739



next south of the Methodist church, now occupied
by Bennchue Dunham. His father was born on the

place now owned by Lzra Dayton, one mile west of

Basking Bidge, His mother, Sfanc] Lewis, was horn

in the house where Dr. John I »aj ton now lives. < Ine
room of this house is the same as it was one hundred
and thirty years ago. There are three bricks in the
chimney bearing the following dates: 1750, the time
when the hoii-r was originally built; L865, when it
was first repaired; and 1870, when it underwent re-
pairs the last time.

Kolph Dayton, horn in Yorkshire, England, in
1588, immigrated to America in 1639, landii
Boston, where bis autograph appears June I, li;:i'.i.
lie had two sons, Samuel and Kohert, horn in Eng-
land. Kolph Dayton and family moved to I'.a-t

Hampton, I/. J., where, in 1649, he "was President
and < lonstable of the place." Robert Dayton, son of
Kolph, ancestor of the Daytons of this township,
died in 17JS, leaving several children, one of whom,
Samuel, was horn in 1C66, at East Eampton, I.. I.
One of his children was Jonathan, born in 1701, died
Oet. 4, 17 7i >. He moved and settled at Elizabethtown,
N. J., and had three wives, by whom he had ten
children. Robert, one of hi- -on-, 1 "in in 1742, died
May 81, 1814. He married Man Owen and had eight
children. His sons wexe John. Noah, Levi, Joel,
Amos, Bailey, and Jonathan. Joel was the father of
William II. Dayton. He married Nancy, daughter
of Edward Lewis, Esq. Joel Dayton died May ::,
L888, in the fifty-seventh year of his age, having four
children, — William L., Alfred D., Maria, and James
B. Dayton.

William Lewis Dayton wa- horn in 1*11, married
Margaret, daughter of Judge Van Derveer, ol'Somcr-
ville. He had five children, one of whom, William,
is living in Trenton. His Bon Ferdinand was a sur-
geon in the army during the Rebellion, and died soon
after the (dose of the war.

The old 1 h-tead where Joel Dayton was born is

still in the hand- of the Dayton family.

Rail) , son of Kohert Dayton, was the lather of John
Dayton, M.D., of Masking Kidge. He had brothers,
Kdward L., Samuel ( '. I. ..and -i-ter l'helie I... all
living except I'hehe I... wife of William Cooper.

Dr. John Dayton married Elizabeth, daughter of
Samuel s. Doty, M.D.

Ilcnr\ Southard was One Of the old and prominent
settlers. Hi- father came from Jamaica, L. I., and

settled at Basking Kidge. His son, Samuel L. South-
ard, was o) f the -t distinguished men of New

Jersey, Secretary of the Saw, Governor of the
State, justice of the Supiv Court, president of the

United Slate- Senate, and acting Viee-l'iv-idem of
the I'nitcd BtateS under Air. Tyler. He \va- horn at

Basking Kidge. Henry Southard, his father, was
twenty-one years in Congress. His only daughter

married Samuel S. Doty. M.D.. father of the present
Dr. .lame- Doty, of Basking Kidge. Daniel Doty



was born in Xew Jersey and served in the Revolution.
He wa- the father of Samuel S. Doty, M.D., one of
the ha, ling physicians of the State, who practiced
medicine at Basking Ridge nearly forty years.

In addition to physicians who have already been
mentioned was Dr. Israel L. Coriell, who pi
herein the early part of the century, who moved to
Kingwood, Hunterdon Co., about the year 1 s24, and
tin re met a -iidden death, in 1S2U, by being thrown
from his -ulky.*

"CENTENNIAL 1:1.1 NIoN or THE SMITH FAMILY."

