The History of Newark, New Jersey, being a narrative of its rise and progress, from ... 1666 ... to the present time ... Illustrated, etc

Front matter

THE LANDING AT NEWARK, MAY, 1666. "According to tradition, the first of the Milfordites to set foot on Newark shore was Elizabeth Swaine, a fair young girl in her nineteenth year, the daughter of Captain Samuel Swaine, and the affianced bride of Josiah Ward, whose gallantly secured for her the honor of first landing.' — See p,r.$e 13. THE HISTORY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, BEING A NARRATIVE OF ITS RISE AND PROGRESS, From the Settlement in May, 1666, by Emigrants from Connecticut, to tiii Present Time, Including a Sketch of the Press of Newark, from 1791 to 1878. BY JOSEPH ATKINSON. Beautifully Illustrated from Drawings by Thomas Moran, and other distinguished American Artists. NEWARK, N. J PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM B . GUILD. 1878. Printed by L. J. Hardham, .Vewtir/i, N. J. TO THE FOUNDERS OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AND THE GENERATIONS SUCCEEDING THEM, THIS VOLUME IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, AS A MEMORIAL OF THEIR EXALTED WORTH AND CHARACTER, AND IN TOKEN OF THE VENERATION, ADMIRATION AND ESTEEM OF THE AUTHOR.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. The Landing at Newark, in May, 1666, Frontispiece. .Map of the Town in 1666, - - - - - 5 " Divident Hill," ...... 35 Pierson's Statue at Yale College, - - • - 41 Pierson's Memorial Chair, ... 43 Col. Josiah Ward Saying His Wheat on Sunday, - 57 Portrait of Rev. Aaron Burr, ... 60 Portrait of Rev. Alexander Macwhorter, - 82 Washington and His Army in Newark, 91 The First Presbyterian Church, - 139 Lord's Money," During the Revolution, - 140 Map of Newark in 1806, - - - - - - 149 The Meadows, Looking Eastward, - - - - 189 PORTRAIT OF SETH BOYDEN, - - 232 Portrait of General Kearny, - - - 238 Kearny at Seven Pines, - - - 280 Newark, From the Passaic, - 296 Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Building, - - 303 Post Office and Custom House, ... 307 Military Park and Vicinage, - -

Preface

. OUT of a transient newspaper sketch grew this book. Eight years ago, while preparing for a leading New York journal a somewhat exhaustive article relating to the Old Burying Ground, where The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep," the author had occasion to search for matter of a local historical character. This led to a double discovery — first, that no complete History of Newark existed — there were merely a few sketches designed to make other publications attractive, and an interesting but chiefly non-secular series of " Historical Discourses relating to the First Presbyterian Church," by Rev. J. F. Stearns, D. D. ; second, that in the more than bi-century growth of the settlement, there were abundant materials with which to weave a volume, not alone interesting, but instructive and valuable.

Subsequent years of labor on the press further revealed the need of such a work, and, in the ember months of 1875, the author resolved to supply the desideratum, so far as his abilities and opportunities would permit. The result is now in the hands of the reader. The purpose of the author, upon starting out, was to gather in a convenient and permanent form a full and reliable epitome of the history of Newark, from its settlement in May, 1666, to the present time ; to show what it was as a tender infant, struggling to survive " the thousand natural shocks " that infancy is heir to ; what it was as an active, supple-limbed youth in the time of the learned and saintly Burr, the parent-president of Princeton College, Newark's

PREFACE.

. VIII fame-crowned nursling os I747"'55: what it was when its soil was hallowed by the footsteps of Washington and his illustrious com patriots, and enriched with the blood of many " native here and to the manner born," in the years clustering around 1776; what it was half a century ago, when its population numbered about a thirteenth of what it now is ; what its record has been in " times that tried men's souls," and in the "piping times of peace" ; what it has done during two hundred and twelve years for the cause of civil and religious liberty — the bed-rock foundation of American institutions; and, finally, to set forth most fully what Newark is now, in the year of grace, 1878. It is for the reader to judge how great or how little has been the success of the author in the direction described.

