Microtopography. Hmm, there is a $2 word if ever I saw one. It appears that is what they were trying to create at Franklin Parker Preserve when they scooped thousands of holes the width of a backhoe.
Lock's Bridge
- Thread starter BEHR655
- Start date
Spung-man,
We are a little off topic so I will end this here. Put these two maps side by side and ponder them a while. I know they are pretty accurate because I found the corners on a few of them. I am glad you brought this to my attention again as I think I will start searching in the fall for more of the corners.
Guy
We are a little off topic so I will end this here. Put these two maps side by side and ponder them a while. I know they are pretty accurate because I found the corners on a few of them. I am glad you brought this to my attention again as I think I will start searching in the fall for more of the corners.
Guy
Spungman, speculation often times lead to discovery when those leads are followed up on.
I was unaware of any tavern at that location, and I am interested in learning more about it. It is an intriguing idea - a tavern located midway between the Shinn homestead and the Mill site; on a road that directly connects the tavern with the tavern keeper.
The problem that I am having with this scenario is the timeline. The advertisement for the sale of the mill that referenced Henry Shinn Sr. and his tavern was 1782. This is before any of the towns, that were connected by the Old Forks Road, existed. We did not yet have the towns of Hammonton (1817), Waterford (1821), Jackson (1823), Winslow (1845), and New Columbia (1845). Note: the Union Hotel doesn't appear on any map that I can find until the 1872 Beers map. Also we should remember that the Henry Shinn that we located in Winslow on that 1857 map is the Son of the tavern keeper mentioned in the 1782 mill sale. When that 1857 map was published, Henry shinn Jr. (son) was 77 years old and died the following year.
To help illustrate my point, let's look at this 1833 revised map by Thomas Gordon.
On Labor Day, while on my way out to investigate around the Lock area while the water level is so low, I stopped to take a look at the intersection where Bud said the 18th century tavern that still stands was. Not that I would ever want to second guess Uncle Bud, but I must confess that the homes that I saw there didn't appear to be 18th century in my opinion. If it existed in 1782, it may be in the top five oldest existing homes in Atlantic county.
The existence of Old Forks Road (based on my careful analysis of historic maps and not road returns yet) appear to coincide with the founding of Winslow in 1845.
Lets take a look at the following maps to see where I'm coming from...
1860 Kitchell -Hopkins map shows both the Old Forks Road and Columbia Road...
This 1857 Camden County map shows the road that will become Old Forks road heading East from Old Egg Harbor Road (561) near Winslow, but terminating at it's intersection with Wiltsey's Mill Rd...
This 1846 Camden County map does not indicate the existence of Old Forks Road.
This is by no means an exhaustive study. for some time now I have been trying to pin down the date for the founding of New Columbia. If anyone has any evidence to substantiate the existence of New Columbia or it's tavern/hotel earlier that the 1845 establishment of the Glass works there, or any of the surrounding villages or roads discussed in this comment, I would love to see it.
Thank you to all who have contributed to this "Locks Bridge" thread. It has grown into one of the most interesting threads that I have found in these forums.
This is the earliest map I have found that shows the Goose Ponds, later Rockwood...
1860 Kitchell - Hopkins State map
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tracker_jim, this is one of the nicer maps of the area. The Goose Pond is clearly there on 6th between Plymouth and Hammonton Roads (paper roads), as Guy has it plotted on his drawing.
Also, I see to the northeast you caught the sawmill pond at the Lock's and the sawmill pond on Sleepy Creek both believed to have been constructed by John Estell, as you know. Nice work, you seen to have a keen interest in this area - me too.
Tracker Jim.
You provide awesome material to contemplate! Sadly, early charcoal stations (some jug taverns?) don’t always show up on maps. Take the Weymouth border places presented earlier. Abbotts is an existing timber-frame structure built between 1820 and 1830 yet fails to appear on any map until Beers 1872. The same goes for Annie Huff’s existing timber frame home at Peters (c.1830). It is my understanding that house timber framing ended by ~1830 (someone correct me if mistaken). For example the c.1840 Mathias Veal (collier) house in Buena on Hartman (1978: Map 5) was disappointingly balloon framed.
The Lee Place does not show up on any map except an 1867 Weymouth tract exceptions survey, yet I have seen large hand-forged strap hinges recovered by the current property owner indicating habitation. Horse Break Pond so far only appears on an obscure 1867 Davis case survey (Township of Hamilton Historical Society) and its reputed Swedish cemetery is totally without documentation. Berrys only appears on an 1812 map (http://www.njpinebarrens.com/historic-maps/state/#jp-carousel-778), yet deeds show Scotts living there from 1790–1940. To echo historian Frank Stewart, western Atlantic County is replete with long-forgotten places. The hunt is exciting, but don't expect perfection as records are poor. The wetland terrain can incredibly complex in geomorphology making it confounding to surveyors.
