CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library F 144E4 C58 + City of Elizabeth, New/ Jersey, lllustrat 3 1924 028 828 809 olin Overs The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028828809 BIRDSEYE VIEW OF THE CITY Showing Three Miles of Water Front on Staten Island Sound and New; LIZABETH, N. J., Looking Northwest, with relative positions of the principal Factories and Manufacturing Sites. The Gity 0f Elizabeth NEW JERSEY ILLUSTRATE SHOWING ITS LEADING CHARACTERISTICS : ITS ATTRACTIONS AS A PLACE OF RESIDENCE, AND ITS UNSURPASSED ADVANTAGES AS A LOCATION FOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. ISSUED WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF TRADE, PUBLISHED BY THE ELIZABETH DAILY JOURNAL, EUZABETH, N. J. 1889. ^^ l^^^'^ / ', ■ ^ -- ■ / / V ACKNOWLEDGfilENTS. I'hnlo^raplix fur lliis UMik. I,y W. H. HlLL, Eli?.iliclli. N'. ].: a feu- liy A. F. AsNciN, l'',li/:iliuth. Engravings, « illi a few C\^:cl•ll^^ns, by tllc I\l-s I^rncCSS, PHt-)TO ELKCrR( iTN'l'li ]^N'- CI^A\IN(, Cri., 7 to II New (..■liainlicrs Streel, Ncv\ \'iirk. The ink liseel is *' soft llnwin,:; cut 11." ma^le liy I'^KEItKlvlLK II. Ee\'E',- & Co., 5y IVekinan Slreel, Ne\v- YniV. t'lnnjinsiuun anil I'less Work by llie JimuNAi. Trinting HdlMi, Iflli-abelli. I'esiyn fin- co^er by THnM,.\s K. I\I[LL1N, Foreman I'riiuing I lepartineilt. Coiiyri.jlal. 1889. ^- H. W. L E. C. 46? Jil^ TABLE OF CONTENTS. GENERAL DIVISIONS Introductory, Historical, City Government, Characteristics and Advantages, Churches, .... Educationae, Manufactures and Other Business, Display AovicRTisEiiENTs, Introductory. Title Page, . Ackuowledgcments, Table of Contents, . Board of Trade, Introductiou, Historical. Early Discoveries, . The Puritans, Carteret Arrives, Princeton College Founded, Elizabethtown's Glorious Record The Fighting Chaplain, Caldwell Killed, Battle of Elizabethtown, Washington's Inauguration, The Famous Duncheon, Liberty Hall, The Inauguration Centennial, A Memorable Breakfast, The Review and Parade, (Centen nial.) The New Borough Charter, The War of the Rebellion, Roll of Honor, 1861-65, City Government. Introduction, Elizabeth's Financial Misfortunes Preparing for Expansion, . Speculators and Contractors, An Ill-timed Decision, The Martin Act, Negotiations with Creditors, The Recent Adjustment, . Fire Department, Police Department, 3-5 6 7-S 9 9 10 10 10 II II II 12 12 13 15 16 16 17 17 17 23 24 24 24 26 28 30 32 33 23 Cliaracteristics and Advan- tages. Introduction, Athletic and Rowing Associations, Bar Association, Banks of Elizabeth, , Board of Trade, Building, . . . . Building and Loan Associations, . Elizabethport Banking Co., First National Bank, Gas and Electric Light Companies, General Hospital and Dispensary, Grand Army of the Republic, Health, . . . . Home for Aged Women, . 37 76-79 59 73 67 55 151 74 74 -76 60 79 37 62 INDEX TO SUBJECTS. I'AGE. Ice Companies, . . -75 Land for Manufacturing Purposes, 49 Library Hall, . . .66 Markets, . . . -135 Masonic, .... 145 Military, . . . .80 National State Bank, . . 73 New Road Law, . . . 141 Orphan Asylum, . . .64 Odd Fellowship, . . . 149 Parks, . . . .138 Places of Amusement, . . 151 Post Office, .... 137 Property and Rents, . . 51 Public Library and Reading Room, 65 Railroad F'acilities, . . .40 Railroad Freights, . . .42 Railroads in History, . . 42 Real Estate in General, . . 48 Scenery and Roads, . . 139 Shipping by Water, . . 45 .Ship Building, . . .134 vSocieties, . . . 145-151 Summer Resorts, . . . 144 Temperature, Population, &c., . 38 The County Seat, . . . 56 The Journal Printing House, . 70-72 The Newspapers, . . . 82 The Street Railroad Companies, . 81 Theatres, . . . .151 Union County .Savings Bank, . 74 Water Freights, . . .46 Water Supply, . . .68 Woman's Exchange, . . 