History: County Bridge to Cross Raritan River at the Amboys (1902)

The 1 May 1902 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 4) announced that US Senator John Kean had recently presented the War Department with a plan for a bridge to be built across the Raritan River between South Amboy and Perth Amboy in Middlesex County. The bridge was to be built by the county for $150,000. The project required the approval of the War Department, the predecessor of today's Defense Department.

Completed in 1906, the County Bridge was the first vehicular bridge to span the Raritan River at Perth Amboy, according to a report on its replacement, the Victory Bridge (State Bridge No 1223-150).

The National Park Service describes the County Bridge in its Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No NJ-120 (see below):

The first vehicular bridge across the Raritan River at Perth Amboy was the County Bridge, opened to traffic on June 18, 1906. This bridge consisted of a steel draw span, a steel cantilever span, and a steel fixed span, each resting on concrete abutments. It extended across the river from the foot of Sheridan Street. The draw span, a Parker truss, measured 288 feet 4 inches long. The bridge approaches were laid on 168 timber bents (State Highway Engineer 1928:72).

The opening of the County Bridge was celebrated by a ceremony in which dignitaries boasted that its completion marked the union of North and South Jersey. The blowing of factory whistles and the rush of hundreds of pedestrians and vehicles highlighted its opening day. The bridge's dedication was marred by a slight mishap chronicled in the Perth Amboy Evening News:

"It had been planned to have the mayors of the two Amboys meet in the center of the draw and greet each other, but as the crowd choked the structure, the locks were seen to be working improperly and the throngs were ordered from the draw. ..where they waited within ten minutes of an hour, while those in charge endeavored to mend matters. The sudden heavy weight when the draw first swung to, probably had much to do with throwing the draw off center, it was stated.

"As the draw was finally swung for the second time after the crowds had waited almost an hour to recross, a thick plank on the bottom of the railing on the southerly side where the draw touches, was caught and split its entire length of almost twelve feet. This made those who had crowded out beyond the safety gates run and clamber for safety.

"As they heard the rending of the woodwork those who could not see the source were filled with fears that some of the structure was giving way.... (Anonymous 1906)."

{Ed: The 21 Jun 1906 edition of The Matawan Journal, which referred to it as the Amboy bridge, reported 500 people attended the event. The crowd rushed onto the draw before it had been properly locked, causing an hour's delay in the proceedings, according to The Journal, which also noted that Justice Fort had dismissed an injunction so that the opening of the bridge could take place.}

Almost from the time of its opening, the County Bridge was derided as a "white elephant." In a County Board of Freeholders meeting on April 6, 1916, Freeholder Alfred T. Kerr of South Amboy urged the construction of a new bridge using the existing draw span but with approaches rebuilt in steel. He predicted that the existing bridge would be unfit for traffic within five years. Another freeholder, William S. Dey, also of South Amboy, agreed that the bridge was in need of replacement but suggested that the new bridge be of concrete construction.

In 1919, as a precursor to funding of a new bridge, Senator Thomas Brown of Perth Amboy introduced legislation in the Senate to authorize the state to take over the existing bridge. At a December 1920 meeting of the State Highway Commission it was announced that a definite location for the proposed new bridge had been determined.

This announcement raised opposition from some Perth Amboy residents. Hearings were held concerning the proposed bridge location, the placing of city water mains on the bridge, and provisions for trolley tracks. As a result of these hearings, bridge planners decided that the north bridge approach would extend south from the intersection of Convery Place and Smith Street. Planners also agreed to include trolley tracks on the bridge. The latter decision became moot when the Jersey Central Traction Company, operators of the trolley system in the city, ceased operation (Anonymous 1953). 

Matavan and Matawan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889)

Wolverton's Atlas of Monmouth County, New Jersey (1889), included two maps of particular interest to Aberdeen-Matawan residents.

Matavan (Plate 35)

Detail of Matavan, NJ (Wolverton's Atlas of Monmouth Co, 1889, Plate 35)

This map covers the entire area of what is now Aberdeen-Matawan, from the Raritan Bay in the north to Marlboro in the south, and from the Middlesex County line in the west and Keyport, Raritan (Hazlet), and Holmdel in the east.

• Towns: Matavan, Matawan, and Mount Pleasant
• Post Offices: Cliffwood and Matawan
• School Districts: Cliffwood No 45 (northwest), Mount Pleasant No 46 (southwest), Point No 47 (Matawan),  Lower Point No 48 (northeast), and Oak Grove No 58 (southeast). 
• Two major railroads: the New York and Long Branch Railroad runs from northwest to southeast, and the Freehold and New York Railway from northeast to southwest.
• Two railroad stations: Cliffwood and Matawan
• Water resources (not labeled): Treasure Lake, Whale Creek, Long Neck Creek, Matawan Creek, and Gravelly Brook.
  

Matavan. (Wolverton's, 1889) Detail shows two routes leading into Cliffwood Beach.

 The map shows two unlabeled routes into what is now Cliffwood Beach. One route looks to be Cliffwood Avenue, which seems to turn at South Concourse and heads to the shore, where a pier is situated. The second route looks to be Prospect Avenue, which today is interrupted by State Route 35. The map shows Prospect going south, but today it makes a sharp right and leads toward Matawan Aberdeen Middle School (MAMS).

Matavan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889). Detail shows Prospect Avenue as dirt road leading to brickyards along Matawan Creek.

In 1889, Prospect Avenue appears to have become a dirt road at some point as it reached a series of brickyards along the western shore of Matawan Creek. Keep in mind that the brickyards are situated approximately where the Garden State Parkway (GSP) was built in the mid-20th century. Matawan Creek currently passes under the GSP and the railroad tracks.

Matavan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889). Detail shows brickyards and steamboat dock along Matawan Creek.

This detail (above) shows the J Manning Brickyard, H H Longstreet Brickyard, D & C Close Brickyard, and the W Maggs Brickyard along Matawan Creek in 1889. The steamboat dock, where one of the famous shark attacks took place in 1916, is across the creek.

