are those connected with the Presbyterian, Baptist,
and Catholic churches, and the public ground incor-
porated as Prospect Hill Cemetery.
The Presbyterian burial-ground was established at
about the same time as was the church, and inter-
ments were there made prior to 1800. It is said that
Austin Gray Runyan was the first person there buried.
His inscription is as follows : —
"In
Memory of
AllTJIUR GllAY RUNYAN,
Sou Of Itill &
Nancy Runyan,
who departed this
life the 21st of July, 1794,
aged 2 years, 10 months,
& 20 days."
I [ere are the graves of many of the early settlers
of this neighborhood, as well as those of Gearhart,
Howe, and other Revolutionary heroes; but, unfor-
tunately, the slabs marking the resting-place of the
latter worthies, save alone that at the grave of John
Howe, arc without inscription of any kind, while
that of the last named is almost illegible. The fol-
lowing inscriptions are from some of the old tablets:
* Historical Discourse, Itev. G. S. Mott, pp. 0, 10.
" Sacred to the memory
of
Ruth, the wife of W m Bennet, | William Bennet, who departed this
who departed this life Mar. 29, life April 11, 1808, in the 05th
1798, iu the 55 tb year of his age. I year of his age.
those servants whom the Lord when he Cometh shall find
watching.— Lulce, xii. chapt., 37 lh Terse.
Iu life how peaceful moved this happy pair!
How blest in death, released from mortal care!
Te angels, o'er their dust your vigils keep :
Calm be their slumbers, undisturbed their sleep.
And ye who tread in solemn silence near,
Repress the sigh, restrain the swelling tear;
No more to wound shall earthly sorrows fly:
Eternal bliss awaits them in the sky."
The stone erected to the " memory of William
Maxwell, Esq., councillor-at-law. Acqualege, ne-
cessitas, sortitur, insignes et inios," contains neither
date of birth nor that of death.
In the Maxwell plot are also the graves of John W.
Maxwell, who died April 3, 1848, aged twenty-five
years and one month, and of Naomi, daughter of John
W. and Hannah Maxwell, who died June 10, 1848.
"Here lieth the remains of Joseph Hankinson, Jun r , son of Joseph &
Hannah Hankinson, who departed this life August 10", 1800, in the 22<»
year of his age."
In this churchyard also repose the bodies of Mary,
daughter of Rev. W. B. Sloan (died May 14, 1836),
and others of his family ; Neal Hart, who died in
1837, in his fifty-ninth year ; Nancy, wife of George
Johnson and daughter of John and Hannah Kuglar,
born in 1800, died in 1830; Martin Johnson, who
died Sept. 7, 1828, aged seventy-five years, and his
wife, Anna, who died much earlier, — Feb. 5, 1812 —
aged fifty-three years, four months, and seventeen
days.
" Here lieth the body of Eleanor Smith, wife of Jafpcr Smith, of Am-
well, Esq r , and daughter of Col. Ryerfon, of Reading-Town : who died
Nov 22, 1706, in the 26 Tear of her age.
" To preferve the memory and in honor of a virtuous and good wife
this stone was erected."
Three graves side by side, and three large hori-
zontal slabs of equal size, mark the place of interment
of Alexander, Joseph, and Catharine Bonnell. The
inscription on one is :
"The grave of
Joseph Bonnell, Esquire,
Counsellor-at-Law,
who died
Oct. 13"i, A.n. 1823,
aged 30 years.
" They who know him need no
monumental eulogy.
They who knew him not would
view ns living vanity the
posthumous efforts of the
Tablet."
The other two inscriptions inform us that
"Alexander Bonnell, born Jan. 31, 1708; died Aug. 1819."
"Catharine, relict of Alex. Bonnell, born Jnn. 12, 1770, diod May 26,
1854."
Another states that Charles Bonnell died March 24,
1830, aged thirty-four years.
KAK1TA.V.
323
"in memory of Gabriel Ilurr, wh . died Jon, 29, 1880, In tht
of his ago.
" Farewell my Frlonds & Cliildren dear
I am Dot dead but looping lioro."
"Ann, wife of Gabriel Hon", died aprll 11, 1887, aged T8 yean."
