The present county of Ocean, as before stated, was once a part of Shrewsbury. This was the case until 1749 when a portion of the lower part of Shrewsbury was set off and formed into the township of Stafford.
The patent creating the township of Stafford is dated March 3d, 1749, and was issued in the reign of George II, and is signed by Gov. Belcher. As this is probably the first official public document relating to any portion of the present county of Ocean it is a matter of gratification to know that this patent is still in existence in good preservation. It is, as was usual, upon parchment, with the great seal of the province of New Jersey attached, the impression of which still shows to good advantage.
(This patent at present writing is in the care of the author hereof.)
The next division of Shrewsbury affecting the county of Ocean, was the creation of the township of Dover June 24th, 1767, when Wm. Franklin was Governor. In the recital of the boundaries of Dover, mention is made of "Burlington old path" where it crosses the north branch of Toms River, &c." (This "Burlington old path" is the one before referred to as having been probably traversed by early travelers.)
The other townships in Ocean have been set off within late years.
Jackson was originally set off in 1844; Plumsted in 1845; Union in 1846; Brick in 1850.
Plumsted, it is said, was named in honor of Clement Plumsted one of the early Proprietors; Brick after Joseph W. Brick, a prominent citizen of the township; Jackson, probably after General Andrew Jackson, but some contend it was also after the proprietor of "Jackson's Mills," who was an early and prominent settler in the township; perhaps the township received its name on account of both.
When application was made to have "Union" set off it was proposed at first to call it "Stratton," after Gov. Charles Stratton, but the proposition failed.
It may not be amiss to introduce some brief items relative to and showing the increase of population in this section of the State and also of the State at large, as possessing some general interest; though some, perhaps all of them, may be familiar to those well versed in our early history, yet they may contain something not generally known to the public.
In 1648 the celebrated Stout manuscript says there were only six white families in Middletown.
In 1673 Capt. Knyff and Lieut. Snell's report shows there were 391 male adults in East New Jersey.
In 1682 the population of Shrewsbury township was estimated at 400, and Middletown 100 families.
In 1702 the population of the whole State was estimated at about 20,000. (Vide Hist. Coll. N. J.)
In 1703 Col. Lewis Morris estimates the population of East Jersey at 8,000.
(Historical Collections of N. J. page 29, says the population of New Jersey in 1702 was supposed to be about 20,000, of which 12,000 belonged to East Jersey and 8,000 to West Jersey, and Militia 1,400; but Col. Morris estimates as above only 8,000 in East Jersey the following year.)
In 1726 the population of the whole State was 32,442. As these appear to have been the first nearest approach which I have met with to a complete census of the State this year (1726) I append the table herewith as I notice that it appears to have escaped the attention of some writers well versed in the early history of our State. It will be noticed that there were only ten counties then.
(See census table accompanying.)
In 1738 the population of New Jersey was 47,369 -- slaves 3,981.
1745 " " " " 61,403 -- Slaves 4,603.
1765. The New York "Post Boy," December 1765, estimates the number of whites and blacks capable of bearing arms in New Jersey then, at 20,000. The British authorities appear to have kept account of the men capable of bearing arms about this period, as they occasionally made calls or drafts for men. For instance, in 1757-8 during the old French war, in our State, soldiers were raised by draft to go North to meet the French. This draft operated with severity among Quakers, especially; many were forced into the ranks and marched North, but fortunately got into no battles.