Groveville Fire Company Officers - 1970

Standing left to right George Senf - Vice President, William "Bill" Henry - Sergeant at Arms

Seated Left to Right; Edward Dowd - Treasurer, Robert Simpson - President, Mark Voorhees - Financial Secretary

Left to Right William Rousseau - Chaplin, Mark Voorhees - Captain, Gary Lippincott - 2nd Assistant Chief , Robert Zimba - 1st Assistant Chief, Victor Champion - Chief

Sorry

Sorry, Dad has been down with the flu since before Memorial Day, he will resume posting when he feels better.

Kati

As Memorial Day Draws Near

I just had to post this and who better to share it with than my friends that read this site.

Today I visited the Veterans Cemetery in Arneytown, yes it has a Wrightstown address but we all know Wrightstown is 10 miles away (10.11 to be exact), Brig. Gen. Wm. C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, to be exact. If you ever feel your patriotism wavering or in need of recharge this is the place to go.

There is almost a funeral a day, sometimes more, I find that when I have been there and attended a military funeral I stand a little straighter and a lot more proud. I have atteded two, several years ago.

There is a web site called “Find-A-Grave”, it’s for those looking for the graves of loved ones or famous people, but someone has to post it first. Myself and Cheryl have been trying to post some of the graves in Groveville Cemetery.

You can also sign up as a volunteer photographer and fulfill requests of people all over the world to photograph their loved ones graves, many times it will be the request of someone in another state that cannot get here and would like to see the grave of a loved one or family member. You tell them how far of a radius you will travel and they will email you, you are not obligated, I have signed up as a volunteer photographer.

Today I was there fulfilling three requests, as I was walking from one to another I noticed an elderly man, maybe in his Eighties, walking carrying a folding chair. As I was photographing my last grave and walking back I saw him unfold the chair and sit down in the middle of a field of graves. My path took me near him, so I made it a point to walk closer. When I got to him I said “Good Morning”, he looked up and responded with a “Good Morning”. I said “Sure is a nice day” and he agreed. I looked at the grave and asked “A Friend”, he responded “I come here to visit my son”. I said “He is lucky to have you”, suddenly I was speachless, I could not say anything, I wished him a nice day, and I walked away.

It must have been my glasses or the sun, but suddenly everything was blurry, it was difficult to walk to my truck without tripping, so sad.

Several years ago I was there and there was a young woman with a small boy, the boy was about 6 he was wearing a Camo jacket, like a Military Field Jacket, they were sitting on a grave and the boy had some small toy trucks he was playing with and the mother was reading, I can only think she was visiting her husband and he, his father, once again my vision became blurry, it must have been the same glasses.

Visiting His Son

So many give so much that we can be free

Just Some Groveville People ~ Graduation 1937~39

Dorothy Naomi Johnson Lippincott

(My Mom)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Delores Alexander Dawson Johnson

(My Aunt)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edward "Ed" Shelton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Helen Dufficy Rousseau

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frank Griggs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doris Hartman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ethel McClure Beideman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Betty Skirm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charles B. Brick

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Groveville Fire Prevention Night ~ 1968

Kneeling left to right; Otto Warren, (slightly standing) Mark "Markie" Voorhees, George "Senfie" Senf Jr., Roy "Smut" Champion, Leon "Digger" Gennett, Joe "Jo-Jo" DeMent.

.

Standing left to right; Charlie Glukowlski, Robert "Bob" Thompson ~ Chief, Walter "Walt" Taylor, Smokey The Bear, aka "Gary Lippincott", Victor "Champ" Champion~ 1st Asst. Chief, George "Big George" Weiss ~ 2nd Asst. Chief.

.

This is our Annual Fire Prevention Night Committee for 1968. It was always an exciting night for the kids, with Gifts, Prizes and learning sessions. There were also gifts and educational items for adults.

.

We had a wooded area for "Smokey", which consisted of a Grass Mat borrowed from the gentleman that dug the graves in the cemetery and trees donated by Stearns Tree Farm on Yardville~Allentown Road. We had home safety displays, using different types of mannequins borrowed from S.P. Dunham Department Store. Demonstrations of Fire Company Equipment and tours of the trucks. The Ladies Auxiliary served a variety of food and drinks.

.

It was just a time for the Fire Company and the Ladies Auxiliary to get together and have a good time and benefit the community. It was also another chance for us to gather the community together and spend some time together. It was always quality time for everyone.

Groveville: One Engagement, One Birth and Several Weddings

Just some old newspaper clippings with a birth announcement, and engagement announcement, and several wedding announcements from the 1930's.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mildred Miller ~ Edward Gravatt Wedding

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sally Ann Jones ~ 1938

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah Dwier ~ Charles Brecht Wedding ~ 1933

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elsie McCue ~ Joseph Paul Zeppa Wedding

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dorothy M. Jones ~ George A. Fetter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mina Rose ~ Howard C. Shelton Wedding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doris Steinert ~ Albert Dwier Wedding ~ 1938
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Verna Luke ~ Robert Longmuir Wedding - 1937

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thelma McEmoyle ~ Walter K. Marshall Wedding ~ 1937

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Little Bit of Crosswicks, NJ

These are some postcards, maps and clippings I have had and some I just received, but it gave me enough to post a little bit about Crosswicks.

September 15, 1920

Charles W. Brick plant totally destroyed,

with loss of $20,000

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The receipt above is quite an example of how prices have increased 200 pounds of Gluten $1.80 and 50 pounds of Flour $2.80. The recipe is for a sale to a Mr. Samuel Emory, June 14, 1896.

.

I am always amazed that some of the documents I have acquired are well over 100 years old, that someone held on to these and saved them for such a long time and now I hold them in my hand. It is an awesome responsibility..If you look at the map below you will see the location of the W.S. Hartman Carriages. If you follow Main Street off the right side of the map you will see W.S. Hartman Carriages. They are still repairing carriages in the same location today,113 years later, only now they have motors and are much more complex, it is now Pete Lestician Auto Repair at 445 Ellisdale Rd, Crosswicks, NJ.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crosswicks -1876
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Crosswicks Creek Bridge, Crosswicks, NJ - Removed 1907

This bridge was constructed just next to the present day bridge on the up stream side. If you are coming down the hill from Crosswicks, as you approach the present bridge, look to the right and you will see I believe three houses below you, they were located on the approach to this bridge, and after you cross the present day bridge, look to the right and you will see the remains of some old oak trees in a row (that may be the Oak Trees in the photo), these were along the road from the old bridge on the North Crosswicks side.
.
The present day bridge was not the replacement for the Covered Bridge in this picture, there was a bridge constructed with steel and black top with pipe type rails, constructed in 1908 and removed when the present day bridge was constructed. This bridge and the present day bridge were constructed much higher than the Covered Bridge, so to decrease the grade from the top of the hill in Crosswicks and the Bridge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the Crosswicks Mill Pond on the up stream side of the bridge or on the right if coming down the hill from Crosswicks. the small building in the picture is a boat house, the water is lower than normal in this photo, the water is usually up to the door of the boat house. I remember when my Grandfather had his farm in Georgetown, we used to cross the pond quite often on our way back to Groveville, this was when the bridge was an open pipe rail bridge and you could see the water from the back of dad's "50" Hudson, I often wondered what type of boat they had that deserved its own house. I can still picture the boat house today, it was bright red with white trim.

This is the reverse of the above Mill Pond Card.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the stove in the Friends Meeting House of Crosswicks. The stove is manufactured from Bog Ore, Iron mined from the Bogs of South Jersey, if you look close you can see the name of Atsion on the front of this stove.
.
This stove was manufactured at the Atsion Iron Works of Atsion, New Jersey, which began operation about 1765 and closed down in the late 1840's when Iron mining in Pennsylvania was found to be cheaper. Atsion forge was just one of several Iron Manufacturing operations in South Jersey with forges with names like Batsto, Weymouth, Walker, Gloucester, Martha, Hanover, and The Howell Works.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crosswicks Oak at The Crosswicks Friends Meeting House

Reverse side of Crosswicks Oak Card

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crosswicks Obituary


Rosa J. Lieberman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry Lieberman

1938

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crosswicks Engagement

Miss Margaret Baker Ellis

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crosswicks Wedding

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crosswicks Fire House - 1934



1937



Ralph Perine Joseph D. Goodenough

Francis W. Ellis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baseball was big entertainment, each small town had a team, Groveville, Yardville, Crosswicks, and Hamilton Square. The head line of the picture below would have a whole different meaning if it appeared today. These articles appeared in the Trenton Evening Times 1904 - 1906.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Teams did what ever it took to win, even hired the

best players, their towns pride was at stake

Groveville Volunteer Fire Co. Officers - 1936

Officers of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company, 1936.

Last year a good friend and life long Groveille resident Harold Wills passed away, Harold was known for his great garden, his love of life, his gentleness and his love of the Groveville United Methodist Church. This photo and a lot of my future photos are from a scrapbook that Harold kept.

.

This scrap book has Groveville wedding announcements, graduation photos, obituary clippings, Harold was quite a guy.

.

His daughter, Elaine, had this book and passed it off to Charlie Brecht. Charlie, knowing of my "Groveville Memories" site, called me and asked if I would be interested in seeing this scrap book. I borrowed the book and the pages are falling apart, the clippings are glued to the pages, so I scanned all of the pages and then I could electronically cut the pictures from the pages with out damaging the book. It is friends like this that keep this site going.

.

Thanks to all.

The Wesley Grove, Methodist Camp Meeting .

Wesley Grove was originally know as Davis’s Woods and was used for picnics and church outinge before “The Wesley Grove Camp Meeting” was established.

.

For those of you that don't know, Wesley Grove is located on the Yardville - Crosswicks Road (the continuation of Broad Street) Between Route 130 and Main Street, in Groveville.

This was always a mysterious place to us kids growing up in Groveville, each summer people would come there at different times of the summer. It was a retreat for those who followed the faith of the Wesleyan Methodists, this group, named after the founder of the Methodism and the Methodist Church, John Wesley 1703 - 1791.

Some weeks there would be adults only at the Grove, other weeks it would be Families and then there would be the retreats for teenagers.

John Wesley was an Evangelist and a strong proponent of “Open Air Sermons” and this is what was practiced there, something we did not see in the Groveville Methodist Church.

There was a large Worship area, this was known as “The Main Auditorium” and in keeping with John Wesley’s love for outdoor sermons, this was a large roof structure held up by large square wooden pillars, otherwise it was completely open.

Sometime later this large building was partially enclosed, it had permanent walls that extended only about four feet from the floor, then the upper wall sections to the roof were hinged so they could be raised outward to form an awning around the building and leaving the building wide open to the outside, this way the building could be closed and weatherproof during the off season.

Inside were wooden benches with a podium for the speaker. On both sides of the podium was an open area, usually covered in straw for those of the congregation that wished to, and often did, profess their love of God, very exuberantly. This was something that also peaked the curiosity of us attending the Groveville Methodist Church, where our parents told us to “Sit still, be quiet and listen”, and quite a change for us. As kids we would sneak up through the woods behind this building to observe the worship.

The area consisted of small cottages or tiny bungalows, these were only used during the summer retreats, the rest of the year they sat empty and closed. Most of the cottages are still there along the Yardville – Crosswicks Road and along the adjoining, Pilgrim Way. Today most of these small cottages are permanent residences; they have been improved and added on to.

At one time there was a large three story dormitory or rooming house, the rooms on the second floor were suitable for one or maybe two persons on the third floor was a large dormitory type room. There was also a large dining area and kitchen or Mess Hall on the first floor. This building was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s and some of the other buildings were removed, including the Main Auditorium

At one time there was a well in the center of the area where water could be drawn by a bucket, also there was a large divided “Bathhouse and Shower Building” still there today.

There is still the Chapel and some other adjoining buildings there and in use today, for regular Sunday Worship.

I found the more I researched the more information I found. Every time I would plan to post what I had about Wesley Grove I found a more interesting story to post. I found several hundred articles concerning Wesley Grove, I stopped counting and looking, but I would be willing to state there were almost a thousand if not more, articles printed on Wesley Grove

As one of these articles states there were at one time as many as 1500 visitors at the Grove. The Trenton Traction Company, our local Trolley company, had laid tracks and wires to Crosswicks, in hopes of capitalizing on the summer traffic to the Grove. The tracks were laid and the wires run, but the trolley never ran. The Trenton Traction Company was never able to secure permission to cross the Pennsylvania Railroad in Yardville, so even though everything was in place, no Trolley.

As a child I don’t remember the actual tracks, my mother does, but I do remember if you were driving toward Crosswicks from Yardville, the left shoulder of the roadway was much wider than the right, almost like it was another lane of traffic wide, this is where the tracks once ran.

One article mentions that the Grove sits on a beautiful lake, suitable for swimming or boating, this beautiful lake was the Groveville Mill Pond, this lake extended from the dam on Church Street, extending around the Grove, all the way to the Springdale Amusement Park on the Yardville Allentown Road, located across from the present Yardville School, now home of the CYO Camp.

This is the Main Building, I have been told this building was used by guest speakers and those of importance that visited the Grove. The second floor were bedrooms and the lower floor was a kitchen and dining area and a large common area or living room. To the right is the Young Peoples Temple.

Just one of hundreds of articles written about

the Wesley Grove Camp Meeting.

E.S. Willey is just one of the many people of the area that donated and helped make this Methodist Camp Meeting, a success. E.S. Willey is the owner of E.S. Willey Lumber and Real Estate, South Broad Street and Rowan Avenues, in Hamilton.

.
Pictured above is Rev. N.H. Barrett, Vice-President of the Wesley Grove Camp Meeting Association

This is the Main Building, the small house to the left is the home

of the Pastor or Director of the Grove.

Front of Postcard, showing the Main Auditorium

This is the back of the post card. Seems like someone was enjoying their stay at "The Camp". Wonder where "Anita" is today.

Programs and speakers were well advertised, I found so many articles advertising programs and speakers for the Wesley Grove Camp Meeting

This article shows the Young Peoples Temple in November, 1917

This is the Young Peoples Temple today.

These are some of the older cabins at the park, the age of these cabins are reflected in the age of the automobile, the rear of the automobile can be see in the left of this photo. This may be "Camp" and it may be "Rustic", but as we can see the men still wore ties.

This article is only one of many, very many, I found expressing concern and dismay over the trolley problem, or the lack of trolley.

Stephen Foster Operetta ~ 1948

The Groveville United Methodist Church and the Yardville Presbyterian Church combined their Community Theater groups and would do productions at the Groveville Community House on Church Street.

.

The second floor of the building was an auditorium, with a stage, back stage, wings on the side of the stage and a movie screen. There they would hold youth dances, weekend movies, Halloween Parties Minstrel Shows, Magic Shows, community theatre shows and town meetings. Sometimes it was used for Sunday School.

.

The downstairs was a full court Basketball Court, originally it was complete with a wooden floor, until the dampness was the demise of the wooden floor and then it was just concrete. Groveville had a Basketball Team, (pictured earlier in this site) the last one coached by Ed Jones, of Church Street.

.

There was also a full kitchen in the back of the downstairs and many a community dinner was held here.

The Cast

Loyd Bowers on Left



Mary Bowers & Unknown

Anyone recognizing any of the cast feel free to email me.

Groveville Cemetery

My friend Cheryl jerseyties@hotmail.com has to this date registered 263 memorials to Find-A-Grave. She is in Florida and I am in New Jersey, so I started to photograph graves in the Groveville Cemetery for her to post. I have also begun to photograph graves and post them myself and I am photographing graves that Cheryl has already listed, adding photos to her postings. Cheryl has told me this is a great help to those searching their heritage.

To view a posted grave in the Groveville Cemetery click on the link to the right, this will also take you to Find-A-Grave to locate posted Graves all over the world.

