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 55
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 55
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 55
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(Signed) LEVI L. CAMPBELL.
Taken before Isaac Thorn, Esq., on the 13th day of March, A.D. 1820, and received the same day.
I do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will in all things, to the best of my knowledge and understanding, justly and faithfully Execute the office of Surveyor of the highways, without favour or Partiality.
(Signed) MOSES CRANF.
Taken before William Porch, Esqr., on the 13th day of Match, A. D. 1:20, and received the same day.
Estrays for the year 1820.
At George Cake's. A steer, past two years old, with a wite Back, Brin- dle sides, with a number of wite spots on and is wite spots in the flanks. A large wite ewe.
At Noah Park's. A Brindle Cow with a crop off the hear ear and half crop off the upper side the oft ear, with only three Tits. Booked Dec. 29, 1820.
At Nathaniel Salmon's. A Small Black Heiffer (2 year old), with som small wite spots, marked a crop off the oft ear and half crop off the near ear.
At Abn Leaddon's. A small wite ewe, with a half crop and a slit in the off ear and a slope half-penny in the near ear. A small wite Ewe, Fart Marino, with a crop in the near ear & a slope half-penny in the oft . ship. ear.
At Jacob stanger, Jun". A wite ewe, with a crop off the near ear and a slit and a half-penny in the under side the oft ear. A small wite Ewe. part Munino, with a crop of the near ear and a hole and a half-penny the under side the oft ear.
At Charles Davis'. A wite Ram, Marked a Swallow-fork in the near ear and a half-penny nuder the same ear. A ewe ( wite) Marked a crop off the near ear and a hole in the same car. A wite Weather, marked a crop off each ear and a half-penny under each ear, at two slits in the oft ear and one in the near ear.
At Jacul, Fisler's. A wite Weither, Marked a crop off each ear and a hole in the near ear.
A Wire Ewe, Marked a crop off the near ear and a half-penny on each side both ears and a slit in the oft ear.
Pioneer Election.
We, the judges andI inspectors of election of the Township of Frank- :
lin, in the connity of Gloucester, do hereby certify that having pro- ceeded to receive the votes of the voters of said Township, the following is a list of all the candidates voted for, of the officers proposed for them, and the number of votes for each.
For Members of the Legislative Council: John Baxter, sixty-seven ; Joseph Lodge, seven.
For Members of the General Assembly : William Talirn, nine : John Wilson, eleven ; Themas Garwood, thirty-five ; John Moore Wite, four- tren ; Joseph V. Clark, fonteon ; William Watson, forty ; Jeremiah J. Foster, forty-two; Samuel Kille, thirty-five.
For Sheriff: Benjamin Wilkins, seventy-five.
For Coroners: Isaa Mickle, Jr., thirty-six ; John Zierns, forty-four ; Nehemiah Blackman, seventy-two ; John Pissant, twenty-nine : Freedom L. Shing, thirty-eight.
The whole number of votes taken, seventy-six.
In testimony whereof, we have hareunto subscribed our names and affixed our senla, the 11th day of October, in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and twenty.
A true coppy.
(Signed) GEORGE ANDERSON, JulJe. [L. 8.]
LEVI L. CAMPBELL, AvEssor. [L. 8.1
JEPTHA ABBOTT, Collector. [L. s.]
ISAAC THORN, T. CIL. [L. S.]
At the Presidential election held Nov. 8, 1820, the whole number of votes cast was thirty-eight, as follows :
For Members of Congress : Joseph Mellvane, nine ; James Matlack, twenty-nine.
For Electors: Richard M. Cooper, nineteen ; Robert L. Armstrong, sixteen.
The certificate is signed by the same township officers as that for county offices in October.
At the township-meeting held in March, 1821, the following resolutions were offered and adopted by the voters :
" Resolved, That one hundred dollars be raised for the use of the township.
" Resolved, That the annual election for the Council and General As- sembly of this State open at Malaga and close at Glassborongh.
" Resole+d, That the next annual Town-Meeting be held at George Cake's, Little Ease."
1822 :
" Resolved, That the Overseers of Highways' wages be seventy -five cents per day.
" Resolved, That four hundred dollars be raised for the use of the township.
" Resolved, That the Annual Town-meeting shall be heki at Little Ease, when the votes shall be taken by Ballot."
This appears to be the first time the ballot was made use of at town-meeting .. At this time Glass- boro and Clayton were included in Franklin town-
At the Pre-idential election in 1824 the number of votes had increased to fifty-six, when John Buck, Joseph Kille, Isaac Wilson, James Parker, and Daniel Vleit each are credited with that number for electors, Joseph W. Scott and John Beatty, Jr., with thirty- seven votes each, and Joseph Kline and James Cook, nineteen each.