Speaking of the shark attacks, you might have wondered if the Stillwell on the map (above, lower left) was related to Lester Stillwell, one of the victims of the attacks. Lester's father was William Stillwell, but he lived in Manalapan until after 1910. The 1870 Federal Census listed a Henry C Stillwell, age 29, with wife Cordelia and daughter Sarah, living in Matawan. Henry had a farm worth $30,000 and $5,000 in personal property. Perhaps Henry is the H Stillwell on the map. He and his family were living in Holmdel in the 1880 Federal Census, along with what appears to have been his parents, John S and Fannie A Stillwell. They could have held onto the farm in Matawan or moved back in time for the atlas. Unfortunately, the 1890 Federal Census is unavailable due to a fire. The 1900 Federal Census is no help; Henry was a fish dealer living with Cordelia in Jersey City.

Matawan (Plate 28)

Matawan. (Wolverton's Atlas of Monmouth Co, 1889)

Matawan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889) Detail of Main St and Atlantic at the railroad.

Matawan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889) Detail of Main St and Washington St, where Aberdeen Creek passes under the road. The Baptist and Presbyterian churches and the Presbyterian parsonage can be seen on Main St (far right). Middlesex St (far left) is where Route 34 would be now.

Matawan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889). Detail of Main St and Broad St between Church St and Clinton St.

Matawan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889). Detail shows train station as "passenger depot" (left);  the railroad trestle over Matawan Creek is just west of Main St. (right); a dirt road followed the creek to join James Lamberson's lime kilns and the coal yard (top) with the dock and train tracks.

Matawan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889). Detail of the train station (passenger depot and freight depot); a canning factory and the Village Hotel can be seen.

Matawan (Wolverton's Atlas, 1889). Detail.

Above are detailed views of Wolverton's 1889 map of what is now downtown Matawan. It shows the Borough 40 years before the two lakes (Matawan and Lefferts) were established. Main Street and Atlantic Avenue were the spine of this image, while Matawan Creek and Gravelly Run formed the borders. The Holmdel Turnpike and Middlesex Street would later become State Route 34.

When you look at the map, note just how short Johnson Avenue was and how Broad Street ended at Little Street. And look at Aberdeen Creek, which still crosses under Main Street into what is now Terhune Park at Washington Street at one end and drains into Lake Lefferts at the other end.

History: Zduniak of Cliffwood, NJ

183 Cliffwood Avenue, Cliffwood, NJ

People are curious about the abandoned house at 183 Cliffwood Avenue, pictured above. Between the mid-1920's and the late 1980's, its history belonged to a Polish family named Zduniak. A visit to Freehold will be required to determine who owned the house before the Zduniaks and just how old the house is.
 
The State of New Jersey lists 183 Cliffwood Avenue as "unclaimed property" once belonging to a Stanley W Zduniak. The house has been abandoned for over twenty years.

Stanley was Stanley Zduniak, son of Peter and Josephine Zduniak, a Polish couple that settled in Cliffwood about 1924 and raised a family in Cliffwood. Stanley was born 5 Feb 1926 and died in Cliffwood on 15 Mar 1988. His father spoke Polish, worked as a manual laborer in a brickyard (1930) and an asphalt factory (1940), and died in Cliffwood in 1962.

Stanley married Constance Mary Marchel, who was born on 2 Jun 1931. "Connie" Zduniak ran a candle shop from the house on Cliffwood Avenue in the 1980s. After her husband died in 1988, Constance moved to Rowan County, North Carolina, where she married William Rayford Middlebrook on 8 Jun 1991. She died in Granite Quarry, Rowan County, NC as Constance M Middlebrook on 1 Jan 2010. Her brief obituary appeared in the Charlotte (NC) Observer on 3 Jan 2010.

Stanley and Connie's daughter Nancy Jean, was born 25 Nov 1953 and died 1 Jan 2000 in Rowan County, NC.  She is buried in Rockwell, Rowan County, NC.

Stanley and Connie's other daughter, Theresa Dorothy, was born 10 Oct 1952 and died 24 Sep 1992 in Rockwell, Rowan County, NC.

Constance Zduniak and her daughters operated Rainbow Candles from their home at 183 Cliffwood Avenue in Cliffwood, according to the 4 Mar 1987 edition of The Independent.

This ad for the Rainbow Candle Shoppe appeared in the 3 Dec 1986 edition of The Independent.

This ad appeared in the 6 Oct 1982 edition of The Independent

Constance Zduniak, DOB 2 Jun 1931, lived at 183 Cliffwood Avenue in Cliffwood, according to city directories in 1993, 1994, and 1995.

Mrs Stanley Zduniak was active in the Cliffwood PTA, according to the 22 Feb 1962 edition of The Matawan Journal.

Stanley and Connie's granddaughter Brenda's marriage engagement (below) appeared in the 25 Jun 2010 edition of The Salisbury (NC) Post.

Belk Josey Engagement

Donald Lynch of Salisbury is pleased to announce the engagement of his daughter, Brenda Lynch Belk, to Randy Eugene Josey Jr., both of Salisbury.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of the late Nancy Lynch and the granddaughter of the late Stanley Zduniak and the late Connie Middlebrook, both of Cliff­wood, N.J. A 1998 graduate of East Rowan High School, Brenda also graduated from Stanly Community College in 2006.

The future groom is the son of Angie and Randy Josey of Salisbury and the grandson of Jim and Pearleen Coleman of Salisbury and the late Bobby and Allerid Josey of Faith. A 1998 graduate of East Rowan High School, Randy received a degree in heating and air from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in 2000. He is employed by Beaver Brothers Heating and Air.

The wedding is Sept. 18 at Wedding Chapel By the Sea at Myrtle Beach, S.C

Zduniak Roots in Cliffwood - John and Peter

Peter Zduniak was born 23 Mar 1886 in Poland and died in 21 Aug 1962.

The 1930 Federal Census listed two Zduniak families (Dwellings 53 and 54) in Matawan Township:

     1) Peter Zduniak, age 40, was born in Poland to Polish parents. He was a laborer at a brickyard. He was an alien who emigrated to the US in 1910. His wife was Josephine, age 36, born in Poland to Polish parents. Peter and Josephine spoke Polish. Their children, all born in NJ, were Genevieve (19), Virginia (17), Sophia (15), Alick (14), and Stanley (14). Peter had no property.
     2) John Zduniak, age 45, was born in Poland to Polish parents. He was a laborer. He was an alien who emigrated to the US in 1908. His wife was Nellie, age 44, born in Poland to Polish parents. John and Nellie spoke Polish. Their children were a daughter Jennett (6) and a son Joe (5), both born in NJ. John had $6,000 in property.

