Pine Barren History Shorts
- Thread starter Teegate
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In previous posts I have mentioned various individuals who helped Henry Beck along the way. Many were co-workers, some were viewers of the paper he worked for and a few were just people who asked to go along. However, there is one individual who rises above the rest in regards to getting Beck started on his journey. Without a doubt, if this person did not step forward and throw down the gauntlet, there would be no lost town hunters, no posts here by me and others and nobody would know who Henry Beck was.
William B. Wells (Billy Wells), born November 23, 1874 (Obit says 1875), started working for the Camden Daily Courier around 1893 and upon his retirement on May 1, 1946 he had been foreman of the composing room for 53 years. In addition to his composing room supervision he at times was sports editor, writer, printer and reporter. He founded the benevolent "Peter J" fund that for more than a generation aided the poor in Camden at Christmas time. And at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he followed in his fathers footsteps and joined the Army.
It was in 1929 that the reporters in the newsroom learned of an odd named town in New Jersey named Ong's Hat. Henry Beck in a 1934 article tells us what happened then.
Five years ago (1929), when Billy Wells, evening Courier composing room foreman, suggested that instead of wisecracking about Ong's Hat, someone ought to find it, describe it and tell it's history, he didn't realize what he was starting in motion.
So Beck ran with it, the readers loved it, and here we are today. Unfortunately, today, William B. Wells, the man who started it all is an unknown name.
As happens way to many times, two years after retiring, on February 27, 1948 Billy Wells passed away. So again, we traveled today to visit Mr. Wells, knowing that without his suggestion to Beck, this website and my explorations of the pines would not exist.
William B. Wells (Billy Wells), born November 23, 1874 (Obit says 1875), started working for the Camden Daily Courier around 1893 and upon his retirement on May 1, 1946 he had been foreman of the composing room for 53 years. In addition to his composing room supervision he at times was sports editor, writer, printer and reporter. He founded the benevolent "Peter J" fund that for more than a generation aided the poor in Camden at Christmas time. And at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he followed in his fathers footsteps and joined the Army.
It was in 1929 that the reporters in the newsroom learned of an odd named town in New Jersey named Ong's Hat. Henry Beck in a 1934 article tells us what happened then.
Five years ago (1929), when Billy Wells, evening Courier composing room foreman, suggested that instead of wisecracking about Ong's Hat, someone ought to find it, describe it and tell it's history, he didn't realize what he was starting in motion.
So Beck ran with it, the readers loved it, and here we are today. Unfortunately, today, William B. Wells, the man who started it all is an unknown name.
As happens way to many times, two years after retiring, on February 27, 1948 Billy Wells passed away. So again, we traveled today to visit Mr. Wells, knowing that without his suggestion to Beck, this website and my explorations of the pines would not exist.
As mentioned before, Beck sometimes would report on his methods of searching out villages and finding relics. However, many times as I have also mentioned he just invited people along who knew where to find things. Once such reader was Andrew K. H. Doughty. In a 1933 article Beck explains why he was along.
Only last week A. H. K. Doughty (he has the K and H reversed), of Collingswood, went along because he knew how to find Bulltown and to point out the landmarks of another glass-making village we had missed.
Only last week A. H. K. Doughty (he has the K and H reversed), of Collingswood, went along because he knew how to find Bulltown and to point out the landmarks of another glass-making village we had missed.
Checked into this and sometime before May 1930 the sign was placed there. It was made by Fire Chief Charles Dietz of Audubon NJ who was a sign painter.
The photographer sitting on the stool at the Fairton cemetery with Beck was Howard Francis Shivers. He graduated from Camden High School in 1924 and attended the Philadelphia School of Industrial Arts, eventually becoming the art director of the Philadelphia Record and the Camden Courier-Post. He passed away in 1996.
I wonder if anyone has ever thought to write a book about Beck.
I thought it would be cool to make a movie about him. A director friend and I talked about it on a few trips when I introduced her to the pines. That was almost twenty years ago, she is gone now and I'm not really into that kind of thing anymore. But it was a nice daydream.... 
Having been raised in Collingswood during the 50's through the early 60's attending their public schools from K to 12, even though I lived in Haddon Twp all my life, sparked some interesting in Andrew K. H. Douchty. With a little googling. I found that he built the town's first Methodist Church on 600 block of Park Ave in 1887. A year earlier he built two houses on the same block.
In addition, in 1888, he built the superintendent's house sitting within Knight Park, a 61 acre triangular park located in the center of town. This morning I drove all to the Park to take a picture of the house.
In addition, in 1888, he built the superintendent's house sitting within Knight Park, a 61 acre triangular park located in the center of town. This morning I drove all to the Park to take a picture of the house.
There was so much I had to pass over many articles. In any event, some are quite interesting. Not pine barren related but it is related to my post about Beck.