In the north part of the town, about one and a half
miles east of Peapack, Zachariah Smith was located
at a very early day. This property is now owned by
one of hi- lini J descendants, I'eter Z. Smith, ami
there was held (Sept. G, 1876) the famous "Smith
Picnic," :it which \s ere gathered the Smiths, not only

of this particular family, bin of a host of other-, de-
fendants of John Henry Smith and Christiana his
wife, their children-' -on- and daughters, with those
who had joined the great family by marriage. It is
estimated there were two thousand five hundred
Smiths present from various portion- of Hunterdon
and Somerset Counties, and including a large delega-
tion from Morri-town. By actual count there were
four hundred and eighty-three carriage loads who
participated on this festive occasion, the first of any
general reunion of the family. A business meeting
was there held of which Csaiah Smith was chairman
and Abraham Smith secretary. It was resolved to
hold an annual picnic in the same grove on the first
Wednesday in September of each year. Csaiah Smith
was chosen president, Abraham Smith, secretary and
treasurer, with the following executive committee:
Jacob 'A. Smith, Zachariah /. Smith, William '/..
Smith. Abraham Smith, Oscar Smith, Andrew Cole,
Andrew D. Peterson, I'eter S. Tiger, Jacob S. Garra-
brant, Henry Garrabrant, John Savidge, all of Pea-
pack, .lame- \. t In i and George Hedden, of

.Morri-town; Ziba s. Smith and Daniel J. Cole, of

Mcndham; Jacob D.Smith ami William 1'. Smith,

of Karitan ; Isaiah Smith, of Milburn; John s.
Smith, Iowa; Isaiah ('.Mullen, Bedminster; I'eter
Smith, Round Valley; Charles Quimby, Bernards-
ville; Cornelius J. Garrabrant, Plemington; Cor-
nelius P. Garrabrant, Brookside; Covert Smith and
Oliver 0. Smith, of Seneca Co., N. Y.

The business meeting then adjourned and dinner

was partaken of. Then followed addresses b;

( 'baric- W lrutf and other-, with singing by the

glee-club and mii-ic by the baud, the remainder of
the day being given to a plea-ant reunion of families
and friend-. A registry-hook, in which the Smiths

present registered their names 'and their descendants

and eoi ctions by marriage . contained nine hun-
dred nam.-.



• W«»(«rrf..x OWr QaaUf, Aug. 12, 1829.



740



SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.



CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

Of the early civil affairs of this township we find
absolutely no record, not even the date of its organi-
zation. The digest of the laws of New Jersey, which
usually contains the acts for the erection of townships
and the description of their boundaries, contains
nothing relating to this township. We have ex-
amined the historical collections, the State " Gazet-
teer," consulted other works and interrogated the best
informed men on the subject with like results. The
records of the township itself are lacking for nearly
a hundred years of its corporate existence, having
been destroyed by fire at Basking Ridge in 1850.
The most that we can do under the circumstances is
to give a probable or proximate date for the organi-
zation of the township and the beginning of its civil
or municipal history.

The township was unquestionably named after Gov-
ernor Francis Bernard, who superseded President
Reading on the 13th of June, 1758, and continued
bis administration until the 4th of July, 1760. The
name would not be likely to be given before he was
Governor. The nearest date we have to this, in which
" Bernardstown" is mentioned, is 1763. It is the
trustees' record of the Presbyterian Church of Bask-
ing Ridge, entitled " The Book of the Congregation
of Bernardstown, A.D., 1763-1815." This seems to
settle the point that the township organization dates
somewhere between 1758 and 1763, probably about
1760, at the close of Governor Bernard's administra-
tion. We can only add to this brief statement of
probabilities the civil list for the time during which
the records have been preserved.

TOWN OLEKKS.

1851, William R. Wilson; 1852-53, John S. Quimby; 1854-55, James W.
Arrowsmith; 1856-57, Benjamin Smith ; 1858-59, James W. Arrow-
smith ; I860, Ira B. Pruclen; 1861, John W. B. Lewis; 1862, William
A. Wilson ; 1863, William Van Doren ; 1864-65, Joseph S. Clark ;
1860-78, William B. Cooper; 1879-80, P. F. Randolph.

