USA > New Jersey > Salem County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 21
USA > New Jersey > Gloucester County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 21
USA > New Jersey > Cumberland County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 21
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1850-55. Jam-e Lawrie.
1556-50. Joseph K. Hiler.
1500. David Mt Davi -. 1862-67. James Woolmian.
Public Schools .- The educational history of Pile -- grove dates back to nearly the time of it- settlement. Schools of a primitive kind were established by the pioneers soon after their arrival. They were taught in log hou-es, sometimes in residences, by the old- fabioned itinerant polegognas, and if they were not as thorough and as systematic as the schools of to-day, they were of a character well calculated to sow the seeds of educational progress, which have since borne abundant fruitage.
The " pay-school" system was early introduced as a means of general education, and in time, through the fostering influence of the school law of the State, the , public school system of the present day developed itself. Districts were formed from time to time, each under the care of competent and July-elected com- mitteemen, who in time gave place to the township superintendent, an office now some years extinct.
The districts now number seven, known and num- bered as follows: 24. Laurel Ilill; 25, Sharptown ; 26, Wood-town ; 27, Eldridge's Hill : 28, Friendship; 29, Union Grove ; 30. Morgan.
Industrial .- The soil of Pilesgrove is of the first quality, and is cultivated by as progressive and intel- ligent a class of farmers as are to be found in any section of New Jersey. This township was early noted for its productiveness in wheat. corn, oats, flax- seed, hay, and potatoes. All kinds of farm and gar- den produce are raised, and meet with ready and remunerative sale in the markets of South Jersey and Philadelphia. ·
Luinbering was an early industry, and several .a. mills were built in various parts of the township. One of the earliest of these was that of Moses Rich- man, at Bichmanville, which was burned about sixty years ago.
Abont 1929 a fullinganill was built at Richman- ville by Moses Richman. It was converted into a Ponadry about 1559. having been idle for about ten years previously, and the property having been sold
to Iredell Butcher. The foundry went into disa about twelve years ago.
Abraham and John Richman built a grist-mill 1836, which is known as " the Richman Mills." !. is located near Richmanville, and is owned by Visa : ham Richman, who has long leased it to differ ... parties, among them Francis Diament, Isaac D .. ment, and Jonathan Webster. The latter has op .. ated it during the past six years.
Dickinson's mills, built by Dr. Thomas P. Dicki. son in 1852, and first run by Ephraim Cole, who h. been in possossion since that time, except during :.. years, in the course of which it was at different tin .. . in the occupancy of William Filer. Barzillai Suite. and Albert Mounce. In 1873, Mr. Cole admitted .. son to a partnership in the enterprise, and since th .: date the mill has been run by Ephraim Cole & Sos. It is now owned by Joanna Dickinson, widow of !! late Dr. Thomas P. Dickinson. By the side of this mill formerly -tood a saw-mill, which was built Inn: previously to the erection of the grist-mill, and w ... Taken down nearly thirty years ago. On the sa !... site was formerly a mill known as Davenport's mit. in honor of an owner of long ago. Asa Autrum and Samuel Dickinson later owned it, until the propera passed into the hands of the late Dr. Thomas P. Die's. inson.
The Oliphant mill, at Sharptown, was built by l'r. Sharp in 1847, and was first run by Smith Hewi .: Thomas Sparks, Richard Sutton, and Parvin Lloy: successively had possession until 1862, when Saniuc. Oliphant assumed control. In 1872 his son, Aar :: M. Oliphant, became a partner in the business, which has since been conducted by S. & A. M. Oliphant.
A foundry was early established at Eldredge's H"". by Edward Hanes, who was succeeded by his -.: Thomas Hanes, During the past twenty-five yea .. the business has been conducted by John Hane -. another son of its founder. Agricultural and wi .: machinery are manufactured here, and some engine- have been made.
A number of sloops for carrying cordwood were built at Sharptown between 1815 and 1580. Mar! was discovered in the township about Woodstow: and elsewhere and used as a fertilizer as early as 18".
