The Sale of Atsion Furnace

[Don Catts]

Landis is partners with Allen and Matlack at the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company (Elwood, Newtonville, Folsom, founded 1854, prospectus below).

View attachment 6702​

S-M,

I was wondering if the folks at the Vineland H & A Society have any information on a couple of real estate agents from Philadelphia, Sarah W. Dickson and Charles D Matlack they were partners in several real estate ventures in Atlantic County in the 1850s & 60s. I have reason to believe they were instrumental in the development of the forgot village in Shamong, "East Fruitland". She was owner of the property from 1861 to 1866 when she sold to her nephew Charles D. Matlack who started selling East Fruitland farm lots in 1867. They were the only ones selling the original lots.

If the names cross your desk, take a peek please, Don

 

[Spung-Man]

In 1854 Clayton Allen, Secretary of the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company (I argue the prototype for Hammonton, Vineland, Fruitland development), uses the following "esq." as references that will attest to the Weymouth/New Germany (Folsom & Newtonville) land quality: Stephen Colwell; Joseph Porter; Thomas H. Dudley; Samuel Richards; John C. Da Costa; Walter S. Bell; William Coffin; William Moore; and Andrew K. Hay.

Everyone wanted a piece of the railroad profiteering action. The Weymouth F&AC center-of-place town of Colville (a.k.a. Colwell) becomes Elwood (for E. Matlack) after the 1858 arrests of Allen and Matlack (and secretary William P. Johnson) for conspiracy to defraud Weymouth F&AC stockholders. I am sure Colwell would not want his name associated with scandal. Landis was not indicted, and by then was distancing himself from the Weymouth F&AC by investing in other furnace tracts like Atsion and Cumberland. I suggest these purchases were in anticipation of other railways – the Glassboro and even the Vineland lines.

It is possible that Landis wanted to, or had to, remain stealth in railroad-related land purchases, either so as not to tip off speculators or perhaps not to look indecent in knowing where the rail lines were in planning.

Charles K. Landis was partners in Colville with Matlack & Allen on the 1855 Weymouth F&AC deed, and would have had similar development game plans.

Deed. Stephen Colwell, trustee, and Stephen Colwell and Sarah B., his wife, in there own right, and Walter Dwight Bell, as trustee, and in his own right, to Elwood Matlack, Clayton Allen, and Charles K. Landis, for a part of said “Weymouth Furnace Tract,” containing within its general boundaries, about twenty-five thousand, one hundred acres....Dated 1st January, A.D. 1855.... ​

Don, you mention Stiles in Fruitland. According to the Weymouth exceptions, Stiles was related to Chew and as such part owner in the “Chew Tract.” By 1853 that land is owned by John H. Coffin and wife, when the parcel is sold to Stepen Colwell and Walter Bell. The surveyor Clement was active in Hammonton, and specifically references on some surveys a distinct "Hammonton file." Any thoughts where that might be?

S-M

 

[Wildland937]

Just doing some reading up on these older segments. Very interesting...
I recently was able to purchase back the home and property of my grandparents, and where I grew up in Folsom/ New Germany. During the process I saw the original deed for the property and it was once part of the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company along with much of the surrounding neighbor's property. Hoping to find some more info on the previous owners. My grandparents moved here in the early 1950's, who purchased it from another interesting family name of the Rollers.

 

[Tracker Jim]

Just doing some reading up on these older segments. Very interesting...
I recently was able to purchase back the home and property of my grandparents, and where I grew up in Folsom/ New Germany. During the process I saw the original deed for the property and it was once part of the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company along with much of the surrounding neighbor's property. Hoping to find some more info on the previous owners. My grandparents moved here in the early 1950's, who purchased it from another interesting family name of the Rollers.

Hello Wildland937,
Weymouth, like the other surrounding Iron works such as Batsto, Gloucester, Atsion, Martha, amassed an enormous amount of land. With the establishment of the railroads coupled with the decline of the iron industry, Weymouth, just like Batsto, Gloucester, Atsion and Martha, subdivided their lands into farm and town lots. Most of these real estate ventures never developed into what was advertised and in some cases they were fraudulent. From Gloucester Furnace lands came the "Gloucester Farm & Town Association" in 1854. With thirty thousand acres, they started Egg Harbor City and all of the roads that have German names that form a grid that extends all the way out to Pomona Road and the Garden State Parkway. From Batsto lands formed the "Batsto Farm & Agricultural Company" in 1856. Of their thirty thousand acres not much was developed - perhaps only part of Elwood and Dacosta. Atsion had "The Fruitland Improvement Co." in the 1860's and twenty years later "The Raleigh Land & Improvement Co.". In 1859, the Martha Furnace lands were sub divided to form "Chetwood" and the "Oswego Lands". Only several investors bought property and only a couple lots were developed. From the Weymouth lands formed the "Weymouth Farm & Agricultural Company" around 1855.

