DIVISION ROAD.

“Chaw roast beef,The beef was tough;Poor little nigger,He couldn’t get enough.”

“Chaw roast beef,

The beef was tough;

Poor little nigger,

He couldn’t get enough.”

By wetting the article of clothing and pulling hard two boys could draw tight a knot which took both hands and all the teeth the owner of the aforementioned article had to work loose.

The General lived near the water’s edge in a little hut of stone and wood. The old shanty leaked so that when the rain fell he and his wife sought refuge under the family umbrella, so the story goes.

Near his house was a spring of good water, but what interested the youth of the neighborhood more was the legend of a cave close by where Captain Kidd is said to have stowed treasure. This was supposed to be at a spot where were more stones than nature would seem properly to have gathered together, and this the boys would now and then pry into, but so far as known nothing came of it but an occasional backache.

Presumably his close contact with the river bred a contempt for water that became more and more pronounced as the old fellow advanced in years, when to the few who can now recall him he was a well known character. Possibly he once drank some water which did not agree with him—possibly he supposed it was only intended for the floating of boats (none has as yet made this point clear), but, whatever the cause, our friend was very particular not to tamper with his constitution by drinking any more of thestuff. Hence the jug which was his constant companion when visiting Newark.

The General had a private path, just above the reach of high tide, which came out on the main road near the Point House, and every Saturday afternoon wife Rachael and he would journey southward. They always walked single file, the old lady some fifty to one hundred feet in the rear—presumably this was to insure the safety of the jug, a rear guard, as it were, to protect the supplies, a precautionary measure which would naturally occur to a military man.

Possibly our “General” was a veteran of the war with nature: that certainly is a satisfactory way to account for his title. Just how he came by the secondary title of “Old Two Bottles” is not quite clear, but it is said that it was the result of high words in the family. Mrs. General, it seems, longed for something more substantial than the rear to guard, and appears to have made an unwelcome suggestion that two bottles would be better than one jug and, being some distance behind the conversation was carried on in an elevated tone of voice, and as the General’s rate of locomotion was about a mile an hour the neighbors came easily by the story.

The General and his wife occupy unmarked graves in the neglected burial ground above the Weiler house.

The next house of which there is any memory was a brick structure at the southwest corner of the Riverand Division roads. This was the property of, and presumably built by, “Jim” Alexander (James G. Alexander?), who came from Newark and passed the place many times as he drove the stage from Newark to Belleville. Alexander was a North of Ireland man who came to Belleville after a brief sojourn in Paterson. For a time he drove a stage between Belleville and New York, and also between Belleville and Newark. He married a Coeyman and thus came into possession of a farm which extended from Grafton avenue south to the Henry Stimis place, and from the river back to Summer avenue. He is said to have run the limekiln at one time.

Alexander’s house burned and he removed to Belleville, where he became somewhat eccentric, parading the streets barefoot and with a silk hat on his head, in which costume he would preach whenever the curious were willing to form a congregation. There are stories current which indicate that he had a ready wit and a tongue sharper than a two-edged sword.

We have come to the Division road, now Grafton avenue, so far as this end of it is concerned. Opposite, on the river bank, stood for many years the limekiln erected by three Englishmen: Thomas Vernon, Thomas Farrand and John T. Grice. This performed its offices without doing serious damage to the landscape. The last to burn lime here was Mr. Francis Tompkins, but the old Newark Lime & Cement Companywas finally too much for him, and he went under. Between the burnings of lime there was little activity about the place, and as time went on it became little more than a picturesque wreck, and thirty years ago or more the old kiln ceased work entirely. Then came Mr. Benfield who, as some of his facetious neighbors were fond of saying, had a process for extracting gold from stone fences. So far as I have any knowledge of the matter, the process was all right, but it cost more to extract the gold than it would bring in the open market, and so in a certain sense the experiment was not a success, and it resulted in the erection of unsightly buildings which have been added to from time to time by others who would do things here, until from being a picturesque ruin the place has grown to be one of the ugliest sights on the river bank.

Above Grafton avenue, on the corner, stood the frame house of John McDonald, who married a Coeyman (he was a calico printer by trade), and opposite, between road and river, stood a small frame house occupied by James Coeyman. Above, on the west, was the brick house of Levi Coeyman, and next the frame house of John DeHush Coeyman, while on the site now occupied by the large brick house built by Peter Weiler stood the home of Minard Coeyman, the hive of the Coeymans. Just above, where the brook crossed the road, was the house of Henry Coeyman, and just beyond that of John Coeyman, later occupiedby William McDonald and by one Worthington. A cannon ball and numerous Indian relics have been ploughed up on this property. The last three buildings were torn down by Mr. Weiler when he built about 1860. The only other house below Second river was the original Van Cortlandt stone house.

Peter Coeymans of Utrecht, in the Netherlands, had seven children. His five sons sailed from Holland in the ship Rensselaerswyck, October 1, 1636, and settled in Albany, N. Y. The youngest of the boys was Lucas Pieterse Coeymans. “May 14th, 9th year of William 3d of England (1698) Leukes Coeman of the towne of Newark yeoman”, bought of Gerrit Hollaer of the city of New York, land lying on the Passaic river, in the “toune” of Newark and County of Essex, “where the said Leukes Coeman now livith”. This deed was acknowledged January 17, 1699.

The children of Lucas Peterse Coeymans and Arientie, his wife, all of whom were born in Albany, N. Y., were:—

Geertie Koemans, who married Harmanus Bras, October 5, 1695, at Hackensack.

