CHAP. XXII.
Occurrences since
the year 1721.
Having now gone
through the accounts proposed to the limited period; what
follows are
partly matters incidental; the rest tho' not a regular course
of events, nor
perhaps more important than others omitted, may
nevertheless
assist in a future Volume, and in the mean time possibly be
of some
historical service here. December 29, this year [1724], died
William Trent,
Esq; chief justice of New-Jersey: He was several years
member, and part
of the time speaker of the assembly; and being a large
trader at
Trenton, when that place was laid out for a town, it from him
took its name,
being before significantly called Little-Worth: He had been
also speaker of
the assembly of Pennsylvania; he bore the character of a
gentleman.
In November
[1726] a small earthquake was felt, it began between the hours
of ten and eleven
at night.
In this year
[1727] the following act was passed, which, tho' but short,
will probably
hereafter be found of great importance.
An act for the
limitation of actions, and for avoiding suits in law.
"For
quieting men's estates, and avoiding of suits:
"Be it
enacted by the governor, council, and general assembly of this
province, and it
is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That all
the statutes now
in force, in that part of Great-Britain, called England,
concerning the
limitation of actions, real and personal, shall, and are
hereby declared
to be in force in this province from the publication
hereof, as fully
and effectually, as if every of them were herein at length
repeated and
enacted; any law, usage or custom to the contrary in any
wise
notwithstanding."
Extracts from the
proceedings of the house of assembly of the colony of
New-Jersey, John
Montgomerie, Esq; governor.
"Die Jovis,
9th of January, 1728: A motion being made, whether the having
a distinct
governor for New-Jersey, be in the opinion of the house for the
adyantage of the
province, or not? A debate arising thereon, and the
question being
put, the previous vote was demanded, whether that question
be now put or
not? it was carried iu the affirmative; and then the
question was put,
whether the having a distinct governor for New-Jersey,
be in the opinion
of the house, for the advantage of the province, or not?
it was earned in
the affirmative: Then the house adjourned 'till three,
o'clock, P. M.
"Three
o'clock, P. M. the house met according to adjournment. Resolved
nemine
contradicente, that the house will enter into consideration, what
may be the most
effectual method for obtaining a distinct governor for
this province
hereafter; and it is ordered, that Mr. Kinsey, Mr. Stacy,
Mr. Lambert, Mr.
Eaton, Mr. Sonmans and Mr. Bonnell, wait on his
excellency and
council, with this and the last resolve, and desire their
concurrence therein,
and a conferrence touching the manner most likely to
effect it; and
withal, to signify to the governor and that board, that it
is in no wise the
intention of this house, to give him the least
uneasiness (were it
in their power) during the time he may continue in
commission; but
only to take such measures as may best conduce to the end
aforesaid, when
his commission may determine by the king's pleasure or
otherwise; and
this they conceive a duty incumbent upon them: Then the
house adjourn'd
'till to-morrow, nine oclock, A. M."
"To the
king's most excellent majesty.
"The humble
petition of the representatives of the province of New-Jersey,
in America, in
general assembly convened.
"Most
gracious sovereign,
"We, your
majesty's most loyal and dutiful subjects, the representatives
of your province
of New-Jersey, in general assembly convened, by the early
care your majesty
has been pleased to shew for the general benefit the of
all your people,
are animated to believe, that nothing which may
contribute to the
advantage and prosperity of this, (though small and
distant) part ot
your dominions, will be denied us; we therefore beg leave
thus to approach
your royal presence, in discharge of that duty we owe to
your majesty and
to our country, in the most humble manner here to
represent:
"That the
inhabitants of this colony, (formerly a proprietary government)
since the
surrender thereof to the crown, have always been under the same
governor with
your majesty's province of New-York; that we humbly
apprehend it
would much more conduce to the benefit of this province, and
no prejudice to
that of New-York, were their governors, as are the
governments,
distinct.
