The history of the colony of Nova-Caesaria, or New-Jersey : containing, an account of its first settlement, progressive improvements, the original and present constitution, and other events, to the year 1721 : with some particulars since and a short view of its present state

Front matter

i£x IGtbrtB

SEYMOUR DURST

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Preface To Second Edition

In presenting to the public the second edition of " Smith's History OF New Jersey," the publisher feels that he has no apologies to offer, but believes he is supplying a long-felt public need. The original edition was published in 1765, and, many years since, became exhausted. Cognizant of this fact, and also tliat the work is an oft-quoted and perfectly reliable authority upon all the subjects of which it treats, constant inquiries and importunities from leading business and professional men in New Jersey and -elsewhere have led to its re production, without amendment or variation from the original in matters of language, construction, and general style, the endeavor being to conform, as far as practi- ■cable, to the quaint order of typography prevalent a century ago. 'Great care has been taken to attain correctness in these particulars, to the end that historians and others may rely upon it to the same extent as the original edition ; and, as the paging, and foot and marginal notes have not been changed in any respect, a conflict of indices is avoided, and facilities for reference greatly increased.

With this work is furnished a biographical sketch of the life and public services of the author, by his nephew, John Jay Smith, of Germantown, Pa., a gentleman thoroughly conversant with the facts, and possessing documents of undoubted authenticity upon the subject. This sketch contains many matters of an interesting character to the public generally, and includes genealogical data of considerable importance to his descendants, of whom a number are now residents of this State and elsewhere. Another innovation is a finely executed copy of a map, published in 1777, by William Faden, Charing Cross, London, of which it is unnecessary to speak at length, as an inspection must satisfy every one of its importance in this connection. Although this sketch and map form aio part

Preface to Second Editioh

of the original edition, the fact that the former was never before published, and that the latter was taken from the first official draft and survey of the Province, will render them of peculiar interest, and the publisher has, for this reason, thoifght them valuable additions.

Desiring that the re-publication of this standard production of the past shall serve in the future as an aid to those whose necessities may cause them to appreciate its merit, the publisher sincerely hopes that the effort to place so valuable a book within the reach of all who desire to possess themselves of it, will prove satisfactory in every respect.

WM. S. SHARP.

Teenton, N. J., August, 1877.

SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.

Samuel Smith, author of the "History of 'New Jersey," was eldest son of Kichard Smith, esquire, of Burlington, member for twenty years of the Assembly of West Jersey, and a Nourishing merchant in Burlington and Philadelphia.

Richard Smith was the only son of Samuel Smith the elder, of Bramham, West Eiding of Yorkshire, England, who came to New Jersey in 1694, and. was for several years a member of the Assembly. The father of the first Samuel Smith, Richard Smith of Bramham, Yorkshire, was one of the original proprietaries of West Jersey, and he and his two eldest sons, John and Daniel, brothers of the elder Samuel Smith, signed as proprietaries the " Concessions and Agreements of the Proprietors and People of West Jersey," the fundamental constitution of the province.

To the above-mentiond John Smith was allotted one of the ten original town lots of the " London Proprietors," in Burlington, with, its annexed wood or forest lot.

Our author, who was born "12th mo., 13th, A. D. 1720," engaged, as a young man, in his father's business as a West India merchant, and, for a time, removed to Philadelphia. He finally settled at Burlington, where his town-house was the one since known as the "Coleman" house. The fine estate of "Hickory Grove," a little beyond the " London Bridge," was his country-seat or " plantation." He married in the "eleventh" month, 1741, Jane, daughter of Joseph Kirkbride, and by her had several children.

He was a man of most benevolent heart, and of a conscientious uprightness and exactness in the discharge of duty. His reading was extensive and accurate ; the several historical works composed hy him, showing the fruits of careful research, and a clear and agreeable style. He whs the originator of the benevolent efforts which resulted in the colonization of the remmant of the New Jersey

Sketc^h of the Atithor.

