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A True Story of Lawnside, N. J.
Compiled by CHARLES C. SMILEY
A True Story of
Lawnside, N. J.
Compiled by CHARLES C. SMILEY
Robert J. Wythe, Jr., Printer, 625 Pearl St., Camden, N. J.
F144 , L456
CHARLES C. SMILEY Author
DEC 12 '21
CLA630775
Copyright, 1921, by Charles C. Smiley
INTRODUCTORY.
The early events featured by colored people of this section cover a vast area. Their recorders were few. Both the churches here were circuits, extending trom Camden to Blackwood, Cape May to Mt. Laurel. Some of the ancient names of towns I have not been able to locate or identify, probably passing out of existence, and new and more thriving places have succeeded them. When you shall have read the Story of Lawnside you will be anxious to know more and may ask questions to find out. So, before you ask a question, may I ask just one. It is in the language of our grammar school graduate-Did you pass? In the dread uncertainty that reigned before we were positively informed of our ratings we became acquainted with the twin spirits of Worry and Fear, and, oh, how they troubled us! But I have learned many things since that time-in high school they taught me "Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime," also "The heights which great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night."
The great every-day life taught me to learn one thing every day- the church lesson is to fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. When we review the record left by our predecessors, the question is vital to us all-Did you pass? Life is a school you pass through but once; you may pass the same place many times, but never with the same conditions or environments. Do you understand the question-Did you pass? Your home town may or may not be Lawnside, but have you helped to develop your home town in some way? The spirit of Lawnside is to "Play hard but fair." Note it in the children's games, in the civic and political organizations that do now or have existed. I repeat, as I understand Lawnside, the spirit of Lawnside is " Play hard but fair." Sometimes folks like to play hard, but ignore fair play ; sometimes folkes like fair play, but do not try hard to succeed, neither of which is the inherited Lawnside spirit. We have come from obscure darkness into this present light on this platform. Can we proceed or must we discontinue and indorse another ?
The geographical selection of our fathers was wonderful. We have a healthy place to live, plenty of water and very little marsh or low land; convenient to the big cities, yet far enough away to be restful ; the soil is productive and fertile; the environments are endearing. All we need is a record of achievements of our predecessors. If you know of any of the persons mentioned, be inspired to help to honor their home town; if you do not know any of them after reading this slight record, be a true example of your people at home. I am obligated to and thank also do I appreciate the help given me by my mother, Amy L. Smiley; my aunts, Emerline Jackson and Francis Polk; my uncle, Peter S.
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Smiley; Messrs Josiah Still, William DeGraff, Sr., I. N. Bryant, S. A. Allen, Dr. Wallace McGeorge, Miss Sarah J. Quann, Rev. L. Y. Cox, the First Methodist Church of Haddonfield, N. J., and all who have helped me, even to a word of encouragement. I am endeavoring to show my appreciation of the achievements of my home town. I offer no apology, but of you, dear reader, foreman of the jury of public opinion, I plead "mercy" and beg a fair chance.
CHARLES C. SMILEY.
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A True Story of Lawnside, N. J.
GENERAL.
Now, to make a story a true, interesting story we must understand the story. So let us all return to childhood for a short while; let us make a mental picture of a big woods of large trees, like as Clementon Park and vicinity, only a much larger extension of trees and closer together. Now through this big woods let us have paths similar to those in Howell's woods, this side of Lawnside Station. If you are a stranger on those paths you may even get lost without a guide. Now, bring your two pictures together carefully, for unless you do you will miss a full understanding of this story. You must have a large woods, miles long, miles wide; roads which you would call paths, the widest we will call "Ye Kings Highway" along which at a certain point a junction with the "Old Egg Harbor Road", now extinct, was made. From this point you must travel the Old Egg Harbor Road for three miles more or less and you come to a place named Free Haven. If you had never been there before you will have trouble to find the place-log cabins with small clearings cunningly concealed from the road. You may wish to know why so much secrecy about a place known as Free Haven. Well, it was a place of freedom to an oppressed people, so much so that they with thankful hearts called it Haven, and the secrecy was to conceal their habitation from the oppressors. This story is to deal with the progress of this place in its religious, social and civic development.
RELIGIOUS.
