History: JCP&L Ad Recommends Sun Lamps as Restorative (1934)

The 21 Dec 1934 edition of The Matawan Journal included the following advertisement by the Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) company. The ad promoted the use of sun lamps as "a scientific way to make up for the real sunshine that most of us haven't the opportunity to get. These lamps are highly beneficial to men and women as well as children. Their restorative rays are not costly, either. One penny supplies them for fifteen minutes."

History: Large Prohibition-Era Still Operated for Months on South Concourse (1934)

According to the 21 Dec 1934 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 8), two persons were arrested at a home on South Concourse in Cliffwood Beach for operating a 2,500 gallon still. The device filled the house from cellar to attic, according to officials. One of those arrested had to be smoked out of an escape tunnel built from the basement to a place behind the garage.

The article said the site was a red brick house at the entrance to South Concourse. The original property owner, who lived in New York, built the house in his spare time over a two year period in the late 1920s. The building and loan foreclosed on him when hard times hit and the house fell into disuse. A renter took the property and made significant improvements about six months prior to the raid.

This event is mentioned on pg 108 of Matawan and Aberdeen: Of Town and Field, by Helen Henderson.

History: Green Acres Project Planned for Cliffwood Beach (1976)

The 29 Sep 1976 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2) contains the following article that both laments the lost glory of Cliffwood Beach as a popular beach resort and boasts of plans for a Green Acres project to make a park with tennis and basketball courts and other amenities just off the beach.

I moved to Cliffwood Beach two years after this article was published. The park project was all that was described in the article and more, with basketball courts, fenced-in tennis courts, bocci ball frames, swings, slides and climbing toys  for children, and a small recreation building for a recreation manager to provide equipment by the hour. There was a new sloping lawn, parking lot and paved pathways intersecting the property. Bird watching signs were placed along a paved shore path near Treasure Lake to encourage nature enthusiasts.

The beach area was rather isolated, though, so it became a place for people to hang out after hours. While much of the activity was innocent, being mostly out of sight led to graffiti, destruction of equipment and property, other crimes, and frequent visits from the police. The bird watching signs were defaced and torn off their posts. Eventually the recreation building had to be torn down, the tennis courts were converted into a street hockey court and then abandoned, and new swings and recreational equipment and a beach volleyball area were added. The seawall -- already in existence by 1976 -- was made into a promenade a few years ago, with formal access from the harbor end of Cliffwood Beach.

Sandy flooded the area, bringing with it a heavy coating of the dune sands pushed off the beach and onto the basketball courts. The ground in the park became spongy and alkali. The paved walks were submerged in muck and mostly unseen. The storm also changed the effect of the tides on the park -- tidal flooding began to fill the roadway and low lying parkland with frequent surges of seawater and even actual waves. The seawall promenade and the land behind it were pounded and some sections undercut, lifted and cracked by the raging Raritan Bay, but the walkway mostly survived.

The article below starts out with local residents' reminiscences and local impressions of life in Cliffwood Beach. They offer their personal theories of how the resort, built in the 1920s, had been left untended and for the most part disappeared fifty years later. The article ends with local officials discussing the planned creation of an adjoining park that rose and has mostly fallen during the ensuring 40 years.

Can Cliffwood Beach Recapture Glory of Past?

MATAWAN TOWNSHIP

You wouldn’t know to look at it, but Cliffwood Beach was once one of the garden spots of the Jersey shore.

Now all that remains of the boardwalk is a line of forlorn black pilings poking their heads above the waves. The dance hall has vanished without a trace. And the salt water swimming pool resembles a giant concrete planter for reeds and brush mysteriously deposited in the high ground above the shoreline.

The swimming beach has been eroded away and most of the fossil-rich cliffs have fol­lowed them , blasted by storm-driven waves on one side and undermined by septic tank seepage on another.

Treasure Lake is still there, but the water is shallow, stag­nant, and slick with algae.

Some Cliffwood Beach resi­dents remember the glory days, before harsh weather and public and private neglect took their toll. Mrs. Mardell “Mardy” Edwards, Woodmere Drive, rummaged through her keepsakes to dig out a sheaf of old Cliffwood Beach postcards.

“ I ’m not really an old-tim­er," Mrs. Edwards said. “I’ve only been here 27 years. But it was beautiful, really some­thing. Now you can see what neglect can do.”

The postcards might have come from another world. Still fresh with the pastel colors of 40 years ago, they depict clean beaches, wide boardwalks, a bustling pool scene, rowboats on a tree-shaded lake, and an elegant dance hall.

“People who drive by this area on the highway have no idea of the resources that are available,” Mrs. Edwards said. “ The beaches around here, years ago, were poor man’s paradises.”

A neighbor, Mrs. Alex Mose, was a regular summer visitor to Cliffwood Beach before moving here 16 years ago.

“We had homes up on the cliffs, and you could see all the way to New York ,” she re­called . 

“There was dancing in the casino, bungalows every­ here. But the people at the helm were asleep at their posts, and they let the beach go to pot. You can’t imagine what we had here at one time.”

“They didn’t think too much of maintaining the area for the future as they did of develop­ing it for the present,” Mrs. Edwards said. “There was al­ways a lack of maintenance and then we had a big building boom in the 1950s.” 

The building boom, she con­tinued, brought unexpected problems. “We have clay soil around here, and most of the houses built then had septic tanks,” she said. “ Clay soil doesn’t go with septic tanks. The tanks seeped and the cliffs were washed out from under­neath.”

Over the years, Mrs. Edwards said, hurricanes caused damage to the area that was never repaired.

“The salt water pool was bulldozed over after storms cracked it ,” she said, “ and the waves carried most of the beaches out to sea. A lot of the bungalows were washed away and so was most of Cliff­wood Drive .”

Nature, however, has not been the only destroyer.

