The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 114

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

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COMANCHE TRIBE OF RED MEN, NO. 75, was instituted at Atco September 28, 1884, with thirty members. The order has been very successful at this place, reporting seventy-eight members in May, 1886, and the following principal officers : Monroe Githens, Morris Robinson, George W. Young, Charles MeHard, James Hand and J. W. Varnum. Its meetings are held in Comanche Hall, which

was completed in September, 1885, by the Coman- che Hall Association, incorporated March 3, 1885, composed of a number of stockholders at this place, who organized by electing A. J. Day, presi- dent; Monroe Githens, treasurer ; O. B. Tiffany, secretary ; Joseph Varnum, Monroe Githens and George Bates, trustees.

The hall is located on the principal street of the village, and is a two-story frame building, thirty by seventy feet. The upper story is fitted np for lodge purposes, and the lower forms a spacions public hall. It was erected at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars.

In the same building the Associated Glass Blowers hold their meetings, as well as the As- sembly of Knights of Labor, which was organized June 5, 1886, with thirty-five members.

GOLDEN EAGLE COUNCIL, No. 22, JR. O. U. A. M., was instituted February 28, 1885, and had, in 1886, forty-five members. It is a growing organ- ization.

RELIANCE LODGE, No. 20, A. O. U. W., insti- tuted June 6, 1882, reports thirty-eight members, and is in a prosperous condition. Its meetings are held in the hall of the public-school building.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ATCO. -The meetings which resulted in the organization of this congregation were held November 17 and 24, 1867, by the Rev. Samuel Loomis, of the Vine- land Church. At the date last named fourteen persons subscribed to the articles of membership, as follows: Henry A. Green, C. De Witt Carpenter, J. E. Alton, Mrs. M. R. Loomis, Mrs. A. Carpen- ter, Mrs. L. Alton, Mrs. F. Childs, Mrs. Thankful Gould, Mrs. P. L. Wakeley, Mrs. L. M. Green, Mrs. A. McHary, Miss Margaret McHary, Miss Clara E. Gould and Miss Mary E. Gould.

C. De Witt Carpenter and J. E. Alton were elected the first ruling elders and the Rev. Samuel Loomis became the first pastor. The church be- ing properly organized, was received into the Fourth Presbytery of Philadelphia. Soon after the society became a body corporate, with the following trus- tees : Thomas Richards, Peter McHary, A. Wake- ley, W. O. Talcott and H. A. Green.

In order to promote the building of a church, the Richards estate donated an acre of ground, where the foundation of an edifice was laid early in 1868. The building was to be thirty-two by fifty feet, and it was designed to complete it that season, but owing to the inability of the pastor to continue serving the congregation, work was sus- pended. September 21, 1868, the Rev. E. B. New- berry took charge of the congregation, and under his direction the church was completed for dedication

667

THE TOWNSHIP OF WATERFORD.

the first Sunday in March, 1869. For a period the congregation flourished, but, not having a regular pastor, soon experienced a decline of interest. In 1872 the Rev. George Warrington supplied the pulpit, and from 1873 to 1876 the Rev. James G. Shinn was the acting pastor. Since that time there have been numerous supplies, among them being the Revs. Frank E. Kavanaugh, R. A. Bry- ant, H. W. Brown, J. R. Gibson, R. Bant and Alexander Hill.

In the summer of 1883, during the ministry of the Rev. J. R. Gibson, the church was repaired and now has a more inviting appearance. But the congregation is small, there being but fifteen members, and there are no ruling elders. A large and prosperous Sabbath-school is maintained in the church.

THE ATCO METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- The present society was organized in December, 1885, with fifteen members, the following being trustees : Caleb Githens, George Brown, James Parks, John Ash and A. J. Day. The first meet- ings were held in Comanche Hall, but, in the course of a few weeks, the Universalist Chapel was purchased and converted into a church home. The membership has been increased to twenty-five and the future prospects of the church appear en- conraging. A flourishing Sunday-school has James Parks as its superintendent.

Soon after the establishment of the glass-works at Jackson, Methodist preaching was established at that place, and the meetings were continued until after the workmen, who comprised the prin- cipal membership, removed. For a time no ser- vices were held by the Methodists in this locality, when preaching was again commenced at Atco, which resulted in the formation of the present so- ciety. The old Jackson society was connected usually with Tansboro' and Waterford in forming a charge.

