This article comes from the New Jersey Mirror

Also can be found in, Colonial  Conveyances Vol 1.,   at the Burlington County Historical Society.

Headline: LOCAL AFFAIRS. / LOCAL HISTORY.
Date: February 12, 1874
Page: 2  Column: 7

Summary: We this week conclude the historical notes of Barclay White on Springfield Township. In 1693, John Renshaw located two hundred and forty-four acres of land, adjoining south-westwardly the last described tract of John Schooley; he conveyed the same, June 25, 1695, to John Ewan, who was by trade a weaver, and settled upon this purchase on the 25th day of June, 1731; he conveyed the same to his son Julius Ewan, from whom Juliustown, the first flourishing village in the Township, derives its name, this tract includes the site of the village of Juliustown or Houghton, and the "old weaver's hill," and joins Thomas Budd's survey of 1693 on "Mount Pisgah," which is the most easterly hill in this Springfield range, and the Northerly point of Budd's survey.

From various deeds of property here, drawn by Wm. Dillwyn in 1768, we learn that the village "is now called, and hereafter is to be known by the name of Houghton," but the new title, although more appropriate, does not appear to have been generally adopted and probably few of the present residents of Juliustown have ever heard of the name as applied to their village. Among the past notables of Juliustown, may be mentioned Susey Toole, a reputed witch, whose residence was to be avoided by the timid after nightfall, and John Williams, an Englishman, generally known as "Preceptor," who has left a curious diary of noticeable events of his day, among which is found this entry, "April 24, 1819, evacuated the school house near Juliustown, having presided in it more than thirty-two years." The pretty country seat in Houghton, late of Jacob T. Bunting, dec'd., was in 1768 the property and the former dwelling house, burned many years ago, the residence of William Dillwyn, brother of George Dillwyn an eminent minister among Friends, and the birthplaces of his only child Susan, who afterwards married Samuel Emlen. William Dillwyn's sister Ann married John Cox of Burlington, their daughter Susan married Dr. Joseph Parish of Philadelphia. Westward along the Township line, we find that John Tatham, Jr., Gent, by Deed dated Jan. 1st, 1711, conveyed to Thomas Hough 650 acres, being at a place called or known as Oneanickon, the said John Tatham, Jr., inherited the same as son and heir at law of John Tatham of Burlington. This tract appears to have been located as follows: 25 acres by George Hutchinson, 300 acres by Benjamin Antrobus, 100 acres by Edward Boulton and the balance by the said John Tatham. By a re-survey made by Thomas Scattergood, Deputy Surveyor, September 1st, 1726, said survey fell short of the original quantity 39 acres. "On ye fourthe day of ye eleventh(sic.) month commonly called January(sic.), 1721, Samuel Shinn, cordwainer, conveyed to Thomas Hough, 120 acres adjoining the aforesaid lands of said Hough, it being a portion of 200 acres that Thomas Shinn, father of said Samuel, purchased of Benjamin Wheat, the 14th of December, 1867, Mary Shinn, the widow of Thomas Shinn, afterwards married Silas Crispin. Most of the above mentioned tracts of land, Thomas Hough gave to his grandson, Daniel Hough, by will dated November 19, 1736. On the thirtieth of July, 1743, Jonathan Hough, son of the aforesaid Daniel Hough, leased for a term of fifty years to Caleb Shreve, John West, Michael Atkinson, Joseph Lamb, Julius Ewan, Jacob Shinn, Abraham Merritt, James Langstaff, Yoeman and Benjamin Carter, and Isaac Cogwill, planters, one acre of land, for the use of a school house near the improvements of Nathan Wilson, at the crossing of the great road leading from Bridgeton to the new dwelling house of the said Jonathan Hough, with the road that leads from John West's gate to Hanover road, they paying therefore a yearly rent of one penny if demanded; this acre lay at the N. E. end of Caleb Shreve's Mount.

On the 3d day of 8th mo. 1743, sundry Friends belonging to the upper part of Mount Holly Meeting, made application in writing to Burlington Monthly Meeting, for liberty to hold a meeting for worship on the first day of each week during the winter season, at a school house standing near Caleb Shreve's Mount, which the meeting took under consideration, and at the next meeting did consent that they hold a meeting according to their request, commencing from the beginning of 10th month. The meeting continued to be reputably attended, and in 1776 a preparative meeting was established. At this time it numbered in members, adults, 53; minors, 52; total, 104. This meeting and school house was constructed by logs. Ephraim Tomlinson in his journal says: "On the 20th day of 6th mo., 1771, I was at the marriage of my son-in-law, John Gardiner, at the log meeting house hard by Juliustown. 2d. mo., 13th, 1775, Jonathan Hough, Jr., conveyed to "Daniel D. Smith, Samuel Shinn, Samuel Allinson, John Comfort, Peter Ellis, Edward Black, and John Hilliard, the survivor or survivors of them, in trust, 1 A. 2 R. 25 P. of land, to and for the purpose of building a meeting house thereon, for the people called Quakers, and for a place to bury their dead." During 1776, a stone meeting house was erected thereon. 2d mo., 17, 1800, the wooden portion of this building was mostly consumed by fire. It occurred in the day time, and when there was much snow on the ground. The lower floor was saved by throwing snow upon it.

