Pine Barren History Shorts

Teegate

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RELICS OF 1778 ARE FOUND


8/1/1954

Relics believed to be part of the long lost British warship Zebra sunk 176 years ago in the battle of Chestnut Neck near the mouth of the Mullica River, were recovered by a treasure diver visiting here, it was disclosed today. Arthur McKee, maritime archeologist of Florida and associated with the Smithsonian Institute in underwater water exploration, converted a fishing party into an underwater expedition after a chance remark led to a discussion of the famous battle.

Research and exploration replaced the fishing party and the P.J. Ritter Co. Rod and Gun Club on Lake Nescochague at Pleasant Mills. Included in the group were Hohn A. Mattick, production superintendent of the Ritter Co. and a former Naval lieutenant; Earl L. McCormick, employee relations director of the company; Glen A. Penfield, William G. Penfield, Hannah G. Penfield, and Wilma P. McCormick, all members of the club.

The Zebra was the flagship of Commodore Sir Henry Clinton's fleet of three sloops and four other gunboats which precipitated in the storming of the Colonial fort at Fox Burrow and the burning of the town Chestnut Neck in 1778. The sloop, Vigilant, also was lost in the same action.

After McKee indicated he would like to explore the river bottom for historic wrecks in the hope of locating relics for the Smithsonian, the New Jersey State Museum and the Museum of Sunken Treasure at at Treasure Harbor, Plantation Key, Fla., the group did some research on the battle.

The group obtained the assistance of Horation Cramer and his son, Stanley, shipyard operators near the Mullica River. The Cramers who trace their ancestry to the Revolutionary period, furnished information handed down through the generations that eventually contributed to the discovery of the wreck.
With the aid of makeshift diving gear, McKee descended to the muddy bottom of the Mullica River where he found the historic wreck in 25 feet of water buried under several feet of mud and silt.

The outstanding find was a heavy cast iron chock, a ship fitting with two short horn-shaped arms curving inward between which ropes or anchor hawsers pass in anchoring a ship or mooring it to a dock. Also found were hand-wrought chain boat rings, rock ballast and other fitting of the type carried on early warships.


The metal relics were completely encrusted with a marine and oxide accumulation six inches thick. They were placed in fresh water at Bridgeton until they could be removed to the Smithsonian, where they will be treated and preserved by Mendel L. Peaterson, head curator.

McKee said the accumulation of marine growth and oxidation of the iron relics indicated they have been submerged at least 150 years. he said the fitting were of the type used by warships of that era and the rock ballast not associated with this region. The archeologist indicated there was little doubt the relics came from the Zebra.
 

Wick

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Forked River
RELICS OF 1778 ARE FOUND


8/1/1954

Relics believed to be part of the long lost British warship Zebra sunk 176 years ago in the battle of Chestnut Neck near the mouth of the Mullica River, were recovered by a treasure diver visiting here, it was disclosed today. Arthur McKee, maritime archeologist of Florida and associated with the Smithsonian Institute in underwater water exploration, converted a fishing party into an underwater expedition after a chance remark led to a discussion of the famous battle.

Research and exploration replaced the fishing party and the P.J. Ritter Co. Rod and Gun Club on Lake Nescochague at Pleasant Mills. Included in the group were Hohn A. Mattick, production superintendent of the Ritter Co. and a former Naval lieutenant; Earl L. McCormick, employee relations director of the company; Glen A. Penfield, William G. Penfield, Hannah G. Penfield, and Wilma P. McCormick, all members of the club.

The Zebra was the flagship of Commodore Sir Henry Clinton's fleet of three sloops and four other gunboats which precipitated in the storming of the Colonial fort at Fox Burrow and the burning of the town Chestnut Neck in 1778. The sloop, Vigilant, also was lost in the same action.

After McKee indicated he would like to explore the river bottom for historic wrecks in the hope of locating relics for the Smithsonian, the New Jersey State Museum and the Museum of Sunken Treasure at at Treasure Harbor, Plantation Key, Fla., the group did some research on the battle.

