Full – 4 Column – Page 59 – GOODSPEED HISTORIES

The Barcroft Genealogy

May 18, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Township Tags: Going, houses

Part Two of Going, Going, Gone

In response to the previous post, Buzz Woods sent me a link to Emma Ten Broeck Runk’s massive genealogy of the Barcroft family, available on Google Books (here’s the link).

I have no idea how I missed this resource. Like most 19th century/early 20th century genealogists, she did not worry too much about citing sources, but considering the thousands of names and dates she provided, I hardly see how she could. This is just to say, it is a wonderful resource, but must be taken with a grain of salt.

Going Going Gone

May 16, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Carrell, Delaware Township, Holcombe, Rake, Rittenhouse Tags: Going, houses

I learned yesterday that the owners of the old Rake house on Sandbrook-Headquarters Road had taken down the remains of the house after it had been gutted by fire. This is disappointing, as it appeared that there was enough of the old stone walls to incorporate into a new building. Clearly not everyone sees the value in preserving such things. You can see a picture of the house and get the story of the fire here.

Delaware’s Old-Time Mills

May 12, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Township, J. M. Hoppock, Opdycke, Rittenhouse Tags: mills

by Jonathan M. Hoppock
Democrat-Advertiser, 13 September 1906

This was the last article published under Mr. Hoppock’s name. He died on October 29, 1906, at the age of 68. The article was first published on this website ten years ago (2011). In reviewing it I have found many things of interest to add. I have also added headings to make reviewing easier and brought the footnotes into the text.

Hunterdon County Civil War Tax Assessments

May 12, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Hunterdon Tags: Civil War, taxes

The Winter issue of the Hunterdon Historical Newsletter, published by the Hunterdon County Historical Society, carried an article I wrote about the 1865 tax assessment lists for the County. I am reproducing it here, to make it available for online searches, and am also including a helpful comment/correction that could not be included in the spring issue of the newsletter. And be sure to visit the Historical Society’s beautiful new website.

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Overshot v. Undershot

May 11, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Township, Sergeant Tags: mills

By which I mean mill wheels.

There is a fascinating article on water-powered mills to be found on “History–Now and Then” giving detailed information on how the ancient grist mills worked. The author, known as “Jerseyman,” explains how overshot wheels were designed and how much more efficient they were than undershot wheels. Immediately I thought of a locally famous overshot wheel at the old Sergeant’s mill near the Wickecheoke. Here’s a picture that says it all–the perfect example of an overshot wheel.

Story of Green Sergeant’s Bridge and Its Builders

May 1, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Barber, E. T. Bush, Holcombe Tags: bridges

By Egbert T. Bush, Stockton, N.J., June 30, 1935

Hunterdon County was once well supplied with covered bridges. Now the lonely last one stands at what has long been known as “Green Sergeant’s Mills.” Some say that there is no other such bridge in New Jersey today. I cannot vouch for that; but the covered bridge is almost a thing of the past.

Citizens to the Rescue

May 1, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Township Tags: bridges, politics

Final episode in the four (and a half) part saga of the Covered Bridge.
Click on the topic “bridges” in the right column to see the other posts.

The Legislature’s Blessing

Once Commissioner Palmer had made his announcement, the only thing needed was an Act of the Legislature to legitimate the funding. On April 3, 1961, a bill was enacted into law permitting the State Highway Department to spend the money it needed to build the bridge.

The Covered Bridge in the Automobile Age

April 29, 2011 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Township Tags: bridges, politics

This is the third installment of a short history of the last covered bridge in New Jersey. The first installment is here and the second one here, and addendum here.

SAGSE001Highways3151 — Green Sergeant Covered Bridge, before reconstruction

An unanticipated threat to the bridge arrived in the early 20th century when automobiles began to be widely used. Little damage could be done to such a solid structure by a horse and wagon. A car or truck, on the other hand, could do quite a lot.

For drivers, the biggest challenge was dealing with the single lane of traffic through the bridge. With so little sight distance, drivers found it necessary to stop and honk before entering the bridge. This practice was still being used in the mid 1950s when Helen Carl Maliszewski and Kay Sherman Larson were riding through the bridge with their parents.

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