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Description
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The history of Atlantic County from 1600s through 1812. Includes info on Clark's Landing, whaling, local religious groups, Clarks Log Meeting House, Clark's Mill, Micajah smith,Kate Aylesford, the Battle of Chestnut Neck, slavery, the Forks, Joe Mulliner, Captain Henry Collins,Beesely's Point, and much more. |
Full Text
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reprinted with permission from the old South Jersey magazine.
By Georgiana C. Blake. A noted an ardent student of history, State Historian of the American Revolution, this address was given to the teachers of Atlantic County in October, 1932. It was published in the "Public School Bulletin" Board of Education, Atlantic City, NJ, in February 1933.
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Atlantic County was originally a part of Gloucester County. By an act of the Legislature on February 7. 1837. Atlantic County was taken from Gloucester County and declared a separate county.
The earliest settlements were made along the Great Egg Harbor River and the Mullica. or Little Egg Harbor River. and along the Shore Road. This whole section between these two rivers was known as Egg Harbor. The deed to John Somers for 3000 acres of land at what is now Somers Point is dated 1695. though he probably was there before that date. He was a member of the Society of Friends and had first settled in Pennsylvania. coming form there to Egg Harbor.
Daniel Leeds was an important man in the history of West Jersey. He was our first Surveyor General. John Clement. the historian, tells us that in 1698 he made several surveys in Egg Harbor and removed there. In 1687 he published an almanac. and he continued its publication until 1716. He then lived in Egg Harbor. This was at
what is now Leeds Point. He was probably the first to chose this lovely spot for his home. Daniel Leeds was born in England in 1652. He came to Burlington on the ship "Shield" in 1678. He was a member of the Assembly in 1682, and later a member of the Governor's Council. He, like John Somers, was a member of the Society of Friends.
The first settlement on the Mullica or Little Egg Harbor River was made by Eric Mullica, a Swede, between the years 1693 and 1698, at what is now known as Lower Bank. He had first settled along the Delaware river near New Castle. After living for a time at Lower Bank, he removed to Mullica Hill, where he lived until the time of his death. He is said to have been 100 years old when he died. Mullica Township, Mullica River, and Mullica Hill are named for him.
Thomas Clark from Connecticut settled at what is now known as Clark's Landing in the early part of 1700. He was a grandson of the Thomas Clark who had come from HerHordshire, England, and settled in Connecticut in 1654.
The place names give the family names of many of the early set. tiers: Somers Point. Mays Landing. Scullville, Steelmanville. Conover. town, Smiths Landing. Cordery's Brook, Higbeetown. Leeds POint. Smithville, Hewittown. Sooy's Opening, Giberson's Island. Benny Smith Road, Moss Mill Road (Morse's Mill Road) and Johnstown. Most of these families as well as many others came to Egg ~ Harbor in the 1690's or the early part of 1700.
But we are interested in knowing what manner of people these early settlers were and why they chose Egg Harbor .for their homes. The South Jersey Shore was a veritable paradise to those seeking a home in the new world. None settling here ever knew the hardships endured by those settling on the cold rocky shores of New England. Nor of those settling in the hot fever infested sections farther south. Here was a delightful climate. tempered by the sea in both winter and summer. The sea, marsh, and pines were as health-giving then as tney are today. The marshes and islands were so covered by the eggs of wild fowl that the early explorers called the section Egg Harbor. The inlets, bays, and rivers teemed with fish, oysters, and clams. The forest abounded with wild game, wild fruits, nuts and berries. Whaling was an industry that brought many. Capturing whales to secure the "oyle and Done' was profitable at that time. It is said that whales were so numerous and came so near the shore that only small boats were needed to capture them.
