F 144 .F5 D24 Copy 2 OF THE ERECTION OF ®fjr aiming iftfuar FLEMINGTON. N. J. MAY 23. 1906 P/44 3+, *iih an illustration of the house and tablet and portraits of Mrs. Deafcs and Mrs. Kearfott. We must not omit to mention the generous way in which the citizens of the town added to the occasion by decor- ating tbe buildings and hanging out tho flag. Over two hundred fligs are said to have been counted in front of resi- dences and other buildings. Mr. Vosseller Said : Madam President General, and Diuah- ters of tbe American Revolution : — I appreciate the honor conferred upon me bv \our courteous invitation to placu before you, briefly, some of the inter* sting events in the history of our old village. Two hundred years ago the large tracts of land in tbis part of our State, containing thousands of acres and own- ed by Wm. Penu, Daniel Coxe and others, began to be broken up into smaller parcels, and to be occupied by actual settlers There were more wolves here than sheep, more bears than horses and more Indians than white folks. And back of this gather all the clouds and darkness of uncer- tainty. FLEMING CASTLE, 1T56-1906 An Indian tntv had i's en'*»mpmpnt just back ot yonder hill. Tucca-Mir- dan, the chief, had his wigwam, how- ever, near the kg cabin of John Philip Kase, which stood near the present dwelling ol Mr. O B. Davis, on Mine Brook. Between these families the closest friendship existed and the chil- dren of the Kase family felt as much at home in the wigwam of the chief as in their own log bouse. In 1746 Samuel Fleming was licensed to keep a tavern in a log hou->e and in 1756 he built "Fleming Castle", which Judge Connet will tell you more about presently. After the building of this magnificent structure, the place began to be spoken of as the Fleming settlement, later as Fleming's and still later Flemington. This 'Castle" stood a little back from a road which ran from a mill on the South Branch on the site of the present R ckaf How Mi'l, to Howell's Ferry on t^e Delaware River. This road crossed the Trenton road, which is now our main street, at a sharp angle just in front of this church. Tradition says th>t this Trenton road ran thro' a splendid huckleberry patch. Near the ''Cast'e" was a well, now covered over, into which a little girl fell and was drowned. Perhsp3 this tragedy furnished the ghost that haunt- ed this bouse afterward and which was seen majestically rising from a poL heap and dissolving into thin air, on one occasion, when the lady of the house bad the temerity to visit her cel- lar about midnight. In 1750 Thomas Lowrey bought six hundred and fifty square feet of land from Samuel Fleming, who afterward became his father-in-law, and built a store on it. This was the first store in this region and became the centre of a 4 iarge business. It stood in front of this church, a little to the west and in what is now Mr. James E. BrodheBd's front yard. It was near the intersec- tion of the two roads referred to and was replaced in 1775 by a larger and better building by Thomas Lowrey and this later one was the Rtore which was raided on Dec 14th, 1776, by a detach- ment of Harcourt's Cavalry, thj Six- teenth Regiment, known as "The Queen's Own", which was the crack Uavalry Regiment of the British Army and at that lime was with Curnwallis at Trenton. This raid was made with the double purpose of capturing Col. Lowrey, who was one of Washington's Commissaries, and the provisions he had co'lected in his store for the use of Washington's Army. That story, however, is too long for this occasion In 1762 Thos. Lowrey and others sur- veyed and laid out building lots along the Trentou road and sold a number of them. This no doubt determined the direction of our Main Street. In 1767 he and James Eddy, a merchant of Philadelphia and one of the owners of these building lots, ga\e one of them containing a half acre for the use of a Baptist Church. This emphasized the direction of Main Street and later on the other road was closed, and even some cherry trees which marked its di- rection near the "Castle" have disap- peared. Thos. Lowrey built a bouse on the site now occupied by Mr. Hugh C. Nevius, just south and east of this church. Soon after his marriage this house was burned. A colored boy be- longing to him got offended at a young mau, an employee, and built a tire under his bed, explaining that be "didn't want to burn the house, bui the voung man." During the Are, the housekeeper, an old lady, kept calling out, "Do try to save the most valuable things", while she herself was trying to 8»ve an empty barrel with both heads out. A really handsome house was afterward built on this site with bricks imported from England. The two spacious front rooms were finished with beautiiul cornices and the fire places framed with handsome tiles. When the Court House was burned, the pris- oners were kept in this house under guard for one night, and the next day sent to Somerville. A late r owner "improved" this house by tearing out the cornices in which he found several pieces of English silver money and a two-edged dagger. He also took out the tiles from the fire plac p s and cover- ed over the brick walls with stucco In spite of all this vandalism it is a handsome house yet. In 1789 Mrs. Lowrev (Esther Fuming) was one of the matrons in charge of the