"Juno Kennedy, widow of Daniel Beading, died .inly 30, 18-10, aged 70
8 months, and 13 'lays."
"Levi It., Hon of Cornelius and Elizabeth Ann Vorhls, <li<"l stay 1,
lN-15."
" lii memory of Th ima ( la pm ,
a native of
LeIcoBtor>liii-'\ England,
Emigrated to America in the
year 1787, died Beptemboi lib I ,
aged 88
'• Mury, rollct of Thomas Oapner, who died Fob. 28, 1850, in tho 80th
year .a her ago."
"Hopy Henry, wife of Joeeph Henderson, Not. -7, 1R40, aged G2yeare."
" Ohrlstlna Oapner, wife of Peter N - .iu-, and daughter of Hugh an
Matlide Cepnei D 12,186 -. aged 34 ye u "
In tliis " city of tin- dead" the Reading family are
largely re|iresented. Some ofthe iuscript ions we give,
in brief,— viz. :
" Dante! Heading, ilieil Apr. 0, 1834, aged 71 yean, 2 months, mil 1
days. 11
" Ann Heading, hum Jan. 28, 1777 ; died apr. 17, 1861."
"Elizabeth II. Beading, daughter of Jo eph and Eleanor Beading, died
HI. 19, 1828."
"Joseph, son of James N. ami Borah 0. A. Beading, died Jan, 29, 1846,
itlm."
"Daniel K. Beading, born Feb. 1, 1804; died Hot. 23, 1835."
"BobertK. Beading, horn Jnne 20, 1790; died Doc 13, 1853."
"Alexander Beadlng,dted Dec. â– "-. 1820, aged 82 yt em
" Mary Beading, <li-"l Uay 4, 1826, oat. 63 years."
"Elizabeth Beading, .11. -I Uaj 9, 1821, aged 17 years."
" Eliza Beading, . li.-.l Sept 16, 1*18."
" J.ilm Bold Beading, .li»'l Apr. 80, 1821."
Daniel B. Bead I De .".,1808."
The following i- the inscription upon tin- monument
i>r Major Boeman :
" I. anil i.il l: . in mi.
Major 16th Beg't N. J. Vols.,
K.li in th.. Battlo "l'
I
At tin- head "f his comni
a- a- lillg Col. Of
tin- lOtli Si v. I. , â– .. ,
M I ibor 19th, ISM,
I I2nd year
uf hlrt ago."
"with pi'imis i..n of tho femlly, 1 I orected bj afew
p.. i si. mil fiiiMiiln of tin- ii'.parted, as a token of their love and gratttnde,
ami tu transmit to pn-a.-rity n grateful roiiinuiliraiu-o "f tin- i
mil vitr Ja . i iiiiin iii in i.,i i.j I l i nt in th.- ilurki-at and most
trying hours of peril to bis country."
I'm. tu lit.- Baptist churchyard an- taken the follow -
"John T. BlackweU, died ang. I, 1831, agod 69 years."
" Aahor Biggins, died Doc. In, 1823, aged :•-.'• years."
H iiii.i.n Bishop, dlod .In' . , an.l 21.
days."
11 khraua id i . die I - ipl 1,1 3."
" Henry Oolii I., died s.ug, 9, i- i. In hi 39 I year."
"J..!,., itrittniii, died Sept, I •. 1844, .. .- I .". *■u . 10 days."
1 ih Francis, died Jul.. I
11 M.ny \,n, it. -II, . wll lOfGabriul W. Al i-ll."
The Roman Catholic cemetery, on Bonnell S
in the western partofthe i illage, was purchased in
1866 and established as the burial-ground of that de-
nomination. I!i - i 1 1 â– -r "I '-'i recent it dad-, but few inter-
ments bave been madi
PBO M I HILL . l.Ml.i l.KV.
This cemeter] is owned by"Prospecl Hill Ceme-
tery Association of Flemington," incorporated April
18,1870, by William 1'. Emery, Charles Bartles, John
<'. Hopewell, Jntliali Higgins, and Abraham V. Van
Fleet, with a capital stock of sl'h.imiii, divided inio
ion shares, M- officers ;it organization were : Presi-
Iharles Bartles; Secretary and Treasurer, C. O.
