USA > New Jersey > Camden County > The history of Camden county, New Jersey > Part 119
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692
HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
Jonas Cattell. Elizabeth Allen. Sarah Paulin.
Mary Cattell. Emily H. Wilkina. Eliza Casper."
The following-named brethren, bearing creden- tials from their respective churches, composed the council of recognition : From Haddonfield, Rev. Wm. H. Brisbane, Deacons Thomas Ellis, Thomas Marshal, D. H. Gault, Isaac Armstrong and A. McKinzie; from Marlton, Rev. J. M. Challiss, Deacons Charles Kain, Benjamin Kain and Wil- liam Edwards ; Woodstown, Rev. John Perry Hall; Mullica Hill, Rev. Charles Kain; Newton, Rev. Charles Sexton.
The council recommended the above-named brethren and sisters to proceed in the usual way to organize themselves into a church, whereupon it was moved by Thomas T. Firth, and seconded by William Taylor, "that we constitute ourselves a regular Baptist Church, to be known and recog- nized in law as the regular Baptist Church of Blackwoodtown."
Ten days' notice having been given, the church met, March 4th, for the transaction of business, when the following officers were elected : Deacons, Joseph V. Edwards, William Taylor; Trustees, Hiram Morgan, Joseph V. Edwards, Jonas Cat- tell, Henry Stremme, Thomas Hutchinson.
The congregation thus formed did not possess a church-home, and, from lack of means, was un- able to build one. The difficulty was met, how- ever, by friends in the community, who gave them the chapel in which they were worshipping, and a building lot in Blackwoodtown, to which it could be moved. From a deed bearing date of March 10, 1848, were obtained the names of those who gave the building lot and house, viz., Jonas Livermore and wife, Lewis Livermore and wife, John Cooper and wife, John Stokes and wife. Early in the year 1848 the building was moved to its present site.
At the meeting held on the 4th of March Rev. Henry Westcott was called to the pastorate of the church, which position he filled until March 26, 1857. During his labor of nine years the church increased by letter and experience twenty, and by baptism one hundred and one. During this pe- riod, in 1854, the building was enlarged twelve feet and other necessary repairs made. In the same year the church entertained the West New Jersey Baptist Association in its annual meeting.
While the increase in numbers during this period was encouraging, the decrease was none the less discouraging, for by letters of dismission and by exclusion the number was reduced to eighty-three. There have been other seasons of rapid growth
and as rapid decline, of light and shadow, of hope and fear, the membership never long remaining above its present number, seventy-nine. Although the church has never been numerically or finan- cally strong, yet its influence for good has been felt throughout a large region of country, leading to a more faithful observance of the New Testa- ment ordinances, and to a recognition of the authority of the Scriptures as once delivered to the saints.
The following ministers have served as pastors of the church :
Henry Westcott, from March 12, 1848, to March 26, 1857. Homer Sears, from July 5, 1857, to September 30, 1859. Charles Cox, January 5, 1860, to September 27, 1860. H. J. Thompson, from May, 1861, to August 30, 1862. Asher Cook, from January 1, 1864, to October 1, 1866. Samuel Godaball, from January 12, 1868, to July 25, 1869. E. M. Barker, from January 1, 1871, to April 25, 1872. John D Flansburgh, from March, 1873, to September 26, 1879.
The present pastor, James Fielding, began his labors with the church January 25, 1880.
The membership has been as follows: Constitu- ent, 28; by baptism, 199; by letter and experience, 73 ; total, 300 ; present membership, 79.
The officers at present are :
Pastor, James Fielding ; Deacona, Joseph V. Edwards (who served from the beginning), Isaac Brown, Isaac Cramer, Reuben L. Edwards ; Trustees, Ralph Hider, Edward Scott, Isaac Brown, Isaac Cramer, Reuben L. Edwards, Selah O. Prickitt Joshua Scott ; Clerk, Charles R. Bee ; Treasurer, Joshua Scott.
SOCIETIES.
INDEPENDENT LODGE, No. 64, I. O. O. F., is the oldest of the secret orders now maintained at Blackwood. It was instituted August 5, 1847, and had as its first principal officers Samuel G. Rich- ards, N. G .; Justice Hedger, V. G .; Martin S. Synnott, Sec .; James R. Driver, Treas.