Enjoy Rooftree.
December 1883
This is without a doubt him.
Every now and then we have an account of persons taken ill from eating meats, ????, put up in tin cans. At the late elections A. K. H. Doughty of Elwood, Atlantic County, left the polls to partake of a hasty lunch at home, and ate heartily of canned beef. Shortly after returning he was taken seriously ill, and soon became unconscious. His friends conveyed him home and summoned a physician, by whose aid his life was barely saved. His brother William also dined with him, and then immediately started for home, some three miles distant; but was picked up on the way, similarly effected. Having partaken less freely, his case, though severe, was less dangerous, and he was able to be about in a few days. Providentially, none of the rest of the family partook of it. The package was one they had just opened, and was put up by a Chicago firm. The balance they intended to have analyzed, as it evidently contains a most virulent poison. Mr. Doughty is now convalescent, with a fair prospect of recovery.
February 1884
A missing collector $700 short
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of A. K. H. Doughty from his home in Elwood, Atlantic county NJ, is explained by the fact that he is $700 in erros???? to Mullica township, of which he was the Collector. It is stated that his defalcations were known for some time previous to his departure, but it was thought the matter would be amicably settled.
March 4, 1884
It has been ascertained that A. K. H. Doughty, who disappeared from Elwood a few days since, did not do so from any trouble in money matters, as the difficulty between the township and himself and the township of which he was an ex-collector was to have been settled by arbitration in a few days. He had with him several hundred dollars, which he had been intended to buy lumber in the city, and his relatives, fearing that he had been the victim of foul play or has become insane, have requested the aid of the police in various places to discover, if possible, his whereabouts. He is 35 years of age, 5 feet 9 inches high, light complexion, with brown side whiskers and a heavy sandy mustache. He wore a dark-mixed green suit, black Derby hat, light brown overcoat and black necktie.
March 19, 1884
No News of the Missing Mr. Doughty
A. K. H. Doughty, the ex-Collector of Mullica Township, Atlantic county, N. J., who has been missing from his home for the last four weeks, has not been found and his friends have no clue to his whereabouts. It is supposed he wandered off under a temporary attack of insanity and it hoped he will yet return to his home.
April 2, 1884
Found In Virginia
Doughty, the Missing Atlantic-County Man, Discovered
The relatives of A. K. H. Doughty, the missing ex-Collector of Mullica township, Atlantic county N.J., received a dispatch Wednesday from the authorities of Lynchburg, Va, stating that he had been found there and that he was in a demented condition. Doughty disappeared four weeks ago. He was engaged extensively as a builder, and one morning, with several hundred dollars in his pocket, left his home for a business trip to Philadelphia. He was last seen on Market street near the ferries, the clew stopping there. There were rumors circulating that he was a defaulter to the township of Mullica, but they were untrue. He owned the latter $300, which sum was agreed upon by an arbitration settlement, and this amount his wife paid after his disappearance. The dispatch from Lynchburg states that he was unable to give more than an incoherent account of his ramblings. Among other places in the south that he had visited was Knoxville Tenn. Last November Mr. Doughty was poisoned by eating canned beef. After this misfortune he exhibited symptoms of aberration of mind, and no doubt, he wandered off while laboring under mental disturbances. Since he disappeared his relatives have maintained an unceasing search for him. Wednesday his brother started for Lynchburg to bring him home.
Collingswood 1887
Mr. John Gorman has the stone on his lot, and will erect another handsome cottage adjoining his present residence on Main street. A. K. H. Doughty is the contractor.
July 1887
A. K. H. Doughty of Collingswood, has several new houses under way at Mt. Ephraim.
October 1887 Collingswood
A. K. H. Doughty is building a portico to his fine house on Park avenue, and otherwise improving it. (Now we know where he lived. It was actually 602 Park Ave Collingswood)
January 1888
Collingswood Preparations
Messrs, J. L. Bailey, J. W. Stoker and A. K. H. Doughty have been appointed to a committee to secure an attorney and surveyor and prepare the necessary petition and map for the proposed borough of Collingswood.
May 1888
A. K. H. Doughty will build Mrs. R. T. Collins new house on Linwood Ave.
July 30, 1888
A. K. H. Doughty has the contact to erect the large pavilion in the Park. It will be one hundred feet long and sixty feet wide.
June 1891
A. K. H. Doughty has taken the contract of rebuilding the old farm house on the Danbman tract, at Mt. Ephraim, to be turned into a hotel.
October 1892
A. K. H. Doughty the builder, has secured a large contract at Atlantic City.
February 1896
A.K.H. Doughty is almost again after a nine week struggle with typhoid fever.
