on the farm owned by Judge J. C. Carretson, but
after the tavern was established on the " Ureal Road"
ii became the centre uol only for the family, but for
almost everything else. Many are the anecdotes told
of the Tunisons while in possession. In 1707 the
homestead was owned by Abraham Tunison, who

sold to John Wbitenach in that year. The old house

was then standing, and was said by old people to be
nearly a hundred years old. It was built entirely of
oak, and stood on the second bank of the river, about

LOO yards directlj south of the house of John c. (iar-

retBOn. The old well -till remains; the house was
taken down and the timber used in the residence now
occupied bj Mr. Garretson. An old family burying-
ground is on the place, on the bank of Peter's Brook,

where many others beside the family were also buried.
The road from the old house nin northeasterly to
1'eter's Brook, and along the brook south of the old



burial-place to the "Great Road" by the ancient log
jail.

The Cornelius Tunison who kept the old tavern

owned a Large trael of land both north and south ol

ii>< Great Road. He married Jane Brower, who was
a descendant of Adam Brower, the emigrant, v> ho set-
tled on a farm near the Trinity Church property in

Xew York, and whose son married Aniieij.. the
daughter of William Brower, who was a son of the
Rev. Everardus Bogardus and Annetje Jans, the an-
cestors of the many claimants of the Trinity Church

property. Cornelius and Jane Tunison had two sons
— Garret and Cornelius — and one daughter, — Arietta
or Arretje. They were both buried in the family
burial-place.

Dr. Garrett Tunison was born in what is now Som-
erville in 1751, studied medicine, and was surgeon in
Col. Lamb's regiment in the Continental army until
the close of the war. There was granted to him for
his services fiouo acres of land in Virginia and 2000 in
New York. He married Sarah Ten Eyck. Dr. Tu-
nison died in 1*37, aged eighty-six, and was buried
in the Soiuerville cemetery. His brother Cornelius
married Eliza White. They had one son — Garret —
and a daughter, — Agnes. Arietta, the Bister of Dr.

Tunison, married John Bcekniau, and had three SOUS,
— Abraham, John, and Garret,— who all removed to
New York and became wealthy. After the death of
John Beekman his widow married Richard < iompton ;

she was known later in life as " Aunt Yauncv." She
was buried by the side of her first husband.

There was a Cornelius Tunison who died in 1775
and left four sons, — Philip, Abraham. Cornelius, and
Folkert. The Abraham who sold to Mr. Whitenaeh
moved up to Burnt Mills. His son, Philip A., was
the father of George V. Tunison, of Soiuerville.

Abraham, bis father, died the year the property was

Sold, and was buried in the old family burial-place.

Folkert died iii 17-:'. and left a -on. Derrick. The

Abraham who died in 1707 had a son, — Philip T. EL

Tunison. whose son, Philip, was a cabinet-m.iker,
having learned hi- trade at Bound Brook. He lived

at Soiuerville. where he opened a cahinet - hop on the

Great Road, where Mechanic Street nowis. lie died

in L818, and 18 buried in the old family burying-

ground. A sou James is living in the house his

father built for a cabinet-hop. Several of the family
moved to Seneca Co., N. X"., where they and their

descendants still reside. Dennis moved up to the
northern part of the tract before 1 77''.
The second quarter in the Graham A; Co. division

was mad.' to John White Boon after the purchase, in

L688, Oct 11. L689, John White and Elizabeth, his

wife, conveyed by deed this quarter to Cornelius Tu-
nison. who retained it until March l. 1709, when he
and hi- wile. Neeltje. conveyed the same laud to Peter
\ 'an \. -t. The precise time the plot was conveyed is
not known, but Cornelius Bogerl was in possession of

pari of it at least in 17"c_>, for on January 26th ot that



656



SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.



year lie conveyed, by deed, the parsonage lot to the
Consistory of the Dutch Church, and on May 16, 1768,
conveyed 114 acres of land adjoining it on the north
and south to the Rev. Jacob R. Hardenburgh. This
plot extended from the east line of the parsonage lot
west to the Wallace or Miller farm, and from the river
back to a line with the Raritan lots. Cornelius Bogert
was a son of Gysbert Bogert. He owned a tract of
land in Brooklyn before lie settled on the Raritan.
He lived here as late as 1764.

