Ocean County , NJ History

from the New Jersey Mirror 20 NOV 1912 J. Frank Hickey, a well-known chemist, was arrested near Whitings, Ocean county, by Sheriff Chilton, yesterday, at the request of the Buffalo, N.Y., authorities on a charge of murder. It is alleged that he was the slayer of little Joseph Josephs, whose dismembered body was found in a cesspool at Lackawanna, near Buffalo, Saturday. The Sheriff went to Keswick, just outside of Whitings, and placed Hickey under arrest, taking him to Toms River, where he will be held until the authorities arrive from Buffalo. According to the Sheriff, Hickey denied positively any knowledge of the murder of the boy. He denounced his arrest as an outrage and said that he would be able to prove his innocence very easily. The arrest was made on the telegraphed order of Chief of Police Regan, of Buffalo, who said that Hickey was employed at the Lackawanna Steel Company's plant at the time the Josephs boy was missed and that his handwriting corresponds with that of the...

New Jersey Courier 9 Nov 1870 On the first instant we paid our esteemed friend, A. Jameson, Esq., of Bricksburg, a visit. We found him full of business, and received from him the same honest cordial greeting , as of olden time. Our friend at the present time is the president and general manager of a new enterprise which he has inaugurated at Bricksburg, a few miles to the north of us. When we knew A. Jameson long years ago, we always found him the same truthful, temperate, upright and industrious man as now. Scrupulously prompt in his business he, as a matter of course, succeeded. With an energy that brooked no denial, he has worked his way up, until he has become a self made man, and the architect of his own fortune. We rejoice at his prosperity. After a cordial interchange of friendly greeting, we placed ourselves under his guidance, and we proceeded to visit his water power, formerly known as Bergen Iron Works. A large massive well built raceway has been constructed undergroun...

from New Jersey Courier 7 Nov 1878 A dispatch to the New York Herald says that two men in a light wagon drove up to the Halfway House, a hotel situated about eight miles southwest of Asbury Park on Monday last, and inquired the way to the Shark River Southern Railroad. They were told the route and drove on. In a little while, the horse came running back, dragging the wagon which was upset. Several men started in search of the strangers, fearing they were injured. About a half mile from the hotel they found one of them lying in the edge of the woods in an unconscious condition and with a dangerous stab wound in the right side of his neck, near the shoulder. It was later ascertained that his name was Cook and that he belonged in Long Branch. There being no physicians in the neighborhood, he was conveyed to Long Branch while still insensible. His companion had disappeared and foul play is suspected. It was noticed that a gun which had been seen in the possession of the missing man was a...

some classified ads from the New Jersey Courier of 26 Oct 1923: FOR SALE For Sale Cheap-Hand drawn hook and ladder truck; A1 condition. Apply Chief BUCKWALTER, Toms River, N.J. For Sale-Cabbage, potatoes, rutabaga turnips, cow beets. John A. MAGUIE, Bay-Lee Farm, Freehold Road, Town. Laundry stove, with 60 gallon hot water tank, complete for sale. Apply Dr. GEORGE T. CROOK, Town. For Sale-Oak and pine fire wood, $6.00 per load delivered. L.W. MCCLENAHAN, Toms River, NJ One 10 ft. refrigerator, show case, one Howe computing scale, and one Peerless meat slicer. Harris Restaurant, 27 Main St, Toms River. Hudson Super-Six sedan, $275, Owner leaving town. See CARL E. ECKHARDT at Reliable Garage, Toms River. Parlor heater (18 inch fire pot) coal and wood grates. Can be seen at 251 Main St, Town. For Sale-Yellow Jersey sweet potatoes; also Overland touring, in good order, new rubber all around, and a spare. OSCAR PELLETIER, Box 223, Silverton, NJ For Sale-Chalmers-5 passenger touri...

