The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 53

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

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" At this old tavern might occasionally be seen a party of hunters, pledging their good opinion of each other in a bowl of whiskey-punch or 'stone fence,' and enjoying, in their peculiar way, the last of a successful chase. Wrestling, running and jumping were indulged in when a few of the neigh- bors met, and every man that participated was soon graded as to his ability in each. The fare

1 Isaac Kay owned at that time the mill property now in possession of Joseph G. Evans. The mill was on the south side of Coopers Creek, and in the limits of the present mill pond, and the hill was evidently the one in front of the Mann property in Haddonfield.

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

was abundant, and such as the epicure of the present day would revel in. It was dried venison, bear's meat, fresh fish and wild fowl, with corn- bread or hoe-cake well prepared, and made invit- ing by the tidy appearance of the surroundings. The liquors also, although drawn from wooden casks and drank from horn tumblers, imparted an invigorating, healthy effect, and, when evaporated by a good night's sleep, left no suspicious feelings after them."

In later years elections and public meet- ings were held at this old tavern. The Blue Anchor Tavern as early as 1740 was kept by John Hider. It became a central point on the route and retained its importance until the railroad passed through that region. An- other tavern was kept at Long-a-Coming before 1760 by Samuel Scull. Three roads joined the main line or trail ; the first left the mouth of Little Egg Harbor in a west- erly direction and joined the trail near the head of Landing Creek, one of the branches of Little Egg Harbor River. The second began near Mullica's plantation, a short dis- tance from Batsto, and going westerly be- tween the streams, joined the main trail near the old Beebe place, about one mile south of Winslow. This is known as the old Fork road. The third was known as the old Cape road, and started in Cape May County. It crossed Tuckahoe River northerly to Hospitality stream below Coles Mill, thence to Inskeepsford, and joined the main road at the Blue Anchor.

At the June Session of Gloucester County Court in 1696, John Hugg, Jr., Thomas Sharp and Thomas Gardiner were commis- sioned to mend and mark for about ten miles of the road leading out of Gloucester to- ward Egg Harbor, and James Steelman was elected overseer of highways to mark and make the road from Egg Harbor towards Gloucester. Just one year afterward the court instructed Andrew Robeson, Thomas Sharp and William Dalboc to open a road from Oldmans Creek to the mouth of Glouces- ter River (Timber Creek), " and so from

Elias Hugg's up to ye old Road ;" and in September a speedy repair was ordered of the log bridge on the northerly branch of Gloucester River.

The place known as Cooper's Ferries (now Camden), within a few years after the settle- ment of the whites, became noted as the great crossing-place to the town of Philadelphia, which was the largest town in the region, and a more direct route was needed to the ferries than by the King's Highway, which passed about seven miles east of the ferries. Coopers Creek was navigable from Axford's Landing, from whence passage was down the stream. A bridle-path was also on the south side of the creek, which later became known as the " Ferry Road." As early as 1702 a more direct route was made lower down, in what is now Delaware township, and crossing the creek on what is now the Barton farm. In the account of the " Creeks, Ferries and Bridges " will be found the com- plaint of John Champion, who lived at that place, that many people were calling upon him to carry them over the creek, and asking for a license for a ferry, which was granted. This route was evidently used as late as 1733, and perhaps a few years later, as in that year Humphrey Day kept at the place a ferry and a tavern. About 1736 a still shorter route was made lower down, and on the line of the road now known as the Burlington Pike, which crossed Coopers Creek at the residence of Samuel Spicer, who established a ferry at the place and continued it until 1762, when a bridge at the place was com- pleted. On the 19th of January, 1748, by act of Legislature, commissioners were ap- pointed to lay out a more direct road from Coopers Ferry to Burlington and to build a draw-bridge at Spicer's Ferry. On the same date an act passed allowing the inhabitants in the vicinity to raise funds by subscription to build the bridge but it does not appear that any action was taken under the authority of these acts, and the subject was not again

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brought up until November 28, 1760, when the Legislature passed an act authorizing the erection of a bridge at Spicer's Ferry and the laying ont of the road to Burlington, in a more direct course. Commissioners were ap- pointed and authority given to raise by tax and subscription the amount of money needed to complete the work.

The road was shortened and improved, and in 1762 it is mentioned in a deed as "The Great Road to the Ferry," and in 1764 an- other road also was laid out from the bridge to the ferry. This, in 1769, is mentioned in records as " The new road from Benjamin Cooper's ferry to the new bridge over Coopers Creek." In 1773 Jacob Cooper laid out the town of Camden and established Cooper Street, and in 1774 Market Street was estab- lished and by act of Assembly June 20, 1765, the road and bridges from Cooper's Ferries to Mount Holly were placed under the care of commissioners.

