wriggle out into the room — seeking the benefits of an education, presum-
ably — "Oh, I can see them yet," she says. In trying to fix dates and order
of succession we were driven to such shifts as this : Mrs. Stickle brought
out a little needle-book in the shape of a heart, opening on a hinge at the
point, in which was pinned a piece of paper bearing the date, May 28th,
MORRIS COUNTY 345
1854. This needle-book was given to her by Mrs. Lee, soon before the Lees
left the public school, thus fixing the date.
Hugh Nelson Cox is said to have been here in 1854, and must have
come in the latter half of this year. Mrs. Stickle remembers Mr. Cox
from this circumstance : One day, on the way home from school, she killed
a caterpillar. This dreadful deed was committed on the corner where
Moller's saloon now stands. She supposed, as she was there out of school
bounds, that she could kill the caterpillar without being subject to school
discipline, for it seems that the teacher had been inculcating lessons of
"kindness to animals," possibly in accord with that well-known line of the
poet Cowper — -"the man who needlessly sets foot upon a worm, I will not
number in my list of friends." This sentiment of mercy toward the weak
creatures was voiced in Bums's poem to a mouse, whose nest he had turned
up with a plow-share, and in his poem on a hare chased by the dogs. It
was part of Rousseau's influence. Evidently it extended to Dover, New
Jersey, and to the lessons of Mr. Cox's schoolroom. The children were
taught not to hurt a poor little, harmless fly. The story of Nero torturing
a fly when he was a boy, ominous of his later cruelties, used to be told in
schools of that date. And the lesson of avoiding brutality and needless
infliction of pain is still a good one. But in those days the true character
of the fly was not so well known as in these latter days of sanitary science
and our modern war-cry, "Swat the fly !" had not yet been heard. So
little Sarah's deed was brought to the attention of the schoolmaster, who
detained her after school that afternoon. (Evidently the deed had been
committed at noon, on the way home to dinner.) She received a reprimand
that she never forgot. And this goes to fix Mr. Cox in her memory and
attests his date as coming after the departure of the lady who gave her the
needle-book in May, 1854. On such incidents does the science of local
history depend.
Another humble instrument in fixing a date and a name is a little
sampler worked by a young lady at the age of five years, and that, too,
long before our modern "manual training" had been heard of. This
sampler was really worked in school, as part of the curriculum at the old
Stone Academy in the year 183 1, under the direction and instruction of
Miss Harriet Ives. How do we know the date? It was worked by Miss
Maria F. Minton, who was born in 1826. She was five years old when she
worked this sampler, as you may read upon the face of it. Hence she
was going to school to Miss Harriet Ives in 183 1. This is the earliest date
associated with the name of a teacher in the Dover schools — all depending
on this little sampler.
Now, as the Stone Academy was built in 1829, Miss Ives was there
very early in its term of public usefulness. Possiblv she was the first
teacher employed there. And the last teacher to teach" school in the Stone
Academy was Miss Harriet Breese, who kept a private school there in
1875-76. So we see that the rising sun and the setting sun of the old
Stone Academy shone upon a Harriet in the preceptorial chair. And the
town may well do honor to their memory in this, its two hundredth year.
The little Maria who worked the sampler was the daughter of Major
Minton, who dwelt in the old homestead now occupied by Kilgore & White's
drug store. This house was built in 1827. and in 1831, the date of the
sampler, this little lady was doubtless residing where the soda water foun-
tain now refreshes the wayworn traveler.
Miss Maria F. Minton afterwards became Mrs. William Rumsey, of
346 NEW JERSEY
Orange County, New York State. Mrs. Calkins can fix the date of Mr.
Wilson, who taught in Dover.
RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY DOVER DAYS.
By Mrs. Louisa Hinchman Crittenden (widow of Dr. Crittenden) 1913.
The following dates are taken from "Historical Collections of New
Jersey," published in 1845 : A rolling mill was built in Dover by Israel
Canfield and Jacob Losey in 1792. A Methodist church was erected in 1838.
The Presbyterian church was erected in 1842. The Academy was erected
in 1829. The post office was established in 1820. The village of Dover
was incorporated and laid out in building lots in 1826.
In 1836, Dover was still a small village, although ten years had passed
since it was incorporated. Blackwell street extended only from Prospect to
Morris. Sussex street ran from Dickerson street to the base of the hill
where the north side school building now stands. At this time there were
no buildings on Prospect street. On the west, the splendid forest trees
came down to the road; on the east there was a large open field. On
Morris street there were a few buildings between Blackwell and Dickerson.