I have some old low-resolution copies of Clement maps where the fine print is hard to read. The handwriting is almost as bad as mine (pretty poor). I will not bet the family farm on the correctness of the location on this one but put the map out for play in hope that someone might be able to verify the survey’s ultimate placement (Clements v. 1: 58, Maps + Draughts, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also Gloucester County Historical Society)
On the below Clement copy of a an earlier survey the features Cedar Branch and Desolation Pond are decipherable, but Drivers Branch much less so. If this is the same Cedar Branch as the one today in Hammonton then there is a laid-out land plot about where the mystery station would be. It appears to be on the edge of a major property line. Farr (2002: 27–28) lists another Cedar Branch in Camden County (aka Tomlinsons Rail Branch) out where Williamstown/New Freedom Road intersects with the Blenheim-Erial-New Brooklyn Road but that waterway doesn’t match well.
Below is a close-up excerpt of the land plot. It is hard to read, so I'm curious to see if others see what I see.
S-M
You provide awesome material to contemplate! Sadly, early charcoal stations (some jug taverns?) don’t always show up on maps. Take the Weymouth border places presented earlier. Abbotts is an existing timber-frame structure built between 1820 and 1830 yet fails to appear on any map until Beers 1872. The same goes for Annie Huff’s existing timber frame home at Peters (c.1830). It is my understanding that house timber framing ended by ~1830 (someone correct me if mistaken). For example the c.1840 Mathias Veal (collier) house in Buena on Hartman (1978: Map 5) was disappointingly balloon framed.
I have some old low-resolution copies of Clement maps where the fine print is hard to read. The handwriting is almost as bad as mine (pretty poor). I will not bet the family farm on the correctness of the location on this one but put the map out for play in hope that someone might be able to verify the survey’s ultimate placement (Clements v. 1: 58, Maps + Draughts, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also Gloucester County Historical Society)
On the below Clement copy of a an earlier survey the features Cedar Branch and Desolation Pond are decipherable, but Drivers Branch much less so. If this is the same Cedar Branch as the one today in Hammonton then there is a laid-out land plot about where the mystery station would be. It appears to be on the edge of a major property line. Farr (2002: 27–28) lists another Cedar Branch in Camden County (aka Tomlinsons Rail Branch) out where Williamstown/New Freedom Road intersects with the Blenheim-Erial-New Brooklyn Road but that waterway doesn’t match well.
Below is a close-up excerpt of the land plot. It is hard to read, so I'm curious to see if others see what I see.
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Just a short update. I dove deeper into the Clement collection (Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also Gloucester County Historical Society) and found two more maps that help with the story we're trying to put together.
First is the 1794 West Mill tract survey as “now Atsion Land" (Clement Volume 3, Page 19). I’m surprised at West Mill’s importance given how little has been written about it.
Second is an 1813 resurvey of the same Atsion land (Clement Volume 1, Page 17) showing the location of Cedar Branch in Hammonton.
Of course this doesn’t prove a Shinn connection, but does demonstrate just how much there is left to learn about old places in western Atlantic County and environs if you look. For example, in Clement (Volume 1, Page 71) I found a 1761 survey that shows a structure where the Blue Bell Tavern is on Tuckahoe Road in Franklin Township, suggesting the watering hole is much older than most believed. In 1891 Blue Bell becomes the short-lived site of the Jewish industrial colony of Ziontown
S-M
First is the 1794 West Mill tract survey as “now Atsion Land" (Clement Volume 3, Page 19). I’m surprised at West Mill’s importance given how little has been written about it.
Second is an 1813 resurvey of the same Atsion land (Clement Volume 1, Page 17) showing the location of Cedar Branch in Hammonton.
Of course this doesn’t prove a Shinn connection, but does demonstrate just how much there is left to learn about old places in western Atlantic County and environs if you look. For example, in Clement (Volume 1, Page 71) I found a 1761 survey that shows a structure where the Blue Bell Tavern is on Tuckahoe Road in Franklin Township, suggesting the watering hole is much older than most believed. In 1891 Blue Bell becomes the short-lived site of the Jewish industrial colony of Ziontown
S-M
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S-M,
Do you know why they did those two surveys, Atsion owned West Mill on both dates?
Don't know when the Atsion Iron Works bought the West Mill Tract, but in 1817 Jacob Downing one of the owners of Atsion mortgages his interest in the West Mill Tract. 1819 he defaulted on the mortgage and the Bank of N. America took over his share of the Works. Then Samuel Richards bought it from the Bank of North America. So it remained with Atsion until Wharton sold off some of it.
