gle, removed from Landsdown to Flemington, taking
up his residence in a house near that of John C.
Hopewell, Esq., and owning a large farm extending
to Coxe's Hill. There he lived until his death,
June 24, 1800, at the age of seventy-one.f He
was buried in the old Presbyterian churchyard at
Bethlehem. A long epitaph is inscribed upon his
tombstone, which was written by his life-long friend,
Chief- Justice Smith, of Trenton, in these words :
" He was an early and decided friend
to the American Revolution
and bore the important office of
Commissary-General of Issues
to universal acceptance.
His friendships were fervid
and lasting,
and commanded both his purse
and his services.
His hospitality
was extensive and bountiful;
The friend and the stranger
were almost compelled to
His granddaughter, Mrs. Bower, after the war,
received marked attention, in Philadelphia, from
Mrs. Washington. His daughter, Martha, married
Robert Wilson, a young Irishman of education, who
came to this country and volunteered in the Conti-
nental army soon after the battle of Lexington. He
was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Ger-
mantown. Capt. Wilson died in Hackettstown, in
1779, at the early age of twenty-eight. Mrs. Wilson
was distinguished for beauty and for a brilliant and
cultured mind.J
Some of Gen. Stewart's descendants have continued
in the service of their country to this day. One of
his grandsons, Charles Stewart, son of Samuel Stewart,
was born in Flemington, where his father lived, near
and east of the Presbyterian church. He was grad-
uated at Princeton in 1815, and was a class-mate of
Alexander Wurts ; first studied law, afterward theol-
ogy, and went as a missionary to the Sandwich Islands,
t "Tho First Century of Hunterdon County," p. 33.
X Mrs. Ellet, in her "Women of the American Revolution," devotes a
chapter to this lady, the daughter of oue of Flomington's early resi-
dents.
FLEMINCTON VILLAGE.
:;•_':
from whence he returned in L825. In 1828 he received
ill. appointment of chaplain in the navy, in which
office he continued until L862, visiting all parte of
the world. He died at Cooperatown, V Y.. :it the
age of sovcllty-fivc. A -on ..I' hi- was jrra.luated
with Gen. McClellan al Wesl Point, and during the
Rebellion had charge of the Engineers' department
at Portress Monroe; Bincethewar he has bai
mand of the United States Engineers' Corps at San
Francisco, Cal. A granddaughter of Gen. Stewart,
Mrs. Hoyt, widow of the late of Capt. Hoyt,
at Landsdown, in this county, and has in her pos-
on the old family record.
Flemington'* old hen. was Thomas < iearhart, one
of the earlj settlers. He was a daring soldier, and
was shot through the knee by the British, who were
in ambush on the river-shore. The ball, which had
lodged behind the knee-cap, subsequently became
visible under the skin. The doctors offered to cut it
out, but the proud old soldier said, " No ; 1 got that
ball in the Revolution, and I mean to carry it as 1 < » 1 1 lt
as I live I" and he did, although it made him a cripple
tur life; it was buried with him. With native wit,
he was the joker of his regiment during t he war. sub-
sequently entertaining many a crowd in Flemington
with his ilriill stories, lie live. I when' Andrew B.
Rittenhouse, latelj decea ed, resided, and was buried
in the Presbyterian churchyard, where his grave is
pointed oul by Mahlon Smith; but the unlettered
slab would not indicate that a hero 3lept beneath.
Johannes Bursenbergh was an early settler in or
mar Flemington.i
i M Dr. George Creed little is known. He was born
at Jamaica, L. [., Oct. I. 17".". ; commenced practicing
his profession at Flemington in 1765, was the pioneer
physician of the village, and was the purchaser .>!'
Fleming's dwelling ; .
In 1776, John Haviland was the owner of a half-
acre lot, ..n which was a tan-yard, and where now is
the brickyardj in the north pari of the village.
Ji 's Kamir cotemporaneouslj had a lot of 3J
acres north of Lowrej - store-house.
Samuel I,. Southard, afterwards the distinguished
senator and Supreme Court judge, built, in 1814, the
house now owned by Alexander Wurte. He n mo ed
ffcom the \ illage in 1817.