The surveys of the Coejeman property in 1736 and
later, in 1809, show that the north line of the river
lots on the west side commenced at the point where
the street in Raritan village that runs north to the
North Branch road joins that road, and from thence
the line runs east nearly parallel with the river, bear-
ing northerly after it passes Middle Brook, and touch-
ing Green Brook at the junction of Green and Bound
Brooks.

The third quarter in the division of the large tract
that was assigned to James Graham was conveyed to
Peter Van Nest, Oct. 26, 1693, who sold the property
to Derrick Middagh * May 1, 1709. At his death it
came into possession of his son Cornelius, who sold
a part of it to George Middagh, Jan. 4, 1734. On
this place George Middagh kept a tavern, where Mrs.
F. F. Cornell now lives, and from 1750 to 1756 the
town-meetings were held at his house, and from 1756
-64 at Cornelius Bogert's. He sold the tavern-prop-
erty to John Arrison in 1765, and meetings were held
there until 1769, when they were moved to Cornelius
Tunison's, now Fritts' Hotel. His place is one of
those mentioned in the relaying of the old Great
Road, in 1764, and Cornelius lived north of him in
the house afterwards owned by John Frelinghuysen
and known as the Frelinghuysen homestead. Mr.
Frelinghuysen purchased of Henry Traphagen.

May 17, 1765, George Middagh sold a part of it to
Rev. Jacob R. Hardenburgh. He retained the prop-
erty for twenty years, and on Dec. 7, 1775, sold to
John Wallace, a merchant of Philadelphia. At his
death, soon after, it fell to William Wallace, his son,
who in 1778 built what is known as the " Washington
House." Nov. 4, 1801, Dickenson Miller purchased
the farm of Joshua M. Wallace, one of the executors
of the estate of William Wallace. The property de-
scended to Caleb, David, and Andrew Miller. David
sold 64 acres to John M. Mann, March 28, 1833, where
Mr. Parmelee now resides. The farm included the
north part of the village within the limits of the tract
east and west. An, oak-tree still standing on the origi-
nal quarter of this large tract, near the house now oc-
cupied by W. S. Parmelee, which is known as the John
M. Mann house, was one of the stations marked in the



* Derrick Middagh was here In 1699. Ho married Katalyntjo Van
Nest. They had children,— -I'iotor, Derrick, Theunis, Joris, Garret, and
Cornelias. Tho name of Joris occurs quite frequently in the rocords of
surveyors of highways from 1733, and tho name of Derrick occurs for tho
liut time in 1798.



laying out of what is known as the Lawrence, or quin-
tipartate, line. It was then (1743) a tree of consider-
able size. By the relentless hand of time it has been
shorn of all its large branches but one. It is a monu-
ment that ought to be guarded with care.

A part of this tract was conveyed to the family of
Van Arsdalen. Cornelius and Abraham were both
living here as early as 1749. Later, Henry Van Ars-
dalen, a descendant, owned it, and conveyed it to
Richard Duyckinck, who sold to the Rev. F. F. Cor-
nell, by whose widow it is now owned. The Freling-
huysen homestead was a part of the Van Arsdalen
property.