Marytie Koeymans, who married Cornelis Tomese, August 8, 1696, at Hackensack.

Johannes Koeymans, who married Rachel Symen Van Winckle (of Acquackanonk), March 6, 1708, at Hackensack.

Januetie Koemans, who married Gideon Symen Van Winkle (of Acquackanonk), March 13, 1708.

Very little has been preserved concerning the Coeyman family, and probably the only way to trace the line from Johannes down to Minard would be by a long search of old titles. Minard Coeyman is said to have served during the Revolution under Colonel Van Cortlandt.

Minard had sons: Henry M., Peter, William, Thomas and John.

Henry M. had a son, James A., whose son, Albert J., now lives in Belleville.

Peter had sons: Levi and Minard.

There is a legend in the Coeyman family to the effect that it at one time owned all the land between Second river and the Gully road, and that the land purchased by Van Cortlandt was sold to him by a Coeyman. That, if correct, would carry the property north to Second river. Its southern boundary has only been traced as far as the present Melius property. Mr. William Stimis tells me that the first Christopher Stimis who came here married a Coeyman, who received as her portion of the estate six acres, which included the land occupied by the late Henry Stimis and extended to the present Melius property. Mr. William Stimis thinks that his grandmother, the wife of Christopher, above, was a daughter of Andrew Coeyman and a sister of Minard Coeyman, but he isnot sure of this. Mr. Daniel F. Tompkins has made the statement that the Coeyman property once extended from the Gully road to Second river and westward to include Forest Hill.

A Coeyman reminiscence tells how, in order to save their bedding and household linen from the rapacity of the soldiers it was placed on the barn floor and covered deep with hay, and how the soldiers came along and began to use up the hay and the pile went down and down and down, until there were only four feet between the invaders and discovery, but at this point the troops left the locality and the bedding remained in the family.

The army lay on the Coeyman farm long enough to cut down every forest tree that stood thereon, and all the fine old trees that we knew thirty years ago are said to have come into being since then. The same story is told of General Wayne’s troops, who camped along the Back road, and probably the above refers to this same time.

November 21, 1776, General Washington and the troops from Fort Lee left Hackensack by the Pollifly road, crossed over to the old Paramus road and reached the bridge at Acquackanonk (now the town of Passaic) about noon. Crossing there the bridge was destroyed to delay the pursuing British under Cornwallis.On the 22d Washington and 3,500 or more troops left Acquackanonk for Newark. The forces were divided, some going over the hill to Bloomfield, the others keeping down the River road and thus entering Newark.

This was one of the most bitter periods of the Revolutionary struggle; everything was apparently going against the American cause, and it was a bedraggled and disheartened company that marched down our River road on that 22d day of November. Thomas Paine participated in this retreat across New Jersey, and it was this that inspired his “Crisis”, which begins: “These are the times that try men’s souls”, and it was at Newark on November 23d that Washington wrote: “The situation of our affairs is truly critical, and such as requires uncommon exertion on our part.” The way in which Washington handled this, as other desperate situations, has placed him in the front rank of commanders the world over. His “Fabian” policy of masterly inaction in front of forces vastly superior to his own, combined with his ability to recognize and take advantage of the opportunity when it arrived, was marvelous.

Cornwallis did not attempt to cross the river until November 26th. Apparently he had no wish to capture the American troops, as he spent something like a week in the Passaic Valley, foraging on the country as he went, and progressing in a most leisurely manner.

STEPHEN VAN CORTLANDT AT SECOND RIVER.

Stephen Van Cortlandt, twelfth child of Col. Stephanus Van Cortlandt by his wife, Gertrude Schuyler, was born 11, August, 1695; married 28, August, 1713, Catalina Staats, daughter of Dr. Samuel Staats by his first wife, Johanna Rynders. He resided at “Second River” (now Belleville), Essex County, N. J. Issue:

1. Johanna Van Cortlandt, born 3, February, 1714; died without issue.

2. Gertrude Van Cortlandt, born 23, February, 1715; married Johannes Van Rensselaer.

3. Stephanus Van Cortlandt, born 19, September, 1716; died without issue.

4. Samuel Van Cortlandt, born 22, December, 1717; died without issue.

5. John Van Cortlandt, born 16, February, 1721; died 29, June, 1786. Married Hester Bayard.

6. Philip Van Cortlandt, born in 1725; died 1800 without issue. He commanded a New Jersey Regiment in the Revolution.

7. Sarah Van Cortlandt died without issue.

John (above) had a son Stephen, born 11, August, 1750, and Stephen had two daughters—Elizabeth, who married John Van Rensselaer, and Hester, who married James Van Cortlandt. (The above is from Mrs. Catharine T. R. Mathews, nee Van Cortlandt, an authority on the family genealogy.)

The old Van Cortlandt house, which is described below, stood about midway between Second river andthe G. L. R. R. tracks, facing the Passaic, and also the road, for at that time the highway kept very close to the water’s edge but, owing to the frequent flooding of this low land and consequent washouts, the road was finally set back to its present line. Fifty years ago this was known as the “new” road.

There is some uncertainty as to when this house was built, for if Dr. Staats gave the house now known as the Belleville Hotel to his daughter at the time of her marriage, as some think, Stephen Van Cortlandt would hardly have erected a second dwelling, at least until a son or daughter married and desired to start a new establishment. During the later years of its existence the old house is said to have been haunted by a ghost nine feet high and hump-backed, and the place had an uncanny reputation—misfortune was said to follow its tenants. Old residents told of skeletons in its musty closets, and one of the Van Cortlandt family is said to have become insane while living here, but what the tragedy was, if any, has not been recorded.