I was a wee tyke, so barely remember.
Is this part of the Atsion estate land that Michael Landis, Charles K's dad, bought from Coughlin of Philadelphia in 1860? MG Landis was the silent money-bags behind the scenes. I did a report on Margaret Mead's home for the Pinelands Commission some years ago and will have to find my notes.
On a Clement copy (Volume 3, Page 8, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also Gloucester County Historical Society) of an earlier 1848 survey the writing on a squiggly road "Old" and "Road" are decipherable, "Fork" is harder to read. I am under the impression that Old Forks Road is ancient and predates Hammonton's Old Egg Harbor Road and the the current newer Old Egg Harbor Road (see https://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/tavern-in-pleasant-mills-nj.9582/page-4#post-117180); an Old Old Old Egg Harbor? Cedar Branch is legible. This survey shows an unnamed head pond at Cedar Branch's source. Hammonton’s Cedar Branch sources or heads at a large spung that was once known as North Pond, for an early physician who lived on the property. That pond is just a short distance from anthropologist Margaret Mead’s childhood “6-Acre farm” where she was home schooled by her grandmother. The road crossing Cedar Branch would then be today's White Horse Pike.
S-M
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Thank you Spungman. I always find those surveys very cool albeit frustrating to read. One would think that on a document as important as a survey, more care would be taken to make it more legible.
I agree that when using historic maps for research, the information you glean from them should be taken with a grain of salt. Although very useful, there is always the potential for inaccuracies and sometimes glaring errors. The 1828 and the 1833 revised Thomas Gordon maps are celebrated for being the earliest map to attain such a high level of detail and accuracy (although not perfect). I would find it very surprising that he would not have included Old Forks Road had it existed unless it was so insignificant that it didn't qualify for inclusion in either his 1828 or the revised version where he adds many details and updates. If it was that insignificant, I would be doubly surprised that a tavern would be situated upon it.
One road that is present on the 1833 revised map, but not on the 1828 is an old extension of the road we know as Sandy Causeway. It connected Kline's Tavern on Atsion Rd. with the newly established village of Hammonton. I'm having a difficult time tracing it's exact route through the section that is between Rt.206 and Hammonton, but it appears to pass right by the intersection in question.
Here is a link to a map I made that highlights the 1833 map roads, superimposed over current satellite image.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z580-UUkq_6s.kXkBNcDB69Tc&usp=sharing
Thank you Spungman, your input is always valuable and very much appreciated!
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Don,
To contribute to our search for a date of Atsion's acquisition of the West's Mill tract, I offer this advertisement from November 10, 1763...
Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: November 10, 1763
Title: To be SOLD or LETT,
To be SOLD or LETT,
A Saw mill, together with the Lands thereunto belonging, lying
on one side of the South Branches of LittleEggharbour River,
within 4 Miles of a Landing, where the Produce may be
transported either to New York or Philadelphia. Also to be
sold a House and Lot, situate in Mountholly, lying in a
convenient Place for a Storekeeper or Tradesman. Any Person
inclining to purchase, may know the Terms, by applying to JOHN
WEST, at the Old Ferry, Philadelphia.
Could this be the West's Mill? If so could Atsion have acquired the West's Mill track from it's very beginning?
Additionally, I would like to call attention to the following two advertisements offering the Atsion Iron-works for sale. The first one is from March 2, 1791, and the other is from December 8, 1804. Both of these advertise as assets "two sawmills, and a seat for a third mill."
Could the two saw mills be the one by the iron works and the other the West Mill, and the seat be the one at the locks?
This is the March 2, 1791 ad...
Fortunately I have a typed version of this...
Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: March 2, 1791
Title: TO BE SOLD
TO BE SOLD
The ATSION IRON-WORKS.