Indians at the " Brotherton " settlement ; drew up, in 1757, th« constitution of the " New Jersey Society for Helping the Indians," and signed its subscription list with twenty pounds. In all the family relations, as son, brother, husband and father, Samuel Smith was most exemplary, and was besides a prominent and useful member of his religious community, " The Friends."

In 1765, Samuel Smith had the press of the "King's Printer" moved to Burlington for the purpose of printing his " History of New Jersey," as appears by the following extract:

"In 1764, James Parker, printer to the King for the Province of New Jersey, compiled and printed a 'Conductor Generalis' for Justices of the Peace, he then holding that office in Middlesex county, and the following year moved his press from Woodbridge to Burlington for the accommodation of the author of the History of New Jersey, (Smith), but on the completion of the work it was returned to the former place." ( Whitehead's Contributions to East Jersey History, p. 376.)

Samuel Smith filled some of the most important public offices in the Province of New Jersey. He was, for many years, a member and Secretary of the King's Council, Treasurer of the Province, &c., Ac. He died in 1776. His brother Eichard was a member of tke Continental Congress.

Contents

C II A P. I.

A brief rieio of the cUncovery of America, and of the present prevailing opinion, respeelinij the manner it oricjinaLly became peopled.

CHAP. 11.

Appendix

Numb. i. The concessions and agreements of the lords proprietors of the ■province of New Ccesaria, or New- Jersey, to and with all and every of the adventurers, and all such as shall settle or plant there. p. 512

Numb. U. The concessions and agreements of the proprietors, freeholders and inhabitants of the province of West New Jersey, in America. p. 521

Numb. hi. A brief account of the province of East- J ersey, in America, published by the present proprietors, for information cf all such persons who are or may be inclined to settle themselves, families and servants, in thai country. p. 639

Numb. iv. Governor Coxe's narrative relating to the division line, directed to the council of proprietors of West- Jersey.

Numb. v. The council of proprietors of West-Jersey to governor Burnet, p., 551

Numb. vi. Reasons and proposals for an amendment of the quintipartite line, and the act made for the confirmation thereof.

Numb. VII. Minute of the council of proprietors, held at the city of Perth- Amboy, August 17, 1742. p. 555

Numb. viii. The remonstrance and humble petition of the inhabitants of East New-Jersey. p. 558

Numb. ix. The memorial of the proprietors of East New- Jersey.

Numb. x. Opinion, and answer to the lord commissioners, &c. p. 562

Numb. xi. Memorial of the East Jersey proprietors to the lords of trade. p- 564

Numb. xii. The petition of the proprietors of East and West Jersey, to the lords justices. p. 565

Numb. xiii. Representation of the lords of trade to the lords justices.

Numb. xiv. The memorial of the proprietors of East and West Jersey.

THE

THE

Preface

ALTHOUGH among the follovring Pnpers there are some of comequeiice in point of interest to most Goncerned in the provinee of New-Jersey, several of them were not to be found on reeord, in the publicJc offiees, several were scattered in differeid provinces, others could not be easily obtained, some tho' in print formerly were in but few hands, some never made puLlick, and many in danger of being lost ; on this account ivhatever success may attend this undertaking as to the general design, or disposition of the facts, 'tis some satisfaction, that the labour of collecting them cannot be altogether useless.

Whoever will be at the trouble of an enquiry info the general inexperience and methods of colonizing formerly,, especially at the time the settlements here were first attempted under grants, will find but little reason to doubt, that views of permanent stability to religious and civil freedom, must have been the inducement to the oi'iginal adventurers to think of such a voyage. The New England governments had before been considerably settled from motives of a like kind ; these, tho' near forty years later in their removal, were also protestant dissenters, and involved in the general insecurity, that such wiUi 7'eason apprehended in the reign of king Charles the second ; and the actxml mfferings of many, through the mistaken policy of that time, merely fot a free exercise of their religious senti-

11 menfe

PEEF ACE.

ments, with their own accounts of their removal, renders it as to them indisputable; and in this, as they do not appear to have been cJmrg'd with any indirect violation of religious integrity, so no instance occurs of dissatisfaction among themselves, tho' many of them were remarkably tender on that head ; with the motives above, some of them had without doubt, a distant prospect also of improving their estates ; but this could not be the case so much at first as afterwards.