“The new sea wall is already decorated with brok­en beer bottles,” Mrs. Edwards said. “Nobody goes swimming barefoot anymore. We keep a garbage can down there by the water’s edge, but people throw the bottles any­way.

“Then there’s the eternal battle to try to save the horse­shoe crabs,” she went on. “Some people think they’re doing us a favor by killing them, and we tell them, ‘Next time bring the crabs home and let ’em decay under your windows, and you’ll see how much of a favor it is.’"

Some people believe—and they’re wrong—that you can get stung by the crab’s tail, but  nobody’s ever hurt. By broken glass, yes; but by the horseshoe crabs, no.”

Although the story of ne­glect in Cliffwood Beach is a sad one, Township Manager Donald Guiuzzy said Matawan is hopeful of doing much to restore the area.

A sea wall has already been built to protect the land against the waves, and an earthen slope has been raised behind the wall.

“We hope to finish our slope protection project by mid-Oc­tober,” Guiuzzy said. “We’re planting grass, some flowers, and crown vetch to stop ero­sion.”
 
The next phase of the overall project, he said, will be to install recreation facili­ties, including four tennis courts, shuffleboard and bas­ketball courts, chess and checkers tables, perhaps bocci and horseshoe pits, a parking area, walkways, and “tot lots” for small children. Guiuzzy said the phase should be finished by spring.

“The recreation phase is all funded by state and federal grants,” he said. “We went out and aggressively tried for grants, and we got them.”
 
Guiuzzy said projects for restoration of the beach itself “look good for approval” by the Army Corps of Engineers.

“We want to restore one mile of bathing beach,” he explained, “and we hope we can start doing it in the winter. So far, we’re four years ahead of schedule. We’ve shown some of our plans to the engineers and gotten some very favorable reactions. We think they’ll help us.” 
 
Half of the cost of restoring the beach, Guiuzzy said, would at first be funded by the federal government and half by the township. Ultimately, he said, the township hopes to secure 10 percent of the cost from the county and 25 percent from the state. 

“There’s a lot of potential," Guiuzzy said. “ For instance, we’d like to cooperate with Old Bridge Township to create a marina on Whale Creek, right on the county line , financed by the Corps of Engineers. I think that would be a great joint project for the two townships.”

Guiuzzy said he didn’t know if the area could be restored to all its former splendor as a resort site.

“It’s difficult to make a prediction like that,” he said, “But one thing I do know: we’re making it a lot better than it is now."

Holiday Movies Were A Disappointment

I usually have to choose among several great movies for my Thanksgiving dose of Hollywood, but, oh what a disappointing selection of flicks were offered last Thursday.

The best drama - The Imitation Game - was only playing on four screens nationally, and I wasn't heading into the city on Turkey Gridlock Day. Hopefully, this story of the breaking of the Enigma code in World War II, will reach a wider audience soon.

I'm not sure who was targeted to see Horrible Bosses, but its first name says all you need to know. The sassy penguins movie was a nice offering for kids. I wasn't up for another space adventure genre flick. And while there was considerable hunger for a rebellious young female archer, I didn't want to commit to that franchise.

NYTimes: ‘The Hunger Games’ Dominates the Holiday Weekend http://nyti.ms/1yqBzfR

I heard from several sources that Birdman was well acted but a confusing story.

I found a quiet gem called Saint Vincent. Bill Murray was great in this comedy about a grumpy neighbor with a story.

Kudos to Cinemark, the latest owner of the Hazlet multiplex. The new seating is luxurious.

Bridges From Ferguson

In many ways, Michael Brown isn't the ideal  poster child for the movement that has blossomed as a result of his death. He and a friend robbed a convenience store. This wasn't a Stop n Frisk gone bad. Maybe he shouldn't have been killed, but he wasn't coming home from Grandma's minding his own business when he was confronted by police, as I've read in some advocacy pieces. 

And Ferguson isn't the exemplar for a community deserving of sympathy. If they voted and participated actively in local government, Ferguson residents would have a police force and municipal government that better represented their interests.

Intractable problems get worked out as people form bridges and become better acquainted. As long as barriers keep communities insular and separate there will be no peace. Michael Brown's death unfortunately will not bring understanding, not to those who see no problem with high black incarceration rates and high male black mortality rates. 

Who knows? Brown's death might cause law enforcement to rethink policing policies that focus on poor, urban areas, thereby filling courtrooms and prisons with young black men. But if that change comes, it will be because of the tumult over his death, not the circumstances. 

Aberdeen has long been segregated by race. One part of town was labeled Africa on an old map. Only participation in municipal government and social organizations, and personal and community bridge building, offer any hope of real understanding and progress. 

Route 35 Construction at Cliffwood - Update

NJ DOT funded road construction at the Route 35/Cliffwood Avenue intersection seems to be winding down. Cliffwood Avenue now has three lanes (left, straight and right) coming out of Cliffwood Beach. The final paving job is not done, but new sidewalks and curbs have been added, new traffic lights installed, and some landscaping has been done. The old Burlew's Pizzeria lot seems free of construction equipment and supplies. Amboy Avenue no longer connects with Cliffwood Avenue. Bagelicious should be pleased to have traffic coming and going normally again.

I noticed Monday morning that the land movers had moved to the Route 35/Amboy Avenue intersection and there was digging going on along the McDonald's property. Construction at Amboy Avenue can be expected to last well into 2015. Those of you who switched to Amboy Avenue to avoid the Cliffwood Avenue intersection will now have to rethink that strategy.

Final paving and line painting will likely finish up the project sometime next year.

2014 Elections - Go Vote!

Elections are being held in Aberdeen and Matawan today.

FEDERAL

For US Senate, Cory Booker (D) is up against Jeff Bell (R), Joseph Baratelli (L),  plus 4 other candidates.

