MEMBERSHIP FORM

If you have Photos that you would like to post in the Photo Gallery
email them to gfr@bricktwphistoricalsociety.com or mail them to:

Brick township Historical Society Inc.
P.O. Box 160
Brick, NJ 08723

In response to your inquiry concerning Jack Martin, lets start with the bio first since it may be the easiest to explain.

Jack C. Martin

Born April 4, 1887

Died July 2, 1980

Played major league baseball 1912 to 1914

1912 Played 69 games at shortstop for the New York Highlanders (now New York Yankees)

1913 Sent down to minor leagues at Rochester. Was drafted by Boston and traded to Philadelphia Phillies.

1914 Played 116 games with Philadelphia

1914-1924 Spent these years in the minor leagues playing for St Paul; Milwaukee: San Antonio; Atlanta: Dayton: Seattle & St. Petersburg

1924 Retired after spending the 1924 season with the Newark Bears (New Jersey)

Returned to Plainfield to work for the Mack Foundry.

For further information you might try:

Asbury Park Press July 5, 1980

Brick Town News January 9, 1980

As to why a street was named for him????

He had many friends in Brick where he had a summer home since 1954, which eventually became his retirement home. He was a active supporter of the Little League program here. Among those friends were two sports fans Harold Hanchen, Sr. athletic director at Brick Twp High School and Paul Larsen of Larsen Ford, who I believe requested the new road linking Route 88 and Route 70 be named for Jack Martin.

Yes they are nice sounding name, however there is some history behind these names.

Lanes Mill Road gets its name from the Lane brothers who ran two mills one grist and one saw. They were located at what is now the corners of Lanes Mill Road and County Line Road. You may have noticed a stream there which may have supplied the power for their mills.

Burnt Tavern Road was established in 1804 and ran from Smithburg to the Atlantic Ocean, this area was Howell Township, Monmouth County at that time. There are still many people around who recall Burnt Tavern Road as their road to the shore from western New Jersey. As to was there a tavern on the Road. I have never been able to establish that. However, being established in 1804 and the distance the road covered there probably was a tavern at one time.

Q. 1/19/2008

I am in possession of a coin from the Bergen Iron Works dated early 1830's. An elderly man in our Church left his household belongings to the Church youth when he passed away and the coin was found in a jar of everyday pennies. We kept the coin separate in order to investigate. We don't know if he had it for days, years, a lifetime. How common are these coins and how often do they surface? Do they have any value? If so, we would be willing to sell it to benefit our Youth Mission Fund....(with check being made directly to them). I have read the information on your site and have learned that Mr. Brick was an apprentice in the iron industry under Jesse Richards at Batsto. He even rose to the title of Clerk of the works for Batsto Village at the General Store. We are actually within 7 miles of Batsto and it may explain why the coin is here ( ? ) Any information that you would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

As to why Bergen Iron Works issued it's own coins. In 1836, President Andrew Jackson issued his order called "Specie Circular" which closed the Federal Bank and forced the use of hard currency in place of paper money. US citizens began to horde their coins forcing businesses to make tokens or coins during this period 1836-1842, so Joseph Brick in order to pay his workers, etc. produced the coin that you possess.

Q. 3/8/2008

In the late 1950's, there was a place along the Metedeconk River, on Princeton Avenue, that my family used to go to go swimming for the day. It was not Windward Beach, we passed Windward Beach to get there.

We would pull our car in, and there were picnic tables under the trees, and grills to cook your burgers etc. To the left of the picnic area, there was this big house that had a porch with rocking chairs. Inside the house there was a jukebox, and as little kids we were fascinated watching the teenagers dance. Passed the picnic area, we would go down a couple steps, and there was a beach, a food stand, and lockers to change our clothes.

I know this place is probably not there anymore, but we always wondered what became of the place, when it closed, and if it had a name to it, as Windward Beach does. I was wondering if there are any pictures of it, as we have some pictures, but the pictures are, of course, of us there, more than of the place.

We just have a lot of good memories from being there, and we were just wondering if you had any info on it.

The beach where you spent your summers was on Princeton Avenue and called Metedeconk Bathing Beach. It was established in 1938 and operated until the 1970's. In 1985 the property was sold to a developer who built several homes in the property. The Brick Township Historical Society sells a book Greetings From Brick Township it is about the resort communities and summer camps in Brick Township and does include Metedeconk Bathing Beach.. The book is available from the Brick Township Historical Society, PO Box 160, Brick NJ 08723. The price is $15,00 plus $5.00 shipping for one or two copies. If you are local the book is available at the Havens Homestead Museum, 521 Herbertsville Road, Brick, NJ 08724. The Museum is open April through October Saturdays 10:00 to noon, Sundays Noon to 2 pm.

Q. 4/11/2008

Can you give me information on the David Pettit Barn???

I saw pics of it in an old book that I don't have anymore and would like to know more about David Pettit, if possible.

In response to you request about Davis Pettit. We have at this time no information about Mr. Pettit. His Barn was located beside his house on Burrsville Road. It was last owned by the Nikmanis family, whose heirs sold the property to a company that built a medical arts building there. The barn was burned down by vandals while the property was unoccupied. The Barn rafters were made from the spars from sailing ships.

One of our members provided the following information

I can't find any connection to David Pettit & our Pettet/Pettit(s). What I know is this:

He was a farmer in Brick, born 1811, died 1899, buried: 1st Baptist Church.

His wife was Maria Truex, born 1816, died 1892, buried: same.

Their kids:

William (never married/stayed home), born 1834, died 1905, buried: 1st Baptist

Charles, born about 1847 married Lydia Unknown

Deborah

Rebecca

John T. born 2/4/1852

David, Jr., born about 1855, married Georgiana Unknown.

A bell went off in my head about David & Maria, but I haven't figured out why yet. If it comes to me, you will be the 2nd to know. I'm not saying they are not def. related somehow, but I don't know how.

I guess if you search Census, you could find out where their farm was.