Company B,
27th N.J. Volunteers
Union Army
American Civil War
David Austin Trowbridge
Born: Feb. 21, 1828, Mt. Freedom, Randolph, Morris Co., New Jersey
Died: July 4, 1899, Boonton, Morris Co., New Jersey
Parents: David Trowbridge & Anna Youngs
Baptism: Sept 24 1848, First Methodist Church, Dover, Morris Co., New Jersey
Occupations: Carpenter, Farmer
Military Service: Corp., B2, Rect., 27th New Jersey Volunteers, American Civil War
Religious Affiliation: Mt. Freedom Presbyterian Church, Mt. Freedom, Randolph, Morris Co., New Jersey
Buried: Mt. Freedom Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mt. Freedom, Randolph, Morris Co., New Jersey
Residences: (1850-1887) either 600 Millbrook Avenue, Mt. Freedom,
Randolph, Morris Co., New Jersey; 90 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown,
Morris Co., New Jersey (1890 & 1891 Morristown Directories)
Marriage: Feb. 21, 1850, Mt. Freedom Presbyterian Church,
Mt. Freedom, Randolph, Morris Co., New Jersey
Wife: Catherine Caroline Coe
Born: Oct. 21, 1832, Mt. Freedom, Randolph, Morris Co., New Jersey
Died: Feb. 14, 1898, Littleton (Parsippany), Morris Co., New Jersey
Buried: Mt. Freedom Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mt. Freedom, Randolph, Morris Co., New Jersey
Parents: Peter Coe & Rhoda Ann Drake
Sibling: Maletta Coe
David Austin Trowbridge (left) and his wife Catherine Caroline Coe
(right). Photos courtesy of Angela Dethloff & Otis Langley.
DAVID AUSTIN TROWBRIDGE & CATHERINE CAROLINE COE
David Austin Trowbridge's middle name was probably after the
names of his great uncle, Augustine Bayles Trowbridge, whose nickname
was Austin, and or his paternal uncle Augustine Trowbridge, who lived
in New Providence, Union Co., New Jersey. David Austin served in the
Union Army during the Civil War, serving for nine months. He enlisted
on September 3, 1862, in Company B, 27th New Jersey Infantry, and was
mustered out on July 2, 1863. According to baptismal records from
Dover, Morris Co., New Jersey, he was baptized as an adult on September
24, 1848, by Rev. J. P. Fort. He served as a sexton at the Mt. Freedom
First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Freedom, Randolph Township, Morris
Co., New Jersey for several years (a sexton is a church officer who
takes care of the church grounds, rings the church bells, and performs
odd jobs around the facilities, such as digging graves, etc.).
According to property maps of Randolph dating from 1868, his farm was
located on the top of Millbrook Avenue near Sussex Turnpike, in Mt.
Freedom (Mt. Freedom is the name of a area of Randolph Township on
Trowbridge Mountain) next to a house that may have been the home of his
mother, Anna Youngs Trowbridge, who was widowed by that time. His house
may have been one listed in a 1984 Randolph survey of old homes as
Trowbridge House at 630 Millbrook Avenue, or _the Trowbridge-Drake-Pool
house next door at 631 Millbrook Ave. According to the survey, both
houses dated back as early as 1853, and were owned by the Trowbridge
family (although Francis Bacon Trowbridge says the elder David
Trowbridge built his house in 1819). This historical survey was in
error when it stated the brick portion of the house was the oldest part
of the building, but according to a brochure for the new home of the
Randolph Museum, which opened at the Brundage House on Sept. 10,
2005, the front gable was built by David Austin. It would make sense,
since David Austin and his father were carpenters and not masons.
The house that David Austin's mother spent her last years, and the
barn were torn down when Randolph built Freedom Park on the old
Brundage estate in 2000.
David Trowbridge, probably because of ill health and mounting debt and
, sold the farm to his son for about $1,000.00 and assuming the
mortgage in 1887. This happened around the time his mother Anna died,
(Dec. 31, 1885), but it is unknown if this had anything to do with it.