For US Congress,  Frank Pallone, Jr (D) is up against Anthony E Wilkinson (R) and Dorit Goikhman (L)

COUNTY

For Monmouth County Freeholder, Lillian G Burry (R) and Gary J Rich (R) are up against Larry Luttrell (D) and Joe Grillo (D)

SCHOOL BOARD

Aberdeen-Matawan School District offers two board slots for Aberdeen and one for Matawan.

For Aberdeen, Allison Friedman (Bailey Road), Weymouth D Brittingham (Orchard Street) and Todd Larchuk (Ayrmont Lane) are vying for two available seats.  Larchuk is an incumbent. The second slot was held by Dennis Daniels, who is not running.

For Matawan, Africa J Nelson (Main Street) is running unopposed. The slot was held by Charles Kenny, who is not running.

QUESTIONS

There are two public questions:

1) There's an effort to amend the state constitution to allow courts to hold offenders without bail if they choose. The current constitution requires judges to offer bail.

2) Another amendment to the state constitution would increase the percentage of business tax revenues dedicated to open space preservation, and air, water and soil conservation.

Inkanto: New Peruvian Restaurant Opening Soon in Hazlet

A new Peruvian restaurant is supposed to have its grand opening soon on Route 35 in Hazlet. I saw workers outside the front of the place today, so maybe it will be soon. The answering machine message sounds optimistic but isn't offering a date.

Check out the article in The Patch from back in June. I'm not sure what the delays are, but probably a few hangups with permits.

It won't be the easiest place to get to from Cliffwood Beach. If you take Route 35 South, you'll have to make the jug handle at Bethany Road and come back Route 35 North. The restaurant stands alone across from TGI Fridays in the place where Spirits used to be. Pass Hazlet Plaza then the place that used to be Dino's Fishery. It's on your right just after that. If you get to Yesterday's, you've gone too far.

Watch Chowhound and Yelp for clues to its actual opening.

Single Lane at Cliffwood Ave & Rte 35

If your travels involve the intersection of Route 35 and Cliffwood Avenue, consider an alternate route. Construction has reduced the flow out of Cliffwood Beach to one lane, so the cars going straight stop traffic during the left arrow and those wanting to make left turns stop the whole procession. God help those at the jug handle wishing to merge into the backed up cars. A cop with a flare might help.

NJNG Budget Reconciliation Gives Me Gas

My New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) bill arrived in the mail today. Despite a major effort by NJNG to brace their customers for budget plan adjustments that come in the September bill every year, the bill is poorly executed and seemingly skewed to the benefit of the company.

NJNG merged the August charges into the September bill by crediting the August amounts. In principal, it would make no difference to me whether I paid July 7th to August 6th and then August 7th to September 4th, or one consolidated bill covering the whole period. But I noticed that the price for gas is higher in September and they applied the higher rate for the whole period. That's an overcharge.

Also, NJNG managed to charge me so much for my budget plan last year that I had a small credit balance, even though I withheld budget payments for several months to keep from building up a huge balance. But that hasn't kept NJNG from raising my monthly budget plan amount by about 10%.

In order to understand the new balance on my September bill, I had to go back to my August bill and check the Annual Budget Review in the bottom right corner of that paperwork. Based on that reconciliation, I had a difference in my budget versus actual to the tune of about a $100 owed to NJNG. It is perfectly reasonable that the amount owed should be paid, but nowhere on my bill does it show that transaction. My September bill simply shows a New Balance, with no calculations on either the August or September bill.

NJNG provided two statements in today's billing envelope. The two statements carried the same Previous Balance but one presented a new Starting Balance. They credited the August charges and my August payment back to me, then recharged me for two months of use at the new, higher September rate. And they failed to document the payment for the budget plan shortfall.

This billing is the biggest mess I've seen from a utility since JCP&L left me without power for two weeks after Superstorm Sandy.You might want to check your bill.

Suicide By Train In Hazlet

Another suicide-by-train occurred this morning. Someone reportedly stepped in front of the New York-bound NJ Transit train near the Beers Street crossing between Hazlet and Aberdeen-Matawan stations. Bus service moved passengers around the incident. 

The Asbury Park Press incorrectly suggested that only Middletown, Hazlet and Aberdeen-Matawan stations were affected. Obviously the writer doesn't grasp the basics of rail transportation. At least they reported some local news from our area for a change, however grim. 

History: Charles Heyl, Matawan Baker (1939)

Charles Heyl (1922)

The 5 Jan 1939 edition of The Matawan Journal reported the impending retirement of Charles Heyl, a long-time baker in Matawan. The piece was on the front page with a banner headline, but Charles was surprised at the coverage, saying he hadn't told anyone about his plans. There seem to be a few errors in the timeline, based on my research, which I've provided below. I was unable to find reporting on Charles' death, which seems to have occurred between 1943 and 1950.

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Charles was born 17 Dec 1870 in Aschuffenburg, Germany to Peter Heyl, according to his passport application in 1922. His naturalization papers in 1895 say he was born 17 May 1870. His 1900 Census record showed his birth in Dec 1869.

Charles sailed for America from Antwerp in Jun 1887, according to his passport application in 1922.  His naturalization papers in 1895 say he arrived on 27 Apr 1887.

The 1892 New York State Census showed Frank Heyl (55 Germany) and wife Mary (52 Germany) with children Charles (20 Germany), John (18 Germany), August (12 US), and Edwin (10 US) living in Brooklyn, Kings County, NY. Frank was listed as as engineer.

Charles was naturalized on 16 May 1895 in New York County, NY. At the time, he was living at 2459 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. He was a baker. A neighbor, Charles Linder, merchant, served as witness.

Charles married about 1897 to a German woman named Frances, who emigrated to the US in 1892 or 1893.
The 1900 Federal Census showed Charles (30 Germany - Dec 1869) and wife Fanny (25 Germany - Sep 1874) living on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, along with daughter Mary J (8 mos Germany - .Sep 1899). Charles was listed as a baker.