138 75 Cliurclnes Introduction, Christ P. E. Church, Central Bapti.st, Congregation B'nai Israel, Colored Churches, . East Baptist, First Baptist, First Congregational, First German Presbyterian, F'irst Presbyterian, Fulton Street M. E., Grace P. K., German M. E., German Moravian, . German Lutheran, . Holy Rosary R. C, Madison Avenue Presbyterian, Marshall Street Presljyterian, Missions, Park M. E., • Second Presbyterian, S3 90 95 98 98 95 94 96 96 83 92 90 93 96 97 98 88 88 98 93 85 PACES. 1-8 9-21 22-36 57-82 S3-98 99-108 109-153 153-156 St. John's P. E., . St. James M. E., . St. Mary's ofthe Assumption R. C. St. Michael's R. C, . St. Patrick's R. C, . Third Presbvteriau, . Trinity P. E. , Westminster, Educational. Public Schools, Normal Training, Manual Training, Honors Won Abroad, .School Buildings, President Wheeler's Report, Battin High School, Private .Schools of the Past, Private Schools of To-day, The Pingry School, Mr. Young's School, Miss Hunt's School, Miss Higgin's School, The Jlisses .Sargeant's School, Misses Vail and Deane's School, Mrs. Knapp's School, Lansley Business College, PAGE. 89 91 97 97 98 86 91 86 99 99 99 lOI lOI 102 103 106 106 107 107 107 107 107 107 108 Manufactures and Other Business. Introduction, 109 Beerbower, L. B. . 127 Borne, Scrymser & Co., 130 Bowker F'ertilizer Co., 129 Breidt's City Brewerv Co., 133 Burger, J. N. & Sons.' 131 Carroll, James 121 Commerce of the Port, "3 Connelly Motor Co., 81 Cooke Bros., 127 Crescent Iron Works, 124 Display Advertisements, . 54-156 Elizabeth Ice Compan)', 75 Elizabeth .Street Railway, Si Elizabethtown Gas Light Co. , 75 Elizabethport Banking Co., 74 Elizabethport Cordage Co., 117 F'irst National Bank, 74 Graff & Co., 126 Heidritter, A. & Sons, 120 Hersh, C. & .Son, 153 Journal Printing House, 70 Lake Hopatcong Ice, 75 McLeod, Neil 153 Munsell, FUigene & Co., . 125 National .State Bank, 73 THE CITY OF ELIZABETH JLLUSTRATEV. New Jersey Dry Dock Co. Pacific Rubber Works, Puetjner, Max Raukiii, W. H. Ryan's Hotel, fAGK. 1 22 i3t> vSayre, T. F, & H. C. Schuyler Electric Diglit Co., Singer Manufacturing Co., Squier, I. R. Taylor, P. S. PAGE. 124 76 114 153 Telephone Exchange, Union County Savings Bank, Waters, M. & A. Whelan, W. J. Wise, Charles C. PAGE. 76 74 152 152 151 Portraits. Ames, Daniel T. Atwater, Edward ,S. Austin, Henry C, Chief Police, Battiu, Joseph Bauer, H. J. Bell, Robert C Benjamin, John W. . Bergen, p^rank. City Attorn Blatz, J. Anthony, . Boudinot, lilias Brant, William, Captain Police, Breidt, Peter Brown, Dr. George C. Brown, Michael C. . Burger, John N. Burger, John E. Burger, Joseph J. Carlton, William J. . Carlton, Albert B., Comptroller, Clark, Hon. Amos . Clarke, Thomas A. . Cook, Henry- Coleman, Edwin Iv. P., City Clerk Connolly, James C. . Coyne, Jacob J. Crane, Aug. ,S. Crowell, John L. Cross, Judge Joseph Dalancl, William B. DeHart, Major William H Denman, Alex. vS. ■ Dix, J. Augustus Dunn, Hon. John T. Dunham, Azariah. . English, Theodore C. English, Nicholas C. J. Egenolf, Peter Furman, Waters, Lieutenant Police Geimer, Theodore vS. Gerber, James J. Gilhooly, P. Hamilton Glasby, Jonathan P. Glasby, P'rederick F. Graff, Louis A. Grier, Joseph H., Mayor, Halsey, Meline W. . Hall, Ira J. Hersh, E. S. Heyer, William D. . Hill, W. H. . Hoffman, James P. Jr., Holmes, Barnabas . Irwin, James B Kempshall, D. D., Rev. E Kingsley, Lewis W. Kurtz, Charles Lansley, Prof. James H. Lever, William W. . Little, Thomas A. . Lowden, John J. Lowden, Joseph D. . Lutz, John B., Overseer of the Poo McCandlcss, Harry . McCormick, Judge Thomas F McBride, Charles C. Manning, James Jr., Marsh, Frederick C. Matthews, George P. Mascott, Louis Meyer, Ivrnest L., City Surveyor, Millin, Thomas R. . Morris, A. Hamilton t'AGE. 62 49 29 103 153 4« 25 26 25 9 29 134 67 25 131 131 13' 104 24 4S 104 53 27 25,49 104 7i 57 51 137 80 55 99 49 45 51 59 25 ■ 29 71 42 42 25 57 48 23 25 53 153 loi 65 51 101 104 84 104 104 108 71 104 51 71 29 25 57 71 25 42 104 104 30 71 65 