1946: OBIT OF DOLORES BRITTON PAUL

IT'S ALWAYS SAD WHEN A FELLOW HHS HORNET PASSES AWAY. EVEN MORE SAD WHEN THE DECEASED IS A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER. MY SISTER IN LAW, (JUDY'S SISTER) DOLORES "DOEY" BRITTON PAUL, CLASS OF '46, PASSED AWAY ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 26TH AFTER A LENGTHY ILLNESS. UP TO THIS POINT, FELLOW HORNET JACK LACY, HHS '56 HAS BEEN THE ONLY HORNET TO KEEP ME UPDATED ON THE PASSING OF HAMILTON ALUMNI. IF YOU HEAR OF ANY OF YOUR CLASSMATES WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY, PLEASE EMAIL ME SO HE OR SHE CAN BE INCLUDED ON OUR HHS51 BLOG.

1916: PENNINGTON IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

1916: OBIT OF RACHEL ALLINSON

MISS ALLINSON IS THE SISTER OF JOSIAH ALLINSON FROM THE ALLINSON FARM. TODAY'S LOCUST HILL DEVELOPMENT WAS THE SITE OF THE ALLINSON FARM, STEEPED IN HISTORIC TRADITION. MR. BOB SIMPKINS, OUR TREASURED HAMILTON HISTORIAN LIVED ACROSS THE ROAD ON THE SIMPKINS BROTHERS DAIRY FARM. BOB TELLS OF THE DAY MRS. ALLINSON TOOK HIM TO THE UPPER ROOM IN THE ALLINSON HOME AND SHOWED HIM WHERE THE FUGITIVES FROM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD STAYED ON THEIR JOURNEY NORTHWARD.

1916: PENNINGTON VFD "SMOKER"

BACK IN 1916, PENNINGTON WAS AN EVEN MORE BUCOLIC VILLAGE THAN TODAY. THIS ARTICLE LISTS SOME OF PENNINGTON'S PROMINENT RESIDENTS. WM. P. HOWE WAS THE FATHER OF FREDERICK ANTHONY KUSER OF KUSER FARM.

1909: LALOR PARK

HOW I LOVE THESE OLD REAL ESTATE ADS WHICH PINPOINT THE GENESIS OF OUR AREA NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS ONE COVERS THE AREA ALONG LALOR STREET, HOME AND RANDALL AVENUES.

1909: GETHSEMENE BAPTIST BAPTISMAL FONT

THIS SCAN AND THE FEW THAT FOLLOW GIVE A THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF THE LATE GREAT, GETHSEMENE BAPTIST CHURCH.

1909: GETHSEMENE BAPTIST IN THE BEGINNING

1917: THE NEW GETHSEMENE BAPTIST CHURCH

THIS VENERABLE OLD BAPTIST CHURCH WAS A VITAL PART OF THE WILBUR-BROMLEY AREA FOR NEARLY 80 YEARS.

1909: ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL AREA

UNTIL SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND CORRECTS ME, I AM GOING TO ASSUME THAT THE NEW DEVELOPMENT DESCRIBED ABOVE WOULD BE TODAY'S COLUMBUS AVENUE, AND THE STREETS EASTWARD TO REVERE.

1909: CAPITAL PARK

CAPITAL CITY REPLACED WHITE CITY WHEN THAT GREAT AMUSEMENT PARK SHUT DOWN. SORRY TO SAY I COULDN'T BRING ANY MORE DETAIL TO THE GRAPHIC. AS I INDUCATED EARLIER, OFFSET PRINTING WAS NOT TOO EFFECTIVE IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

1909: BROMLEY PLACE: IN THE BEGINNING

THIS IS NOT TOO FAR FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD. BACK IN 1909, MR. TEUNON HAD GREAT HOPES FOR THE BROMLEY AREA. THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SORT OF DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, BUT THE OLD LINE NEIGHBORS STILL FIND THE AREA A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO LIVE.UNFORTUNATELY, THE PHOTO GIVES NO INDICATION OF WHERE IN BROMLEY PLACE THIS BUCOLIC SCENE IS LOCATED.

1880: MAKING EWING TOWNSHIP A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE

I'M CONFUSED BY THE REFERENCE TO THE "MILL POND" IN THE ABOVE ARTICLE. IS THERE ANY EWING TOWNSHIP VIEWER WHO CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE LOCATION OF THE POND?