"It is a peculiar
happiness many of our fellow subjects enjoy, to be near
your royal
person, and to partake of the immediate influence of so good a
government; but
since our distance deprives us of that great benefit, it
might, (we humbly
conceive) in some degree be recompenced, by having a
person cloathed
with your majesty's authority constantly residing amongst
us: This we
cannot expect while under the same governor with New-York;
that government
necessarily taking up so much of our governor's time, that
but a small part
of it can fall to our share; and his residence being
chiefly there,
renders applications to him from hence, on ordinary
occasions,
difficult and in extraordinary cases (however willing) he may
be unable to
relieve until the affairs of that province will permit his
coming into
New-Jersey.
"Under the
like difficulties, (and, for the like reason) we have laboured
in respect to our
principal officers, who have formerly been inhabitants
of that colony;
which not only renders them less useful in their several
stations, but by
spending their salaries there, drained us of money, which
would otherwise
have circulated amongst us.
"Our having
the same governor with the colony of New-York at first, was
(as we humbly
conceived) because this province was then in its infancy,
the inhabitants
few, and it might justly have been thought too heavy a
burthen to
maintain a governor of our own; but since we are now much more
numerous and are
as able and willing to support one, as divers of our
neighboring
colonies, who enjoy that benefit, we are humbly of opinion,
the granting this
colony such a governor, might tend to encrease our
wealth, and put
us in a condition to emulate our neighbours in trade and
navigation.
"We entreat your
majesty to believe, that nothing we here say, proceeds
from any
dissatisfaction to our present governor; on the contrary, we are
well pleased with
his government, and desire it may continue during your
royal pleasure;
but all we humbly ask, is, that when your majesty shall
think fit to put
a period to his government, you will then graciously
condescend to
bestow a distinct governor on this your colony of New-Jersey.
"That your
majesty may long live to enjoy the crown you wear, with ease
and delight, exceeding
in honour your illustrious ancestors; that when you
part with an
earthly diadem, it may be to receive a crown more permanent
and glorious, and
that Great-Britain and these your dominions, may be
always happy in a
sovereign, whose virtues are so conspicuous (as in duty
we are bound)
shall be the prayers of; may it please your majesty, Your
majesty's most
dutiful and most loyal subjects.
"By order of
the house,
"JOHN
KINSEY, jun. speaker.
"Divers of
the members of this assembly being of the people called
quakers, concur
to the matter and substance of this aaddress but make
some exception to
the stile." Report of the lords of trade, relating to
the separating
Report of the government of the province of New-Jersey,
from New-York.
"To the
right honourable the lords of the committee of his majesty's most
honourable privy
council.
"My Lords,
"We have
considered the humble petitions of the president and council, the
speaker, and
several members of the assembly, of his majesty's province of
New-Jersey; of
the grand jury of the said province, and Mr. Richard
Partridge, agent
for New-Jersey; together with two other papers annexed to
the last
mentioned petition; all of them referred to us by your lordsliips
on the 24th day
of May last; humbly praying, for the reasons contained,
that when his
majesty shall nominate a governor for the province of New-
York, the
province of New-Jersey may not be included in his commission,
but that his
majesty would be graciously pleased to appoint a separate
governor for the
said province of New-Jersey.
"We have
considered the reasons given by the petititioners for this
separation, and
upon the best information we have been able to procure, we
take leave to
acquaint your lordships, that the allegations of the several
petitions appear
to be of great cousequence; and we cannot doubt but that
a separate
governor, whom the province is willing to support, would be a
means to give a
quicker dispatch to their publick affairs, to increase
their trade and
number of people, and very much advance the interest of
the province.
"Wherefore
we are humbly of opinion, that his majesty may be graciously
pleased to comply
with the prayer of these petitions.
"We are, my
lords, your lordships most obedient and most humble servants.
"T. PELHAM.
"ORL.
BRIDGMAN.
"JA.
BRUDENELL.
"Whitehall,
Aug. 5, 1736."
In this year
[1730] died John Hugg, Esq; of Gloucester County: He was about
ten years one of
the council: Riding from home in the morning, he was
supposed to be taken
ill about a mile from his house; when getting off his
horse, he spread
his cloak on the ground to lie down on; and having put
his gloves under
the saddle girth, and hung his whip through one of the
rings, he turned
the horse loose, which going home, put the people upon
searching, who
found him in this circumstance speechless; they carried him
to his house, and
he died that evening. In the spring this year [1731],
died in an
advanced age, John Barclay, brother of Robert Barclay the
apologist; He
bore the character of a good neighbour, and was serviceable
to the publick in
several capacities; but more particularly in Amboy,
where he lived
and died: He came over early among the Scotch settlers
to East-Jersey.