According to the research of a descendent, and my cousin, Angela
Dethloff, the reason was more than likely because he was deeply in debt
the tune of about $600.00. David Austin moved to Morristown as a
carpenter, where he and Catherine lived with his younger children in
the Morritown until the 1890s David Austin was listed in the 1890 &
1891 Morristown City Directories as a carpenter living on 90 Speedwell
Avenue in Morristown. carpenter. His sons David Jarrard and
Bryant, and their families continued to live in the Speedwell Ave. area
well until about 1980. It is interesting that none of his sons seemed
to followed his profession, mostly performing manual labor and
sustinence farming. It does appear that David Austin's sons or
grandsons did posess excellent carpentry skills, which according to
Angela, her great uncle Gilbert, son of David Jarrard, was was an
accomplished carpenter, but chose to run a produce stand and work as a
laborer, which seems to be typical of the men in the family up to that
time. Also, some, if not all the children were illiterate. Even though
David Austin was literate (see above signature), when his son William
Francis and his wife Anna Mae Southard (ironically her father was a
school teacher), were illiterate, (they answered a question in the 1930
Federal census that they were illiterate and marked legal documents
with an "x". It seems to indicate some kind of dysfunction in the
family leaving many members of the family even more inpoverished than
other families at that time in rural Morris County. Also David Austin
and his family were very poor money managers. Charles austin defaulted
on the mortgage in the mid 1890s, and was force to sell the farm to the
Cutler family, notorious land speculators who specialized in
foreclosing on mortgages for pennies on the dollar, and reselling for a
good profit. The Cutlers were precursors of the real estate speculators
who made their fortunes in Morris County during the booms of the late
20th and early 21st centuries. When David Austin and his wife died,
Francis Bacon Trowbridge had them listed as having died in
Littleton, which is now Parsippany, although the Morristown City
Directory from 1895-98 has them still living in Morristown, along with
their youngest son David Jarrard, who was still living in the same
residence by himself in 1899. To further add to the confusion,
David Austin's death notice lists him as dying in Boonton, which
could have been at Riverside Hospital. What he was doing in
Boonton is unknown, because All Saints Hospital in Morristown would
have been closer to where he lived. Further research needs to be
done to find out what he was doing in Morristown.
The Brundage House is the home of the Randolph Museum, which opened on
Sept. 11, 2005. The following is from the Randolph Historical Society
brochure posted on the society's webpage regarding the history of the
property:
the parcel of property which the Brundage House sits today was part of
a much larger tract purchased in the 1700’s by David Trowbridge,
whose family originally emigrated from England and eventually settled
in Morris County. The Trowbridge name is well known in Morris County.
The property was extensive, continuing down the other side of the
mountain covering most of Shongum on down to the other side of the
mountain to what is now the 9/11 memorial on West Hanover Avenue.
Eventually portions of the property began to be sold off and acreage
upon which the farmhouse is located became the focal point for both the
Trowbridges and subsequent owners, the Brundages. While David
Trowbridge most likely built some kind of dwelling on the property, it
no longer exists. The portion of the existing farmhouse (gable
front and wing) is thought to have been built in the late 1860’s
by D. A. Trowbridge (David Austin), a great-great grandson of the
original property owner. The property has a history of being farmed by
many generations of the Trowbridges. Gardens, orchards and fields
dotted the landscape up until 2000, when the property became a township
recreational facility. Records indicate that many children were born in
the house, and often with large families numbering as large as 14. It
is believed that the property stayed within the extended Trowbridge
family, often having been or sold back and forth to, or inherited by,
in-laws, relatives, and descendents.
The family for whom the house is now named bought the property in the
early 1920’s. Charles Brundage, a Dartmouth College Carnegie
Institute graduate, was an investment banker with a sense of civic
responsibility. In 1932, he founded the investment firm of Brundage,
Story, and Rose in New York City. He served on trustee boards both
locally and in New York, and initiated the first zoning regulations in
Randolph during his tenure on the newly formed Planning Board. His most
notable contributions to his community came in the form of donations of
land for use as parks – James Andrews Park and Brundage Park -
and he was a trustee of the Charles E. & Edna Brundage Charitable
Scientific and Wild Life Conservation Foundation. The Brundage’s
daughter and her husband were the last tenants before the house and the
surrounding 172 acres were sold to the township.
