1909: Madeline Kuser Weds Bentley Pope

I am, and have been doing DEEP research on the Kuser Family, uncovering some very interesting articles and photos relating to one of Hamilton's most famous families who settled in the city of Trenton and Hamilton Township along "Pond Run." It took some time to re-assemble this Trenton Times 1909 article, but when you read it, you will see just how ELEGANT the Kuser family fit into our "high society" segment of the population. This is "Victoriana" at its very best. Imagine a wedding at the Astor Gallery of New York's famous Waldorf Astoria! I would wager that there are many of my female facebook friends will read and absorb the essence of a wealthy wedding in a venue known all over the world.

1926: THERESA DOELGER KUSER OBIT

For many years, one of the targets of my historical research has been centered around my "Kuser Farm" folder; our local treasure in Hamilton Township, and also on the Kuser Family. My "Kuser Family-Related" folder now has 730 files in 4 folders as I continue to add additional photos, articles and files in the Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection. Mrs. Theresa Kuser was a very religious woman and weather permitting she walked the flat second floor roof on the Kuser "Country Home," (now referred to as the Kuser Mansion), saying her Rosary every night.

1910: OLD CITY HALL IS SOLD

It is not widely known that the Kuser family with all their wealth, once owned Trenton's beautiful and very historic City Hall which still stands and in nice condition at the corner of State and Broad Streets in Trenton.

1888: ANTHONY KUSER CHECK FROM FITZGIBBON & CRISP

This beautiful specimen came across my desk one day last month, and in my carelessness, I neglected to get the name of the gentleman who gave it to me. As any of the docents at Kuser Mansion will verify, Anthony R. Kuser was the epitome of "class." His endorsement signature reproduced in the graphic above brings into focus the idea among many of today's educators that the digital age and computing has rendered penmanship a moot subject, and of little value. I vehemently disagree. Anthony Kuser's endorsement signature is a testament to an era when penmanship was an important and necessary talent with incredibly beautiful flourishes in execution. With the Glover family being very close to the Fred Kuser branch of the family during their years at what is today's Kuser Farm Park, I naturally treasure any and all memorabilia that I find. This ephemeral specimen will be sent to Ms. Patti Krzywulak at Kuser Mansion for inclusion in the Kuser Farm Mansion collection.

1939: GREENWOOD AVENUE

I was only 3 years old when this photo was taken, but I do remember when Greenwood Avenue went clear through rom South Clinton Avenue to South Broad Street. This photo gives a teasing glimpse of that stretch of the highway. Ben Kuser's KUSER COAL CO. is on the left.

Tom, I went over that bridge twice daily going to THS from Clay Street.. At that time in the early 50s there were still a few steam engines running. It was quite a sight when a train passed under the bridge to see the smoke. soot and steam come up through the decking. A good era to live in.

Noel Goeke

FROM WARREN RUE:

I remember this bridge oh, so well. I crossed it many, many times to visit my uncles and aunts on South Clinton. My trip originated on Jackson St.then crossing over Greenwood. Unfortunately,one time I was hit by a car on Greenwood and dragged by said car over the railroad tracks. When all was said and done, I ended up with the brush burns of all times on the left side of my body.
Indeed, there are memories!

Warren Rue

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Anonymous said...

Ten Years after this photo was taken, I crossed this path enroute to my first year at Trenton Central High School. It was some experience, crossing over from South Trenton when you took Greenwood Ave. diagnally across from Sacred Heart Church and wound up on Mansion Row beginning at the corner of Greenwood and So. Clinton. This photo depicts a few of the grand mansions that graced Greenwood Ave. They were the homes of Trenton's Elite!
Sadly, 20 years after this photo in 1959 I began my career in Government with the City of Trenton Health Dept. as a Health Inspector. I was assigned as a "rooming house inspector, which took me into many of these former mansions which had been transformed into Rider College Fraternity Houses, rooming houses, and sheltered care homes.
It did not take long to deem many of them unfit for human habitation, and they became boarded up hulks, and eyesores.
Thanks to careless kids, and greedy landlords.

I guess there is very little to aspite too in Trenton these days.

Best wishes

Mike Kuzma

2011: PREVIEWS OF MY SUNDAY KUSER MANSION PROGRAM

The graphic above shows 2 of some 75 plus historical gems from my on screen presentation this Sunday at Kuser Mansion. The program begins at 1:30 P.M. and is a free community outreach program. Admission is free. The main entrance to Kuser Farm is located at the intersection of Cedar Lane and Newkirk Avenue. There is another entrance off of Kuser Road at the Trenton Catholic Academy entrance on Kuser Road and Ferrante Lane. I hope to meet and greet some of my local visitors. Beside the above presentation I will also be projecting Kuser-related files that are not in the formal presentation, as well as giving visitors an idea of the comprehensive digital library I am forming for present and future generations.
SEE YOU THERE!