ILLUSTRATIONS. Moore, vSamuel L. Moore, .Samuel L- Jr. Moore, Charles H. . Mohr, William II. , Mravlag, M. D., Victor Nolan, John J. Norman, Zernian Noyes, Charles W. . Nugent, Edward Ogden, James C. Ogden, Joseph G. . Ogden, Benjannn M, " One of the Finest," Parrot, Hon. George T. Pease, N. W. Peters, John A., Lieut. I'ol Provoost, David B. . Ryan, P. J. . Ryan, William H. . Robinson, W. F. Staats, J. A. Schwartz, Augustus W. .Stratenieyer, H. J. Jr., Street Com Stratemeyer, M. H. .Sheridan, Patrick .Schleimer, M. D,, David .Servis, Peter .S. .Smith, John J. Schmidt, Charles H. .Schmidt, Ilcnrv J. . .Swift, C. Addison Thomas, William P. Voorhees, Hon. I'oster M Wheeler, Ira 1!. Whelan, John W., City Tre; Williams, .Samuel . Williams, Hampton C. Wilson, William R. Wood, E Young, Aug-ustus F. HE CITY OF ELIZABETH is a city of semi-urban homes. Here and there throughout its area, particularly in the northern and western wards, are collections of beautiful residences surrounded by spacious grounds, shaded by maples, elms and other richly foliaged trees whose graceful boughs often interlace above and across the graded avenues. Everything that lends attractiveness to exterior appearances may be found surrounding these homes. Well- clipped lawns, graveled walks, beds of richly blooming flowers and ■x.ll foliage plants, gardens that form not only a pleasant sight in them.selves, and afford their owners many hours of recreation, but supplj- the tables with fresh, crisp vegetables, such as cannot be found in any market in the world. For in the residential portion of our city the dwellings are not crowded together as they are in the metropolis. The land is so cheap that those who dwell with us may have an abundance of room, and on pleasant property may lavish, at little expen.se, the full measure of taste and care and .skill in making their homes the most delightful of .spots and the happiest of retreats after the work ot each day. And this, too, with all the adA-antages of a home in the largest and wealthiest cities in the Union. No comforts of the great cities are denied to residents of Elizabeth, while a thousand and one that may be had in this city are not to be obtained in New York. People of our city can reach the very busine.ss centres of New York more quickly than some who live in the metropolis itself. These state- ments are fully verified by the official railroad statistics within the body of this book. Elizabeth has churches, schools, academies, paved streets, parks, gas, water, electric lights, markets, horse railroads, places of amusement, public libraries, newspapers, banks, factories, elegant residences, public institution.s — that a great city can boast, and with all these a perfect abundance of. tho.se charming and restful accompaniments of semi-rural life that every great ^'^^-^^Ui:^- city is utterly destitute of. All the.se for people who are seeking residences within '>Ar, ^ D ^.nuAv f^ every thmg 112.40 r:.P,6>,Dw^Y^ easy daily access to the great centres of business. What for the manufacturer? This is the question which the cit^- of Elizabeth would answer to the fullest satisfac- 5f ^ "' ^ e^ tion, and this is one of the highest objects sought by the publication of this book. It is diificult to summarize in an introductory page the .splendid advantages offered by this city THE CITY OF ELIZABETH ILLUSTRA TED. to manufacturers, for that portion of the whole book which is devoted to this question is itself but an incomplete sumniar}- of the rnanufacturing interests of Elizabeth. To e\'ery manufacturer locating here Elizabeth can offer unsurpassed facilities for shipping to all parts of the habitable globe. Five railroad companies offer transportation, and besides these the Staten Island vSound, washing the entire eastern boundarj- for nearly three miles, and carr\-ing more actual tonnage than is shipped from New York or Eondon, provides one