As early as 1690 we find William Lake. a whaler of Long Island, coming to Cape May with his kinsfolk, the Stillwells and Spicers. William Lake was a son of the John Lake who was one of the Proprietors to whom the town patents of Gravesend. Long Island, (now Brooklyn) had been granted in 1641. The Stillwells and Spicers remained in Cape May County, but William Lake came "over into Egg
Harbor." His deed for the property adjoining Lake's Bay bears the date of 1702. My home (1106 South Shore Road, Pleasantville) stands on a portion of this land. The family burying ground is said to have been on a rise of ground in the field back of my home. No evidence of it is visible at the present time. At a meeting of the Court of Gloucester County held June 16, 171'3, William Lake was appointed Overseer of the Poor for Great Egg Harbor, in place of Jonathan Adams. Even at that early date it seems to have been necessary to have had some one to look after the poor.
It is natural with whaling as a principal industry that ship building should become a leading industry also. The primeval forests furnished the timbers; the full streams, power for sawmills; and the largest ships of the time were built, owned and sailed by these early settlers. Ship building and seafaring continued to be of utmost importance in the county until comparatively recent date. Along the Shore Road are still standing some of the substantially built homes of the Sea Captains of the middle of the last century. Bog iron abounded in the swamps, and iron furnaces were built at Batsto in 1762. Charcoal burning was another industry. The clay deposits still make brick yards profitable.
But all these material resources would have been but a power for evil had the people been evil. This is equally true today. A nation is not made up of material resources, important as these are, but of people. The character and well being of a nation is determined by the character of its citizens. There was one book found on the parlor table in every colonial home in this section. That book was the Bible. That book was read, known, and believed. Would we could say the same today!
Our early settlers were largely of the Society of Friends (Quakers) and Presbyterians, sturdy and strong in body and in character. peace-loving, and just. The first Monthly Meeting of The Friends for Egg Harbor and Cape May was held at Richard Somers' home at Somers Point on the "first Second Day of 9th mo. 1726. Richard Townsend was appointed clerk. Peter White and Jonathan Adams were appointed overseers of the Meetings held at Japhet Leeds', Peter White's and at John Scull's." Japhet Leeds' home was at Leeds Point, Peter White's home was at or near Absecon. and John Scull's in the vicinity of Somers Point. A Friends Meeting House was built at Leeds Poi nt in 1744. I t stood across the road from the present Smithville M.E. Church. The two villages of Smithville and Leeds Point seem to have been under one name at that time. In the minutes of the Methodist Conference they are called Leeds until 1844. After that date the name of Smithville appears.
The settlers on the Mullica River had early built a rude Presbyterian Meeting House at Sweetwater, now Pleasant Mills. By the middle of the century David Brainerd had been sent by the good Presbyterians as a missionary to the Indians in this section. It is interesting to note that New Jersey had the first Indian Reservation. A deed for this purpose for land around Indian Mills in Burlington County was given in 1758. David Brainerd lived but a short time. He was frail and could not long survive the hardships a.nd privations incident to living with the Indians. His work was continued by his brother John. John Brainerd ministered to both the Indians and the white people. It is of interest to note that both David and John Brainerd were under the auspices of the "Scottish Missionary Society of London." John Brainerd made long trips on horseback to the most remote settlements. He was a man of outstanding character and culture. He was graduated from Yale College and served as Trustee of Princeton College until his death. He died in 1781. He was an ardent patriot and served as Chaplain in the Revolutionary Army.
The first rude meeting house at Sweetwater was replaced by one built by Col. Elijah Clark. This was known as "Clark's Log Meeting House." It stood on the site of the present M.E. Church at Pleasant Mills. When John Brainerd or some ordained minister could not preach. Col. Clark himself filled the pulpit. Thomas Clark at Clark's Mills near Port Republic had also
built a meeting house at about the same time. This was called "Clark's Mills Meeting House." Both of these men were sons of the Thomas Clark who had settled at Clarks Landing. Here the people from Chestnut Neck and the surrounding country came to worship. At Absecon a "Mr. Steelman" had a "large commodious house" the upper part of which was not divided into rooms. Here the people of Absecon came to worship. The present Zion M.E. Church was then "Blackman's Meeting House." Here the people from that vicinity came to worship. These were all Brainerd churches, and with the Friends meetings, the foundation of the religious life of this section.