We hope to have all of the graves in the Groveville Cemetery photographed and posted eventually, but if you have one you would like to see here feel free to email either of us. Cheryl is great with the information and I will get the photos.

Groveville Methodist Church Directory~ 1930

The other night at a Church Meeting, Noma Bell Eades brought me this directory of the church from 1930. This is the property of Noma's sister, Jeanne Bell Mushinski. Jeanne wanted to make sure I got this directory to add to this web site. It's just a loan, but this is how I get so much to put on this site. I am so glad I have so many friends that have contributed to this site, with valuable memorabilia like this.
.
Reverend Fran was reading the book when I arrived, I sat next to her and she gave me the book. During the meeting I kept peeking at the book. The pastor looked at me and said "I should have given you the book after the meeting", I was really fascinated.
.
The book is not only interesting because of the people listed, but the advertisers that have sponsored the book.

First Grand Carnival ~ Groveville Fire Co. ~ 1922

This article appeared in the Trenton Evening Times on May 24, 1922. Not only dose this advertise The first carnival of the Groveville Fire Co. it contains a nice advertisement for WoodLawn Park, The largest amusement park in Central Jersey, so the article says.

.

The Woodlawn Park advertisement touts "Joseph Delucca, Worlds Greatest Ephonium Artist" My first thought was what in the world is a "Ephonium", well below is a photo of an "Ephonium", kind of like a Trumpet on Steroids, but not quite a Tuba or French Horn.

Pretty exciting stuff, this is also a learning experience, for me at least.

A Fireman's Story

This is a great article about Wendell Fisher; I borrowed the newspaper portion above from Tom Glove’s site.

Mark Cozens in this article is now a Captain Ladder #2, City of Trenton Fire Department. Wendell Fisher passed away in April of 2004.

Mark was an inspiration to new, young members; he stressed physical fitness, training, and keeping up with new technology, as the key to a good firefighter. As I look back it was amazing to see two men, from different generations strive toward the same goal, in different ways.

The fire Mark talks about being his hottest, at Eagle Rock Apartments was my apartment April 4, 1987, I was glad I was away on vacation at the time, as a volunteer I would have been torn as to stay with my home or run to the firehouse to drive a truck, glad I was not faced with that decision.

Growing up in Groveville and in the fire company Wendell was one of my heros. Through my years in the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company I learned a lot. As I have said before Wendell taught you the stuff that you did not find in a book, the practical stuff, the common sense stuff, the stuff that when in a jam would save your “butt”.

During the beginning of my time there, Thursday, May 17, 1962, we did not have a Mercer County Fire Training Center, like we do now. If we received any training, other than “in house” training it was at Ancora State Hospital, in south Jersey or weekend classes, at the fire school held annually at the New Jersey National Guard facility in Sea Girt, New Jersey, I did both. We were lucky, at the time I joined; we had three members that were employed as firemen at Fort Dix, Jim Donnell, Jim Stackhouse, and Wendell Fisher and later Ray Bell.

These men received almost constant training and updates on the latest equipment, products, and theories, they brought home their training and shared and taught it to us.

Wendell always had a joke, I mean always. I can still hear him today saying “Hey Lippy, did ya hear the one about the guy that wanted to learn to Skydive” and I still tell that joke today, ask me, I’ll tell it.

In 1963 New Jersey had a very dry Forest Fire Season, in April of that year it was particularly dry. South Jersey was plagued with fires that kept almost every fire company in south Jersey busy every day. Allentown Fire Company had been called early in the morning to help battle fires throughout Ocean County, particularly Jackson Township; they had sent all of their manpower to the fire scene, leaving Allentown unprotected. In this case Allentown called Groveville Fire Company to send one truck and a crew to Allentown for fire protection; this is standard practice even today.

When we arrived the crew consisted of Wendell Fisher, Driver- Ray Bell, Officer In Charge, and firefighters Carl Cubberley, Ron Robinson, Tom Dwier and Gary Lippincott. We were prepared to spend the day, but being young volunteers we were really hoping to be called into action at the fire scene.

After being there from early morning, without a call, we were told that a relief crew was coming out to relieve us but we had to return in an hour because our relief could not stay.

When we returned we found that our relief crew and our truck had been deployed to somewhere in Jackson Township. They were still calling for more help in the Jackson Township area, which was when something unheard of back then happened. We always had a very close relationship with the Allentown Fire Company, they all knew Wendell and Ray, they offered us to take their lone truck, which had been left behind, so we climbed on Allentown’s truck and we were given orders to report to the Forest Fire Warden at Route 526 and Route 571 at the Sawmill.

When we arrived we were instructed to start a back fire along the western side of Burnt Tavern Road, and report back. As Tom and I were lighting the backfire a man pulled up in a pickup truck and began to yell at Wendell, he told Wendell that it was his property we were setting on fire and he wanted us to stop. He said there is a stream between us and the fire and there was no need to burn his land. Wendell asked how wide the stream was, the man responded “It’s about 4 feet wide”, Wendell looked at the gentleman and said, only four feet? then I suggest you get down there and start splashing, now please leave before I have the State Police remove you.

Once we completed our assignment we were told to report to a Forest Fire Warden in Leesville, Jackson Township. As we passed through the little town of Holmeson people were in front of their homes calling for us to stop and protect their homes, as much as we would have liked to, but it was not our decision to make, we had to follow orders, we felt bad, because on our way home some of those homes were nothing but a chimney and a refrigerator standing.

When we arrived at Leesville the fire was miles away, we younger guys were disappointed, but Wendell had been in this position before and knew what to expect. we were ordered to proceed down a lane and set up to protect a house in the path of the fire. The owner had a large Auto Salvage Yard (Junk Yard); we were not to worry about that just the house.

Wendell positioned the truck behind the house on the opposite side from the fires path and far enough that should we lose the house, the truck would be safe. It was a small one story home, so we stretched two lines around each side to the front of the house. The fire was still just a glow in the distance, but Wendell kept expressing the impending danger.

The house was in a small clearing, but surrounded by what we used to call “Indian Grass” a tall very dry grass that when it burns it burns hot like lighting Diesel fuel, a very hot, orange flame. The game plan was as the fire approached we would knock it down in front of the house, follow it around the sides of the house and let the fire go on by, there was no way we could stop this fire, just protect the house. Wendell kept impressing on us to not open the hose till absolutely necessary, “Remember, you only have 500 gallons of water and nowhere to get more”. We young guys response “yea, yea, we heard it before” but not to Wendell’s face did we say that.

We were told that in the Junk yards was a 1922 Durant Roadster and seeing as how the fire as still just a glow in the distance we younger guys thought there was no harm in wandering over to take a look, after all if all went as planned the antique would be “Toast“ soon anyway. It was about 100 yards to the junk yard so we walked over, when Wendell found we were gone he came after us and when he found us he chewed us out all the way back to the fire truck. He told us we did not understand, when that fire comes through it will be like a freight train without a whistle. Our response, under our breath was “Yea, yea, yea, big time Fort Dix fireman, thinks he knows it all”.

So we sat by the hose lines; as the fire approached, the lines were charged and Wendell kept saying not yet, not yet, don’t open the hose its only 500 gallons. Soon, for no apparent reason a strong wind came from our back, but the fire was still coming towards us as the fire reached the edged of the clearing the wind got stronger, the fire was creating its own draft. As it got nearer the large Pine trees began explode and split as the sap boiled and created steam, these trees were fire from top to bottom.

Our faces were so hot and we were so scared it gives me chills still today, finally when the heat was almost too much to bear, Wendell said OK, now! and we knocked the fire down just in front of the house. Wendell and Ray stayed with each hose line as we worked our way around the house; telling to shut the water off, now open it up, just to conserve our water. The house was fine and the fire went on its way and the Junk Yard and the 1922 Durant Roadster was “Toast”

I don’t know if I have ever been that scared, but if it were not for Wendell we all might have been “Toast”

We witnessed the Dodge “Brush Truck” from the Mission Volunteer Fire Company of Bordentown Township, traveling down a small, narrow sand road, near Leesville, loaded with firemen as the fire rolled over the truck and the men and the truck disappeared in to the smoke and flames, it was not until the next day when we were headed home that we found that everyone on that truck was OK.

.

Years later I told Wendell how scared we were and what we had said under our breath and we all had a good laugh about it.

.

One Tuesday morning, in 1986 there was a bunch of us standing around the fire house drinking coffee and “Fighting Old Fires” and the TV was on. We were all talking about the upcoming launch of the space shuttle, that morning. As the time grew near we all began to watch the launch preparation. We had all seen a few launches, because in 1986 there had only been a few. As the Challenger lifted off we watched in amazement, little comments like “If Wilbur and Orville Wright could see that” were heard. As it climbed higher and higher, we just watched, then the smoke and steam that followed the shuttle split into two columns and then one of those columns split again, no one said a word, even the TV fell silent, the commentator that had been speaking almost nonstop was quiet. Wendell was the first to speak an in a very serious tone he said “I don’t much about space travel, but I don’t think it’s supposed to do that, I think they have trouble up there.” As we all know now they did have trouble.

There was a time when one of our fire trucks was down with a warped cylinder head, the mechanic, Marty, Suggested we replace both heads. The heads for our Ward LaFrance and its Waukesha Engine were not available at your local Pep Boys, The closest place was the Ward LaFrance Factory in Elmira, New York and truck shipping could take over a week. There was no overnight shipping of heavy items back then, so Wendell, being a licensed Pilot volunteered to fly to Elmira, NY and bring back the heads.

Wendell and his friend, Wayne, who worked at Schroeder’s Esso in Yardville and their wives, flew out of Robbinsville Airport to Elmira, NY.

Wendell joked when the heads were loaded, the plane was near its maximum safe weight load, he and Wayne had a decision to make, Should they leave the wives behind or not, all made it home safely.

Wendell, like so many of the men and women of the fire company gave so much of their time, their families and themselves that I could write and entire blog on the selflessness of these people. Much like the people of the church and most times they were the same people, they gave so much to the community, in so many ways.

Anchor Thread Park ~ January 15, 2009

I could not resist breaking out the camera when I looked at the park this morning. As I stood there in the quiet of the snow and the stillness of the park building I could almost hear the sounds I used to hear, peering in the windows there, the Clack-Clack-Clack of the looms of Mercer Textile, and the Clickity-Clickity-Clack-Clack of the winding and coning machines of Anchor Thread, two very different sounds.

Standing in the park, alone, in the quiet of a new snow fall, you could imagine all the sights and sounds that we heard growing up around the mill, it was almost eerie. Just standing there alone you could picture the people that worked there, the ones that I remember, my Aunt Edith Jones, Ed and Howard Jones, Eddie and Bertha Klink, Vince Symczyk, Roy “Smut “ Champion, “Dutchy” Cubberley these are just a few that come to mind.

The site of the Anchor Thread Company and the Mercer Textile Company, once the bustling manufacturing center of Groveville, working three shifts to produce goods and keep the people of Groveville working and prosperous, now the scene of a quite tranquil park.

In early times coal came to the mills by barge and goods left by barge, in later years by tractor trailer. I remember seeing those large red and white tractor-trailers from Avondale Mills, in Alabama, as a kid I was amazed that trucks would come that far to Groveville.

The buildings and pieces of building that are left as a monument and a tribute to the men and women that made these companies work for well over 100 years.

Groveville Cook Book - 1963

The other day at a funeral for a good friend and long time Groveville resident, Kathy Dufficy, Dean Robinson approached me and said that his brother Ron had something for me that they had found in his Mom's attic (Phoebe Robinson). I told Dean if it's been in your Mom's attic I don't need it, I have enough junk (excuse me - Memorabilla) in my own. It's a funny thing about people in Groveville, they never throw anything away, it can always be re purposed, or at least we think it can, somewhere down the road.

.

I am not putting down the people of Groveville, I am one of the savers. A few years ago we gave the basement a good cleaning, some of it got moved to the attic, now I am afraid the house might tip over. I could name names of the savers but they are the ones reading this and smiling and nodding.

.

Sunday Ron Robinson was in church and afterwards at our luncheon he gave me this cook book, there was no date, but a group of us sitting around determined it was about 1963. Ruth McEmoyl Knight saw the book and was wondering if a desert her mother used to make was in the book, she had been looking for it for years, it was in the book. Several people were very interested in the book, Alice Plummer saw the book and remarked " I have that cookbook, it sits on my counter, I use it all the time.

.

They gave the cook book to the right person, because they know I will make some of them and serve them at our after church luncheons, I do my best to keep everyone well fed.

.

I didn't copy the recipes, there are to many, but I did post the advertisers, they are so interesting to see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those that don't remember this was on Ervin Drive, in the old McEmoyl Basket Factory.

The Moyer Family

This is a photo of Charles and Erdith Moyer, the gentleman on the far left is Mr. MacMaster,taken during a return vist to the Moyer Family. He and his family rented the Moyer's upstairs apartment, during the 1950's. The dog is un-named until someone emails me with the name and that should not take long. That did not take long, Claire emailed me, the dogs name was 'Shaggy".

I received this photo from Mr. Macmaster's son, John MacMaster from Douglasville, GA , John's father was a Tradesman Electrician and traveled from job to Job For two years he lived in the Moyer's upstairs apartment on Main Street. The MacMasters were originally from Gardiner, Maine and moved to Groveville in 1955, while his father was working on a job in New Jersey.

John recalls fondly the years he spent in Groveville, here is an excerpt of what he said in his email accompanying the photo.

I remember the back yard where Michael (Moyer) and I would devise these walkie-talkies - then just string and some tin cans. We'd walk to the corner grocery store, and the school was easily within walking distance "around the corner". I remember the schools being so much harder than those in Maine. I remember at the end of Main St there was this "dumpy area" where we could forage through small sand pits and find all sorts of construction items....junk mainly. The years I was there TV was just coming into its own. My father brought home a black and white that we watched until the stations went off the air. We'd watch every commercial as we'd watch every feature show - fascinated - like everyone else - over the picture transmission.

It is such a testament to living in Groveville, that people that live here for a short period of time in 1955, fifty four years ago, still have such fond memories of our little town and cherish a photo of his father and a family that touched him so briefly, so long ago.

World War Memorials

These are two photos of the Groveville World War I and World War II Memorials that I just received. These are great clear photos.

This Photo of the World War I Memorial was taken, November 16, 1943. The building to the right is the Groveville United Methodist Church Parsonage. The building to the rear was a small one car garage.

.

The large tree behind the Memorial was on the edge of the Groveville Fire Company Baseball Field. The tree was a Mulberry Tree, white Mulberries. They were so sweet we would eat them till we got sick, but we had to beat the birds to the good ones.

This is a great photo of the World War II Memorial. This photo is so clear that when I enlarge it I can read all of the names very clear, this is great. I stated before that at this time the Memorial was located Next to the Post Office (now beauty shop) on Church Street. The Memorial was later moved across Church Street to a location between the World War I Memorial and the old Community House.

.

On the original location a small Cape Cod style house was build by Catharine Crider, which still remains today.

.

The Memorial remained on Church Street until 1957, when the Community House and the Memorial were removed to make way for the Groveville United Methodist Church Educational Building, constructed in 1958. The Memorial was never rebuilt, but a hand copied plaque remains in the Educational Building.

Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year ~ 2008

I want to wish everyone that enjoys my site and has sent me stories, memories, photos and yes, even those that have sent me corrections, a very Merry Christmas. I have enjoyed passing on all that I have learned so much.

.

Please Remember, I am only the messenger, it is everyone else that contributes to this site that keeps it working. I am just as fascinated by the wealth of knowledge that people have about "Little Ole Groveville" as you are.

.

I can't thank everyone that contributes, and those that enjoy this site enough for your support.

.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year.

Birds Eye View of Groveville

This is another one of my favorite pieces of Groveville Memorabilia, this is an original print of the Birdseye View of Groveville, that also hangs on my living room wall. I scanned this, before I matted and framed it and used the copies through out my web site. It has also been copied and placed in the information board at the Anchor Thread Park, by the Boy Scouts.

