self to the improvement of his estate, and the construction of his new house, for which he had been making preparation. He improved his leisure, also, in making some friendly visits, either to the city, or to Long Island, resulting in his marriage, April, 1681, to Elizabeth, the widow of Capt. William Lawrence, of Tew's Neck, L. I., who had died in 1680, in the 58th year of his age. Mrs. Carteret was the daughter of Richard Smith, patentee of Smithtown, L. I., and brought with her, to this town, seven children: Mary, Thomas, Joseph, Richard, Samuel, Sarah, and James. Samuel died Aug. 16, 1687, aged 15 years, and Thomas, Oct. 26, 1687, aged 19 years; and both were buried in the rear of the meeting-house. Their graves are now covered by the First Presbyterian Church, and their monuments adorn the rear wall of the building, being the most ancient stones in the Cemetery. This was, in all probability, the Governor's first marriage, no allusion to any other having been discovered. He resumed office by proclamation, March 2, 1689.* The controversy with Andros had brought into prominence the fundamental constitutions of the government. Carteret, in his triumph over Andros, was disposed to stretch his prerogative to the utmost, as if in compensation for his recent expulsion from power. The town, as well as the other parts of the Province, was now agitated very considerably by this question. The Assembly met here, Oct. 19, 1681. At the very opening of their sessions, the Deputies determined to re-assert and establish their fundamental rights, according to the terms of the Concessions, as originally published in 1665. A conflict ensued, which resulted in the dissolution of the Assembly by the Governor, a few days after they met. Carteret had learned nothing by his troubles, and his longcontinued association with the people. The breach between them must have been greatly widened by this transaction. It was the first time he had ventured to exercise this doubtful and dangerous prerogative.+ * Scot's Model of E. Jersey, p. 135. Thompson's L. I., II. 864-5. Riker's Newtown, pp. 282, 3. N. York Marriages, pp. 68, 225. Whitehead's E. J., p. 85. Leaming and Spicer, pp. 685-7. ↑ N. Y. Col. Docmts., III. 293-800. Whitehead's E. Jersey, pp. 80, 192-5. An unquiet time these humble pioneers had, it must be admitted. Seventeen years had passed since Baker and Bailey, Ogden and Watson had acquired, lawfully and honorably, a title to the soil, and entered into possession. Yet, year after year, almost from the beginning, they were coming into collision with the ruling powers of the territory, and compelled to resist what they could not but regard, as encroachments on their vested and sacred rights. Some few of them, wearied with conflict, had parted with their interest to others, and removed. But by far the most of them remained, and manfully maintained the principles so dear to them. Nor were these troubles without their use. They served to strengthen and develop character; fostering and bringing into active exercise, in a remarkable degree, an intelligent love for freedom, for independence, for well-regulated selfrule, for constitutional principles, for popular rights; preparing them, all the better, for the work of laying the foundations of the town, the state, the church. Their children, too, who were just coming to years, were thereby subjected to an admirable training, fitting them to occupy the place and do the work of the founders, when these sturdy yeomen should cease from their care and toil. One by one, they were dropping into the grave. Seeley, Andris, Dickinson, Pope, Simpkin, Trotter, Hopkins, Parker, Wilson, Goodman Tomson, Bond, and possibly others, had gone the 66 of all the earth. And now way good old John Ogden," whose wanderings for forty years had justly entitled him to rank with the "Pilgrim Fathers,"-the acknowledged pioneer of the town, in whose house the first white child of the settlement was born, the accepted leader of the people, a pillar in the church and in the state, honored and trusted by all,-just as the year 1681 is expiring, lies down and dies; leaving the impress of his political and religious principles, not only upon his children, but upon the community that he has so largely aided in founding. A man he was of more than ordinary mark--a man of sterling worth; of whom the town, as well as his numerous posterity, should be gratefully mindful. He was called a "malcontent," and regarded as "the leading malcontent of Elizabeth Town;" but surely the man that was held in such high esteem by