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bury, N. J., as early as 1685. It is not known how, if at all, the two families were related to each other.*

JOHN WREN is known only by his death. Letters of Administration were granted, Aug. 3, 1687, to "Edward Gay, Doct' of Physick," on the Estate of "John Wren of Elizabeth Town, Deceased." +

These were all the new comers since the period of the Dutch rule, of which any mention has been found. Many of these would have escaped detection, but for the old Ledger of the worthy pastor, Mr. Harriman; whence, also, many particulars have been gleaned touching individual pursuits, and domestic relations, together with a variety of minor matters, such as prices current, shedding much light on that remote period of the town's history. Doubtless a complete record of the inhabitants of the town during its first forty years would include some, who came hither and remained for a season, but soon passed away, leaving no memorial of their residence. Others were day-laborers, aiding in the cultivation of the soil; or craftsmen serving as apprentices or journeymen; or boatmen, occupied in navigating the numer ous small craft, which even at that early day were found in these waters. Of negroes there were not a few-some in almost every family; while here and there, a "poor Indian " also, was held in bondage and served as a menial.

The following Record, from the lost Town Book, appears in Book B.:

At a Meeting of the freeholders of Elizabeth Town, October yo 20th Anno 1699. The following Conclusions were Made (viz.)

Imps By a Unanimous Vote of the freeholders aforesd it was and is Agreed and Concluded that if any have been at Charges in the Clearing and fencing of Land which no Particular Purchases in the whole of this Township Can Justly Claim a Mile or More out of the Town plott Shall have So much there where he has So fenced and Cleared as is Sufficient to make a plantation (Provided always that the Possor, or Setler of all Such Lands have a Real Right in the whole of this Township by Purchase and also that Such have not Taken up more then there proportion of the whole or if nearer shall have a Sufficient field."

* Savage, IV. 648. E. J. Records, L. 26, 186; O. 96, 147. Howell, pp. 30, 304. N. Y. Doc. His., II. 537. † E. J. Records, B. 133.

This minute was recorded in the original Elizabeth Town book of Records, pp. 14, 15, out of which it was copied, Aug. 24, 1711, and ordered to be entered in the New Book, June 2, 1747.*

The conflict between the Basse and Hamilton factions, and the anarchy consequent, were terminated, at length, by the final and unconditional surrender, Ap. 15, 1702, on the part of the so-called Proprietors, of all claim and right to the jurisdiction of the Province. Then, in reality, New Jersey, for the first time, became a Royal Province, governed no longer by a Company of Land Speculators, but directly by the Crown. King William died, Mar. 8, 1701, and Anne, Princess of Denmark, ascended the throne. A royal Governor of the combined Provinces, New York and New Jersey, was appointed, Dec. 5, 1702, in the person of Edward Hyde, Lord Viscount Cornbury, cousin to her Majesty. In May, 1703, on the arrival of the royal commission, the Proprietary Government of East Jersey was brought to a perpetual end.

E. Town Book, B., 24, o. e.

CHAPTER XIII.

A. D. 1682-1707.

ECCLESIASTICAL - Pastorate of Rev. John Harriman - Introduction of Episcopacy by Rev. Geo. Keith - Pastorate of Rev. Samuel Melyen-First Episcopal Missionary, Rev. John Brooke-Erection of St. John's Church.

AT the decease of the Rev. Seth Fletcher, in August, 1682, the people of this town were left without the stated ministrations of the sanctuary. Nor was it easy to obtain a competent person to fill the vacancy. The Quaker administration came into power, three months after Mr. Fletcher's decease, and the tide of immigration from Scotland began to set in. In the letters written home by the exiles, as has been seen, one of the chief, and almost the only one of the, complaints made, is the dearth of ministers. It became necessary to resort to "Deacon Meetings," as referred to in 1684 by Watson: "And now the people they meet together every Sabbath day, and Read and Pray, and sing Psalms in their Meeting-houses." At that time, there was no settled preacher "within all the Province of East Jersey, except one who" was "Preacher in Newark," Abraham Pierson. John Allen was at Woodbridge, but had ceased to supply the pulpit.*

Possibly Mr. Allen, of whose "good abilities," after more "experience," the Woodbridge people were not as confident as at first, may have been occasionally employed here. But nowhere, in any accessible document, has any intimation been found, by which it can be determined, how or by whom the pulpit was supplied during the five years next succeeding Mr. Fletcher's death. At length, in 1687, they united

in a call to the

* Scot's Model of E. J., pp. 199, 200. Whitehead's P. Amboy, pp. 883, 4.

