The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 71

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

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Charles Freeman, about 1833, established a fac- tory at the foot of what is now Penn Street, on the north side, for the manufacture of leather and fur caps. Women were mostly employed. His works were removed a short time after to near the centre of the square bounded by Front, Second, Market and Cooper Streets, where he added the manufac- ture of oil-cloth. This establishment was destroyed by fire January 18, 1844.

After Charles Freeman removed his cap factory from the foot of Penn Street, Flannigan & Carpen- ter fitted up the building for a grist-mill, which they continued for several years and sold to Bing- ham & McKeen. The mill was in operation until it was destroyed by fire. Above the grist-mill of Flannigan & Carpenter, Joseph Jones also erected a grist-mill, which was in operation several years.

Jacob Sawn, in June, 1834, began the manufac- ture of cedar-ware on Second Street, five doors below Federal. Jacob Ludlam, who had kept store for several years on Federal Street, opposite the town-house, sold his grocery, April 15, 1834, to Amasa Armstrong. Josiah S. Stevenson, April 15, 1834, opened a flour, feed and grocery store on the corner of Market and Second Streets, opposite

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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

the bank. John R. Sickler, former editor of the Camden Mail, in 1834 opened a "drug and medi- cine store" at his residence, on Market Street, be- tween Third and Fourth.

About 1830 Robert Smith started a pottery, using a portion of Benjamin Allen's premises at Kaighns Point. He took in partnership with him his brother, George H. Smith. The product was glazed earthenware. The industry continued for a number of years. George H. Smith was a har- less-maker and a prominent politician.

Benjamin Dugdale, a son-in-law of James Kaighn, about 1830 established a tannery at the foot of Cooper Street, on the site of Esterbrook's pen factory, which in 1834 had forty vats aud was conducted by Ebenezer Levick. The site was later used by Joseph Myers for a livery stable, and until the Camden Water-Works Company erected the brick building now part of the pen factory.

Smith & Kane, in May, 1834, opened a "Drug and Medicine Store " on the northwest corner of Plum and Third Streets, and in May, 1835, dis- solved partnership. Daniel S. Smith continued the business and soon after sold to Dr. J. Roberts. J. C. De La Cour became a partner and on October 19, 1836, the latter was alone in the "Drug and Chemical Store," and is now (1886) in the same business. Browning Morgan had been for many years engaged in the sale of drugs and medicine.

Ledden Davis, after conducting the dry-goods and grocery business for many years, sold out in June, 1834. A few years later he went to Chicago. His store was on the north side of Plum Street, two doors below Fourth.

Norcross, Reeves, Toy & Co. advertised, Octo- ber 23, 1834, " that in addition to their old estab- lished mail-stage, they wonld begin to run a new accommodation stage, to leave Good Intent every morning, Sundays excepted, and pass through Blackwoodtown, Chews Landing, Mount Ephraim, and returning leave Toy's Ferry, Camden, at 2.30 P.M."

John Brock and Jonathan Pitney, M.D., (the latter of whom became the projector of the Cam- den and Atlantic Railroad), in this year (1834) disposed of their line of stages running between Philadelphia, Absecom and Somers Point, consist- ing of twelve horses, two stages and mail contract.

Dr. Lee advertised that he " had paid consider- able attention to the practice of dentistry, such as filling, plugging and extracting teeth," and asked the patronage of the people of Camden.

Philip J. Grey, then editor of the West Jer- sey Mail, says, in this year (1834), that Camden sends off two or three coaches daily to the South.

Mr. Cole has a four-story shop with one hundred windows. Richards & Collins and T. & R. S. Humphreys each had shops. Isaac Vansciver was also the proprietor of a large establishment.

Davy Crockett, the celebrated frontiersman, stopped in Camden on the 14th of May, 1834, while on his way to Washington from Boston. He was then a representative in Congress from the State of Kentucky. He also stopped at Jersey City on his way to Camden, and at a shooting- match there he gave splendid evidences of his skill as a marksman, hitting a silver quarter of a dollar at a distance of forty yards. While visiting Camden he was the guest of Isaiah Toy, at his Ferry Hotel, now at the foot of Federal Street. After attending a banquet given by Mr. Toy, in his honor, he participated in a shooting-match, but before he had an opportunity to sustain his fame as a marksman, "some of the light-fingered gentry," always present at such places, stole from him the sum of one hundred and sixty dollars, which very much discomfited the humorist Con- gressman. Other unwary persons present met a similar misfortune at this shooting-match.

By an act of Congress in 1834, the city of Cam- den became a port of entry, and Morris Croxall became surveyor and inspector.