The 1940 Federal Census, just released, listed the same two families (Dwellings 24 and 25) in Matawan Township. Their households were on Cliffwood Avenue in Cliffwood:
     1) John Zduniak, age 60, born in Poland, was a laborer at an asphalt manufacturer. He was an alien. His wife was Nellie, age 41, born in Poland. Their children were a daughter Jeanette (17) and a son Joseph (15), both born in NJ. John owned $4,000 in property.
     2) Peter Zduniak, age 51, born in Poland, was a laborer at an asphalt factory. His wife was Josephine, age 47, born in Poland. Their children were sons Alex (22) and Stanley (14). Alex was a truck driver. Peter owned $4,000 in property.

Peter Zduniak was working for Barber Asphalt Co in Perth Amboy when he registered for the WWII draft in 1942. He gave his DOB as 11 Mar 1886 and his POB as Lomza, Poland. He provided his address as PO Box 86, Cliffwood, NJ. He was 5' 6" tall, 155 lbs, blue eyes, gray hair.

John Zduniak was unemployed when he registered for the WWII draft in 1942. He gave his DOB as 25 Dec 1879 and his POB as Poland. He provided his address as PO Box 25, Cliffwood, NJ. He was 5' 7" tall, 165 lbs, blue eyes, brown hair, balding, ruddy complexion. He had a scar on the first finger of his left hand. His wife was Nellie.

The 16 Jun 1949 edition of The Matawan Journal contained the obituary for Josephine (Myslinski) Zduniak, age 56, who died 12 Jun 1949 at the family home on Cliffwood Avenue in Cliffwood, NJ. She was the wife of Peter Zduniak, the mother of Alexander, Stanley, Jean, Jennie, and Sophie Zduniak, and the sister of Joseph, Stanley and Frank Myslinski. Services were held at the residence, then high mass of requiem was celebrated at the Sacred Heart Church in South Amboy, where the body was put to rest in the church's cemetery.

The 23 Aug 1962 edition of The Matawan Journal contained Peter Zduniak's obituary:

Peter S Zduniak Succumbed Tuesday

Peter S Zduniak, 76, of Cliffwood Avenue, Cllffwood, widower of Mrs Josephine Zduniak, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1962. Mr. Zduniak retired 18 years ago from the Barber Asphalt Co., Barber.

He was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church, South Amboy. Mr. Zduniak was a member of the Kasa Posmiertna Society of Perth Amboy. Born in Poland, he resided in Cliffwood for 38 years.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Genevieve Szymanskl, Morganville; Mrs. Regina Kowalski, Jersey City, and Mrs. Sophie Wagner, Cliffwood Beach; two sons Alexander, South Plainfield, and Stanley, Cliffwood, 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 8:30 a.m. from the Zduniak home and a solemn high mass of requiem will be offered at 9 a.m. in Sacred Heart Church. Interment, under the direction of
Curzawa Funeral Home, South Amboy, will be in the church cemetery.

Jeanette and Joseph Zduniak

The 16 Jun 1949 edition of The Matawan Journal contained the marriage announcement for Jeanette Zduniak, daughter of Mr and Mrs John Zduniak of Cliffwood. She was to marry Henry J Aleksiak, son of the late Mr and Mrs Basil Aleksiak of Jersey City, on 3 Sep 1949. She worked at the Armstrong Cork Company in Keyport, while her fiance was employed by General Motors.

Notes About Local Boys in the Victory Forces, a section in the 5 Aug 1943 edition of The Matawan Journal, said that Joseph S Zduniak, A. S., was in Maryland with Company 3334, Barracks 316, USNTS, Bainbridge.

US Naval Training Center Bainbridge (Wikimedia)

USNTS Bainbridge is a reference to the US Naval Training Center, Bainbridge in Port Deposit, Maryland, which operated along the banks of the Susquehanna River from 1942 to 1976. USNTS suggests that Bainbridge was first called a training station. (Wikipedia's photo above is actually titled Bainbridge Naval Training Station.) Less likely, it could also suggest that Zduniak was attending one of the specialized training schools there.

Video: Cindy Zipf, Clean Ocean Action

Middletown Patch put together a wonderful piece on Cindy Zipf and Clean Ocean Action. Well done.

History: Newspaper Boys - Matawan (1972)

I delivered The Evening Star newspaper in my suburban Washington, DC neighborhood in the late 1960's and early 1970's. I rode my bike from house to house every afternoon and, once a month, I went door to door "collecting." It was a young boy's job. Things were no different here in the Matawan area, it seems, based on this ad from the 19 Apr 1972 edition of The Independent.

The job of paper boy has not only gone gender neutral in the 21st century but it's no longer a kid's job at all. Adults now deliver papers from open windows in their cars. And The Asbury Park Press bills me automatically by credit card.

2012 Safe and Secure Communities Grant - Aberdeen Township

Aberdeen Township Council plans to apply for a NJ state grant from the Safe and Secure Communities program, according to Resolution 2012-52, which is a Consent Agenda item on the 24 Apr 2012 agenda.

The State's Division of Law and Public Safety describes this grant program as follows:

The Safe and Secure Communities Program, enacted into law in 1993, is designed to provide municipalities with funding to add law enforcement personnel vital to effective police operations and other crime related strategies as warranted by the needs of the community. The program allows for the funding of additional officers or funding of law enforcement support personnel which would free-up officers for direct law enforcement activities. Currently, there are approximately 160 municipalities receiving funds for 345 officers and 13 non-police support staff.

The amount of this year's SASC grant has yet to be released. The Township's anticipated and actual SASC grants since 2006 are published online as follows:

The Township received a $60,000 grant in 2006 and anticipated $60,000 in 2007, according to the 2007 budget projection (pg 13/61).

The Township received a $60,000 grant in 2007 and anticipated $54,000 in 2008, according to the 2008 budget projection (pg 15/61)

The Township received a $54,000 grant in 2008 and anticipated $57,984 in 2009, according to the 2009 budget projection (pg 16/66).

