BRIEF HISTORY OF SALEM COUNTY, NEW JERSEY Information located at http://www.rootsweb.com/~njsalem/ On a USGenWeb/NJGenWeb Web site TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN, County Coordinator in 2007 Please see the web site for my email contact. ---------------------------------- Copyright 2007 Janice Brown The original source of this information is in the public domain, however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is restricted without written permission from the transcriber (who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same). ======================================================== SOURCE: History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland, New Jersey: with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens by Thomas Cushing; Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1883 Page 316 SETTLEMENT AND SETTLERS Description--Salem is the southwestern county in the State of New Jersey. Gloucester county lies north from it, Cumberland County bounds it on the east and Delaware Bay and River form its southern and western boundary. The surface of the county is generally level, and the soil is mostly loam, mixed occasionally with clay or sand. The drainage of the country is into Delaware Bay and River, through four principal streams, and their affluents. These are Oldman's Creek, which separates Salem from Gloucester County; Salem River, which rises in Upper Pittsgrove, pursues a westerly then a southerly course, and empties into the Delaware between Lower Penn's Neck and Elsinboro townships; Alloways Creek, which also has its source in Upper Pittsgrove, passes southwesterly and debouches into the Delaware between the townships of Elsinboro and Lower Allwoays Creek; and Stow Creek, which rises in the eastern boundary of Upper Alloways Creek and pursues a southerly course, on the eastern boundary of the country, to discharge its waters into the Delaware. Maurice River forms the eastern boundary of Pittsgrove township, and passes southerly through Cumberland County to Delaware Bay. So level is the surface that the tide flows many miles up these streams and their affluents, and submerges the surface along their shores, and the shore of the Delaware. The tide-marshes or meadows thus formed vary in width, and are only utilitized by means of embankments, which prevent the flow of the tide over them. EARLY SETTLEMENTS--The history of this region prior to the advent of Europeans has been elsewhere spoken of, and the early settlements along the Delaware by the Swedes and Finns have been mentioned. These latter were made as early as 1638, and though the Dutch afterwards held supremacy here, many of the Swedish settlers, who were scattered along the shore in the townships of Elsinboro and Lower and Upper Penn's neck, remained. In 1640 what was known as the New Haven colony also came here, but all these may be regarded as failures, for although many of the settlers and their descendants remained, and some of the families are still largely represnted here, their distinctive character was lost or rather, overshadowed by the people who, forty years later, came here in greater numbers, and brought with them not only the peculiar religious faith which had made them the objects of persecution in the land of their nativity, but the habits of industry, frugality, and honesty which enabled them to prosper in the wild country, and to live in peace with their savage neighbors, the aboriginal inhabitants of the region. Settlement by the English--The acquisition of the territory by the Duke of York, its transfer to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Cartert, and its purchase by John Fenwick and Edward BYllinge had been elsewhere detailed, and no further reference to them is necessary here. Arrival of John Fenwick--On the 4th of October 1675, John Fenwick, with his children, his servants, and associates, in the ship "Griffith," Capt. Robert Griffith, anchored opposite the old Swede's fort, "Elsborg" near the mouth of Salem River. He had sailed up the bay from Cape May along the eastern shore, and the next day, or the 5th of October, the ship weight anchor and ascended the river about three miles, and the passengers landed at the point, on the south side of the river, where now is the city of Salem. Their voyage across the Atlantic had been of more than two and a half months' duration, and their feelings of thankfulness on landing upon this pleasant spot, on a beautiful autumnal day, can readily be imagined. Fenwick at once determined to establish a town here and to give it the name of Salem, which signifies peace. This was the first English town settled on this side of the Delaware, and, it is hardly necessary to say, it has ever since borne the name which was then given to it. JOHN FENWICK, the founder of the town, and of what was known as Fenwick's colony, was born in Northumberland County, England in 1618. In 1645 he was a law studnet at Guy's Inn, London, and soon afterward he was a major of cavalry by Cromwell, and took an active part against the crown. He became a member of the Society of Friends in 1665, and suffered, with others, the persecutions to which the members of that sect were at that time subjected. West New Jersey was at about that time offered for sale by Lord Berkeley, and in 1673 it was purchased by Fenwick, for himself and