Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-01-30

| AllOway, but Salem being the seat OF the
ohief proprietor most Of the people settled
there and Cohansey was really not laid out,
until after Fenwick g death.
| Byllyuge had involved losses in his bust
ness as a merchants and is was necessary TO
assign his interest in West Jersey TO his
creditors Since it had been acquired as a
refuge for the Quakers it was desired that it
be kept for thas purpose and with this in
view was assigned to three members Of
| shat section, viz: William Penn, Gawen
| Lawrie and Nicholas Lucas and conveyed
nine undivided tenths of the Province for
| the benefit of the creditors These trustees
! under the pressure OF circumstances sold a
considerable number of shares of this undi-
cided portion TO different purchasers who
| thereby became proprietors in common with
them.
| To facilitate the settlements of the Pro-
vince is was desirable shat division should
be made with Carteret determining what
| should fall under their control and what
was called sQnintipartite Deed 'executed
July 1876, defined the division between
East and West New Jersey as extending
from Little Egg Harbor straight through she
country to the uttermost branch of the
Delaware River at 410o latitude.
In 1876 Penn (who was one of the far
sighted men OF his times) and his associates
devised system Of government termed
ssThe Concessions and Agreements OF the
Proprietors Freeholders and Inhabitants
OF she Province of West Jersey in America"
This was TO be read in solemn manner four
times year in every hail Of justice within
the Province Field says IA more beauti-
full fabric of free governments was never rear
ed. It should be forever embalmed in the
memory Of Jerseymen. 1t set forth that no
man nor number of men upon earth have
power to rule over mems c0nsciences in re-
ligious matters and that no person should
be called in question or the least punish
mens or hurt either in person, privilege or
estate for the sake of his opinions, fa1sh or
worship in matters of religion. Never was
more comprehensive act of federation and
never was it violated in spirit or act" This
is supposed to have been the inspiration if
not She actual work of Penn and in it are
found the underlying principles of the ''Biil
OF Rights which found so prominenta part
in the later Federal and State Constitu-
lions Penn said in attending TO them
'.Tnere we lay the foundation for after
ages to understand their liberty as men and
christians that they may not be brought
| in bondage, save by their own consent, for
we put the power in the people"
| La purchasing land from the Indians, no
steps were taken until they had been visi-
ted and made acquainted with the des re Of
the settlers and compensation arranged, and
ia cases Of differences with the natives a
| trial was held before SIX white men and
six natives. The price of land was fixed at
one penny per acre and when town plots
| we're TO be laid out one and one-half pen
| MES From Graham we learn shat to pre-
| vent immoral or vicious characters coming
! to the Province law was passed requiring
every new settler under pain OF pecuniarv
! fine TO give satisfactory evidence so be a
| Justice of the peace tbas his change of resi-
dence was not the consequence OF crime or
| an act of fraud, but that he was person of
| blameless character and sober life for the
encouragement of poor but industrious lab
orers, who obtained the means of emigrat-
| ing from Europe by coming as servants to
more prosperous planters every servant
was authorized to claim from his master at
| the expiration of certain time set OF
Implements of husbandry, certain articles
of apparel and ten bushels of corn
| Penn and his associates now having CON
| troll of West jersey issued a declaration in
| 1877 setting forth the situation in which they
stood and the designs they had in view
| Tie statements were so satisfactory that
many persons were induced so emlgrab5
particularly, among the Quakers.
Among the purchasers of lands were two
companies, one made up from Friends in
Yorkshire, and the other of Friends in
London, and in 1877 commissioners were
sent out by the praprietors to buy up land
from the Indians, to inspect she rights OF
those claiming property and to lay ous the
land. These commissioners we're Thomas
Olive, Dan'l Wills. John Kingsley, John
Penford, Joseph Helmsley, Robert Stacy,
Benjamin Scott, Richard Guy and Thomas
Foulke. Guy came in the first ship, the
others came in the Kent, Gregory Warlow,
| master, this being the second ship from
England TO West Jersey.
| After tedious passage they arrived at
| Newcastle the 9th month, 16, 1877 They
| landed their passengers two hundred and
thirty in number about Raccoon creek
where the Swedes had some scattering
| habitations. There was not sufficient pro-
vision for all, however, and though manv
of them came from good estate in England
they had to lay their beds and furniture in
COW stalls and such other places as could be
found, and snakes, which were plentiful,
were frequently seen upon the novels under
which they sought shelter. just why they
were landed here is not known, as their
destination was evidently higher up the
stream. since the commissioners soon left the
vessel and proceeded in small boat to a
place called Chygoes Island, which was
really that part of the fast land surrounded
by the creek where Burlington now stands.
Tradition says the name is from an Indian
Sachem who lived there; but later author
ity makes is of Dutch origin from one Peter
Gegore, Dutch settler who laid previous
claim to this portion of land, and caused
some little disturbance in its settlement.
The business of the commissioners was to
treat with the Indians, and for this pur-
pose they secured as Interpreters from the
i Swedes, Israel Helms, Peter Rambo, and
Lacy Cock, and with their help purchases