Purchase A & B Stone, and a Canal

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
All,



We started today by first trying to visit the saw mill that Scott (RednekF350) mentioned recently, but turned back when we were almost to it when we saw hunters congregating in the area. So we continued on to search for something that I have been wanted to do for a long time.

I have mentioned "Purchase A & Purchase B" here before, but will go over it briefly again. When the Wharton tract was purchased, there were basically two purchases, one a year after the other called A & B. This was mentioned also by Tom Pogranicy the former Superintendent when Ben and I attended the ceremonies there in December, so my facts were collaborated for me at that time.

Anyway, one end of the division line was a stone called "Stone 8" located near the Nescochague river on the Hammonton side just below Paradise Lake, with the other location along the JCRR east of Atsion.

a_b.jpg


So we then traveled down West Mills road from 206 and soon found out that there was a puddle there that I had concerns about crossing with my car. Looking at my GPS we had a mile and a quarter to go, so we hoofed it. We started on the road and eventually headed into the woods to try to cross the Nescochague.

If you remember a while back Ed and Lorun kayaked down that section from Paradise Lake, so I had asked Ed for the location of a good spot to cross. He mentioned that he had noticed an area that was very wide and had sandstone rocks and cement partially across the river and felt we could cross there. That location coincidentally was another location I had been looking to visit. More on that below.

We eventually made it to this location by Jessica shimmying across a very large tree over part of the river, and wading in hip waders across the rest. We then started looking for the "Purchase" stone.

We had been hearing hunters on a drive getting closer to us, and while traveling up a water filled path we came upon them suddenly all in a group. They noticed us and quickly headed into the woods dragging a deer or more.

We continued on, soon to be at the location where the state's purchase of the Wharton property started at, and we were not disappointed. Located along a path where hunters and not many other people visit, we found what we were looking for.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1253-1/IMG_6284.jpg

Notice it on the right of the path

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1248-1/IMG_6283.jpg

I searched for the accompanying state stone and came up empty handed, so we headed back to the river to explore where we had crossed.

Now here is where a historian may be able to help us out, so I will just pass on my opinion and the facts.

On May 20 1876 Joseph Wharton sold a 1/4 acre piece of land to Augustus H. Richards along the Nescochague south of Paradise Lake Campground. On this property I am assuming Mr. Richards built a canal that appears to extend completely along the south side all the way down to possibly Pleasant Mills. The beginning of this canal is exactly where Ed found the stone's across the river on his kayak trip with Lorun. I am assuming Ed did not have much time to look around there, so Jessica and I did that today. I am convinced that this location at the Nescochague was at one time a large lake formed by damming of the river for a saw mill or some other endeavor. The reason why Joseph Wharton I believe sold him this property, is that in order to connect the canal to the Nescochague at this location, he had to cross Wharton's property. So Wharton sold him an approximately 40 foot wide easement to reach the river.

richards.jpg


canal.jpg


Here is the canal today.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1262-1/IMG_6288.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1259-1/IMG_6287.jpg

Here is a map showing the canal. The short section from the balloon south to the almost horizontal path is the portion Wharton sold him. If you continue following the canal south it appears to travel all the way down to at least the housing development near Ace Campground. That is debatable.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.674389,-74.714417&ll=39.672462,-74.713318&spn=0.005772,0.012113&t=k

If you want to read more on Augustus H. Richards and you have "Heart of the Pines", you can read where he was involved in canals as far back as the 1820's. Pg 119 & 146-147

We then crossed back over the Nescochague, and hoofed the 1.25 miles back to the car. Here is a photo of a savannah we crossed, and Jessica leaving a cedar swamp.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1265-1/IMG_6290.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1268-1/IMG_6292.jpg

Guy
 

LARGO

Piney
Sep 7, 2005
1,553
134
54
Pestletown
I don't have any answers for the above but wow, it seems like a few of us at one time were all in the same general area this morning ! kinda cool.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
BobM said:
I'm glad to see Jess wearing an orange hat Guy.


She did not bring hers. My wife bought me an orange reversable vest for Christmas which I was wearing, so I gave her my hat.

Guy
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,877
1,017
Guy, that was a great trip. That's one area you can go to and find something noone has seen in a looooong time. I never did stop to explore, so I didn't know about the canal. I think Steve said he'd like to paddle that. We'll have to explore out that way while the weather is still cool and after deer hunting, Jan 31. I have to get to the saw mill too.

Ed
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
If you want to kayak it with Steve, and don't mind me using your wife's kayak, I am in. The canal is an interesting place and I would like to spend some time looking around there.

Also, remember the road we drove after visiting Ace that time when I followed in my car? I think that could get us close if you want to try that before Jan 31st. I can show you the Purchase stone and I know the locations of the exact edges of the canal easement so we can get an idea of how much property Wharton sold him. And I am certain we crossed the extension of the canal the day we drove from Ace, we just did not know it.

If we kayak are you going to try to start where you did before?

Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
Reviving an ancient thread....


Guy, have you seen this?