The 1905 New York State Census showed Charles (35 Germany) and Fannie (30 Germany) with daughter Theresa (5 Germany) living at 2463 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, NY. Charles was listed as a baker.

Charles moved to Matawan and established a new bakery on the "Gehlhaus Block," where Charles Gehlhaus had operated a bakery for many years. Frederick "Fred" Meyr became his partner in the operation of Heyl & Meyer Bakery, which opened on 13 Jun 1908.

The 1910 Federal Census showed Charles (40 Germany) living on Main Street in Matawan, along with his wife Frances (35 Germany) and their daughter Theresa (10 Germany). Also in the household is Frederick Meyer (35 NJ NJ NJ), Charles' business partner, and August Ludwig (18 Germany), also a baker. August emigrated to the US in 1909 and remained an alien.

The 10 Aug 1911 edition of The Matawan Journal reported the visit of Mrs Heyl's sister and niece, Mrs Rossback and Lena, respectively, of New York. Her nephew, Charles Rossback, stayed with the Heyls for several weeks.

The 1920 Federal Census showed the widowed Charles (49 Germany) living on Holmdel Road in Matawan Township, along with his daughter Theresa Heyl (20 NJ Germany Germany). Also in the household was his business partner, Fred Meyer (43 NJ NJ NJ). Both Charles and Fred were listed as bakers. 

Charles filed a US passport application in 1922 for an upcoming voyage to Germany. His application said he was domiciled on Main Street in Matawan and was working as a baker.

Charles remarried about 1922 to a German woman named Elise, nicknamed Ella, who emigrated to the US in 1922. UPDATE: She was Ella Schwab, daughter of Franz and Kunigunde (Hornbacker) Schwab, according to her obituary.

Charles put an addition on his home on Valley Drive and resumed his baking.

The 1930 Federal Census showed Charles (59 Germany) living on Valley Drive in Matawan, along with his second wife, Ella (38 Germany) and a boarder, Emma Wilson (17 NJ NJ NJ). Charles was listed as a baker with his own business. Ella remained an alien.

Charles and his wife Elise (40 Wuerzburg, Germany), of Matawan, sailed from Hamburg aboard the S S Deutschland on 19 Mar 1931.

Two months after the headline (at top) saying he planned to retire, Charles was rushed to Perth Amboy Hospital, as reported in the 30 Mar 1939 edition of The Matawan Journal. He and his wife had returned a week earlier from a vacation in Florida.

The 1940 Federal Census showed Charles (69 Germany) and Ella (48 Germany) living in Matawan Township.

The 23 Dec 1943 edition of The Matawan Journal reported a recent dinner honoring Mr and Mrs Charles Heyl.

The 2 Nov 1950 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that Mrs Charles Heyl would be sailing to Germany to spend four months visiting relatives.

UPDATE: Ella S Heyl, resident of Valley Drive in Matawan, died 7 Oct 1955 at Monmouth Memorial Hospital in Long Branch, according to her obituary in the 13 Oct 1955 edition of The Matawan Journal. She was buried as Ella Schwab Heyl at St Joseph's Cemetery in Keyport. Her gravestone says she was born in 1892, according to Find A Grave. Her obituary said Ella had lived in Matawan for 35 years and was survived by her daughter, Theresa Diggin, of Matawan, and three sisters in Germany.

Fred Meyer died on 12 Jun 1958, according to his obituary in the 19 Jun 1958 edition of The Matawan Journal..

Police Action At Aberdeen Station

There was significant police activity at the Aberdeen-Matawan train station this evening. When I deboarded the 8:02 pm train from the city, there were half a dozen youths sitting along a curb next to a large police van, apparently handcuffed. The entire area in front of the old white station building was cordoned off with police and law enforcement vehicles and lit brightly with high intensity lamps. I was 't sure where to meet my ride and didn't stick around to ask what was happening. I suspect it was another concert train with drunken revelers. 

Route 35 Road Work - Intersections Update

I discovered more details about the Cliffwood Avenue and Amboy Avenue intersection road work at the NJ Department of Transportation website tonight. It helps explain what the final outcome of the road work will be. The elaboration could have always been there, but I didn't notice it. If so, mea culpa.

So, on Cliffwood Avenue passing the A&P Shopping Center, entering Cliffwood Beach, they are adding a right turn lane. On the Goodwill side of the road, leaving Cliffwood Beach, they are adding a thru lane, resulting in a left turn lane, a thru lane, and a right turn lane.

Amboy Avenue will get an additional thru lane and improved traffic light sequencing to improve traffic flow onto southbound Route 35 (towards Hazlet). For safety reasons, they plan to close the road behind McDonald's that connects Amboy Avenue with Cliffwood Avenue.

A lot of the digging between Cliffwood Avenue and Amboy Avenue has been to add storm drainage. You can read the 2013 notice about the overall construction project here. They were calling for the work to be completed in 2015. The biggest part of the job, lifting Route 35 and adding new culverts through the area that routinely flooded, seems to be done. The intersection work at Cliffwood Avenue has quite a ways to go yet.

History: Trolley on Main Street, Matawan

Trolley days on Main Street in Matawan.

History: Joseph Rose (1809 - 1877)

Joseph Rose, a prominent businessman and Democratic New York City revenue official, relocated to the Cliffwood section of Matawan Township in 1860 after an infirmity brought an early end to his hectic city life. He had purchased a farm in Cliffwood about 1832 and owned a large home on County Road, so he and his family were well acquainted with the Bayshore. He is recognized in New York City history for playing a role in the purchase of Central Park. Local history in Matawan recognizes him for selling the land used in the development of Rose Hill Cemetery. He served one term as a Monmouth County Freeholder representing Matawan Township.

