We continue our survey of Warren news from the Plainfield Union, the area's pioneer newspaper that much later became known as the Courier-News: January 3, l838: A Farm for Sale. Containing about 90 acres. Situate in the township of Warren, county of Somerset, N.J. bordering on the Passaic River four and a half miles north of Plainfield. On said farm is a good convenient Dwelling House, and a large new barn inclosed with pine and cedar. There is a good proportion of wood and timber on said farm with excellent meadow and plough land with a variety of fruit and a never fading stream of water running near the door. This farm may be bought at bargain and the terms accommodating, any persons wishing to view or purchase the farm will call on the subscriber in Plainfield. DAVID COON. Married, On Saturday evening last by Judge Terril of Somerset Mr. James Brown of Scotch Plains to Miss Eliza, daughter of William H. Armstrong of Mount Bethel. January 10, l838: Died, near Union Village, on Wednesday, 3d. inst., Jane, wife of David N. Ruckman, aged 34. Notice is hereby given that Application will be made to the next sitting of the Legislature in February next, for an act Incorporating a Mining Company, to be located near Plainfield, in the township of Warren, in the County of Somerset, with a capital of $100,000. FIRE.- The dwelling house of Mr. Jacob Shotwell, of Warren, about two miles from this village, was entirely consumed by fire on the afternoon of Monday last. The wind was high at the time, and before the engine which left this place had arrived there, it was too late to be of any service. Much of the contents of the house were also destroyed. We understand that there was no insurance. The loss is estimated from five to nine hundred dollars. May 15, l838: Married at Union Village on Sunday morning last by the Rev. Stephen Day, Israel Allen to Miss Ann Titus, all of Union Village. May 22, l838: Died at Mount Bethel, on Saturday evening, Mr. Reuben Moore, of palsy. June 5, l838: Take Notice. Whereas, Abner S. Coon, of the township of Warren, county of Somerset, and State of New Jersey, did on the eighth day of May, 1838, execute a deed of assignment, by which he conveyed all his estate both real and personal, to the subscriber, of the township aforesaid, in trust for the benefit of his creditors. Now therefore the said creditors are hereby notified that unless they present their claims to the subscriber under oath or affirmation within six months from the date of said assignment, according to an act of the Legislature, in such case made and provided, they will forever be debarred from a dividend in said estate, except as provided in and by the act aforesaid. JONATHAN CORY. July 17, l838: To Peter Pangborn, one of the Constables of [Somerset] County. You are commanded by me, Wm. D. Stuart, one of the Justices of the Peace, in and for said county, to summon David N. Ruckman if he may be found in the county aforesaid, to appear before me at Joel Pangborn's in the township of Warren in the said county, on Monday, the 16th day of July, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of that day, to answer unto Freeman Cole, assignee of Moses H. French, in a plea of debt, for fifty dollars, and this you are not to omit. Witness my hand and seal this 9th day of July, l838. WM. D. STUART, Justice of the Peace. July 24, l838: $10 Reward. Stray Colt. Strayed from the Subscriber at Union Village about 3 weeks ago, a Light bay or Sorrel Mare Colt 3 years old last spring. Mane and tail black, no white on her. She was seen June 23d near Bound Brook. The above reward will be given for her delivery at Stone Mills, near Plainfield, or at Plainfield, and all reasonable charges paid. DAVID A. FRENCH. Stone Mills. October 9, l838: Married in Warren, on Thursday afternoon last, 4th inst. by the Rev. D. T. Hill, Mr. Alfred Berry, merchant of Plainfield, to Miss Ann Shotwell of Warren. November 6, l838: Died. In Warren, near Union Village, on Sunday, 28th Oct. Mr. David French, aged 93 years. November 20, l838: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That application will be made to the present session of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey for an act making a new County, to comprise the township of Warren in Somerset county, and the lower skirt of Bernard township in said county, and of the townships of Westfield, Rahway and New Providence in Essex County, and the north western skirt of the townships of Piscataway and Woodbridge, in Middlesex county, and Long Hill, in Morris county. Plainfield, Nov. 5th, l838. NEW COUNTY. Agreeably to the proceedings of the meeting at Scotch Plains, published in our last paper, hand-bills were printed inviting the inhabitants of the region described in the above notice, to meet on Monday afternoon of last week, the 12th inst. at Mr. Jacob Thorn's tavern, in Plainfield. The meeting was large and respectable, and the attendance was pretty general from the several townships proposed to be included in its boundaries. As to the propriety of endeavoring to obtain the act referred to, there was hardly a dissenting voice, among the many assembled. The proceedings follow: At a meeting held this 12th of November, l838, to take into consideration the propriety of applying to the present Legislature to erect a New County according to the limits proposed in the handbill calling the meeting: Dr. Elias Runyon was chosen Chairman, and John Wilson chosen Secretary. lst - It was Resolved - That it is expedient to proceed to take the necessary measures to obtain the New County as above referred to - to be called the county of Washington. 2d - Resolved - That a committee of seven persons be appointed to make a survey and map of the proposed New County, with an estimate of the number of inhabitants it will contain, and that a Committee of five be appointed to nominate the above committee of seven, and also to present an estimate of the sum necessary to be raised to meet all expenses, - the committee of five to be John W. Craig, Zachariah Webster, Martin Runyon, Joseph Ludlow, and Abr. Runyon. The committee of five reported as the committee of seven, Daniel Shotwell, Ezra Wilcox, Noah Drake, David Dunn, Jacob Platt, E. Y. Rogers and Z. Webster - and two hundred dollars as the sum necessary to be raised; which report was approved by the meeting and adopted. 3d. - Resolved - That Z. Webster, Elisha Runyon, and Alfred Berry be a committee to circulate a subscription to raise the necessary funds.... The Rahway Herald, in speaking of the application of the people in this region for a new county, says: "We always like to be the first in the market, if we don't buy anything - therefore would merely suggest, that the new county, should the Legislature pass favorably upon it, be called Clark County, in honor of Abraham Clark, one of the signers of the declaration of independence, whose remains now repose 'unhonored and unsung' in a 'corner' of Essex county." The editor of the Herald will perceive by the proceedings of the meeting that "Washington" is the name agreed on, in honor of the Father of his county, who was in the proposed county, in the Revolution. It is not too late, however, to give it another name, if it should be thought advisable. The only objection we have to the name "Washington," is that there are already so many counties, cities and towns of that name in the United States, that, ere long, we shall hardly be able to distinguish one place from another. [Ed. Note: In l838, Westfield, Rahway, New Providence and Plainfield, then still part of Westfield township, were part of Essex County. Not until 1857 did Essex County's lower townships gain enough political clout to form their own county. Interestingly, when Union County was established, it did not include any part of Somerset, Morris or Middlesex counties, as this proposal did. The only identifiable Warren name involved in the Washington County proposal is Noah Drake, who presumably lived in that part of Warren which became North Plainfield in l872 and is now Watchung.] December 18, l838: Married on the lst inst., Mr. Isaac Chandler, of Bridgewater, to Miss Jane Pennington of Warren. |