Atsion To Boot Hill

[james ungehajer]

Everyone

Me and my friend started out on Wednesday around 0930 to visit places that we had been to in the Pines many times before, and also to a few places that we have never visited, while on the way to our first stop at Atsion, while traveling on Stokes Road, i took the following pic. There is also another Furnace named Etna between Head Of River and Tuckahoe. This Furnace site was established by Charles Read, who also built Taunton, Batsto, and the Atsion Ironworks, he also established the first library in his hometown of Burlington.

Moving on, we then arrived at Atsion to do some Geodetic searching, a man was in the process of mowing the place which made our search easier, here is the first find.

Also while in the area we found this Stone, i do not know if it has any significance or not.

We tried to find Reference Marks and the Azimuth Mark, we did not find them, we probably walked over the Azimuth as i saw a pic of it on the NGS website today, i now know the exact location, we then traveled further South on Rt.206 and found the next Marker.

We then got back in the car to go to Batsto, arriving at the Fire Tower, which was manned, we then searched and found the following Geodetic, which is Station Number 1.

Then it was on to look for the Azimuth Mark which we found within minutes.

Our searched ended, my friend wanted to see the Pine Barrens United Methodist Church at Pleasant Mills, arriving at the site i took the following pic of the Church.

We took a short walk back to the Bridge, and it is girdered on both ends. We then viewed the grave site of Jesse Richards who built two Glassworks at Batsto, the first in 1846, the second in 1848.

Here is a view of a part of the Cemetery, a very small part of it.

Getting back in the car we then went to the site of where the famous outlaw of the Pines was captured by Captain Baylin while he was enjoying his usual forays of song and dance, he was taken to Burlington, tried and convicted, hung, his body was returned to the area, his grave site is in the High Bank area of the Mullica River.

Leaving the area it was now on to places that i have never been to before, driving to Union Road, we tried to locate a Camden-Atlantic County Marker, due to the foliage we decided to visit at another time, Then it was on to Myrtle Avenue to view another marker, our way was blocked by a Sod Farm.

We then traveled to Rockwood Road , i have never been here before, on the way back to Rt.206, i took the following pic of these Flowers of which i do not know the name, Flora and Fauna i have no knowledge of.

Arriving back on Rt.206 and traveling North we then took another sand road that i have never been on before, i took the following pic of this Gun Club.

After investigating the place further we then went as far as we could go in my car, and upon the return to Rt.206 i took this pic of this abandoned house. I presume this is the Dave Amato Homestead ?

Time now to call it a day, as we had to help my friend pick up a vehicle which was given to him by his Daughter in Glassboro, he was born and raised there, we picked up the vehicle and upon returning to his house around Camp Inawendiwin it was refreshment time.

All in all it was a nice Sunny day, low humidity, and new places were visited for future visits, a great day to drive in the Pines, the Deet and Permanone was a necessity yesterday as the Ticks were bad.

Jim

 

[Ben Ruset]

Yes -- that's the Amato house.

 

[Teegate]

A well rounded day Jim as usual.

You missed the Reference Mark at Atsion by the station. It is right along the edge of the woods.There is another one farther back in the woods, but I would not go there. Actually, I am not certain it is there but it should be. You better wear body armor for that one. My photo of the Azimuth should help you find that.

Guy

 

[james ungehajer]

A well rounded day Jim as usual.

You missed the Reference Mark at Atsion by the station. It is right along the edge of the woods.There is another one farther back in the woods, but I would not go there. Actually, I am not certain it is there but it should be. You better wear body armor for that one. My photo of the Azimuth should help you find that.

Guy

I saw your photo of the Azimuth on the Society website, we must have walked over the marker numerous times.

The reference mark in the woods at Atsion will remain undetected, no way.

Jim

 

[LARGO]

Good trip Jim!
You visited some favored spots. Thanks for sharing. Boot Hill is always entertaining as is Amato's house but by far in years past, my favorite part of that stop was...
http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/data/424/medium/Bog_Beast.jpg
You do not know how many times I wanted to go back & tow it home.

g.

 

[james ungehajer]

Me and my friend were discussing the age of that vehicle. We also decided that on our next outing about going to Iron Mills via the Fleming Pike from Elm on Rt.30.

Jim

 

[Ben Ruset]

Iron Mills is disappointing. There's just the bridge to see.

 

[britheflyersguy]

What is the importance of these markers? It might be ignorance on my part but I don't get too excited by a metal circle in the woods. Could it just be the thrill of the search? Kinda like a scavenger hunt? Anyway, someone school me!!

 

[britheflyersguy]

We also decided that on our next outing about going to Iron Mills via the Fleming Pike from Elm on Rt.30.

