Little Pine Mill

[oji]

Does anyone have any info on the location of Little Pine Mill. The photo in Forgotten Towns gave me an idea of where it might be and I have located some depressions in the ground and a foundation. I would like to have some more info to make sure I'm on the right track.

 

[Jerseyman]

Does anyone have any info on the location of Little Pine Mill. The photo in Forgotten Towns gave me an idea of where it might be and I have located some depressions in the ground and a foundation. I would like to have some more info to make sure I'm on the right track.

oji:

Little Pine Mill stood east-northeast of Browns Mills and south of Pointville. Here is a historic map that shows its location (I have labeled it with red lettering):

Note the location of the buildings as of 1876, the date Scott published his atlas.

In her annotated gazetteer of Pemberton Township, Judith Olsen provides the following description for Little Pine Mill:

Little Pine Mill was a 316 acre tract orgiinally purchased by Peter Bard. He built a sawmill on the property in 1742. The mill stream is today’s Little Pine Lake in Browns Mills. In the mid-nineteenth century the property was expanded and developed by Arney Lippincott. It was located on the Pemberton-Hanover Furnace Road, three-quarters of a mile from Brown’s Mills and two miles from Pointville. At its most profitable stage, the property consisted of a sawmill, a large mansion house, stables, and an extensive peach orchard.

I do not have a historic view of the millpond/lake, but here is a view of the drive:

Various streams once fed the millpond that powered Little Pine Mill. These include:

Bowkers Run
Jacks Run
Larkins Run
Ongs Run

When the promoters of the Delaware & Atlantic Railroad (later the Kinkora Branch) first built their animal-powered rail line, they did so primarily to move cordwood from the pines to a wharf at Brown’s Point. It is possible that during the days of the railroad’s operation, this mill produced cordwood for shipment over the line to market in Philadelphia. Advertisements from the late 1830s and early 1840s indicate the line would transport passengers to the Pines for the health and also for dancing—which may bring the story of Little Pine Mill full circle. Or at least as the Right Reverend Beck tells the tale!

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[Ben Ruset]

Seems like this is the approx location on a current topo map.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=39.98614&lon=-74.56738&size=l&u=4&datum=nad83&layer=DRG

 

[oji]

Thanks for the info guys, The area I found the foundation was about where the number 10 is after the name Dan'l Harker. It seems I was on the wrong side of the lake. On the topozone map I see it's actually on the side I live on but I'm on the other end of Big Pine Lake(which locals refer to as Little Pine) Although that area is now pretty well built up( 80x100 lots)there are still some large wooded areas I'm going to check out. Isn't Judith Olsen a local author? Does she have anything published that is still avaliable?Is the 1876 Scott Atlas avaliable also?

 

[Ben Ruset]

Thanks for the info guys, Is the 1876 Scott Atlas avaliable also?

I think you can get reproductions at Buzby's in Chatsworth.

 

[Jerseyman]

Thanks for the info guys, The area I found the foundation was about where the number 10 is after the name Dan'l Harker. It seems I was on the wrong side of the lake. On the topozone map I see it's actually on the side I live on but I'm on the other end of Big Pine Lake(which locals refer to as Little Pine) Although that area is now pretty well built up( 80x100 lots)there are still some large wooded areas I'm going to check out. Isn't Judith Olsen a local author? Does she have anything published that is still avaliable?Is the 1876 Scott Atlas avaliable also?

oji:

As Ben suggests, Marilyn sells the Scott atlas reprint. You can also purchase it at the North Pemberton Railroad Station, the original merchandiser for the reprint. Regarding Judith Olsen, she is generally known for writing and publishing two books—one on the Borough of Pemberton and the one that I cited. If you are interested in a copy of the Pemberton Township annotated gazetteer, I suggest you visit abebooks.com. A bookstore was advertising two copies of the work in fine condition. I just ordered one of them to replace my copy, which is breaking down, so there is still one available for $20. I also see her Borough of Pemberton book come up for sale on ebay once in a while. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recall she authored a couple of other minor works.

Locally, Judy is primarily known as a genealogist and served as library director at the Burlington County College Library, where she amassed a large collection of Jerseyana and genealogical research materials. Since she retired from the college, the administration there has decided to turn the collection over to the Burlington County Library and the college library will return to being an academic research center once again.

Glad to be of help to you!

Best regards,
Jerseyman
__________________
scriptor rerum Nova Caesarea
Dei memor, gratus amicus

 

[oji]

I just posted photos of what I found so far looking for Little Pine Mill.I believe the actual mill area is underwater and will take a look in my boat before the weeds grow in.

 

[oji]

I finally made it to the Pemberton R.R. Station yesterday and picked up Scott's Atlas and Judith Olsen's History of Pemberton Twp. I missed out on the gazetteer on abebooks but hopefully the Burlington County Library will have it. I spent many hours in the N.J. room there back in the 80's and it sounds like they have a lot more material now.

 

[Jerseyman]

I finally made it to the Pemberton R.R. Station yesterday and picked up Scott's Atlas and Judith Olsen's History of Pemberton Twp. I missed out on the gazetteer on abebooks but hopefully the Burlington County Library will have it. I spent many hours in the N.J. room there back in the 80's and it sounds like they have a lot more material now.

