The drawing below is a section of East Fruitland that I put together from old deeds, hope you can read it. This is not the complete village, just the section that I am familiar with, any addition information, corrections or help would be appreciated. The attached topo map gives the location on Quaker Bridge Road.
The short lived and long forgotten village of East Fruitland lies about 1 mile east of US Route 206 down the old Quaker Bridge Road near the Shamong Twp - Washington Twp boundary line, in Burlington County. Although, advertised as a village it never became more than a small farming settlement.
You may ask, why would anyone buy a farm in the middle of the pine barrens, isn't that like buying ocean front property in Kansas City. However, with wild Huckleberries growing as far as the eye could see and cranberries in the bogs, East Fruitland was advertised as berry and small fruit farmland, known for its clean air, pure water and good health.
About 18 farms or lots were sold, all within two years, 1867-68. Lots sold for $15 to $25 an acre. Most sold at top dollar or $25 an acre. One exception was old Jake Claypoole who bought 16 acres for $1800. By the end of 1868 the prices were already dropping. After 1868 all the deeds I could find were re-sales of these same lots.
Several houses were built and some farms were successful for a while. The Woolman brothers were very successful with cranberries in East Fruitland and up on Three Bridge Road at the Wesickaman Creek. I have some Woolman Brand Cranberry Labels. Their packing house was on Burnt House Road (burned down in the 1980s). They also ran a saw/grist mill in Indian Mills at the site of the original Indian reservation sawmill on the Sawmill Pond. Jake Claypoole raised either cranberries or Huckleberries. I don't know how successful he was , but he lived back there for a long time. And of course, there was "Sweet Lucy from Philly", Lucy P. Slocumb the original owner of the Stone Bridge Farm, she was very successful, also. Other folks with homes in East Fruitland that I know of were: A. Spangler the agent for East Fruitland, he lived on the Atsion River; The Widow Mary (Mary's fishing hole), Banjo Jack Owens (Banjo's hole), and Charlie Jones. There were probably more.
Mary' fishing hole and Banjo's hole were popular fishing spots. I am thinking, not for the good fishing, but for the fact that the ground was cleared and it was easy to get to the river. A friend of mine use to play hooky from the Atsion School and go fishing back there.
Don
P. S. In case you haven't noticed, I am having fun with East Fruitland
Section of East Fruitland
East Fruitland Location
The short lived and long forgotten village of East Fruitland lies about 1 mile east of US Route 206 down the old Quaker Bridge Road near the Shamong Twp - Washington Twp boundary line, in Burlington County. Although, advertised as a village it never became more than a small farming settlement.
You may ask, why would anyone buy a farm in the middle of the pine barrens, isn't that like buying ocean front property in Kansas City. However, with wild Huckleberries growing as far as the eye could see and cranberries in the bogs, East Fruitland was advertised as berry and small fruit farmland, known for its clean air, pure water and good health.
About 18 farms or lots were sold, all within two years, 1867-68. Lots sold for $15 to $25 an acre. Most sold at top dollar or $25 an acre. One exception was old Jake Claypoole who bought 16 acres for $1800. By the end of 1868 the prices were already dropping. After 1868 all the deeds I could find were re-sales of these same lots.
Several houses were built and some farms were successful for a while. The Woolman brothers were very successful with cranberries in East Fruitland and up on Three Bridge Road at the Wesickaman Creek. I have some Woolman Brand Cranberry Labels. Their packing house was on Burnt House Road (burned down in the 1980s). They also ran a saw/grist mill in Indian Mills at the site of the original Indian reservation sawmill on the Sawmill Pond. Jake Claypoole raised either cranberries or Huckleberries. I don't know how successful he was , but he lived back there for a long time. And of course, there was "Sweet Lucy from Philly", Lucy P. Slocumb the original owner of the Stone Bridge Farm, she was very successful, also. Other folks with homes in East Fruitland that I know of were: A. Spangler the agent for East Fruitland, he lived on the Atsion River; The Widow Mary (Mary's fishing hole), Banjo Jack Owens (Banjo's hole), and Charlie Jones. There were probably more.
Mary' fishing hole and Banjo's hole were popular fishing spots. I am thinking, not for the good fishing, but for the fact that the ground was cleared and it was easy to get to the river. A friend of mine use to play hooky from the Atsion School and go fishing back there.
Don
P. S. In case you haven't noticed, I am having fun with East Fruitland
Section of East Fruitland
East Fruitland Location
