The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 107

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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Burlington College, Burlington, N. J., is also under the same management, the Rev. Theophi- lus M. Reilly, giving his personal attention at Burlington, and the Rev. William M. Reilly having charge of St. John's and St. Agnes', at Haddonfield.

631

THE BOROUGH OF HADDONFIELD.

SCHOOL-HOUSES .- The first school-house in Had- donfield was built by the Friends, in 1786, on the southwest corner of the present burial-ground. It is still standing, and has been used almost con- tinually, in later years, as a boarding-school. In 1809 a lot of land on Grove Street was donated by William E. Hopkins, on which a school-house was built and named " The Grove School-House." It was the public school-house from that time until. 1854, when the Town Hall was built and rooms fitted up for school purposes ; since then it has been used for primary schools, and is now used for colored children. The public schools were taught in the Town Hall from 1854 until the completion of the present commodious stone edifice, in 1869, and were for a few years under the charge of Miss Sarah C. Hillman.

The Hicksite Friends, in 1851, erected a school- house upon their lot, in which school was kept a number of years.

Mrs. Charlotte and Emily Hendry taught a private school in the town from 1838 to 1848.

Miss C. Sarah Hillman for several years after her retirement from the public schools, in 1869, taught school in a building she erected for the purpose, on Chestnut Street, and which now belongs to the G. A. R. Post.

There being a demand for increased school ac- commodation, the town purchased of William Coffin, in 1868, a lot of land on Haddon Avenue from Chestnut Street to Railroad Avenue, and in 1869 erected a two-story stone edifice, sixty by seventy-five feet, under charge of Elwood Braddock and William M. Hoopes. The entire cost, includ- ing lot and furniture, was about twenty-two thou- sand dollars. Later, on the south part of the lot, a brick building, thirty by fifty feet, two stories in height, was built for primary classes, at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars.

The public schools of the town were, in 1885, under charge of Arthur Pressey as principal. The following are the teachers engaged for the school year commencing on Monday, September 6, 1886: Principal, Mr. S. E. Manness ; Vice-Principal, Miss Emma W. Middleton ; Miss Sarah A. Wells, Miss Ella H. Schwab. Primary Department - Miss Ella McElroy and Miss Mary B. Redman, and at the Grove (colored) School, Mr. John Jackson has been re-engaged.

MANUFACTURING AND BUSINESS INTERESTS .- A lumber business was established on Potter Street, June 3, 1841, by Benjamin M. Roberts, who, in September, 1843, sold to Charles H. Shinn, who also bought the coal business of John Busby at Coles Landing. Samuel S. Willits, about 1854, pur-

chased the lumber interests of Charles H. Shinn, and moved the business from Potter Street, to the corner formed by Euclid Avenue and the turnpike, and shortly after associated himself with S. P. Browning, under the name of Willits & Browning. Mr. Browning retired in 1862, and Mr. Willits con- tinued until 1866, when he died and the business was sold to his son, S. A. Willits, and Joseph G. Evans. From this time till 1876 several changes were made in the firm, Mr. Willits being contin- uously a member, and in 1876 the co-partnership of S. A. Willits & Co. was formed. This enter- prising firm now does a large business in the sale of lumber, coal and hardware.

The Haddonfield Paint Works were established on the present site, in 1877, by John G. Willits & Co., and continued for a time and passed to others. In September, 1881, it came to A. W. Wright & Co., who purchased the interests and are now en- gaged in the manufacture of lead, zinc, colors and varnishes, and a successful business is done.

The carriage shops of Geo. H. Tule, situated on Turnpike and Mechanic Streets, were established in 1880, when a two and a half story building was erected, thirty by sixty feet, and sheds, thirty by forty feet, and the manufacture of heavy and light wagons and buggies was begun. About fourteen men are steadily employed in all the departments. The first to establish business at the place was Joseph Bates. In 1846 he began business in the old Thackara blacksmith shop, which stood on the site of the Methodist Church, and continued there until the sale of the lot to the Methodist Society, in 1856, when the shop was moved across the street on property now owned by Mr. Mitchell, where he continued until the building was destroyed by fire, January 17, 1859. In the spring of that year Mickle Clement erected the one-story brick shop now part of Tule's establishment, and Joseph Bates moved to the place and carried on a blacksmith shop until his retirement. George H. Tule, the pres- ent proprietor, entered theshop of Mr. Bates as an apprentice in 1861, and in 1880 purchased the busi- ness and increased it to the present state.

