A paper read by Franklin W. Earl, Esq., of Pemberton, N.J., before the Surveyor's Association of West New Jersey, August 13th, 1867.

Gentlemen of the Surveyors' Association of West New Jersey:

Having been appointed to read before you a paper showing some of the early settlers and settlements of Burlington county, I will now submit the following:

"Thomas Budd, who owned a share of Propriety in West New Jersey and ancestor to a large family, arrived at Burlington, N.J., in the year 1668; and after remaining in the country for a few years returned to London for his family, with which he came again to Burlington in 1678, and came also with him his brothers, William, John and James, with their families, which were numerous, amounting to some twenty-five souls in all. Being men of sterling integrity and good business habits, they were soon engaged in pursuits of industry which inured to them good profits, and they were able to locate lands and hold a sufficiency of them during life to leave their children large tracts for their future enjoyment and benefit."

John Budd, one of the brothers, early after his arrival at Burlington, removed to Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, and engaged himself in mercantile business there, and at his death, which occurred prior to 1738, left three sons, Samuel, John and George. Of James Budd, another brother, but little is known by this writer: except at his death, which occurred in 1738; he left several children, his oldest son being named William.

William Budd, another brother, settled in the county of Burlington, and was a large locator of land in that county; and, although one of the early pioneers of West Jersey, his name stands less conspicuous in early history than his brother Thomas, from the fact of his not associating in the public affairs of the Colony. He died in 1707, leaving four sons and two daughters, who also married and settled in said county, and whose descendants are now among the most numerous and respectable in West Jersey.

Thomas Budd, the oldest of the four brothers, held many important trusts in the Province: and on the ninth day of November, 1681, when the first form of government was established by the Proprietors, Samuel Jennings was elected as their Governor, and Thomas Budd, with others, was selected to assist the Governor to establish a code of laws suitable to the maintenance of tranquility in the then wild forests of West Jersey.

Besides assisting in establishing a form of government for the Colony, Thomas Budd entered into the mercantile business in Burlington and continued there until the year 1690, when he, too, removed to Philadelphia and continued his business as a merchant until his death.

In the religious controversy between George Keith, and the Quakers, Thomas Budd sided with Keith, and went to England with him to attend the yearly meeting of Friends in London, where the difficulty was taken to seek a final adjustment; which ended in Keith's separation and taking with him many proselytes over to the Church of England.

The Indian titles had been extinguished within what is now known as Burlington county by the Proprietors, for all lands north of the Rancocas and between it and the Assanpink, from the mouths to the head waters of the same two streams, by deed bearing date October 10, 1677; and south of the Rancocas and between it and Timber creek by deed dated September 10, 1677.

The title, then, of the Indians, had been extinguished over three years when the Proprietors appointed their Governor and established their laws, which made it necessary to fix and establish some form (although a rude one) of government so as to better restrain not only the Indians, but the new settlers who continued to arrive with each returning year.

And let me here remark that it would have been well if the Propietors, until the present time, had lived up to the Seventh Rule, then adopted, which required "That all lands be laid out on straight lines, that no vacancy be left between lands, but that they join one seat to another."

Identical, then, with the early history of West New Jersey, we find that the name of Thomas Budd was conspicuous. For many years he filled offices of important trusts, being often appointed to confer with the Indian tribes for the purchase of their lands, and make treaties with them for the suppression of intemperance, which had become a curse not only to the Indians but to the settlers themselves, with whom they had to live in close proximity; often causing most serious quarrels, which not unfrequently led to bloodshed.

Thomas Budd was chosen as one of the Governor's privy council, appointed a justice of the peace for Burlington county, and commissioner for examining titles and instructing surveyors how to run out and take up land heretofore purchased of the Indians.

Burlington county was established as early as 1677, but more definitely bounded and described in the year 1708, and one of the towns then existing in fact, as well as in name, was the town of "Hampton Hanover" (now Pemberton), the subject of this sketch. "Hampton Hanover" was situated then, as now, on the main north branch of Rancocas creek, about six miles east of Mount Holly, then known by the name of "Bridgeton.”

