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Jersey City And Its Historic Sites
Jersey City And Its Historic Sites
CONTENTS From the Minutes of the Literature Committee of the Woman's Club of Jersey City . At a meeting of the Committee January 5th, 1898, one of the subjects for the day was "Jersey City's Old Landmarks." In the discussion that followed, Miss M. Louise Edge moved that Mrs. Eaton be requested to write a short history of Jersey City, to be published by the Club: the proceeds of which to be used to erect memorial tablets on historic sites of the Colonial and Revolutionary periods. At the meeting
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SHEYICHBI AND ITS PEOPLE.
SHEYICHBI AND ITS PEOPLE.
Before the white race came to America, the locality now known as Jersey City, was occupied by a branch of the Minsi division of the Lenni Lenape Nation of the Red Men, and was called Sheyichbi. The whole of the present state of New Jersey belonged to the Lenape, and was occupied by bands bearing different names according to the special features of the locality, but all recognizing their unity as one people. Those who lived here, along the western shore of the New York Bay, extending to the sea,
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ARRIVAL OF THE DUTCH.
ARRIVAL OF THE DUTCH.
In the fall of 1609, Hendrik Hudson anchored the "Half Moon" off Communipaw, and the simple natives met him and said "Behold the Gods have come to visit us." Little they dreamed of the long sequence of evil results which would follow his coming and the introduction he gave them to "rum," the most potent destroyer of their race. When Hendrik Hudson anchored off Communipaw, where lower Jersey City now stands, it was largely salt marsh, and the heights above were crowned with heavy forests. When he
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PAVONIA.
PAVONIA.
On July 12th, 1630, Mr. Michael Pauw, Burgomaster of Amsterdam and Lord of Achtienhover, near Utrecht, obtained through the Directors and Councillors of New Netherlands, a deed from the Indians to the land called Hopoghan Hackingh, this being the first deed recorded in New Netherlands. On November 22nd, of the same year, the same parties procured from the Indians a deed to Mr. Pauw of Ahasimus and Aresick (burying-ground), the peninsula later called Paulus Hook. These were the first conveyance b
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COMMUNIPAW.
COMMUNIPAW.
On September 8th, 1660, Jaques Cortelyou was ordered to survey Gemoenepa and lay it out into village lots. The village site fronted on the Bay, was two hundred feet deep and extended from what is now Communipaw avenue on the north to the Bay Shore House on the south. The Council ordered that the village should be stockaded, but there seems to have been numerous delays, for in June, 1663, Gerrit Gerritsen, Harman Smeeman and Dirck Claussen were appointed commissioners to fortify Gemoenepa. May 9t
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BERGEN.
BERGEN.
March 1st, 1660, Tilman Van Vleck petitioned for permission to found a village near the maize land, a clearing and Indian corn field at and around what is now the junction of Montgomery street and Bergen avenue. He was refused and again asked, to be again refused, April 12th. A third application upon August 16th of the same year was successful. It was granted upon the following conditions: "The site should be selected by the Governor and Council; it must be a place easily defended; the land to b
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BERGEN COURT.
BERGEN COURT.
Here in Bergen the first local Court in New Jersey was organized in September, 1661, with Tielman Van Vleck as schout or sheriff, and Michael Jansen, Herman Smeeman and Casper Stynmets, as schepens or magistrates, something like justices or aldermen. The schout was afterwards authorized "to fill and execute the office of auctioneer." All criminal cases were referred to the Director General and Council of Nieu Netherland. Only minor offenses, such as brawls, slanders, scolding, threats, etc., cou
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THE FIRST CHURCH.
THE FIRST CHURCH.
In 1680 the first church building was begun in Bergen, the total cost so far as it is possible to get at the figures, was two thousand six hundred and twelve guilders. It was an octagonal stone building with the roof sloping to a point and surmounted with a vane bearing a rooster. The windows were placed very high. In the summer of 1683 the first bell was placed in the high pointed roof, probably a gift from some of the members. The bricks in the windows and arch over the door were brought from
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THE FIRST PALL.
THE FIRST PALL.
The first pall the church was able to buy, cost, according to the Deacons account: It was first used at the funeral of Engelbert Steenhuysen, January 16th, 1678. The rent of the pall was quite a source of income to the church. The price to an adult was fourteen guilders and to a child seven guilders, until June 14th, 1715, when it was reduced to six guilders for an adult and three guilders for a child. On January 17th, 1715, the second pall was bought for one hundred and ninety-five guilders, an
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THE SECOND AND THIRD CHURCHES.