It is due to the History of Newark, and it is due to its author, that he should state here that he has had to pursue his labors under circumstances more than difficult — sometimes positively disheartening. In the first place, the exacting demands of a steady connection with two daily newspapers compelled a most desultory prosecution of his task. Nominally, he has been engaged on the History two years and a half; actually, the time devoted to it was about seven months, of (say) ten hours a day. Besides, except as regards the Settlement of the Town, the old Town Book and Dr. Stearns' Discourses, the materials have been hard to obtain and exceedingly difficult to authenticate ; frequently impossible, indeed, even when obtained. But, on second thought, these are matters, perhaps, in which the general reader is entirely unconcerned.

Regarding the early history of the place, the author deems it proper to state that there is in his pages no pretence of having obtained any new matter beyond what has already appeared in print, in one form or another. It is the reverse, however, with the later history of Newark — for the period embracing the last hundred years or more. The principal sources of information for the whole

PREFACE.

. IX work are the Town Book, Stearns' Discourses, Whitehead's East Jersey, Gordon's New Jersey, Smith's New Jersey, Barber's Collec tions, New Jersey Historical Society Collections, The Long Bill in Chancery, Foster's New Jersey and the Rebellion, Wood's Nezvark Gazette, the Centinel of Freedom, the New Jersey Eagle, the Nezvark Dai lj Advertiser, the Nezvark Eagle, and the Nezvark Evening Journal. For valuable assistance in the preparation of the work, the acknowledgements of the author are due and are herewith tendered to Hon. Marcus L. Ward, the venerable Captain Daniel B. Bruen, Daniel T. Clark, Librarian of the New Jersey Historical Society ; William E. Layton, Librarian of the Newark Library Asso ciation ; A. M. Holbrook, Joseph Black and others. Under even the most favorable circumstances, there would be errors in a work of this kind, and the author 'is gravely apprehensive that very many are to be met with in the History.

At the same time, it is proper to say that the greatest pains possible have been taken to avoid these imperfections, and secure accuracy of dates and facts; but still, as has already, been suggested, errors are sure to have crept in — are sure to have stolen past every barrier that care and watchfulness could interpose. Assured at least of the prepossessing form in which the History is presented, it is allowable, perhaps, to paraphrase Pope and say, ' If to its share some minor errors fall, Look on its face and you'll forget them all." J. A. Nezvark, April, 1878. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

1666 to 1667. Introduction— The Settlement of Newark and Causes leading thereto — Seeking Civil and Religious Liberty under Holland's Tricolor — Concessions of " The Lords Proprietors " — The Exodus from Connecticut for Conscience Sake— Interesting Phase of Woman's Rights Two Centuries Ago— What Newark Cost Originally — Purchase and Title from the Indians — Testimony of Robert Treat and Samuel Edsal — What " Two Guns, Three Coates and Thirteen Horns of Rum " Purchased in 1667 — The " Fundamental Agreements " — Names and Characters of the First Settlers — Why "Newark" instead of " Milford " — The Mosaic Government in the Wilderness 5

CHAPTER I

I. 1667 to 1684. Leading Forefathers — Interesting Incidents and Anecdotes — Robert Treat, the Chief of the Founders — His Civil and Military Character — Jane Tapp's Witty Matrimonial Hint — Rev. Abraham Pierson, the First Pastor — Cotton Mather on Pierson's Eloquence — The First of the Newark Cranes— Micah Tompkins and the Judges of Charles I. — How the Tompkin's Girls Serenaded Angels Unawares — Newark a Law unto Itself — The Prefix "Mr." as a Social Distinction — Casting Lots for "Home Lotts " — The First Presbyterian Church and its Establishment — First Meeting House — The Bible, the Bayonet and the Indians — Burgesses Neglecting their Public Responsibilities — Gratifying Results of Fair Dealing with the Aborigines — Breaking Down the "Iron Bedstead Rule" — Newark's First Schoolmaster — " Loving Agreements "—The " Hill Sanctified by Prayer" — Proprietary Troubles with the People — Strong Early Tribute to Newark's Honor and Integrity — The Dutch Conquest in 1673 — " Under which King, Bezonian ? " —Commentary of a " Canny" Scot to " Cusing" John in CONTENTS. XII