At this election George Casaday, Samuel Swan, George Holcomb, Lewis Condiet, Daniel Garrison, received for Congress fifty-six votes each, and Eben- ezer Tucker thirty-two, and James Matlack thirty- three votes.
In February, 1825, when the vote was taken in re-
218
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
lation to location of court-house, jail, and other county buildings, the whole number of votes cast by Franklin township was two hundred and twelve, of which Woodbury received one hundred and eighty- seven, and Camden, or within one mile thereof, re- ceived twenty-five votes,-quite an increase in num- ber of votes from November, 1824, to February, 1825.
The certificate was signed by Jacob Stanger, judge of election; Isaac Thorn, assessor; Samuel Fisler, collector ; and Daniel Foeer, town elerk.
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Pioneer School Committee .- At the annual town- meeting in March, 1826, the following-named per- sons were elected a "committee for the education of poor children in this township:" Walter Donlevy, Thomas B. Wood, Laurenee Cake, Jacob Fisler, Jr., William Porch, John Jackson, and Aquilla Down.
" Oribred, That the township committee pay to the school committee the money raised last year (1825) for the use of said school.
" Ordered, That the school committee shall proportion the money re- ceived by them for the use aforesaid to the best of their alnlity."
At the town-meeting in March, 1828, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :
" Resolved, That the voting of this township shall be by marking. " Resolved, That no person shall hold more than one township othce.
" Resolved, That there be but one constatde to serve the township.
" Resolved, That there shall be three districts for overseers of the roads, namely, Ist, 2d, 3d, and one overseer to each district.
" Resolred, That the money in the school fund shall go into the hands of the township committee."
At the annual town-meeting in March, 1830, the following-named persons were elected a " school com- mittee:" Robert Chew, Benjamin Harding, William Porch, Esq., Dr. Jacob Fisler, Levi L. Campbell. These gentlemen held the position of "school com- mittee" till the spring of 1837, when the records tell
The inhabitants continued to elect three persons annually as a school committee till the spring of 1847, when Miles Synott was elected "school superintend- ent," which office was continued till the law wa- changed creating a county superintendent of schools.
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.
factured the lumber for building the pioneer glass- works of what now is Franklin township.
The pioneer store was the one connected with the glass-works, and owned by Stanger & Co. Soon there were other stores at this place, all of which soon served their time and were abandoned.
The pioneer blacksmith and wheelwright were also connected with the glass-works.
The pioneer tavern was kept by Ferguson MeGon- igal. The old building stood in front of the site oe- cupied by the present hotel. There was a large lot in rear, or along the road leading to the railroad depot, and the space between the tavern and glass factory. now occupied by buildings, was then vacant.
A saw-mill, on the site of the present one, was built by Jacob Stanger, during the ownership of the prop- erty by C. L. Stanger & Co., and the present grist- mill was built by John G. Rosenbaum in 1830. He intended the mill originally for his own use exclu- sively ; but as soon as it was in operation the people of the surrounding country, who had been in the habit, from necessity, of pounding their corn and wheat in the old-fashioned mortar, began to patronize the new mill, and Mr. Rosenbaum was therefore under the necessity of enlarging his private mill to the capacity of the present mill.
For several years Malaga was, to all appearances, a thriving town ; but, like all such towns with a float- ing population, it soon ceased to be anything more than whatever the glass-factory happened, with its good or ill fortune, to make it, as the village is not sur- rounded with a rich farming community, upon which merehants and mechanics mostly depend for support.
There are at present in the village the Malaga Glass- us that "the town committee to aet in place of the . Works, two general stores, one owned by the glass school committee," yet at the annual town-meeting in March, 1838, Jacob Stanger, John V. Porch, and James Down were elected a "school committee," neither of whom are members of the town com- mittee. company and the other by R. C. Souders ; one tavern, by Joseph M. Iredell ; saw- and grist-mills, one black- smith, one large two-story school-house, the old town hall, now owned and occupied by the Methodist Epis- eopal Society as a place of worship ; three seeret soci- eties,-Knights of Pythias, Knights of Labor, and Junior American Mechanics. The village contains a population of about two hundred and fifty. The rail- road station is about half a mile northeast from the main street of the town.
The postmasters of Malaga have been J. G. Rosen- baum. Chew, McClure, Down, and the present post- master, Ferdinand Rosenbaum.
