# History of the Municipalities of Hudson County, New Jersey, 1630-1923/Volume 1

HISTORY
— OF THE —
MUNICIPALITIES
—— OF ——
HUDSON COUNTY
NEW JERSEY
1630—1923
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DANIEL VAN WINKLE
President of the Hudson County Historical Society
HISTORICAL—BIOGRAPHICAL
VOLUME I
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LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc.
NEW YORK AND CHICAGO
1924
LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc.
FOREWORD
HUDSON COUNTY is the smallest in area and the latest in forma- 4 ¢ ii tion of such political divisions in the State of New Jersey. Because of its location it has become the greatest in importance and only the second in point of population and production. It stands at the gateway of the Nation and is the terminus of nearly all of its principal railroads, and hence the distributing station of its varied productions. The purpose of this, work is to present, in a general way, a complete his- tory of the county, and in order to do this it has been necessary to treat of the municipalities within its borders as individual entities.
The whole territory of the county is covered completely by thirteen dis- tinct and separate municipalities, each of which is under the control of its individual government. In order to secure the most reliable description of this whole territory, each of these sections was assigned to one possessing an intimate knowledge of its local history, thus assuring a degree of accuracy throughout the whole work and at the same time furnishing, in fact, a true narrative of the settlement, growth and development of the whole county. The peculiar existing situation necessitates oftentimes, a duplication of oficial duties and useless expenditures, consequently a strong sentiment in favor of the consolidation of these different municipalities under one govern- ment, that would function for the whole county, has grown up, an instance of which is shown in the recent election, whereby two of the present distinct communities (West Hoboken and the Town of Union) become one munici- pality—a result that foreshadows the erection of a city on the west side of the Hudson that may in time, with the neighboring communities, rival its opulent and progressive neighbor on the east.
PREFACE
The original plan of this ‘History of the Municipalities of Hudson County, New Jersey” has been followed with exactness and fidelity under the capable and scholarly editorship of Mr. Van Winkle and his local associates. Often, in a work of the magnitude of the present offering, circumstances arise which admit of circumvention only through radical departure from the course first charted, but in this instance there was little to obstruct the way. Mr. Van Winkle’s pen brought forth a department of the work that in every respect measures up to the exceptionally high standard of his previous contributions to historical literature; L. E. Travis, editor of the Bayonne “Evening News,” is the author of Parts IV and V, valuable contributions to the historic writings of the region; while Part VI represents the interested and zealous labor of Ackerman Hawkey. Part III was the province of John H. Cuntz, whom circumstances prevented from serving other than as a reviewer, the writing of this part devolving upon a staff member, Benedict Fitzpatrick, author of ‘Ireland and the Making of Britain” (Funk and Wagnalls, 1923), and a well-known contributor to contemporary periodicals of the more serious class. It is a matter of general sorrow that two official members of the company’s staff were called by death from their duties in the forwarding of this work—Frank R. Holmes, organizer and general super- visor of the edition, and Captain Fenwick Y. Hedley, office editor. The following advisors were also responsible in no small degree for the successful completion of the history: Dewitt Van Buskirk, president of the Mechanics’ Trust Company, Bayonne; Thomas F. Hatfield, librarian of the Free Public Library, Hoboken; William J: Davis, president of the West Hudson Trust Company, Harrison; Thomas H. McCann, civil engi- neer, Hoboken; William P. Drew, secretary of the Chamber of Com- merce, Bayonne; A. Riesenberger, Stevens Institute, Hoboken; Francis H. McCauley, Weehawken; George J. McEwan, West Hoboken; Charles Singer, Jr., Union; James Nolan, North Bergen; Joseph Stilz, West New York; and Rutherford H. Walker, Guttenberg. In the production of such a work as this by the people of a given locality there is generated an enthusiasm for things historic that finds its way into civic life in a heightened community pride, in resolution that the present and the future shall not fall below the standards of the past, and that the work of to-day shall be performed in such manner as to make fair the record penned to-morrow. It is with sincere appreciation of the privilege enjoyed in codperating with the citizens of Hudson County that the publishers place these volumes in their hands.