JasperSmith built the house now owned by John
Jones, Esq. Sir. Smith was professionally a lawyer,
ami a man ..I and public spirit, and had
much to .1.. in securing the county-seat to Fleming-
ton, lie was a devoted church-member, and some-
what stri.i in ideas. Pitching bullets in the street
• Bct. Goo. 8, Molt, I. D 10, 17.
I " I iturj "i Hunterdon County," Dr. M itt, p, 10.
J It., enbaoquontly remove i to Tronton, N. ' . n be b he died raddanlj
of apoplexy About Vn6.—BaWi BU. P Ireaion.
, in i'i Dl . i" U i
Dover hud doflnttotlUo to it, and that tho hal — ralargor
. iu.i \<\ John 0. Qopowell noTor had a brickyard >â– !. lt,altiiouga
was a favorite amusement in his day, which he very
much opposed. He finally became bo much provoked
ai tin ].i;n (ice that he one day picked up the bullets
and threw them away. It is related that afterward
the men engaged in this sport turned the tables on
him by heating a bullet almost to melting and placing
it in his way, at the same time warning him that h>-
might some time get his fingers burned. He did pick
it up, I. iu dropped it quickly; nor .li.l he trouble
their bullets again.
James dark, Sr., was one of the oldest residents in
Flemington. II.- was horn in L755, and died Dec. 20,
1828. He bore a part in the Revolution, and at his
demise left a wife and three children. " He was de-
servedly held in genera] .-teem." He lived in a
house, since torn down or removed, which stood where
David Dunham now lives. His son, also known after
his father's death i as Jam.- < 'lark. Sr., died in Flem-
ington : was a carpenter by trade, but followed farm-
ing mainly. His youngest BOn, John Clark, now lives
iii the old Reading house, built bj the " Governor,"
near what is now Kor-how"- Mills, in 1764.
In 1804, Peter Haward went to Philadelphia and,
for |70, bought a German to Berve him for -
years. His son, Thomas, lives now in a house lmilt
on his father's lot, near the South Branch depot. The
house his father built, close by, is still standing, occu-
pied by tenants, and owned by two of his daughters.
His oldest daughter, Catharine, married Joseph II.
Schenck, of Philadelphia, and his youngest dan
Sarah, married Henry C. Hill, of KTorristown, Pa
Mary and Jane never married.
Among other prominent early families of this vi-
cinity were the Blackwells. John T. Blackwell, son
of .lames n., lived where is now the Blackwell block
of stores, on Main street. He was appointed judge
of the court Feb. 8, 1804; was county clerk lor nine-
teen years and Burrogtite for seven, lie died in ls::i.
His wife was Sn-an Hunt: his daughter, Clarissa,
died in 1~<L'".. .lame- II. Blackwell wa- postmaster
for ten years 1820 80 . He lived in the second house
north of the Union Hotel, on the east Bide of Main
John II. Blackwell was surrogate in 1828.
Oliver II. Blackwell, horn in Hopewell township,
. Flemington I $00, with his father,
John T. He died in i s 77. Nom of the name now
remain in the place, and of all the sons and daughters
of John T., one s.>n only (John P.) is living, or was
quite recently, in New York.
I in Gregg family was a prominent one in Fleming-
ton during the latter part of the last and early part
of the present century. James Gregg was postmaster
h.re in 1794, and Dr. John Gregg practiced physic
from about the same time until 1808. Thej were of
the Quaker faith. There is not a representative ••!'
this family now living in Flemington.
The ' hunt" cam.'
from England just after the Revolution and bought
ne Farm, formerly Case's, and married Chris-
328
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
tiana Runyan. He had but two sons, Thomas and
Hugh. He had a brother named Thomas, who had
sons, — John H. and James.
The name " Capnerhursfc" was abreviated to " Cap-
ner" shortly after Joseph came to this country. Jo-
seph Capner had a passion for blooded stock, prin-
cipally for sheep. He was the second who kept
Bakewell sheep in this country. The first were
smuggled here by a man named Beans. Joseph Cap-
ner's Bakewells were considered the finest sheep in
the Union, and were sold to wool-growers in almost
every State. When Hugh was about seven years old
his father would send him out with a little bag of
oats to feed the sheep, that he might acquire a fond-
ness for them. It was through this early training
that Hugh Capner became celebrated as an importer
of the best Bakewells and as having one of the finest
flocks in the Union.
