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Transcript of MARCH 2015 BULLETIN
www.haddonfieldhistory.org
W alt Whitman's arrival in Camden, NJ in
1873, may have been "originally an
accident" in his words, but it was certainly a
happy one for those who cherish the great poet
and his unique imprint on local history. Traces
of his influence can be found in his carefully
preserved home on Mickle
Street, in the memorial he
helped design at his final
resting place in Harleigh
Cemetery, and in the tales of
his travels throughout the
area, including some
Haddonfield encounters.
The Historical Society of
Haddonfield is pleased to
welcome David Stedman to
share some of these stories
and to map the Poet's
progress when he presents
"Walt Whitman in Camden
County" at the Society's
annual Candlelight Dinner
on March 25.
Mr. Stedman has served as President of the Walt
Whitman Association and has previously led
tours of the Whitman House and Tomb. Trained
as a Philadelphia tour guide, he has explored Old
City, Valley Forge, the Powell House (built for
Charles Stedman) and other historic sites. He is
the Historian of the St. Andrew's Society of
Philadelphia and is on the local board of the
Presbyterian Historical Society, while also
serving as Secretary of the Abraham Lincoln
Foundation. He has presented talks on Whitman
throughout the area and across the state,
including to the Haddon Fortnightly and the
Haddonfield United Methodist Church.
After graduating cum laude from Dartmouth, Mr.
Stedman studied at the University of London,
traveled extensively through Africa and
elsewhere, and pursued a life
full of varied interests. He
served as a schoolteacher in
Camden for 32 years,
winning honors as the City
and County Teacher of the
Year. He currently serves as
President of the Clan
Campbell Society and has led
tours with the group in
Scotland. A Haddonfield
resident, he has devoted
much time to local
organizations such as the
First Presbyterian Church
and the Interfaith Caregivers.
In perhaps another happy
accident, he was confirmed in his interest in
Whitman by the poet's quote regarding an early
advocate, Edmund C. Stedman, of whom
Whitman stated, "that Stedman is a lovely
fellow." We're sure you'll find Haddonfield's Mr.
Stedman the same. And, just as Whitman said of
his accidental arrival, "but I shall never be
sorry.... It has brought me blessed returns," we
know you will not regret joining with your
Historical Society of Haddonfield friends, on
purpose, to share fellowship and to celebrate
Whitman's life.
Volume 59, No. 1
MARCH 2015
343 KINGS HIGHWAY EAST
HADDONFIELD, NJ 08033
856-429-7375
President’s Message 2
Library News 3
Collections Update 3
Moving Houses Around & About
4-5
Book Club News 7
Membership News 8
HMHS AP History
Students Update
9
Nominating
Committee Report
9
Our Big Fiber Event 10
News from our Neighbors
10
From the Museum Cellars
11
INSIDE:
Candlelight Dinner: March 25th
WALT WHITMAN IN CAMDEN COUNTY The Historical Society presents a poet’s life in Camden County featuring speaker David Stedman
The Bulletin
“Dedicated to the study and preservation of Haddonfield History”
Historical Society of Haddonfield
Upcoming
HSH Events
Annual HSH
Candlelight Dinner
March 25th Tavistock C.C. 6 pm Cocktails
Fiber Event
April 25
Greenfield Hall 10am—5 pm
General
Membership Meeting
May 27th
Greenfield Hall 7:30 pm
TBD
By David Stewart
E-mail: [email protected]
Page 2 Th e Bu l le t in
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
S easons change – thankfully – and spring,
we trust, is just around the corner. With
spring comes the election of new trustees at the
Historical Society of Haddonfield and sad
goodbyes to some of our loyal friends who are
leaving the area. Special thanks are due
to Pam Chase, Trustee and Education
Chair, who is relocating to warmer
climes and trustee Nan Mattis, our loyal
library volunteer and the go-to-person
for any occasion when extra hands were
needed. Nan, too is heading south and
we will miss them both. We also miss
Kim Custer, who resigned from the
Board, but thankfully not from her
active work with the HSH library, as she
shepherds a student driven biography of
Samuel Nicholson Rhoads, from study
of Rhoads’ own musings and notes from
manuscript to publication. Two of our
Trustees, Pat Peacock and Sue
Maslowski, are retiring from the Board
but not from HSH. We appreciate their
service and are so grateful they’re
