Hessian Island and a marker near by with initials JB

harlequinhawk

New Member
Aug 31, 2009
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Hello there,

Has anyone heard of a story about the Hessian soldiers robbing the old stage that ran through Ocean County and retreating to an island in Cassville/Jackson? I also am wondering if anyone has ever photographed a marker of Joseph D. Beers who purchased 25000 plus acres in the pines? See if I can attach a photo of a marker I found in Ocean County pines. I've got more photos on my Facebook page called Piney Tribe.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
jbmarker.JPG
 
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Teegate

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I have not been to that stone. I am glad to see there are more to find. :)
 

harlequinhawk

New Member
Aug 31, 2009
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I have not been to that stone. I am glad to see there are more to find. :)
So I'm trying to nail down the initials and history of this specific marker. Below is a comment on my Facebook page I made. I did a quick search here looking for pictures of markers. There was a discussion on the Jones Tract in Chatsworth and initially, someone proposed to me that the marker might have been a land marker for J.D.Beers who owned 25000 plus acres in the Pines. Have any of the markers you found had initials?

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Oh, the plot thickens. Well, not a plot per se but the possibilities. I bet you knew that New Jersey before it was the glorious NJ we know today was split in two? Three different lines over a short period of time were used to split the land into East and West Jersey. But did you know the land was given by the Duke of York in 1664 to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. Carteret got the West and Berkeley got the East (least how I read it on Wikipedia).
So is the marker with the letters JB one of the disputed lines dividing the state into East and West Jersey? JB for John Berkeley the 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton who from all accounts was full of himself. The Thornton Line is a boundary line or partition line surveyed in 1696 that runs nearest the area of this marker.
Thorton Line- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornton_Line#/map/0
 

MuckSavage

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Apr 1, 2005
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There were 3 lines throughout History. Thornton, Keith & Lawrence Lines separated E & W Jersey. Various discussion can be found here on NJPineBarrens. All interesting reads!
 
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Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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I have the Lawrence Line report from the late 1990s for the complete line. There is no mention of a JB stone in Ocean County. And I have visited every major known stone and a few monuments all the way to route 537 in Jackson. I doubt it is the Lawrence Line.

I take it you were in Jackson Township when you found the stone? If so, that is not the Jones Mill Tract. That property only goes to The Union Clay works area in Ocean County.
 

Teegate

Administrator
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Sep 17, 2002
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Have any of the markers you found had initials?

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Yes. However, I have never visited one with the initials JB. Since I don't know where the one you found is, I really can't even give a guess as to who it may be and if there are more.
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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In the photo on Facebook that shows the stone from a distance, it appears there is a concurrent monument next to the stone. Is there one??? If so, that may be of help. Basically, is there something behind the stone in the photo above?
 

Teegate

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Since you were okay with Bob posting your photo, I figured you would not mind me taking the other one. What is this that the arrow is pointing too? A shadow or a monument or something else?

object.JPG
 

harlequinhawk

New Member
Aug 31, 2009
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Since you were okay with Bob posting your photo, I figured you would not mind me taking the other one. What is this that the arrow is pointing too? A shadow or a monument or something else?

View attachment 12920
Teegate,

It's only one stone. We might head back out and look around a bit as we were looking for something else when we found this. Someone else mentioned J.D.Beers having owned a lot of land in the Pines area south of Ocean County. I'd disclose the location to you via email and or an escort ( I don't have coordinates). When I went internet hunting I found a few of the maps about East vs West Jersey and when zoomed in on the map in Wikipedia the Thorton Blue line passes right near this location. John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton's initials would be JB. You guys do Facebook as I've got a few photos logged there.

Again appreciate everyone's input. Location is deep in the Pines, across an old cranberry bog, over a creek into a cedar swamp.

Links: https://www.facebook.com/pineytribe/
Wikipedia map with three lines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn...FsAISATHVsWK-NwgNmzYsPHTa2p2mMy87bwiyE#/map/0
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
Guy, what was that stone you found in Greenwood Forest on the Chamberlin Branch that had initials on it? I was with you that day. I thought there was at least a "J" in the inscription. Somewhere around here.
 

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Teegate

Administrator
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Sep 17, 2002
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Guy, what was that stone you found in Greenwood Forest on the Chamberlin Branch that had initials on it? I was with you that day. I thought there was at least a "J" in the inscription. Somewhere around here.

You have that location wrong Bob. You are referring to the second Black stone.


IMG_9497a.JPG
 
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nitroracer1

New Member
May 30, 2006
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Hello there,

Has anyone heard of a story about the Hessian soldiers robbing the old stage that ran through Ocean County and retreating to an island in Cassville/Jackson? I also am wondering if anyone has ever photographed a marker of Joseph D. Beers who purchased 25000 plus acres in the pines? See if I can attach a photo of a marker I found in Ocean County pines. I've got more photos on my Facebook page called Piney Tribe.
No lakes with islands in jackson or cassville area
 
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