WITH the Mills, Lands and Improvements appurtenant thereto, situate partly in Burlington, and partly in Gloucester counties, in the state of New Jersey, within thirty miles of the city of Philadelphia, and about nine miles from the navigable waters of LittleEggHarbour, and sixteen miles from a landing on the tide waters of Delaware; consisting of a blast furnace now at work, the stack of which is new, and the casting-house, bellows, &c. lately put in through repair; an air furnace in good repair; a forge with four fires and two hammers in complete order; a stamping mill for cinder; a grist-mill nearly new; two saw-mills, well repaired, and a seat for a third mill, which may answer well either for a grist-mill, saw mill, slitting or rolling mill, or other water-works, having a dam, &c. ready and well supplied with water; a spacious coal-house for the furnace, and another for the forge, the late just built, and the former nearly new; a smith's shop; a convenient large dwelling-house, with a roomy, commodious kitchen, a smoke house, spring-house and other useful out-buildings; an extensive storehouse, barn, stables, &c. a garden well inclosed, a young thriving orchard and several hundred acres of cleared plow and meadowland, enclosed with good cedar fence: also, three commodious farm-houses, barns and out-houses, and for the accommodation of workmen and their families, upwards of 20 good frame and log-dwellings, to many of which are improved gardens. Belonging to this estate are about 20,000 acres of land, conveniently surrounding the improvements, mostly covered with thriving and good timber for coaling and sawing; a considerable part of the soil well adapted to raising of rye and Indian corn, and latterly several large lots of bottom land having been cleared and drained, promise will for good meadow. The ore lies in great quantities from 14 to 12 mile from the furnace --- the most distant don't exceed four miles, and the roads level and good. The quality of the ore is well known, the refined bar-iron made therefrom being well approved both in New York and Philadelphia, and the castings are allowed to be equal to any, and superior to most for toughness of quality, the potash kettles made at Atsion having had the preference to most, if not all, brought to the New York market. Upon the whole, the main objects generally sought for in profitable iron-works are not wanting here. The stream of water is large and good, the ore and wood to all appearance may last a long series of years, and the carriage to market short and convenient. --- These works have been profitable to the concerned, as their books will shew; which may be viewed by persons inclining to purchase. The estate will, nevertheless, be sold on low terms, and a considerable sacrifice made for the ease and relief of one of the owners, who has long had the principal management of it, and is earnestly desirous of being released from the weight of the business. Any person or persons inclining to treat for the whole, or any part thereof, are desired to apply to JOSEPH SALTER, on the premises, GEORGE BOWNE, merchant, in new York, or to JOHN or HENRY DRINKER, in Philadelphia.
25th 2d mo. 1791.
This is the December 8, 1804 ad...
Unfortunately I do not have a typed version of this.
Thank you for taking the time to view all this
James
All,
In more recent times the West Mill track was sold to Andrew Rider the founder of Rider Collage by Joseph Wharton and others on January 15, 1898. Rider quickly placed stones on the 4 corners of the property. Here they are. The R. 98 stands for Rider 1898.
This one is at the southern end of the property right where all of the camping went on. Actually, after finding the stone I could see that much of Wharton was being used as the campground.
It eventually was owned by Frank E. and Franklin E. Haines of Medford, and at the time the state purchased Wharton is was owned by Earl Haines. Wharton survey crew #1 run by R. Wolf did the survey.
Guy
In more recent times the West Mill track was sold to Andrew Rider the founder of Rider Collage by Joseph Wharton and others on January 15, 1898. Rider quickly placed stones on the 4 corners of the property. Here they are. The R. 98 stands for Rider 1898.
This one is at the southern end of the property right where all of the camping went on. Actually, after finding the stone I could see that much of Wharton was being used as the campground.
It eventually was owned by Frank E. and Franklin E. Haines of Medford, and at the time the state purchased Wharton is was owned by Earl Haines. Wharton survey crew #1 run by R. Wolf did the survey.
Guy
Yea, I was young myself back then, but that doesn't change the fact that there were two extensive surveys made on the west mill tract for some reason. Maybe mapping to determine the potential use of the land. We do know that the west mill tract was part of the Atsion property from before 1800 to 1898. Therefore it may not have been the land that Michael Landis, Charles K's dad, bought from Coughlin of Philadelphia in 1860. I do think you are right, the west mill was an important tract. In every description of the Atsion property they were sure to mention that the west mill tract was included.
Don
All,
In more recent times the West Mill track was sold to Andrew Rider the founder of Rider Collage by Joseph Wharton and others on January 15, 1898. Rider quickly placed stones on the 4 corners of the property. Here they are. The R. 98 stands for Rider 1898.
This one is at the southern end of the property right where all of the camping went on. Actually, after finding the stone I could see that much of Wharton was being used as the campground.
It eventually was owned by Frank E. and Franklin E. Haines of Medford, and at the time the state purchased Wharton is was owned by Earl Haines. Wharton survey crew #1 run by R. Wolf did the survey.
Guy
I like the way they marked the survey stones back then. You knew exactly what they were and who's they were.
James,
Nice post, you have some good info here.