Jim

That part of Fleming Pike runs along the old Jersey Central tracks, I believe. I've been up and down that area (it's on my way home from work) and I find it to be blah. Hey Camden county, what do you expect. I enjoy Burlco and Atlantic county MUCH better. If I just gotta cure that itch, the section by Chew Rd. suffices just fine. Burnt House, Atsion, Sandy Causeway, Maple Swamp, Old Jackson. Nice area, not many areas to get stuck (which is why I like it).

 

[LARGO]

Iron Mills is disappointing. There's just the bridge to see.

Sorry man,
With all due respect, I do not feel it is a dissapointment. The facts of a mill exist as much as a boring cellar hole from a century gone tavern. Ya just gotta look and there's good stuff, and a breath away is a great trestle as some know. Trust me, if you grew up back there stomping around and soaking in the Albertson before it was known as a log choaked trickle, that word would not fit.
It ain't all about ruins, markers, swamp pink & frogs.

g.

 

[Jerseyman]

Folks:

Perhaps a bit of history about Iron Mill would “brighten” this Waterford Township location for all concerned. Charles S. Boyer noted in his research that the Camden County Historical Society used to publish Old Mills of Camden County in 1962, “When it was built, history does not record, but it can probably be dated from the latter part of the eighteenth century, or early part of nineteenth century, when the iron furnaces and forges nearby were in full blast” (Boyer 1962:61-62). The book continues discussing Iron Mill by stating, “This was, no doubt, the mill mentioned in a road return of July 18, 1838, (Gloucester County Road Return Book D, p. 29) in which Richards’ new sawmill, near the foot of Blue Anchor Branch, is given as one of the direction marks” (Boyer 1962:62). Whether a mill existed here prior to Richards constructing his “new” sawmill is unknown, but Boyer’s reference to “latter part of the eighteenth century” seems speculative at best. The road mentioned in the preceding quote is the forerunner of the Fleming Pike and the roadway took a jog across the dam for easy passage over the watercourse. This surveyed road was intended to continue from Bobby's Causeway northeasterly to Atsion and locals sometimes referred to the roadway as the Atsion Turnpike, although no toll was known to have been collected along it. The tract of land upon which included Iron Mill was part of the Atsion lands that Samuel Richards acquired in 1828. The mill sat circa two miles east of the White Horse Pike above Elm, which had been extended from Atco down to Elm and beyond during the same year that Richards bought the Atsion Lands. Richards died in 1842, but apparently his heirs retained possession of Iron Mill for an undetermined period of time.

The 1860 Lake & Beers Map of the Vicinity of Philadelphia indicates the partnership of Landros & Burns leased the sawmill (I will add a scan of this map tomorrow). A year earlier, William C. Lippincott conveyed to Freedom W. Lippincott a cedar swamp along Albertson’s Branch “below what is called the Iron Saw Mill” (Camden County Deed Book 34:511). The late place name historian William Farr (who supplied a portion of the information in this post) reported, "Wharton Avenue (Spring Garden to Iron Mill), laid out in 1878 (Camden County Road Return Book A:214) had earlier been called Iron Mill Road as the southern portion of Pestletown Road [in 1871] (Camden County Road Return Book A:180).” John Clement’s manuscript Maps and Drafts, Vol. 5, p. 61, depicts the mill on the north side of the raceway, about 600 feet below the dam and a 34-acre millpond. Although the reproduction quality is not great due to it being a print-out from the microfilm edition I have of Maps and Drafts, here is a portion of John Clement’s map that depicts the Iron Mill and the dwellings associated with it (viewable near the bottom right-hand corner of the map):

In the 28 March 1866 edition of the West Jersey Press, Charles D. Matlack placed an advertisement for the sawmill, several dwellings, and 175 acres of land. Matlack suggests in the same ad that the millpond could be drained and converted into a cranberry meadow or bog. Matlack sold the millpond to Charles S. Elwood and Isaac Braddock on 2 June 1866 (Camden County Deed Book 51:124). The deed refers to the Fleming Pike as Iron Mill Road. Matlack sold the remaining two lots to the same two men on 19 August 1867 (Camden County Deed Book 56:270). Matlack likely sold these parcels from a 500-acre tract of land he acquired from Sarah Dickson on 3 August 1864 (Camden County Deed Book 43:620). By the time G.H. Walker published his 1877 Map of Camden County, New Jersey, the sawmill had ceased operations and the map notes “Site of Old Iron Mill.”

Here is a detail from the 1877 map:

There are four schools of thought on how the Iron Mill received its name:

1. Since Samuel Richards constructed the mill as part of the Atsion Tract and Richards was heavily involved in iron production in the area, the sawmill became known as “Iron Mill.”

2. The millseat may have been intended to be used as a slitting and rolling mill (an “iron mill”), but Richards constructed a sawmill instead.

3. The sawing equipment consisted of all iron parts instead of the normal wooden uprights, track, and carriage.

4. The mill building, like the portion of the dam that is still present under the bridge, featured all ironstone construction, giving the structure an “iron” appearance.