Mr. Silas Munn says in his fragmentary diary that when he moved into the old Van Cortlandt house many people said that it was the abode of “hobgoblins” and that ill fortune followed its occupants—then followed the statement that at the end of two years he was taken down with malarial fever—lost a flock of sheep—two valuable horses, one of which was killedby a foul with another on the road, and lost so much money in his business that he was obliged to suspend and take boarders. Bad luck seemed to follow all its subsequent occupants till finally, in 1878, the old house was destroyed by fire.

The house was after the pattern of those built by the Dutch farmers at an early day. A broad hall ran through the centre, at either end were heavy doors, divided horizontally, so that only one-half need be opened at a time and thus leave the occupant free to talk with a caller without intrusion. A broad garden extended from the road to the house, a spacious barn was nearby, while orchards of rare apples and pears extended on either side and on the opposite side of the road was another orchard of fine fruit. The property in 1829 adjoined that of Minard Coeyman. It was then known as the estate of Colonel Van Cortlandt. Silas Munn, under date of September 2, 1829. writes that he was requested by Minard Coeyman to attend with G. Dow and fix the line between his land and that of the estate of Van Cortlandt, when it was found that the estate had inclosed 300 rods of Coeyman’s land.

The first Mrs. John Van Rensselaer, who has been heard by Mrs. Kay to say that she was married in the house south of Second river, used to caution the young girls of her acquaintance against too long delay and overmuch prinking, and she was somewhat fond of citing herself and her sister as examples.

It seems that when John Van Rensselaer came down from Albany to spy out the land and its fair daughters, he came to the Van Cortlandt house, where the two girls were living, and word was brought upstairs to the young ladies that the gentleman was below awaiting them. Whereupon “Bess” was for going down immediately, dressed as she was, but the sister, thinking that a few more furbelows would add to her charms, remained behind and spent a half hour or so before the glass.

This, of course, gave “Bess” an opportunity with the visitor which she improved to such good purpose that the matter of the future Mrs. Van Rensselaer was practically settled by the time the much beautified sister appeared on the scene. The story I have from Mrs. Mary E. Tucker who, when a girl, was told the incident by Mrs. Van Rensselaer herself.

About 1830 an Englishman named Duxbury was living in the Van Cortlandt house. He had been brought over to act as general superintendent of the print works. John Van Rensselaer, whose father married Elizabeth Van Cortlandt, became very much interested in Margaret Duxbury, and they were finally married. Thus two John Van Rensselaers in succession went to the old house for their brides; the children of John 2d were James, Cortlandt and Catherine.

WHAT AN OLD MAP SHOWS.

On the Erskin map No. 79, known as “From Newark, through Acquackononk to Gothum” this house is marked “storehouse”, while to the house north of Second river (now the Belleville Hotel) is attached the name of Stephen Van Cortlandt.

This same map shows the old Coeyman house to have been occupied by Hendrick Coeyman; another house just north of this is not named, and these three are the only houses noted on this map on the River road between Second river and the Gully road, though the old Stimis house must have been standing at this time, and it is probable that the first King house was also then in existence.

Mr. James S. Taylor tells me that in hauling for shad on the reef just below Second river, which was formerly only two feet under water at low tide, it was no uncommon thing to scoop up occasional shells from the bottom of a bigness of three to four inches in diameter. The Decatur Powder Works were formerly situated just above on the north bank of Second river, and whether these shells were a relic of that institution or were some reminiscence of the Revolution no one seems to know.

But few of the stones are left in the old Coeyman burial ground, which lies just north of the Weiler house. The following is a complete list of those standing at the present time:—

Anthony Wauters,who died April 9, 1800Aged 52 yearsalso his wifeMargaretwho died Oct 8, 1802Aged 52 yearsand his daughterMarywho died April 23, 1832Aged 66 years.O what were all my sufferings hereIf, Lord, thou count me meet;With that enraptur’d host to appearAnd worship at thy feet.Rachel Wat——Departed this life April17th, 1833Aged 62 years 1 dayThe Lord taketh pleasure ——that fear him. In those ——in his mercy.Peter L. Coeyman.Died April 6th. 1869, Aged 76 years, 11 mo. and 4 daysCome all my friends as you pass byAs you are now so once was I,As I am now so you must be,Prepare yourselves to follow me.In memory of James,son of Minard and Catherine Coeman whodied August 5th, 1801, aged 1 year, 10 mos. and 7 daysMinard Coeyman died November 12, 1833, aged 75years and five months.Catherine, his wife, died July 13, 1841, aged 76 years,10 months and six days.Lean not on earth, ’twillPierce thee to the heart.Caroline, daughter of James and Catherine Alexander,died October 1st, 1841, aged 1 year, 6 mos. and 9 days.Levi Holden. 1806

Anthony Wauters,who died April 9, 1800Aged 52 yearsalso his wifeMargaretwho died Oct 8, 1802Aged 52 yearsand his daughterMarywho died April 23, 1832Aged 66 years.

Anthony Wauters,

who died April 9, 1800

Aged 52 years

also his wife

Margaret

who died Oct 8, 1802

Aged 52 years

and his daughter

Mary

who died April 23, 1832

Aged 66 years.

O what were all my sufferings hereIf, Lord, thou count me meet;With that enraptur’d host to appearAnd worship at thy feet.