REV. JOHN HARRIMAN.

This worthy minister of the gospel was a native of New Haven, Ct., the associate, in his boyhood, of many of the more youthful of the early settlers of this town. His father, John, was at New Haven, in 1646, and soon after was married to Elizabeth, and had two children :-John, baptized, January 24, 1647; and Elizabeth, baptized, July 23, 1648. He was put in charge of the town-ordinary, of which he was the keeper many years. He was, also, a respected member of the Church.

His only son, John, was trained from childhood under the eye of that rigid old Puritan, the Rev. John Davenport, by whom he had been baptized. The old pastor, finding him. apt to learn, encouraged him to seek, and his father to give him, a liberal education. In his 13th year, he came under the instruction of his townsman, Mr. Jeremiah Peck, at that time, principal of the graminar-school at New Haven, and afterwards the first pastor of this town. At the age of fifteen, he was sent to the college at Cambridge, Ms., to be educated under the supervision of the Rev. Charles Chauncy. He graduated in 1667, in the same class with Gershom Hobart, and one year in advance of Abraham Pierson, Jr., and John Prudden.

After his graduation, he returned to New Haven, and taught the Hopkins grammar school, several years, being occasionally employed as a preacher at New Haven, East Haven, and Wallingford, Ct. During the life-time of the Rev. Mr. Street, he had probably preached for him occasionally at New Haven; and at his death, Ap. 22, 1674, he was frequently called upon to supply the vacant pulpit. In the latter part of that year, or the early part of the next, he went over to Southampton to preach as a candidate for the pulpit, made vacant by the decease, in 1674, of the Rev. Robert Fordham. He accepted their call, and was put in possession of the parsonage, "upon termes y towne and he hath agreed on," April 12, 1675. Early in 1676, he returned to New Haven, and, in July of that year, became the stated supply

of the pulpit in his native town. He continued there until 1682, preaching most of the time; but the people were divided between him and Mr. Joseph Taylor, who preached a part of the time, from 1676 to 1679, and was then settled. at Southampton.

In 1682, the East Haven people appointed & Committee to "goe to Mr. Harriman, and treat with him, and desire his help in the Ministry amongst" them, "and further, to give him an invitation to a settlement in the work of the ministry." They agreed to give him £50, for his support" current money with the merchant." In November 1683, they gave him a formal call, and resolved to build at once a house for the minister, 36 ft. long, of 2 stories; for which they subscribed £104. 10. 0. The house, however, was not built, and Mr. Harriman remained with them but a short time longer.

In October 1684, he was associated with Robert Vauquellin, ["Vorklain"], in running the boundary line between New York and Connecticut, having been appointed Surveyor, for this purpose, by the General Court, at Hartford, May 8th, 1684. It is probable, therefore, that he had been previously employed, and perhaps, for years, occasionally, as a Practical Surveyor. Vauquellin had long been so employed in East Jersey, and it is not likely, that in an affair of so much importance, any but the most skillful surveyor would be ap pointed on the part of Connecticut. In occupations of this kind, he was, probably, employed for a year or two, when his steps were directed hither-possibly by Vauquellin himself. He had many old friends here, as also had the Southampton people. It is not strange, therefore, that his name should have been suggested, and a desire expressed to hear him. He was installed the pastor of this Church, most probably, September 30th, 1687, as appears from the following memorandum in his Ledger, under date of Nov. 1, 1694: "we Reckoned & my 7th year payd wch ended 7 b 30th last pceeding this date." All his reckonings with his parishioners are from the same date. Gov. Lawrie lived a few days only after his coming. The Quaker rule had ceased a year before, and the Scotch were now in power. Lord Campbell had

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