.

The inscription at the bottom of the print reads:

Birds Eye of Groveville,

Hamilton Tp. Mercer County, N.J.

Property of Ezra W. Keeler

Manufacturers of Cotton Yarns, Clarence Warp, Twines, Batting

Local Maps ~ Cica 1875

I have had this framed page of maps hanging on my living room wall for some time and have not posted them. When I saw the map on Tom's site today, I realized I had all these maps in front of me every day and never posted them.

.

There are some interesting engravings on the back that I have scanned and will post them later. Besides the maps of Yardville, Groveville, and Crosswicks, there are maps of Winsor, Hamilton Square, Woodville, Mount Rose, and Milford.

If you notice there are only six houses on Church Street, and three of them are no longer there. The one marked G. Holman was where the Church Parking lot is now, next to the Parsonage and was last owned by the Chamberlain Family. The one listed as W. West, was across from the Groveville Elementary School and was the home of my Great Grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. George Rollings, and the one listed as T. Cubberly, was in front of the Eagle Rock Apartments and was the home of Mr. George Mozer.

.

This also clearly shows how the Mill Race ran at the Anchor Thread, then the Clarence Cotton Mill.

.

The only Street missing in the one that ran in front of the Asay Home, it was know as Asay's Alley, not sure if that was official, but that is what my Dad always called it. It ran from Allen Street to Main Street, in front of the Asay home. At the Main Street end is the Mifflin Home, but at that time it was Asay's Barber Shop and Pool Room.

Most of the houses listed in North Crosswicks are still in place, just the names have changed, the only thing missing is the mill.

The part that I like about this map is that it clearly shows the Mill Pond and the raceway with the two mills on it. The other thing I wonder about is by this map it looks like Martins Lane goes off the top of the map and actually went somewhere at one time, it shows it going past the railroad tracks.

.

If you notice where the now vacant Blauth Lumber Supply is located at the Broad Street Railroad Crossing, there was a one time a Hotel, a perfect place for one, across the tracks from the Rail Station.

.

Another interesting fact by this map is that the building at the corner of Route 156 and Church Street, that looks like a General Store, was one, not only that but it was the Post Office. At "Five Points" where the Yardville Presbyterian Church is located was the Yardville School.

.

It also shows the the road that cut through the old VanKannel Estate, listed as S. Biddle, was at one time a through road.

Yardville Sand Company

This is a letter I recently received. I do not know where the Yardville Sand Company was located, strange there is no address on the letterhead. My thoughts were that the Yardville Sand Company may have become the Crosswicks Sand and Gravel Company, owned by Mr George Mozer. This was located where the Eagle Rock Apartments are now, on Church Street, in Groveville.

.

Mr. Mozer later started, owned and operated the Yardville Concrete Company, which after growing to sell much more than just concrete it later became Yardville Supply.

.

When I receive letters and envelopes like this My thoughts always turn to ask "Why does someone hold on to something like a letter or an envelope for one hundred years". What was the importance of this letter to be held onto this long.

.

Another interesting point is the phone number, the Yardville Sand Company number was Bell Phone 2204-W and Mr Seabury's was Bell Phone 201-Y. I guess this is what you told the operator when you rang her up, because you sure were not dialing numbers in 1909.

.

When I look at the quality of the typing of this letter it reminds me of my father typing reports and letters for church on his old L.C.Smith Typewriter, which I still have. If you made a mistake the delete button was called an ink eraser, then along came "White Out", but that was years later, that was not much better than the eraser. I remember most times if he wanted it to look professional he would start the letter over.

Skating on Groveville Mill Pond

This is a photo of Dolores Simpson Straley and Bertha Stout, skating on Groveville Mill Pond, February, 1938. From the stories my parents and the older men at the firehouse told, a lot of fun was had at the pond, from Skating, Sledding on the “Indian Trail” that took you right out on to the pond, to the good fishing in the summer time. Too bad the pond dam was never rebuilt, even though Ray Dwier tried to get it through, under the Green Acres Program, it never made it. What a great recreation area that would have been.

The Bell, Groveville United Methodist Church

This article is about the bell in the steeple or belfry of the Groveville United Methodist Church and appeared in The Hamilton Observer in 1987. This celebrates the 100th anniversary of the bell. That would make the bell 121 years old this year and it is still rang every Sunday.

The bell, manufactured by the Cincinnati Bell Foundry Company, is one of several companies manufacturing bells in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I remember as a child you were never allowed to touch the bell rope, let alone ring the bell, if you were it was with supervision and a great honor. Growing up, my father was very active in the church, I remember him coming home from church and saying that someone had pulled the rope to hard and the bell was stuck upside down, he would change from his suit to his old clothes and head back to the church to climb into the belfry to “right” the bell. I remember that one of my Dad’s chief complaints of having to climb into the Belfry was the large accumulation of pigeon “Exhaust” that had accumulated around the bell. This still happens to the bell today and not that long ago someone had to climb into the belfry and “right” the bell.

I remember my father, Ken Lippincott, along with Pete Taylor, Cy Atkins, and Ed Shelton making a weekend project of cleaning and repairing the inside of the belfry. I was just a kid and only allowed to watch, not help, this really didn’t bother me and I really did not want to help. I do remember the odor of what they shoveled out was very acrid, kind of what I remember from my grandfather’s chicken coup. They fastened “Chicken Wire” around the inside to keep the pigeons out, since then new heavier duty wire fencing has been installed, that’s progress.

As a child growing up in Groveville, it seem that every one of the men were hunters, this meant that most of the men had Hound Dogs. These dogs were kept in the back yards, in either pens or tethered to dog houses. On Sunday Mornings when the bell was rang to announce the start of church all of the dogs of Groveville would howl in unison. They would not stop howling until the ringing stopped, it was a beautiful choir.

Still today the children of the church get great joy from being allowed to pull the rope and ring the bell. I think they enjoy that if the child is small enough the bell on its return will lift them off the floor, what ever it is it always puts a smile on their face.

Groveville Fire Company's New Dodge - 1935

Groveville Volunteer Fire Company, New Truck Dedication Parade 1935

Hamilton Square American Legion Post Marching Unit

The top photo is Groveville Fire Company’s brand new Dodge Pumper. This is the dedication parade. The person taking the photo was standing across from the Groveville Elementary School, in front of the Rollings house, which has since been torn down. They were facing down the hill towards Yardville; the house in the background is the one on the hill above Church Street and Zachary Lane.

The writing on the back of the photo says “Dedication Day – New engine climbing Groveville Hill. Ray Dwier, Chief Driver, Driving, October 19, 1935.”

Also written on the back is “Dickey Swope behind mudguard”. (what's a "Mudguard?)

The bottom photo says on the back “Dedication Parade, American Legion, Hamilton Square Post. Marching up Groveville Hill”

.
These photos were developed February 4 1936

Groveville Elementary School - 1932

This is a photo of one of the classes of the Groveville Elementary School, June 1932. The only person I recognize in this photo is my mother Dorothy Naomi Johnson Lippincott. She is the second row, center, with the dark hair. Two of the boys in the top row are familiar, but I until I am sure I don't want to put names on them. I am sure some one will see this and fill me in, that is what usually happens.

I knew someone would come through, Linda showed the photo to her Mom, Mabel Becker LeJambre and she recognized a few, even though this group is older than she is.

The girl, second from the right in the all white dress is Gert Stout

The girl to the left of my Mom, second row short, with short blond hair is Peggie Shelton, the tall girl to the right of my Mom in the second row is Virginia Herbert. The boy in the second row all the way to the right, next to the fence pole is William "Bill" Straley.

The boy,third row, second from the right, next to a girl, is Roy "Smut' Champion.

Naomi Rollings

Naomi Rollings

Born in 1871, in England, She passed away in 1962 at age 91. She was my Great Grandmother and one of the organizers of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary and its first president. She also operated the Company Store for Morris and Company, owners of the Mill and most of Groveville.

.

Married to George B. Rollings, engineer and owner of the Groveville Water Company and an organizer of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company. They had five children, Benjamin Rollings, Katharine Rollings Johnson, Joseph Rollings,Edith Rollings Jones and a daughter Alice Rollings that passed away during the 1918 Flu Epidemic, soon after the birth of her child, who also died soon after.

Here she is standing in front of her house across from the Groveville Elementary School, the house is no longer there.

Katharine Anna "Kate" Johnson

Kate Johnson

This is a photo of Katharine Anna “Kate” Johnson, my Grandmother. This photo was taken in my back yard, at the time it was her back yard.

She was pretty special, so special that both her Grandchildren named their children after her. My cousin Cindy Johnson Landholt named her oldest daughter Katharine Anna “Katie” Landholt and my daughter is named Katharine Anna “Kati” Lippincott, she was loved by her grandchildren.

Kate was very active in the community, she belonged to the Groveville United Methodist Church and was very active in all of the Women’s groups, both Church and Sunday School and was always there to help with all the dinners. She was also active in the Auxiliary of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company and its treasurer, her husband; Jack Johnson was an active member of the fire company until his death.

If the women of the church were going on a retreat or a trip or the ladies Auxiliary of the fire company were going to a parade or the Fireman’s Convention in Atlantic City, she was there, first in line.

One of the best days of her life was when I got my driver’s license. Then I could take her to Bingo. It was a different Bingo almost every night, White Horse Fire Company, St Vincent DePaul Church, Carslake Community Center in Bordentown, Yardville First Aid Squad, DeCou Fire Company, or St Raphael’s Church. She passed away in 1973.

The house in the background was my Great Grandmother’s house, Naomi Rollings, the mother of Katharine Anna Rollings Johnson. The house was located directly across from the Groveville School, on the right side of the photo you can see a tree’s branches, which is the tree that is still there, across from the school today.

She lived there with her husband George Rollings, George was one of the originators of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company and Naomi was one of the originators of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary and its first president.

George Rollings owned and operated the Groveville Water Company for Morris & Company and Naomi Operated the Company Store for Morris & Company.

The cars, the first one in line is my Dad’s 1950 Hudson, complete with “Fender Skirts”, Dad loved them, except when he had to change a flat. The next was my Uncle Joe Rollings Pontiac, a 1953, I believe. The thing I remember the most about that Pontiac is that a night the Pontiac Indian emblem on the hood would light up amber colored.

The others belonged to my uncle James Melvin Jones that is him in front of his car, no one ever called him that, it was “Jonesy”, to me it was “Uncle Jonesy”. I believe the cars were a Ford, the black one and the one on the end was a Nash, it was green, like Army Green.

Naomi Rollings, born in 1871, in England, She passed away in 1962 at age 91.

After her death, my aunt Edith Jones and her husband Jonesy, moved to an apartment in Yardville and the house and 16 acres of land, was sold to Chester King of Main Street, in Groveville. Ironically, Chester King lived in the house that was the former Company Store that Naomi ran.

Soon after there was a small fire in the rear shed of the house and the house as demolished, the entire house was bulldozed into the woods and covered with fill, as was the foundation, furnishings and all.

The Brookhill Farm

It’s amazing the things you find or receive while doing research. This envelope looks like it was mailed yesterday, just a little yellow, but no rips or tears. I came upon an opportunity to get this envelope, just why do people save envelopes for seventy years, I guess so people like me can find them and share them with others.

This letter was sent from The Brookhill Farm, on the Yardville – Hamilton Square Road, with a three cent stamp and post marked Yardville, NJ, March 24, 1937, 5PM

Most people from this area know The Brookhill Farm was the property of the Simpkins Family. Robert “Bob” Simpkins knows more about Hamilton Township history than anyone in the township, being born in the township in 1905, and still active in its history. Bob just turned 103 this month, God Bless him.

As a child, I cannot count the times I have been past this farm with my parents, seeing the cows grazing in the pastures. This was a time when Yardville – Hamilton Square road was nothing but Dairy farms, as you left Yardville and crossed the railroad tracks, on your left was Bower’s Dairy Farm and its owner was Tim Bower’s, next you crossed over the bridge at Edge’s Brook or Back Creek and there was The Brookhill Farm, on the right.

On the left there was a long mysterious lane, as a child it seemed very “spooky”, lined with tall trees and slightly winding, you could never see the house at the end; we now know that as Locust Hill, The Burholme Estate, a place with a very historic past.

Continuing on you came to the Selmon Farm, at Kuser Road. Then there was nothing, except that “scary swamp” until you almost reached Hamilton Square, there was a farm on the right, across from where Reynolds Middle School is now, the farm house is still there but has been enveloped by the development.

It seems that just a seventy year old envelope sure can bring on some old memories.

If this envelope brought back memories to me can you imagine what memories Bob Simpkins would have with this?

Miss Florence R. Longstreet

I really don't like posting sad events on my site, but this is one that touches every one that grew up in Groveville. Miss Longstreet was every one's Kindergarten (Reception Grade) and First Grade teacher and I posted an article when she turned 100 and many set her cards and letters.

.

I just returned from vacation and learned from my friends Linda LeJambre Dorsey and Claire Dwier Zarr, who were also students of Miss Longstreet that she had passed away, she will be missed. She also left us all with good memories of the time spent at Groveville School. She is the first teacher we met in our long career of learning and she will be missed.

Florence R. Longstreet

Florence R. Longstreet HAMILTON - Florence R. Longstreet, 100, passed away Saturday in St. Francis Medical Center. Born in Trenton, she had been a longtime area resident. Ms. Longstreet retired in 1977 as an elementary school teacher for Hamilton Township after over 40 years of service. She was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Nottingham Chapter #246, and she enjoyed reading and traveling. Daughter of the late Charles T. and Jane R. Longstreet and sister of the late Henry Longstreet; she is survived by her sister, Dorothy E. Scarborough. A funeral service will be held 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Ewing Cemetery Chapel, 78 Scotch Road, Ewing. Entombment will be private. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark United Methodist Church Building Fund, 465 Paxson Ave., Hamilton Square, NJ 08690. Arrangements are under the direction of Saul Colonial Home, 3795 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square.

An "Unknown" photo

Usually I post a photo or article and I have a story to go with the photo. I usually do some research, try to find as many interesting facts and the relationship the photo or article has with the Groveville – Yardville area. For this photo I have nothing, but I am still working on it.

I received this photo and the seller of this photo has no history of the photo, in fact they too are trying to find how they came to have this photo, for me.

Here is the obvious; it is a photo of a young red haired girl, standing in front of what appears to be a dump body truck. I have been told by Charlie Donnell, who knows more about old trucks and cars than anyone I know, that he believes the truck is a 1938 Chevy. The phone number is “Trenton 6-2190” , which is most likely now 586-2190. I remember when our number “Trenton 5-0000”, then it changed to (juniper) JU5-0000, and then to the same number today is “585-0000, the 5-8 portion is really still J-U.

Amazing that made me think, our phone number has remained the same since we got our first phone, I guess in the 1940’s, that is when, so I have been told, we were on a party line with the Neal family on Main Street. We were fortunate to be on only a "Two Party Line", some were more, if the phone rang once with a break, then once with a break, it was for the Neals, if it rang twice with a break, then twice with a break, it was for us. Everyone could listen to every ones conversation, Like a "Soap Opera" with local characters, this was Groveville, I do mean "Characters", my family no exception.

Back to the photo, if any one recognizes anything about this photo, please let me know, if the little girl, who would be in her 60’s now, or her family is still in the area, I would be more than happy to give her this photo, in exchange for just a little history of the photo.

The Beacon

Most people associate the “Beacon” at the north intersection or Route 130 and Route 156 with the old Giovi’s Restaurant, because for so many years it held the Giovi sign. Many people think that Giovi’s used to be the Beacon, but in reality Giovi’s used to be the Yardville Bar and Grill, The Beacon was something totally different.

