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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
By: J. Mark Mutter
April and the American Civil War - - April 9, when Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln five days later in Ford’s Theater. For the Union, with the war’s ending, it was a time of great celebration; with Lincoln’s murder, it was a time of great tragedy. How did Toms River react to these historic events? |
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Read more... [April]
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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
By: J. Mark Mutter
On February 21, 1798, the New Jersey legislature passed “An Act incorporating the inhabitants of Townships, designating their powers, and regulating their meetings.”
All 104 Townships that were then in existence were listed – including the then Township of Dover, now Toms River.
Our Township had been created some 32 years earlier – in 1767.
THE ROYAL PROVINCE
This was the period of time of the “royal province” of New Jersey in which the number of townships dramatically increased before independence was declared.
Originally, New Jersey had separate townships in both “East Jersey” and “West Jersey” – as the province was divided into two parts before 1702.
With the reunification of the province – we were then part of the British Empire – the number of Townships grew throughout the 1700’s.
There were three ways in which a township was formed during this period:
(1) By royal charters from the King or Queen, known as “letters patents”. Stafford Township, the oldest municipality in Ocean County, was created in this manner in 1749.
(2) By orders from either the Cape May, Morris, or Sussex County Courts.
(3) By acts of the General Assembly. Seven municipalities were formed this way – including Dover Township which was established on June 24, 1767.
The creation of the non-incorporated Dover Township in 1767 means our community is nine years older than the United States.
Once part of the royal province of New Jersey, our early records were destroyed when the British attacked and burned Toms River in 1782 at the end of the Revolutionary War.
THE DOVER TOWN BOOK
Our first records still in existence are from 1783 – in the Dover “Town Book” and contains very basic information from the Annual Town Meeting held in March of each year.
Those first meetings were held in public taverns or private homes – typical of those times – and organized the town for the year ahead before the planting of crops. Most of our early town leaders were farmers.
The meetings were simple – electing a clerk, an overseer of the poor, and the building of roads and bridges. (These meetings can be accessed on our Township website at www.tomsrivertownship.com, go to “Forms” to “Historic.”)
With the 1798 state law enacted this month, our Township, like all others then in existence, was “incorporated.” Thus, “municipal corporations” were introduced to New Jersey, a concept still with us today.
J. Mark Mutter is the Toms River Clerk and Historian, and Chairman of the Semiquicentennial Committee that is planning the Township 250th anniversary in 2017.
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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
By: J. Mark Mutter
In January 1776, the Continental Congress published the “Tory
Act” resolution which described how the colonists should handle those persons favoring King George III and British control of North America.
The resolution called on colonial committees to indoctrinate those “honest and well-meaning, but uninformed people” by enlightening them as to the “origin, nature and extent of the present controversy.” The Congress remained “fully persuaded that the more our right to the enjoyment of our ancient liberties and privileges is examined, the more just and necessary our present opposition to ministerial tyranny will appear.”
However, those “unworthy Americans,” who had taken part with “our oppressors” with the aim of gathering “ignominious rewards,” were left to the relevant bodies, some ominously named “councils of safety,” to decide their fate. Congress merely offered its “opinion” that dedicated Tories “ought to be disarmed, and the more dangerous among them either kept in safe custody, or bound with sufficient sureties to their good behavior.”
This action by the Congress was taken after fighting began between Americans and the British at Lexington and Concord in April 1775.
Here in Toms River, one such Council of Safety, the “Pennsylvania Council of Safety” built a salt works where Shelter Cove Park is now located.
In 1777, the Council sent one of its members here to purchase a fifty-acre tract of salt meadows located opposite Cranberry Inlet. Later that year, it built the salt works – a long building with fireplace, kettles, drying house, stable, and blacksmith shop.
The salt works at Shelter Cove was one of the most productive during the Revolutionary War – and subject to several attacks by the British, as salt was a much needed commodity for George Washington’s Army.
Also in January, in 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris which ended the war for independence.
In the treaty, Britain officially agreed to recognize the independence of the 13 colonies as the new United States of America.
The treaty’s adoption was delayed for several years. While official fighting ended in 1781 at the Battle of Yorktown, sporadic clashes delayed the peace talks in Paris – including the battle of Toms River which occurred in 1782.