VILLAGES AND HISMILETS.
The Borough of Woodstown .- Wood-town bor- ough is pleasantly located near the head-waters Salem Creek, nine miles from Salem, about twenty- five miles from Philadelphia, and fitty-five mile, trots Trenton, and ha- only recently been separated fr . Pilesgrove. Around about it lies the richest agrien - tural section of Salem County. It- bu-ine-, i- !. r ... and is drawn nontly from the upper portion ofsale . and the lower section of Gloucester Counties, and i- chiefly limited to mercantile trade. Few towns att more invitingly built. the residence- being, as a rai. attractive, ani many of them surrounded by large
453
TOWNSHIP OF PILESGROVE.
lawns. During the past few years this place has been brought into considerable prominence through the excellent and interesting fairs held there by the " West Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Asso- ciation of the Counties of Salem and Gloucester. N. J.," during the continuance of which the town is a scene of much bustle, activity, and animation.
There stood nutil recently a large tree in the vicinity of the Hicksite F'riends' meeting-house, around which, tradition says, the British sollier- stacked their arms while pausing in their passage through the village on one memorable day of the Revolutionary period. This spot is pointed out as one of considerable his- torical interest.
i
The village is quite ancient, and derived its name ! him in business in 1839, continuing until 1850.
from Jackanias Wood, an early settler, who built the three-story brick house, now standing and in good condition, owned and occupied by William II. Reed. Other early settlers were David Davis, Zaccheus Ray, : lishment burned, a few years liter. Henry N. Mul-
Bateman Lloyd, Gen. Isaiah Shinn, James Risky, and John Pym.
The following notice of Woodstown appeared in "Gordon's Gazetteer," 1834:
" Woulstown, p.t., and village, of Filesgrove t-ship, Salein Co., upon the Salein t'reck, 10 miles E. of the town of Salem, 16I N. E. from W. C., and 55 5. of Trenton. The town contains almut 130 dwellings, 2 taverns, and 6 stores, 3 school, 1 Friends' meeting, 1 Baptist, and I Mclean Meth- odi-t Church. In the neighborho ral of the town there are s me valuabic marl-beds, and the ne of marl has much improv. d the agriculture of the 1-slip."
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Mannfactures,-A four-mill was early built by John Groff, and it is still standing, owned and operated by Charles B. Clark. A few years after the building of this mill, AAbraham Me.Ationer erected a woolen-mill on Che-tout Run, near Lippincott Weatherby & Co.'s lumber-yard. About 1830, shortly after the death of Mr. Me.Altioner, it was removed and converted into a dwelling, which is yet in good repair. Traces of the old dam across the run are still to be sren. The abandonment of this enterprise was due to the failure of the stream to supply adequate water-power.
near the site of the residence of Mrs. Flitcraft, almost opposite Riley's shop, by Anthony Water-, who followed his trade there many years.
.As early as 1816 there was a wheelwright-shop on the site of the house of Deanius Peterson, on Main Street. It wa- ocenpied by Francis Cassidy until his death, about ten years later.
Samuel Somers was probably the earliest regular cabinet-maker in the village, and for many years occupied a shop near the junction of Marlton and Main Streets. After the death of Cassidy, the wagon-maker, about 1826, he occupied the shop where he had formerly carried on business. Deanius Peterson became his partner in 1837, and succeeded About 1850, Francis Armstrong opened a shop on the Salem road (now Commerce Street), near Main Street, and continued business there until the estab- ford was a later cabinet-maker, from about 1800 to 1873, part of the time ocenpying a builling now the residence of C. S. Scott. on Main Street. He was succeeded by John Turner, who has since been iu the business, his shop being on Main Street.
The well-known foundry of Edward Hanes was established by its present proprietor about eight years since. It is well located and liberally patronized. and does a general foundry business. Mr. Hanes is a man of great ingenuity and fine mechanical ac- quirements, and his inventive mind has conceived a number of curious and useful contrivances which have excited the wonder and admiration of persons who have seen them.