The group obtained the assistance of Horation Cramer and his son, Stanley, shipyard operators near the Mullica River. The Cramers who trace their ancestry to the Revolutionary period, furnished information handed down through the generations that eventually contributed to the discovery of the wreck.
With the aid of makeshift diving gear, McKee descended to the muddy bottom of the Mullica River where he found the historic wreck in 25 feet of water buried under several feet of mud and silt.

The outstanding find was a heavy cast iron chock, a ship fitting with two short horn-shaped arms curving inward between which ropes or anchor hawsers pass in anchoring a ship or mooring it to a dock. Also found were hand-wrought chain boat rings, rock ballast and other fitting of the type carried on early warships.


The metal relics were completely encrusted with a marine and oxide accumulation six inches thick. They were placed in fresh water at Bridgeton until they could be removed to the Smithsonian, where they will be treated and preserved by Mendel L. Peaterson, head curator.

McKee said the accumulation of marine growth and oxidation of the iron relics indicated they have been submerged at least 150 years. he said the fitting were of the type used by warships of that era and the rock ballast not associated with this region. The archeologist indicated there was little doubt the relics came from the Zebra.
After reading years ago about the Zebra and the battle of Chestnut Neck. I always wondered why the wrecks were never checked out. After all the Mullica is not that deep. Crazy to find out this happened over 65 years ago. Too bad they did not teach this stuff in school. I probably would have payed more attention.
When you look on the ariels of Chestnut Neck you can see what looks like the remnants of the fort. It is a round circle down the edge of a road. It is near the monument and there is a fence blocking the entrance. Has anyone ever been to it? What is still there? Perhaps you can approach by boat?
 
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Teegate

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12/24/1925

Sharp Bags 3-Snag Buck

A three-snag buck was brought down by Elbert C. Sharp, near Tylertown. Other members of the Nichols Patent Antlers Club who bagged a deer were Walter Hankins, of Vineland, and Ed Graham, of Salem.


I would have to believe this is him.

 
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Pineman32

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Dec 4, 2006
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This is an interesting one, and we can all try and figure out where the ending location was.


Edited

June 27, 1933

CHARLES L. CARSLAKE MISSING IN WOODS

Former Dry Agent and Undersheriff Left Columbus Home Thursday

Game wardens and state troopers were combing the pine plains and bog lands in the vicinity of Harrisia, Jenkins Neck and Sim Place today for Charles L. Carslake, former undersheriff and prohibition enforcement agent.
He was seen Friday on the Harrisia/Speedwell/New Gretna road, where he bought some gasoline at a filling station operated by Harry Leeks. (This could be Micks Canoe Rental today)
State Trooper Joseph McCormack of Columbus, said today that Trooper James Scotland and William Carslake, a son, who is a game warden, had been in the deer woods since early yesterday with his brother, seeking some trace of the former official. Carslake is now a justice of the peace and was said to have been in ill health for some time.
One report was that Carslake was seen near Sim Place, a cranberry settlement south of Martha Furnace and Calico. Friends said he might have gone out in search of wild huckleberries and became stranded when his car ran out of gasoline. The pine barrens are interlaced with tiny trails passable by automobile, but leading through deserted village sites.

June 28, 1933

More than 200 State troopers, game wardens and resident are combing cranberry bogs and pine barrens near Chatsworth, seeking Carslake. A Navy plane from the station at Lakehurst circled over the area all day yesterday. The Navy blimp ZNC-2 left Lakehurst today to aid in the search.
Yesterday afternoon his coupe was found abandoned in the dense woods off Goose Pond Road, five miles from Chatsworth, so deeply rutted in bog ooze that it could not be moved. In it were some of his clothing and his gun holster with the gun missing.

