History: Hutchler's Crossing (1875)

"Around Matawan and Aberdeen," by Helen Henderson, pg 73, says that Cliffwood Train Station, which had a station agent on the New York and Long Branch Railroad line until it closed in 1932, was built in late1875 at a place called Hutchler's Crossing.

The 13 Nov 1875 edition of The Matawan Journal said, without further explanation, "A small depot has been built at Hutchler's Crossing." The same paper included the news that a freight track had been laid at Matawan station and the accompanying freight house was nearly completed.

There's not a lot of information about this topic in the Matawan Journal, I'm afraid. The poor condition of the tracks south of Cliffwood station was mentioned in the 3 Sep 1926 edition of The Matawan Journal, pg 5 col 3. If anyone knows some background on Hutchler's Crossing, I'm interested in learning more.

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The only Hutchler I could find in the area was a Jacob Hutchler born about 1844 in New York, son of Jacob and Margaret Hutschler. The parents were Germans who lived in Manhattan in 1850 and then in Brooklyn in 1870 and 1880. Young Jacob served in the Civil War, lived for a time in Cliffwood, where he seems to have married and was soon widowed. He removed to Brooklyn, where he remarried and worked, first at an undertaker's and then as a clerk.

Jacob Hutschler, age 35, born in Germany, lived in Manhattan (Sixth Ward, New York County) in the 1850 Federal Census, along with his wife Margaret, age 32, born in Germany, and six children, all born in New York: Mary, age 11, Richard, age 10, Jacob, age 7, Margaret, age 5, Johanna, age 3, and Henry, age 1. Jacob was employed at a furnishing store. This census was taken as of 1 July 1850.

A Jacob Hutchler was the owner, agent or manager of a 20 acre farm worth $4,500 in Westchester, Westchester County, New York, according to the 1850 New York Agriculture Survey taken in November of that year. He had a horse, three milch cows, and four swine worth $200, and had raised 30 bushels of Indian corn, 30 bushels of oats, 3 bushels of peas and beans, and 150 bushels of Irish potatoes. He sold $30 worth of orchard produce. He produced 30 pounds of cheese, 240 tons of hay, and 15 bushels of other grass seeds. He slaughtered $46 worth of animals. It isn't clear whether this is Jacob is identical to the one enumerated in Manhattan.

A Jacob V Hutchler enlisted as a private in the US Civil War, serving as a musician in Company F, 102nd Regiment,  New York Infantry, according to Ancestry.com.

According to The Report of the Adjutant-General, pg 551, contained in Documents of the 126th Session of the New York Assembly, Vol VIII No 40 Serial 33, published in 1903 by Argus Company, Printers, of Albany, a Jacob Huschler mustered in at New York City, age 21, for three years service with Company F, 102nd Regiment, New York Infantry, as a musician in the US Civil War on 21 Oct 1861. He re-enlisted as a veteran on 30 Dec 1863. He mustered out as Jacob V Hutchler with his company at Alexandria, Virginia on 21 Jul 1865. (You can see the 102nd Regiment records pulled from this same record but without all the Google eBooks nonsense here.)

As a resident of Middletown Point in May 1865, a  Jacob V Hutchler was assessed a $6.00 Federal excise tax consisting of a dollar on his carriage, a dollar on a gold watch, two dollars on a second gold watch, and two dollars on his piano forte. It was Division 14, Collection District 2, State of New Jersey. This May 1865 tax assessment precedes the son's July 1865 muster from Civil War service, so perhaps this is the father? More likely the muster out date is incorrect.

The 1870 Federal Census showed a Jacob Hutchler, age 26, born in New York, and wife Emma, age 20, born in New Jersey, living in Keyport - Raritan Township in the household of a carpenter Garret S Ellison and family. It is possible that Emma was the carpenter's eldest daughter.

The 1880 Federal Census showed a Jacob Hutchler, age 36, born in New York to German parents, living at 366 Degraw Street in Brooklyn with his wife Julia, age 23, born in Connecticut to Connecticut parents, and a 1 year old daughter Florence. Jacob was employed as an undertaker.

The 1892 New York Census showed a Jacob Hutschler, age 49, and wife Julia, age 35, living in Brooklyn. He was occupied as a clerk.