THE SECOND AND THIRD CHURCHES.
In 1773 a new church building was erected in the second cemetery, which had been opened in 1738, on the southwest corner of Vroom street and Bergen avenue. It fronted Bergen avenue, about the center of the east side of the lot. The stone above the door of the first church was placed above the door of the second building with a stone beneath with the inscription: "Her bowt in Het yaer 1773." Both are now over the door on the south side of the present church building on Bergen and Highland avenues
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THE VOORLEEZER.
THE VOORLEEZER.
The Voorleezer was a very important official in the Reformed Church and combined the duties of several offices. 1st, as Voorleezer or clerk, upon Sundays, before the minister entered the pulpit, the Voorleezer took his place at the desk in front of the high pulpit or "preaching chair," as it was called, and opened the services by announcing and reading a verse from the Psalms. He then led the congregation in the singing of it, which gave him the title of foresinger. After the verse had been sung
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MARRIAGES—TOWN POOR.
MARRIAGES—TOWN POOR.
Until October 3, 1681, all marriages in Bergen were performed in the school-house, thenceforth in the church, it was the custom to be married in the presence of the congregation either by the minister or the Voorleezer, if by the latter, the record bore the clause "in the presence of the Court of Bergen." In the early days the usual fee was ƒ6 in wampum, paid over to the church funds. Often a collection was taken up among the wedding guests for the poor. There are several instances of the kind o
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BURIAL CUSTOMS.
BURIAL CUSTOMS.
The burial customs were probably the same as those of their fatherland and very peculiar in some respects. The most important character was the Aanspreker, upon whom rested the whole responsibility of the affair. Immediately upon a death he was notified, and at once repaired to the sterfhuis (house of the deceased) with a few sheets of mourning paper, upon which he took down the names of friends to be notified of the death, and marked those who were to be invited as bearers or as mourners. Until
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CEMETERIES.
CEMETERIES.
The first cemetery of Bergen was on the south side of Vroom street, just outside of the southeast corner of the palisade of the new town, where it is said there was a little fort for protection against the Indians. In this burial ground the first church was built, on the site now occupied by Dominie Cornelison's family vault, and fronting on Vroom street, facing Tuers avenue. After the cemetery had been used over seventy years, in 1738 the second burying ground was opened on the southwest corner
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PAULUS HOOK.
PAULUS HOOK.
Paulus Hook was a circular piece of upland lying east of what is now Warren street, and consisted of sand hills, some of considerable height. On the north was Harsimus Cove, First street; on the east the river, on the south Communipaw Cove, South street; and to the west, salt marsh, which was covered with water at high tide. It was sold by the West Indian Company to Abraham Isaacsen Planck, May 1st, 1638, for the sum of four hundred and fifty guilders, calculated at twenty stivers to the guilder
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REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
In the early spring of 1776, Lord Stirling, then in command of the American forces in this locality, took measures to put Bergen and Paulus Hoeck in condition of defense, and to open means of communication with the interior of the State. A fort was built at Bergen Neck, later called Fort Delancy, to prevent the English from coming over from Staten Island. It was located on the rising ground now bounded by 44th and 45th streets and Avenues B and C in Bayonne, one quarter of a mile below the canal
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BATTLE OF PAULUS HOOK.
BATTLE OF PAULUS HOOK.
At four o'clock on the afternoon of August 18th, 1779, Major Henry Lee, with four hundred infantry and a troop of dismounted dragoons started from New Bridge (Hackensack), on a march of fourteen miles through the woods to make an attack upon the fort at Paulus Hoeck. He detached patrols of horse to watch the communication with the North River and stationed parties of infantry at different roads leading to Paulus Hoeck. At Union Hill he filed into the woods where by the guide's timidity, or treac
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LAFAYETTE IN BERGEN.
LAFAYETTE IN BERGEN.
On August 24th, 1779, General Lafayette and his troops marched on a foraging expedition from near Fort Lee to Bergen. On the morning of the 25th they arrived at the brow of the Hill and encamped about the large, old tulip tree, known as "oude Boom" to the early settlers and as the "King of the Woods" to those of later date. The locality is now known as Waldo avenue, between Henry street and Magnolia avenue. The tree was cut down December 20th, 1871. Lafayette's headquarters were at the Van Wagen
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SERGEANT CHAMPE.
SERGEANT CHAMPE.