Before there was a Giovi’s restaurant at this point there was an establishment known as the Yardville Bar and Grill. Even today if you are driving south on Route 130, at Route 156, and look at the roof of the Old Giovi’s restaurant, now American Grill and Sushi, you will see the peak of an old “A” style roof. This was the Yardville Bar and Grill. When Giovi’s was constructed, it was built around the old establishment, so mainly it was most likely considered a renovation, rather than new construction. For years the bar area of the Yardville Bar and Grill, was the same bar area as Giovi’s.

When the Yardville Bar and Grill was at the point, between it and the Beacon was a Drive-In restaurant, I believe complete with “Car Hops”. The name of the drive in was “The Beacon” and they were the ones that originally erected the Beacon Sign.

At one time the beacon was lit with tall florescent bulbs arranged in a circle in the center of the Lantern and a yellow revolving light on top. The revolving light is still there but is no longer operating.

The “Beacon Drive-In” was still there in the mid 1960’s; I remember they had great steak sandwiches, foot long Hot Dogs, and fresh cut fries, along with all the other great drive-in food, including soft ice cream.

The history of the “Beacon” light goes way back before there was a drive-in restaurant at this intersection, it goes back before there was a Route 130 and Route 156. In fact the “Beacon” or “Lantern” is 94 years old. After a little searching here is what I found:

.
The beacon or lantern as it was known was on a U S Coast Guard Light Ship. The light ship was built in 1892 in Bay City Michigan, by the J W Wheelan Co., at a cost of $53,325.00. She was one of four built at a cost of $213,300.00 for four ships.

.
She had an Iron hull and was coal fired, steam powered, and was also rigged for sail if need be. Originally the ship had two lanterns, each with 8 oil lamps w/reflectors and a fog signal consisting of a 12" steam whistle and a hand operated 1000-lb bell.

In 1906 the Propulsion was changed from steam to a Murray-Tregurtha kerosene engine, a Submarine bell signal was placed in operation. In 1946 the ship was re-powered with a Superior diesel main engine, 151 HP, 310" propeller with a maximum speed of 8 knots.

In 1914 the Masts were replaced with a single large diameter lantern mast amidships, equipped with an acetylene lens lantern; a pilot house was added at the foot of mast and in 1930 the Lantern converted to electric operation.

.
During the Lights lifetime it served many assignments:

.
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1892-1896: Frying Pan Shoal (NC)

1896-1906: Martins Industry (SC)

1906-1923: Relief (SC)

1924-1933: Charleston (SC)

1933 Relief (SC)

1934-1951: Stonehorse Shoal (MA)

.
During the Lights lifetime it endured many harsh storms; in 1893 she safely rode out hurricanes in August and October although boats and the davits were carried away during the storms and deckhouse demolished. In 1936, During a severe winter storm, the ship was dragged several miles off station in a moving ice field, the ship regained her assigned station unassisted and then in 1948, While in route to Boston, became caught in heavy ice in Buzzards Bay; later broken out by a ships tender, “Spar”.

.
The Lightship was retired from duty in 1951 at the age of 59.

.
Decommissioned Jun 15, 1951 at Boston then towed to Cape May NJ for final disposition. The Ship was sold Sep 15, 1951. The lantern mast and large diameter lantern housing is located outside Giovi's Restaurant, Yardville, NJ.

.
I have been told that after the sale at Cape May, the ship was towed to Doan’s Salvage Yard in Fieldsboro, NJ, to be scrapped; this is where the owners of The Beacon Drive-in purchased the Lightship’s Lantern.

The "Piney Paddlers" - July 14, 2008

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a Group known as “The Piney Paddlers”. They were having a canoe trip from the Delaware River, at Bordentown, up the Crosswicks Creek to Groveville, on the tide and would be having lunch at Anchor Thread Park and returning with the tide. They travel rivers and streams all over the state and enjoy hearing about the places they pass.

They had read my web site and asked me if I would be interested in meeting them at Anchor Thread Park and speaking to their group about Groveville, its history and the part played by the creek in developing the mills and the town. I have never done this before and I explained to them that I was just someone that grew up in Groveville and enjoyed its history, not a public speaker (hoping to get out of it), they said, “Perfect, just what we are looking for”.

Four days before their run two of the group did a scouting run of the creek with chain saws to clear the creek of fallen trees and debris, this not only helps the canoers, but is something that benefits everyone that lives along the creek, this promotes a better flow and in times of heavy rains and floods the creek and the surrounding land drains more readily, as the creek is less susceptible to blockage.

On the day of their trip about twelve or fifteen paddlers made their way up the creek to Groveville, arriving about 1:00 PM. They pulled their boats up the canoe ramp and every one gathered in the Gazebo with their lunch they all sat around I began telling them about Groveville. My little talk lasted almost forty five minutes, with questions it was an hour.

They were a very nice group of people, very concerned about the environment and the well being of the creek. They enjoy each others company and share a common hobby, but they do a lot of good work also.

About 2:15 PM they put back in the creek, we wished each other well and they paddled off.

I was very flattered that they would even consider asking me, but I am glad they did.

The Piney Paddlers are associated with the “Friends for the Marsh”, another environmental group, concerned with the well being and the history of the Hamilton - Trenton – Bordentown Marsh, and in turn associated with the Sierra Club Central Jersey Group.

I have a link on the right column to both of these groups and if you are looking for some fascinating reading and information click on these links and just “Surf” through some very interesting facts and photos. They even have photos of my little talk in the park.

.

It was a very nice experience, meeting some very nice people. Its seems that no mater how old we get is it always nice to meet people we can learn from, and I learned from them, and got the chance to pass on a little "Groveville History".

John (Jack) Coffey

The top photo is my Uncle Jack Coffey with two other Hamilton Township Police officers; Uncle Jack was one the first Police Officers in Hamilton Township.

The bottom photo is my Uncle Jack and his wife Annabelle Coffey on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. I remember when they lived on Church Street, in the long apartment like house that was built for the workers of the Grist and Saw Mills.

When the highway bypass of Yardville was built, now known as Route 130, the house was torn down. It was then they moved to Crosswicks, on the Crosswicks – Hamilton Square Road, just around the corner from Ocker’s Barrel.

After Uncle Jack passed away I can still remember Aunt Bella (as I knew her), coming to church driving either a late 1940’s or early 1950’s faded blue four door Plymouth.

These photos were sent to me by Jack and Annabelle’s Great Granddaughter.

One of the last recollections of Uncle Jack was after his retirement he was the watchman when the development know as Groveville Gardens was built, in the 1950’s. As kids we would cut through the growing development to get to one of our favorite swimming spots on the Crosswicks Creek, known as Cold Spring. Somtimes Uncle Jack would see us and yell "Hey where are you kids going", then laugh because he knew where we were going.

.

Cold Spring, at this point the creek made a turn and this caused it to have a nice Gravel bottom, coming in at this point there was a very cold and clear spring feeding the creek, hence the name, “Cold Spring”.

There were times we would sit in the icy water of the spring, just to see who could sit in it the longest, the water flowed icy cold even in the summer.

Cold Spring had a high bank on the Groveville side, perfect for jumping off into the creek. Back then you never had to worry about cutting your self on a bottle or can in the water, soda only came in glass bottles, there were no canned soda and the bottles were returned to the store for five cents for a large bottle and two cents for a small, no one would waste that kind of money by breaking it in the creek in the 1950’s. Besides, if anyone was caught breaking a bottle in the creek the punishment would be severe, from the other kids that swam there.

Church Street

This is a photo post card of Church Street at the Doctor's Creek Bridge. This photo is taken as if you were standing on Church Street, in front of the now Eagle Rock Apartments, looking towards Yardville.

The title is "Groille Avenue, Yardville N.J.". I have not been able to locate any reference to 'Groille Avenue", I have some maps from the 1800's and I have checked them and it is still referred to as Church Street. I was thinking, I do that once in a while, could Groille Avenue (Gro - ille) be a shortened version or a miss print by the publisher or printer of the Post Card for Groveville Avenue, a former name or reference to Church Street.

The first bridge or the the one in the foreground is the bridge over Doctor's Creek, the second is the bridge over the Mill Race, the Dam would be to the right.

The small road to the left, just past the bridges, would have been the entrance to the Grist and Saw Mills. It would have also taken you to the long multiple dwelling that housed the workers of the mills. I do remember the long house that was divided in to separate living quarters, like an apartment building, my uncle Jack Coffey lived there when I was young. I have been told that he was the first Hamilton Township Police officer, then refereed to as Constable. This house was removed when Route 130 was constructed.

I wonder about the car parked in the picture, was that the photographers car and helper, or just an innocent motorist that got his Model "T" to coast down the hill from Groveville and was now trying to convince it that it could make it up the hill into Yardville.

The Memorial Day Festivities

Memorial Day has always been a big deal in Groveville, even back when it was known as Decoration Day. Groveville is no different than any other small town, Yardville, Crosswicks, Allentown, and Hamilton Square, we all embrace the chance to honor our veterans that allow us the opportunity to celebrate Memorial Day.

Our Memorial Day Parade this year will be our 138th annual celebration and parade. It was a special and exciting time. As a child in Groveville, it was something to look forward to. All of the children would decorate their bikes with flags and Red, White, and Blue Crape Paper and ride them in the parade. The bikes and floats would be judged at the judging stand, in front of the Community House. Very few children watched the parade; most of them were in it, everyone belonged to a group, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Methodist Youth Fellowship, Indian Guides (a pre-Boy Scout group), Junior Fireman, or the gang just ridding their bikes.

Gary Lippincott ~ 1949

Church Street ~ Parade Ready

Wilbur Reynolds ~ Last minute flag adjustments

The Crowd Gathering ~ Lester Johnson (seated), Shirley Wright DiGenova (orange), Ruth McEmoyl Knight (stripes)



Groveville Fire Company 1965




Groveville Fire Company 1948 ~ First year with the new uniforms

Groveville Ladies Auxiliary ~ 1948

It all begins on the Sunday before Memorial Day when the men of the fire company and the ladies of the auxiliary would meet at the fire house, in uniform, and march up Main Street, to Church Street, to the Methodist Church for the annual Memorial Day Church Service to honor the veterans and those that serve the community.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Parade Beginning

Commander Tom H. Atkins, USN (Ret.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Trucks of Groveville Through the Years








Gary Lippincott

The members of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company would spend every night for a week before the parade, meticulously cleaning the trucks and equipment, touching up chipped paint, shinning chrome and paint. All of the equipment is removed and cleaned and polished. All of the hose is removed, cleaned and repacked, so all the folds in the hose are even. Even painting the tires with black tire paint and painting the lettering on the trucks tires with silver paint. We had fun doing it and enjoyed every minute of it. We also prayed there would be no calls till after the parade. This is the only payment a Volunteer Fireman gets; the chance to put on a fresh pressed uniform, bring out meticulously cleaned and polished apparatus, and march passed the community they serve and have that community applaud, cheer, and whistle their thanks and approval. That’s all we ever asked for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Some of the Bands




Steinert Band



Nottingham Band

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Floats and Marchers






Nancy Lipton And Ashley Lipton


Kati Lippincott And Meagan Lipton



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Annual Ceremony in The Cemetary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a different time, The Mill was closed, Dad didn’t have go to work, people didn’t go away for the day, they stayed home and enjoyed the festivities at home. People walked around town, just enjoying each others company and the great feeling of “Community”, that living in Groveville provided.


In the afternoon, on the baseball field behind the Community House and Fire House there was an afternoon of games for kids and I seem to remember some type of food served. Being a Methodist Church in Groveville it was most likely a covered dish type of meal. The activities lasted most of the afternoon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Groveville Baseball Team ~ Circa 1950

In the late afternoon there was always a Baseball game between the Groveville Fire Company Team and a team from Yardville. After the organization of the Yardville First Aid Squad this became the tradition.

Some of this tradition is still carried on today, as each Sunday before Memorial Day, at the Groveville Methodist Church, we honor the Veterans that allow us to worship as we please, also the Firemen, EMT and Rescue workers, both Hamilton Twp. Police and State Police, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts, all that serve to make life better are honored. All of these groups are represented at our service.

As I grew older and looked back at Memorial Day in Groveville as a child, it reminded me of something Norman Rockwell would have painted.

Groveville Fire Co. ~ Hose Test ~ 1968

Left to Right Lieutenant Leon "Digger" Gennett, Mike Engi, Chief Robert " Bob" Thompson, background William "Bill" Henry, Captain Victor "Vic" Champion.
.
This is a photo of our semi annual hose test. No one like this job, except the driver. All of the hose on the truck had to be laid out, each hose length and coupling was inspected and all hose was pressure tested. For some reason I believe we carried 2200 feet of 2 1/2 inch hose on each truck, I could be wrong.

.

This was taken at our favorite place for hose testing, Route 156, south of Take It Easy Bar, that is the Polish American Club, in the background. There was very little traffic on this stretch of road, so you could lay out all the hose and not be in any one's way, the hydrant was convenient and the hose was laid out on a hill, so when the test was complete the hose drained well, and its so much easier to roll up 2200 feet of hose "Downhill".

The water was flowed through the hose, the nozzle closed and the water pressure in the hose was brought to a specific pressure for a specified length of time. The hose is packed in layers in a zig zag fashion and some of the bottom layers of hose would never get used.

The only hose used was enough to do the job, which usually consisted of the top layers. Some of the hose then was cotton jacketed and subject to rot when left wet, the best place to burst a length of hose was at the test. Most times, if we could the truck would be repacked with dry hose, stored on racks in the fire house.

Groveville Cotton Mills ~ 1896

This is a photo of the Groveville Cotton Mill Raceway. A race or raceway is usually a canal shaped stream or the current of a stream that is diverted to turn a wheel or in some way it's power is converted to energy. In this case the power of the Crosswicks Creek was diverted through a Raceway, by means of a Lock on the creek. This diverted enough water to power the turbine wheels that powered the mill.

.

This photo was taken from the Raceway Bridge. This bridge was located parallel with the existing bridge and was located just about where the bend in Main Street is now. As I mentioned before, if you walk behind the "Welcome To Hamilton" sign, especially when the trees are bare, you can still see the depression left in the ground from the raceway.

Groveville Community News ~ 1936

Tom Glover is always telling me to feel free to borrow from his site, but I never do. From time to time I go back and read his old postings, in fact I even go back and read my own old postings. This is one I could just not pass up borrowing, it has to many old familiar names. Thanks, Tom.

Groveville Fire Company Bowling Team ~ 1961

Left to right Bill Wolinsky, Phil Kaiser, Larry Plummer, Colin Stackhouse, & Len Bolz.

This was one of Groveville Fire Company’s teams from 1961, Wow that was a long time ago, where did the time go.

Every Friday night the Mercer County Fireman’s Bowling League bowled at the White Horse Bowling Academy. Almost every fire company in Mercer County sponsored at least one or two teams of bowlers, Groveville had two.

I remember Crosswicks Fire Company only needed one team, because they had Fred Hendrickson. He threw the ball so hard the pins did not need to be hit; they just got out of the way.

We had more fun, just getting together with people with the same interest. As bowlers go I was considered poor and still am today, but who cared, we had fun.

It was not only a time for the firemen to get together, but wives and girlfriends would show up and it was a chance for everyone to go out after bowling, for most of us it was a chance for a few drinks and pizza on a Friday night.

At the end of the season there was always an awards banquet, another chance to get together.

I believe these chances to get together for fun gave us a chance to get to know other fireman from all over Mercer County and this helped us work together better in an emergency.

It was amazing how we could get together, laugh, have fun and enjoy each other’s company, yet get very serious if there were an emergency and work so hard together, I learned so much about life and people being in the fire company.

