Historically Speaking

Allentown, N.J.: Its Rise and Progress (Part 37)

By: John Fabiano
Allentown, N.J.: Its Rise and Progress (Part 37)



   This year’s last installment of Charles R. Hutchinson Papers details property deeds of Presbyterian’s early ministers, down High St. then to S. Main St., site of the present manse.

   
Sylvester Bills was a son of Gershom Bills, of Shrewsbury, who died in 1766, leaving a wife named Margaret, sons Daniel, Silvanus, Silvester and Thomas, and daughters Hannah Jackson, Rebecca, Rachel, Sarah and Elizabeth Bills. David Bills also came to this neighborhood, settling in what is now Washington Township, about northwest 1 ½ miles of Allentown: Thomas Bills lived in Freehold Township, and his property was confiscated and sold in 1779 [most likely due to Tory support during Revolution]: Elizabeth Bills married in 1748, Stoffil Longstreet, who, in 1750, bought the Allentown Mill property, and sold it to James English in 1761; Patience Bills married Nathan Allen (unidentified) in 1767. Sylvester Bills, born June 26, 1758, married Elinor Blackwell, by license dated August 12, 1782, and is then described as being of "Bucks County, Pa." He is found here, in Nottingham Township, in 1791, when, as trustee for his son Peter, who was then six years old, he purchased of Rev. Joseph Clark, the lot of 5 81/100 acres above mentioned. March 3, 1792, Joseph Woodward, of Chesterfield, and Hannah, his wife, conveyed to Sylvester Bills, of Upper Freehold, &c, for L900,–134 ½ acres on the northerly side of Crosswicks Creek, in Nottingham Township, near Extonville; and January 11, 1796, George Woodward, of Burlington County, and Margaret his wife, conveyed to him for L400, 44 acres which adjoined easterly, both of which tracts had formerly been the property of John Quicksall, and are described in Book 2, on pages 25 and 155 [C.R. Hutchinson] . Sylvester Bills died February 6, 1825, aged 66 years, 7 months and 10 days; Elinor, his wife, died May 27, 1834, aged 68 years, 1 month and 28 days; and their son Peter died September 6, 1854, aged 69 years and 19 days. They are all buried (with others of the family) in the ancient burial ground at Allentown [on Lakeview Dr.].
   The lot of land lying east of the 5 81/100 above described, on which George J. Graham now lives, containing 10 ¾ or 11 acres, bounded easterly by the Watson tract, now Enoch Wilson’s, and the easterly line of Anthony Woodward’s patent, on which Robert Newell, so far as appears, was the first settler and which was afterwards owned by Rev. John Cornell, was, in 1850, owned by William Stevenson, and his father, Seth Stevenson, lived there. Afterwards, one Daniel Hankins lived there. In 1870, it was in the possession of Hugh Graham and subsequently his widow, after whose death it was sold by sheriff, June 15, 1891, to George J. Graham, his son. In the advertisement of sale at that time it was described as: "a lot of land or curtilage situate in the township of Upper Freehold, &c, on the north side of the road leading from Allentown to Waln’s Mill. Beginning at a stone standing on the north side of said road and on a course S 63 ¾ degrees W, 1 [chain], 57 [links] from the southeast corner of the dwelling house on said premises: Thence (1) as the needle pointed in 1855, S 33 ½ degrees W, 29 links to a point in the middle of the said road: Thence (2) along the same S 79 degrees, 25’E, 7, 94 to where Moses Taylor’s line crosses said road: Thence (3) along his line, N 31 degrees E, 12, 14 to a stone on the top of the high bank; Thence (4) still along Taylor’s line, N 53 ¾ degrees W, 2, 03: Thence (5) N 58 ½ degrees W, 4, 83 to a large old stump on the edge of Doctors Creek for a corner: Thence (6) along a marked line S 33 ½ degrees W, 15, 25 to a beginning." (Contents not given.)
