of old Fort Nassau by the Holland Dutch in 1623, under Captain Cor nelius Jacobson Mey, of the Dutch West India Co." The names of the Commissioners are on the bottom. The citizens of old Gloucester, which is the old shire town of Gloucester, are much pleased over the State' erecting the shaft on the City Square. The old fort was located at the mouth of the creek, which is the ex treme end of Gloucester. UNVEIL MONUMENT AT FORT NASSAU Fine Parade of Civic Socie ties Precedes Dedication Ceremonies. PLAN MONUMENT AT FORT NASSAU John H. Fort Calls Meeting of the Commission in This City on Thursday. To Place *Shaft at Gloucester. Shaft Placed on Square. From the Camden Daily Courier. Gloucester City, Nov. 22 — A street parade and exercises preceeded the unveiling of the New Jersey State monument at the City Square this afternoon. The monument commemorates the landing of the first white settlement in West Jersey at the mouth of Big Timber Creek and the erection of old Fort Nassau by the Hol land Dutch in 1623, under Captain Cornelius From the Camden Post Telegram. The Old Fort Nassau Colonial Monument Commission appointed by ex-Governor Edge, before his retirement last winter, has been called to meet at the home of Camden Lodge of Elks' by John H. Fort, the President, on Thursday, September 11, at 11 A. M. The lodge extended the courtesy to the Commission. Mr. Fort has gotten all the detailed matters arranged and notices as required to monu ment builders have been sent out and it is expected that the Commission on that day will be able to award the contract for the monu- 28 ment. Appropriate designs have been pre pared and the shaft will be of granite with proper bronze tablet for the inscription. The monument will commemorate the landing of Captain Cornelius Jacobese Mey, Commander of a Dutch West Indies Company at Glou cester Point, at the mouth of Big Timber Creek in 1623. He built a log stockade and called it Fort Nassau, after a town in a Rhenish Province, and left a colony under the Holland General States, which then claimed all the territory along the Atlantic coast from the Connecticut River and New York to Cape May. When Captain David Peterson De Vries visited it he found the colonists had been murdered ^nd. the Old Fort destroyed and burned by the Indians. He erected a more substantial fort and established another colony near the Old Fort Nassau. The colony remained permanent until the Swedes Invaded New Jersey and claimed the River Valley from Cape May on both sides to the Falls of Trenton. Afterwards the English drove the Swedes from New Sweden, as they "called the territory, and It became known as New Albion and afterwards Nova Caesarea, or New Jersey. Sweden established a principality in Delaware and the territory including what is now West Jersey and was then called New Sweden. After Great Britain obtained New Nether lands an English Colony settled in old Gloucester and Burlington Counties and were Quakers under the regime of William Penn. The Old . Fort Nassau . Monument Commission will visit Gloucester City and select a suitable site for the monument. The dedicatory cere monies will be elaborate and eminent speakers will relate the early history. The Governor and his staff and various societies will attend the exercises. It is as historical an event as the landing of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock, in the opinion of Chairman Fort. log fort, which was called Fort Nassau, and established a colony in 1623, when Holland claimed the territories which is now the State of New Jersey. This was the first white settlement in West Jersey. Owing to the fact that the exact site of tne Old Fort is lost, having been destroyed by Indians, and the Creeks and Delaware River have been filled in by the shipyards and other industrial plants, the Commission accepted the offer of Gloucester City of a Square, lo cated on Cumberland Street on the main drive way from Woodbury to Camden and near the Old Fort site, as a suitable place , for the monument, which will bear a bronze tablet wlih a proper inscription. An interesting demonstration will be ar ranged for at the dedication. The Governors ol New Jersey, Delaware, New York and Con- ecticut — all part of the old New Netherlands- will be invited to be present and the. Holland Netherlands and Swedish Historical Societies and the Ambassadors of these nations invited, as well as all the Historical Societies of West Jersey and the city and county repre sentatives. This monument is in commemoration of the most historical event In West Jersey, antedat ing the history of William Penn and the settlement of Pennsly vania. The unveiling of the monument will take place sometime in November. The committee appointed by ex-Governor Edge, comprises John H. Fort, of Camden County; Frank H. Stuart, of Gloucester County and A. M. Hesto", of Atlantic County, all of which formerly were included In Old Gloucester County. MONUMENT TO MARK OLD FORT NASSAU PLAN FOR