Ghost Tour of Bordentown

Tis the time of year for scary ghost stories, even if the weather is 70 degrees and lacks the necessary chill in the air to get your bones started. Seeing the warm forecast, Don and I went on the Bordentown Walking Company's Haunted History Tour.

Over the course of an hour, Joshua, our guide took us up and down Farnsworth Avenue, sharing stories from throughout its long history. I was intrigued enough by what I learned to want to return for their regular daytime history tour when I can more easily take notes and let their history sink in.

We learned about where Thomas Paine is buried, The Wreck, the White Lady, the Jersey Devil (which many towns in South Jersey claim to be the birthplace of), where a hospital was located during the Civil War, and where ghosts have been spotted by other ghost tour participants. The tour whetted my appetite to want to return in daylight to learn more about Bordentown's famous residents.

The creepiest part of the tour was when we stopped at the end of Farnsworth, right in front of Dave and Scottie's house. As my eyes got super big, the guide said people have taken pictures on the ramp leading down to the marina in which ghosts have appeared.

Whew! Their house is not known to be haunted.

That's when we paused in front of Thomas Paine's statue and learned a former friend, now admirer, dug up his corpse with the intention of bringing it back to England in order to be buried where he was born. Unfortunately England did not want him, so the friend brought him back and literally stuffed him in a closet intending to figure out another plan. A decade or two passed without that item being crossed off his to do list and Mr. "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" remained in the closet until the house was sold as-is. The new owner made a profit selling him off bit by bit. Citation for the story from the Library of Congress.

We learned about The Wreck -- when two trains collided in 1901 killing many on board.

We paused again in front of Dave and Scottie's home for another story, then continued around the corner to the other side of the house to learn another story. I confirmed their house was not standing during the Revolutionary War and there are no known ghost stories there. The White Lady can be seen looking for her lover. She used to live at the end of Farnsworth, married the man of her father's choice, and planned to run away with her lover. Instead her body was found frozen in the Delaware River. She continues to look for her lover.

The next stop was in front of the Masonic Temple, which we learned had been
turned into a hospital during the Civil War. Soldiers were transported by train from as far away as the Battle at Gettysburg to be healed, or amputated, or taken care of. I really thought Joshua was going to bring up Clara Barton, another famous resident of Bordentown, but, he did not. We did get a passing mention of Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother.

The day before I toured The Proprietary House in Perth Amboy. Our hostess told us of a ghost who does not approve of her holiday decorations and moves them around a bit.

Like I said, that time of year.

Church Time Capsule Revealed

After much delay, the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville finally began construction. The "groundbreaking" ceremony took place on a warm day last February, but the actual permits and construction equipment appeared in early October. Last week, the construction crew unearthed a time capsule set in the cornerstone in 1954. Yesterday, Pastors Jeff and Kyle unveiled it amid little fanfare, but much anticipating, in fellowship hall following our worship service. 

The contents include (but are not limited to): a church bulletin from that service, a church newsletter, a commemorative plate, a Presbyterian magazine, a New York Herald newspaper from December with the headline the current pope was in the hospital, a list of everyone who donated to the building fund, and a 1922 silver dollar (current value approximately $40, not enough to make a dent in the building campaign).

As some items (such as the plate) were unveiled long-time members admitted to having matching ones at home.

Only one person admitted to being there when the time capsule was created, but she was only two at the time. Others remember 1954.

The question that begs to be asked is what should we put in a time capsule when construction nears that point?

Perth Amboy's Proprietary House and more

On Saturday, I attended a meeting of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey taking place at The Proprietary House in the seaport town of Perth Amboy, NJ -- about an hour drive from home.

Perth Amboy is one of those towns I've heard of, but had never been to before. Afterwards I mentioned this to Don and he said he went there to visit a friend from college in his life before we met. After nearly 35 years together we are still finding stories we have not shared. Pretty amazing.

The lectures at these events are fascinating. I heard one about "sleeper stones" that were thought to originate at Sing Sing prison (the speaker debunked that theory) and historical sites in Middlesex County. I only wish I brought my tourist notebook with me as the stories were coming faster than I could absorb them. Photos help me jog my memory, which is why I take so many.

The geologist expert on sleeper stone's first name is Pierre. Sometimes you can't make up something better than the truth. When Pierre first introduced the topic, I pictured stones the prisoners were forced to sleep on. No, they are stones the prisoners were forced to carve out as part of manual labor rehab. The debunked theory was that stones were shipped from New York to South Jersey to be used as part of the early railroad system. The system was deemed ineffective because the lines had to be adjusted after every time a train went over them. Soon they were replaced by the rails and ties system we are more familiar with. The stones were heavy, though, so they were mostly left behind. Some were repurposed, others buried. Pierre took a walking tour of the area and discovered over 2,000 of the 100,000 stones that had been made 200 years ago. The next day while in Bordentown, I saw some that he identified as having been repurposed as a monument.

As is often the highlight when this group meets, the host gave us a tour. The meeting was held at the Proprietary House in Perth Amboy -- home to Benjamin Franklin's illegitimate son, William Franklin, the royal governor of NJ during the Revolutionary War, and has had a topsy turvy history every since. The estate was expanded, had fires, was turned into a hotel, sat vacant, and became part of the historical society. It received a $3,000,000 grant for restoration (which is not complete). Next up they want to renovate the ballroom. They expect the house to be closed and turned into the Middlesex County headquarters for the 250th anniversary of our nation.

Teas are held in this room twice a month

Excellent docent -- she arranged
the tour as if we were time traveling,

The place goes on forever -- easy to see
why it was turned into a hotel.

The ballroom was turned into a library
at one point, hence the center columns.

Afterwards we walked a few blocks to St. Peter's Churchyard Cemetery to see where many of the home owners were buried, and check out the wide assortment of tombstones. I wish I had brought a notebook because information was coming at me faster than I could file it in my brain. The pictures help to jog my memory.

Thomas Peterson

William Dunlap

Perth Amboy had a rich history. They are famous for hosting the first professional play in all of New Jersey. In fact the father of American Theater (William Dunlap) is buried in town. Speaking of burials, Thomas Manly Peterson, the first African American to vote following the ratification of the 15th amendment, is off to the side in the same cemetery. Many of the past owners of The Proprietary House are buried in the same place.

Our guide shared with us the different styles of tombstones. The brown ones are the oldest. There are examples of both New England and New Jersey styles. There were some made out of clay, and others made out of marble. The tall one at the end was a cookie cutter tombstone that could be modified for the needs of the purchaser (mostly have the names engraved on it). The guide was enthusiastic, but I left overwhelmed.

Having heard the lecture, the next day when I was in Bordentown I easily identified some sleeper stones that have been repurposed into a monument.

Random NYC Pictures

After sharing some pictures I took in Washington, DC this week, I realized I've taken a lot of pictures in NYC that I have not shared. Here they are. All were taken since this July. No order. No logic.

In Patchin Place, the neighborhood
where Rhys Bowen's Molly Murphy
series takes place.

I always take an Empire State Building
picture when in NYC.

The High Line.

That's a lot of cars!

I miss the windows at Lord & Taylors.

Felt like a trip to Paris.

Manhattan Bridge

Little Italy

We have yet to see this open

I was eyeing up this scene when I noticed
this photographer set up with a tripod capturing it.
I would have loved to have seen his picture.

Headed home via the World Trade Center
PATH station instead of Penn Station.