CONTENTS
PART I—HUDSON COUNTY. Page
Chapter I—Introduction .......... ccc cece cece cece eee eeeeecees 3
Chapter—Pavonia ......... cece cece cece cece cece cece eee eteceseees 7
Chapter I1I—Bergen .......... cece cece cc ee cece tence eee steeeescene 13
Chapter I1V—Changes of Government.............. cece ccc ec cc cececes 27
Chapter V—Changing Conditions ........... cece cece cece ce cecereuces 35
Chapter VI—Bergen in the Revolution.............0.ccceccccceceeecs 46
Chapter VII—Retreat of the American Army Across the Hudson....... 51
Chapter VIITI—Attack on Paulus Hook............ ccc cece ee cece 56
Chapter IX—Close of the Revolution..............ccceeeceecececeecs 64
Chapter X—The Church at Bergen............ cece cece cece cece ee aees 77
Chapter XI—Beginning of Jersey City......... ce ccc eee cece eens 79
Chapter XII—The Formation of Hudson County..................005- 82
PART II—JERSEY CITY.
Chapter I—Jersey City ........ cece cece cee cece ence eee ee eeeeeseees QI
Chapter II—Farly Development ................. cece cece eee te eeees 94
Chapter I]I—Beginning of Town Activities........... 0... c cece ceees 99
Chapter _ IV—The Morris Canal.............. 0 ce cece cece eens nm asm» 107
Chapter V—Jersey City in Hudson County................ce cece ecees 110
Chapter VI—Van Vorst Township.................06- Seba ews Femmes 114
Chapter VII—The Civil War.......... ccc cece cee ce eee cere eee cence 120
Chapter VIII—North Bergen and Hudson City..............-. 000 c0e 124
Chapter IX—Bayonne and Greenville........... ccc cece ce cee cece cece 127
Chapter X—Bergen .......... ccc cece cece cece eee e eee eeeteteesenes 130
Chapter XI—The Consolidated Cities of Jersey City, Bergen and Hudson 134
Chapter XII—Early Courts—The Legal Fraternity................... 142
Chapter XIII—Public Buildings and Parks............... ecw eeeees 148
Chapter XIV—The Medical Profession............... cc cee cence ceceee 152
Chapter XV—Benevolent Institutions .............. cece cee eee cence 158
Chapter XVI—Ecclesiastical ....... 0... cee cece cee ee eee cece ee eeee 161
Chapter XVII—Educational ........... cece ce eee ee cere eee enees 180
Chapter XVIJ]—Financial ........... ccc ccc cece cece cere eee eees 187
Chapter XIX—Police and Fire Departments.................02 eee eeee 194
Chapter XX—The Jersey City Waterfront............ ccc cee ee eee eees 199
Chapter XXI—Hudson County Government.............. cee ee cece ees 203
Chapter XXII—Jersey City—Present and Future Development........ 213
Chapter XXIII]—Fraternities, Societies, and Clubs.................... 223
PART III—CITY OF BAYONNE.
Chapter I—Bayonne—Foreword ............ cece cece rece cere ee ee nceee 229
Chapter I]—Colonial Conditions ........ 0... cece ccc eee ce eee eee 231
Chapter I1I—Stepping Forward to Township Government............. 235
Chapter IV—What Organized Government Brought About............ 239
Chapter V—Bayonne Under City Government..............eceecceees 241
Chapter VI—Civic History ......... cece cece cece eet e tere eee ecenees 244
Chapter VII—The Public School System............ 0... cc cceececcees 260
Chapter VIII—Religion—The Protestant Churches...............00005 262
Chapter IX—Religion—The Catholic Churches.............c0000cccees 274
Chapter X—Banking Facilities ........ 0... cece cece cece cece ce eeeees 277
Chapter XI—Social, Athletic, and Sporting Clubs................... 12 278
PART IV—HOBOKEN.
Chapter I—The Island of Hoboken................ 0... cee ecceceecees 285
Chapter II—The Township of Hoboken............ 0... ccc cccccceeees 288
Chapter I1I—Hoboken—The Mile Square City..............cceeeeeees 201
Chapter [V—Hoboken as Ocean Terminal...............ccc cee ceeceee 302
Chapter V—Transporting Troops for World War—Armistice.......... 309
Chapter VI—Hoboken During the World War.................cceeees 315
Chapter VII—Educational Institutions ............. 0... cece cece eeee 318
Chapter VIII—Churches of Hoboken............ 0.0... ccc caeccceeeecs 330
Chapter [X—Industry and Commerce........... 0... cc cece ecceeeccees 337
Chapter X—Financial Institutions ........... 0... ccc cece cece cece ceaes 242
Chapter XI—Hoboken Military History.............. 0... cece eee eeee 345
Chapter XII—Bench and Bar.............. 0. cc cece cece ccc nccceneeues 347
Chapter XIII—Clubs and Social Life...... 0.0... ccc ccc cee eee es 349
Chapter XI1V—Miscellaneous ........... 0. ccc cece cece cence eee eeues 353
PART V—WEST HUDSON.