On the 5th of
September 1732], about noon, a small shock of an earthquake
was felt.
On the 6th of
September [1732], died in the seventy-first year of his age,
Dr. John
Johnston, of Amboy: He was an early settler in East-Jersey; 13
years member of
assembly, and ten of the time speaker; he went through
several other
important offices with reputation. In his practice as a
physician, he was
knowing and useful, and did many charitable acts; for
the poor were
generally the object of his particular care.
In the spring
this year, died Peter Sonmans [1734]: He was sometime one of
the council for
New-Jersey, appointed by queen Anne; but being suspended,
he was afterwards
twice chosen in the assembly for Bergen; he was agent to
some of the
proprietors of East-Jersey, surveyor general there, receiver
of the quit
rents, and ranger of the forests, as well as sea coasts, &c.
He was son to
Aarent Sonmans, one of the states of Holland; who having
purchased a
considerable share of propriety in East-Jersey, had intended
to have come
over; and embarking for that purpose, arrived in England; and
riding in company
with Robert Barclay for London, was shot by a highway-
man, supposed to
be an effect of the party confusion in Holland, relating
to De Wit: His
estate falling to Peter, he became a great proprietor: He
had before finished
his studies at Leyden, and had borne considerable
offices in
England, under king William: About 1705 he came over hither to
settle, it being
his second voyage: He continued much engaged in the
business of his
offices; but being no oeconomist, he was greatly
embarrassed in
his private affairs: We have before seen by the publick
charges, other
imputations he lay under. He published a long vindication
of his character;
but with what success, is a question not now easily
resolved.
In November this
year [1737], came to these provinces, by land from Boston,
(where he had
arrived from London) Sheck Scidit, a native of Berytus, in
Syria, (about 60
miles north of Jerusalem). He was said to be Prince of
Syria; but the
credentials he produced under the sign manual and privy
signet, called
him Unus ex nobilibus civitatus Berytus; having letters of
safe passport,
and recommendation to the charity of those where he past.
He was reported
to have suffered much for his religion in his own country,
being by
profession a member of the eastern church, tho' situate under the
Mahometan or
Turkish government, and a tributary prince of that empire:
His pretence was:
That a greater quota of soldiers was exacted from him
than he was able
to furnish, having other tribute to pay, and his country,
by several years
distress from locusts, and blasts of other kind, so
impovershed, that
both quota and tribute could not be collected; That the
grand segnior
taking umbrage at this, sent for his head; of which he, by
means of the Czarian
ambassador, having received private intelligence,
fled to the
Czarina's court; That in the mean time his country was seized,
and his wife and
children kept prisoners: while there, the Czarina gave
him expectations,
that in her treaty with the Turks, she would take care
and provide for
him when peace was made: That after some stay at the
Russian court, he
obtained letters recommendatory to their ambassador at
London; and being
by his means, taken notice of; he obtained the
credentials
aforesaid, with which he travelled through most of the
corporations in
England, where it was thought he collected two thirds or
three fourths of
what was due from him to the grand segnior; but was
nevertheless
encouraged to come to America, where he also received
considerable.
Contributions
were made for him in New-York and New-Jersey; he was
every where
received with distinguished respect; it was said, he received
from the
different congregations in and about Philadelphia, two hundred
and fifty pounds.
He was a well proportioned lusty man, with a grave
aspect, and
clothed after the eastern manner, with a turbant on his head,
and wore
whiskers, spoke and wrote the arabick language; his conversation
and deportment
was graceful and easy, and seemed to be-speak him of a
noble education.
At Philadelphia he met with a handsome entertainment, his
expences were
borne while he stayed, and provision was made for him in the
vessel he went.
The 7th of
December [1737], this year, at night, was a large shock of an
earthquake,
accompanied with a remarkable rumbling noise; people waked in
their beds, the
doors flew open, bricks fell from the chimnies; the
consternation was
serious, but happily no great damage ensued.
In this year [1738]
died Robert Lettice Hooper, Esq; chief justice of New-
Jersey; in which
post he had continued many years with a good character.