In 1809, during the night following the funeral of Mary Hough, wife of Jonathan Hough, the building was again burned. This time the walls alone were unconsumed and remained of sufficient strength to support the present structure, which was soon erected. In the 5th mo., 1689, John Day, Yoeman(sic.), of the County of Burlington, did lay forth and survey in the Township of Springfield, 353 acres of land lying northward of and adjoining the above mentioned 300 A., surveyed to Benjamin Antrobus, and, after reserving therefrom six acres of meadow, in 1698 conveyed the remainder for 300 A. to Joseph English. Upon a re-survey, the boundaries described in the deed of location, were found to contain 331 acres, a portion of which was conveyed by Samuel Black, son of John Black, to Wm. Fox. This is now the property of Stacy B. Lippincott, and is still known as the Fox place. The remainder was conveyed in 1747 by John Robert Arthur, of Wales, in Great Britain, to Charles Read, then Secretary of the Province, who gave to it the title of "Sharon," and conveyed it by that name in 1750 to Daniel Doughty, in whose descendant it still remains. A red cedar post, set in by said Read, in 1748, to mark one of the corners of Sharon, and having upon it his initials, and the date, is still standing in a good state of preservation. Daniel was the son of Jacob Doughty, a minister among Friends, whose residence was in Hunterdon Co., N. J. He was one of fourteen children, of whom two only were sons. In 1729 he married Ann Stevenson, daughter of John and Mary Stevenson, and the grand daughter of Samuel Jennings, the first Governor of the Province. Ann Doughty and three children died between the 9th and 24th of 7th mo., 1742. The surviving child, Mary Doughty, married Wm. Lovet Smith, in or about the year 1749. At their wedding, held at the house(now demolished) lately occupied by Caleb Newbold, dec'd., among other guests, appeared Governor Belcher, in a carriage. Tradition informs us that this was the first carriage ever seen in the Township. Samuel Jennings left three daughters, Sarah Jennings, the eldest, in 1699, married Edward Pennington, youngest son of Isaac Pennington the younger, and half brother of Gulielma Springett Penn, wife of William Penn. Edward Pennington was Surveyor General of the Province of Penna; he died in Philadelphia, two years after his marriage, leaving one son, Isaac Pennington. Anne Jennings married William Stevenson. These sisters appear to have married at the same time. Mercy Jennings, the youngest daughter, in 1706 married John Stevenson, and in ____(left blank in original text) Thomas Stevenson married Sarah Pennington, widow of Edward Pennington. The three Stevensons were brothers, and emigrated in the same vessel that brought over Samuel Jennings and family.

In 1684 Godfrey Hancock located 200 acres, adjoining John Day, westwardly beginning at a stake set up in a meadow at the head of one of the branches of Birch Creek, and running thence N. W. by W. 42ch. to a white oak for a corner, at the foot of a Mount. 1st. mo. 1st, 1685, he conveyed the same to William Salloway, Merchant of Philadelphia.--This tract was afterwards known as "Salloway's Neck" and passed through various lands up to Nov. 2, 1753, when Wm. West conveyed it, with 50 A. added by a re-survey, to William Lovett Smith, Merchant of Burlington, who then gave it the name of "Bramham," from Bramham in Yorkshire, England, whence his ancestors emigrated. Several members of this family having long held positions of trust in the province, it may be interesting to give here a short account of them.

Richard Smith was baptized 18th of May, 1593, at Bramham, Yorkshire, England, and was buried 19th of Nov. 1647. His son Richard was baptized Oct. 15, 1626, was a Physician and became a preacher among Friends. He was married to Ann Yates at York, England, Feb. 25th, 1653. Their residence was near Bramham. Of their twelve children, five sons, viz: John Smith, Daniel Smith, Joseph Smith, Emanuel Smith and Richard Smith, and one daughter, Deborah Smith, emigrated in or about the year 1677. John Smith died at sea; the others settled in Burlington, N. J.

One other son, Samuel Smith, left England in 1690 and located in Bucks County, Pa., but afterwards removed to Burlington. Samuel Smith died in 1718, being at the time one of the members of Assembly for Burlington. Daniel Smith served many years faithfully in Assembly and died 1742. His wife was Mary Smith, daughter of Robert and Ann Murfin. "She was found drowned with her horse in the year 1739, near the long bridge in the Northern liberties, Philadelphia, supposed to have occurred in attempting to give her horse water where it was very deep. That was then the direct and only road to Philadelphia."