The first meetings were held in the Temperance Hall, but in 1852 Odd-Fellows' Hall was erected, at a cost of nearly three thousand dollars. It is a three-story frame building, the lower stories form- ing living rooms. The hall is neatly furnished, and is also used for lodge purposes by the other orders of the village. This lodge had, in 1886, eighty members, and the following officers: Frank P. Williams, N. G .; George W. Barrett, V. G .; William B. Bettle, Rec. Sec .; Joseph E. Hurff, Fin. Sec. ; Thomas J. Wentz, Treas .; Edward P. Brown, Thomas G. Zane, John H. Magee, Edgar J. Coles, Thomas J. Wentz, Trustees,
MINERVA LODGE, No. 25, K. OF P .- This body was instituted July 19, 1869, with the following- named charter members : Charles H. Le Fevre, Thomas Andrews, John Houseman, Thomas Knight, Samuel W. Lamb, Henry Beckley, Wil- liam Mills, Charles Barrett and Samuel Jaygard.
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THE TOWNSHIP OF GLOUCESTER.
The lodge has sixty members, and its officers are J. S. North, C. C .; F. P. Williams, V. C .; Charles Alexander, K. of R. and S .; Benjamin Rudderow, M. of F.
BLACKWOOD GRANGE, No. 9, P. OF H., held its first meeting under a dispensation of the Grand Grange, March 25, 1875. It was soon after fully chartered, and has continued its meetings with varying interest ever since, being at present in a flourishing condition. There are fifty members and the following principal officers : John M. Steser, Master ; Theodore Hider, Sec .; Samuel Batten, Treas .; John H. Magee, E. J. Coles, I. W. Rapp, Trustees.
MONIN CASTLE, No. 6, K. OF M. C., was the most recently organized of the lodges at Blackwood, being instituted September 26, 1883. Its member- ship from the beginning was large, fifty-five per- sons sustaining the relation of charter members. The roll has been swelled until nearly one hundred belong at present. The principal officers were : Trustees, E. T. Brown, J. E. Hurff, Samuel C. Bettle; S. K. P. C., Henry Cummings ; S. K. O., Joseph S. Stewart; S. K. V. C., Samuel C. Bettle; Recording Secretary, Samuel Pine ; Financial Sec- retary, William Williams ; Treasurer, Benjamin Williams.
Some time about 1845 a vigorous division of the Sons of Temperance had an existence in the vil- lage, holding its meetings in the second story of the Temperance Hotel. In 1852 the order built a
hall of its own and occupied it about two years, when a waning interest caused the organization to disband. This hall is now part of the E. J. Cole's store-stand. Since that time other temperance or- ganizations have been established, and a well-sup- ported lodge of Good Templars is at present main- tained. These organizations have been promotive of much good in creating a healthy sentiment in favor of the principles of temperance.
EDUCATION.
One of the most liberal patrons of popular edu- cation was Joseph Sloan. In the last century he bequeathed one hundred pounds to the township of Gloucester, " to be put in the care of such trustees as may from time to time, by plurality of voices, be chosen at the annual town-meeting, to have the care of the same ; the interest of which the said trustees shall yearly lay out on books treating on religious morality, arithmetic or the mathematics, to be be- stowed at their discretion on youths likely to im- prove thereby ; and if any overplus be, to lay the same out in schooling poor children without dis- tinction. And at the expiration of five hundred years, said township may, by plurality of voices, appropriate said one hundred pounds any way for the use of the poor."
This fund had in some way become impaired, but was lately restored to its original amount by the township authorities, and the yearly income of the four hundred dollars invested is devoted to the purchase of school-books for needy children.
THE TOWNSHIP OF WINSLOW.
CHAPTER XV.
Character of the Township-Set off from Gloucester-List of Offi- cers-Villages of Sicklerville, Williamstown Junction, Wilton, Tansboro', Cedar Brook, Braddock, Blue Anchor, Ancora, Elm, Winslow Junction and Winslow -- Glass Works - Societies - Friends' Meetings and Churches.