ceremon- ies at Trenton on that memorable oc- casion of Gen. Washington's reception, and passage under the tri imphal arch at that place, and her daughter Mary was one of the thirteen lovely youug girls who strewed flowers before him as they sang "Welcome Mighty chief once more, Welcome to this grateful shore; Now no mercenary foe Aims again the fatal hlow — Aims at thee the fatal blow. Virgins fair and matrons grave, Whom thy conquering arm did save, Build for then triumphal bowers : Strew, ye fair, his way with flowers ; Strew your hero's wav with flowers." By the way, can any "Daughter" tell me what music the v sang on this occasion and who wrote it ? In 1785 Flemington, which probablv contained not more than twelve or fif- teen houses, became the county seat of Hunterdon County. In 1791 a Court House was built. These to ward steps were taken largely thro' the influence of Jasper Smith, who was a lawyer, and a man of great energy and public spirit. He was a devout church mem- ber and bad a great deal to do with the organizition of the Presbyterian Church of Flemington in 1791. The first edifice of the Presbyterian congregation was built in 1794 in one corner of the grave varrl, with a tavern in front of it In 1S56 the congrfga- tion boueht the tavern properly and erected their second edifice in its place The congregation outgrew this build- ing during the ministry of Rev Dr. Geo. S Mott, of blessed memory, and in 1883 replaced it with the church w« are occupying to-dav. Only seven pts- tors have ministered to this congrega- tion which has had aliteexteLding over one hundred and flfteen years. In 1776 Col. Charles Stewart became one of Washington's staff, a position he occupied until the cloee of the war. After the war he moved to Flemington and lived in a house that stood near the residence of the late John C Hope- well. Washington held him in high esteem. He and Mrs. Washington wpire frequent visitors at his house Hi? dauernter Martha married Capt Robert Wilson, who was wounded at the battle of Germantown and died in 1779. Mrs. Wilson was distinguished for ber beauty, for her brilliant and cultured mind a"d for her great execu- tive ability When her father was away in the army, 3be took entire charge of the estato, managing his large farming enterprises to his entire sat's- factioo. Mrs. Ellet in her book, "Women of the American Revolution", devotes a whole chapter to Martha Wilson. Gen. Washington was very fond of her only daughter and fre- quently heid the child on his lap and kisaed her. SHe married John Myer Eowere and after the war received marked attention from Mrs. Washing- ton. They were on such friendly terms that they got out their sewing or kuit- ting when visiting. Mrs. Bowers re- lates that on one occasion Mrs. Wash- ington ravelled a set of eld satin chair covers, inherited by her. She had the material carded and spun with the ad- dition of cotton yarn woveu in alternate broad and narrow stripes, the broad being of white cotton and the narrow of crimson silk. Out of this fabric she had two morning dresses mide f n r her- self. Gov Jno. Reading bought six hun dred acre* of land just out of our vil- lage along the South Branch He built two flue residences, which are s' ill standing, one occupied by Mr Jacob Polhemup, near the Valley sta- tion, and the other by Mr. Genrge W. Campen. The bricks of whicn the lat- ter was built, in 1760, were imported. That house, too, has lost mauy of its charms hy being modernized. Gov. Reading had seven sons and three daughters. The sons were active in the Revolutionary struggle. Fiveol them settled hereabouts aud exercised a strong influence for good in state, church and educational matters. One of his descendants gave the money tor the buildiDg of Reading Academy, which is now our High School. In the grave yard of the Presbyter- ian Church lie the remains of at least six R°volutionary soldiers. With one exception, these graves are unmarked. Mpjor John Howe had a "friend" who placed a bomhastic and ridiculous inscription on his grave stone. If the others could know about it they doubt- less would thank the Lord that they died without suoh a "friend" and be reconciled to lying in unknown graves. One of this number was Capt. TIks Gearhar!;. To him and Capt. Daniel Bray and Capt. Thos. Jones was as- signed the direction of that most diffi- cult and hazardous enterprise rf col- lecting the boats to carry out Washing- ton's brilliant achievement at 'Irenton. He carried a bullet in his knee, but whan the doctors offerer! to cut it out he refused, saying, "No : I got Uat ball in the Revolution and I mean to carrv it as long as I live", and he did, tho' it made him a cripple tor life. When a tired, hot and dusty visitor steps off the traiu at our Central station and looks down our Ma ; n Street, a senoe of comfort and refreshment takes possession of him at ones, for he sees a eool, sprinkled avenue, with substantial sidewalks, flanked by well-kept lawns bright with flowers, and trees arching overhead as far as the vision extends. If he goes sight-seeing, among other thing he will find six churches, two line buildings housing our public school with a corps of thirteen teachers, a beautiful monument dedicated to the memory of those who died for their country, a Public Fouutain for the re- freshment of man and