In the spring
this year [1739], died at Trenton, Daniel Coxe, Esq; one of
the justices of
the supreme court: He was son of the great proprietor and
governor Dr.
Coxe, of London: He had gone through several other publick
offices in
New-Jersey, to which, from his father's character and
influence, he
came with great advantages: His differences with governor
Hunter, and the
assembly, and the share he had in the publick
transactions,
being all occasionally related before, renders further
addition here
unnecessary.
About the 22d of
the month called February [1741], appeared to these
provinces, in the
east, and continued upwards of six weeks, a comet or
blazing star,
with a long bright tail; it was supposed to be near the
equinoctial at
its first appearance, but moved five degrees near north, in
twenty-four
hours, and continued moving 'till it disappeared; towards the
last it was very
much encreased in length of tail and bigness.
In the spring
this year [1746]; died Lewis Morris, Esq; governor of
New-Jersey: To
our relief, we find his character in great part already
drawn, by an able
hand,1 to whom we have before been obliged: He was a man
of letters, and
tho' a little whimsical in his temper, was grave in his
manners, and of
penetrating parts; being excessively fond of the society
of men of sense
and reading: He was never wearied at a sitting, 'till the
spirits of the
whole company were dissipated. From his infancy he had
lived in a manner
best adapted to teach him the nature of man, and to
fortify his mind
for the vicissitudes of life: He very early lost both his
father and mother,
and fell under the patronage of his uncle: Being a boy
of strong
passions, he gave frequent offence to his uncle, and on one of
these occasions,
through fear of his resentment, strolled away into
Virginia, and
thence to Jamaica, in the West-Indies; where to support
himself, he set
up for a scrivener: After several years spent in this
vagabond life, he
returned again to his uncle, who received the young
prodigal with
joy. In New-Jersey, he signalised himself in the service
both of the
proprietors and the assembly; the latter employed him to draw
up their
complaint against my lord Corubury, and he was made the bearer of
it to the queen:
Tho' he was indolent in the management of his private
affairs, yet
through the love of power, he was always busy in matters of a
political nature;
and no man in the colony equalled him in the knowledge
of the law, and
the arts of intrigue. He was one of the council of
New-Jersey, and a
judge of the supreme court in 1692. Upon the surrender
of the government
to queen Anne, in 1702, he was named to be governor of
that colony, but
the appointment was changed in favour of lord Cornbury,
the queen's
cousin.
He was several
years chief justice of New-York, and a member of assembly
there; in
whatever post he is named, activity must be supposed; for he was
among the
foremost on all occasious; he was the second councellor for New-
Jersey, named in
lord Cornbury's instructions; suspended by him in 1704;
restored by the
queen, and suspended a second time in the same year; was
chosen in the
assembly here in 1707, re-apappointed of the Council in
1708; suspended
by the lieutenant governor Ingoldsby in 1709; appointed
again in 1710,
and so continued 'till 1738, when he succeeded Cosby as
governor of
New-Jersey, separate from New-York: The proceedings during his
administration in
this capacity, will be found the labour of many pages;
but too
voluminous to have justice done them in an abridgement here; his
favourite
monopoly of doubts and disputation, however amusing in
mechanical and metaphysical
subtilties, but illy agreed with the dispatch
and management
necessary in a publick station; accordingly the whole
transactions of
that period are chequered with great variety of debates,
some of them
curious; qualified to hold up a side from long experience, no
argument he
thought proper to espouse, was to be yielded, unless
mathematically
wrong; in this but few apparent convictions attended,
either for want
of candour in acknowledging, or antagonists sufficiently
skilled in the
science: Had those who managed the controversy against him,
found patience
enough to have let his own arguments gone to their proper
lengths, they had
probably sometimes gained their points, and saved
themselves great
fatigue in attendance, and the expence it often
occasioned; but
having a trust, they opposed, refused, and disputed his
measures; he
replied, rejoined, and demurred, and kept them in unmanly
suspence and
attendancies for months together, with scarce a prospect or
means of
accommodation; and yet nothing but that to do; frequent formal
angry
dissolutions ensued, in which nothing was gained but increasing
firmness in the
points contested, and a popular turn against the
government. In
this uncertainty things were left at his death, and
restored to their
original footing in the next administration: But
whatever were his
faults, it must be remembered, that the province owed
much to his early
patriotism and abilities; scarce an instance of
inordinate love
of money is to be found in his private conduct; he
inherited a large
estate from his uncle, and appeared moderate in adding
to it: He was
besides in his way, a kind husband, and indeed had uncommon
cause to be so;
an affectionate parent; had the satisfaction of a
promising
offspring, and lived to see most of them married: The following
are extracts from
the singular preamble of his will:
"IN THE NAME
OF GOD AMEN: God's will be done; but what I will or desire
should be done
after my decease, and how I would have what estate God has
been pleased to bless
me with, disposed of; is contained in what follows:
But before I give
any directions concerning the disposition of my body or
estate, I think
it my duty to leave the following testimonial of my sense
of the goodness
of God to me, in protecting and wonderfully preserving of
me, from my
infancy to this present time, now in an advanced age. My
mother died when
I was about six months old, and my father not long after,
in New-York,
where I was left an orphan, entirely in the hands of
strangers, who
were appointed by the government to take care of me.
