USA > New Jersey > Salem County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > New Jersey > Gloucester County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > New Jersey > Cumberland County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 1 > Part 51
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
The hotel and four cottages were creeted in 1872. T. W. Synnott and George W. Bailey were the first to erect cottages for the purpose of ocenpying them. Mr. Synnott built upon the northeast corner of Clin- ton and Mantua Avenues, and MIr. Bailey erected his house on the southeast corner of Clinton and Mantua Avennes. There were in 1883 abont fifty cottages on the tract, and a population of three hundred. Present
pany are : President, H. J. Mulford; Secretary and Treasurer, George W. Bailey; Agent, E. J. Lloyd : Directors, Hon. W. J. Sewell, Ilon. Jared Hopkins. T. W. Synnott, George S. Harris, Stephen Greene, W. F. Allen, I. C. Stevenson, Woodward Warwick, Hon. John F. Starr, and John P. Whitney.
The public school-house was built in 1873.
Borough of Wenonah .- The village was incor- porated under what is known as the " Borough Com- mission Act," in April, 1883.
Civil List .- President, George W. Bailey ; Mem- bers of Council, T. W. Synnott, A. W. Carey, I. C. Stevenson, J. F. Shull, C. J. Johnston, and M. H. Perry.
The town plot was surveyed in the spring of 1871, and the first building erected thereon was the present hotel, and the first residents as above stated.
The pioneer store was opened in 1872 by B. Packer, who was succeeded by --- Perry. This store was on the corner of Mantua Avenue, below the railroad station, and in this building - Bateman opened a grocery- and feed-store in the spring of 1883.
The store house now occupied by Benjamin F. Cole as a store and post-office was built in 1850.
The pioneer post-office in this place was kept in the railroad depot, with Sally Ballinger as postmi-tre-s. She was succeeded in 1881 by B. F. Cole, who now keeps the office in his store, on Mantua Avenue, above the railroad station.
The pioneer resident physician was Dr. Finch, who located here in the spring of 1852.
The hotel property was purchased in the spring of 1683 by Mrs. Lynch, the present manager, who has made this a favorite resort for summer boarder -.
Presbyterian Church .- The Presbyterian Church those occupied by the parks. All lots are seventy-five : edifice is a frame structure, built in 1873, at a cost of about four thousand dollars, and dedicated by Rev.
feet front by one hundred and fifty feet deep from the side of the street, and selected by purchasers so as to ' Dr. Reed, of Camden. There were but seventeen front in any direction desired. All the streets are , members at that time, with Rev. John Howard1 sixty-six feet in width, except Mantua Avenue, . O'Brian as pastor, who remained till the spring of
1
1
Ellison K. Surmer
John blume
201
TOWNSHIP OF EAST GREENWICH.
1883. The first and only elder for several years was Isaac C. Stevenson, who, with George L. MeGill, are the present elders. The church in 1883 numbered fifty members.
The trustees in 1883 were George W. Bailey, T. W. Synnott, Dr. Gilman. G. Green, and I. C. Stevenson.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- The Methodist Episcopal Church at this place was built in 1883.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ELLISON K. TURNER.
John Turner, the grandfather of Ellison K., who came of sturdy English stock, was born in Washing- ton township, Gloucester Co., and was reared in childhood to follow the occupations of his after life, those of a carpenter and farmer. He married Miss Elizabeth Carter, and had children fourteen in num- ber, among whom was Joseph, born on the homestead, which is his present residence. His life has been devoted to farming pursuits, in which success has erowned his many years of industry. Mr. Turner married Miss Achsah, daughter of Samuel Kirby, of Camden Co., N. J., whose children are Mary Ann (deceased ), Martha ( Mrs. Leap). Sarah ( Mrs. Stanger', Robert, Elizabeth (MIrs. B. HI. Leap), Burroughs, Anne (Mrs. Wilkins), Abigail (Mrs. Williams), and Ellison K. The latter was born March 26, 1833, on the homestead, and spent his early life in the im- mediate vicinity. At the age of nine years he re- moved with his parents to the farm at present owned by him, which was purchased from his father. Lim- ited opportunities of education were offered at this time, the boys of the family having been early re- quired to take a hand in the labor of the farm. Elli- son K. remained thus employed until twenty-nine years of age. In 1864 he became owner of his present home, which under his skillful managment has in- ereased greatly in value and been rendered very pro- ductive, a spacious and attractive residence having taken the place of the former dwelling. He is princi- pally engaged in market gardening, in which success has attended his labors. Hle was married March 14, 1862, to Miss Mary Ann, daughter of Joseph Leap, of Deptford township, Gloucester Co., and has children, -Josephine, Ellison, and Mary Achsah.
