As perhaps the oldest person now living native-born and grown up with Montclair, I have been asked to make some record of its early history, the old-time people, locations of interest, business, etc.

In my memory, it has born three different names, Cranetown, West Bloomfield and Montclair. In order to make the record more complete, and give a better understanding of the growth of the town during my recollection, I have gone back of what I can remember and gathered some historic facts of the early settlement of this locality which was at the time, 1666, a part of the township of Newark, extending from the Passaic River on the east to the top of the mountain on the west, and was settled by Colonists from Branford and Milford, Conn. On account of differences of opinion in matters of civil and religious liberty with the New Haven and Connecticut colonies, negotiations were commenced in 1660 and continued for some years with Governor Stuyvesant of New Amsterdam (New York), seeking a locality "where they might serve God with a pure conscience and enjoy such liberty and privileges, both civil and educational, as might best advantage them," but with no definite results up to 1665. When Philip Carteret arrived from England with letters patent from King Charles II, and was appointed Governor of what now constitutes New Jersey, having been informed of New England Colonists seeking territory on which to settle, and desiring to develop and promote the interests of the province over which he had been appointed, the Governor dispatched messengers to Connecticut who were to commend the attractions of New Jersey as to its productive soil, healthful climate, and its favorable civil and religious privileges. After negotiations through delegates, Robert Treat and other prominent men of Milford, arrangements were concluded on terms of popular freedom to an extent then little known in the world. In attempting to take possession of the new territory they had agreed upon, the newcomers met decided opposition from the Indians as they were about to land on the Passaic River. The natives claimed priority of ownership. A final settlement was arranged with them through the kind offices of Mr. Samuel Edsal, who resided on Bergen Neck, and who on former occasions had transacted business with the Indians and was able to act as interpreter. In order to secure permanently the new possessions to the Colonists, a formal instrument was perfected with the Indians on July 11th, 1667, by which the settlers obtained title to all the land between Newark Bay, on the east, to the foot of Watchung Mountain, on the west, the northerly line being a branch of the Passaic River running northwesterly, and thence south to the bounds of Elizabeth, embracing a large portion of the salt meadows east of Newark, including what is now known as Newark, Orange, Bloomfield, Belleville, Glen Ridge and Montclair. The consideration for this extended tract was fifty double hands of powder, one hundred bars of lead, twenty axes, twenty coats, ten guns, twenty pistols, ten kettles, ten swords, four blankets, four barrels of beer, ten pairs of breeches, fifty knives, twenty hoes, eight hundred and fifty fathoms of wampum, two ankers (about thirty-two gallons) of liquor and three trooper's coats. Eleven years after this purchase the western line of the tract was extended to the top of the Mountain by deed from the Indians dated March 13th, 1678. Two guns, three coats and thirteen cans of rum was the consideration for this last purchase.

The Colonists, who had for some years under consideration their separation from the New England Colonies, had perfected articles of agreement expressing their civil and religious views, which were signed by twenty-three heads of families at Branford, Conn., October 30, 1666, headed by Jasper Crane. The same document was subsequently signed June 24, 1667, by forty-one Milford residents headed by Robert Treat.

In the government of the new colony, Robert Treat and Jasper Crane were leaders and the first elected magistrates. After rendering valuable service to the new colony, Robert Treat returned to Connecticut and became Governor of that State. All matters of public interest, both civil and ecclesiastical, were adjusted at the regular town meeting, the records of which show that the community was emphatically Christian. Religion was no abstraction, but a living, a active principle, manifest in their immediate plans for the Christian Church and the education of the young. The effect of the moral and religious impressions these early settlers gave to this vicinity it would be difficult to estimate. It is noticeable through its history and doubtless has done much in bringing families of like interest and preference in its later growth. Several memorials of the spirit and zeal of these early settlers and their descendants are still extant, viz.: The First Presbyterian Churches of Newark, Orange and Bloomfield, the old Newark Academy and the Academy at Bloomfield, now occupied by the German Theological School. As the community grew in numbers it began to move westward toward the Watchung Mountain, and land grants were issued by action of the public town meeting. The grants were limited to one hundred acres and were issued under the advisement of five competent men chosen for this purpose. An early town record of December 29th, 1670, states, "Jasper Crane had given him a little piece of land adjoining his home lot" (in Newark). Record of April 27th, 1694, shows warrants for tracts of land at the foot of the mountain to Azariah Crane on the northeast and Jasper Crane on the southwest of one hundred and fifty acres. These men were sons of Jasper Crane, one of the original settlers. These two men evidently were the first white settlers in this part of the township, now Montclair, and as the neighborhood grew from their descendants, it took the name of Cranetown. As nearly as I can ascertain, these tracts conveyed by warrant to these two men were strips of land lying under our mountain on both sides of Orange and Valley Roads, the northerly line near Chestnut Street and the southerly line near Gates Avenue. Members of the Crane family afterwards acquired large tracts of land over the mountain, which territory was known as Horse Neck, now Caldwell.