Thomas Capner, a brother of Joseph, and John H.
Capner's father, came from England when a boy.
John Hall, the great-uncle of Hugh and John H.,
came here before the Revolution to look at the coun-
try, and returned. He sympathized with the Ameri-
cans, but had landed property in England, and Capt.
Coltman, wishing to come over and help fight our
battles, left his wife in Mr. Hall's family and em-
barked for America. He was a gallant soldier, and
fought bravely all through the war. After the war
Mr. Hall returned to America, bringing with him the
Capner family and Capt. Coltman's wife. This was
(says John H. Capner) about the year 1792. Joseph
settled at Flemington, as already related, and Thomas
went to a saw-mill at the mouth of the Wissahickon,
in Pennsylvania. Here he became partner of Moses
Hill, a wealthy Quaker of Philadelphia. He after-
wards moved to Trenton. When his brother Joseph
died, Thomas came to Flemington (not far from the
year 1810), rented the Mine farm, and kept up the
reputation of the family for raising and importing
Bakewell sheep. When Thomas, the son of Joseph,
became of age he bought the farm. This farm de-
scended to Hugh Capner, by purchase from Thomas,
and he sold it to the mining company.
Thomas Capner died in Flemington, in 1832, and
was buried in the Presbyterian churchyard.
John H. Capner, son of Thomas, was born at
Trenton, N. J., in 1807 ; came here with his father
about 1810, settling on the home-farm ; since 1818
lias resided in Flemington, on the place where he is
now living, at the age of seventy-three, quite hale
and hearty. His wife, Anne Hill, was a daughter
of Thomas Hill, of New Brunswick, N. J. ; she was
born in 1810, and died Aug. 3, 1880, aged seventy.
They had no children. His brother, James, lived in
tin- village, in a house once belonging to Samuel
Fleming.
Among other early settlers at Flemington may be
named the Bonnell, Rea, Callis, Atkinson, Maxwell,
Hoflf, Chamberlin, ami Smith families. The earlier
representatives of these names sleep in the village
churchyards, but their memories still live. Their
names will be found running all through these annals,
figuring in " Church and State," in civic matters, and
in mercantile pursuits, while many of their descend-
ants are to-day prominent in the affairs of the vil-
lage. George Rea was postmaster over seventy years
ago.
In 1808, Flemington was but a small village. From
the Presbyterian church to the Baptist there were but
sixteen houses, of which three were occupied as tav-
erns. Water was scarce, and frequently had to be
hauled, sometimes from the Branch. This led, in
1808, to the introduction of water through wooden
logs. Women at that time went to the polls and
voted, as they were permitted under the old constitu-
tion of the State.*
Neal Hart kept tavern at the present stand of the -
Union Hotel. His daughter Eliza married Charles
Bartles. Mary, another daughter, married John H.
Anderson, formerly a merchant here, but later of Lam-
bertville, at which place his sons are still living. Mr.
Hart died Sept. 4, 1837, aged fifty-nine.
Samuel Hill built the pottery-works about 1815,
operating them until his death, in 1858. He was born
Aug. 13, 1793. His son William, the present post-
master, was born Feb. 13, 1822.
Isaac G. Farlee, born in April, 1787, was an early
settler at White House, came here in his later life,
built the house now occupied by Robert J. Killgore,
and died there, Jan. 12, 1855, aged sixty-seven. His
wife was a daughter of John Eeid Reading, a sister
of Daniel K., and the widow of Mr. De Pue. George
Farlee, a son of Isaac G., now resides near New York
City, and Augustus Ritchie, a son-in-law, is a member
of the Trenton bar.
FLEMINGTON IN 1822.
1. Residence of Asher Atkinson, now occupied by his daughter, Ann
Groff.
2. Presbyterian Church. Since rebuilt near tbo site of the old hotel (3).
3. Hotel, then kept by Elnathun Moore, previously by Jonathan More-
head. Since removed to make way for the church.
3%. Store-house, used by Lowrey during the Revolution for storing
commissary supplies, etc.
