Ocean County , NJ History

Another Adams who owned a hotel is mentioned in Bass River Township in the New Jersey Courier of December 30th, 1868. It describes him thusly: "Frank Adams keeps a small but comfortable hotel, dispenses whiskey, Ayer's medicines, post office, and sausage meat with a liberal hand, and keep a nice little home for strangers.". Thanks to Wynn for this new bit of information: Franklin Adam's uncle was the original owner of " The old Bass River Hotel". His name was Isaiah Adams, son of David and Hope (Rockhill) Adams. He Married Mary Ann Mathis, daughter of Daniel Mathis. Franklin's parents were Moses and Charlotte (Myers) Adams. Moses and Isaiah are the children of David Adams and Hope Rockhill. David is the son of Charles Adams and Hannah Jenkins. Charles is the son of Hezekiah Adams. Franklin's children are: Charles E., Jesse, Henry, Irick. This information came from the History of Little Egg Harbor Township and the Leek Family Bible.

This site has since been repainted, I hope to have time to stop and photograph it next time I'm down there.

from the New Jersey Mirror 28 Dec 1854: DIED, in this Town, on Friday last, of Typhoid Fever, STERNE PALMER, son of Mrs. J. Palmer, Publisher of this paper, aged 59 years. Mr. Palmer was greatly loved by his large circle of friends, and during his long residence in Mount Holly, enjoyed, fully, the confidence and respect of the entire community. Having been Clerk in the Farmers' Bank for nearly thirty years, he became acquainted with the great mass of the people of the County, and those who were familiar with him in the daily business transactions of that Institution, know with what singularly uniform correctness and assiduity all his duties were performed. Such a man could not fail to be appreciated by those with whom he associated.-- Modest and unassuming to a remarkable degree, of social and domestic habits, strictly guarded in his conversation, avoiding saying anything which was calculated to offend, dealing justly with his fellow-men, and at all times acting upon the princ...

The following genealogy is from E.M. Woodward's 1883 History of Burlington County: Israel Small settled in Shamong Township in 1800, and purchased a large tract of land and cleared up a home, where he followed farming the greater part of his life. He had the following children: Mary Ann Small. She married Charles Menges, and moved about three miles from the family home in Indian Mills and raised children there. Rebecca Small. She married Joseph Cooper, of Bucks Co., PA, where she went to reside. Margaret Small. She married John Gardner, and moved about four miles from Indian Mills, on the Atsion road and there engaged in farming. She had one daughter. Benjamin Small. He married Hannah Smith, and lived in Indian Mills. He had a family of eleven children. One of his sons was named Benjamin. Benjamin, jr. was in turn the father of Nevada Small, who married Francis Wright. Hannah Small. She married Asa Smith, and settled on the Atsion road and followed farming. Eliza Small. She ...

Alonzo was in Washington Township, and probably at Batsto, as early as 1894, when his name appears on a voting ledger for that year. His name did not show up on the 1892 poll book, but obviously this does not mean he didn't live there, just that he didn't vote. According to the Federal Census, it appears that Alonzo's home was the first one visited by the census enumerator in 1895, which would make sense if he was in the mansion as caretaker. At that time he was living with his wife, Mary. No other occupants of the mansion are listed in 1895. Joseph Wharton was still alive at this point, but he never really lived full time in the mansion, and it seems Alonzo and his wife were the only servants at the time the census was taken in 1895. According to the 1900 census, Alonzo was born in September 1850, and his wife in July 1849. They were married about 1877. Again, in 1900, there were no other occupants of his home. To confuse the issue, by 1905 Alonzo was telling a census e...

