Bound Brook, known by the name of Queen's Bridge.
May 12, 1773, at a meeting of the justices and free-
holders of the county of Somerset, " Jeremiah Field,
one of the managers of Queen's Bridge over Baritan,
brought in an account of £349 17s. 7d., light money,
due to the managers of said bridge for the work done.
The account was rejected by the whole board, except
Feter Perrine, Esq." Two years later (1775) an act
passed the Assembly of the StateJ " for raising the
sum of £357 14s. lid., proclamation money, on the
inhabitants of the county of Somerset County, for
repaying certain persons therein named the money
they have advanced in rebuilding Queen's Bridge."
When the bridge at Baritan Landing was first built
is not definitely known. In 1772 there was an act
passed by the General Assembly " for raising the
sum of £450, proclamation money, on the inhabitants
of the counties of Somerset and Middlesex, to be ap-
plied to the completing the bridge over Baritan Biver
at the landing,"^ and May 13th of the same year, at
a meeting of the justices and freeholders of Somerset
County, it was voted "that Hillsborough shall pay
£10 proc., Bridgewater £13 proc, and Bedminster
to pay £7 proc. towards repairing the Baritan bridge ;
and it is voted that Capt. Coonrad Ten Eyck and
Matthias Ten Eyck and Col. McDonald be appointed
managers of the same." May 12, 1773, Jacques
Voorhees, Alexander McEver, and Capt. Coonrad
Ten Eyck were appointed a committee, by the board
of justices and freeholders of the county of Somerset,
to inspect the accounts of the managers of the Baritan
Landing bridge. This committee reported in De-
cember, 1774, that the accounts were examined and
were as follows : " Matthew Ten Eyck, £289 5s. 5d.,
proc. ; Coonrad Ten Eyck, £177 7s. 10d., proc." The
accounts were allowed, and the board then allowed
Jacques Voorhees " 12s. Gd., proc," interest for money
advanced towards building Baritan bridge, Matthew
* Colonial Laws of New Jersey, 1703-76, p. 24.
t Ibid., p. 40.
J Ibid., p. 21.
I Ibid., p. 65.
Ten Eyck six pounds for extraordinary trouble in
paying out the money to the workmen at Baritan
bridge, Coonrad Ten Eyck four pounds five shillings
and seven pence for like services. Orders were given
for these amounts.
11 The board ordered the thanks of the board to Matthew Ten Eyck and
Coonrad Ten Eyck for their good management in building the bridge
over the Raritan ; which was given accordingly."
In the same year an act was passed by the Assem-
bly "to raise the sum of £122 14s. 3d., proc, on the
inhabitants of the counties of Middlesex and Somer-
set, to be paid by the several collectors of the town-
ships to John Duykink and Charles Sudam in full of
their account for building and completing the bridge
over the Baritan Biver at the Landing."
May 31, 1774, the surveyors of the highways of the
county of Somerset were called to view the bridge
over the Baritan at Van Veghten's. They agreed to
build stone pillars and replace old timbers with new
ones. Matthew and Coonrad Ten Eyck were appointed
managers, and five hundred pounds was ordered to be
raised for the work.|| Aug. 28, 1777, the justices and
freeholders were called to meet at the house of Elias
Van Derveer to examine the bridge over the North
Branch, and ordered that a new one be built where
the former stood ; Gisbert Sutfin and Elias Van Der-
veer were to be the managers. July 29, 1779, the
board of justices and freeholders ordered a bridge
built over the river at Abraham Van Nest's mills, at
the expense of the county, and the sum of twelve
hundred pounds was allowed for building the same.
May 10, 1797, the following persons were chosen by
the board of justices and freeholders as managers oi
the several bridges named for the ensuing year :
Abraham Nevius for the Landing bridge ; Joseph Black, Bound Brook ;
George McDonald, Middle Brook ; George Van Neste, Raritan ; Israel
Harris, Harris ; Peter Probasco, Millstone ; Arch'd Mercer, Mercer's ;
John Baird, Griggstown ; Frederick Cruser, Rocky Hill ; Henry H.