from New Jersey Courier 26 Oct 1923 One man was killed and four others are known to have been wounded in a fight between Atlantic Highlands rum-runners, smugglers, and a crew of high-jackers, from Newark, who are alleged to have held up and robbed the rum-runners ar various times of both rum and cash. The fight was on last Saturday night. Frank Laconti, of Newark, found near the scene of the battle with a bullet through his abdomen, afterward died at the Monmouth Hospital, Long Branch. Six other men are under arrest, as follows: Henry Butterfield, G. Butterfield and George Nettiger, all of Atlantic Highlands. They are held in $5000 bail each. Henry Butterfield suffers a bullet wound through his left shoulder. His condition is not serious. They are held on charges of atrocious assault and battery with intent to kill. David Laconit, brother of the dead man, Robert Snyder and Alfred Bacmeister, all of Newark, are held in $1000 bail each as material witnesses. Laconti stood behind a ...

from the New Jersey Courier 25 Nov 1900: Zebulon Collins, a well known woodsman, died suddenly of heart failure at Bamber on Tuesday. There was no physician attending. He will be buried on Saturday at Whitings. Collins was one of the men who found Jim Wainwright's body, where it had been hidden in Cedar Creek after the murder in 1885. Zeb's quaint humor on the witness stand also softened the grim features of that tragic trial. (I have located some of Zebulon's census entries--it appears he was born about 1801, and was married to a woman named Rebecca (b. about 1803). In 1860 the family was living in Dover Township (what is now Toms River township); living with them were daughter Nancy Collins, b. abt 1855; Zebulon Collins, Jr, b. about 1842; Joseph Collins, b. about 1837; and Rachael Collins, born about 1844. In 1870, the family was still in Dover Township. Zebulon, Jr. is the only child still at home, employed somewhere as a laborer (Zebulon, Sr. was a farmer). His sis...

from the New Jersey Courier 19 Oct 1923 JUNIOR K.K.K NOW Branches of Junior Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which recently had its inception in Indiana, are being organized in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The work has been in progress in this section about three weeks and already it is said about 500 youths have been enrolled. Boys between the ages of 12 to 18, sons of the members of the K.K.K. or sons of the Royal Riders of the Red Robe are eligible to membership, the latter, of course, if they have been born in this country. The boys have a regalia said to be somewhat like that of the K.K.K.

From New Jersey Courier 19 Oct 1923 Richard Pryor, colored, of Bay Head, ought to thank his lucky stars that he was in Ocean County instead of some southern state when on Wednesday of this week he was sentenced by Judge Newman to thirty days in the county jail, the term to begin at the time of his arrest. Pryor's wife worked for Lawrence Boggs, of Newark, who has a summer home at Bay Head. Mrs. Boggs was awakened by a noise one night recently to find a naked negro by her bedside. She screamed, and her husband ran in and grappled him. The negro escaped at the time but it was afterward found to have been Pryor. He was tried and convicted, his plea was that he broke into the house to find his wife. The wife, at the trial, said that earlier in the night he had been drunk and abusive and she had to sneak away from him.

ad in the New Jersey Courier 23 Oct 1926: LOST AND FOUND Lost -Oct 15, in front of Ford agency, Toms River, police dog with short brown hair, studded collar, without inscription; answers toname of Brownie and will shake hands when asked to do so. Reward $5.00. Notify RICHARD BLOOM, Lavallette, NJ.

I've never heard of this name for what appears to be a section of South Toms River, on South Main Street, but the 1920 census enumerator referred to it that way in the Berkeley census. It's listed as an 'unincorporated village', but I thought it should have its own page in case more information comes to light. Eventually I plan to transcribe the census for this 'town', but for now here are the names of some of the families who resided there in 1920: Gardner and Sarah Smith Job Hand Gustave Hockaway Howard Hans Leslie Smith Charles P. Horner Jefferson and Anna Thompson Brazilla Luker Leroy and Lydia Evernham Mary Cotten Edith and Arthur O'Hare William A. Chamberlain Harvey and Rose Irons Joseph and Mary A. Walton Bessie Borden Several of the older children of these families worked at a shirt factory, presumably somewhere nearby. The census lists about 2 1/2 pages of names, about fifty homes, in this village in 1920.

