The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1891-05-22
HISTORY OF SALEM COUNTY.
Of most Interesting
Facts. Traditions, Anecdotes, Etc..
Relating TO ITS History and
ANTIQUITIES.

Jersey: whieh was, ia 1913, purchased Tor
81 600. by John Fenw iek and Edward
Byllinge, members of the society OF
Friends. The conveyance was executed TO
Fenwic k in trust for Byllinge. This tract
was afterward divided into 100 parts,
called teuths; nine of which belonged TO
tho latter. and Que to the former.
s1n 1875" says Smith, "Feuwick set
sail to visit the new purchase. III a ship,
from London, called the Griffith. Arriy-
ing after a good passage, he landed at a
pleasant, rich spot, situate near Delaware,
by him called Salem; probably from the
peaceable aspect it then bore. lie
brought over with him three daughters,
Elizabeth, Anna and Priscilla; also John
Adams, the husband to Elizabeth. with
three children. Elizabeth, Fenwick, and
Mary. Also Edward Chamneys, the hus-
baud of Priscilla, with two children, john
ard Mars: with his ten servants, viz:
Robert Turner, Gervas Bywater, William
Wilkinson, Joseph Worth, Michael Eaton,
Eleanor Geere, Ruth Geere, Zachariah
Geere, Sarah Hutchinson, aud Ann Par
sons. The servants of Edward Chamneys
were Mark Reeve. Edward Webb, and
Elizabeth Waites.'
Fenwick, well now ing that 1t would
greatly advance his interest here if he
l III SltSG q BdASAAh IL
peaceable manner with the natives, con-
vened their c~liisfs, and a contract was en-
tered into with them for the sale OF all
their right and title to the andsn now
known by the name of Salem and Cum
berland counties.
The first purchase was for the lands ill.,
cluded within Salem and OldmaDs creek,
which creeks were called by the Indians
Mosacksa and Forcus. The grant to these
lands was made by the chiefs Tospaminkey
| and Henaminkey.
The second purchase was for all the
lands lying between Forcus creek, Cor, as
it was afterward called, Game creek, or
Fenwjck's river, and now Salem creeK,)
and the Canahockink creek, now called
Cohansey; and by some of the first settlers
it was called Cohanzick, from a chief who
resided on the south side thereof. This
grant was from the chiefs whose names
were M%ahoppony, Allaways, Necomis and
his mother Necosshehesco, Myhoppony,
and Sbuccotery. OF all the water.courses
within the county of Salem, only the names
of six are recollectcd which at this day re-
tain their primitive or Indian names: they
are-1st, the Allaways; I'd, the~Necomis,
the run at the side of which are the mari
pits now the property of John Dickenson,
Esq, near Sharptown; Sd, the M~ahoppony,
that branch of Pledger's creek opposite to
Clayton Wistar's house, and IN which
there was formerly a tide mill; 4th, the
Mackinippuck, on which Richard Seeley's
mill stands, 2 miles NV. of Greenwich;
9Th, the Manimuska. the branch on which
is built the village of Port Elizabeth; 9th.
a small branch OF Morris river. called
Menantico, situate about half way between
Millville and Port Elizabeth.
Tba tbirl r,,rnboco uoo from, tha Gana.
hockink, now Cohansey, to the Wahat-
quenack, now Morris river. The grantors
we're, Mahawskey. Mehut, who styles him
self the king, Newsego, Chechenaham,
Torucho, and Shacanum. So far as in
formation has been obtained, the tract of
country included within the bounds Of
Oldmans creek and Morris river, was pur-
chased from these chiefs for the following
described goods, viz: 4 guns, powder and
lead; 101 ankers of ruin, equal to about
1856 gallons; some shirts, shoes, and stock
lngs; 4 blankets; IS match coats; l piece
OF match coating, and other English goods.
This purchase was made in the year 1915
and '76.
Emigrants were now arriving, and Fen
wick having become the chief proprietor
of this large tract of country, which he
called Fenwick's colony, sales were rapidly
Diduc u ldiRG db we'll as Small tldCGo "
land, and SO continued until his death,
which took place between the months of
August, 1858, and April, 1854.
Tie following is extracted From the
First General Order, as agreed upon by
Fenwick and the first purchasers
And as for the settling of the town Of
New Salem, it is likewise ordered that the
town be divided by a street; that the 5. +.
side be for the purchasers, who are 70 take
their lots of lG acres as they come to take
them up and plant them, as they happen to
join to the lots OF the purchasers resident,
who are to hold their present plantations,
aud all of them to DO accounted as part of
their purchases; and the other part, on
the N. and by E. and by s., is to be dis
posed of by the chief proprietor for the
encouragement of trade,-he also giving,
for the good OF the town in general, the
field of marsh that lieth between the town
and Goodchild's plantation; and,
Lastly, we do leave all other things con-
corning the setting forth and survey ing
the said purchases, unto the chief proprie-
tor, to order as he sees fit.
Signed accordingly, the 25th day of the
4th month, 1876. FENWICK
Edward Wade, John Smith, Richard
Noble, Saml. Nicholson, John Adams,
Hypolite Lefevre, Edward Champnes,
Richard Whitacsr, William Master, Rob
ert Wade.
IMPROVEMENTS AND TRADE IL THE
COUNTRY.
Tide-mills and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of
the emigrants brought out with them hand
mills for the purpose of grinding their
grain, but the settlers soon found it essent-
ial to their existence to turn their attention
to the Immediate erection Of grist and saw
mills. Accordingly, there was a horse
mill erected Tor the grinding of grain, near
what is now called Kents corner, in the
upper part of the town of Salem. Of
water mills, the first kind made use of
were tide mills. They were located in this
now called Salem county, in several places,
such as at 5lill creek. in Elsiuborough,
Mill-hollow, near Salem, Mahoppony-creek,
in Warrington, formerly Hill Smiths,
Coopei's creek, in Beesley's Neck, on the
south side Of A~ilaway's creek, and at Car.
ney's point in Upper Penn's Neck.
There were also 3 wind mills,-OBe near
the old wharf in Salem, in Bradway-st.,
another at kinseyville, in PENIS Neck,
and the third on the farm Of Samuel l..
James, Esq. The first saw.m,ll was
erected by William Hampton, in the year
1852.
Salem a port of entry.-SaIem about the
year 1852, 10y the increase in population,