Allentown, N.J. – its Rise and Progress (Part 41)
From the NJ Historical Society’s C.R. Hutchinson collection, the following cites family records of Allentown Presbyterian Church’s founders.
John Chambers, who represented the Allentown Church at Presbytery in 1738, and who was elected an elder in 1744, is not clearly identified. May 28, 1702, Robert Burnet conveyed to "John Chambers, Junior, of Piscataway in the county of Middlesex, &c, yeoman," for L80, two tracts of land "in ye county of Monmouth, containing in ye whole of both tracts 400 acres." The first tract, containing 250 acres, located a mile or so north of Allentown, in what is now Washington Township, Mercer County, some time previous to 1752, passed into the hands of William Ford and was long known as the Ford Tract. It is now in the possession of George T. Ford, James West, and others. The second tract, containing 150 acres, located on the southerly side of York Road, about two miles east of Allentown, was conveyed August 4, 1702, by "John Chambers, Junr., Piscataway, &c, yeoman," to his father, John Chambers, Senr. of the same, yeoman, for L40. May 8, 1714, John Chambers, Senr., of Freehold, &c, yeoman, and Sarah his wife, conveyed this tract to Joseph Brittain of the same, for L200, containing 155 acres. It is now part in the possession of William Cullen and part in that of Lewis Gordon. The name Chambers appears in and about Allentown for more than a century thereafter, but I find nothing that can relate to the John Chambers in question.Guisbert Hendrickson, was a trustee of the church in 1748, and (with Robert English) a grantor in the deed for the parsonage farm in 1757. He appears to have been by trade a wheelwright and to have carried on that business in 1751-7. He lived on a large tract of land in Nottingham Township, which included the farm late of David T. Hendrickson, deceased, and extended southerly to Doctors’ creek. He was a witness to the will of Isaac Stelle in 1738; held various township offices in Nottingham from 1753 to 1765, and was taxed there in 1772.August 5, 1773, "Gisbert Hendrickson, of Nottingham," &c, conveyed to Daniel Hendrickson, of the same: "Whereas the said Gizbert Hendrickson, became seized of a certain tract of land by deed from John Stevenson, February 8 1745/6, who inherited by the will of his uncle, Nathaniel Stevenson, dated June 5, 1936: he by deed from Thomas Stevenson, November 11, 1712: he by deed from Henry Scott, March 20, 1700; he by deed of propriety from John Hutchinson, September 3, 1698; the survey whereof for the above two conveyed 200 acres to said Scott appears on the records at Burlington in Lib. A. fol.146, &c; and also 38 13/100 acres joining to the abovesaid 200, being part of the said John Stevenson’s homesteadNow this Indenture witnesseth that the said Gizbert Hendrickson,"for L800, conveys: "All that 200 acres first above mentioned, and the 38 13/100 acres out of the homestead plantation aforesaid: Beginning at a black oak on the north side of a run of water, being a northwesterly corner of David Rulong’s land, formerly, Joseph Britton’s thence along said Rulong’s line, S 2 degrees E 40 chains more or less, to a white oak sapling, being the SW corner of said Rulong’s land: Thence S 85 degrees W 22, 25 to a stone, formerly a sassafras stake, more or less: Thence N 2 degrees W 17, 60 [links], more or less, to a hickory called the corner of the 200 acre tract: Thence NWN 35, 75, more or less, to a black oak marked for another corner of said 200 acres: Thence NE 50 chains more or less, to a stone corner of the said 200 acres: Thence SE 4 chains to a white oak, corner of said Rulong’s land: Thence along his line S 35 degrees E 47 chains to a gum, corner of said Rulong’s land: Thence west, 19, 50 to the beginning; containing 238 13/100 acres of land, more or less. Bounded easterly upon said Rulong, southerly upon Francis Borden, west and southwest upon said Francis Borden and lands formerly Robert Pearson’s, northwest and north upon said Pearson and Thomas Lambert, deceased. Together with the houses, buildings," &c. Signed: Gysbert Hendrickson S. Witnessed by Thomas Borden, Francis Borden.Robert Imlay was a son of the first Peter (or Patrick) Imlay, of Imlaystown, where he occupied a farm of 111 acres bounded northerly by the mill pond and Doctors Creek, and lying on both sides of the Cream Ridge road. He and Tobias Polhemus were the trustees to whom William Lawrence, in 1744, conveyed the one-acre lot on which the church stands.Tobias Polmhemus, of whom the above is the first mention I find was an overseer of roads in Upper Freehold in 1744/5, and in 1767. In 1758, he was taxed there for 200 acres of land. He died March 18, 1779, aged 71 years, and Mary his wife died January 3, 1781, aged 44 years. They are buried in the Presbyterian Graveyard at Allentown, as is also a son named Lefferd, who died February 19, 178_, aged 23 years.Lefferd Lefferson, who was a trustee of the church in 1748, was a witness to the will of Isaac Stelle in 1738, was overseer of roads in Upper Freehold in 1741 and 1743, and constable in 1747. His "ear mark," recorded in 1737, was "A crop of [tip] of each ear, Brand mark LL." I mention this so that if any cattle of his should be found they may be identified [Hutchinson’s only known humorous remark]. He lived at Imlaystown and was a shoemaker and tanner, as was his son Arthur, who succeeded him. The tannery was located below the bridge, between the mill and Doctors Creek; where some vestiges of it remained until recent years. Arthur was overseer of roads in 1776, a town committeeman 1786 to 1788, and surveyor of highways in 1791. In 1790/1, Arthur Lefferson was taxed for 31 acres of improved land, 2 horses, 3 cattle, 1 covered wagon, 1 tanyard, 1 sleigh, and 1 dog. I have in my possession Arthur Lefferson’s account book [now with NJ Historical Society], dating from 1775 to 1792, which indicates that he did quite a large business, both as a shoemaker and tanner. Prominent among the many names it contains is that of Tobias Polhemus, and (after 1779) his estate. The shoes in this account were made or repaired for "Tobias, Lefferd, Mary, Jane, Hannah, Ruth, and Aunt, from which it would appear that Tobias had quite a family. There are also long accounts to Derick Barcalow, both [he and Polhemus] are buried in the Allentown Graveyard, and I am of the opinion that the Polhemus, Lefferson and Barcalow families were all connected.April 22, 1800, Thomas Scattergood and Martha his wife, of Upper Freehold, &c, conveyed to Arthur Lefferson, of the same, for $1,033, "All that Tavern House and lot now in the possession of John Bowman, situate in Imlays Town &c. Beginning at a stone corner to Samuel Imlay’s land, which said stone stands on a course N 10 degrees, 20′ E, distant 1, 03 from the northwesterly corner of the Tavern House: Thence running, as the needle now points, along the line of Samuel Imlay, N 89 degrees E 4, 45, more or less, to the edge of said mill pond: Thence S 54 degrees E 1 chain more or less, to the edge of said mill pond: Thence, beginning again at the first mentioned chain more or less, to the edge of said mill pond: Thence, up said pond the several courses thereof, until it intersects the end of the first line run: being about half an acre, be the same more or less. Which said House and lot was conveyed by John Craig and wife to William Tapscott by deed June 16, 1778, and the said William Tapscott and his wife conveyed the same to John Britton, who conveyed the same to Thomas Scattergood, the present grantor, by deed February 10, 1998" &c.
Historically Speaking is a regular column presented by John Fabiano, M.A., designated historian for Allentown Borough.