J. Mark Mutter is the Toms River Township Clerk and Historian, and is Chairman of the Semiquincentennial Committee that is planning the Township’s 250th anniversary in 2017.
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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
By J. Mark Mutter
Election Day is next month and here’s how the Township has voted in presidential elections in the last 60 years:
2008
Republican John McCain—25,881 votes to Democrat Barack Obama—18,439 votes, or 57.5 percent to 41 percent. Minor party candidates received the balance of votes. McCain carried 54 of the then 60 election districts in the Township. Voter turnout in Toms River was 72 percent.
2004
Republican George W. Bush—26,203 votes to Democrat John Kerry—16,467 votes, or 61 to 38 percent. Bush carried 53 of the then 55 districts. Turnout was 72.5 percent.
2000
Republican George W. Bush—18,689 votes, 49.7 percent, Democrat Al Gore—17,417 votes, 46.3 percent, and Independent Ralph Nader—1315 votes, 3.5 percent. In 2000, there were 47 election districts and Bush carried 29, Gore 17, and one district
tied. Turnout was 67.3 percent.
1996
Democrat Bill Clinton—15,578 votes, 44.8 percent, Republican Bob Dole—14,875 votes, 42.8 percent, and Independent Ross Perot—3760 votes, 10.8 percent. Of the 46 districts then, Clinton carried 28 and Dole carried 18. Turnout was 72.3 percent.
1992
Republican George H. W. Bush—15,414 votes, 45 percent, Democrat Bill Clinton-- 11,530 votes, 33.7 percent, and Independent Ross Perot-- 7265 votes, 21.2 percent. Of the 45 districts, Bush carried 38, Clinton 6 and one tied. Turnout was 85.8 percent.
1988
Republican George H. W. Bush—21,253 votes to Democrat Michael Dukakis—10,508 votes, or 66.9 to 33 percent. There were 42 election districts. Bush carried all of them. Turnout was 83 percent.
1984
Republican Ronald Reagan—21,235 votes to Democrat Walter Mondale—8,438 votes, or 71.6 percent to 28.4 percent. There were 38 election districts. Reagan carried all of them. Turnout was 82 percent.
1980
Republican Ronald Reagan—17,116 votes, 63.6 percent to Democrat Jimmy Carter—7,899 votes, 29.3 percent, and Independent John Anderson—1,899 votes or 7 percent. There were 33 election districts. Reagan carried all of them. Turnout was 83 percent.
1976
Republican Gerald R. Ford—13,544 votes to Democrat Jimmy Carter—9,951 votes, or 57.6 percent to 42.3 percent. Turnout was 81 percent.
1972
Republican Richard M. Nixon—14,466 votes to Democrat George McGovern—5,374 votes, or 72.9 percent to 27 percent. Turnout was 83 percent.
1968
Republican Richard M. Nixon--7,990 votes, 54. 2 percent, Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey—5,163 votes, 35 percent, and Independent George Wallace—1,591 votes, 10.8 percent. Turnout was 85 percent.
1964
Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson—6,035 votes, 58.3 percent to Republican Barry Goldwater—4,302 votes, 41.6 percent. Of the 12 election districts, Johnson carried 11 of them.
1960
Republican Richard M. Nixon—4,548 votes, 61 percent to Democrat John F. Kennedy—2,905 votes, 38.9 percent. Nixon carried 9 of the 10 districts. Turnout was 87 percent.
1956
Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower—3,938 votes, 72.6 percent to Democrat Adlai Stevenson—1,489 votes, 27.4 percent. There were 9 election districts. Eisenhower carried all of them. Turnout was 88.3 percent.
1952
Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower—3,238 votes, 72.6 percent to Democrat Adlai Stevenson—1,224 votes, 27.4 percent. There were 8 districts. Eisenhower carried all of them.
TODAY—ALL-TIME HIGHS
Today, there are 63 election districts and over 61,000 registered voters in Toms River—all- time highs. This year’s election is on Tuesday, Nov. 6. The polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
J. Mark Mutter is the Toms River Township Clerk and Historian, and Chairman of the Semiquincentennial Committee that is planning the Township’s 250th anniversary in 2017 |
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This Month in History
