its eminent Men, Churches and Ministers," was prepared by the Rev. Dr. Murray, during the earlier years of his ministry, nearly a fourth of a century since. It could scarcely be expected, that a stranger from a far country would be able, fully to enter into the sympathies, and clearly to apprehend the history, of the whom he had so recently found a home. furnish but little information respecting the town, and that little is far from correct. the present volume has found it necessary to consult the original records for himself, and has, therefore, relied but little on the labors of his predecessor.
people among His "Notes founders of the The writer of
The only other published works pertaining to the history of the town, are the excellent and authentic "History of St. John's Church, Elizabeth-Town, New Jersey," by the present rector, the Rev. Samuel A. Clark, and the Memoirs of the Rev. Drs. McDowell and Murray, by the Rev. Drs. Sprague and Prime, respectively; all very good in their place, but partial only in their object.
It will be seen that the history, now given to the public, endeavors to rescue the planters of the town from oblivion, and to give them something more than "a local habitation and a name." To this end, the archives of the County and State, at Newark, at Amboy, and at Trenton, have been diligently and patiently investigated. Local and general histories, noted in the margin of the pages, have been extensively consulted. Access has been had to the libraries of the Historical Societies of New York, Long Island, and New Jersey. Neither time nor expense has been spared in obtaining all possible information bearing on the fortunes of the town. Much assistance has been derived, in respect to the general history of the locality, from Mr. Whitehead's "East Jersey under the