Mystery Cemetary (Dover Forge)

JerseyDevil

Scout
Dec 22, 2003
86
73
58
Jackson, NJ
Ok, here's one for the experts... 8)

Back in 1982 I found a lost cemetary in the woods off of Dover Road kind of across from the forge area. I remember water, a stream or pondish thing close by. No structures, it was fenced in with hand wrought iron. It was extremely overgrown and hidden from the road.

Any takers?

Scott
 

BorderWalker

Scout
Jun 26, 2003
46
1
Middlesex, NJ
Sort of. Hollowfield is a short distance east of what's known as Ten Mile Hollow on older maps. It was the community graveyard for those who lived at TMH and the surrounding areas.
 

pineygirl

New Member
Dec 27, 2003
21
0
Ocean Co.
Hello to all
I found some good discussions here regarding Dover Forge and Hollow Field Cemetery which I stumbled upon while searching google under Dover Forge. My husband's ancestors worked in Dover Forge and may have even had a road named after one of the men, called Guise's Road (after Guisbert) which is in a couple of road descriptions of Lacey and Dover in Salter's book. Several months ago, I set out on a search of this road or trail that is no longer there. Or is it? I was told by the historian that an old road of any kind should present a distinct appearance such as a visible, flat depression in the ground about 8-10' wide at least and it should give that appearance for some distance. Even with overgrowth, it should look like it may have once been a road. The description as given in one of the road descriptions was the act establishing the township of Lacey, approved March 23, 1871, and its bounds are described as: "All that part of the townships of Union and Dover, in the county of Ocean, contained within the following boundaries, this is to say: Beginning at a point in the line between the counties of Ocean and Burlington where the southerly and easterly line of Manchester township meets the same, thence, first, along the township line of Manchester township meets the same; thence. first, along said township line in a north-easterly direction to a point where the road from Giberson's Mill to Dover Forge crosses said township line. It goes on to say - south-easterly along Guise's road, by Dover Forge Pond, etc. Hey- it was a nice day to be in the woods but that spot is loaded with ticks which I found later. I have a picture on our mantle of Dover Forge c: abt 1900 of the Gibersons, William Raws, and Nathan Austin. I know there are records to be obtained thru the Historical Society but I have not done this yet. As you know, Dover Forge went thru changes from iron to sawmill to barrels to cranberries. I would be interested in (Pierce) letter from Dr. John Torrey to Z. Collins in 1818 and the Cellar holes that you spoke of. I have also been curious about the cemetery which I have never been to. Many of you have and know the location and names of people who have been buried there. I know our direct line is not buried there but several of the people who use to live/work there were. I also have a partial list but only from what Polly Miller had written in her book and there seems to be others that she was not aware of. Now I know there were 1 or 2 of you doing some research on the people buried there. I am into genealogy and found it interesting what was posted. I would like to know if anybody has more names than Zebulon Collins, Sr. his wife Rebecca, and 4 of their 5 children who died of diphtheria; Richard & Eliz. Akins, Applegate, R.A. Garthwaite, Bransons & Harvey Croft. I would like to know how to get to the cemetery. I have a general idea but couldn't find it when I was out there. My husband and I live about 15 minutes from there.
Pineygirl
 

Ben Ruset

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Oct 12, 2004
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The cemetary has no headstones anymore. Whatever names are known come from Beck's description of the cemetary in the 1930s.

Regarding the road, yes - old roads should be visible through the woods depending on how long ago it was last used. The old road to Red Oak Grove that splits off the road from Union Clay Works is a good example of a road that was abandoned but can still be seen in the woods.

I would suggest downloading the Cook Topographic Map for that area (would be map #13) and seeing if you can reconsile the roads with a modern topo map. Upon looking at the copy I have hanging on my wall, I see just a few roads in the 10MH/Dover Forge area, and I believe that they all still exist. Note that old road names don't show on the topo maps. Your best bet would be to look through the archives at the Toms River courthouse, or if they are older than 1850 then Freehold. You might also have luck with the archives in Trenton.

You might also want to try splitting your posts into paragraphs - it makes it a lot easier to read.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,603
8,181
The cemetery subject looks like a question that is right up BorderWalkers alley, and I am sure he will be chiming in. So hang tight Gina and you will probably get some good info.

Guy
 

BorderWalker

Scout
Jun 26, 2003
46
1
Middlesex, NJ
I would be interested in (Pierce) letter from Dr. John Torrey to Z. Collins in 1818 and the Cellar holes that you spoke of.

The letter was from Dr. John Torrey, a botanist from Philly, to his collegue Zaccheus Collins in Philly, who was probably no direct relation to the Collins family in the area:

"Some places called Taverns that we put up at were not fit for an Arab. At a place called the Ten-Mile Hollow, or Hell Hollow, we expected to sleep in the woods, for it was with difficulty that we persuaded them to take us in. This was the most miserable place we ever saw, they were too poor to use candles. No butter, no sugar, etc. A little soup stuff which I believe they called rye bread, but which was half sawdust, and a little warm water and molasses were all we had for breakfast. For supper I could no see what we had for we ate in the dark."

This was referring to the Charleytown tavern in the area. The reference to "Hell Hollow" was an insult originating with Torrey--I haven't found it documented anywhere else. Apparantly, the botanist didn't know the difference between a jug tavern and an actual tavern and thought the former was used to house guests.