Woodstown contains two canneries. The older of these, that of Grier & Wallace, was established in I891, and has so far done a large and successful busi- ness. The second was opened in 1882, by Dickinson & Lippincott, and has begun what promises to be a career of success.
Merchants .- The earliest merchants were David Davis and Gen. Isaiah Shinn. John Pyne and Alexander Dean, who was a resident of Woods- town about ninety years ago, manufactured nails by hand in a shop on Main Street, on the site of a house owned by Mrs. Allen Hires, and standing nearly opposite the residence of his son, Samnel S. Dean. James Risley also had early stores. Davis' store was in the western part of the village. Gen. Shinn kept a store on Main Street, in a builling now !owned by Miss Emeline Shinn, continuing in trade until his death. The store was later leased by Jacob Seventy years ago George Hollinshead had a watch- maker's -hop on Main Street, where Isaac Ballinger now lives. About the same time a tannery stood on the Samuel C. Dickinson lot. It was for many years the property of Samuel Dickinson, by whom it was torn down. A man named Wallace is said to have been a former owner. Jonathan Riley had a black- Madara, Israel Reed, and David Bacon. James Ris- ley's store was at the junction of Salem and Bullitt : Streets, near the present store of James D. Lawson. After his death he was succeeded by his son, Joseph L. Risley, who kept the store until his death, when it passed into the possession of Joseph K. Riley, who tore down the building and erected a new one on its smith-shop on Main Street, on the lot now owned by ' site, and at the same time other contiguous ones oc- Dr. Jaquett, who lives in the residence, since remod- cupied by several of the leading merchants of Woods- town in their several lines of trade. On the site of the Hout Block Joshua Madara kopt a general store, and was succeeded by Joseph Heritage and others. eled, formerly occupied by Mr. Riley. During the active years of his life he carried on an extensive business, often employing -everal helper- and appren- tives. A wheelwright-shop was kept sixty years ago i Later the establishment was converted into a hard-
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4.4
HISTORY OF SALEM COUNTY.
ware-store by John and Charle- Dickinson, who sold out to John Hunt. In isi the building was burned. In its place Mr. Hunt immediately built the large brick block which has since borne hi- name, a par- tina of which he rented. occupying the corner store with a large stock of hardware. He died in 1979, and since 1Sso the store has been occupied by Lippincott & Pancoast. The first occupants of the other store in this building were Peterson & Hollin-head, who were succeeded by Lippincott & Hollinshead. Fifty or sixty years ago there was a small store where Nathan Thomas' general store now is, which was kept by a Mrs. White. Other merchants of the past and pres- ent may be named as follows : Jacob Davis, Thomas Davis, David MI. Davis, James Lawrie. Hopkins & Clement, Davil Bacon, John Bacon, Jacob Urion, Thorn & Moore, and Grier & Wallace. The present . druggists are Messrs. Foster and Borton & Andrews. The last-mentioned firm succeeded Omar Borton. The shoe trade is represented by Joseph K. Riley. Elward Davis, and Thomas Ruff.
Public-Houses .- The oldest public-housein Wood- town for a long time was the Washington Hotel. It had many owners and occupants during the many yours of its existence, one of the liter of whom was . in that shape was passed by the Legislature, and an. Joseph G. French, who sold it to C. C. Ford in IS. Mr. Ford kept it until 1991, and in the spring of that year converted it into three stores.
A public-house, known as the Farmers' and Drovers' Hotel, long stood opposite the Washington Hon-e. In the summer of 1868 it gave place to the butel at present owned and kept by Samuel French, which was built by Jacob B. Keeley, and kept by him about five years. He was succeeded by F. B. Elkin- ton & Brother, and they by P. B. Elkinton, who was succeeded by Samuel French, the present owner.
