The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 116

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

USA > New Jersey > Camden County > The history of Camden county, New Jersey > Part 116

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

CIVIL ORGANIZATION .- The original township of Gloucester was erected, June 1, 1695, by the grand jury of Gloucester County, with bounds as follows : "From ye said Newton Creek branch to ye lowermost branch of ye Gloucester River shall be another constablewick or township." In the same report the title of this new township is given as Gloucester, and Elias Hugg named as the con- stable. Extending thus southeastward indefinitely, its limits, not named above, were undefined until 1765, when Samuel Clement surveyed all the head- lines of the township in the county. For more than half a century the township extended from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean, and for a like period from the river to the extreme end of what is now Winslow township. The latter town- ship was formed out of the territory of Gloucester, hy legislative enactment, March 8, 1845. But the western boundary of the township had already been moved eastward; in November, 1831, by the erection of Union township, which subsequently, in 1855, became the present Centre township. Thus reduced, the area of Gloucester was thirty-five and sixty-six one-hundredths square miles; but in 1859 a few square miles were taken off, in the neighborhood of Berlin, and annexed to Water- ford township, leaving Gloucester in its present condition. These frequent changes have caused the records to be mislaid, which prevents the com- pilation of a complete civil list. Since 1862 the following have been the principal officers :

Clerks.

1863. Hurff Woodrow. 1864. Amos (. Stevenson.

1871. Joshua B. Sickler.

1873-74. Samnel W. Lamb.

1865. Amos C. Stevenson.

1875-76. Joshua G. Edwards.

1877-78. Joseph T. Wood.

1879. Samuel Shaffer.

1868-69. Theo. F. Walker. 1880. Joseph T. Wood.

1870. Theo. F. Walker.

1881-86. Edward M. Murphy.

Assessors.

1863-64. Rohort Henderson. 1875-79. Joshua B. Sickler.

1865-74. John North, Sr. 1880-86. Edward J. Colos.

Collectors .- In this period the township collect- ors have been Samuel P. Chew, Van Buren Giffin and Joseph T. Wood.

1866. C. W. Taylor.

1867. Benjamin K. Sharp.

AUTOGRAPHS OF SETTLERS IN THE TERRITORY OF OLD GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP.

Mathon Modaalfo

A first scttler. Sheriff of old Gloucester County. Died 1718, leaving one son, Jacob.

Johnglugg

A first settler, and the owner of large tracts of land. Died 1706. Had sons John, Elias, Joseph and Charles.

Josoph Tomlinson

A first settler. Lawyer and King's attorney. Died 1719. Had sons Ephraim, Joseph, Ebenezer, Richard, John, Othniel and William.

Eldest son of John, the emigrant. Died 1730. Had sons Joseph, Gabriel, John, Elias and Jacob.

Joseph Tomlinson

Son of Joseph, the emigrant. Died 1758, leaving sons Joseph and Samuel.

Jacob fug

Youngest son of John, Jr., the son of John, the emigrant.

John Skimgrs hougs

A first settler. Died 1716. Had sons Samuel, John and Josiah.

Came from Long Island. Married Mary Thorne, and had sons Thomas, John T., Samuel, Isaac, Joseph and Jacob.

Themay 6Thalova

One of the first Newton settlers. Died in 1702, and left sons Benjamin and Thomas.

lacol Element

Son of Jacob the first settler. He was a practical surveyor of Haddonfield.

678

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Justices of the Peace .- The justices of the peace in the same length of time were, --

Joshua B. Sickler.

Wm. B. Bettle.

John North, Sr.

Robert Henderson.

Theodore F. Walker.

Jacob I. Sayers.

Benjamin Williame.

Robert Henderson.

Jonathan W. Cheeseman.

Jacob C. Lippincott.

Edward M. Murphy. Charies Alexander.

John HI. Magee.

The only accounts obtainable, from any of the records which have been preserved, pertain to the division of the township into road districts, in 1829. James D. Dotterer, Samuel M. Thorn and William Monroe were the township committee that year, and the following were the overseers : William Peacock, Josiah Ware, Josiah Albertson, Jesse King, Isaac Hugg, Jonathan Powell, Rich- ard Bettle, David Albertson and Jacob Ware.

VILLAGES.