Mr. Turner votes the Republican ticket in politics, and has held one or more township offices, but cares little for such distinctions. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Blackwoodtown, and one of its trustees.
JOHN C. TURNER.
Robert Turner, the grandfather of the subject of this biography, resided in Gloucester County, where he fol- lowed agricultural employments. Ile married and
had children, among whom was John, born in the same County, who spent his boyhood with his stepfather, An- drew Dilks. On reaching the years of manhood he chose the trade of carpenter, and pursued it success- fully for many years, but later engaged extensively in farming and lumbering. He exhibited in all his busi- hess enterprises a clear head and much financial abil- ity, his energies being devoted entirely to the manage- ment of his own interests, with neither leisure nor taste for public life. He resided at Turnerville, Washing- ton, then Deptford, township. Gloucester Co., and married Miss Elizabeth Carter, to whom were born children,-Mary, Joanna, Robert, Abigail, Joseph. John C., Daniel, Jesse, Andrew, Elizabeth, Martha, Martha (2d), Anna, and Elizabeth (20). John C. was born Feb. 15, 1815, at the family home in Turnerville. where the demands of the farm and the instruction imparted at the neighboring public school alternately elaimed his attention. At the age of twenty-one years he engaged in the trade of carpenter, having previously learned it with his father. Ile, in 1844, rented the farm he now occupies, and two years later purchased the property. Later he became owner of two adjoining farms, and began the business on an extensive scale, making the raising of garden produce a specialty. though also engaged in general farming. This wa- continued until 1879, when he retired from active labor. He was married on the 11th of January, 1835, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Ephraim Bee, of (Hlou- cester County, whose children were Sarah, Mary. Rebecca, and Sina Ann. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Turner are Anna (deceased), Catherine 'de- ceased), Elizabeth (Mrs. Thomas Loren, Jr.), John (deceased), and Charles, married to Miss Elizabeth Doren, of Cumberland County. Mr. Turner cares lit- tle for the honors of office, though he has served the township in various capacities. In politics he is a Democrat and a strong partisan. He is a member of the Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is steward and president of the board of trustees. Mrs. Turner is also a member of the same church.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
TOWNSHIP OF EAST GREENWICH.1
Geography and Topography .- This is one of the interior townships of the county, and was erected by an act of the Legislature, approved Feb. 10, 1881, from the eastern part of old Greenwich and the we-t- ern part of Mantua townships, and is bounded on the northeast and east by Mantua, on the southeast and south by Harrison and Woolwich townships, on the west by Greenwich, and on the north by West Deptford and Mantua townships.
' By W. H. Shaw.
--
202
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
The surface is quite level, yet sufficiently undu- the late William Haines, for many years the vener- lating to admit of good drainage. The soil i- of a able surveyor of what is now East Greenwich township, and for the most part copy verbatim from his writings, rieh sandy loam, and produces abundant crops when properly cultivated, which is the case with most of the farmers and truckers within its borders.
The township is drained by the Mantua Creek, which forms its northern boundary line, the Re- paupo, which forms a part of its southern boundary line, the Still Run, Repaupo, Nehansey Branch, and Clonmill Creek, the three latter taking their rise in or near the central part of the township, running in a southwesterly direction, emptying into the Dela- ware River.
The township is well supplied with ordinary high- ways and turnpikes; also by the Swedesboro and Woodbury Railroad, running nearly north and south through the township, and having five stations within its borders.
The following is a portion of the act of the State Legislature erecting the township of East Green- wich :
"SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey, That all those parts of the townslopa of Greenwich and Mantua, in the county of Gloucester, contained within the following hounds, to wit :
" Beginning in the middle of Great Mantua Creek, opposite the west- erly line of John A. Loudenslager's farm; thence following said line a westerly conrse to the middle of the public road leading from Berkeley to Gibbstown; thence by a straight line to the western elge of the public road from Paulsboro to Swedesboro, at the run near William E. Gaunt's dwelling-house ; thence down the westerly edge of said road to the middle of Purgy ('reek, in the line of Logan township; thence by the easterly line of Logan, Woolwich, and Harrison townships to a large cherry stump near Joseph Stewart's dwelling-house, where said Harri- son township line intersects the westerly edge of the Union road; thence froui said point bearing about north forty-four degrees east to the middle of Great Mantua Creek aforesand, said line passing a stone set in the westerly edge of sud creek, sixty-three feet eastwardly from an ancient white-oak stump on the westerly bank thereof, northeast from Charles Shoemaker's dwelling-house; thence down the middle of said creek to the place of beginning, shall be and are hereby set off from said town-hip of Greenwich and Mantua, in the county of Gloucester, and made a separate township, to be known by the name of the town- ship of East Greeuwich.