The Revolutionary War found this section happy and prosperous. Shipyards were thriving on both rivers. The iron furnaces at Batsto were in full blast. Every stream with sufficient force supported saw or grist mills, usually both saw and grist mills. There were four mills along Nacot Creek. Near Smithville on the Moss Mill Road our first resident physician, young Irish Dr. Richard Collins, had the mills. This was known as Collins Mills. We were too healthful for the practice of a physician to support
him, so Dr. Collins. like everyone else who could. took up large tracts of land and had mills. The site is marked by the old family burying ground. Richard Collins served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He had three sons, Matthew. John. and Levi, and one daughter. Mat. thew was a surveyor. The Matthew Collins Surveys are familiar to most land holders. John was a pioneer Methodist minister. He preached the first Methodist sermon in Cincinnati in 1804.
Farther out the Moss Mill (Morse Mill) Road was "Morss's Mills" Robert Morss (the name was spelled Morss, Morse. and Moss) was a man of influence and importance. He served as Judge of the Gloucester Co. Court when Gloucester was the county seat.
At the head of Nacot Creek was "Clark's Mills." Here lived the Thomas Clark who had built the Clark's Mills Meeting House. The site of the meeting house is marked by the old burying ground. Here are buried three Revolution. ary soldiers - Thomas Clark. a nephew of the Thomas who had built the meeting house. and Parker and Adriel Clark. two of the elder Thomas' sons. Adriel Clark was the grandfather of the late Hon. Champ Clark.
Then there were the mills of Micajah Smith at present Port Republic. These were willed by him to his son-in-law, Nehemiah Blackman, and were afterward known as "Blackman's Mills." The mill dam is still intact, but I do not think it is safe to drive over. The mills stood across the road from the old brick building where the late David B. Ashley kept his store and served as postmaster. Along the Great Egg Harbor River were many mills. The last of these to go was the old Bargaintown Mill which most of us remember. This was built by James Somers.
Separated from the rest of the world on one side by the sea and on the other by the pine forest, a social and cultural life developed along the South Jersey Shore that was delightful and that was peculiar to this particular section.
The historical novel "Kate Aylesford" depicts the life of this time and several events of the Revolutionary War in a most pleasing manner. Kate Aylesford is the daughter of an English gentleman who had developed an estate at what is now Pleasant Mills, which he calls Sweetwater and which gave the name to the village. He had died leaving his estate and fortune to his daughter, then being educated in England.
The story opens with a typical scene in the tavern at Tuckerton. This scene is interrupted by a shipwreck off that village. This is the ship on which Kate and her aunt are returning to the Colonies to live at Sweetwater, just prior to the Revolutionary War. Kate and her aunt are rescued and the story continues with the stirring events of the times, including encounters with the refugees, a duel, and the Battle of Chestnut Neck. Those familiar with South Jersey forest fires will appreciate the forest fire chapter. It ends as all good novels should, by Kate marrying and "living happily ever after." She marries the Major commanding the fort there. In real life she was Honoria Reed. All the characters in the story are said to have been taken from real life. The book was written in 1850 by a grandson of the "Uncle Larry" in the story, who in real life was Lawrence Peterson.
Grace Osgood of Hammonton also has written a most interesting historical novel, "At the Sign of The Blue Anchor." This depicts the life of this period, and her characters likewise are taken from real life.
But don't let any of this lead you to think that life in the colonial period was simple or easy. Food was plentiful, but it had to be gathered and prepared. Fuel was at your back door, but it had to be gathered and prepared to burn. In all the country there was no such thing as a stove. You cooked over the fire in a great fireplace. Matches were unheard of. if you let your fires go out you went to your neighbor's, probably miles away, and got some coals. All lighting was with candles, made in the home. The water supply was from a well, which, for the convenience of the traveler, was usually located by the roadside. The water you used was drawn up from that well by lowering a bucket and pulling it up.