Dunham; Directors, the five corporators above named,
and David Van Fleet, < '. I '. Dunham. They have
served, with exception id' Joseph H. 1 1 ijrjrins a- di-
rector in place "f Al.rain Van Fleet, until the present
l' lssm. William I'. Kmcry is superintendent.
The grounds embrace two tract-, purchased of Daniel
Suydamand Mrs. Elizabeth Kee, and aggregates frac-
tion less than 18 acre-, upon .Mullen Hill, lying to the
northward of Capner Street. The first plot -.1.1 was
to John Grabow. The firsl interment was the body
of Dr. J. A.. Gray. A large share of the burials have
lieeii ..I' 1. 1. die- removed from the ..Id village church-
yards, :t- i- shown by Bome of the inscriptions upon
tahh-ts erected over their remains.
INDDSTB i I -
The pursuits of the people of this township, outside
of the village of Plemington, tin- now, and lei-.
from th.- first, agricultural. With the culture of the
cereals is combined .lain ing to a considerable extent.
quantities of milk particularly are shipped daily
front Plemington to the New York market.
There are also -evcral grist- ami flouring-mills in
different parts of the town-hip, -i. in.- of which date
from before the Revolution. Such an one was that
..a Jonathan Biggins' place, near Kin-..-, and run by
many succeeding generations of the family until about
Seven years ago.
A bone-mill located ..it the N'e-hanic. near Copper
Hill, and a saw- ami grist-mill in the same neighbor-
hood, are owned by William Hill.
Eershow's mill, on the South Branch, is the most
prominent ofthe existing grist-mills ofthe township.
( in th.- Si. nih Branch of Baritan, about two ami a
half mile- from Flemington,B fulling-mill was carried
on in the early part of this century bj Daniel D.Wil-
liams. About L826 (possibly earlier ii was repaired
and run by Levi M. Metier. His advertisement in
the II â– ..It 826 states that he has
" been engaged in the manufacture of woolen cloths
for a number of years," ami that the mill was "late
the property of William Conover." Fifty years ago
1880) .'a.-. .I. V hees had a cabinet - h..p two miles
east of Plemington, at the "cross -roads," near the
Voorhees Bchool-hoi
M zTTERS "I' SPEW M. Noli:.
"At ilo- opening of tlir- Bevolntion, near tho Proj.i.vtorUn church
. low, frame bull ling, beginning a lew f.-.-t in front of John
Lawn-fextoe and exl thendol
324
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
his dwelling. For many years it was a store* famous in all these parts.
. . In this store-house a quantity of muskets was placed by the Conti-
nentals. "When the British occupied Trenton they were informed of this
fact, and sent 500 cavalry for the purpose of seizing these arms. They
arrived early 'in the morning, and found in the main street a man with a
cart, whom they pressed into their service. The chests in which the guns
were packed were taken out of the building and put into the cart, and
the whole troop hastened away. But when they reached Tattersall's
Lane, where the tile-kiln now is, they became alarmed, and concluded it
would be better to destroy the muskets than attempt to carry them away,
so they broke the guns by striking them upon the posts of the fence. In
the mean time Capt. John Schenck had collected a hand of men and
secreted them in a piece of woods between Copper Rill and Larison's.
As the horsemen filed through this they were fired upon. Capt. Geary,
the commander of the British, ordered bis troops to halt and face the
spot whence the firing proceeded, when he was almost instantly shot
through the head. His men wheeled and fled. '.'.This resistance probably
saved the village and neighborhood from other raids. This captain —
afterwards Col. Schenck— was a brave officer ; he was in nearly all the
important battles of New Jersey."!
A company of American soldiers were quartered
one winter during the Revolution near the Presby-
terian church. The Baptist church was also occupied
as barracks by the Americans.
Barber, in his "Historical Collections of New
Jersey," says that during the war of the Revolution
a detachment of the American army encamped on
Gray's Hill near the village, and Washington had his
headquarters at the residence of Col. Stewart, then a
commissary.
Among those who figured conspicuously in the
Revolution was Col. Hugh Runyon, a bold and fear-
less officer, " full of energy amid scenes of danger ;"
Joseph Capner, ancestor of the Capners in Fleming-
ton, married one of his daughters. Col. Charles
Stewart, for many years a resident of this township,
was commander of the First Regiment of minute-men
in this State; was afterwards promoted to colonel of
the line, and commissioned by Congress in 1776 as
commissary-general, serving on Washington's staff
until the close of the war. The sons of Adam Bellis
were active participants in the Revolutionary struggle
on the battle-fields of Trenton, Monmouth, etc.