The family of Restore Morton appears on the 1850 Census for Mullica Township in Atlantic County; by 1860 they were living in Washington Township. The family changed somewhat in it's composition in the interveneing years; most of the children that lived with the family in 1850 were gone, and three new ones seem to have been born to Restore and Maria (or Mariah, as her name appears in the 1850 census.) The absence of most of the children is explainable by their ages: John, Hezekiah, Elijah, and Benjamin would all be over 20 years of age. Anna and Mary Jane would have been somewhat younger (17 and 15), making it a bit uncertain where exactly they went. Patience was still living with the family, and three new daughters had arrived: Sarah (now age 7); Hannah (age 4); and Rebecca (age 2). The possibility that some of the others died cannot be discounted. In at least one case, however, that of Elijah Morton, we know he was still alive in 1860 but not living with the family, as he was mu...

Just outside Pleasant Mills is St. Mary's Cemetery. The following Langtry family members are buried there; Langtry, Ann Died 29 May 1869, age 42; headstone erected by Michael Langtry; Langtry, Margaret, Died 28 May 1868, age 50

taken from the Gloucester County Times on December 24, 1943 Mrs. Susie A. Mathis Mrs. Susie A. Mathis, widow of Theodore Mathis, died on Friday. She was 80 years old. Born in Egg Harbor, Mrs. Mathis lived most of her life in Glassboro and was widely known in that community. Surviving are six children. They are Mrs. Ella Mae Wickward, of Gloucester; Mrs. Wilhelmina Cossabone of Camden; Stephen Mathis, Mrs. S. Nevada Adams and Mrs. Charlesanna A. Long, of Glassboro and Eugene V. Mathis, of Vineland; There are 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren also surviving. The Rev. William A. Robbins, pastor of the Trinity Protestant Church, will conduct the services at 11 A.M. Tuesday from the Albert D. Mathis Funeral Home, 43 N. Delsea Drive, Glassboro with burial in Trinity cemetery. Friends may call this evening. Mathis -- At Glassboro, NJ, on December 24, 1943, Susie A., nee Bailey, widow of the late Theodore N. Mathis, aged 80 years. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the...

MOORE, JOSEPH GARDNER from the New Egypt Press 23 Dec 1910 Never before during our several years of service as a news gatherer and a publisher, have we been called upon to write the obituary notice of one of our own family circle and it is with no little effort that we make the attempt. On Friday afternoon, the 16th inst., brother Joseph Gardner Moore, M.D., of No. 638 Brooklyn Street, West Philadelphia, was called away from his earthly home after a severe illness of typhoid fever, which he had fought bravely for three long weeks. Dr. Moore was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Moore of this place and is well known to nearly every person in this community. He was a graduate of the Baltimore Medical College and after passing the State Medical Examination of Pennsylvania in 1906, he opened an office at his late residence, and had met with success as a practicing physician. On April 7th last, he married Miss Mary Kessler BENDER, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Bender, of No. 4027 Baring...

from the New Jersey Courier 22 Oct 1915

This place closed years ago. I took this photo around 2013, thinking the presence of the backhoe meant it was about to be torn down. Nope, it's still standing in 2016.

from the New Jersey Courier 19 Dec 1878 ERRICKSON-ELLIOT At Cassville, Dec 11th, by Rev. Eli Gifford, Fuller B. Errickson of Plumsted, Ocean County, and Mrs. Mary Elliott of Philadelphia.

business on Route 37, before it was remodeled in 2016

Information about this family was taken from their headstones in the Green Bank Cemetery and the Pleasant Mills Cemetery, and the 1885 Census. Augustus Ernst Koster was born in Hanover, Germany on 17 June 1840. All that is known of his family in Germany is that he had a brother named Charles, according to the Batsto Citizen's Gazzette vol XXIII #1. He came to America at the age of 14, supposedly after his mother had arranged to have him released from military training in Germany. He originally went to New York City, and in 1869 moved to Hermann, a town which no longer exists in Washington Township, supposedly to make glass. His father in law, John H. Rapp, is the investor who purchased the land and opened that glass works, so it is probable that he had some role in Augustus' choice to move to Washington Township. The town is supposed to have had between 40 and 70 homes at that time, plus one hotel. An 1876 Burlington County directory lists August Koster of Green Bank as a hot...

