Tavern in Pleasant Mills, NJ

stizkidz

Piney
May 10, 2003
1,044
8
Tuckerton
Jerseyman,

Hmmmm.....The following is the only information I have at hand.

An 1825 document mentions a Lafayette Tavern "on the road from Pleasant Mills to Indian Cabin". This is taken from Budd's Dad's notes on the Wharton Ledgers (Vol. 14, p. 344)

I did not realize that "Indian Cabin" was an actual place on a map?
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,624
564
Galloway
I did not realize that "Indian Cabin" was an actual place on a map?

Neither did I know that it was a toponym. That said, I haven't found an actual map that depicts it. I would assume that the actual cabin was somewhere near the junction of Indian Cabin Stream and Indian Cabin Rd. What makes matters a bit confusing is the fact that "Indian Cabin Mill Inn" was supposedly in Nesco, a good ways away from Indian Cabin road and stream. And where was Indian Cabin Mill? I wonder if somewhere along the line "Indian Cabin Mill Inn" and the tavern at New Columbia (Nesco) were confused. That might make sense considering that Lafayette Tavern seems to have been located on Indian Cabin Rd. Just thinking out loud here...
 

turtle

Explorer
Feb 4, 2009
653
214
a village...in the pines
Gabe, in Budd's dad's notes: check Vol. #34 page 2 notes.

"Mentions a road leading from Daniel Read's Tavern (1852) to Indian Cabinn. Daniel kept a tavern at the Sailor Boy on the Bodine tract, see No 5 in Map 15 on page 246." (Isn't Sailor Boy Tavern, the present day home with the historic designation sign at the end of Columbia Rd in Nesco?)

"Mentions Tree Tavern 1824, vicinity of Elwood"

I believe that Thompson's was a "townhouse" stage stop/tavern at Quaker Bridge early 1800s, but in Vol. 28, page 8 of notes there is a note that:

"Death of Nicholas S. Thompson--- 1856---wills a lot of land, tavern house and etc situate in Atlantic County, known as Pleasant Mills Hotel containing 13 acres."

I keep hoping that you will figure this out.... I can only pull out bits of info but lack your brain matter to connect the dots. I will continue to look for tavern mentions in my papers and pass them along.

:) Terry



 
Apr 6, 2004
3,624
564
Galloway
Gabe, in Budd's dad's notes: check Vol. #34 page 2 notes.

"Mentions a road leading from Daniel Read's Tavern (1852) to Indian Cabinn. Daniel kept a tavern at the Sailor Boy on the Bodine tract, see No 5 in Map 15 on page 246." (Isn't Sailor Boy Tavern, the present day home with the historic designation sign at the end of Columbia Rd in Nesco?)

"Mentions Tree Tavern 1824, vicinity of Elwood"

I believe that Thompson's was a "townhouse" stage stop/tavern at Quaker Bridge early 1800s, but in Vol. 28, page 8 of notes there is a note that:

"Death of Nicholas S. Thompson--- 1856---wills a lot of land, tavern house and etc situate in Atlantic County, known as Pleasant Mills Hotel containing 13 acres."

I keep hoping that you will figure this out.... I can only pull out bits of info but lack your brain matter to connect the dots. I will continue to look for tavern mentions in my papers and pass them along.

:) Terry

Terry!

Higbee's Tree Tavern seems to have been at the junction of Moss Mill Rd and Old Egg Harbor Rd: http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.58779452941733&lng=-74.7209960964584&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=

Sailor Boy was not at Nesco. The one at Nesco was called the New Columbia Tavern, I believe. For some reason, it is often called the Indian Cabin Mill Inn, which I believe is a mistake. I'm not sure where exactly Sailor Boy Tavern was. I've always been confused about that. I think Spung Man might have the answer to that one. The reference to the road leading from Read's Tavern to Indian Cabin is interesting.

The Thompson of Quaker Bridge fame was Arthur Thompson. Nicholas Sooy Thompson was Arthur's son.

Thanks for the food for thought, and for your kind words. Although I dare say that you are quite capable of connecting the dots yourself. I hope to get serious with my research when I'm done this album. Excuses, I know...
 
Folks:

I think you will find that a combination of Boyer/Morgan’s Old Inns and Taverns in West Jersey and Thomas Gordon’s 1828 map of New Jersey (annotated through 1833) will answer most of your questions.