In the northwestern part of the township, on the turnpike of the same name, is the old hamlet of White Horse, so called from the old tavern whose sign was adorned with the figure of a white horse. Previous to the building of the railroad it was a popular stopping-place for travelers from Phil- adelphia to Egg Harbor, but for many years has had a limited local patronage only. Among those best remembered as keepers have been Ephraim Hillman, Joseph Wolohon, Minor Rogers, John Sharp, William Carson and the present Erastus Davis. Half a dozen houses and shops were built in this locality, the latter being yet carried on. Soon after the building of the Camden and At- lantic Railroad a station was located near this place, which also bore the name of White Horse; and for a time there was a post-office, with the same name. After its discontinuance, another office was established, with the name of Marl City, whose use was prostituted by unscrupulous Philadelphia parties, when the department discon- tinued it. About fifteen years ago a new post- office was established with the name of

KIRKWOOD, in compliment to Joel P. Kirkbride, an influential farmer living in Waterford, near the station, which also received this name. Theodore B. Bibbs was appointed postmaster and was succeeded by the present incumbent, Ephraim Tomlinson. The latter opened the first regular store in the place in 1870, building a new store in 1886. Here are, also, the extensive ice-houses of the Wilson Coal and Ice Company and the fine flouring-mill of J. P. Kirkbride, the latter being in Waterford township. Coopers Creek was here first improved to operate a saw-mill, but in 1838 a small grist-mill was built, which passed into the hands of the present owner in 1850, and was by

him improved to its present condition. The mill- pond is a large and attractive sheet of water, bor- dered on the Gloucester side by a beautiful grove. This became the property of the railroad company a few years ago, and was converted into

Lakeside Park .- These popular pleasure-grounds embrace about seventy acres of land, well in- closed and provided with the means to secure rest and enjoyment. In the grove are many native pines, whose odors add to the sense of enjoyment. The lake has been well supplied with small boats, and in the park are many devices to amuse and recreate the wearied mind and body. The company has provided abundant transportation facilities, which has secured a liberal patronage for the park from Philadelphia.

Kirkwood Marl and Fertilizing Company was or- ganized in January, 1879, with John Lucas, presi- dent; Joel P. Kirkbride, secretary and treasurer ; George M. Rogers, superintendent; John F. Bodine, Peter L. Voorhees and Harvey Quicksall. directors. The company work the marl-beds near Kirkwood, first developed, to a considerable ex- tent, by Minor Rogers, and later worked by George M. Rogers, until the present management took charge of them. The marl here found is of superior quality, lying about three feet below the surface of the ground, and the bed has a depth of fifteen feet. Easy means of shipment are provided by track from the railroad, which runs through the beds. For the manufacture of fertilizers suitable build- ings and machinery have been provided. About twelve men are employed.

The discovery and use of these fertilizing agents, added to the natural richness of the soil in this locality, has made splendid farm improve- ments possible. Among the finest may be named the farm-buildings of Alexander Cooper, E. W. Coffin, Ephraim Tomlinson, J. P. Kirkbride and Esaias E. Hunt.

LINDENWOLD is a projected suburban town on the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, one-half a mile south of Kirkwood. It was founded in the fall of 1885, and consists of two tracts of land, No. 1 bor- dering on Lakeside Park, and lying on both sides of the railroad. It contains ninety acres of land, and was the property of John A. Ellsler. Tract No. 2 adjoins the above-described, and extends south- ward to the White Horse turnpike, having an area of one hundred and forty acres, which has been surveyed into lots and placed upon the market by the Penn Guarantee Trust Association, of which Winer Bedford is the secretary. The latter erected the first building in the new town, which had, in May, 1886, a number of residences in process of

Ephraim Tomlinson Ir.

679

THE TOWNSHIP OF GLOUCESTER.

construction, indicating a properous future for the village.

The first business place was the office of the South Jersey Advertiser, published here since Feb- ruary, 1886. The paper was established at Cam- den, January 1, 1880, by C. E. Linch, as a seven- column folio, devoted to general news. Its publi- cation in that city was continued until November 15, 1885, when the paper became the property of Frank T. Coe, who removed it to Clementon, where it was published until its transfer by Coe to Lin- denwold. It is now issued as a six-column quarto, independent in politics and devoted to local and county news.

CLEMENTON .- Clementon is a small village on the Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railroad, five miles east of Chews Landing. The first improve- ments were on the north branch of Timber Creek, which here affords a good water-power, and con- sisted of small saw-mills and grist-mills. They were gotten in operation about one hundred and fifty . years ago by Andrew Newman, and one of the early owners was William Lawrence, who built part of the house which now forms the Gibbs mansion. Lawrence had in his service a German redemp- tionist, named Christopher Kneiser, who succeeded to the ownership of the property, removing after a few years to Philadelphia. After his death Samuel Clement and some business associates be- came the owners of the property, operating the mills and also built a glass-factory some time be- fore 1825, which they successfully carried on sev- eral years. It stood on a hill in what is now a pear-orchard, opposite the residence of Cyrus Watson, and had an eight-pot furnace. Both hol- low and flat-ware were manufactured, and as this was one of the first factories in this part of the country, it was visited by a large number of sight- seers, many sleighing-parties of young people go- ing there from long distances. These found en- tertainment in the large gambrel-roofed house on an adjoining lot, which was, at that time, kept as an inn.