beast, a Court Housp,ioterestinj; because of its age; wj up-to date public building for county uses, three lively newspapers, a free public library and reading room, a park, a generous water supply, a flrst-class sewerage system, gas, electric lights, etc., etc, and a Woman's Club that does things. To them we are indebted for our Public Fountain. Thev also transformed a patch of waste land, which had become an eyesore by rea- son cf neglect, into a thing of beauty and to-day we are proud ot our Park and it gives promise of much greater beauty in the years to come. This Club also is the backbone of our Free Library and Readicg Room. They have created also a snuit of village im- provement, which shows on all our streets and on our lawns as well Their latest endeavor is to teach the little girls of the village to sew, and a weekly meeting for that purpose is largely attended, and the results sur- prisingly satisfactory. He will find a much smaller organ- ization also, a Chapter of the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution, mak- ing its influence felt as you see to-day. Also a musical organization which for years has rendered the oratorio of the Crucifixion on Good Friday night with- out cost to the audience and wh'ch year by year, with the aid of great so- loists from the cities, is presenting one or another of the great masterpieces, like the Messiah, The Elijah, etc., et a nominal cost, which gives to the com- munity musical opportunities not usual- ly to be had outside the cities. And last, but not least, he will see one ot the handsomest liberty poles in the State, from which "Old Glory", that emblem of freedom, is flving to- day, in honor of this meeting ot the Daughters of the American Revolution. rir. Connet's Address was as Follows : It is eminently appropriate that some recognition should be made of this ancient fabric, because of its age, his'ory and traditions If these walls could speak, I have no doubt they cou'd tell us many things that we of this generation cannot possibly know Aside, perhaps, from fome log huts, this was the fi-st boupe built here, and was the inception and foundation of this beautiful village. It should stand as long as any bouse in the village re- mains. It is fitting too that such a tablet «s you Daughters of the American R°volu tion, have, through the kindness of the present owners, placed upon it, and which will presently be exhibited to your view, should mark it, so that all passers-by may read and learn in some degree its history. To all I wish tos ty that this memorial was wrought by and is the gift of one of our townsmen, Mr. Robert Reardou, who takes a deep interest in historical matters, to Col. Lowrey Chapter, of your estimable and patriotic order, and is placed here by that Chapter. Many of the early settlers of this community were cf Irish nativity, and among ttose who came from Ireland at an early day, and settled here was Samuel Fleming^ He purchased a considerable quantity of land in this vicinity, and a p-irt of that land consist- ed of the territory upon which Fleming- ton is now located. He ha<» the honor of being the founder of this 'Village, and from him it takes its name. Although previous to his coming here other white men had purchased large tracts of land, the neighborhood was in s^me degree inhabited by Indians, and I have no doubt much of the land was covered by forests. Just west of us there was quite an Indian settlement, belonging 1 believe to that vast tribe that had its hunting grounds in New Jersey, the Delawares. One of the Chiefs of the tribe sits buried in an old cemetery a few rods from us. I say sits buried, for the tradition is that he was buried in a sitting posture, with all his parapharnalia of war and the cha3e about him, and that all night on the night of his burial a wild relig- ious dance was kept up. A part of the land purchased by Samuel Fleming was a tract of about one hundred and five acres, and em- braced the spot upon which we now stand. This was in 1756, one hundred and fifty years ago, and upon it he erecttd the main part of this strucluie which you have come to memorialize; to day. Some nin» or ten years previous to that time. Fleming bad been lie n-ed by the Countv Court, to keep a tavern, which he presumably did in a log house standing on or near this site. Thi-i house was huiit to take the place of the more modest struc'ure, and it too was a public house. For the time it laid claim to considerable pre- tentiousness, and people came from far and near to see it. Fleming kept tavern here, and being ^^^^^rSm^m^^ m£! ^ Scene at Fleming Castle. h public Douse, and one of the first hete, I have no doubt the great Washington, when in this neighborhood lodged with- in its walls, especially as both Fleming and his son-in-lav, Col. Lowrey, were s'aunch patriots and intimate with Washington. This house was called Fleming's Castle, and is said to have bf*en the first house built here. At one time there was in the rear a low roof extending far below the eaves?, but that has been removed, to give it a more modern appearance; and with- in it is somewhat unique in that it has a winding stairway extending from the basement to the top floor. Some slight additions have been made to the house by recent owners, but it is little changed. Samuel Fleming's wif« was