August 25, 1834, George Elliot, an aeronaut, made an ascension from Camden in his balloon " Lafayette."

Daniel S. Southard and Abraham Browning in this year associated themselves together to prac- tice law and opened an office in a building adjoin- ing Toy's Hotel.

In 1835 there were two thousand people and four hundred houses in Camden ; the latter were all occupied and there was a great demand for more.

Benjamin Burrough, who for many years had kept a livery stable at Coopers Point, advertised for sale in May, 1834 ; Bradford Stratton, of the same place, advertised his livery stable for sale September 30, 1835.

Jacob S. Collings, before 1835, had a coach man- ufactory, which "turns coaches, dear-borns and vehicles of various descriptions."

In August, 1835, William Norcross & Co., of Black wood, advertised " a new and superior line of stages leaving Reeves' Ferry, Market Street, Phil- adelphia, and Toy's Ferry, Camden, passing through Mount Ephraim, Chews Landing, Black- wood, Cross Keys, Squankum, Free Will, Blue Anchor, Winslow, Mays Landing and Somers Point to Absecom, where there are superior ad- vantages for sea-bathing."

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

In 1835 Hannah Clement was keeping a dry- goods store on Federal Street, below Third. She advertised a full supply of all kinds of goods.

Mrs. Vaughn, in 1835, owned a bakery on the corner of Third and Market, and in December of that year sold to E. D. Wessels.

In 1836 William J. Hatch was keeping a store on the corner of Market and Third Streets.

William Morris, in 1836, carried on the watch and clock-making business near the corner of Third and Plum.

On Monday evening, April 4, 1836, at "early candle-light," a temperance meeting convened in the Methodist Episcopal Church. An address was delivered by William Kee, chairman of the State Temperance Society. Jacob S. Collings was chair- man of the meeting. A committee was appointed to draft a constitution for a Camden society. The committee reported and a constitution was read and adopted and a society formed.

Mark Burrough, in 1836, established the busi- ness of weaving on Plum Street, between Third and Fourth Streets.

Joseph C. Morgan, in June, 1836, advertised for sale his grocery store at Paul's Ferry, Camden.

J. C. Burrough established a tailor shop on the corner of Second and Federal Streets March 1, 1837.

The new burial-ground was opened in May, 1837, and the first sale of lots was made on the 29th of the month.

Charles Bontemps opened a gunsmith-shop op- posite the bank July 12, 1837. He continued many years and later was postmaster.

Caleb Roberts opened a cabinet-shop on Third Street, opposite the Methodist Church, in 1837.

William Wannon, in February, 1839, established a book-bindery in Fettersville, which continued many years.

D. Dickinson, a portrait and miniature painter, opened a studio in Camden August 19, 1840.

Horatio Shepherd and Andrew Wilson for sev- eral years had conducted pump-making between Clement's and English's Ferries, and August 7, 1840, dissolved partnership and Wilson contin- ued.

Dr. Richard M. Cooper opened an office between Front and Second, on Cooper Street, August 26, 1840. The upper part of the Baptist Church was dedicated January 3, 1841 ; N. B. Tindall was then pastor. On the 5th of July, 1840, J. Coffee opened a public-house called "Coffee's Woodlands." Seven acres of woodland were fitted up for the public. It was ten minutes' walk from the ferries, and on Sunday afternoons an omnibus was in waiting at

Walnut Street Ferry to conduct visitors to the garden. Judge J. K. Cowperthwait opened a store in January, 1841, on the northeast corner of Sec- ond and Federal Streets. Charles B. Mench was upholstering in a shop on Plum Street, six doors above Second Street.

J. & H. Chapman, tin plate aud sheet-iron workers, had a shop in 1841 on Market Street be- tween Second and Third. John Ross established a tailor shop in May, 1841, in No. 4 Lanning's Row, opposite Cake's Hotel (Toy's Ferry House). John B. Richardson advertised to furnish Camden with Schuylkill coal from August 12, 1840. Sep- tember 16th, the same year, Cole & Elfreth also had coal for sale. Their office was on Front Street, between Market and Plum. William Carman, who had kept both Lehigh and Schuylkill coal since 1835, advertised to deliver it from his mill at $4.50 per ton. In 1841 Richard Fetters advertised two hundred and eight lots for sale, parts of and addi- tions to his plet, which derived the name of Fet- tersville. On the 8th of June, 1840, George G. Hatch advertised "to open a milk route and to supply Camden with pure, good milk and cream," and solicited patronage. This does not appear to be the first attempt to open a milk route, as in 1825 William Carman built a two-story brick house on the east side of Newton Avenue, south of Bridge Avenue, for his tenant, Witten Richmond, who farmed the land and managed the dairy, the Coopers Creek meadows providing the pasture. He was the first to serve customers by going from house to house. The dairy farm was continued as late as 1859.