Below are some research notes on Joseph Rose and his wife and children:

Joseph Rose was born 25 Oct 1809 in Manhattan, New York, son of Joseph Rose, who was born in 1768 in Manhattan, New York and died on 21 Nov 1852 in Matawan, according to notes at Find-A-Grave.

The 1820 Federal Census includes a Joseph Rose in the 10th Ward of New York, NY with a male less than 10 (Joseph Jr), a male 26-44 (Joseph?), and a female 26-44 (Joseph's wife).

He married Frances Stanton Willet on 23 Oct 1827, according to notes at Find-a-Grave.

The 1830 Federal Census includes a Joseph Rose, Jr in New Barbadoes, Bergen County, NJ with 1 male 20-29 (Joseph), 1 male 30-39 (?), and 1 male 60-69 (Joseph Sr?), 1 female less than 5 (?), and 1 female 20-39 (Frances). 

The 1840 Federal Census includes a Joseph Rose in the 17th Ward of New York, NY with 2 males under 5 (sons Joseph and George), 2 males 15-19 (laborers?), 1 male 20-29 (Joseph), 1 female under 5 (daughter?), 1 female 20-29 (Frances). There were 3 persons in manufacture and trade (Joseph and two laborers).

The 1850 Federal Census lists Joseph Rose, Jr (40 NY), a gun smith in the 4th Ward of Manhattan, NY with $8,000 in real property, with wife Frances S Rose (42 MA), sons Joseph Rose (15 NY), George Rose (13 NY) , William Rose (10 NY) and Cordelia Rose (5 NY). Also in the household was Mary Curran, of Ireland.

The 1860 Federal Census lists Joseph Rose (50 NY), a farmer in Matawan with $30,000 in real property and $6,000 in personal property, with wife Frances S Rose (50 MA) and daughter Cordelia Rose (15 NY). Also in the household were Thomas and Margaret Martin, farm laborer and servant, respectively, of Ireland. Also in the household weree Jacob Seal of Wirtemburg, farm laborer, and Mary Rose (18 NY), possibly another daughter.

The 1870 Federal Census lists Joseph Rose (60 NY), a farmer in Matawan with $35,000 in real property and $30,000 in personal property, with wife Frances S Rose (50 CT). Also in the household were three farm laborers and an elderly man named Clark Phelee (74 NY).

Joseph Rose died 4 Dec 1877 in Matawan, according to notes at Find-a-Grave.

His obituary appeared in the 8 Dec 1877 edition of The Matawan Journal. The text (as much as I could read) is found below:

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OBITUARY - MR JOSEPH ROSE

     ---, one of the oldest residents of this township. For two or three days it had been reported that he was very ill; but so vigorous had he always seemed that few anticipated a fatal result. He had been complaining for two or three weeks, but was not confined to his bed until Friday last, and from that time he seemed to fall into a frequent stupor and unconsciousness, and died on Tuesday morning, 4th inst, at 9 o'clock. The cause of his sudden death was Bright's disease of the kidneys, and the rapid degeneration of these organs produced a condition of anemia which hastened his end.

     Mr Rose was a gentleman of intelligence, integrity of moral character, sociability and possessed of a very warm and benevolent nature. He began business in New York city in very early life, was married before he was nineteen, and growing up with the growth of the city he won to him very many friends by the close adherence to business, promptness in all his business engagements and strict honesty in all his dealings.

     While a resident of New York, he represented the city in the Legislature for one term and refused renomination. He was a Democrat in politics and a warm partisan. He served for two terms as Collector of City Revenue under Comptroller Flagg, and his integrity was held so high that on the election of Comptroller Haws, though politically an opponent, he was urged to remain in his position, and he continued as Collector of the Revenue until compelled by vertigo to resign. He, as occupying the above place, had much to do with negotiating the purchase of Central Park.

     He was an officer in the old City Guards and an intimate associate of Hon John Kelly, Judge Chas P Daley and other prominent men of New York.

     About 45 years ago he purchased a farm at Cliffwood and has ever since been the owner of the same. He owned the site of Rose Hill Cemetery and sold it to the cemetery corporation. That place is honored with his name, and in it is his family plot where his remains will be interred. For several years prior to his permanent removal to New Jersey his family spent their summers at Cliffwood. Shortly after the severe attack of vertigo that compelled him to give up a lucrative position and a profitable business besides, he removed in 1860 to his farm and has for the past 17 years resided among us, endearing himself to this community, and during the time represented the township for one term to the Board of Freeholders.

     On the 23rd of October last, only about six weeks ago, a merry company gathered at his residential home to join with him and his wife in celebration : their golden wedding. We referred then to the miniature sheaf of wheat overhanging their bed, less a symbol of ripening years. ---------- it becomes also the symbol of his having been gathered in by the great harvester, Death.

     Mr Rose will be missed not alone by his widow and large family of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but the whole community, and in his benevolence his loss will be keenly felt by many living in the immediate vicinity of his home.

     The funeral will take place on Monday next, 10th inst, at 1:30 pm, the long delay being occasioned that the youngest son, from Colorado, might be present at the funeral.

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See also the 8 Sep 2013 article of the blog From Maine to Kentucky, which contains a rendering of the above obituary, along with images of the original text.

In 1853, the State of New York authorized the purchase of 700 acres of Manhattan for the establishment of Central Park. See Central Park History.

The 28 Oct 1893 edition of The New York Times carried the obituary of Frances Stanton Rose, widow of Joseph Rose. She died suddenly at Morristown, NJ in the 87th year of her age. Her funeral was to be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Matawan on 28 October at 11 am. Directions to take the train from New York were provided.

History: John J Flood Jr Shot at Matawan Police Station (1934)

The 22 Jun 1934 edition of The Matawan Journal carried this front page article about the shooting of a police officer at Matawan police station. John J Flood, Jr would later become Chief of Police in Matawan.