Schenck, New Shannick ; Abraham Ten Eyck, North and South
Branch; Andrew S. Ten Eyck, North Branch; Isaac Van Doren,
Bromley; Joseph Annin, McDonald's and Van Derveer; Jacob Van
Doren, Armstrong; Samuel Johnson, Sharp's; Col. Rickey, Rickey's,
and White's; Peter Davison, Davison's; David Ayres, Duty's Mill;
David Smalley, Luddle's.
A list of the bridges in Somerset County in 1805,
taken from the record of freeholders of that year, is
given below :
Raritan, Lythoff's, Swan's, Sharp's, DaviBon's, Alward's, Bayard's, Two
leading to fall-mill over Green Brook, Third over Indian Grave
Creek, Miller's, Annin'B, Baird's, Townsley, Dumont's, Rock Brook,
Browsetown, Manning's, Landing and Mile Run, Cuckold's and Mid-
dle Brook, Millstone and Peace Brook, Griggstown, Rocky Hill,
Shannick, Bush, North Brunch, Bromley, McDonald's, Van Derveer's,
Rickey's, Dotcy's, Little's, Phillips', Kirkpatrick's, or Pumpkin Patch
Brook, Bound Brook, Dirck's Brook, White's, Arrowsmith's, Plain-
field, Green Brook, at Samuel and John Vail's, Two southern over
Indian Grave Creole, near William Kain's, Covenhoven's, Ludlow's,
Van Doren's, Anniu's, Coryell's, Goltry's, Peter's Brook, Holland
Brook, Blue', Stitos', Six-Mile Run, Widow Voorhees', Van Nord
wick's.
|| This was the bridge over which the troops pasBod that were with
Col. Slmcoo after they had burned the church and were on their way to
the court-house. Washington crossed this bridge with his army aftor the
battle of Princeton, Jan. 3, 1777.
THE BENCH AND BAR OF SOMERSET COUNTY".
579
CHAPTER VI.
THE BENCH AND BAR OF SOMERSET
COUNTY.
The Dor of Somerset CotlDty eminent for Genius, Learning, and Pa-
triotism— Reminiscences— Names of tho Bar from 1709 to 1860— List
of tho Preaout Bar— Sketched of William Patorson, Peter D. Vroom,
Saniuol L. Southard, William L. Dayton, John M. Mann, William
Griffith, tho Frolinghuysens, Juddges Kirkpntrirk, Nvvins, etc. ; and
Hugh M. Gaston, Alvah A. Clark, John Schomp, and many others of
tho Present Bar of the County.
80MEB8ET I'm nty is justly entitled to a large
share <>i' i lie honor u Inch has mantled the liar of this
State. Judge Bushrod WashingtOD often remarked
that the liar hi' New Jersey was nol excelled in elo-
quence or learning by any in the Union. This enco-
mium is equally true of its bench, and, among the
honored personages embraced in both bench and bar,
very many of the most eminent in the profession
have been residents of or born in Somerset County.
'I'll is is high praise, but merited. What a brilliant
constellation of genius, learning, and patriotism is
presented by the names of William Paterson, Peter D.
\'r n, and Samuel L. Southard, lawyers and gov-
ernors! what a bright galaxy of judicial merit is
brought to mind by the names of Judges William
Griffith, Andrew Kirkpatrick, George II. Brown,
John M. Berrien, James s. N'evius, Isaac X. Black-
ford, and many others! And of equal lustre is the
array of legal talent which shines with the names
and memories of Richard Stockton, Henry Southard,
Frederick and Theodore Frelinghuysen, Abraham O.
Zabriskie, and a host of such. The list is too full for
any extended mention.
To the able papers of the late Ralph Voorhees we
are indebted for the following reminiscences:
"A luilf-century ago tho oftlcors of tho court w<n , a- I i iniui.i,
Androw Kirkpatrick, Chief . I. isti..-.. ; - :1 1 Swan, t'l.'rk ; John Frcling-
huyson, Surrogato ; Martin Sobeock, sti.-rin ; and the lawyers of Somer-
set, . I acob H. Ilardonbergh, George McDonald, Biohard Stock! Josepb
W. Scott, Samuel L. Southard, Peter D. Vroom, Theodore, John, and
Frederick Brellnghuyssn, and Thomas A. Hartwell.