Thomas Gearhart, who outlived most of his fellow-
comrades, was as witty as brave, and he, as well as
John Howe, was buried in the Presbyterian church-
yard in Flemington.
Raritan township during the late Rebellion raised
large sums of money and furnished her full share of
men, — in fact, fully sustained her reputation for loy-
alty to the Union.
The last public celebration of Independence Day in
Flemington was in 1860. The exercises were held in
the old apple-orchard on the farm of John H. Capner,
the orator of the day being a Rev. Mr. Lewers, of
Milibrd. E. R. Bullock, Esq., read the Declaration
of Independence. This occasion is also memorable
for the fire that then occurred. In the afternoon Mr.
Capner's large barn, situated near Main Street, was
entirely consumed, with its contents, including two
* This storo was kept i]
Kockafollow's mill,
t Dr. Mott's Hist. Disc, pp. 17, 18.
tion with a mill, on theeito of John
horses, while an intoxicated man asleep in the barn
barely escaped with his life. A strong north wind
carried a shower of sparks over the town, which, fall-
ing thickly upon the roofs of many houses, promised
a general conflagation. The result, no doubt, would
have been serious but for the rain which fell in
torrents.
FLEMINGTON VILLAGE.
This beautiful village is situated very nearly in the
geographical centre of Raritan township, of which,
and contiguous territory, it is the leading business
and commercial mart, being also the seat of justice
for the county. The location here of the court-house
and county buildings has greatly fostered the growth
of the village. It is about equidistant from Reaville,
Barley Sheaf, Copper Hill, and Klinesville, within a
radius of three miles. Flemington is located about a
mile south of the South Branch of the Raritan River,
11 miles northeast from Lambertville, 9 south from
Clinton, 10J east from Frenchtown, and about 14 (in
a straight line) west from Somerville.
Its boundaries are thus described :
"Beginning at the Arch bridge, near Richard Emmans' ; thence run-
ning due south to the public road leading from Flemington to John C.
MerriU'B ; thence in a straight line to the southeast corner of George
Hanson's lot, near Thomas Hartpence's ; thence due west to Thomas Ed-
mondson's line; thence north along said Edmondson's line to Charles
Bartles' line; thence along said Baltics 1 line north to the public road
leading from Flemington to Sergeantsville ; thence in a straight line to
the west end of Bonnell street; thence in a straight lino to the south-
west corner of Mrs. Kee's land ; thence along Mrs. Kee's land to
the northwest corner thereof; thence in a straight line to the creek
north of Samuel Johnson's house ; thence down the said creek, the sev-
eral courses thereof, to the place of beginuing."$
By the foregoing description it will be seen that
the town is somewhat irregular in shape, and that its
eastern line is the only one pursuing a straight, un-
deviating course, its northern line, the Bushkill
Creek, being tortuous in the extreme.
Flemington is a little more than a mile in width,
and about a mile and one-third long, embracing an
area of one and a half square miles. Its population,
according to the recently completed census of 1880,
is 1748,— an increase of 336 over that of 1870.
The title to the lands of this village, as well as to
a vast area beyond, was originally held by Daniel
Coxe and William Penn, two of the proprietaries of
the West Jersey Company. The north portion of the
village was in Coxe's tract,? the south part in Penn's,
the dividing line between the two tracts being from
east to west, passing by the lamp-post now standing
in front of the Presbyterian church. A high stone
just over the brook, beyond Kershow's mill, is where
this line touched the South Branch. To make their
title the more secure, the proprietors purchased the
X An Act for the Improvement of Flemington, approved March 14,
1870.
g Commonly called the Mount Carmel tract, embracing 4170 acres.
FLEMINGTON VILLAGE.
WIT,
lands of the Indians, the deeds for which bear date
of 17o:;. Thi- land was first surveyed in IT ! li. The
Penn'a estate tract embraced 5000 ai res.
NATURAL FEATURES.