This restaurant is now Pondrelli's pizza.

from the New Jersey Mirror 15 Dec 1819 On the night of December 7, 1819, a man by the name of Zebulon Webb, who resided about 20 miles from Mount Holly, on a road leading to the sea shore, put an end to his existence, by hanging himself in his own house. We understand he went to bed as usual, got up in the night unknown to his wife and family, and was found dead in the morning, hanging by the neck. On December 8, 1819, a Coroner's Inquest was held upon the body, by which Inquisition it was found, that the deceased came to his death by voluntarily and feloniously hanging himself with a cord. The deceased left a wife and several children to lament his unnatural and untimely death.

from the New Jersey Courier 15 Dec 1900 Adelbert Peckworth of Manahawkin died at the State Hospital, Trenton on Monday, and was buried at Manahawkin on Wednesday. He was about 32 years old, the son of Mrs. Jane Peckworth of Manahawkin. His father, the late Lewis Peckworth, was once postmaster at that village. The deceased had been an inmate of the asylum for eight years. For the last five years he had known nothing whatever and his death had been looked for at any moment.

from the New Jersey Courier, 13 Dec 1929 Island Heights, December 9--William A. Parker, a long time resident of this place, was buried this afternoon at Riverside Cemtery, Toms River. He died at Monmouth Memorial Hospital, Long Branch, on last Thursday, December 5, aged about 79. Funeral services were held at 1:00 P.M. today at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Wilbert Martin, Seventh Ave, Wannamassa Park, Long Branch; and at the grave in Riverside cemetery at 2:30 P.M. Mr. Parker was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Parker, who moved here from Toms River in the early days of this resort. He married Miss Mary Kennedy, who survives him; also his daughter, Mrs. Martin, and two sons, Lodge Parker of Baltimore, MD and Walter Parker of Irvington, VA. One sister, Mrs. Charles H. Applegate of Dayton Avenue and Thomas Street, Toms River, also is living, while two brothers, Charles and Daniel, died some years ago. For many years, Mr. Parker carried on the barber shop here, until he was...

What the Taco Bell on Route 37 looked like before the remodel in 2016.

from Tuckerton Beacon 11 Dec 1975 Mrs. Geneva C. Mohler, 86, of Division St., West Creek, died on 9 Dec at Southern Ocean County Hospital. She was born in West Creek, lived in Trenton for 45 years and returned to West Creek eleven years ago.

KILPATRICK, JUDSON H. from Tuckerton Beacon 11 Dec 1975 Judson H. (Mike) Kilpatrick, age 85, of 399 North Main St, Barnegat, died at his late residence on Dec. 6. The son of Andrew and Violet Alton Kilpatrick, Mr. Kilpatrick was a lifelong resident of the town. He was the husband of the late Irene Alton Kilpatrick and for many years had been a fireman for the Erie Railroad in Jersey City. Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Violet Koncal; a sister, Mrs. J.E. McGowan; a grandson, David; and a great grandson, David, jr. Funeral services were held on Tuesday at the Bugbee Riggs Funeral Home in Barnegat, with the Rev. Dr. J. Stanley Wagg, jr. Pastor of the Barnegat Methodist Church officiating. Interment was in the Masonic Cemetery in Barnegat.

from the Tuckerton Beacon, 11 Dec 1975 Mrs. Elsie Cook Zellers, 80, of 929 Fountain Avenue, Lancaster, PA, died 2 Dec at Whitehall Nursing and Convalescent Centre following a lengthy illness. A member of First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster, she was a charter member of J.H. Clark Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, 405. She and her husband George W. Zellers celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary on Oct 28. Born in Cedar Run, she was a daughter of the late William T. and Sarah Reeder Cook. Surviving besides her husband is a daughter, Sara Z., wife of Robert B. Russell of Leola, PA and of Beach Haven; a grand daughter and sister Mrs. Bertha Pike, Chestnut Hill, PA.