"SECTION 2. And be it ennet d, That the inhabitants of the township of : out in 1807, three rods wide beginning at the Woodbury
East Greenwich shall be and are hereby constituted a boily politie and corporate in law, by the name of 'The Inhabitants of the Township of East Greenwich, in the County of Gloucester, and shall be entitled to all the rights, powers, authority, privileges, and advantages, and shall be subject to al regulations, government, and liabilities that other tow !!- ship, of said county of Gloncester are or may be entitled or subject to by the existing laws of the State.
"SECTION 3. And be it enacted, That the inhabitants of the township of East Greenwich aforesaid shall hold the first annual town-meeting at ' Warner's Hall,' in Clarksboro, in said township, at the time fixed by law for holding annual town-meetings in the several townships of the county of Gloucester."
: Section 4 authorizes the township committees to meet for the settle- ment of township property.
--
Section 5 constitutes J. Albert Wolf township clerk until after the first annual town-meeting.
Section 6 allows officers in commission to remain in office until the expiration of the term for which they were elected.
Section 7 assigns Enst Greenwich to the First Assembly District of Gloucester County .
We will now proceed to notice some of the public roads, commeneing at the lower end of the township line road. This was formerly a somewhat crooked by-road, leading from the Sand Hills to Cook's mill. An application was made for a public road about the . year 1832 or IS33, but it failed. Another application was made, and a publie road from the Sand Hills to the Union road laid, in 1834. two rods wide. The "other end of the road, though not regularly laid out. has become established by the lapse of time, and is maintained, with the bridges, as other roads are. John Haines, who lived on this road, had a well-improved farm, which, before the ereetion of East Greenwich, lay partly in Mantua and partly in Greenwich town- ships. At the lower end of this farm is "Rattling Run." This stream rises a little west of what is now Jefferson, and, flowing westwardly, supplies the mill- pond of Judge Warrington, after which it takes the name of Purgy Creek, thence emptying into the Repaupo Creek.
The first farm over what was the line of Mantua township was Thomas Hunter's, formerly owned by Jonathan Carter. Sr. Then there is the large man- sion of Richard Black, whose farm also lay partly in both of the old townships. This plantation, with that of John Haines, before noticed, and the two next on the road, were owned by William H. Brown and Conrad Poole, and were formerly owned by John Tatum, Sr., on which he kept a large flock of merino sheep in the days of their popularity.
Near the mansion of Richard Black a road puts off southwardly, laid in 1854, two rods wide, and 1 passing through the farms of the late Zebedee Tomlin, Samuel Kessler, and Jacob G. Tomlin, enters the turnpike near the latter place. After passing the land of Richard Black we cross the Union road laid
and Mullica Hill road, thence running by Solomon's graveyard and by Judge Warrington's mill to Bridgeport. The late residence of Thomas Allen, deceased. and the little mansion of John F. Hughes are on this road. The stone house farm formerly owned by the Gloucester County Bank comes next on what was the old township line road, and is now owned by Conrad Poole. Next we cross the Cedar road, which runs from Glassboro, by Five Points, to Greenwich meeting-house, at which place it connects with the Demoerat road, and passes on to Gibbstown. This road was laid in 1800, and was two rods wide. On the Cedar road was the residence of William IFaines, deceased, and now occupied by Hon. Job S. Ilaines. This was known as "Cedar Lawn Farm," so named from the amount of eedars planted there many years ago by the then proprietor. Here is a beautiful grove and miniature lake, a place that has
2
Pioneer Settlers and Roads .- We have been per- mitted, through the courtesy of Hon. Job S. Haines, to make a few extracts from the writings of his father, i of late become famous as a picnic ground. This
.
203
TOWNSHIP OF EAST GREENWICIL.
property formerly belonged to the late Joseph Wolf, who carried on the cider making and distilling busi- nes- in ye aneient days, and belonged to the Wolf family for many generations. Its chain of title ean be distinctly traced back to 1663.