4. Residence of John Capner.
5. Slaughter-house, owned by Thomas Capner.
G. Bunnell's Hotel.
7. Alexander Wurts' residence, built by Hon. S. L. Southard.
8. Clerk's and surrogate's office,— brick.
9. Court-House, — stone.
10. Store, S. D. Strykor. Owued by John Maxwell estate.
11. Residence of Mrs. Cynthia R. Clark. Owned by John Maxwell
estate.
12. Residence of S. -D. Stryker,— brick. Owned by John Maxwell
estate. Now the residence of Chester Van Syckol.
13. Residence of William Maxwell. It constitutes the main pnrt of
the present residence of Charles Bartles, Esq.
14. An old bouse belonging lo Nathaniel Snxton, and since removed.
It was on the site of Dr. Parish's residence.
10. Residence of Charles Milloiyf back of Charles Bartles', in the
meadow. Previously Fleming's tavern. This is the oldest house now
* Items from a diary kept by Peter Haward, fathor of T. C. Haward.
f He died there, and his descendants have since lived in it. ItiB now
occupied by hie daughter, Mrs. Kimball.
FLEMINGTON VILLAGE.
329
standing in tho village. The old Centre Bridge road, since taken up,
ran cloflo to this tavern, and thenco northeasterly to tho Tronton road
(now Main Street), striking It near whore, in 1822, Moore's hotel stood.
Jn 1822 it was tho only residence, except that of Bev. Fiold, not located
on tho main strcot.
10. Residence of the Rev. J. T. E. Field, and built by him. Now owned
and occuplod by Vice-Chancellor Van Fleet
♦48
•Rna4 r ' 1
18 *
19
2i :
a i a "
Academy^?**
25 â–
26 l
i30__ SoulHB ranch. R R.
as at f)reseti>
V V Bapt Church.
.27
)
PLAN OF FLEMINGTON IX 1^22.
17. Pottery built and owned by Samuel Hill. Tho principal part of tho
prevent works.
18. Reddenâ„¢ of Samuel Hill.
19. Late the residence of John Kline, next to tho railroad. Now
owned by Moses Evorctt.
20. Carpenter-shop, owned by Peter Hawanl, near where depot now Is.
21. Tenant-houeo. Still standing a.-, built,— tho first houso south of tho
railroad.
22. Residence of Willinm Barrass.
23. Tonant-houso.
24. Academy building, standing well back from the street.
22
25. Barcalow's chair-factory.
20. Residence of Dr. Geary.
On tl„ Ea$t Side of Mam Street,
27. Red house, owned and occupied by James Clark, 8r.
28. Baptist church. Afterwards rebuilt more to the westward, and
Ruing tin- main street
29. A small shanty built by " Daddy Mink," and in 1822 occupied by
Jacob and Mary Fruucls an u cake- and beer-shop. They were all colored
people.
30. Residence of Jane and Mary Haward. Now owned by the Mary
Haward estate.
31. A small frame school-house built by Peter Hawanl for an English
lady, a school-teacher, named Miss Allen.
32. An old red house, owned by estate of George C. Maxwell. Now
owned by W. P. Emery.
33. Residence of J. Stillwell, — brick. Now occupied by Hiram Peats.
34. Residence of George Forkor, and built by him. Now occupied by
hfs widow ami family.
;;.">. House owned by Joseph P. Clmmborlin, and occupied by his father.
A part of tho present J. T. Bird residence.
30. Tailor-shop. A small frame building (vacant in 1822) whore now
Is the Democrat office,
37. Residence of Joseph P. Chomberlin, where Is now Parker's Jewelry-
store.
37J4. House, residence of the widow of John Maxwell, Jn
38. Hotel. Neol Hart, proprietor. About on the site of the " Union"
hotel.
39. Rcsidonco of John T. Blackwell.
40. Dwelling-house, owned by Gershoni Lambert, of New Hope, on the
slto of George A. Rca's store, occupied by a Scotch fiddler named Mat-
thew Thompson about 1822.
41. Tho Hooley property, now occupied by N. G. Smith, a small, one-
story frame building, then used as a Jewelry-shop.
42. House now owned by Garry Voorhees' mother, thon occupied by
Samuel Largo as a residence
43. House then occupied by Mr. Cain, now by Robort Ramsey's
widow.
44. Residence of John L. Jones, then owned and occupied by Ret.
John F. Clark. It was built by Jasper Smith.