Chapter I—Introduction ....... BARA meee cme e meee eew Esa ane SHEE SMO 359
Chapter II—Early Colonial Days......... 00... cece cee ce ccc cee ees 361
Chapter IJI—Schuyler’s Mansion and the Copper Mines............... 363
Chapter IV—In Revolutionary Days......... 0... ccc ccc cee cece eees 365
Chapter V—After the War........... 0c ccc ccc cece ccc e cee ceeceetaes 367
Chapter VI—Industrial Life ......... 0.0... ccc cece cece eeees 369
Chapter VIJ—Educational Facilities ........0 0.0... c cece cece cece eee 374
Chapter VITI—Civic History ......... 0... ccc ccc cece nese ceees 380
Chapter [X—Kearny’s Famous Landmarks..................cc0cceees 387
Chapter X—Religious Denominations ............ 0... ccc cee cae ceecees 389
Chapter XI—Harrison ......... cece cee cee ccc eee cece een eeeeecaees 394
PART VI—WEST HOBOKEN.
Chapter I—Township of West Hoboken—Organization............... 399
Chapter IJ—Early Chronicles and Pioneers.................. cc eee cees 404
Chapter III—Indications of Progress............ 0... ccc c cece ence ceees 407
Chapter I1V—Public Departments .......... 0... 0. ccc ce cece cece ences 411
Chapter V—Industrial 1,6 0. Ὁ0ὉὉὉνν νον cee ec ccc ene Cee ee eee 417
Chapter VI—Financial Institutions .......... 0... 0. ce cee ce eee cence 421
Chapter VII—Educational Facil. tes 2.0.22... ccc cece eee cence eeee 422
Chapter VIII—Celebrations and Memorials.............. 0.00 cece cueee 424
Chapter [X—Ecclesiastical History ....... 0.0... cc cece ce cece e eens 427
Chapter X—Fraternal and Benevolent Institutions.................... 435
Chapter XI—Township of North Bergen—Organization............... 436
Chapter XII—Sports and Pastimes............. ccc cee cece ec eee eeeeees 441
Chapter XIII—Local Government ........... 0... ccc cece cece ee ences 445
Chapter XIV—North Bergen Public Schools........... 0.0... cece eee 449
Chapter XV—Religious and Social Activities........... 0.00. cee eee ees 454
Chapter XVI—Financial and Industrial Life............. 00... 0.0 cece 450
Chapter XVII—Early Transportation—Prominent Citizens........... ++ 459
Chapter XVIII—The Town of Union—lIt’s Early History.........,.... 462
Chapter XI1X—Educational, Fraternal, and Society Activities—Early
Residents ........ cece cccc cc ccc ec ec ste ce ee eesseeeseseseces 470.
Chapter XX—Present Day Activities............ 00. c cece cece ceneceens 477
Chapter XXI—Town of Guttenberg—Organization, Improvements..... 484
Chapter XXII—Local Industries, Stone Quarries, Early Settlers........ 487
Chapter XXII]—Educational and Religious Activities—Financial Insti-
CULTIONS 2... ccc ccc cece cc cette eee eee e eee eepaseeece 492
Chapter XXIV—Weehawken Township—Organization, Origin of Name. 495
Chapter XXV—Ferries .......... ccc cc cece eee e eee eee e eee eeeces 498
Chapter XX VI—Noted Localities—Prominent Citizens................ 501
Chapter XX VII—Finance and Manufacturing.................. eee eees 506
Chapter XX VIII—Churches and Schools—Town Government.......... 508
Chapter XXIX—West New York Township............. 2c. cece ee eees 511
Chapter XX X—Pioneer Settlers of West New York................... 513
Chapter XX XI—Civic and Educational Bodies—Churches and Banks... 518
Chapter XXXJ]—Manufacturing Industries—Business Enterprises..... 523
Chapter XX XIII—Town of Secaucus—Its Barly History.............. 527
Chapter XXXIV—Early Settlers—County Buildings.................. 530
Chapter XXXV—Incorporation of Town, Population, Schools, Etc.—
Present Administration ...........cc cece cece cece rec ceeeees 532