A number of dwellings for the use of the operatives had been built on the hill about the time the glass-works were located, some of which were removed many years ago. The glass-works were discontinued before 1830, and, as the em- ployees moved to Gloucester County, the village (which had been called Clementon, in compliment to Samuel Clement) was left with nothing but its milling interests. After being owned by Thomas Risdon, Jonathan Riley became the owner of this property, and in the course of years sold it to Isaac Tomlinson, from whose heirs T. B. Gibbs

and L. W. Snyder bought the mills in 1872 and continued to operate them.

On the same stream, some distance above, is the lumber-mill of Seth C. Bishop, and the Laurel Mills, owned by Ephraim Tomlinson, both doing good service

EPHRAIM TOMLINSON is a lineal descendant of Joseph Tomlinson, who came to New Jersey from London, England, in 1686, and in his native land was a member of Horseleydown Friends' Meeting. When Joseph Tomlinson arrived in this country he was apprenticed to Thomas Sharp to learn the trade of dyeing. When he attained his majority he en- tered eagerly into the political affairs of his adopted country. He is said to have built the first Friends' Meeting-house at Newton. He was married in 1690, and located one hundred and seventeen acres in Gloucester township, adjoining lands of Joseph Wood. In 1695 he was chosen sheriff of Glouces- ter County, and in 1696 was appointed King's at- torney, which position he held for many years, and by his ability and integrity retained the confidence of his associates to his death, in 1719. His chil- dren were Ephraim, Joseph, Ebenezer, Richard, John, Othniel, William, Elizabeth, Mary and Ann. Elizabeth married Bartholomew Wyatt; Ephraim settled near the old homestead; Joseph occupied the home property ; John located three hundred acres near Gravelly Run ; William moved to Waterford township ; Othniel removed to Salem County, and in 1753 took up his residence in Ches- ter County, Pennsylvania, near Concord Meeting- house ; Ephraim, son of Ephraim, succeeded to the homestead. It next became the property of Benjamin, from whom it passed to James, brother of Ephraim Tomlinson, the subject of this sketch. The old Harding mill, owned by the present Eph- raim, is now called Laurel Mills, and adjoins the old homestead, situated on the north branch of Great Timber Creek. Ephraim Tomlinson, and Sarah, his wife, had three children,-Ephraim, Mary and Elizabeth. He was a minister in meet- ing, and walked from Timber Creek farm to New- ton Meeting, the country being mostly timber land, through which he passed to meeting.

Ephraim, who was born August 28, 1742, settled on Timber Creek, and was married to Ann Olden, November 11, 1767. Their children were Sarah, married to David assett; Lydia, who died young; Elizabeth, who married John Inskeep ; Catherine, who was the wife of Robert Stiles; James, who died in infancy ; Joseph, who married Mary Cooper; Benjamin, who married Frances Haines ; Sarah and Ephraim, who died young. Benjamin Tom- linson, by his marriage with Frances Haines,

680

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

had but one child, Ephraim Tomlinson, who has been long identified with the business interests of Gloucester township. He was but a few days old when his mother died, January 1807.

He married Sarah T. Inskeep, daughter of John and Elizabeth Inskeep, of Evesham, and had the following children : Elizabeth I., Frances H., Ann, died young; William I., Edwin, Martha H., Ephraim and B. Albert.

Ephraim Tomlinson cultivated three large farms, grazed from forty to one hundred head of cattle yearly, erected and conducted three stores, a saw- mill and flour-mill, the mills being remodeled by him later. One of the tracts he cleared of tim- ber and made of it a good farm. He erected comfortable and substantial mansions and out- buildings on all of them. He has been always anxious to improve his neighborhood, and to lend a helping-hand to his fellow-man, and is conscien- tions to be just and upright in all his dealings. In 1886, while in his eightieth year, he had cleared a large tract of land which was entirely covered with timber and brush ; it is fast develop- ing into another good farm.

Ephraim Tomlinson, in 1873, retired from his mill property in Gloucester township, and has since resided in Waterford township. In 1861 he was elected a director in the State Bank of Cam- den, and was one of the directors when the charter, in 1865, was changed, and the institution became a national bank. He held the position as director in 1886, when he resigned, and his son-in-law, John Gill, was elected to fill the vacancy.