Esther Mounier, a lady of French Huguenot extraction, and a most estimable lady she was. To her and Samuel Flem- ing were born ten children, one of whom rests in the little cemetery just over the knoll. Many of their descend- ants still live in this County. Samuel Fleming was born in Ireland in 1707 and died in Fleminotou in 1790. It is not known just when he immigrat- ed from Ireland to this section. Two historians at least state that when he came from Ireland he brought with bim a boy of ten, named Thomas Lowrey, who afterwards became Col. Lowrey. Dr. Race in bis sketch of Thomas Lowrey says this is a mistake, and that Thomas Lowrey did not come until s^me time later. Be that as it may, there are some well authenticated fscts concerning Lowrey. He grew to manhood, married Esther Fleming, a daughter of Samuel and Esther, pur- chased large tracts of land, engaged in mercantile business, was eminently successful, was an officer in the New Jersey Militia, was the inimate friend of Washington, was a member of the Provincial Congress from Hunterdon County, and after the war of in- dependence was a member of the State Legislature from Hunterdon County. It is from him that this Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution takes its name, and most fittingly so I think. 8 He and his wife Esther were earnest and energetic supporters of the cause of freedom. In Esther's b^som the fires of patriotism burned with fierce inten- sity. It is said that on one occasion news came at day break that the American army had met with a serious disaster. Esther was stirring and heard it earlv. Her blood was stirred to rage by the news. Rushing to the chamber door, she called out to her husband, "Thomas, get up and mount the ould mare, and ride as fast as you can, and Arid out if tbedom lie is t^rue." Her Irish brogue, and the Irish propensity for making Irish bulls would come to the surface when she was excited For a time this vicinity was called "Fleming's Settlement," «*nd as one house after another was erected to keep company with Fleming's Castle, the bamlet was called Fleming, after its founder; and afterwards another syllable was added to the appellation, and it became Flemington, which name it still ^ears. Just, when and why the appellation was changed I have not been able to learn. I have no doubt the pffix "ton" is an abbreviation of the word town, and it is possible that it may have at one time been called Flemingtown. At any rate the last syllable of the present name adds weight to the title. This house was afterwards purchased by Dr. George Creed, who was the first physician to practice in what is Raritau Township This was probably in 1765, and it is uncertain just when he left, this vicinity. Little seems to be known of him. The next owner of the house was the Honorable Samuel L. Southard, and we have a right to feel proud that such a mao as be at one time made his home in this community. He resided in this house until about 1814, when he built the house on Main street, formerly occupied by Hon. Alexander Wurts, now by the Misses Killgore, Mr. Southard was born in 1787 and died in 1843. He was educated at Princeton College, then called the Col- lege of New Jersey, and afterwards called to the New Jersey Bar. He filled many honorable and importaut oositions. He was a Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court at the ^arlv at>e of twenty-eight, was chosen U S. Senator in 1821, was appointed Secretarv of the Navy in 1823, and for short periods ec'ed as Secretary of the Treasury and of War. Was Attorney General of New Jersey, in 1829, and Governor in 1832, and was again U. S. Senator from 1833 until the time of his death. In 1841 he was President of that body. He was also 'he first President of the Hunterdon County Bible Society. At an early day the property came into the possossion of the Bonnell family, but I do not think any of the family resided here. More than sixtv years ago, Mr. Charles Miller, the ancestor of the present owners, entered into possession of the premises, and later became the owner of them. He occupied the place for a considerable time before purchas- ing it. For more than half a century his family have resided here. Wben Mr. Miller first moved her« there was no building between this house and the Court House, and all around was vicant land. There was quite a large circle of the Miller family once, but now only two remain, Miss Lucy Miller and her nephew, Charles. They two and a little girl whom they have taken to their hearts are the only tenants now. But, "Soft, behold ! Lo, where it comes again." I speak of that ethereal, evanescent, invisible tenant of whom Mr. Vosseller told us this afternoon. You have marked this spot, and you have done well. We have lifted the veil that curtains one hundred and fiftv years that are past. For a century and a half this house has stood, and it ought to be perpetuated through centuries to come. As we lift the veil that shields this simple tablet we mark the beginning of a new era. ••3jjg> M i \ 1 . I >s ,!iJ JLii i i v i i — . — _ „_ — . — j j j. i •f * i ,i J >i# 1 -1 I '■* I *■» » Illustration of the tablet published in tlie Hun- terdon Countu Democrat of Marcli 27, 1906, showing it before completion. rtl LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 4*. 014 206 300