James John gives the wrong name, 1923
New Egypt Press 6 Sep 1923
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Blake family of Dover Forge
A man named James Blake was apparently a boardinghouse manager at Dover Forge in 1826. He was paid for ‘4 hands in full @ $2 a week’ and ‘washing for ditto’, a total of $3.50, by the Dover Forge on 10 Jun 1826. [i] James Blake was paid $1 on June 28, 1826 for hauling 1 hogshead of molasses from Toms River to Dover. A few weeks later, on 9 Aug 1826, he was again mentioned as carting molasses from Toms River to Dover. On 11 Nov 1826 he was paid for work he had done at the forge. Then, on 15 Dec 1827, there is an entry that mentions an ‘execution’ (court order?) for James Blake against Oliver Perry in favor of Allen Cowdrick, Thomas Clayton, and Lewis Chambers; as he ran a boarding house, it may be that he had an order to evict Oliver Perry, but it’s not clear who the other names were or why this would be in their favor. James does not appear anywhere in Ocean County on the 1830 Federal Census. There is only one man by that name in New Jersey in 1830, though it’s n...
Beames family of Bamber
This family lived in Bamber in the 1880s. William Beames and his wife, Jane Wolcott of Eatontown, came to Bamber prior to 1870. He was employed there by William Hurry. Beames owned a store, the room above which was used as the schoolhouse for a time. He was also station master and postmaster. Beames had six children, all born at Bamber, before leaving for Asbury Park in 1886. One was William, born in 1870; another was Elizabeth Beames, who married a man named Walton in 1897. [i] An ad in the Courier from 1870 for the Toms River nursery on Grand Avenue carries the names of its proprietors, William J. Griffin and William Beames. The Dec 12, 1873 New Jersey Courier newspaper contains an ad for Beame’ store: “NOTICE: The subscriber having made a...
Attison Family of Dover Forge
A man named William Attison was paid for work done at the Dover Forge on 23 Jun 1827. He does not appear to have done any other work for the forge for the rest of 1827. A William ATTERSON family appears on the federal census in 1830, which could potentially be the same man.
Jim McQuillan's coins, Route 37,Toms River 1974
2608 Rt 37 E is today the location of Twin City Glass, just east of the Bandwagon diner.
Nathan Atkinson of Dover Forge?
A man named Nathan Atkinson sold 15 lbs. of scrap iron to the forge on 26 Dec 1826; in all likelihood he didn’t actually live at the forge but merely sold them raw material from elsewhere. So far I've learned nothing else about this man.
Arney family of Dover Forge
Joseph Arney appears for the first time in the Dover Forge account books in an entry for 23 May 1827, stating that he was paid for chopping wood at the forge. He was paid again for wood chopping on 21 Jul 1827, and then does not appear to have been paid again for the rest of the year.
Bombing possible in fire, 1974
Steverino's Pizza in Pt Pleasant possibly bombed, Asbury Park Press 26 Dec 1974
Perry Simmons, escaped slave, dies, 1862
New Jersey Mirror 13 Feb 1862 Perry Simmons, the colored man, whose attempted arrest as a fugitive slave , on two occasions, created considerable excitement in our neighborhood, died in Timbuctoo, a week or two ago. Perry had not been well since the last attempt to capture him, in consequence of taking a severe cold on that freezing night. It will be recollected that he was forced to fly suddenly from his bedroom to the garret, where he was obliged to remain till morning, suffering severely from the cold. Perry is at last beyond the reach of his Southern master.
Stop the swindler! 1819
New Jersey Mirror 7 Apr 1819 Ten dollars reward will be paid to any person who will secure a Negro man, whose real name is Daniel Clark, but has passed under the following assumed names: Thomas Kitchen, Thomas Field, Paul Cuffee, David Mapp, Richard Allen, Jacob Stapler, John Gloster, and James Chatman. He is about 5 feet , 8 or 9 inches high, well set, very black, and looks remarkably well--is very insinuating in his manners and a complete adept in every species of Theft and Swindling. He sometimes calls himself a free-willed Baptist Preacher--sometimes says he is a Methodist preacher--and has preached for both persuasions at different places. When last seen, he had on a black coat and black vest, grey cassinett pantaloons, boots, a common fur hat, and very neat in his appearance. He has reported that he was raised by William Newbold, of Springfield, NJ, but his native place is not known. He took numerous articles with him from Mount Holly. He is prob...
Luke Quan murdered by Richard Denby, 1818
New Jersey Mirror 25 Nov 1818 A Coroner's Inquest was held over the body of Luke Quan (a colored man) on November 19, 1818. The Jury decided "that the repeated blows given him by Richard Denby (a colored man) in an affray near Lumberton, on the 14th instant, occasioned his death." Denby has not yet been taken.
