New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-13
HISTORIC HACKENSACK.
BEPGEN COUNTY HISTORICAL
SOCIETY FORMED THERE
BY RESIDENTS.
MANY REVOLUTIONARY RELICS NOW TO
BE SEEN-GRATE OF ONE VI
LAFAYETTE'S GENERALS.

At last the people Of Bergen County have sue
ceeded in organizing historical society d
ensack that BIDS fair to be OF enduring
that mart If Northern Nevv-Jersey as far as keep
ing possession OF authentic historical oaO0' t
s,a c,,rtos dating hack TO the Revolutionary
r,eriod and before is concerned. An elorI 10 iOi
an historical society was made ABOUT twenty S
aro but the enthusiasm only lasted ABOUT 'e
months II remained for newcomers III f10C-
sack 20 realize the valuable historical SURROUNDINGS
- 50 +eke in hand the formation Of the Bergen
County Historical Society meeting Was heiu
at the Johnson Free Library Hall on March =. Inc
Rev Herman Vanderwart. for nearly n11eeh va.
,,.e,or Of tho First Reformed Church. The Ola
Church on the Green the Oldest church IN INC
northern part Of the State was chairman James
a Rouevn whose father was pastor OF liilS
church many years ago, was secretary AZ '
nrelirninarv meeting a committee was api'oiii'eu
TO send letters TO every representative olc FANNY
An the county and urge cooperation in the pro-
,,osad work and at a meeting March o. when
the constitution was adopted. the library nan was
well aued Among the articles Of the CONSTITUTION
are the following:
This society shall he known as the Bergen county
lis objects shall be the collection Of natST; IRA
history: papers incident 70 the Slyll poTt and
esso;ning counties in New-Jersey. and RockaIo
Gounty, J. , nfc and the diffusion Of a
sovnd historical taste ana the ene"Ui a.
g patriotic sentiment
officers. President William NJ Johnson, First AS
e,=tant Postmaster General; Independents VIII
tam Linn. Of Hsckensack; j Y Moore ana Cor
nelius Christie Of Leonia; Miss Elizabeth YER
Y,ilve of Fuslewood: the Rev. William H Nroorn-
If Paramus; Charles Burrows. postmaster or
Rutherford and Isaac u. Bogert Of Westwooo'
recording secretary. the Rev Ezra l. SANFORD /
corresponding secretary. Arthur Van Bnshlih'
treasurer James A Romeyn. and executive com
mittee +. NJ Glover. of Rutherford; Miss Adelaide
W sterling Of Englewood: Abram c. Holdrum. Of
westwood. and Abram De Baum. OF Hackensack-
While the present generation Of the old Bergen
County families lay particular stress on the ReVo-
iutionary history of the county, this new society
will pay particular attention to getting all official
data hack to 1852 when the county Of Bergen was
established. that time the county included the
territory east Of the Hackensack River from the
Kill Won KuIl to the State line. In 1909 the county
of Bergen was enlarged. and from that time on I'M
iii 1887, when Passaic County was set of. It in
cluSed she latter. with the exception Of the small
part southwark OF the Passaic Gaken from Essex
and the county of Hudson. which set off in 1S4o
Bergen County in her undivided state passed
through the phases OF colonization and civil rule
under the Dutch OF New-Netherlanis: through the
transition TO an English colony and the govern
noent OF the Proprietors of East Jersey: through
the exciting scenes of the early Indian wars; the
period Of colonial authority under the queens and
kings Of Engiand-all matter of much interest and
Importance to the Bergen County Historical So
cety besides the stirring events for the struggle
for independence.
The most ancient and interesting part Of the old
county Of Bergen that portion of il which was set
on to form the county of Hudson in 1880 after
having borne the name OF Bergen fer Eestly two
hundred years Lying along the west side OF New
York Bay and the Hudson River. close to the
Dutch headquarters on Manhattan, il early at
tracted attention, and became the subject Of the
arst purchase from the Indians in East Jersey.
On July r. 1850. this portion of territory pur
chased from the Indians by the Director General
and Council Of New-Netnerianda for Michael
PAW Burgomaster OF Amsterdam and Lcrd of
Achtienhoven, near Utrecht The conveyance was
the first deed of record in New-Netherlands and
the names Of the Joint owners of the lands called
Hobocan Hackingh. Aeoneauw. Tekwappo
and Sackwomeck.
Bergen County residents always point with de-
gree OF pride 10 the fact that portion of the
county the scene Of much activity in the
Revolutionary period, and also 10 the fact that
General Washington made his headquarters for
some considerable time in Hackensack- There have
been many controversies to the exact dates.
Incidents and locations of Revolutionary matters.
ana the new historical society will find much to
Interest in deciding upon the conflicting reports.
For instance Losing. the historian, says that It
was a farmer who hurried to Hackensack TO warn
General Washington that the British had crossed
he Hudson the Closter landing and were on
their way to Rackensack. Mrs. Sarah Fletcher
Thompson the great granddaughter OF three Revo-
t.ionary soldiers in her little bit Of historical
eata recently presented to the historical society,
saws that Sarah Vreeland. the wife Of John
Terhune, when girl walked nine miles before
breakfast to the American camp OF the ap-
croach OF the British
Fort Lee stands alone in point OF Revolutionary
Importance. for here it was that Washington s
army under General Lee. encamped for long
time. But the camp was not on the Palisades
bluff and the proposed monument to be erected at
Fort Lee Will not be the bluff The camp was
on the west side of the ravine or ferry road, and