Hessian Burials

[Jerseyman]

Jerseyman,
You shot me right through the heart. I can not believe that is not the old high school. The old guys in town always said it was and the high stadium was there behind it. It even looks like a high school, red brick and concrete. However, having said all of this I will not disagree with historical facts. Also, I didn’t know the Monmouth Street School was the high school at one time. I went there up to sixth grade.

I may have to get our old friend Dave Munn to check this out; if he is still around I have not seen him since high school. Just kidding of coarse.

Another good friend was Harry Demarest he was my history teacher. I spent many hours listening to him talk on history.

Don

Don:

I’m glad you responded because something in the back of my mind started to click. So, I called Dave Munn, one of my closest and dearest friends, and he confirmed what was bubbling up. While the shipyard office building was built for that purpose, the city board of education DID lease the building for two or three years for use as a high school while they worked to complete the secondary ed building that opened in 1934. So, we are both right and both wrong!

The Stadium dates to the years immediately following the Second World War. Returning GIs wanted to resume their athletic activities, so the city fathers raised private money to build a baseball field, track, hockey field, etc. The Mustangs and a number of other teams played there. Sometime subsequent to the facility’s completion, the board of education assumed the maintenance responsibilities in exchange for allowing the school students use of the fields.

My apologies for shooting you through the heart; perhaps you can consider it more like a shoulder graze!

Best regards,
Jerseyman

P.S. I presume you attended football games while a student, so you probably saw the one-man wrecking crew: Humbee! I knew Jack Hamilton in later years after he became a Methodist minister.

 

[Jerseyman]

Mr. Jerseyman you are a incredible.

Is that one of those Pixar characters?

Seriously, Pineywoman, I am always happy to help out and share my knowledge of local history to anyone who expresses an interest.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[Ben Ruset]

My apologies for shooting you through the heart; perhaps you can consider it more like a shoulder graze!

'Tis but a scratch.

 

[Don Catts]

Jerseyman, a shoulder graze it is

That is funny, I was kidding when I said I’d get Dave check it out. But you did call him.
The next time you talk to him say hello for me. You have to say Sam Catts he does not know me as Don.

I was on the same team with “Fat Jack” as he was known in high school. He was a tackle on the line and I played end and halfback. What a surprise when he said he was going to school to be a minister. He must have had a calling because not only did he become a Methodist minister, he became a truly outstanding Methodist minister.

Jack Hamilton was one year ahead of me and I think Dave’s brother Bruce Munn was in Jack’s class. Jack was a Brooklawn boy. I was class of 1958 and Dave was two years after me.
Thanks for the fellow up on the old building, I know between Dave and your Camden County’s history is well covered.


Ben, that is what I call a real scratch, how do you find these picture so fast.

Don

 

[pineywoman]

Hahaha. Nope. Another grammatical error on my computer and my complete stupidity. Ben, fix this forum for iPad users won't ya? Lol

(Just saying I can't upload photos) Booo.



Don, rock on buddy!!

 

[Teegate]

Be careful on the river since they had so much rain recently.

 

[pineywoman]

I am planning to go on Sunday. Water should go down by then? I'm trying to explore why the weather is still nice. Going to be 75 and sunny. I am actually looking forward to it since folks have mentioned to me that this is a trip I need to take.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Hahaha. Nope. Another grammatical error on my computer and my complete stupidity. Ben, fix this forum for iPad users won't ya? Lol

Yeah, I don't know if you can access your camera roll through the browser to attach photos.

 

[pineywoman]

Ben, a friend just forwarded me this site. Called, Ghost Towns of South Jersey about the Pine Barrens, hiking and South Jersey. They took your idea!! You guys were the first. Those mother humpers!! Yes, I am unable to upload any photos and is a pain in the hiney. I rarely go on the desktop.

 

[piker56]

Jerseyman, a shoulder graze it is

That is funny, I was kidding when I said I’d get Dave check it out. But you did call him.
The next time you talk to him say hello for me. You have to say Sam Catts he does not know me as Don.

I was on the same team with “Fat Jack” as he was known in high school. He was a tackle on the line and I played end and halfback. What a surprise when he said he was going to school to be a minister. He must have had a calling because not only did he become a Methodist minister, he became a truly outstanding Methodist minister.

Jack Hamilton was one year ahead of me and I think Dave’s brother Bruce Munn was in Jack’s class. Jack was a Brooklawn boy. I was class of 1958 and Dave was two years after me.
Thanks for the fellow up on the old building, I know between Dave and your Camden County’s history is well covered.


Ben, that is what I call a real scratch, how do you find these picture so fast.

Don

I was pretty much an agnostic until I met Jack Hamilton in 1974. I never knew he was a "Brooklawn Boy". I moved to Brooklawn in 1964. Jack was a fine man.
Greg

 

[Don Catts]

I was pretty much an agnostic until I met Jack Hamilton in 1974. I never knew he was a "Brooklawn Boy". I moved to Brooklawn in 1964. Jack was a fine man.
Greg

Greg,

Did you go to Gloucester High School?