•• At Mi,.. , .r 1 1,,. i,i n, <<i u ourti Southard, after having put forth
nil !ih iiMliiy in n I skill i" oonrlcl a man for honosfteallng, — a port of
tho sentence forwhich was thlrty'iiine lashes, at tbe whipping-post, —
modfl) Immediately after tho pron Ing ol tbal sentence by tbe conrt,
n moel powerfol appeal in bebolf of u rrlcl for tt mmntatlon <>f
tho whipping. Hi' DXgnd that, from the manly upptairunco of tho pris-
oner, tli<> pill il it •■x 1 1 1 1 • i t i > > 1 1 wnii 1*1 only produce .in unfavorable effect in
tin- 'â– .immunity. Hi" appeal was granted.
" Theodore BYellnghuysen need t>> relate that when t ommenced the
of law he was ployed t«» . >n the i mtains in
Wtit n'ii township, when he come Into* tact with a shrewd pettifogger
win. whs in g I practice then, ai Frellnghuj ten had yet a repntetlon
t" establish, he thought it might be t" hla advantage to make a display
ol hi loarning.and sttempted it in his argu at alter ol
in itelnoor arose, and oommonced Ills speech as follows : 'Gentlemen
of tho jury, ti ppodte counso] has been soaring aloft obovs the clonds
as though he were in search "f '-ngh's ; but, Kentlemen, / Intend t" hay
/..»■for nlaok ducks.' Prellnghuyson sold hotherolear Ian
son, which was t" ' lit- low 1 in mi argument rather than s"«.r t.
Prefatory to the personal sketches herewith pre-
sented, it may be remarked that a full list ..I' the
judges anil justices of the county will he found in
the chapter on the Civil List of Bomersel County,
making their enumeration here a needless repetition.
The honored names of the Somerset County bar down
to 1m;ii tire herewith given, together with the dates
of their admission as attorneys-at-law :
— 'WMlllam Patorson.
784.— •Richard Stockton.
—•Frederick Frelinghuysen, 'Andrew Kirkpatrick.
788.— 'William Griffith.
791.— •Lucius II. Stockton.
— *Georgo McDonald.
—•John Frelinghuysen.
—•Joseph W. Scott.t
805.— "Jacob B. Hurdenbcrgh.
Theodore Frelinghuysen.
-•Frederick frelinghuysen, 'Isaac Blackford.f
—•Samuel I.. Sonthard.
— 'Peter D. Vroom, Jr.
SIC— •Thomas A. Hartwell.
817.— •William B. Grimth, •James S. Green.
819.— 'James S. Nerioj.-f
821.— 'John Henry,
822.— Andrew Mlller.J
— 'Somit'l .1. Bayard.
824.— 'John M. Mann, •William Thomson.
—•Abraham 0. Zahrlsklo.f
— 'Joseph A. Gaston, 'Peter Vredenburg.
830.— 'William II. I.enpp.t 'William L. Dayton.
— 'George II. Brown, Theodoro Frelinghuysen.
830.— 'John Van Dyke, Garret S. Cannon.t
838. — Duntont Frelinghuysen.
839.— Furrington Barcalow,f Frederick T. Frollnghuyson.f John F.
Hum.. n.g
840.— Hugh M. Gaston.
S41. - Fn"l. ii â– 1. .1 I '. Jiuy.rii, William K. McDonald.
8.14. — Juhn V. Voorhees, 'Samuel S. Hartwell, Stephen B. Bansom.t
Robert Voorhoes.
817.— •Isaiah N. Dilts.
-Ashbel Groenj
SSI.— Peter L. Voorhoos.t
883.— 'John lliirtw.il, ltobort S. Groen.f
854.— Enos W. Bonyon.f
859.— Frodorlck Voorhoos.t
THE PRESENT BAR OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
The following is tin alphabetical list of tbe living
members of the bar of this count)', with the dates of
their admission to practice as attorneys:
Anderson, William w. ,s rrillo), 1877.
Itartiii.-, J.ihu n iS.'iin'nillo), 1865,
Bell, Qi .i ... i,. (SomerrUle), lsTo.
Borgon, James J.1 is
Clark. Alvah A. (Somervllla), 1803.
|lu%ls, J. w ill .