O what were all my sufferings here

If, Lord, thou count me meet;

With that enraptur’d host to appear

And worship at thy feet.

Rachel Wat——Departed this life April17th, 1833Aged 62 years 1 dayThe Lord taketh pleasure ——that fear him. In those ——in his mercy.

Rachel Wat——

Departed this life April

17th, 1833

Aged 62 years 1 day

The Lord taketh pleasure ——

that fear him. In those ——

in his mercy.

Peter L. Coeyman.Died April 6th. 1869, Aged 76 years, 11 mo. and 4 days

Peter L. Coeyman.

Died April 6th. 1869, Aged 76 years, 11 mo. and 4 days

Come all my friends as you pass byAs you are now so once was I,As I am now so you must be,Prepare yourselves to follow me.

Come all my friends as you pass by

As you are now so once was I,

As I am now so you must be,

Prepare yourselves to follow me.

In memory of James,son of Minard and Catherine Coeman whodied August 5th, 1801, aged 1 year, 10 mos. and 7 days

In memory of James,

son of Minard and Catherine Coeman who

died August 5th, 1801, aged 1 year, 10 mos. and 7 days

Minard Coeyman died November 12, 1833, aged 75years and five months.Catherine, his wife, died July 13, 1841, aged 76 years,10 months and six days.Lean not on earth, ’twillPierce thee to the heart.Caroline, daughter of James and Catherine Alexander,died October 1st, 1841, aged 1 year, 6 mos. and 9 days.

Minard Coeyman died November 12, 1833, aged 75

years and five months.

Catherine, his wife, died July 13, 1841, aged 76 years,

10 months and six days.

Lean not on earth, ’twill

Pierce thee to the heart.

Caroline, daughter of James and Catherine Alexander,

died October 1st, 1841, aged 1 year, 6 mos. and 9 days.

Levi Holden. 1806

Sacred to the memory of Thomas Holden, oldest son of Levi and Hannah Holden, who was born in Massachusetts on the 5th day of September, 1779, and departed this life 20th day of May, 1820, after a very protracted and severe illness. Aged 40 years, 8 mo. and 15 days.

His heart is no longer the seatOf trouble and torturing pain;It ceases to flutter and beat,It never shall flutter again.The lids that he seldom could close,By anguish forbidden to sleep,Sealed up in the sweetest repose,Have strangely forgotten to weep.His soul has now taken its flightTo mansions of glory above,To mingle with angels of light,And dwell in the Kingdom of love.

His heart is no longer the seat

Of trouble and torturing pain;

It ceases to flutter and beat,

It never shall flutter again.

The lids that he seldom could close,

By anguish forbidden to sleep,

Sealed up in the sweetest repose,

Have strangely forgotten to weep.

His soul has now taken its flight

To mansions of glory above,

To mingle with angels of light,

And dwell in the Kingdom of love.

L. H. In memory of Levi Holden, son of Thomas and Anne Holden, who was born in Massachusetts August 19th, 1799. Drowned 19th July, 1806.

When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear,Then shall ye also appear with him in glory.O grave where is thy sting,O death where is thy victory.John MacDonaldBorn Jan. 3, 1820, Died May 30, 1881.With heavenly weapons I have foughtThe battles of the Lord,Finished my course and kept the faithAnd wait the sure reward.Frank H. SmithDied December 2, 1885, Aged 14 years and 2 days.Carrie A. Smith,Died November 8th, 1888, Aged 10 years and 11 mos.

When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear,Then shall ye also appear with him in glory.O grave where is thy sting,O death where is thy victory.

When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear,

Then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

O grave where is thy sting,

O death where is thy victory.

John MacDonaldBorn Jan. 3, 1820, Died May 30, 1881.

John MacDonald

Born Jan. 3, 1820, Died May 30, 1881.

With heavenly weapons I have foughtThe battles of the Lord,Finished my course and kept the faithAnd wait the sure reward.

With heavenly weapons I have fought

The battles of the Lord,

Finished my course and kept the faith

And wait the sure reward.

Frank H. SmithDied December 2, 1885, Aged 14 years and 2 days.

Frank H. Smith

Died December 2, 1885, Aged 14 years and 2 days.

Carrie A. Smith,Died November 8th, 1888, Aged 10 years and 11 mos.

Carrie A. Smith,

Died November 8th, 1888, Aged 10 years and 11 mos.

The New Jersey Historical Society has in its possession two Indian stone hatchets and a number of arrow points which were dug from the river bank 300 to 500 feet above Grafton avenue by Mr. William Jackson. Indian relics have been dug up at numerous points along the River road.

About 1837 there was much mystery concerning a certain “Button” factory on Second river, near the Passaic, which was run by one Thomas Thomas. Twice each year a vessel would ascend the Passaic and drop anchor opposite Grafton avenue; no one ever came ashore from her, and all sorts of rumorswere spread in regard to her. Some said she was a smuggler, others a pirate. After nightfall there were mysterious trips from the “Button” factory to the schooner, men trundled heavy casks down to the water’s edge and these were transferred to the vessel which, in due time, sailed away with the awful secret buried deep in her hold.

It seems that Thomas was engaged in manufacturing money which was sent to Brazil. Mr. William Stimis, who ran the milling machine in the “Button” factory states that copper coins of two sizes were made. One marked “40” was the size of a silver half dollar, and one marked “80” the size of a dollar. Jos. Gardner was engaged to engrave the dies. The place was raided two or three times on the theory that counterfeiting was going on, and Gardner was arrested at least once.