NO DATE, NO IDENTIFICATION

HOW SAD THAT FOLKS FROM THE EARLY YEARS OF TRENTON'S EMERGENCE AS A POTTERY TOWN DIDN'T IDENTIFY AND DATE THEIR BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHOSE POTTERY THIS MIGHT BE. PERHAPS THERE IS A POTTERY HISTORIAN WHO MIGHT RECOGNIZE THE PLANT.

1870: TRENTON POTTERIES LISTED

TRENTON AND STEUBENVILLE OHIO BECAME VERY FAMOUS POTTERY TOWNS IN THE 19 TH AND 20TH CENTURIES.

1880: TRENTON'S BURGEONING POTTERY INDUSTRY

MY FATHER AND MY AUNTS AND UNCLES CAME FROM THE STAFFORDSHIRE AREA OF GREAT BRITAIN BACK IN THE EARLY PART OF THE LAST CENTURY TO WORKD THE MANY POTTERIES THAT WERE BEGINNING TO BLOSSOM ALONG THE CANAL IN TRENTON. THEIR HOME TOWN OF STOKE ON TRENT WAS A MAJOR POTTERY CENTER.

1880: GROVEVILLE POLITICS

THE POST FOLLOWING THIS GROVEVILLE ITEM POINTS OUT THE INTENSE POLITICAL RIVALRY BETWEEN THE DAILY STATE GAZETTE AND THE DAILY TRUE AMERICAN,. EACH PAPER HERALDED THE NEWS FROM THEIR SPECIFIC POLITICAL POINTS OF VIEW, EACH GIVING PREFERENTIAL NEWS SPACE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE POLITICAL PARTY.

1880: NATIONAL POLITICS

THE DAILY STATE GAZETTE WAS A VERY PARTISAN REPUBLICAN NEWSPAPER. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEIR ARCH COMPETITOR THE DAILY TRUE AMERICAN WAS EQUALLY IN THEIR ZEAL FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. THE BICKERING BETWEEN THEM MADE FOR INCREDIBLY INTERESTING JOURNALISM.

TRENTON CITY MARKETS

I HAVE NUMEROUS ARTICLES DEALING WITH THE OLD MARKETS WHICH ONCE DOTTED THE LANDSCAPE OF DOWNTOWN TRENTON. NORTH BROAD STREET, STOCKTON STREET, WARREN STREET, MARKET STREET.....ALL HAVE FASCINATING STORIES TO TELL. FARMERS WOULD COME FROM NEAR AND FAR IN THEIR FARM WAGONS, BRINGING THEIR VEGETABLES, LIVESTOCK, CHICKENS, GEESE, DUCKS, AND COUNTLESS OTHER FARM COMMODITIES TO THE CITY MARKET. IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE A STEER BEING DRIVEN TO THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE, CUT UP AND BROUGHT TO ONE OF THE MANY MARKETS IN TRENTON.

1944: A TREASURED CHILDHOOD PASTIME

FEW INDEED ARE THOSE OF MY GENERATION WHO DIDN'T UNFOLD THOSE OH, SO OFFICIAL MODEL AIRPLANE PLANS, PIN THEM TO A SOFT "HOMASOTE" BOARD AND PROCEED TO LAY THOSE "STRINGERS ALONG THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, RUDDER AND STABILIZER. FEWER STILL ARE THOSE WHO DIDN'T SPEND HOURS BUILDING THESE WORKS OF ART, AND TAKING THEM TO SOME HIGH POINT, SETTING THEM ON FIRE, AND EXPERIENCING A SCALE MODEL AIRPLANE CRASH! YOU'RE A CARD CARRYING "STICK MODEL" BUILDER IF YOU REMEMBER "COMET," "TESTOR'S," AND "GUILLOWS!"

1964: HAMILTON HIGH GIRLS' CHORUS

THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE 1963 HAMILTON "RETROSPECT" YEARBOOK. THESE LOVELY LADIES MADE EQUALLY LOVELY MUSIC.

1964: HAMILTON HIGH GIRLS' CHORUS

THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE 1963 HAMILTON "RETROSPECT" YEARBOOK. THESE LOVELY LADIES MADE EQUALLY LOVELY MUSIC.

1964: HAMILTON HIGH GIRLS' CHORUS

THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE 1963 HAMILTON "RETROSPECT" YEARBOOK. THESE LOVELY LADIES MADE EQUALLY LOVELY MUSIC.