The continuation of Morris street was a road leading over the hill to
Mill Brook. This road was bounded on the east by the forest, and on the
west by the pond which was called then, as now, "Billy Ford's Pond."
On the south side of Blackwell street from Prospect to Warren, the only
house was the east end of the stone building now known as the Hotel
Dover. The west half of this building was erected many years later by
Mr. Edward Stickle. In this building there was a bank owned by Phelps,
Dodge & Co., of New York City, of which Mr. Thomas B. Segur, who
resided in the building, was the cashier. On the south side of Blackwell
street, between Warren and Morris, there were dwellings, stores, and, where
the Mansion House now stands, a hotel kept by Mr. I. B. Jolley.
On the site of the Memorial Presbyterian Church stood a good-sized
cottage, and back of this, a little to the west, and quite near the canal, was
a dwelling in which Mr. Jacob Losey resided, and which afterwards became
the home of Mr. Henry McFarlan. Near the canal and west of Warren
street, there was, in the early days of Dover, a long, low building used
sometime before 1836, as a tavern, and afterwards, as a tenement house.
On the northeast corner of Blackwell and Warren streets was a good-sized
building, the first floor of which was used as a store. Midway between
this building and Sussex street/ was a dwelling occupied by Mr. McDavit,
who drove the old-fashioned coach-and-four to and from New York City.
From this house to Sussex street was an empty lot. On each side of Black-
well street, from Sussex to Morris, were dwellings and stores.
On Dickerson street, besides several houses, stood the academy, just
east of Morris street. In leaving Dover toward the east, one followed the
road from Dickerson street, along the base of the hill, where the D. L. &
W. R. R. tracks now run. On this same road, one mile east of Dover, at
Pleasant Valley, were two rather large, comfortable houses, in one of
which lived Mr. Conger, and in the other. Dr. Ira Crittenden, who was the
first physician settled in Dover. The road to Morristown, over the mountain,
passed in front of these two houses, and a road running between these
houses led to Rockaway, Denville. and other places. This was the regular
stage route to Newark and New York City.
The upper room in the Academy on Dickerson street was used for
church services, and the lower room on the west side of the hall was a
MORRIS COUNTY 347
school room. I recall the names of two of the teachers who taught in this
room — Mr. Lloyd and Miss Araminta Scott, of Boonton.
In 1834 Mr. Guy M. Hinchman, who might be called one of the
pioneers of Dover, left New York City on account of ill health and came
to New Jersey. In May, J835, Mr. Hinchman became superintendent of
the Dover Iron Works, — rolling mill, foundry, and nail factory, which
position was offered to him by Mr. Henry McFarlan. Mr. Hinchman held
this position until 1869, when he and Mr. McFarlan both retired from
business.
During the two years from 1835 to 1837, Mr. Hinchman occupied the
cottage above referred to, on the present site of the Memorial Presbyterian
Church. In 1837 Mr. Chilion F. De Camp built the house now occupied
by Mr. Turner. Mr. Hinchman rented this house until 1850, when he
purchased the property, two hundred and ten feet on Blackwell street, the
same on Dickerson, and two hundred and seventy-five feet in depth. Mr.
Hinchman's place was noted for its beautiful flower garden and rare trees.
It was one of the old-fashioned gardens, laid out with symmetrical beds
bordered with box.
When Mr. McFarlan came to reside in Dover, he occupied the house
in which Mr. Jacob Losey formerly lived. I\Ir. McFarlan soon improved
this property, making a beautiful park from his house to Warren street,
and a fine garden on the west, from his house to where the D. L. & W. R. R.
crosses Blackwell street. There was always a pleasant rivalry between Mr.
McFarlan and Mr. Hinchman as to who should be the first to hear of and
purchase a rare tree or flower.
In the early days, Mr. Jacob Losey and Mr. Hinchman set out maple
trees on both sides of Blackwell street, from Prospect to Warren. In
time, these became splendid trees, the branches nearly interlacing across the
street.
Mr. Hinchman died in the spring of 1879. Mf. and Mrs. McFarlan
died in 1882. The heirs of the McFarlan estate, soon after, sold oflf this
beautiful homestead property, thus giving business an opportunity to creep
into this part of the town. As business increased, trees decreased, and the
glory of this portion of the town became a thing of the past.
Among the earliest houses built on Prospect street was the one occupied
for so many years by Doctor I. W. Condict. This house was built by Mr.
Jabez Mills of Morristown, who lived there until he built and occupied
the house opposite, now the home of Mr. James H. Neighbour. The Rev.