The fourth and last quarter of this large tract was
assigned to Samuel Winder. The time this land was
conveyed is not known, nor to whom, with any cer-
tainty. In 1703, Andrew Coejeman purchased a large
tract known as Roycefield, south of the river. In
1736 the property owned by Samuel Winder was in
his possession, as by survey of 1736, spoken of as a
tract of 442 J acres. In the relaying of the old Great
Road, in 1764, the property is mentioned as belong-
ing to " S. Staats Coejeman." It had passed before
1800 to a grandson, Andrew, who died very shortly
after. George Farmer, Col. John Neilson, and Jane
Coejeman were trustees of the estate, and it was sold in
1804 to John S. Vredenburgh and Gen. John Freling-
huysen, the former being assigned the old house and
the west part of the tract in the division. The west line
is known as First Avenue, and along the road up to
the North Branch road, the junction of which was the
northern limit. Mr. Frelinghuysen purchased, April
14, 1800, of Andrew and Jane, his wife, 104 acres on
the east part. Other portions of the remainder were
taken by him when it was sold by the trustees. The
old house and the portion of the farm that belonged to
the Rev. J. S. Vredenburgh were sold by him to John
I. Gaston, who conveyed it by deed to Albert Cam-
man, May 16, 1837, and soon after the organization
of the Somerville Water-Power Company it passed
to them, later to the Raritan Water-Power Company.
It is now owned by Mrs. John T. Bartlett. The Fre-
linghuysen house is still standing, but is on land of
the James Graham quarter that came from Cornelius
Middagh to Henry Traphagen and to Mr. Freling-
huysen. The east portion of the village of Raritan is
on the old Coejeman farm.

Samuel Winder, to whom was assigned this other
quarter of the tract, was one of the council chosen
by Lord Neill Campbell in 1686 on assuming the gov-
ernment of East Jersey. He married Margaret, the
daughter of Thomas Rudyard, one of the twenty-
four proprietors. It does not appear that they ever
lived in the township.

Andrew Coejeman, son of Barent Pieterse Coeje-
man, emigrated from Utrecht, Holland, in 1636, and
settled at Rensselaerswyck. Andreas had five chil-
dren, of whom Andrew was the eldest. The date of
the purchase of this tract is not known, but, as he



BRIDGE WATER.



657



purchased a large tract across the river, known as
Roycefield, in 1703, it is probable he purchased the
Winder tract soon after. A large brick house standing
on the banks of the Raritan bears in a stone in its
foundation the figures "1730." The house is one
and a half stories high, and contains four large rooms
and a hall. A survey of the Coejeman farm in this
year shows tin- position of the house.

Andrew Coejeman married a daughter of Dr. Samuel
Staats, of Albany, and had lour daughters and a son,

Sa el Staats Coejeman, who died before 17.12, as in

a deed of property adjoining mention is made of
" lands of Andrew Coejman, deceased." The daugh-
ter Catharine married Col. John Neilson, and resided
in New Brunswick. Gertrude married Abraham Lott,
May '•', 1750. He was a dry-goods merchant in the
city of New York, and was appointed State treasurer
in 17137. Joanna married Col. White, and had three
children, — Gen. Anthony W. White, Mrs. Governor
Paterson, and Mrs. Bayard. Moyaca, the youngest
daughter, remained unmarried.

S. Staats Coejeman married Annctje Schuyler,
and had two children, — Gertrude and Andrew. The
former married George Farmer, the latter married
.lane Van Doren. The property nil the Raritan fell
to S. Staats ( 'oejeiuan. His son Andrew inherited it,
and in ISOl'l lie sold a part of it to John Frcling-
huysen ; in 1KO-1 the west part was sold to the Rev.
John S. Vredenburgh by John Neilson, George
Farmer, and Jane Coejeman. With this transfer the
ua in became extinct in the township after nearly a
hundred J ears of occupancy.

< b in. John Frelinghuysen, a son of Gen. Frederick,
married, for his tirst wife, Louisa, a daughter of
Archibald Mercer; for his second, Elizabeth, daughter
of Michael Van Veghten. Frederick J. and Theo-
dore, th.ir sons, live on the North Branch road, north
of Raritan.

