Lawrence Line Survey

Teegate

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An actual photo of it before it was taken. If you have viewed this somewhere let me know.

Hanover_1824.jpg
 
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Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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I found some info. But first, I know the location of all of the known stones along the line from Jackson to route 9. I have them all plotted on Google Earth. I started at #15 near route 72 and ran a line down to #5 on route 9 and most of them are within 5 feet or so according to my plotting on Google earth. So, I then extended the line across to the island and here is where the Lawrence line begins. Again, this is within 5 feet or so of most of the stones. Some of them are surveyors coordinates and they match up with mine.

The line crosses just south of Beach Haven near the intersection of Pershing ave and West Ave.

Beach.jpg



It goes right across the roof of Bowker's South Beach Grill on the other side of the island.


Bowkers.jpg



I can guarantee you my line is very very close. It runs almost 10 miles between two of the stones I know of and it goes right over them and the others. Then it runs 5 more miles to the beach.

This is number 5 at the Getty gas station on route 9. You can see the stone under the pointer. The line is about 3 feet away according to my Google Earth

5.jpg



And this is #15 by route 72 and you can see I started the line there.

15.jpg
 

Mcgiiver

New Member
Jul 1, 2022
11
3
Princeton
I found some info. But first, I know the location of all of the known stones along the line from Jackson to route 9. I have them all plotted on Google Earth. I started at #15 near route 72 and ran a line down to #5 on route 9 and most of them are within 5 feet or so according to my plotting on Google earth. So, I then extended the line across to the island and here is where the Lawrence line begins. Again, this is within 5 feet or so of most of the stones. Some of them are surveyors coordinates and they match up with mine.

The line crosses just south of Beach Haven near the intersection of Pershing ave and West Ave.

View attachment 17595


It goes right across the roof of Bowker's South Beach Grill on the other side of the island.


View attachment 17596


I can guarantee you my line is very very close. It runs almost 10 miles between two of the stones I know of and it goes right over them and the others. Then it runs 5 more miles to the beach.

This is number 5 at the Getty gas station on route 9. You can see the stone under the pointer. The line is about 3 feet away according to my Google Earth

View attachment 17597


And this is #15 by route 72 and you can see I started the line there.

View attachment 17598
Thank you, great information.
 

Mcgiiver

New Member
Jul 1, 2022
11
3
Princeton
I found some info. But first, I know the location of all of the known stones along the line from Jackson to route 9. I have them all plotted on Google Earth. I started at #15 near route 72 and ran a line down to #5 on route 9 and most of them are within 5 feet or so according to my plotting on Google earth. So, I then extended the line across to the island and here is where the Lawrence line begins. Again, this is within 5 feet or so of most of the stones. Some of them are surveyors coordinates and they match up with mine.

The line crosses just south of Beach Haven near the intersection of Pershing ave and West Ave.

View attachment 17595


It goes right across the roof of Bowker's South Beach Grill on the other side of the island.


View attachment 17596


I can guarantee you my line is very very close. It runs almost 10 miles between two of the stones I know of and it goes right over them and the others. Then it runs 5 more miles to the beach.

This is number 5 at the Getty gas station on route 9. You can see the stone under the pointer. The line is about 3 feet away according to my Google Earth

View attachment 17597


And this is #15 by route 72 and you can see I started the line there.

View attachment 17598
Any insights as to why the point on the beach was chosen as the beginning point? Was there any structure of significance present at that time? Has anyone searched for the point in modern times?
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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It is really confusing. The beginning point is Keiths point surveyed years before Lawrence. But Lawrence apparently did not start his survey there. He worked his way back from around the 5 mile point at the Getty station. See if you agree below. Also, I believe that that location on the island was the inlet and the rest of the island has grown since 1743.

Eggharbor Sept 23rd 1743

Began on George Keiths line shown to me by Jacob Conners aged about 40 years and brought up at the house of Jarvis Pharo near said Keith's line, who was well acquainted with said line and the lands joining to it on both sides near the bay. Showed me a row of marked trees which he said has always been deemed (since his memory) George Keiths line, which row of trees I followed about 30 chains to the edge of a meadow which bore as near as I could take the course by said trees about S 19 E, then from pine stump at the edge of the upland (being a tree when John Chapman run the line, said Conners being present at it with said Chapman and marked for Keith's line), to a bunch of marsh elders at the edge of the bay: said Keith's line bore exactly S 19 E which said elders was always deemed to be in Keith's line, then directed my compass to the signal on the beach which bore S 25 E, then run from said pine N 71 E, 29 chains, then run from said pine N 71 E 29 chains then the signal at the beach bore S 18 45 E, then chained from the signal on the beach S 18 E 29 chains to the middle of the beach, then took the general course to the beach S 35 W.

Then run from the end of the course N 71 E 29 chains the said course N 71 E 23 chains by computation found the general course of the middle of the beach's intersection of George's Keith's line to bear S 9 45 E and distant from said intersection 323 chains or 4 miles 3 chains and distant from George's 52 chains. A hickory saplings being about 10 inches diameter standing on a long point of upland in Jarvis Pharo's field and 1 1/2 chains SSE from the 4 mile end marked as aforesaid course is N 9 45 W. At 4 miles and 15 chains Jarvis Pharo's house bore N 59 W: at 24 chains Westaconk Creek 1 1/2 chains wide general course about N 60 W. At 45 chains said Pharo's house S 4 _ ___, 58 Jacob Connors house bore West about 4 chain distant at 70 chains crossed the Eggharbor Road the course where it bore N 40 E.