The Township received a $57,984 grant in 2009 and anticipated $60,000 in 2010, according to the 2010 budget projection (pg 15/64)

The Township received a $60,000 grant in 2010 and anticipated $51,771 in 2011, according to the 2011 budget projection (pg 14/59)

Cliffwood Beach Sweep - Spring 2012

We went down to Cliffwood Beach this morning to participate in Clean Ocean Action's Spring Beach Sweep in honor of Earth Day. Hat tip to The Patch for letting us know about the event. There were lots of folks down there walking around with collection bags and clipboards, collecting debris and logging what they find. We noticed Aberdeen Councilman Greg Cannon and family. There were also a lot of fishermen at the surf line trying to catch stripers, poles in the ground. The lot was nearly full, because there were so many people in the fishermen's parking lot today. 

We always enjoy the beach cleanup and try to participate each time it is held. Thanks to those who organize these events. I believe the events make a difference, not only in the appearance of the beach but in improved  understanding of what is washing up onto the Raritan Bay shoreline.

We collected a bag of debris -- mostly shopping bags that had washed up on the shore, plus beverage cans and bottles -- and we found three big tires that had floated our way and found a home on our beach.

We took turns rolling one big truck tire up the beach. What a struggle! 

We found an exit to the road and rolled the tire down to the collection area, where we loaded it onto the Monmouth County refuse truck with some help from a county employee.

I took a piece of driftwood and dug this monster tire out of the surf. It seemed like a simple matter to roll it back to the collection station, but it turned out to be a major task.

We found two more tires down by the seawall. We brought them back to the collection area in our car.

There was a very organized process for volunteers to sign up and get bags, work gloves, and data sheets and pencils.

Glass Shattered at Train Station

Someone broke two of the glass panels on the Ab-Mat train station inbound platform.

Temporary Detour in Downtown Matawan

As of 2:30 pm Sunday, traffic was being detoured around the corner of Ravine Drive and Main Street. See The Patch for details of what happened to cause the road closure and updates on the status of repairs.

A Pile of Secrets

I think you'll enjoy this video. Hat tip to Robert Krulwich (of NPR's Radio Lab) and his Krulwich Wonders blog for leading me to this story about Post Secrets as told by its author at TED (Ideas Worth Spreading).

You won't go wrong by making any or all of the above links a Favorite Place on your computer.

African-American Series: Murder at Cliffwood Beach (1928)

The body of Frank Barret, 27 years old, of Cliffwood Beach, was found in the sage grass at the foot of South Concourse near the Raritan Bay, according to the 20 Apr 1928 edition of The Matawan Journal. 

The Keyport Police removed the body to Harvey S Bedle's morgue in Keyport, where Monmouth County physician Harvey W Hartman and Dr S H Cassidy determined that Barret had not drown but rather suffered a fractured skull from a blow above the left eye. Barret's pants were filled with sand as if to weigh down the body once tossed into the bay.

After a brief investigation, Chief Monmouth County Detective John M Smith identified Mattie Brown of Cliffwood as a material witness to the murder of Barret by Powell "Low Down" Harris, Ernest McKinley, and James Ghosson. The witness reported that the men had been drinking when a dispute arose, at which time those being sought beat the victim and then followed him down to the beach.

I found no follow up to this story and little evidence of any of the alleged murderers in the 1920 and 1930 Federal Censuses. By 1930, James Ghosson seemed to have relocated to Newark, where he was working as a porter at the YMHA.

History: George J Craigen, 2 Cliffwood Brick Companies, and Antoinette Eisenbach, Cliffwood Beach

One thing led to another as I researched George Craigen and his association with two local brick companies, so I've just included everything in the one article. Sorry if it is long, but there were lots of leads. It's been three days. There is plenty more to do, but I'll save those pieces for another time. Here's what I've learned so far.

George John Craigen was born 9 Jun 1851 in Woolwich, England, according to his US passport application dated 20 Apr 1922 in Brooklyn, NY.

Craigen maintained two residences and was enumerated twice during the 1920 Federal Census, which is not supposed to happen but does occasionally. I found two records for a George J Craigen, age 68, born in England to Scottish parents, married, brick company president. There's little doubt it is the same man. It seems he and his family maintained a permanent residence in Brooklyn and he maintained a second residence for himself in Keyport, which was then part of Raritan Township.

One 1920 census record showed Craigen living at 165 Broadway, Keyport, Raritan Township, where his occupation was president of a brick company. He was head of household at that address, as was a 67-year old widow named Lillian Wells (?), her daughter Hilda and a son-in-law. In that record, he entered the US in 1886 and was naturalized in 1896.

The other 1920 census record showed him living in Brooklyn with his 67-year old wife Eliza, daughter Jessie Applegate, a grandson George Applegate, and a second daughter named Annie Craigen. The second record showed him as a brick manufacturer and that he, his wife and daughters arrived in the US in 1888 and the couple received their naturalization in 1893.

His naturalization actually took place in Brooklyn on 12 Mar 1894, according to an index of naturalizations found at Ancestry.com.

New York Tax Department

Craigen was Assistant Chief Clerk for the New York Tax Department until the early 1900's, when he had a dispute with his employer over the rights to a book he had written. His book on property appraisal methods was quite popular, so when New York sought the rights claimed by its employee to the profits from the book, Craigen quit. There is an interesting summary of this part of Craigen's life in the 20 Apr 1916 edition of The Matawan Journal, pg 1 col 4, excerpted below.

Mr Craigen was for many years Assistant Chief Clerk in the New York Tax Department and during his spare time out of business hours he studied up a principle for valuing properties equitably, which the city adopted. Other cities heard of him and his book and he was invited to describe by some of the larger cities of the country. He copyrighted his book and it was printed at considerable expense and was [illegible] a comfortable income from other cities which might adopt it. The New York authorities, however, desired him to turn the work over to the city, but as he had prepared it outside of the city's time he declined to do so, and it became a question of complying with the demand or losing his position. He resigned and since then has devoted his time to the manufacture of brick here. The title of his book is "Practical Methods for Appraising Lands, Buildings and Improvements" and the demand for it comes from real estate appraisers as well as municipalities and he has sold copies of it in many cities of the United States and Canada.

