\u201a\u00c4\u00faThere is something in a village celebration of great events, that has a character peculiar to itself.\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 Charles George, editor of the Hunterdon Gazette, July 5, 1826.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Fourth of July for 1826 was a major event in Hunterdon County. It was the 50th<\/sup> anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I took note of the occasion in these articles: The Jubilee of 1826, parts one<\/u><\/a> and two<\/u><\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n The outpouring of patriotic fervor shown that year was remarkable and was never quite duplicated in succeeding years. Fortunately, we have the Hunterdon Gazette to provide a description of these events for the late 1820s and 1830s. (The Hunterdon Democrat did not begin publication until September 1838.)1<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps in a reaction to the fervent celebrations of the year before, the events of 1827 were somewhat subdued, as reported in the Gazette on July 11th<\/sup>:<\/p>\n The Fourth of July was celebrated in this place without much parade. At 11 o’clock the procession was formed opposite the Court House, and then moved to the Presbyterian Church. Standard borne by Mr. Isaac Rounsavell. Music, by the band attached to the company of Capt. John Aller. After the Declaration of Independence was read, an able an[d] instructive sermon, was delivered by the Rev. John F. Clark, in Behalf of the American Colonization Society. At the close of the exercise, 24 rounds of artillery announced the conclusion of the celebration. It was a subject of general remark, that the proficiency of the Band of Music, was only equaled by the courtesy with which they entertained us.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It would unfair to compare present day celebrations with those of the early 19th<\/sup> century. People relied much more on speeches and actually listened to a reading of the entire Declaration of Independence. (It\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s hard not to wonder how many people will listen to the Declaration being read this year\u201a\u00c4\u00eepossibly many more than last year.)<\/span><\/p>\n Also keep in mind that the roads were unpaved, even the most heavily traveled, which meant when the weather was bad, the roads were muck, and when it was good, which it usually was in July, the roads were horribly dusty. People were used to them, of course. There were no complaints in the Gazette.<\/span><\/p>\n Right: \u201a\u00c4\u00faTh\u221a\u00a9odore Joseph Jonet and his daughters,\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 by Franois Joseph Navez 1832<\/em><\/p>\n The first order of business on the Fourth of July was always a parade. In 1827 it was described as \u201a\u00c4\u00fathe Military and Civil Procession,\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 which in Flemington always began at the Court House. That is where people assembled before marching down Main Street to the Presbyterian Church.<\/span><\/p>\n The procession was almost always led by the local military brigade, since they had the best form and could set the proper pace. These brigades were voluntary organizations. They would hold annual \u201a\u00c4\u00faencampments\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 to elect officers for the coming year and train the soldiers. These events were usually held on someone\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s farm, usually around the Fourth of July, so the assembled brigades would be available for some parading, and for some gunfire. Salutes to the 13 original colonies and to the brave veterans of the Revolution required the firing of guns. They were also often fired during speeches, for purposes of punctuation.<\/span><\/p>\n MILITARY ENCAMPMENT.<\/p>\n The Military Encampment under the command of Adj. Gen’rl Z. [Zachariah] Rossell, to be held near Trenton, will commence on Monday the 2d of July, and continue during the week. It has been the intention of the Committee to forward a Circular, inviting each Volunteer Corps of this State, and of the adjoining States to participate in the parade; and they therefore desire it to be understood as a general invitation. The facilities of travel to and from Trenton being such as to warrant the belief that there will be a very large assemblage of the Military, \u201a\u00c4\u00ec it is earnestly desired by the committee, that those who purpose [sic] attending will notify them at the earliest period, to enable them to make suitable preparations for their reception. All necessary camp equipage will be furnished to such, and no trouble or expense attached thereto. The Committee are now enabled to say, that during the stay of the Military in the Encampment, the price of subsistence will not exceed 75 cents pr. day, each man, and will probably be something less. Every necessary arrangement can be made at any day previous to the 10th of June, by addressing this committee, who promptly and cheerfully respond to any enquiries that may be made. Signed by the Committee of Arrangement.\u00ac\u2020 Gazette, 1838 May 23.