Thomas Welstead Takes Over Monmouth Inn
Thomas Welstead, commander of Matawan Post 176 of the American Legion, has taken over the Monmouth Inn on upper Main Street in the Borough of Matawan and it will be known as the Green Tree Inn.
Mr Welstead has completely redecorated the interior and has arranged all plans for a gala opening tomorrow night. A special steak dinner will be served; the widely-known Penn's Pennsylvanians have been engaged to furnish the dance music and entertainment. There will be no cover or minimum charge and the management is prepared to take care of a large crowd. (pg 1 col 3)
Another Retail Liquor License Granted Here by Boro Council
Another alcoholic beverage license was granted Tuesday night at the regular meeting of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Matawan in Borough Hall. Thomas G Welstead, proprietor of the Arrowhead Garage, Main Street near Valley Drive, by unanimous action was voted a license to sell for consumption on the premises at the Green Tree Inn, formerly known as Farry's Monmouth Inn and the Green Pump Inn, corner Main Street and Mill Road in the Freneau section. . . . (pg 1 col 6)
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I did some research on the ownership of the property at the corner of Mill Road and Route 79 and was able to trace its names back almost 135 years. There are some loose ends, which I hope to sort out over time. For now, here is a reverse chronological listing of the names I've found and some evidence from The Matawan Journal.
Brass Rail Bar and Grill (2009 - )
The Brass Rail is located at 89 Main Street, variation 89 Freneau Avenue, variation 89 Route 79, in Freneau or Matawan, NJ.
Comeback Inn featuring the Dugout Bar (2007)
The 6 Jun 2007 edition of The Independent has a story about the bar's reopening.
Poet's Inn (1961 - ?)
The grand opening of the Poet's Inn took place on 28 Dec 1961.
Charlie's Matawan Inn (1948 - 1961)
Charlie Messina held the grand opening of Charlie's Matawan Inn under new management on 2 Jul 1948, according to the above ad in the 1 Jul 1948 edition of The Matawan Journal.
Charles Messina applied for a liquor license for Charlie's Matawan Inn, according to a public notice in the 22 Jun 1950 edition of The Matawan Journal.
Charles Messina applied for renewal of his liquor license for Charlie's Matawan Inn, according to a public notice in the 16 Jun 1960 edition of The Matawan Journal.
Closed? (1939 - 1948)
Matawan Inn (c 1936 - 1939)
The 19 Jan 1939 edition of The Matawan Journal announced that the Matawan Inn had suspended operations and was now closed. The liquor license had been issued to Christopher Daly but the establishment had been operated by his brother, a former Staten Island resident.
Green Tree Inn (c 1934 - 1936)
The Green Tree Inn was mentioned in The Matawan Journal from 1934 to 1936.
A connection between Green Tree and Mrs Rosa Bergen, a prominent socialite and member of Democratic Women in the borough and the county, appeared in 1935. She died in 1958.
The 8 Nov 1935 edition of The Matawan Journal included an ad for Rosa Bergen's Food Shop at the Green Tree Inn encouraging patrons to secure their Thanksgiving reservations.
The 14 Feb 1936 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 6 col 2) mentioned an event held at the Green Tree Inn.
The 30 Jul 1936 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that Thomas Welstead was refused a liquor license for a new location for several reasons - petitions received from local residents, lack of precedent for having a licensed tavern in that vicinity, and the danger to the driving public of having a tavern located on Route 34 at Route 4/Route 9.
Monmouth Inn (1926 - c 1932)
I found mentions of the Monmouth Inn in The Matawan Journal from 1926 to 1932.
The 3 Dec 1926 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that John Farry, formerly of Matawan but currently of New York, had purchased the Green Pump Inn. Farry would winter in Florida and take possession of the restaurant on 1 March 1927.
The proprietor of the Monmouth Inn was identified as John H Farry in the 17 Jun 1927 edition.
Green Pump Inn (c 1923 - 1926)
The earliest mention I could find of the Green Pump Inn was in the 23 Nov 1923 edition of The Matawan Journal.
The 18 Jun 1926 edition of The Matawan Journal contained the obituary of Mrs Helen Potts-Hall. The obituary reported that she had purchased the Mount Pleasant Hotel (presumably the Freneau Hotel?). She renovated it as a tea house and opened it under the name Green Pump Inn. She found the work too arduous for her liking, so about 1925 she sold it on contract (presumably to James Dickson), but that contract has since been forfeited. She lived much of her life with her brother, Frank G Potts.
Freneau Hotel (1921)
"Around Matawan and Aberdeen" mentioned that the location of the Poet's Inn served as a hotel under various names: Matawan Inn, Freneau Hotel, Mount Pleasant Hotel and Applegate's Hotel among them.
Applegate's Hotel (c 1907 - c 1920)
"Around Matawan and Aberdeen" mentioned that the location of the Poet's Inn served as a hotel under various names: Matawan Inn, Freneau Hotel, Mount Pleasant Hotel and Applegate's Hotel among them.
