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A Report on the History of Ownership By Robert Thompson April 2, 1987
Contents Historical Narrative
In his will, Thomas Bishop left his son John Bishop 170 acres1 of the 430 acre tract he purchased from the West Jersey Proprietors before 1740.2 The remainder of the property was divided among his other children. Bishop’s will also indicates that John was already living on his land at the time of the elder’s death in 1741.3 The location of John's original house is unknown. The land bounded property owned by Philo Leeds4, brother of Vincent Leeds, for whom it is believed Vincentown derives its name.5 The "Stop the Jades" BrookA was another boundary, and the Thomas Haines Farm and property owned by Joseph Wills was nearby.6 These families-the Bishops, Leeds, Haines and Willswere the principal colonial landowners, along with the Burrs7, of the Vincentown area. By 1753, John and his wife Rebecca were prosperous enough where they could erect a new and substantial brick house. Their initialsB appeared in the west gable of the building, one feature which made it typical of many brick structures found in the Delaware Valley. The Flemish checkerbond brickwork, plaster cove cornice, pent eave above the first floor, and gable end initialing and dating were standard treatments.C The proportions of the building appear to reflect the individual tastes and means of its first owners. John Bishop left his house and "plantation" to his eldest son, William. In 1760, the building had an east room upstairs, an east room "below stairs," a cheese room, kitchen, and kitchen chamber. The garret," or attic, and "sellar" are also mentioned in the inventory of John's estate.8 On the property was a corn crib stocked with “Indian corn” and a barn where “rye and oates” were stored.9 The inventory gives evidence of a wellsupplied farm capable of providing support and perhaps a degree of luxury to its inhabitants. The size of the farm increased somewhat during John's tenure. In 1755, John and Vincent Leeds divided a 35 acre cedarswamp.10 This land was referred to in property descriptions well into the 19th century and may have had a particular use or value.D William Bishop acquired a considerable estate during the 28 years he owned the homestead. The inventory of his possessions includes “…a large number of farming utensils.” There were horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Mention is also made of a “syder [cider] press and riding chair.”11 The size of the farm had grown to about 240 acres. In his will, he left his daughter, Elizabeth, “…one feather bed, bedding and curtains, one case of drawers, one mahogany table, half a dozen of silver tea spoons and also my warming pan…”.12 His other six children were treated with an equal measure of generosity. William gave his wife, Levinah “…the benefit of the East Room of my Dwelling House below stairs together with a small addition at the end of the said house…”.13 This is probably the wing to the west of the original structure. This underscores both the vitality of William’s tenure as well as an apparent lack of sentiment. The initials of his parents were covered by the new addition. William Bishop, like his father and grandfather before him, was a Quaker. He was an original founder and Trustee of Vincentown Friends Meeting, established in 1781.14 After William’s death in 1788, his son, Samuel, became the owner of the homestead. His tenure did not last long, though. Four years later, Samuel, in declining health, left the family farm to his brothers Japhet and Job. He gave it to them “... in lew of the legacy my father left to me to pay them.” The property was to be divided equally between them, although it was specified that Job was to have the buildings.15 The two tracts of land were about 124 acres each. Over the next two decades the brothers maintained separate farms. Japhet appears to have been the more Industrious of the two. In addition to erecting the buildings necessary for farm life on his property, he also purchased a small tract of 11 acres from his brother.16 On March 25, 1816, Daniel Joyce purchased the 97 acres that remained of Job's farm, including the house and outbuildings.17 Eight years later, in October 1824, an elderly Japhet Bishop acquired his brother’s farm.18 Unfortunately, Japhet died the following spring, without an opportunity to enjoy his boyhood home. One of his last projects may have been the construction of a bake oven against the building’s western addition. In his will, Japhet left his wife, Rachel “… all that plantation that I purchased of Daniel Joyce.” He gave his daughter, Emeline, his homestead.19 It appears, though, that Emeline took up residence in the old Bishop dwelling. Perhaps she did not wish to remove her mother from the farm that her parents had worked to establish. A map published in 1858 indicates that John Stockton Irick was the owner of the Bishop homestead.20 Born in 1811, the son of William and Margaret (Stockton) Irick, he received his education in Burlington at the Gummerie Institute, a muchrespected school. John and Emeline Bishop were married in 1832.21 Early in his career John’s interest turned to politics. He was elected Freeholder in 