Compiled by William H. Shaw. Everts & Peck, Philadelphia, 1884. We've added appropriate illustrations that are in the public Domain, It can be read sequentially starting with the post of 1/4/12]
The period of the early history may be considered as extending from the year of settlement on the Passaic to the times of the Revolution.
The Holland colony at Bergen flowed northward to Hackensack, then westward to Acquackanonck (Passaic), and thence still westward over the mountain, and southward into the Newark colony. The strongest Dutch settlement within the region which became Bloomfield was "Second River." The northeast portion of the township was filled with Dutch farmers. That portion became known in more recent times as Franklin, and fell within the boundaries of Belleville. The northwest settlements became Stone House Plains and Speertown.
The Dutch purchase at Acquackanonck was from the Indians in 1679, and from the proprietors in 1684. The lands laid out in strips for farms ran parallel with the northern boundary of Bloomfield, and the migration swept over the boundary and possessed the northern part of the town. The northern end of Horseneck was filled almost exclusively with Holland people down to about 1800, and their reactionary southeast movement gave the township of Bloomfield some of its best citizens. At length the Holland blood was mixed with the Puritan, and the Holland families are now found in all parts of the town.
Some of the oldest names are Speer or Spier, Thomason, Arent, Vreelandt, Uriansen, Van Siles, Francisco, Kiper, Cadmus, Garrabrant, Van Riper, Jerolemon, Low and Kidney.
Vincent is a very old name of French Huguenot extraction, but at first was associated with the Hollanders.
Their church was established at Second River in 1727, and another Reformed Dutch Church was built at Stone House Plains on the opening of the present century, 1801.
No comments:
Post a Comment