No I have not. And as of yet I can't figure out why I should be reading it. What is in it that goes with this thread? I tried searching various names and came up empty. Can you give me more info?

Edit: It seems you links are bad. I went into your post and noticed this:

http://books.google.com/books?id=p3UDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA511&lpg=PA511&dq=%22mr+h+richards+for+defendant%22&source=web&ots=Kmc8FSSWY0&sig=zCWn8SPb0NksDDBRqwjjvJRJpsg[/url][="http://http://books.google.com/books?id=p3UDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA511&lpg=PA511&dq=%22mr+h+richards+for+defendant%22&source=web&ots=Kmc8FSSWY0&sig=zCWn8SPb0NksDDBRqwjjvJRJpsg"]canal lawsuit


Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
I found it on page 511.

Have you ever been there Gabe? It is an interesting place. I know where the exact corners of the canal is, but have not spent much time searching for them. Next month I will have to get there again.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

Guy
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,620
564
Galloway
Sorry about the link malfunction. I hope you didn't waste too much time reading something irrelevant.

No, I haven't been there, Guy. I'd like to go with you when you go there next. It would be interesting to search for any remains of Richards' dam. There is a lot of information in that account. How much flow was it receiving when you last visited?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
It is an interesting read. The article states he dug the ditch on property that was not his, but that is not true if as the text says he built it during the summer and fall of 1876. Below is proof that Augustus Richards purchased the property from Joseph Wharton in May of 1876 giving him ownership for the summer and fall of that year. Now what does this tell us about Joseph Wharton? Did he feel that since the operations downstream were not ongoing, it was in Richards rights to build the canal, or did he purposely sell him the property knowing what the consequences would be?

richards.jpg



The canal

canal.jpg



The sale

1876.jpg


EDIT: it appears I may have read that wrong ... it says the dam was not built on his property, but the ditch was.

Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
Sorry about the link malfunction. I hope you didn't waste too much time reading something irrelevant.

No, I haven't been there, Guy. I'd like to go with you when you go there next. It would be interesting to search for any remains of Richards' dam. There is a lot of information in that account. How much flow was it receiving when you last visited?


Very little flow. There are bricks still there which Ed found on his way down the river. It is obvious when you get there that a dam of some sort had been there.

If we go there we can look for all the corners of the canal which have state markers on them. I know exactly where they are except it is semi dense there. I quickly looked but had a long hike back with little time left.

Not far away is the Purchase A & B stone which I discuss in the text above. There also is other stones I want to look for. And we could follow the canal until we run out of time.

I know Ed wanted to go, except I believe he wanted to kayak. If we have a group it would be better walking.

IMG_6286.JPG



IMG_6288.JPG
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,620
564
Galloway
Teegate said:
Now what does this tell us about Joseph Wharton? Did he feel that since the operations downstream were not ongoing, it was in Richards rights to build the canal, or did he purposely sell him the property knowing what the consequences would be?

Good question......



Kayaking seems to be out of the question. It would be cool though to hike the whole canal. The article states that the canal went all the way down to Forge Pond. That is a distance!

There are bricks still there which Ed found on his way down the river. It is obvious when you get there that a dam of some sort had been there.

Ah! I'd like to check that out.

From your opening post:

Teegate said:
I am convinced that this location at the Nescochague was at one time a large lake formed by damming of the river for a saw mill or some other endeavor.

Are you talking about the river just above where the canal begins? Can you go into this in more detail?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
Kayaking seems to be out of the question.

Are you talking about the river just above where the canal begins? Can you go into this in more detail?

Ed was there on his kayak, so it can be done. If you are referring to a group than on foot is better.

Yes ... where the canal is obviously had a dam as mentioned in the book, and there is a large lake like area such as Martha's pond or the dam we visited near Wescoat Bog. It is clear a large pool of water was there at one time.


Guy
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,620
564
Galloway
Guy, hat would you say was the average depth of the canal when you visisted that winter?

Here is a funny from the article:
In January, 1878, they filed their bill in this
cause for relief, praying that the defendant may be
restrained from interfering in any way with the natural and
ancient flow of the water down the Forge stream

I am curious about this one:
...and that, by means of some ditches which he has dug through his land, more water is contributed to the pond than the defendant uses from the Forge stream in
irrigating his lands.

I wonder where these ditches are...
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,886
8,592
I wonder where these ditches are...



Gabe,

There is a massive canal there that I have mentioned before here but nobody responded to it. It goes from where we have been discussing all the way at least to the small lake west of Ace. You can see it below.

It starts here as mentioned. Notice the canal heading south south west down from there. This section is slightly hard to see.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.67...pn=0.006251,0.010364&t=k&z=17&iwloc=addr&om=1


Follow it down to here.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.66...pn=0.012504,0.020728&t=k&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1



Here it is heading to that small lake.


http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.66...pn=0.006252,0.010364&t=k&z=17&iwloc=addr&om=1


You can see it better here.


canal1.jpg



canal2.jpg



If you have ever driven across one, there are cement pipes under the road making it seem like a stream. You only would know it was not from the aerial photo’s.


Guy
 
Top