The house is a two~story~gable~front~and~wing, common in the rural
northeast at the time that it was built. The proliferation of railroads
allowed much change in construction techniques for folk dwellings. The
abundance of timber also made it easier and less expensive to add on to
existing structures. Several buildings, no longer existing, as well as
other houses, were on the property at various times, including the barn
pictured above. A white picket fence once surrounded the house, and the
front entrance appears to be on the north side of the house, rather
than on the street side. It is not known when the brick portion of the
house was built."
Above pictures courtesy of the Randolph Historical Society.
This portion of the house was built in the 1920s or later.
Middle and bottom photos ae of the original section of the house
built by David Austin Trowbridge during the 1860s. The house sits on
Freedom Park in Randolph, New Jersey, and is now the home of the
Randolph Museum, operated by the Randolph Historical Society, It is
open on Sundays between 2-4pm.
This indenture made in the twentieth day of April in the year of our
Lord one thousand-eight hundred and fifty-nine between David Trobrige
of the Township of Randolph in the County of Morris and the State of
New Jersey of the first part-and Catherine C. Trowbridge of the same
place afound of the second part-Witnesseth that the said party of the
first part for the sum of twenty five-dollars good and lawful money of
the United States of America to being on hand will and truly be paid by
the said party of the second part at and before the sealing and and
delivery of their payments the receipt is hereby acknowledged and the
said party of the first part therewith fully satified contented and
paid have given, granted abound unless and bargained sold should
released enfeoff conveyed and confirm to by these presents the said
party of the second part and assigns forever a parcel of land and
premises hereinafter particulary described situate lying and being in
the Township of Randolph in the County of Morris and State of New
Jersey.
Beginning at a heap of stones it being the first corner of a lot David
Trowbridge purchased of Aaron Meeker and Joanna his wife and in
Christopher Youngs lives, thence (1) North sixty five degrees West
three chains and thirty five links; (2) North twenty six degrees east
one chain and fifty links to a stone heap (3) South sixty-five degrees
East three chains and thirty five links to the second corner of the lot
that said Trowbridge purchased of said Meeker and wife (4) South Twenty
six degrees west one chain and sixty links to the place of Beginning
being half an acre be the same more or less with all and singular the
houses buildings his ways waters profits-priviledges and advantages
with the aformentioned to the same belonging or anywise affirming also
the inate rights with property xxx and demand whatsover of the said
party of the first part of in and by the same of im and to any part and
parcil thereof. To have and to hold xxxx the above described half an
lot of land and premises with the apportunes unto the said party of the
second part her his and afregin to the only proper were benefit and
behoof of the said party of the sccond part his heres and of signs form
and the said David Trowbridge doth for him self his heirs executors and
administrators ammend and grant to and with the said party of the
second half his been and affirms that he the said party of David
Trowbridge is the lawful and right owner of all and relinquishes it's
above described land and premises and of any part and parcil thereof
U7 Page 464
aforesaid and also that the said David Trowbridge and his heirs
executors and administrators will Warrant-License and forever defend
the said land and premises unto the said Catherine C. Trowbridge and
her him and fawn against the lawful claim and demands of all any from
and xxxx freely and clearly freed and discharged of and forever all
manner of encumbrances whatsover
Signed Sealed and Delivered
in the presence of
Silas G Leland
State of New Jersey
Morris County
David Trowbridge xhis markX
Be it remembered that in this twentiesh day of April A.D. eighteen
hundred and fifty nine before me Silas Leland came of the commission
for taking the acknowledgement and proofs of abode for said County of
Morris personnally affirmed David Trowbridge who I am satisfied is the
grantor mentioned in the foregoing deed to whom I first made mention
the contents thereof and be acknowledged that he signed sealeed and
delivered the same as his voluntary act-and sure for the uses and
purposes therein is xxxx
Silas E. Leland
Recorded and filed March 26th 1870
DEED BETWEEN CATHERINE C. & DAVID A. TROWBRIDGE AND THEIR SON CHARLES A. TROWBRIDGE
12, PAGE 385
Catherine C. Trowbridge & Hus[band]
to
Charles A. Trowbridge
This indenture made the sixteenth day of Jan. in the year of Our Lord
One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty-eight Between Catherine C.