In 1842 John & James G. Capewell established works for the manufacture of flint glassware at Kaighns Point. They were located in the block bounded by Kaighn Avenue and Sycamore, Sec- ond and Locust. The Capewells were masters of the craft, and putting on the market a superior ar- ticle, established a large and lucrative trade, and gave employment to twenty-five skilled mechanics, besides other help. The works flourished until crippled by the financial crisis and industrial de- pression of 1857, and after a struggle of two years, were finally closed in 1859.

S. W. Trotter, in May, 1842, was keeping an "iron store" next to R. W. Cake's Hotel and ferry. R. W. Howell opened a law-office at the foot of Market Street in 1841, and in May, 1842, moved to building adjoining Cake's Hotel. A Union Temperance Beneficial Society of Camden was or- ganized in January, 1842, under an act of Leg- islature, with Samuel H. Davis as secretary. Clement Cresson, a druggist at No. 54, south side

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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

of Market Street, sold to Edward Cole in Feb- ruary, 1843. William Carman built at Coopers Point a large ice-house in the fall of 1842, which held "50,000 bushels of ice."

Joseph C. Shivers, the proprietor of the old es- tablished line of stages to Haddonfield, sold the business, in October, 1843, to Benjamin M. Rob- erts. Evans & Brink, who owned a wharf on the river-bank, in August, 1843, opened also a coal- yard, where they kept for sale . Lehigh, Beaver Meadow, Peach Orchard, Sugar Loaf, Hazleton and Schuylkill coal for sale. Dr. G. Schwartz, who had been practicing homeopathy for nine years, July 23, 1845, advertised that he intended to locate permanently in Camden, and was daily at Mr. Fearing's house, on Market Street near Sixth. R. J. Ward opened a new store, corner of Federal and Third Streets, in January, 1844. Ed- ward Browning & Brothers erected a steam plaster- mill on the river's edge and Market Street, in March, 1846.

Jesse W. Starr, the proprietor of the West Jer- sey Iron Foundry, opened a hardware store on Bridge Avenue, below Second Street, in 1846.

In the year of 1845 great additions were made to the town by extensive building of rows of brick houses in South Camden. Three large brick houses by Mr. Fearing ; one large brick dwelling, corner of Market and Second, by Edward Smith ; five-story brick building on site of the "late fire;" three-story elegant brick dwelling, on Cooper Street, by William Lawrence; Collins & Carman, two large brick coach-shops, and many other smaller buildings. Ralph Lee opened a coal-yard at Kaighns Point in 1852. It had been sold three years before by Elias Kaighn.

In 1852 Lefevre, Guthrie & Co. were running the carriage factory established many years before by Isaac Cole. It was on the river at the foot of Plum Street.

About 1845 Collins and the heirs of Marmaduke C. Cope erected on the Cope property a mill for the manufacture of paper. It was operated by James and Robert Greenleaf ; March 24, 1854, they made an assignment to P. J. Grey. At that time the mill had been lately repaired, and had a capacity of manufacturing forty-five tons of paper per month, with ten rag-machines, one cylinder and one Fourdrinier machine. The machine-shops of M. Furbush & Son now occupy the site.

The Camden Literary and Library Association was organized January 23, 1852. A course of lec- tures was conducted in 1853.

Dr. G. S. Frederick Pfieffer, homeopathic phy- sician, opened an office at No. 48 Stevens Street in

1854. The Free Reading-Room Association opened rooms in the second story of Samuel Andrews' building in October, 1854. The corner-stone of the Methodist Church, on Coopers Hill, was laid August 7, 1855; Bishop Janes and Rev. Mr. Bar- tine conducted the services. The State Agricul- tural Society held its fair at Camden September 18-21, 1855. The Washington Market-House Com- pany was organized April 17, 1856. Brink & Dur- vin, in 1854, erected a rolling-mill at Coopers Point, near the head of Third Street, for the mannfac- ture of bar-iron, and operated it for several years. It was afterwards bought by the firm of Noble, Hammett & Co., of which Asa Packer was also a member. It was subsequently sold to A. T. Wilson & Co., who did a large business, but eventually transferred it to the Camden Rolling- Mill Company, which was incorporated by Charles Garrett, J. W. Middleton, Jacob Harned, William Decou, Edward Middleton, Nathan Middleton, Allen Middleton and David Longenecker, who continued business for many years. A nail factory for the production of cut nails was built by A. T. Wilson & Co., in 1860, on Front Street, adjoining the rolling-mill. They employed four hundred hands in the rolling-mill and nail factory.