The name "Hampton Hanover" was, no doubt, given the place from the fact that the creek was the dividing line between the township of Northampton on the south and Hanover on the north; and the town being located on both sides of the stream, as a matter of compromise the town was named after both townships.

This same name was retained until the year 1752, when David Budd (the third grandson of William Budd the first), Robert Smith, Daniel Smith, and Patrick Reynolds, as partners, built a grist mill and saw mill on the creek just below the bridge and on or near the site of the one now standing there.

Previously to 1752, there was a grist mill on what is called Budd's run, a small stream of water running near by east and west for some half a mile on the north side of the town before it empties into the main creek.

The old mill stood about one-quarter of a mile east of where the present road now crosses the stream. This, no doubt, had gone into decay, hence the name of "Hampton Hanover" was changed to "New Mills.”

In 1787, the present place of "New Mills" was laid off in town lots, was run and made by Daniel Smith, Jr., and the plan is now in Pemberton, preserved as a relic of those early times; although a portion of the town had been laid off prior to that time, which was near to and adjoining the mill.

Associated with the name of "Hampton Hanover” should be the names of Thomas and William Budd, as they, two brothers, were the original Proprietors and locators of the land now occupied by the town, and east and west of the same for from two to three miles, and under these two men must all the present owners derive their first title to their homes.

In 1693, Thomas Budd located a tract of land beginning near where the present road crosses the main north branch of Rancocas creek, at Pemberton, and running northwardly almost as the road now runs, as far as Juliustown, covering the east end of the mount at that place then called "Mount Pisgah," and embracing all the land from the main street in Pemberton easterly for one and three-quarter miles up said creek, and adjoining to lands of his brother William, both on the east and west.

William Budd located at the same time five hundred acres on the east and five hundred acres on the west of his brother Thomas' survey.

As I have before stated, Thomas Budd removed to Philadelphia in 1690, and was a merchant there in 1693, when this land was located by his deputy surveyor, Daniel Leeds, for him, he being the owner of proprietary rights, and in this instance placing them on some of the best land in Burlington county.

Thomas Budd's will bears date September 9, 1697, dated in Philadelphia, wherein he bequeathed to his son, Thomas Budd, "the new dwelling house" his son then lived in, nearest the dock, and to his daughter, Mary Budd, and his daughter Rose Budd, one hundred pounds each, with all the rest and remainder of his property to his widow, Susanna Budd, leaving his widow and his oldest son John, executors.

In March, 1698, John Budd renounced the executorship, and Susanna (the widow), proved the will and took possession of his effects.

The oldest daughter Mary, married Dr. John Gosling, who resided in the city of Burlington. The issue of this marriage was one son, John, and from whom the family of that name in these parts have come.

In view of his going to the Island of Barbadoes in 1685 John (the father) executed his will, and from which voyage he never returned.

The widow Mary, subsequently married Francis Collins, who removed from Gloucester county and resided with her in Burlington county.

The children of this marriage were John, who married Elizabeth Moore; Francis married Elizabeth ______; Mary married Thomas Kendall, and Samuel. The direct and collateral branches of this family are numerous in Burlington county and through West Jersey.

In September 1699 Susanna Budd by her deputy, Thomas Gardiner, the Surveyor General, resurveyed the above named tract of land on the east side of Pemberton, and found it to contain 2000 acres, and on the eleventh day of July, 1701, she sold the land to John Garwood and Restore Lippincott, who soon after made division of the same, John Garwood taking the north end and Restore Lippincott taking the south end, and which now embraces the easterly part of the town of "Hampton Hanover," or Pemberton.

William Budd devised his 500 acres on the east side of Thomas Budd's 2,000 acres, to his daughter Ann, who married James Bingham, who conveyed the same after a resurvey thereof to Peter Bard by two deeds of conveyance, one of which bears date January 14, 1722, for 550 acres, and the other bears date June 10, 1723, and conveys 430 acres, making in all 980 acres sold by James Bingham and wife to Peter Bard.

William Budd located the land on the west side of the Main street of Pemberton. November 2, 1683, which land he devised to his sons William, Thomas, John and James.

This survey extends with Thomas Budd's to "Mount Pisgah," and along the Indian purchase embracing 500 acres of the same, but most likely covered three times that number of acres.