NOTE—The following was received from Mrs. Mathews too late to insert it in its proper place. Mrs. Mathews thinks that the house south of Second river was built by John Van Cortlandt (5), son of the Stephen Van Cortlandt who married Catalina Staats. It was his grand-daughter Elizabeth who married John Van Rensselaer in the old house.

NOTE—The inscription below was omitted from its proper place in the list of those stones now standing in the Coeyman burial ground:—

In memory ofChristina, wife ofAnton King whodied Dec. 10, 1791,In the 91st yearof her age.

In memory of

Christina, wife of

Anton King who

died Dec. 10, 1791,

In the 91st year

of her age.

DIVISION ROAD.

Division road, or Boot Leg lane, was merely a cross road, connecting the River and Back roads. This followed the present lines of Grafton avenue and Halleck street with that bit of Washington avenue which lies between, the jog being accounted for by a hill, which it was necessary to circumvent.

The first house built on the lane was that of James Campbell, a silk printer by trade, who worked in the factory of his brother, Peter, in Belleville. This was situated at the foot of the hill in what is now the northeast corner of Washington and Grafton avenues. It was later occupied by Mr. Kennedy, the florist. The next house was built by Mr. William Stimis (who gives me these facts) about opposite the above on Washington avenue.

The third house erected was that of Mr. William Tobey (Halleck street), an Englishman who was employed in the Bird factory. Mr. Tobey is described as a stocky man, genial, full of story and pleasant wit, and he appears to be remembered as something of a character. The place was added to by Morrison and Briggs, and here Charles Morrison is said to have lived for a time. Then came Mr. Stent, the architect,who designed the present entrance to Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The house is at present used for beer bottling purposes. Halleck street was at one time known as “Tobey’s” lane.

The fourth house was that of Gilbert Stimis, on the south side of Halleck street, and the fifth and last until we come to modern times was the Edgecombe house, erected about 1858. The family consisted of the mother and three daughters. They are said to have come here from Paramus.

BACK ROAD.

Mrs. Charles Holt, who is 71 years of age, recalls the time when the Phillips farmhouse was the only house on the lower Back road, between the cemetery and Elwood avenue, and when this stretch was known as “Phillips’s lane”.

As Mr. James S. Taylor remembers it, the only houses along the old Back road, as far back perhaps as 1850, were, beginning at the south:—

First, the John C. Bennett house, built in 1852, at the S. E. corner of Chester avenue; then, almost opposite, the Miles I’Anson house, which now stands on a knoll along the northern border of Chester avenue. Next the Phillips homestead, on the west, just below Delavan avenue, which has since been moved back to Summer avenue. Above this there was no house until the bend, now known as Elwood place, was passed. Some distance beyond here stood a small stone house on the right occupied by an Irishman. This was probably Pat Brady, who in the fifties built just below the present Bryant street. Pat had the reputation of being a child of fortune. It is remembered that, while very poor, he suddenly became well-to-do, and this was only accounted for by the fact that he might have“found a purse”. About opposite the Brady house stood the “Magazine” house back in the field.

Probably the next was the Thomas Coeyman (son of William, who comes next) frame house, opposite the Elliott street school. Then came the William Coeyman house of stone, on the left and just above the head of Halleck street. William Stimis states that his father, John Stimis, worked on this house, which was erected about one hundred years ago. About half way between Irving street and Montclair avenue stood the house of Peter Coeyman (Peter and William were sons of Minard Coeyman of the River road). Next was the Alexander house, a long, low, story-and-a-half frame on the left just south of Verona avenue. Following this was the Jesse Bennett house on the S. W. corner of Verona avenue and opposite this on a lane which probably ran to the River road stood the Riddle house, formerly the J. F. King house. Next the house of Benson, the miller, which still stands at the S. E. corner of Summer and Sylvan avenues. While still further afield, toward the rising sun, stood the house of Jonathan Bird.

The Back road, in a deed made in 1812, is called the “Drift road”, while in 1820 it was “the road leading from Garrit Houghwort’s to Captain Stout’s mill ‘dam’“ (present cemetery to Second river). Now this highway of other days answers to three different names: as Lincoln avenue, Elwood place and Summer avenue. Mr. William Phillips has heard that in 1805 this road was merely a farm lane running notfurther north than the present Elwood avenue; that here it stopped at a farm, the owner of which would not allow it to pass through his property, and presumably this accounts for the turn at Elwood place, it being a laudable effort to get around the obstructionist. But, as will appear a bit later, General Anthony Wayne marched up this road in 1779, and it seems probable that the date, 1805, is too recent.

When we were boys the Back road began at the “Strawberry” lot, a great ball field where the “Waverlys”, the “Newark Amateurs” and others furnished forth many a holiday. A member of the latter was, I have heard, the first in this neighborhood to pitch a curved ball which, in those days, was a great event. Part of the “Strawberry” lot is still the home of the athlete, for here the Riverside Athletic Club reigned for many years.

Chronologically speaking the history of the Riverside Athletic Club belongs to the second part of this book, but this seems the best place to dwell briefly on the subject.

The club was organized about 1882, with some twenty-five members, among the more prominent of whom were L. P. Teller, William H. Brown, Paul E. Heller, Henry W. Heller, Frank Cadiz, Edmund Pierson and one Linehan. It was known as “the school of the bowlers”, and turned out more good, successfulbowlers than any other athletic club in Newark; in fact it almost immediately took a prominent place in athletics generally, its track team was among the best, it was successful in football and had a fine reputation for square, manly sport.