Concerning the cellar holes, there are three of them in a clearing off of what was once part of Old Dover Road. There's a bit of debate whether or not they really are cellar holes. We still need to run a detector on them to settle the matter.

I have also been curious about the cemetery which I have never been to. Many of you have and know the location and names of people who have been buried there. I know our direct line is not buried there but several of the people who use to live/work there were. I also have a partial list but only from what Polly Miller had written in her book and there seems to be others that she was not aware of. Now I know there were 1 or 2 of you doing some research on the people buried there. I am into genealogy and found it interesting what was posted. I would like to know if anybody has more names than Zebulon Collins, Sr. his wife Rebecca, and 4 of their 5 children who died of diphtheria; Richard & Eliz. Akins, Applegate, R.A. Garthwaite, Bransons & Harvey Croft.

Ms. Miller was referencing a letter written by Mrs. Margaret Britton in which she quotes her uncle Jim Branson concerning Hollow Field. The list itself is not accurate:

* Zebulon Collins Sr. and his wife Rebecca (called "Beccy") Collins; four of five of their children who died of diptheria.
* Zeb Collins who was Jim Branson's uncle
* Richard Collins, Jim Branson's grandfather
* Joseph Branson, Jim's grandfather on his father's side
* Marie Branson, Jim's grandfather on his father's side.
* Harvey Craft Sr. who died in 1887 and was the last to be buried.
* Additional names were Austen, Akins, Applegate, and R.A. Garthwaite.

Concerning Zeb Sr. and Rebecca's children, there were six of them and chances are most of them didn't die of diptheria. Four of them weren't even buried in Hollow Field.

I would like to know how to get to the cemetery. I have a general idea but couldn't find it when I was out there. My husband and I live about 15 minutes from there.

I should be down there sometime in the next few weekends. If you want, I'll make copies of my notes concerning Dover Forge, Hollow Field, etc. and show you guys where it's located.

--Tom
 
B

bach2yoga

Guest
BorderWalker said:
This was referring to the Charleytown tavern in the area. The reference to "Hell Hollow" was an insult originating with Torrey--I haven't found it documented anywhere else. Apparantly, the botanist didn't know the difference between a jug tavern and an actual tavern and thought the former was used to house guests.


--Tom

Tom,
the Place names of ocean county new jersey lists ten mile hollow corresponds with what you say:
1818
Because of its distance of about 10 miles from the post office at Cedar Creek, now Lanoka Harbor. The hollow itself is hardly 2 mi. long.
Former names *Hell hollow; *Deep Hollow 1839..

Under Hell Hollow:
Possibly because as one visitor put it, it was the "most miserable place we ever saw" the people "were too poor to use candles. No butter, sugar..." (quoted from Iron in the Pines, p. 56-57) An early name for Ten Mile Hollow.

Under Deep Hollow:
1839 Descriptive; an alternate name for Ten Mile Hollow.

Renee
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,603
8,181
BorderWalker said:
Concerning the cellar holes, there are three of them in a clearing off of what was once part of Old Dover Road. There's a bit of debate whether or not they really are cellar holes. We still need to run a detector on them to settle the matter.

If you are talking about the three we visited, you have my vote that you are correct.

Guy
 

BorderWalker

Scout
Jun 26, 2003
46
1
Middlesex, NJ
Under Deep Hollow:
1839 Descriptive; an alternate name for Ten Mile Hollow.

Hmm, I think that must have originated as a typographical error at some point. Deep Hollow is south of Double Trouble, on the opposite side of Lacey Road. How much did that book run for, Renee? I've got a few Borders gift certificates to burn. :)

Guy, yeah, I'm kind of leaning towards that, too. They're a bit too neatly situated to be just random depressions. But it's been bugging me, I've been itching to see if anything shows up in them.

--Tom
 
B

bach2yoga

Guest
BorderWalker said:
Under Deep Hollow:
1839 Descriptive; an alternate name for Ten Mile Hollow.

Hmm, I think that must have originated as a typographical error at some point. Deep Hollow is south of Double Trouble, on the opposite side of Lacey Road. How much did that book run for, Renee? I've got a few Borders gift certificates to burn. :)

--Tom

I got it through ABEbooks for $25. There are 3 more copies listed, starting at $28 or $31 I think. I didn't find it on Amazon, but did only a cursory title search. If you have certificates it would be worth looking a bit more closely.

Renee
 
B

bach2yoga

Guest
bruset said:
I just got it on ebay for $9.99 - it's been out of print for a LONG time.

:p :p :p :D

Seriously, that's a good price, considering I couldn't find but those couple of copies!

Some books are worth every penny you pay, especially when they are out of print--Charles Boyer, Witmer Stone, John Pearce, etc. I'll fork out money for a good book on the Pines any day.

Renee
 

M Martin

New Member
Nov 11, 2013
1
2
61
Came by this on a walk yesterday
 

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gipsie

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Sep 14, 2008
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atlantic county

Ben Ruset

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I just noticed this. I'm reading it and it sounded familiar, lol.... Then I see on the bottom of the page the citation that says it came from geocaching.com. My cache, hehe. Now if I could only remember where I got the info from....


When I read this I thought that I had read something about Ten Mile Hollow from Henry Charlton Beck. I thumbed through all of his books and didn't find anything. I checked pretty much every other pertinent book I have and can't find it either. But I know I've read about it in a book.
 
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