ITemington lies in one of the most beautiful of the
many valleys of the Raritan and its tributaries. For
111:111. miles south ami east the surface is undulating
with hills on the north and south. From Mount
Caxmel, on the west, a beautiful view of the village
ami its vicinage is afforded. En this valley is the
county-town of Hunterdon. The principal 1 ion
of the village lies upon nearly level ground and upon
what is called " -Main Street," which runs north and
BOUth. Parallel to it are Spring, Broad, and Stover
Streets on the east, ami New and Brown, on the wesl ;
while the east-and-west streets are named Church,
Williams, Lyceum, and Capner, and Penn Avenue.
Bonnell and .Miner Streets start mar the centre of
the village and run diagonally, south of west. Wyc-
koll' Avenue runs eastward from Branch Street, and
the latter, from the Presbyterian church to the Bush-
kill, in a nearly northeast direction. At the junction
of Penn Avenue and Main and Branch Streets, also,
comes in the " Clinton" road, from the northwest.
The Bushkill Creek bounds the village on the north,
and is the only stream worthy of mention within its
limits. The soil is of the red shale, underlying which
is the "Old Red Sandstone."
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
From the earliest deeds it appears that the first
purchase of land in this section was in 1731, when
I taniel < 'oxe sold 210 acres to William Johnson, who
two months later sold about one-fourth — 56J acres —
to David Chambers, then of Philadelphia. This was
conveyed in 1748 to Henry M. Mullen, from whom
" Mullen Hill" derives its name. This p:issed in 17~iii
to John Wood, and in 17(11 to Thomas Lowreyt
Samuel John80n, BOH of the William above named.
was another purchaser of the Coze tract in 175 I. He
bought 105 acre-, aid the next \ ear sold I acres to
William B. Potter, who, June 11, 1756, sold the same
to Samuel Fleming, the recognized pioneer settler of
the v illage.
Man] of the early settlers were of Irish nativity.
William Johnson, Thomas Lowrey, and Samuel Flem-
ing came from Ireland. Others were of Scotch,
English, or German descent. Among them maybe
oamed Philip Case (Case), Joseph Smith, .lames
Farrar, George Uexander, Robert Burgess, John
Haviland, Thomas Hunt, Willis and Dr.
( ieorge Creed. Some of these « ere without the limits
of Flemington as now constituted, but in the early
days the " Flemings' settlement" covered a consider-
able territory. (For a -ketch of William Johnson
•"First iViitiny Df UuiiI.ti1.iii I'.unitv."
f 80 named Oromlta running to thoold
lag*.
and hi- descendants, see the chapter on the " Bench
and Par" in this work.)
In 17o6 Samuel Fleming purchased land. lb
brought with him from Ireland a hoy, Thomas Low-
rey. who afterwards married his daughter Either, and
became a prominent man, acquiring po i f se\ -
era! properties in the village.} Fleming and Lowrey
and his wife were devoted patriots during the B>
tion. The old house where Fleming lived, and the
Jir.-t in the village, is still standing. It is the second
house on the north side of Academy Street, and was
recently occupied by Charles Miller. Fleming kept
a tavern there. As in time other houses were erected
the place was called "Flemings," and finally Flem -
mgton. Samuel Southard afterwards purchased and
occupied this house,? until he built the one on
Main Street, now owned and occupied by Alexander
Wurts, Esq.
Esther [Fleming) Lowrey, one of the pioneer
women of this settlement, "was remarkable for her
amiable and generous qualities, and was a practical
and intelligent woman. Coming from Ireland when
a child, she retained much of the richness of the
brogue, especially when excited. Fleming and Low-
both strong Whigs, and E-ther particularly
earnest in the cause of the Revolution. It is related
that one morning, about daybreak, news came to the
village thai the American army had met with a serious
disaster. Esther's patriotic blood was stirred to a
rage at the news, ami, rushing to the chamber door, she
called out in her strongest native accent. "Thomas.
get up and mount theould mare, and ride as fast as
yez can and find out if the dom lie is thrue."||
Fleming seems to have been unfortunate in his
purchases and Bales of lands and in hi- business -pecu-
lation-. Buying from year to year so embarrassed him
financially that finally he was -old oul to pay his obli-
gations, Dr. George Creed buying at auction his
dwelling-house.'