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Here is one of the resolutions passed by the Committee of Arrangements for the county event to be held at Ringoes that year:<\/span><\/p>\n Whereas, the Military troops having signified their determination, by vote taken at general training, to volunteer their services on that day \u201a\u00c4\u00ec Therefore, resolved, that we do most cordially solicit them to equip for the occasion.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Although one expects most 4th<\/sup> of July parades to take place at the county seat in Flemington (how appropriate to begin at the court house), in fact, most celebrations seem to have taken place elsewhere, at least the ones reported on. As mentioned before, in 1827 the parade was in Flemington, but in 1828 one event was held at Locktown with a reception afterwards at the inn of Benjamin Hyde, and another in Lambertville, where festivities began with the firing of cannon at sunrise. In 1829, the parade returned to Flemington with dinner at Peter Smick\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s hotel (formerly Bonnell\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s hotel). In 1830, the only event reported on took place in Lambertville. In 1831, events were held in Lambertville and Clinton, as well as a gathering south of Flemington near Copper Hill:<\/span><\/p>\n THE FOURTH OF JULY was celebrated in this vicinity in a manner at once novel and interesting. Agreeably to previous arrangement, a considerable number of Sunday school children, with their teachers, parents and others, assembled on the banks of the Shannock, near Mr. Kuhl’s mill, about three miles below this place, where seats were provided for their accommodations. The day was fine, the situation shady and pleasant. About 11 o’clock the services were commenced by singing and prayer \u201a\u00c4\u00ec after which several addresses were delivered, appropriate to the occasion, by ministers and others present, to a large and attentive audience. The exercises were solemn, interesting, and edifying. Between three and four o’clock in the afternoon the assembly disbursed, apparently well satisfied with the manner in which they had celebrated the anniversary of our national independence.2<\/a><\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The gazette had nothing to say about July 4th<\/sup> in 1832 and 1833, but in 1834, an event was held at the House of George Stull, innkeeper, in the township of Alexandria (Frenchtown). Stull had this notice published in the Gazette:<\/p>\n The officers and privates of the enterprising company of Artillery, chiefly composed of the young men of the township of Bethlehem, will assemble at an early hour of the day, at which time and place all the usual formalities of the Celebration of that ever memorable day will be performed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In 1835, the county celebrated at Clover Hill and Mount Pleasant. In 1836, New Hope and Lambertville shared the festivities. In 1837, the only event reported on took place near Kuhl\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s Mills. I mentioned above that in 1838 Ringoes was the place for the biggest celebration. In 1839 it took place at Little York, but nothing was reported for 1840.<\/p>\n No matter where the event was held, the destination of the parade was almost always a church. There the gathering heard a reading of the Declaration of Independence followed by a sermon given by the local minister, and then an Oration provided by an invited guest speaker. The church choir often made its own contribution to the event, as did the Sunday School students. <\/span><\/p>\n I will note that the churches were usually Presbyterian, being probably the most popular church at the time, but no doubt Baptists and Methodists had their share of celebrations. <\/span><\/p>\n Following the session at the church, the parade reassembled and marched to the local inn or, if the weather was good, to a grove where tables were set up outside and a large \u201a\u00c4\u00farepast\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 was served\u201a\u00c4\u00eeand I mean large; in 1835 the innkeeper served 300 people.<\/span><\/p>\n It is hard to say how consistent the festivities were from year to year. Some years seemed to have nothing going on at all, if one relies entirely on what the newspaper reported. I am certain that is not the case. On the other hand, some years got quite a lot of attention. The two ceremonies at Clover Hill and Mount Pleasant in 1835 are good examples.<\/span><\/p>\n In Clover Hill things started early. At dawn, thirteen rounds were shot off (for the 13 states of course\u201a\u00c4\u00eecan you name them?).3<\/a><\/sup> Then at 10 a.m., the \u201a\u00c4\u00fainhabitants\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 formed \u201a\u00c4\u00faa procession to proceed to the church.\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 At the church, the assembly heard a sermon, an oration, some music, etc., and afterwards the group processed to \u201a\u00c4\u00fathe orchard\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 where they enjoyed a meal catered by Col. Abraham R. Sutphin. The Committee of Arrangements had announced the program on June 17th<\/sup>, observing that \u201a\u00c4\u00fathey trust from the well-known character of this gentleman on similar occasions, nothing further need be said in a recommendatory point of view.