of the most important waterways in the world. Cheap and abundant property, well located, ad^'antageous sites on streets sewered, paved and in good condition ; comfortable little houses at cheap rents for men of small means, tide-water rates of shipment, cheap fuel for steam producing, cheap material for building, splendid banking facilities for all engaged in business, well-stocked markets and stores of all kinds to supply the needs of a manufacturing locality, splendid public and private schools for the benefit of the citizens' children, enterprising citizens to help new comers in securing advantageous sites — everj-thing that can be had in any city not of sudden and ephemeral growth can be found in the city of Elizabeth, and manufacturers cannot locate in an}' city that will be found more advantageously situated or that will in the end prove more satisfactory as a permanent manufacturing site. It is the object of this publication to pre.sent to those seeking for delightful homes or unsurpassed manufacturing advantages some of the characteristic features of the cit}- of Elizabeth. To this end the abundant illustrations of this book have been made, and the accompanying facts and statistics collected. The illustrations show exactly the kind of churches, schools, residences, stores, factories, etc., we have, while the text gives statements that are intended to be as accurate as the photographic ^-iews themselves. The effort has been to show the City of Elizabeth as it is ; not to disparage or o^'erestimate. There are enough advantages to present without exaggerating, for we stand ready to institute comparisons with any city in the United States, confident that the just and proper summary of the claims of our beautiful city will show it to be second to none, We commend, therefore, this work to all who are .seeking pleasant homes or the most advantageous manufacturing locality, and trust that the succeeding pages may be found filled with exactly such infor- mation as may be most useful, most desirable and best adapted to their inquiries and to the purpo.se in view. THE CITY OF ELIZABETH HISTORICAL. LTHOUGH it is the purpose of this compendium to treat only of the things that are, and not of what have been, to omit to say something of the honorable past of a town whose history forms no small part of the history of New Jersey, and occupies far from few pages in that of American colonization and American independence, would be a flagrant injustice to ancestors, whose hardships and battles have made it possible for Elizabeth to be what it is to-day, and who have transmitted to their de- scendants the manhood and enterprise to make it so. To give more than the briefest history, would be beyond the limits and possibilities as marked out by the plan of this volume. Here and there, how- ever, under appropriate sub- divisions will appear more particular allusions to the past, as circumstances may require ; but under this head only the briefest sketch of main events and important periods can be presented. EARIvV DISCOVERIES. On Thursday, September 3d, 1609, the East India Company's ship the "Half Moon," with Hendrick Hudson and his adventurous crew on board, dropped anchor in Sandy Hook Bay. On the following Sunday John Coleman and four other sailors were sent out in a boat to explore the waters and the lands on either side. An early historian tells us the quintette rowed through the Narrows and then found "a narrow River to the Westward betwccne two Hands. The Lands were as pleasant with Grasse and Flowercs, and goodly Trees, as ever they had scene, and very sweet smells came from them. So they went in two leagues and saw an open Sea and returned." They had passed through the Kills between the Staten Island and the Jersey shores, had come into Newark Bay, and had been the first white men to see New Jersey and the site of the Elizabeth of to-day. Scheyichbi