Indians

First Settlers and the Indians

It has been stated and is believed that John Ringo was the first permanent white settler in the present limits of Hunterdon County; but for reasons already given, we doubt this. Old men, now living, say that the tradition of the neighborhood is, that Francis Moore came and built a "little rum shop" in the woods about opposite where the present tavern at Ringoes now is. A deed for the transfer of some property in the village recites that one of the boundary lines is "along the line of the land of Francis Moore."

History says that John Ringo settled in this place in 1720. It was then a wilderness. "He built a log hut, where he was obliged to entertain travellers, there being no house near." At this point the "paths crossed." and in time it became famous as a stopping place. Here many a pioneer, searching for a favorite spot of land, found shelter. Here, Gov. John Reading, Mahlon Stacy, Wm. Biddle, Robert Dimsdale and other large proprietors rested from their journey through forest paths, when marking out their tracts.

Here Capt. David Johnnes, Wm. Abbott, Joseph Higgins, Capt. Johnson, Jona. Burroughs, Peter Fisher, Derrick Hoagland, Capt. Schenck, John Runyon, Henry Landis, Walter Wilson, Mr. Laquear, Doct. Craven, and scores of others, have met and had their talk during the stirring times of Indian warfare, and the struggle for Independence. These were the men, among others, who lived through the Revolution, some of whom were born when the country was a wilderness, and either themselves, or with the assistance of their fathers, tamed that wilderness and made it teem with all the comforts and refinements of civilization.

John Ringo's Buried Fortune

This place was kept by John Ringo and his descendants for nearly three quarters of a century. Before the Revolution he had a considerable amount of money. He would walk up and down the road, very much distressed for fear the British would get his treasure. He finally buried it and died without revealing the place where it was concealed, so that his family were left comparatively poor. He left, by his will, 9 pounds to pay for making a fence around his grave. He together with his family were buried about 200 yards back of the new Presbyterian church at Ringoes. None of his buried treasure has ever been found.

We spent a day with Peter Young, a gentleman living about half a mile south of the village. Mr. Young's paternal grandfather came from Germany. His mother was of French origin. He is more than seventy-three years of age, and has a wonderful memory. Mr. Lequear, his great-uncle, left him a large number of ancient documents, besides a fund of traditionary knowledge, that would fill volumes. Mr. Lequear was a surveyor, and left maps of several farms for miles around Ringoes. Among his collection were two manuscript volumes of scientific character, once the property of Thos. Craven, L.L.D., of Princeton College, and father of Dr. Craven formerly of Ringoes. One of these was dated 1620, yet the penmanship was of the most beautiful character, and as legible as though executed but yesterday.

The French and Indian War

Mr. Lequear remembered the French and Indian war. During that contest the French stirred up the Indians of New Jersey with extravagant stories about their wrongs from the white settlers. Much of the land had been taken up and inproved, and now the Indians laid claim, not only to the wilderness, but to farms that had been under cultivation for thirty years. More than twenty-seven murders were committed and intense alarm prevailed through the provinces. Visions of burning dwellings, savage foes, with brandished tomahawks reeking red with the blood of women and children, filled the imaginations of the people by day, and were the subjects of their dreams by night.

The great Teddychunk, king of the Delawares, claimed "a tract in Hunterdon called Neshannock, beginning at Philip Ringo's house, (Philip Ringo's land was next adjoining that of John Ringo,) which stands near a corner of it, and so along the road that leads from thence to Brunswick, as far as Neshannock creek, thence on a straight course to Petit's place, and so on to a hill called paquacktung: thence in a straight line to the place of beginning."

The Wappings, or those Indians who lived in this part os the Province, all hastened to join Teedychunk near the head waters of the Delaware. Two hundred of them encamped in Henry Landis' woods, just west of where the present Ringoes Academy stands. They would come filing along the different paths, one at a time, and, in answer to the question where they were going, would reply, "to the Blue Mountains."

On one occasion a party of Indians came to Robert Mildrum's and wanted drink. It was generally believed that they were concentrating for a general massacre. A constant guard was kept under arms, to protect the inhabitants. A militia company was formed at Ringoes, Capt. Johnson commanding. When the men went to the village in the evenings to discuss measures for defense and get the news, or were on guard, the women and children would collect at some farm-house---several families together. On one of these occasions Mr. Lequear went with his mother to Mr. Williamson's to stay all night. On arriving they found Mr. Williamson's little son---a very small boy---sitting upon a step-ladder, that led to the upper part of the house, whetting a huge butcher knife, with which he said he was "going to kill the Injuns!"

Originally published 1869-70