Old campaign sticker on a pole along Route 37 in Toms River.

from the New Jersey Mirror 9 Dec 1830 At Tuckerton, on December 1, 1830, Hannah Page, aged 6 years, daughter of Dr. Thomas Page. The death of this interesting child is truly afflicting--her sufferings for 12 days were excruciating--caused by severe burns, from her clothes taking fire from a candle

This place was on Route 37, near Bob Kislin's sporting goods, but it is no longer open.

Another business on Route 37 that is no longer with us.

The following information comes to us from a copy of the New Jersey Courier from Oct 20th, 1910: 1.Stephen Gulick was the father of Abigail Gulick, born abt 1823. 2. Abigail Gulick married William Jeffrey and had five children before she died. She died at the family home on Lein Street in Toms River , 18 Oct 1910. 3. The children of William and Abigail Jeffrey were as follows: Deborah Jeffrey, died Oct 18, 1870. Howard Jeffrey, who lived in Lanoka Harbor. Mary J. Mott, of Toms River. Edward Jeffrey, who drowned at sea. William Jeffrey, jr., deceased several years already by 1910.

Storefront on Route 37, before the 2016 remodel. I believe this was taken in 2012.

HALSEY-JENNINGS from New Jersey Courier 5 Dec 1878 At the residence of the bride's parents, Toms River, on Wednesday evening, Nov 27th, by Rev. Thos. Davis, pastor of the Toms River Baptist Church, M. Ely Halsey, jr. of Livingston, NJ, and Adelaide E., eldest daughter of Samuel C. and Elizabeth W. Jennings.

from the New Jersey Courier 5 Dec 1878 FORD-HORNER At the M.E. Parsonage, Toms River, Nov 21st, by Rev. G.C. Stanger, William H. Ford and Georgie A. Horner, all of Toms River.

This pizzeria was open in the late 90s, and then closed...in 2012, it was 'Coming Soon'. By 2015, it was again out of business, and the store front is vacant.

Took these pictures of Bob Kislin's a few years ago; the store was on Route 37, but closed in 2015.

saw this sign at a car dealership in Lakehurst in August.

Shamong Township Burlington County, New Jersey Federal Census 1880 Hse# Fam# Surname Name Age Birth Occupation 1 1 Cotton Thomas 59 NJ shoemaker Elizabeth 56 NJ keeping house Issac A. 27 NJ Somers B. 16 NJ Ella E. 13 NJ 2 2 Wilkinson John L. 48 Ireland farmer Susan 24 Ireland servant William 22 NJ farm labor Lilla F. 20 NJ at home C. Lewis 13 NJ at school 3 3 Brown Hannah 39 NJ farmer Mary 12 NJ at home C.Anna 9 NJ John L. 6 NJ Hannah 4 NJ Le Munyon Richard ?? NJ servant 4 4 Weeks Asa S. 49 NJ farmer Dorothy 36 NJ keeping house Howard W. 10 NJ at home Amanda 1 NJ Curtis W. 22 NJ farm labor *Curtis is listed as Asa...

Adamston, 1930 Brick Township, Ocean County, New Jersey Hse# Fam# Surname Name Age Birth Occupation Real Est. 128 119 HULSE Samuel A. 58 NJ fish merchant $5000 Jessie 48 NJ Raymond 22 NJ contractor- builder Francis 12 NJ HALL Rebecca 77 NJ she is Samuel's mother in law 129 120 MILLER William 27 NJ carpenter $5000 Carrie 26 NJ Bette 5 NJ Fran? 3 NJ 130 121 FALKINBURGH Arthur L. 46 NJ house carpenter $4500 Gladys L. 20 NJ Harry 17 NJ Aaron A. 13 NJ Trysa M. 10 NJ Charles W. 8 NJ Armenia S. 5 NJ 131 122 HULSE Abram L. 69 NJ --- $1500 Mary E. 55 NJ Her father was born in New York 132 123 WILSON? Arthur W. 43 NY common laborer $1500 Margaret D. 42 Hungary Her father was from Austria, mother from Bohemia; Margaret only speaks Hungarian ...