The 22 Nov 1917 edition of The Matawan Journal announced that taxes would be collected at J E Applegate's Hotel in Freneau on 17 December.
The 1920 Federal Census showed Jacob E Applegate, 49 NJ, to be the owner and keeper of a hotel enumerated on Freehold Turnpike in Matawan Township. Jacob was living in the household of his widowed mother-in-law, Lou Hartenstein, 60 NJ. Also in the household was Jacob's wife, Lou Hartenstein's daughter, Elizabeth (Hartenstein) Applegate, 37 NJ; and Jacob and Elizabeth's children John Applegate, 11 NJ, and Elizabeth Applegate, 7 NJ. Also in the household was Sarah Applegate, 34 NJ, but I couldn't read the relationship.
The 1910 Federal Census showed Elmer Applegate, 39 NJ, to be running a hotel on Freehold Road in Matawan. Also in the household were his wife of 4 years, Elizabeth Applegate, 25 NJ; their son John Applegate, 2 NJ, and widowed boarders Loie Hartenstein, 48 NJ, and Mary Applegait, 88 NJ. (Elmer is obviously Jacob E Applegate's middle name.)
The 1900 Federal Census showed Jacob Applegate, 30 NJ, to be running a hotel in Matawan Township. He was enumerated with his wife of 8 years, Nona Applegate, 25 NJ. She had borne one child that did not survive. Two boarders were enumerated in the household, one being a bartender.
Mount Pleasant Hotel (c 1880 - c 1907)
"Around Matawan and Aberdeen" mentioned that the location of the Poet's Inn served as a hotel under various names: Matawan Inn, Freneau Hotel, Mount Pleasant Hotel and Applegate's Hotel among them.
The 31 Jan 1880 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 2) carried the above ad offering the Mt Pleasant Hotel for sale or lease.
An 1892 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that an ox roast and jollification had taken place at the Mt Pleasant Hotel on Tuesday afternoon and was well attended. Food was free; drink was not. I found this article memorialized in the 9 Dec 1932 edition of The Matawan Journal, reporting what had been in the paper 40 years earlier.
The 1900 Federal Census showed Loie Hartenstein, 42 NJ, living in Montclair, NJ with husband Edward Hartenstein, 42 CT, operator of a hotel. In their household was niece Sarah Applegate, 12 NJ.
The 30 Jan 1902 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that pigeon shooting contests were in vogue at the Mount Pleasant Hotel.
"Shooting at Pigeons - Interest in pigeon shooting is being revived in this vicinity and several matches have recently been shot at the Mt. Pleasant Hotel. Last Thursday Dr. Bogardus outshot H L Bennett, both of Keyport, the score being l 9-14. A team match between Werner and Johnson and Abe Morris and Richard Gill was won by the former, 6-5. . . . "
The 16 May 1907 edition of The Matawan Journal announced that Mrs Loie Hartenstein had been granted a renewal of her license for the Mt Pleasant Hotel. Note: Loie Hartenstein's relationship to the hotel in Freneau in 1907 was as the owner's mother-in-law. She obviously had some management responsibilities, perhaps because of her previous experience in hostelry from Montclair. Her daughter Elizabeth married Jacob Applegate about 1906. Jacob likely was widowed when he remarried.
The 12 Dec 1907 edition of The Matawan Journal announced that the Matawan Township tax collector would be meeting tax payers at Harvey Stillwaggon's Hotel in Cliffwood on 10 December; the Mt Pleasant Hotel in Freneau on 11 December; the Aberdeen Hotel in Matawan on 12 December; P Sullivan's Hotel in Oak Shades on 13 December; and Township Hall on 20 December.
Applegate's Hotel (1874)
The 20 Jun 1874 edition of The Matawan Journal mentioned Applegate's Hotel but didn't provide a location. This may not have been in Freneau.
Great Work Pat! I wonder if the Applegate was related to Charlie Applegate of the Olde Spy Inn of Morgan/Cheesequake.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.morgan-nj.org/blog/sample-page/morgans-people-places/people/1882-ny-sun-newspaper-interview-with-charley-applegate/
Alycia - I did some more digging at your prodding and found Jacob Elmer Applegate was the owner of the hotel. (The name as J L Applegate was an issue with the newspaper image.) Jacob was the son-in-law of Loie Hartenstein, who likely helped her husband Edward run a hotel in Montclair until he died after 1900. The precise circumstances are unclear regarding the renaming of the hotel from Mt Pleasant to Applegate. Jacob lost his first wife and married Loie Hartenstein's daughter Elizabeth about 1906, all while running the hotel from at least 1900 until at least 1920. It was still the Mt Pleasant Hotel in 1907. Why Jacob's mother in law was filing papers about his hotel is unclear. I'm missing some key facts. Thanks for the reference to Charley. There was a Charles Applegate in Red Bank in the 1920 Federal Census. I'll have to read the article you posted, but a little late tonight already. Enjoy the new info in the article between 1880 and 1920.
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