 

[Tracker Jim]

You may find this fantastic 1872 map of Atlantic County useful. Pan and zoom as needed to find your house.

Topographical map of Atlantic Co., New Jersey : from recent and actual surveys

General-content county map showing rural buildings and landholders' names; the urban insets show real-property lots, building coverage, and some occupants' names. Hand col. to emphasize municipal boundaries and territories. Originally printed on 6 sheets (later conjoined). LC Land ownership...

www.loc.gov

 

[Boyd]

Cool map @Tracker Jim !

Not quite clear on where your property is located, but you can view parcels here: online.boydsmaps.com/#15/39.5892/-74.8195/parcelsPro

 

[Wildland937]

Cool map @Tracker Jim !

Not quite clear on where your property is located, but you can view parcels here: https://online.boydsmaps.com/#15/39.5892/-74.8195/parcelsPro

39.61154, -74.85779
This was once the last house on this road, and was oil and stone to the end of the property into Kempkers Grove. The rest remaind dirt until about the 60's. Much of the farmland can be seen in the older photos. The original house was build in 1930 and later remodeled to its current size.

 

[Boyd]

39.61154, -74.85779
This was once the last house on this road, and was oil and stone to the end of the property into Kempkers Grove.

You can see where the fields were cleared on Cooks ~1885 Topo. The landcover shows they bordered on mixed oak/pine woods: https://boydsmaps.com/#15/39.6115/-74.8577/cook

Also indicated on the older Vermeule ~1870 Topo: https://boydsmaps.com/#15/39.6115/-74.8577/vermeule

 

[Spung-Man]

W,

Sorry for the slow reply. Like much of the Pine Barrens, the early history of Folsom is difficult to figure out. Two excellent books are must reads, taking us from the 1840s settlement by Germans on the edge of Weymouth Furnace lands.

Chalmers, K.H., 1951: Down the Long-a-Coming. Moorestown, NJ: The News Chronicle. 206 pp.​

Eckhardt, G.M., 1973: The History of Folsom, New Jersey: 1845–1976. Bicentennial Edition. Egg Harbor City, NJ: Laureate Press. 121 pp.​

​

The earliest evidence of habitation was by the Swede Isaac Lock(e) at Cains Mill (Collings Lakes) by 1773. His cabin was apparently sited near the intersection of Cains Mill Road & Cedar Lake Drive on Marsh Lake Branch. That waterway was known as Lock(e)s Branch in 1761, suggesting that the Swede was already there by that date.

Below are a couple early cabins along the Penny Pot Branch, presumably for cutting Atlantic whitecedar. Two other cabins were present on the north bank of the Great Egg Harbor River by 1773, Ackley's (just west of Penny Pot) and Hubbard's (by your farm). Ackley & Hubbard I believe were sited along the original Long-a-Coming trail that hugged the riverbank, near places were the river might be forded.

Also by your farm was a blue-hole-like pond called Cow-Swimming Place, mentioned in Chalmer's book. I have not been able to find a definitive location. Katherine Chalmer's student-taught an old school teacher of mine born who was born here in Richland—Frances Zambone. My teacher and your town are both namesakes of Frances Folsom Cleveland. The name of your hill to the east seems to be lost too.

S-M

 

[Wildland937]

You can see where the fields were cleared on Cooks ~1885 Topo. The landcover shows they bordered on mixed oak/pine woods: https://online.boydsmaps.com/#15/39.6115/-74.8577/cook

Also indicated on the older Vermeule ~1870 Topo: https://online.boydsmaps.com/#15/39.6115/-74.8577/vermeule

Thanks for the map links, much appreciated and will be time well spent.

 

[Wildland937]

W,

Sorry for the slow reply. Like much of the Pine Barrens, the early history of Folsom is difficult to figure out. Two excellent books are must reads, taking us from the 1840s settlement by Germans on the edge of Weymouth Furnace lands.