A foundry was also built, on Second and Erie Streets, by the Camden Rolling-Mill Company, for the manufacture of cast-iron pipe, and thirty moulders were employed in the foundry. The company operated the foundry until 1869, when it was bought by Jesse W. Starr & Son. The roll- ing-mill, nail-works and foundry have been out of blast since 1870; a portion of the land occupied by them was bought and dwellings erected thereon.

The first cobble pavement was laid in 1851 be- tween Market and Arch. There are now (1886) 22 miles of cobble pavement ; 417 miles of rubblepave- ment; 215% miles of asphalt pavement; 15% miles of Belgian blocks pavement; To0 miles of Telford pavement.

The first culvert was laid along Federal Street in 1864. There was, up to 1886, twenty-eight miles of culverting in the city.

"THE PLEASURE RAILWAY " in the city of Cam- den was built in May 1834. It was a circular track on which two miniature cars "were pro- pelled by an easy and healthful application of power in a beautiful grove at Coopers Point." It afforded innocent amusement to the youths of that day

There were no large shoe stores in the early days of Camden City. Shoes were made to order, and in some cases the shoemaker would take his kit of tools to the house of the patron, who furn-

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ished the leather, and make up a stock sufficient to last for months. The leading shoemaker of Camden, in 1828, was James Deur, or "Uncle Jimmy " as he was called. He resided at Coopers Point and was elected to the first council to repre- sent " the village of William Cooper's Ferry," but declined to serve. He was a good man, an active Methodist and a Jackson Democrat.

PLEASURE GARDENS .- The memory of the old- est inhabitant, recalling the scenes of the first years of the present century, represents the site of Camden as very rural in its character. Corn-fields, pasture-lands, orchards and woods covered its face, and the numerous tidal streams flowing into the Delaware afforded excellent sport for anglers, and Philadelphians in large numbers, attracted by these conditions, made it a resort, and sought the shade and pleasure it furnished. The people of "Pluck-em-in " (as Camden was sometimes called), with an eye to gain, enconraged these visitations by establishing gardens, with seats for the weary, viands for the hungry and drinks for the thirsty, adding to the attractions by providing merry-go- rounds, shuffle-boards, nine-pins, swings and other means of pleasure and recreation. Every ferry had a garden attached to it, and others were to be found in the oak and pine groves covering much of the land. The Vauxhall Garden was the most noted of these in the olden time, on the east side of Fourth Street, between Market and Arch. It was first opened by Joseph Laturno, a Frenchman, who ran the steamer "Minette" from Market Street for the accommodation of his patrons. This was in 1818. The garden was well patronized, but Laturno soon left for Washington, taking the " Minette" with him. John Johnson succeeded, and was in the hey-dey of success when Camden was made a city. The first City Council met in his house. This garden was a great resort while in Johnson's hands, and multitudes songht its shades, the amusements it afforded and the ice- cream and the rum toddies it supplied. The latter were sometimes too strong for weak heads and at times brawls, fights and even riots resulted from too free indulgence. Johnson was succeeded by a German named Geyer, who was noted for his fondness for crows, which he shot and cooked in a way of his own. This penchant for the sable croakers led a number of young men to go with a wagon one night to the crow-roost or rookery in the woods, near the Catholic Cemetery, in Stock- ton township, where they secured a large number, and in the morning dumped them before Geyer's door, who, whether pleased or not, had the discre- tion to appear pleased, and requested a repetition

of the favor. With Geyer's departure, in 1835, Vauxhall ceased to be a public resort.

The Columbia Garden was started in 1824 by Sebastian Himel, the baker, in the grove between Market and Arch, above Fifth Street. On his death his brother-in-law, Henry C. Heyle, con- ducted it, making sansage in winter and running the garden in summer. He lived there but a short time, and, in 1828, the liquor license was granted to his widow, Elizabeth Heyle, who conducted it for a number of years. It came into the possession of Gottlieb Zimmerman, well known to many of the present generation. He constructed a house in the form of an immense puncheon, from which the garden was thereafter known as the "Tub." The bar was on the ground floor, while, on the second floor, large parties enjoyed the pleasures of the dance. The outside of this unique building was kept in place by great bands of iron, similar to the hoops on a barrel. Zimmerman was the last occu- pant of the "Tub."