Charles M. Haines began the carriage-making business in Haddonfield in the spring of 1884.

The blacksmith shop now conducted by Samuel K. Matlack at the point at Ellis and Potter Streets was in 1846 owned by Wm. Tomlinson, formerly by John S. Peak.

The business interests of Haddonfield at present are as follows :

General Dealers .- Clement & Giffin, B. F. Fowler.

632

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Grocers .- Truitt & Clement, Thomas Young, W. H. Harrison, W. S. Doughty.

Confectioners .- Mrs. J. J. Schlecht, Geo. Still- well, Wm. Plum.

Hotel .- George Stillwell.

Lumber and Coal Dealers .- S. A. Willits & Co. Bakery and Confectionery .- Martin Schlecht.

Flour and Feed .- Truitt & Kay.

Physicians .- C. H. Shivers, B. H. Shivers, W. S. Long, L. L. Glover, F. Williams.

Printing Offices .- South Jersey News, H. D. Speakman.

Florists .- C. W. Turnley, - Brown.

Newsdealer .- Mrs. E. D. Lettellier.

Carriage-Builders .- Geo. H. Tule, C. W. Haines, James G. Webster.

Hardware .- Charles S. Braddock, J. J. Petti- bone & Son, H. Bennett.

Undertakers .- R. Cooper Watson, Chas. Githens, Samuel Burroughs.

Agricultural Implements and Coal .- Bell Brothers. Auction Goods .- Wm. H. Clement.

Dentist .- A. H. Miner.

Livery .- Benjamin P. Shreve.

Dealers in Horses .- C. H. Smith, Geo. D. Stewart.

Harness Shop .- Isaac Vandegraff.

Paints and Colors .- W. W. Wright.

Paper Hangings .- Samnel R. Stoy, Walter W. Wayne.

Drug Stores .- Roland Willard, Charles S. Brad- dock, Jr.

Meat Markets .- Samuel Albertson, Alfred Lud- low.

Barbers .- Coward Bros., - Westcott.

Painter .- Lancelot Hill.

Masons .- Elwood Braddock, Frederick Thomas, R. W. Bndd.

Contractors and Builders .- W. S. Caperon, W.

H. Hoopes, Henry Albright, Caldwell Baker, Thomas Hill, William Bowker.

Surveyors and Conveyancers .- John Clement, J. Lewis Rowand.

Jewelry Box Manufacturers .- Julius Smith. Milk Dealers .- Mrs. Mary Craig, Patrick Haug- hey.

Millinery .- Misses Stout.

Boots and Shoes .- W. H. Fowler.

Boot and Shoe Makers .- R. Elmer Clement, John

S. Garrett, Ralph H. Barton, Peter Hndon.

Cigar Store .- Chas. Reinear.

Post- Office .- Thomas Hill.

Express .- - Atkinson.

Telephone Office .- Willard's drug store.

ELWOOD BRADDOCK is a descendant of a long- settled New Jersey family-a branch of that to