Lands North of the RarUom Lotts." — The land
titles and early settlements thai have been given thus

far in the second Indian title pertain entirely to the
"Raritan River Lotts." The lots in the rear were
purchased at about the dates given. The remainder
of this laud was triangular in form, having the river
lots For a base and running to a point following the
line of the mountains. The lot on the ea-1 " at Kir-t
Mountain" contained LOO acres. It was surveyed to

the heirs of li. I,. Hooper, ( let. 17, 1711, having been
purchased by Mr. Hooper some time previous. The
second lot contained 1:2.1 acres, and lay wc-t of the

one mentioned. It was purchased by R. I.. Hooper,
Ma\ 16, 1726. A tier of three lots adjoined the river
lots. The east one was directly north of the John
White tract, and contained IP.'; acre-: it was sur-
veyed to Alexander McDowell, Sept 16,1728. The

n. '\l one wesl Was surveyed to James Hooper. Oct. 18,

1710; it contained 200 acres. The third in this tier

was situated north of the James Graham A Ob. tract,

and contained .ion acres; it was surveyed to Samuel



Winder. Some in the north pari remained unappro-
priated in the early division. Later i' about 17".o.
Michael Van Veghten purchased a back lot, which
ran to tin- mountain, in the rear of his river lot.

The place afterwards known as "Washington
Valley" was most sought for by settlers away from
the river lots. Among the first was John Sebring,
who settled where Martinsville now is; his house was
the only one at that place until after the Revolution.
Johannes Sebring was the eldest son of Cornelis
Suebering, who was a member of the colonial Legis-
lature IV Kings Go.. N. V.. from lil'.ix to 1723. Jo-
hnnie- was born about 10X6, and lived in Kings
County until 1717. On April 16th in that year he
sold his interest in an undivided half of a lot of land
in Brookland [Brooklyn], described as "lying to ye
southwest of ye ferry house." It may now be known
as the foot of Fulton Street on the East River, Brook-
lyn. The precise time of his purchase in this town-
ship is not known. In 1750 two sons — John, Jr., and
Folkert — were elected overseers of highways. Abram
and Roelef Sebring were overseers of poor in 1700;
Robert was justice in 1770; John was judge in 1784.
Descendants of the. family are still living in the
neighborhood.

Of Enos Munday nothing is known except that he
had a tract of 300 acres and built a stone house which
remained many years. Before the Revolution he ex-
changed this tract with Daniel Waldron, who had
lived several years on the south side of the Raritan.
C. L. Waldron, a descendant, lives on the old home-
stead.

An early settler was one Colthar, father of Alex-
ander and John; he lived north of what is now Mar-
tinsville. Deniee Tunison was a son of some of the
Tunisons who settled on the river. As early as 1750
he was elected to a position in the town. What time
he came to the rear lots is not determined. He lived
north of Martinsville, where J. Long now lives. His
son Iieimi- lived on the homestead for a time and
moved West to the lands between ( 'ayuga and Seneca

Lakes. Jacob Brown lived farther up the valley at a

later date. The ComptOnS also were early settlers in
the valley; the old homestead was where K. McNab
now lives. Philip Wiuans was also an old settler.

His grandson Peter — till lives on the homestead below

.Martinsville. Absalom Martin, from whom Martins-
ville derives its name, owned properly at this place

and south of it before 1800. The old homestead was
on the mountain, Above Buttermilk Falls. He had

three son-, — Absalom, James, and Samuel. Absalom
and .lames moved to Martinsville. Absalom had one

son, Samuel K., who became a physician and prac-
ticed medicine in that locality. James owned the
land where the old fortifications were, now owned by

William Richardson. Samuel lived on the old home-
stead. Albert Bolmer was directly west of Martins-
ville as early as L766, — probably much earlier,
and Robert were sons. Mrs. Daniel Sanborn, of



658



SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.



Somerville, is a daughter of Robert. His descend-
ants still occupy the homestead.