after which this part was again applied for and laid in 1822. The proceedings are only found on the min- utes of the court. Three rods appears to have been the width of the road. eommeneing at the Cohocking road (or turnpike, near the toll-gate) ; thenee, having Greenwich town-hip, as it was then, on the north side,
Just a little southeast of the William Haines place a publie road, laid out in 1855, two rods wide, i down to a little stream of water on the outbounds of branches off and runs through the lands and by the Mantna as it was then. Near this place the first marl used as a fertilizer in this vicinity was dug. This place is now owned by Jeremiah llaines. Over at the left, on top of the hill, is the Cozzens family burying-ground, no longer used as such. A few marble slabs mark the last resting-place of some of the pioneers of this sec- tion. Several of the adjoining farms belonged to the Cozzens family, that of William G. Haines, a short distance from the road on the south side, and that of Samuel G. Haines, a little farther on upon the north 1 side. re-idences of Silas Richards, Elwood Gorden. Mark Heritage, and Matthew Allen, to the turnpike at Richards' Hill. The next farin on the Cedar road was owned by Lewis V. Atkinson, the buildings being located back from the road on the creek. This farm was formerly owned by the late Isaae Hendrickson. The farm of the late Jonathan Force, and then the farm of Henry Weatherby are at the junction of the old Cohoeking road. On the old township line road stands the mansion of William A. Dawson, built according to his own plan. The road, after passing the baek part of the farm of Thomas R. Adams and lands of John Green, on the Greenwich side of the , at a ford a little below Hannold's. now Boody's mill ; old township line road, enters the old Cohocking road at John Green's residence, on an elevated spot known a- the Sand Hill.
We now turn our attention to the public road from | Barnesboroto Berkeley, laid out in 1799, and beginning thence to Barnesboro, there omitting the main street, commencing again at the lower end of the town, and running through Berkeley, Clonmel, and Gibbstown The Lawrenceville (Jefferson) and Berkeley turn- pike passing through this township was the old Co- hocking road, an Indian name, and was laid out about 1855, at the time when the Red Bank ferry to Phila- delphia was in full operation. The dwelling of Senex | Green is first on the road above the oll toll-house. A tenant-house of T. R. Adams, and the small farm of Sarah Carter are next, and just beyond a road south- east to what was Daniels', afterwards Pines', and now Daniel L. Packer's grist-mill. This road was laid out in 1816, three rods wide, but not laid across the mill-dam. : to the old Seven Stars Tavern, three rods wide to Gibbstown, and four rods wide across the Repaupo meadows. Edward's Creek, at Gerrard's dam, being the line between Mantua and Greenwich before the erection of East Greenwich, where we commence, and find first the farms of James Beckett and Oliver, both of whom are deceased. The J. S. Somers mansion comes next. Next comes the farm of the late James B. Albertson ; the old mansion house, of briek, stands back from the road, was built in 1744, and set due north and south. Just back from the house is a good landing on Mantua Creek. A little farther up the A little below this mill there are parts of an old dam across the valley, with sundry piling and other relics of " Room's Mill," built on this stream about 1690. Farther up the Coboeking road is the farm of T. R. Adams, having on it a remarkable hill of conieal shape just baek of his barn. From the top of this hill can be seen Girard College, and other points of interest. The next farm was that of E. A. Holmes, formerly owned by the late Jonathan Carter, Sr. Then comes the second farm of T. R. Adams, formerly owned by Hon. Job S. Haines. Silas Richards occu- pied the corner at the cross-roads with his neat little shoemaker-shop, long since abandoned for that pur- pose. road is the entrance to the mansion of the late Joseph W. Pratt, the farin now owned by Jacob Packer. The John Haines farm, extending from Mantua to Edward's Creek, comes next. The old molasses house, with its mill and boiling pans, have gone out of use. There is a remarkable spring of cold water on the hills of the Mantua Creek on this farm, that oozes out of a rock and flows into the creek. There was formerly a fishing- ground where shad were caught, and a good landing on the ereek on this farm. The Samuel Haines farm is next on the south side of the road, extending baek to Edward's Creek, on which there is a fine marl bed. This was the residence of the late William Haine-, Sr., grandfather of Hon. Job S. Haines. There is a hired man now (1883, on this farm that has been con- tinuously employed here for nearly forty years. The next and last we shall speak of in this connection is the Charles Shoemaker farm, the dwelling standing near Mantna Creek, and within a few feet of the two rods wide. The present road was applied for soon : southea-t boundary line of what is now East Green- wich township. This farm was formerly owned by 1
We will now make a few observations along the road leading from the old Cohoeking road by Leppee's, or Jessup's mill. There had been a by-road running through this section of country from an early period, a part of which was laid out as a public road in 1784, after the building of the mill, or about 1821 ; was laid through, and not being satisfactory to some of the Jeffrey Clark, the pioneer of Clarksboro, after whomi parties, was caveated and a portion thereof set aside, I the place was named.
-
.
