Pine Barren History Shorts

Teegate

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May 19, 1953

N.J.Highway Boss Injured by Freight

Chatsworth

State Highway Commissioner Ransford J. Abbott was seriously injured early today when his car was struck by a freight train. He was taken to Burlington County Hospital in Mount Holly, where he is reported in serious condition with chest injuries.

The 54-year-old was driving south on Chatsworth-New Gretna road when his car and the freight train collided. He was on his way to his Port Republic home after a late meeting in Trenton.

Joseph Mahar, 59, of Long Branch, engineer of the Jersey Central Lines freight said the train was moving only about five miles and hour at the time of the collision.
 

Teegate

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November 8, 1929

The members of the newly organized Peerless Rod and Gun club has asked this column to extend an invitation to any interested sportsmen who desire to become members of the club to get in touch with any of the following nimrods; William Holtz, Anthony Palmiere and Charles Muller, Red Bank; Anthony Holtz and P. Boger, Long Branch; Anthony Micheal, Brooklyn. The club members will spend the deer hunting season chasing fleet game through the woods near Indian Mills in the southern part of the state and are also looking forward to the erection of a permanent clubhouse in that locality.
 

manumuskin

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Genesis 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Genesis 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
 

Longleaf Piney

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Feb 12, 2018
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Volusia County, FL
All,

This post is somewhat personal and a little longer. I have changed names and edited the newspaper reports.



When traveling on vacation my daughters download podcasts to keep us interested and awake while driving, and the theme for this trip turned out to be murder mysteries and missing individuals. When the podcasts were not playing my mind began to wander back 40 years to an incident and my personal involvement with an individual that this subject matter is related to. While I can't give you the exact date or even the exact year, I will do my best to jog my memory and narrow it down. I unfortunately did not take photos that day or I would have been able to do just that.


In April 1975 I purchased my first Land Cruiser so the year of my incident would have been between 1976 and 1978. If it was 1978 it should have been somewhat concerning to me as you will read later. It has been 40 years so time has erased the concerns I may have had.

I believed then and still do that I most likely was the first person in my moms development to own a 4X4 that actually was used to explore the pines. However, sometime in the time frame mentioned above an International Scout 4x4 was cruising around the neighborhood. Since my friend Tom was much more in tune to the goings on in the area as he was much more of a social butterfly than I was, he informed me that it was "Billy." (I have changed the name) Billy it turns out was older than me and had lived in the development for quite a while. And Tom also informed me he had spoken with Billy in regards to me and Billy expressed his desire to to do some offroading. Sometime after this Billy and I ran into each other even though I currently don't remember how that exactly happened. In any event, I believe later that day I waited for him in the driveway to arrive. Soon we were heading to the pines with me having no idea where he was going. Our travels eventually took us to Atsion and eventually we arrived at Salter's Ditch at I believe to be this location.



http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.73605482422198&lng=-74.76053494613649&z=17&type=hybrid&gpx=


Now remember, this was the 70's and the road there was primitive if at all. He stopped at the ditch as I pulled up behind him and he then proceeded to plow across it. I realized then his vehicle was a beast as he crossed the ditch and the hill in seconds. I believe he purchased the vehicle "as is" because I never remember seeing it as stock. Someone had done some serious work on it. Anyway, he soon disappeared and I sat there deciding what to do. I was not a big fan of doing this but I also did not want to turn around. So I proceeded forward and soon found myself sitting in the ditch not moving. Still no sign of him at all as I hooked up my winch to try and turn my vehicle around and return the same way I came. Ten more minutes and I was just about out when he returned the same way we had come in. He obviously traveled back across the ditch at some other location and made his way back to me. I was not happy about all of this and told him our day was over. We returned home and I never spoke with him again.



On August 22, 1978 I was at home reading the newspaper when my adventure above came flooding back into my head.

Marlton man held in death

A 30 year old Marlton man was arrested Monday for the stabbing death of his 10 month old son. "Billy" of Marlton was arrested when the body of his son was found in a secluded section of Washington Township. His son was found in the trunk. Park Rangers in the early PM found "Billy" wandering along Penn_Swamp-Quaker Bridge Road in Wharton. "Billy" was rambling about leaving his son in the car. After searching the forest the vehicle was discovered and the 10 month old had been stabbed in the chest. Another article also stated that his eyes were missing.


The following day edited.

"Billy" of Marlton was transferred from the Burlington County jail to the Vroom Building for the criminally insane after being arraigned for murder. "Billy" was violent in his cell and was screaming that his son was in there with him. He was also uttering gutteral sounds and had wild rolling eyeballs. He had been seeing a psychiatrist before the crime and allegedly was going to be taken to the mental unit of a Camden hospital on the day of the murder. However, the hospital denied that.


Fast forward almost a year to 5/26/1979

A Superior Judge has ruled "Billy" was insane when the crime occurred and he was transferred to Ancora for up to 60 days so he can be evaluated. He will then return for a sanity hearing. He admitted to the crime and it was reported that he was a schizophrenic who believed his son was insane and able to pass that on to other individuals by hypnotizing them with his eyes. "Hence, the eye removal." Two doctors testified that "Billy" said God had told him to do this, and "Billy" thought he was doing the right thing by saving the baby from a lifetime of misery in a mental institution.



In a photo from the first article he was disheveled with longer hair and beard which was not as he looked when I knew him. However, in this recent article about his arraignment it was mentioned he was looking well ... neatly dressed and alert.



According to a 1982 article, less than two years after the crime, "Billy" was released to live with his family. Anyone can have mental illness and it does not make me think any more or any less of "Billy". I was hoping that all would be well with him. Unfortunately, that would not be the way it ended.


An article from 8/8/1982.