remaining in the area! We thank Mike
McMullen, our past Treasurer, who has
done so much over many years to keep
HSH in the black; Mike and Dolores are
travelling between both coasts and we
wish them well. We are delighted that
Ellen Stone has agreed to step in as
Treasurer and that Marsha Marshall has
agreed to co-chair the Education Committee
with Jeff Boogaard. We know that our finances
and Haddonfield’s students are in good hands
with these successors. Finally a note of
appreciation to our Administrative Coordinator,
Nina Wallace, who along with her husband Dan
Gutman, is also moving. Nina delighted us with
her beautiful Bulletin designs and email blasts
and kept us all on schedule and HSH running
smoothly. We will miss her, but we are so
grateful that Sarah Tambussi has stepped in to
fill that role. Sarah and Nina together ensured
a seamless transition and we look forward to
having Sarah continue to keep us on track with
our ever increasing projects and events.
We had planned to celebrate President’s Day at
Greenfield Hall with a discussion of Doris
Kearns Goodwin’s book on Theodore Roosevelt
and William Taft, The Bully Pulpit, with the
added highlight of perusing presidential
political memorabilia from a private collection.
Mother Nature had other plans, however, with
the grueling winter storms that are leaving all of
us reluctant to exit our homes. So please mark
your calendar for the postponed meeting on
March 15 and read portions of the book – we
talk of the power of the media today but it was
no less significant in those days of muckraking
journalism.
On March 25 at the Candlelight Dinner at
Tavistock we look forward to welcoming our
new Trustees. We also look forward to HSH
member David Stedman’s informative talk on
Walt Whitman, one of Camden County’s most
famous residents and one of America’s most
celebrated poets. Some of his best known works
commemorate events that took place 150 years
ago, yet his poetry continues to resonate with us
today as we read Leaves of Grass or When
Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d, his
eloquent tribute to Lincoln upon his death in
1865. Please join us for what will certainly be a
memorable evening.
And please consider donating your time to the
Historical Society of Haddonfield. We are
always looking for volunteers, whether your
strengths lie in helping with garden cleanups,
hospitality for meetings, helping out in the
library or serving on one of our many
committees. Call or email the office or stop in
and let Sarah know how you’d like to take part.
The success of any organization depends upon
the enthusiasm and support of its members.
This is an exciting time at HSH and we invite
you all to be a part of it.
Carol Smith, President
www.haddonfieldhistory.org
W e welcomed three classes of Advanced
Placement history students from
Haddonfield Memorial High School this
winter. HMHS social studies teacher David
Reader, with the support of colleague and
HSH board member Jeffrey Boogaard,
developed a research project for his AP
students centered on a collection of World
War II letters sent and received by then-
principal William “Bull” Reynolds, (see story
on page 9).
In November, I hosted each class at
Greenfield Hall for an overview of why
archives are important and what they could
expect doing research at the HSH Research
Library. Students then scheduled individual
research visits during December and January,
and turned in their final projects to Mr.
Reader in February. The project is a great
example of how our collections can be used to
connect students with the history they’re
learning in the classroom, and we look
forward to investigating more such
partnerships in the future.
In the meantime, we continue to assist other
residents, researchers, and family historians
interested in Haddonfield’s history. In 2014,
we answered a total of 130 reference requests
in person, by phone, and via e-mail.
We also made progress in digitizing
our archival and library catalogs to
make it easier for users to access our
collections. We now offer online
access via the HSH web site,
www.haddonfieldhistory.org , to
starting catalogs of our maps,
newspapers and serials, Haddonfield
-related pamphlets, as well as lists of
f a m i l i e s , i n d i v i d u a l s , a n d
organizations featured in our
manuscript collections. Stay tuned as
we continue to add new research
tools in the weeks and months ahead.