BILL SHEPHERD, ARRESTED IN NEW YORK CITY 

FOR SHOOTING LOCAL PATROLMAN, DENIES GUILT

AFTER OFFICER FLOOD SHOT IT OUT WITH MASKED HEADQUARTERS' INVADER

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Patrolman John J Flood, Jr, 35, Shot Through Face; Brain Specialists Advise Leaving Bullet in Exis at Skull Base; Alive Due to Gristle of Nose Impeding Progress; Fraction of Inch From Spinal Cord 

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Man-hunt Unsurpassed in Police Records Here Seen Focused on Quest for Nervous Amateur Burgler, Believed to Have Known Recent Tax Billing Would Provide Cash and Scrip in Boro Safe

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     A man very well known in this section, born in Matawan, and a resident here until two and a half years ago, when he left under a cloud, is suspected of having committed a dastardly assault which was almost a murder, and he now is confined in a Manhattan jail, awaiting action by the Governor of New York on any indictment which may be returned by the Monmouth County Grand Jury. He professes innocence but detectives and police authorities express opinion that he will be convicted. When a resident here he sold insurance on the side, and it is alleged sold some phoney policies. In the metropolis he is reported to have had a side line; he was a gigolo. The public, wrought up over the shooting, which many think was the result of inexperience in a carefully planned robbery, has been more concerned over this case than any which has intrigued its interest. It seemed almost unsolvable for a time, and may have been yet, as some insist.

William A Shepherd

     William Allen Shepherd, former Tax Collector and native of Matawan, who was relieved of his official duties about five years ago because of a shortage of about $6,000 in his accounts as disclosed on a special audit, was ordered held for service of a warrant yesterday afternoon at 2:45 o'clock in a telegram to New York police who have been cooperating very closely with Matawan Chief of Police Edwin C Sloat and Chief of County Detectives Harry Crook in a -ation to secure and bring to justice the person who lured Police Officer John J Flood, Jr to Matawan Police Headquarters shortly after 4 o'clock Monday morning, and shot him in the face.

     Shepherd has been under suspicion since Officer Flood in recounting the get-away of the robber said the man limped. Shortly after the sounding of the fire alarm a man limping as he ran down Fountain Avenue and answering the general description given by the injured officer, was seen in the early morning light. Following a lead turned in to Chief Sloat by a woman who handed him a shell, saying she had taken it from the pocket of her small son, who said he had been playing with Jackie Shepherd whom, he said, had three of them and gave one to him. Chief Crook went to the home of Mrs Shepherd, whom he questioned. There he picked up a revolver said to have recently been fired and cleaned. It was full of cartridges. On a check-up with the serial number in the Prosecutor's Office, the revolver was found to be of the same number as a resolver stolen from that office at the time Mr Shepherd was working as chief clerk there.

     The gun, shell and bullets have been sent to a laboratory connected with the New York Police Department for examination by Sergeant Harry Butts, a ballistic expert.

John J Flood, Jr

     A story of the attack was pieced out from a brief statement secured from the officer before he was placed on the operating table, and supplemented by questioning after he came out of ether. Returning in  the police car from one of the numerous patrols made throughout the night, at 4:15 o'clock, he noticed the flashing red light on deserted Main Street which summons men on beat to headquarters. As an economy measure the light which formerly illuminated the front of the large room housing the police and other municipal offices has not been used recently and a dim night light on a desk revealed little of the interior, while the patrolman turned his key in the lock, opened the door, and walked into a virtual death trap.

     "Stick 'em up!" commanded a voice as Flood felt for the light button on the wall just inside the door. The surprised but alert officer, whipping out his service revolver, replied by firing a low shot, designed only to maim the intruding figure he faintly discerned in a crouching position behind the Chief of Police's desk.

     "Don't shoot!" petitioned the man, and when Flood hesitated a second, thinking the latter would surrender without a fight, he was met with a fusillade of shots, the second exhibiting perfect marksmanship, a felling slug striking Officer Flood almost between the eyes. Undaunted by terrible pain, Flood returned the fire as he moved into the room, and the criminal retreated through a rear door.

     Showing rare presence of mind, as much as the indomitable fortitude which carried him through the ambushing, weak from the loss of blood. Flood made his way to the fire siren control box and turned in an alarm. Husbanding his fast ebbing strength, he got to the telephone just as Chief of Police Edwin C Sloat awakened at his home, by the fire alarm, called in for the location of the fire.

     "My God, Chief. I'm shot.," were the words which greeted the inquiring superior. The Chief, at the scene in a few minutes, promptly summoned aid from Keyport station of the State Police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office to supplement the Matawan police reserve.

     "And I could have killed him," Flood said in a voice hardly audible to the men clustered about him shortly after he was found.

     Jack DuBois, a member of the Hook and Ladder Company, which is housed in the rear of the building where the crime occurred, lives a few doors away, and turning out for the alarm, encountered Flood's bloody form on the front sidewalk to which he had staggered, hoping to attract assistance. He helped the wounded man across the street to the office of Dr Alfred C Walling who packed the wound to stop the heavy flow of blood, ---ed his ----ies and ordered his removal to the Matawan Private Hospital. The recently organized Matawan First Aid Squad, responding with the ambulance, and conveyed as the first patient, a member who had helped to receive and try-out the car when it was delivered the day previous.

     Dr Howard R D---- of the West Hudson Hospital, Kearny, a surgeon with whom Miss Ann Re--, Hospital Superintendent, ha worked for a number of years, was immediately summoned, and X-ray photographs were taken in the meantime. They revealed that the bullet, which entered the front center of the nose had split after passing through the cartilage of the septum, a fragment lodging in the upper left jaw and the rest in the first vertebrae, a nerve center. The specialist removed the splinter but deferred the delicate operation necessary to extract the remainder from so vital a spot until the man's condition is improved sufficiently to stand the additional strain, stating that the lead bullet might work its way out of the spinal column, or that the b---, in healing, might ----- it and never cause and difficulty.