THIS township is situated in the extreme south- eastern part of the county. It was formed in 1845, and obtained its name from Winslow village, at that time its most important settlement. On its north is Waterford township; on the east and southeast, Atlantic County ; south and southwest, Monroe township, in Gloucester County, from which it is separated by Four-Mile Run and Great Egg Harbor River; and on the west and north is the present township of Gloucester. The general surface is level, the soil being chiefly sandy or sandy loam. Along the water-courses the surface is depressed, partaking of the nature of swamps, having as its timber growth cedar-trees. In other parts are large pine forests or growths of deciduous trees, which afford a valuable timber supply. About one-fourth of the area only has been cleared for cultivation, though much of the larger tim- ber has been removed. The soil on the low lands is fairly fertile, and appears to be well adapted for fruit-culture, which has become the principal oc- cupation of the inhabitants. In the northwestern part, near Williamstown Junction, are valuable deposits of clay for potters' use, and in many parts may be found sand superior for glass-making. The drainage is afforded by the Egg Harbor Riv- ers and their affluent streams, whose flow through the township is generally sluggish. The township offered few attractions to the pioneer settler, and the improvements made by those who ventured into these remote regions were in no wise noteworthy. A colony of Friends settled in the western part before the Revolution, prominent among them be-
ing William Norcross. His son Job was born in the township and raised a large family, from which have descended the Norcrosses of this part of the county. Joshua Duble and John Kellum lived in the same neighborhood, the former leaving de- scendants who are prominent in the affairs of the township. Benjamin Thackara lived in the New Freedom neighborhood, and Joshua Peacock nearer Tansboro'. He was the father of William and Joseph Peacock, both of whom reared large fam- ilies. George Sloan lived near New Hopewell, and the Cains and McLains in the neighborhood of Long-a-Coming. Among other early settlers were Brittain Bishop, Benjamin Watson, Robert Mattox, Oliver Beebe, Charles Camel, Joel Bodine, John Rogers, Samuel Senll, Philip White, Eli Nield, Jonathan Fowler, Moses Githens, Enos Sharp and Isaiah Whitcraft. After the building of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, in 1856, the country was developed more rapidly, and, with the building of new lines, other settlements were opened in localities which had before been too re- mote from places of business to make the cultiva- tion of the soil profitable. Some lands were loca- ted early, but being held in large tracts, were not improved until recent years.
The first tract of cedar swamp lands located in the township became the property of Daniel Hill- man and Joseph Lowe in 1726. It lay on the Great Egg Harbor River, south of the Blue Anchor tract, where, tradition says, the Indian trail crossed the swamp. For a long time it was the only trail in that part of the township, and was consequently frequently used. On the east side stood an Indian wigwam, where travelers were entertained before the settlements of the whites, and where such as passed from one part of the State to the other might lodge in the home of the dusky landlord. The pathway, though narrow,
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THE TOWNSHIP OF WINSLOW.
crossed a small island in its course and was almost in a straight line. For many years the remains of an old foot-bridge could be seen at the island. After the timber began to be used, part of this old trail became a wagon-road, and, in general, the early roads had the same course or followed the Indian trails. In the course of time the above Indian trail was abandoned and a new one made about two miles down the river, where formerly stood John Inskeep's old saw-mill. In 1762 this crossing is spoken of as a public ford and was much used by both the whites and the Indians as long as they remained in this country. The Indians had large villages at Shamong, in Burlington County, and Tuckahoe, in Cape May County, and this was a central point, where they would camp overnight as they passed from village to village. They always camped in the open air, without regard to season, and resumed their travels before the rising of the sun.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION .- Winslow was erected by an act of the Legislature, March 8, 1845, out of Gloucester township, with the following bounds : Beginning at the middle of Egg Harbor River where the Camden and Atlantic County line crosses the river ; along the line of Atlantic County to the corner of Waterford township, along the Water- ford line, passing through Long-a-Coming to the public road leading therefrom to the Cross Keys tavern in Washington township ; thence along the Washington line to the head of Four-Mile Branch to Washington township corner; thence down Four-Mile Branch to the main branch of Great Egg Harbor River; thence down the same to the place of beginning. By these bounds a part of the village of Long-a-Coming (now Ber- lin) was in Winslow, the other parts being in the adjoining townships, but by legislative enactment, March 23, 1859, the bounds were modified so as to place all of that village in the township of Water- ford. The act provided that "all that part of the township of Winslow and Gloucester lying north- erly and northwesterly of a line commencing on the present Waterford township line so as to inter- sect the most eastwardly line of Samuel Shreve's. land; thence along said line between Samuel Shreve's and James McLain's homestead until it intersects Tinkers Branch; thence to where it inter- sects the New Freedom and Clementon roads; thence along the southwesterly side of and includ- ing said road ; thence in a direct course by the way of and including Joseph S. Read's brick-yard to the line between Waterford and Gloucester town- ships and including parts of Winslow and Glou- cester townships, be and the same is hereby set off
from the said townships of Winslow and Gloucester and attached to and made a part of said township of Waterford."
The act forming Winslow township provided that the first election should be held at the inn of Josiah Albertson (Blue Anchor), and the next township meeting of Gloucester was to be held at the Red Lion Inn of William Middleton, at Clementon. The committee to divide the township funds and to pro-rate the taxes for the ensuing year held its meeting at the house of Jacob Leach, at Berlin.
The records of the township indicate the elec- tion of the following officers in the years prefixed to their names :
Clerks.
1845. Wm. R. Johnson.
1857. M. S. Peacock.
1846. Elijah Burdsall.
1858-60. John R. Duble.