which belonged the distinguished General Brad- dock. Edward Braddock was a major-general in the British army in 1709, and retired in 1715, having been altogether forty years in the service. He died at Batb, England, June 15, 1725. His son, Edward Braddock, was also a major-general in the British army, was in command of the Eng- lish forces in the French and Indian War at Braddock's Field (now the village of Braddocks, a suburb of Pittsburgh,) where he was so severely wounded that he died a few days later, July 12, 1755, and was buried by the side of the road on the retreat to Philadelphia. About this time a branch of the family, of which Rehoboam and Jemima Braddock were the great-grandparents of our subject, came to America and settled in Bur- lington County, N. J. Their children were Job, Elizabeth, Bathsheba, Hannah, Darnell, Phebe, William, Jemima, Mary and Rachel. Many of their descendants now live in Burlington County. Darnell Braddock, born 1764, and his wife, Sarah, were Elwood Braddock's grandparents. They had ten children,-William Rodgers, Martha, Je- mima, Eliza, Benjamin, Reuben, Asa, Hester Ann, Sarah and Darnell, the eldest of whom, born in 1799, with Sarah, his wife, were the parents of Car- oline, Charles S., Elwood, William Shreve, Abbie, Elizabeth and Isaac A. Braddock.

Briefly reverting to this line of ancestry, it may be mentioned that Rehoboam Braddock, the great- grandfather of Elwood, was noted for his wonder- ful strength. His son Darnell died quite young, but, as we have seen, left a large family. William R., the eldest son, was a powerful man physically, and story after story is related of his prowess in keeping the peace in the olden time. He was a justice for ahout thirty years in Medford, Burling- ton County, and ordered the last man (a negro), convicted under the old law, to be given thirty- nine lashes. He was a staunch Old-Line Whig, and was elected to the Legislature in 1848 for a term of three years. He was for half a century a prominent surveyor in Burlington County and also in the counties of Camden, Ocean and Atlantic. In 1850 he called attention to what might be done in growing cranberries in New Jersey, by planting the Sorden meadow, in the old Indian reservation at Shamong, which his neighbors called " Braddock's Folly," and which still bears fruit. Upon this land, prior to 1850 utterly unremunerative, the crop of cranberries was an exceedingly large one in 1885.

Elwood Braddock, the second son of William R., was born December 23, 1829, at Medford, N. J., and at the age of sixteen years was apprenticed to

Elwood Braddock

Samuel & Hillman

633

THE BOROUGH OF HADDONFIELD.

the trade of a mason and builder with Isaac A. Shreve, at Burlington, and helped to build St. Mary's Hall and Burlington College, under Bishop Doane, of the Episcopal Church, and while still an apprentice assisted in building the very first houses in Beverly. After he became of age he started for New York City with some funds in his possession, but on arriving there found that he had been robbed and that he had only a shilling in his pocket, which had escaped the nimble fingers of the thief. He soon found work, prospered at his trade, had a hand in building up Brooklyn and Williamsburg and remained in the vicinity two years. He then, in 1852, decided to go to Atlan- tic City, which had just then started, and he there helped to build several fine hotels and other edi- fices, among them the Ashland House. In 1855 he removed to Davenport, Ia., but after about a year spent in the West concluded to return to his native State. Soon afterwards he married Rachel W. (Collings) Shreve, widow of Benjamin P. Shreve, of Medford, and settled in Haddonfield, where they continne to reside. Both he and Mrs. Braddock are members of the Baptist Church.

Mr. Braddock is still engaged in building opera- tions, having built both of the school-houses in Haddonfield ; built by contract the stone and ina- son-work for the Baptist Church and erected many other buildings ; has been a director of the Had- donfield Building Association for thirteen years ; is still engaged in cranberry growing in Burlington and Atlantic Counties, where he owns large mead- ows. He is a good mathematician and thorough Latin scholar; has attained these and other ac- quirements nnaided and under many disadvantages, and is known as an active, enterprising and wholly trustworthy man.

Of Mr. Braddock's brothers and sisters it is pro- per to add a few words. Charles S. settled in Had- donfield in 1853, establishing the drug business and continuing in the same for twenty-five years ; now a hardware merchant of Haddonfield; mar- ried Ann (Zane) Collings, sister of Rachel W .; they were of a very old New Jersey family. Car- oline married a Mr. Bridge and lives in the State of Delaware. William Shreve, who resides in Waterford and owns and operates the Bates saw- mill, married Rachel Borton. Abbie Braddock married Mr. George Rhoads and lives near West- town, her sister Elizabeth residing with her. Isaac A., a druggist of Haddonfield (successor to Charles S., his brother), the youngest of the fam- ily, married Anna Collings, of Camden, and is a man of great enterprise.