One of the first roads that became a necessity, after the Kings Highway, was from Kay's mill, then on south side of Coopers Creck, near Haddonfield, to the Royden and Cooper Ferries. A bridle-path was made along the south side of the creek very early, and on the 8th of December, 1761, James Bloom, John Gill, John Hinch- man, Joshua Stokes, John Hider and John Collins, surveyors of highways, under in- structions laid out a road, four poles in width, along the general route of the old bridle- path, beginning at the corner of William Griscom's shop, on the King's Highway (now Braddock's drug store), to Coopers Ferry, it being six miles and twenty-six perches.

On the 8th of March, 1762, the survey- ors of highways laid out a road from the southeast branch of Pensauken Creek to- wards "the new bridge erected from Samuel Spicers Landing across Coopers Creek," to begin at a bridge erected by Samuel Burroughs, across the southeast

branch of Pensauken Creek, and at his grist- mill. This road was laid out four rods wide and passed through the east end of Thomas Spicer's land, over the head of Henry Woods Creek, and to the " Burlington New Road."

On the 24th of March, 1762, a road was laid from Long-a-Coming (Berlin) to Cheese- mans or Webers Landing, on the northerly branch of Great Timber Creek, past Andrew Newman's mill and over " Ephraims Hill." This road intersected with a road previously laid out from John Hillman's mill to Gab- riel Davis' house.

On December 7, 1763, an act was passed by the Assembly for laying out " a more di- rect road from Timber Creek, over Newton Creek, near the mouth thereof, to Coopers Ferries, and for erecting a bridge over New- ton Creek," which was subsequently made a toll-bridge. Isaac Cooper, John Buzby, James Whitall, John Sparks, Joshua Lord and James Hinchman were appointed to lay out the road and build the bridge.

On the 8th of December, 1766, commission- ers appointed for the purpose laid out a road, four rods wide, from the division line of Burlington and Gloucester Counties, at Eves Bridge, in the township of Evesham, to the great road from Burlington to Salem, between lands of Simeon Ellis and William Ellis, now Ellisburg.

In the year 1767 the surveyors of highways for the townships of Waterford, Newton and Gloucester were Josiah Shivers, Abraham Innskeep, Waterford ; Isaac Kay and Edward Gibbs, Newton ; William Hugg aud John Griffith, Gloucester. On the 2d of March in that year they laid out a road fromn the " mansion-house of Thomas Ellis, at his grist-mill, to the new road lately laid out and leading from Burlington to Coopers Ferry." On the 26th of May following, they laid out a road from the north end of Newton Meeting-house grounds, through lands of Stephen Thackray, Richard Collins and Jacob Stokes, to the great road leading

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

to Haddonfield. This is evidently the present Collings Avenue.

May 16, 1769, a road was laid out from " the gate on Joseph Morgan's plantation, at the mouth of Pensauken Creek, to the great road that leads from Burlington to Coopers Ferries."

On the 13th of November, 1770, a road was laid out from the "new bridge erected over Great Timber Creek, from the meadow- ground of Jacob Clement to the lands of George Marple, deceased, at a place formerly called Ashbrooke's Landing, to a road for- merly laid out." The bridge here mentioned is now known as "Clements Bridge."

April 18, 1775, a road was laid from Eves Bridge, through lands of Daniel Lippincott, Charles French and David Davis, past lands of Francis Kay, Samuel Murrell and Samuel Eastlack, to the road from Moorestown to Haddonfield, at Murrell's school-house.

April 14, 1775, the surveyors laid out a road from the Burlington County line, at a bridge near Samuel Collins' house, through lands owned by him, by John Morton, Ezek- iel Lindsay, and on the line of lands of Kin- dall Cole and late John Cowperthwait to the road from Moorestown to Haddonfield.

On the 27th of May, the next year, they also laid out a road from the corner of land of Jacob Stokes, at the north side of At- mores Dam, along the line of land of Dav- id Branson and Caleb Atmore, through land of John Redman to the King's Highway from Burlington to Salem.