B. C. Megie also built his home on Prospect street.
One of Dover's earliest Presbyterian ministers was the Rev. Mr.
Wyckoff, who preached in the Academy, and was followed by the Rev. B. C.
Megie, who also preached there until the First Presbyterian Church was
built in 1842, on the corner of Blackwell and Prospect streets.
An extract from Mr. Hinchman's diarv: "I was elected president
of the Dover Union Bank on January 29, 1841, and held that position until
1866. At this time the taxes on capital were so much increased, that the
stockholders, believing the capital could be used to better advantage, con-
cluded to have the bank go into liquidation, promptly settling all indebted-
ness. Straggling bills continued to be presented for nearly ten years and
were all paid." One of these bills, dated April 20, 1849, and signed by
Thomas B. Segur, cashier, and G. M. Hinchman, president, is now in the
possession of one of Mr. Hinchman's granddaughters.
Dr. Ira Crittenden died in 1848, and was succeeded in his practice by
348 NEW JERSEY
his son, Dr. Thomas Rockwell Crittenden, who had just graduated at the
College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. Dr. T. R. Crit-
tenden was the only physician in Dover for several years. He practiced
there about fifty-five years, and died in 1906.
Letter of Miss Susan H. Crittenden, May 20, 1913:
533 Quincy Ave., Scranton, Pa.
My dear Mr. Piatt: Enclosed is a list of the private schools that I attended.
The dates bother me. I can only tell you that I was born in 1854 and must have
been four or five years old when I went to Miss Breese's school. I remember my
mother thought I was too young to go to school regularly, and as we lived next
door— on the present site of the Geo. Richards grocery store, I was allowed to
run home whenever I felt like doing so. I should think Miss Breese could tell you
when her sister taught, and from Miss Abbie Magie, you could get the dates of the
years when Miss Susan Magie taught. I think she was the one who promised us a
holiday when Richmond should fall. . _ ,,
I left Miss Fergus' school in the spring of 1870, and went to Elmira College in
the fall. I think there was another man, perhaps two men, who taught in the Hill
Top Seminary after Miss Magie, for a very short time, either before or after Mr.
Conant, but cannot remember their names.
In the little school house on the Hurd property, Randolph Ave., the Rev. William
W. Halloway, senior (Dr. Halloway's father) taught for one year. 1882-1883. My
own school was held in my father's residence, 28 West Blackwell St., from 1891 to
1905. ,. . ,
Very sincerely,
Susan H. Crittenden.
List of the teachers of the private schools that I attended: i. Miss Caroline
Breese In second or third story of her father's store building, cor. of Blackwell
and Sussex. 2. Mrs. Kyte (or Kite). In house nearly opposite Morris Co. Machine
& Iron Co. 3. Miss Caroline Tompkins, of Morristown. In double hoiise on
Orchard St., adjoining cemetery. 4. Miss Susan Magie. In "Hill-Top Seminary
On site of present Presbyterian Manse. 5. Mr. Conant. "Hill-Top Seminary. 6.
Mr. Howard Shriver. "Hill-Top Seminary." 7. Miss Abigail Forgus. In the
A f* ^ f1 p Tn V
My aunt, Mrs. Noble, has written me that Mr. Charles E. Noble, in the Noble
genealogy, says: "I taught school from 1847 to 1851 in Morristown and Dover.
She is quite certain he came to Dover in the spring of 1848.
Mrs Noble says : "Mv first teacher was a Miss Pike, who taught in the basement
of the old church.' Miss Pike was a niece of the Rev. Barnabas King of Rockaway.
She taught only a short time, I think one summer. My next teacher was Mrs.
Whittlesey. When she came from Ceylon she opened a school in the basement of
Mrs Allen's house. Then her father built the small school house on the hill."
My mother thinks the school house Mrs. Noble refers to was on the present site
of Mrs. Russell Lynd's house. Mrs. Whittlesey was a daughter of Mr. Jabez
Mills, and afterwards married the Rev. Dr. Thornton Mills (not a relative).