ASSESSORS.

1851-63, Israel Rickey; 1854-55, John H. Anderson; 1866-57, David L.
Lewis ; 1868-59, Samuel Lewis ; 1860-01, Peter Z. Smith ; 1862-63,
Ferdinand Van Doren ; 1864-65, Peter Z. Smith ; 1866, A. V. P. Sut-
phen; 1807-73, William A. McMurtry; 1874, Freeman Stelle; 1875-
78, William A. McMurtry; 1879-80, S. W. T. Meeker.

COLLECTORS.
1851, Alvah Lewis; 1852, John H. Anderson; 1853, Alvah Lewis; 1854,
Francis Runyan ; 1855-50, Oliver E. Stelle; 1857-58, Samuel Hall;
1859-60, "William A.McMurtry; 1801-02, James H. Thompson ; 1803,
Jacob K. Lewis; 1864-00, Ira B. Pruden; 1807-68, Thomas Terrell;
1869-70, William Van Doren ; 1871-72, Joseph S. Clark ; 1873, David
h. Lewis ; 1874, Oscar McMurtry; 1876-77, George L. Rickey ; 1878,
Nicholas Bowers; 1879, Calvin D. Smith; 1880, Ira B. Pruden.

CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.

1851-62, William Annin, Joseph Do Coster; 1853, Joseph Do Coster; 1854
-50, Peter Z. Smith ; 1856 -58, Jamâ„¢ King; 1858-00, Henry Baird;
1800-62, David Q. Schomp ; 1 802-64, Joseph Do Coster ; 1864-60, David
G. Schomp; 1806, David L. Lewis; 1807-69, Samuel Lewis; 1869-71,

Thomas Terrell; 1871-73, Aaron Dilley; 1873, Charles S. Qui y;

1874-76, Jacob 8. Ganabnint; 1876-77, Onarlea S. Quimby; 1877
-79, Freeman Stelle; 1879-80, William B. McMurtry.



COMMISSIONERS OF APPEALS.
1851, John S. Quimby, Oliver R. Stelle, James W. Arrowsmith ; 1852,
David L. Lewis, Oliver R. Stelle, James W. Arrowsmith ; 1853, David
L. Lewis, David Morris, Oliver R. Stelle; 1854, David Morris,
Henry Baird, Pierson S. Colyer ; 1855-57, Richard Coriell, Andrew
Cole, John McBride; 1857-59, David S.Dunham, Israel Compton,
James McMurtry ; 1859, John S. Quimby, Jacob Cole, George F. Sco-
field; 1860, Jacob Cole, George F. Scofleld, Oliver Dunster; 1861, Jo-
siah Layton, Thomas Lewis, Oliver Dunster; 1862, Josiah Layton,
Thomas Lewis, Oliver Woodward ; 1863, Oliver Woodward, Josiah
Layton, Oliver R. Stelle ; 1864, John M. Holmes, Oliver Woodward,
Oliver R. Stelle ; 1865, Jacob Cole, William Child, William Rush ; 1866
-67, Joseph J. Stergis, John 0. Rush, Henry Apgar; 1868, Joseph S.
Clark, Amadee Sanders, David G. Schomp ; 1S69-71, Joseph S. Clark,
Oliver Dunster, David G. Schomp ; 1871, Oliver Dunster, James H. Day,
Calvin H. Dunham ; 1872, John Guerin, John 0. Rush, James H.
Day ; 1873, John Guerin, James H. Day, Theodore Baird ; 1874, James
H. Day, William Child, Oliver Dunster; 1875-77, Josiah Layton,
Theodore Baird, Seneca White ; 1877, Seneca White. William Child,
Theodore Baird ; 1878, F. H. Flagg, Henry H. Apgar, Richard Irving ;
1879, Henry H. Apgar, Richard Irving, James H. Day; 1880, Henry
H Apgar, Richard Irving, Aaron Dilley.