SAMUEL S. HILLMAN is a descendant of John

Hillman, who came to America in 1697, and set- tled in Gloucester (now Centre) township. Daniel Hillman, the grandfather of Samuel, was married to Martha, daughter of Isaac Ellis, of Ellisburg, by whom he had ten children,-Daniel, Jacob, Jonathan, John, Simeon, Abel, Isaac, Hannah (married to John Ware), Martha (married to Sam- nel Brown) and Mary (married to Jacob Wolla- hom).

Daniel resided at Ellisburg, and was a wheel- wright by trade. He married Hester, daughter of Samnel and Hope Stokes, who resided near Had- donfield, by whom he had eight children,-Samnel S., Daniel E., Aquilla, Alfred, Albert, Daniel, Charles and Mary Ann.

Samuel S. Hillman was born at Ellisburg, Ang- ust 18, 1816. He remained upon the farm with his father till he was fifteen years old, when he went to Philadelphia and entered the dry-goods house of Jacob Jones, where he remained till of age. He then came to Haddonfield, opened a store, conducted it successfully for fifteen years and then sold out to A. T. Paul & Brother. He has since been retired from active business.

On March 12, 1840, he was married to Rebecca, danghter of John and Rebecca Ford, of Pauls- borough, Gloncester County, N. J. Their chil- dren are John F., who is married to Kate, daughter of Joseph R. and Emma Sorver, by whom he had three children,-J. Herbert, Robert (de- ceased) and Heslen. John F. is a member of the firm of Wanamaker & Brown, of Philadelphia. Benjamin R. is married to Lizzie C. Andrews, daughter of George and Julia Andrews, of Newark, N. J., by whom he has two children, -- Agnes and Reamer. Benjamin R. is employed with John Wanamaker during the past fifteen years. Charles H. married Jennie, daughter of Col. Jesse E. and Mrs. Jane Peyton, of Haddonfield. Charles H. is a member of the firm of King, Hillman & Gill, manufacturers of cottons, etc., Philadelphia; and Clara R., who is at home. Samuel S. Hillman is a member of the Society of Friends. In politics he is a Republican. He has been elected surveyor of highways, and is a director in Haddonfield Build- ing and Loan Association, and takes great interest in the improvement and progress of the town in which he resides.

Mrs. Hillman died March 12, 1886, upon the forty-sixth anniversary of her marriage. She was a woman of noble virtues, nniversally loved and respected.

SOCIETIES .- Haddonfield Lodge, No. 130, F. and A. M., was chartered January 18, 1872, and was con- stituted February 10, 1872, in Wilkins' Hall, at Had-

634

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

donfield, with fourteen charter members, including the officers. The meetings were held in the hall until November 23, 1877, when the lodge was moved to the hall in the New Jersey Building. On the 24th of October, 1882, a change was again made and meetings were held until February 13, 1883, in Granger's Hall, from where they moved to Clement's Hall. The new Masonic Hall was built in 1883, and on the 11th of March, 1884, the lodge held their first meeting in the new quarters. On the evening of the opening ceremonies the Worthy Master, Charles H. Mann, presented the lodge with the furniture, except the carpet and seats. The lodge is at present in a flourishing condition, with ninety-six members.

The present officers are Frederick Sutton, W. M .; Carrington W. Taylor, S. W .; Benjamin F. Fowler, J. W .; Edward S. Hunston, treasurer ; Henry D. Moore, P. M., secretary ; Rev. Gustavus M. Murray, P. M., chaplain ; Samuel Browne, S. D .; Abram P. Vandegrift, J. D. ; Julins P. Graf, S. M. C .; Rowland Willard, J. M. C .; Wil- liam S. Hart and R. Wilkins Budd, Stewards ; Louis H. Hall, Organist ; Richard E. Elwell, Tiler. Past Masters, N. B. Jennings, M.D. (deceased), Edward W. Reeve (deceased), John S. Stratford, John W. Swinker (deceased), J. Morris Roberts, Henry D. Moore, William D. Cobb, Rev. G. M. Murray, James S. Da Costa, C. H. Shivers, M.D., Charles H. Mann, James A. Webb.