Chapter III

1684 TO 1736. Inextricable Entwining of Church and Local History-The Second Pierson-His Pastorate and First Presidency of Yale College-Interesting Memorials-Patrick Falconer, the '■ Real Saint, who suffered much for Christ and did not faint "—Pastoral Successors of the Piersons-Parsonage Lands-Breaking through the " Fundamental Agreements"— First Steps towards Separation of Church and Town Governments— Troublous Times in the Province— The Governments of Andros and Cornbury— Newarkers Rebuking a Selfish Ruler— An Ignoble English Noble— What Queen Anne would not Countenance in her nearest Relations— The Second Meeting-House— Population of Newark in 1714— Establishment of the First Church at Orange— Presbyterianism entirely supersedes Congregationalism— The Sunday Law in 1736— Col. Josiah Ogden's Wheat-saving Episode— The Spark of Presbyterian Discipline which Kindled Episcopalianism in Newark— Foundation of Trinity Church— A Long and Bitter Local Religious Feud- Burying Ground Reminiscences 41

Chapter IV

1736 TO 1775. Rev. Aaron Burr — His Pastorate in Newark — Effect of his Oratory on a Boston Belle — The Evangelist Whitfield— Princeton College Established in Newark — Interesting Early History of the Alma Mater of Illustrious Americans — Pastor Burr its Real Founder — Burr's Courtship and Marriage, "The Talk of the Town" in 1752 — The " Person of Great Beauty" who Lived in his " Sincerest Mutual Affections" — Burr's Removal with the College to Princeton — His Death in 1757 — Benjamin Franklin on " The Great Scholar " and " Very Great Man " — The " Two Great Newark Riots " of 1745 — Bitter Contest over Land Titles — Causes, Consequences and Merits of the Dispute — First Charter of the First Church — Aaron Burr, the Second — His Birth-place in Newark — His Virtues and his Frailties — Young Burr's Bravery at Quebec, and how he Saved Putnam's Army from the Clutches of Lord Howe — Was he the Miscreant his Contemporaries Certified him to Posterity? — What " might have been " had his Mother Lived — Col. Burr's Death and Burial — How the Lost Burr Portraits were Found — Infant Industries and Population of Newark — Rev. Alexander Macwhorter — The Parsonage Property — Orange and Newark in Battle Array — Orange Victorious 60 •

Chapter V

1775 TO 1783. Before and During the Revolution — Newarkers Loyal to England, but Jealous of their Liberties — What Governor Belcher and Col. Barre Said — Newark Espouses the Cause of Boston, and Leads New Jersey in Opposition to the Stamp Act — A Committee of Safety Appointed — Local Public Opinion — George Washington in Newark — His Headquarters — Pastor Macwhorter and Washington — Cornwallis in Newark — British Incursions—Martyrdom of Hedden, the Patriot — The Hedden Family — Thomas Jefferson on Cornwallis's Cruelties — Wanton Murder of Hannah Ogden Caldwell — Battle of CONTENTS. XIII Springfield — General Washington's Tribute to the Valor of the Jersey Brigade — Pastor Caldwell, "The Rebel High Priest" — His Character, Services and Tragic Fate — The Newark Revolutionary Roll of Honor — Djiring Exploits — Littell and his "Jersey Blues " — Cudjo, the Slave-Patriot — The Penningtons and Ogdens — Judge David Ogden, the Loyalist — His Memorial to the British — Rev. Mr. Browne, of Trinity Church — Newark Memorials of Washington — "Old Nat" — Captain Levi Holden — Bearing of Newarkers throughout the War 87