1847-48. Joshua Duble.
1861-70. Montgomery Reading.
1849-51. Thomas Melony.
1871-72. John Little.
1852-53. George M. Mapes.
1873-82. Edward Baker.
1854. M. R. Simmerman. 1883. Levi C. Phifer.
1855-56. Richard J. Mapes.
1884. Robert F. McDougall.
1885-86. M. R. Simmerman.
Assessor8.
1845-49. Chas. H. French.
1855. Thomas Melony.
1849-50. Edwin Woolf.
1856-58. John Wright.
1851. Wm. R. Johnson.
1859-64. Wm. T. Sickler.
1852. Thomas Melouy. 1865-81. John R Duble.
1853-54. John Carroll. 1882. Edward Burdeall.
1883-80. Michael G. Burdsall.
Collectors.
1845-48. James Dill. 1865-73. Montgomery Reading.
1849-50. Peter C. Ross.
1874. John R. Duhle.
1851. Montgomery Reading.
1875-79. Montgomery Reading.
1852-55. Samuel Norcross. 1880-82. Conkling Mayhew.
1856-64. Jacob Sailer. 1883-86. Jacob Sickler.
The justices of the peace since the organization of the township have heen,-
Wm. Peacock. Chas. H. French.
Elijah Burdsall.
Wm. T. Sickler. Joel Murphy. Wm. Bishop.
Joseph N. Garten. Samuel Burdsall.
Paul H. Sickler.
Wm. Shreve. W. G. Wilson. John Marshall.
John Cain. Joshua Duble.
Sidney Woods.
Wm. R. Myers.
Isaac S. Peacock. Ahner Gurney.
Henry M. Jewett. Thomas Austin. Isaac S. Peacock.
Christian Heventhal. George Blatherwick.
SICKLERVILLE is a station and hamlet on the Williamstown Branch of the Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railroad. It derived its name from John Sickler, who settled in this locality at an early period, rearing three sons, who also improved farms at this point. Other early settlers were John ,
Jacob and George Ware, from which circumstance the place was sometimes called. Waretown. The present name became permanent when the post- office was established twelve years ago. Paul H. . Sickler was appointed postmaster, keeping the office since, at his store, which was opened in 1865, the first in the place. At the railroad station
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696
HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
Jacob Sickler has been in trade since 1880, and near the hamlet James K. P. Lessly has merchan- dised the past eight years. Sicklerville contains a Methodist Episcopal Church, and, in addition to the above interests, has about ten residences.
WILLIAMSTOWN JUNCTION is at the intersection of the Branch road with the main line of the Phila- delphia and Atlantic City Railroad, and is note- worthy solely on that account. A neat station build- ing has been erected. Near this place are the small hamlets of New Freedom and Conradsville. The former has no interest aside from its church and the old grave-yard, but at the latter terra-cotta works were formerly carried on quite extensively by James M. Conrad. The clay of this locality is superior for ware of this nature, and some fine work was produced, including earthen lawn figures. The works have been out of fire nine years.
WILTON is the third station on the Branch road in the township, and is almost midway between Atco and Williamstown Junction. The railroad company has provided neat station buildings, and offers shipping facilities, which should commend this point to the fruit-growers and manufacturers. The principal features of the place are the glass- works, which were established about 1848 by an association composed of Samuel Norcross, Joseph Heritage, William Peacock, Benjamin Y. Thack- ara, Lester Gager, Matthias Simmerman and others Norcross & Heritage had the general manage- ment of the business, which was suspended after a few years, but was again resumed by Samuel and Uriah Norcross. Abont 1856 the works were leased by J. L. Mason, of New York, and operated in the mannfacture of his patent fruit-jars. Then came a season of inactivity, but, about 1862, Joel Bodine and Charles Adams took charge of the works and carried on business some ten years. They were last operated by Frank Bodine, but have been ont of blast since July, 1885. Hollow-ware only was manufactured, and when in full operation about one hundred persons were employed. Most of these lived in the immediate neighborhood, which caused this place to assume the appearance of a village. In 1886 there were three dozen houses, two-thirds belonging to the glass-works property. Many are at present unoccupied. One-half a mile from this place, on the Berlin and Blue Anchor road, is the old hamlet of
TANSBORO' .- The relation of the two hamlets is so close that they are practically one, and before Wilton became a station on the railroad the glass-works were regarded as being a part of Tans- boro'. The latter is an old point, a settlement having heen formed here soon after 1800, and one