The Universalist Society was formed a few years after the founding of the village by the Rev. Moses Ballou, who was the first and only pastor. He was a man of marked ability, whose failing health obliged him to leave his home in Massachusetts to settle in this locality for the benefit of a milder climate. He died at Atco May 19, 1879, and thereafter Universalist meetings were so seldom held that they were altogether discontinued a few years ago, and in 1885 the chapel, which the so- ciety had erected, was sold to the Methodists. The membership of the society was never large, but during the lifetime of Dr. Ballou large con- gregations assembled to listen to his ministra- tions.

Late in the fall of 1885 St. John's Protestant Episcopal Mission was established at Atco, which has since been under the care of the Rev. De Witt C. Loop, of Hammonton. Semi-monthly services are held in the Presbyterian Church.

The Richards estate set aside a lot of ground at Atco in 1868 for cemetery purposes, where some interments have been made, but the general place of burial is in the cemetery at Berlin, which is old and well kept.

CHESILHURST.

This village was plotted in 1884, but the work of improving it was not begun until the summer of 1885. It is located on the high lands between Atco and Waterford, and the site embraces one thonsand two hundred and seventy acres of land, extending along the Camden and Atlantic Rail- road about a mile. A railway station has been provided and unusual inducements offered to make this a populous place of suburban homes. Many of the avenues have been cleared up, and four- fifths of the five thousand lots have been sold. There are a store, hotel and several dozen dwell- ings, some belonging to the proprietors of the town-Simpson & Wade, of Philadelphia. The first house was the dwelling of N. R. Gatchell, built in the fall of 1885. Near the same time the house of Charles Heacock was completed, and a little later the store building of J. H. Richter, where William Nifer was in trade in 1886. In the spring of the latter year J. K. Cope opened the first hotel, and brick dwellings were erected by Mrs. Blake and Thomas Harrold. Clay for brick- making was discovered on the village site, and several yards were opened in the summer of 1886. The village has a healthy location, about two hun- dred feet above tide-water, on high, dry land, and gives promise of rapid and permanent growth.

THE CHESILHURST BUILDING AND LOAN ASSO- CIATION was incorporated in November, 1884, to have places of business at Waterford and Chesil- hurst. Its object is to provide loans and to en- courage building. The incorporators were W. (). Bisbee, Joseph E. Thompson, N. R. Gatchell, Charles Sappmire and William H. Wade.

WATERFORD.

The village of Waterford is located in both Waterford and Winslow townships. It is a station on the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, a little more than twenty-two miles from Philadelphia, and is on high and dry ground. In the surround- ing forests many native pines are still growing, whose odors contribute to the salubrity of the vil- lage. Its healthfulness is one of the marked

668

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

features of the place. The village has Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and Catholic Churches, two stores, a post-office (called Waterford Works) and the usual interests of a country trading point. The village had its origin in the establishment of the Waterford Glass-Works at this point, in 1824, by Jonathan Haines. At that time the country was an unbroken forest, and the works were begun on a small scale, being enlarged from time to time as business expanded. In 1828 Jonathan Haines died, and the works were sold to Thomas Evans, Samuel Shreve and Jacob Roberts, the latter dying and Joseph Porter securing an interest in the business, the firm becoming Porter, Shreve & Co., John Evans having at this time also secured a sixth interest. Joseph Porter resided at this place, and devoted all his energies to make the business a success. He was an active, energetic manager, and, under his direction, the works prospered. Samuel Shreve sold out his interest to Joseph Porter in the course of years, who then associated his sons with him, the firm becoming Joseph Porter & Sons. Joseph Porter having died, and the firm being dissolved, about 1863 William C. Porter took charge of the works and carried them on several years, when the property was sold to Maurice Raleigh, who connected it with his yast Atsion estate. At the time the transfer was made there were three glass-factories, two fitted up for the manufacture of window panes and the third for hollow-ware. For a short time Raleigh carried on the former, and subse- quently John Gayner used the latter in making window-glass and lamp-chimneys, when each was allowed to remain out of blast, and the buildings went to decay.