The northern slope of First Mountain attracted the
attention of Germans, and to-day many families of
that sturdy race are busy at work and dotting the
hillsides with their habitations. The Powelsons lived
northwest from Martinsville, and the property de-
scended from father to son for many years. It is now
in the hands of strangers. In the northwestern part
of this Indian title, on the west side of First Moun-
tain, were settled some of the Van Arsdales, Van
Derveers, and Powelsons. Dockwatch Hollow was
about If miles below Martinsville. From what it
derived its name is not known. There was an old
mill, built by the Sebrings, about forty years ago.
It was on a stream that flows into Middle Brook.

THIRD INDIAN TRACT AND ITS SETTLEMENT.

This Indian tract is in form a parallelogram, ex-
tending the length of the second tract, previously
described. It is about four miles in depth, and its line
along the river reaches from the east line of the
second tract (along the North Branch road, that runs
through Raritan village), and runs westerly along the
river to a point a little beyond what is now the west-
erly end of the island in the river.* The following
is extracted from the Elizabeth bill of chancery :

" Pawark 'and Mauasamitt, Indians, by Deed bearing date the 19th
day of November, 1681, for the consideration therein mentioned, did
convey to Robert Vauquillen and his heirs a tract of land on the north
side of Raritan River, and beginning at the upper hounds of the last
deed aforesaid (Graham, Winder and Co.), and running up the river
westerly to the upper end of an island called Mattanibe, and including
the island, and running northerly to thojinountains, as by the said Deed."

The proprietors received their title in February,
1682, but sales were not made as rapidly as of the
river-lands, lower down. May 1, 1686, a tract of 660
acres was surveyed to John Robinson, he having pur-
chased of Vauquillen. This tract was long and nar-
row. It was located on the west side, and bordered
on the river. A large tract was purchased east of
this by James Graham & Co., west of that in the
second title. Samuel Winder purchased a tract of
500 acres north of the last mentioned, the line be-
tween the Indian patents running through the centre.
Still north was a plot of 400 acres, reaching west to
the river, surveyed to William Ackman. Adjoining
on the north, Archibald Riddle possessed 300 acres.
Campbell and Blackwood entered two tracts contain-
ing 7600 acres. One of these was located north of
the Samuel Winder lot; it ran north to the north
line of the second title, and occupied in width a little
more than half of the north part of the land covered
by the Indian title, the other was in the north part
of Branchburg. West of this were two lots ; the
southern, of 500 acres, adjoined Riddle's lot. It was
surveyed Feb. 17, 1692, to Sir John Dalrymple ; the
northern, containing 912 acres, to Ann West, Aug.

* The deed conveying this property is on record in Perth Amboy, Liber
I, folio 163.



14, 1693.1 The lands of Ackman, Riddle, Dalrym-
ple, and West reached to the North Branch, and oc-
cupied the entire north part of the fourth Indian
title east of the North Branch. A portion of the
land taken by Ann West is above Chambers' Brook,
at its mouth, and in Bedminster. The village of
North Branch is below, on the Campbell tract.

The lot purchased by Ann West fell into possession
of the Duchess of Gordon. Gouverneur Morris, as
agent, sold 600 acres, April 1, 1801, to John Van
Derveer. It was divided between him and Abram
Quick, and is still in possession of their descendants.
They both came from Ten-Mile Run in that year.
Part of the lands purchased were in the township of
Bedminster. John Van Derveer settled on the north
part, containing 410 acres, and Abram Quick on the
south part, of 230 acres, where he lived until his
death, at an advanced age. The homestead is now
in possession of Abram Van Nest ; the other part is
owned by Abram W. Ten Eyck. Mr. Quick was a
man of great energy, and served the public in various
offices, — justice of the peace, president of the New
Brunswick and Easton turnpike, and elder in the
Reformed Church of North Branch. His son Abram
now lives at Somerville.