Lenox Brick Company

Lenox Brick Co (Brick Collecting)

Craigen was employed by the Lenox Brick Company in Cliffwood from its founding in about 1905 until 1916, when as president of Lenox he leveraged his control of the lease to the Lenox plant to start his own brick company under the same roof but in his own name and with some innovative new equipment he had invented and was in the process of patenting, according to "CRAIGEN BRICK COMPANY; Incorporated Last Week and Will Operate Plant of Lenox Brick Co.", which can be found in the 20 Apr 1916 edition of The Matawan Journal, pg 1 col 4, excerpted below.

George J. Craigen, former president of the Lenox Brick Company of Cliffwood, some time ago leased from the brick company its plant and property for a period of ten years, and last Friday turned it over to the Craigen Brick Company. . .

The New Jersey State Legislature held hearings on 3 and 10 Oct 1911 with George Craigen representing Lenox Brick Company and G I Brown representing Jersey Central Traction Company, according to Documents of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey, pp 351-2.

Lenox had filed a petition to install railroad tracks across a Monmouth County route known as the Keyport and South Amboy Stone Road in the Township of Matawan. The tracks would connect a siding at the brickyard with the New York and Long Branch Railroad. Furthermore, Lenox wanted to connect the siding with tracks of the Jersey Central Traction Company, which paralleled the Stone Road. The construction of the tracks would require crossing the Jersey Central Traction rails. The Monmouth Board of Chosen Freeholders had already approved this plan on 14 Jun 1911, according to certification presented to the Legislature.

The Legislature granted the petition to cross the Stone Road to connect the siding to the railroad but, after inspections were conducted, denied the request to cross the Stone Road to connect with the Jersey Central Traction rails as this could be done without crossing the Stone Road.

Presumably the Keyport and South Amboy Stone Road was a former iteration of Route 35. I've not researched it yet. If anyone knows about this, I'd be interested.

Brick Collecting has a short piece on the Lenox Brick Company, including a photo of a Lenox brick found in Yonkers, NY, at their website in an article titled Hudson River and New England Brick Collection and Identifier A-L. They claim to have found a Champlain Brick Co brick with the Lenox brick, but I believe,based on the photo, that they found a Cliffwood Brick Company brick. (Compare the photos and decide for yourself)

Craigen Brick Company

Craigen established Craigen Brick Company of Cliffwood in 1916, according to "CRAIGEN BRICK COMPANY; Incorporated Last Week and Will Operate Plant of Lenox Brick Co.", which can be found in the 20 Apr 1916 edition of The Matawan Journal, pg 1 col 4, excerpted below.

George J. Craigen, former president of the Lenox Brick Company of Cliffwood, some time ago leased from the brick company its plant and property for a period of ten years, and last Friday turned it over to the Craigen Brick Company, which was incorporated with $50,000 capital.

The officers of the new company are:

• President-—George J. Craigen.
• Vice-president—Charles Frank, Jr.
• Secretary—Frank J. Bell.
• Treasurer—George M. Craigen.

Mr. Craigen has been connected with the.former company since it began business at Cliffwood ten or more years ago. He is of the inventive turn of mind and has been at work for some months on a brickmaking machine that would be an improvement over those on the market. He believes he has accomplished what he set out to do and has a machine working successfully on the plant and has applied to the government for letters patent, the application still pending.

Not being satisfied with the reputation of having invented one machine, he turned his attention to a clay digging apparatus and has perfected a machine that will do the work of fifteen men in a given time and it is a decided improvement over any now in operation.

Application for a patent has also been made for this machine and it naturally follows that if the two applications are granted, Mr Craigen will derive considerable monetary revenue as a result of his inventive genius. At any rate his many friends in this section and in Manhattan will rejoice with him over the success which apparently is about to crown his efforts.

Craigen Brick Company seems to have still been headed by Craigen in 1928, according to the 2 Mar 1928 edition of The Matawan Journal, pg 7 col 2. I found no references to it after that date.

Craigen and the Borough Building and Loan

George J Craigen, of Craigen Brick Co, was an early subscriber to the Borough Building and Loan, according to pg 8 of the 16 Oct 1919 edition of The Matawan Journal. The building and loan supported home building in Keyport and Matawan. A list of subscribers appears in the paper, as well as the conditions for earnings and loans.

Craigen and The Cliffwood Fire House

Helen Henderson's "Matawan and Aberdeen: Of Town and Field," pp 103-4, mentioned that George Craigen, of Craigen Brick Company of Cliffwood, donated the brick for construction of a firehouse for the Cliffwood Volunteer Fire Company No 1. The fire company was incorporated in 1927 and the firehouse was built a year later. "The Township of Matawan: 1857 - 1957", pg 43, includes the information about George Craigen's donation as well.

Below is an excerpt of the source of this information, an article about the building of the firehouse found in the 2 Mar 1928 edition of The Matawan Journal, pg 7 col 2.

The Building Committee, who have nursed the idea through to a not-distant practical realization and who have made the necessary financial connections to make its construction possible, consist of Lewis Stemler, Homer Matheson, and Michael Sayben. Mr. Matheson graciously donated his services as an architect in working out the plans and specifications for the new building and the firemen consider themselves very fortunate, indeed, to have in their midst these three men of such high capability.

The site chosen for the erection of the new fire house is a large lot formerly part of the Thomas Ryan property. This lot is located just one block north of Cliffwood Avenue and a few hundred feet west of the State Highway. Mr. Ryan graciously donated this lot in consideration of a small payment to equal taxes he had paid on this lot during a few years previous. Another public spirited citizen back of the firemen is George Craigen, who has very kindly offered to donate a large portion of the brick necessary in the construction of the new home.

A couple of interesting if unrelated asides drawn from the next part of the above article:

The Entertainment Committee announced the intention of holding a dance and social at Eisenbach's, Cliffwood Beach, on Saturday evening, March 24th. Mrs. Leonard Kramer has donated a rug which will be disposed of on the co-operative plan and be awarded on the evening of the dance.

1) Gambling was apparently not mentioned aloud in good company in 1928, so The Journal had to talk around the fact that the firehouse planned to raffle off a rug at its upcoming party. I wonder if Atlantic City has ever called gambling winnings an "award on the cooperative plan"?