Edward Byllinge, one-tenth of the whole to be his share of the purchase. The territory now comprising Salem and Cumberland Counties was set off as his tenth, and he made preparations to come hither and possess his lands. He offered inducements for others to come with him, and many, mostly Quakers, accepted the invitation; and of these a considerable number purchased land before they embarked. As soon as practicable after his arrival he purchased from the natives the land comprised within his tenth. According to Johnson, his purchases from the Indians were as follows: "The first purchase was for the lands included within Salem and Oldman's Creeks, which creeks were called by the Indians Mosacksa and Forcus; the grant to these lands was made by the Chiefs Tospaminkey and Henaminkey. "The second purchase was for all the lands lying between the Forcus Creek (or, as it was afterwards called Game Creek, or Fenwick's River, and now Salem Creek) and the Canahockink Creek (now called Cohansey, and by some of the first settlers it was called Cohanzick, from a chief who resided on the south side thereof). This grant was made from the chiefs whose names were Mahoppany, Allaways, Necomis, and his mother, Necosshehesco, Myhoppony, and Shuccotery. Of all the water-courses within the county of Salem, I recollect only the names of six which at this day retain their primitive or Indian names. They are, first, the Allaways; second, the Necomis, the run at the side of which are some marlpits; third, the Mahoppony, that branch of Pledger's Creek on which there was formerly a tide-mill; fourth, the Mackimppuck, two miles northwest from Greenwich; fifth, the Manimuska, the branch on which is built the village of Port Elizabeth; sixth, a small branch of Morris River called Menatico, situate about half-way between Millville and Port Elizabeth." "The third purchase was from the Canahockink, now Cohansey, to the Wahatquenack, now Morris River. The grantors were Mahawskey, Mohut, who styles himself the king, Newsego, Checheneham, Torucho, and Shacanum." Fenwick at once entered on the work of organizing and arranging for the government of his colony and the disposition of his lands. He erected for himself a house on what he called Ivy Point, in the town of Salem, a short distance from Market Street. Fenwick was selected as Governor of the colony in 1676. Fifteen of the adventurers were selected as magistrates including: Samuel Nicholson, Richard Noble, Edward Champneys, John Adams, Roger Huchins, Richard Hancock, John Smyth, Edward Wade, Robert Wade, Richard Whitaker, William Hancock, William Malster, John Lynd, Samuel Lynd. Pioneer Settlements--It has already been stated that Swedish settlers came here as early as 1638, and settled in Elsinboro and Penn's Neck. The titles to their lands of these settlers whom Fenwick found here were at once confirmed, and when the authorities at New York aroused some dissatisfaction among the Swedes, Finns and Dutch as to their titles, Fenwick invited them to his house in Salem, and effected an adjustment of the matter, by the terms of which they agreed to pay an annual quit-rent, which, though nominal, was a recognition of the validity of his title and his right to convey. They had previously purchased these lands from the Indians. [NOTE: The list and brief bios of the OTHER early settlers, including some of Swedish and Finnish origin, but most whom arrived with Fenwick or about the same time, are included on this web site in another file. Please visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~njsalem/familytrees.html to see that list.] ORGANIZATION, BOUNDARY CHANGES The first division of West New Jersey (or just "West Jersey") into judicial districts, or counties was made by the General Free Assembly of the province at its sessions held from the 2d to the 6th day of May, 1682. It was then enacted that there should be four Courts of Sessions held at Burlington and at Salem yearly, "and for smaller courts oftener (if need require), both at Burlington and at Salem, to be apopinted by the justices as they judge fit." At this time a sheriff, recorder, and justices were appointed for the jurisdiction of Salem (they seemed to have jurisdiction in all cases, civil and criminal, except that they could not try capital offenses). It was provided that whenever a person should be found guilty of murder or treason, the sentence and punishment were to be left to the General Assembly "to determine, as they, in the wisdom of the Lord, should judge meet and expedient." These two counties were named after their two principal towns, i.e. Burlington and Salem. In 1686 a third county, Gloucester, was organized. At that time Oldman's Creek, and a line from its head-waters to the ocean became the northern boundary of Salem County. In 1692 the county of Cape May was organized, and it had for a boundary between it and Salem County, the east side of Morris River, from its mouth to "the utmost flowing of the tide." In 19 Jan 1747, the county of Cumberland was erected from the southern parts of Salem. There was some disagreement about the boundary which was finally settled by the legislature. In 1828 a commission was appointed to determine the lines between the county of Gloucester and that of Salem and Cumberland. In 1867 the township of Pittsgrove in Salem County became part of Cumberland County, and the line