Trowbridge wife of David A. Trowbridge and the said David A. Trowbridge
of the Township of Randolph in the county of Morris and the State of
New Jersey of the First Part. And Charles A. Trowbridge of this
Township of Morris and State of New Jersey of the Second part.
Witnesseth That the said party of the first part for and in
consideration of One thousand dollars lawful money of the United States
of America to them in hand well and truly paid by the said party of the
second part at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents the
receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and the said party of the first
part therewith fully satitisfied, contented and paid haven given
granted bargained sold aliened released enfeoffed conveyed and
confirmed and by these presents do give grants bargain enfo off convey
and confirm to the said party of the second part, and to his heirs and
assign forever see that tract or parcels of land and premises herein
after particularly described situate lying and being in the Township of
Randolph in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey. Puttave and
bounded as follows:
Beginning at a heap of stones it being the first corner of a lot David
Trowbridge purchased of Aaron Meeker and Joanna his wife and in
Christopher Youngs lives, thence (1) North sixty five degrees West
three chains and thirty five links; (2) North twenty six degrees east
one chain and fifty links to a stone heap (3) South sixty-five degrees
East three chains and thirty five links to the second corner of the lot
that said Trowbridge pruchased of said Meeker and wife (4) South Twenty
six degrees west one chain and
I 12 PAGE 386
sixty links to the place of Beginning containing one half acre more or
here Being the same premises conveyed by David Trowbridge to the said
Catherine C. Trowbridge by deed dated April 20th 1859 and recorded in
the Morris County Clerks office in Book M of deeds page 462 & from
which this description is taken. This conveyance is made subject to two
mortgages one of which was made by the parties of the first part here
to Mary J. Dell for $100 dated 16th July 1870 & recorded in Book 82
of mortgages page 301 & c. The other was made by said parties of
the first part hereto John J. Schmidt for $571 dated Jan 13th 1888 and
not yet recorded the payments of both of which mortgages the party of
the second part has to assume & agrees to pay.
Together with all and singular the houses buildings trees ways water
profits privileges and advantages, anywise appertaining. Also all the
estate rights title interest property claim and demand whatsoever of
the said party of the first part, of, in and to the same, and of in and
to every part and parcel thereof, To Have and to Hold all and singular
the above described land and premises with the appurtenances unto the
said party of the second part his heirs and assigns to the only proper
use benefits and be hoof of the said party of the second part his heirs
and assigns forever and the said Parties of the first part do for
themselves their heirs, executors and administrators-covenant and grant
to and with the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns
that they the said parties of the first part are the true lawful and
right owners of all and singular the above described lands and premises
and of every part and parcel thereof with the appurtenances there unto
belonging; and that the said land and premises or any part thereof, at
the time of the sealing and delivery of these presents are not
encumbered by any mortgage except as above mentioned judgments or
limitation or by any encumberance whatsover, by which the title of the
said party of the second part hereby made or intended to be made for
the above described land and premises can or may be
I12, PAGE 387
changed, charged, or altered or defeated in any what whatsoever And
also that the said party in the first part now have good right full
power and lawful authority to grant bargain sell and convey the said
land and premises in manner aforesaid. And, also, that the said
Catherine C. Trowbridge and David A. Trowbridge will Warrant, secure
and forever defend the said land and premises unto the said Charles A.
Trowbridge his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claims and
demands of all and every person or person freely and clearly freed and
discharged of and from all manner of encumbrances whatsoever.
In Witness Whereof the said party of the first part have here unto set
their hands and seals the day and year first above written.
Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of Willard W. Butler
Catherine C. Trowbridge x her mark x
David A. Trowbridge x his mark x
State of New Jersey
County of Morris
Be it Remembered That on this eighteenth day of Jan. in the year of Our
Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty-eight before me Willard W.
Butler a Master in Chancery of N.J. personally appeared Catherine C.
Trowbridge & David A. Trowbridge who I am satisfied are the
grantors in the written Deed of Conveyance named- and I having first
made known to them the contents thereof they did acknowledge that they
signed, sealed and delivered the same-as their voluntary act and deed
for the uses and purposes therein expressed.