Like his ancestors, he attends the Society of Friends, and, at the age of eighty years, wonder- fully preserves his mental and physical vigor.

In the old tavern building, long since used as a private dwelling, Matthew Mountainy opened the first store in the place, being succeeded by Jere- miah Seeds. The latter afterwards established a store on the ridge east from this place, where he continues in trade.

Additions to Clementon have been platted by George A. Baghurst and others, and a number of houses have recently been built for suburban homes by business men of Philadelphia. In the new additions are fine building sites which will be improved so as to make this a very attractive place. The first public building was the Town Hall, erected in the summer of 1886 by the Clementon Hall Association, which was incorporated with a capital stock of two thousand dollars, June 3, 1886. The members of the association were Theo- dore B. Gibbs, George A. Baghurst, George H. Higgins, Charles Bendler, Thomas Grist, John R.

Rowand, Joseph Lippincott, R. W. Jaggard, George Summerfield, Abel Battoms, Nicholas Bryan, George Cullum and James S. Gibbs. It is a two-story frame structure, with sittings for three hundred persons. In June, 1886, Clementon had twenty-five residences, two small stores and a post- office.

WATSONTOWN is the name applied to a scattered hamlet on the Berlin and White Horse turnpike, a mile from Clementon. The only business inter- est is a small store kept by Aaron C. Watson. Near this place, on a branch of Timber Creek, is a mill for refining and pulverizing charcoal, operated by water-power, owned by John Rowand ; and a mile distant is a similar mill, operated by steam-power, which is the property of Hillman Rowand.

BROWNSTOWN, a hamlet on a branch of the North branch of Timber Creek, is a little more than a mile from Clementon. It took its name from Wil- liam Brown, who had a saw-mill and carried on a · lumber business at that place on an extensive scale. After the discontinuance of the mill Brownstown became ordinary farm property.

DAVISTOWN is a hamlet of colored people, hav- ing no business interests, and is located a little east of the centre of the township. It derived its name from Solomon Davis, a venerable negro, who lived at this point many years. Through his efforts, assisted by the whites in that locality, a Methodist meeting-house for the use of the colored people was there built about 1850, and has since been kept up. It is a very plain building and the congregation has no regular preacher.

SPRING MILLS is the name of a manufacturing hamlet on Great Timber Creek, one and a half miles above Blackwood. The location is highly picturesque and the water-power at this point is not excelled in this county. It is ntilized to the extent of one hundred horse-power, while the volume unemployed is fully as great. As early as 1810 this was the site of the Bates & Wilkins saw- mills, which later became the property of Jacob Glover. The improvements were very meagre and as late as 1836 a dense growth of tanglewood covered all but a small clearing around the mill. At that time the Indian name, Tetamekon, was frequently applied to the locality. About this period the advantages of this site for manufactur- ing purposes were recognized, and, in 1836, Carr & Lunt, of Philadelphia, purchased the property and established what have since become widely known as the Spring Mills Agricultural Works. In a few years William H. Carr became the sole owner, carrying on the works, with Stephen Bateman as his manager. He was a practical machinist, from

681

THE TOWNSHIP OF GLOUCESTER.

Naugatuck, Conn., and his labors here were char- acterized by the energy peculiar to the natives of that State. His first operations were confined to the manufacture of forks and shovels, those articles being here made complete. The lumber used was brought in scows to Good Intent, which at that time had tide-water communication, and was there worked into handles. The finished goods were carted to Philadelphia, where their superior quality secured them a ready sale, and notwith- standing the disadvantages of location, the busi- ness prospered so that twenty men were employed. The first building was at the lower power, but soon after another set of buildings were put up, on the opposite side of the stream, for foundry pur- poses, which were carried on under the superin- tendence of Thomas Loring, of Troy, N. Y. Here butt-hinges were also made. In 1852 this build- ing was destroyed by fire and a part of the building now on that site was erected it its stead. In October, 1860, Stephen Bateman became the owner of the property, and on the breaking out of the war engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements and wagons.

Soon after Loring established his foundry below these works, improving a small power for that purpose, where he continued some years, when the place was abandoned. In October, 1863, E. S. & F. Bateman assumed the business of their father, and continued to produce the same line of goods. Six years later the manufacture of wagons was discontinued, and from that time cultivators were made a specialty.