New Jersey Courier 12 Oct 1917 "CHARRED BODIES, MAN AND CHILD TELL HORRIBLE STORY OF MURDER" Huge Brick Plant at Pasadena Burnt to Hide Double Crime When Samuel Chattin of Pasadena yesterday noon saw smoke rolling up from the big Brooks Brae plant at that place, he and his son rushed to the plant, and peering through the window into the fiery furnace within, he saw the body of his own twelve year old daughter, Hannah, lying upon a cot beside that of a man. The interior of the room was flame and smoke, and the roof was tumbling in, so they dared not enter. With the aid of neighbors they got pieces of timber through the window and worked the cot nearly to the window, when the cot overturned and the bodies rolled off. Later the little girl's body was taken from the ruins, just the trunk and part of the head; that of the man was also found, with arms, legs and head missing. It was an Austrian, Gildo Plazziano, who was watchman at the brick plant. The big brick plant said...

According to historian William McMahon, Bulltown is not far from the ruins of Herman City. It was built by the same Samuel Crowley who founded the glassworks at Crowleytown. This was Crowley's second attempt to build a successful glass business in the Pine Barrens. The town stood on what was called Bull Creek, hence it's name. Bulltown glassworks was built sometime after he sold the one at Crowleytown, about 1858. It was the smallest in Jersey at taht time, with but one furnace and five pots. It operated until about 1870, blowing mainly bottle glass. The business failed and was abandoned, although the town was not.

The following description of Brotherton was found in Edwin Salter's history of Ocean and Monmouth counties: "The last remnant of the Indians who frequented Old Monmouth, had their principal settlement at a place called Edge Pillock, about three miles from Atsion in Burlington County, from whence they removed to Oneida Lake, New York, 1802. Before their removal, members of this tribe with their families would visit the shore once a year and spend some time fishing, oystering, making baskets, etc. The most noted among the Indians who regularly visited the shore were Charles Moluss, his wife, and wife's sister, who bore the euphonious names of Bash and Suke, among the ancient residents of old Stafford Township, but in Little Egg Harbor, Burlington County, where they also were frequent visitors, Moluss' wife was known as Batsheba and considered as a kind of Indian Queen, on account of the great respect shown to her by her people and by the Quakers of Burlington, because...

New Jersey Mirror 9 Oct 1935 County detectives and state troopers report that robbery was the motive for the murder of Herman Eilers, 62, who was found shot to death at his poultry farm on Cedar lane, between Jacksonville and Bustleton, in Florence township, on Monday night. Arthur Thieren, a neighbor, discovered the crime when he stopped at the farm taht night to buy eggs. Eilers' body was lying near the kitchen door. Two men, who have been arrested and committed to jail, have admitted the crime, polic report. They are George Hildebrand, 35, a farmhand living near Columbus, and Jacob J. Ceimingo, 16, of the Burlington-Columbus road, near Burlington. Ceimingo, troopers report, confessed shooting Eilers in the presence of Hildebrand. Arrested on complaint of Seargeant Carlson of Columbus barracks, the prisoners were given a hearing before Justice of the Peace William H. Grady, Vincentown, yesterday and committed to jail. They pleaded guilty to murder. Death resulted from two guns...

HIRAM PARKER FAMILY Hiram Parker was living in Brookville at least as early as 1900, with his wife, Jennie. Hiram was born in July of 1874, and Jennie in August of 1879. At that time, he was employed as a day laborer. By 1910, they had a son, Hiram E., and were still living in Brookville next to Jesse and Debroah Estlow (see above). However, in 1910, Jennie was no longer there: Hiram had been married for seven years to another woman, Florence (she is listed as his second wife; he was her first husband). Hiram E. must be the offspring of the second marriage, as he was only five in 1910. They also had another son, Francis H. Parker, age 3 in 1910. By 1920, the family was still in Brookville. It seems that Hiram E. was now going by the name "Earl". Hiram, sr. was still a laborer, and no new children had arrived. They lived next door to Alvin Couch in 1920. By 1930, Florence was dead. Hiram was now a cranberry grower and his two sons were laborers at a cranberry bog. It may be t...