As always, none of this would be
possible without the hard work and
dedication of our library volunteers.
Thank you for all the hours of service
provided by Kathy Tassini, Doug
R a u s ch en b er ge r , Ch a r l e sa n na
Fallstick, Helen Mountney, Robert
Hawkes, Jean Gutsmuth, Sue George,
Maura Peach, Dolores Landgraff,
Kim Custer, Cliff Bunker, and Nan
Mattis in recent months.
Page 3 Th e Bu l le t in
LIBRARY NEWS By Dana Dorman
H anging in our
museum's foyer is
the newest piece of fine
art in our collection by
local artists donated by
Liz Albert. It is a 4" by
4" acrylic of Greenfield
Hall painted from a west
to east perspective by
Ann May Kelly. We are
thrilled to have this in
our collection.
Ms. Kelly is a local resident
and graduate of Moore
College of Art and Design
and of the Pennsylvania
Academy of Fine Arts who
teaches and exhibits at the
Markeim Art Center in
Haddonfield as well as
o t h e r S o u t h J e r s e y
venues. Liz Albert is a long
time member of the
society's Board of Trustees.
COLLECTIONS UPDATE By Dianne Snodgrass
Has your book jacket for This is Haddonfield (1963) seen better days? We discovered a stash of
pristine book jackets for this HSH publication tucked away in
Greenfield Hall. Please let us know at [email protected]
if you would like a cover for your copy (while supplies last).
E-mail: [email protected]
By Helen Mountney
Page 4 Th e Bu l le t in
Moving Houses Around and About - XXVI
THE WATER FOUNTAIN AT LIBRARY POINT
I n January of 1898, Miss Rebecca
Nicholson donated a triangle of land at
Haddon Avenue and Tanner Street to
Haddonfield for a park to be known as
“Nicholson Park”. It was designated:
“. . . to public use as a park or open space
for the benefit of the citizens of the
neighborhood and as a location for a
water fountain for the use of man and
beast . . .”
The residents of Haddonfield and the
many visitors and shoppers in town, have
been fortunate to have had a large,
ornately crafted water fountain on the
“Library Point” for many years. The
current fountain with a gold eagle on top
has been there since 1964, when it was
dedicated to our Haddon Fire Co. No. 1. It
has been a welcoming focal point for all
who enter town from Haddon Avenue ever
since.
When the fountain was installed, Haddon
Fire Co., No. 1, accepted the responsibility
for the care and maintenance of the
fountain. Louis Fallstick, one of our long-
time volunteer firemen, has been
admirably performing most of the tasks
associated with caring for the fountain.
The fountain requires some seasonal care
such as the lawn and general gardening
around it, frequent cleaning out the basin
beneath it, which is almost ten feet in
diameter, as well as gilding the eagle and
scraping and painting the rest every
spring. The basin must be emptied and
the water must be turned off by the
Haddonfield Water Department for the
winter, then tested, and turned back on
again in the spring. After the fountain
starts running in the Spring, it takes the
birds about three weeks until they get
themselves acclimated and return—
apparently they do not like the smell or
the taste of the fresh water when it is first
turned on!
Since the renovation of Tanner Street,
when the water source was disconnected,
the water tap which was used for watering
plants and general maintenance was not
reconnected, making the maintenance at
the site a more difficult undertaking.
The bronze plaque attached to the basin
was made by Precision Automation
Company, Inc., under the supervision of
Fred Rexon, a long-time member of the
fire company and a current Trustee. His
company also made the mounting. The
bracket was designed and mounted by
Donald Webb, another long-time fireman
and fire company Trustee. The inscription
on the plaque reads:
DEDICATED TO THE VOLUNTEER
FIREMEN OF OUR COMMUNITY
THE BOROUGH OF
HADDONFIELD 1764-1964
This fountain originally belonged to Oscar
and Mary (James) Twitchell, Sr., and was
located along the inside of the iron fence
in the side yard of their property at 240
Chestnut Street. This must have made a
striking appearance at the corner of
Chestnut Street and East Cottage Avenue
where it stood for many years. Mr.
