Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-04-30


| This proves that the adjoining store,
now known as the Ark was built
| subsequent to the Tavern House.
Rebecca Aspden, widow Of Matthias,
died in Philadelphia, in October, 1873.
Soon after the death of his father,
Matthias Aspden, Junior, went to Eng
land, and remained until 1868, when he
| returned and made his home in Phila-
] delphia. In one of his letters dated in
| that city, October Is, 1770, he writes:
IF my cousin, John, should like this
country, you might live with your fam
| lily upon the interest of $1,000 sterl-
| ing, easy and genteel in the town of
Haddonfield, where my aunts used to
| live''
Matthias Aspden, Junior, sold his
property in Haddonfield in 1875, and
removed to England in 1776. AL
| though he did not renounce his citi-
zenship in the United States, he con-
tinued to reside in the former coun-
| try until his death in 1924, visiting his
native country but twice. His estate
| was appraised at $6I8, 6S0.14
By a deed of conveyance dated Feb
ruary 25th, ITS, and for the consider
alton of goo: Matthias Aspden of
the city of Philadelphia, merchant, /"
sells to Thomas Redman of the town
of Haddonfield, shopkeeper, all those
three brick messuages or tenements
and one wooden frame or tenement
and tract or piece of land, situate, ~
ing or being in the town of Haddon-
| field" Here follows a description of
the property as has been previously
<rsxr ~ -
veyed to the sellers father by Tim
othy Matlack and Samuel Mickle. APP
pended to this deed is a memoran-
dunn that Thomas Redman shall re-
ceiye the rents from tenants, viz:
"one house and lot in the tenure of
Sarah Bispham," annual rent Gil;
"One other house and lot in the tenure
Of Thomas Smith, annual rent e10;
and another house and lot in the ten
ure of William Chew" annual rent
E8. 1t will be noticed that the deed
describes three brick houses and one
frame one, while only two brick
houses had tenants turned over to
Thomas Redman. These latter were
the two hip-roofed bricks that still
stand across the street, while the
frame one forms. inpart. the rear of
the adjoining brick house standing
back from the street. Neither the oc-
cupant nor the rental of the Old Tav-
ern House are mentioned
The period in which the transfer
was made of the Old Tavern House
from Matthias Aspden to Thomas
Redman, saw the initiation of the Rev
olutionary War. Prior to this time
there is no proof that this room in
which we stand was used for official
public meetings The committee of
the township of Newton met in Had
donfield with few exceptions, from
1875 to 1872, but their sessions were
held either in the Friends Meeting
House or School House.
Early in the year 1777, the govern
ment of New Jersey was removed to
Haddonfield, being safer place than
the eastern section of the colony.
which was being oyerrun by the Brit
ish. The Legislature convened here
on January 30. On February 5, Gov.
William Livingston issued a proclanla-
ton Under my hand and seal at arms
at Haddonfeld," against the indis-
eriminate seizure of private property
by the militia of the colony. During
this period the Council and General
Assembly met in this large second
story east room. Representatives
fire in its huge old fireplace, on the
cold 18th day of February. when Gov.
Livingston delivered his patriotic adj
dress on the situation and prospect of
! affairs at that time, which was print
ed in full in the Pennsylvania Pack
ct of March 4, 1777, and also two
days afterwards. when copy of that
| immortal document the Declaration OF
| independence, sent by the Continental
| Congress, accompanied by a letter
| from John Hancock, was spread at
length upon the minutes of the AS
senbly
The sessions of the Legislature con
tinued here, interrupted by short adj
| journments until June z, when a re-
cess was taken until September 8,
when it reassembled at Haddonfeld.
continuing until the oath of the month
when it adjourned to Princeton.
| The Council of Safety of New Jer.
| sey must not be COMPOUNDED with the
Council and General Assembly. They
were two distinct bodies. The former
was organized here. Its first minute
is dated "Haddonfield, March -
1777, and states that it met 'spursu-
ant to the authority given by the
Council and General Assembly of the
State of New Jersey" It's main pur-
pose was to examine persons arrested
as Tories, or suspected opponents OF
the patriot cause. 1t sat in the Old
Tavern House a few days and on
March 26, convened at Bordentown
The Governor called this committee to
meet in Haddonfeld on September s.
| 1777. It remained in session until the
18th of the same month.
It was during these sessions that
the Legislature ordered the substitu
ton of the word State, for Colony Of
New Jersey, in all public documents.
While these interesting meetings
were held here, the Old Tavern House
changed owners. Thomas Redman
sold the property to Hugh Creighton
on LIST day, 5mo., 1777, and the pnr.
chaser became the landlord Hugh