Sometime after
that, the Dutch took the place, and I was put by their
magistrates into
the hands of trustees, by them appointed to take care of
me, and of what
effects their soldiers had left unplundered; and after the
surrender of
New-York to the English, my uncle came into these parts of
America, and
kindly took care of me until I came to man's estate; and he
then dying, what
he had fell into my hands, being his sole and only heir.
He had made a
will, in which were found several material interlinations and
erasures; which
will, when exhibited before the governor and council of
New-York to be
proved, of six subscribing witnesses to the said will, only
two of them could
make oath in due form of law; and they knew nothing of
those erasures
and interlinations; and one William Bickley, a quaker, who
wrote the will,
said, that he wrote the will, and made them; but knew not
why they were
made. My uncle by that will having bequeathed his plantation
over against the
town of Haerlem, to his wife; but for what estate, did
not appear; the
words being scratched or erased out so as not to be read,
and instead of
what was so erased, there was after the words, Mary Morris,
(which was the
name of his widow) these words, viz. (her heires and
assignes forever,
the lands thereof) interlined. The widow died about a
week after her
husband, (the will having been in her and Bickley's keeping
all that time)
and after, or about the time of her death, I was told of
this erasure by Miles
Forster, one of the executors in the will named.
This will was
dated the 12th of February, 1690, but a little before my
uncle's death,
and exhibited for proof the 15th of May following, at which
time the erasure,
and reason for making of it, must have been fresh in the
memory of the
writer, who declared he knew of it; and must have been fresh
in the memory of
the witnesses, had any such thing been shewn unto them.
That Bickley
should know of; and make this erasure and interlination, and
not know or remember
the reason of making it in so short a time after it
was done,
appeared strange to all present; and most were of opinion, that
the words erased
out, were of different import from those interlined, or
there had been no
necessity for making the erasure and interlination; but
as the writer of
the will, either could not, or would not tell for what
end they were
made, tho' it appeared to be done with intent to vest an
estate in fee
simple in the widow which it is probable the words erased
did not do; and only
two witnesses being able to make oath in due form,
and these not
knowing any thing concerning it; administration was
committed to me,
with the testament annexed; and I have since purchased
releases from the
heirs and legatees of the widow, and have been in quiet
possession above
fifty three years.
