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
As soon as his work would permit he began to look about for a home, and
ultimately decided on Woodside, which was then beginning to be exploited
as a residence section for toilers in the city. In this connection it
can do no harm to tell a little story which he often told of himself.
As a young man he spent many of his leisure hours painting, and in 1844
painted much with a certain man in Massillon, Ohio, who was something of
an artist, and during this time painted the man’s portrait, but he had
completely lost sight of his friend for more than twenty years.
In 1866, when looking for a home site, Mr. Hine answered, among others,
an advertisement of a Mr. M., in Morrisania, and while inspecting the
house saw a portrait which he recognized as that of his artist friend of
1844, and one which he had seen many times, but which the lady of the
house told him was Mr. M., an entirely different name.
When the gentleman himself arrived Mr. Hine recognized him, but neither
gave any indication of the recognition and an appointment was made for
Mr. M. to call at the New York office of his prospective customer the
next day.
[Illustration: Home Of Mr. Henry J. Winser. House erected in 1866.
Situated at 201 Washington Avenue. In the foreground stands the old
apple tree that was used as a talking point by Mr. Ananias.]
In the meantime Mr. Hine got out his old portrait of the man and placed
it in his office where the caller would see it, expecting a good time in
resuming the old acquaintance, but Mr. M. never came, and inquiry showed
that he had disappeared suddenly, leaving no address, and that his house
was vacant and in the hands of an agent.
Mr. Hine’s portrait of the man hung for many years over a door in the
dining room at No. 209 Washington avenue, and he was fond of relating an
entirely new supposition accounting for the mysterious disappearance of
the gentleman, which was advanced by his pastor who, on a certain
occasion, was dining at the house when the story was told, and who
“looked up from his plate, gazed at the picture a moment, and then
looking me square in the eye said, in a calm, deliberate voice: ‘Maybe
he was afraid you would paint him again.’”
MR. HINE FIRST VISITS WOODSIDE.
Mr. Hine first visited Woodside in August, 1866; the house at 201
Washington avenue was for sale, having been erected by a Mr. Babbitt,
who was unable to occupy it. Mr. Hine concluded it could be made to meet
his requirements, and immediately closed the bargain; but it seems that
Mr. Henry J. Winser had before this discovered the house and, being
attracted by the great trees growing on the place, secured the refusal
of the property for a few days, and it was before this time had expired
that Mr. Hine made the purchase.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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