Freoh, John 1 - Ille), 1880.
FraUughuysen, Dumont (SomerrUle), 1838.
rrellngbn] Frederick J. (Somorville), 1841.
Frellnghoysen, Theodore (Baritan), 1835.
Gaston, Hugh M .« SomerrUle), 1840.
Gasl Hugh K. is iMll.-i, 1880.
I. . I. (SomerrUle), 1877.
Honoymon, A. V, D. (8 irrllle), 18TL
Ludabury, R ( Bound Bn .k),1874,
long, William 11. (Someirttli
' iii Millstone), 1875.
Phillips, B.&0
uiii,..,,, Q Somen lit . 1876.
s. I.. .in|'. John (SomerrUli .
s I", William v. (BomarrUI
Botpben, David M." (Bariten
Voorhees, J.I
•Deceased, f BamoTsd from tbe oonnty. { Retired from practice,
i Princeton, nol bow in this
firm of ItartinnA Ortega, f Finn of Gaston * Bergen.
Utelly killed In February, 1881.
f
580
SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
William Paterson, the eminent lawyer, jurist,
and statesman, was born in Ireland about 1745. When
but two years old he came, with his father and family,
to America, locating first at Trenton, and finally at
Raritan (Somerville), where his father died in 1781.
William was graduated from the College of New Jer-
sey in 1763, studied law with the elder Richard Stock-
ton, and in 1769 was licensed as an attorney-at-law.
He commenced practice at a place then called New
Bromley, in Hunterdon County* (now Lane's Mills),
but subsequently removed to Princeton and engaged
in mercantile pursuits. In 1775 he was a delegate in
the Provincial Congress and secretary at both its ses-
sions, and of the Congress which met at Burlington
in 1776. Under the State government (1776) he was
the first attorney-general, — a position as difficult and
dangerous as honorable ; for, being obliged to attend
court in the different counties, he was liable to capture
at any time by the British, who had then invaded the
State. He was at the same time a member of the Legis-
lative Council. In 1780 he declined the nomination to
the Continental Congress. In 1783, when peace w r as
declared, he resumed his legal practice and removed to
New Brunswick. A member of the convention which
met in Philadelphia in 1787, he was one of those
chosen to frame the Federal Constitution. Two plans
were presented to that body, — by Edmund Randolph,
of Virginia, and Mr. Paterson, respectively, the
larger States favoring the former, the smaller States
the latter. A compromise was effected by which a
general government was formed, partly federal, partly
national. After the Constitution was ratified, Mr.
Paterson was chosen by the Legislature (with Jona-
than Elmer) to the United States Senate, and that
body, in 1790, made him the successor of Governor
Livingston ; at the end of his term he was re-elected
Governor. ' His administration of the affairs of the
State was a most happy and successful one. After
retiring from the gubernatorial chair he was for six
years engaged in codifying all the statutes of Great
Britain which, prior to the Revolution, were in force
in the colony of New Jersey, as well as those of the
State Legislature up to that present time. In 1793,
President Washington nominated him an associate
justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, —
an office he held until his death. His volume of re-
vised laws is " acknowledged to be the most perfect
system of statute law produced in any State of the
Union. He also greatly improved the practice of the
Court of Chancery." While upon the Supreme bench
many important trials occurred, — among them those
of the persons implicated in the " Whisky Insurrec-
tion" of Western Pennsylvania and of Lyon for vio-
lation of the sedition law. (For his opinions as Su-
preme Court judge, see Dallas' and Cranch's Reports.)
" His last official act was to preside in the Circuit
Court of the United States at New York, in April,
' See sketch by Rev. TJr. Messier in Historical Magaxlne, 1879.
1806, on the trials of Ogden and Smith for violation
of the neutrality laws in aiding Miranda to revolu-
tionize some of the South American states. From
this time his health began visibly to decline, and he
withdrew from all active official duties. He was an
able statesman, an upright judge, and a disinterested
friend of his country." He was a Presbyterian, and
was trustee of Princeton College from 1787 to 1802.