March 23, 1783, the surveyors laid out a road " from John Barton's grist-mill to the bridge between Samuel Lippincott's two plan- tations ; thence to cross at the head of a branch by James Inskeep ; thence in a direct course through William Bates' land to Punch Bridge ; thence along the old road to the school-house upon William Bates' land ; thence along the old road through Nathaniel Lippincott's land to Naomy Jones, so over the bridge between the said Jones and the

place formerly William Shuster, so along the road as it now lieth through Jonathan Ellis' land ; thence along the old road through Isaac Kay's land to an old field formerly called Joshua Kay's field ; then leaving the old road on the right liand and then on a di- rect course through Kay's land, fronting Isaac Kay's old brick-yard ; then upon a short turn to the old cross-road ; thence along the old road down to Kay's mill bridge ; thence over the bridge along by the mill ; thence between the orchard and the meadow, so into the King's Road."

A road was laid out "Two poles or perches wide, April 12, 1786, to lead from a gate at the outside of Benjamin Morgan's land to the great road by John Burrough, Jr's., land and at the school-house on his land." (Ben- jamin Morgan thien resided in the house now occupied by John D. Hylton). .

March 5, 1788, a road was laid out from Newton Meeting-house to the toll-bridge road which then crossed Newton Creek from Glou- cester to Camden. This route was changed April 15, 1795, and terminated at the toll- bridge road " where the Ditch that vents the pond by Joseph Kaighn's house crosses the same."

August 9, 1789, a road was laid out from near Blackwood Meeting-house to the road over Chews Bridge, now Chews Landing.

A struggle began October 19, 1793, for a road from Chews Bridge (now Chews Land- ing) to Coopers Ferries, which lasted several years. It was laid ont at the date above mentioned and passed Newton Meeting-house. Caveat was entered, aud it was set aside by the court December 24, 1793; again laid out April 8, 1794, its terminns being at the Haddonfield road, near Marmaduke Cooper's. Caveat was again entered, and it was va- cated by the court December 27, 1794. A few years later it was opened on the present line, and is now in use.

October 29, 1799, a road was laid out from Long-a. Coming to the Blue Anchor tavern,

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nearly on the line, but Eastwardly, of an old road and Indian trail of which mention has been made.

On the 28th of July, 1807, a road was laid out from the "place where William Vansciver keeps tavern," on the road from Burlington to Coopers Ferry, along the same and partly on a vacated road laid out in 1803, to the bridge over Coopers Creek. The tav- ern of William Vansciver was the old Sorrel Horse tavern. The road follows a route that had been used over forty years.

October 5, 1808, a road was laid ont from Eve's Causeway to Clements Bridge over Timber Creek, now known as Spark's Mill road.

April 27, 1809, the road known as the Church road was laid out from the Mount Holly stage-road, where the Cove road inter- sects, to the Moorestown and Haddonfield road, near Colestown Church.

The French, or Sorrel Horse road, as it was early known, which ran from the Sorrel Horse tavern to Haddonfield, was laid out between 1805 and 1810.

Other roads were laid out as the country became more thickly settled, and the old ones were shortened and improved and placed under the care of overseers of highways.

TURNPIKES .- The Haddonfield and Cam- den turnpike was first a bridle-path, and, in 1792, regularly laid out, became the great highway from Haddonfield to Cooper's Fer- ries. In 1820 subscriptions were obtained from those interested, and, under charge of John Roberts, John Gill and John Clement, it was graveled its entire length. The first effort to build a turnpike in Camden County was over this route, and on the 9th of March, 1839, an act of the Legislature was passed, which provided for the incorporation of the Haddonfield and Camden Turnpike Com- pany, when five hundred shares of the stock were subscribed. The company was author- ized to hold twenty thousand dollars as capi- tal stock, with privilege to increase to fifty

thousand dollars, the par value of a share to be twenty-five dollars. Thomas Redman, John Gill, Samuel Nicholson, Joseph W. Cooper and Abraham Browning were ap- pointed to open books and receive subscrip- tions. The act provided that the road be four rods in width, and thirty two feet to be arched and drained, and to be fifteen inches higher in the centre than at the sides.