Starting without money, the members laid out the grounds and built the track and tennis courts themselves, but so popular did it become that within two years there were something like three hundred members and the club continued to thrive for many years. Interest began to wane, however, as time went on, and about five years ago the club disbanded.

Shortly thereafter the Park Presbyterian Church purchased the clubhouse, and it was turned over to the Park Athletic Association, a church organization, and is still so occupied, though I believe the association is at present independent of the church.

On the slender point made by the opening of Washington avenue stands the house erected by Mr. Scharff, and which was the home of a Millerite in the early days of Woodside, one Flavel by name, a baker by trade. Whether working over the hot fires of the bakery awoke in Mr. Flavel a desire to reach Heaven before his time, or whether he was one of those uneasy mortals who do not like to stay long in any one place, has not been explained, but he was a Millerite, that point is established. The neighbors still remember how he used to adjourn to the roof, “in his nightgown”,as one unsympathetic informant puts it, for the purpose of being translated, but there was always some hitch, and I believe he finally gave it up and ultimately took the route that is open to all of us.

The “Strawberry” lot belonged to Joseph West, whose house stood, according to the map of 1849, where Washington avenue now cuts into the brotherhood of streets here. The old pump presided over by “Mose” in the days of our youth, and from which the street car horses were watered, was probably the pump attached to the West house. This house may have been built by Gerard Haugevort; it was occupied by him probably 75 years ago. It was also occupied, about 1845, by old “Mammy” Pullinger, who started life on the River road, as a groggery and a rather low resort. When Washington avenue was cut through Mr. Nichols moved the building a few hundred feet down the Gully road, where it stands to-day.

Adjoining the West property on the north, and on the west side of the Back road was a narrow strip of land owned by Jesse Bennett, then came the Miles I’Anson property, which extended to that owned by John Morris Phillips, who also owned to the bend in the road, now Elwood place—this on the left. On the right the earliest map giving the names of owners, and which is probably not older than 1865 shows, forthe same stretch, H. H. Nichols, John C. Bennett, Stoutenburg & Co., Romaine and Parker & Keasbey.

There is a story of one of the old residents here who was not given to taking impudence from anyone, particularly from those in his employ. He at one time had an obstinate Irishman to deal with, and dealt with him after the following fashion:—

It seems that for some piece of impertinence our citizen knocked his Irish employee down and jumped on him, remarking as he did so: “I’ll teach you to be a gentleman”, to which the under dog as promptly responded, “I defy you”. Our friend soon had his misguided opponent by the ears and was thumping his face into the dirt with a right good will (“laddy-holing” I believe this particular process is called), and with each movement of his arms he repeated over and over again his earnest desire to make a gentleman of the Irishman, to which the latter continued vehemently to respond, “I defy you! I defy you!” Whether he succeeded in his laudable efforts is not recorded, but he can at least be commended for his zeal in the matter.

About 60 years ago a number of Englishmen settled in the northern part of Newark. This immigration was due to two causes: financial depression in the mother country and the Chartist agitation,1839-1848. Among those who came over at this time was Mr. Miles I’Anson, who settled in the Woodside district, where he purchased a farm of about 30 acres, including the property south of the Phillips homestead, extending about as far as the present May street, on the west side of Lincoln avenue.

It was Mr. I’Anson, it is said, who first suggested the name of Woodside for this locality.

A search of the I’Anson property made by Mr. Daniel F. Tompkins for Mr. I’Anson contains many interesting items and names, and is here quoted from at length.

By a deed dated December 10, 1812, Richard L. Walker and wife sold the Back road property to Peter Maverick. It is described as being located on the “Drift” road, being bounded southeast on the Drift road northeast by land now or late of David Phillips, northeast (northwest?) and southwest by land now or late belonging to Isaac Plume.

Peter Maverick and his wife Mary on October 5, 1820, mortgaged to Hannah Spencer the above lot and a lot beginning at the southeastern corner of John Hawthorne’s lot on the western side of the “New Road” (probably the Bloomfield turnpike and below the Woodside line), leading from Garret Hogwart’s to Francis King’s; thence on the eastern line of said John Hawthorn’s lot of wood; thence to the northern line of the lot of land belonging to the estate of Isaac N. Kipp, dec’d; thence to the western line of said “New Road”.

January 19, 1833, William Dow, Sheriff, sold to Hannah Spencer the above two tracts of land.

April 1, 1833, Hannah Spencer sold both of these tracts to James Flintoff and George Flintoff.

May 11, 1839, the administrators of James and George Flintoff sold both tracts to William T. Haines.

January 5, 1842, William T. Haines sold the Lincoln avenue lot to David Day.

January 7, 1842, David Day and wife sold the property to Miles I’Anson.

November 19, 1841, William T. Haines and wife sold to William Barnett a part of the tract (as supposed) above referred to as situated on the western side of the “New Road”.

June 9, 1846, William Barnett and wife sold their land to Miles I’Anson.

April 7, 1803, the executors of Isaac Plume, deceased, sold to John Hawthorne land at the northwest side of “the Road or Drift Way Leading out of the Public Road from Newark to Belleville”, thence east to Ebenezer Smith’s land, thence north to David Walker’s land, thence west to the road. (This is copied as the search gave it.)