One of the oldest homes in Groveville

Now ~ January, 2008

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then ~ Circa 1883

Said to be one of the oldest houses in Groveville

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. and Mrs. Reiter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This house is on Main Street at the intersection of Church Street, it has been said that this is one of the oldest houses in Groveville. This photo was taken about 1883. The adults in the photo and the small photo are Mr. and Mrs. Reiter. Mr. Reiter was a shoemaker in Groveville. The small child he is holding is Margaret Reiter, she married Walter Dwier and they had a daughter Mary Dwier, She married Al Wright and they had two children Wayne and Marilyn.
.

When Al Wright passed away, and later Mary passed away the house was sold out of the family. There were rumors around Groveville that the house was to be torn down, mainly because of the foundation and its age, it was not. I know Marilyn reads this and I hope she will correct me if I am wrong.

.

I know the long time Groveville People find it hard to believe that rumors still spread in Groveville, since the Fire Company, Post Office, "Jo" Hepburn's Store, and General Store have all left town, but the network is still intact. Now they use "Cell Phones", progress, a wonderful thing.

.

The house looks as good as it ever did, the new owners have added a new coat of paint, other than that the house looks the same on the exterior as it did as I grew up in Groveville. I don't know when the front porch was inclosed, but it's been that way as long as I can remember.

.

One story that relates to this home. In my house there was a glass bowl, it was cut glass, kind of "Boat" shaped, about 10" long, 6" wide and maybe 3" deep. All year long this bowl remained in the China Cabinet, a place as a child I was not allowed to venture. Then came Thanksgiving Dinner, this and Christmas Dinner were the only time this bowl was allowed out of the China Cabinet, it was placed on the table and each year it held the same thing, Carrot and Celery sticks, Olives, and small Pickles, this was our relish tray. As I grew older and became the preparer of these holiday feasts I carried on the tradition, even getting more adventuress adding Artichoke Hearts. One holiday my daughter, Kati, was putting away this bowl, after diner, the bowl slipped out of her hand and broke, she was heart broken, so was I but I did not let it show. She said "But Dad, you told me that bowl had been in the family, since you were a kid". True, but no reason to be upset. I don't remember the China Cabinet without that bowl.

.

Several years later, when Wayne and Marilyn were selling the contents of their parents house, it was at our annual June Street Sale, I wandered in with Wayne to look around. On the table were assorted glassware, kitchen items, and dishes. In the center of the table was "The bowl", the exact bowl Kati had broken. Wayne told me to take it, just take it, but I bought it, it was only a few dollars, took it home and placed it on the table, when Kati saw it she could not believe it "It's the bowl". The tradition lives on.

.

I related this story to other long time Groveville residents one Sunday after church. What were the chances that Al and Mary Wright would have the exact same bowl as my parents. Ruth McElmoyl Knight said "It was most likely Borden Cut Glass" everybody in Groveville owned some of that. I never thought of that, Borden Cut Glass was manufactured right in Groveville, where else, in the old Borden Mincemeat Factory, on Church Street.

.

It seems if you look hard enough there was always a tie of some type between families in Groveville, usually if you look back far enough they are related.

.

Al and Mary Wright were some of the Groveville people that just seemed like they would be a part of Groveville forever, as were Mary's parents, Walt and Maggie Dwier. All were well liked in the community, Mary was very active in the church and is still spoken fondly of today, and Al, he was just well liked.

.

As a child the house was always referred to as "Maggie Dwier's House" and in later years it was always referred to as "Mary Wright's House", guess some day that will change, but not to me.

Yardville View, 1959

Then ~ 1959

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now ~ 2008

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was posted before, but since I got "creative" and added the "Now ~ 2008" photo, I moved it to the top again, just showing off.

This view of Yardville was taken about 1959. Once I look at these photos, the memories seem to "Kick"in, all good ones.

The small white “L” shaped building with the black roof, in the lower right corner is “Tony Rossi’s, Take it Easy Bar”. Our big treat, as young teenagers, if we had more money than we could spend in Groveville, was get a few of us together and walk to “Take It Easy”, knock on the back door (we were not old enough to go to the front) and Jean Rossi would come to the door. We would order “Meat Ball Sandwiches”. These were no ordinary meatball sandwiches, the meatballs were hand made by Mrs. Rossi and the sauce was from scratch. They were made on thick slices of Italian Bread and wrapped with white paper that seemed like Butcher Paper. If you ordered these in the bar they were served on a plate covered with sauce and served with a knife and fork.

Back then you could not buy cans or bottles of beer after 10:00 pm, so they had those quart cardboard drink containers (pre-Styrofoam) and they were allowed to sell draft beer in these for “Take out” after 10:00 pm, so we would buy quarts of draught Birch Beer, great birch beer, to go with our Meatball sandwiches and walk to the Church Street over pass of Route 130 and eat our sandwiches and Birch Beer.

The row of homes across from Take It Easy is Martins Lane and the area at the end was then Best Block Company, now Clayton Block, They were manufactures of Cinder Blocks, at the time of this photo.

In the large triangle shaped wooded area in the center you can see a factory; this was the Chandler-Palruba Company, this company made Oil Cloth Floor Covering, The factory was torn down years ago and the houses have since been removed and this entire triangular area is now home to the Yardville Acme Market, Roma Bank and an office building

The large barren area in the center left is the Yardville Concrete Company. This is now know as Yardville Supply, and where the barren area meets Church Street is where Yardville Supply’s Ace Hardware is now.

In the center – left are the coal elevators of T.B. Anderson and Martin Brothers, next to the Yardville train station.

In the top left center, where the railroad tracks intersect with the Yardville – Hamilton Square Road there is another large white area and this is where the GLF Fertilizer plant was located. GLF stood for The Cooperative Grange League Federation Exchange, a farmers Cooperative. All that is now known as Agway.

Above GLF is a large house with big trees around it that was the home of Tim Bowers. Tim had a large dairy farm and was everybody’s “Milkman” for years. This house is now the office of Attorney Richard Kelly. I have a Milk Bottle from the Bower’s Dairy, some day I’ll take a photo of it and post it. The area left to the Hedge Row and south towards the railroad tracks was his pasture land.

The large clear area in the upper left, other side of the Hedge Row was the Sunnybrae Golf Course, some of the round Sand Traps are visible, but it appears this was about the time that they were starting to develop the area into “Sunnybrae Village”

The entire upper portion of this photo is now covered completely with homes.

I remember as a kid driving to Hamilton Square, once you passed Tim Bowers house it was a long dark ride, no streetlights, no Interstate 195, no traffic lights and the only houses were the Simpkins Farm, the Selmon Farm on the corner of Kuser Road, and the farm house between the small creek and Klockner road and there was a farm house that sat off the road across from where Reynolds Middle School is now, its still there, but its built up around it.

Where the Briarwood Stores are and the Briarwood Condos are now was a large wooded swamp, very, very close to the road, separated by those black and white posts with two cables running through them, lot of protection there.

Driving by on a summer night, with my parents, with the car windows open (no A/C) the sound of the “Peepers” was so loud and so scary on that dark, unlit road.

I think I am still having “issues” with that swamp.

Ann, Charlie, Emma and "Blackie"

This is a Photo of Ann Reynolds, Charlie Donnell, Emma Reynolds, and of course "Blackie" Charlie's Dog. This photo was taken in Charlie's back yard on Church Street, the house next to the cemetery drive, Ann and Emma lived two doors away, in fact theirs is the house in the background. I am not sure of the exact date, but it was in the early 1950's. As in the past someone will see this and send me the correct date.

Trenton Speedway - April 21, 1968

This is a very interesting article, I have had this brochure for some time and have always wanted to post it for others to see and appreciate, but the bottom line is it does not fit with my theme and takes up too much valuable "Groveville" information space.

.

I created a "Trenton Speedway" blog expressly for this article. To view this brochure and any other articles I should find on The The Trenton Speedway, please click on the link to that blog in the right column.

Thanks, Gary

The Working Men's Club of Groveville

This article appeared in the “Daily State Gazette” April, 11, 1881. One item mentioned here is that the children were attending night school. From what I have read, I believe that is so they are able to work in the Cotton Mill during the day. Good luck getting that to work today. Mr James S. Woodward was the owner of the Groveville Cotton Mill.

One gentleman mentioned in this article is Mr. Clark Hutchinson, of Yardville. Mr. Hutchinson lived on what is now Route 156. His home is the large house owned by the Catholic Diocese, formerly St. Elisabeth’s Home.

A Mr. S. Hutchinson owned the large home next door, somewhat on the corner of Route 156 and South Broad Street, both across from the old Yardville Elementary School and The Mechanics Hall.

The Hutchinson family owned and operated the Store and Post Office in the store like building on the corner of Route 156 and Church Street.

They also operated the Grist and Saw Mills at Groveville Mill Pond on Church Street and along with Amos Hutchinson Cole, who was engaged in the Coal, wood, lime, cement and farming tool business, operated a shipping dock at the junction of The Crosswicks Creek and The Doctors Creek where they shipped Lime and Lumber to Philadelphia, via the Crosswicks Creek.

Marvin's "55"

Marvin Matlack

This is a photo of Marvin Matlack and his 1955 Oldsmobile “Fabulous 55” as it says, taken most likely around 1958. Marvin grew up on Main Street, going from the old Firehouse at 200 Main; his was the fifth house toward the Mill. Marv was always a good mechanic and knowledgeable, there were some of us that knew just enough to get in trouble, then we would turn to the guys that really knew, Marv, Rich Sellers, or Charlie Donnell

When we were growing up in Groveville, it was like our cars were “everything”. We were always “Tinkering* with our cars, mainly trying to get just a little more speed out of them, not a lot, just enough to be faster in the quarter mile than the other guy. We were not concerned about gas mileage, gas costs 31 cents a gallon, and you could go all weekend on $2.00.

I hear the elaborate sound systems the kids have in their cars today and think how our version of an elaborate sound system was a speaker in the backseat, with a three-way switch from Pep Boys (Front, Rear, or Both) connected to our AM radio.

If someone was doing some serious motor work, that’s where we gathered, to help or just watch and learn. We had some nice cars, Marvin’s 1955 Oldsmobile, Al “Buddy” Weiss’s 1960 Pontiac Bonneville, Gary Lippincott’s 1957 2 door, Chevy Bel Air , Tom Dwier’s 1955 Chevy, Tom Snyder’s 1955 Chevy and Ron Taylor’s "Big" Oldsmobile, now that was a “Boat”.

I think if you melted Ron’s Olds down you could make a dozen of today’s cars, just from the metal, there was not much plastic in cars then.

Back then if you had air, fuel, spark and compression, you were good to go, if you didn’t you could fix it yourself, today you need an Associate’s Degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology, and that’s just to add to the windshield washer bottle.

Groveville United Methodist Church Deed

Groveville United Methodist Church Original Deed ~ 1836

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Groveville United Methodist Church Original Mortgage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I happen to be researching deeds of the Groveville United Methodist Church. Above is a portion of the Original Deed and the subsequent Mortgage 1836. This Deed and Mortgage are mostly hand wrote and quite difficult to read.

.

Due to the fact that the Stapler and the Paper Clip had not been invented yet the line at the top of each full page is the thread used to sew the pages together.

I guess its a land surveyor's term, but most of the measures are in "Chains and Links", for example something may be 10 chains and 4 links from the neighboring property. 1 Chain equals 66 feet and one link 7.92 inches usually rounded to 8 inches. Then for all I know these terms may still be used today.

The amazing thought is that when this paper work were completed things we have every day were not invented yet; Gasoline Engine, Dynamite, Barbed Wire, Chewing Gum, Safety Razor, Anesthesia, Steel Plow, Telegraph, or Sliced Bread.

Not only the Scanner this was scanned on or the Personal Computer used, not invented yet, the Grandparents of the inventors were not born at this time.

I look at this and think how many people looked and handled it long before me and thought the same things I did and handled this as carefully as I did.

My Favorite Vacation Spot - Cherrystone Campground

Cherrystone Campground, Cheriton, Virginia

This is looking west, in the foreground is one of the ponds in the campground, there is a small strip of land, about 40 feet wide, where the tree is located and beyond is the Chesapeake Bay. Every sunset is spectacular. I have taken so many photos of this sight, I have finally stopped taking them. I have them with disposable cameras, 35mm, cameras, different lenses, and digital cameras, they are all so nice. This is the the one that is my desk top on both of my computers, just a reminder of my next vacation there.

Groveville Newspaer Articles - 1800's

These articles came to me from Cheryl, the Florida Branch of the Research Department, thanks Cheryl.

This article appeared in "The Trenton Federalist", April 26, 1823

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This News article appeared in the newspaper "The Trenton True American" August 31, 1826. It was picked up and reprinted in "The Pittsfield Sun", Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This article appeared it the paper " The Trenton Federalist" April 26, 1823

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Groveville Fire Co. Officers ~ 1950's

Left to right Standing; Clarence Plummer, Nimrod Dwier, Vince Symczyk, Joe DeMent, Ed Mushinski, Don Snyder, William Rousseau.

Left to right seated; Albert Simpson, Charles Thompson, Howard Jones.

I don’t know the date of this photo, but I will bet it was taken on a Thursday night. Groveville Fire Company Meetings were always held on a Thursday night at 8:00 PM and judging by the clock it’s just past eight now and I can just hear someone like Jo-Jo DeMent saying, “Okay let’s take this picture so we can get this meeting started”

A little piece of history, the calendar on the wall is from the Yardville National Bank another local institution, now gone. When this photo was taken the Yardville Bank was just one location, five points in Yardville, then they grew to be a large, multi branch bank and now they are gone, progress they say.

Groveville School, So. Main Street Gang ~ 1951

Tom Dwier Gave me this photo today, I am not sure of the date of this picture, but you can bet as soon as Claire sees it she will Email me and give the whole deal on this and I can update it. See I told you she would know, this was taken Tuesday, September 4, 1951, her first day of Kindergarten (Reception Grade).

.

This is left to right, Claire Dwier Zarr, Tom Dwier, Peter Mickshultz, and Tommy Snyder. The shoes are clean, the pants are clean with a crease, the shirts are clean, the hair is cut and combed and no one forgot their lunch, Must be the first day of school.

"Groveville's" Mechanic

Jimmy Gould with Race Car Driver Wally Campbell

During my "Growing Up" time in Groveville, I don't know anyone that owned a car that didn't take it to Jimmy Gould, for repairs. I remember my dad saying "well I have to take the car to Jimmy's," that was magic to my ears. To go to his garage was an experience as a kid. I could not believe the car parts, buckets of nuts and bolts and clips. There would always be a rag spread out on the work bench (where there was room) with a carburetor apart in a million different pieces, as a kid I was amazed that it would ever go back together and be a carburetor again. There were Chilton repair manuals dating back to the beginning of the Chilton Manual, pages with greasy fingerprints and marked pages.

.

On the wall was a nail and on it were receipts from places like Andy's Auto Parts, Economy Auto parts, and Gould's auto parts (no relation, I think). There would be an open bucket of Kerosene in the corner, used for cleaning parts, who thought that would be dangerous. I could not believe that Jimmy could find anything in there, but he could " I have one of those" and pick it out.

.

Jimmy always had a smile, a joke or a funny story, I think my dad like going there as much as I did. Another thing about going to Jimmy's garage as a kid, there was always that calendar the oil company or the auto parts supplier gave him, you know the one, the one with the "Girl" on it, fully clothed, maybe in a bathing suit, but as a kid in the 1950's that calendar was "it". As a kid there with your dad you could only "peek", it was not till later when you took your own car to Jimmy that you could "stare".

.

One thing about getting your car repaired at Jimmy's, it came with an unwritten warranty, if it wasn't right he always had the time to "Take a Look".

.

Jimmy had a great love for Ford cars, he would work on a Chevy, but I think he charged extra, I don't know what he did for the years dad had a Hudson. I have to mention that there were a lot of times Jimmy didn't charge, he'd fix something and then say "let me know how it works out" or something along those lines.

.

Sometimes, as a teen with a car, you would just stop in to say "Hi" and Jimmy would ask you to run and pick up a part for him, how could you say "No", after he just fixed your car last week and didn't charge you, it all worked out in the end, that's the way it should be.