Thus, by the sole
goodness of almighty God, my benign creator, the designs
against me were
rendered ineffectual, without any contrivance or act of my
own. Whether my
uncle was persuaded, or really intended to give that
estate to his
wife and her heirs; or whether he had given it to her for
life, and so
intended, and the words interlined were done after his death;
or if he did
intend to give it her in fee, and the writer had not made
use of proper
words for that purpose (tho' he had done it in every other
case where an
estate was given to me in fee) and discovered it to my
uncle, and made
the alteration during his life, and by his consent; or
discovered them
after his death, and then made the erasure and
interlination; is
what I know nothing of; and what the writer of the will
either could not
or would not say any thing about; but it is evident on the
face of the will,
that every bequest to me, either of lands or chattels,
even of my
mother's jewels, and what in the will was mentioned to belong to
her, and did only
belong to me, was given (as the writer of the will called
it) with
restriction and limitation (meaning as I suppose with this
condition) that I
should submit myself wholly and absolutely to every
thing contained
in that will; and it was therein determined, that if I, or
any body claiming
under me, should under pretence of right from my father,
whether by
partnership with my uncle or otherwise, make any claim or
demand of the
estate left by my uncle, or any part of it; that in such
case the bequests
to me were to be void. The drawer of that will had
purchased and
read (with all the judgment he had) a book, entitled
Orphan's Legacy,
in order to qualify him for that performance; and so
apprehensive was
the contriver or contrivers of that will of my making
such claim and
that the law might determine in my favour; that by a
clause in that
will it was directed, that if any doubt or controversy
should arise, by
reason of imperfection, defect, or any other cause
whatsoever of; or
in any words, clauses and sentences in his last will and
testament, or
about the true intent and meaning thereof; that in such
case, his
executors, or any three of them, should expound, explain,
interpret, and
finally decide the same, according to their wisdoms and
discretions.
There had been
articles of agreement and partnership entered into between
my uncle and my
father, and executed by both the parties; in which amongst
other things, it was
covenanted and agreed between them, that if either of
them died without
issue, the survivor, or issue of the survivor (if any)
should take the
estate. Upon the death of my father, that part of the
agreement
executed by my uncle, with other my father's papers, came into
the hands of my
uncle, and upon his death into Bickley's (as I suppose)
who kept the keys
of his scruitore: That part of the agreement executed by
my father, I had
seen often, and it came into my hands; but that part
executed by my
uncle, was made away with; who destroyed it, I can't say;
but believe my
uncle was too just a man to do any thing of that nature. It
appears from all
this, that there was a design formed to deprive me of the
greatest part of
the estate my uncle died possessed of; and that this
design was
defeated. That this might be accounted for from natural and
obvious causes,
such as the erasure of the will and the like, may be; but
what confounded
the understanding of the writer so as to make the erasure
in that
particular place, and in the manner he did, and to pretend not to
be able in so
short a time after it was done, to give any account why it
was done, I
attribute only to the over-ruling providence of the Almighty,
who has
wonderfully protected and preserved me hitherto; and I doubt not
will continue his
goodness to me 'till he thinks fit to call me hence,
tho' I am
unworthy of the least of his favours. I now proceed to
directions
concerning the disposal of my body and estate; and first, I
will, that my
body shall be buried by the bodies of my uncle and my
children that lie
at Morrisania, if it can be conveniently done. I would
be buried in a
plain coffin of black walnut, cedar, or mahogany, without
covering or
lining with cloth, or any other material of linen, woollen, or
silk; my age and
the time of my death may be put upon it in such manner as
my executors
shall think fit: I forbid any rings or scarfs to be given at
my funeral, or
any man to be paid for preaching a funeral sermon over me:
Those who survive
me, will commend or blame my conduct in life as they
think fit, and I
am not for paying of any man for doing of either; but if
any man, whether
churchman or dissenter, in or not in priest's orders, is
inclined to say any
thing on that occasion, he may, if my executors think
fit to admit him
to do it. I would not have any mourning worn for me by
any of my
descendants; for I shall die in a good old age; and when the
divine,
providence calls me hence, I die when I should die, and no
relation of mine
ought to mourn because I do so; but may perhaps mourn to
pay the shop
keeper for his goods, should they comply with (what I think)
the common folly
of such an expence. I will, (if it be not done before my
death) that a
vault of stone be built at or nigh the place at Morrisania,
where my good
uncle lies buried; and that the remains of my relations
lying there, be
collected and put into coffins in it; and my executors may
get a tomb stone
for me if they think fit. - - - - - What the state of the
dead is, I know
not; but believe it to be such as is most suitable for
them, and that
their condition and state of existence after death, will be
such as will
fully shew the wisdom, justice, and goodness of their great
creator to them.
As to what estate it has pleased God to entrust and bless
me with, I will
and dispose of it as follows: First, I will as the law
wills, that all
my debts and funeral charges be justly paid and
discharged,
&c."