204
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
The following chain of title covers not only the almshouse farm but many of the adjoining farmis or plantations, and was prepared with the utmost care by the late William IFines, and read before the West Jersey Surveyors' Association, in August, 1870:
"Charles the Second, King of Great Britain, Ire- land, etc., granted by letters patent in the year A.D. 1663, to his brother James, Duke of York, all lands from the west side of Connecticut River to the east side of Delaware Bay.
" The following year, 1664, the said Duke of York, in consideration of the sum of ten shillings lawful English money to him in hand paid, did grant and convey to John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Car- teret all that tract of land adjacent to New England and lying to the westward of Long Island, to be called New Caesarea, or New Jersey.
"Soon after this purchase a division of the territory appears to have been made by the parties, which line, so established, constitutes the division or boundary between East and West Jersey ; Lord Berkeley taking the western portion and Carteret the eastern. Nothing worthy of notice appears to have transpired in the western section for a period of eleven years from the aforesaid date.
" After which, in the year 1675, John Fenwick, a member of the Society of Friends, acting as trustec or agent for one Edward Byllings, purchased the whole of West Jersey from Lord Berkeley. The price paid for the same does not appear.
"Soon after this purchase Fenwick, with a com- pany of his friends. sailed from London, and in due time arrived safely at the lower part of his new colony, at a place which he named Salem. being the same as at the present time in the county of Salem, the prinei- pal street of which still bears the name of Fenwick.
"Some time subsequently a dispute arose between Byllings and his trustee, Fenwick, which they them- selves not being able to settle, resulted in the appoint- ment of three arbitrators or commissioners on the part of Byllings to negotiate with Fenwick, and the difficulty was finally adjusted. One of the arbitrators was the worthy William Penn, just then in the bloom of life and vigor of manhood ( whose name and charac- ter will go down to posterity gathering blessings with . its proper place. The said John Gerrard, by deed the increase of time), who while engaged in settling this dispute first conceived the idea of founding the prov- ince of Pennsylvania. Fenwiek appears to have re- ceived for his services as trustee or agent for Byllings a certain portion of the lands of the new colony, viz., lying below Oldman's Creek, which creek the Indians ealled Mo-acca, but Fenwick called it Berkeley River.
" The fact of the Fenwick title to lands below Old- man's Creek is apparent from an old warrant now in my possession, in good keeping, having the seal of FENWICK attached, and dated at the Fenwick govern- ment the 26th day of the 6th month. A.D. 1682, granting one thousand acres of land to Rodger Pedrick, must have included the lands in the township of and lying on the west side of said ereck, or Berkeley . Mantna now owned by Samuel Haines, Charles
River, which embraces the site where Pedricktown now stands. The giants of title to the lands above Oldman's Creek all appear to have been given by Byllings and his last appointed commissioners or trustees. This is the case with the lands in que-tion. for we find by deed dated the 26th and 27th day- of the 7th month ( July ), A.D. 1681, Edward Byllings and trustees convey to John Clark, of London (brewer ), a whole share of proprietary land in the western divi- sion of the Province of New Jersey. The number of acres does not appear on the face of this deed, but we find by reference thereto in after deeds that the quantity was one thousand acres, more or less, with the usual allowance, etc., five hundred acres of which were located on the northwest side of Edward's Creek, a branch of Mantoes Creek, and five hundred on the southeast side of said creek, in the township of Green- wich, in the county of Gloucester. John Clark dying intestate, the whole of said lands descended to his eldest son, John Clark, Jr., of Hackney, in the county of Middlesex, England, gentleman. who by deed dated the 20th and 27th days of July, 1702, conveys his whole right in said lands to Benjamin Alford, of New England, in America. This appears to be the : first time the name of America is mentioned in any of the grants. Benjamin Alvord dying without a will, his whole estate descended to his son, John Alvord, who by deed dated the 20th and 21st days of June, 1720, conveys five hundred and fifty acres of said lands to Robert Gerrard. Here appears to be the date of the first survey made after the general loca- tion, and begins at a stake standing on the westerly side of Great Mantoes Creek, and runs a southwesterly course sixty-nine chains to Jobn Eglington'- line ; thence with said line southeastward, sixty-seven chains; and thence eastwardly to Edward'> Creek. and thence down the same to Mantoes Creek afore- said, and thence down said creek to the place of be- ginning. It may here be observed that Edward's Creek ( whick took its name from Edward Bylling-) emptied into Mantoes Creek at that time near where the Swedesboro Railroad now crosses the same, which is some three-fourths of a mile from its present june- tion, the cause of which will be hereafter noticed in dated June 22, 1727, purchased of John Eglington one hundred acres adjacent to the aforesaid tract.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.