Chalmers, K.H., 1951: Down the Long-a-Coming. Moorestown, NJ: The News Chronicle. 206 pp.​

Eckhardt, G.M., 1973: The History of Folsom, New Jersey: 1845–1976. Bicentennial Edition. Egg Harbor City, NJ: Laureate Press. 121 pp.​

​

The earliest evidence of habitation was by the Swede Isaac Lock(e) at Cains Mill (Collings Lakes) by 1773. His cabin was apparently sited near the intersection of Cains Mill Road & Cedar Lake Drive on Marsh Lake Branch. That waterway was known as Lock(e)s Branch in 1761, suggesting that the Swede was already there by that date.

Below are a couple early cabins along the Penny Pot Branch, presumably for cutting Atlantic whitecedar. Two other cabins were present on the north bank of the Great Egg Harbor River by 1773, Ackley's (just west of Penny Pot) and Hubbard's (by your farm). Ackley & Hubbard I believe were sited along the original Long-a-Coming trail that hugged the riverbank, near places were the river might be forded.

View attachment 13259

Also by your farm was a blue-hole-like pond called Cow-Swimming Place, mentioned in Chalmer's book. I have not been able to find a definitive location. Katherine Chalmer's student-taught an old school teacher of mine born who was born here in Richland—Frances Zambone. My teacher and your town are both namesakes of Frances Folsom Cleveland. The name of your hill to the east seems to be lost too.

S-M

OK, so my family goes back pretty far here in "Old Folsom". We have a couple copies of the history of Folsom by Mrs. Ekhardt, they were good friends of the family. I believe Mrs. Chalmers was my mothers and uncle's teacher in the old 1 room school house near the churches on Mays Landing Rd if we are talking about the same person. As far as the cow-hole, I have heard them talk about it, and could probably have the location of it hear shortly. However I believe it is located along the railroad track on the GEH river's north side between Fourth Road and Rt. 54 but I will find out for sure.
I will have to look into the Hubbard cabin a little more. I do know where there was once a field and an old Jersey stone foundation along an old embankment we know as Clause's field. That would located at the end of 15th. Street closer to the Great Egg Harbor River on the north side. I will have to get off my cell phone and look closer at the named hill. There are a lot of old mining quarries in the area that had sent much clay and sand to Winslow brick works, and also modern construction.

In another note... the road of Lenore Court in the old section of Winslow proper called Hayville is named after my mother as well. We lived in a small farm house here until was 2 and then moved back next to the home I am in now.

 

[Boyd]

Looks like you made a duplicate post, so I deleted the second copy. Let me know if there was some difference that I missed...

 

[Wildland937]

Looks like you made a duplicate post, so I deleted the second copy. Let me know if there was some difference that I missed...

Thanks, I was having issues trying to post maps this go round.

 

[Wildland937]

In 1854 Clayton Allen, Secretary of the Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company (I argue the prototype for Hammonton, Vineland, Fruitland development), uses the following "esq." as references that will attest to the Weymouth/New Germany (Folsom & Newtonville) land quality: Stephen Colwell; Joseph Porter; Thomas H. Dudley; Samuel Richards; John C. Da Costa; Walter S. Bell; William Coffin; William Moore; and Andrew K. Hay.

Everyone wanted a piece of the railroad profiteering action. The Weymouth F&AC center-of-place town of Colville (a.k.a. Colwell) becomes Elwood (for E. Matlack) after the 1858 arrests of Allen and Matlack (and secretary William P. Johnson) for conspiracy to defraud Weymouth F&AC stockholders. I am sure Colwell would not want his name associated with scandal. Landis was not indicted, and by then was distancing himself from the Weymouth F&AC by investing in other furnace tracts like Atsion and Cumberland. I suggest these purchases were in anticipation of other railways – the Glassboro and even the Vineland lines.

It is possible that Landis wanted to, or had to, remain stealth in railroad-related land purchases, either so as not to tip off speculators or perhaps not to look indecent in knowing where the rail lines were in planning.

Charles K. Landis was partners in Colville with Matlack & Allen on the 1855 Weymouth F&AC deed, and would have had similar development game plans.

Deed. Stephen Colwell, trustee, and Stephen Colwell and Sarah B., his wife, in there own right, and Walter Dwight Bell, as trustee, and in his own right, to Elwood Matlack, Clayton Allen, and Charles K. Landis, for a part of said “Weymouth Furnace Tract,” containing within its general boundaries, about twenty-five thousand, one hundred acres....Dated 1st January, A.D. 1855.... ​

Don, you mention Stiles in Fruitland. According to the Weymouth exceptions, Stiles was related to Chew and as such part owner in the “Chew Tract.” By 1853 that land is owned by John H. Coffin and wife, when the parcel is sold to Stepen Colwell and Walter Bell. The surveyor Clement was active in Hammonton, and specifically references on some surveys a distinct "Hammonton file." Any thoughts where that might be?

