Dingletown

[relayer]

Perhaps it's because I don't see very well or else that I just don't pay attention but we were33 out the other day and I finally noticed that the Shamong Twp sports complex was named after Dingletown. "What's the story on that name?" I thought. After forgetting about it for a while I finally went to Signposts to look it up. Sadly, it was not there. So, I went to Google and found, among the team schedules, a few nuggets of information but not the origin of the name. Finally I came back here, to my digital home away from my digital home away from home, and, though I found a familiar thread on Goshen and an unfamiliar thread on Roads That Go Nowhere, I still was no closer to the origin of Dingletown. I did notice, however, that many of the folks on the forum were familiar with the locality. So, If anyone knows where the name came from, I'd be happy to hear.
Thanks Much
Best,

relayer

 

[Jerseyman]

Perhaps it's because I don't see very well or else that I just don't pay attention but we were33 out the other day and I finally noticed that the Shamong Twp sports complex was named after Dingletown. "What's the story on that name?" I thought. After forgetting about it for a while I finally went to Signposts to look it up. Sadly, it was not there. So, I went to Google and found, among the team schedules, a few nuggets of information but not the origin of the name. Finally I came back here, to my digital home away from my digital home away from home, and, though I found a familiar thread on Goshen and an unfamiliar thread on Roads That Go Nowhere, I still was no closer to the origin of Dingletown. I did notice, however, that many of the folks on the forum were familiar with the locality. So, If anyone knows where the name came from, I'd be happy to hear.
Thanks Much
Best,

relayer

Relayer:

I just noticed that no one responded to your query these several months, so I thought I might provide a wee bit of information. Past historians have had little (actually nothing at all!!) to say about Dingletown and its origins beyond mentions of Dingletown Road.

I really have nothing concrete to offer either, but using deductive reasoning, I think I can explain the origins of its name. A check of the 1860, 1870, and 1880 federal decennial census reveals several families of African Americans named Dingle residing within Burlington County. However, none are enumerated as living in Shamong Township during those census years. Rather, they are domiciled in either the City of Burlington or Springfield Township. In 1880, one is in the City of Beverly. Considering the number of blacks that once lived in Shamong for coaling operations and other manual labor occupations, I think it is reasonable to think that some Dingle family members could be found in Shamong at one time and lent their name as a moniker for a small settlement.

Of course, there is always the prosaic definition for dingle, which include "a deep narrow cleft between hills" or "a shady dell." The second of these definition MIGHT provide an explanation, depending on the physical geography of the locality.

All comments and any discussion are welcome on this toponym!

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[Trailhead00]

What Jerseyman said reminded me that there were some African American families living in that area years ago. The families seemed to be located either on Dingletown Road, Tuckerton Road between Oakshade and 206 and also on Flyatt Road. Irving Fryar's (ex-WR for the Eagles) mother was born in Indian Mills and lived on Dingletown Road. I met Irving Fryar one time and I told him I was from Indian Mills, knowing he was from Mt Holly, and he told me that was where his mother was born. So maybe some African American families named Dingle did live there and that's how the road received it's name. I at least know some African American families lived there. The road used to be called Dingletown Road as well but in the past few years it was switched to Forked Neck.

 

[PineyPaul]

From what I understand the people came from Dingle, Ireland, The town was named Dingletown. My Great grandfather was born Dingletown, His father last name Crain and
mother last name Scott.