1934: INEZ HOWE HOWELL, WOOD CARVER

This photo is included in the very comprehensive "KUSER-FAMILY RELATED" folder in the Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection. Inez Howe was the sister of Edna Howe Kuser of Kuser Farm in Hamilton. Both of the sisters were instrumental in the local area with beautiful real estate. Fritz and Edna Kuser sold their Kuser Farm property to the Township of Hamilton, and Inez Howell, husband of the late Charles R. Howell the Howell Farm in the Pennington area.

1885: ANTHONY R. KUSER DOELGER BEER DISTRIBUTOR

The Peter Doelger graphic is just one of the many graphics I will be presenting on May 20th at Kuser Mansion when I present "THE KUSERS OF HAMILTON;" a free admission and quite comprehensive on screen presentation of the incredible Kuser Family who played a very important part in the advancement of the city of Trenton and of course, their home town of Hamilton. Fred Kuser, one of the 5 sons of Rudolph and Rosalie Kuser, married Miss Teresa Doelger, daughter of millionaire brewer Peter Doelger. Keeping it "all in the family," Anthony R. Kuser set up a distributorship here in Trenton on Mercer Street. I have appended a helicopter view of Merchant Street as it is today; a far cry from its heyday when it was in close proximity to the canal which is today's Trenton Freeway.

2012: DON'T MISS "THE KUSERS OF HAMILTON"

On Sunday afternoon., May 20, 2012 at 1:30 P.M., I will be presenting an on screen multimedia presentation entitled, "THE KUSERS OF HAMILTON." The program will be a thumbnail sketch of the early years of the Kuser family, beginning with Rosalie and Rudolph Kuser's Pond Run Road farm which is adjacent to Hamilton Township's beautiful Kuser Farm Park. This presentation is being billed as a "thumbnail" sketch due to the fact that the Hamilton Township Public Library has an extensive library of articles and photos on the Kuser, Howe, Maddock, Howell, and other prominent local families who played a part in the Kuser history. The collection is being expanded as I post this graphic. I am now searching for material on the Maddock family, and the countless local dignitaries with whom the Kusers were involved over the past one hundred plus years, including Bentley Pope, the Lenhardt family, New Jersey governors, senators, and the list goes on and on. This event will prove to be of interest to any who always wondered about the history of the "Homestead" on Kuser Road and that beautiful 1896 "Country Home" of Frederick and Teresa Kuser which has become Hamilton Township's Kuser Farm Park.
For reservations, Email Ms. Tracey Destribats at tdestribats@hamiltonnj. com, or Tom Glover at tglover320@optimum.net with the number of seats you wish to reserve. Seating is limited, so reserve early.

2012: THE KUSER'S OF HAMILTON - MARK YOUR CALENDARS

My family's long time connection with the Edna and Fred Kuser's Kuser Farm going back to the late 1930's, has led to a mission on my part to compile anything and everything I can find relating to this remarkable family. I have composed the above broadside to announce an interesting look into the family with historic articles and photos on the family from the mid 1800's when Rosalie Prieth Kuser and Rudolph Kuser acquired the Benjamin Lord Farm, "on Pond Run Road to the road leading from the White Horse Tavern to Sandtown." The program will consist of an on-screen presentation along with a lecture on those articles of interest I have uncovered after more than 30 years of research. There is still much more to be discovered, and it will be added to the Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History Collection under two folders: "KUSER FAMILY-RELATED," and "KUSER FARM."

Anonymous said...

Tom - The "'s" in Kuser's is not necessary - it's not showing ownership, just a plural!
Should read "The Kusers of Hamilton."
Lakeside Girl

HI "LAKESIDE GIRL:

THANKS FOR FOR THE CORRECTION WHICH HAS BEEN MADE, ELEANOR. AND TO THINK I ACTUALLY WENT TO ONE OF OUR REFERENCE LIBRARIANS AND ASKED IF THE APOSTROPHE WAS PROPER, OR DID IT JUST CONFINE ITSELF WITH POSSESSION SHE ALSO THOUGHT THE ENTRY WAS CORRECT BUT ALAS ELEANOR, YOU ARE CORRECT. AFTER RECEIVING YOUR COMMENT I GOOGLED "THE BARRETS OF WIMPOLE STREET. NO APOSTROPHE. THANKS. HOWEVER, THE VERY LARGE 11 X 17 COLORED POSTER WHICH ADVERTISES THE EVENT HAS BEEN PRINTED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE AND I WILL ASSUME THAT THE ERROR WILL GO UNNOTICED BY MOST!

XO
TOM

XO
TOM GLOVER

1855: THE ORIGIN OF RUDOLPH AND ROASALIE'S KUSER FARM,

The rare re-formatted clipping above is from 1855 when Timothy and William Lord acted as Administrators in selling the Benjamin Lord farm (Originally the John Lord Farm in Colonial years.) The photo is the entrance to the Kuser Farm on Kuser Road as it looked long before it became Chick and Nello's in 1939. This bit of history will be included in an onscreen presentation that I will be presenting at the Kuser Mansion some time in May. Details will be forthcoming.