Letter of Henry M. Worrell :
86 University Place, New York City, May 26, 1913.
Mr. Chas. D. Piatt : , ^, ^
Dear Sir : Your letter of April 26 reached me, forwarded to the address above,
on the eve of mv departure from the city, when I had no thought for anything but
the trip just ahead. It would afford me much pleasure to gratify you, and incidentally
my good friend Mr. Chas. Applegate, with a large fund of information about the
Dover schools, but mv ability in that direction is very small owing to my short stay
in your town and my entire lack of acquaintance with the schools of Dover outside
In Sep., 1862, I was, fresh from college, employed as assistant by Mr. Wm. S. Hall,
in his boarding-and-day school, called Dover Institute. He had conducted the school
only one year, I think, previously to calling me to help him. His boarding department
occupied the large, double, frame building (since burned down, I have heard)
adjoining the cemeterv, facing the west, on the street, running along the west shore
of "The Lake." as Mr. Hall used to call the little pond. His day department was
conducted in a very good frame building on the street running due south from
the Presbyterian church, then under the care of Rev. Burtis C. Magie. and stood
at the top of the hill, just south of the town. It faced the east, standing on the
MORRIS COUNTY 349
west side of the street. The names of all the streets in Dover have escaped me,
except Main Street, on which stood Dr. Magic's church.
I remained in Dover only that winter, for in the spring of 1863 Mr. Hall
removed his school to Orange and I went there with him. His effort to establish
a private school in Dover had not been a success.
Of the public school system in the little town I had no knowledge. Our work
was a very quiet one. The only contact I had with any teacher outside of our own
school was with Mr. Calkins, whose name stands almost first on your list of
teachers. (This was only a temporary, mixed up list.) Him I met just once. He
was principal of the public school at that time, and was leader of the choir in Dr.
Magic's church. In the absence of the organist one Sunday I was invited to take
charge of the organ, and so met Mr. Calkins. The only recollection I have of him
is a comical one. The little pipe organ had a freak feature that I never met
before or since. The stops had slots running across them on the under side, which
engaged the case below them and prevented opening them by a direct pull. Each
stop had to be slightly lifted to release the little cog. before it could be drawn out.
The combination left drawn by the regular organist. Mr. Calkins said was the
one always used, and I did not investigate. When I started to give out the first
tune I was shocked to hear the pitch an octave too high. But it could not be changed
then. During the first interlude Mr. Calkins leaned over me and tugged away at
the stops to give me the pipes voiced an octave lower, as I had tried to do during
the first verse. In vain. So we squealed and whistled on through the entire hymn.
I can still see Mr. Calkins, slightly bald, hanging over my shoulder and pulling
frantically at one stop after another, his New England face set with determination
to get a stop out or pull the organ over !
Fifty years ago! The names of a few of our pupils I retain, but most of them
have faded from memory. They are all Dover boys and girls. I could record the
names of Mr. Hall's boarders and children, but they would have no interest for
Dover people.
Dr. Magic's son William and daughter Abbie; Frank Berry, who was preparing
for the ministry; Bert Halsey, the young son of a sea captain: Miss Olivia Segur,
the young sister of the cashier of the bank at that time; Miss Clara Jolly, the
daughter of I. B. JoUy (no joke), proprietor of the chief hotel of the town!
Frank Berry I afterwards met in Princeton College the night he appeared on
the stage as Junior Orator. I sent him a note by an usher and we had a happy
reunion. The others I have never seen since. Bert Halsey bears the distinction of
being the only pupil I ever whipped in my 46 years of teaching.
Saturdays I used to wander out along the Morris Canal and sit reading in the
silent woods. No sign of life appeared until a canal boat mysteriously glided around
a curve among the trees without a sound, and vanished like a ghost. It wasn't exactly
"Where rolls the Oregon." but the best I could do towards it — Where sleeps the
Morris Canal. Other Saturdays we went nutting on the mountains, or wandered
down the beautiful Rockaway.
Yours most truly,
Henry M. Worrell.
R. D. No. 2. Box 85., Wharton, N. J., May 28, 1913.
In i8?8 I attended school in the stone academy across the D. L. & W. track
from an old public school. The principal was a man by the name of Dudley, the first
Episcopalian preacher in Dover. The principal of the public school was a man by
the name of Gage. In i860 I attended a private school on Prospect St.. principal
was a man by the name of Hall. I have books with Mr. Hall's penmanship.
Yours respectfully,
John C. Gordon.
Contributed by Marjorie Spargo, May 29. 1913:
Mrs. John Spargo. Jr.. formerly Miss Mattie A. Tavlor, went to school to
the old building in back of Birch's coal office. Her first teacher was Miss Gussie
Dickerson in 1865. The principal of the school at that time was Mr. James Cooper,
who recently died at his late home in Mill Brook. Mr. Thompson, who resides in
New Haven, was principal of the school, succeeding Mr. James Cooper. The school
house consisted of two rooms, one a large, and the other a small one. The latter
was used for the smaller pupils, while the former was for the larger pupils. There
were two teachers, one Miss Dickerson and the other, the principal. Mr. Cooper.