After the discontinuance of the glass-works, Raleigh busied himself to provide new employ- ment for the workmen residing in the village, and established industries which seemed to cause a new era to dawn upon the place. He converted one of the glass-factories into a hosiery-mill, where a large number of young people found occupation for several years. He also united with James Colter in erecting a three-story frame shoe-factory, where a hundred operatives were at work for about a year, when it was closed up as an unprofitable enterprise and the machinery removed. A part of this building was now used as a shop for the repair of textile machinery, and as such was carried on a short time. In May, 1882, a conflagration, result- ing from a fire in this building, destroyed all the works, which ended manufacturing operations in the village. The destruction of the buildings and the death of Maurice Raleigh had a very depress-

ing effect upon Waterford, which caused the re- moval of more than half the inhabitants and the suspension of several business interests. After several years of inactivity the prospects of the vil- lage were again brightened by the policy of the Raleigh Land and Improvement Company (which had become the owner of the immense Raleigh es- tate, consisting of thirty thousand acres of land in this and the adjoining counties), whose efforts brought it before the public as a desirable place for suburban residence, and the adjoining country as being specially adapted for fruit-growing. A number of locations have been made, and, in the course of a few years, Waterford will regain some of its former prominence. As a point for the ship- ment of fruit, it has become widely known. With- in a radius of a few miles the following are the principal fruit-growers : John W. Hoag, Alexan- der Heggan, William O. Bisbee, Edward Battelle, James McDougall, Josiah Albertson, Godfrey Walker, Edward Reed, John Nichols, E. Z. Col- lings, Christopher Crowley, Pitman Bates and William S. Braddock. Several of these are exten- sive cranberry-growers, the annual product of Collings' bog being as high as twenty thousand bushels, necessitating the use of a large storage- house at Waterford.

The first store in the village, not kept by the owners of the glass-works, was on the site of the Stewart mansion, and was carried on by.Josiah S. Rice. He sold out to Lewis W. Nepling, who built the store on the opposite side of the railroad, where he is still in trade. John Fornham opened another store in the present Joseph Thompson stand, and a third place was occupied by Abner Gurney, which is no longer continued. The only hotel of note was kept in the Porter mansion, near the Episcopal Church, soon after its erection, in 1858, by a man named Pickett. Here is now kept the Waterford post-office, of which William G. Wilson is the postmaster. The first postmaster was Joseph C. Porter. Four mails per day are supplied. Dr. Joseph A. Stout was one of the first practicing physicians, living near Tansboro', and was followed by Dr. Risley, of the same place. Dr. John W. Snowden lived in the neighborhood of the Spring Garden tavern (which was the pub- lic-house of this section and was kept many years by the Albertson family) and had a good practice. He removed to Hammonton, and Dr. Joseph North was his successor, living for a time in the village.

The population of Waterford the past few years has not been permanent, many of the Raleigh build- ings being occupied for a few months only, but

669

THE TOWNSHIP OF WATERFORD.

approximates two hundred and fifty inhabitants. There are about one hundred buildings, seventy- five belonging to the Land and Improvement Com- pany, whose interests here are in charge of George W. Wurts.

WATERFORD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. -Soon after the establishment of the glass-works at Waterford the Methodists began holding meet- ings in the school-house, and were encouraged to form a society by Joseph Porter and others, on account of the influence the meetings had over the workmen. A cordial welcome was extended the itinerant preachers by the Porters, and in due sea- son the nucleus of a congregation was gathered. A division of the Sons of Temperance was also organ- ized, and to accommodate both bodies, it was pro- posed to erect a two-story building in which their meetings could be held, each in a separate room. Accordingly, Samuel Shreve, Joseph Porter, Joseph C. Porter and Thomas Porter set aside a lot of ground for the purpose of erecting thereon such a building, conveying the same, in trust, to John McCann, Richard A. Winner, Daniel W. Westcott, Micajah Cline, Brazier Wescoat, Arthur Wescoat and Jacob Read, in May, 1848.

Soon after, a two-story frame building was put up, the upper story being fitted up for the use of the temperance society, the lower being the church proper. Both bodies had a flourishing member- ship as long as the glass-works were carried on, but after they were discontinued most of those be- longing removed, leaving so few interested in their future existence that the division suspended its meetings, and in the church occasional services only were held. On 23d of March, 1864, Brazier Wescoat and Arthur Wescoat, the two remaining trustees, conveyed the property to the Methodist Episcopal Church and Division No. 49, Sons of Temperance, where the title still rests. Lewis W. Neipling is one of the few surviving members, and now has the property in charge. Owing to disuse, the house is not in good condition, but the grave- yard connected bears evidence of recent attention. Though showing signs of decay, and being no longer the useful factor it was in by-gone days, the old church should not be abandoned, but should be reconsecrated to an era of new usefulness in connection with the rapid development of this part of the township.