The basic or early religious training of this town was Methodist. About 1797, a class was organized either at the residence of Mrs. Beaten or at Mr. Joseph Pratts, who resided on farms in the vicinity of Green- land, now Magnolia and Free Haven. To organize a class was the first step in forming a church. This class developed into a church and this congregation built the first Methodist Meeting House in the vicinity in 1808. Its dimensions were 36 feet long, 25 feet wide, simply floored and enclosed ; no furniture except a few rough oaken benches, without backs; a rough stand like as a dry goods box for the preacher to speak from. This building stood on the site of Mt. Pisgah A. M. E. Church, facing Mould Road, and not Mansion Avenue, as the present church does. The white and colored people worshipped together until 1813, when there was a division. Mr. Samuel Barrett set aside an acre of land on the Evesham Road for church and cemetery purposes and in
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1815 the white people built the First Methodist Church of Greenland, now Magnolia. This division did not stop here, but was extended to the colored brethern, causing them to divide. Rev. Richard Allen, the pastor of the church, declared the church independent and capable of ruling themselves, the minority claim being, if we are Christians we are all the same in Christ; ruling or government is second place.
The division between the brethern gradually grew grave until a meeting was held and a vote taken. The early followers of the A. M. E. Church were called Allenites; they won the contest which carried church and property, etc. Those opposed were without a church or place to worship; they had nothing save their twelve in number. Rev. Richard Allen, pastor of our early church and Bethel, Philadelphia, Pa., became the first Bishop of the A. M. E. Church.
The small group of members without a church was oversighted by John P. Curtis, a member of a class under John Hood, the first-class leader of Philadelphia, Pa., by appointment made by George Wooly, then on the Burlington circuit. Their financial plan was to start a sinking fund of two cents a week to purchase ground to build a church. Their congregation increased very soon to fifty, and in 1828 they were able to purchase ground and build.
On March 3, 1828, Joseph Jennings, of Waterford Township, Gloucester County, sold to the trustees of African Weslyn Methodist Episcopal Society, subordinate to Methodist Episcopal Church, Burling- ton circuit, a tract or parcel of ground. The names of the first trustees were: Sampson Morris, David Watson, Jacob James, Cubic Murray, David Wilson, Littleton Stevens, Arthur Boyer.
The first church was a log cabin upon the hill where the parsonage is located, probably nearer the present Davis' Road. It was destroyed by fire in 1835. It was a small building, hurriedly built, with low ceil- ing. When tall men stood erect their heads were between the rafters.
The second church of this congregation was in that hallowed spot now part of the cemetery, between those large trees. One of the pret- tiest oaks in this section of New Jersey stood at the rear of that church. Words cannot describe the emotion that fills one who knows this spot, but to some who do not know, you cannot feel that even strangers when they stand between the present church and the site of the second church are on Holy ground. There seems to be a wonderful peace here. We have seen those in trouble walk there; we have known those who were loud spoken subdue their voices there-even the grass seems greener and richer. Enough for the spot of ground. What did the people do? We followed routine life here until August 23 to 27, 1852, when we sent representatives to meet other local preachers and laymen in Zoar M. E. Church, Fourth and Brown Streets, Philadelphia. This meet- ing was named Convention of the Colored Local Preachers and Laymen. Our representative was Isaac Hinson. The second meeting, June 28, 1855, our representatives were: Isaac Hinson, John Brown, William P. Gibson, Edward J. Miller. A memorial was presented in regard to the formation of a conference of colored pastors from the Philadelphia and New Jersey Annual Conferences, in 1852. Now we have the con-
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ditions from which the M. E. Delaware Annual Conference was organ- ized in 1864.
In or near 1840 the first Sunday School was started in old Mt. Zion M. E. Church. This early Sunday School was on the order with day school-the A B C cards and spelling book were very important and it was a wonderful achievement to be able to read a Scripture verse ; the feat of memorizing a chapter in the Bible was great, almost similar to passing examination to enter High School today. Our fathers encouraged piety and reverence to God's Word. Mt. Zion's first Sun- day School superintendent was William Monroe. Mt. Pisgah A. M. E. Church soon followed with a Sunday School of her own in 1847. Her first Sunday School superintendent was Peter Mott. Originally both Sunday Schools were together.
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
There was built here, in 1859, a small Roman Catholic Church, on a lot donated for that purpose by James Diamond. The members came from all towns outside of Camden and Gloucester Cities. Burials were made at Gloucester. Semi-monthly services were held by clergmen from Camden and Gloucester Cities. There were nearly one hundred mem- bers. The two large maple trees across the street from G. Gross' store were in front of the church. This building was but recently torn down, after the congregation had moved to the Haddon Heights large and elegant building.