2) The Eisenbach Lunch Room, aka Eisenbach's, was a popular social venue in Cliffwood Beach in 1928. Besides the dance benefit for the Cliffwood Fire House in March mentioned above, the Matawan Township Taxpayers Association held a meeting there in April and the Cliffwood Beach Welfare Association held a masquerade ball there in November, according to the 20 Apr 1928 and 16 Nov 1928 editions of The Matawan Journal.

Hermann and Antoinette Eisenbach, wedding photo.

Eisenbach's was owned and operated by the widow Antoinette Eisenbach nee Antonia Bertha Sophie Menzel. Above is a photo of her with her late husband, Hermann Eisenbach. Her sister Emma was married to John Marz, Jr, chairman of the township commitee for many years and first mayor of Matawan Township.

The 1920 Federal Census showed Antoinette living on 145th Street in Manhattan with her 20 year old daughter Rose Lewis, son-in-law Henry M Lewis, a young clerk in an accountant's office, and their infant son, John R Lewis.

The 1930 Federal Census showed an Antonio Eisenbach, female, head of household, grocer, living in Matawan Township. She was 54 years old and born in Germany to German parents. She immigrated to the US in 1896 and was a naturalized US citizen. Perhaps this is a reference to her proper name Antonia?

The 19 Apr 1935 edition of The Matawan Journal announced the near completion of plans for the opening of Mrs Eisenbach's new beergarden. This story was covered in the Community News section under the subtitle Cliffwood.

Antoinette Eisenbach and Emma Marz

In the late 1950's there were more mentions of Eisenbach's. The Cliffwood Beach Welfare Association held its regular meeting in the back of Eisenbach's store in Cliffwood Beach, according to the 27 Dec 1956 edition of The Matawan Journal. Thirty people attended. The Matawan Township Committee hosted a harmony get-together dinner for 30 guests at Mrs Antoinette Eisenbach's tavern in Cliffwood Beach, according to the 31 Dec 1959 edition of The Matawan Journal. She and her sister Emma Marz prepared the meal.

Don't Pass Up Earthweek in the Sunday Asbury Park Press

The Asbury Park Press has a weekly syndicated feature called Earthweek: Diary of a Planet, edited by Steve Newman. Today my better half pointed out some interesting Earthweek items on page AA3 of this morning's paper, so I dug around the Internet to see if I could find more information to go along with a few of the more interesting environmental and nature stories. Here's what I found.

ORCA Staff examining beached dolphin (Earthweek)

Beached dolphin in Peru (treehugger.com)

Sonar devices used in seabed oil exploration off the coast of northern Peru is the likely culprit in a series of mass dolphin beachings along the beach at Lambayaque, according to an expert at the Organization for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals - Peru (ORCA Peru), as published this week by Earthweek. The total deaths in the past three months is 3,000, with the most recent surge of beachings at 461 deaths, according to PEJ.

The River Rye in Yorkshire is drying up due to extreme drought, so, according to the video below, some dedicated souls are capturing fish trapped in isolated pools and moving them upstream. The pools would otherwise condemn a couple of desirable native species. The teams give them a good zap of electricity to stun them, then they net the fish and move them. I found a short interview of one of the organizers, but I couldn't find any video of the volunteers at work.



To get an idea of just how dry it is in England, check out this recent video.

Earthweek has an odd story about big snakes entering people's homes in Namibia to watch tv and otherwise cause havoc. The piece is apparently drawn from a recent article in The Namibian. The Namibian includes more details from an interview with a regional snake expert named Stuart Hebbert, who attempts to gently debunk what the villagers are saying about big snakes being dropped from helicopters.  He suggests the more likely scenario is that recent floods increased the rodent population, thus attracting the snakes. The funniest part of Hebbert's interview, left out by Earthweek, was when he asked why someone would want to drop snakes from a helicopter in the first place.

Lest you think snakes don't watch tv, there are countless stories, photos, and videos online of snakes doing just that. Check out the video below showing a ball python enjoying an episode of the Colbert Report for one example.



Teachers might want to consider using this feature in their science classes if they aren't already doing so. I learned quite a bit by attempting to add value to these stories and publish a short blog item. A student assignment could be to discover and publish additional aspects of a typical weekly Earthweek item. This could involve updating or broadening the abbreviated Earthweek item by finding more detailed media coverage, including reports, video footage, or photographs. A student could also identify prominent players, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), involved in the issue at hand. The process certainly would give students hands on experience with standard research methods, including comparison and prioritization of that fire hose of information called the Internet, as well as a familiarization with the eternal struggle to discern and rank the source freshness and reliability of each piece of reporting selected for a blog

History: Hebrews in the Matawan Journal (1887, 1894)

The Matawan Journal referred to the Jewish community as Hebrews back in the 19th century. Below are a few articles mentioning affairs involving Jews in 1887 and 1894.

The religion section of the 16 Apr 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal included this rare reference to the Jewish faith. This item doesn't mention the local community, its synagogue(s) or leadership, but it is notable because it appeared in the religion section of the paper, where the activities of local Christian churches were nearly exclusively covered. Some editions of the paper actually quoted Christian scripture and explained Christian holidays, even "Christian Passover."

The Hebrews have this week been celebrating the feast of the Passover, which began with Friday of last week and closed this Friday evening at 6 o'clock. It commemorates the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery.

The 8 Dec 1894 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 3) included this article about court proceedings in Freehold.

Jacob Cohen and Samuel Goldstein, two Hebrews of Egypt, were fined $50 each last week by Judge Conover at Freehold. Both men had been indicted for fighting and on the trial they tried to shield each other, which the Court would not stand.

The 1 Dec 1894 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 4, col 3) contained this report of a bias crime that happened in Manasquan.