Chapter VI

1783 TO 1836. Peace! — Its Effects in Newark — Rise in Manufactures, Decline in Morals — "Will you go Dancing to Hell?" — Reformation — A New First Church — The " Faneuil Hall" of Newark — Jersey Justice in Days of Old — A Local Election Impossible to Describe — Petticoats and Politics in 1806 — Women Voters and Ballot-Box Ethics — An Old- Fashioned Saturnalia of Fraud — Gov. Pennington and "A Strapping Negress" — Rise and Growth of Tanning, Shoemaking and other Industries — Trade and Tradesmen — Colonel Rutherfiird's Storv — " Little Black-eyed Man" Combs — Sad Fate of Newark's First Manumitted Slave — Luther Gofele and William Rankin — Early Roads and Ferries — Newark's First Bank — Elisha Boudinot — The War of 1812 — War Brings Prosperity and Peace Disaster — Town Jubilee and Census in 1826 — A Memorable Fourth of July — Archer Gifford and the Port of Newark — Religious and Moral Growth — Sketch of Trinity Church — The Hessian Patriot and his Pastoral Descendant — New Churches in Newark — Methodism Established Here — Early Educational Institutions — The Newark Academy — A Black Man Sold to Aid the Cause of Education — " Old Gripus " and the "White School" — Slavery in Newark — A Clarion Note for Freedom — Abortive Attempts to Enforce Sumptuary Laws — General Scott and the Moralists — Fire Department Infancy — Talleyrand, Chateaubriand, Shelley's Grandfather and Minister Van Berckel — Visits to Newark of Lafayette and Henry Clay — Transition from Town to City 13S

Chapter VII

1836 TO l86l. The Infant City— Steam and its Quickening Influences— Dr. Goble's Industrial Exhibit for 1836— Sad State of Morals in Essex County — Drunkenness and Wife Beating — The Great Fire of '36— Effects of the Panic of '37— Influx of Foreigners— Early Exiles from Erin and the Vaterland — Reminiscences of " The Year of '98 " — Origin and Growth of the Catholic Church in Newark— The First Germans in Newark— Beginning of the Lager-Beer Industry — A Saponaceous " Sorceress " — The Baden and Rhenish Bavarian Revolutionists of '48 and '49— Sketches of General Franz Sigel's Compatriots — Amusing Industrial Incident — German Scholars holding Classical Conversations while Manufacturing Terra-Cotta — The German Press of Newark — Founders of the Leather, Carriage, Saddlery and Harness, Shoe, Iron, Jewelry and other Industries— A Newark Carriage as a Potent Factor in a Presidential Election— Reminiscence of Martin Van Buren — More Manufacturing Statistics— Seth Boyden— Career and Character of the Great Inventor — The Panic of 1857— Its Effects in Newark— The " New York Herald " and the CONTENTS.

XIV Concluding Reflections , "Newark Daily Eagle" — How Editorial Doctors Differed — Distress and Destitution in Newark— Meetings of Merchants and Workingmen — " We Ask not Alms, but Work, so that our Wives and Children may not Starve ! " — Striking Repetitions of History — Prosperity Returns — The Gathering Clouds of Civil Strife 183