IMPROVEMENTS.
What became of these first buildings? The first church erected in 1808 was removed for the building of a new and larger one in 1868. which was at that time furnished with all modern conveniences and dedicated July 12, 1868. The old building being sold and bought that a private dwelling might be made from the lumber. Owing to a mis- understanding this plan was not immediately carried out, but a building was made and used as a place of worship, being nicknamed "Shoo Fly Church". Shoo Fly" being slang and used similar to our present day "Jazz". At this present day the building is a dwelling next to the new school property. The second church of Mt. Zion was used as a dwelling for pastor and sexton until 1892, when the present parsonage was built. Rev. Thomas Als being first pastor to reside in new parsonage.
This sexton house, (old church) burned down about twenty-five years ago, at night, the late Mr. Frank Hall, being sexton and Rev. J. H. Winters, pastor at the time. The Catholic Church was sold to Mr. Henry D. Wilson, now deceased, who built a butcher shop and dwelling on the site of our present new school. The efficient way in which our fathers utilized buildings, does it not show economy? We are all ready to build new and larger churches. Who will be the first? Mt. Pisgah A. M. E. built and dedicated the building which is
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now abandoned, July 12. 1868; Rev. John W. Stevenson, pastor ; Benjamin Griffin, Robert Cooper, Daniel Williams, Christopher Smiley, Joseph Johnson, William Purnell, trustees. The ceremony was elaborate and befitted the largest church of that connection in New Jersey. Rev. John W. Stevenson was a builder of artistic taste. He built the French roof house in front of our school property as his residence.
Mt. Zion M. E. Church followed close, for in the same year Bishop Edmund S. Janes, D.D., laid the corner stone for a new and larger church, which was also a memorable occasion. There were pictures of the Sunday School and trustees, ( two separate pictures) some of which are still in the homes. The trustees were: Edward Still, Edward J. Miller, Louis White, Gilbert Shaw, William Gross, Charles Haney ; Rev. Lewis Y. Cox, pastor.
In 1872, the New Jersey Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church was organized and Mt. Pisgah has always sustained a very high relation.
In 1884, Mt. Zion M. E. Church, under pastorate of Rev. G. M. Landin, decided to improve their property by raising the building and having a basement, also making the building sixteen feet longer ; which was accomplished and paid in full in 1888, under Rev. B. W. Allen's administration.
In 1887, Mt. Pisgah A. M. E. Church, under pastorate of Rev. C. C. Green, built the African Mission, now known as Mt. Pisgah A. M. E. Church, of Haddonfield, N. J., The next year, 1888, we built the parsonage at Mt. Pisgah, Snow Hill, N. J. In the year 1891, under Rev. Thomas Als, Mt. Zion M. E. Church built their present parsonage. At that time it was the finest parsonage in the Conference. A mission for school and religious services, building and lot at West- mont, N. J., was donated by Mr. Charles Rhoades, to Mt. Zion M. E. Church. Opening March 5, 1893, which was two weeks before Annual Conference. Rev. Als, having served four years, was removed and Rev. James H. Richardson begins a great revival-eighty-seven converts ; also second largest Sunday School in the Conference. In 1894, Mt. Zion remodelled the front of the church and paid for all improvements. Organized Mispah Epworth League, Charter No. 12,788, June 15, 1894, with twenty-three members. There is also a sadness in this year as it records the death of Sister Sarah Faucett, the first Deaconess recognized by the Delaware Annual Conference, and our sister.
Mt. Zion has been trying to get ready to build a new church for a long while, but now, 1902, under Rev. W. J. Moore's pastorate seems a certainty. Reasons advanced :
1. Building was too cold to worship in this winter.
2. It is too insecure for safety.
3.
It was too small to accommodate the large congregations.
The old building is torn down, the congregation worshipped tempo- rarily in the Catholic Church from September 28, 1902, to October 25, 1903. The corner-stone was laid July 26, 1903. The lecture room being finished first, then there was a delay, finally being completed in 1905, a beautiful, modern building. Dedicated by Bishop Cyrus D. Foss, D.D.,
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L.L.D., October 15,1905 ; Rev. Walter J. Moore, pastor. Mt. Pisgah A. M. E. Church, in 1911, moved back her old building-did not destroy it-and put an imposing modern frame building, sixty by forty feet auditorium, to seat 500 persons; Rev. Isaac Horsey, pastor.
