Pine Barren History Shorts

[Teegate]

I have come to the realization that Beck completely changed his writing style when converting his articles into book form. Much of what would interest me was left out completely. Granted, the info above would not have been in the book anyway. And I can see that he was having the same problem with his readers following in his footsteps and taking things as we all still have today. He had to be mindful of what he wrote.

 

[Teegate]

I suppose it's clear that the ingot and cupola are two separate artifacts.

.

I don't think so. He just used those words for the item in question.

Guy

 

[manumuskin]

In 1940 Henry Beck was again visiting Martha Furnace with John Gill who was a Haddonfield naturalist, and they discovered that someone had found the 500 pound cupola of the forge at Martha. The jersey Bog iron was laying by the raceway where it had been dragged waiting for someone to return and remove it. Keep in mind this property was at this time owned by the Wharton Estate.

In the article below from April 1940, "Jersey Industry" is mentioned which is a publication that the newspaper apparently prints occasionally.


Edited:


Bog Iron Bar Shows Name Of Old Forge

Jersey Industry Seizes Rare Find at Martha Furnace

Acting to rescue for NJ what may prove one of the most valuable finds linked with an industrial era that is almost forgotten, Jersey Industry tuned archaeologist this week, taking possession of a 500 pound bar of bog iron, at least a century old.

Not only is it an authentic bar of Jersey's own iron of the forge and furnace days but it is a relic plainly stamped with the name of the forge village that produced it --- Martha.

State Notified of Find

At the time Beck notified the Department of Conservation and Development of the discovery, urging the department to make arrangements to perhaps be placed in the state museum. The department, it was understood, was proceeding along unorthodox channels, contacting the Wharton estate. It was further assumed that the bar had been obtained and that an announcement would be made that it had been placed on exhibit in a setting it deserves.
This week however, Beck found the bar still there, moved by the same or new marauders several feet nearer the old raceway, where an obvious attempt had been made to hurl it to the bottom in several feet of murky water. Perhaps it was someone's plan to hide it and salvage it later on.

Thus Jersey Industry acted on the principle that possession is nine points of the law, at the same time announcing the bar from Martha is in safe keeping until such time as all the red tape has been cut.Sheltered from the weather of the woods and protected from the miscreants who through more than a century have stolen and sold some of the best relics of early industry, the bar will be held pending new developments.Unquestionably, a product of Martha Furnace belongs in the state museum.

Beck recalled that less than ten years ago two large stone wheels of grist mill were half buried in a hole near the lake, formed by the dammed Oswego River, at Martha. A short time later, it was discovered, the wheels were stolen. A sawmill was built by Jonathan Hough at Martha in 1758.

The Jonathan Hough stone

View attachment 11197

Tradition says that a mile above the furnace there was a brickyard which unquestionably yielded the bricks that lie today under overgrown trees and layers of moss in the wreck of the cupola. Over the doorway there was once an iron plate, probably a furnace product, bearing the inscription, "Issac Potts, 1793." This vanished long ago. Authorities have said that two trip hammer heads, weighing hundred's of pounds, were removed and sold for scrap iron during the Spanish-American war.

Obviously so tangible a remembrance of an industry so important, a village furnace so outstanding and an owner so celebrated deserves a better setting than a clearing in the woods or the yard of a junk dealer.



One month later in late May 1940 this is published. Edited:


Relic of Martha Furnace Awaits Owner's Intention

Several weeks ago, after Jersey Industry had assumed charge of a 500-pound ingot of NJ iron, announcement was made that the "protective custody" would be terminated when assurance was given that the relic would attain its proper place.

The NJ State Museum was suggested and copies of the article were forwarded the museum, the Department of Conservation and persons believed interested.

Two weeks ago the overseer of this section of the Wharton Estate said that the estate had brought Jersey Industry's action to his attention. Following that, counsel for the newspaper revealed that a representative of the Girard Trust Company, trustees for the estate, had conferred with him.

Upon insistence of the Wharton Estate through the trustee, the Girard Trust company, the ingot from Martha is about to be returned to the estate overseer. Jersey Industry hopes it is not going back to rust in the woods. Jersey Industry can do no more than hope.The legal owners of this relic have divulged no information as to its ultimate destination.

The question is, where exactly is this relic???

 

[manumuskin]

Hey I"ve seen that stone before!

 

[Teegate]

Hey I"ve seen that stone before!

I was there again a few weeks ago checking my cords. I wanted to make sure they were correct as I was using that location as a POB to find others.