     Though the patient's condition was grave, the physicians from the first expressed belief that his rugged constitution would pull him through. --- progress toward recovery is reported.

     Inspection of the premises closely following the affair, revealed no burglar's tools and no indication of an attempt to tamper with the Collector's safe, located ten feet from the bullet-scarred desk of the Chief. In view of recent safe robberies in the municipal buildings of Freehold, Perth Amboy and New Brunswick, the detectives gave considerable attention to such a motive, and Willard Barton, safe-cracker who escaped from the borough jail in Point Pleasant a month ago, and James Borgione, who fled Annandale Reformatory Sunday, where being sought.

     A thorough analysis of all arrests made by Flood, as well as other members of the force, resulted in a number of local characters involved being called to headquarters for a quizzing, on the theory that revenge might have motivated the shooting. A drunken driver from Staten Island, who received a heavy fine in Matawan Recorder's Court after apprehension by Flood, was grilled and his movements on the night of teh near fatality investigated. New York City police co-operating. Detectives also visited Coney Island and Brooklyn but the subjects of suspicion were able to furnish alibis.

     Chief Slot said: "In the course of my years of experience in police work here and elsewhere, I presume hundreds of men I arrested have threatened 'to get me' and every officer has that hurled at him. When the prisoner cools off, he invariably abandons the idea. However, we ran down everything, and in line with that, looked into the whereabouts on Monday morning of any who were believed to have made such a threat to or about Flood."

     Following the termination of Theodore Bastedo's services, and prior to Flood being appointed for a six months' probationary period a few weeks ago by Chairman August Muehlhausen Jr of the Borough Council Police Committee, a half dozen men were 'tried out,' each serving a week or more. On the theory that an unsuccessful aspirant for the position was venting his spleen on Flood, each of the applicants was examined by the detectives Monday night, but none were held. In this investigation, an angle which interested the investigators was the possibility that the shooting itself might not have been premeditated but that the culprit merely wanted to discredit Flood as an efficient officer, and anticipated stripping him of his revolver and placing him in a cell, the noisy duel preventing the success of the enterprise.

     Another supposition advanced was that the masked man, possibly working with a gang, contemplated a bank robbery, or another 'job in town and wanted to get the lone officer off the street, and decoyed him back to headquarters, where it was intended to imprison him so that the work could proceed and escape could be effected without interference.

     Lending weight to such a theory was the flashing of the police signal light which drew Flood from the vicinity of Valley Drive to headquarters. This light may be worked by a hand-operated switch in headquarters when those on duty there need an officer, and is the means used whenever a telephone call for help is answered. At night after the clerks have left, ringing of the telephone causes the automatic functioning of the police signal light. Telephone officials report that no call came in over their wires at the time of the fateful light which leaves only the conclusion that the signal was pressed at headquarters. There is, however, the possibility that the button on the wall was accidentally pressed while the man was groping in the semi-dark room for something else. Otherwise, knowledge of its location and purpose would indicate a local job or familiarity with police routine in Matawan.

     Then, --- there was the possibility that the mysterious man was 'gunning for' some other officer or the Chief, and that he did not realize his mistake, or found himself in a predicament in which 'shooting it out' was the only manner of extricating himself. Probable enemies were investigated, and the possibility that the shooting was the work of a maniac was considered.

     Evidence of the short range gun battle was apparent all about the room. Pools of blood on th floor, the blood-stained fire code card on the wall near the alarm lever, and bullet holes in the walls, furniture and railings, and through a ---p, giving testimony of the onslaught.  A bloody trail revealed Flood's every move, but there was no such tell-tale marks to derive the movement of the assassin, although the former said he thought he hit him once and believed he was limping as he ran out.

     Carpenters removed portions of the wall paneling which enabled the recovery of the spent .38 calibre bullets which went wide of their marks.  An inspection of the policeman's revolver showed that five of the six bullets it held were fired. Questioned by detectives, adjacent residents said they heard at least six shots fired, but heard no sound of a motor car, which raised the point as to whether the stranger escaped by foot, had parked his car a distance from the place, or had an accomplice waiting in one. The ground in the immediate vicinity was unsuccessfully searched for a weapon which might have been discarded in the flight.

A fully opened window in the Truck quarters, permitting egress from a very low roof, seemed to be the means used by the criminal to enter on his grim errand. He is believed to have departed by a side door, passing along the cell block unoccupied that night, and out into an alley which connects Main and Jackson Streets.

Flood described the spectral near-assassin as tall, garbed in what looked like hunting clothes and cap, with an improvised mask concealing his features. Acting on the assumption that the wanted man may have been injured and sought attention, the authorities checked all hospitals and physicians in this section. Finger prints taken proved to be mostly those of the victim. A careful check of Flood's account in detail satisfied the investigators of its accuracy.

[Related articles in this edition provided details about the arrest of Shepherd and how Officer Flood had been planning to celebrate his birthday.]

NJ Transit Trains Delayed - Brushfire

A brushfire outside of Secaucas is delaying all NJT trains in and out of New York this evening. Expect at least half hour delayed arrivals from the city at Aberdeen-Matawan. 

Aberdeen Transit Village Lot Cleared

The future Transit Village lot at Harrison Avenue and Atlantic Avenue, next to the Aberdeen-Matawan train station, is finally cleared. Over the last few months the construction crews have come in and leveled the old factory, sorted and chopped up the debris and hauled it away. Above is a shot of what the lot looked like a few months ago before the demolition, courtesy of Google Street View.

And this is what it looks like now.  

Below is some video of the final demo work.

Nice to see this long awaited project getting off the dime at last.