Congratulations, oji!! You have just added two EXCELLENT references to your research library! Keep building that collection; my collection forms the underpinnings for a goodly amount of my knowledge base, although there is no replacement for getting out and conducting primary source research!

If you decide you need some bibliographic guidance on what else to obtain, just let me know and I'll provide you with some other titles.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
__________________
scriptor rerum Nova Caesarea
Dei memor, gratus amicus

 

[oji]

Thanks Jerseyman,Do you have any more suggestions for the Little Pine area? Following some of your info I have found some areas in the woods here (Pictures in my gallery).

 

[Teegate]

I see you found a money tree

Guy

 

[Pine Baron]

I see you found a money tree

Guy

Good one, Guy:rofl:

Bin searchin' fer one of dem trees for meself!

 

[Teegate]

Good one, Guy:rofl:

Bin searchin' fer one of dem trees for meself!

oji found it first

Guy

 

[Pine Baron]

oji found it first

Guy

I Know! :jeffd:

I'll keep looking.

 

[oji]

I have seedlings for sale! They're currently growing on some prime swampland I bought in Florida!

 

[Jerseyman]

Thanks Jerseyman,Do you have any more suggestions for the Little Pine area? Following some of your info I have found some areas in the woods here (Pictures in my gallery).

oji:

If it is just the Little Pine area that has caught your fancy, my bibliographic recommendations are somewhat limited. Nonetheless, here are some other works that you should seek if you do not presently possess them:

Bisbee, Henry
Place Names of Burlington County New Jersey. Riverside, NJ, 1955.
Sign Posts—Place Names in History of Burlington County, NJ. Willingboro, NJ, 1971.

Reynolds, Marie
Images of America: Browns Mills. Charleston, SC, 2000.

Woodward, E.M
History of Burlington County, New Jersey. Philadelphia, PA, 1883.

You are already aware of Henry Beck's jottings on Little Pine Mill and there are a few other more general works that contain snippets of information on Browns Mills, but the ones listed above would be your best bet for information specific to your place of interest.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[oji]

Jerseyman, Is there a reference book telling about historic homes in the area. I worked on/visited some older houses and was interested in the history they were involved with. Also the town near Maryanne Forge called Greenwood mentioned in Judy Olsen's book.

 

[Jerseyman]

Jerseyman, Is there a reference book telling about historic homes in the area. I worked on/visited some older houses and was interested in the history they were involved with. Also the town near Maryanne Forge called Greenwood mentioned in Judy Olsen's book.

oji:

The only source that comes immediately to mind is the 1978 (?) Burlington County architectural survey completed by Connie Greiff and her staff. You will find the three or four volumes of this survey at the Burlington County Library on Woodlane Road in Westampton in the New Jersey Room. This survey should provide you with a starting point and some additional sources for learning more about most historic structures that still stood at the time of the fieldwork.

For photographs of historic houses in Burlington County, you should take a look at these Nathaniel Ewan photos prepared for the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) back in the 1930s:

http://www.state.nj.us/state/darm/links/guides/pewan001.html

While you’re at it, you could also check the online HABS database at the Library of Congress:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/

If I think of other sources, I will certainly let you know!

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[Jerseyman]

oji:

Here is some additional information about Little Pine Mill:

In 1859, the Burlington County Orphans Court ordered the sale of all real estate of Arney Lippincott, deceased. Lot no. 5, to be sold on the seventh day of the sale—the seventeenth day of Twelfth Month, December, next—was the LITTLE PINE MILL TRACT. A newspaper notice reads:

[begin quote]

This valuable property is situate in the Township of Pemberton, on the road leading from Hanover Furnace to Pemberton, about three-fourths of a mile from Brown’s Mills, 2 from Pointville, adjoining the lands of Thomas Black and others, and contains about 316 acres of excellent Timber land Part of which is covered with large Pine—about 20 acres Arable Land, under good cedar fence. The Improvements thereon consist of a first-rate Saw Mil, with a head and fall of over ten feet—can be raised if required. This Water Power is unsurpassed, being upon a branch of the Rancocas, that is never-failing, affording at all seasons an ample supply of water for manufacturing purposes. There is also a large Mansion House, with stables for teams. There are plenty of Shade and Fruit Trees, and an excellent Peach Orchard on the premises. This property will be sold altogether or divided into lots as may best suit purchasers. As this property is so well known to be of an excellent quality for Farming purposes, and being located in a neighborhood that has so rapidly improved within the past few years, it is deemed unnecessary to give a further description, as persons wishing to purchase will view for themselves, and will be shown the same by calling at the Mill or upon Levi Parker, the tenant, living adjoining, or upon either of the subscribers, Jacob Merritt, Joseph L. Lamb, and John H. Burr, commissioners, November 8, 1859.

[End quote]

At the December 1859 sale, Samuel Stockton purchased 187 acres of the Little Pine Mill tract for $12.75 per acre and John Parker bought 124 acres for $10.25 per acre, making an aggregate of 311 acres.

Best regards,
Jerseyman