was the name the Indians gave the place, and to the bay which washed its shores Jl&li^del. KLIAS BOUDINOT. [From Magrizine of American History.] the Dutch afterward gave the title of Achter Kol. Thus was New Amsterdam founded and Elizabeth discovered. THE PURITANS. Previous to this the Turitans had established settlements in Connecticut and on Long Island. The restoration of Charles the Second to the throne of England in 1660 alarmed the colonists of these places, who feared they would no longer enjoy the religious freedom that had been theirs under the Protectorate, and they bethought themselves of seeking liberty through affil- iation with the Dutch comers, and forthwith, under the lead- ership of John >Sticklin, of Hunterdon, Long Island, a large body- of these men of Connecticut and Long Island made application to Governor Stuyvesant's council for privi- lege to settle on the shores of Achter Kol. Their petition was favorably received, and a general invitation was sent out later by the Dutch authorities for all Christian peoples to come and settle in the Ameri- can domain of His Majesty of Holland. Shortly after this followed the surrender of New Amsterdam in the autumn of 1664 to England, and the sub- sequent deeding by Charles the vSecond of the former Dutch possessions to the Duke of York. Negotiations were reopened by the Puritans for the founding of the Achter Kol colony, and Colonel Richard Nicholls, the new English colonial governor, was petitioned for permission to purchase the desired lands from the'; Indians, which was granted. On the 2Stli of October, 1664, at vStaten Island, the chief sagamores of the Indians deeded to John Baylyf, Daniel Denton and Luke Watson, of Jamaica ; Captain John Baker, of New York ; John Ogden, of Northampton, and their associates, the lands mentioned, which deed was confirmed by Governor Nicholls on the first of December following. "The land conveyed by Governor Nicholls' patent," says Hetfield in his History of Elizabeth, "was of large dimensions. 3Sa/i'A THE CITY OF ELIZABETH HLVSTRATED. II extended from the mouth of the Raritau ou the south to the mouth of the I'assaie ou the north, a distauee iu a straight line of irot less than se\euteen miles, and running back into the country twice this distance, or thirty-four miles ; embi-acing the towns of AVoodbridge and Piscataw-ay, the wdiole of the present Union County, part of the towns of Newark and Clinton, a small part of llorris County and a considerable portion of Somerset County — containing about 500,000 acres, upland and meadow in fair propor- tions, and watered by the Raritan, the Passaic, the Rahway and Elizabeth Rivers, Thompson's (Morse's) Creek and Bound Brook ; diversified with level plains and ranges of hills of considerable elevation, ordinarily classified as mountains ; the soil of the uplands mostly red shale and clay loam, and a large part of it susceptible of a high state of cultivation." The price named in the deed was : 20 fathoms trading cloth, 2 made coats, 2 kettles, 10 bars of lead, 20 handfulls of powder, and in addition 400 fathoms of white homespun to be paid a year after entry. Upon the execution of the deed occupation followed immediately, though ground was broken and the work of settlement began For man\- years at intervals there was much trouble, arising out of the conflict of titles from the Indian and Carteret grants ; but after Carteret obtained East Jersey, and subsequently conveyed his lands to the Quakers, the disputes were settled by compromise. In May, 1703, the proprietary government came to an end. Of the events that occurred from this time to the breaking out of the War of Independence, space forbids mention. I'RIXCETON COHEGE FOUNDED. On the 22d of October, 1746, the charter of "The College of New Jersey " was granted to Rev. Jonathan Dickinson, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and