Manuscript Group 1196, Hibernia Tract, Morris County, NJ Land Records, 1771 – 1888

Archives Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographs

Manuscript Group 1196, Hibernia Tract, Morris County, NJ

Land Records, 1771-1888, 0.25 linear feet / 1 folder

Call Number: MG 1196

Summary

• Administrative History

• Provenance Note

• Scope and Content Note

• Related Collections

• Item List

Summary:

Surveys, releases, deeds, maps, and other documents pertaining to the Hibernia Tract, Rockaway Borough, Morris County, New Jersey.  Many documents concern the Scott, Beach, Kitchel, Tuttle, Stickle, Van Winkle, and Eackley (Ackley) families, while others pertain to mining, specifically the location of the Boonton Iron Company, the Glendon Iron Company, and mine lots owned by Samuel S. Beach, Chilion Beach, and Theodore Wood.

Gift of Maude G. Stewart, date unknown.

Administrative History:

In 1753, Joshua Ball purchased a tract of land in Rockaway Township, New Jersey containing a rich vein of iron ore.  This land became known as the Hibernia Tract and a furnace located on it and erected in 1763 by Samuel Ford on the Whippany River, was known as the Hibernia Furnace (it was also called the Adventure Furnace).  The Hibernia Furnace played an important role in the American Revolution, supplying the Continental Army with iron for canons and canon balls.  Over the years, the furnace was owned by a number of men including William Alexander (Lord Stirling) and William Scott (1785-1838), the latter of whom purchased the furnace and surrounding land in 1821 and built a forge near the furnace dam.  Scott and his wife, Susan Dodd Scott (1789-1822), divided the land amongst their children including Elijah Scott (1810-1847) and his wife Jane E. Scott (1815-1849).  Benjamin Beach (1773-1838) and Elizabeth Beach (1776-1832) also purchased plots and their family became prominent in the Hibernia area.  In August 1880, Chilion Beach sold parcels of land to the School Trustees Board for the establishment of a local school building.  This settlement on tract lands eventually developed into today’s village of Hibernia.

Sources:

Charles S. Boyer, Early Forges and Furnaces in New Jersey (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania, 1931).

W. W. Murrell, History of Morris County, New Jersey (New York: W.W. Murrell, 1882).

Provenance Note:

This collection was the gift of Maude G. Stevens, date unknown.

Scope and Content Note:

This collection consists of one folder of surveys and maps pertaining to the Hibernia Tract and dating from 1785 to 1883.  The surveys and maps detail the numerous divisions of the tract, particularly among the Scott and Beach families and document the sale of land by Chilion Beach to the School Trustees Board.  The collection also contains notes describing various land deeds from 1771-1843 and detailing the measurements of parcels of tract land.

Related Collections:

Manuscript Group 249, Canfield-Dickerson Family Papers: Frederick Canfield worked for Hibernia Iron Mining Company and Glendon Iron Company

Manuscript Group 1018, Daughters of the American Revolution, Nova Caesaria Chapter Manuscript Collection: Includes correspondence from Charles Hoff, Jr. who managed the iron furnaces in Hibernia

Manuscript Group 1102, Roome-Lamscha-Harrison Family Land Surveys and Business Records: Includes surveys of Hibernia

Manuscript Group 1139, Scott Family (Elizabethtown, NJ) Papers

Manuscript Group 1219, Beach Family Papers

Item List:

Processed by James Lewis, February 2001 as part of the “Farm to City” project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

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