Woodside, the North End of Newark, N.J.: Its History, Legends and Ghost Stories Gathered from the Records and the Older Inhabitants Now LivingHine, C. G. (Charles Gilbert)
History
Woodside, the North End of Newark, N.J.: Its History, Legends and Ghost Stories Gathered from the Records and the Older Inhabitants Now Living
Hine, C. G. (Charles Gilbert)
Hine, C. C. (Charles Cole), 1825-1897; Woodside (Newark, N.J.) -- History
Those who sought knowledge at that fount known as the Elliott street
school, when it was but a country schoolhouse, delight to recall how
they were allowed to roam the woods that then bordered the old road on
the west, for the first flowers of spring, and how the schoolmaster
would ring the bell from the schoolhouse door summoning a return to
study, and the children would come scampering back with hands full of
bloom—windflowers and hepaticas mostly, whose blue and white are so
emblematic of the springtime heavens. To those who can hark back so far
that patch of woods is remembered as a wonderfully attractive spot.
JESSE C. BENNETT.
Jesse C. Bennett came to this country from Stockport, England, in 1833,
to superintend the calico print works, which lined the south side of
Second river from the Back road to the De Witt mill pond, and he built a
house at what is now the southwest corner of Summer and Verona avenues.
Mr. Bennett was an Episcopalian, and as dancing was one of the
accomplishments of the day and not barred by that creed, he engaged a
master of the art who once in so often gave the small Bennetts (there
were twelve of them) lessons in an addition at the rear of the dwelling
which provided a suitable room. As time wore on Mr. Bennett became a
Second Adventist and turned this rear room from a dancing hall to a
place for prayer. One of the fervent brothers of these times was Mr.
Harry Harvey, who was given to long prayers; in fact he thought nothing
of praying for an hour at a stretch. For these exercises the children
were brought in and ranged under the long mantelpiece on one side of the
room, but an hour was a long time to be good in those days, and
generally one or two or three would steal awhile away without being
noticed. This gradually emboldened the others, and one time while the
heads of the elders were bowed in devotion the entire youthful
congregation managed to get out unnoticed, and there was considerable
commotion when the fact was discovered and, as I understand it, the
commotion was not entirely confined to the elders.
Later Mr. Bennett became a Methodist and joined the church of that
denomination in Belleville.
Mr. Bennett once had a man working about the place who was fresh from
the Emerald Isle and he, venturing out one evening shortly after his
arrival, came running back a badly scared Irishman, and announced that
the woods were full of fairies, for he had seen their lanterns. It
proved to be his first acquaintance with fireflies.
THE CALICO PRINT WORKS.
The calico print works which lined the south bank of the Second river
from the Back road to the De Witt mill pond developed into a large
industry under Messrs. George and Jonathan Bird. This part of the river
bank has been a mill site for more than one hundred years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account