S-M

Would it possibly be the farms and forest of Chewtown at the Waterford Hammonton border? West of Rt. 206 and West Mills...

 

[Spung-Man]

Would it possibly be the farms and forest of Chewtown at the Waterford Hammonton border? West of Rt. 206 and West Mills...

There is a bit of confusion between three Hammonton-area places associated with the Chew family. The location you are thinking of, Chewtown, is not the twelve-hundred-acre Weymouth Tract Exception D (Gloucester County, in Book D.3, page 224, &c).

Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company, 1856: “Brief of title of lands belonging to The Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company.” Philadelphia, 16 pp.​

The Weymouth exception was the Chew Tract. Jesse Chew's Place was on Hammonton’s Chew Road below the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Northwest of the Chew Place—along Hammonton’s Chew Road—was Cains Tavern. It was sited where Chew Road crossed Old Forks Road on the Atlantic County side of the county line. Just to confuse things a bit more another nearby Chew-related locality was Chewville, now known as Piney Hollow.

SM

 

[Wildland937]

There is a bit of confusion between three Hammonton-area places associated with the Chew family. The location you are thinking of, Chewtown, is not the twelve-hundred-acre Weymouth Tract Exception D (Gloucester County, in Book D.3, page 224, &c).

Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company, 1856: “Brief of title of lands belonging to The Weymouth Farm and Agricultural Company.” Philadelphia, 16 pp.​

The Weymouth exception was the Chew Tract. Jesse Chew's Place was on Hammonton’s Chew Road below the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Northwest of the Chew Place—along Hammonton’s Chew Road—was Cains Tavern. It was sited where Chew Road crossed Old Forks Road on the Atlantic County side of the county line. Just to confuse things a bit more another nearby Chew-related locality was Chewville, now known as Piney Hollow.

SM

Well that makes things interesting....
With that said, is there any correlation of Cains tavern and the namesake of Cains Mill Rd in Folsom, Winslow and Collings lakes? Not much is talked about this...

 

[Spung-Man]

Wildland,

Cains, if memory serves, are associated with Ilifftown Plantation (c.1735) on Babcock Creek adjacent to Mays Landing. Cains first worked a mill above Mays Landing, and moved to Collings Lakes in search of new timber stands. The works that broach on the early Cain history are on loan to a library at the moment for the upcoming Estell Empire exhibit at Kramer Hall, so can’t be accessed. There are three little-known Masters’ theses written under the direction of noted historian Harold Wilson by local teachers. I made copies available to some local libraries and historical societies.

​

Cain, O.B., 1958: The History of Mays Landing and Vicinity. Graduate term paper, Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ. 43 pp.​

​

Nickles, A., 1958? An Historic Trip Up the Great Egg Harbor River. MS thesis, Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ, 182 pp. ​

​

Reinheimer, E, 1958? Historic Facts and Legends of the Early Days in Mays Landing, New Jersey. MS thesis, Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ, 90 pp.​

Wilson was an amazing geographer, and should be much more appreciated than he is:

Wilson, H.F., 1953: The Jersey Shore: A Social and Economic History of the Counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean (2 vols.). New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co. 1055 pp. A third but separate volume contains family and personal history​

The “new” pre-1853 Cains Mill was apparently on Cains Mill Road where it crossed (Marsh) Lake (lockes) Branch, although admittedly the 1853 deed map is hard to read. That would put it on the Fire Hall property. It is listed as a “Little Mill,” which according to Budd Wilson were mills that lacked sufficient water head to operate full time rather than referring to their size. Perhaps Dutch’s Mill (Cedar Lake) upstream hogged the water. The Cains Mill site seems to match that of Isaac Locke’s cabin on Lockes Branch. Newer maps show Cains Mill Pond on Hospitality Branch. Whether an even newer mill was ever built there or a mapmaker made a mistake is not clear. My hunch is the latter.

Phillip Cains Farm to the south was a crossroads were Jackson and Cains Mill Roads intersected. A couple of timber-framed houses still exist, as does a cigar shed. Jackson Road was the new haul road for Weymouth’s 8-mule team shipping (Furnace? Paper Mill). Cains Mill is a newer iteration of the Blue Anchor trail (Inskeeps to Cumberland Furnace). You can still see the Blue Anchor Road sign on Route 54 at the Buena Wawa light. Cain’s Farm (later Peter's) was one of the many forgotten gas stations that dotted the entrance to furnace lands, erased from history like the hundreds who worked each furnace tract.