The Diamond Cottage, situated north of Cooper and east of Sixth Street, was opened by Joshua Benson, and was a popular resort for many years. Its proprietors after Benson were Gottlieb Zimmer- man, Frank Richter and others. It was classed as a beer garden in 1875, and has since been the meeting-place of the Prohibitionists, who gather in large numbers and listen to some of the best speakers in the land. It is asserted that near the end of the grove, at Cooper Street, was the burial- place of many dead victims of the yellow fever ep- idemic which visited Philadelphia in 1793, the bodies being brought over the river and buried there. It was also the burial-place of unknown drowned persons. New Jersey State fair was held here in 1855.

The Woodland Garden, along the Camden and Amboy Railroad, northeast of Haddon Avenue, was opened by Joseph Maurer in 1857. This was part of the Carman grove of oaks that formerly covered a large space of the centre of the city. It was popular in its time, and when Maurer died others succeeded him, but improvements en- croached upon the grove, and the trees have been supplanted by brick houses.

The Cave was an excavation in the bank facing the meadows on Coopers Creek, south of Federal Street, and was opened in 1855 by August Sand- man and William Helmuth, whose drinking-places were closed on Sundays by the vigilance of Mayor Samuel Scull. It was not a garden, for there was no shade, except that furnished by canvas, but it was outside the city limits, and therefore beyond the mayor's jurisdiction, and to it the thirsty hied

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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

on Sunday in large numbers. The Cave main- tained its existence for several years, but few now living remember it.

Coopers Ferry Garden, situated on the north side of Cooper Street, west of Front, was a noted resort and was started by Joseph and Israel Eng- lish, father and son, when they had charge of the ferry. The house was the one built by William Cooper in 1769, and removed in 1883, the site being wanted for improvements.

English's Garden was on the south side of Market Street, below Front, and was first opened by Benjamin Springer in 1818, and continued until several years after the West Jersey Hotel was opened by Israel English, in 1849. It was called Springer's Garden while he controlled it.

The Round House, as the garden at the Federal Street Ferry was called, because of the circular two-story brick house, built by Jacob Ridgway, was started by him in 1832. It was south of Fed- eral Street, the Fulmer building occupying part of the site. The large willows, planted by Ridg- way's orders, were cut down a few years ago.

Toole's Garden, at Kaighns Point, was south and east of the hotel at Front Street and Kaighn Avenue. There was a small garden attached to the hotel below the ferry and both places had many visitors. Dr. L. F. Fisler says : "Kaighns Point at that day was a place of great resort for the citizens of Philadelphia during the summer season. It is said that Captain Watmough, of the Washington Guards, and Captain James Page, of the State Fencibles, often visited this cool and shady retreat, accompanied by Frank Johnson's renowned Black Band. Then the music consisted of national and patriotic airs and marches, instead of so much of the spiritless pieces of the present day."

There was a garden at the Coopers Point Ferry, and, in fact, every ferry had a garden, except that on the upper side of Market Street.

"SAUSAGE WEAVING " was quite an industry in Camden two and three generations ago, and farther back than that in all probability, but it is one of those trades of which no public record is made and hence dependence for information re- garding it falls upon the memory of the living. Among the oldest living of those who in times past regaled the taste of Philadelphia epicures with the well-seasoned, linked-up result of finely- chopped corn-fed pork, named Jersey sausage, was Joseph Sharp, of 830 South Fifth Street, where, about 1835, he built his house with all the essen- tial appliances for successful trade. He had car- ried on for nearly ten years before in the upper

part of Philadelphia and found his patrons in the Spring Garden Market.

William Sharp, a brother, started a few years later, and was quite successful, amassing a compe- tence which he is now enjoying. His establish- ment during the last years of his active business life was on Kaighn Avenue and his market was on Shippen Street. Early in the present century David Read, grandfather of Joseph J. and Edmund E. Read, of Camden, did a large business at sau- sage weaving at his residence on Arch Street, be- low Third.

James McGonigle carried on in the " twenties," at Fourth Street and Taylor's Avenue, and made money.

Peter Bender began sausage weaving in 1826, on Arch Street, but removed to Coopers Hill. He died in 1858.

Thomas McDowell's factory was at No. 825 South Fifth and his brother Isaac was on Third Street, near Arch. They stood on Market Street, between Front and Second Streets, Philadelphia, called the Jersey Market, because so many of the stalls were rented by Jerseymen. It was here Samuel Scull, once mayor, once Assemblyman and often Councilman, sold his sausage and Jersey cured hams from his establishment on Kaighn Avenue, near Locust.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 71

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