In 1910, Mt. Zion M. E. Church raised $1000 on church indebted- ness, having obtained a loan `of $3000 from Board of Home Mission and Church Extension under pastorate of Rev. M. V. Waters. In this same year Mt. Zion M. E. Sunday School paid off a debt of long stand- ing at the M. E. Book Room, 1018 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pa., of $40.00. Charles C. Smiley, superintendent of Sunday School. In 1918, under pastorate of Rev. J. T. Wallace, the debt on Mt. Zion M. E. Church is paid in full.
In the year 1911, there was much unrest in the church workers. The established churches were building and paying off indebtedness. Two new missions were started, St. Monica P. E. and a Baptist Mis- sion. The Baptist Mission divided and rid itself of undesirables and slowly developed into Grace Temple Baptist Church in 1914. They worshipped in the Good Samaritain Hall. In 1917 they laid their cor- ner stone and completed the church. Brother Joseph Johnson, a far- seeing man, is the one who mortgaged his home that this church might be established. His judgment has been justified. St. Monica received a wonderful start, but the support was soon withdrawn.
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PUBLIC SCHOOL.
For over one hundred years there has been school in this town- when, where or who first started teaching, I do not know; but before there was a school house, different persons in different families taught children and adults for a small sum. The last one to do this was Mr. John Burlingham, who lived on the site of Mr. William Sadler's home, Phoenix Street, the old house being torn down. About 1848, a kindly and benevolent gentleman of Haddonfield, N. J., named Mr. Bougar, built a small frame school on Mott Street, for colored people to attend. This school was highly appreciated. The building has been enlarged and remodelled and is now the residence of Mrs. Alice Hall. Mr. John Blake was first teacher in this building. Mr. Samuel Sharpe was second. He owned a two-story home on that tract of ground known as the Diamond Tract, between Mt. Pisgah Church and G. Gross' store. He had in front of his property the first public pump and well in town, at the corner of Mould Road and Mansion Avenue. It is said he went to Liberia, Africa. Mr. Alfred Lawrence, the third teacher, was a scholar in his day. Children came from miles around, walking there and back. Many a real battle these children had, for they were not as intelligent as we are today; neither were their enemies. Therefore, they must be courageous; a cowardly child could not overcome the difficulties. Progress in school was slow, but thorough. Each scholar provided his own books and slate. Every child had to know the A B C's, forward, backward and skip-about-that is, one had to be
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thoroughly acquainted with the twenty-six letters in the alphabet. The next step was spelling words of two letters each, such as-at, be, to, so, etc. Then came three-letter words and counting or learning the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0. After this stage we are well qualified to do words of two syllables, and sums in arithmetic, such as-2 and 2, equal 4; 3 and 3, equal 6; + and 4, equal 8. Think seriously what our parents went through to learn what we today consider almost non-essential. Some, yes, almost all, never completed the spelling book ; some learned to read well and do fractions in arthmetic. They were then qualified to teach, there being no teacher's examinations required.
I will now name a few of the teachers who followed those I have mentioned in this old school building and the old hall: Mary Boyer Jackson, Mary Anderson, Edward J. Miller, George Miller, Mary Ann Gross. At another place I will give the names of all the teachers I can to the present day. Now I will name some as starting points for various achievements. The last teacher in this old school property was Anna Robinson White. She was also first teacher in the new or pres- ent school property (not present school building). She started teaching here about 1872 and taught four years with a great success. She had her scholars' interest at heart. She used an afternoon a week for sew- ing. A number of her scholars to this day call her blessed. With the transfer of the school to new and larger quarters, it was in order that the old school building be sold, and we find Charles Willitts, of Willitt's Corner, (now Barrington), very much interested in building new school and selling the old. Our next big teacher was Miss Anna Borican, who was here eight years, starting in 1888; very active in home life of com- munity ; an inspiration to scholars to help themselves. Through concerts and entertainments the school raised money and bought the school bell, which was raised in 1896. Mr. Charles Cooper, who was then the smallest scholar on the school records, was given the honor of first toll- ing the bell, while every scholar had a hand in raising the bell by pulling on the rope. We gave very good school closing exercises in the church. The names of the scholars passing examination were read ; those passing third grade received certificates of merit. We were sorry when this teacher left. She left money in fund for a school organ and fence. With the following teacher, Mr. Joseph Jackson, 1897, the School Board purchased all school books, etc. The school slate was not im- mediately removed. Under the guidance of Mr. Horace Owens, we purchased our school organ and developed our musical talents in 1900. This also represents the time when the new school building was erected to house the whole school, being four rooms. The old one had two rooms. The children came to school so fast that school soon became congested again, and in 1919 a large, new brick building was opened on Mansion Avenue, modernly equipped with four rooms and basement. Today we need a larger building for the children of today. Mr. J. Howard Jackson, one of our local young men, has become principal and worked hard that we might have graduates such as other com- munities are having. It is hard to bring the parents and teachers to a mutual understanding of the value of the scholars' present and future. Mr. Samuel A. Allen, our present principal, is an able successor to Mr.