Chapter VIII

1 86 1 TO 1865. The War Period — Self-interest and Patriotism — Southern Sympathy and Speaker Pennington's Defeat for Congress — A Patriotic Mayor — Lincoln's Reception in Newark — After the Firing on Sumpter — The Authorities and the People — Grand Union Demonstration — The Banks, the Women and the Soldiers — On to Washington and Across the Potomac — Bull Run and General Runyon's Brigade — The First Regiment's Return to Newark — Action of the Legislature — Local Politics and "A Carnival of Patriotism" — The Newark Regiments at the Front — The Second and the Eighth — Chickahominy and Williamsburg— Chaplain Chambre's Testimony — The Thirteenth, Twenty-sixth and Thirty-third— Newark's Valorous Veterans — Instances of Gallantry — Fighting Phil. Kearny — From Cherubusco to Chantilly' — Character of "The One-Armed Devil" — His Intemperate Comments on McClellan — A Soldier's Death — Magee, the Drummer-boy — His Signal Heroism at Murfreesboro' — Sad Sequel to a Brilliant Beginning — The Return of Peace — How it was Hailed in Newark — Lincoln's Assassination — Turning a High-Noon of Joy into a Midnight of Sorrow— Obsequies of the Martyred President- Heavy Local Bereavements— Gov. Pennington, Senator Frelinghuysen and General Darcy — 'Their Lives and Characters 238

Chapter IX

1865 TO 1878. Once More "The Piping Time of Peace "—A Tidal Wave of Prosperity— Marvelous Increase of Population, Manufactures and Wealth— Newark's Splendid Industrial Exhibit in 1872— Origin, History and Character of the Exhibition Enterprise— What Horace Greeley, General Grant, Bishop Odcnheimer and Others Said— Steam Engine Relic of 1753— America's First Steam Engine— The Schuyler Copper Mines— Josiah Hornblower— Financial Institutions— A Romantic Reality in Facts and Figures- Rothschild's New World Rival— A Colossal Concern Created from Nothing— The Clark Thread Works— George A. Clark— Religious and Educational Institutions— Past, Present and Future— Analysis of Newark's Character— What Newark has clone for American Institutions— Newark's Voice in the Councils of the State and Nation-

Appendix

. PAGE. The Press of Newark. — From 1791 to 1878, 319 Statistics of Newark — Population, - - - 328 —Nativities, - - 328 Essex County Population in i8so-'6o-'7o, 329 Manufacturing Statistics, - - - 329 Industries of Essex County, - 330 School Census of Newark, - - 33 l Mayors of Newark, ----- 331 Subscribers to First Church Building Fund, - Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1878, by Joseph Atkinson, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. HISTORY OF NEWARK.

Chapter I

. 1666 TO 1667. Introduction — TheSettlementof Newark and Causes leading thereto — Seeking Civil and Religious Liberty under Holland's Tricolor — Concessions of " The Lords Proprietors " — The Exodus from Connecticut for Conscience Sake — Interesting Phase of Woman's Rights Two Centuries ago — What Newark Cost originally — Purchase and Title from the Indians — Testimony of Robert Treat and Samuel Edsal — What "Two Guns, Three Coates and Thirteen Horns of Rum" Purchased in 1667— The " Fundamental Agreements" — Names and Character of the First Settlers — Why "Newark" instead of " Milford " — The Mosaic Government in the Wilderness. AS the mountain rock-spring is to the tiny rivulet, the rivulet to the purling brook, the brook to the sylvan stream, the stream to the broad bosomed and majestic river, and the river to the deep blue sea, so is an individual to a hamlet, a hamlet to a village, a village to a town, a town to a city, a city to a state, a state to a nation, a nation to the world.

Each is a part of the grand whole. The same, relatively, is true of history. The world's history is an aggregation of national histories, just as national histories are aggregated condensations of the histories of states, provinces, cities, counties and townships. American history, — at least that which embraces the rise and progress of the old thirteen Colonies, — may fairly be considered on the ab nno disce omnes principle. That is to say, the story of a part, at all events of an important part, is the story of the whole. To be still more explicit, he who writes the history of New York, New Jersey, or any of the eleven others of the original thirteen States, must, if he properly fulfils his task, write also and simultaneously, the history of the nation. The same rule applies to the purely local historian ; so that in undertaking to prepare a history of Newark one has, perforce, to prepare in great measure a history not alone of the state but of the nation.