After Andre's execution General Washington formed a plan to seize Arnold and bring him to the Jersey shore, first to punish him, second to exonerate from suspicions of treachery another of his Generals, St. Clair. Major Lee persuaded Sergeant Major John Champe of Loudon, Virginia, to attempt to carry out the plan. He was to desert to the British, join Arnold's American Legion and if possible bring Arnold within reach of American troops. About 11 o'clock on the night of October 20th, 1780, he sta
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BERGEN PATRIOTS.
BERGEN PATRIOTS.
The English evacuated Paulus Hook November 22, 1783. It is said that during the Revolution there were only fourteen families in Bergen whose sympathies were with the Colonies. Among these were some very devoted patriots whose memory should be cherished. Prominent among them are the names of Mrs. Jane Van Reypen Tuers and her brother Daniel Van Reypen. Mrs. Tuers lived at the old Tuers house, the site of which is now occupied by the Armory on the corner of Mercer street and Bergen avenue. During
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EARLY CUSTOMS.
EARLY CUSTOMS.
It is to be regretted that so much has been forgotten of the early customs and habits of former generations of this locality. For a long time the city grew slowly; in comparatively recent times the farms have been changed into city lots and the occupations and amusements have taken different forms. Even traditions of early customs does not reach much farther back than the beginning of the present century; but, owing to the Dutch tenacity of clinging to inherited customs, it is probable that the
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JERSEY CITY.
JERSEY CITY.
Paulus Hook with its ferry rights passed from the possession of the Van Vorst family to Anthony Dey of New York, on March 26th, 1804. The consideration was an annuity of $6,000 in Spanish milled dollars. Dey conveyed it to Abraham Varick, who on the 20th of the same month conveyed it to Richard Varick, Jacob Radcliff, and Anthony Dey. These men were eminent and successful lawyers in New York and became the founders of Jersey City. They divided their purchase into one thousand shares, associating
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MUNICIPAL CHANGES.
MUNICIPAL CHANGES.
At various times the city limits have been extended, and various acts of Legislature have changed the governing power. In 1820 the Legislature passed an "Act to Incorporate the City of Jersey, in the County of Bergen." On the 23d of January, 1829, the corporate name was changed to "The Board of Selectmen and Inhabitants of Jersey City." On February 22d, 1838, the governing power was vested in the "Mayor and Common Council of Jersey City." It now ceased to be a part of Bergen Township and became
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FORMING THE CITY.
FORMING THE CITY.
In the map of the new city prepared by the Associates, the streets were laid out at right angles and one thousand three hundred and forty-four lots were laid down. The eastern boundary was Hudson street, which was laid in the water with the exception of a small piece of upland that extended outward at Morris street. The southern boundary was South street, later called Mason street, and a few years ago vacated by the city. Harsimus was the northern boundary. It was nearly circular upland, of whic
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THE FERRIES.
THE FERRIES.
In 1804 Joseph Lyon, of Elizabethport, leased the ferry and moved the landing and stairs about midway between Grand and York streets, the slip opening diagonally up the river. There were two row-boats with two oarsmen each and extra oars for the passengers to use if they were in haste to cross, and two periaugers. In 1805 the Associates built a new tavern of brick, known as the Hudson House. It is still standing on Grand near Hudson street, and is part of the Colgate Soap works. Between this hot
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EDGE'S WINDMILL.
EDGE'S WINDMILL.
A quaint and interesting landmark of lower Jersey City, for some thirty years, was the windmill near the corner of Montgomery and Green streets; to be exact, it stood upon a pier one hundred feet in length, seventy-five feet north of Montgomery street, and fifty feet east of Green street. According to the family traditions this mill, an exact duplicate of one owned by himself in Derbyshire, England, was sent by Mr. Edge, Sr., to his son Mr. Isaac Edge, soon after he settled in Jersey City in 180
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CITY HALL AND SCHOOLS.
CITY HALL AND SCHOOLS.
The first school on Paulus Hook was started in 1806. The Associates gave the land and the town authorities provided the money for the building, which was located on the two lots east of St. Mathew's Church. The building was used also as a town hall and a meeting place for the different religious denominations. The school was called the "Mechanics' Institute" and was a pay school. Soon after the "Columbia Public School" was started and supported by subscriptions. In 1834 both failed financially a
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PUBLIC SCHOOL NO. 1.
PUBLIC SCHOOL NO. 1.
In 1843 the state school money, the receipts from liquor licenses and the money received from the Bergen Township funds were appropriated for the Public School, then first called School No. 1. It was still held in the Town House. The primary pupils paid fifty cents a quarter, in the higher branches the fees were one dollar a quarter. Where the pupils were unable to pay, their dues were charged against the public funds. In 1847 a new school house was erected in York street, west of Washington str
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SCHOLARSHIPS.