.

Jimmy was an avid race fan, Stock Car or Indy Cars, it didn't matter. Jimmy knew all the drivers, some personally. For years Jimmy could be seen running the "Score Board" at the Trenton Speedway, it was not the push of a button back then, as the places changed you actually had to remove the number sign and place it in the new slot.

.

Jimmy would start packing his Ford in the beginning of May for his trip to Indianapolis for the "Indy 500", not packing clothes, but car parts and tools. Jimmy would take an extra starter, carburetor, water pump, distributor, generator, fan belt and spark plugs and the tools needed to replace them, that always amazed me. Yes, he took a tire repair kit. I guess you could say he was always ready for a "Pit Stop".

.

Charlie tells the story that he gave Jimmy the nickname "Greasy Graham", which fit him well and he loved the nickname. It comes from a guy that used to run a milk route in a model "T", in Groveville, years ago named "Greasy Graham". At one time the radiator leaked real bad & he had Jimmie break up a horse turd & put it into the radiator to stop the leak !! I guess it worked.

.

After Jimmy retired, I guess he retired, it was hard to tell, he could be found just hanging around Groveville with his friend and long time Groveville resident Al Wright, who was a retired mechanic for the Trenton Transit Company. Al was another person that always had a smile and a funny story.

.

Wally Campbell, the driver pictured with Jimmy, was killed in a sprint car practice accident in Salem, Indiana. He was one day past his 28th birthday, July 17, 1954. Amazing this photo and some of this posting was picked up and used, with my permission, in the Wally Campbell Website, that is so interesting. http://www.wallycampbell.com/1947-2a.html

.

Jimmy was also a member of the Groveville Fire Company, he fit right in with all the other great story tellers of the fire company.

.

Jimmy's father, Caldwel "Cal" Gould lived on Allen Street and as a member he is pictured in some of the photo's of the beginning of the Groveville Fire Company.

.

His son, Jimmy, has carried on his father's love of cars.

Sunday School Jublee ~ 1875

This article appeared in the Daily State Gazette, August 9, 1875. There is also a good possibility that the tickets I previously posted could have been for community events like this.

Don't forget to "click" on this article, to enlarge it. Its the only way you'll way you will be able to see it to read, just a reminder.

Yardville Aerial View - Circa 1959

Then ~ 1959

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now ~ 2008

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This photo, I believe, was taken around 1959. The two highways that split the photo are Rt. 130 and Route 156. Before the construction of Rt. 130, Route 156 was the main highway through the area and was then Route 25, originally Route 25 was known as The Bordentown – South Amboy Turnpike.

To the right or the highway you can see Doctors Creek, the Mill Pond Dam, and the foot print of the Mill Pond, its hard to believe the pond was that big, it extended all the way to Springdale Park, now the CYO Camp across from Yardville School, I am sorry I missed it, the dam broke about the year I was born.

To the right of Doctor’s Creek You will see a nicely mowed area. This entire area was the Crosswicks Sand and Gravel Company owned by Mr. George Mozer. There they open mined the sand, washed and sorted it into grades of sand and Pea Gravel. The buildings and equipment in the lower corner were used to wash and sort the material.

The mowed area had been depleted of sand and was graded smooth and grass planted. You will notice a small rectangular pond. This was unique; the pond was dug and lined with pea gravel. At the wide square end there was a block wall with an over flow, this ran into a pipe that allowed the excess water to run to the creek. The pond was not filtered, but spring fed and constantly overflowing, the water was always crystal clear. If your were a friend of George Mozer’s son Dan you could swim at the pool almost any time, just like anyone with a pool, Dan had a lot of friends.

When all of the material being mined was depleted, Mr. Mozer graded the entire area smooth. At some time the pool was completed into a finished pool. The area was leased to a family that converted the area in to the Groveville Swim Club, Later known as the Sun and Fun Club; the area had picnic tables, grills, fireplaces, and pavilions. There were also baseball fields and was used for family, company, church and other groups as a picnic area. Families could also buy individual memberships.

This entire area is now Eagle Rock Apartments, originally Sherwood II Apartments. They built the apartments around the pool and maintained it for many years, the pool has since been removed and the pool locker room converted to their laundry room. The home in the lower right is the house that today sits above Church Street between Zachary Lane and the Groveville School, at the time of this photo it was occupied by the Colgan family.

The large structure in the lower left of the photon near Route 130 is the Carriage House of the VanKannel Estate. Just to the right there is a stand of dark pine trees and a clearing, this was the location of the main house of the estate.

The large barren area in the center left is the Yardville Concrete Company, also owned by George Mozer. This is now know as Yardville Supply, and where the barren area meets Church Street is where Yardville Supply’s Ace Hardware is now.

In the large triangle shaped wooded area in the upper left you can see a factory; this was the Chandler-Palruba Company, this company made Oil Cloth Floor Covering, The factory was torn down years ago and the houses have since been removed and this entire triangular area is now home to the Yardville Acme Market, Roma Bank and an office building.

.

In some ways the area has changed a lot and it some ways its the same, its called progress, I guess.

Great Photos of my Era

These photos were sent to me by Charlie and Marlene Donnell, Charlie grew up in Groveville and still has family here, Marlene grew up in the Whitehorse area. They now live on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I have been to the town they live in several times, it is very small and quaint, reminds me of Groveville, only smaller.

This is a photo of Charlie Donnell and Barry Wright, with Charlie's dog "Blackie". The snow man is unnamed. The house in the background is Charlie's, on Church Street, next to the Cemetery entrance.



This photo is Jack "Jake" Sellers. The Sellers family lived on Church Street, directly across from the church. The car is a "34" Ford, it had a bored 1950 Oldsmobile engine. If my memory is correct it was bright "Yellow". This photo was taken at Hatfield Speedway, by Charlie about 1958

One of my favorite pastimes was walking to his garage and watching him work on it. Jack would work on it all week and tow it to the "Drags" on the weekend. I remember the big place to go was Hatfield Speedway, in Pennsylvania. The track is now gone and is a housing development.

Some of Jack's trophies are displayed on the hood.

Yup, that's me, Gary Lippincott. The picture was taken in the left field corner of the baseball field behind the old firehouse. The house in the background is either Beideman's or Tilton's on Church Street, across from the old Post Office.


This is Charlie Donnell and Tom Snyder and Tom's dog, Snowball. The car is Charlie"s 36 Dodge Coupe. Charlie tells me that this was due to get a late 1950's Oldsmobile engine, guaranteed to beat everything. Due to other commitments, Charlie traded his Dodge to Dick Huff from Crosswicks for a shotgun, now he wishes he had both, the car and the shotgun.

The garage is located across from the mill, part of the property now owed by Jean Mushinski. It seemed like somebody in Groveville was always working on a car. Charlies garage was a good place to hang out, but it had it's drawbacks, as soon as you walked in he usually handed you a piece of Wet Sandpaper and a coffee can of water and had you sand somewhere on his car, that had to be the smoothest 36 Dodge coupe in the world, I am surprised it held paint.

This is Charlie doing what he did a lot, working building that car, looks like he had a long way to go at this point.

This is Tom Snyder and Marlene Goldenbaum, now Marlene Donnell, Tom's dog "Snowball" and that smooooth, well sanded car in the background.

Shipping From Groveville

April 18, 1824, The Trenton Federalist Newspaper

This ad was sent to me along with other news clippings by Cheryl who does Genealogy research in Florida. During her searches she has come across several Groveville News articles, which she has been so kind to forward to me.

Season Ticket and Church Sociable

No one seems to know the origin or the event that these tickets would grant you admission to or exactly where the events were held. The only meeting hall in Groveville at this time was meeting hall at the intersection of Main Street and Allen Street across from the mill. This building has been torn down, but was located between the Mushinski home and the former Company Store, now apartments.

No matter what the even it's hard to beat the price, especially a "Season Ticket" for anything for twenty five cents. Then again this was big money in the late 1800's

Yardville Train Station

I don’t have an exact date on this photo, but judging by the cars I would guess the late 1950’s.

This photo was taken as if standing at Broad Street and the Railroad Crossing in Yardville, looking south.

The Small white building in the lower right is now the Pizza Kitchen, at the time it was the office for Totten Feed and Hay. Later it was D’Amico’s Camera Store.

The building next to it is now vacant, but at the time was C.K. Blauth Lumber and Hardware. I am surprised that my father’s car is not parked in front, as a kid I spent a lot of time there with him buying lumber for home projects. The long building with the white roof, in the top of the picture and the black building behind the coal yard, was the lumber yard for C.K. Blauth. I remember you would buy your lumber at the store, and then drive to the yard with two copies of the receipt, one for you and one for Frank. Frank was the guy that ran the yard and cut your lumber. He was a tall thin guy always wore a hat, with a carpenter’s pencil sticking out from under the hat. I remember it like it was yesterday, not fifty years ago.

There were at one time two freight stations, as shown in this photo; one was also a passenger station, at one time. When the passenger station was active, and according to a Yardville map I have dated 1876 there was a Hotel owned by W. King, where the C.K. Blauth Lumber store is located in this photo.

As you can see there are two sets of Coal Elevators, the first set were owned by Martin Brothers, the grade of Anthracite coal is marked on the Elevators, they are Pea, Stove, and Chestnut. The second set of elevators, with the large sign “Coal”, is owned by T.B. Anderson Coal Company, we got ours from T.B. Anderson. When you were a kid, especially a boy, coal delivery day was a big event; after all it involved a dump truck and noise.

Miss Florence Longstreet

Just a little note to tell everyone that Miss Florence Longstreet, everyone's Kindergarten (Reception Grade) and First Grade teacher at Groveville Elementary School, has just turned One Hundred Years old. Miss Longstreet taught several generations at Groveville. Shirley Wright DiGenova called to pass this on to me.

.

Miss Longstreet has been very active and a member of St. Mark Methodist Church, on Paxson Ave. Her health has been failing lately and was being cared for by her younger sister, Dorothy Scarborough, until her younger sister needed to be placed in an assisted living facility in Florence, NJ.
.
Now Miss Longstreet is being cared for at Mercerville Care Center. If you could find the time to send her a Birthday Card or a Get Well card it would be nice. She helped make us what we are today.

MISS FLORENCE LONGSTREET
MERCERVILLE CARE CENTER
2240 WHITEHORSE-MERCERVILLE ROAD
MERCERVILLE, NJ 08619

Groveville Methodist Church Bible School - 1960

I know most of these people, but can't put a name with the photo, so feel free to email me with thier names. Thanks to Cheryl (Bialota) Natriello, who sent me this picture and some of the names, Groveville resident, now living in Florida. Thanks to Cheryl, Claire Dwier, and Linda LeJambre for filling all the names.

.

Bible School teachers are Doris Atkins and Josephine "Sis" Rousseau.

.

Standing left side is Ed Shelton, Unknown, Tom Weiss, Charles "Chuck" Fisher, Unknown, Unknown, John Spisak (in front of Doris Atkins) Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Cheryl Bialota, Paul Simpson.

.

Seated on the left is Russel Mifflin, Bill Rochford, Gayle ?, Timmy Warren, Peggy Applegate, Arlene Hart, Jack McMahon, Janet Carl, ? Clark, Beverly Bystrychi, Linda LeJambre, Judy Maddox, Unknown, Norma Olszak, and Charles Thompson.

Groveville School to Firehouse

This is the Groveville School, on Main Street. This photo was taken around the turn of the century, 1900, maybe earlier. I can't believe how many children are in this photo; this is when Groveville only had three streets, Church, Main and Allen. Remember this is also when the mill was in full production.

This is the men of the Groveville Fire Company, standing with their hand-drawn pumper, in front of the new fire house. This is just after the old school was converted to the firehouse.

Firemen, left to right, Albert Simpson, William J. Henry, Joe Rollings, Samuel Pancoast, George Rollings, Fredrick Becker, Jack Johnson, Morris Doughty(rear), Lou Cook, Bud Doughty, Unknown, Walter Dwier, Charles Fisher, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown. The children on the right are unknown also.

Several of these men are my relatives, Joe Rollings is my uncle, George Rollings is my Great-Grandfather, Jack Johnson is my Grandfather, Morris and Bud Doughty are cousins. Several of these men still have family in Groveville.
.
Other members of the Groveville Fire Company at its organization were; William J. McElmoyl, W.S. Trickett, Christian Berkyheiser, Robert Rogers, Frank Whitman, Isaac Bowers, Winfield Vogts, George I. Borden. These men are most likely the "unknowns" of the above photo, but I can't tie the name to their photo, suggestions appreciated.

This is a photo of the old Groveville School on Main Street. The school was located where the old fire house is now, 200 Main Street, Groveville. The building was approximately where the center of the dinning hall, of the existing building is now.

When the new school was built on Church Street and the new Groveville Fire Company was created this became the home of the fire company.

Some changes were needed when the building was converted. The small front entry door was moved to the right, the front windows were eliminated and a large “Barn Like” door was added to allow access for the fire equipment. The floor was reinforced, the interior center stairway was removed and an outside stairway and second floor outside door was added, this to make room for the equipment.

One favorite story about the conversion is that when the building was a school there was an upright piano in the second floor classroom. After the conversion to the firehouse the piano was still there, but the interior stairway had been removed and there was now no way to get the old piano safely out of the building. When it was determined that the fire company no longer needed the piano, I am sure after several lengthily meetings on the subject and the fact that firemen have very few “Sing-a-longs”. The piano was removed in a very unusual and unceremonious way. The top rail of the outside stairway was removed; they got a running start and pushed the piano out the second floor door and off the landing. It was said that when the piano hit the ground it played one very loud and unusual note that sounded for two days. I am sure that this was an exaggeration, but then we all know how “Firehouse Stories” go.

Another story is how the fire company raised money, they held “Bingo”, not unusual, but they did not have a lot of room in the old firehouse and there was a large stand of old trees that lined the drive from Main Street to the firehouse. During the summer they would string lights from tree to tree, set up tables under the trees and there they held their Bingo, outside. Sounds like a nice community gathering.

The sad part is there are people in this photo that I can not identify. I took this photo to all of the “Old Timers” of the fire company, older people in church, and the only thing I found is that I am now one of them. All of the people I used to turn to for answers to questions like this are gone.

There was a time I sat in the meeting room at the firehouse and looked around the room, a young kid of eighteen, at all the older men of Groveville that I admired and looked up to and could not believe I was now one of them. My father had recently passed away and these were the men that would teach me and shape me, in place of my father and I could not ask for a better group, and in a blink of an eye they were gone and I looked around and found that I was now the oldest active member of the fire company.

Being a volunteer in your own community, the people you help are mostly family and friends.

Being a volunteer in your own community you will find lasting friendships and will laugh more than you have ever laughed before.

Being a volunteer in your own community you will work harder, for no reward, side by side with people that care about their community.

Being a volunteer in your own community is a family endeavour, if the alarm should sound in the evening, it’s your wife or mother that keeps dinner warm till you get home. If it sounds at night, it’s your wife or mother that runs ahead, as you put on your pants, and opens the door and turns on the porch light.

Being a volunteer in your own small community you will find a ladies auxiliary that will be there to support you with hot soup and coffee, sandwiches and iced tea, no matter what time of day or night it is.

Being a volunteer in your own community you will stand side by side with grown men and cry when you do all you can and it’s not enough, to save a home, a life, or a child.

When I look at this picture I thank these men for starting something and working hard and sacrificing, that everyone in Groveville can be proud of our Groveville Fire Company, even through its years of change.

Groveville Fire Company Mascot ~ 1941

On Decoration Day (Memorial Day) 1941, C. Ray Bell

marched in the parade as the Mascot of the

Groveville Volunteer Fire Company.