The line of trees in the random line marked with 3 notches on two sides;
The side trees marked with two blazes and towards the line;
The mile trees marked 3 notches on four sides besides the number.
Course N 9 45 W according to the magnetic needle.

As you can see the info is very confusing. I am sure that is why John Taylor and the others in the 1990s started at mile post 5 at the Getty gas station, which BTW was not put there by Lawrence. A stone was placed there in 1839 by Thomas Gordon and Francis Brinley when they resurveyed the first 40 miles of the line. In 1863 the first plaque was erected there by George Sykes and Edward Brinley to commemorate the 1843 survey of Lawrence, the 1815 resurvey by Thomas Debow and the 1839 resurvey by Gordon and Brinley. After this point in time the stone was replaced by the marker that currently there. In 1925 the road was widened and records show it was not moved at that time.
 
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Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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Any insights as to why the point on the beach was chosen as the beginning point? Was there any structure of significance present at that time? Has anyone searched for the point in modern times?

I suspect that is private property. I would not even try to go there if I were you.
 

Mcgiiver

New Member
Jul 1, 2022
11
3
Princeton
It is really confusing. The beginning point is Keiths point surveyed years before Lawrence. But Lawrence apparently did not start his survey there. He worked his way back from around the 5 mile point at the Getty station. See if you agree below. Also, I believe that that location on the island was the inlet and the rest of the island has grown since 1743.

Eggharbor Sept 23rd 1743

Began on George Keiths line shown to me by Jacob Conners aged about 40 years and brought up at the house of Jarvis Pharo near said Keith's line, who was well acquainted with said line and the lands joining to it on both sides near the bay. Showed me a row of marked trees which he said has always been deemed (since his memory) George Keiths line, which row of trees I followed about 30 chains to the edge of a meadow which bore as near as I could take the course by said trees about S 19 E, then from pine stump at the edge of the upland (being a tree when John Chapman run the line, said Conners being present at it with said Chapman and marked for Keith's line), to a bunch of marsh elders at the edge of the bay: said Keith's line bore exactly S 19 E which said elders was always deemed to be in Keith's line, then directed my compass to the signal on the beach which bore S 25 E, then run from said pine N 71 E, 29 chains, then run from said pine N 71 E 29 chains then the signal at the beach bore S 18 45 E, then chained from the signal on the beach S 18 E 29 chains to the middle of the beach, then took the general course to the beach S 35 W.

Then run from the end of the course N 71 E 29 chains the said course N 71 E 23 chains by computation found the general course of the middle of the beach's intersection of George's Keith's line to bear S 9 45 E and distant from said intersection 323 chains or 4 miles 3 chains and distant from George's 52 chains. A hickory saplings being about 10 inches diameter standing on a long point of upland in Jarvis Pharo's field and 1 1/2 chains SSE from the 4 mile end marked as aforesaid course is N 9 45 W. At 4 miles and 15 chains Jarvis Pharo's house bore N 59 W: at 24 chains Westaconk Creek 1 1/2 chains wide general course about N 60 W. At 45 chains said Pharo's house S 4 _ ___, 58 Jacob Connors house bore West about 4 chain distant at 70 chains crossed the Eggharbor Road the course where it bore N 40 E.

The line of trees in the random line marked with 3 notches on two sides;
The side trees marked with two blazes and towards the line;
The mile trees marked 3 notches on four sides besides the number.
Course N 9 45 W according to the magnetic needle.

As you can see the info is very confusing. I am sure that is why John Taylor and the others in the 1990s started at mile post 5 at the Getty gas station, which BTW was not put there by Lawrence. A stone was placed there in 1839 by Thomas Gordon and Francis Brinley when they resurveyed the first 40 miles of the line. In 1863 the first plaque was erected there by George Sykes and Edward Brinley to commemorate the 1843 survey of Lawrence, the 1815 resurvey by Thomas Debow and the 1839 resurvey by Gordon and Brinley. After this point in time the stone was replaced by the marker that currently there. In 1925 the road was widened and records show it was not moved at that time.
Very confusing indeed, thanks for the info.
 

Boyd

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Teegate

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I am certain my location is pretty much spot on. They did not have the technology that we have today.
 

cszipper

New Member
Dec 26, 2020
6
10
Morris County, NJ
Does anyone have any information about the Lawrence Line's passage through Byram up in southern Sussex County? I do some volunteer work up there for Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation, the eastern border of which is partly formed by the Lawrence Line. Coxe's Rock, a glacial erratic that Lawrence supposedly used as a marker, is on our property line, and I'm looking for more information about it and any other nearby markers.

Many thanks to Teegate for giving me the necessary information to confirm the location of Coxe's Rock, a natural marker of the Lawrence Line located along the property line of the Scout camp where I volunteer. After much delay on my part, I've placed an explanatory marker at the site, which is just off of one of the camp's hiking trails.


20220724_100023.jpg
Coxe's Rock.jpg
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,686
4,861
Pines; Bamber area
Many thanks to Teegate for giving me the necessary information to confirm the location of Coxe's Rock, a natural marker of the Lawrence Line located along the property line of the Scout camp where I volunteer. After much delay on my part, I've placed an explanatory marker at the site, which is just off of one of the camp's hiking trails.


View attachment 17778
Well done.
 
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