Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-28
PERTH AMBOY IN HISTORY
y FL. e. PICKERsGILL
Samuel Nevill, Gentleman.

One of the most distinguished of
those men who contributed to Perth
Amboy's greatness generations ago
Is seldom mentioned now, except
when early compilations of the laws
of New Jersey are being discussed.
He was Samuel Nevill, high in the
judicial circles of his day and fore
most in the literary world of his
J time. Sonmans is a name more fire.
quently heard, the old gully of that
name being mentioned from time to
! time when local property titles are
under discussion.
Peter Sonmans' wife was a Nevill,
Sarah, by name, and when he died
she was his heiress. The widow
married again but in a very short
time she followed her second hus-
band to the grave and all of her
property went to her brother Samuel,
until that time listed as Samuel
Nevill, of London, Gent" It must
be. remembered that in the days of
The settlement of Perth Amboy, and
for a afterward, it was common
to specify in some way a mans
station in life whenever his name
appeared in legal documents or was
used in other important ways. Deeds
read to Jonathan Harmed, tanner; to
William Bloodgood, yeoman, or to
Somebody Else, weaver. Nevill's
designation would therefor indicate
that he was a gentleman, with all
that was meant two centuries ago
by that now much abused term.
Almost Immediately after his
sisters death Nevill set sail for East
Jersey and landed here in May, 1886,
without delay making his home in
Perth Amboy. There was another
brother of Mrs. Sonmans here in the
province, but he did not figure in the
disposition of her property. At one
time he kept the Long Ferry tavern.
Samuel Nevill had been interested in
pursuits in London which fitted him
to become an outstanding figure in
the New World. He had received a
liberal education and was a member
of the bar. He had also been editor
of the London Morning Post.
In the new province there were
few men of his calibre and he quick
ly forged to the front and in a short
time became eminent in the public
affairs of the day. He became
judge of the Court of Common Pleas
and served as mayor of Perth AM
boy. This latter, as Whitehead tells
us, was no triling station in Nevill's
day. Some of the strongest men in
the province were proud to say that
they had been mayor of old Amboy.
Mr.. Nevill also became second judge
of the Supreme Court of the prov
ince and held other Offices of lesser
degree, including membership in the
provincial assembly for a total of
sixteen years.
AS an example of his regard for
an oath and its place in judicial
functions, as we'll as his style of ex-
pressing his thoughts. the following
paragraph is taken from a charge to
the Middlesex grand jury, made by
Justice Nevill in September, 1747:
1.-THE law being always DESTROYS to
find out the truth in all causes call
ed in question in the Courts of Ju-
dicature, to the end impartial Jus
tice may be given and strict justice
executed accordingly, hath in all
ages esteemed it to be the best
method to search out this truths by
the oaths of honest, lawful, and In
different persons; and certainly that
man who doth profess God to be his
Creator, by whom alone he hopes
for salvation. when he doth solemn
iy swear in the presence of that God
snd his people. that he will present
the truth, and nothing but the truth,
according to his knowledge of the
matter in question, as God shall
help him, that Is, as he expects the
Blessing of God in this life and eter-
nal happiness in the life to come,
l say certainly that man will, in all
respects, be void of partially and
private affection. For an oath is
fifty termed a holy bond or sacred
tie, a godly vow, and the foundation
and ground of truth: a ceremony in
stituted by God himself. wherein he
is a party, and will see it verified or
sharply punished. Therefore, as the
law doth reverently respect the
oaths of men, taketh her intelligence
of matters of faith from them, and
glveth such credit and appreciation