June 29, 1933
Edited
A human fine-toothed comb stretched through the fastness of the woods and swamps in the Goose Pond and Spring Hill roads sector from three to eight mile south of here Swamps and thickets in the direction of Winding Hill (????????), where buzzards were sighted yesterday, were subjected to a foot by foot scanning.
Numerous footprints, made by galoshes evidently worn by Carslake were followed until they seemingly ended.
After his car became mired in the mud, about 5 miles from Chatsworth on Goose Pond Road, he aparenty tried to push on to Warren Grove afoot. An empty holster in his car and the absence of his 45 calibar gun from home lwd his sons to believe he had the weapon on his person. The former dry crusader is forest-wise, his sons said, and with a firearm would be able to subsist.

On the other hand, he had been ill and may have wandered dazedly until he dropped from exhaustion his friends believe. They pointed out that he knows this territory and would have found a way out of the maze before this late date.

July 3, 1933
Edited

Since he had told his family he intended to spend several weeks at Warren Grove, it was felt possible that he may have stopped at some wilderness cabin unaware that a search was in progress.

Various

He stopped at the home of George Green, who resides on Goose Pond Road about two miles from Chatsworth, to ask for directions. A short time later he returned to Green's home and again asked for directions. (It is important to note that what they call Goose Pond Road is most certainly Baptist Road. Baptist Road back then crossed Long Causeway and traveled just north of Goose Pond and eventually to Warren Grove. It is pretty obvious Carslake drove through Chatsworth to Dukes Bridge and turned left onto Baptist where he stopped at George Green's house to ask directions.)

July 5, 1933

MISSING SQUIRE IS FOUND DEAD IN PINE WOODS

The thick underbrush of the pine county today gave up the body of Charles L. Carslake, Columbus justice of the peace, missing since Jun22.
Lying face downward in the cranberry bogs of the West Papoose swamp, seven miles

July 7, 1933
Edited
Carslake Funeral Held At Columbus

Last rites for Charles L. Carslake, 58, of Bordentown road, were held today from his home. Internment was in Columbus Cemetery.


I visited the Columbus Cemetery this late afternoon and early evening and found it to be an interesting place. With McMansions
Game wardens and state troopers were combing the pine plains and bog lands in the vicinity of Harrisia, Jenkins Neck and Sim Place today for Charles L. Carslake, former undersheriff and prohibition enforcement agent.
He was seen Friday on the Harrisia/Speedwell/New Gretna road, where he bought some gasoline at a filling station operated by Harry Leeks. (This could be Micks Canoe Rental today)
Just a brief comment about the edited post above. My grandfather Webster Mick established Mick’s Gulf Service in 1930. There was no gas station prior to that date. G. Mick, Jr.
 
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Teegate

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July 22, 1929

CAMPER PAYS $50 FINE FOR BUILDING WOOD FIRE

It cost George Martin, Sr., Asbury Park, $30 and costs to try and cook a meal in the woods near Chatsworth today, and then he had to wait here while his son drove to Asbury Park and back to get the money.

Martin was cooking his meal in the woods without having a permit when Section Fire Warden Albert LeDuc came along on patrol duty. The offender said he was ignorant of the law. Justice of the Peace Throckmorton imposed the fine.
 
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Boyd

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According to the BLS Calculator, that would cost you $882 today. :eek:

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Teegate

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JULY 19, 1924

DEATH OF CONSTANT LEDUC

Constant Leduc, a well known French-American, who settled at South Park, near Chatsworth about 32 years ago, died at his home Wednesday night from a complication of diseases.

Soon after settling at Chatsworth with his wife he began to take an interest in things political and for a number of years was an active Republican worker.
He purchased woodland in large quantities and at one time was one of the largest holders of real estate in the Jersey pines. Mr. LeDuc is said to have been a descendent of the royalty of France, while Mrs. LeDuc is also a member of the aristocracy of her home land.

Mr. Leduc was a member of the Masonic Lodge of France and often in his younger days paid fraternal visits to the lodges of Burlington County. He was 74 years of age. The funeral was held this morning with services at his home and internment was in the Odd Fellow cemetery at Pemberton.
 
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