Local Dates to Remember - September/October 2014

Mark the following dates in your calendar:

• Aberdeen Day - 13 Sep 2014
• Old Bridge Day - 20 Sep 2014
• Matawan Day - 11 Oct 2014 (rain date 12 Oct 2014)
• Keyport Screamin' Country Jamboree - 11-12 Oct 2014

Salt Water Day in Old Bridge and the Spanish American Festival in Keyport took place yesterday. Salt Water Day was able to return after the boardwalk, damaged in Superstorm Sandy, was repaired.

Cliffwood Avenue Construction Update

The construction crew has carved out the framework for an additional lane for northbound Cliffwood Avenue on the Cliffwood Beach side of the Route 35 intersection. The new lane will run from the traffic light to just past Sweetbriar Street.

The above Google Street View image is a useful Before image, probably from a few months ago. The cut away for the new lane goes as far as the telephone pole next to the light blue house in the image, leaving the nearby tree's roots exposed. Workers were up on a cherry picker on Saturday morning at the intersection, perhaps moving power or telephone lines.

The new lane matches work done last month on Cliffwood Avenue along the A&P Shopping Center side of the road. The shopping center has lost a good bit of the grassy margin, all the way up to the shrubs.

Presumably this new lane will make traversing this intersection a bit easier next school session.

Hanlon Sculpture Honors Sandy Survivors

We decided to have a decadent picnic of KFC at Holmdel Park this afternoon. Beautiful afternoon for an outing. As we sat down, we chatted briefly with a man stretching after a jog. Turns out he was Brian Hanlon, of Hanlon Sculpture Studio LLC, of Toms River. He was kind enough to totally approved of our indulgence. Then he told us he was on his way back home to New Jersey from Springfield, Mass, where he is the official sculptor of the Basketball Hall of Fame. He needed a break from the road and decided Holmdel Park was where he needed to be. As he headed out, Hanlon told us that his latest sculpture, honoring Ocean County families and what they endured in Superstorm Sandy, will be dedicated later this week in Toms River.

You never know who you will run into at the park.

2014 Night Out Against Crime

The 2014 Night Out Against Crime event took place near Borough Hall on Main Street in Matawan this evening. Police, fire and CERT teams and equipment were represented. A good time was had by all.

Up the Creek Going Up

Up the Creek is moving along.

Whence Kiss n Ride at Matawan Station?

Long time commuters might think fondly on the days before Costera occupied most of the curb space. Once upon a time people used to pick up family and friends there. Today there were four cabs in front of the old white station building, so the closest Kiss n Ride spots were well past the building. There were two more cabs for good measure in NJ Transit employee spaces. It was like a taxi convention.

At least the Aberdeen side has a designated taxi lane. Maybe Costera lost some of its parking at home base so they're hanging out by the railroad now?

By the way: Who is responsible to paint the crosswalks and install those nice little State Law: Stop for Pedestrians markers? Those lots are a 3-ring circus, so someone should be making improvements before someone is injured or killed.

History: Colonial Matawan House (1937 - 1938)

Between July 1937 and February 1938, there were references in local newspapers to a rooming house in Matawan called the Colonial Matawan House. For less than a year, the activities of guests at this location made the society pages of The Matawan Journal and the Red Bank Register.

The 15 Jul 1937 edition of The Red Bank Register reported that Mrs John H Miller and daughter Joan of Watertown, Mass had been guests for the past week of the Colonial Matawan House.

The 22 Jul 1937 edition of The Red Bank Register reported that Mr. and Mrs. John Patino of New York were spending their vacation at the Colonial Matawan House.

The 27 Jan 1938 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that Miss Lillian Hutchinson, supervising boro nurse, would soon be moving from the Colonial Matawan House to an apartment in the Spafford W Schanck house on Jackson Street.

The 3 Feb 1938 edition of The Matawan Journal described the birthday party George Thomsen threw for himself and 16 of his friends at the Colonial Matawan House. There was dancing and "late in the evening refreshments were served." 

The 10 Feb 1938 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that Miss Lillian Henderson was given a housewarming party by friends who lived and dined at the Colonial Matawan House.

The 17 Feb 1938 edition of The Matawan Journal indicated that Mrs John H Miller of Boston and her daughter Joan would be visiting Mrs Miller's mother, Mrs John P Lloyd, who lived at the Colonial Matawan House. Joan would also visit Mrs John Tourine, the former Miss Ann Erickson.

The 24 Feb 1938 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that Mrs John H Miller of Boston, while vacation for the week at the Colonial Matawan House, was the dinner guest of Mr and Mrs Phillip L Neidlinger at the home of Mrs James E Voorhees. She was subsequently the guest of Lt Col and Mrs George Lane VanDeusen at Fort Monmouth.

History: Green Tree Inn, Freneau (1934)

The 31 Aug 1934 edition of The Matawan Journal announced the opening on 1 Sep 1934 of the Green Tree Inn at the corner of upper Main Street and Mill Road in Freneau, in the location once occupied by the Monmouth Inn and Green Pump Inn. (Thomas Welstead's leasing of the Monmouth Inn to be operated as the Green Tree Inn was mentioned briefly in The Matawan Journal of 24 Aug 1934.)

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)

 ---------------------------------------

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.

 The 5 May 1949 edition of The Matawan Journal included the above ad for Charlie's Matawan Inn.

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 30 Aug 1935 edition of The Matawan Journal included the above ad for Rosa Bergen's Food Shop at the Green Tree Inn.

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 6 Nov 1925 edition contained the above advertisement for the Dickson Green Pump Inn, a tea and chop shop. A society page piece reported that the Green Pump Inn's owner, James Dickson, was enjoying a visit from his father, Frederick W Dickson, of Brooklyn.

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.

The above ad appeared in the 23 Jul 1926 edition of The Matawan Journal.

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.

The 13 Jan 1921 edition of The Matawan Journal mentions the Freneau Hotel several times.

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.