As early as the year 1699 I find the name of "Hampton Hanover" marked upon an old plan of the town, but well preserved, embracing all of William and Thomas Budd's land in around Pemberton. The lands on the south side of Rancocas creek at Pemberton were located for Lady Rhoads, Samuel Barker and Thomas Wright, in October 1693, by Daniel Leeds, deputy surveyor, extending nearly from the north to the south branches of the Rancocas, one survey containing 3,120 acres and the other 1,200 acres, covering as did Thomas and William Budd's surveys on the north, some of the best agricultural districts in the State.

William Budd about the same time located land on the south side of the north branch of Rancocas, which he conveyed to John Woolston, one of the first settlers in Burlington county, and who arrived at Burlington in 1677. John Woolston married Hannah Cooper, a daughter of William Cooper in 1681, and died in 1713, without making any will, and under the laws then existing in the colony his oldest son John, inherited all his real estate.

He however left two other sons, Joshua and Michael, most probably children by his first wife; as John Woolston was married in 1684 to Eliza Borton, then only three years after his father married Hannah Cooper.

John Woolston conveyed to his brother Michael part of the above land inherited from his father, and which embraces most of the land between Pemberton and Birmingham Mills, on the south side of Rancocas creek, containing about 700 acres.

Joshua Woolston the son of John was never married, and sold his land to his brother Michael, April 15, 1726.

Michael Woolston died 1753, leaving five children, three sons and two daughters, Joseph, Joshua, Brazilla. Letitia, who married Isaac Hinchman, and Ann, who married Levi Briggs. But let me return to my subject, "Pemberton and its early history!"

William Budd the oldest son of William (the first) was devised by his father, the lands on the west side of Pemberton, being part of the 500 acres surveyed to his father in 1693, and in the year 1723 died, leaving the following issue: Thomas, William, David, Susanna, Rebecca, Abigail, Elizabeth, Anna and Mary. Thomas married Rebecca Atkinson in 1723; William married Susanna Cole, (daughter of Samuel Cole, of Gloucester county,) in 1728; David married Catharine ______; Susanna married Jacob Gaskill in 1725; Anna married Kendall Cole in 1744; and Mary married ______Shinn.

William Budd devised to his son David his land on the west side of the Main street where the present mill now stands, and he David Budd by separate deed, dated December 1st, 1752, conveyed to Patrick Reynolds (a millwright,) Robert Smith and Daniel Smith, each one-quarter of a quantity of land, sufficient for the erection of a grist mill and saw mill, together with some town lots and other privileges, retaining one-quarter part for himself, by whom the mills were built; which bounds as described by David Budd are in three deeds, and still retained at the old mill seat.

From that time forward the town of "Hampton Hanover" continued to improve, and the name of "New Mills" was by common consent substituted for the old title.

Patrick Reynolds, who owned one-fourth and built the mills at Pemberton in 1752, was a native of Ireland, and a resident of "Bridgeton" at that time. His son Thomas held a colonel's commission during the Revolutionary war; his first wife being Mary Brian, widow of Jacob, she being an heiress, the daughter of John Ritchie, a merchant of Aberdeen, in Scotland, and Ann, his wife.

Ann Ritchie, the mother of Mary Reynolds, was the niece, and one of the residuary legatees of George Willock, also a native of Scotland, who settled at Perth Amboy, was one of the early proprietors of East Jersey, and located many tracts of valuable land. At the death of Ann Ritchie, the title to all her valuable tracts of land passed by descent to her three daughters. Magdaline, who married John Leonard; Elizabeth, who married James Laurence; and Mary, who married Jacob Brian, and at his death married Thomas Reynolds.

After the death of Mary Reynolds (by whom there was no issue), Thomas Reynolds married Elizabeth Budd, the only daughter of David Budd, who was a large land-holder, and owned one-quarter of the "New Mills." By this last wife Thomas Reynolds had two daughters — Catharine, who married Smith S. Osborn, and Antice who married John Lacy.

At the time of the Revolutionary war there were three brothers and one sister named "Pemberton,” residents of the colony of Pennsylvania. John, Israel, James, and Mary, who married John Kirkbride. The three brothers were all wealthy and influential citizens of Philadelphia, members of the Society of Friends, and occupying high positions in that Society.