During the early part of 1883 the matter of erecting a Masonic building was discussed and culminated in the formation of a Masonic Hall Association, and on May 13, 1884, the building being finished, was dedicated with impressive Masonic ceremonies by M. W. Henry Verhlage, Grand Master of the jurisdiction of New Jersey, assisted by nearly all the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge. The ceremonies took place in the new hall at three o'clock, P. M., after which the Grand Officers, invited guests, including the Hon. Leon Abbett, Governor of New Jersey, and mem- bers of Haddonfield Lodge, in number about two hundred, repaired to the New Jersey Building and partook of a hanquet.

Morning Star Lodge, No. 70, I. O. O. F., was instituted February 3, 1848, with the following officers: John K. Roberts, N. G .; Jacob P. Thorn- ton, V. G .; Nathan Conrad, S .; Joseph L. Shivers, A. S. ; Silas McVaugh, treasurer. Meetings have been held from the date of the organization to the present time in Odd-Fellows' Hall, on Main Street. The lodge has a membership of sixty-three. The present Noble Grand is Edwin R. Claggett. The following is a list of the Past Grands from the

organization to the present time : John K. Roberts, Urias Shinn, Clayton Hollinshead, Charles F. Redman, Elijah E. West, William McKnight, John Stoy, Joseph H. Fowler, William Conard, Samuel D. Prond, Aaron Clark, John A. Swinker.

The Evening Star Encampment, No. 39, I. O. O. F., obtained its charter November 16, 1869. The place of meeting since the time of organiza- tion has been in Odd-Fellows' Hall. The present Chief Patriarch is Edwin R. Claggett.

Haddon Lodge, No. 12, K. of P., was instituted April 20, 1868, with the following charter mem- bers : Charles E. Redman, William Plum, Charles Lovett, Samuel S. Tomlinson, W. S. Wilmot, Ren- nels Fowler, David M. Southard, Thomas Eldridge and Joseph C. Stackhouse. Meetings were held for one year in Odd-Fellows' Hall, about one year in a room over Fowler's store, at the end of which term the lodge was removed to the present rooms, fitted up in the upper story of Clement & Giffin's store. The society has sixty members and George B. Stewart is Chancellor Commander.

Local Branch, No. 67, Order of Iron Hall, was organized May 6, 1882, with twenty-one charter members. Meetings are held in the room of the Thomas H. Davis Post, G. A. R.

The Order of Chosen Friends, Perseverance Coun- cil, No. 8, was chartered October 4, 1882, and held its meetings in the hall. It has a membership of fifty-four.

Cordon Lodge, No. 2, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, was chartered September 1, 1881, and holds its meetings in the hall of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Mohican Tribe, No. 64, I. O. of R. M., was insti- tuted in Haddonfield under a charter which bears date, in their phraseology, the 25th Sun of the Hot Moon, G. S. D. 392. Meetings are held in Wilkins' Hall.

Eureka Lodge, No. 2, I. O. M., was chartered November 21, 1882, and holds meetings in Wil- kins' Hall.

American Castle, No. 12, K. of G. E., was insti- tuted May 17, 1886, with fifty members. Meetings will be held in the Wilkins' Hall.

JOHN A. J. SHEETS is a native of Pennsylvania and the descendant of a family long settled in Lancaster County. His father, John Sheets, was born there and in his youth moved to Williams- port, Lycoming County, where he married, at a later period, Catharine Emmons, of the same county. About the year 1818, he removed, with his family, to Fairfield township (Lycoming County), and there his son, John A. J. Sheets, the subject of this biography, was born on the 6th of March,

Just Shut

635

THE BOROUGH OF HADDONFIELD.

1828. The father during his lifetime was variously employed as blacksmith, farmer and landlord, in all of which vocations he achieved success, and his son receiving a common school education, being very apt and advancing rapidly, was able at the age of thirteen to assume charge of his books and attend to many details of business.