Twitchell had moved to Haddonfield from
Philadelphia in 1883 and originally rented
Cont’d on page 5
Fountain in Twitchell house side yard at 240 Chestnut Street.
www.haddonfieldhistory.org
Page 5 Th e Bu l le t in
a house at 67 Chestnut Street. After a few
years, he had the 240 Chestnut Street
house built by William S. Capern. In this
house, Oscar and Mary Twitchell raised
their five children, the oldest of whom was
Oscar, Jr., who married Enid Shearer.
Oscar and Enid had two children, one of
whom was Robert Twitchell, who was well
known and admired here in town for the
many civic roles he played until his death
on May 2, 2013. Bob married Jan Divers
who was from Havre de Grace, Maryland,
and one of their four children still lives
here in town.
According to an old interview with Miss
Helen Twitchell, Bob Twitchell’s beloved
aunt, the fountain on the lawn was
something of a nuisance since the porch
was sprayed with water whenever there
was a breeze from the south. Miss
Twitchell said that her father arranged
with then Mayor Fred T. Holloway to
donate the fountain to the Borough. She
said that the Mayor had it placed at the
point where Ellis Street and Potter Street
meet. When the point was cut back (as
was recently done again) the fountain was
removed to the waterworks down by
Mountwell Pool. Apparently, the fountain
pieces languished at the Haddonfield
Public Works Department for many years
until years later Miss Helen Twitchell
spotted the fountain and recognized what
it was. She contacted Mayor Fred Fox and
told him about the fountain and its
history. Mayor Fox enlisted the help of
Haddon Fire Company No. l whose
members restored the fountain, moved it
to Library Point and were able to get it
working for the enjoyment of the
community once again. Fred Rexon,
longtime fire company volunteer, provided
the support and expertise of his business,
Precision Automation Company, Inc.,
which repaired or duplicated many of the
component parts of the fountain, some of
which had to be manufactured.
“Miss Helen,” as she was known, was very
active in many civic organizations around
Haddonfield, including her role as a
founder of the Haddonfield Ambulance
Association. Helen Twitchell died in
September of 1983.
The house at 240 Chestnut Street was later
purchased by the parents of Miss Helen
Bryson, who was known, admired, and
loved by those of us who grew up and went
to school in Haddonfield years ago, She
was the Principal of Central School and
Haddonfield Junior School (at the same
time) for many years.
MOVING HOUSES from page 4
Fountain at Library Point in 2014
Plaque honoring Haddon Fire Company No. 1 on Library Point Fountain
www.haddonfieldhistory.org
Page 7 Th e Bu l le t in
S ave the date: Our February Book Club
meeting has
n o w b e e n
rescheduled for
March 15th.
Sunday, March 15,
2015, 2-4pm at
Greenfield Hall, The
B u l l y P u l p i t :
T h e o d o r e
Roosevelt, William
Taft and the Golden
Age of Journalism,
by Doris Kearns
Goodwin, will be discussed.
This marvelous book was scheduled to be the
topic of our Feb. meeting. The brutal weather
that day prevented our meeting. So, you still
have time to begin or finish reading this well
r e s e a r c h e d a n d t r u l y d e l i g h t f u l
book. Also, Joe Murphy has offered to share
some of his political memorabilia of
McKinley, TR, Taft and Woodrow Wilson for
the event. All are welcome.
RSVP Greenfield Hall 856-429-7375 or e-
mail at [email protected].