others. Dickinson was the first president, and taught his pupils in the old parsonage on the south side of that part of the old Rahway road now known as Pearl street, between Washington avenue and Race street. "It was a frame building covered with shingles and painted red ; in form it was long, two low stories in front, and the roof declined to the rear iu a long slope, terminating at the height of one story above the ground." Upon Dickinson's death in 1748 the college ''***^ •v<,-,an,s.,;,4.GE OF ST. JOHN'.S CHURCH, ERECTED 1696, liXLARGED 1765. (From HcltiLld's History of Eli?;ib(;lh. ) probably even before the confirniation of the Indians' deed by the colonial governor. The following spring more colonists arrived from Connecticut and Long Island and settled with the "asso- ciates." CARTERET ARRIVES. In August, 1665, the colonists were surprised by the arrival at the mouth of Elizabeth Creek of the ship "Philip," bearing Captain Philip Carteret, who announced himself as the holder of a commission from the king as governor of the colonv, which he said had been deeded to Lords John Berkeley and Ceorge Carteret, and was to be known liencefonli as " New Jersey." r)erkele\' and Carteret had been staunch supporters of Charles, and this was their reward at his hands. Trouble was imminent, and the deeds to John Ogdeii and his associates were produced. Carteret be- haved very reasonably, waived his claim, purchased a share of the lands, and cast his fortunes with the settlers. The town Avas called Elizabethtown, in honor of the laudable Christian character and virtues of Elizabeth, the wife of Sir George Carteret. was removed to Newark, and the Rev. Aaron Burr became its presi- dent. In 1756 President Burr moved it to Princeton, its present site. ELIZ.AIIETHTOWN'S GLORIOUS RECORD. The news of the opening of the War of Independence at Lexing- ton, April igth, 1775, reached Elizabethtown the following day and was received with wild demonstrations of enthusiasm. From that hour no town in all the colonies was more loyal, sent more soldiers, fought more bravely, made greater sacrifices of life and property, and did more effective service to the patriot cause than did the borough of Elizabeth. The glorious record may best be set forth in the statement that the annals of the town show the names of four generals, three colonels, five majors, two adjutants fourteen captains, eight lieutenants, one surgeon and three quartermasters furnished the Continental Army, or in all forty commissioned officers. This does not include the names of many doubtless lost in lapse of time, nor the hundreds that bravely risked and gave their lives iu the ranks. It is doubtful whether HISrORICAI,. auy town in the colonies could begin to show a pi-oportioiiate record approaching this. Nor in the battle ranks alone were Elizabethans conspicuous iu the Revolution. Among the citizens were Abraham Clark, signer of the Declaration of Independence ; William Livingston, Governor of the State ; EHas Boudinot, after- ward Pi-esident of the Continental Congress ; Robert Ogden and Stephen Crane, Speakers of the Assembly ; William Peartree Smith, the noted civilian, and General Jonathan Dayton, after- ward Speaker of Congress. Generals Elias Dayton, Jonathan Dayton, Matthias Ogden and William Crane, and Colonels Aaron Ogden, Francis Barber and Oliver Spencer are bright names on the glorious pages of the history of national independence. THE FIGHTING CHAPLAIN. Prominent iu all the battles was Rev. James Caldwell of the First Presbyterian Church, the " fi,ghting chaplain" of the New Jersey Brigade. He preached resistance to tyrannj' in his pulpit on Sunday, and practiced what he preached during the week. On charged that the murderer was bribed to do the dreadful deed, but there is no proof of this. The assassin was afterward hanged, without having left any confession of the motive for the