All baking was done in brick ovens. I have a cook book that belonged to my grandmother. I think it was her mother's. The back and the leaf giving the date of publication are gone, so I am not sure of the date. I am going to give you the instructions it gives for heating the oven. It says: "Brick ovens are generally heated with dry fagots or small branches. or with light split wood. For baking bread, oven wood must be heavier than for pies. A heap of wood should be placed in the center of the oven on the brick floor. and then set on fire. While the wood is burning the door of the oven must be left open. When the wood is all burnt down and reduced to a mass of small red coals. the oven will be very hot. Then shovel out all the coals and sweep the oven floor with a broom till it is perfectly clean and entirely free from ashes Try the heat within the mouth of the oven. For baking bread the floor of the oven should look red
and a little flour thrown in should burn brown immediately. If you can hold your hand within the mouth of the oven as long as you can distinctly count twenty, the heat is about right. Pies, puddings. etc. require less heat. A peel or large broadbladed long-handled wooder shovel is necessary for putting in the bread, pies, etc., placing them on the broad shovel-end of the peel, and slipping them off on the oven floor. Then close up the over and leave things to bake. When done slip the peel beneath them and hand them out on it."
Meat and fowl were roasted on a "spit" before the open fire. For this myoid book says: "Prepare the fire in time to be burning well. It should have plenty of hot coals and no part of the fire black, ashy or smoky. and the hearth swept very clean; for no sweeping must go on while the fowl (or anything else) is cooking. The spit should always be kept perfectly clean when not in use: and it should be well washed, wiped, and rubbed immediately after using. Run it evenly into the fowl, which will hang crooked if it is not well balanced. When first put down, take care not to set at once too close to the fire. but place it rather more than two feet distant, that it may heat gradually. If too near at first the outside will scorch. Place a little water in the drip pan, baste with butter. Gradually move nearer the fire. turning the spit frequently that it may cook evenly on all sides."
There is also a recipe for Christmas cake. It says: "If you can obtain hickory rods as egg beaters, there is nothing so good. For stirring the butter and eggs you should have a "spaddle," which resembles a short mushstick flattened at one end. This stirring is the hardest part of the cakemaking and should be done by a man servant because of his greater strength. He should also give the final stirring to the cake. If you will, in beating the eggs, hold your elbow close to your side, moving only your wrist. You can beat with short quick strokes for an hour without fatigue. If you have everything possible prepared the day
before, you should be able to have the cake ready for the oven by ten or eleven o'clock in the forenoon." The writer deplores the new practice of making cakes light by artificial means. Any ingredients put in a cake to make it light the writer considers very bad for the health. Long hard beating is the only proper means of making a cake light.
Houses were heated by open fireplaces only. Our climate is delightful, but it gets miserably cold too. Remember too that all clothing, bedding, and table linen had to be spun and woven in the home. Every householder had a field of flax and a flock of sheep. This flax had to be gathered, prepared for spinning, then spun and woven before garments could be made. Sewing machines were undreamed of. Sheep had to be sheared, the wool prepared to spin into yarn, then it was spun and stockings (men wore knee breeches, therefore stockings, not socks, were used for them) and mittens were knit. Finer yarn was spun and woven into blankets and material for clothing. Fine linen was spun and woven for sheets and table linen. Very fine linen was woven and bleached into snowy whiteness. Kerchiefs for the neck when washed were "clapped" dry, thus being given a dainty lightness and softness not obtainable otherwise. The girls and women of that day were no different from the girls and women today; they wanted everything clean, dainty, and beautiful.
There were various means of coloring wool and linens from the materials at hand. Walnut coloree brown; poke berries. red: sassafras and some species of oak colored yellow. I think it was the hulls of the walnut that were used, and the bark of the oak and sassafras There were many others that never heard of. There were means of setting these dyes too. These are lost arts so far as most of us are concerned. But the coverlets hooked rugs. and quilts of this section compare very favorably with those of other sections in beauty of color, design, and workmanship. Every scrap of material left from making garments was saved and made into patchwork quilts and rugs.
If you had to sleep in a guest room with no fire or at best, with fire lighted in the open fireplace in the room, between home woven linen sheets. you would have wanted every available quilt and wanted them generously filled with wool. There were long handled brass warming pans which were filled with coals and run between the sheets, which in a measure warmed the bed. And when you mounted the two steps ane climbed into the great four poster bed, you would probably have settled deeply into a goose feather
bed. Probably, too, your teeth would have chattered and you would have shivered until toward morning you fell into a deep sleep only to get out of bed and freeze again in dressing. Someone might have brought you up some warm water from the great iron tea kettle hanging on the crane over the fire in the kitchen, so that, when you cracked the ice in the pitcher on your washstand and poured the icy water into the bowl, you could warm it for a hasty washing, Bathrooms were undreamed of.