HSH BOOK CLUB NEWS By Connie McCaffrey
Trustees
Term expires Jim Hansen
2015 Kenneth Kramer
Sue Maslowski
Pat Peacock
Term expires Pamela Chase
2016 Kate Hilgen
Dave Stavetski
Term expires Liz Albert
2017 Charlene Kelly Creed
Nancy Mattis
Jeffrey Boogaard Committee Chairs
Buildings Charles Chelotti Grounds Robert Marshall - -
Collections - General Dianne Snodgrass Library Doug Rauschenberger - -
Curator of Dolls Shirley Raynor Long Range Planning Charlene Kelly Creed - -
Community Outreach Elizabeth Albert Membership Barbara Hilgen - -
Curator of Tools Don Wallace Publications Kathy Tassini - -
Education Pamela Chase Publicity Dave Stavetski - -
Finance Ellen Stone Rentals Barbara Hilgen - -
Fundraising Carol Smith Volunteer Management Kathryn Raiczyk - -
Bulletin Editor Sarah Tambussi Web Coordinator Sarah Tambussi - -
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF HADDONFIELD Officers
President Carol Smith
Vice President Kathryn Raiczyk
Treasurer Ellen Stone
Recording Secretary Barbara Hilgen
Corresponding
Secretary
Immediate Past
President
Legal Counsel John Reisner
Lee Albright
Sophie Dubiel
E-mail: [email protected]
Page 8 Th e Bu l le t in
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP NEWS By Barbara Hilgen
N ow that 2014 is over we are pleased to
announce we have 328 Centennial
Charter Members. Many thanks to those who
renewed or joined in 2014 as a Charter
Member.
The Historical Society of Haddonfield could not
survive without it members. You help to make
it possible to share the history of our historic
town in so many wonderful ways. We just
could not continue without you!
Martha Havens Kathy and Gil Freeman Philip Heck
John Rihl Ellen Stone
The type of membership desired is:
Senior Citizen $ 25.00
Contributing Member 35.00
Contributing Household 55.00
Patron Member 150.00
Patron Household 250.00
Founder’s Society 1,000.00
Founder’s Household 1,500.00
Contact Information:
Name
Address
Address
Phone #
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF HADDONFIELD 2015/16 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Please make your check payable to:
The Historical Society of Haddonfield
Questions? Call the Office (856) 429-7375
Mail the Application & Check to :
The Historical Society of Haddonfield
343 Kings Highway East
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
THE BULLETIN newsletter preference: _____ e-mail/electronic copy _____ “snail mail” copy
YES! I (we) would like to JOIN The Historical Society!
YES! I (we) would like to RENEW my (our) membership!
Call me about Volunteer Opportunities! I can help with:
www.haddonfieldhistory.org
Th e Bu l le t in
This Slate of Officers and Trustees was approved by the Board of Trustees on February 11, 2015.
At our March 25, 2015 Candlelight Dinner the general membership will be asked to vote their approval.
Page 9
S tudents in Mr. David Reader’s AP United
States History classes at HMHS utilized the
Historical Society of Haddonfield’s library to
complete research projects connected to their
study of World War II. Each student was
required to visit the library to read letters
written from three Haddonfield servicemen to
Haddonfield Memorial High School principal
William “Bull” Reynolds. The students were
each required to select a theme – such as basic
training, the European theater, the Pacific
theater, New Jersey news, sporting events, etc.
– and conduct further research using scholarly
articles to create their final paper. Students
scheduled time to use the library over a period
of seven weeks and were greatly assisted by
HSH librarian Dana Dorman.
In addition to their final paper, students shared
information about their research with their
classmates. Ari Liloia remarked that he, for
one, had no idea that the archives at the HSH
library even existed. He noted that the
servicemen that he researched seemed very
normal compared to today’s teenagers and also
observed that he could often match the
handwriting to certain character traits. Liloia
acknowledged that letter writing is a “lost art”
and wonders what we will now use to record
history. Olivia Van Dervort researched Willard
Browning, whose service included a stint in
North Africa. Through his letters, she was able
to observe his changing
i m p r e s s i o n s a n d
perspectives of Africa,
and the impact that he
played in being involved
in foreign policy. And
H u n t e r F a s o l o
immediately connected
with one of his subjects, a
high school junior whose
father passed away
shortly after he had
completed his midterm
exams. This was quickly
f o l l o w e d b y h i s
enlistment as a soldier in
World War II. Fasolo
commented that his research experience made
him take into consideration how much easier
life is for today’s teenagers in Haddonfield.