   March 28, 1829, "The trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Allentown, N.J." conveyed to Rev. Robert Perkins, for $500, "All that lot of land in the township of Upper Freehold, &c. Beginning at a stone in the Middleton’s line, eight links southward from the middle of a water oak in said line, marked; thence running, according to the present bearing on the compass, N 70 degrees E, 28, 74 to a stone set by the side of the road leading from Allentown to Wal[n]s Mill: Thence along the side thereof, N 40 degrees W, 10, 01: Thence N 43 ¼ W, 6, 17 to a stone on the northwest side of a pond: Thence S 56 degrees W 76 links to a stone, corner to Garret P. Wikoff’s line, S 70 degrees W 21, 31 to a stone, corner to aforesaid Middleton’s land: Thence along his line S 6 ¼ degrees E, 9, 67, to the beginning: Containing 25 acres of land." On this tract, which was the northerly part of the parsonage farm, Dr. Perkins built a fine residence, and lived there until his death, when he was succeeded by his son-in-law, Rev. John H. Pratt. Since his death it has been owned successively by Elizabeth I. Burtis, wife of Wesley B. Burtis; William W. Bodine; and Silas W. Olmstead, who recently sold it to Howard W. Buckalew [later 20th c., Percy & Bernyce Van Kirk]. This lot and all those on the easterly side of the road, opposite a parsonage farm, are outside the borough limits of Allentown, but are mentioned in this connection because they are a part of Anthony Woodward’s Patents.
   The lot where Peter Vanderbeek formerly lived, on the northerly side of West [104 S.] Main Street, west of and adjoining the present residence of Dr. Harris P. Johnson [98 S. Main St.], was in the possession of Samuel Davenport before 1761, as appears by the following deed:
   October 1, 1774, "Thomas Cleayton, of Allentown, &c, Joiner, and Mary his wife," conveyed to "William Cleayton, Esq’r of Trenton, for L110, "All that lot of land lying on the north side of York Road, in or near Allentown aforesaid, which the said Thomas Cleayton purchased of Samuel Davenport by deed February 25, 1761: Beginning at a stone by York Road aforesaid, corner to William Stillwell’s lot of land: Thence along his line N 12 degrees W, 26 perches [16 ½ ft.] & 16 links [7.92 in.] to another of said Stillwell’s corners: Thence S 78 degrees W, 100 feet to a third corner: Thence S 12 degrees E, 26 perches & 16 links to a stone by said York Road for a fourth corner: Thence by said York Road to the beginning; containing one acre of land," &c. April 20, 1778, "William Clayton, of Trenton, &c, Esqr, and Elizabeth his wife," conveyed this lot, by same description, to "Walter Van Kyver, of ye township of Chesterfield in county of Burlington, &c, Carpenter & Joiner," for L130. (Peter Vanderbeek’s Papers).
   Walter Vanskiver was a son of "John Vanschiyve of the Limmits of the city of Burlington, yeoman," who, in his will, dated February 8 and proved February 17, 1749, devised his estate to his wife, Mary: his sons, Walter, John, Abraham, William and Jacob; daughters, Katherine Vervalah, Jahne Vervalah and Gertrude, and the heirs of Deborah Westervelt. Walter Vanskiver married Elizabeth Thorn . By that license of marriage, dated October 2, 1769, "Walter Vanskiver and John Thorn, both of the county of Burlington," were sureties for "said Walter Vanskyver and Elizabeth Thorn" He was taxed in Nottingham Township in 1772. In 1790, he was taxed in Upper Freehold for a house and lot of two acres and two cattle. He died June 4, 1835, aged 89 years, and Elizabeth, his wife, died January 19, 1822, aged 78 years. Both are buried in the ancient graveyard at Allentown. Their daughter Elizabeth was the wife of David McKean, Sen’r, formerly a prominent merchant and highly respected citizen of Allentown, who died March 27, 1846, aged 64 years. She died October 11, 1866, at the age of 92 years.
Historically Speaking is a regular column presented by John Fabiano, president of the Allentown-Upper Freehold Historical Society. For information about the historical society, send e-mail to [email protected].