Stage-Lines .- Railroads .- This was a prominent I cout ; thence a straight course to the bridge over a water-consecin d.
stopping-place for the stages between Salem and Philadelphia. About 1535, Joseph Cook established a stage-line from Wool-town to Penn'a Grove, connect- ing at the latter place with the boats plying between Salem and Philadelphia. About the same time a stage-line was established between Greenwich. Cum- berland Co., and Philadelphia, through Woodstown. Henry Graham was the owner. The stages made two trips .weekly. About 1819, Jackson Briant es- tablished a daily line of stages between Wood-town and Philadelphia, leaving WooJ-town in the morn- ing, and returning in the evening. Since the opening of the Salem Railroad stages were run in connection : with the trains at Yorktown Station, three miles dis- . tant. W. B. Hitchner was proprietor of this line. After the opening of the railroad from Woodbury to Swedesboro a daily line of stages was run from Woods- town to Swelesboro, six miles di-tant. E
The completion of the railroad from Swedesboro through Wood-town to Salem has placed Wood-town in direct railway communication with Philadelphia and points beyond, an advantage it should have had
twenty years ago, and it will doubtless add muct : . the growth, prosperity, and wealth of the place. a. ; bring into market for building purposes the avail ..... land adjacent to the pre-ent built-up portions.
Educational .- The public schools of Wood-tana are elsewhere referred to. The place has two priva ... educational enterprises which are worthy of especi ... mention. One of these, the Woodstown Academy. a boarding- and day-school for both sexes, is under ::.. care of A. C. Norris, A.M., one of the best educat .... in the State, and has a wide reputation. During th: summer vacations Professor Norris usually prepar- a large class for teaching. The other is the privat- school of William H. Reed, who has been long .. ni successfully engaged in teaching, and is the present mayor of the borough.
Incorporation .- In IS78 petitions were circulatel and a private bill presented to the State Legislati :. to incorporate the village of Woodstown as a borough. This bill failed to pass on account of a decision of't !:- Supreme Court, pronounced that winter, to the vous: that under the amendments to the Constitution spee! ! legislation of that nature was unconstitutional. Tie bill was revised so as to be general in its features, and
proved by the Governor, April 5, 1878. An election under the provisions of the act was held in Septet- ber, ISTS, and the people voted against incorporation by a majority of thirty-five, on a total vote of :"> hundred and sixty-three. The project was aben- doned until 1892, when a petition was presente l to the Board of Frechollers asking for the appointsie :: of an election to determine the question of incorpora. tion with the following boundaries :
" Reginulng at a walnut-tree on the northerly side of the W. :: ~ and Mollica Will turnpike, Bear the farm-house of fate Samedi Por- Windtown and Swedesboro turnpike, near the house of John the :. thence a straight course to the bridge over the sitne water-cours- where it crosses the Woodstown and Salmon road, near the farm-line, 1: Joseph l'etervon's : theuce a straight course to the old Won Iston. and . Sharptown road, at the corner of William Klipatrick's meal. w. i .: merly the Dickinson marl-mealow, also a corner of Elizabeth Beau- boy's meadow; thence a straight course, crossing Salem Creek and - sharptown and saleut roads to the bridge over Nikowi's Run. at : fortof Hungry Will, near John Holmes' farmhouse, on the road ! ! W.w.alstown to A!owaystowa; thehre a straight course to the rt-n ... tlon of the Wall-town and Itretown road with the road frota Pi ki . son's quill to the All iwasstown rond aforessit, near the farn: . L. s. : Sarah and Mary II. Dickinson; thence a straight course to the br :.:- uing."
The petition was signed by the following :
Elward Wallace.
W. M. Morrison.
1
Josey'lı K. Hiiley.
E. S. Devis.
Samuel Dertou.
JADICS D. Lawson.
1
Qmuar Barton.
Danl -! Ware.
George MI. Andrews.
J. H. Turuer.
Willi.m B Kuty.
J. F .. J Que;t.
Ellas Motion.
William Z. Flitcraft.
Juseph Turner.
A. C. Norris.
I- xiah C. sbian.
