Weird cat building in Atsion

[AndyParker856nj]

So my friends and I went to check out the old mansion in Atsion on the side of 206. And then we were walking around saw the Gloucester county stag club buiding, we walked behind it and in the woods was this old house falling down on itself pretty much. There was a little fenced in area connected to this old house and there was cats in it. It looked like someone was feeding the cats too because there was food and water bowls around. Anyone know anything about it?

 

[Teegate]

I know that a few years ago a woman author some of us know was feeding them. If she still does is not known to me.

Guy

 

[woodjin]

Those cats have been back there for years now. Someone must be feeding them.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Yes, it's a feral colony. Someone - not sure if it's the same person now - is feeding them.

 

[Kevinhooa]

If I remember right there is a mountain of old rusty cat food cans back there along with a lot of other bottles and trash. Someone is/was definitely feeding them.

 

[cudgel]

I am acquainted with the owner of the the property. Its a feral cat colony on private property and the owner feeds them everyday. The owner gets really upset about people trespassing back there due to all the vandalism problems which he has had over the years. Best to just steer clear of there even if your intentions are harmless. He's actually a friendly elderly gentleman and has lots of stories about his family who once lived there in Atsion, but he's very sensitive about people wandering around the property while he's not there. I know which author your talking about, her and her husband have a veterinary office on 206, she used to be involved, but to my knowledge she has not been involved there for some time now. There are less cats there now than there used to be a few years back. That's because all the cat's were spayed and neutered a few years back and the older ones have died off.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Do you know any of the history of that house?

 

[cudgel]

I'll go ask the owner, I know where to find him, where is favored watering hole is
I do know that his family lived in it many years ago, that is the older front half, the newer back half, which obviously was never finished, he built himself in the late 70's... I think. His family also owned the old house on 206 that used to be across the street from the entrance to Atsion Lake, its now just a big fenced off sandy cellar hole. I believe that branch of his family had the name "Crane". I'm not saying his name on here out of respect for his privacy. The property actually consists of two lots and is nothing really out of the ordinary, just some old junk and lots of briars. There was a little old house on the back lot but it burned down years ago.

 

[Don Catts]

Do you know any of the history of that house?

The house is on block 9, lot 1 of the Raleigh Land & Improvement map, although you wouldn't see it on the map. The house has been referred to as the Cavileer house on this site, which is as good a name as any. The present owner bought it from Annie Cavileer in the 1970s. Annie bought it from Meehan in 1911, Meehan bought it from Richard Joseph Byrnes in 1890. Byrnes was a lawyer from Hammonton assigned by the court to liquidate the Raleigh property.



The house predates Raleigh I am sure. It looks like the town of Raleigh was designed to incorporate the existing buildings. I don't have a Fruitland map but I'm sure it predates Fruitland also. I think it may go back to Richards, maybe around the time of the church & mansion, or almost? Along with the gun club it could be the oldest house in Atsion Village. Just my thoughts, Don

 

[Don Catts]

Didn't mention the "feral cat colony" house is on South Ave, of the town of Raleigh