THE WATERFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- The congregation occupying this church was or- ganized April 25, 1866, with the following mem- bers : William Robinson, Calcina C. Robinson, Caroline R. Barnard, James McDougal, Eliza Mc- Dougal, Alexander Heggan, Mary H. Porter and

Edward Battelle. Preparations were at once made to build a house of worship, and, on the 14th of June, 1866, the corner-stone was laid. The edifice is a frame, thirty-two by fifty feet, and has a spire ninety feet high. Its cost, entire, was more than three thousand dollars, and was dedicated Janu- ary 3, 1867. William Robinson was chosen the first ruling elder, and upon his resignation, James McDougal and Edward Battelle were elected to the same office, serving to the present time.

The Rev. John W. Edmundson became the first pastor in 1867, but continued that relation only one year. In 1868 the Rev. S. C. McElroy be- came the stated supply and ministered to the con- gregation more than a year. In 1871 the Rev. E. D. Newberry was the supply, and in 1873 the Rev. James G. Shinn began to serve in the same rela- tion, being the last to preach statedly. Since his connection the pulpit has been filled by num- erous ministers, for short periods, but as there sre only twenty-four members, it has been imprac- ticable to have a regular pastor. The Sabbath- school, organized about the same time as the con- gregation, is maintained with unabated interest. It numbers forty-five members.

CHRIST PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- In 1868 a congregation of this faith was organized at Waterford, George Moody becoming senior war- den, and Dr. John W. Snowden, Major R. G. Porter and Jabez Fisher, vestrymen. A lot of land for a church building was donated by Wil- liam C. Porter about the same time, and with the means secured by Mrs. Elizabeth D., the wife of Major R. G. Porter, the erection of a house of worship was made possible the same year. The services of the church were conducted about a year by a lay reader, but in March, 1870, the Rev. William Stewart removed to this place and became the first rector, the Waterford Church and the church at Hammonton forming a parish. His zealous labors were beginning to be apparent, when he was stricken down by death, in April, 1871, and now lies interred in the cemetery of the church. The devoted Mrs. Porter had preceded him to the spirit world, departing this life February 9, 1871. Two of the most active members being thus taken away and other patrons removing, in consequence of the suspension of business at this place, the church was weakened to such an extent that it has never recovered its former vitality. Having no rector or active organization, it has for some years had a merely nominal existence. In 1886 it was with- out a vestry and the twelve communicant members remaining had an occasional service by the Rev. William C. Starr. Since 1871, Mrs. C. S. Stewart

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

has faithfully superintended a Sunday-school, which had forty members in 1886. The church building, a fair-sized frame, is kept in good repair, and has a well-kept burial-ground connected.

THE WATERFORD ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH was built, in 1880, by Maurice Raleigh, for the accommodation of his workmen professing the Catholic faith. It is a large frame building, but plain in every respect. The church never had a resident priest, and since the removal of many of the members, services are held at long intervals only, by priests coming from Egg Harbor. The communicants are few in number.

SHANE'S CASTLE, THE FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH. -About a hundred years ago there stood on the north side of Clark's Branch of the Egg Harbor River a cabin of cedar logs, squared and framed together so as to make a substantial dwelling. It was covered with cedar bark, so laid as to ex- clude snow and rain, and the spaces between the logs were so carefully filled with moss and clay that the storms were effectually kept ont. It was large enough to form living and sleeping apart- ments, besides having an attic. The floor was of clay only, and for windows there were mere open- ings in the logs without glass ; but it was made comfortable by huge fire-places in each room, the chimneys being built of sticks on the outside of the cabin. Its site was one mile south of the vil- lage of Waterford, and for many years it stood sol- itary and alone in the grand old forests. No other habitation was within many miles of it. This house, unpretentious as it was, the builders called "Shane's Castle," a name which it bore as long as one log rested upon another. It was erected by three German brothers,-Sebastian, Ignatius and Xaver- ius Woos, who had fled from their native country to avoid military conscription, and who thus im- mured themselves in the wilds to make a home where they might enjoy their freedom unhindered. When they came is not known, but in 1760 they applied to the Council of Proprietors to grant them title to the land upon which their house stood.