1964: HAMILTON HIGH GIRLS' CHORUS

THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE 1963 HAMILTON "RETROSPECT" YEARBOOK. THESE LOVELY LADIES MADE EQUALLY LOVELY MUSIC.

1964: HAMILTON HIGH GIRLS' CHORUS

THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE 1963 HAMILTON "RETROSPECT" YEARBOOK. THESE LOVELY LADIES MADE EQUALLY LOVELY MUSIC.

1964: HAMILTON HIGH GIRLS' CHORUS

THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE 1963 HAMILTON "RETROSPECT" YEARBOOK. THESE LOVELY LADIES MADE EQUALLY LOVELY MUSIC.

1964: HAMILTON HIGH GIRLS' CHORUS

THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE 1963 HAMILTON "RETROSPECT" YEARBOOK. THESE LOVELY LADIES MADE EQUALLY LOVELY MUSIC.

1929: HAMILTON MOTORCYCLE POLICE OFFICERS

HERE'S AN INTERESTING EXTRACT FROM THE VERY LONG PANORAMIC PHOTO FROM THE 1929 DEDICATION OF THE NEW HAMILTON TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL BUILDING AT 2090 GREENWOOD AVENUE. WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO SEE A LARGER NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS DURING THE WARMER WEATHER? I WOULD THINK THAT THEIR PRESENCE WOULD ALLOW FOR FAR MORE MOBILITY THAN A CLOSED SQUAD CAR. UNFORTUNATELY THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET AND LACK OF MANPOWER PRECLUDES THAT STRATEGY. NOTE THE RUSLING HOSE MODEL "T" FIRE TRUCK.

1929: THE DEDICATION OF HAMILTON'S NEW MUNICIPAL BUILDING

I HAVE DIGITIZED AN INCREDIBLY CLEAR PHOTO OF THE FIREMEN PARKED ALONG GREENWOOD AVENUE ON THE DAY OF THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW BUILDING. THE ORIGINAL WAS A VERY LONG PANORAMIC PHOTO ABOUT 30+ INCHES IN WIDTH. THIS IS ONE OF THE PHOTOS. THE HARTER NURSERY BUILDINGS ARE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND ON THE LEFT., ALSO THE FENCED IN AREA WHERE TODAY THERE IS A
TOWNSHIP PARKIN LOT. NOTE ALSO THE OPEN LAND TO THE RIGHT OF THE BUILDING WHERE TODAY'S HAMILTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDING IS LOCATED AND TOWNSHIP PARKING.

A QUIZ FOR THE VERY FEW VISITORS WHO REMEMBER WWII

OUT OF THE40,000 HIT ON THIS SITE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 5 HITS THAT WERE DUE TO AN OLD TIMER (LIKE ME) IN THE OVER 70 GENERATION WHO IS INTO COMPUTING. THIS IS THEIR QUIZ. I LOVE THE MUSIC OF WORLD WAR II. PROBABLY BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH IT. EVEN THOUGH THE GENERATION IN WHICH I CAME OF AGE WAS THE 1950'S. HOW I LOVED TO LISTEN TO WBUD AND THE "BIG TOP TEN" AT MID DAY, AND MY FAVORITE DISK JOCKEY, JACK PINTO ON THE MORNING DRIVE. BUT ALAS, TIMES HAVE CHANGED THE "OLDIES" STATIONS THAT ONCE PLAYED THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC OF PERRY COMO, ANDY WILLIAMS, PATTI PAGE, DEAN MARTIN, DON CORNELL AND MANY OTHER WONDERFUL VOCALISTS, DON'T FIT INTO THE TARGETED YOUNGER SEGMENT OF LISTENERS WHICH IS SO COVETED BY COMMERCIAL BROADCASTERS. IT MAKES ONE WONDER WHY THE AIRWAVES CAN'T BE SHARED WITH ALL LISTENERS. WBUD'S 60'S MUSIC IS VERY LISTENABLE, BUT I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE JACK PINTO BRING BACK THE MUSIC OF HIS GENERATION. JACK'S SUNDAY MORNING'S "BREAKFAST WITH FRANK" IS WONDERFUL; I NEVER MISS IT...BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO HAVE BREAKFAST WITH PERRY COMO, ANDY WILLIAMS, AND ALL OF OUR GREAT VOCAL TALENTS FROM THE 50'S. TO THEIR CREDIT, WBCB-AM (1490) IN LEVITTOWN SETS ASIDE PROGRAMMING SEGMENTS FOR ALL GENRES FROM POLISH, IRISH, COUNTRY, AND "OUR" MUSIC. I SELDOM MISS LISTENING TO GERALDINE MCSORLEY'S "IRISH AIRES" ON SATURDAY MORNINGS. BY THE WAY: I AM STILL BRINGING THOSE GREAT OLD SONGS BACK WITH MY COMPUTER ORCHESTRA PLAYING "THE MUSIC WE GREW UP WITH" AT KUSER FARM.