Their grandfather, Phineas Pemberon, a prominent member of the Society of Friends also, emigrated from a place called Aspul, in Lancashire, England, soon after William Penn obtained his charter for Pennsylvania, and located a tract of land on which he settled in Buck's county, adjoining Pennsbury Manor, nearly opposite and little below Bordentown, where William Penn was frequently entertained before he built his Manor house at Pennsbury Manor.

John Pemberton was a Public Friend, and died at Pyremount, Germany, in 1795, while on a religious visit to Europe.

Israel Pemberton, another brother, resided, I think, in Philadelphia, and was an extensive locator of land in some of the lower counties of this State; particularly in Gloucester, now Camden and Atlantic counties. His surveys were principally made between 1739 and 1767. Some surveys were also made in the name of his sister, Mary Kirkbride, generally near those made to her brother Israel.

John C. Pemberton, the Rebel General. who commanded the Confederate forces at Vicksburg, where he surrendered to General Grant's greatly superior forces, July 4, 1863, was a native of Philadelphia, and a grandson of one of the brothers of John or Israel Pemberton, before named.

James Pemberton, the last of the three brothers, was also a Public Friend, and one of the largest shipping merchants in Philadelphia. He first married Sarah, a daughter of Daniel Smith, of Burlington, (by whom I think there was no issue,) and after her death, which occurred about 1770, he married ______ Phoebe. He deceased in Philadelphia in 1809, aged 85 years, leaving two daughters, one of whom married Anthony Morris, of Washington City, D.C.

Daniel Smith's will bearing date November 24, 1768, in which he gives to his daughter Sarah, wife of James Pemberton, thirty-five tracts of land, mostly in Burlington county, one of which was 10 1/4 acres in the village of "New Mills," which he purchased of Robert Smith in May 1757, which piece of land embraced a large portion of the three village lots, and James Pemberton securing through his wife Sarah, the fee to all those several tracts of land, sold the lots in Pemberton to sundry persons under ground rent deed, by which many of said lots are held until the present time.

In the autumn of 1826, some of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of "New Mills," conceived that it would be advantageous to the place to have the village incorporated and accordingly made application to the Legislature for an act for that purpose entitled, "An act to incorporate the village of 'New Mills' into a borough by the name of the Borough of Pemberton,” which name was selected at a public meeting of the inhabitants out of respect for and in honor of James Pemberton, above named.

"Pemberton" then has had an existence for one hundred and seventy-seven years. For sixty-two years it was called "Hampton Hanover." For seventy-four years it passed by the name of "New Mills," and for the last forty-one years it has been incorporated as the "Borough of Pemberton," which act has date December 15, 1826.

As a matter of curiosity to some of our younger members, I will read a copy of an old return of a public road leading from Pemberton to the Delaware river, as laid out by surveyors one hundred and fifty-five years ago:

"DECEMBER 30 and 31, 1712."

"Then laid out one public common highway of four rods in breadth, beginning at John Garwood's land; thence as the path goes by James Shinn's; thence as the path goes to a run of water by the corner of William Budd's fence; thence through the fenced land in the old path to Thomas Atkinson's; thence along the path by Josiah Gaskill's; thence as the path goes to Josiah Southwick's and Edward Gaskill's; thence along the path as it is marked to Thomas Bryan's fence: thence as it is marked over a corner of Thomas Bryan's field and along as it is marked over a corner of Lydia Horner's field; thence along by Thomas Bryan's ditch; thence as it is marked to pine swamp; thence along the path as it is marked to a run of water by Revel Elton's field; thence as it is marked over said field and over a corner of George Bliss's field, and a little field in Joseph Devonish's land till it meets the old path; then along the same, as it is marked, to the westernmost side of John Wills' land; thence along the old path, and as it is marked in the township of Willingboro to the Salem road; thence along the same over the bridge to the upland; thence as it is marked by Ralph Cowgill's house; thence as it is marked to Ferry Point. Laid out by us the day and year above written.

Thomas Raper, Joshua Humphries, John Wills, Commissioners."