In this year died
Joseph Cooper [1749]: He was at eight successive
elections chosen
to represent Gloucester county in assembly, and continued
in that station
19 years; he had steady principles, and a nobility of
disposition and
fortitude, superior to many: At one of the tedious
sessions, in Col.
Morris's time, when contrariety of sentiments had long
impeded business,
that governor casually meeting him in the street, said,
"Cooper, I
wish you would go home and send your wife." "I will," says he,
"if the
governor will do the same by his:" An anecdote deservedly
expressive as to
those good women.
In the summer
this year [1749], three natives of Greenland, passed through
the province,
dressed in seal-skins, with the hair on after the manner of
their own country;
they were two young men and a young woman, converted to
the christian
religion by the moravian missionaries: They had left
Greenland about
two years before, in a Moravian ship (which had carried a
house ready
framed, for worship, to be erected there, that country
affording no wood
for building) and had since visited the brethren in
several parts of
Europe; as England, Holland, and Germany: Their eyes and
hair were black,
like the Indians here; but their complexion somewhat
lighter: Two
Indian converts from the moravian mission, at Barbice, near
Surrinam, were
also with them: They together went to the Moravian
settlement at
Bethlehem, in Pennsylvania; there they met with some
Delaware and
Mohickon Indians; converts also of the Moravians; and tho'
their native
lands are so vastly remote as the latitude of 5, 41, and 65
[degrees] north;
yet what they observed of each other's hair, eyes, and
complection,
convinced them that they were all of the same race; they
could find
however, no similitude in their several languages.
The 9th of
November [1751] died, in the 53d year of his age, Richard Smith:
He represented
Burlington in assembly near twenty years, through a great
variety of
difficult business: He maintained a fair reputation, was
instrumental in
procuring considerable provincial benefits; and hence
acquired the love
of many, who had no opportunities of knowing him, but in
a publick
character. He was cool and even in his temper, impartial and
conscientious in
the discharge of his duty, kind and careful in every
paternal
relation, and generous in both sentiment and conduct.
The 18th of
November [1755], at four o'clock in the morning, was a
considerable
shock of an earthquake, which lasted about two minutes; the
weather for seven
days successively before, had been remarkably clear and
still, and all
that night was so, with a clear full moon-shine; the two
days following,
continued also very still and clear, not a cloud to be
seen, 'till
towards evening of the second day after it happened: It did
not begin with so
much of a rumbling noise as that in 1737, but was
thought not to
fall short in the concussion.
Early in this
year [1756] died at New-York, James Alexander, Esq; where he
had long borne
the office of provincial secretary, and afterwards many
years one of the
council. He was also long surveyor general of both East
and West-Jersey,
and several years of the council in New-Jersey. He was
bred to the law,
and tho' no speaker, at the head of his profession for
sagacity and
penetration; and in application to business, no man could
surpass him: With
his knowledge he was ready and communicative; and having
by candid
practice, and ingenuous industry and diligence, acquired a great
estate in his
latter years, remained a generous source of instruction for
the advantage of
younger practitioners, and many others.
In this year
[1757] died, in the seventy-sixth year of his age Jonathan
Belcher, Esq;
governor of New-Jersey: In this station he arrived in 1747.
He was a native
of New-England, and in his youth falling heir to great
acquisitions, got
early upon the wing, in the gay world; a handsome
exteriour, a
fondness for it, and for dress, equipage, and popular eclat,
insensibly
betrayed him into a scence of show and expence, which at length
proved
inconvenient to his patrimony; with this turn he travelled, kept
the first rate
entertainments and company, and received marks of
distinguished
notice and respect in the electorate of Hanover.2 He went
over agent for the
Massachusetts Bay, on the long contest with governor
Burnet, on the
subject of an indefinite support; on his death came over
governor of that
colony, and long insisted on the same demands his
predecessor had
done, and with the same success: He continued governor
there for a
considerable time, and had great opportunities of indulging
his favourite
taste; but carrying a high hand in the administration,
disgusted men of
infinence; and at one time putting a negative on several
councellors,
occasioned so many voices to unite in their applications
against him, that
he was removed from his government. Here he witnessed a
reverse of
fortune, being obliged to wait at a great expence several years
before an
opportunity presented of getting again into office; at length the
government of
New-Jersey falling vacant, early notice, properly used,
procured him
that: He was now advanced in age, yet lively, diligent in his
station, and
circumspect in his conduct, religious, generous and affable:
He affected
splendour, at least equal to his age and fortune; but was a
man of worth and
honour; and tho' in his last years, under great debility
of body from a
stroke of the palsy, he bore up with firmness and
resignation, and
went through the business of the government in the most
difficult part of
the late war, with uuremitting zeal in the duties of his
office.