crime. Caldwell did not die immediatel)', but was tenderlj- carried to the stoop of the famous Dayton house, nearlj' opposite the Boudinot house (shown on page 13), and there expired. There his funeral was held, and there, v.lien the time came for his people to take their last look of his loved features, his nine children, homeless and doubly orphaned, were led to his casket by a brother minister, and were then taken to the homes of kind people, v;lio brought them ui3 in the fear of God, the love of their country and the hatred of its enemies. The first company that went from New Jerse_v to the War of Independence was rai:'.ed in Elizabeth b}' Edmund Disney Tliomas. The occupation of .Staten Island in the summer of 1776 by the British forces made the town an outpost early in the conflict, and during the whole \'.'ar, with but few lapses, it was in a position of danger. On the 4th of July, 1776, a British sloop of fourteen guns FIR.ST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 184O. (From Hetfitrld's History of Elizabeth.) one occasion v/hen the wadding had given out, it is related that he rushed into the church, came out with an armful of hymn books, and cried out to the fighters, " Now put Watts into them, boys !" Washington turned the tide of battle by his capture of a thousand Hessians at Trenton, December 26th, 1776, and followed it up by his victory at Princeton, July 3d, 1777. Then General Maxwell came down from Short Hills with his Jersey Brigade and drove the British out of Newark and Elizabeth. When the Continentals arrived here " they found everything in ruins ; their houses plun- dered, their fences broken down and consumed, their gardens laid waste, their fields an open common, and their records, both public and private, destroyed." On the 25th of January, 1780, the British made a raid on the town, destroying much property and burning the old First Church to the ground. CAEDWELL KIEEED. The closing tragedy of the war was the murder, November 24th, 1781, of Parson Caldwell by one of the American soldiers. It is sailed up to EHzabethtown Point, and while the distinguished citizen, Abraham Clark, was signing the Declaration of Indepen- dence at Philadelphia, his townsmen at home battled for it. Thev attacked the sloop from the shore with two twelve pounders, set her on fire, destro3-ed her, and killed a large number of her men. This was but the beginning of a series of repeated forays from this place against the enemy's ships in the ,Sound and camp on vStaten Island. BATTLE OF liEIZABETHTOWN. General Knvphausen landed at Elizabethport June Sth, 17S0, with a force of five thousand men, with the intent to march against Washington, then encamped at Morristown, and drive the whole Continental army out of New Jersey. The inhabitants resolved to fight to the end. At the Cross-roads the advancing army was attacked Ijy an outpost of twelve men. General vStirling was severely wounded and a temporary retreat was ordered. An advance soon followed, and the invading force marched up Eliza- beth avenue, through the town to Springfield by the Galloping THIL CITY OF ELIZAlSliTH ILLUSTRATED. Hill road. Warniug of their approach was given by the firiuK of an eiifhteen pounder on Prospect Hill and the lii^hting of a tar barrel on a sii^nal pole. The militia, farmers, and all who could bear arms, mustered and attacked the British. This little body, with the assistance of the re<=^ilars under Maxwell, made so gallant a fight that the enemy halted. Their commander, hearing that all of Washington's force was advancing from Short Hills, began a retreat at nightfall. During it all his force was pursued and harrassed by the patriots, the loss of many men being inflicted. During the retreat Mrs. Caldwell, the wife of the fighting pastor, was killed in her house at Connecticut Farms. A cowardly British ruffian came to the window of the room where she was