By Sally Quinn
Originally published in The Review, Spring 2019, Volume 42, Number 1
Horses and carriages parked along the fence by the Presbyterian Church in the distance.
Below is the first of a series of articles based on and borrowed from the pamphlet/book, Annals of the Village and of The Presbyterian Church of New Vernon, N.J., An Address Delivered by the Pastor, Rev. E.R. Murgatroyd, June 26th, 1893, which I bought shortly after we moved into Fairchild Farm, at 26 Lee's Hill Road, almost ten years ago. It was printed in Morristown, NJ, at The Jerseyman office in 1893 and is an amazing source of information.
The address, which must have lasted hours, was part of the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Presbyterian Church of New Vernon and was “put in permanent form at the request of the people.” The group was charged with collecting information to write a history of the church, but soon realized that “the history of the church involved a history of
the place,” and so starts this series.
European-American inhabitants first came to Morris County probably around 1700. The Dutch first bought a large tract of land from the natives and started settling Pompton Plains at the turn of the century. About ten years later, New England people settled first Hanover and then Morristown.
There were traces of Native habitation all around New Vernon. “On the rise of ground just a little back of Mr. Daniel W. Tunis’ house the plow has been turning up, during all these years, arrow heads of flint, jasper and chalcedony; and not infrequently a stone ax, lance, knife or hammer will be found on the place.” The Lenape who lived here were not warriors and were said to have been very friendly with the new inhabitants. Rev. Murgatroyd wrote, “The early settlers generally felt as safe in the presence of the red men as when surrounded by those of their own race.” Children of both races frequently played together.
In 1832, the Delaware Indians asked for $2,000 compensation for hunting and fishing rights not included in the earlier payment; the money was approved and paid. “We may share in that blessing today, and rejoice that one hundred and two hundred years ago, and ever since, the rights of the Indians have been always recognized and never violated by
our State.”
New Vernon was originally part of Hanover in Hunterdon County until 1739, when Morris County was created. In 1740, the Township of Morris was incorporated, included the village of Morristown and almost half the county. Morristown separated from the township in 1865, and the southern part of Morris Township became Passaic Township in 1866. In 1922, Passaic split into Long Hill and Harding townships.
1802 ad mentioning New Vernon in the New-Jersey Journal.
In 1802 we find the name New Vernon in documents. Rev. Murgatroyd wrote, “It is not a nickname but one plainly chosen by the people. What more natural than to suppose it was given in honor of the house of Washington? That was Mt. Vernon, this New Vernon. Washington often visited these homes when the army was encamped here. He loved the people of this section of the State, and that love was reciprocated by the people.”
An 1834 copy of the Gordon’s Gazetteer of the State of New Jersey says, “New Vernon, post town of Morris Township, Morris Co. 4 miles S.W. from Morristown, 217 N.E. from W.C. [short for Washington City, the District of Columbia] and 51 from Trenton; contains a store, an academy, and 4 dwellings.” This was a very official acknowledgement of New Vernon but it was, unfortunately, not totally correct. The number of dwellings was closer to 14 and they neglected to include the church! We now have the beginning of the series of interesting historical facts about our town!
The Reverend Edwin R. Murgatroyd (1855-1914) was the eighth pastor of the Presbyterian Church. He was the son of Esther Middleton and William J. H. Murgatroyd who came to America from Lancashire, England in 1850. Edwin was born in 1855 and was one of eight children. He was educated at the College of New York (NYU) and Union Theological Seminary. He married Edith L. Conklin of New York. He worked at the Board of Home Missions in Independence, Oregon before coming to NJ. The Rev. Murgatroyd came to minister in New Vernon in 1890 and served for twenty-three years. It was written that, "His tender ministrations endeared him to the people" said the Oregon Corvalis Gazette on October 16, 1903.
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