Yes, Jack was a Brooklawn boy, he was second team, “All South Jersey” football in his senior year. He and I worked at the New York Shipyard in Camden for a short time after high school. We worked on the USS Kitty hawk around 1960.

As a Methodist minister he touched many people. He was my older brothers minister in Collingswood. My younger brother who was also a Methodist minister knew him well.

Don

 

[pineywoman]

Brooklawn rocks.

 

[piker56]

Greg,

Did you go to Gloucester High School?

Yes, Jack was a Brooklawn boy, he was second team, “All South Jersey” football in his senior year. He and I worked at the New York Shipyard in Camden for a short time after high school. We worked on the USS Kitty hawk around 1960.

As a Methodist minister he touched many people. He was my older brothers minister in Collingswood. My younger brother who was also a Methodist minister knew him well.

Don

I didn't go to Gloucester High, I went to Camden County Vocational in Pennsauken. My dad worked at New York Ship too, until it closed. If you've ever seen the books on local towns, my dad is in the Camden book, in the picture taken the day the shipyard closed. BTW, I still attend Church in Brooklawn. It still seems like home.

 

[pineywoman]

Got to tour the inside of the Whittall house about 2 weeks ago. The woman who gave the tour said that I should join their society, lol. She said I knew more than she did. Hahaha. Was pretty funny. Usually you see old people doing these tours. I would look so funny in the colonial women's garb they normally wear. However, she didn't really know about the cannon shot that made Ann go to the basement of that room (supposedly was southeast room) That was weird. Oh well. A reenactment is coming up with house tours etc in the next few months and should be interesting.

 

[dogg57]

http://www.nj.searchroots.com/Gloucesterco/deptfordcem.html

According to the current caretaker of the Ann Whitall House in National Park, after the "Battle of Red Bank," the Hessian soldiers involved in that battle were buried in the trenches at the site of the battle and they were later moved to the Strangers Burial Ground at Woodbury, New Jersey. She stated that, even later (when their remains were "just bones,") they were removed to this Strangers Burial Ground in Deptford. The site at both Woodbury, and later Deptford, was called "Strangers Burial Ground," because those buried were not members of any of the local religious communities.http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wcarr1/Lossing1/Chap35.html

 

[pineywoman]

Hmm. Going to probably explore the cemetery. I'm sure they didn't remove every remain from the trenches either. Pretty creepy.

 

[pineywoman]

I recently wrote an article in the West Deptford Patch in regards to Frank Stewart and his legacy. http://westdeptford.patch.com/blog_posts/national-park-nj-saved-by-one-man-who-saw-the-master-plan

Jerseyman is definitely a top guy and Stewart of our generation. I actually can't wait until he posts some more articles to his blog. I check it from time to time.

 

[pineywoman]

Today, I visited the Gloucester County Historical Society. I was knocked to my knickers! They have the fireplace from Huggs Tavern, an eagle that was shot at Washington Park. Hessian artificats, Lenni-Lenape, Tyco trains (which I never knew originated in Woodbury) and many more interesting pieces! You guys have to check it out since it also has artificats from Fort Mercer, they also have the ORIGiNAL marriage certificate of Betsy Ross to John Ross. What a great little gem in our backyard!

 

[Teegate]

It can't be true ... nobody wears knickers

Glad you enjoyed the place.

 

[Jerseyman]

Today, I visited the Gloucester County Historical Society. I was knocked to my knickers! They have the fireplace from Huggs Tavern, an eagle that was shot at Washington Park. Hessian artificats, Lenni-Lenape, Tyco trains (which I never knew originated in Woodbury) and many more interesting pieces! You guys have to check it out since it also has artificats from Fort Mercer, they also have the ORIGiNAL marriage certificate of Betsy Ross to John Ross. What a great little gem in our backyard!

Pineywoman:

The Camden County Historical Society has or did have two mantels from Hugg’s Tavern. The Camden County Park Commission razed the building in 1928 to construct a swimming pool and playground. Unlike the GCHS, Camden County houses their mantels in the basement of Pomona Hall. John Tyler, a resident of the Woodbury Heights section of Mantua Township, Gloucester County (located south of Woodbury), formed the Tyler Manufacturing Company—or TYCO—and began manufacturing model trains in the 1940s under the “Mantua” brand name. Here is a website with some company history: http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/id1.html.

In the “keeping it real” portion of my response, historians no longer use the appellation “Lenni-Lenape” as both words carry the same meaning: “the original people.” And the marriage certificate is for Betsy Griscom to John Ross. The wedding occurred in Hugg’s Tavern because Betsy was marrying “contrary to discipline,” i.e., she married an Anglican and not a member of the Society of Friends.

Keep up the good fieldwork!

Best regards,
Jerseyman