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THE EARLY GERMANS OF NEW JERSEY THEIR History, Churches and GEN£alogies THEODORE FRELINGHUYSEN CHAMBERS WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/earlygermansofneOOcham THE EARLY GERMANS OF NEW JERSEY THEIR History, Churches and Genealogies THEODORE FRELINGHUYSEN CHAMBERS WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS PREFACE. Thisworkisthe resultof an attempt to discover the exact time of the first settlement of New Jersey by people of the Germanrace. Itisbelieved thatthisfacthas been ascertained with sufficient certainty. Between 1710 and 1713 nearly all palatines, whohave left anytraceof their presence, began to arrive in the State and to fulfill their important part in the upbuildingofthiscommonwealth. In the course of this investigation extending, as it needs mustdo, in somany directions andhavingtodo with so many records, alarge amount of valuable material would naturally accumulate. Thishas appeared to the authortobeworth pre- serving, even thoughthelaborandexpense and riskofsolarge abookwould be required forthatpurpose. In tracingthe families ofthe earlysettlers resort has been had to the records at Newton, Belvidere, Flemington, Somer- ville and Morristown. Every one ofthe 62 books of wills at Trenton was examined separately. The church records of Stillwater, German Valley, New Germantown, Lebanon and Mount Pleasant, were carefully compiled. To gather addi- tionaldata the inscriptions in 31 cemeteries from Newton to Flemington, including those of Lamington, Bedminster and Somerville, were copied. Every county, church and family history procurable was consulted, and on this account the writer feels warranted in saying that the genealogies are as complete andaccurate as theycan be made. The familiesrepresentedinthegenealogiesaremoreorless complete accordingtothe circumstancesofthecase,but all the information has been given with regard to each family that vi Preface. could be foundbycarefuland continued inquiry. All wbohave ever attempted genealogical researches will readily understand how impossible it is to ever attain either perfectcompletenessorperfect accuracy. ThemapofWashing-ton township, the author's own handi- work, isbelieved to be substantially accurate. Of course, as every surveyor knows, hardly any of the early surveys will bearmappingwithout alterations, such as actual surveys show tobenecessary. Theillustrations are in every case the best that could be procured. The work of the Central Bureau of Engravinghas been surprisingly excellent. In some cases the photographs, from which the photo-engravings were made, wereeithervery poorwhen originally taken, ordiscolored and marred by age. Mr. E. W. Rush, of Glen Gardner, is the engraver of the following cuts The churches of New Germantown, Fair- : mount, LowerValley, Califon and Mount Olive. In common with every one who undertakes to investigate thehistory of Morriscounty, the writerowesmorethan he can adequately express to the two gentlemen of Morristown who have been frequentlyassociated in the preparation and publication ofvaluablehistoricalrecords. Of course I refer to the Hon. E. D. Halsey and Mr. William Ogden Wheeler, of Mor- ristown. The very large and most complete collection of material forthe historynot onlyofthe countybut also of the State, which they have so kindly placed at the author's com- mand, hasbeen ofthe verygreatest value to the writer. All who are at all interested in the historyof the palatine emigration eitherinto New York or New Jersey, owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Samuel Burhans, of New York City, for rendering accessible the large number of German church records, especiallythosebelonging to the valleys of the Hud- son and Mohawk. Dr. Henry Race,of Pittstown,N. hasmostkindlygranted J., the aidofhis skill and experience in historical work. Mr. B. Van Doren Fisher, of New York, has enabled the writertouse theresultsofhisinvaluable labors, especiallyin thematter of familygenealogiesandthecopyingofarchives. Preface. vii Mr. E. Y. Taylor, of Philadelphia, formerlyofGerman Val- ley, kindlyloaned the field books,mapsandotherpapersofthe surveyor, John Rockhill, who lived one hundred and thirty yearsago. By the aid of these certain important facts were established, which wouldotherwisehave remainedin complete obscurity. Mr. Augustus Dellicker, of Hackettstown, allowed the use of Caleb Valentine's papers, containing maps and surveys which could be procured no where else. The late Theodore Naughright and William S. Cary and son, Lewis, have taken the mostgenerousinterestinthewriter's labors and havegiven him the full benefit of theirextensive experience assurveyors. Mr. Frank E. Everett, the capable editor of the Dover Iron Era, from whose office the present work is issued, has given to thisbook the benefitofhisexcellenttasteandmatured judgment. Thedelay in publication may be easily explained to those who understand theunexpecteddifficultiesinvolvedinthe verv nature ofgenealogical work. TheGerman edition of the Hallesche Nachrichten, (Allen- town, Pa., 1883), is the principal authority for the earlyhistory ofthe Lutheran churches in NewJersey. To the Presbyterian congregation, of German Valley, of which the author has the honor to be the pastor, is due un- stinted praise for theirintelligent co-operationin an undertak- ing, which, without their help and approval, could not have been prosecuted to asuccessful issue. CONTENTS. PART I. Chapter I. TheCelebration i II. OurGerman Forefathers a III. The Moravians 16 IV. TheGerman Emigration 25 V. The German Immigrants 34 VI. EarlyChurch History 45 VII. Rev.'Carl Rudolph 58 VIII. Rev.JohnAlbertWeygand 63 IX. Rev. Ludolph Heinrich Schrenck 72 X. The Muhlenbergs 74 XI. NewGermantown andGerman Valley 82 XII. The German Reformed 95 XIII. Fairmount Presbyterian Church 126 XIV. Reformed Church of Lebanon 137 XV. SettlersofUpper German Valley 141 XVI. Settlers of GermanValley 146 XVII. Settlersof LowerValley 158 XVIII. Settlersof Unionville 165 XIX. Settlersof Schooley's Mountain 169 XX. Schooley's Mountain Presbyterian Church.... 181 XXI. Presbyterian Church ofPleasantGrove 185 XXII. Settlersof TewksburyTownship 194 XXIII. Settlersfrom Southold andSouthampton 199 XXIV. ChesterCongregational Church 209 XXV. Chester Presbyterian Church 214 XXVI. Spruce Run—"Swake"—Clarksville Lutheran Churches 221