A Letter Full of Memories

This is an excerpt of a letter I received from Jill Jones Meyers. Jill and her parents and family are long time Groveville residents, associated with Anchor Thread, members of Groveville Methodist Church, Members of The Groveville Volunteer Fire Company. Jill's uncle, married my aunt, I swear everyone in Groveville is connected in some way, but that's another story.

This letter brought back a lot of memories. One was the Groveville School fundraiser's, the one I remember the most was selling Old Monmouth Peanut Brittle, still made in Freehold, NJ today. The other is Prior's Donuts, at Liberty and South Clinton, Avenues. I remember going there with my Dad, seeing the donuts riding on their little elevators and conveyor belts, and getting sprinkled with powdered sugar. There has never been a donut that good.

I would like to have a nickel for every time I have related the story of the movie stars pictures on the inside of Dixie Cup lids, to my daughter, Kati, she says "Not again, Dad".

When she mentioned the "Halloween Masks" I could almost smell what it was like to wear one, not a bad smell, but a "Memory Smell", Like coming home from school and your Mom cooking your favorite food, you smell that food today and it takes you right back to Mom's kitchen and her home cooking.

It's great to get letters like this, as much research as I do, letters like this make me just smile and say "O yea, I remember that".

Jill's full letter can be read in "My Guest Book"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jill writes;

Mom would send me to Hepburn's store with a bowl and a piece of waxed paper and Harley would put scoops of ice cream in the bowl, cover it with the waxed paper, and send me running home before it melted.

.

I also remember that they would put up a line in the store and hang all the Halloween masks out for us to choose one. I think they were 15 cents. They were made of some type of stiffened muslin and by the end of an evening of trick or treating the color would come off all around your mouth.

.

Another treat from the store were the ice cream Dixie cups (chocolate and vanilla) that had pictures of movie stars on the inside of the lid.

.

A couple of things I remember about Groveville School concern fundraising! I remember selling seeds and also taking orders for Prior's donuts and delivering them door to door. Three flavors.....glazed, cream filled and jelly.

.

Another memory is of the "hot lunch" our Mothers would get together and cook for us. They were 25 cents and were served downstairs in the lunch room (turn right at the coal bin!). It wasn't every week. More like once a month.

.

Speaking of the coal bin, do you remember how they spread the cinders on the playground and how they always ended up embedded in your knees? Remember sliding down the slide on a piece of waxed paper so you would go faster?

.

I was a summer playground supervisor (my first job!) one year and we would take the kids to Woodlawn Pool sometimes. You could always smell the chlorine a block away!

A Christmas Tradition

Santa Clause arriving in Groveville, on our 1941 Ward LaFrance, in the 1940's, must have been a icy night, with those Snow Chains on the truck

Santa Clause arriving in Groveville, December, 2007

Almost every volunteer fire company in the area has this tradition and they all do it on their own schedule.

Groveville Fire Company has been doing this as long as anyone can remember. The oldest picture here goes back to Santa on our 1941 Ward LaFrance, so we know it goes back at least that far. I was the Santa on the truck that went through Groveville for over ten years and loved every minute of it.

Our Santa schedule was the same as far back as I can remember. About three months before Christmas the Christmas Committee would have their meeting. Usually the committee consisted of the same members as the year before, with the addition of maybe one new member. On the agenda was deciding how many children we would be planning for, each year we seemed to plan for more children. I believe the highest number, I remember, was us planning for five hundred children.

Next we would see if we have candy boxes and stockings left over from last year. We always bought these in lots of one thousand, so this year we were prepared to the next year and we got a better price that way. Then someone would be appointed to go to Levin Candy on South Clinton Avenue and order the candy boxes, the stockings and enough hard candy to fill five hundred boxes and five hundred Candy Canes.

A committee member would contact the costume store and reserve three Santa Costumes, later we bought our own and then someone would have too make sure they were cleaned and ready for the big night.

Another person’s job was to go to Lou’s Home Movies on Chambers Street and reserve one hour of 16mm cartoon films and make sure we had a spare bulb for the projector.

In the beginning of December someone would go to Blue Eagle Fruit and Produce on South Broad Street and order five hundred apples and oranges. They would take a stocking with them to make sure they got the grade of fruit that would fit the stocking, one year we bought fruit too big and almost caused a catastrophe.

.

One year a member said that he could save us money on the fruit, he had a better deal somewhere else. When we opened the boxes we found that somewhere along the line the fruit had gotten frozen, it was like filling the stockings with "prunes". Thank goodness the owner of Blue Eagle, Gerry Munson, was a friend and long time Groveville resident and saved us at the last minute.

All of the ordered items would be picked up and at the firehouse about a week before Christmas.

The Sunday afternoon before Christmas we would gather at the fire house and get the stockings ready. We would put tables in a row to form a production line. Candy boxes would be filled the same way every year. The boxes had to be folded and put together, and then each would get filled with eight ounces of hard candy, each filled with an eight ounce beer glass filled with candy.

Then the stockings would be filled, the apple had to go in first, because they would fit in the toe, if you put the candy box in first you would run out of room in the stocking. Next you put in the orange, followed by the candy box, and then the candy cane and was slid in. Sometimes a coloring book or fire safety book was added. There are a lot of rules for stocking filling, all tried and true.

.

Most of the work was done by the men, but it was all accomplished with a lot of help and support of a very active Ladies Auxiliary.

On Christmas Eve, we would gather at the firehouse by 4:30 PM, most of us came right from work, without stopping home.

The wooden chimney seats, painted like brick, had to be fastened to the trucks, the Santa’s had to get ready. We had two Santa’s on two trucks, one was designated as the “In Town Route” and the other was the “Country Route”.

The “Country Route” would load up a Karch’s Esso Station on Route130 (now Mule’ Auto Body) and later at the Yardville First Aid on Route 156. They would cover the streets behind Iccara’s Pizza, streets behind Yardville School, Papp Village, Yardville – Allentown Road, Crosswicks Road, and Crosswicks area. They would be done long after the other route.

The “In Town Route” started precisely at 5:30PM at Anchor Thread and proceeded up Main Street, bear right on Allen Street to the end, then back to Main to Broad Street. Then right on Broad Street, to Pettyridge Road, right on Pettyridge and complete all the streets in Groveville Gardens, exiting at Richbell Road and Main Streets, right on Main Street to Broad Street and left on Broad, bearing right on Pilgrim Way, back onto Broad and continuing to Route 156. We turned left on Route 156.

We then would stop at St. Elizabeth’s Home, for the longest time this was a home for Mentally Challenged Adults. We had a patient count from the Nun’s and we would bring enough Filled Stockings for each patient and Nun. Santa would get off the truck there and greet the patients and give them stockings, this was the most rewarding part of me being Santa that I could ever hope for, and this made it all worth it, even when it was cold, snowing, or raining.

Then we continued on to the Polish American Club, there we turned around and proceeded up Martins Lane. Then we returned to Route 156 to Church Street, right on Church Street, and through Eagle Rock or Sherwood II Apartments, (depending on your age). Continuing on Church Street to Main Street, right on Main Street to the fire house. There Santa would exit the truck behind the fire house.

The Children waiting for Santa at the fire house would have been treated to an hour of cartoons. The Santa on the truck would be cold, sometimes wet, snow covered, or just blown apart from his ride on the truck so the third Santa, warm and dry would appear for the children. He would have each child sit on his lap; listen to their Christmas Wishes, give them a filled stocking, and parents would take pictures.

The crew from the first truck would bring the truck back inside, remove the chimney, and return it to service. They would then load up the utility truck (9-3) with filled stockings and take them to some underprivileged family’s we knew of on the other side of Crosswicks, and families of children unable to get to the firehouse, whether due to illness or handicapped.

.

All of the left over stockings would be donated to needy families, Rudy Coderoni always knew of someone needy and would take the stockings to them.

By the time all of the trucks were back and had been returned to service, the fire house cleaned and straightened, most of us got to our homes about ten o’clock on Christmas Eve to start our families Christmas.

The time spent doing this was so rewarding that rarely did anyone complain. Today most Volunteer Fire Companies can’t accomplish this on Christmas Eve.

Groveville Fire Company, for example, does it on a Sunday afternoon and it takes all day.

Why, you ask, well with the growth and expansion of Groveville's district, the amount of streets that Santa must cover has almost doubled, the fire house is no longer in the middle of Groveville, most people used to walk to the firehouse, today they would have to load the family in the car to get there. If all the “Santa Aged” children in the fire district showed up for a stocking, I would bet it would be well over 1200, that’s a lot of filled stockings and I doubt that Santa would have time to hear all those wishes in one night, let alone wait while the parents took their pictures. The final and most important reason and the one that bothers me the most is that volunteerism is way down, its way down everywhere, just a sign of the times, and there is just not the manpower to accomplish this task today, shame ain’t it.

.

Just remember even in these times they still try to give the children something, even if its not what we remember.