I, personally, have no longing for the "good old days." I have no wish to cook over an open fire, lifting and swinging heavy iron pots on the crane, manipulating heavy long-handled frying pans over the coals, heating water in a heavy iron tea kettle over the fire. I remember a long-handled iron waffle.iron in my grandfather's attic that I could harldy lift, All soap was also made in the home.
Most of our early settlers were slave owners, That in a measure helped with the work. Let us not blame or criticize them. Slaves and bond servants were the order of the day everywhere. They were fed, clothed, and taken care of in sickness and in health. No doubt in most cases they were well cared for around here. The mother of the family had no easy task to see that servants, as well as her family, were properly fed and cared for and properly trained. That was her responsibility, and she did not shirk in any particular. However, we find that most of our early settlers had first, second, and third wives. The cemeteries tell mutely the story of the multiplicity of duties born by the pioneer mother in every section.
By 1776 Chestnut Neck had become an important little town. It was the trading center for that section. Vessels sailed regularly to New York and to more distant ports, taking out native products and bringing back needed supplies and many seeming luxuries. Some pieces of beautiful and rare china are still treasured in some families, because brought by an ancestor from a foreign shore. Cedar from the banks of the Mullica went into some of New York's best homes. Tradition tells of boisterous scenes in old Payne's Tavern at Chestnut Neck where men and crews from the vessels gathered. Payne's Creek near where the tavern stood is all of the name, that I know of, that remains in this country.
When the War came, Chestnut Neck became the rendezvous of the privateers men. Here they brought their captured vessels: and here the cargoes were un. loaded; and supplies for the American amry loaded in flat boats, taken up the river to "The Forks" and carted across the State, thence to Washington's army. Col. Elijah Clark and Co I. Richard Westcott built a fort here at their own personal expense. They were afterward reimbursed by the Colonial Legislature to the amount of four hundred and thirty pounds, one shilling, and three pence. For a time the fort was garrisoned and protected with cannon. As many as fifteen hundred men are said to have de. fended this fort at one time. Bur it was soon necessary to send both men and cannon where they were more needed. This fort stood at what was later locally called Fort Island. The records refer to it as being at "Fox Burroughs," a rise of ground where the bungalow built by the late judge William C. French now stands.
With both New York and Philadelphia in the control of the British, Washington's source of supplies was cut off. Supplies were then brought into Little Egg Harbor. They also were brought to Chestnut Neck to unload the car. goes taken on flat boats to the Forks, and from there carted across the state by ox teams, thence to Washington's army. Two large storehouses were built at Chestnut Neck along the river bank below the present bridge. A fort was built at The Forks to protect the iron works at Batsto and also the supplies taken there. Here a company of soldiers under a major was stationed. Two giant buttonwood trees that commanded a view of the river and the country for miles around stood at The Forks. These were used as a lookout station.
A dangerous band of outlaws, refugees, and Tories had their headquarters in the forest near The Forks and Batsto and for a time terrorized the whole countryside. This band was under the leader. ship of an Englishman named Joe Mulliner. His wife is said to have been an active and ingenious assistant to this band in their nefarious deeds. Mulliner is described as a stout built man more than six feet tall. with a hard grublike face and forbidding countenance and a character as cruel and evil as his face indicated. The depredations of this band finally became so bold and vicious that they were hunted down; and Mulliner was captured and confined in the jail at Burlington. where he was tried and sentenced to be hung. There is a tradition that he was hung from a limb of one of the old buttonwood trees at The Forks. William E. Blakeman says in a paper he read before the Sons of the Revolution. that he was hung from the limb of a giant tree at "Gallows Hill," just outside of Burlington. Bishop Asbury in a little book telling of his work in New Jersey tells of visiting Mulliner in the jail at Burlington and praying with him. He says Mulliner confessed his many crimes and acknowledged the justice in his sentence. His body was given to his wife, and he is buried near the river near the site of The Forks of that day. Some spy may have been hung from one of the buttonwoods. I do not know.