September 14, 1822, Abraham Reynolds, Sheriff, sold the same land to James Kearney, Esqr., except in the 6th course “sold under Decree in Chancery, dated April 2, 1822, wherein Gerard Haugwort (the various spellings of this name follow those in the search; the correct spelling is probably Haugevort), administratorof Hester Sip, dec’d, is complainant, and John Hawthorn and Margaret his wife, Aaron Munn and Nathaniel Lindsley are defendants.”

September 14, 1822, James Kearney sold to Gerard Haughworth the same land last above.

August 13, 1823, John Hawthorne quitclaimed to Philip Kearney for all his interest in the last above described land.

The last will of John Hawthorne, dated August 18, 1841, and proved April 22, 1844, gives to John P. Hawthorne the lot of land containing 14 acres, called the Hogworth lot.

April 1, 1845, Philip Kearney quitclaimed to John Hawthorne for all his interest in the same land last above described.

March 28, 1845, John P. Hawthorne sold to Miles I’Anson land beginning at a corner of the said Miles I’Anson’s land on the west side of the Road leading from Newark to the Belleville Paint Works; thence south along said road, etc., the lot containing about 14 acres and bounded south, west and north by land owned by Miles I’Anson.

December 14, 1853, Miles I’Anson sold to Robert Smith about an acre and a half, apparently to straighten the latter’s line.

Not so very many years ago, those who journeyed back and forth to Belleville by way of the old “Back road” passed the Phillips farm.

The Phillips Farm House.The Phillips Farm House. Erected before the Revolution. Picture taken in 1869 shows one of the cherry trees that then lined the sidewalk.

The Phillips Farm House. Erected before the Revolution. Picture taken in 1869 shows one of the cherry trees that then lined the sidewalk.

At the south end of the estate stood a quaint littledwelling, bearing unmistakable marks of antiquity upon its weather beaten boards and crumbling shingle roof. This house had been the dwelling place of several generations of the name.

Colonel Phillips, the founder of the family in America, was an officer in the English army under Oliver Cromwell, and on the accession of Charles II. to the throne of England, in 1660, he with others was obliged to fly to America. He first settled in Killingworth (now Clinton), Connecticut, and subsequently removed to New Jersey, purchasing nine hundred acres of land near Caldwell. One of his grandsons, David Phillips, settled in Newark and married Sarah Morris, grandaughter of a Doctor Morris, who was also an officer under Cromwell, and who fled to America with Colonel Phillips.

The Old Phillips Well.The Old Phillips Well. Said to date back to the time of the Indians.]

The Old Phillips Well. Said to date back to the time of the Indians.]

David Phillips had this property from Morris Phillips, and he from Samuel Morris. David Phillips began his housekeeping in the little house which stands on the Lincoln avenue property, “purchasing 16 acres of land for which his family received a deed from the proprietors of East Jersey in 1696”, and here Morris Phillips, the father of John Morris Phillips, was born and here he died. This Morris Phillips was one of the proprietors of the quarries at Belleville which furnished the stone used in building Fort Lafayette, Castle William on Governor’s Island, old St. John’s Church in New York, which has recently been closed by the Trinity corporation, and the old State House in Albany.

The farm house still stands on the property, though it has been moved back to Summer avenue in the rear of the house erected some years ago by Mr. John M. Phillips near the original homestead site. The old farm had gradually acquired that human interest which only comes of long tillage and close association with man, its fine orchard of ancient apple trees, the wood lot on the eastern slope of the hill which lapped over into the Mount Prospect avenue region, and which held for the man so many boy memories of dog and gun, and the fertile flat lands which stretched north along the old road. All these combined to entice the man back to his boyhood’s home, and it is small wonder that Mr. John M. Phillips, who had a keen sense of the beauties and wonders of nature, acquired the place for his own at the first opportunity. Here was an ancient well of delicious water, which tradition tells us was known to and used by the Indians. Up to very recent times this stood with its long well-sweep picturesquely adorning the landscape.

In the winter of 1779 General Anthony Wayne marched his troops up the Back road to the fields between the present Elwood avenue and Second river, where he went into camp. Mr. Frank Crane tells me that when a boy it was a common thing to find along this hillside, all the way to Second river, hollows in the earth which are supposed to have been dug by the soldiers for shelter.

Just about the time the troops reached the Phillips farm, Mrs. Sarah, wife of David, mentioned above, had finished a baking of bread; this she took out and gave to the hungry soldiers with pretty much everything else in the house that was eatable. It has been handed down in the Phillips family, as elsewhere, that the soldiers when they halted stood with their feet in their caps to protect them from the snow—those poor naked feet which had been cut and torn by the sharp crust of the snow until they marked the white highway with a trail of blood. The old grandmother many times told the tale to the family gathered about the warm hearth of the old farm house on wintry nights, and the boy John never forgot it.

A rather interesting tangle over the northern end of the Phillips tract has taken much patience to unravel. This concerned a small slice of land now largely occupied by Phillips Park and Elwood avenue.

About 1825 Benajah Perou purchased a certain parcel of land from John Morris Keen, of which the above was part. Perou was a seafaring man and, in the spring of 1828, sailed for New Orleans, and nothing was afterward heard from him. Being unmarried his heirs were his six brothers and sisters, and in 1845 this property was divided amongst them, each receiving a long narrow strip, 66 feet wide, fronting on the “road from Newark to Belleville Paint Works”, and running back into the sunset.