At war during Christmas

God Bless Our Troops and those that give their time and their lives that we may celebrate Christmas at home as we like, in peace.

~~~~~~~~~~

My father joined the army and had been discharged and when WWII was declared and he was called back. During WWII he was stationed in England and Germany. He was in Germany and assigned to a communications section, it was Christmas time and he was helping his company’s mess section unpack rations for their Christmas dinner. As he was unpacking boxes he came across a pie filling and the box was labeled “Brick’s Mincemeat, Crosswicks, NJ”. He said “Here I am halfway around the world and away from my family and this box came from three miles from my home”. He said he was never that homesick. It’s amazing the things that are said that stick with you through the years, but I will never forget my father and this story.

Merry Christmas To Everyone

I want to wish everyone that enjoys my site and has sent me stories, memories, photos and yes, even those that have sent me corrections, a very Merry Christmas. I have enjoyed passing on all that I have learned so much.

Merry Christmas

Groveville PAL Basketball Team ~ 1949

This is the Groveville PAL Basketball Team, about 1949

Standing ~ Ray Bell, Gerry Munson, Ed Jones (Manager & Coach), John Buckley, Donald Richardson.

Kneeling ~Lee Jones, Denny Bloomer, Donald Mack

The Bridge at Anchor Thread

These are photos of the bridge at Anchor Thread, over the Crosswicks Creek. This is the Iron Bridge I remember growing up in Groveville. The old bridge had a Dedication Plate, stating its date of construction and the engineer and builder, I wish I had a picture of that or at least the information it offered.

.

This was a Truss Style Bridge, very popular in the late 1800's and early 1900’s.
.
There is a wide band of webbed steel that ran the entire span on each side about waist high, this was a guard to keep pedestrians from falling off the bridge. As kids we found that if four or five of us pulled on this with some type of rhythm the entire bridge would shake, that was big excitement in Groveville in the 1950's. It was also a great bridge for climbing, but not me.

This picture is the beginning of the end for this bridge, the picture of the bridge with the truck on it is the day they began to dismantle the old bridge. The next picture is the ribbon cutting ceremony, this was on the Burlington County side of the bridge an I believe these are Burlington County officials, as I don’t recognize any of them. This was in 1990

This photo below is the bridge today, not as much fun, you can't climb on it or shake it, and no I haven't tried either.

The Automobile in Hamilton

The first automobile appeared in Hamilton Township in 1899. On September 3, 1902, an ordinance was passed reducing the speed of automobiles from Twelve miles per hour to Eight miles per hour, with a fine from $15.00 to $20.00 for violation. Numerous complaints had been received that automobiles were speeding through the township at Ten miles per hour.

.

This little tid bit of information is from a booklet I have titled;

~

"Hamilton Township 1842 ~ 1942

100th Anniversary Observance Week, April 26 ~May 2, 1942"

Groveville School ~ 1943 ~ 1944

1St Row

Arthur Inman
C. Ray Bell
Miss Elias’s (Teacher) niece
Loraine Engle
Anne Schroder
Rose (Sis) Sellers
Dick Inman
Muriel Becker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2nd Row

Walt Grove
Gerry Munson
Janis Riggs
Joan Laven
Connie DeMent
Bobby Chamberlain

Groveville School ~ 1944~1945

Second & Third Grades

Top Row; Richard Inman ~ Arthur Inman ~C. Ray Bell ~ Pat Deviney ~ Loraine Engle

.
2nd Row; Mickey Wright ~ Joan Lavan ~ Sally Jones ~ Robert Chamberlain

.
Center; Miss Elias

.
3rd Row; Walter Grove ~ Anne Schroeder ~Margie Beuhler ~ Rose (Sis) Sellers

.
4th Row; Janice Riggs ~ Gerry Munson ~ Connie DeMent ~ George Pelke ~ Allen Taylor

Daryl, Tom, and Claire

Daryl, Tom, & Claire Dwier standing in front of their house at 205 Main Street, Groveville. In the background is Don & Clara Snyder's house. To the right is Jo Hepburn's Store. This picture was taken in 1950.

Groveville Fire Co. Officers ~ 1962

These are the Fire Officers of the Groveville Fire Company in 1962. Three things happened that year, I graduated high school, joined the fire company, and the fire company promoted me to S.O.T (Santa On the Truck). That position lasted more than 10 years. I did a good job at that Santa thing, never fell off once, more than I can say for some.

The Last TBM-3E Avenger Torpedo Bomber

This is a photo of the last TBM-3E Avenger Torpedo Bomber, produced anywhere rolling of the line at Eastern Aircraft, General Motors, Ewing, NJ.

The tie to Groveville is long time Groveville resident, Groveville Fireman, Hamilton Township Committeeman, Hamilton Township Mayor, and friend Ray Dwier standing in the center, with coat open. On Ray's right, leaning away from Ray, is Groveville resident, Bob Smith, of Main Street. Kneeling, center, in front of Ray is long time friend of Ray’s and Yardville resident, Ralph Beck.

Below is a little history of this aircraft and the plant from research done on this interesting time in our local history.

The TBM-3E illustrates the massive military manufacturing effort that New Jersey made during World War II. The Avenger built at General Motors' Eastern Aircraft Trenton-Ternstedt plant. Formerly used to manufacture and assemble General Motor's automobiles, the plant was converted in 1942 to assemble TBM Avengers and built them from 1942 until the end of hostilities in 1945. In recognition of its great effort to produce war materials, the Trenton-Ternstedt plant was awarded the "E for Excellence Award" for superior war production on January 2, 1945.

The Avenger participated in every major air-sea battle of World War II between June 1942 and August 1945, and played a significant role in search-and-destroy missions hunting German submarines, proving its worth in both night and daytime assignments.

The most famous American to fly an Avenger was George H.W. Bush, later 41st President of the United States, who joined the Navy in 1942 and became the youngest naval aviator ever, at the age of 20, in June 1943.

"Big White Stone"

Most people have seen this large white stone in front of the Groveville Methodist Church, inscribed with M.E. Church, but were unaware as to what its purpose was. The inscription is for Methodist Episcopal Church, this was the former name of most Methodist Churches; now known as The United Methodist Church.

This large white stone has been there, unmoved, for over one hundred years. Before Church Street was lowered and widened to improve the grade of Church Street this stone was at the level of the street.

This stone is known as a Carriage Stepping Stone. People arriving at church by carriage would stop at this stone and it would give them a safe and sturdy place to dismount their carriage or horse. Most carriage steps attached to the carriage are high off the ground to allow for ground clearance, but are inconvenient for those dressed for church.

I learned this the same way I try to pass on little bits of knowledge on to my daughter Kati. One day as I was walking home from church with my father, Ken, he said to me, bet you don’t know what that is, of course I had no idea, and he explained it to me. Doing research and asking questions of others proved he was right, not that I doubted him.

It’s amazing the things we pass every day and take them for granted, to most it’s just a “Big White Stone” that has been there forever and hopefully always will be.

To me as a kid it was a place to sit and eat your penny candy on your way home from Jo Hepburn’s store, cause if you took that candy all the way home your Mom would not let you eat it all.

Old Yardville School Today

This is the old Yardville School as it looks today. It is now four apartments.

Yardville School ~ 1937

This is the eighth grade at the old Yardville School, 1936~1937. For those that do not know the location of the school, it was on Route 25, now Route 156, between Yardville - Groveville Road (Church Street) and the Yardville - Crosswicks Road (Broad Street). It's across the road from the old Saint Elisabeth's Home and is now apartments.

.

This was most likely one of the last classes in the old school, as the new Yardville School opened in 1939.

First Hamilton Township Fire District

March 10, 1879, the first Hamilton Township Fire District was created at Crosswicks. Crosswicks is still Hamilton Township Fire District #1

.

The following has nothing to do with Groveville, but Crosswicks is our close neighbor. I knew most of this before, but I am sure many did not know this and will find this interesting.

.

From the history of The Crosswicks Fire Company;

.

The people of Crosswicks met at the home of Joshua English on January 5th, 1822, to form a fire company and purchase a fire engine. Committees were appointed to collect money, purchase an engine and draw up a Constitution. Robert Vanderbeek was named Chairman and Nathan Satterwaite, as secretary. At a meeting January 26th, 1822, it was reported that subscriptions totalling one hundred-eleven dollars ($111.00) had been obtained and Crosswicks Fire Co. had purchased the ancient hand-drawn, hand-pumper from a pump concern in Seneca Falls, New York. The cost of the engine was one hundred dollars ($100.00)

.

Of more use than historic value in those days and in as good condition today as if ever was, it turned out to be equipment dated 1744. first used by the Union Fire Co. No. 1, of Philadelphia, organized in 1736, formed through the efforts of Benjamin Franklin. Several of the original buckets, made of leather and inscribed "Union Fire Co. No. 1, Phila. 1744, are part of the equipment Crosswicks folk have been taught to appreciate, even thought the purchase may have been part of an old time trade-in. It was the only fire protection the area had for a hundred years.

.

The old apparatus is still in the possession of the company and is in good working order today.

Groveville Fire Co. ~ 1947 Ward LaFrance

This is a photo of Groveville Fire Company’s 1947 Ward LaFrance as it appeared in the December 2007 edition of 1st Responder Newspaper.

.

This photo is from a parade in 1950, I don’t recognize the men in this photo or the location of the parade, but if I had to guess I would say it’s a parade in Trenton or maybe the convention in Atlantic City and its Don Snyder, driving and Roy (Smut) Champion on the back. I do have some 1950 convention photos, this may help put a date and place on both.

This photo does not show it, but Groveville Fire Company equipment was painted Gray. As I understand it this color was adopted as the official color during the war when “Blackouts” were common. The Gray was a non reflective color; even the chrome was painted gray during the war.

This was not just any gray, this was a blend and tint of gray that was developed for Groveville Fire Company and the exact color was known as “Groveville Gray”. Hamilton and Enterprise Fire Company’s had gray equipment, but each had its own unique tint of gray.

If you want to buy a brand new 1947 Ward LaFrance here is an advertisement I have, in my collection, (I call it a collection, at home it’s referred to as “Gary’s Junk”) that appeared in Fire Engineering Magazine in 1947.

Groveville Kindergarten ~ 1958

As the photo says, this is the Groveville School Kindergarten class of 1958. As always, Miss Longstreet is the kindergarten teacher.

By looking at this picture, all I can says is “Groveville sure has some good looking children” and you can tell they are from Groveville, they are all smiling. I know all of these people, but can only name a little more than half.

As you can tell by the cute little girl in the center with the blue jumper that skinned knee, it tells you we liked to play hard too, maybe a game of Tag or running for home during Hide & Seek. Maybe her big brother pushed her, I doubt it. Hey, I know her, I knew that smile was familiar, but then in Groveville we never forget each other.

Some of the people in this photo are not with us any more and that’s sad, because they left us too soon and they are missed.

Most of these people have left Groveville, but some still come back when necessary, a funeral, a wedding, or Memorial Day Parade. Just the other week I was at a gathering of people, not Groveville people either, and I overheard someone being asked where they were from, their response was “I have lived in Virginia for forty two years, but I am really from Groveville”. Kind of makes you smile to hear that.

Just a Thought

I thought I should post this photo before it to turns out to be a piece of history. After this weeks election I am sure this sign will be coming down, my questions is will it be replaced or will there be two pieces of sign post material just sticking out of the ground on Church Street, by the school and Main Street, by the park.

I don’t mean to editorialize, but then this is my site. Mayor Gilmore did a lot for Groveville, maybe not him personally, but he was instrumental in getting the work accomplished and I appreciate it.

The concerned people of Groveville have for years questioned the dangerous conditions at the old Anchor Thread Company, but no one seemed to care or respond. It was in danger of collapsing onto Main Street. If there were a fire it would have been life threatening to the firefighters. The city water supply in the area is poor and drafting from the creek is difficult due to the lift from the creek.

Jean Mushinski made a call directly to the mayor, explained the conditions and he, personally, was out to look at in a day and we were on our way from a dilapidated, dangerous, eyesore, to a lovely park through grants and donations.

For quite some time we had a trash problem on Church Street. People coming into Groveville on Church Street felt that this was the place to dispose of bottles, cans and fast food packages, between the creek and the school. It was dark, high weeds and brush, and no houses. Different areas of government were contacted and we were always told it was not there problem, it was the property owners.

A call was place to Mayor Gilmore, the situation was explained, and it was soon after that the brush and trees were cut back, new period lighting was installed, with fresh hanging plants, azaleas were planted and this sign erected. Now the trash is not thrown there and what is can be seen and not hidden in the brush and is readily picked up by the township employee that comes to water the plantings

Mayor Gilmore found out that our WWII Memorial had been removed and not replaced. Last Memorial Day our pastor, Rev Lin Hofacker, was retiring. Mayor Gilmore came to Groveville Methodist Church that Sunday to wish her well in her retirement. He and I spoke about this earlier, but he proposed at Church that day, that he wanted to remove the hedge around our WWI monument, put in a planting garden and erect a new WWII monument on Church Street. I spoke to him lately and this is in the works after the winter weather breaks, I hope this still comes true.

My fear and I hope I am wrong, is that now Groveville will go back to being the forgotten end of the township that it was before. My seventh grade teacher, Miss Mae Davis said “Maybe you don’t like the person elected and maybe you did not vote for him, but the majority did elect him and it’s up to us all to support him” (and you all thought I didn’t learn anything in school).

I am sure Groveville will still get what it needs, we just might have to speak a little louder to get it.

Just a thought from Gary, for what its worth.

Obituary ~ First Chief of Groveville Volunteer Fire Company ~June 5, 1925

Maurice Doughty was the first chief of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company. He along with his brother, Bud Doughty, were two of the group of organizers of the fire company. Both were employed at the mill.

.

I did know that he was a cousin of mine, but during the research, speaking to Shirley Wright DeGenova, I found he was her uncle. One of the bearers, George B. Rollings was my Great Grandfather.

Main Street in Winter ~ 1945

This is a photo of Main Street, Groveville in winter, looking north from in front of the old firehouse at 200 Main Street.

The house on the left is Snyder’s, next is the store owned by Diamond’s, then Hepburn’s and know as “Jo’s Store” when I was growing up, for Josephine "Jo" Hepburn. The large white house on the corner was their house.

The general store is visible in the distance with the gas pump in the front.

The date this photo was printed is 1945, by the date stamped on the back by the developer.

Groveville Fire Company, December 21, 1967

This was the equipment we had in 1967 to keep Hamilton Township, District #9 safe.

.

First in line was 9-1, a 1957 Ward LaFrance, 750 GPM 3 Stage, High Pressure Pump, 500 gallon tank. Hose, 2 1/2 & 1 1/2, two top mounted high pressure booster reels.

.

Second in line is 9-2, a 1947 Ward LaFrance, 500 GPM Pump, 500 gallon tank. Hose, 2 1/2 & 1 1/2, one booster reel in the rear above the tail board. (I learned to drive & become a pump operator on this one).

.

Third in line is 9-3, a 1958 Ford Utility/Support vehicle. This carried a Portable Pump and Portable Generator, portable lights, and wire reels. Masks, MSA & Chemox (we've come a long way from them, amazin we are still alive), Indian Tanks (for brush fires), and extinguishers, brush brooms (for brush and grass fires), shovels, and salvage equipment.

.

This photo was taken on the Baseball Field behind the old fire house at 200 Main Street in Groveville

Local Groveville Boy is Hero

Groveville; July 13, 1923

Charles C. Borden, 13 years old, rescued Rose Leiderman, 13 years old, of New York City, from drowning in Mill Pond at Groveville. He is the son of Mrs. Susie Borden of 103 Mary St. Bordentown and is staying with his grandmother, Mrs. Susie Borden of Groveville.

Without any thought for his own safety, young Charles C. Borden jumped into the pond and pulled the young girl to safety. She was unable to swim.

Groveville School~Miss Longstreet's Class

Miss Longstreet was the Kindergarten (Reception Grade) and First Grade teacher at Groveville Elementary School for many years, she taught children of parents she had taught. This picture was obviously taken at Christmas. The children were learning to buy and sell items. They used play money, learned to make change and handle money. This photo was taken Dec. 1940- Back Row 1st Grade - Albert Grove, Shirley Wright DiGenova, Joan Weast ~ Front Row Kindergarten or Reception Grade- Ruth McEmoyl Knight, Skippy Shelton Goldy, Jackie Errickson Marchesi.

Groveville School ~ 1932

This is a class at Groveville School, in 1932. I do not know what grade this is or who any of the students are. I do know that in 1932 Groveville School went as high as Seventh Grade.

.
My mother tells me that from there she went to Klockner School for Eighth Grade and then on to Hamilton High. Mom graduated from high school in 1939.
.
The new Yardville School was not completed until 1939, this is why the trip to Klockner School.
.
When I look at this picture, I think about that fence, its the original and still there today. My father, Ken climbed that fence, I climbed that fence, my daughter, Kati climbed that fence. I doubt if my my mother, Dot, climbed that fence, I think she was more of the "Straight "A", school work doing group".

Groveville School Post Card

This is a Post Card of the brand new Groveville School, mailed October 28, 1908, Ninety nine years ago. The school was only six years old, at this time, built in 1902. The school when built had only two rooms. I believe I had heard the rear two rooms were added around 1916.

The message on the card is;

Yardville;

We are having a nice time, saw Maggie this afternoon, she is well. Tell Father & Mother to come out on Wednesday of next week.

Ida & Howard

The school has not changed much since 1916. When a new roof was applied the two finials on the peaks, as well as the finials on the belfry and the vent cupola were removed. Also removed was the corbel on the front peak in front of the belfry. The township has done a great job of maintaining the buildings historic integrity, while still making improvements, new heat, air-conditioning, energy efficient doors and windows, as well as replacing the original slate roof with a metal roof that resembles slate.

Everyone I ask about the history and their memories of the school asks me if I know what happened to the bell, I don’t. My mother remembers the bell and it being rung for school as well as others do also, but we don’t have an answer as to where it went. I had heard it was removed for maintenance and never returned. I started school there in 1949 and have lived across the street from the school all of my life and never remember the bell. Even if it never rang again it would be nice to have it back in the belfry.

An Elegant House on Church Street

This has to be one of the most elegant photos I have found. This wonderfully posed and composed photo is of a house on Church Street. This house is located next to the Groveville Methodist Church and Cemetery, across from the Church Parsonage.

.

I have been told this is the Borden Family in this photo.
.
To most Groveville people this will always be known as the home of Dot and Ed Jones, and their children, Lee, Tim, and Bonnie. I never remember the house with that fence in the front, but to me growing up this house was always a special house, I think it was that porch, a great porch for watching the Memorial Day Parade (Decoration Day then) or just sitting. I guess because the rest of us lived in houses connected to another house, this was a single family home.

Ed was one of the people that sparked my interest in Groveville History. He worked at the Mill and he gave me an old Post Card size photo of the mill, it might have been an old Post Card, and it showed the mill with the Mill Race in the front. It was then that I realized that the depression in the woods near the mill was the remnant of the Mill Race.

Ed Jones was one of the men in the Fire Company that I looked up to. When he and the other older men in the Fire Company would talk about Groveville Stories and History I would just sit there and listen, they were so interesting. I just wish these guys were here today to ask questions of or at least I should have written down some of what they said.

Dot Jones was my Sunday School Teacher, let me correct that, Dot Jones was everyone’s Sunday School Teacher.

"Just an old Ice Cream Dipper"

This may be just an old ice cream scoop, but it’s an old scoop from the company store of Morris and Company, Groveville, New Jersey. This is one of the scoops my great grandmother, Naomi Rollings, used when she operated the company store.

.

There were two, one has been lost. My mother tells me this was a three cent scoop; I guess this size scoop of ice cream would be $7.50 at Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream, today.

.

This dipper is about one hundred years old and in my kitchen drawer today, along with some modern stainless dippers of various sizes and still used today, carefully.

Epworth League Rally - 1914

This is a card commemorating the rally held at the Groveville Methodist Church in 1914. Below is a little history of the Epworth League.

A youth order of the Methodist Episcopal Church (Now the United Methodist Church) founded in 1889 in Cleveland, Ohio. Still active and on-line. For over half a century the Epworth League, the Methodist youth organization was especially strong. The group was authorized in 1890 by the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and local churches soon began organizing their youth in Epworth leagues. The purpose of the leagues was to develop young church members in their religious life and to provide training in churchmanship. It was parallel to the Sunday school and typically met on Sunday nights. The name Epworth came from the boyhood home in England of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement.

The Estate on Church Street

At one time there was a man that lived on Church Street named Theophilus van Kannel, of Dutch – American descent. He was born in Philadelphia in 1841. He built an estate on Church Street on a piece of land between the Crosswicks & Doctors Creek and bordered on one side by Church Street and the Bordentown-South Amboy Turnpike on the other. This piece of land was as high as the top of the hill on Church Street, but the creeks had carved it into a single high piece of land over looking the Mill pond, Saw Mill, and Grist mill.

This is the only remaining remnant of the Van Kannel, estate. If you notice the three recesses on this pillar, this pillar is at the end of the fence run, in fact this is opening in the fence to the well house. These three recesses are only on one side. These three recesses held three shaped wooden rails between two pillars. Pillars in the middle of a fence run had recesses on two opposing sides to create a fence. These pillars are approximately six feet high and eighteen inches square, with steel conduit sticking out of the top for the light.

There were two entrances from Church Street; the main entrance was across from the now Eagle Rock Apartments. This was a very steep upward drive, that curved to the right for about fifty feet, then curved upward to the left and straight to the estate, The entrance was marked with two concrete pillars as the one above with a light at the top of the pillar. The entire drive was lined with a concrete curb with a concrete pillar with a light every twenty feet or so, with a short rail support pillar between the lighted ones, on both sides of the drive.

The drive, at one time was paved with concrete and concrete rain gutters. As you neared the main house there was a small barn like building and a vegetable garden and small orchard. As you past the main house, which faced south, there was a circular drive with a large flower garden and the remains of a fountain or large concrete area in the center.

As you stand facing the house (North) to your left is the carriage house. The carriage house is almost as large as the main house. The carriage was like two separate buildings attached with a common second floor structure, which formed an open archway. One side of the first floor was a barn for stable horses and the other side was a large open barn for the storage of the carriages or cars. The archway was a covered outdoor area to prepare the carriages and hitch the horses. The second and third floors were the living quarters for the chauffeur and stable keeper and their families.

The most memorable was the clock tower above the Carriage house. The clock tower was the fourth story of the Carriage House on the top of a very high hill. This tower had a clock face on four sides and was visible from the Bordentown – South Amboy Turnpike and later Route 130.

The second entrance from Church Street is still visible and marked by the last remaining of the concrete pillars. This was about sixty feet long and ended at a small wooden building. This building housed a hand dug brick lined well and a pump. This well supplied all of the water to the main house and the carriage house. There was a tank in the clock tower below the clock mechani