April 1896
(He now apparently has a home also in Berlin)
Berlin: The residence of A. K. H. Doughty has been similarly entered, but nothing was missing. The windows were pried open with a heavy brush hook. It is believed the burglaries were committed by hungry tramps who are flooding the county villages.
October 1906
A.K.H. Doughty of Park Avenue, has made several improvements to his home.
April 1912
A.K. H. Doughty of Lake View Drive ( house next door I believe) while preparing creosote with a mixture in which to dip shingles at building operations in Audubon, had the misfortune to badly burn his right eye and face with acid. Although the injury was very painful he will not experience any serious results after healing.
Enjoy Rooftree.
December 1883
This is without a doubt him.
Every now and then we have an account of persons taken ill from eating meats, ????, put up in tin cans. At the late elections A. K. H. Doughty of Elwood, Atlantic County, left the polls to partake of a hasty lunch at home, and ate heartily of canned beef. Shortly after returning he was taken seriously ill, and soon became unconscious. His friends conveyed him home and summoned a physician, by whose aid his life was barely saved. His brother William also dined with him, and then immediately started for home, some three miles distant; but was picked up on the way, similarly effected. Having partaken less freely, his case, though severe, was less dangerous, and he was able to be about in a few days. Providentially, none of the rest of the family partook of it. The package was one they had just opened, and was put up by a Chicago firm. The balance they intended to have analyzed, as it evidently contains a most virulent poison. Mr. Doughty is now convalescent, with a fair prospect of recovery.
February 1884
A missing collector $700 short
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of A. K. H. Doughty from his home in Elwood, Atlantic county NJ, is explained by the fact that he is $700 in erros???? to Mullica township, of which he was the Collector. It is stated that his defalcations were known for some time previous to his departure, but it was thought the matter would be amicably settled.
March 4, 1884
It has been ascertained that A. K. H. Doughty, who disappeared from Elwood a few days since, did not do so from any trouble in money matters, as the difficulty between the township and himself and the township of which he was an ex-collector was to have been settled by arbitration in a few days. He had with him several hundred dollars, which he had been intended to buy lumber in the city, and his relatives, fearing that he had been the victim of foul play or has become insane, have requested the aid of the police in various places to discover, if possible, his whereabouts. He is 35 years of age, 5 feet 9 inches high, light complexion, with brown side whiskers and a heavy sandy mustache. He wore a dark-mixed green suit, black Derby hat, light brown overcoat and black necktie.
March 19, 1884
No News of the Missing Mr. Doughty
A. K. H. Doughty, the ex-Collector of Mullica Township, Atlantic county, N. J., who has been missing from his home for the last four weeks, has not been found and his friends have no clue to his whereabouts. It is supposed he wandered off under a temporary attack of insanity and it hoped he will yet return to his home.
April 2, 1884
Found In Virginia
Doughty, the Missing Atlantic-County Man, Discovered
The relatives of A. K. H. Doughty, the missing ex-Collector of Mullica township, Atlantic county N.J., received a dispatch Wednesday from the authorities of Lynchburg, Va, stating that he had been found there and that he was in a demented condition. Doughty disappeared four weeks ago. He was engaged extensively as a builder, and one morning, with several hundred dollars in his pocket, left his home for a business trip to Philadelphia. He was last seen on Market street near the ferries, the clew stopping there. There were rumors circulating that he was a defaulter to the township of Mullica, but they were untrue. He owned the latter $300, which sum was agreed upon by an arbitration settlement, and this amount his wife paid after his disappearance. The dispatch from Lynchburg states that he was unable to give more than an incoherent account of his ramblings. Among other places in the south that he had visited was Knoxville Tenn. Last November Mr. Doughty was poisoned by eating canned beef. After this misfortune he exhibited symptoms of aberration of mind, and no doubt, he wandered off while laboring under mental disturbances. Since he disappeared his relatives have maintained an unceasing search for him. Wednesday his brother started for Lynchburg to bring him home.
Collingswood 1887
Mr. John Gorman has the stone on his lot, and will erect another handsome cottage adjoining his present residence on Main street. A. K. H. Doughty is the contractor.
July 1887
A. K. H. Doughty of Collingswood, has several new houses under way at Mt. Ephraim.
October 1887 Collingswood
A. K. H. Doughty is building a portico to his fine house on Park avenue, and otherwise improving it. (Now we know where he lived. It was actually 602 Park Ave Collingswood)
January 1888
Collingswood Preparations
Messrs, J. L. Bailey, J. W. Stoker and A. K. H. Doughty have been appointed to a committee to secure an attorney and surveyor and prepare the necessary petition and map for the proposed borough of Collingswood.
May 1888
A. K. H. Doughty will build Mrs. R. T. Collins new house on Linwood Ave.
July 30, 1888
A. K. H. Doughty has the contact to erect the large pavilion in the Park. It will be one hundred feet long and sixty feet wide.