46. Stone house occupied and owned by Samuel Atkinson, on tho site
of which is ouo now occupied by Ctarkson C. Dunham.
46. Residence of Esq. George Rea (deceased). Since somewhat altered,
and now tho residence of Peter Ncvius.
47. Malilon Smith's residence and black smith -shop, when Isaac
Smith's widow now lives.
48. Stone bouse i. wneil 1.^ Mrs Martha Wilwm, of C ipaiBtoWB, N.Y.,
and occupied (1822) by Ellsha Bird. Sinco rebuilt, and now owned by
John C. Hopewell.
49. Nearly opposite M. Smith's, and next south of the Webster lot, wo*
tho rcsidonco of Anna (Ji wall) si nit ton ; now owned bj Mrs. Koy.
INPEPKNhKNCK JUBILEE IN 1826. "
This particular oatal day was bailed with unusual
demonstrations "f joy. It was ushered in by the
ringing of the village bell, the display of tin- national
flag, and by :i salute of fifty guns, — the nation being
fifty yean old that day. The procession was formed
at the bouse of N. Price in the following order:
Capfc. Case'" Cavalry Company.
Dipt VoOlhaoa 1 Light Infantry.
Oapl Swing 1 ! i.a Bmyatte Quaiaa.
Band.
Flag.
Tho Clergy.
Orator of tho Day.
Baadar of the " Declaration."
loiiiinilt' â– of *
Oholr.
Ladies, in while, rapraaantlng thi thlrtaan original States.
Hinea, represent 1 1 â– States.
Civilians,— Citizens and Strangers,
330
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
When the procession arrived at the court-house, the
venerable survivors of '76 joined the procession. Their
names were :
Col. David Schamp, Keadington, with " Trenton" banner; John Howe,
Aniwell, with " Princeton" banner ; James Clark, Sr., Flemington,
with " Monmouth" banner ; Adam Butterfaus, Amwell, with " Sara-
toga" banner ; Richard Mills, Bethlehem, with " Yorktown" ban-
ner , Jacob Anderson, with banner of " 1776 ;" Samuel Barber and
Capt. Tunis Case, marshals; William Bennett, John Besson, Sr.,
William Bowne, Robert Butler, William Bilby, Albert Conover, Paul
Coon, Sr., Samuel Corwine, John Chamberlin, Adam Conrad, Wil-
liam C. Dilts, Nicholas Danbury, William Daubury, Daniel Ent,
William Fulper, John Farley, Joseph Fish, Peter Geary, Adam
Hummer, Capt. John Higgins, Martin Johnson, Christopher Kuhl,
James Metier, John Maxwell, Sr., George Pownell, Tunis T. Quick,
John Servis, Michael Shurts, Moses Stout, George N. Schamp, Elijah
Thatcher, John Trimmer, William Taylor, William Van Fleet,
Jerome Waldron, Lewis English (colored), Jacob Francis (colored).
The procession then moved to the church, the inte-
rior of which was magnificently decorated with wreaths
of laurel and festoons of evergreen. After prayer by
Rev. J. F. Clark, and a song by the special choir,
etc., the ." Declaration" was read by Alexander Wurts,
Esq., and an appropriate oration delivered by Andrew
Miller, Esq. ; another psalm was then sung, and the
benediction pronounced, when the procession reformed
and moved to the inn of Peter Smick (during which
a salute of twenty-four guns, in honor of the States
of the Union, was fired), where a bountiful dinner
was partaken of. One of the volunteer toasts on this
occasion was to "The memory of Brig.-Gen. William
Maxwell, of the New Jersey line. His surviving
Light Infantry will never forget how he said to them
' Shin 'em, boys !' "
At this day, 1880, — after a lapse of fifty-four years, —
few, if any, of the active participants of this celebra-
tion survive, and it would be impossible to convey
adequately the kind and degree of enthusiastic feeling
manifested.
FLEMINGTON FIFTY YEARS AGO.
