Rollestone, Bass River Township, Burlington County, NJ

[Christopher D Greene]

I am the great grandson of John W. Greene MD who live at Rollestone until his death on 28 Dec 1897. He was the first and only postmaster of Rollestone (for about 14 months).

I am looking for information regarding John Greene who was reportedly an eccentric recluse. I am seeking land evidence records regarding Rollestone which is now considered a lost hamlet. Any direction for additional information would be greatly appreciated.

In The Post Towns of Burlington County by John W. Edge of the NJ Postal Historical Society, I found a description as follows:


ROLLESTONE POST OFFICE ~ Established July 10, 1894 Rollestone was a short-lived postal facility established in Bass River Township, three quarters of a mile east of the Wading River, off the mail route between Wading River Post Office and Harrisia Post Office. It was located between the Beaver Run and Cranberry Creeks, one mile southeast from Harrisia Post Office and approximately two miles north of New Gretna and one quarter mile to the east of the main road to the latter. John W. Greene, the first and only postmaster at this place, gave no information as to the number of inhabitants living there. Little else is known of this obscure hamlet, except its location. A map drawn by E.L. Brown, mail contractor for postal route #9249 accompanied the location request form issued by Washington, D.C. Postal Department in June, 1894. July 10, 1894 Post office opened
August 7, 1895 Post office discontinued;
service to Wading River.

 

[Teegate]

I went through my info and could not find anything on it.

Guy

 

[Oriental]

Christopher,

The story of Dr. Green caught my interest several years ago. I am sure you know that this eccentric recluse was a well-respected physician from New York who at some point in the 1890s spurned city life and removed to the Jersey Pines. Dr. Green was not a young man when he relocated to the Wading River area where he reportedly lived in a “wretched hovel” for several years. Apparently, the good doctor was well to do and owned property in New York and Belmar as well as more than 1000 acres near Bass River. One account says that Green died from “tobacco heart” but another say he death was from apoplexy. He was 69. Several interesting stories surround his passing and the settling of his estate.

Records indicate that Green purchased two large parcels near the end of the Civil War. Each tract contained several hundred acres that were once a part of the Martha Furnace lands. In fact, the two lots were identified as lots “1” and “C” and represented the most southerly parcels from when the enormous Martha Furnace tract was divided in the late 1850s.

The application for the Rollestone Post office that you cited identifies the general area, however, it is greater than 6 miles as the crow flies from Harrisia to New Gretna so using that description is problematic. Beaver Run and Cranberry Creek do indeed pass through the lots that I mentioned above.

There was a third tract purchased in the early 1890s that I currently know little about. I'm guessing that his house may have been on this tract since he is supposed to have moved to the pines around the time of its purchase.

Final thoughts: It is curious that a post office would be ¼ mile east of the main road as described in your post. Also, I would think that when John W. Edge called Rollestone a hamlet he was being generous. In all likelihood, the place hosted a single home.

Incidentally, I have found more than a few accounts of others who had abandoned a former life and settled in the Pines. Often these “outsiders” were reputed to have hidden their fortunes in the lonely woods!

At some point I will get the actual deeds to see if they shed some light on the area. Please continue to share anything that you discover and welcome to the site.

Rich

 

[Christopher D Greene]

Hi Rich,

Thanks for the reply. You have filled in some blanks regarding the property Dr. John owned. We knew he had property in the Pine Barrens but never knew where. I have several of his letters and his Will which indicated he lived in Rollestone and I began searching for a "Lost Town" in the Pine Barrens, of which there are many.

To say the good Dr. Greene was eccentric would be kind. Something happened to his mind in his later years and he abandoned his practice, family and friends to live in Rollestone. While he had a successful medical practice, he was also researching a cure for rabies. He traveled extensively through Europe and the Middle East as documented in his passport which I have.

His Executor was a Robert G. Blow, MD of Tuckerton. His Will was witnessed by Joseph B. Lamson, Ashton Lamson and CW Mathis on 27 Oct 1897. The Will appears to have been contested unsuccessfully and was admitted to Probate on 16 Jun 1898.

His son, Phillipse Ellis Greene is listed in the Will as Phillipse E. R. Greene. I have seen the "R" standing for Rollestone in other documents.

I would be very interested in any additional information available on Dr John Greene and will be visiting the site frequently

Chris.