June 1891
A. K. H. Doughty has taken the contract of rebuilding the old farm house on the Danbman tract, at Mt. Ephraim, to be turned into a hotel.
October 1892
A. K. H. Doughty the builder, has secured a large contract at Atlantic City.
February 1896
A.K.H. Doughty is almost again after a nine week struggle with typhoid fever.
April 1896
(He now apparently has a home also in Berlin)
Berlin: The residence of A. K. H. Doughty has been similarly entered, but nothing was missing. The windows were pried open with a heavy brush hook. It is believed the burglaries were committed by hungry tramps who are flooding the county villages.
October 1906
A.K.H. Doughty of Park Avenue, has made several improvements to his home.
April 1912
A.K. H. Doughty of Lake View Drive ( house next door I believe) while preparing creosote with a mixture in which to dip shingles at building operations in Audubon, had the misfortune to badly burn his right eye and face with acid. Although the injury was very painful he will not experience any serious results after healing.
November 24, 1930
Sunday Chimney Fire Damages Home Roof
A blaze in a chimney at 8:30 am yesterday damaged the roof of the home of A. K. H. Doughty of 210 Lakeview Drive, Collingswood. "We were just getting up," said Mrs. Doughty, "and we heard strange noises in the chimney, but attributed it to the pigeons which nest around the house. Then neighbors rushed in and informed us that our roof was on fire."
1933 he travels with Beck to Bulltown
This shows the dam at Bulltown that was gone by the time of their visit. And Mr. Doughty at the Bulltown glass works. Doughty was born in Pleasant Mills.
Sunday Chimney Fire Damages Home Roof
A blaze in a chimney at 8:30 am yesterday damaged the roof of the home of A. K. H. Doughty of 210 Lakeview Drive, Collingswood. "We were just getting up," said Mrs. Doughty, "and we heard strange noises in the chimney, but attributed it to the pigeons which nest around the house. Then neighbors rushed in and informed us that our roof was on fire."
1933 he travels with Beck to Bulltown
This shows the dam at Bulltown that was gone by the time of their visit. And Mr. Doughty at the Bulltown glass works. Doughty was born in Pleasant Mills.
Guy; thanks for the hard work and the time your spent compiling all that information. It was greatly appreciated. I hope others found it interesting as well.
I was aware that he built the house at 602 Park Ave, but I didn't know he lived there. It is on the corner of Park Ave and Lakeview Dr. Today, that house is very nice and well kept. He also built the house next-door at 604 Park Ave. The house he lived at, at 210 Lakeview Dr. is right behind 602 Park Ave. That general area of Collingswood has many of the oldest houses in Collingswood.
I was also aware that he built the pavilion in Knight Park. It is still there. It sits right along the shore of a small pond. I remember when I was a kid in the 50's, I was at the pavilion attending a good old "Yankee Doodle" 4th of July celebration. That was the good old times that just doesn't happen today.
I was aware that he built the house at 602 Park Ave, but I didn't know he lived there. It is on the corner of Park Ave and Lakeview Dr. Today, that house is very nice and well kept. He also built the house next-door at 604 Park Ave. The house he lived at, at 210 Lakeview Dr. is right behind 602 Park Ave. That general area of Collingswood has many of the oldest houses in Collingswood.
I was also aware that he built the pavilion in Knight Park. It is still there. It sits right along the shore of a small pond. I remember when I was a kid in the 50's, I was at the pavilion attending a good old "Yankee Doodle" 4th of July celebration. That was the good old times that just doesn't happen today.
For most of the 1950's I was a kid in Augusta Georgia. My step dad was in the army. I was a cowboy. I had a pair of white pistols on my holster, and I could ride my bike with one hand. I was living the good life.
you eat canned beef you're rolling the dice, especially back then
Sound like that song Billy the Kid only you were Bobby the Kid
PUC Okays Removal Of Chatsworth Depo
Trenton July 17, 1950.- The Central Railroad of New Jersey has been given authority by the State Board of Public Utility Commissioners to remove its station building at Chatsworth, Woodland township, Burlington County.
The board said the amount of freight handled at that point did not require the maintenance of a station building. Last November the commission granted permission to change the status of Chatsworth from an agency station to non-agency because of the small amount of freight handled. No passenger service is provided on this line in the Chatsworth area, the commission reported.
Trenton July 17, 1950.- The Central Railroad of New Jersey has been given authority by the State Board of Public Utility Commissioners to remove its station building at Chatsworth, Woodland township, Burlington County.
The board said the amount of freight handled at that point did not require the maintenance of a station building. Last November the commission granted permission to change the status of Chatsworth from an agency station to non-agency because of the small amount of freight handled. No passenger service is provided on this line in the Chatsworth area, the commission reported.