Nathan Thorne.
E. S. Frez. John [ .. Allen.
J. T. Til.r. .Tolin C. Nou-teal.
William listor. Thomas M. Taylor.
.s. F. Ichim.
Thetsas X. White.
453
TOWNSHIP OF PILESGROVE.
HIwand Sprlilaker.
William Nixon.
I .- wis B Wright
J. W. Wille.
Israel Conove :.
William s. Goforth.
Charles Bonn.
Willinn B. F. t.r
lobert Run.
I. H. PotrTen.
Thoina - Rutf.
John Wallace.
Barclay Ilwards.
5. 10. Wratherty. George B. Grier.
1. 4. 1. Allen, M.D. Charles Smith.
Joseph B. King.
The petition was granted, and the following was the result of the election, a- certified by the inspectors :
"The whole number of names on the poll-tist was 233; the oundwer of ballots cast was 23; the number of battere cast "for incorporation" was 1:3; the number of ballots cast 'sgunst incorporation' was 100; the number of balles rese. fed was neur. the majority "for incorporation"
The first election of borough officer, wa- held Det. 3. 1882, with the following result : Mayor, William Il. Reed; Councilmen, Isaac K. Lippincott, Jantes D. Lawson, John II. Turner, Clam Hitchner, Edward S. Davis, and Joseph B. Cobb.
The First National Bank of Woodstown .- The First National Bank of Wood-town was organized Feb. 16, 1861. It- certificate of authority was granted April Ith, and it began a regular business July 25th of that year, in a house occupied by C. M. Fugg, on Salem Street, continuing there until it- remov, I to its new banking-house, October 25th following. The original directors were William J. Shinn, Edward B. Humphreys. John HI. Lippincott. Ebjah B. Hor- ner, John W. Dickinson, Samuel Borton, Samuel H. Weatherby, Sammel Black, and James Benczet. The first ofere were William J. Shinn, pre ident; C. Carroll Lippincott, cashier; and Charles MI. Fogg, teller.
Cashier Lippincott died in August, IS65, and Charles M. Fogy, the teller of the bank, was chosen his successor, and Edwar ] Wallace was chosen teller. President Shian died in February, 1865, and Elward R. Bullock succeeded him as director and president. In March of the same year Edward Wallace resigned his position as teller in order to engage in other bu-i- ness, and William %. Flitcraft was chosen to fill the vacaney. Charles M. Fogy continued as cashier until January, 1871, when he resigned and was succeeded by William %. Fliteraft, and Isaiah C. Shinn was chosen teller.
The present directors are Edward R. Bullock, Samuel HI. Weatherby, Samuel Borton, Samuel Moore, Samuel S. Dean, Jesse Lippineott, Nathan Thorne, I-aac K. Lippincott, and James Benezet ; anl the officers are Ilward R. Ballock, president ; William %. Fliteraft, cashier ; and Isaiah C. Shinn, teller.
The capital of the bank is $75,000; the surplus is $50,000; and the undivided profits at this date? are $20,898.05.
Sharptown .- This is an ancient settlement, his- torically known as having had a camp established near it by the British during the Revolution. John-
son, in his little " History of Salem," states that the British troops, consisting of from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred men, encamped there on the night of March 16, 1778. It derived its name from the Sharp family, elsewhere mentioned, who located in the vicinity during the pioneer period of the history of the county.
Who the very first business men in Sharptown were is now unknown to any one. Doubtless various small enterprises of commerce or industry were established there from one hundred to one hundred and fifty years ago. Sixty years ago Peter Bilderback kept a store on the site of the store of Mes-rs. Wriggins & Broeker. Ahout fifty years ago he was succeeded by Noah and John Humphreys. Four or five years later they gave place to William and James Blunt. Later Isaiah W. Richman and Edward B. Humphreys of- cupied the old building successively. The present store-house at this stand was erected a few years ago by the present proprietors, who have a good trade with the farmers around about.