ABOUT THE GRAPHIC:

OVER THE MANY YEARS I HAVE BEEN A COLUMNIST FOR THE MERCER MESSENGER, THE PRINCETON PACKET (HAMILTON OBSERVER), AND THE TIMES OF TRENTON, MY QUIZZES HAVE BEEN VERY POPULAR. OF COURSE, THEY ARE TARGETED TO THOSE IN THE OVER 60 POPULATION. DON'T LOOK FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ACID ROCK, HIP HOP, AND OTHER EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE USED TO CALL MUSIC. LET ME KNOW HOW YOU DID. I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THE Test! OH YEAH! DON'T SEND YOUR ANSWERS TO THAT ADDRESS IN MY OLD COLUMN. IF YOU THINK YOUR MAN OR WOMAN ENOUGH, SEND THEM TO thomglo@verizon.net.

1943: ONCE UPON A TIME WE .......

WOW; HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED!

1886: MILLHAM: CAN YOU SAY "EAST TRENTON?"

WITH THE GROWTH OF THE POTTERY INDUSTRY IN TRENTON OVER A CENTURY AGO, MANY IMMIGRANTS CAME FROM GREAT BRITAIN'S STAFFORDSHIRE AREA TO WORK THE POTTERIES WHICH ONCE DOTTED THE AREA ALONG THE CANAL. (TODAY'S TRENTON FREEWAY). MY DAD AND HIS BROTHER AND SISTERS WERE AMONG THE NEWCOMERS BACK IN 1914. THE AREA WE KNOW OF TODAY AS "EAST TRENTON" IS LOCATED IN THE AREA ONCE KNOWN AS "MILLHAM." IF THERE WAS A "CENTER CITY" MILLHAM, I WOULD PLACE IT IN THE BRUENIG, ST. JOES, MULBERRY STREET AREA OF TRENTON. THE ORIGINAL HOMES IN THE AREA WERE LAID OUT TO EMULATE OLD ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOODS WITH ROW HOMES ON NARROW STREETS.

YARDVILLE'S LAKEVIEW HOTEL

ACCORDING TO ALL OLD TIMERS WITH WHOM I SPOKE, THIS GREAT OLD BUILDING ONCE GRACED THE INTERSECTION OF LAKESIDE BOULEVARD AND SO. BROAD STREET, TODAY THE LOCATION OF DICK PETERSON'S GAS STATION.

1943: REMEMBER DR.SWETT'S?

ONLY TRUE DEVOTEES TO CARBONATED SOFT DRINKS WILL REMEMBER THIS FUGITIVE FROM AN OLD ICE BOX. THE MERCER BOTTLING COMPANY WAS A VERY POPULAR SOFT DRINK BOTTLING COMPANY. AS I RECALL, THEY ALSO BOTTLED A COMPETITOR TO COKE AND PEPSI AND CALLED IT "TWIN"COLA. TWIN WAS PUT UP IN A VERY DISTINCTIVE BOTTLE.

1880: GENEALOGY: EWING TOWNSHIP TAXPAYERS

THERE ARE MANY VERY PROMINENT AND OLD LINE FAMILY NAMES IN THIS LATE 19TH CENTURY LISTING OF TAXABLE EWING TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS.

1886: THE ROBBINS-SHARP CONNECTION

THESE TWO FAMILY NAMES ARE EVER PROMINENT IN THE ANNALS OF HAMILTON TOWNSHIP AND INDEED, THE SURROUNDING AREA.

1917: STATE AND BROAD

How I love to find these old original photographs of downtown Trenton. This one is from Mr. Leland (Lee) Buker, who was a dear friend of mine during my St. Anthony years.