In this year
[1762] died Andrew Johnston, esq; aged 67: He succeeded his
father in
representing Amboy in assembly, and was speaker several years;
long one of the
treasurers: The last 15 years of his life he was in the
council, and a
diligent attender on the business there, he had great
equality of
temper, circumspection of conduct, an open, yet grave engaging
mein, much
goodness of heart, and many virtues both publick and private.
The 30th of
October [1763], between four and five in the afternoon, was a
very considerable
shock of an earthquake; which directed its course to the
eastward.
In the beginning
of this year [1764] died Robert Hunter Morris, Esq: He was
near twenty-six
years one of the council, and chief justice of New-Jersey,
and some time
lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania: He had strong natural
powers, an
elevated quickness of apprehension, a memory tenacious, read
much, and was
uncommonly furnished in conversation on most subjects; he
gloried in the
rational privilege of free disquisition; in his motives to
action, disdain'd
to resemble the floating log 3 that went with the tide;
yet the other
extream had a snare of too delicate concealment to be always
avoided: He came
young into the office of chief justice, stuck to
punctuality in
the forms of the courts, reduced the pleadings to precision
and method, and
possessed the great qualities of his office, knowledge and
integrity, in
more perfection than had often been known in the colonies:
Had no other
stations engrossed his attention, his character had remained
without dispute,
more light than shade; inheriting from his father,4 or
imbibing a turn
at starting more difficulties, than himself or others
could easily
solve, introduced debate, in which often appeared a seemingly
constitutional
delight; but being brought up under the tuition of an
excellent mother,
the bias here was qualified in part, with the advantages
of this, the
father's experience, and much of his own, in variety of
situations: He
had a liberal education, a comely respectable person, easy
address, smooth
flow of words, a commanding influence in his manner, and
was a warm
friend, but formidable enemy, not partial or oppressive as a
judge, in several
private relations generous and manly, in none
avaritious, in
some inconsiderate, in many his own original or his
father's copy,
often singular, sometimes whimsical, always opinionated,
and mostly
inflexible.
The 20th of the month
called July [1764], at about 40 minutes past seven in
the evening, an
uncommon ball of fire was seen in the north-east, about
fifty degrees
above the horizon; it took its course near north-west; its
diameter seemed
as large or larger than the sun, especially at one time,
when it opened so
as to seemingly separate: It appeared like sheets of
fire inclining
together; its sound as it went in some places, was said to
resemble that of
a great fire urged by a strong wind; it kept near one
height all the
way, 'till it had crossed the meridian to the north about
twenty degrees;
there a small cloud seemed to attract it; mounting higher,
just as it
appeared the outward edge of the cloud, it appeared to shatter
into innumerable
pieces.
1 History of
New-York, p. 125, 126.
2 Prince, in the
dedication to him, of his chronology, speaks of this in
the following
strain: "Upon this occasion his excellency will forgive me,
if for the honour
of his country, as well as for his own; we boast of one
among us, who
inspired with zeal for the succession of that illustrious
house, even in
the joys of youth, twice brake away, viz. in 1704 and 1708,
and passed a
double ocean; that he might with rapture see, and in his
country's name,
express the ardour of their vows to that most important
family; in which
under Heaven, all the welfare of three mighty nations,
and even of all
the protestant states and kingdoms in the world, as well
as the liberty,
religion and felicity of these colonies and provinces were
involved. A
celebrated instance peculiar to himself alone, that I presume
no other American
can pretend to; and for the fatigue and pains, I suppose
no other subject
of the whole British empire; which redounds to the glory
of the land that
bred him, that parted with him, and received him with
applause; and the
happy consequence whereof, at the head of his country,
he now
enjoys."
3 He was apt to
apply this expression in contrast to a sentimental choice.
4 See above,
&c.