The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-09
QUEER OLD COMM NIPAW.
DIsCOTERED sOME TEN YEARS he
FORE PLYMOUTH NOOK.
Long and Interesting History In a short

a
Cbaptcr-The Quaint Little Town Incor-
porated In Jersey Chy-famiiisr Names.
Al the recent special celebration held by
the ancient town OF Communipaw, the follow
ing historical sketch was read by the Rev. Will
liam Rankin Duryea, OF the Lafayette Reformed
Church;
The ward In which we live, among all sections
OF Jersey CITY, hos very distinctive history.
In 1879 lIendrick Hudson, In comm nd Of
Dutch snip, found the passage through the mar
rows, entered cur noble b Y. explored Newark
BAY, and then sailed up the grand river to which
his Damu still ciings He hoped to como out on
the other side OF the world, where he might ind
gold and gems and ivory In abundance. But he
only discovered Albany. ana did not see any
elephants. Sdr togi was then unknown. and
Hudson esraped It's waters. The result was that
tue good ship went back to Holland, aud the
Dutch beg n to come over and populate this re-
gion with American citizens, for wherever the
Dutch came they came t. stay. en- years be-
fore the pilgrims ev r c iueht sight Of Plymouth
Rock the HOllaD ers had their " ding posts es-
tabIished In New Amsterdam, or New York.
and he tverrsck, or Al ANY,
In 1923 cn'onist families began to arrive, and
In 1870 Mcnael PAW. VINO was the burgomaster
ans, and had the grant confirmed nv the Dutcn
Tradirg Company Of all the laId lying between
whole OF bergen county. If he h,d Kent on on
holding II to these times, what ruined men bis
heirs would have been at the present tax rate.
but Mich el Paw did not come over TO this
country. In his vi 'ce he sent over nrst Michel
Paulaz, who probably gave mis- name to Psulus
Hook, and then shortly after Jan Evertsen Bout,
who built a house at Communipaw. The whole
region between HoDoken ann Is fgen Point was
called Pavona-beinR lauw's name put into
the first two houses Of which there Is any sure
record were built In 1884 one ut ii rsimus, aud
one at the shore. where tn old name Of - Gos-
moenapau" has always held It's own, being most
pronably some Indian word changed by the Hol-
landers.
THE reverend gentleman might have added
that old residents stil pronounced as II spelled
GemOonepaw
Our own ward, therefore, Ia one OF the two
pioneer wards ~ tnis city, and we think. holds
her own remarkably we'll. We are lust 242 YEAR,
old to-day, and quite healthy for our age.
THE FIRST SETTLER.
Our nrst settler, Jan Evertsen Bout. was a man
OF good deal Of note. He became one OF the
Governurs Council In his later wears. and I'm lily
died at Gowanus IN 1890, lie must nave mad
cheerful telnperament, Tor tue early, name Of
er's Hoeck, or John the Laugbets Point. The
riginal grant Of tins lana NJ Mil Creek, with
COY. william kietts signature. IL still, l am
told, preserved by Mr.. John q. Van Horne.
IL was In this ward Of ours that In l84j a most
inbuman massacre OF defenceiess Indians took
place. One thous nd Hackingsack Indians, fee
inS before their fierce enemies. the Mob wks,
placed themselves under the protection Of the
white men. With their women and children
the, enoamped on the upl nds lying around the
meadows near the corner " the present john
son and Pacific avenues. Gov. klett, In drunk
en- III Of fury over n murder committed yesrs
before by an Indian, sent troops over from New
Anstetu iin anu one night fell ON the camp and
murdered many Of them. The Dutch Clergy
man IN New York In vain pleaded with the foot
ish man. He c fried out his purpose, aud the
result was a rising Of Indians winch for two
yeofs swept of nearly every settlement on this
shore. tire ~ then was made, and the indig-
nant and suffering cnlonists were delighted by
having new director general, Gov. Peter Stuy-
vesant, pl aced over them.
In lido the village OF bergen was founded.
anu Il desc tied a behind Goemoenepau,
which Is 80 correct that 1t may well DO re AIMED
To this day.
1874. the niue VILLAGE between Mill Creek and
Cavan Point kept On the even tenor Of its way
for bout two centuries. Inc war Of our Revo.
luton moved II but little. for II was out OF the
track OF arnies and "a al no mills rs importance.
some uf tue young men were doubtless in tue
American ranks, tut Tor the most d ri ths
farmers tiled their farms. ana carried their
produce across To the Battery and sold Ii to the
armies In possession. II there W IS any danger
ON shore 20 those who We.e returning, those
who were In tue BOATS would know It Dy watch
ing the way Ia which the double doors Of the
TIL the danger y ssed. II ives by the score
lounged around ehcn nome, and took their
places 10y tue kitchen ffe, in the happy, caree
way OF the negro. slavery In New Jersey was
more OF "A burden to tue masters Than it ever
was to tue saves, as Old mn stiil among us c n
TESTIFY, and our state Emancipation act IN the
beginning of the century was a happy roiof.
JERSEY PATRIOTS.
In lsl2 the first company OF volunteers from
all tnls neighbOrhood WAS COMMANDED by John
j. Van Horn q Communipaw. aud did good ser
frightened IN the British ieet from New York
Ana So tne wi age went on iii 1859. he most
primitive OF All the old communities within
twenty miles Of New York. The villagers clus-
tered on the quiet shore washed by the gentle
ri2.les Of the gay, sharing IN one another's life,
and mourning with one hnO her as the ineyita-
Die sorrows Of humanity fell ON the different
homes. single narrow lane wound up from
- waters edge chokeu often D. the SHOWS Of
winter. the mud Of spriug. ami the dust OF sum
mer, - the horses tugged ON tue only road INC
place cnuld boast connecting IL with the hill ba
y 4la|.
AS the Lafayette Land ASSOCIATION ia 1883 IN
Vaded the lam. buying the farms, and startling
tue long kept silence with the sights and sounds
OF these more active days. Headed by citizens
still prominent among US. the new era began,
and Just at It's beginning the war OF tho
TeoeI'lon came old tormunipaw ieaped to its
feet At once. The love ut country, uurtured by
the centuries past burned brightly on TINS
shore. -four months before the war came, nien
were drliing III ordfr 10 be in readiness. aud. On
he very day he fas Of sampler was ured upC n,
the INST COMPANY IN New Jersey, with arms and
equipments all read }, telegrIpned from this spot
to the Governor ~ the State asking his accent
ance Of their services. IL was noDly br.yely
done, and the me Of Company IA Of the Second
New Jersey Volunteers W. remember To. day as a
band OF he children Of this ward Of sons AS brave
against tue invading hosts u England. They
went forth TO the ua,teneld, aud from that
company sprang IN -ers VI various ranks In the
later years Of the strlfe.
RECENT CHANGES.
Meanwhile, the city OF BERGEN, recently
formed. d annexed the territory under the
name OF tho ihird Ward Of Dsrgen, Tue
changes that were beiny made were enough To
cause our dead ancestors TO rOil over in their
graves. Fine avenues were laid out aud pl nted
with the trees which TODAY add 50 inucn to our
beauty, and the whole lis. OF modern improve
menls began. There were sewers. ana pave
lnents, and water phi e., aud a fire engine hni
taxes and assessments, and plum oers aud help
ers, anu gas bils, and pig factory with French
name, ana saloons, and a hotel, AMI "A cluo
house, and physici n to help digest all these
comforts, aud schools ana chuTcnts to crown
them all. Then came tne railroads and tele- b
graphs To help YOU talk u any one on tho face
OF DIR IN "A