 

[Teegate]

7 Spans In Fire Path Need Quick Repairs

May 1930

Edited:

Burlington County Freeholders are faced with the necessity for immediately repairing seven important wooden bridges in the pine belt which were destroyed by recent forest fires.

Constable bridge, Batsto, $1250; Wading River-Harrisville bridge, $300; Gosler's bog bridge, Leektown, $300; Bass River state forest bridge, $300; No. HS at Leektown, $200; Quaker Bridge, $2500, and the bridge on Jenkins-Martha Furnace Road, $200. An emergency note will probably be floated to pay for repairs.

 

[Teegate]

Phone LIne To Apple Pie Hill

2/20/1914

The Farmers Telephone Company, of New Egypt, will erect a telephone line from Chatsworth extension to what is known as Apple-pie Hill, about 4 miles from Chatsworth. There will be a connection with forestry commission of New Jersey, which is planning and has sufficient appropriation to erect a fire lookout at the summit of the hill. This lookout will be equipped with a powerful telescope mounted in such a manner that the observer, who will be permanently stationed at this point, will be able to locate a fire within a radius of ten miles, and telephone to the nearest warden. Apple-pie Hill is the highest point in South Jersey, and has been marked by the state Geological Survey as a standard of elevation, and a stone monument marks the spot.

 

[manumuskin]

Phone LIne To Apple Pie Hill

2/20/1914

The Farmers Telephone Company, of New Egypt, will erect a telephone line from Chatsworth extension to what is known as Apple-pie Hill, about 4 miles from Chatsworth. There will be a connection with forestry commission of New Jersey, which is planning and has sufficient appropriation to erect a fire lookout at the summit of the hill. This lookout will be equipped with a powerful telescope mounted in such a manner that the observer, who will be permanently stationed at this point, will be able to locate a fire within a radius of ten miles, and telephone to the nearest warden. Apple-pie Hill is the highest point in South Jersey, and has been marked by the state Geological Survey as a standard of elevation, and a stone monument marks the spot.

A stone monument on Apple Pie Hill?

 

[Teegate]

STATION RECOVERY (1932)



RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1932 (ERM)
STATION RECOVERED. IT IS NOW MARKED BY CUT GRANITE STONE, ABOUT
8 INCHES SQUARE AND PROJECTING 10 INCHES ABOVE GROUND SURFACE. A
STATE FIRE LOOKOUT TOWER ON TOP OF A SMALL BUILDING IS LOCATED
ABOUT 26 FEET NORTHWEST OF STATION.



STATION RECOVERY (1932)



RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1932 (CDM)
THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION STATES THAT A NAIL IN A PINE STUB
IS THE SURFACE MARK. THE STATION WAS FOUND MARKED BY A 6- BY
6-INCH STONE WITH A TRIANGLE CUT IN THE TOP AND THE LETTERS
U.S. CHISELED ON THE FOUR SIDES NEAR THE TOP.

 

[manumuskin]

have you found it? Do you have a pic?

 

[Teegate]

That is long gone.

 

[Teegate]

May 19, 1930

Big Still Is Found Operating In Tent Near Hammonton

Sate and local police confiscated a moonshine distillery set up in a large army tent today in the middle of a swamp a mile from here.

They found a 250-gallon still in full operation with a water pump operating from a well. The seized 90 barrels of rye mash, 20 bags of sugar and 24 bags of coke.

No one was in sight when the police arrived. An all-day vigil failed to trap anyone near the tent. The tent was erected one-half mile from Sandy Causeway in the Great Swamp.

Policeman Mike Messina and John Rubba and Corporal Orzechowski and State Troopers Beylon and Carns conducted the raid.

 

[bobpbx]

They probably didn't "find" anything. Something led them there, be it burning coke in the woods in NJ (no comment) or a rat.

 

[Teegate]

December 2, 1937

Riverside Gun Club Lodge Destroyed

A hunting lodge owned by the Riverside Gun Club on Warren Grove Road, Chatsworth, was destroyed by fire yesterday. Samuel Leek, the caretaker, returned from a rabbit hunting trip to find the entire roof of the building ablaze. He warned his wife, Theresa, and a son, Samuel Jr., aged 2 1/2, who were unaware of the blaze over their heads. Sparks from the chimney is believed to have started the blaze.

Also.


January 2, 1942

Gun Club's Cabin Destroyed by Fire

Berlin, NJ. The Pine Valley Gun Club's cabin on the Clememton-New Freedom Road was destroyed early today by fire.
Six cases of shotgun shells in the building exploded before firemen from five companies could remove them.
Sparks from a chimney are believed to have ignited the roof.