He was twice married (first in 1779), and left a son
and daughter, children by his first wife. Governor
Throop, of Georgia, and Aaron Burr were both law
students of Judge Paterson at Raritan. He died in
New Brunswick, Sept. 9, 1806. "His name is per-
petuated by the thriving manufacturing city near the
falls of the Passaic"!
It was of Governor Paterson that Moses Guest —
New Brunswick's earliest poet — wrote (July 4, 1791),
on seeing the Governor in his barge, which was ele-
gantly decorated with laurel and flowers and rowed
by twelve men, dressed in white :
" On Raritan 's smooth-gliding stream we view —
"With pleasure view — the man whom we admire,
On this auspicious day with laurel crowned.
How gracefully the honored barge moves on I
See Neptune's sous, all clad in white,
Timing their oars to the melodious llutea ! . . .
Not Cleopatra's barge,
"When she, full-armed with each bewitching charm,
A tyrant bound in the sweet chains of love,
More elegant or pleasing could appear,
Nor did contain a jewel of such worth.
Not freighted with a proud, intriguing queen,
She nobly bears New Jersey's favorite son,
Our guardian chief, our friend, a Paterson I"
Justice is only fairly beginning to be awarded
Judge Paterson as a great jurist and statesman, the
truest portraiture of his character having been just
delivered (August, 1880) before the American Bar
Association by the leader of the New Jersey bar,
Hon. Cortlandt Parker.
Richard Stockton, who stood confessedly at the
head of the New Jersey bar during the first quarter
of the present century, was the son of Richard Stock-
ton, also an accomplished and eloquent lawyer, a
Supreme Court justice, and one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence. After having been
graduated at Princeton before he was seventeen years
old, Richard, Jr., commenced the study of law with
his uncle, Elisha Boudinot. He was admitted to the
bar as an attorney in 1784, when only about twenty
years of age, afterwards as a counselor, and in 1792
was made a sergeant-Ut-law, along with Richard
Howell, Samuel Leake, Frederick Frelinghuysen,
Aaron Ogden, and Joseph Reed. He took up his
residence on the paternal estate at Princeton, in Som-
erset County, where he resided during life. In 1796
he was chosen to a vacancy in the United States Sen-
ate, and was a member of that body until 1799. He
was again elected to Congress in 1813. But, being a
decided Federalist, and that party being in the mi-
t Elmer's " Reminiscences of Now Jersey," etc.
THE BENCH AND BAR OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
581
nority in this State after 1800, be shared their fate in
being excluded from official position, lie was one of
tin- trustees of l'rinccton College from 17'Jl. The
honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by
Itutgers and I'nion Colleges. Mr. Stockton was a
in: f the mo.-t 1 1 1 1 [ . < > - i 1 1 u- per-i mal : i [>[..: 1 1 : 1 1 1 .• ■: i ] t < 1
captivating address. Among the junior members of
the liar he was generally spoken of as" the old duke."
An examination of the Supreme Court report- will
show that from the time they commence until his
death no lawyer — except, perhaps, Mr. Leake — was
more generally employed. His manner of speaking
was usually dignified and nnimpaseioned, but he was
Capable of splendid declamation and the most crush-
ing sarcasm and -corn ; and when provoked he some-
time- indulged in them. During his time he was
almost the only lawyer of tin- State wdio argued causes
before the Supreme' Court at Washington, and these
were eases not originating in New. Jersey. When Mr.
Webster took occasion to speak of lawyers of eminent
talents, in answer to a fling of Mr. Binney, in his
argument of the Girard will case, he enumerated
among them Mr, Stockton. But he is no exception
to the remark of Mr, Duponceau, — that "lawyers
leave nothing behind but the echo of a name;" then-
arc- few remains of his learning or his eloquence.
The argument in favor of the New Jersey claims to
the waters of the Hudson is the only document in
prim from his pen. Of his eloquent addresses to
juries, which were ol'tci shh-rcd almost une.|iialcd,
there are no reports.