Otto Anlauft of Cedar Crest
There was one individual by this name at Cedar Crest. Otto Anlauft was born 19 Dec 1890, in Liebnitz, Saxony. He worked for E.W. Weimar at Cedar Crest. [i] A man named Otto Anlauft of Germany, age 35, arrived in New York aboard the “Oscar II” from Copenhagen on 3 Jun 1925 [ii] . The name and age are both correct, but it can’t be the same man since Otto registered for the draft during WWI from Cedar Crest, but perhaps it is a relative? Or perhaps he returned home, and then came back to America in 1925? When he registered for the WWI draft, his full name is given as “Ernest Otto Anlauft.” So far I have found no other record of this person’s existence. [i] WWI Draft registration card for Ernest Otto Anlauft [ii] Passenger manifest from the “Oscar II” –original scan available at ancestry.com
Augustus Evernham dies, 1852
New Jersey Mirror 3 Jun 1852 On Friday morning the 21st ult., a colored man named Augustus Evernham, in the employ of Robert Woodward, living near Arneytown, went to the woods to cut down trees. As he did not return in the evening, Mr. Woodward went in search of him the next morning, and found his body lying by the only tree he had cut. This tree in falling, had broken a limb from a tree standing near, which limb had fallen on the head of the colored man and killed him--probably instantly. A knot on the limb had gone into his brain.
Dreadful Affair, 1852
New Jersey Mirror 30 May 1852 One of the most heart-rending and melancholy casualties that it has ever been our lot to record, occurred on Saturday afternoon, the 8th instant, on the old Burlington road, a few miles from Camden. A young man, named John Malone, engaged in the distillery of a Mr. Woodruff, was sent to clean something in a vat or cistern, which was nearly or quite half full of boiling water. He had placed a board across the cistern, and was busily engaged at his task, when a colored man, named Polk, stepped on the board, which, under the pressure of his weight, gave way, and precipitated both into the reservoir of boiling water. The colored man caught hold of the top of the vat, and escaped without serious injury; but Mr. Malone sunk in it nearly to his arms, and before he could be extricated, was literally cooked, so that when they stripped him of his pantaloons and drawers, his flesh pealed from the bones. He lingered in great ag...
Robert Chalmers and daughter killed in car accident, 1939
New Jersey Mirror 16 Mar 1939 Robert Chalmers and his daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Pollard, 25, both of Vineland, were instantly killed on Route 39, near Columbus, on Saturday afternoon, when their car collided with a truck operated by James Thompson, colored , of Atlantic City, who was returning to the seashore resort with a load of potatoes. Thompson stated that the car driven by Chalmers appeared to be out of control and was skidding on the snow-covered highway. It careened directly in front of his truck, he said, and was hurled off the road. Chalmers was thrown from the car and Mrs. Pollard's body was wedged between the dashboard and the steering wheel. The two persons were pronounced dead when taken to Burlington County Hospital. Coroner Hiram H. Earnest, of Mount Holly, issued certificates of death from internal injuries. Thompson was released on a technical charge of homicide by automobile, after being taken in custody by troopers from Columbus barracks.
Meryl Simpkins 'coaxed' into taking an underage girl to Green Bank in 1922 (according to him)
New Jersey Courier 22 Dec 1922
Anderson Family of Bamber / Cedar Crest
James Anderson was born somewhere in New Jersey on 17 Jan 1805. [i] I suspect he was living in the Bamber/Dover Forge section of Dover Township as early as 1826, when an entry appeared in a Dover Forge account book on 20 May 1826 indicating that James Anderson had purchased 12 buttons, some tobacco and fish. [ii] There was also a man named Benjamin Anderson working at the Dover Forge in June of 1826; on June 30 th , he was paid for drawing coal for the Forge for 27 ½ days. [iii] How, if at all, he is related to James is unknown. Sometime prior to 1850, James married Penelope Camburn (1811-1904), six years his junior. I believe she is the daughter of Daniel Camburn (1782-1872) and Acsah King (1785-1848). In 1850, James and his wife, Penelope, were residing in what was...
Clayton Still murdered, 1852
New Jersey Mirror 12 Feb 1852 We learn that Clayton Still, the colored boy, who was stabbed by Josiah Cornelius, about two weeks since, died from the effects of the injury, on Saturday evening last. The case appeared to be doing well, and the symptoms were of such a nature as to warrant a belief, that it would, with care, soon terminate favorably. There was an occasional discharge of blood, but not such as to materially affect the system. The wound suppurated, and matter was freely discharged--the swelling of the limb, in some degree, disappeared, but on Saturday morning more blood was discharged, which indicated the necessity of a surgical operation. A consultation of surgeons was promptly called, and it was found necessary to cut down and tie the main artery of the arm near the shoulder joint. This was done, and every means, which art could suggest, was resorted to, but without benefit. He survived about two hours. A dissection of the arm was made after dea...