TOWN COMMITTEES.
1851, Jonathan Ayers, David Morris, Abraham B. McCollum, Frederick
Childs, Daniel Whitenack ; 1S52-53, John Guerin, David Dunham,
William Ballentyne; 1854, John Guerin, Samuel Lewis, Thomas
Richards ; 1854-56, William Balleutine, Isaac S. Runyon, Freeman
Pennington ; 1857, Joseph De Coster, Oliver R. Stelle, David Morris;
1858. William Ballentine, David Morris, Waters B. Alward; 1859,
William Ballentine, Waters B. Alward, Oliver Dunster ; 1860, Waters
B. Alward, John S. Quimby, Isaac Compton; 1861, Isaac Compton,
John S. Quimby, Freeman Stelle ; 1802, John S. Quimby, Freeman
Stelle, James P. Goltra; 1863, Amadee Sanders, Freeman Stelle,
James P. Goltra; 1S64, Amadee Sanders, Joseph De Coster, James P.
Goltra; 1865, Amadee Sanders, John Guerin, Oliver R. Stelle ; 1866,
John Guerin, Oliver R. Stelle, Josiah Layton ; 1867-68, John Guerin,
Josiah Layton, Charles K. Colliding; 1869-70, Charles N. Conkling,
John O. Rush, William B. McMurtry; 1871, John 0. Rush, William
B. McMurtry, John Compton; 1872-76, John Compton, John R.
Lewis, Jacob Van Arsdale; 1877-78, John Compton, John R. Lewis,
Jerome E. Helderbrant, Edward Haight, William Van Doren ; 1879-
80, John Compton, William Child, William Van Doren.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1851.— Nathaniel Compton, Hezekiah Norris.

1854.— Peter Irvine, John S. Quimby, Benjamin Smith.

1855.— John S. Quimby, Nathaniel Compton, Benjamin Smith.

1859.— Peter Irvine.

I860.— Nathaniel Compton, Ira B. Pruden, John S. Quimby.

1861.— Ira B. Pruden.

1862.— Jacob Cole, William A. Wilson.

1863.— Waters B. Alward, Richard Irvine.

1804.— Nathaniel Compton, James H. Thompson, Calvin H. Dunham.

1870.— Nathaniel Compton, James H. Thompson, Calvin H. Dunham,

Roderick Mitchell.
1872— Roderick Mitchell.
1873.— Horace Woodruff.

1875.— James II. Thompson, Nathaniel Compton, Calvin H. Dunham.
1876.— David S. Dunn.
1878.— James Doty, Horace Woodruff.
1879— Charles N. Conkling.
1880.— Dr. H. G. Whitnall, P. F. Randolph, Calvin H. Dunham.

SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
1851, Walters B. Alward ; 1852, James T. English; 1853, William R. Wil-
son; 1864-66, Rev. John C. Rankin, D.D.

PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST.
The Stirling Place.— William Alexander, fa-
miliarly known as Lord Stirling, lived in baronial
state before the Revolution on the "Stirling farm,"
so called, about two miles southeast of Basking Ridge.
The place is now owned by Mr. Barcalow, and is




JAMES P. GOLTRA.



James Pharos Goltra, son of Thomas Goltra, was
born in Bergen, N. J., Nov. 17, 1792. His father was
also a nativo of Bergen, where his ancestors from Hol-
land settled at an early time. He was born July 0,
1704. Ho married, Dec. 19, 1788, Elizabeth Kells, born
Sept. 30, 1768, by whom he had the subject of this
record and four daughters, — viz., Lany A., burn Jan. 2,
1790, married George King (deceased); Susan, born
Aug. 19, 1791, married Robert Albright, and lives in
Ifadison, Morris Co. ; Mary, born Aug. 28, 1797, mar-
ried John Case (deceased) ; Cornelia, born Aug. 7,
1802, married first Eliiis Sturgis, and afterward- Wil-
liam Colliding; she is still living, and resides in Ohio.