However smooth the passage may look now, it must be a reasonable supposition, that persons and families, who lived loell (which was the circumstance of many of the settlers of this province) found it no inconsiderable trial, to u/nsettle and remove 3000 miles ; besides parting with the usual connections of friendship and neighbourhood, it was in a great measure an unpi'ov'd experiment ; and then much out of the common course of things : The navigation also to this paH of the continent, for want of experience, looked diJicuU, and the wilderness formidable ; but whatever were their motives, they successively encountered the hazards and hardships to which the enterpi'ize was exposed ; and, at their own expense, by the blessing of divine providence on their labour, frugality and industry, laid the foundation for the present improvement of territory to the mother country ; which, thd' not in many respects to be compared to colonies of greater extent and growth, is nevertheless a link in the chain of some considerable importance.

That a century shoidd pass, ana very little appear abroad of wJiat the settlers here have been doing, is not so 7iiuch to be wondered at, when their diffixmlties in

procuring

PREFACE.

xiii procuring the conveniencies of living are considered ; but this will hardly he allow' d, when the too general negligenoe as to particular rights of individuals, and the reputation of civil policy comes in question : Till very lately, a variety of matters of that kind, were as much secrets to most of the inhabitants, as they commonly are to strangers ; and yet in muny parts of the province, are justly made tJie subject of general complaint.

Whether the endeavours here used for bringing these into one historical view, will sufficiently answer the purposes of a more general information, must now be submitted to experience ; they were undertaken with hopes of service to the province, and if found but in a small degree contributing to that, the end is so far answered : With this view, they were several years since designed for the publick, and nearly prepared ; but other occasions interfering, necessarily delayed their appmrance much longer than was expected. Being sent to the press sometime in the last spring, no transaction that hath happened since,, could be included, or is in any respect alluded to : On a continuation, these will of course follow in their places.

To a collection principally intended to consist of a plain state of facts, much need not be premised ; this may with justice be said, that through the whole, the strictest impartiality has been attended to, and if in other respects executed according to intention, they are offered to the publick, with as few material omissions, as the present opportunities of collecting would allow ; yet the diffidence attending an attempt from papers in great part not used before on the like occasion, would plead for some allowances as a few mistakes^ especially in dateSy and other minutuBy

among/

PREFACE.

among the smaller facts, may have escaped, notwithstanding an assiduous care to avoid them ; but these it is hoped will not be found so considerable, as to obstruct the service intended.

As nothing is aim'd at, more than a fair and candid representation; any friendly hints, or materials necessary either for correction or improvement, will be thankfully received, and the first opportunity embraced to apply them accordingly.

Burlington, \

•6th October, 1765. /

I

I

THE

HISTORY

55 S^il OF

New-Jersey.

Chap. I

A brief view of the discovery of America, and of the present prevailing opinion respecting the manner it originally became peopled.

T m

HE first effectual discoverers of America among the moderns, were Christophoro Colon, or Colombo, and Americo Vespucci, or Vesputius ; of these the former is supposed to have been a Genoese by birth, the other a native of Florence: From him the new world took its name, yet his history in other particulars is too intricate to afford much satisfaction.*.

That

He made two voyages in 1497 and 1498, in the service of Spain: Another in 1501, in the service of Portugal: In the first he fell in among the Caribbee islands ; and the last with three ships arrived to and discovered the eastern continent of America, in five degrees of south latitude.

" America is a more common than fitting name, seeing Americas " Vespucins the Florentipe, from whom this name is derived, was "not the first finder nor author of that discovery: Columbus will "challenge that, and more justly, with whom and under whom " Ainericus made his first voyage; howsoever after that he coasted "a great part of the continent which Columbus had not seen, at " the charges of the Caslilian and Portugal kings; but so it might "more rightly be termed Cabotia or Sebastiana, of Sebastian Cabot,

A "a

H92 That of the first under the well-known name of Columbus Christopher Columbus, is readily traced ; with him therefore we begin, as the person principally concerned in the discovery.