Many thanks to the library of the Historical
Society of Haddonfield and Dana Dorman for
their assistance in this project.
AP US HISTORY CLASS WORKS WITH HSH RESEARCH LIBRARY By Jeffrey Boogaard
HMHS history teacher David Reader stopped by the HSH library after school to check in on students conducting research as part of his AP history classes.
Officers
Treasurer
Ellen Stone
Recording Secretary
Barbara Hilgen
Corresponding Secretary
Sophie Dubiel
Trustees
Term to Expire 2018
Susan George, Sidney Hargro, Ken Kramer, John Rihl
Term to Expire 2017
Rebecca Perry filling an unexpired 2 year term
Term to Expire 2016
John Dowd filling an unexpired 1 year term
Jim Hansen filling an unexpired 1 year term
Respectfully submitted, 2015 Nominating Committee, Historical Society of Haddonfield:
Dianne Snodgrass, Chair; Barbara Hilgen, Co-Chair;
Jeff Boogaard; Dave Stavetski; Betsy Anderson member-at-large
E-mail: [email protected]
Page 10 Th e Bu l le t in
S AVE THIS DATE!
The following information is for all HSH
members, their friends and neighbors.
Fiber artists are invited to participate in an all
day Demonstration and Sale on Saturday, April
25th, 2015 at the Historical Society of
Haddonfield in Greenfield Hall from 10 am to 5
pm. If you would like to participate contact
Dianne Snodgrass at [email protected]
for details.
Spinners, handweavers, carders, felters,
knitters, and crocheters will be there to show
you different methods of their art. For example,
handweavers will demonstrate on rigid heddle
looms, tape looms, inkle looms and hopefully
there will be a tablet weaver and a 4 harness
loom.
Most fibers being worked will range from
specific wools, silk, cottons, linen, and blended
products. Some artists enjoy studying the
different breeds of sheep and alpacas and what
types of wool they produce - some lofty, some
“hard”, some soft as butter.
You are invited to come down to Greenfield Hall
to learn about these ancient methods of making
cloth, tapes, straps and fiber art. If you have a
fiber project of your own underway and want to
come and join us for a while, you are most
welcome to do so. We have plenty of chairs.
OUR BIG FIBER EVENT - APRIL 25, 2015 By Dianne Snodgrass
Indian King Tavern
“Spring Is In the Air 18th Century Style” at the
Indian King Tavern on Saturday, March 21st.
The day will feature a presentation by actor Bob
Gleason as he portrays
John Bartram, an 18th
century American botanist,
h o r t i c u l t u r a l i s t a n d
e x p l o r e r . I n t h e
afternoon Joel T. Fry,
cur a t or o f Ba r t r a m
Gardens,will speak on 18th
and 21st century gardening
techniques and the history
of the Bartram Family.
Packets of authentic
heirloom flower and
vegetable seeds will
b e a v a i l a b l e f o r
purchase. The events are
free to the public and
sponsored by the Friends of
the Indian King Tavern.
Markeim Art Center
The Markeim Arts Center will feature
"Fibers and Fabrics - a Juried Exhibition"
from March 28 - April 23. The Markeim
Arts Center invites you to
s u b m i t c o n t e m p o r a r y a n d
innovative fiber art works. We
define fiber art as any type of
artwork using fibers as the
primary medium. The scope of
f i b e r a r t i n c l u d e s w o r k s
o f b a s k e t r y , b e a d w o r k ,
br a id i ng , c l o t h i n g d e s i g n,
crochet, dyeing, embroidery,
fe l t i ng , h o ok in g , kni t t ing ,
lacework, needlework, paper,
q u i l t i n g , a n d s o m u c h
more. Please visit their website
or call the Markeim for details:
856-429-8585.
News From Our Neighbors
EVENTS AROUND TOWN
www.haddonfieldhistory.org
Page 11 Th e Bu l le t in
From The Museum Cellars
THE GREAT VALUE OF A TOOL CLUB’S NEWSLETTER
A nd a note of thanks to Mrs. Marion
A r m s t r o n g … r e l a t e d t o o u r
Francis Collins.