Ex-Mental Patient killed in car crash

A Marlton man acquitted in the stabbing death of his son was killed in a vehicle crash on Route 40. "Billy" was pronounced dead Friday at the Emergency room of an Atlantic City hospital. His passenger, a 40 year old female from Florida and the female driver of a second car were hospitalized.
That is one incredible story.
I bought a '74 Landcruiser in '74, beige sand color. Perhaps we crossed paths in the pines back in the day.
 
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Teegate

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That is one incredible story.
I bought a '74 Landcruiser in '74, beige sand color. Perhaps we crossed paths in the pines back in the day.

I was a serious loner back then. Other than the above outing with an individual I only had a few other long encounters with people. I actually have photos from a few of them. Maybe someone here may recognize someone.

I only had encounters with two people with LandCruisers. One was an airline pilot who was taking a flight attendant out for a ride. Yea right! Anyway, I knew he was telling the truth by looking at him but especially by looking at her. I have never encountered anyone out there like her before or since. They asked us to drive around with them and eventually we arrived at Sweetwater Casino and as we pulled into the parking lot we made a U-turn and left them abruptly.

On another occasion we were at I believe the Batsto river bridge when this came along. This was developed in 8/1979.

9_79.jpg


They gave us a ride.

8_1979.jpg


I also have other photos from another outing that I will post later. And I have asked this before but will ask again, do you know anyone named Brad or a brother of anyone named Brad, with one of them being killed in Vietnam?
 

Teegate

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December 4, 1926

Hunters Getting Set

Burlington, Dec 3. A spacious club house will soon be opened by the South Park Hunting Club, near Chatsworth before opening of the deer season, under plans devised at the final meeting of the members. To date fifty clubman hold cards of good standing and the drive for the fascinating game, which opens on December 15, is expected to be greater this year than any previous season.
The following officers were elected to serve for the coming year; G. Linderburg, president; William McWilliams, treasurer; M. Lunderburg, secretary; and C.A. Davis, wood captain.
 
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Teegate

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April 18, 1930

Atsion Man Being Held On Wire Theft Charges

Hammonton, April 17- The disappearance of 1200 pounds of copper telephone wire alleged to have been stripped from poles on the Wharton Estate near Atsopn resulted in Elsworth Smith, of Atsion, being held under $1000 bail for the grand jury, by Justice of the Peace James E. Meyers.

Smith denied knowledge of the wire, none of which has been recovered. The wire disappeared from the poles during January and February.
 
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Teegate

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January 2, 1942

Gun Club's Cabin Destroyed By Fire

Berlin, N.J.- The Pine Valley Gun Club's cabin on the Clementon-New Freedom Road was destroyed early today by fire.

Six cases of gunshot shells in the building exploded before firemen from five companies could remove them.

Sparks from a chimney are believed to have ignited the roof.
 
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Longleaf Piney

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Volusia County, FL
April 18, 1930

Atsion Man Being Held On Wire Theft Charges

Hammonton, April 17- The disappearance of 1200 pounds of copper telephone wire alleged to have been stripped from poles on the Wharton Estate near Atsopn resulted in Elsworth Smith, of Atsion, being held under $1000 bail for the grand jury, by Justice of the Peace James E. Meyers.

Smith denied knowledge of the wire, none of which has been recovered. The wire disappeared from the poles during January and February.
I'm not a copper wire expert, but in my mind 1200 lbs represents alot of wire...perhaps it was heavy gauge.
 

Teegate

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Anyone know the history of "The Pines Gun Club" just north of Munion Field?


Take notice on this 1972 aerial and then the 1986 aerial. It is a different building in a slightly different location. Could the below article from 1974 explain that? it may have been called "the Pine Cone Gun Club" back then but today it is "The Pines Gun Club." if I am correct.

1972.jpg


1986.jpg



Gun Club Fire Cause Probed

September 12, 1974- Little Egg Harbor Township- Officials are investigating the cause of a fire which destroyed the Pine Cone Gun Club last night.
Clarence Mathis, chief of the West Tuckerton Volunteer Fire Company said the fire was reported about 8 p.m.

He said the West Creek and Parkertown companies and the state Forest Fire Service assisted in extinguishing the blaze about two miles off Route 539 and Stafford Forge road in the Munion Field section.
 

Longleaf Piney

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Feb 12, 2018
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Volusia County, FL
Anyone know the history of "The Pines Gun Club" just north of Munion Field?


Take notice on this 1972 aerial and then the 1986 aerial. It is a different building in a slightly different location. Could the below article from 1974 explain that? it may have been called "the Pine Cone Gun Club" back then but today it is "The Pines Gun Club." if I am correct.

View attachment 14725

View attachment 14726


Gun Club Fire Cause Probed

September 12, 1974- Little Egg Harbor Township- Officials are investigating the cause of a fire which destroyed the Pine Cone Gun Club last night.
Clarence Mathis, chief of the West Tuckerton Volunteer Fire Company said the fire was reported about 8 p.m.

He said the West Creek and Parkertown companies and the state Forest Fire Service assisted in extinguishing the blaze about two miles off Route 539 and Stafford Forge road in the Munion Field section.
I'm inclined to agree. What an isolated area it is in!
In searching the area on google maps I came across this preserve: < link removed by moderator >
Off-topic but worthy of noting, I hope.
 
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Teegate

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I have been there. It is really nice. Just be careful because it is managed by one woman, but she has a group of hunters who have keys and are serious hunters. I spoke with one of them and it was obvious that during the months mentioned on the gates you better stick to walking the roads.
 

Boyd

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Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Don't know what is at that link and am not going to find out. I don't have any anti-virus software, that warning came directly from Safari. I would advise against clicking on the link, but everyone can make their own decision.
 
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