All,
For the past week I have been pouring over maps and wearing my computer out, getting ready for an outing today with Al (manumuskin) to search for another “High Stone” Society Corner Stone. Each evening after work I would spend some time adding up chains, comparing maps, looking over aerial photo’s from various years, and finally making tracks to add to my GPS that would show me where the survey lines should actually be. Then using the lines and the total addition of chains, I would plot a spot that my personal “best practices” would accept. Basically, that means this is the best I can do
Keep in mind this was all done right in my computer. Even though I love being in the pines, this time of year it is best to do all the work here and only search once.
So the final results of my calculations put the stone on the right red line at location A. I added the other locations 100 feet apart in the event I was off. We just needed to work our way one by one through each letter.
A closer look.
All week while doing my calculations, I was thinking about who Elanthaa Davis was, since he is the person who set these stones in 1796, three years before George Washington died. Notice the “High Stone” symbol sticking up.
Searching on the internet provided nothing for me, so I asked our own version of Google ( Jerseyman) who Mr. Davis was. In short order I had my answer.
Guy:
Elnathan Davis (correct spelling) was born during 1735 in Shiloh, Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, the son of the Rev. Jonathan Davis, one of the founders and the first pastor of the Seventh-Day Baptist Church in that locality. He was the grandson of Elnathan Davis, who first settled at Trenton during the end of the seventeenth century. In May 1757, the Elnathan of your interest married Susanna Bond. The couple resided on a farm located about one-half mile southeast of Shiloh and entered into the profession of surveyor. The Surveyor General appointed Elnathan a deputy surveyor and he possessed a remarkable reputation for his accurate and outstanding field work. Because of his quality work, his client list was much larger than any of his contemporaries.
Now, here is what you will be interested in, Guy. About 1795, someone employed Elnathan to survey two large tracts of land, comprising a considerable number of acres and largely and the best portion of Fairfield Township, which pioneers from New Haven, Connecticut had settled during the 1640s. Their descendents continued to occupy and claim title to the land, hence the requirement for the survey. A lawsuit initiated by the West New Jersey Proprietors sought to claim the land. They settled on Pierpont Neck in western Fairfield Township and many of the folks lived in a locality known as New England Crossroads.
Elnathan Davis died in 1802. During his lifetime, he fathered ten children and his descendents continue to live in Cumberland County today.
Jerseyman
Our journey began this morning traveling a unused road where we eventually veered off and arrived at location Y shown in the above photo. Systematically we traveled between each one with Al taking the point, with me behind him and Jessica following me. The vegetation was dense making it hard to see anything. Suddenly, from ahead I heard a yell. Al appeared to be in pain but was yelling he had found the stone. The vegetation was so thick he had walked right into it hitting his knee. I could say it is his blood on the stone, but it is paint.
A closer look.
In the end we found it exactly on the line about 200 feet from where I calculated it to be. I named the waypoint “Knee” out of respect for Al’s injury
Eventually, we visited a stone Al found earlier this week.
Jessica found this today.
And Al found our only turtle of the day, a very relaxed female box turtle.
Thank you Al for an interesting day.
Guy
For the past week I have been pouring over maps and wearing my computer out, getting ready for an outing today with Al (manumuskin) to search for another “High Stone” Society Corner Stone. Each evening after work I would spend some time adding up chains, comparing maps, looking over aerial photo’s from various years, and finally making tracks to add to my GPS that would show me where the survey lines should actually be. Then using the lines and the total addition of chains, I would plot a spot that my personal “best practices” would accept. Basically, that means this is the best I can do
Keep in mind this was all done right in my computer. Even though I love being in the pines, this time of year it is best to do all the work here and only search once.So the final results of my calculations put the stone on the right red line at location A. I added the other locations 100 feet apart in the event I was off. We just needed to work our way one by one through each letter.
A closer look.
All week while doing my calculations, I was thinking about who Elanthaa Davis was, since he is the person who set these stones in 1796, three years before George Washington died. Notice the “High Stone” symbol sticking up.
Searching on the internet provided nothing for me, so I asked our own version of Google ( Jerseyman) who Mr. Davis was. In short order I had my answer.
Guy:
Elnathan Davis (correct spelling) was born during 1735 in Shiloh, Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, the son of the Rev. Jonathan Davis, one of the founders and the first pastor of the Seventh-Day Baptist Church in that locality. He was the grandson of Elnathan Davis, who first settled at Trenton during the end of the seventeenth century. In May 1757, the Elnathan of your interest married Susanna Bond. The couple resided on a farm located about one-half mile southeast of Shiloh and entered into the profession of surveyor. The Surveyor General appointed Elnathan a deputy surveyor and he possessed a remarkable reputation for his accurate and outstanding field work. Because of his quality work, his client list was much larger than any of his contemporaries.
Now, here is what you will be interested in, Guy. About 1795, someone employed Elnathan to survey two large tracts of land, comprising a considerable number of acres and largely and the best portion of Fairfield Township, which pioneers from New Haven, Connecticut had settled during the 1640s. Their descendents continued to occupy and claim title to the land, hence the requirement for the survey. A lawsuit initiated by the West New Jersey Proprietors sought to claim the land. They settled on Pierpont Neck in western Fairfield Township and many of the folks lived in a locality known as New England Crossroads.
Elnathan Davis died in 1802. During his lifetime, he fathered ten children and his descendents continue to live in Cumberland County today.
Jerseyman
Our journey began this morning traveling a unused road where we eventually veered off and arrived at location Y shown in the above photo. Systematically we traveled between each one with Al taking the point, with me behind him and Jessica following me. The vegetation was dense making it hard to see anything. Suddenly, from ahead I heard a yell. Al appeared to be in pain but was yelling he had found the stone. The vegetation was so thick he had walked right into it hitting his knee. I could say it is his blood on the stone, but it is paint.
A closer look.
In the end we found it exactly on the line about 200 feet from where I calculated it to be. I named the waypoint “Knee” out of respect for Al’s injury
Eventually, we visited a stone Al found earlier this week.
Jessica found this today.
And Al found our only turtle of the day, a very relaxed female box turtle.
Thank you Al for an interesting day.
Guy