For some reason the company was not or- ganized under this charter, and, on the 26th of September, 1844, a meeting was held in the Friends' School-honse, at Haddonfield, to

AN OLD STAGE COACH.

take into consideration the subject of improv- ing the road. Jacob L. Rowand was ap- pointed chairman and Thomas Redman, secretary. A committee was appointed to ascertain the best place to obtain gravel and the probable cost of improvement. Another meeting was held November 21, 1846, " to con- sider the utility of macadamizing or turnpik- ing the road and of incorporating the same." Jacob L. Rowand, Charles L. Willitts, Dr. Charles D. Hendry, Charles H. Shinn, Joseph L. Shivers and John Clement, Jr., were ap- pointed to ascertain the amount of money that could be raised and the probable cost of build- ing and the right-of-way. An act was passed by the Legislature, March 2, 1847, incorpo- rating the company and appointing as com- missioners, to receive subscriptions, Joseph Porter, John Gill, Samuel Nicholson, Joseph W. Cooper and Joshua P. Browning, or any three of them. The capital stock was placed at twenty thousand dollars, in eight hundred shares of twenty-five dollars each ; books

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

were opened at the hotel of Thomas A. Pearce, in Haddonfield, Thomas P. Clement, Camden, and Jacob Leach, at Long-a-Coming (Berlin). Commissioners Nicholson, Brown- ing and Gill were in attendance, and in a short time eleven thousand dollars was sub- scribed.

On August 11, 1847, the following persons were chosen directors, viz. : John Gill, Joseph Porter, John Clement, Jr., Richard W. Snow- don, Edward Browning, Samuel Nicholson, Josiah B. Evans, John E. Hopkins and Daniel Conard. The board organized the same day by the election of Samuel Nichol- son as president and Jacob L. Rowand as secretary and treasurer.

A contract was made with James Tuthill & Co. to construct the road, which was soon begun and finished in due season. The turn- pike was to be built from Haddonfield to Camden, terminating at the latter place, at the junction of the old road with the Chews Landing road. A supplement to the original act authorized the company to extend their road along the public road in Camden to Federal Street, and thence by way of Seventh Street to Market Street. The turnpike, under the act of 1847, was to be made thirty-two feet in width, arched and drained, and sixteen feet of it to be com- pactly bedded with stone or gravel.

It has been kept in good repair from that time to the present, and, on July 1, 1886, declared its seventy-third dividend. Richard W. Snowdon was elected president in 1849 and served until his death, in 1868. Samuel Nicholson was chosen to succeed him and served until 1881, when the present presi- dent-John H. Lippincott-was elected. Jacob L. Rowand was chosen secretary and treasurer at the organization and served until his death, September 14, 1883, immediately after which his son, J. Lewis Rowand, was elected to fill the vacancy.

Before the completion of the turnpike above mentioned the people of the county

became much interested in the subject, and petitions were sent to the Assembly, asking for the incorporation of several companies desiring to build turnpikes in the limits of Camden County. On the 28th of February, 1849, the following companies were incor- porated : Moorestown and Camden, Camden, Ellisburg and Marlton, Woodbury and Cam- den, Westfield and Camden and Williams- town and Camden. The routes over which the companies were desirous of building pikes were, in all cases, old-established roads, and the acts of incorporation provided that the road-beds should be at least thirty-two feet in width, arched and drained, and six- teen feet thereof should be made of stone, gravel, or plank, the bridges to be from eleven to twenty feet in width.

The Moorestown and Camden, Camden, Ellisburg and Marlton, and the Westfield and Camden Companies were all chartered February 28, 1849, and the southern ter- minus was at the Truss Bridge, over Coopers Creek, in Camden. From the point of junction the three companies united in build- ing the turnpike to the bridge. The excessive travel upon this part of the road in later years required a more substantial road, and it has been laid with rnbble, which has since been relaid. The companies were not or- ganized at once, as some time was required to obtain subscriptions. They were, however, built between 1852 and 1855.

In 1840 the attention of the people living along the line of the Moorestown and Cam- den road was called to the necessity of turn- piking or graveling the heavy and sandy parts of the road. The question was agi- tated, and, on the 16th of January, 1841, a meeting was held at Daniel Bennett's hotel, in Moorestown, at which three persons were selected to report at a future meeting the most desirable way of improving the road, and Richard M. Hugg, William Collins and Samuel Church were appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose. At a meeting

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PUBLIC INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

held February 8, 1841, the committee re- ported the cost at two thousand dollars per mile. Subscriptions were obtained, and, three years later, on the 15th of August, 1844, a meeting of subscribers was held, to take measures to gravel the road. But little more was done until 1849, when the Moores- town and Camden Company was chartered. Amos Stiles, Elisha Hunt, Allen Jones, Levi Barton, Joseph A. Burrough and Ben- jamin W. Cooper were authorized to open books for subscription to the amount of fifty thousand dollars. An amount was sub- scribed, in course of time, sufficient to per- fect an organization, and Edward Harris was chosen president and Dr. J. J. Spencer, trea- surer.

