Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-02-06

OWu6T'S Adventure lOT rue Sdpeb Ot bne
Delaware where they rived on the 18th
day Of November, and coming up the bay
were landed with their goods and families
at Salem. Their arrival was anticipated
| by ROBBERS Zane who came four years before
and was familiar with the coHntry and the
difficulties that surrounded them They
were welcomed by friends upon landing, and
provided with shelter SO that their coming
was not as desolate as many others.
| Though not at their journeys end they
spent. the winter there and il proving mild
they purchased a boat and spent much
time ia exploring the various creeks within
the third, which was designated the Irish
tenth, and which extended from Pensauken
to Timber creek BEFORE deciding upon
place of abode, they finally made the
ttlement at Newton, on Newton creek,
few miles from Camden, and this was the
third Quaker settlements Within the bounds
Of Wess jersey.
Thomas Sharp, one OF this company, and
who was the first conveyancer aud surveyor
of Gloucester County, has left so us many
valuable records and maps Of these shines,
and his quaint Description of the sestIe-
ment of Newton would be Of most interest,"
LET .it be remembered, it having
wrought upon ye minds of some Friends
that dwelt in Ireland, but such as formerly
come thither from England, and pressure
having laid upon them for some years which
they could n0t get from under the weight
of, until they gave up to leave their friends
and relatives there, together with com
70 table subsistence to bransport themselves
and families into this wilderness part of
America and thereby expose themselves TO
difficulties which il they could have been
easy where they were, in all probability
might meyer have been met with; and In
order thereunso sent from Dublin in Ire
land to one Thomas Lurtin, Friend 10
London, commander of a Pink, who ac-
cordingly came and they made an agree
ment with him to transports them and their
families intp New jersey, viz: Mark Newly
aud family, Thomas Thackara and family,
William Bate and family. George Gold
smith an old man, and Thomas Sharp,
young man, bus no families, and whils's
the ship abode in Dublin harbor providing
for she voyage, said Thomas Lurtin was
taken SO ill that he could not perform We
same, so that his mate. John Dagger under
took it, and upon she 19th day of Ssmp-
tember, in the year of our Lord 1881, we
set sail from she place aforesaid. and
through the good providence of God to-
wards us, we arrived at Elslnburg, in the
county of Salem, upon the l9bh day of
November following, where we were well
entertained as the houses of the Thomsons
who came from Ireland about four years
before, who by their industry were arrived
80 very good degree of living, and from
thence we went 10 Salem where several
houses yet were vacant Of persons who had
left the town to SETTLE in We country. which
served to accommodate them for We winter,
and having thus setted down with their
families and the winter proving moderate,
we at Wiokacoa purchased a boat of the
Swansons and went 10 Burlington to the
commissioners OF whom we obtained war
rant of We Surveyor General which then
was Daniel Leeds. aud after some consider
able search so and fro in that then was
called the third or Irish tenth, we at last
pitched upon the place now called Newton
which was before the settlements of Phila-
delphia, and then applied to said surveyor
who came and laid it out for us, and the
next spring being the beginning of 1852. we
all removed from Salem together with
Robert Zane, who came along from Ireland
bh the Thomsous, before limited, and
having expectation of our coming, only
bought a lot in Salemtown upon which he
seated himself until our coming, whose pro-
prieeary right and ours being of the same
nature, could not then take it up in Fen
wiok's tenth. And so began our settlement,
and although we were at times pretty hard
bestead, having all our provision as far as
Salem TO fetch by water, yet through the
mercy and kindness Of God we were pre-
served in health and from any extreme
difficulties, and immediately there was
meeting set up and kept at the house of
Mark Newly, and in shors time it grew
and increased unto which William Cooper
and family lived at the Poynte resorted,
and sometimes the meeting was kept as his
house who had been settled sometime be-
fore-zeal and fervency of spirit was what,
in some degree, at that sime, abounded
among Friends in commemorati0n OF our
prosperous success and eminent preserya-
tion both in our coming over the great deep,
as also that whereas we were, bus few at
that time and the Indians many, whereby
is put a dread upon our spirits considering
they were savage people, but ye Lord,
that hath the hearts of all 10 His hands,
turned them SO as TO be serYiceable TO us
and very loving and kind which cannot be
ObuSTWlS6 dccuuuocuy Ouu % JUG AIutd
doings ia our favor which we had cause to
praise His name for, and that the rising
generation may consider that the settle
mems Of this country was directed by an
impulse upon the spirits of Gad's people
and not SO much for their ease and tran
guilty, bus rather for the posterity il
should be after and that the wilderness
being planted wish good seed might grow
and increase to the satisfaction Of She good
husbandman.
"But instead thereof, if for wheat it
should bring forth tares she end OF the
good husbandman will be Illustrate and
they themselves will suffer loss
.'This narrative have thought good and
requisite to leave behind as having had
knowledge of things from the beginning.
The survey of Newton bears dase Of
March 10, 1851, and seems discrepancy
when mpared with the time they set sail
September 195h OF the same year which &C