Malaga is a small hamlet, situated on the southwest side of the township, near the line of Cumberland Iona .- This is a small hamlet, situated on the line of the West Jersey Railroad, about one and a balf miles from Franklinville, and was made a railroad station in 1860 or 1861. The place was settled by Moses Crane, the father of a large family, and known for many years as "Cranetown." Mr. Crane built a saw-mill here, which was in operation till about 1875, when it was abandoned. There is at present at lona a railroad station, store, steam saw-mill, owned by County. The land upon which the village is located was owned, previous to 1813 or 1814, by Daniel H. Miller, who owned a tract of several thousand acres in this vicinity. Upon this large tract was nothing more than the farin-house and several tenements till 1814, when the entire tract was purchased by Chris- tian L. Stanger, who, in 1813 probably, built a saw- mill just below where the present bridge crosses the stream. This was the pioneer improvement of what . sons of W. P. Crane, and town hall. Population is now the village of Malaga. At this mill was manu- , about seventy-five.
219
TOWNSHIP OF FRANKLIN.
Porchtown, a small hamlet on the southwest line , term, and is at present one of the lay judges of the of the township, adjoining Cumberland County, County Court. where there is a grist-mill, blacksmith-shop, shoe- shop, and Methodist Episcopal Church, and about seventy inhabitants.
New Denmark is a small collection of farm-houses, about two miles southeast from Franklinville, without store or mechanic of any kind, and has a population of thirty or forty.
Franklinville, located in the northwest part of the township, was one of the earliest settled localities in what is now Franklin. The land upon which the village is located was owned, at the beginning of the present century, by William Fisher, who located a traet of over one thousand acres, and for many years the hamlet was called Little Euse, and so designated in the early records of the township.
During the ownership by Mr. Fisher, and some time previous to 1800, he built a saw-mill at this place, and upon the same site two mills have succeeded the first one, and the third one was in operation till 1867, when the milling business at this point was aban- doned. Previous to the building of a saw-mill there was a turning-mill at Little Ease. Myers Wilson owned the property subsequent to the ownership by Fisher. Mr. Wilson was a millwright and wheel- wright combined, and carried on both branches of the trade. Samuel Porch purchased of Myers Wilson the thousand-acre traet, including the mill property, and owned the whole for many years.
The pioneer tavern at Little Ease was kept by George Cake, he having purchased of Myers Wilson a small lot of land, upon which he built a house on or near the site of the present tavern-house. Here Mr. Cake kept the pioneer tavern for many years, and at his death the business was continued by his son, Lawrence Cake, who became prominently iden- tified with the business interests of the township, holding prominent township offices at various dates. Lawrence Cake kept the old hostlery for about twenty vears, when he sold to Leonard Larkins, who con- tinued the business till his death, which occurred in 1879 or 1880, since which time Franklinville has been without a tavern. The property, however, has been Purchased by a party in Philadelphia.
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In connection with the tavern George Cake kept a store, and at his death was succeeded in that, as well as the tavern, by his son Lawrence.
The earliest blacksmith at this place within the recollection of the oldest inhabitant was William Davis, who was here in the early part of the present eentury, and the pioneer shoemaker was honest old John Phillips, Paul Early was the wheelwright at Little Ease as early as 1820.
The third store at Franklinville was kept by John F. Nute, in connection with the railroad station. When the station-house was built, in 1867, Mr. Nute was made station agent, and in one part of the build- ing he opened a general store. June 30, 1880, the station, store, and stock of goods was destroyed by fire, caused by a spark from a passing engine. Mr. Nute soon erected the store building now standing on the opposite side of the railroad track, where he is still engaged in the mercantile business, and is also the present postmaster at Franklinville. The next store was that of Thomas Wilson, in his dwelling, a short distance from the railroad station. His store is more especially for the accommodation of his family and his numerous employés than for the publie generally.
There are at Franklinville three stores, by Edmund Jones, John F. Nute & Son, and Thomas Wilson ; two churches, Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian; one school-house, railroad station, and post-office. There is no mill, blacksmith, wheelwright, doctor, lawyer, or tavern, and population only about seventy- five.
Plainville, situated near the centre of the town- ship, where there is a Methodist Episcopal Church, and about a dozen dwellings in the neighbor- hood.
Chewville, situated in the southeast corner of the township, where there is a Methodist Episcopal Church, steam saw-mill, cemetery, and ten or twelve dwellings.
Downstown is a small collection of houses at the intersection of six roads on the Atlantic County line, where there is also a store, blacksmith-shop, and about forty inhabitants.