The one recorded battle of the Revolutionary War in what is now Atlantic County. was at Chestnut Neck. The privateersmen had become so successful in capturing British ships that Sir Henry Clinton sent a fleet from New York to "clean out that nest of Rebel Pirates." His object was also to destroy the iron works at Batsto and the various salt works. These Iron works were supplying the American army with cannon and with balls. Nine armed vessels sailed from New York under Captain Henry Collins with a detail of 300 men. They sailed September 30. 1778. but bad weather delayed their arrival until October 5. The sailing of this fleet had been made known to General Washington, and he dispatched Count Pulaski and his Legion to Chestnut Neck. Count Pulaski. however. did not arrive until the morning after the battle.
Captain Collins could not get his ships up the river because of the weather. He therefore filled galleys and armed boats with men and artillery. and came up the river in all haste. He arrived at Chestnut Neck early in the morning of October 6. in a heavy rain storm. The troops that could be mustered were no match for the British, who landed under the protection of the fire from their armed boats. There were no cannon in the fort, and the troops of the patriots had no artillery. These troops held the British back until the women and children escaped to the woods; then they retreated, firing as they went.
The fort was demolished, the storehouses and the little village plundered and then burned. The privateers had put out to sea, so none of them were captured. But all the small boats were burned. There were two large British merchant ships, the "Venus" and the "Major Pearson," in the river. These were captured by the privateers, and dismantled by the patriots. They were burned to the water's edge and sunk. The "Venus" had been captured and brought in by Captain Micajah Smith of the privateer sloop "Sly." He was the Micajah Smith who had his mills at what is now Port Republic. A portion of the timbers of the "Venus" may still be seen at a very low tide and with a strong northwest wind.
The British were not successful in reaching The Forks. Knowing Pulaski was coming, they hurried across Bass River where they returned to their ships in Little Egg Harbor off Tuckerton. Pulaski arrived at Chestnut Neck Wednesday morning, October 7. He hurried to The Forks, crossing the river at the bridge to Batsto, thence to Tuckerton, where he and the British watched each other until October 15, when a detachment of men under Lieutenant Colonel Baron de Bosen was surprised and almost entirely killed. It is said the order of "no quarter" had been given by the British. This is known as "The Massacre of Little Egg Harbor," and this site is marked by a tablet placed by the Society of Cincinnati.
The British succeeded in reaching their boats before Pulaski could overtake them. They soon sailed back to New York. While this massacre took place in Burlington County, it was a part of the expedition against Chestnut Neck. Tradition gives many exciting tales of this time and this expedition; but colonial records were very poorly kept, in fact almost not kept at all in this case For records. the reports of the British officers have been consLltec.: for mOst of the information.
Tradition tells us that the older men at Chestnut Neck (no man over fifty was supposed to serve in the regular army) had organized themselves into a company under one Captain Johnson, and that they drilled regularly and that they helped to defend Chestnut Neck, at the time of the battle. There is no record of this company other than tradition. I was born and reared on Chestnut Neck and have neard this company talked of and praised for their bravery since my earliest memory. Personally, I beiieve tnat there was such a company and that they helped to defend Chestnut Neck.
From the pension papers of Jonn Tilton. we learn that Captain Steelman was in charge of a company stationed at Absecon. The duty of this company was to "guard the sea coast from Somers POint to Leeds Point." Samuel Sooy in his affidavit to the service of Jonn Tilton says that Captain Steelman's company was ordered up with others to protect Chestnut Neck. and that John Tilton was Ensign and that they did actually serve at that time. This proves that Captain Steelman's company with John Tilton as Ensign and Samuel Sooy as one of the privates were in the battle at Chestnut Neck. I have made some effort to build up the roster of this company, but thus far have not been successful. Levi Price in applying for his pension says that he was in the Battle of Chestnut Neck. He was in Captain Conover's company at that time. I have found no record that Captain Conover's company was in this vicinity or was ordered to the defense of Chestnut Neck. This does not mean, however, that such was not the case. There is much more research work necessary before we can piece together the torn picture of this time. Much of it is entirely lost.