In brief, then, the history of Newark is in no unimportant degree measurably the history of New Jersey and of the Republic. HISTORY DEFINED. 6 Here the inquiry may be made, What is History? The answer comes from a most distinguished English historian : " History, at least in its state of ideal perfection," remarks the brilliant Macaulay, " is a compound of poetry and philosophy." The parts of the 'duty which properly belong to the historian are, according to this same celebrated writer: "To make the past present, to bring the distant near, to place us in the society of a great man, to invest with the reality of human flesh and blood, beings whom we are too much inclined to consider as personified qualities in an allegory, to call up our ancestors before us with all their peculiarities of language, manners and garb, to show us over their houses, to seat us at their tables, to rummage their old-fashioned wardrobes, and to explain the uses of their ponderous furniture."

This, then, being the outline of duty for the local no less than the more ambitious historian, it is at once understood what sort of task is before us. At first glance it seems easy and simple enough. The second reveals the fact that it is quite the reverse ; that the labor is all the more arduous because there is in the scope and bounds of Newark's narrative no eloquent-tongued stone like that inscribed " 1620;" no sanguinary struggles with aboriginal inhabitants ; no Wyoming-like massacres ; no Boston tea-party ; no Lexington-Concord liberty blow; no Bunker Hill halo; no Trenton, or Princeton, or Mon mouth, or Morristown field of triumph, or true heroism upon which to expatiate in patriotic and impassioned language. Albeit there is in it no thrilling theme to inspire a great poet or attract a great historian, the history of Newark is far from being "weary, stale, flat and unprofitable" reading.

A compilation of facts cannot be otherwise than valuable and interesting when it relates to the growth and progress of a city like Newark, the bi century plant of a handful of pure-minded, upright, honest, straight forward and sturdy lovers of liberty — liberty of " mind, body and estate." Here is a place which, in a period reaching just beyond two hundred years, and from an obscure and unpretentious hamlet of sixty odd male settlers, has grown up and spread out into a city verging upon 125,000 inhabitants, a population more than ten times greater than that at the present time of Newark-on-Trent, the frosty-headed English town after which Newark-on-Passaic was named two hundred and twelve years ago. Furthermore, it has "THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY. 7 earned the right to rank among the foremost of the world's manufacturing and industrial bee-hives ; a monster workshop, whose skilled labor cannot well be surpassed anywhere, at least as regards variety and quality.

But above, back, and beyond the tale of Newark's material growth and progress is a grander story still; a story in which lofty principle, sturdy independence and self-reliance, thoroughbred honesty, true courage, true manhood and true womanhood are blended into a model whole ; a story of equal rights and perfect self-government, which seems in these days to be almost Utopian ; a story of simple worth and self-sacrificing patriotism, worthy our study in this age of backward progress, as it is sometimes and not always inaptly styled ; a story which furnishes in almost every page a model of true American citizenship, such as we might most advantageously emulate ; a story which, taken altogether, richly deserves the attention and study alike of the statesman and the philosopher, the Christian and the 'political scientist and economist, the lettered and the unlettered, the materialist and the sentimentalist, and, finally, the general no less than the local reader.

And now to the real work before us — the history of a fair and beautiful city. It was in the flower month, the merry month of May, 1666, nearly forty-six years subsequent to the landing of the Pilgrims on the wild, barren, and inhospitable shore of New England, that Newark was first settled, and by the same Puritan stock, moved hither from what is now the State of Connecticut by an intensified love of civil and religious liberty. It is to be deeply regretted that careful and diligent search on the part of several trustworthy and painstaking writers has sailed to discover either the exact date of the landing, or the name or names, or exact number even, of the tiny and fragile crafts which brought hither from Milford the first instalment of liberty-loving New Englanders. The 17th has been celebrated as the anniversary day of the landing, but it is authen ticated only that the sturdy and adventurous Pilgrim sons and daughters of the Pilgrim fathers and mothers first set foot on Newark soil, here to abide, somewhere about the middle of the month.