SCHOLARSHIPS.
In 1846 Columbia College presented Jersey City with a free Scholarship, which was accepted by the Common Council on March 26th, 1847. Several students from Jersey City had the benefit of this scholarship as late as 1890, about which time the privilege seems to have been withdrawn. At present a free scholarship in the University of the City of New York and one in Rutgers College are open to the young men of Jersey City who attend the High School. The only condition being that the applicant must a
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POST OFFICE.
POST OFFICE.
The first post office was established in Jersey City in 1807 by Postmaster General Grainger. Up to that time people went to New York or Newark for their letters. For many years people called at the office for their mail; then there was a local system of carriers, people duly authorized who delivered letters at the houses, for which they received one cent on each letter, the only pay allowed them. This method was in operation as late as 1867, possibly later, but about that time carriers were appo
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CHURCHES.
CHURCHES.
The Bergen Church had made an effort to start a branch at Jersey City, but the first successful church society was that of St. Mathew's Episcopal Church which was organized August 21, 1808. The services were held for several years in the school building. October 22, 1831, the corner stone of the church was laid on Sussex, between Washington and Warren streets; the building was consecrated November 26, 1835. The first Presbyterian society in Jersey City was founded in 1809 and held services in th
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BUSINESS INTERESTS.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
1824 saw the opening of Dummer's Glass Works on Communipaw Cove, west of Washington street and south of Morris Canal. The site is now occupied by the sugar house. The flint glass of these works, started in 1824, has never been excelled. In 1825 the Jersey Porcelain and Earthen Ware Company was incorporated in the Town of Jersey, County of Bergen. Under the Act of Legislature George Dummer, Timothy Dewey, Henry Post, Jr., William W. Shirley and Robert Abbatt, Jr., were named as incorporators. In
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FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
In 1829 a Fire Department was started by public subscription; about the same time the Police Department also had its remote beginning in the appointment of seven watchmen. After their term of office expired their places were not filled until, in 1837, four night watchmen were appointed and the City Marshal served by day. In 1844 three men were appointed to serve as watchmen and lamplighters, with a salary of $32 a month. In 1845 they were required to call the hour during the night "until the hou
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RAILROADS AND STEAMSHIPS.
RAILROADS AND STEAMSHIPS.
In 1834 the New Jersey Railroad and the Paterson and Hudson River Railroad were opened and led to a new era in the history of Jersey City. The New Jersey Railroad extended to Newark, with work in progress toward Philadelphia. Its one car was advertised as "the passenger car 'Washington,' a splendid and beautiful specimen of workmanship, containing three apartments besides seats on top." Regular trips began September 15th, 1834. Eight trips a day were made, going from Jersey City to Newark in one
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STREET RAILWAYS.
STREET RAILWAYS.
In early days the people of Bergen and Communipaw had to go by private conveyance or else walk to the ferry by the Mill road; later stages were run by Peter Merselis from the ferry to Bergen, via Five Corners. There was an office and waiting room at the corner of Bay street and Newark avenue, and in Bergen the stages started from the Columbian Hotel, a building now known as Foye Hall, at Foye Place. After a time omnibuses were introduced, and large open sleighs were used in the winter. Peter Mer
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WATER WORKS.
WATER WORKS.
In lower Jersey City the water supply from the wells was inferior and insufficient in quantity. According to Winfield there was quite a business carried on at one time in carting water from the hill and selling it by the pail from door to door. Upon March 1st, 1839, a company was incorporated and authorized to arrange for a water supply for the city, but it failed to accomplish anything. On March 18th, 1851, Edwin A. Stevens, Edward Coles, Dudley S. Gregory, Abraham J. Van Boskerck and John D. W
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WAR RECORDS.
WAR RECORDS.
ARMY. In the Civil War Jersey City was well represented. It is estimated that from the district now included in the city, one man from every five went to the war. From no part of the North was the response to the Nation's need more prompt or more loyal than in Jersey City. The President's call for seventy-five thousand troops was issued on Monday, April 15th, 1861. At the mass meeting held at the Hudson House on Grand street, on Tuesday evening, the first man in the state to sign the rolls of vo
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HOSPITALS AND CHARITIES.
HOSPITALS AND CHARITIES.
The plot an Washington street and South Cove, originally designed for a market site, was used on several occasions for cholera and small pox patients. In 1868 the city decided to use it for the City Charity Hospital. In 1882 the city erected a larger hospital on Baldwin avenue near Montgomery street. In 1885 the name was changed from Charity to City Hospital. At present there are two hospitals, the Warden's house, the stable and dead house. It is under the police management. The surgeons and phy
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THE CLUBS.