If a Hebrew, Don't Go to Manasquan

On Sunday last a meeting of the Hebrew Benevolent Association was held at the residence of the president,H. Friedlander. The Association is composed of Hebrews from nearly all over the county and this meeting was quite well attended. One gentleman from Belmar drove over, and after placing his conveyance under the shed at Newbury's livery stable he proceeded to the place of meeting. On his way he was accosted by a young man who caught him by the beard and forced him about the streets with a crowd running and hooting at his heels. He fled to the house in fear. A few moments later he returned to the shed where he had left his horse and found that someone had it and was driving it about town. When the conveyance was returned to the shed it was found that the blanket had either been lost or stolen. This occurred about 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

This kind of conduct is not becoming to a young man and should be severely punished. There certainly was some one to see it and any one witnessing such a performance should report it to the authorities and also to the parties concerned. A reward of $5 is offered to the person giving information leading to the arrest and conviction of the guilty parties.

History: Isabella Grapes, Keyport (1849)

Isabella grapes (Wikimedia)

William Hughes and Thomas L Porter ran an advertisement in the 5 Oct 1849 edition of The New York Daily Tribune, pg 4. From about 1849 - 1852, these two men raised prize-winning Isabella grapes. They operated vineyards in Matawan Point in Raritan Township, New Jersey.

In 1849, at least, they were selling their grapes by the 30 lb bushel through a New York City grocer named Gassner & Young's. The ad said, "Samples can be seen at the Fair -- General depot at Gassner & Young's, 132 Chatham Street."

Gassner & Young's

These Isabella grapes were being sold at a grocery store named Gassner & Young's, 132 Chatham Street.

Longwood's American Almanac, which consisted of a New York city directory and register, had listings on pp 261 and 689 for Gassner & Young, John B Gassner (residence: 78 Grand) and William R Young (residence: 61 James St). Gassner and Young were identified as grocers working at 132 Chatham.

The 1850 Federal Census showed John B Gassner age 57, born in New York, a grocer, and head of household in the 6th Ward of New York County (Manhattan). His wife was Rachel L, age 49. Their many daughters were Helina (age 28), Louisa (age 26), Elizabeth (age 25), Cecelia (age 19), Rachel (age 18), Mary (age 15), Adelaide(age 14), Josephine (age 12), and Almira (age 8). Also living in the household was William L Lyon, a 22-year-old clerk born in New York, and Bridget St John, a 24-year-old woman from Ireland.

Enumerated next to Gassner's household on the same page was that of his business partner, William R Young. William R was age 45, born in New York, a grocer, and head of household. His wife was Sarah A Young, age 38. Their children were Edward R (age 16, clerk), Oscar W (age 14), Charles (age 9), Robert (age 6), and Ida (age 2). Also in the household were Margaret L Demilt (?) (age 26, NY) and Bridget McLaughlin (age 24, Ireland).

Purdy's National Theatre

 

Chatham Theatre (Wikimedia

I suspected that Chatham Street was in New York, but I didn't know exactly where. When I searched for it in Google, Google Maps immediately suggested Park Row and put a marker on the map. That made little sense to me, so I skipped that clue.

Instead I pursued a number of historic ads that I found online*. They said that 132 Chatham Street was just across the street from the National Theatre in New York City.

After some research, I found that the Nederlander Theatre in midtown New York City used to be called the National Theatre, but it wasn't built until 1921. We can rule that one out.

After more research I learned that Chatham Street was actually situated at the northern edge of the Financial District in downtown Manhattan, where Park Row is now found. (If you've ever been to J&R's Music World, it's in that neighborhood.)

Chatham Street was only a stub of a road in 1850. But it was located close to City Hall, so it was prime real estate. Chatham Street eventually became known as Newspaper Row, because all the major newspapers set up offices near City Hall. But that wasn't until the late 19th century. The Brooklyn Bridge appeared much later as well, more than thirty years after Matawan Point grapes were being sold downtown. 

It turns out that this grocer was located across from Purdy's National Theatre, which was built as the Chatham Theatre in 1839. It held popular black minstrel shows in the mid-1840s and was acquired by A H Purdy in 1850.

The 1850 Federal Census showed Alexander H Purdy, age 33, born in NY, the manager of a theater, and head of household in the 6th Ward of New York County (as above). His wife was Catharine, age 26. Their children were Ann M (age 12), Estandia (?) (age 8), Edwin (age 5), and George (age 3).

* Rockland County Register, 15 Jul 1852 edition, re W P Moody and Co; and several 1852 editions of the Amenia NY Times at Old Fulton NY Postcards - fultonhistory.com

William H Hughes and Thomas L Porter

William H Hughes and Thomas L Porter

The 1850 Federal Census showed William H Hughes, age 35, born in NY, a farmer, as head of household in Raritan Township, Monmouth County, NJ. He had $4,000 in property. His wife was Ann Eliza, age 36, born in NY. Their children were Eliza (age 11, NY), Adelaide (age 9, NY), Isabella (age 4, NJ), and Emma (age 8/12, NJ). Also in the household were James M McAlpin (age 34, NY), Sarah Kane (age 25, Ireland), and Augusta Weed (age 18, Connecticut).

Thomas Porter also appeared in the 1850 Federal Census in Raritan Township. He was 45 years old, born in Vermont, a farmer, and head of household with $1,500 in property. Henry Foot, age 48, born in NY, a laborer, lived in the same household.

Monmouth County Farmers in New York City Almanac

William Hughes and T L Porter, each of Mateawan Point, NJ, were mentioned in a list of prize-winners in the realm of agriculture in The Annual Report of American Institute of the City of New York, 1850.

The listings for the Monmouth County area read as follows:

SWINE

• Eleazar Parmly, of Shrewsbury, N. J., 1st prize shote. Silver medal.
• Eleazar Parmly of Shrewsbury, N. J., 2d prize lot of pigs.

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS

• Wm. H. Hughes, Mateawan Point, N. J., for the best bushel of rye. Silver medal.

FRUIT

• Wm. Hughes, Mateawan Point, N. J., for the best Isabella grapes. Silver medal.
• T. L. Porter, Mateawan Point, N. J., for a sample of fine Isabella grapes. 4 Nos. Hovey's Fruits.
• Wm. Hughes, Mateawan Point, N. J., for the best Catawba grapes. Silver medal.

MISCELLANEOUS

• John S. Whitlock, Middletown Point, N. J., for a sample of very fine black monthly raspberries. Diploma.
• Miss Eleanor Badmond, Jamesburgh, N. J., for the best brandy peaches.