The town records give information of the proceedings of a town meeting, held by " friends from Milford and the neighboring plantations thereabout," on the 21st of May; but whether that meeting was held on shore or on a vessel lying "near to Elizabeth- ENGLISH HISTORY RECALLED. town," (which dates its regular settlement some twenty months prior to that of Newark,) is a matter fairly open to question. The one fact established is that a meeting was held somewhere at or near Newark on the date given by the first settlers, and that gives reasonable cause to put faith in the tradition that Newark, so to speak, was probably born on or about the 17th. Turning from the field of doubt, we resume our inspiriting walk through the field of unquestioned fact, and proceed to consider the causes leading to the exodus from Connecticut and the settlement of Newark, in May, 1666.

Imprimis, it is essential to a full and proper understanding of what follows, that a few leading points in English history be recalled. It was just half a dozen years prior to the date given, that the restoration of the second Charles to the English throne took place. The sweep of the great tidal wave of popular rights and liberties which bore to immortal fame the name of John Hampden, the proto-Washington ; which placed in a most prominent niche of English history one of its most remarkable characters, Oliver Cromwell ; which drove the tyrant Charles I. to the scaffold ; which proved to the world then and to all succeeding ages that the "divine right" of kings was and is a myth; and which in acts, if not in words, proclaimed nearly a century and a half earlier than the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia, that "all men are created free and equal " — kings and princes no more, no less, than peasants and peoples, and that among their inalienable rights endowed of God, were and are " life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ;" — all this was fresh in the minds and recollection of the Puritan settlers, just as it is in the mind of all America to-day.

It is most forcibly suggested by Mr. Whitehead, in his bi-centennial memoir, as an evidence of the strong root republican ideas had taken among the Connecticut Colonists, that among them the regicides, Whalley and Goffe, sought and found a sure, safe and kindly refuge. At the period under immediate consideration, Connecticut was divided into two Colonies — Connecticut and New Haven. Within the limits of the latter, the less prosperous of the two, were New Haven (proper), Milford, Branford, Guilford and Stamford. The restoration of kingly rule in the mother country, together with the unification of the two Colonies under royal charter, caused a most THE INITIAL STEP. 9 disturbing effect on the Colonists, at least on a considerable portion, especially as the charter was obtained without their knowledge and in opposition to their wishes.

With reluctance they brought them selves to formally acknowledge the sovereignty of Charles II., but still there were grave fears that his rule would be productive of bitterly distasteful fruits. Although Charles was formally acknowledged King by the Colonists, the fact is beyond controversy that republican ideas, but above all sentiments of uncontrolled liberty of conscience, were strongly rooted amongst them. Some, however, thought it more prudent to bear the ills they had than fly to others they knew not of, but a minority considered it probable that existing ills would be increased rather than diminished as the reign of Charles progressed, and that the better and surer plan would be to find, if possible, some place more congenial to the enjoyment of the fullest liberty of act and conscience.

Therefore it was that scarcely before the ink was dry, certifying the allegiance of the Colonists to the English King, the leading spirits of the New Haven Colony began to think of looking for some new abiding place, where they would not be ruled in their civil and religious functions contrary to their customs, desires and aspirations. No inconsiderable spur was given to such thoughts by the domineering and arbitrary attitude assumed by the reconciled royal charterists towards the outspoken New Haven unreconciled minority. This gave quickening and shape to the transplanting idea ; may be said, indeed, to have decided the question of establishing elsewhere a new settlement. It is on record that, as early as November, 1661, the initial step was taken in this direction. Despite the strong feeling of antipathy, the outgrowth of commercial jealousy, which existed between the English and Dutch at that period, it appears the first thoughts of the New Haven leaders were directed to the seeking of a more agreeable and liberal haven under the tri-color of Holland, within the borders of the country occupied by the Dutch.