James P. Goltra camo to Bernard township when
quite young with his parents, who purchased the Goltra
place on Dead River now occupied by J. Happa. His
father was a carpenter and builder, and brought Up his son

to that occupation, who followed it as his chief business
till towards tho close of his life, building extensively

and erecting many churches in Bernard and adjoining
townships. He also engaged successfully in farming
and mercantile pursuits, having kepi a store eight
years at Liberty Corners. Besides being many years a
justice of the peace and a judge of the ('.ant of Com-
mon Pleas, he took a prominent and active part in the
affairs of his township, especially in raising recruits
during tho civil war, and acting on tho town committee
with tho late Judge Anderson. The duties of these
men wero arduous and responsible, and were faithfully
and conscientiously discharged, reflecting credit alike
upon their integrity and ability. Mr. Goltra, us a busi-
ness and a public man, as a citizen and neighbor, in

short, in all the walks of life, was highly respeoted,



and has left a reputation enshrined in the memory and
esteem of his fellow-citizens.

On the 20th of June, 1810, Mr. Goltra married for
his first wife Fanny Beach, by whom he had two chil-
dren, — Ebenezer B. and Susan F. ; both are living and
have families. After her death he married Fanny C.
Cross, laughter of Robert and Elizabeth Cross. She is
the great-granddaughter of Rev. John Cross, first pastor
of tho Presbyterian Church of Basking Ridge, who set-
tled on the place where Mrs. Goltra now lives in 1732,
and held religious services in his barn before the meet-
ing house was built at the Ridge. Robert and Elizabeth
Cross reared a family of two children, — viz., Mrs. James
P. Goltra and Mahlon Cross, who died in August, 1878,
leaving a son and daughter still living. Joseph, tho
other son, died in March, 1872.

Tho children of James P. and Fanny ('. Goltra wero
Caroline K., born July 9, 1823, married Dennis Van
Liew, and lives at Liberty Corners j Robert Cross Goltra,
born Aug. 24, 1820, married Mary K. Lewis, who sur-
vive- him (he died May 12, 1809, leaving four chil-
dren); Mary M., born Feb. 7, 1832, married Putney O.
Bclding, has one child, now living at Basking Ridge;
Thomas Goltra, born Feb. .">. 1 "-'.I, married Elsie Smalloy
Frost, and has a family of three children, — to wit, John
(>. P., Hattie Adelaide, and Willie J. Goltra; Emma
Jane Goltra, born July 18, 1838, married William W.
Sutton, of Hunterdon County, and has three children.

James P. Goltra died Jan. 22, ls7l, in tho seventy-
ninth year of bis ago.

Bis son, Thomas Goltra, is his successor on the home-
stead estate. He devotes himself to the pursuit of agri-
culture, and is an enterprising and successful farmer.



I!KK.\AKI>.



741



one of the historic places of this portion of New Jer-
sey. Lord Stirling acquired his title to large estates
in this quarter prior to 1720, and built his manor-
house as a summer retreat about 17<il. He adopted
it afterwards as a permanent residence, and continued
to i m pro vi' liis est ale, lirjvilii'i' willi a mining and in m
interest in Morris County, till the Revolution called
him to the field. He became a zealous Whig, and as
a soldier under Washington rendered important ser-
vice to the cause of independence. He was not, how-
ever, to see the final triumph of the glorious cause to
which he had sacrificed health, property, and life
itself. Worn out by fatigue of body and mind, he
died on the loth of January, 17N:i, less than a week
before the solemn recognition by treaty of his coun-
try's independence. His private fortune was ex-
pended in the contest.