Of these four possible explanations, I deem number four to be closest to the truth, having personally visited the site and viewed the material used to construct the dam.

There is a generally a good story to every location and while a site may not look like much at first glance, a bit of research will often bring the place alive.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[LARGO]

I suspect you have opened some eyes to this dissapointment, and I have been further educated on a favored stop of the Fleming. A bonus.
Thank you.

And yes, remnants of the old can be seen supporting the new under the bridge. Like I said, just look.

g.

 

[Teegate]

And yes, remnants of the old can be seen supporting the new under the bridge. Like I said, just look.

g.

Nice maps Jerseyman! Always appreciate the fine maps you have. The is much to see there that does not show from the road. As Largo correctly pretty much says, you must get your feet dirty to see the finer parts. And thanks to Ben for telling me about that bridge area history many years ago.

Guy

 

[Jerseyman]

Guy:

Yes, you absolutely must get dirty to see the full scope of things there at Iron Mill. Although I have not completed the deed research to confirm it, I suspect that when the Vineland Railway purchased its right-of-way through this vicinity, beginning in 1867, the railroad acquired the millsite and demolished any remnants of this venerable old building to permit constructing its track and trestle over the waterway. The mill's raceway, though truncated, is still quite evident in the landscape, but it is usually dry, if I recall correctly.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[Ben Ruset]

Sorry man,
With all due respect, I do not feel it is a dissapointment. The facts of a mill exist as much as a boring cellar hole from a century gone tavern. Ya just gotta look and there's good stuff, and a breath away is a great trestle as some know. Trust me, if you grew up back there stomping around and soaking in the Albertson before it was known as a log choaked trickle, that word would not fit.
It ain't all about ruins, markers, swamp pink & frogs.

g.

Well, to be fair, I've only been to that area twice in my life, and I am sure that there are far more interesting things to be seen than I have found. Sorry to have offended you!

 

[LARGO]

The mill's raceway, though truncated, is still quite evident in the landscape, but it is usually dry, if I recall correctly. Best regards,
Jerseyman

You really have to have a wet seaon for the raceway to be obvious.
The restricted flow of the water keeps it at bay but in the winter you can go right down in there with a little effort.
With a little imagination you can actually envision the operation a bit.
That same imagination and a little information about a given location in the Pines can bring alive visions of entire communites, generations, changing landscape, and industries of the area.

Ben,
No offense taken. I was just voicing.
There are probably many aspects of the region I might not jump up and down about that you may see wonder in. The same could be said of a Herper stepping right over a marker to visit a well hidden snake den. Plenty of interests here, that's what makes it interesting. Thanks.

g.

 

[MarkBNJ]

Great stuff, Jerseyman. I've been wanting to check out the area around Parkdale, and now I have another reason.

 

[RednekF350]

Jerseyman,
An amazing snapshot of history as usual.
Just as Largo does, I spend a lot of time in that haunt year round. I actually walk along road that folows the edge of the former mill pond almost every night.
I would like to trouble you a little further if possible.
I haved lived here twenty five years now and I have not gotten a good answer as to the origin of the local moniker, Miller's Bogs. (Forget about Pestletown )
These bogs are evident beginning just upstream from Iron Mill and continue in series up the Albertson Branch all the way to the Old White Horse Pike. Some State workers call them the Ancora bogs.
I have showed Guy this area and we have viewed copies of Wharton surveys on the north and south side of the Albertson and no reference to Miller is found.
Obviously I could do the Miller grantee-grantor thing in the years prior to the State's acquisition but Miller could be a little cumbersome.
Do any of your maps have a Miller reference in that area?
Thanks.
Scott

 

[LARGO]

Scott,
I myself would like clarity on that. Seems as though my best guesses have been wrong as well over the years (shocker there 'eh).

What I also must inquire about is a little anomaly called "Springtown" up the end of Wharton Ave by the now gone rail bridge heading to "Spring" Garden Road. It is remarkably Near an area on the jeep trail leading up to D/B hill that always intrigued me as "disturbed". On the old 1930's arials it is clear as day that something, albeit it small, existed. This is just before a known test well. I shall tromp it when weather is cooler but for now I am curious.
That said, sorry to hijack the thread again but these mysteries torment.
I will say I am surprised to see how far back the bog system at Miller's actually extended back then.

As far as Iron Mill, the dialogue had me headed there on Father's Day afternoon. A pleasant Quad ride with my daughter to enjoy the turf farms and then a walk on the Trestle. The air change once you pass over the bridge and through the Cedar swamp is invigorating. Always a pleasure.

g.

 

[bobpbx]

I feel a light breeze in Bamber tonite.

Oh wait.....that is just Jerseyman fanning through his library in search of the mysterious Miller.