The original pension papers of John Tilton are in the possession of Mrs. Samuel Johnson of Absecon, a descendant. He records several unpublished events. He says that he "was with Col. Proctor of the Artillery at Egg Harbor at Leeds Point." Samuel Sooy says that he knew John Tilton "the first time the Militia was ordered around to Little Egg Harbor under Col. Taylor." He also was with John Tilton at "the Fight at Absecon" which was after the "fight at Little Egg Harbor." Just why or when Col. Proctor of the Artillery was at Leeds Point, we do not know. Neither is there any other record that I can find of the Militia under Col. Taylor being ordered around to Little Egg Harbor, or of the Fight at Absecon. John Tilton says he served for four months on the armed vessel "Congress" as Captain of Marines. The Congress was commanded by Captain Crage. She "carried eight carriage guns, sixteen two ports, and about thirty small arms. Her purpose was to clear the coast of the refugees and British privateers." John Tilton says, as Ensign in Captain Steelman's company he "had to go from place to place to keep the refugees from landing on the shores." It seems probable that these engagements to which he refers were with refugees of British privateers. As we find other pension papers of the Revolutionary War period. we hope to discover much of interest and value.
Chestnut Neck was not rebuilt: the people deemed it too exposed to be safe. They built the best sort of homes they could under the circumstances at what is now Port Republic. It is said that Benjamin Endicott's house was the first one built. This house stood on the site of the present Methodist Episcopal parsonage and a portion of it is built into the back part of the parsonage.
Benjamin Endicott was taken prisoner during the war and confined in that den of horrors. the prison ship in New York Harbor. Tradition says he escaped. but records show he was exchanged. He made his way on foot to his home in Port Republic and called to his family from the woods back of the house. The houses were all built along a narrow road (now Main Street) with the woods coming to the back doors. He told them not to come near him nor to touch him, but to bring him soap and water, clean clothing. and a spade. This they did: and he bathed, put on clean clothing. and buried his filthy, vermin-infested rags. Then he joined his family. This is just one of the traditions handed down. But remember, "That nation which lets its tradition die out must itself soon perish."
There is a very pretty story of a brave and charming girl who lived at Beesleys Point, across the river from Somers Point. She was Rebecca Stillwell Willetts, the daughter of Nicholas Stillwell, and the wife of young James Willetts. Her father kept the tavern at Beesleys Point. Hotels were called taverns at that time. In the tavern were stored ammunition and supplies for the Continental Army. One day when all the men were away on some government business. Rebecca, ever on the alert. saw through the spy glass, a long boat enter the river. As they drew nearer she saw the boat was filled with redcoats. She ran up the Stars and Stripes, and beat lustily on the big bell used to call the men from the fields, though there wasn't a man within miles. Then she trained the cannon that was kept mounted and charged on the point, on the approaching boat. She secured a fire brand, waited until they were within firing distance. and then she fired. The men fell flat in the bottom of the boat. then put about and left the river. Whether anyone was hit was never known. It is supposed that the men were from some British privateer. and had been given information of the supplies and the absence of the men, by some Tory spy. The story is taken from the diary of one Reuben Willetts, and he adds that Rebecca was a great heroine ever after.
You asked me to speak on Colonial Atlantic County and I have confined myself to that period. There is much of vital importance in later history that should have its place in school work. The life and service of young Richard Somers in the War with Tripoli in particular should be taught. The Children of the Revolution have just placed a tablet marking his birthplace in Somers Point.
Dr. James North has written a very good sketch of Hammonton which you will find in John F. Hall's "History of Atlantic County." I think the sketch of Weymouth in that book would be useful also.