He had applied himself to the study of astronomy and geography, and very early appeared to have a more than common desire to understand the state of all countries upon the face of the globe, and to make new discoveries; which probably was his reason for settling at Lisbon, no nation having push'd their ■discoveries further than the Portuguese at that time; here he employed himself in drawing maps and charts, and preparing himself for future enterprizes. He married and settled in Lisbon, was of a good family, a grave and temperate man, of competent learning, studious in the mathematicks, and from his youth bred to navigation.

What the particular motives were that induced ■ him to search after this new world, are not certainly known ; some attribute it to informations he had received, others to his skill in the nature of the globe ; that this made him conclude it probable there must be a great tract of land to the westward of Spain, that it was not to be imagined the sun when it set in

, that

"a Venetian, whieli discovered more of the continent than they "both, about the same time, first employed by king Henry tiie "seventh of England. — Columbus yet as the first discoverer deser- " veth the name, both of the country for the first finding, and of "modesty, for not naming it by himself, seeking rather effects "than names of his exploits." Purchases Pilgrim, p. 792.

6. His son who wrote his history, says, he was moderately fall and long visaged, his complexion a good red and white, that he had light eyes, and cheeks somewhat full, but neither too fat nor too lean; that in his youth he had fair hair, which turned grey before he was thirty years of age; that he was moderate in eating and drinking, affected a plain modest garb or dress; that he was naturally grave, but affable to strangers, and pleasant frequently among his domestics, strict and devout in religious matters, and tho' a seaman, was never heard to swear or curse.

Of new - jersey.

that horizon gave h'ght to nobody : Whatever gave A. D. rise to the project, a discovery he resolved to attempt, and being unable to do it at his own charge, he first offered his service to the Genoese, next to the king of Portugal; not meeting with encouragement from ' either, he sent his brother Bartholomew to England, sends his to offer his service to Henry the seventh : King Henry Bartholoapproved his proposals ; but the brother on his return being taken by pirates, and Columbus receiving no answer, left Portugal and went to Spain: On his application to Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Castile and Arragon, he succeeded so well, that in the year 1492, they provided him with money, and entrusted him with three small ships for the expedition ; he also obtain'd a grant from them to be admiral of the western seas; all civil employments as well as governments in the continent or world to be discovered were to be wholly at his disposal ; and besides the revenues of the posts of admiral and vice-roy, he was to enjoy a tenth of all the profits arising by future sails with conquests ; his little squadron manned only with ninety men set sail from Palos for the Canaries the third of the month called August, 1492, and arriving at those islands the twelfth, sailed from thence the first of September, upon his grand design : he had not sailed a fortnight to the westward before his men began to murmur at the enterprize; they observed the wind constantly set from east to west, and apprehended there would be no possibility of returning if they missed the land they were made to expect; on the nineteenth observing birds to fly over their ships, and on the twenty-second weeds driving by them, they began to be better satisfied, concluding they were not far from land : they continued their course several days farther westward, and meeting with no land, the seamen mutinied to that degree, that they were almost

ready

A. D. ready to tbrovv the admiral overboard, and return 1492

home, when happily for him they saw more birds, weeds, pieces of boards, canes,, and a shrub with the berries upon it, swim by them, which made them conjecture there must be islands thereabouts: It was on the eleventh of October, about ten at night, that the admiral first discovered a light upon the island of His first Guanahailic- or 8i. Salvador, as he named it, in condiacovery. gi^eration that the sight of it delivered him and his men from the fear of perishing: It is one of the Bahama islands, about fifteen leagues long, in the north latitude of 15 degrees.c^- Day appearing, the ships came to anchor very near the island ; the natives crowded the shore, and beheld the ships of these new comers with astonishment, taking them for living creatures.e- The admiral believing there was no great danger to be apprehended from them, went ashore in his boat, with the royal standard, as did the other two captains, with their colours flying, and took possession

of

c. A bay or harbour of sea or water.