Lowrey was as successful as Fleming was unfortu-
nate, lb- wa- a shrewd man, and became rich and
influential. He was one of the founders of the Am-
wcll Baptist Church in 1765, was a member of the
Provincial Congress in 177"> from Hunterdon, lieuten-
ant-colonel in the Third Hunterdon Regiment in
177il, later was colonel. and after the war a member
of the State Legislature. In 1785 he gold hi- prop-
erty in Flemington and vicinitytt and removed to
French town, where he purchased large tracts of land,
I mills, founded Frenchtown, and built up Mil-
J Without tl'.utit tin' flr>t imrcliuo Lowrtir ro»Jo w« 650 viumv bet,
in 1758,01] which 1 1 ■■• ■torahonn w»t •ubaaautnu; built, in which he
ndistng.
I Tm'lc rtor»,ch»p. \i.
ft It; wa. BitM-iiui. thi! Robwl Btagta pur.luujcd 107)^ term of
326
HUNTEEDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
ford, which latter was for a time called Lowerytown.
He died at Frenchtown in 1809.
In 1767, Thomas Lowrey owned two lots, lying south
of what is now Penn Avenue, extending east from the
road to Trenton (now Main Street) 20 chains, and
south on the Trenton road 3 chains 68 links, amount-
ing to between 6 and 7 acres. The northwest quarter
part of the west lot he purchased of J. Anthony.
The next lot south was owned by Jasper Smith,
contained 3 acres and 10 chains in depth. Next south
lay the lot of William Pearson, of same sharje and
area as Jasper Smith's. Then came five narrow lots,
all of equal depth (10 chains), and each containing
an acre. The second and third from the north were
owned by William Disher and Jacob Mallison re-
spectively. Below these lay the 8-acre lot of Joseph
Hudnett, being 8 chains fronting on the Trenton road,
and extending back (east) 10 chains.
With the exception of the seven lots above men-
tioned, all the remaining land on the east of Main
Street, embracing both " front" and " back" lots, and
extending from the old store-house* to the Baptist
meeting-house lot, on the New Brunswick road, — in
other words from the Presbyterian church to the
Baptist church, — was divided April 24, 1767, be-
tween Thomas Lowrey, Joseph Morris (for William
Morris' heir), James Eddy, Christopher Marshall,
and Gershom Lee, so that each had a little more than
14 acres as his individual share.
"The following is a true copy of an original Draft & Notes thereon,
in my possession, supposed to have been made 24 April, 1767.
(Signed) "N. Saxton."
&
;&
Joseph Hudnett
WmMorris' heir
3 No.lZ belong lolliil.t 3(Llq 2QR
% WMonis'heirs
James Eddy.
(No3)
Clirlst. Marshall
(No 4.)
'.cilq!0rons.
Gershom Lee %
(N»5)
'"""W |/,„.|„20r
I In Aoi.' '
James Eddy.
N!3
Sa,3q,i6rc.
Christ- Marshall.
N!4.
3o.3q.,l6R.
Gershom Lee.
No5.
9a,3a„I6[),
wHrunswicfc -
PLAN OF FLEMINGTON, 1767.
* At tho Junction of the old road from Howell's Forry (now obsolete)
with tho Trenton road,— that iH, near where the Presbyterian church
stands.
" A Plan of several lotts of ground in Amwell as divided the 24 of
April 1767 between Thomas Lowrey, Joseph Morris for William Morris's
heir, James Eddy, Christopher Marshall & Gershom Lee, with their sev-
eral names wrote on each division as they are numbered beginning from
No. 1 to 5, containing upwards of 14 acres to each Lott.
(Indorsed) " Date of release, 2d June, 1767."
Gershom Lee deeded to Thomas Lowrey, Dec. 10,
1769, a tract of 21 acres, 32 perches (part of 533*
acres purchased by John Reading as part of 3333
acres of Daniel, John, and William Coxe, in 1745),
and sold by his heirs to Gershom Lee, March 16,
1768. Joseph Taylor and Robert Dods were wit-
nesses to this indenture.
After the Revolution, Col. (afterwards Gen. ) Charles
Stewart, who rendered important service to the Amer-
ican cause from the very commencement of the strug-