Here is a detail from the Gordon map:

Indian Cabin detail, Gordon, 1833.jpg


Boyer/Morgan states:

Sailor Boy Tavern. On the old stage road between the Delaware River and the Ocean, and about twenty-five miles from Atlantic City, stood an old tavern called the Sailor Boy. The settlement around the tavern was then called Sailor Boy and is now known as Elwood. The first landlord who has been identified with this house is William Coffin, but when he started it is unknown. In 1805, Isaac Bolton purchased the house and on his death, a year later, was succeeded by his widow, Rebecca Bolton. Levi Estell, Jonathan Day and Thomas Baramore were later proprietors. The signboard was the figure of a sailor painted in blue, with white cap and trimmings. (1962:162)

The detail of the map above shows “Bolton,” but the annotator crossed that name out and penned in “McCoy’s,” the surname of the subsequent tavern keeper after the Bolton family ceased serving as “mein host” at the tavern. This might be David McCoy, who also operated a tavern in Burlington County.

Higbee’s or Green Tree Tavern. In March 1776, John Steelman opened a tavern in Galloway Township, on the road from Blue Anchor to Leeds’ Point, at its intersection with a road from Absecon. This house was later kept by Richard Higbee and was called Higbee’s Tavern, or Green Tree Tavern. By the latter name it was known as late as 1840, although the little settlement, which sprang up around the tavern, was called higbee’s or Higby’s, and is shown on the earlier maps. Of later landlords, we have John Wescott (1926), Captain John Turner (1927-1833) and Absalom S. Wescott (1834-1835). (1962:158)

The William Watson 1812 map of New Jersey provides locational information on Indian Cabin Mill:

Indian Cabin Mill detail, Watson, 1812..jpg


Given the relative location of Sailor Boy Tavern (Bolton’s) to Indian Cabin Branch and its mill, I could accept it being called Indian Cabin Mill Inn, but certainly not the New Columbia Tavern in Nesco.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,624
564
Galloway
Thanks, Jerseyman!!

I had forgotten that Indian Cabin Mill is depicted on Watson's 1812 map! You have confirmed by suspicions. Any clue as to where exactly THE Indian Cabin was? And have we any evidence of a tavern closer to the mill (Sailor Boy Tavern is too far from Indian Cabin Mill for my liking)? Or perhaps the "Indian Cabin Mill Inn" was a misnomer arising from references to a tavern on Indian Cabin Road (The Lafayatte Inn, for example)? Lastly, do we know that Mulliner was arrested at the New Columbia Tavern at Nesco, or could he haven been arrested at another tavern?
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,624
564
Galloway
Jerseyman,

I was wondering if you could help me locate Newtown.

From my notes:


Road to Newtown from Indian Cabin Road via. Cook's field. Sand gotten from Cook's Field for glass factory at Batsto. (Wharton Ledgers, Vol. 9, p. 46)

Also:

Pettit's Old Road” also called Newtown Road in 1760 (Vol. 37).

I'm guessing that Pettit's Old Road is actually Evi Bellangee's Landing Road, a.k.a Sailor Boy Road:


Evi Ballanges Landing road, also called “Pettits” Landing on Little Egg Harbor River above the mouth of Lucas Branch. Leads from that landing through the present village of Ellwood to where Evi Belange lived, near “Beck's and Vanmeter's place.” (W.L. Vol. 9, p.98) Evi Bellange live about 3 miles due North of the present village of Weymouth (W.L. Vol. 9, p.169).

The headwaters of Newton or Pine Creek are here: http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.58231665231075&lng=-74.64959032806394&z=16&type=topo&gpx=

Any ideas?
 

Spung-Man

Piney
Jan 5, 2009
1,000
729
65
Richland, NJ
www.researchgate.net
Gabe,

There is a sale reference in New Jersey Archives, Vol. XXV-First Series that might provide a clue:

To be sold.
A valuable tract of land, in Great Egg Harbour Township, Gloucester county containing 75 acres, most part bears a large burthen of fresh grass, and has been mowed many years, lying on the Great Egg Harbour river, has a fine stream for a furnace; there is on said land, a large quantity of iron ore, near three quarters of a mile long, and between 30 and 40 rod wide, but how deep unknown, having dug a considerable depth, without coming to the bottom; the ore has been tried, and foun to be as rich and good as any in the Jerseys. It is a very convenient place for a tavern, as it lies on the road from Philadelphia to Egg Harbour. Any person inclining to purchase said land, by applying to the subscriber, living in said township, may be informed of the terms of sale.
Evi Bellangee
The Pennsylvania Gazette, No 2025, October 1, 1767
I've assumed that this ad was was referring to the old meadow ore grounds, an area to the west of Makepeace Lake that is about three miles due north of Weymouth:​
While it seems a long way from what we now call the Great Egg Harbor River, the ore grounds are in the broad ancient channel of that same river. The Oxford English Dictionary states a burthen is "A ‘load’ (whether of man, animal, vehicle, etc.) considered as a measure of quantity. Now only applied to the carrying capacity of a ship, stated as a certain number of tons."
This is also the reputed "Red House" location, featured in a novel by George Agnew Chamberlain. This Gothic thriller was made into a film by Delmer Daves and featured Edward G. Robinson.​
An older legend is that both a father and son died of the terrors in the same room years apart in a red brick house, which provided the original inspiration for the Chamberlain novel. Only the foundation remains today.​
S-M
 