White's Tavern.— The house where Gen. ( Sharks
Lee was taken prisoner by Col. Harcourt's dragoons,
on the 11th of October, 1776, while on his way to
join the army under Washington, stands by the road-
side at the south end of the village of ({asking Ridge.
It was then called " While's tavern," being kept by
Mrs. White, a widow. The house is still standing,
though it has undergone considerable changes.

The Kihki'ATI'.hk .Mansion. — Another place of
historic interest is the old KJrkpatrick mansion, on
the homestead where Alexander Kirkpatrick and his
son David settled in 17 'M>. The solid, substantial
stone house which he built in 1766, with its thick,
firm walls laid in mortar almost as hard as the gray
sandstone itself, and with floors made of white
oak plank laid double, was but an exponent of the
solidity and Belf-reliauce of his character. With

proper care the house might be made to last live cen-
turies more. ( >u n stoni over the front d â–  (but now

concealed by a portico) are chiseled " I). M. K., L765,"

-meaning David and .Mary Kirkpatrick.

David Kirkpatrick, Esq., as he was remembered by

the old settlers, was a thorough-going Scotchman in

every respect, not excepting the broad accent of his

nationality. "Although he lived about two miles
from the church at Basking Ridge, he always pre-
ferred to walk while the rest of the family rode. It
is said of him, when a member of the New Jersey
Legislature, that although he would commence his
journey on horseback, he soon dismounted ami, lead-
ing his horse, walked the remainder of the way to
Trenton. He lived to enter his ninety-first year;
educated one son at the < 'ollegc of New Jersej ; knew
of at least six grandsons who were liberally educated;
and at his death lel'l a numerous posterity to bless his

memory."

THE Annin HorsK.— In I7i;ii the old "Stone
House" on the Annin estate was built by William
Annin, son of John, the lir-t pioneer. In L866, the
descendants of John Annin met in the venerable

mansion to celebrate the centennial of its election.
The meeting was on the L5thdaj of August, and there



gathered grandparents, parents and children, the

representatives of every period of life, from infancy
to old age, to the number of one hundred and twenty.
We give the following list of the kindred and de-
scendants oi John Annin present on the occasion :

William Annin, Eliza II. Annin, Gemini.- s. y, Annin, Jane Annin, Sarah
Annin, Snnili K. Annin, Mary 0. Annin, Willi., in Annin,
Edward Annin, Pbobe Ayers, Jnmcs Van D. Avers*, Fanny B. Ayr*.
Fanny Ayors, John Fred. Buyle, Lydiu Annin Boyle, Uarrk-t P.
Boyle, Sarah Annie Boyle, Edward P. Boyle, John Annin Boyle, Mary
P. Boyle, Helen H. Boyle, William F. Boyle, Nettle A r
menu* Oostnor, Fred K. Oastnar, Mary Annin Oastnar, Alfred 8. Cent-
ner, John L. Van Liow, Antolnotto Van Llew, Julia B. Van Liow,
Sarah K. Van [Jew, William B. Van Llew, Mary A. Van Llew, Mar-
tha A. Van Llew, William Annin Loeey, Harriet o. Looey, Samnel
Annin, Jesse bring, Charles Conklln, Emetine A. trying, Blram
Aycre, Eliza Neville Ayers, Jonnna Gaston Brown, Mary Brown,
Isaac Gnston, Ma Brown, William Sargean^ Daniel Annin. Abbey P.
Annin. Phebe M. Annin, Adeline C. Annin, Sarah Ross Beai
M. BIWen, Sarah It. iiliven, Charles Bllven, Abhy D. BliTen, Moses
Bayre, Elisabeth Dickinson Sayre, Alexander Annin, Susnn Annin,
Margarot Annin, Margaret Hlller Hon toss, Alex. Annin Norcroas,
Joeepb M. Notcross, Joseph Annin, Margaret Annin, John Annin,
S.imurl Annin, K.lli.i Morfnrd, (li-or^c* Morford, Alexnndor Annin,