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J. Howard Jackson, and from their combined efforts we have since 1910 the following graduates living momuments of their untiring efforts :
1910
1918
Charles Polk
1911
Jennie Williams James Thomas Geneva Still
Leon White
Laura Williams
Eugene Williams
1919
1912
Alice Williams
Rebecca Polk
Josephine Smith
1913
1920
Edna Cooper
Rachel Authur
James Campbell
Lewis Steward
1914
Rhoda Still
Irma Clay
Dorothy Sadler
1915
1921
Raymond Jackson
Roscoe Authur
Edward Hicks
Horace Bryant
Irene Cooper
Dorothy Clay
Ruth Haney
Horace Gibson
Lenard Benson
Agnes Haney
1916
Margarette Haney
Helen Shelton
Samuel Jackson
Walter Miller
Elzie Jackson
Parker Shelton
Roseberry Clay
Sarah Still
1917
Violet Whittington
Carlos Thomas
Clara Wright
Lawrence Wilson John Haney
Eva Wright
Viola Wright
The 1921 Class hold the three highest averages in the district. Holders: Agnes Haney, Horace Bryant, Dorothy Clay.
SNOW HILL INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
Between the years 1890 and 1900 there was an Industrial School here where boys were taught to mend shoes. It was opened in the Public School building and, as it increased, went to the Odd Fellows'
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Quentin Still
Randolph Wright
Hannah Williams
Warner Collins
Henrietta Faucett
Maud Gibson
Norman Bryant
Charles Brown
Anna Still
Mary Turner
Hall, where shoes and harness were repaired, and chair caned ; also we made hammocks. The boys' department met on Saturdays. The names of the teachers were: 1st, Mr. Davis; 2nd, Mr. Shoemaker ; 3rd, Mr. William Cooper. They served one at a time. On Thursdays the girls met to sew. Their teacher was Mrs. Carrie Sadler. The object was to make this school self-supporting. The articles made by the girls were sold ; and, shoes collected by boys, after being repaired, were sold at Mrs. Emerline Jackson's home. Repair work was done at a reduced rate. This school was the work of the Society of Friends, of Haddon- field, N. J. The Directors were Samuel A. Bacon, Mary W. Bell, Mary Allen, Beulah M. Rhoades. Mrs. Fanny J. Coppin, Principal of the Institute for Colored Youths, of Philadelphia, Pa., lectured in Mt. Pisgah A. M. E. Church, Snow Hill, in the interest of this Indus- trial School, April 28, 1899.
PATRIOTISM.
There have been two great crises in the history of the United States in which the nation was threatened with dissolution or dismemberment. One was the period from the close of the war of Independence, in 1783. to the adoption of the National Constitution, in 1789. The National Constitution was ratified by a convention of the people of the State of New Jersey, December 18, 1787, being the third one of the eleven states to ratify. On September 13, 1788, Congress appointed days for the requisite elections and for the organization of the new government ; and on the fourth day of March, 1789, the old Continental Congress expired and the new National Government went into full operation. The second crisis was the Great Civil War of 1861-1865, when eleven Southern States threatened a forcible dissolution of the Union.
What does the United States Flag mean to us? Well, let us make it a little more sacred and cherish it more fervently, for in 1863 there was not so many men in this town as now, yet when the President, Abraham Lincoln, made a call for men to fight to preserve the Nation and to liberate the American people from slavery, the colored from the bondage of slavery, the white from the stigma and shame of holding slaves, forty-six men from here went to the war and did service. The women and men that were too old for service prayed, worked and kept cheerful until God returned all our loved ones. Of those who made this sacrifice but five were left for Decoration Day, 1921-Joseph Brewster, William DeGraff, Benjamin Franklin Faucett, John L. Stevens, Josiah Still.
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