In 1866 the Patent Metallic Company, of Phila- delphia, bought a part of the power and put up buildings for the manufacture of metallic roofing, continuing operations until 1876, when the factory was transferred to Philadelphia. These buildings, and others more recently erected, are all occu- pied by the present firm of E. S. & F. Bateman. E. L. Wilson became a partner in the firm in 1883, and since 1884 they have been the sole owners of the entire property. The plant embraces twenty- seven acres of land, several mansions and half a dozen tenements, in addition to the factory build- ings proper.

These are arranged in three groups, each having its separate power, No. 1 being devoted to steel-forging and wood-working machinery, No. 2 to polishing work and No. 3 to iron-forging and general work. There are also spacious storage rooms and offices. With the aid of improved machinery the capacity of the works has been greatly augmented, without increasing the number of workmen. In May, 1886, the employees num-

bered fifty, who manufactured eighteen thousand "Iron Age Cultivators " per year.

On the turnpike, near the works, is the spacious mercantile house of J. C. Bradshaw, erected in 1885, which is, in its appointments, complete be- yond the ordinary stores in small villages. Here is kept the Spring Mills post-office, of which J. C. Bradshaw has been the postmaster since its estab- lishment, in 1876.

THE LOST TOWN OF UPTON .- Upton was the name given to an embryo town, founded in thelatter part of the seventeenth century by some of the first settlers of old Gloucester County. It is supposed that most of them had located there temporarily only after their arrival in this country, in order to se- cure the protection against Indian attacks which such a settlement would afford, or until they could look about and select permanent homes. The Indians proving peaceable and the town-site pos- sessing no advantages to make it a commercial point, it was abandoned more than a hundred and fifty years ago, and for a long time its very location was involved in doubt; hence Upton is a lost town.

It was sitnated on the north side of the south branch of Timber Creek, near the head of tide navigation, about one and a half miles below Blackwood, and derived its name from Upton, in Berkshire, England, where resided Thomas Staunton, the proprietor of the land. In 1687 he sold it to Richard Ever, and in 1688 the latter disposed of his interests to John Ladd. The same year James Whitall bought a part of this tract of land and built the first house at Up- ton. He made a number of improvements and very likely opened the first public-house.

In 1695 John Hedger, Thomas Stephens and John Too purchased lots, and real estate was also bought in 1697 by William and Israel Ward, in 1698 by Thomas Bull and Edward Williams, in 1699 by Richard Chew, in 1700 by John Brown, and by Arthur Powell in 1701.

In 1697 occurred the first wedding of the town, of which any record has been preserved, and the document is so unique that it is here produced in its quaint form, --

" The sixteenth of November, Anna 1697. This may certify whom it may concern that I, George Ward, of ye Towne of Upton and County of Gloucester, and Hannah Waynwright, of Woodberry Creek, have been Published according to Law, and nothing appear- ing contrary in any wise to hinder them, they have proceeded at a public place appointed for that purpose as followeth : Ye said George standing upand taking ye said Hannah by ye hand, saith as follow- eth : I, George Ward, in ye presence of God and this Assembly, Take Hannah Waynwright to my Wife, promising to be a loving Husband nntill Death sepperate ; and she, ye s'd Hannah in like manner saith -I, Hannah Waynwright, in yo presence of God and this Assembly,

682

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

take George Ward to be my hushand, promising to be a loneing Ffaithfull Wife till Death Sepperate.

her "HANNAH X WAYNWRIGHT." mark hie "GEORGE X WARD. mark

The persons present were,-

" John Brown. John Ashbrook.

Israel Ward.

Thomas Bull.

William Ward.

James Whitall.

John Tatum. Samuel Taylor.

Thomas Giheon.

John Euno.

Isaac Wood.

Elizabeth Tatum.

Charles Crossth wait. Susannah Waynwright.

" December ye first Anno 1697, The within certificate was ordered to he recorded by

" THO. GARDNER, Justice.

"December 8, 1697, Entr. Exam. and Recorded pr me,

" JOHN READING, Rec.

"Testes. John Reading."

It is likely that this George Ward was either a brother or son of one of the Wards named above, and subsequently he became a land-owner himself, at what is now Blackwood.

Richard Chew bought the Whitall property, which was better improved than the rest, as his buildings appear to have withstood the ravages of time longer than the others erected at this place, which, being disused, soon went to decay. In 1723 he conveyed the Whitall property to his son Thomas, who, in 1740, had a re-survey of the land made, by means of which the location of the ob- literated town was made possible. The most of the buildings ceased to serve their purposes soon after 1700, the tavern building, which was also a farm- house, being one of the last left standing. But even this was abandoned after more direct lines of travel were established, becoming a deserted inn, in a deserted village, not unlike the one so faithful- ly portrayed by Goldsmith,-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 116

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