Yes, I think it is a very strong possibility that the advertisement in the Pennsylvania Gazette dated Nov 10, 1763 is the west mill tract. I'm not sure Atsion owned it at the very beginning, but it had to be early. Most of the Atsion property expansion was under Henry Drinker 1773. I believe they owned it by 1791 when the Atsion property first went up for sale. I guess the answer is in the old deeds in the basement of the clerk's office in Woodbury. If they are still there. The last time I was there the basement was full of old deeds. Of course that was 1965 and as a young buck, I was more interested in young ladies than old deeds.
As for the advertisement for the 1791 sale of the works, I saw this add before and my thoughts were the same as yours, the description of the mill seat (a seat for a third mill, which may answer well either for a grist-mill, saw mill, slitting or rolling mill, or other water-works, having a dam,) is just about what Henry Drinker said when he first saw the locks site. Of course there is no way we will ever know if this is true.
Nice work, Don
Did anyone notice that the Sailor Boy Tavern was owned by Charles Shoemaker and heirs?
The Desolation Pond tavern is listed on the 1872 Beers map as property owned by the Shoemakers estate.
Other similarities exist: 1) both parcels are square; 2) Sailor Boy on “New” and “Old” Old Egg Harbor Road and the Desolation Pond Tavern on “Old, Old” Egg Harbor Road; 3) both may be connected by a very old Gloucester Road; and 4) both are equidistant from the Coumbia Tavern.
In review of the pamphlet:
The Sailor Boy Tavern parcel is listed as Exception A to the Weymouth tract. The title chain is: Elijah Clark and Richard Westcott 1768 – John Crammer 1776 – Recompence, David and Daniel Scull 1784 – Clayton Earl 1802 – Charles Shoemaker 1802. Like Doughty, I suspect that Shoemaker may be involved with tavern enterprises in support of coaling. Does anyone have information on Charles Shoemaker?
Old Forks Road has the right stuff to be ancient. For example, on the 1848 survey its depiction is squiggly (unimproved). Furthermore the road is called "Old" in 1848. Unlike later straight roads, properties are not aligned to Old Forks Road, but Old Forks adjusts to landscape features.
Go back to the Sailor Boy thread (see https://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/tavern-in-pleasant-mills-nj.9582/page-4#post-117180) and the squiggly "Forks Road" at Green Tree Tavern is related to the 1737 Beaver Dam Road survey (as is Sailor Boys' Gloucester Road).
As I understand the Forks community is pretty much an eighteenth century phenomenon. By 1850, is there much going on there anyway?
S-M
The Desolation Pond tavern is listed on the 1872 Beers map as property owned by the Shoemakers estate.
Other similarities exist: 1) both parcels are square; 2) Sailor Boy on “New” and “Old” Old Egg Harbor Road and the Desolation Pond Tavern on “Old, Old” Egg Harbor Road; 3) both may be connected by a very old Gloucester Road; and 4) both are equidistant from the Coumbia Tavern.
In review of the pamphlet:
Trustees of the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company. 1856. Brief of Title of Lands Belonging to the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company. Philadelphia. 16 pp.
The Sailor Boy Tavern parcel is listed as Exception A to the Weymouth tract. The title chain is: Elijah Clark and Richard Westcott 1768 – John Crammer 1776 – Recompence, David and Daniel Scull 1784 – Clayton Earl 1802 – Charles Shoemaker 1802. Like Doughty, I suspect that Shoemaker may be involved with tavern enterprises in support of coaling. Does anyone have information on Charles Shoemaker?
Old Forks Road has the right stuff to be ancient. For example, on the 1848 survey its depiction is squiggly (unimproved). Furthermore the road is called "Old" in 1848. Unlike later straight roads, properties are not aligned to Old Forks Road, but Old Forks adjusts to landscape features.
Go back to the Sailor Boy thread (see https://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/tavern-in-pleasant-mills-nj.9582/page-4#post-117180) and the squiggly "Forks Road" at Green Tree Tavern is related to the 1737 Beaver Dam Road survey (as is Sailor Boys' Gloucester Road).
As I understand the Forks community is pretty much an eighteenth century phenomenon. By 1850, is there much going on there anyway?
S-M
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Tracker Jim,
I want to know about Kline's Tavern. I associate Kline and Shoemaker as German heritage. Wilber & Hand (1889: Illustrated History of the Town of Hammonton: With an Account of its Soil, Climate and Industries) talk about old Dutchys as the first settlers, as does Heston (Dutchtown). What is Charles K. Landis' middle name, but Kline? Who buys Atsion land but Michael Landis? Chuckie even opens a new tavern in 1855 on the Camden & Atlantic adjacent to the Green Tree Tavern. He also helps establish New Germany (Folsom & Newtonville).
Plan of Farms as Laid Out by the Weymouth Farms & Agricultural Company (1855) showing Landis' tavern.
S-M