1944: THE KUSER FARM "MEADOW"

THIS IS A 1944 VIEW OF THE KUSER MEADOW. IN THE TOP OF THE PHOTO, JUST OFF CENTER, THE OLD CHICKEN HOUSE CAN BE SEEN. IT WAS DIS-ASSEMBLED IN THE MID 1940'S. NOTE THE CEDAR POST AND FENCE WHICH WAS USED TO KEEP THE KUSER HORSES CONTAINED. THEY TOO WERE REMOVED EARLY IN THE 1940's.

1950: HURRICANE

IN NOVEMBER, 1950, A HURRICANE SLAMMED INTO THE CENTRAL MIDDLE ATLANTIC AREA. IT CHANGED THE FACE OF KUSER FARM AS HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE UP-ROOTED LIKE SO MANY MATCH STICKS. THIS PHOTO IS THE DAMAGE TO THE "PINE GROVE." THIS IS TAKEN FROM THE PORTICO AREA IN FRONT OF THE MANSION. IN THE FAR BACKGROUND IS THE SITE OF TODAY'S TRENTON CATHOLIC ACADEMY; THEN A CORNFIELD AND PRIOR TO THAT, RAY KUSER'S LANDING FIELD.

1944: THE GLOVER PORCH IN WINTER

THIS VIEW FROM THE FRONT PORCH OF MY CHILDHOOD HOME ON HARTLEY AVENUE WAS TAKEN IN 1944. KUSER FARM IS ACROSS THE STREET (NEWKIRK AVENUE) IN THE PHOTO. THIS PORCH WAS A SHELTER FOR MY FELLOW HAMILTON HIGH STUDENTS EVERY MORNING AS WE WAITED FOR JOE LAYTON'S BUS TO PICK US UP. ON RAINY SUMMER DAYS, WE PLAYED POKER, CATCH FIVE, HEARTS, AND OTHER LONG FORGOTTEN CARD GAMES, AND OF COURSE, THE PLACE WE PLAYED "SPIN THE BOTTLE," "POST OFFICE," AND "*DARESEYS." *PRONOUNCED, "DARE-ZEES;" REMEMBER?

1959: MY OLD OFFICE IS NOW A DEN OF ANTIQUITY!

HOW TIME FLIES! BACK IN THE EARLY 60'S, I COMMUTED DAILY TO 600 JERSEY AVENUE, NEW BRUNSWICK. THE BUSINESS WAS BALL AND ROLLER BEARINGS, AND POWER TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT. I JUST UNCOVERED THIS PHOTO WHICH WAS WAY DOWN DEEP IN ONE OF MY STORAGE BOXES.

1971: WHEN FILM WAS KING

HOW ARCHAIC! BACK IN 1971, THE FILM CAMERA WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GO. HOWEVER THE RELATIVELY RECENT ARRIVAL OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY IS FAST REPLACING THE FILM CAMERA. THERE ARE STILL FILM CAMERA DEVOTEES WHO CONSIDER FILM PHOTOGRAPHY AS SUPERIOR TO DIGITAL.

2008: OBIT ART JULIAN, HHS '56

THIS FROM JACK LACY, JANUARY 16, 2008:

===================================
Hi All...

Much as I dislike being the bearer of bad news, sadly I report the passing today of our HHS56 classmate Art Julian. Arrangements are incomplete but remembrances can be sent to his daughter Sharon (Julian) Dunham, 12 Milburne La., Robbinsville, NJ 08691.

Jack

1944: THIS WILL BE THE CLASS HHS '45

THEY WERE JUNIORS BACK IN 1944 WHEN THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN. MY BROTHER BUD WAS IN THIS CLASS.

1959: AN AUTO OF MY YOUTH

MY '59 FOUR DOOR WAS EXACTLY LIKE THE PHOTO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE COLOR. IT HAD A PUSH BUTTON-DASH MOUNTED TRANSMISSION CONTROL, INSTEAD OF THE CONVENTIONAL A-FRAME, NASH AND RAMBLER CARS WERE A SOLID "UNIBODY." THE "WEATHER EYE" HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM WAS AHEAD OF ITS TIME. THERE WAS ENOUGH ROOM UNDER THE HOOD TO STAND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT! I MISS THAT OLD RAMBLER. THERE WAS A GREAT INJUSTICE DONE TO THE "OFF BRAND" AUTO MANUFACTURERS BACK IN THAT ERA. IT WAS COMMON TO HEAR THAT THE NASH, HUDSON AND STUDEBAKER WERE INFERIOR AND THAT THEIR TRADE IN VALUE WAS NOT UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THE CHEVYS AND FORDS. WHEN I TRADED IN MY RAMBLER, I FOUND THAT THE TRADE IN VALUE WAS MUCH MORE THAN I EXPECTED.