The road was built of gravel, as specified in the act. Two toll-gates were erected. On the 17th of February, 1853, the company, by act of Assembly, was authorized to construct a road to connect with the Mount Holly and Moorestown turnpike, and on February 12, 1855, to connect with the Fellowship and Church roads, in Burlington County. The company have united with the Westfield and Camden turnpike to build a macadamized road, eighteen feet in width, from the point of junction with that road to the point of junction with the Camden, Ellisburg and Marlton turnpike.

Upon the death of Mr. Harris, Richard M. Hugg, was chosen president, and was succeeded by Emmor Robert, who is still president. Dr. J. J. Spencer, as treasurer, was succeeded by the present incumbent, Israel Hewlings. John S. Collins is the present secretary.

The Westfield and Camden Turnpike Com- pauy was incorporated by an act of the Leg- islature, which authorized Samuel R. Lippin- cott, Nathaniel N. Stokes, John S. Hylton, William Folwell, Chalkley Gillingham, Jos. R. Weatherby and Nathan H. Conrow to open books for subscriptions. The capital stock was placed at seven thousand dollars,

with privilege to raise to fourteen thousand dollars. The road was to be built from the bridge over Pensauken Creek aloug the old Burlington road, to near the Truss Bridge over Coopers Creek. The road- bed was made of gravel, and in use until 1886, when arrangements were made to mac- adamize the road from the point of inter- section with the Moorestown and Camden turnpike to Pensauken Creek, at a cost of seven thousand dollars per mile, which is now being done. The company united with the Moorestown and Camden Turnpike Company to macadamize the road eighteen feet in width, from the point of intersection to the intersection with the Camden, Ellisburg and Marlton pike. Upon the organization of the company Ezra Evans was chosen president. On the 4th of March, 1853, the company was authorized to construct a road from Pen- sauken Creek to connect with the Beverly and Mount Holly plank-road, which was done. The present officers are Heulings Lippincott (president) and Clayton Conrow (secretary and treasurer).

The first effort at making turnpike im- provement on the route of the Camden, Ellisburg and Marlton turnpike was at a meeting held at the house of Joseph Ellis, at Ellisburg, on the 26th of September, 1844. The object of the meeting was to make ar- rangements to gravel the sandy parts of the road leading from Medford through Marlton to its junction with the Moorestown road near Camden. A committee was appointed to so- licit subscriptions and ascertain the cost of the work proposed. But little was done until the act of incorporation was obtained, in 1849.

The Camden, Ellisburg and Marlton Turn- pike Company had its origin in an act desig- nating as commissioners to solicit subscrip- tions to the capital stock (thirty thousand dollars, with privilege of increasing to fifty thousand dollars) Thomas Evans, Ezra Evans, Joseph H. Coles, Charles Knight,

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Edward Browning and Jacob Troth. The road-bed was laid with gravel, and with re- pairs, is kept in good condition. On the 24th of March, 1852, the company was authorized to extend the road to Medford, and March 14, 1856, from the Point House, in Delaware township, to Green Tree tavern, in Burling- ton County. By act of April 12, 1876, that part of the pike from Medford to Darnell's Corner was abandoned because of the de- crease of receipts after the completion of the railroad. The first president of the company was Ezra Evans. The present officers are Freedom W. Lippincott (president) and Wil- liam J. Evans (secretary and treasurer).

The Woodbury and Camden turnpike was chartered the same day as the preceding com- panies, February 28, 1849, Robert K. Mat- lack, Benjamin Tatem, John B. Harrison, John R. Sickler, John Gaunt, Nathan T. Stratton, Charles F. Clark, John W. Hazel- ton, John Duell, Thomas H. Whitney, John W. Mickle, Charles Kaighn and Abraham Browning being appointed commissioners. The company was authorized to raise capital stock to the amount of thirty thousand dol- lars, with privilege to increase to fifty thou- sand dollars. A supplement to the act of in- corporation was passed March 26, 1852, authorizing the company to construct a turn- pike or plank-road from Pine Grove tavern to some point in Camden, and Abraham Browning, John W. Mickle, Charles Kaighn, Johu K. Cowperth wait and Stephen Craven were appointed commissioners.

The Mullica Hill and Woodbury Turn- pike Company, incorporated at the same time as the other, was, by act of Assembly, March 1, 1849, consolidated with the Woodbury and Camden, and assumed the name of Mullica Hill and Camden Turnpike Company. On the 3d of March, 1853, an act was passed authorizing the name of the Woodbury and Camden Turnpike Company to be changed to Camden and Gloucester City Turnpike Company. An act passed March 14, 1870,

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 53

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