Munyon Field

Wilmer Stone mentions on page 66 of his 1910 report to the New Jersey State Museum that Mr. C. F. Saunders reports a trip through the Pines of 1899 in which they passed Munyon Field. I'd always thought Munyon Field was named for the airport now located there. Realized on reading Saunder's...

forums.njpinebarrens.com

Munyon Field

Jerseyman, Many thanks for the insight. There seems to be three shared characteristics between Watering Place and Munion: 1) a reliable water source at a stream's knickpoint where sapping springs occur; 2) a busy trail system; and 3) a significant property boundary. Which do you prefer...

forums.njpinebarrens.com

​

According to Chalmer’s (1951), Penny Pot Swamp was an impenetrable barrier to Folsom’s residents. It was uncrossable in access to Hammonton until later in the nineteenth century. Winslow was Folsom's market place, and had to be passed through to get to Hammonton. Phillip Cain would have to pass through Winslow to get his drink on at Cain’s Tavern in the Rosedale section of Hammonton!

Thanks for bring up New Germany. Find old paperwork and you can make an interesting story out of almost anyplace. Lucky for us South Jersey's ancient landscape hasn't been plowed out of existence, yet...

S-M

 

[Wildland937]

Wildland,

Cains, if memory serves, are associated with Ilifftown Plantation (c.1735) on Babcock Creek adjacent to Mays Landing. Cains first worked a mill above Mays Landing, and moved to Collings Lakes in search of new timber stands. The works that broach on the early Cain history are on loan to a library at the moment for the upcoming Estell Empire exhibit at Kramer Hall, so can’t be accessed. There are three little-known Masters’ theses written under the direction of noted historian Harold Wilson by local teachers. I made copies available to some local libraries and historical societies.

​

Cain, O.B., 1958: The History of Mays Landing and Vicinity. Graduate term paper, Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ. 43 pp.​

​

Nickles, A., 1958? An Historic Trip Up the Great Egg Harbor River. MS thesis, Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ, 182 pp. ​

​

Reinheimer, E, 1958? Historic Facts and Legends of the Early Days in Mays Landing, New Jersey. MS thesis, Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ, 90 pp.​

Wilson was an amazing geographer, and should be much more appreciated than he is:

Wilson, H.F., 1953: The Jersey Shore: A Social and Economic History of the Counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean (2 vols.). New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co. 1055 pp. A third but separate volume contains family and personal history​

The “new” pre-1853 Cains Mill was apparently on Cains Mill Road where it crossed (Marsh) Lake (lockes) Branch, although admittedly the 1853 deed map is hard to read. That would put it on the Fire Hall property. It is listed as a “Little Mill,” which according to Budd Wilson were mills that lacked sufficient water head to operate full time rather than referring to their size. Perhaps Dutch’s Mill (Cedar Lake) upstream hogged the water. The Cains Mill site seems to match that of Isaac Locke’s cabin on Lockes Branch. Newer maps show Cains Mill Pond on Hospitality Branch. Whether an even newer mill was ever built there or a mapmaker made a mistake is not clear. My hunch is the latter.

Phillip Cains Farm to the south was a crossroads were Jackson and Cains Mill Roads intersected. A couple of timber-framed houses still exist, as does a cigar shed. Jackson Road was the new haul road for Weymouth’s 8-mule team shipping (Furnace? Paper Mill). Cains Mill is a newer iteration of the Blue Anchor trail (Inskeeps to Cumberland Furnace). You can still see the Blue Anchor Road sign on Route 54 at the Buena Wawa light. Cain’s Farm (later Peter's) was one of the many forgotten gas stations that dotted the entrance to furnace lands, erased from history like the hundreds who worked each furnace tract.

Munyon Field

Wilmer Stone mentions on page 66 of his 1910 report to the New Jersey State Museum that Mr. C. F. Saunders reports a trip through the Pines of 1899 in which they passed Munyon Field. I'd always thought Munyon Field was named for the airport now located there. Realized on reading Saunder's...

forums.njpinebarrens.com

Munyon Field

Jerseyman, Many thanks for the insight. There seems to be three shared characteristics between Watering Place and Munion: 1) a reliable water source at a stream's knickpoint where sapping springs occur; 2) a busy trail system; and 3) a significant property boundary. Which do you prefer...

forums.njpinebarrens.com

​

According to Chalmer’s (1951), Penny Pot Swamp was an impenetrable barrier to Folsom’s residents. It was uncrossable in access to Hammonton until later in the nineteenth century. Winslow was Folsom's market place, and had to be passed through to get to Hammonton. Phillip Cain would have to pass through Winslow to get his drink on at Cain’s Tavern in the Rosedale section of Hammonton!