S.N. Bunnel was the father of Dr. Fred N. Bunnel and Beatrice Bunnel; he lived t the corner of Hooper Avenue and Madison as of April 1905. Fred passed the state Medical Examination early in July 1905; he attended the Baltimore College of Physicians and Surgeons. A news item appeared in the NJC on 7 June 1902, mentioning that S.N. Bunnel was thrown to the ground and hit across the ankles with a 6 x 6 timber while working in A.S. Tilton's barn and was unable to walk. In August of that year he was advertising a house for rent on Park Street, with 'cheap terms.' William Riley Bunnel may or may not have been another son; he married a Susan and fathered: Fred Graham Bunnel, who married on Dec 25, 1901, Alice Mead Harris, the daughter of S.C. Harris and Sidney Harris. Alice Mead Harris had a brother, Sidney, who married Lizzie Mae Holman. On 17 Oct 1901, Fred Grrham resigned as librarian at the M.E. Sunday School. Apparently he worked in New York, as the NJC for 18 May 1905 state...

from the Ocean Emblem 28 Nov 1855

New Jersey Courier 28 Nov 1878

From the Ocean Emblem 28 Nov 1855: "By the same, on the 19th of October, Mr. Crammer Akers, to Miss Elizabeth Giberson at Gibersonville, Ocean County, N.J."

from the Trenton Times 28 Nov 1914 Miss Florence Reeder, daughter of Frank K. and Emma Reeder, died last night at the home of her brother-in-law, J.W. Thoman, 134 Hoffman Avenue, where she resided. Death was caused by mastoiditis, from which she suffered two weeks. Miss Reeder was a well known dressmaker and besides her parents she left a sister, Mrs. J.W. Thoman. She was 20 years old. Funeral services will be held Tuesday morning, with the Rev. ? L. Howard officiating. Interment will be in the Wrightstown Friends Burying Grounds, under direction of Poulson & Coleman

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, A.A. Brant advertised "everything for building"; he ran a lumber company on Robbins Street, in Toms River. He was a father to Henry L. Brant, a New York lawyer who married Cornelia C. Henry won a prize for best paper on medical jurisprudence. In 1872, A.A. Brant built a home on Hooper Avenue. This home burned down on 7 March 1902, and was said to be still smouldering 10 days later. He moved into a home he had recently bought at the corner of Walter and Allen Streets. According to the New Jersey Courier of 13 Feb 1879, "A.A. Brant came near losing his horse a day or so since, by it's catching one of its forefeet between the railroad track and the planking at the crossing." The New Jersey Courier of 20 Mar 1879 says that "Charles Brewer is building a dwelling on Hooper Avenue, nearly opposite the residence of A.A. Brant". In August of 1902, he was re-elected to the board of directors of the Toms Rive...

I have heard it said that there was an Abel Austin Bozarth that worked at the mill at Batsto in the late 19th century. I have never seen this fellow on any of the censuses for Washington Township, although he could have lived outside of Batsto and just worked there. The man mentioned above lived in Mullica Township, right outside of Batsto, as late as 1860, but by 1880 he was in Trenton. An article from the Batsto Citizen's Gazzette places an Abel Austin Bozarth at Batsto in 1883, however. (The Batsto Citizens Gazette Vol XXVIII, No. 1 - Winter/Spring 1994). This article only cites "letters", presumably in the collection of Wharton papers at Batsto.. All it says about Bozarth is the following: In 1883, every effort was being made to increase the production of wood products at Batsto. The recent employment, by owner Joseph Wharton, of George Wright as manager at Batsto was meant to raise production and hence profits. Wright, who was apparently not knowledgeable about lum...