Charles Elkinton built the store now occupied by Elton Rogers & Son, and leased it successively to llenry Wood, Gideon Allen, Ellis Smith, and Henry M. Wright. It was closed by an auction sale at the end of Wright's occupancy, and was not again opened until purchased by Elton Rogers, about four years ago.
For some years before the late rebellion, Albert and Robert Van Meter had a store at the upper end of the village, where Edward Kirby's market now is. Atter trading four or five years they abandoned the business, and the building was converted into a dwelling.
At the lower end of the village a store was kept over forty years ago by Isaac MeAliister, and later, until finally closed, by George A. Robbins & Henry ' Wood, and George .A. Robbins & Robert P. Robinson. About the same time a store was opened on the oppo- site side of the street by Samuel Humphreys. IIe was succeeded by Matthias Swing and Benjamin Lip- pincott, and later he again traded there until suc- ceeded by Mrs. Mary Robbins. This store was closed thirty years or more ago.
There were, years ago, two public-houses in Sharp- town. One of them, not now in existence, was kept by Adam Cook, about sixty years ago. The other has had many successive keepers, and has been open, with varying fortunes most of the time for many years. It is not now a licensed hotel, and it is kept by George Ikinton.
The various mechanical trades usually represented in similar villages have been long plied in Sharptown by men the names of whom have many of them been forgotten. Samuel Phunmer was a wheelwright here for many years. George W. Barton's name is also fa- miliar in connection with this branch of industry. . A wheelwright well known at the present time is Charles : Avis. Joseph Peak, Borden Crammer, and Isaac
1 sept. 42. 1682.
456
HISTORY OF SALEM COUNTY.
Stretch were well-remembered former back-miths. William B. Tumer and Samuel Lott are the village Vulens now. Among shoemakers, past and present. may be mentioned George A. Robbins, John Bce, Ed- mund Royal, Richard Gordon, Richard P. Gordon, John Miller, and Thomas Hewitt. The harnes .. shop of Nathan Kidd was established in 1849.
Sharptown may now be reckoned among the most prominent of the smaller villages of Salem County. It contains two general stores, a hotel, one church, a public school, a gri -?- mill, and a goodly number of dwellings. The population is about two hundred and fifty, and evidences of thrift and prosperity abound.
Yorketown. - Yorketown is a pleasant little vil- lage in the southeastern part of the township. on the Salem Branch of the West Jer-ey Railroad, about three miles from Woodstown, and ten from Salem. It has grown up within the past twenty years. The first house of any importance erected here was the residence of Jolin S. Elwell. The land on which it stands was owned at the time of the construction of the railroad by John H. Cann, who surveyed it into village lots, and sold them as opportunity offered. The place was named in honor of Judge T. Jones Yorke.
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The first store in Yorketown was built by Joseph and A-a Reeves, who sold out, in 1866, to Faae Me- Allister. Wilbert Riebman, a since well-known mer- chant, entered Mr. MeAlli-ter's employ as a clerk. and wa- later admitted to a partnership in his busi- ness, succeeding him as sole owner about twelve years ago. The store now owned and occupied by Mr. Richman was built by Isaac Me Allister, who removed to it from the one he had previously purchased of the Reevese -.
A second, and the only other store in Yorketown besides Richman's, was built by John S. Elwell, in 1877, and was owned and managed by him until the spring of 1852, when he was sneceeded by his son-in- law, George W. Watson.
A hotel was built and opened in 1803, by William S. Boultinghouse, who -old it to Thomas McAllister about 1500. Mr. MeAllister kept it a few year-, aud has since leased it to Samuel Gasling, Beajamin Free, William Nelson, Jacob Beck, and Henry Van Meter.
There was formerly a blacksmith- and wheelwright- shop owned by John II. Cann, who is now a resident of Allowaye. Both buildings have disappeared.
The brick and tile manufactory of Aaron Haines & Sons is the most important interest, located princi- pally just within the township of Upper Alloway- Creek, near Yorketown.
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