1987: VILLA PARK

1893: PRINCETON'S MERCER FIRE COMPANY

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OLD PHOTOS SUCH AS THESE DO NOT IDENTIFY THE SUBJECTS IN THE PICTURE. THE REDEEMING VALUE OF THIS PHOTO LIES IN THE GREAT CLARITY OF THE UNIFORMS THESE FIRE "LADDIES" WORE.

MANY THANKS TO MRS. LILLIAN ZITA FOR THIS INCREDIBLY CLEAR PHOTO.

CLAIRE DWIER AND THE CROSSWICKS OAK TREE

SOME TIME AGO I POSTED A NEWS PHOTO OF THE VERY FAMOUS AND GORGEOUS "CROSSWICKS OAK" THAT WAS A LANDMARK IN THE BUCOLIC TOWN OF CROSSWICKS. THANKFULLY, ANOTHER LOCAL HISTORIAN, MS. CLAIRE DWIER (OF THE GROVEVILLE DWIERS) WROTE THIS FASCINATING AND VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE WHICH RELATES TO THAT TREE. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION, CLAIRE!

CLAIRE WRITES:

Update on the Crosswicks Oak Tree

I have wonderful memories of the Crosswicks oak tree. My aunt and uncle, Peg and Aubrey Lawyer, lived on Front Street, right across from the Friends Meeting property. As a child I spent many happy hours swinging under that beautiful old oak on a swing that hung from one of its great limbs. In the fall, we also played in the huge piles of leaves that dropped from it each year. I grew up knowing its history and that it was a very special tree, indeed. Unfortunately, it met its demise – one of the bigger limbs was struck by lightning – probably in the 1960's (perhaps some Crosswicks residents would remember exactly when). Maybe the tree just never recovered from the lightning strike, or became diseased, but in 1975 it had to be removed. I'm not certain when, but another oak tree was planted in place of the former one and is surrounded by a lovely and peaceful garden.. The 'new' oak is quite large now so I'm sure it's been there for some time. Also, the photo on your site appears to show a wooden post and rail fence around the property. I have a black and white snapshot of my sisters, myself, and two cousins standing on Front Street - the oak and a concrete block wall are behind us. The photo was taken on Easter Sunday, 1962. The block wall was there as far back as I can remember and extended from the entry driveway on Front Street, around the corner and down Church Street to the back end of the property. There was another driveway on Church St. - each drive had two large columns made of the same concrete block. I have no information on when the wall was constructed, and believe it gradually began to crumble and was removed. Today, all that remains of it are two large columns at the Church St. entrance, a short one on Front Street, and a part of the foundation rounding the corner at Front and Church. As you may recall, my dad, Ray Dwier, was a Hamilton Township Committeeman who also served two terms as Hamilton's Mayor. When the limb was struck down, my mother was able to obtain a small piece of the wood, and she surprised dad with a beautiful gavel she had made from that little piece of oak. He loved that tree and, of course, very proudly used his "Crosswicks oak" gavel to conduct Hamilton Township Committee meetings during his mayoral terms. After he retired, the gavel was mounted on a plaque and hung in my parents' den until they both passed away. It remains in our family today. One last note: I believe two cannon balls are still in the exterior walls of the Quaker Meeting House and are visible when standing on the property. Add to that the one taken by Francis Ellis, and all three mentioned in the caption of the photo are accounted for. It'd be interesting to know what happened to the one in Mr. Ellis's possession. January, 2008
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HERE'S A REMINDER TO VISIT GARY LIPPINCOTT'S VERY INTERESTING WEBSITE
THERE ARE MANY FASCINATING AND UNIQUE POSTS FROM THE GROVEVILLE-YARDVILLE AREA.

WWW.GROVEVILLEMEMORIES.BLOGSPOT.COM.

St. Francis Hospital 1891

Compare today's huge St. Francis Medical Center with the austere facility in this engraving from "Trenton Illustrated," 1891. Don't miss the picket fence, the gaslight, and what appears to be a hitching post.