Her sister, Johanna Murfin, married John Sykes, who while a boy, emigrated with his father, Samuel Sykes, and grandfather John Sykes. The latter died soon after landing, being very aged. John Sykes the younger, died 10th mo., 1771, aged 90. He was the father of Anthony Sykes, whose son Thomas Sykes, was the father of the present George Sykes. Mary Smith, sJohanna Sykes and John Sykes have each left short but interesting narratives of their moving to this country.

The first may be found in Watson's Annals of Philadelphia; the latter in the original, are in the possession of George Sykes. Richard Smith(the last name of this individual was not stated but appears to be a reference to Richard Smith, despite the immediately following reference to a different Richard Smith, apparently of the same generation) was twelve years one of the Council, and died in 1750. Richard Smith, son of Samuel Smith, was elected a member of the Assembly for Burlington in 1730, and died while that body was in session at Amboy, Nov. 9, 1751, having represented Burlington in Assembly twenty years.

Dr. Franklin's paper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, of No. 21, 1751, says: "Last week died Richard Smith, Esq., of Burlington, N. J., and was buried in Friend's burial ground in that city, in whom the character of a generous good-natured, hospitable man, true patriot, and good christian, were so truly blended that he lived beloved and esteemed by all who knew him, and his death is lamented as a public loss by the people of that province." One of his descendants in a letter to a friend (since published) says: "Richard Smith carried on an extensive commerce from the old city of Burlington, in vessels built by himself. Some of his sons acted for him as super-cargoes to the West Indies, &c. In front of the late Bishop Doane's residence on Green Bank, are the remains of an old wharf, from which probably went all the produce then shipped from Burlington to distant parts.

This wharf was Richard's, there his ships were built, and from it in one of his vessels his son John sailed as super-cargo in 1741 at the early age of 19, having a mind, as he says, to see the Island of Barbadoes, and to know the manner of living at sea, and to survey the wonders of the Lord in the deep, and having my Fathers consent so to do." Richard Smith married Abigail Raper, 8 mo. 20, 1719. Samuel Smith, their eldest son, was author of that valuable and standard work, Smith's history of New Jersey. John Smith, the second son, married Hannah Logan, daughter of James Logan, the well known friend and most trusted counsellor and representative of Wm. Penn, and was made a member of Assembly for Philadelphia, in 1750, when twenty-eight years old, contrary to his expressed wishes, which led him towards the quiet of private life. Having accumulated a competency by commerce from Philadelphia, he retired to his paternal property at Burlington, and purchased of Gov. Franklin, for a country seat, Franklin Park with its tenants of deer, situated near the now village of Rancocas.

Eliza Smith married Wm. Dillwyn a merchant of Burlington. William Lovet Smith, the third son of Richard Smith, married Mary Doughty, surviving child of Daniel Doughty, was a merchant at Burlington, afterwards settled at Bramham in Springfield as before mentioned. Other children of Richard Smith died in minority, and Richard married and settled in Burlington. William Lovet Smith, during the latter part of his life, built on the southerly portion of Bramham that building long known as the "Redhouse," which was destroyed by fire some twenty years since, there he died in 1794, leaving children.

Daniel Doughty Smith married Elizabeth Schooley; Samuel Smith married Abigail Schooley; Anne Smith married John Gill, Sr., of Haddonfield. Abigail Smith married John Earl; Mary Smith married Brazilla Burr; William Lovit(sic.) Smith married Eliza Lacey, daughter of Gen. John Lacey. Bramham is still owned by a descendant of William L. Smith.

John Osborne located 300 a. adjoining Godfrey Hancock and John Day's surveys, about 1694; and January 13, 1699, sold the same to Eleazer Fenton, whose widow, Elizabeth Fenton, afterwards married Samuel Goldy, and conveyed said tract to Thomas Branson, by deed dated January 29, 1707.

By record in Revel's book of surveys remaining in the Secretary of State's office, in Trenton, we find there was surveyed for William Biddle, at Oncanickon, 8 mo. 1686, 270 A. of land, and in 4 mo. 1869, one tract of 230 A., and two other tracts containing together 313 A., making altogether 823 acres, adjoining lands of Hannaniah Gauntt, John Days, Peter Harvey, Charles Read, Samuel Barker,  Daniel Leeds, Michael Buffin, John Browne and John Shinn. William Biddle is included in Smith's list of settlers from England, who arrived at Burlington about the year 1678. He made several locations of land in different parts of the County of Burlington, including Biddle's Island in the Delaware River. His selection of land was marked with much judgment, generally proving to be among the best. Burlington Quarterly Meeting when first set up in 1682, was held at the house of William Biddle, and so continued until 1711, when it was held alternately at the meeting houses in Burlington and Chesterfield.

NOTE--"Oncannickon" referred to in several of the above locations, was evidently an Indian village, but I have been unable to ascertain with certainty its position, other locations beside these, extending within some five miles, mention the name which is variously spelled, but no doubt all refer to the same place. There has been an Indian village on the sandy ridge of land now owned by John Chambers about half a mile south east of Juliustown. Its name has passed into oblivion, but its position could be distinctly traced a few years ago, when not covered by timber.