Elizabeth Annin, Phebe Millar Johnson, Mary Emma John For-

.liiinml I' r .IfluiHi.n, Frederick Druer Earl, .Mary M. Annin, John

J. Annin. Edwin I.. Annin, Ferdinand J. Drear, Abigail Dl
Drear, Abigail Matilda Drear, Ferdinand J. Drear, Jr., Frederick
Alex. Drcer, Edwin Qreble Dreer, Bar. John 0. Bankln, D D., Mi..
Rankin, Boy. James T. English, Rosalia May Anderson, Charles T.
Anderson, William W. Anderson, John C. Sntphen, MIL, Fanny K.
Sutphen, Hugh M. Gaston, Mrs. Gaston, Miss Gaston, Isaac Gaston,
Francis Itiinyun, Clarissa 0. Bnnyon, w llllam A Oompton.James II.
Duy, Janios S. Day.

The walls of the old "Stone House," laid up with
massive blocks taken from a neighboring quarry, are as
sound and solid as when first placed there ill the
colonial days. It is a (plaint old building with pro-
jecting cave-, in win h have In d three ^iterations ::f

the Annin family. William Annin. great-grandson
of the emigrant ancestor, was host ,,t' the mansioD at

the tune of the ceiilenni il. 1 he initial- \\ \

and " II. S. M.," cut in the atone with the date " 1766,"
indicate the builder, William Annin, and Hugh Sun-
derland, mason.

A large black walnut-tree stand- on the mad front
l!a~kiiiL' Ridge to Morristown. It is a historic tree.
Under it near the roots is a spring, not at present used.
at which Washington and I. a Fayette lunched when

the arm] was ving from Morristown inwards Tren-
ton. The incident is not given in any history, but was
communicated by La Fayette himself to the late Dr.
Samuel S. Doty, who as major of militia escorted the

Marquis during his visit here in 1826. This walnut-
tree was struck by lightning on Sunday. June 28,

1880, which will probably destroy the old rdie of by-
gone days.

CHURCHES.

PRESBYTERIAN ('III K< II 01 BASKING BO

A ng the Boating statements as to the origin of

this church, that which assigns to it ihe greatest

• The following history of the Pnefaytartan Oboroh ..f H:u>vi

is condense! fiMin a lii.t.-n i: BY, John C. Rankin, i> P.,

pastor of the churoh sines l8M,doliTot»d Angus) 11,1873. The dlscourao
contains much otha Intonating nuttbvr, which ws hiTt glvon nndac
tlio hood of Early BttUOBtnt,



742



SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.



antiquity is in the New Jersey Historical Collections
(new edition, 1852, p. 442), and is in these words:

" Basking Ridge was early settled by Scotch Presbyterians, and a log
church erected about the year 1700."

The next is in a "History of the Presbyterian
Church of Madison, N. J.," drawn up some years ago
by the Rev. Mr. Tuttle, then the pastor of that people.
He says (pp. 10, 11), —

" The first church ever organized in what is now the county of Morris,
was the old Presbyterian Church in Whippany, which was formed about
1718. ... In Baskenridge, some Scotch Presbyterian families who had
settled there, were worshipping in a log meeting-house which they had
erected a year or two previously."

Dr. Rankin has been able to discover no data upon
which these statements can be substantiated, and
thinks, from evidence adduced further on in his dis-
course, that the origin of the church dates from about
1720-25. There could have been no church here be-
fore there were Christian inhabitants, and the earliest
definite account of the settlement places it at a.d.
1717, the 24th of June of that year being the date of
the Indian deed to Harrison. In 1720, Cornelius
Beers, of Staten Island, bought the land then occu-
pied by James Pitney, who was, without doubt, the
first settler in the township, and whose name appears
as one of the original trustees of the church. Henry
Rolfe was also living in the neighborhood the same
year, and one of his family, probably his son Samuel,
was another member of the original board of trustees.