[CHURCHES.]
The Bergen Church had made an effort to start a branch at Jersey City, but the first successful church society was that of St. Mathew's Episcopal Church which was organized August 21, 1808. The services were held for several years in the school building. October 22, 1831, the corner stone of the church was laid on Sussex, between Washington and Warren streets; the building was consecrated November 26, 1835. The first Presbyterian society in Jersey City was founded in 1809 and held services in the Jersey Academy. The first Presbyterian Church was organized December 15th, 1825. The Particular Baptist Church of Jersey City and Harsimus was organized March 11, 1839. The building is still standing on the west side of Barrow street, between Newark and Railroad avenues. Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1836. It is said that the first Catholic services in Jersey City were held for the French potters that were brought over to make porcelain, but the Roman Catholics of New Jersey were under the jurisdiction of the diocese of New York until October 30th, 1853, when the diocese of New Jersey was created. St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, begun in 1831, opened for service in 1837, stood on the site now occupied by St. Aloysius Academy. The second and present building is on the northeast corner of Grand and Van Vorst streets. This parish has been in possession of the Jesuit Fathers since April 13, 1871. The Tabernacle Church, the first successful Congregational Church in Jersey City, was organized in 1858; it is situated on the southeast corner of Henderson and York streets and is noted among other things for its "People's Palace" and good work among the poor of the parish. From 1853 until 1859 there was an Unitarian church on the southeast corner of Grove and Montgomery streets. The pastor, Rev. O. B. Frothingham, was a very talented man and popular lecturer, but soon after he left the society disbanded. As early as 1852 attempts were made to organize an Universalist Church, but none were successful until 1872, when the First Universalist Church of Jersey City was incorporated. There are now nearly one hundred churches of the various denominations in the city.
[BUSINESS INTERESTS.]
1824 saw the opening of Dummer's Glass Works on Communipaw Cove, west of Washington street and south of Morris Canal. The site is now occupied by the sugar house. The flint glass of these works, started in 1824, has never been excelled. In 1825 the Jersey Porcelain and Earthen Ware Company was incorporated in the Town of Jersey, County of Bergen. Under the Act of Legislature George Dummer, Timothy Dewey, Henry Post, Jr., William W. Shirley and Robert Abbatt, Jr., were named as incorporators. In 1826, at the exhibition of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, a silver medal was awarded to this pottery for the "best china from American materials." This pottery is exceedingly interesting from the fact that it was the pioneer in America along several lines; it was the first to manufacture porcelain, for which French workmen had been brought over. For three years they manufactured porcelain of good body and excellent glaze. About 1829 Messrs. D. and J. Henderson bought the works and manufactured flint stone ware of superior quality.
In 1833 David Henderson organized the "American Pottery Manufacturing Company," for the purpose of manufacturing various kinds of pottery. By Act of Assembly of January 18th, 1833, the following commissioners were appointed to solicit stock subscriptions: David Henderson, John V. B. Varick, Robert Gilchrist, J. Dickinson Miller, of Jersey City, and Edward Cook, George Tingle and J. Steele, of New York. During the seven years following there was made at this pottery the first successful competition with England in the manufacture of a buff or cream colored ware of excellent quality, and for the first time in America was adopted the English method of printing transfer in decoration. During the Presidential campaign of 1840 there was made here a large eight-sided water pitcher of cream colored ware; on the four front panels were black under glaze prints of a log cabin above the legend "The Ohio Farmer," and below a portrait bust of W. H. Harrison, with the American Eagle. The mark on the bottom in black under glaze was a flag with the inscription, "American Pottery Manufacturing Company, Jersey City."
In Jennie Young's "Ceramic Art" it is said that at the old Jersey City Pottery the "throwing and turning of earthenware upon the English principle was first performed in America by William and James Taylor." About this time Daniel Greatback, a member of a family of noted English potters, and at one time a modeller for the Ridgeways of Cauldron place, England, came to this factory and designed many ornamental pieces. For its first embossed ware the factory received a medal from the Franklin Institute. One style, a spittoon, was of a glazed white ware with raised white figures on a blue ground, the upper surface fluted and solid blue. About 1850 the name was changed to "The Jersey City Pottery." Many of the best potters in the United States learned their trade here. After several changes, Mr. John Rouse and Mr. Nathaniel Turner became proprietors of the pottery. Mr. Rouse came from the Derby works, England, and Mr. Turner from the Staffordshire potteries at Tunstall, England. They made porous cups for telegraphic purposes and many ornamental forms in white biscuit and glazed ivory white for decorators. One of the most graceful forms was the Worcester vase, a reproduction of an old pattern at the Worcester works in England. Among others were four different sizes and varieties of Toby jugs, a pitcher with rope and anchor design, a figure of Christ, and Apostle jug; some, if not all, designs of Greatback. On many of the wares portraits were modelled in relief, that of Daniel O'Connell was among the best. The pottery property was sold in 1892 and the old buildings destroyed. It is said that many priceless old moulds were thrown out upon the meadows and broken up. Mr. John O. Rouse still manufactures porous cups within two blocks of the site of the old pottery.
Previous to 1829 there were but few manufacturing interests in Jersey City. In that year several factories were established here, and since 1840 they have steadily increased until they are now so extended and varied, that in a sketch of this limited character they can only be lightly touched upon. While many business firms began here, others have removed to this city from other places; notably the Lorillard Tobacco Factory, which, started in New York in 1760, has grown to be the largest of its kind in the country. It is also a leading company in its care for the three thousand and more of its employees, providing a library, evening schools, sewing classes, and dispensary, besides the most careful sanitary precautions. The Sugar House, whose output approximates seven thousand barrels a day. The Colgate's Soap and Perfumery Works started in New York in 1806, but have been in Jersey City for many years.
The Dixon Crucible Works, started by Joseph Dixon, the inventor of the Graphite Crucible, first established at Salem, Mass., in 1826, removed to Jersey City about 1850. Mr. Dixon introduced his invention in numerous factories in America and Europe, but the one in Jersey City, with its importations of graphite from Ceylon and Bohemia, its ownership of graphite mines in New England and New York State, and of a great cedar working plant in Florida, is the only factory in the world where all graphite products, crucibles, pencils, stove polish and lubricants are manufactured under the one management.