\u201a\u00c4\u00f9<\/span><\/p>\n The Gazette was so enchanted with the proceedings in Mount Pleasant (or its reporter was) that it included a description of the order of the parade:<\/span><\/p>\n 1, The Marshal and Assistant Marshal, mounted. How, one wonders, was \u201a\u00c4\u00fathe cap of liberty\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 carried in the parade? And why 24 ladies? In 1835, there were only 24 states. No new state was admitted until 1836 (Arkansas) and 1837 (Michigan). The ladies were all dressed in white, as that was the practice. Next in the parade came: <\/span><\/p>\n 7, The Choir. This particular event was an exception to the rule: the gathering did not end up at the church but instead at a grove opposite the church, where more guns were fired and \u201a\u00c4\u00faexercises\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 were begun, in this order:<\/p>\n 1, Music. This being the 1830s, and the 4th<\/sup> of July being a major holiday, we can assume that a lot of alcohol was consumed. That was certainly the case in New York, which we know from Diary of America<\/em> written by a visiting Englishman, Frederick Maryatt, in 1839. After recovering from the day\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s festivities, Maryatt reflected that<\/p>\n There is something grand in the idea of a national intoxication. In this world, vices on a grand scale dilate into virtues; he who murders one man, is strung up with ignominy; but he who murders twenty thousand has a statue to his memory, and is handed down to posterity as a hero. A staggering individual is a laughable and, sometimes, a disgusting spectacle; but the whole of a vast continent reeling, offering a holocaust of its brains for mercies vouchsafed, is an appropriate tribute of gratitude for the rights of equality and the levelling spirit of their institutions.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Something about that paragraph makes me think Maryatt was inclined to favor the temperance movement which was getting started at this time. I also \u00ac\u2020suspect that drunkenness was not unknown in Hunterdon County, as suggested in this item concerning the 1835 celebration at Clover Hill:<\/p>\n It is worthy of remark, that the best feelings pervaded the assemblage, and that no accident whatever occurred to mar the festivities of the day.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201a\u00c4\u00f2Accident\u201a\u00c4\u00f4 is a nice euphemism. At the 1836 event in Lambertville it was noted that:<\/p>\n The intervals between the toasts were filled up by songs suited to the occasion from several amateurs present, and at 5 P. M. the company separated, mutually gratified, and mutually resolved to hold in grateful remembrance, the celebration of the 4th of July 1836. R. [Robert] M. Foust, Sec\u201a\u00c4\u00f4y.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n At Clinton in 1831<\/p>\n . . . At 5 o’clock the company separated, well pleased with their entertainment, and with each other. \u201a\u00c4\u00ec not the slightest accident occurred to diminish the innocent pleasures of the day, and so far as the notice of the writer of this article extended, not a single drunken man polluted the scene with his presence.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Way It Was Done<\/h3>\n
Parades, Receptions and Dinners<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodspeedhistories.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/1830s-family-copy.png\")
<\/a>People certainly dressed differently in the 1830s. This was pre-Victorian times, which meant that ladies\u201a\u00c4\u00f4 costumes were moving away from the Grecian simplicity of the Jane Austin period to more elaborate outfits with enormously puffed sleeves. And the same is true for the men whose jackets were developing enormous collars.<\/span><\/p>\nParades<\/span><\/h3>\n
The Military on July 4th<\/sup><\/span><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodspeedhistories.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Encampment-copy.jpg\")
<\/a><\/em>The painting above was made about 15 years earlier but gives a flavor of the high spirits found at these military encampments, especially around July 4th<\/sup>.\u00ac\u2020Here is a notice given for the encampment of 1838:<\/p>\n\n
Locations<\/span><\/h4>\n
The Church<\/span><\/h4>\n
The Dinner<\/span><\/h4>\n
Celebrating in 1835:<\/span><\/h4>\n
\n2, Capt. M. H. Duckworth\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s 1st Independent Troop of Horse Artillery of Hunterdon Brigade, on foot.
\n3, Music by the Mount Pleasant Band.
\n4, Standard-bearer and bearer of the Cap of Liberty.
\n5, Revolutionary Soldiers.
\n6, Twenty-four Ladies.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n8, Orator of the day, and Reader of the Declaration of Independence.
\n9, Committee of Toasts.
\n10, Committee of Arrangements. [And last but not least]
\n11, Citizens<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n2, Reading of the Declaration of Independence, by William A. Huff, Esq.
\n3, Singing by the choir.
\n4, Oration delivered by Isaac Johnston.
\n5, Ode by the choir.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nDrunkenness<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodspeedhistories.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Fireworks-copy-535x423.jpg\")
<\/a>Fireworks<\/span><\/h4>\n