At the age of eighteen he was made agent for Messrs. Baltzell & Co., a Baltimore firm, who opera- ted a saw-mill on the West Branch of the Susque- hanna, and devoted his attention to receiving and forwarding the lumber by boats to Baltimore. He was thus engaged for several years, and in 1850 formed the acquaintance of John F. Norcross, then residing in Montoursville, who was interested in a saw-mill located on the West Branch. Two years later he entered into partnership with Mr. Norcross in the wholesale and retail lumber business and established a lumber-yard and wharf at Kaighns Point, Camden, N. J., with a branch office at Green Street wharf, Philadelphia. The Camden yard was continued for two years, when, at the solicita- tion of several large manufacturers of lumber on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, they were induced to concentrate their business at Green Street wharf, Philadelphia, making it ex- clusively wholesale. Here they continued for sev- eral years, receiving meanwhile large consignments of timber and manufactured lumber from Penn- sylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. In 1865 they moved from Green Street to Fairmount Avenue wharf, where they continued successfully until 1875, when Mr. Norcross retired

from the firm, as a result of declining health. At the period of dissolution the firm of Norcross & Sheets was the oldest firm in the wholesale lumber and commission business without change of firm- name, in the city of Philadelphia. Mr. Sheets has since that time continued the business alone. John A. J. Sheets was married, in 1854, to Rachel T., daughter of Samuel A. Cook, of Camden County, and niece of his former partner's wife. Their children are Catharine E. (wife of George A. Howes, who entered the employ of the house when quite a youth, and for the past few years has had charge of Mr. Sheets' business at Fairmount Avenue wharf ), Caroline E., John (married to Em- ma, daughter of the late B. B. Thomas), graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania in the spring of 1880, spent a year in one of the largest hospitals in Germany, also visiting those in London and Paris, and is now a practicing physician and a specialist in diseases of the throat, nose and ear, at 1324 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia; Samnel A., Mary C., Robert A., Susan McVey and Harriet L. Mr. Sheets resided in Philadelphia and Camden until 1862, when he removed to a farm on the White Horse road, four miles from Camden and remained twelve years. He then built and removed to his present home at the west end of Haddonfield. A Repub- lican in politics, Mr. Sheets has served as borough commissioner of Haddonfield, but has never been an active politician. He is a director of the First National Bank of Camden and of the Haddonfield Mutual Loan and Building Association.

THE TOWNSHIP OF HADDON.

CHAPTER XII.

Early History of Old Newton Township-Notes from Township Records-Thomas Sharp's Account of the Newton Settlement- Old Newton Friends Meeting-Schools-Camden and Philadelphia Race Course-Collingswood-Westmount.

THE old township of Newton, the centre of which is the present township of Haddon, was erected in the same year the counties of Bnrling- ton and Salem were formed, at which time (May, 1682) Burlington and Salem were the only towns in West Jersey. There was surveyed to Francis Collins, October 23d following, a tract of land ly- ing partly in and south of what is now Haddon- field, which was described as being "situate in Newton Township." The settlers who resided on the creek now known as Newton, named the creek, the town they built, the Friends' Meeting-house and ground and the township "Newton," which name continued as long as they were in existence, and of which only the creek remains. The bound- aries of this township were not closely defined until several years later, and, on the 1st of June, 1695, the grand jury returned the boundaries of the townships of Gloucester County, under an act of Assembly of 1694, for dividing counties into townships. This return declares that "from ye lowermost branch of Coopers Creek to ye sonth- erly branch of Newton Creek, bordering Glouces- ter, shall be another constablewick or township." This was called Newton township, and Jeremiah Bates was appointed constable and William Bates and Thomas Sharp for regulating highways. Offi- cers were appointed, but no effort was made to keep township records until 1723, when Thomas Sharp was instructed to buy a book for that pur- pose.

No change was made in the limits of Newton township from the time of its erection until No-

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 107

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220