the accomplished, sagacious and pious Winthrop,—the man who, both at Southampton and here, had been an honored magistrate, loved and trusted by the people, and, during the Dutch rule, the virtual Governor of the English portion of the Province, is not to be ranked with restless agitators because of his persistent opposition to an arbitrary government. A true patriot, and a genuine Christian, he devoted himself while living to the best interests of the town, and dying bequeathed to his sons the work of completing what he had so fairly and effectually inaugurated the establishment of a vigorous plantation founded on the principles of civil and religious liberty. CHAPTER X. A. D. 1664-1682. ECCLESIASTICAL-Church early organized, of Puritan type-First Meeting-House and Grounds -- Ministry - Rev. Thomas James-Rev. Jeremiah Peck -Rev. Seth Fletcher. THE early religious history of the town is involved in great uncertainty. But few memorials remain, from which any thing, respecting the ecclesiastical affairs of the town, during the first score of years, can be learned. It is known, that the greater part of the settlers, and especially the leading men, were professing Christians, God-fearing men, of Puritan principles, and religiously observant of the ordinances of Christianity; that they were early organized as a Christian Church; that this was the only church-organization in the town for forty years; that, soon after their arrival, they erected a "meeting house," in which they were wont to worship on the Lord's Day, and hold their town-meetings. But, of the date of these events, and of the circumstances connected with the founding of the church, and the erection. of the meeting-house, nothing is known. Mention is made of "the town house," as early as June, 1671. Pardon, in his testimony relative to the Michell case, says, "that on the 19th of June, 1671, he was at a meeting of several inhabitants of this town who were met together at the town house." It was, in all probability, in this "town house," that the first General Assembly of the Province met, May 26, 1668, and subsequent Assemblies, also, met. In the Act of 1682 for the erection of County Courts, it is provided, that "the County of Essex Sessions" shall be held "in the publick Meeting House of Elizabeth Town," twice in the one. year. The "town-house" and the "meeting-house" were The Puritans did not believe in consecrated places, and so had no scruples in respect to the transaction of secular business in their meeting-houses. As John Ogden had, more than a score of years before his coming here, erected the stone church in the fort at New Amsterdam, and had, soon after his coming, put up and operated a saw-mill at the bridge; and as several of the original Associates were carpenters and joiners; it is more than probable, that one of their first public concerns was the building of their meetinghouse. As early as Feb. 19, 166, they held "a meeting court," at which the whole town was present, and sixty-five men took the oath of allegiance and fidelity. The house had, most likely, been built before this date.* Nothing can now be determined as to its size, cost, arrangements, or general appearance. Something may be conjectured, by reference to the town house at Newark, built in 1669, which was to be erected "with a Lenter to it all the Length which will make it Thirty Six foot Square, with the doors, and Windows, and Flue Boards at the Gable Ends;" to cost seventeen pounds, and the Town to furnish the timber. It was a frame building, and, probably, somewhat larger and more sightly than the one at Newark.t The lot, on which the house was built, included the present burying-ground of the First Presbyterian Church, extended on the west to the river, and contained about eight acres. The earliest survey of the lot, now to be found, bears date, June 5, 1732, and was made by Joseph Man, Surveyor. It is recorded by Jefferys, the Town Clerk, in these words: Surveyed for the Committee of the Freeholders of Elizabeth town the meeting house Lot beLonging to ye sd Elizth town Begining at yo: n: E: Corner of m' will williamsons house Lot thence Runing North 50: degs: 7 : m : & a west 13: Chanes: 75: Links to ye mil! River. thence Runing as ye gd River Runs: 2: Chanes & ato m'. Jewels Line. thence Runing South. 88: degrs. East fifteen Chanes &. 15: Links to a highway thence Runing South 15 degs. & a west. 9: Chanes : &. 70 Links to ye first mentioned place Bounded on ye South by Cap: william *Leaming and Spicer, pp. 77, 231. E. T Bill, p. 32. E. J. Records, III. 79. |