Forest Grove is another of those mythical towns, containing about thirty dwellings, steam saw-mill, blacksmith and wheelwright shop, by Oscar Smith, post-office and store, by William Ellis, a brick Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and briek school-house.
The second store at what is now Franklinville Newfield .- This is comparatively a new town, sit- uate in the south part of the township, at the junction of the Atlantic and West Jersey Railroad with the main line of the West Jersey Road, and is on the old Rosenbaum traet. In 1863, Allen Heminway, father of Amenzo B. Heminway, purchased a traet of one was kept by Samuel Porch, grandfather of the pres- ent venerable William Porch, who is now and has for nearly thirty years been township collector. Mr. Porch was succeeded at the yardstick and old beani- scales by Joseph Medara, who was followed by James Welch, John McClintock, John Graham, and he by . hundred and forty-four acres of land on the west side Ikhaund Jones, the present principal merchant of of the railroad, and Capt. Ely, of Philadelphia, pur- the village. Mr. Jones commenced the mercantile chased one hundred and cleven acres on the east side business here about 1858, and in the mean time has . of the railroad : and soon after that, Morris & Co. filled the office of sheriff of Gloucester County one purchased large tracts aroand the two former, and
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220
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
the whole of the three tracts was surveyed into streets and building lots and offered for sale.
The railroad station was built, quite a number of lots sold, houses built, stores and shops built, mechan- ies busy, and the banner of prosperity seemed to wave over the embryo town for a short time, when the tide of immigration ceased or diverted to other points, and the prestige once lost has never been re- gained.
The pioneer store was opened by Charles Pitt Lashley, who was succeeded by ditterent merchants, and finally by J. J. Sturmer, the present merchant, in the old store. The next store was that of MIrs. Har- riet A. Evans, in the building where she is now located.
The building known as the " Newfield House" was built by a Mr. Knowles, of Philadelphia, and sold to H. A. Pelton, who kept the hotel till 1881, when he died. Since then the house has been kept by Mrs. Pelton, the present proprietress. The pioneer shoe- maker was William Summervill, who has increased his business to the dignity of a boot and shoe store. John B. Carman commenced the boot and shoe trade here in the spring of 1882.
The pioneer blacksmith at Newfield was William Grant, who located here about the year 1863 or 1869, and was soon succeeded by Thomas Bateman, who remained till 1872, when he was succeeded by Pier- son & Garvin, who built the present wheelwright- shop. They sold the property to Joseph James, the present blacksmith at Newfield. The present wheel- wright is Langdon W. Harris. The Newfield stove and tin store is kept by a Mr. Wakeman. There is also at this place a small rattan basket and chair works, of which R. J. Morell is superintendent.
The pioneer postmaster at this place was Allen Heminway, who was succeeded by his son, De Witt C., and he by his wife, Mrs. M. J. Heminway, the pres- ent postmistress. The West Jersey Railroad was built to this place in 1864, and the Atlantic Junction in 1880. De Witt C. Heminway was the first station agent, and Allen C. Becket is the present one.
The Weekly Iten, an eight-column newspaper, was established here in October, 1873, by Albert C. Dalton, the present publisher and editor. There is also a small Baptist Church at this place, of which we could gain no reliable information.
SOCIETIES.
Malaga Lodge, No. 43, K. of P .- This lodge was instituted at Malaga, N. J., April 5, Isso, by Eugene V. Lorton, G. K. R. S. of Howard Lodge, No. 53, assisted by representatives from several other lodges. The following-named persons were the charter mem- bers :
George Davis, Isaac P. Smith, Joseph Akert, Joseph MI. Fredell, Ebert B. Clouse, Isaac A. Hues, William Kealy, John Vanzant, Moses D. Atkinson, Leander Zanes, Charles Bittle, Jesse Atkinson, John Loid,
Isaac S. Stewart, William W. Richman, James Malt- man, Philip W. Carter. Ferdinand Rosenbaum, Adan Smith. John S. Down, Ferdinand M. Lashley, Thomas Evans, and Joseph Kinsel.
The first officer- of the lodge were John Vanzant, P. C .; Ebert B. Clouse, C. C .; Isaac A. Hues, V. C. : Isaac P. Smith, P. ; Ferdinand Rosenbaum, K. of R. S. and M. of F .; Joseph Akert, MI. of E .; Philip W. Carter, M. at A .; Charles Bittle, I. G .; John Loid, O. G.
The regular meetings of the lodge are held on Mon- day evening of each week in their hall in public school building. Present membership, fifty-eight.