DOMINIC GANGEMI Dominic was a 41 year old Italian immigrant living at Brookville in1930. He gave Italian as his primary language, and he worked at 'odd jobs'. Living with him was a woman named Martha Alick, age 36. She is listed as "married", and has been since she was 25, but her husband does not appear in this house. She was born in New York, as were her parents, and gave her occupation as "housekeeper". I'm not positive if this is the same man yet or not, but in 1920, there is a Dominic Gangemi living on Center Street in Brooklyn, NY. He was 29 at the time, also an Italian immigrant. He worked as a painter in a shipyard, and had immigrated in 1906. (He was not a citizen). At that time he lived with his wife, Martha, age 26. It seems likely that Martha Alick and Martha Gangemi are the same person, though why she gave her maiden name in 1930 is not at all clear. Nor is it clear why someone would move from Brooklyn to the Pine Barrens, although there we...

OSCAR COUCH FAMILY Oscar was the son of J. Nelson Couch. Jesse Nelson Couch and his wife, Phoebe, were both born in New Jersey (he about 1858, she about 1872; their 1900 Census entries say he was born Nov 1860 and she in Nov 1871), so this is an "old New Jersey" family, and probably one of the first families in Brookville. As of 1900, J. Nelson was employed as a 'laborer'. J. Nelson and Phoebe Couch were the parents of : Alvin Couch, b. Apr 1892. He was living at home as of 1910 in Brookville. He was gone by 1920. In 1920, he still lived in Brookville, but in his own house with his wife, Irene (b. abt 1898), daughter Elva (age 3), and his grandmother, Mary A. Reeves (age 71). Willis Couch, b. Sep 1895. He was living at home in Brookville as of 1910 and 1920. In 1920, he was employed as a laborer. In Aug of 1929, the New Jersey Courier mentions that Mr. and Mrs. Willis Couch and son Harry of Barnegat spent Sunday with his parents. Edna Couch, b. May 1897. She lived...

THOMAS SWEENEY FAMILY It's not clear where this family lived prior to Brookville (where they appear on the census in 1930); they did not live here in 1920. It's possible that Thomas lived in Jersey City; there's a Thomas J. Sweeney at the right age living there at that time, without a family. According to the 1930 Census, Thomas and his wife had only been married for six years, so it makes sense to not find them together prior to this. In 1930, Thomas was 52 and his wife, Sadie, was 44. Both were born in New Jersey, as were all of their parents. They had no children. Thomas was employed as a foreman at a cranberry bog. An August 1929 issue of the New Jersey Courier mentions Thomas Sweeney in the news items from Brookville: he was visited by Mr. and Mrs. James Estlow of Whitings. He was also visited by Zeb Collins, though it's not clear if he's related to the Zebulon Collins who lived out in Bamber.

DEBORAH A. ESTLOW Deborah lived by herself, a 72 year old widow, in 1930. She definitely does not appear on the Brookville census in 1920, although there was another Estlow family (that of Francis T., who also appears here in 1930). However, she does show up in 1910: she was married at that time to Jesse S. Estlow, age 69 (i.e., fifteen years her senior). They lived next door to, or perhaps across from, Hiram Parker (see his entry below). The 9 Aug 1929 issue of the New Jersey Courier contains news items from Brookville, and it mentions that Deborah had been 'on the sick list.' It also mentions that she was visited by Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Gaskill and son Wallace, and Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Nippens of Riverside. The Gaskills spent the weekend with her.

JOSEPH SPISKA FAMILY I have had no luck tracking this family down on any census prior to the time they showed up in Brookville, in 1930. According to the census entry, Joseph Spiska came to this country from his native Hungary in 1905, and his wife Elizabeth in 1907, but they do not show up anywhere (so far) that I have looked in 1910 or 1920. At any rate, JOseph was 63 in 1930, and his wife, Elizabeth 59. They had a 17 year old daughter, Mary, who had been born in New Jersey. Joseph and Elizabeth were ages 25 and 21 when they married, indicating they had been married for about 38 years, so presumably they were married in Hungary before moving here. Their marriage would have been about 1892. As of 1930, neither of them were citizens and listed 'Magyar' as their primary language. Joseph was employed doing 'odd jobs' at the time