between the townships of Pittsgrove and Upper Pittsgrove was made the boundary between the two counties. In 1868 this act was repealed and the township and boundary lines went back to their pre-1867 stances. The country was originally divided into the townships of Elsinboro, East Fenwick (now Mannington), West Fenwick (afterwards Penn's Neck, and later Upper and Lower Penn's Neck), Pilesgrove (which included both the Pittsgroves), and Monmouth (which embraced the territory later included in Upper and Lower Alloways Creek and Quinton). In 1883 the townships in Salem County were Oldman's, Upper Penn's Neck, Pilesgrove, Upper Pittsgrove, Pittsgrove, Lower Penn's Neck, Mannington, Upper Alloways Creek, Elsinboro, Quinton, and Lower Alloways Creek. The population of Salem County, at the beginning of each decade since 1783, has been as follows: 1790........10,437 1800........11,371 1810........12,761 1820........14,022 1830........14,155 1840........16,024 1850........19,447 1860........22,458 1870........23,940 1880........24,579 Of these aggregates, there were of slaves in: 1790............. 172 1800............. 85 1810............. 29 1820............. 15 1830............. 1 1840............. 1 Sheriffs prior to 1700 were: Thomas Woodruff (1682), John Jeffery (baliff 1693), Hugh Middleton (1696), Roger Milton (1697), John Dickson (1698) [note, the original document includes a list of sheriffs to 1881]. A brick court-house replaced the original log building, in Salem, in 1735. The original log jail stood until about 1709 in Salem, when it was replaced by a stone building, and this, in 1775, by another, also of stone on the corner of Fenwick and Market Streets. This jail was damaged by fire in 1795, that was set by a prisoner named McIntyre. It was repaired and an addition added in 1841-42. A high stone-wall surrounded it. A new stone jail was built in 1867 at a new location on Market Street, while the old jail was cleared and inclosed in 1869 for future building. Almshouse--In 1796 Samuel Bassett and wife, for the consideration of five shillings deeded to the trustees of the poor seventy-six acres of land in the township of Pilesgrove. This was the beginnings of the Alm House complex. In 1823 a lot of woodland was purchased for the poorhouse, and after that additional properties acquired. In 1822 a new new building was added for the insane. Other buildings were added. On 1 January 1845 the poor-house "took fire in the roof by the cinders from the chimney, which had accidentally become ignited, and the building was destroyed." Measures were taken for the erection of another. The last instance of the infliction of corporal punishment in Salem County occurred in the summer of 1840. The whipping-post then stood in the rear of the clerk and surrogate's office, where it remained, a memento of the barbarism of a bygone age, till the present officers were erected. The first road or thoroughfare in the county of Salem was the King's Highway. In November 1681 it was enacted, "that there shall be a highway surveyed and set forth between Burlington and Salem, the same to be begun at or before the first day of the second month next; and that twenty men in the whole shall be appointed for the said work, ten thereof from Burlingotn and ten from Salem." The most important road after the King's Highway was the Salem and Morris River road, that ran via Quinton's Bridge from Salem to Greenwich, and thence to Morris River. This was laid out by commissioners appointed by the courts in 1707. In 1778 the New Jersey Legislature passed a law authorizing the owners of meadow and swamp land to form themselves into bodies corporate, and to bank and drain their lands. Under this law there were organized bank meadow companies (seventy-one in Salem County at the time of the writing of this history). The first upon record is "Stony Island Meadow Company" formed in 1794 in Lower Penns Neck, adjacent to Salem Creek, where the first bridge crossed that creek from Penn's Neck to Salem. That was a toll-bridge and probably the first bridge built in the lower section of the State. The navigable streams in and bordering on Salem County are Oldman's Creek, Salem River, Alloways Creek, and Stow Creek. A market was established by law in 1682, and was to be held every Tuesday, near the old wharf, then known as the "lower landing." Whatever was brought to town for sale was to be taken there, where the sale opened at 11 AM and any person who purchased goods before that hour were subject to a fine, half of which the informer was to receive, and the other half to be for the public use. FAIRS for the sale of all lawful goods were appointed by law of Salem, on the 1st and 2nd of May and on the 20th and 21st of October in each year, and it was provided that all should be free from arrest during the two days of the fair and during the two days next preceeding and following it. When it became apparent that the drinking of liquor caused some problems at the fair, in 1698 it was declared that liquor would not be sold during fair time. In 1826 Joseph Riley of Pilesgrove township was the first to commercially market MARL that had been discovered in Salem County. However, farming and stock-raising has been the primary occupation for many years. An Agricultural Society was formed in 1850 and incorporated in 1851. The exhibitions were held in Salem. (end)