Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-24
For the Monmouth Weekly Herald.
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH;
OR,
The Papers of James Careful, Esq
The old Court Eaouse.
go. vi.

The Old Court House.
About 1875, when courts were first
held here, say historians. the first Court
House was erected in Freehold but IN
searching Monmouth Court inmates.
No. ]. - find that Courts we're he d here
twenty years earlier, Of which propose
giving statistics hereafter. The first
Court House then, dates its origin from
the period when the County Courts were
first held, in 1715. Its site was opposite
the present Court House, and nearer the
street.-the people of those days caring.
apparently, little for groves and slch
like and paying more attention to i'm
mediate convenience than anything else,
as indeed they were forced to do. The
old building would make but sorry ap
pearance IN our village at this day, with
its rude and rough exterior. tho igh doubt
less our predecessors were proud enough
of it, and thought it splendid specimen
Of architecture. The following from
letter, supposed to have been written
about the time Of its completion, shows
most clearly the point Of admiration from
which the ediice was viewed -" And
now must tell you about our new pub.
lick building. 1t is fayourably situated
and is very handsome ediice indeed
Il is all Struggled very prettily, looking
for all We world like as though it were
covered with feathers. Il has nice large
door, all made handsome with paint, and
the roof is high and makes a grand APP
pearanceo The letter concludes with
this remark" Whoever shall live to see
kit, tbs Freehold @mill be yd greatest city
4 in We province" Such was the admira
| ton Of one who lived in this village and
saw the old structure hundred and forty
| four years ago.
| We shall be forgiven, if in describing
it, we seem to ridicule the perception of
the grand and beautiful, in one who lived
in the colonial days Of yore. The build
ing making such grand appearance,
was OF the most antique architecture
! being wooden structure. clap boarded
with shingles, which indeed gave it the
appearance Of being covered with feath-
ers," as described in the above quoted
letter. Its quaint, high peaked roof, lent
it picturesque air altogether in keeping
with its surroundings, and the little blink
ing cross-eyed windows peered from I'M
der the caves, seemingly in search for
chance Migrants who might disregard the
Kings laws. Straight up and down it,
looked the picture of sternness self, and
possessed an indescribable tyranical ap
pearance ofpoo dignity affrouted. 1t was
not stately, but squatted on the ground.
staring every body in the face, and wore a
sad, cherries coat of dismal gray. Not
Hike our present beautiful building did it
send its golden spire up into the sky to
play with aeecy clouds, or catch the FIRST
beams Of the rising sun to paint itself with
wondrous tints and hines. They built, as
| remarked before, with view to solid
matter of fact convenience, and nothing
more.
But if | am able only to describe the
Court House, ! am enabled by the aid Of
valuable records, to present my readers
with full sketch of the proceeding,
that took place inside which, indeed,
must be Of greater interest and Of more
Importance by far than q description
however wildly drawn, Of the plain exile
rior.
II is truly interesting to peep into the
old County Records, if only TO observe
the hourishes cut in penmanship. | had
the curiosity to measure al A. which
auurished greatly over page Of " din
utes No. H. and found it to be nearly
four inches in length, with bird, drawn,
sitting on it for ornament sake. In an
other record Of mortgages, dated 100,
found at the bottom Of the page, where
a man, unable to write bis name, had
made 7" his mark" and, as if proud that
he could make two letters he had scratch
ed at the end Of it I" 0. K" which was
crooked enough | assure you.
But to return to Court proceedings.
have been careful in making extracts,
therefore they may be relied upon as
matters of fact, and | esteem them valu.
able ones az they have never before been
given to the public.
From IT'S Courts were no longer held
in Shrewsbury or Mfddletown, bot all
legal proceedings were from this date
prosecuted in the New Court House" at
Freehold. The following is from the
court minutes of that period -
AT d County Court of Quarter Ses.
sions, held at Freehold, for the County
Of Monmouth, the fourth Tuesday of No
yember, .Aano Domini 1715. The justices
present were John Reid, President Jas.
Ashton, Lawrence Van Hook, joseph
Wardel, Richard Chambers, John vii
son, Assistants likewise Thomas Cor
don, Esq, his Majesty's Attorney Gen
eral, and Gideon Crawford, high sheriff
of said County," James Edwards was
the first man ever tried in the Monmouth
Court. He was charged with adultery
but Pie jury came in and broughs ye
following verdict We Jurors find We