This article by Egbert T. Bush concerns a family who lived in the Croton neighborhood in the mid-19th century. I thought it typical of Mr. Bush’s style of writing, which may seem a bit florid, but is full of empathy for the characters he described.
Croton
CROTON. The village of Croton straddles the dividing line (Rte 579) between Delaware and Raritan Townships, and is located just north of Highway 12. The old road that ran from Flemington to Frenchtown passed through the village, and is known today as Old Croton Road. It was once a thriving place, with stores, a mill, a blacksmith shop, a church and a school. Many of the original buildings have been lost to fires, and the village has lost some of its charm thanks to the impact of a county road running through it.
Three of a Kind
Recently I got a chance to look through Paul Kurzenberger’s postcard collection and found this gem:
It was too funny not to scan and save. As you see, the caption reads “Three of a kind, from Croton, N.J.” After my chuckles subsided, I began to wonder who in Croton sent this postcard, and who received it.
Ellicott’s Diary, August 1863
This is the last month of Benjamin H. Ellicott’s Diary. He continues to report on war news from his home in Baltimore, but, on August 18th he describes a visit to Croton, New Jersey on August 11th that leads him and wife Mary Ann Warford to decide to relocate there. But he does not explain why that decision was made. Perhaps they felt that the war was getting too close to them. Or maybe Mary Ann’s father, Elisha Warford, was asking them to come live with him.