1845.22 Following his service to Burlington County, he became a whig member of the State Assembly for three terms. This, however, was the extent of his interest in government, and he never ran for public office again.23 What followed was a long and productive life in private pursuits. John S. Irick was the organizer of St. Mary's Timber Company and the Vincentown Marl Company. By 1882, he owned both the saw mill and grist mill that served the Vincentown area. He is credited with introducing steam power to the grist mill in 1881.24 Mr. Irick also took an active interest in promoting transportation. According to a contemporary, he was the "… chief mover for the building of the Camden and Burlington County Railroad, and the Vincentown Branch of this line was almost wholly his work." He was also a Director of the Morris Canal Company, a system which ran across northern New Jersey. During the Civil War, Irick earned the moniker "General" when his service to the governor included arranging for his transportation.25 Irick's involvement in the business life of the community was thoroughgoing. He was a founder and Director of the First National Bark of Vincentown and was elected first President of the bank in 1864.26 Perhaps it was Emeline’s determination not to live in her husband's shadow or a sincere belief that she was indeed the owner of the Bishop homestead. Whatever the reason, the Burlington County Centennial Map of 1876 identifies "Mrs. Emeline Irick" as the principal occupant of the farm.27, E The Iricks were at this point one of Vincentown's preeminent families. John and Emeline’s substantial estate was clearly a reflection of their success. In addition to the old Bishop farm (with both Japhet’s and Job’s dwellings), they also owned the Haines28 and Costill29 Farms,F both of which were near their property. After Emeline's death, her son, Samuel, came into possession of the Bishop homestead.30 Samuel Irick died intestate and his property descended to his only child, Keturah. On April 12, 1932, Keturah Irick Lippincott and her husband, Richard, conveyed the old farm to Howard Robbins.31 Nearly two hundred years passed before this clear break in the owner ship of the Bishop homestead. The brick house of John and Rebecca had been a home to the Bishop family and their descendants for all but eight of the building’s first 179 years. The Bishop homestead remains then as a monument to one of Vincentown's most enduring founding families. West Jersey Proprietors To June 16, 1740 (resurvey recorded) West Jersey Proprietors Records, Book B, pg. 88 Thomas Bishop by will To August 14, 1741 New Jersey Wills 03862 Burlington County John Bishop by will To December 15, 1760 New Jersey Wills 06891 Burlington County William Bishop by will To October 25, 1788 New Jersey Wills 11362 Burlington County Samuel Bishop by will To (brothers) August 8, 1792 New Jersey Wills 11427 Burlington County Job (and Japhet) “to be divided so that Job has the buildings.” To March 25, 1816 Burlington County Deeds Book G2, pg. 130 Daniel Joyce (Job’s half) To October 27, 1824 Burlington County Deeds Book P2, pg. 554 Japhet Bishop by will To March 25, 1825 Burlington County Wills Book C, pg. 551 Rachel Bishop intestate To Emiline (Bishop) Irick, intestate (1/5) and Henry J. Irick, et. Al. (4/5) To June 17, 1895 Burlington County Deeds Book 317, pg. 276 Samuel Irick intestate To Keturah (Irick) Lippincott To April 12, 1932 Burlington County Deeds Book'7933 pg. 307 Howard Robbins by executors To November 1, 1961 Burlington County Deeds Book 1489, pg. 577 Kingsway Associates, Inc. To November 30, 1964 Burlington County Deeds Book 158, pg. 103 Maurice Fralinger To June 25, 1980 Burlington county Deeds Book 2371, pg. 341 Ronald and Roberta E. Shaffer NOTE: This title information is for historical purposes only Historical Note A: The name, "Stop the Jades," appears in deed descriptions as early as 1740. It is believed to be derived from a man chasing a runaway horse, although the true origin of the name may be impossible to determine. Historical Note B: The letters "I" and "J" appear to have been interchangeable. There is another precedent for this in Burlington County. See Nathaniel R. Ewan, Early Houses of Burlington County (an unpublished manuscript in the collection of the Burlington County Library) Vol. II, No. 108. Historical Note C: For more information on gable end houses in the Delaware Valley, see Paul Love. Pattern Brick Houses... (short title). Historical Note D: Cedar aged underwater was a valuable commodity in the manufacture of roofing shingles. In some parts of the state, cedar swamps were "mined" for logs beneath the surface of the water. Historical Note E. This illustrates the importance of using maps in researching the history of buildings. The reference to “Mrs. Emeline Irick” was the necessary clue to find the property’s original owners. Historical Note F: The Haines farmhouse may be the oddlooking building just west of the Shaffer residence on the north side of the Vincentown-Pemberton Road near the intersection of Main Street. The Costill Farm was located on the west side of Main Street near the intersection of the Vincentown-Pemberton Road.
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