After being in this country some years the affianced of Sebastian followed him, having eluded the vigilance of her parents, who had opposed the suit, by taking passage on a ship. She was met at Philadelphia by her lover, who had managed to maintain correspondence with her. After weeks of patient waiting, on account of the uncertain ar- rival of the vessel, he was made happy by the sight of his loved one, and after paying her passage to prevent her from being sold, as was the custom at that time, they were married by a Catholic priest and began their journey to their new home. What

an impression the strange sights through the for- ests they traveled must have made on the mind of the young wife ! Their journey was long and toil- some, the streams being unbridged and the roads tortuous. But, happy in her marriage, the sur- roundings soon became familiar, and even attract- ive. She was content with her lot, as cast in the wilds of America, though far from the friends of her old home and isolated from all society except that furnished by her husband and his brothers, and an occasional caller at the cabin. They cleared up a few acres around their home, where they planted vegetables, and worked in the cedar swamps preparing staves for the West India mar- kets. Fish and game were abundant and they did not lack the necessaries of life, though entirely unacquainted with its luxuries.

Ignatius and Xaverius never married, but Sebas- tian had two daughters, who became young women and married Herman Myrose and Eli Neild. The latter occupied the old castle as long as it was hab- itable, while the former lived on another part of the property. The older members of these families died in the township, and were buried in a small graveyard on the opposite side of the stream from the castle. This contained some rude stones, which have fallen into decay, and there is but little left to mark the places where these pioneers are buried, and, like the castle itself, they will soon pass into oblivion.

But it is in connection with the holding of Catholic services at Shane's Castle that the great- est historic interest attaches. About the middle of the last century efforts were made to utilize the bog iron-ore so abundant on the eastern slope of New Jersey, and furnaces were erected at various points. The operatives at these iron-works were generally foreigners, and adherents of the Catholic Church. In visiting them, the priests would pass Shane's Castle, whose inmates were Catholics, and who extended a hearty welcome to the min- isters, urging them to hold services in their house. In this way worship was held many years in Shane's Castle according to the forms of the Cath- olic Church, and these meetings were probably the first of that denomination in West Jersey. On such occasions the few people residing in that re- gion were invited to attend the services and hear the gospel preached.

Sparse as were these, their number was occa- sionally increased by a few natives, who, without understanding a word that was uttered, could see in the deportment of the worshippers the sincerity and reverence that moved them. They only knew that the worship of the "white man's God" was

JP Kirkbride

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THE TOWNSHIP OF WATERFORD.

unlike the silent awe with which they regarded the Great Spirit, which was always about them in the mystery and grandeur of an unknown ex- istence.

" Being above all beings ! mighty one !

Whom none can comprehend and none explore; Who fill'et existence with Thyself alone.

Embracing all-supporting-ruling o'er-

Being whom we call God-and know no more?"

BIOGRAPHICAL.

JOEL P. KIRKBRIDE .- Joseph Kirkbride came to Pennsylvania from England in 1681. He was in his minority when he arrived, but soon grew to man's estate and became a useful citizen. He set- tled in Bucks County, was a member of the Legis- lature for several years, and discharged the import- ant duties of magistrate as well .. He was a preacher among Friends, and returned to England in 1699 on a religious visit.

He married Sarah, a daughter of Mahlon Stacy, who came to America in the ship "Shield " in 1678. Mahlon settled in Nottingham township, Burlington County, N. J., now part of the county of Mercer. Joseph Kirkbride died in 1737 and left five children-Mahlon, John, Sarah (who mar- ried Israel Pemberton), Mary and Jane (who mar- ried Samuel Smith, author of the " History of New Jersey ").

Israel Pemberton, who married Sarah, was a son of Phineas, who came to Pennsylvania from England in 1682, and became largely inter- ested in the real estate of West New Jersey, and located several surveys in Atlantic County. Mary Kirkbride, whose grandfather and father were also owners of proprietary rights, located a survey of about twelve hundred acres in 1745, and upon which the larger part of the town of Hammonton now stands.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 114

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