It may be interesting to take a retrospective glance
at this village at it was a half century ago. From the
files of the Hunterdon Gazette and Farmers' Weekly
Advertiser, for 1825, we find that fifty-five years ago
the following tradesmen and mechanics were engaged
in business in Flemington :
Thomas J. Stout, blacksmith, in a shop which he
advertised as " near Mr. BonnelFs hotel," really
located where now are the stores of Lemuel Fisher
and E. Vossellcr ; Samuel Hill, earthen-ware manu-
facturer ; James and John Callis, watchmakers ; P. W.
Dunn, saddler and harness-maker; Hugh Capner,
brick-maker; William Ilifl' and Samuel Nailor,
tailors; Hannah Blackwell, on the hill near Hoag-
land's, milliner, in business since 1820. Charles Bon-
nell kept tavern, although he was succeeded by Peter
Smick in May, 1826.
The firms engaged in general merchandise were
Stryker & Anderson (S. D. Stryker and J. H. Ander-
son) and Joseph 1'. Chainberlin. In 1826, Elisha R.
Johnston became a competitor, and the following
spring Knowles & Carhart opened a " country store"
at the old stand of Asher Atkinson.*
John F. Schenok practiced medicine, while S. G.
Opdycke, Alexander Wurts, Charles Bartles, Natty
Saxton, A. Miller, Peter I. Clark, and Zaccur Prall
(also a doctor) were resident attorneys and solicitors.
Once a week the mail came in from New York,
and likewise from Philadelphia, via Trenton and the
" Swift-Sure" coaches, over the Old York Road. But
the Flemington people had another means of news,
for Mr. George published his Gazette once a week,
albeit it had more columns of legal advertisements
than items of local news. Probably the latter were
scarce in those times, and yet the following, which
appeared in his paper of date Nov. 1, 1826, evidences
there was some stir in this locality :
" NOTICE.
" My wife in the fall, she pack her goods all,
She left me, she went in a bluster ;
Now plainly I say her debts I'll not pay,
And you run your own risk if you trust her.
" Samuel H. Snider."
During the next three years several changes oc-
curred. In 1828, Dr. Zaccur Prall left Flemington
for the Schuylkill coal region of Pennsylvania. In
1829 and 1830 the mechanic arts received accessions
in N. Magonigal, John Atkinson, John Volk,t
Joseph McNeely,t Mahlon Smith, and John Mc-
Eathern, whose handiwork was respectively classified
as cooperage, funiture, chair- and cabinet-making,
and the last two were partners in blacksmithing.
In 1829, Elnathan Moore was supplying our farmers
with "Deats' patent plows," etc., and, in 1830, John
H. Anderson, Johnston & Hoff, John S. Rockafeller,
G. & W. L. Alexander, and R. H. Knowles, with
store-goods of every class.? About this time, too,
John Durant, assisted by his two boys, commenced
the manufacture of hats and the dyeing of woolen,
cotton, and silk goods. He subsequently removed to
New Germantown. In 1829 a tri-weekly stage-line
commenced running between Trenton and Fleming-
ton. In 1829 Margaret Boss, and in 1830 the Misses
Moore and Runkle, were engaged in millinery and
mantua-making.
From 1825 to 1830 the military enthusiasm ran high,
and this village had its " uniform infantry company"||
and its " troop" of cavalry. \ The " Fourth Regiment
of the Hunterdon Brigade" at that time was manoeu-
vred by Col. J. S. Manners and Adjt. R. L. Sutphin.
* After 1828 Knowles continued the business alone.
f In 1830 it became Laird & Volk's chair-factory; it was opposite N.
Price's tavern.
X Succeeded, in 1832, by John K. Choyce.
gin 1831 the mercantile firms wore Miller & Chamberlin; Farlee
Maxwell & Hoff (Isaac G. Farlee, Amos T. Maxwell, Joseph C. Hoff), at
Asher Atkinson's old stand, occupied " recently by Capt. It. II. Knowles ;"
and Alexanders & Davis, in the store-house formerly occupied by J. II.
Anderson.
|| In 1820 it was commanded by Capt. Yoorhees, and 0. H. Blackwell
was first sergeant.
11 The "Fifth Troop of the Hunterdon Squadron," in 1827, was com-
manded by Peter I. CaHo, and John Wyckoff was its "orderly."
fu:mi_\<;ton village.
331
During this time the court-house had been burnt
and rebuilt, and the \ Ulage had grown t<> considerable
dimensions, and yet was without gas, u water-supply,