Question For Lakehurst Residents

Lakehurstian1

New Member
Feb 26, 2015
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Lakehurst, NJ
For those of you who live in Lakehurst, I was recently trying to research the history of my home. I have found old documents with names of which maybe some of you from Lakehurst may remember. Do any of you remember an old fellow named William (Bill) Foulks or someone named Ford U. Ross. These people lived on Pine St in Lakehurst sometime in the 1950's. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Lakehurstian1:

I am not from Lakehurst, but I can provide you with some information based on historical research.

I presume that Ford U. Ross, owned or occupied your house during the 1950s-1960s, based on his naval service on blimps while stationed at Lakehurst. Ford has written several books on blimps and airships and here is a link that provides a picture of him on a blimp: http://www.naval-airships.org/page-655903. It appears he resides in Tampa, Florida, today, so you might be able to contact him there.

William H. Foulks is readily identifiable using the federal decennial census. Born during March 1871 in New Jersey, Foulks was 29 in 1900 and worked as a farmer. His household contained Ella, age 42, her second marriage; daughter, Ray, age 3; and stepson, John Bishop, age 19. According to the 1910 federal census, William’s wife’s formal given name was Elthear. In 1910, William worked odd jobs and rented a house on Hibernia Avenue in Lakehurst. His daughter was still in the household, but the stepson had moved on. In 1920, William and family owned a house on Pine Street—presumably your house, making him the first owner. He owned the house free and clear with no mortgage. He lived there with his wife and granddaughter, Metta, age 10. Leaving his handyman work behind, by 1920, William had obtained a position as a boilermaker at the Central Railroad of New Jersey shop complex in Lakehurst. The 1930 census enumerator recorded William as a widower living in the house, which the census lists as having a $2500 value; he also owned a radio. William continued working at the railroad shops washing out locomotive boilers. He rented much of the house on Pine Street to a handyman named Joel Ridgway, age 31, who lived there with his wife, Helen, age 21; son, Harry, age 3 years 5 months; and son, Joel Jr., age 1 year 8 months. Joel Sr. paid $15 per month for rent to William. I cannot find William in the 1940 census, so he probably died sometime during the 1930s.

If you visit the Ocean County Surrogate’s Office in Toms River, you can review William Foulk’s probate file. You can also conduct a complete title search on your property in the Ocean County Clerk’s Office. If you can provide me with your property tax block and lot number using the private message/conversation tool here in the forums, I may be able to send you additional information.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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Jerseyman is always quite busy but he most certainly will get back to you.
 
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