Ocean County , NJ History

New Jersey Mirror 4 Nov 1818 Sale of 30 acres of woodland near Ong's Hat, adjoining lands of William Hilyard and others. The land is covered with pine, chestnut, and white oak. Also a house and lot with a blacksmith shop in the Village of Frogtown. The lot contains 5 acres and an apple orchard in its prime. For terms apply to John L. Stratton of Mount Holly.

New Jersey Mirror 17 Jul 1856 In pursuance of a decree of the Orphans' Court of the County of Burlington, made in the term of April, 1856, will be sold at public sale, on WEDNESDAY, the 20th of August next, between the hours of 12 and 5 o'clock, P. M., at BIRMINGHAM, the late residence of Thos. E. Deacon, dec'd., situate on the North Branch of the Rancocas Creek, between Pemberton and Mount Holly, about two miles from the former and four from the latter place, in Pemberton township, Burlington county, N. J., all the following described Land and Real Estate, whereof the said Thomas E. Deacon died seized, viz: No. 1--That Valuable Mill Property, FARM AND TIMBER LAND, Known as Birmingham, where the said dec'd. resided, containing about 135 ACRES OF LAND, about 75 acres of which is valuable Wood Land, about 15 acres superior Bottom Meadow, and the remainder Arable Land, adapted to the growth of Grain or Grass--with an apple Orchard and other Fruit Trees thereon.-- The Bui

" Are you thinking of Ong? Every night I think of Ong and of how he came to the pine woods long ago, hung his hat on a tree, and vanished from the face of the earth. I wonder... Was he devoured by bears or other wild beasts? Was he swept away by a flood or sucked up by a tornado? Was he murdered and dragged off? Did he, wanting to "disappear," leave his hat behind as a false clue pointing to foul play? Was he kidnapped by beings not of this earth? (I wonder, for example, about those "strange boot prints" reported at the finding of his hat.) Or did he stumble upon some hole in time and space, that led nowhere in this world but everywhere in another? Does he now live somewhere close by, where we can't see him? Which is the answer? From time to time, as I worry over this mystery of Ong's disappearance, I go into the pine woods and walk up and down, kicking over the sandy soil and calling out. It is always quiet there and very hot. Alone, I think of Ong and