An undated directory similar to the above included the following listings for Matteawan Point, NJ:

• Edward Harris - bushel of superior rye. (Browne's Trees of America)
  
• William H Hughes - for a delicate wine resembling Malaga. Diploma
• William H Hughes - for the best Isabella grapes. Silver medal.
• Thomas R Porter - for the fine Isabella grapes. (Allen on the vine)
• William H Hughes - for the best Catawba grapes. Silver medal.
• William H Hughes - for the three best cheese pumpkins. (Farmer's Dictionary)

History: Jilted Lover Stabs Himself in Neck at Matawan Train Station (1927)

A lonely man, feeling depressed after being jilted by a woman, stabbed himself in the neck and broke off the knife blade after getting off the Central Jersey Railroad train at Matawan rail station, according to a front page article in the 1 Apr 1927 edition of The Matawan Journal. He had just arrived from Highlands, where he claimed he'd tried to drown himself, but the water wasn't deep enough; his shirt was still wet.

Matawan Chief of Police Edwin Sloat and Dr Millard Erwin saw to his immediate medical needs, then Chief Sloat sent him to the Monmouth County jail, where he was examined by a doctor, found to be demented, and quickly committed to the New Jersey State Hospital (now Trenton Psychiatric Hospital) in Trenton.

Three years later, the 1930 Federal Census listed an Anthony Waideles, age 39, born in Polish Russia and spoke Lithuanian, who was head of household on 8th Street in Union Beach. He was a house laborer. The record showed that he had immigrated to the US in 1912 and was a naturalized citizen. He claimed to have only $10 to his name.

Living in the same household was a roomer named Joseph Mackovick, age 38, who was born in Lithuania and spoke Lithuanian. He was a laborer in hollow tile. He was an alien; the date of immigration is difficult to read.

The Matawan Police Department had been established a year earlier, on 9 Mar 1926, according to a history found on the Matawan PD website. Chief Sloat was the first full time police officer in Matawan to hold the position of Chief of Police.

Below is the original text from The Matawan Journal.

STABS HIMSELF IN THROAT.
Anthony Waidhes Mentally Unbalanced Said Girl Deserted Him.

Because he had been jilted by a woman, Anthony Waidhes, 35, a native of Poland, stabbed himself in the throat with a jackknife Wednesday morning. The man was a passenger on the Central Railroad train on the Highlands division, which arrived at Matawan station at 8:45. It is thought that he thrust the knife into his throat soon after he alighted from the train. Blood streamed from the wound and the man's clothing was soaked with water.

Chief of Police Edwin C. Sloat of Matawan took the man in charge and Dr. Millard Erwin administered first aid and advised that Weidhes be taken to a hospital. Chief Sloat questioned the man who told him that the knife had broke off in his throat when he stabbed himself and that before he attempted to slash his throat he had tried to drown himself but that the water was not deep enough. He said that he had no family and that a girl had deserted him.

As the man was apparently demented, Chief Sloan took him to Freehold, where he turned him over to Jail Physician Dr. Clayton and after an examination as to his sanity he was committed to the State Institute at Trenton.

History: Jacob Greiner Sells His Livestock, Furniture at Public Sale in Cliffwood (1877)

The 31 Mar 1877 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 3) contained this notice of public sale:

Mr Jacob Greiner will sell his farm stock and a lot of household furniture at public sale, on the Henry L Clark farm at Cliffwood.

Perhaps Mr Greiner's family perished in our area between 1870 and 1877, prompting him to sell his livestock and furniture and take a job as a gardener in the Newark area? I see no trace of his wife or children after 1870 and the census of 1880 said he was a widower.

Henry L Clark was a New York lawyer, apparently with a local farm in Cliffwood.

The Long Depression was at its worst between Oct 1873 and Mar 1879. 18,000 businesses and 10 US states went bankrupt. The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, sometimes called The Great Upheaval, was a particularly dark time. It was during this period that Mr Greiner had his public sale of livestock and furniture.

Jacob Greiner

The 1870 Federal Census showed a Jacob Greiner, age 33, born in Bavaria, as head of household in South Amboy. He was listed as a laborer and an alien. Living with him were his wife Catharine, age 28, and daughter Catharine, age 10, who were both born in Bavaria, as well as son Henry, age 4, and daughter Rebecca, age 1 month (born May 1870), who were both born in New Jersey.

The 1880 Federal Census showed him as the widower Jacob Greiner, age 43, born in Wurttemberg, living at the Scotland Street, South Orange household of George B Turrell and family, where he worked as a gardener.

Henry L Clark

The 1860 Federal Census showed Henry L Clark, age 50, born in NY, as a lawyer living in Matawan. He had $75,000 in property. His wife Phebe M Clark was 50 yrs old and born in NY. His children were Marie and Eleanor, ages 19 and 17, respectively.

Henry L, Phebe (P M) and Eleanor (E F) Clark were living in New York City in the 1870 Federal Census. Henry was listed as a lawyer age 60 years.

Henry and Phebe Clark and their daughters Mary Denslew and Eleanor Clark were living in New York City again in the 1880 Federal Census. Henry was a lawyer, age 65 years.

Matawan Boys Track Wins at 2012 Rebel Relays

The Matawan Huskies boys track team won the Division I title at the Rebel Relays in Howell on Saturday, according to APP.

History: Matawan, Minnesota

Matawan, MN rail station (Minn RR Stations Past & Present)

Did you know that there was a Matawan in Minnesota? It was an unincorporated village in Byron Township in Waseca County. According to Wikimapia, Matawan had a post office from 1907 to 1972 and a Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railroad station from 1907 to 1979.

Byron Township has renovated its town hall in Matawan and hopes it will be placed on the National Historic Registry, according to The Star Eagle. Byron Township was granted $30,000 back in 2006 to preserve the Matawan School, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.

Harvey Crumb, who died at age 98 in 2010, was born and raised on the Century Farm near Matawan, according to his obituary. He attended the Matawan School, then operated the family farm and delivered mail. In 1990, he and his wife moved into the city.

Mike Zabawa, a 24 year old hog farmer arrested in 2007 for 2 murders in Waseca County, was a resident of Matawan, according to The Mankato Free Press.

Matawan Grain and Feed is in Waldorf, MN.

St Olaf Lake Park is in Matawan.