Jacob Ten Eyck before 1752 (how long before is
not known) purchased land on the east side of North
Branch of one Quinton W. Cohnmart, on the Riddle
and Ackman tracts, also on the west side of the stream,
where his old homestead still remains. He died before
1760. He left four sons, — Abram, Matthew, Conrad,
and Peter. Aug. 25, 1763, Matthew, Conrad, and
Peter sold a small lot to Rynier Van Nest. In 1770,
Conrad sold a part to a Jacob Ten Eyck. A part of
this property is still in the hands of the family. The
western portion of the tract came down to the river,
and was purchased by John Robinson ; but little is
known of its early title. Whether he lived here or
not is an open question. Before the Revolution a
part of it was owned by Peregrine Lagrange, a lawyer.
He was an adherent of the Crown, and for his loyalty
suffered the confiscation and sale of his property.
This property was purchased at auction by William
Paterson, afterwards Governor of the State. He re-
sided at this place for several years, and after the
Revolution removed to New Brunswick. His daugh-
ter, afterwards wife of Gen. Stephen Van Rensse-
laer, was born at this place. Several young men
who afterwards arrived at distinction — among whom
were Aaron Burr, Gen. Morton, and John Young
Noell — here studied law with Governor Paterson. It
is also probable that Frederick Frelinghuysen, An-
drew Kirkpatrick, and George M. Troup, Governor of
Georgia, were of the number. The property passed
to Peter B. Low and Daniel Kinney. It now belongs

t Ann West was the wife of John West, merchant, and daughter of
Governor Thomas Rudyard. After the death of her husband she became
the wifo of Robert Wharton, and subsequently of Gov. Andrew Ham-
ilton.



BRIDGE WAT Kit.



659



to H. S. Long, who occupies the east half, and Alex-
ander II. Brokaw, who owns the west half, on which
tin- old house stood. East of this a farm was owned
by Judge Van Derveer in 1 s l.">. (larret ko-eiibo.iui
was in possession still farther east adjoining in 1704.
The place is mentioned in the relaying of the Great
Road that year. Next east, a pint owned by Rynear
Veghte before lSDO descended to his daughter, Mrs.
Jacob Van Doren; it was afterwards owned by John
I. Staats. Mrs. Voorheea owned a farm -till farther
east. Jacob Van Doren also owned I about lsoiij ;i
lot of land on the river in this tract. The east
farm in this tract, and adjoining the land of the
second Indian title, was owned forty years ago by
Femmetje Brokaw. The last two or three farms
mentioned were in the Graham & Co. lot, west of
their tract in the second title.

FOURTH INDIAN TITLE.

It will be seen by the description given that the
term "on both sides of the Raritan River" is used.
< >u the map accompanying the Elizabeth bill of chan-
cery the plot is laid out, and its south side is on the
Raritan River. It runs back on both sides of the
North Branch, which is early spoken of as the Raritan.
Its southwestern corner was at the junction of the
North and the South Branches. The deed conveying
this title (on record at Perth Amboy, Liber 1, fol.
loll recites:

"That Paw-ark, Coiwulaniii li, Mniiiiiiin.siiuit, iui<l \ nainapaiiiiiinl,
Indians, by dood bearing date. Ibe wild 19th day of Novombor, 1G81, for

tho consideration in goods therein inciiti 1, i>:iiil them by John Ki.h-

inaon, William PInhorn, Hi. bard .1 9, and Matthew Taylor, did soli to

tlio Lady Propriotrix of East New Jersey, widow of the said George Car-
teret, n tract of land on I ih -il. .1 l:. ii it an Kin-i, a.lj.iining the upper
bounds of tho two hist deeds nforcsaid, and running up the river to a
place Tuckaramohuckingc, and in depth four miles on both sides of the
said Raritan River,* as by the said Deod conveyed."

After the land under these Indian titles passed to
the proprietors and was laid out, sales wen- made of

the north pari, embraced in tin- third and fourth. t
William I'inhoru, mentioned as one who paid goods
In the Indian- lor Lady Carteret, had a Iraet of 5011

acres surveyed to him on March 3, 1697. This was

on the east side ul the land embraced in this title, and

extended south to the river and north in Ackman's

lot, mentioned in the third title, which extended

back of Tinhorn'- and wi-t to the North Branch.

Lord Neill Campbell purchased a tract of 1660 acres,