sitting with her children and shot her. Again on the 23d of the same ___ month another invasion was made by a force of five thou- sand under General Clinton. _ __ Again was the warning given by the same means at Spring- ^ field, and again did the thou- ^ sand brave Continentals and militiamen put them to flight -=^^ _ and pursue them to the shores _ of the Sound. To the Eliza- ^ bethans General Washington %vrote : "The militia deser\'e everything that can be said ; on both occasions they flew to arms universally, and acted with a spirit equal to anything I have seen in the course of the war." With the surrender of Corn- wallis at Yorkto%vn in October the conflict was practically ended, and the fighting men returned to their homes. To the famous hereditary "Society of the Cincinnati," founded by the officers of the Continental army at Newburg at the close of the war, Elizabeth contributed seventeen mem- bers. The hereditary heirs now resident at Elizabeth are : William Pancoast Barber, Wil- liam Chetwood Spencer, David Provost Thomas and William C. DeHart ; while Governor '^ Robert S. Green and William P. Thomas, Esq., are honorary- members. Little wonder is it, with such a history, ants of these Revolutionary heroes anion that the many descend- ; the residents of to-day have cherished so sacredly the memories of the glorious past, and have celebrated with the fei vor of true patriots all the anniversaries of these events ; the centennials of the destruction of the British sloop on the day of the signing of the Declaration of Indepen- dence, of the burning of the old church, and of the battle of Elizabeth of June 8th, 1780, being most notable for their elaborate- ness. On the last named centennial the battle was gallantly fought again in sham at the Port, the Cross-roads, and on Elizabeth avenue and the Jersey streets. The Veteran Zouaves of Elizabeth, the Jackson Corps of Albany, and Conqjany B of the Third (N. J.I Regiment represented the British ; while the Washington Con- tinentals of Princeton and the remaining companies of the Third Regiment personated the Continental forces. The ceremonies were participated in by all the citizens and some ten thousand visitors. W.\.SHINGTON'.S IN.\UC,UR-'\TION. In General Washington's triumphant journey to his inauguration at New York on April 30th, 17S9, Elizabeth played an important ]3art. On April 22d he was met at New Brunswick by Governor Livingston, of Elizabeth, and rode to Woodbridge where he spent the night. On the following morning he was met there by a number of military companies, among them Captain Condict's, of Newark, Captain Wade's, of Connecticut Farms, and Captain Meeker's, of Elizabeth, and escorted to Elizabeth by way of Bridgeton, or Lower Rahway. General Matthias Ogden, of Eliza- beth, of Revolutionary fame, commanded the procession, which escorted him to Samuel Smith's tavern, on or about the site of Mrs. Buckmaster's house on the southwest corner of Broad street and the present Rahway -^ avenue. Here he held a brief reception. Then he went to luncheon at Boxwood Hall, on East Jersey street, the resi- dence of Hon. Elias Boudinot, now remodeled and occupied as the ' ' Home for Aged Women." There Washington met the committee of Congress and an illustrious company representing nearly all the quarters, if not the States, of the Union. Among those present were John Langdon, President of the Senate, from New Hampshire ; Richard Henry Lee, Theodoric Bland and Arthur Lee, from Vir- ginia ; General Knox, the Sec- retary of War, from Maine ; Tristam Dalton, from Mas- sachusetts ; William Sanmel Johnson, from Connecticut ; Charles Carroll, from Mary- land ; Ralph Izard and Thomas Tudor Tucker, from South Carolina ; Governor Livings- ton, from New Jersey- ; Egbert Benson, John Lawrence, Wal- ter Livingston, Chancellor Liv- ingston, vSamuel Osgood, John Jay and others from New York. THK FAMOUS I