THE CLUBS.
There are in Jersey City over fifty clubs of various kinds. A few own handsome club houses, others meeting in hired rooms or at the homes of the members. So far as I can learn the Everett was the pioneer club of the city, and therefore justly gives precedence to the literary clubs. In 1865 the "Everett Literary Union" was organized, and met in a room over a store on Newark avenue. Debates and essays on various topics were the order of proceedings. Judge Dixon started it, and he, Judge Collins, M
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ODD VOLUMES.
ODD VOLUMES.
In the fall of 1887 Miss Cecelia Gaines proposed to a few friends the formation of a club for the study of Literature, and the Odd Volumes came into existence with a membership of eight which was soon increased to the limit of twenty-five. After a few years the limit was increased to thirty-five. The meetings are held at members houses. That it has become an ideal woman's club is proved by its long list of waiting candidates for admission, and the desire for invitations to its regular meetings a
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JERSEY CITY WOMAN'S CLUB.
JERSEY CITY WOMAN'S CLUB.
In 1894 was formed the Jersey City Woman's Club, which has a membership of over two hundred and is unlimited. It is a department club, its several sections being Education, Woman's Exchange, Philanthropy, Town Improvement, Home, Literature, Music and Art. "Its object shall be to awaken interest in subjects which especially concern women; to stimulate inquiry in questions of public significance, and to promote effort toward social and educational advancement. Motto: 'In great things, unity; in sm
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BOAT CLUBS.
BOAT CLUBS.
The Orion Rowing Association, the pioneer boat club of Jersey City, was organized in August, 1872, and Judge J. H. Lippincott was its first president. The first club rooms were on the southwest corner of Newark and Baldwin avenues, those formerly occupied by the Hudson City Free Library. The first boat house was a fat factory on the meadows, a quarter of a mile from the Hackensack River, but the enthusiasm of the members was so great that they carried their four-oared barge to and from the river
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GUN CLUBS.
GUN CLUBS.
In July, 1877, were organized two Gun Clubs in Jersey City—the Jersey City Heights and the New Jersey—both of which were in existence for several years and achieved some very fine records in pigeon and ball shooting. The Jersey City Heights Gun Club was organized July 11th, with the object of "the education and advancement of its members in the art of wing and trap shooting; also for the enforcement of the game laws of this state." The rules required that the butt of the gun should be clear belo
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SOCIAL CLUBS.
SOCIAL CLUBS.
The New Jersey, Palma (which began as a Rifle Club), the Jersey City Athletic, the Cartaret and Catholic Clubs are social clubs and immensely popular. The most of them extend many privileges and courtesies to their women friends. The Catholic Club was organized by Father Kelly, now of St. Mary's Church, Hoboken, in 1892, and was an outcome of his desire to provide a place of recreation for the young men and women of his church. It was the first club in the city where young women had free access
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POLITICAL CLUBS.
POLITICAL CLUBS.
The most prominent are the Union League and Hudson County Democratic Society, both of which own handsome club houses on York street facing Van Vorst square....
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LIBRARIES.
LIBRARIES.
About 1866 a few gentlemen in Bergen formed the Bergen Library Association. They collected subscriptions and organized a library of one thousand volumes. A room was given for their use in Library Hall and Major Gaines acted as librarian and secretary. After a few years the interest in it died out and the books were sold. In 1867 a few gentlemen in Hudson City formed a Free Library Association and hired a room on the southwest corner of Newark and Baldwin avenues for the library. Books were given
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PARKS.
PARKS.
Jersey City is lamentably deficient in parks. Before the city was first established, some say that there was a small park in front of Lyons Hotel, others assert that there was only one willow tree there. After the city came into existence there was for many years, on the site now occupied by the brick-yard, south of Essex street, between Essex and the Canal, a pleasure resort called the Thatched Cottage Gardens, with trees, flowers and vines, where there was music, balloon ascensions and games,
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JERSEY CITY OF THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
JERSEY CITY OF THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
What of Jersey City to-day? It has been said that when the plan of the tide-water canal on the western border of the little city started on Paulus Hook failed to be carried out, that it was a blow to the prosperity of the city. Perhaps it was, but when the consolidation of all the towns in Hudson County was started in 1869, the movement embodied greater possibilities for the city than were ever dreamed of by the associates. The first effort failed of its complete realization, but it will eventua
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