And the said Catherine C. wife of David A. being by me privately
examined separate and apart from her husband did further acknowledge
the she signed sealed and delivered the same as her voluntary act and
deed Freely with out any fear threats or compulsion of her said husband.
Willard W. Butler
M. L. L. of N.J.
Received and Recorded May 23. 1888
Melvin S. Condit clerk
The Mt. Freedom Presbyterian Church in Randolph, New Jersey
where David A. Trowbridge served as a sexton for several years.
UNION NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS
27th REGIMENT, NEW JERSEY INFANTRY
(From the National Parks Service Web Site: Soldiers: Names and Records of Union Confederate Troops)
Organized at Camp Frelinghuysen, Newark, N. J., and mustered in
September 3, 1862. Left State for Washington, D. C., October 9, 1862.
At East Capital Hill till October 29 and near Alexandria, Va., till
December 1. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Casey's Division, Defenses of
Washington, D. C., to December, 1862.2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th
Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1863, and Army of the Ohio,
to June, 1863.
SERVICE - Moved to Fredericksburg December 1-10. Battle of
Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Mud March Jan. 20-24, 1863. Moved
to Newport News, Va., Feb. 11-13, thence to Suffolk, Va., March 18, and
to Lexington and Nicholasville, Ky., March 19-28. Operations against
Pegram's forces till May. Expedition to Monticello April 25-May 8.
Monticello May 1. Camp near Somerset till June 3. Moved to Hickman's
Bridge, thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, June 15. Volunteered services in
Pennsylvania during Lee's invasion of that state, after term had
expired. On duty at Wheeling, W. Va., and at Pittsburg, Pa., and
vicinity till June 26. Moved to Harrisburg, Pa., June 26, thence to New
Jersey and mustered out July 2, 1863.
Regiment lost during service
1 Officer and 93 Enlisted man by disease.
Total 94.
REGIMENTAL HISTORY OF THE NEW JERSEY 27TH INFANTRY (9 MONTHS)
Twenty-seventh Infantry. Col., George W. Mindil Lieut. Col., Edwin S. Babcock Majs., Augustus D. Blanchet, Henry F. Willis.
This regiment, raised from the quotas of Morris and Sussex counties and
rendesvoused at Camp Frelinghuysen, near Newark, was mustered into the
U. S. service for nine months, on Sept. 3, 1862. It consisted of eleven
companies, largely composed of representatives of the agricultural
districts, and officers and men alike, in physical strength and robust
capacities of endurance were equal to any in the service. The total
strength of the regiment when fully organized was originally 1,088
officers and men. Having been supplied with arms, equipments and
clothing, the regiment, about Oct. 3, received orders to prepare for
the field. Up to that time no colonel had been selected, it being
impossible for the officers to choose from the numerous applicants for
the position. Finally, Capt. George W. Mindil, who had already attained
distinction in the field, was, upon the strength of testimonials and
representations from gentlemen who knew his eminent capabilities for
command, elected to the post, and on the afternoon of the 9th, the
regiment left Newark for Washington, where it arrived on the morning of
the 11th, being assigned a temporary camp on East Capitol hill. On the
evening of Dec. 10, after a march of much hardship, the regiment
reported for duty within the Federal lines, and was at once assigned to
the 2nd brigade, 1st division, 9th army corps-the division being under
the temporary command of Brig.-Gen. W. W. Burns, and the corps under
Brig.-Gen. O. B. Wilcox. Although the regiment was not brought into
close and actual conflict during its term of service, it was
sufficiently exposed at the battle of Fredericksburg to test the
bravery and trustworthiness of the officers and men, and the rapidity
with which they advanced when ordered forward to the assistance of
their comrades showed the mettle of which they were made. The regiment
afterward joined Burnside's forces in Kentucky and later moved into
Pennsylvania at the time of Lee's invasion. It remained in the field
until long after its term had expired and was mustered out on July 2,
1863.
David A. Trowbridge's Civil War marker. (Above picture from findagrave.com).
The headstones of David Austin Trowbridge, and his wife Catherine C. Coe.