d. All that is commonly remembered of the sailor who first discovered land, is, that expecting some great reward from the king of Spain, and disappointed, he took it in his head in a rage to renounce Christianity, and turn'd Mahometan.

e. One of the Eiver Indians, in liis speech at the treaty of Albany, 1754, relates the surprize of their forefathers at tlie sight of the first ship that came up the North river in the same manner; his speecii so far as relates to this subject was as followeth: 'Fathers, we are greatly rejoiced to see you all here; it is by ' the will of heaven that we are met here, and we thank you for 'this opportunity of seeing you altogether, as it is a long while 'since we had such a one: Fatheks who sit present here, we will 'just give you a short relation of the long friendship which hath 'subsisted between the white people of this country and us: our 'forefathers had a castle on this river; as one of them walked out 'he saw something on the river, but was at a loss to know what 'it was ; he took it at first for a great fisli ; he ran into the castle, 'and gave notice to the other Indians; two of our forefathers ' went to see what it was, and found it a vessel with men in it ; ' they immediately joined hands with the people in the vessel, and 'became friends.'

Of NEW- jersey.

<jf the country in the name of the king and queen of A. D. Spain with great solemnity; the Indians mean while stood gazing at the Spaniards without attempting to oppose them. The admiral ordered strings of glass beads, caps and toys to be distributed among the natives, with which they seemed much pleased : The principal ornament about them was a thin gold plate in the form of a crescent, hanging from the nose over the upper lip; the admiral demanding by signs, whence they had their gold plates, they pointed to the south and south-west ; he rowed in his boats about the island, to discover if there was any thing worth his settling there, followed by the natives every where, who seem'd to admire him and his people as something more than human : From this island coasting southward 180 leagues, he arrived at another, which he called Hispaniola, where discovera his own ship striking on a hidden rock was lost; he Hispanioand his crew were taken on board one of the other vessels ; landing here, the natives, instead of behaving as the others had done, fled from him; but taking one of their women, treating her kindly, and then letting her go back among them, she brought numbers to traffick, who seem'd very peaceably dispos'd; and by some means, or other finding there were gold mines in this island, Columbus, aided by the natives, built a fort, left thirty-nine men, with provisions for a year, seeds to sow, and trinkets to trade with the natives: After discovering a good part of the north and east coast of Hispaniola, trading with the Indians in diverse place, and near three months stay in the island, he bent his course homewards, and arrived at returns. Palos, in Andalusia, early in the spring 1492, 3; 1493. having performed the voyage in seven months and eleven days: Here the people received him with a solemn procession and thanksgiving for his return, most of his seamen belonging to that port; the king

and

A. D.

Cabot's

1497. adventure.

finds Greenland and Newfoundland and queen of Spain being at Barcelona, when the admiral drew near the city, the court went out to meet him; he was receiv'd with- the honors due to a sovereign prince : Having given an account of his voyage, he begged to be equipped according to the dignity of his character of admiral and viceroy, that he might plant colonies in the places he had thus discovered, which was readily granted ; and he afterwards made diverse other voyages to America./-

The fame of the discovery, and of the rich cargoes brought to Old Spain at several times from thence, being spread through other nations, gave rise to other adventurers. The next attempt was made by Sebastian Cabot, a Venetian by extraction, but born in England, and being much given to the study of navigation, and well skill'd in cosmography, he believed there might be a passage found by the north-west to the East Indies shorter than that lately discovered by the Cape of Goodhope ; he made Interest with Henry the seventh of England, who fitted out two ships to make the discovery.

