Ocean County , NJ History

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.

 New Jersey Courier 22 Dec 1922

 New Jersey Courier 22 Dec 1922     

 New Jersey Courier 29 Dec 1922

  John Akins was paid for 3 months of work with a driving team at Dover Forge on 28 Jul 1827, according to the ledger on file at the Monmouth County Historical Society. So far I have been unsuccessful in finding any other information about this individual. Certainly individuals by that name appear in census and other records, but it's a common enough name, so without more specific identifying information, it's difficult to know if one of those is the same man as this one.     

 New Jersey Mirror 6 Sep 1860 A Woodbury correspondent of the True Democrat, under date of August 29th, furnishes the following item of interest:  A colored man was shot at Eagle Point farm, last night, in the melon patch of Mr. J. J. Richards, by one of his sons. He had been at the house to receive some wages, and had been given a melon. In going home, he passed through the melon-patch, and was shot, the poor fellow says, while getting over the fence. The whole load entered the small of his back, and made a tremendous hole.--He laid in the field all night, until this morning,  when his groans attracted the attention of some of the family. He was brought to Woodbury and left in the jail. The doctor in attendance at once pronounced that he could not live but a short time, and he died in a couple of hours after. An inquest will be held this afternoon.  A warrant is out for the arrest of young Richards. It is a bad case--the  negro  being an old thief, and having been convicted several ti

 New Jersey Mirror 31 Oct 1844 At Mannahawkin, on Friday October 25, 1844, Samuel Waterman, (colored), late in the service of Charles Bispham,Esq., of Mount Holly. The death of this person was occasioned by the accidental discharge of a gun, whilst he was in the act of lifting it from a boat: the hammer having caught on the edge of the seat and been raised, the cap exploded under the reaction, and the gun was fired. he received the whole charge in the right side and died instantly; some of the shot having passed entirely throughout the body. He was a worthy, honest, and industrious man and a most faithful servant. He had occupied his place with Mr. Bispham for upwards of five years.

 New Jersey Mirror 26 May 1842 On May 1, 1842, near Union Village, Somerset County, NJ. Thomas Ell, a  colored  man aged 104 years. The Sabbath before he died, he walked to the Baptist Church in that place, 4 miles, partook of communion, and walked home. He had been a member of the Baptist Church at Scotch Plains about 40 years.

 New Jersey Courier 22 Dec 1922

 New Jersey Courier 22 Dec 1922

 New Jersey Courier 29 Dec 1922.

 New Jersey Courier     29 Dec 1922

  Moses Acre appears frequently in the ledger book of the Dover Forge during 1826-1828.   For example, he was paid for work at the forge on 18 Nov 1826.   On 23 Jun 1827, his name is spelled ‘Acher’, when he was paid for ‘carting’ by the Forge.             There was also a Stephen Acher who was paid on 30 Jun 1827 for carting bar iron from the forge to Toms River, but it’s not clear if he actually lived in Toms River or at the Forge.             In 1850, just a few entries prior to known Bamber resident Reuben Rockwell was the family of John Acher.   He was 27 in 1850 and working in the charcoal industry.   He lived with a man named Crammer Acher, aged 18, and another named Harmon Giberson, aged 40.   Both Crammer and Harmon worked as laborers.   A potential issue, however, is that Rockwell apparently owned a home in Toms River as well as Bamber, so we can’t know which residence was recorded in the census. Acher working as a coaler, however, would seem to indicate he was more proxi