The present officers ( August, 1882) are George W. Robinson, P. C .; George O. Mahr, C. C .; P. W. Car- ter, V. C .; Rev. John B. Whitton, Prel .; Thomas Calverly, M. at A .; John Vanzant, MI. of F .; F. Rosenbaum, K. of R. S .; Isaac P. Smith, I. G. ; John G. Stadler, O. G.
Forest Grove Lodge, No. 91, F. and A. M .- This lodge was instituted at Franklinville. N. J., in 1867. The records of the lodge were destroyed by fire in June, 1880, therefere we are unable to give the names of charter members or list of first officers. The regu- lar communications of the lodge are held in Masonic Hall, over J. F. Nute & Sons' store, on the Tuesday evening before the full of the moon in each month, with a membership at present (1882) of twenty-three.
The officers for 1882 were as follows: Christian .1. Madden, W. MI .: Willie F. Lovejoy, S. W. ; Thomas C. Hampton, J. W. ; John M. Moore, Treas. ; Martin Madden, See. ; John F. Nute, Act. Sec .; Andrew Buck- ingham, S. D .; Robert J. Wilson, J. D.
CHURCHES.
Franklinville Methodist Episcopal Church .-- This society was formerly connected with Zion Meth- odist Episcopal Church, two miles distaut, and in 1840- 42 the school district and church united in building a house for the accommodation of both church and school. This building was destroyed by fire in 1846. and in 1849 or 1850 another building was erected on the site of the first one. This house remained on the old site till 1873, when the school district decided to build a large two-story school-house upon the site of the old church and school building, also decided to donate to the church their share of the old school and church, provided the Methodists would move the building off from the site it occupied. This was accordingly done, and the building was removed to its present site, a short distance trom the old one, enlarged and repaired, and converted into a neat and commodious house of worship.
The first class-leader at Franklinville was Nathan Nelson, and among the pioneer members we find the names of Eli Wil-on, Ann Wilson, William Atkin- son, David Veal, Samuel Nelson, Patience Nel-on. Rebecca Atkinson, James Atkinson, Mary Atkinson, Samuel Porch, and James Porch.
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221
TOWNSHIP OF FRANKLIN.
The first trustees of the church property were Wil- liam Atkinson, Samuel Porch, David Veal, and Nathan Nelson.
The present class-leaders are Henry C. Atkinson and Thomas Parks. Present trustees, William Porch, Joseph Matlock, Nathan D. Walton. James Atkinson, George Atkinson, and Abbott Atkinson. Present membership. sixty. Value of church property, twelve hundred dollars. Henry S. Spalding is super- intendent of the Sunday-school, with au average at- tendance of thirty scholars.
Among the preachers who have served this people we find the names of Revs. - Stout, Noah Ed. wards. Levi D. Rhodes, - Morrell, - Estlack, - Corson, and - Huard. the present pastor.
Lake M. E. Church was erceted by S. M. Hudson in 1865. The Downs and Lashley families were promi- nent at the time of the organization of the society. By reason of the sparseness of the population and the poverty of the inhabitants in the vicinity of this church. its prosperity has not equaled the expecta- tions of its founders. Many of the original members have died, but the few that are left are faithful and diligent workers in the cause of Christianity.
Zion M. E. Church, at Porchtown .- The people in this neighborhood at an carly time determined to erect a house of worship, and accordingly, in 1828, they set about the work. With their own hands they felled and hewed the timber, and in due time the structure was completed. Among the prominent founders of this church were the families of Porch, David Veasy, Reuben Langley, and Matthias Crane, all noble and earnest workers.
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The church was flourishing at the commencement of its career. It had two important elements of pros- perity,-faithfulness and zeal among its members, and during many years it was the principal place of wor- ship in the vicinity. The house was rebuilt in 1860, but since that time the number of members in the so- ciety has diminished, and although services are held more frequently than in former times, attendance on these services is not as large as then.
Presbyterian Church .- This an auxiliary or out- station of the Williamstown Presbyterian Church. Previous to 1850, Rev. Mr. Ford established a preach- ing station at this point, and in that year a branch organization was effected and the present house of worship built. There being but few persons at this place of the pure Calvinistic faith and doctrine, preaching was not kept regularly, or not oftener than once a month. After MIr. Ford left the Williamstown congregation preaching was neglected at this point, , until that part of the exercises was abandoned entirely.
The Sunday-school connected with this branch is under the superintendence of Mrs. Ellen J. Wil-on, who meets her school in the little meeting-house every Sabbath, where she has an average attendance of twenty pupils.
Methodist Episcopal Church at Malaga was or-
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