We have already seen the value in our having
joined the Historical Society into the Early
American Industries Association (E.A.I.A.)
It has helped us with better tool
identification through its newsletter, The
Chronicle.
In September this year another tool club,
C.R.A.F.T.S. of New Jersey, published in
their Tool Shed newsletter an article on
“Shipbuilder’s Bevels and The Dory” by
David E. Heckel.
Our own shipwright’s bevel was donated by
Carl and Cynthia Seifling, whose last family
member to come from England brought it
with him from Porthleven in 1921. He joined
his father and brothers at the New York
Shipbuilding Company in Camden.
They lived here in Fairview which was a
virtual company town. The bevel’s furniture
is mahogany taken from Admiral Nelson’s
flagship Victory according to the Seiflings.
We tell the whole story of it here in the
special case devoted to this story as one
enters the Museum Cellars.
“The shipbuilder’s bevel was used for many
operations in the craft of dory building. Its
main purpose was to transfer angles from
patterns to the parts to be cut out and
trimmed to fit. The craft of boatbuilding
requires a tool that can be utilized in the
transfer and cutting of many angles. The
bevel tongues were held in place in the body
by friction joints. The two different lengths
of the tongues were to enable the builder to
place the rule in a confined space.”
We are so fortunate to have researchers like
Dave Heckel (quoted above) and my mentor
in tool collecting, Carl Bopp, to give us the
depth of knowledge that we can glean from
their significant and substantial efforts.
The latest Chronicle, September, 2014, has
Part One of Carl Bopp’s research into The
Gage Tool Company of Vineland, New Jersey.
Carl is known internationally as the go-to-
guy for information about the transitional
(from wood to iron) planes made by The
Gage Tool Co. here in South Jersey.
I can’t wait for Part Two because Carl is
laying this story out for all in the collectors’
world to know almost as much as he does
about John Portius Gage…and the pictures of
his half-beard which got cut off in his
machinery one day.
Now here’s a
loud shout of
THANKS for a
$50.00 check
f r o m M r s .
M a r i o n
Armstrong of
P u y a l l u p ,
W a s h i n g t o n .
Mrs. Armstrong
was inspired by
my mention of
Francis Collins,
b l a c k s m i t h ,
1682, because
s h e i s
descended from
o u r f i r s t
r e s i d e n t i n
Haddonfield. I had drafted a thankful
response, but when it was delayed I tried to
obtain a telephone number from
“Information”. I was told that it couldn’t be
done! Now she finally has confirmation that
her check was received, because she “always
enjoys The Bulletin. Thank you Marion
Armstrong! We should put this generous gift
toward our library’s expansion project where
I hope one day that my tool books will be
available there…and kept dry!
As a member closer to home here in
Haddonfield, if you could be similarly
inspired, please give me a name that relates
to your earliest family member in
Haddonfield and I will try to see that your
ancestor is honored in one of my columns
soon. It works best if he or she is a
tradesperson or a home maker. This could
speed up the library’s reconstruction of its
new home over the present garage.
By Don Wallace
The bottom forging failed to distribute the molten iron completely, and you can see the hammerhead is missing it’s claws.
E-mail: [email protected]
343 Kings Highway East Haddonfield, NJ 08033
The Historical Society of Haddonfield
Preserve our past. . . Leave a legacy for the future!
Addressee or Current Resident
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Bellmawr, NJ
Permit # 1627
Phone: 856-429-7375 E-mail: [email protected]
GREENFIELD HALL HOURS
Monday, Wednesday & Friday afternoons from 1 - 4 p.m.
First Sunday of the month 1 - 3 p.m.
RESEARCH LIBRARY HOURS in the Samuel Mickle House
Tuesday & Wednesday mornings 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
First Sunday of the month 1 -3 p.m.
SPECIAL HOURS/TOURS BY APPOINTMENT
(856) 429-7375
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