 

[Teegate]

All,

Here is a little information that I have acquired. Maybe someone knows something and can add to it.

There was a gun club in Chatsworth called the"Jones Mill Gun Club" incorporated in June 1937.


Jones Mill Gun Club Files Incorporation (Central NJ Home News)

A certificate of incorporation was filed today at the county clerk's office for the Jones Mill Gun Club, Inc. The business of the organization will be conducted in Chatsworth, and the office is in Prospect Plains.

The incorporators are William A. Mount of church street, Jamesburg; R. Maitland Vandenbergh, Prospect Plains; Edgar D. Reid, Tennent; Samuel Johnson and Frank Buck, both of Asbury Park.


On 9/21/1937 the Jones Mill Gun Club purchased 10,000 square feet of land, with apparently a dwelling on it from Alburtus Pepper and Vincent and Bessie Mae Pepper on the east side of the Jones Mill stream. The deed states it is along the "Raceway" and I am pretty certain it is one of the properties at Dukes Bridge that you can see here. I will work on narrowing this down.


https://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.79455864522562&lng=-74.52430743377687&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=



During their ownership of this property an almost tragic event occurred and pure luck saved the building.




Torch Blast Burns Two Neptune Men. (Tuesday, 9/24/1957)

Chatsworth: Two Neptune Township men were among five burned when a blow torch exploded in their hunting lodge here Sunday. George Eberhardt, 1205 11th Ave., and Donald Jobes, 100 Myrtle Ave., were burned on the face, arms and body. So were Robert Reid, Atlantic City; Warren Silver Jr., Heightstown, and Wilson Ryan (remember this name), Cranberry.

They were installing plumbing fixtures in the kitchen of the Jones Mill Gun Club lodge. Other member drove them 35 miles to a hospital in Mt. Holly where they were treated.

Bradley Beach Patrolman Robert Ross and some members were testing an electric water pump and were running water outside when the blow torch exploded. They quickly put out the flames that showered the kitchen in the explosion. Without water, he said the fire would have destroyed the lodge.


On June 29 1970 they sold the property back to Albertus Pepper and his wife Mildred Pepper. The reason they sold the property MAY be the fact they didn't need it anymore. On June 7, 1967 they purchased this property on 532 from Albert Ammon which is next to the Ammon Nursery.


https://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.82356737352017&lng=-74.52118936579706&z=20&type=hybrid&gpx=


If you remember above I told you to remember the name of one of the men who was burned in the fire. This tells us something that occurred with him at this new location.


3 Sentenced In Assault On Gun Club Caretaker (9/26/1985)

Three Pemberton Township residents yesterday were ordered imprisoned after pleading guilty to their roles in the aggravated assult of an elderly caretaker of a Woodland gun club Jan 4.

Robert E. Budai, 23 of Lakehurst Road, was sentensed to seven years in a state prison after pleading guilty July 22 to the aggravated assault of Wilson L. Ryan, 72. Glendora E. Bodine, 41, and her daughter Barbara Bodine, 18, both of Grove Ave, were sentenced to five years and six months respectively for the burglary of the Jones Mill Gun Club on Route 532. Ryan was the club's caretaker.

Police said the three broke into the club at about 12:35 AM January 4, assaulted Ryan with a shovel and stole $300, a television and food.

Defense lawyers said the three were intoxicated at the time of the burglary.


On May 28 1992 the Jones Mill Gun Club and all of it's members sold the property to Susan Merkl for the sum of $72,000.

 

[old jersey girl]

Drunk and stupid; never changes.

 

[Teegate]

Wonder where this was?

2/20/1952

Navy Carrier Plane Makes Forced Landing In Chatsworth Woods

A navy carrier plane, based at the Naval Air Station in nearby Pamona, made a forced landing in a wooded area in Chatsworth, Burlington County, yesterday. Two naval officers aboard the craft escaped injury.

 

[bobpbx]

Wonder where this was?

2/20/1952

Navy Carrier Plane Makes Forced Landing In Chatsworth Woods

A navy carrier plane, based at the Naval Air Station in nearby Pamona, made a forced landing in a wooded area in Chatsworth, Burlington County, yesterday. Two naval officers aboard the craft escaped injury.

That is very interesting!

 

[Teegate]

It may have been Coyle Field. I have to check when it was built. It was there on aerials in 1956.

 

[Teegate]

It was there in 1953 so I suspect it was there in 1952. I say it was Coyle Field where it landed.