of the first industries was a tannery, from which circumstance the name was derived. Among those first in this locality were Elijah Burdsall, James McLain, John Hughes, Gilbert Kellum, John Cain, Cyrus and Cornelius Tice. The latter started the tannery, nearly opposite the tavern, and for a number of years it was carried on by Josiah Venable. John Cain and Montgomery Reading were later tanners. There were but half a dozen vats and it was discontinued about thirty years ago. Cornelins Tice was one of the first keepers of the public- house, which has been enlarged by subsequent landlords. Among these were James Campbell, William Norcross, William Marshall and the pres- ent John Sharp. In former times it was much patronized. James Cain had one of the first stores, occupying the building where William T. Sickler has been in trade the past twenty-one years. Here is kept the Wilton post-office, in charge of Christian Heventhal since October, 1885, when it was re- moved to Tansboro'. The original Tansboro' post- office, of which Isaac S. Peacock was the first post- master, was discontinued about the beginning of the Civil War, and when it was re-established took the name of Wilton, Frank Bodine being the postmaster. Another business stand was estab- lished at Tansboro' by John Carroll, which was enlarged by his successors. Here Joseph N. Gar- ton has been in trade a number of years. The upper story of this building forms a hall in which the glass-blowers held their society meetings. Here, also, is the home of "Wilton Lodge, No. 6, Independent Order of American Mechanics," which was instituted February 27, 1864, with twenty-five members. The lodge has been very prosperous, having at present one hundred and forty members. November 19, 1884, the lodge was incorporated with the following trustees : Albert E. Rowand, Charles M. Brown, Warren E. Garton and Christian Heventhal. The same room is oc- cupied by the Ladies' Masonic Link, a beneficial society, having forty members. A Baptist Church at this place has been abandoned, but a Methodist Church is still maintained. There are also a few mechanic-shops and about twenty residences.
CEDAR BROOK, on the main line of the Phila- adelphia and Atlantic City Railroad, is the name of a new hamlet containing a store kept by John R. Duble, several shops, a Methodist Protestant Church and half a dozen dwellings. It is an im- portant water-station on the railroad, the supply being obtained from the stream which was long known as Pump Branch of Little Egg Harbor River.
BRADDOCK is the name of the next station south-
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THE TOWNSHIP OF WINSLOW.
ward, and is in the locality of Bates' mill, which was for many years one of the old landmarks in this section. After the original owner, Thomas Cole, the mill was successively held in partnership by Aaron Chew, Josiah Albertson, Benjamin Bates, John Albertson, Benoni Bates and others, but now belongs to William S. Braddock, who has con- verted a large portion of the pond into a cran- berry marsh. On the high lands, near the station, many small fruit farms are being opened.
BLUE ANCHOR, the station beyond Braddock, takes its name from the old Blue Anchor tavern, half a mile from the railroad. The land upon which this old landmark stands was located in 1737 by Abraham Bickley, a distiller of Philadel- phia. The old house stood upon the Indian trail, leading from the sea coast to the Delaware, which was much traveled a hundred years ago, after the old trail farther south was abandoned. As early as 1740 John Hider was the landlord, dispensing good cheer in a cabin built of cedar logs. Eight years later John Briant occupied the house, In 1762 Robert Mattox became the owner of this property and a large tract of land adjoining, living here many years. His daughter Elizabeth married Josiah Albertson, who took possession about 1812, and built the present house, which was kept by him until after the railroad was finished, when travel was diverted and the place lost its import- ance. He also built a store-house, where his son- in-law, John C. Shreve, engaged in merchandiz- ing and made other improvements which caused this to become a central point. Here people from every part of the county could be seen, almost any day, intent either upon hunting or on business con- nected with the immense lumber regions of that section. "It was a celebrated resort for trav- elers, who delighted to stop at this old hostlery, where bountiful meals and clean beds were afforded, and where a quiet night might be spent without fear of the clamor arising from much drinking." It was, also, a central point for stages run- ning between Philadelphia and Atlantic County. After Albertson's retirement, Uziel Bareford was the landlord, and was followed by John R. Duble. Since 1878 John Inskeep Brick has carried on the interests at this place, having both the store and the tavern. Being centrally located, the town- meetings, and elections of Winslow township are here held.
Blue Anchor was selected a number of years ago by Dr. John Haskell and others as the seat of a Spiritualistic community, and with the purpose of building up a village after the pattern of Vine- land. About twenty-five families located lands,
in small tracts, upon which a number of houses were built, but the death of Dr. John Haskell and the disagreement among the members as to the true policy of the community, had a depressing effect upon its prospects. Many removed, and those remaining failed to carry out the original purpose. Lately a number of improvements have been made, and, as the land is rich and favorably located, a thriving settlement may soon be estab- lished.
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