Two car accidents in Burlington, 1939
New Jersey Mirror 30 Mar 1939 Two persons were killed in automobile accidents in Burlington county during the past few days. Elliean Rhodes, 42, an unmarried colored woman, was fatally injured when she was struck by a car while crossing the road at Eighth and Broad streets, near her home in Burlington, on Saturday night. Louis Smith, 44, of Creek Front, Camden, died from a fractured skull, received when his car skidded on Coopertown road, near Delanco, late on Tuesday, and crashed into a tree. The driver of the car which killed Miss Rhodes is Amos Hope, of Burlington, who was held under $1,000 bail on a charge of involuntary homicide by automobile. Coroner Hiram H. Earnest, of Mount Holly, found that the victim suffered fractures of both legs, a broken neck and fractured skull. He issued a burial certificate. Smith, who was pronounced dead when taken to Zurbrugg Hospital, Riverside, was returning from Roebling, where he and his companion had gon...
Searchable database of Ocean County newspaper items
I've begun putting newspaper clippings from Ocean County into a searchable database located here: http://oceancounty.rf.gd/ Mainly obits and marriage notices, but some other stuff too. About 2000 entries so far, but I'm adding more all the time. Currently has stories from 1854 up to 2009.
Reward for runaway, 1818
New Jersey Mirror 11 Nov 1818 Reward for a runaway. Six cents reward offered for the return of an indented apprentice in the farming business, named John Adams, 20 years of age, 5 feet high, light complexion. He took with him an olive colored coat, light cassimere pantaloons, and other clothing. Sarah Lamb, Evesham Township.
Allen Family of Dover Forge
Two entries away from the entry for the owner of Dover Forge on the 1840 census is the entry for the family of John Allen. Given the ubiquity of that last name, and the lack of any other solid information about this man, it’s impossible to confirm anything else about this man right now.
slave Hezekiah Hall dies 1851
New Jersey Courier 27 Feb 1851 In Timbuctoo, near Mount Holly, on Friday last, HEZEKIAH HALL, ( colored ) aged about 60 years. The deceased, in early life, was a slave, and belonged to Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. He escaped from bondage in the year 1814. He settled in our midst about the year 1824, since which time he has resided here. He was regarded by every one(sic) as a man of unblemished character, and his truly upright walk and Christian deportment commanded the highest respect. His remains were followed to the grave on Sunday last by a very large concourse of friends and neighbors.
Albert Stevens dies at Mt Holly, 1939
from the New Jersey Mirror 1 Jun 1939 Albert Stevens, well known colored man, a life-long resident of Mount Holly, died of bronchial pneumonia at his home on West Washington street, on Thursday. Over a space of years he had been employed as driver by a number of residents of the town, including several physicians. He is survived by his widow, and two daughters, of Mount Holly, a son, the latter living in Detroit.
Samuel Alberson of Cedar Crest
A man named Samuel Alberson lived at Cedar Crest in early 1918, when it was mentioned in the local news that he was relocating to Whitings. [i] No one by that name appears anywhere in Manchester Township in 1920 however. In fact, the closest I’ve been able to find is Samuel Albertson, who lived in Clayton, Gloucester Co, in 1920. He was born in 1858, and was married to Carrie Albertson. Unfortunately there’s not enough information to say if this is the same person or not. At any rate, he does not appear to have been among the Cedar Crest residents in 1915, so he could only have lived in the area for a short time before relocating. [i] New Jersey Courier 11 Jan 1918
Foot bathers cause a panic, 1906
Asbury Park Evening Press 27 Aug 1906 Two women and a man in their stocking feet wading the surf threatened to cause a panic at the Arcade yesterday afternoon. The wade was the result of a bet...
Lands of Fortune Jackson sold, 1820
New Jersey Mirror 29 Mar 1820 Public sale to be held on Tuesday April 25, 1820, on the premises in Bellowstown, pursuant to a decree of the Orphans' Court, Burlington County, a house and lot in Bellowstown, New Hanover Township, Burlington County, adjoining lands of Joseph Lamb and Isaac Fox, containing 1 acre of land. Being property whereof Fortune Jackson ( colored man) died seized and directed to be sold by order of the Court to pay his debts. John Earl, Administrator.
Albert Jones dies at Tansboro, 1939
from the New Jersey Mirror 8 Jun 1939: The body of Albert Jones, colored , of Tansboro, was buried yesterday following identification of his body by state troopers through the New Jersey Bureau of Identification. Jones was struck and killed Thursday night, on Route 25, near Roebling, by an automobile driven by Dr. Leroy P. Chappelle, colored , of Plainsfield. According to reports of the accident, Jones crossed the road in the path of the automobile during a rain and it was impossible for Dr. Chappelle to see him. He died instantly and no identification was found in his clothing. The case was referred to Coroner H. H. Earnest and finger prints of the body were taken. It was revealed through state records that Jones had been arrested on suspicion two years ago and that he had lived at Tansboro at that time. No relatives of the dead man could be found.
