Bard's Neck

willy

Scout
Jul 16, 2014
44
14
49
galloway nj
I was wondering: Is the are any evidence that the area surrounding bard's branch of Springer's Creek was known as bard's Neck?
Willy
 
Willy:

Welcome to the forums! In an attempt to provide a reasoned response to your query, I just completed a brief review of all Surveyor General surveys related to Bennet Bard and I find most of his land lay more or less northward of his sawmill on Bard’s Branch. This suggests to me that Bard’s Neck is the land lying between Bard’s Branch and Springer’s Creek, as shown on this detail from the Shamong Township plate in J.D. Scott’s 1876 atlas of Burlington County:

Detail, Shamong, 1876.jpg


Writing in his book, Sign Posts, Henry Bisbee notes:

BARDS NECK. Exact location in doubt. It may be that area between Springers Creek and Bards Branch or even a larger tract extending to Batsto River. Indications are that it was named for Bennet Bard, as his sawmill is mentioned in a 1739 survey.

His first suggestion agrees with my thesis, and I think this location makes sense, based on Bard’s proprietary surveys.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 
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willy

Scout
Jul 16, 2014
44
14
49
galloway nj
Jerseyman,
Thank you for your quick and as always insightful response. I notice you based your conclusion on the Band's proprietary surveys. Did you happen to notice a survey for 193 acres? If so, is there any way to located that particular piece of land?
 
Willy:

I just conducted a second review of Bennet Bard’s surveys recorded in the Surveyor General’s books and did not find a parcel containing 193 acres. I also examined the deeds granting Bard land, although I am missing one roll of microfilm that contains two deeds in which he is the grantee, but with the indentures I did examine, I failed to find one comprising 193 acres. Do you have a citation (book and page number) for the 193 acres? That would be most helpful!

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 

willy

Scout
Jul 16, 2014
44
14
49
galloway nj
Jersey man,
I know that 193 acres were surveyed to Philo Leeds. [surveyor General's at Burl. In Lib.- A. Folio 34]
I then know that John Burr, advertising "lands for sale" in a newspaper ad: "a Tract in partnership with Philo Leeds, called Bards Neck, 193 Acres". Just trying to place words with locations.
Thanks again for all the help
Willy
 
Willy:

That explains why I did not find a survey of 193 acres to Bennet Bard!

For a better description of the land in question, I suggest you examine two deeds in Colonial Deeds and Conveyances for West New Jersey, Liber I-K, beginning on page 71 and on page 84. You can also look at SGO survey book M2, page 14. Based on the dating of these deeds, the survey, and the partnership of Burr and Leeds, I am beginning to suspect that Bard’s Neck is named for Bennet Bard’s father, Peter Bard, but to find the evidence for such a hypothesis would take more time than I have available at the moment. If you can access the SGO’s survey books and the deed libers for the Colonial Deeds and Conveyances for West New Jersey, perhaps you can begin searching for the evidence. According to both deeds in Liber I-K, the stream that drained one of the swamps was known as “Ettoquarong” or some such name (spelling is a bit indistinct and varied between the two deeds). If you need some guidance on this research, please post a message in this thread or send me a PM.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 
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