Full – 3 Column – Page 37 – GOODSPEED HISTORIES

What Comes from Owning the Land

October 4, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in In My Library Tags: land titles, maps, mills, surveying

In My Library: Owning New Jersey, Mapping New Jersey, Owning the Earth and New Jersey Linseed Oil Mills

Owning New Jersey; Historic Tales of War, Property Disputes & the Pursuit of Happiness

by Joseph A. Grabas, published by The History Press, 2014
What a great name for a book. I’ve wanted to own this book for decades, even though it did not exist until now. Joseph Grabas is a well-known figure among New Jersey historians, for his ability to take what he has learned from his many years as a title searcher and turn it into fascinating New Jersey history. He’s done a beautiful job of showing how interrelated land ownership and politics can be, and how those systems have influenced New Jersey history right from its very beginning. It’s also a very readable book. It is easy to overlook how much we can learn from old records—records that seem to be dry and uninteresting, unless an inquiring mind like Mr. Grabas takes a close look at them. Then they reveal great human dramas, both comedic and tragic. This book has much to teach us.

A House Divided

September 27, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in Howell, Pettit, Prallsville, Reading, Stockton Tags: ferries, roads, surveying, taverns

Howell’s Tavern House and Ferry House

Detail of survey by Reading Howell, 1774 click to enlarge — Detail of survey by Reading Howell, 1774
click to enlarge

The dotted line in this picture is a survey line, drawn by Reading Howell in 1774, and as you can see, one of the lines goes right through the middle of the house, which is labeled “Ferry House.” Strangely enough, this house has long been known as the tavern house at Howell’s Ferry (Stockton) which I wrote about in “Jacob’s Path, an 1813 Shortcut.” So why was the tavern house called the Ferry House in 1774? And why did the surveyor run a line right through the middle? Therein lies a story.

Milling Industry at Prallsville Back of Year 1792

September 18, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in E. T. Bush, Families, Historians Revisited, Hoppock, Prallsville, Wolverton Tags: mills, quarries, stores

Little Known of Mill That Existed Prior to John Prall’s
When the Canal Was Dug

by Egbert T. Bush, Stockton, N.J.
published in the Hunterdon County Democrat, February 13, 1930

It is common to speak of John Prall Jr. as the builder of the first mill in this hamlet. But his titles date back to early 1792; and to some of us it seemed strange that a site so attractive with the Wickecheoke Creek rushing into the Delaware, with an established ferry close at hand, and with a solid community back of it should have been so long without a mill. While investigation has so far failed to reveal all that was hoped for, it has demonstrated that Prall was far from being first to carry on milling business here.

Continue reading »

With a Name Like Boozer . . .

September 6, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in Hunterdon County, Lambertville

In 1878 when the bridge on Raven Rock Road was built, the Freeholder Director of Hunterdon County was Joseph H. Boozer of Lambertville. He was one of the six freeholders who were charged with overseeing construction of the bridge spanning the Lockatong Creek. With such an unusual name, he certainly stands out, and I could not resist the urge to learn about him and his family.

The Lockatong Bridge over Raven Rock Road, part two

September 3, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, Lambertville Tags: bridges

In my previous post I wrote about the history of the Lambertville Iron Works, the company that constructed the Lockatong bridge. At that time, after several months of work and an initial bridge opening, the bridge was closed again in order to repair the repairs. It has since been reopened, and is definitely worth a visit. It is not exactly the bridge it used to be, but it has been beautifully restored, and all concerned should take pride in it.

The Lockatong Bridge on Raven Rock Road, part one

August 22, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, Lambertville Tags: bridges

Hunterdon County probably holds the record for the most 19^th century iron truss bridges that are still in use. In Delaware Township alone there are nine iron truss bridges, not including the Covered Bridge, which is also a truss bridge. The most important of these iron truss bridges is the one crossing the Lockatong Creek on Rosemont-Raven Rock Road. That bridge is an outstanding example of the urge to lend some grandeur to a very functional structure. None of the other township bridges quite matches it.

The Amwell-Hopewell Road of 1736

July 5, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in Amwell Township, Barber, Families, Green, Hunterdon County Tags: early settlers, roads

The Road from Howell’s Mills and
John Reading’s Plantation to Trenton

Recently I wrote about the earliest known public road in Hunterdon County, recorded in January 1721/22 (The Amwell Road of 1721.) The next earliest, at least for the southern part of the county, was dated 1736, and followed part of the earlier route.

I will give the record in full, and then try to identify each course along the route.¹

Drinking Toasts to the Government Popular Years Ago

June 27, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in E. T. Bush

Similar Enthusiasm Seldom Seen Nowadays, Says Observer
Political Tactics Are Recalled

by Egbert T. Bush, Stockton, N.J.
Hunterdon County Democrat, November 3, 1932

Mr. Bush stated at one time that he did not chose the headlines for his articles—that was left to the editors of the Hunterdon Democrat. So, although he does discuss those July 4th toasts, there is much more in this article.

The Amwell Road of 1721

June 20, 2014 By Marfy Goodspeed in Families, Green, Hunterdon County, Pettit, Reading Tags: early legislation, early settlers, roads

There is something fascinating about old roads, especially when their routes differ from the ones we know today. One of the very oldest roads in Hunterdon County was “layed out” in December 1721 and recorded in January 1721/22.

Here is the full text, as transcribed in Snell’s History of Hunterdon County (p. 347), which I will follow with my attempt to decipher what route was being described.¹

«‹ 36 37 38 39 ›»

In My Library: Owning New Jersey, Mapping New Jersey, Owning the Earth and New Jersey Linseed Oil Mills

Owning New Jersey; Historic Tales of War, Property Disputes & the Pursuit of Happiness

Little Known of Mill That Existed Prior to John Prall’s When the Canal Was Dug

The Road from Howell’s Mills and John Reading’s Plantation to Trenton

Similar Enthusiasm Seldom Seen Nowadays, Says Observer Political Tactics Are Recalled

Little Known of Mill That Existed Prior to John Prall’s
When the Canal Was Dug

The Road from Howell’s Mills and
John Reading’s Plantation to Trenton

Similar Enthusiasm Seldom Seen Nowadays, Says Observer
Political Tactics Are Recalled