I think that the children should be informed that Simon Lake, the inventor of the submarine, was born and reared in Pleasantville. Also, that the tractor was originally the invention of Jesse Lake, who was born and lived his whole life in Pleasantville. Both of these men were descendants of William Lake the whaler. The Lake Family Association have a paper on "Building the Old Turnpike" by Agnes Leeds Risley. The Old Turnpike was the first highway between Atlantic City and the mainland. Jesse Lake and his brother built this turnpike. The need of getting the material across the marsh and ditches caused Jesse Lake to invent his "self track-laying car," which developed into the tank of the World War and into the tractor in use generally at the present time.
Our General Lafayette Chapter, D.A.R. has a paper on the life of Rear Admiral Mordicai T. Endicott, one on Silas R. Morse, and one compiled by Miss Ethel M. Davie on The Public Schools of Atlantic City. I know they would be glad for you to make copies of these papers for public schoo use. Miss Davie in her paper in cludes the history of some of thE early county schools.
There is a pamphlet on the lifE of Dr. Jonathan Pitney in thE Atlantic City Public Library whic~ gives much of Atlantic City's earl) history. This was compiled by thE Rev. Allen H. Brown in 1886 for thE New Jersey Historical Society Rev. Brown says it has beer suggested that a monument bE placed in Atlantic City to the memory of Dr. Pitney. He says that Atlantic City is Dr. Pitney's monument.
Ships and ship building shoulc have a complete chapter of its own in Atlantic County history. And what a romantic chapter it would be! I have referred to the whaler settlers, and to the building and sailing of ships being the leading industry until the latter part of the last century. Mays Landing and Port Republic were the centers for the ship building industry. Mays Landing was the larger. More than one hundred vessels were built here alone. We shouls have a paper written on the history of Mays Landing, suitable for public school use.
My talk would not be complete if I failed to say something about the old fort at Somers Point usee in the War of 1812. It was not long after the Revolutionary War that the people began to realize the dangers to which our coast line exposed them. John R. Scull organized a company at Somers Point. There was a company under Robert Smith at Smithville anc Leeds Point. There seems to have been but one continuous term of duty, from May 25 to June 11, 1814.
They were always ready for actual service in any sudden emergency. There were many of these emergencies. A sand fort was built at Somers Point. It is said to have been fortified with "quaker guns." The site of this fort is marked by a monument placed by the Daughters of 1812. When the old Somers Hotel was torn down balls were found between the weather boards and the brick pane. Miss Harriet I. Frambes of Atlantic City has one of these balls. It is said a cannon ball was sent through the Quaker Meeting House during worship. When the sentinel on guard sighted a British vessel approaching, the alarm was sent to "every village and farm," and the men of the company hastened to the defense of the fort. Until the troops arrived, it is said that every person in Somers Point, men, women, and children, hastened to the fort and paraded with broom sticks, quaker guns, and anything that resembled a gun. This made a great commotion as though getting ready to fire. Sometimes the vessels would put out to sea before the troops arrived.
Miss Lizzie J. Price tells of one of her ancestors being in the field plowing when a local "Paul Revere" came, telling him the British again were approaching. He left his team for someone else to unhitch, hurried to the house for his musket, and then hastened to join his company at the old fort. His wife, devout Quaker though she was, turned to her daughter, saying "Rebecca, do thee prepare the crucible." This Rebecca hastened to do; and mother and daughters were soon busy moulding shot, that there might be no shortage of ammunition.
On one occasion it is said that the alarm was given that a ship was entering the inlet. All was activity around the fort. A long boat was hastily made ready and filled with members of the company, and the only swivel gun was placed on the deck. They then took positions back of a small island covered with tall grass. There they waited patiently for the coming of the enemy. The first boat was allowed to pass unmolested. When the second was in a good position, they opened fire. One of the company in the excitement picked up the gun and held it in his arms. When fired he was knocked unconscious. but the shot did the deed. The boat was sunk, the occupants captured as were, also, those in the first boat. The third boat turned back to the ship. The captured men were kept in the Dolphin House ice house during the night and the next day taken to Trenton. This is as told to Miss Harriet I. Frambes of Atlantic City, many years ago. Let us preserve our traditions.
I thank you for the privilege of speaking to you and trust I may have given you something of value.
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