In 1497, Cabot sailed from Lisbon, in the beginning of summer, aiid steering his course north-west,, came up with land about 60 degrees north latitude, supposed to have been Greenland ; g- but perceiving the land still run north, he changed his course, in hopes of finding a passage in less latitude. About the 50th degree, he saw that which is now Avell known by the name of Newfoundland : Here he took three of the natives, and coasted southward to the latitude of

.38

/. He died in the city of Validolid in Spain, in the spring 1506, and was buried in the cathedral of Seville, with this inscription on his tomb, that Columbus had given a neiv world to Castile and Leon.

g. This country is considered as part of the American continent, both by Hornius and Grotius. Grotius apud Horn, de orig. Genu American, Lib. ill. c. 5, 6, pa. 149, 162. ut et ipse Horn. ibid.

38 degrees; (about Maryland) his provisions growing scarce, and no supplies there to be expected, he returned to England, where the natives he brought lived a considerable timeJi- From this voyage and discovery made by Cabot, the English have claimed the country ever since, from the well known Jus Gentium, Law OF Nations, that whatever waste or uncultivated country is discovered, it is the right of that prince

who

h. 'King Henry vii. commiasioned John Cabot (5th of March, 'in the eleventh year of his reign) and his lliree sons, to sail in 'quest of unknown lands, and to annex them to the crown of 'England; with this clause, which before this time have been un- ' known to all christians. His first essay as related by sir Humpliry 'Gilbert, who was employed in the like service afterwards by 'queen Elizabeth, was to discover a north west passage to Cathay 'or China; in which voyage he sailed very far eastward, with a 'quarter of the north, on the nortn side of Terra de Labrador, 'till he came into the north latitude of sixty seven degrees and a 'half In his next voyage, which was made with his son .'^ebastian, 'in the year 1497; he steered to the south side of Labrador, und 'fell in with the island of Baecalaos, which is Newfoundland, and ' took possession both of that island and all the coast of the north 'east part of America, as far as Cape Florida; which he also by 'landing in several parts of it, claimed in the name of his master, ' the king of I^ngiand.

'In the memory of this discovery, and by way of evidence, there 'was a map or chart of the whole coast of North-America drawn 'by Sebastian Cabot himself, with hia picture and this title, Effigies 'Seb. Caboti Angli, Fiiii Jo. Caboti, Venetiani, Militia Aurali, ' &c. and with the following account of the discovery above men- ' tioned,

"In the year of our Lord 1497, John Cabot, a Venetian, and "his son Sebastian (with an English fleet) set out from Bristol, "and discovered that land, which no man had before attempted. "This discovery was made on the 24th of June about five o'clock "in the morning. Tiiis land he called Prima Vista (or the first "seen) because it was that part, of which they had the first sight "from the sea. It is now called Bonavista. The island, which lies "out before the land, he called the island of St. John, probably "because it was discovered on the festival of St. John Baptist."

'This map was hung up in his Majesty's privy-gallery at White- 'hall; and, it is to be feared, the nation was deprived of such a 'valuable testimonial of their American title to the whole coast of 'North-America, by the fire which destroyed that gallery in the 'late King William's reign". Entick's Gen. Hist, of the late war, Vol. I. p. 168, &c.

A. D.

A. D.

Phenicians.

Egyptians and Carthaginians.

who had been at the charge of the discovery.''- This from universal suffrage gives at least a right of preemption, and undoubtedly must be good against all but the Indian proprietors.'^-

We hav^e seen that in the discovery of North and South- America, inhabitants were found at the places touch'd at ; in all probability they were as plentifully dispersed throughout the different countries of America; but how these people originally came there, is a question not easily solved ; tho' it has for above two centuries, been the subject of much enquiry, it is not yet arrived at a decision.^- All therefore that can be done, is to give a short view of the most probable conjectures that have been hitherto offered.

It is not unlikely the new world was known to the Piienicians, even a considerable time before the days of Plato ; who in all likelihood found but few (if any) inhabitants there ; that they contributed towards the planting of it, we have some reason to believe, as they are supposed to have made three voyages thither ; however that colonies from other nations crossed the Atlantick, and latided in America, cannot be well denied ; neither the Egyptians nor Carthaginians are supposed void of some traditional knowledge of America, since they are believed^- to have communicated