Thanks for bring up New Germany. Find old paperwork and you can make an interesting story out of almost anyplace. Lucky for us South Jersey's ancient landscape hasn't been plowed out of existence, yet...

S-M

Again, I say wow! I have been enlighted with the response and history of my questions of the area. I evedently have not looked into the historical aspects deep enough mysels over time. What information I do bring to the table is mostly hearing about happenings from family who had a pretty good grasp on things and it's past. I really appreciate this info and gives me avenues to look further. I am actually a member of the FD in Collings Lakes, and will forward this info to a few of the members who probably have no idea of the true past.

 

[NMuscella]

Came across this while searching for something else.

Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: March 2, 1791
Title: TO BE SOLD

TO BE SOLD The ATSION IRON-WORKS.
WITH the Mills, Lands and Improvements appurtenant thereto, situate partly in Burlington, and partly in Gloucester counties, in the state of New Jersey, within thirty miles of the city of Philadelphia, and about nine miles from the navigable waters of Little Egg Harbour, and sixteen miles from a landing on the tide waters of Delaware; consisting of a blast furnace now at work, the stack of which is new, and the casting-house, bellows, &c. lately put in through repair; an air furnace in good repair; a forge with four fires and two hammers in complete order; a stamping mill for cinder; a grist-mill nearly new; two saw-mills, well repaired, and a seat for a third mill, which may answer well either for a grist-mill, saw mill, slitting or rolling mill, or other water-works, having a dam, &c. ready and well supplied with water; a spacious coal-house for the furnace, and another for the forge, the late just built, and the former nearly new; a smith's shop; a convenient large dwelling-house, with a roomy, commodious kitchen, a smoke house, spring-house and other useful out-buildings; an extensive storehouse, barn, stables, &c. a garden well inclosed, a young thriving orchard and several hundred acres of cleared plow and meadowland, enclosed with good cedar fence: also, three commodious farm-houses, barns and out-houses, and for the accommodation of workmen and their families, upwards of 20 good frame and log-dwellings, to many of which are improved gardens. Belonging to this estate are about 20,000 acres of land, conveniently surrounding the improvements, mostly covered with thriving and good timber for coaling and sawing; a considerable part of the soil well adapted to raising of rye and Indian corn, and latterly several large lots of bottom land having been cleared and drained, promise will for good meadow. The ore lies in great quantities from 14 to 12 mile from the furnace --- the most distant don't exceed four miles, and the roads level and good. The quality of the ore is well known, the refined bar-iron made therefrom being well approved both in New York and Philadelphia, and the castings are allowed to be equal to any, and superior to most for toughness of quality, the potash kettles made at Atsion having had the preference to most, if not all, brought to the New York market. Upon the whole, the main objects generally sought for in profitable iron-works are not wanting here. The stream of water is large and good, the ore and wood to all appearance may last a long series of years, and the carriage to market short and convenient. --- These works have been profitable to the concerned, as their books will shew; which may be viewed by persons inclining to purchase. The estate will, nevertheless, be sold on low terms, and a considerable sacrifice made for the ease and relief of one of the owners, who has long had the principal management of it, and is earnestly desirous of being released from the weight of the business. Any person or persons inclining to treat for the whole, or any part thereof, are desired to apply to JOSEPH SALTER, on the premises, GEORGE BOWNE, merchant, in new York, or to JOHN or HENRY DRINKER, in Philadelphia. 25th 2d mo. 1791.

What I found interesting about this paper, is that underneath it describes "The elegant and spacious Mansion-House, lately occupied by Abel James, deceased."

I had always heard some speculation on there being another manor house on the site of the current Samuel Richards Mansion. Perhaps this confirms it?

 

[Jerseyman]

What I found interesting about this paper, is that underneath it describes "The elegant and spacious Mansion-House, lately occupied by Abel James, deceased."

I had always heard some speculation on there being another manor house on the site of the current Samuel Richards Mansion. Perhaps this confirms it?

The Abel James house advertisement is separate and distinct from the Atsion sale notice. If you carefully read the James item, you'll learn that his house was located "five miles from Philadelphia between the Frankford Road and the Delaware River." So, it was situated over in Pennsylvania, not New Jersey.

Best regards,
Jerseyman