The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-10-25
A LANDED
PROPRIETOR


Az j 4A04 NIL Nan
i [coNTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
now New Brunswick the exact loca
4 ti0n being Piscataway creek. This
khouse remained in the family for many
years. While here he married Ger
I trude Bayard, who was the daughter
of Samuel Baysrd and Margaret Van
/ Cortland Her father was the only
son Of Nicholas Bayard, youngest Of
4 the three nephewS of Peter Stuyve-
SAINT. Margaret Van Cortland, Mrs.
Kemble'S mo ther, was the eldest
\ daughter Of Stephen Van Cortland. Of
Cortland manor, who was the head OF
that family, and thus, through his
wife, Peter Kemble belonged TO that
great order of affiliated New York fam.
4 lilies, which formed that wide kinship
that politically and socially proved
such forcein the colony.
Peter Kemble was one of the most
eminent men OF the colony Of New Jer-
sey, always taking large and prominent
parts in public affairs. Governor Lew
/ is Morris recommended his appoint
lment as a mem Der Of the royal council,
and he always remained intimate with
4 the Morris family. acting az the gov
srnor's death as one of the pallbearers.
He was appointed to the council 10
1 1745, and remained thereon until its
dissolution at the breaking ontsof the
Revolution. He was leading mem
Der, and for years the speaker and act
ed as president in the absence of the
governor. The commission appointing
| Peter Kemble member of the council
/ and signed by George IL. is still owned
by one OF his descendants.
| aCharles Read, one of the ablest men
lin New Jersey, considered Kemble
suitable for supreme court judge in
\ 1853. He was warden OF Christ
church, New Brunswick, and a man
ager OF the lottery for raising money
TO finish the church and parsonage.
| There were arguments for and against
lotteries in those days, but many of
1T echurches and colleges received thus
much financial aid. Quoting from good
authority, lin fact, colleges, churches,
jails, and all good works were started
by lotteries Is
| About 1850 Peter Kemble purchased
| a1large tract of land in MorriStown. 1t
was situated about one mile from the
| Green and ran along the BaSking
| miles from the village where is now
Mr.. McAlpin's estate. The house
stood in front of the present one, with
the negro quarters short distance
back. We understand that the origin
al house has been moved and modern
lied, but is still standing. 1t served
as headquarters for General Wayne in
1880.
Peter Kemble, Lord Stirling and Mr..
Beverhoudt were the three men in
this part of the country who owned
large properties, which were kept up
in the style of the great memorial eS-
tates in England When Washington
had his ten brigadeS encamped on the
Jockey Hollow road, the entire en-
campment was on the land or Peter
Kemble Henry Wick with only a,
very small portion on Joshua Guerin'S.
This Henry Wick was Peter Kemble's
nearest neighbor aud possessed l,400
acres, but he will always be best re-
membered as The father OF Tempe
Wick, the heroine who through her
quick wits saved her horse from being
seized by the soldiers and Afterwards
hid him DO the spare room for two
months or tw0 weeks, as you choose to
believe
In that pretty storv by Brete Hart
" Thankful Blossom" the scene Is laid
here, at the Headquarters, and the
same Tempe Wick is supposed 20 be
the heroine. In the middle of the
century Henry Wick built his house
which is still standing between the
Jockey Hollow road and McAlpin's
corner.
Kemble Hill is an incorrect tern for
representing the entire encampment.
Stark s brigade was on the slope and
there waSalsO a brigade parade ground
while many officers were CHARTERED on
Peter KEN ble'S estate and in his diff
ferent houses but not on the hill alone.
The summit of Kemble mountain
was selected as the camp alarm sta
ton. Two gurS were placed thereon
with orders for firing on the first sig
nal of the enemy's approach. From
this hill could be seen THE alarm sta
tion at Springfield, ShorJ Hills and all
the surrounding country. All the Off
GERS enctmped in the neighbOrhoOd
were ALWAYS welcomed and nOSpitably
enrtrtaiued bp Mr.. Kemole. When
Cile Frencll Minister aid d humber OF
congressman were escorted by Wash
ington with brilliant cavalcade to
view the camps on April %, 1850, the
party returned by the way of Mr..
Kenble'S house. The boundary lines
of his estate we're the same as those Of
the earlier owners and it remained In
his possession until his death in 1885
He called his estate $ Mt. Kemble" liz
English fashion and settled down as a
landed proprietor. The Kemble es-
tate was not only the best cultivated
but the largest in the county. There
was probably more land under cultiya-
ton at that time than at present.
-Four or five farms were rented to good
tenants and one OF them, George Book
oven, seems to have been like a per-
sonal friend. Mr.. Kemble owned many
slaves who cleared away a large por-
lion OF the wood land. The central
portion of the estate was retained as a
home farm and cultivated by his
slaves whose quarters were near the
house. l# 4 @4s
The conical hill north of the house
has been known as /" Tea III Ill" and
! the tradition is that Richard Kemhle
used to have a tea-table spread on The
summit under a large tree. Peter
Kemble was commissioned as one of
the Justices. Of the Peace Of Morris
county ins 1766s a
! Inl777 when the old Regal Council
had been SuppiAnteti by HEl& C0unc n OF
/ Safety, at one of It's earliest sltuings