JOHN L. KUSER'S "STRAWBERRY HILL"

This delightful map shows the Pennington-Hopewell- W. Trenton area of John L. Kuser's beautiful estate at the foot of Bald Pate Mountain. Thanks to old time family friend "Beb" Bill Peters for the map.
I HAVE DIGITIZED THIS MAP AT A HIGH (300) DPI SO YOU CAN WANDER
DOWN THOSE BEAUTIFUL OLD COUNTRY ROADS AND VISIT THE BUCOLIC VILLAGES ALONG THE WAY.

1902: MUNGER TIRE COMPANY THE KUSER CONNECTION

Over the years, I have added hundreds of articles and photos to the "AUTOMOBILIA" folder in the Hamilton Township Library's Local History Collection. Most of the material is from pre-computer years, and much of it is from acquisitions of articles etc. which began at the inception of this blog in November, 2008. One thing that stands out fascinatingly clear: There are always articles like the above Munger Tire Company article that comes into my area searches. I had never heard of the Munger Tire, and presume it could be the predecessor of the old Murray Tire Company over in East Trenton. The article verifies that the Kusers were involved in the very earliest local years of the horseless carriage. .

1922: ANTHONY R. KUSER'S GIFT TO NEW JERSEY

A few posts ago, I posted two photos of Kuser's Woods in Hamilton's Kuser Farm Park. A visitor who signed himself "Skip" sent a comments relating to High Point in Sussex County NJ. Skip's interesting insights make it obvious that he has been there and is familiar with that popular state park..

Skip wrote:

Well those Kusers certainly did so much good with their land the memories they left. I spent some of my best summers at the old Kuser Summer Camp which we now know as High Point State Park. The huge stone building that I lived in and had to myself is still standing, built solid and from native stone. Tom, that portion too was a CCC project so you should perhaps include that into your Conservation Corps legend and lure. The State was renting rooms in the old wooden "Estate House" that was demolished in the 1990's but that old stone building is still standing strong. High Point is such a treasure hidden in the farthest corner of the state and shows how far and wide the Kuser family reached out, one minute I was Trenton bound and the next thing I knew I was wandering the northern woods and getting paid to do it too, each evening was blessed by a sunset amid the scrub pines with a handful of wild blueberry. Skip

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Great retrospective, Skip. Many thanks.

Tom Glover

1928 AND 1940: FRITZ KUSER: MR. TRENTON TENNIS

Originally posted Monday, November 12, 2007

ONCE AGAIN FROM MY "NOTABLE PERSONS" FOLDER, FRED KUSER, A LOCAL TENNIS LEGEND BACK IN THE 30'S AND 40'S. FRITZ WAS A CHAMPION TENNIS PLAYER WHO PLAYED AGAINST MANY NATIONAL TENNIS STARS, INCLUDING DON BUDGE, BOBBY RIGGS, AND EVEN NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR MEYNER.

1896: FRED KUSER BUILDS A COUNTRY HOME

Errors are very common in our quest for historical information. The actual date of the construction of Fred Kuser's "Country Home" was really 4 years later than the date recalled by Fred "Fritz" Kuser when he told the Kuser story to the township via the yellow booklet written by Edna Kuser.
:

1891: RUDOLPH KUSER OBIT

The graphic following this tells of the auction for the Benjamin Lord farm on Pond Run Road (Kuser Road) back in 1855, 6 years prior to the arrival of Rudolph Kuser to the area in 1861 perhaps Kuser purchased the farm as advertised in the article below while still a resident of Newark; a puzzle yet to be solved.

1917: ROSALIE PRIETH KUSER 84TH BIRTHDAY

There is a substantial and growing number of entries in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection's "KUSER FAMILY-RELATED" folder. This article provides an interesting genealogical listing of many of the family members. The photo shows the entrance way to Rudolph and Rosalie Kuser's Pond Run Road Homestead.

1946: JOHN L. KUSER'S GOLDSMITH MAID MONUMENT

John L. Kuser was the man responsible for memorializing "the Maid," as she was known in her championship years. Kuser had the monument placed in the grandstand area at the old New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Thanks to former Mayor Jack Rafferty's interest in local history, the monument to "Goldsmith Maid" (a champion trotting horse in the 1800's) was saved for posterity. Jack had the monument moved from the N.J. State Fairgrounds when the property was sold, and had it re-positioned at Kuser Park. Thanks also to Pat Rose's maintenance crew at Kuser Farm. The monument looked absolutely exquisite this season as brilliant red Impatiens flowers bloomed at the base.

1974: INEZ HOWELL GIVES MERCER THE HOWELL FARM

I became acquainted with Inez Howell way back in the 1940's when Don Slabicki and I worked for Fritz and Edna Kuser. (Inez is Edna Howe Kuser's sister). I recall the day when Don and I "rode shotgun" in the motorcade through the Pennington area during Inez's husband Charles' campaign for congress. Here she is shown handing over the papers to the Howell farm in Hopewell which has become the very popular Howell Living History Farm,