Every morning the pupils under Miss Dickerson went to Mr. Cooper's room for the
350 NEW JERSEY
morning exercises. Alongside the railroad ran a little brook, oftentimes the Tittle
boys and girls would be busy building dams and little houses and wouldn't hear !he
bell. This meant that they "were either late or forgot to go to school.
If any one wanted a doctor, they would have to drive to Morristown or
Succasunna for one. The railroads were only built as far as Morristown in 184S.
Later thev were built as far as Dover. They were completed at that rate.
The principle studies were: i. Reading. 2. Writing. 3. Arithmetic. 4- Spelhng.
Some pupils who attended school at the same time as Miss Taylor did are:
Charles Rosevear, now residing in Morristown; Henry Dickerson ; Sarah and Ger-
trude Dolan, now residing in Texas. Mr. Dickerson passed away into his heavenly
home a few vears ago.
Mr. Thompson's wife was Miss Laura Garrigus, who taught in the select school
on Prospect street, which was situated back of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Reese
Jenkins. Miss Garrigus lived at that time where Mr. and Mrs. John G. Taylor live,
next to Jenkins. Miss Garrigus was the governess of the daughters of Mr. Richard
Pierce. When they were older, she started a select school and took these girls with
her. There were six daughters of Mr. Pierce whom she taught.
Marjorie Spargo is the daughter of Mrs. John Spargo Jr., and has
obtained the above "information from her mother. The Mr. Thompson is
Mr. Wihnot Thompson. He went to Orange later, and then to New Haven,
where he resides, 1913. (See testimony of Mrs. Wm, Harris.)
Extracts from Letter of Mr. James Taylor :
Office of The Taylor Celery Box Co., Kalamazoo, Mich., May 26, 1913-
In regard to my school days at the Academy. Yes. I went there to school, and
like a great manv others, didn't know enough to take advantage of it. The teachers
name was Miss Forgus. It was the custom for the children to take their seats in
the school room and after answering to roll-call we were all supposed to fall in
line and march up stairs for prayers. So one morning in June, 1873, it was a beautiful
morn, a boy by the name of Sam Ibbs and myself, instead of falling in line, we fell
under the desk, and the rest of the school marched up the stairs to prayers. Sam
and myself were going out. Just as we were going out of the door, we met the
Episcopal Minister's two mooly cows. They each had a halter on and were very
kind and gentle, so I said to Sam, "It would be a joke if they found the cows in the
school room sometime when they came down from prayers."
Sam says. "Let's see if they would go in," and he took one by the halter and I
the other and walked in the school room and I shut the door. We left then for a
day's outing and visited the car shops. On our return home we were informed that
Miss Forgus did not have any school that day.
Mv schoolmates were Lizzie Lambert, Sarah Overton, Gussie Lindsley, Jennie
Richards, and a lot more that I do not remember. I got mv diploma that day, June,
1873.
Letter from Miss Harriet A. Breese, Mav 26, 1913 :
Redlands, California.
My dear Mr. Piatt: There is very little I can add to the information you already
have about the schools of Dover. I remember hearing my sister speak of a Mr.
Babcock who taught. I think, before Mr. Pease. I never remember hearing of Mr.
Spring-Rice, but as Dr. Magie was very much interested in the teachers, Miss Abbie
would know about him better than I would. The teachers I do remember about
particularly were Mr. Martin I. Lee and Miss Chapman, "Mr. Hugh Cox and his
sister, Mr. I. Harvey, Mr. Calk-ins. Mr. George Gage. Mr. Bancroft, and Mr. John
Wilson. I think there was another Mr. Wilson taught there in the earlier times of
the school. Miss Belknap and Miss Dalrymple and Mr. Wilmot Thompson also
taught in the old school house for some time. Miss Phehe Berry, ]Mr. Stephen _H,
Berry's sister, had a private school in the basement of the old First Presbyterian
Church.
Miss .•\bbott taught a private school in the McFarlan house. Mrs. Whittlesey
â– was on Prospect street in the house where Mr. Russell Lynd now lives. Her father,
Mr. Jabez Mills, built it for her after her return as a missionary from Ceylon.
â– There was a private school taught by a I\Iiss Tompkins in the house on Orchard
street by the cemetery gate. That house was also used as a boarding house for the
boarders who attended Mr. Hall's school on Prospect street.
My mother told me that she went to school in a little school house that stood
Stone Ac,iil(;ni_\ , Umcr, built iSjg.
Zenas Pruden Home
MORRIS COUNTY 351
on the Zenas Priiden property, the corner of Morris and Dickerson streets: but I do