Spung-Man

Piney
Jan 5, 2009
1,000
729
65
Richland, NJ
www.researchgate.net
Here are All Ballangee references in Brief of Title of Lands Belonging to the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company.

1748
Evi Ballangee has one survey of 50 acres in what later becomes the Weymouth Tract.
noted in survey dated 9th June, A.D. 1748; inspected and approved 4th August, A.D. 1748; recorded in the Surveyor-General’s Office at Burlington, in Book E. of Surveys, page 30, &c.
1750
Evi Ballangee has one survey of 50 acres in what later becomes the Weymouth Tract.
Evi Ballangee and Joshua Ballangee has one survey of 100 acres in what later becomes the Weymouth Tract.
Noted in survey dated 1st May, A.D. 17450; inspected and approved 9th August, A.D. 1750; recorded in the Surveyor-General’s Office at Burlington, in Book E. of Surveys, page 203, &c.
1774
Evi Ballangee has seven surveys of 400 acres total in what later becomes the Weymouth Tract.
Noted in return of resurvey dated 5th May, A.D. 1774; inspected and approved 7th August, A.D. 1783; recorded in the Surveyor-General’s Office at Burlington, in Book T. page 45, &c.
Exception B.
....surveyed to Evi Ballangee, a tract of cedar swamp containing 50 acres situate Great Egg Harbor, in the County of Gloucester. Survey dated 9th May, A.D. 1748; inspected and approved 4th August, 1748; recorded Surveyor-General’s Office, Book E. p. 50.
Deed
John Bond to Richard Westcott, grants and conveys said tract of fifty acres (with other lands) to the said Richard Westcott, in fee. Recites that John Bond became seized thereof by virtue of a conveyance made to him by Evi Ballangee, dated 28th March, 1755. Dated 10th May, A,D, 1762; recorded in Clerk’s Office of Gloucester County, at Woodbury, in Book H. of Deeds, p. 93.
Exception C
....surveyed for Evi Ballangee, a certain tract of land containing fifty acres situated between the north branch of Babcock’s Creek and the Great Swamp. Survey dated 16th April, 1742; inspected and approved 6th August, 1742; recorded Surveyor-General’s Office, Book B. or Bullsbook, page 103.

1856. Brief of Title of Lands Belonging to the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company. Brief of Title of Elwood Matlack, Clayton Allen, and Charles K. Landis, Trustees of the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company. Philadelphia. 16 pp.
 
pinelandpaddler:

I think I can provide responses to most, if not all, of your questions. To clear some of the haze from this thread, however, the 1872 F.W. Beers’ Topographical Map of Atlantic Co. New Jersey does depict the location of Cook’s Field as flanking Indian Cabin Road south of the Elwood-Weekstown Road:

Cooks Field detail, 1872 Atlantic County map.jpg


Regarding the road leading past West’s Mill, I believe it is called Cedar Road, but I have not confirmed that information with the road return books at the Gloucester County Historical Society or the microform edition at the State Archives.

The same 1872 map provides the location of Beck and Vanmeter:

Beck and Vanmeter Detail, 1872 map.jpg


The labeler failed to complete the “Mrs. Rachel” label, which should include “Vanmeter” as her surname, based on a review of the 1870 federal decennial census. Likewise, the farmer across the street should be “E. Beck,” not “A. Beck” as the man’s first name was Erhard.

I concur with your assessment regarding Sailor Boy Road and its antecedent names. The same 1872 map depicts this road beginning within a mile or so of the Beck and Vanmeter house. It tees into present-day C.R. 561 opposite Second Street if you extend Second Street eastward.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,624
564
Galloway
The Beers 1872 map locates Lucas Meadows on Sailor Boy Rd. I'm guessing that these "meadows" were formerly cedar swamp (they have reverted back to cedar swamp since the map was made) that Christopher Lucas logged sometime in the 18th century. I'm guessing that the logged swamp was then called a meadow for some time?
 
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