Daniel Perou received as his share the northernmost strip, known as lot No. 6. He was living back in the country and, in 1849, died intestate and unmarried; thus his 66 foot strip fell to the five remaining brothers and sisters, or their heirs, none of whom appear to have paid any attention to the property. In the meantime said brothers and sisters had been getting married and having children, and these children had insisted on growing up and doing likewise, until generations arose who knew not that they were interested in the property.

Naomi Perou, one of the sisters of Benajah, married Morris Phillips, and in due time became the mother of John M. Phillips, who was one of the last of the line to be born in the old farm house. And as time went on and John M. prospered he began to buy up the interests of others in the adjoining property until he owned all of the Perou tract, or thought he did. But by the time an attempt was made to definitely fix the title to lot No. 6 there were found to be more than three hundred shares into which this lot must be divided, each one amounting to something less than three inches in width, and extending from Lincoln avenue to Mount Prospect.

The hunt necessitated to clear this title led all over the country. One heir was traced as far as New Orleans, and lost; another vanished in the Civil War; another moved to Mystic, Conn., and could not be traced to his final end, and so it went. One was found in Kansas and another in Western New York.

It cost more to perfect the title than the land was worth, and when it was perfected the lot—or all that was left of it—was given to the city for a park, a memorial to the late John Morris Phillips.

It is family tradition among most of those whose ancestors resided here during the Revolution that Gen. Anthony Wayne camped along the old Back road, but so far as can be ascertained the books are silent on the subject. The New York Historical Society can find nothing in its archives, and if the New Jersey Historical Society has anything bearing on this point it does not know it.

The only mention of the event that I have been able to find is an unsigned article which appeared in the Daily Advertiser of December 12, 1884, which is quoted here entire, as it contains much of interest. The Advertiser says:—

“The attention of an Advertiser reporter was recently called to a tradition that Gen. Anthony Wayne with 2,600 men was camped for a considerable time during the severe winter of 1779 in the vicinity of what is now Elwood avenue, and the old Belleville road in this city. It was rather doubted whether this could be possible, and all accounts of it lost. Such an event would certainly have left an impression which could not be entirely obliterated even in a hundred years. From information obtained, however, from the late John M. Phillips, whosegrandfather was a revolutionary soldier; William A. Wauters, whose grandmother owned the woods in which it is alleged Wayne camped, together with a personal inspection of the ground made by Mr. Daniel F. Tompkins, of Woodside, his son and the writer, the following facts were ascertained:—

“General Wayne, with a detachment of the American Army, after the evacuation of New York, regained for a portion of the winter encamped in the Coeyman woods, in what is now Woodside. His encampment extended from a point a little west of and in line with the old Belleville road and north of Elwood avenue, along the ridge up to Second river. Traces of this encampment are found in the excavations which the soldiers made for their huts. The excavations are found also along the line of the Montclair & Greenwood Lake Railroad at the south side of the bridge across the Second river. They are found also on the side of the hill west of Mount Prospect avenue, and south of the line of Elliott street, and extending north several hundred yards, the most marked being at the northern limit. In one of these excavations the stones which marked the temporary fireplace still remain. The troops cut down the growing timber from these woods, and the owner, Minard Coeyman, was paid for it by the government. About half a mile northwest of this ridge the old barn, in which were slaughtered the cattle for the use of the army, still stands. It belongs to theCrane family. Mr. Nathaniel Crane, who was born in 1808, well remembers hearing his father and uncle talk about the encampment. Wayne had several field pieces with him, and the men used to take the horses down to Second river to water at a point 100 yards from the railroad bridge, and near the ruins of the old copper works, opposite Woodside Park. In February Wayne moved his army to Morristown. The close proximity of the British is given as the cause of Wayne breaking camp. In his position at Woodside he was liable to be flanked. Jasper King, father of the late William King, of East Orange, was a boy at the time Wayne was at Woodside, and his father was a soldier in Wayne’s army. Jasper went with his grandfather and his mother to say good-by to his father at the encampment in Coeyman’s woods.

“Jasper King related to the late John M. Phillips that when the roll was called the soldiers came out from their tents and some of them threw their caps on the snow and stood on them with their bare feet. He said it began to snow as the troops started on their march to Morristown and some of the soldiers left marks of blood on the snow as they marched. Their way was along the old Bloomfield road, which may have been reached by crossing the fields past the old Crane Mansion, or by the way of Keen’s lane, the outlines of which can still be traced southwest to the Bloomfield road. From Bloomfield the march was through Caldwell, where the snow becameso deep that the artillery was left behind and remained imbedded in the drifts on a by-road near where the penitentiary now stands, until spring. At Bloomfield a picket was posted to guard the rear. One of the men climbed onto the fence to see if the British were pursuing. In the act his gun was discharged, killing him instantly.

“The story of Jasper King is corroborated by the known fact that on February 3, 1779, a snow storm set in, which lasted three days, and the snow was said to be eight feet deep on the Bloomfield road. The inference that Wayne’s encampment at Woodside was in the winter of 1779 is made more probable from the fact that in his attack on Stony Point in July, 1779, he had no artillery. That Wayne was on the coast and near New York in the winter of 1779, is made exceedingly probable also by the following letter from Lord Stirling, which if he had been at Morristown with Washington would have been directed to the Commander-in-Chief:—

“‘Ramapogh, Jan. 5, 1779.—Dear Sir: From every intelligence I have received I am induced to believe that Count D’Estaing is on this coast; in consequence of it I need not explain matters to you. Notwithstanding my situation of body, I will be at Paramis to-morrow and should be glad to see you there as soon as possible, to concert every necessary measure that may occur to us both.

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