"Once, at the bar of the Supreme Court," says
Judge Elmer, "I heard him address Chief Justice
Kirkpatriek in language and with a manner no one
else at the bar would have dared to imitate, lb-
did not like the chief justice very much, partly be-
cause he regarded him as a deserter from the Federal
party, — an offense not easy for him to forgive. When,
in the ca-c of Gibbons r.i, Ogden, the chief justice
read his opinion, in which he stated thai he though!
the law was with the defendant, but concluded by
saying, ' Yet, from a real diffidence in my own judg-
ment upon this question, especially when sel in oppo-
sition to that of the chancellor, and from a full per-
suasion that it will be better tor both partic- to lei the
judgment be entered for the plaintiff hen- and the
ease he carried up by appeal, ... I have thought it
best, upon the whole, to say the demurrer to the plain-
t ill's declaration must he oNcrruhd,' Mr. Stockton
immediately arose and asked the court, with an air
not a little -area-tic, win tier, a- it appeared a major-
ity of that court was in favor of hi- client, he should
enter the judgment in accordance with that Opinion
or in accordance with the opinion of the judge of
another court. To this the chief justice of course
replied that he had stated very plainly what judgmenl
was to be entered."
* "Tho Constitution and uoYimimout of Now Jonioy," Elmei. pp 1 '.
Since his death, in 1828, no other member of the
bar has quite held the position that did Richard
Stockton. The late Commodore Robert F. Stockton
was his son.
I'll EB D. VBOOM was born in Hillsborough town-
ship, Somerset Co., near the junction of the two main
branches of the Raritan River, Dec. 12, 1791. The
old house, his birthplace, is still standing. He was
the son of Col. Peter D. Vroom, of Somerville, who
served throughout the Revolutionary struggle, and at
it- close held the rank of a lieutenant-colonel ; he also
held various county offices, and was a member of the
State Assembly and Council. He lived to see his
son Governor of the State, and died, full of years and
honor, in 1831. His son, Peter D., first attended
school at the " ( )hl lied School-house;" after leaving
the Somerville academy he became a student of Co-
lumbia College, graduating therefrom in 1808. He
read law with George McDonald, of Somerville; was
licensed as attorney in 1813, as counselor in 1816, and
was a sergeant in 1828.t He commenced the practice
of law at School, \ '- Mountain, N. J., continued it at
Hackettstown, and two years later moved his office to
Kleinington, but in lsi'.i he established himself at
Somerville, which was his residence for more than
twenty years. He occupied for years the house built
by George McDonald, opposite the hotel of Mr. F litis.
He married a daughter of Peter B. Dumont,+ May 21.
1817.
He was a member of Assembly from Somerset
County lS2ti-2!>, and the latter year was elected Gov-
ernor, which office he held by successive re-elections
excepting in 1S32, when he was defeated by Mr.
Southard) until 183G, when impaired health caused
him to decline rcnomination. He was also tx-offido
chancellor of the State- of New Jersey. He then re-
sumed his legal practice in Somerville. -In ls:',S he
was elected to Congress, but railed to receive the
Governor's commission. Then ensued a long and
bitter contest, known as the "Broad Seal War."
which ended in his installment. After his congres-
sional term he made Trenton his home, and Nov. i.
)S|o. married Maria Matilda, a daughter of Gen.
Wall, his first wife being deceased. In 1S44 he was
a member of the State- Constitutional Convention
from Somerset County,— although not a resident of
the county, — and labored conspicuously throughout
the work of revision. In 1848, associated with Wil-
liam L. Dayton, Stacj G. Potts, and Henry W.
i .i-eeri. he labored to bring the Btatutes into conform-
ity with the new constitution. Be was subsequently
nominated! but declined the chj f justa eehii but
in 1858 accepted the mission to the court of Prussia,
residing at Berlin until 1867. He was a Presidential
elector upon the Democratic ticket in I860, 1864, and
lSliS, and to the clo-e of hi- life was an anient and
active parti-an of that party. Bis religious faith was
t Appondli t" Sinaii'* " BuIm of thi Soprani Court of N. J.," IMS.
♦ Her sMit wmt tho « Ifo of Frederick FrcUngltuywD.
582
SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
that of the Dutch Reformed Church, in which he
was an elder, and of which he was a member over
fifty years ; he was also interested in and an officer of
the American Colonization and Bible Societies. The
degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the Col-
lege of New Jersey in 1850. " Possessing a vigorous
constitution and iron frame, he continued to prosecute
his profession with undiminished powers till within a
very short period of his death, which occurred Nov.