New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-29
OCEAN GROVES BEGINNINGS.
THE FIRST HOUSE BUILT THERE AND IT'S
HISTORY

ocean Grove Nov. 90 (speciaD-A score OF years
ago the name of Ocean Grove was UNKNOWN. ana inc
place where this famous Christian seaside resort now
stands was a wilderness OF sanddunes and beachgraS
while about sixty feet inshore from the endless wash
! OF tho waves on the beach was belt OF pines ana
black oaks none of which give evidence OF great age
In this barren phospable place lived single family
IN lone house on the northern shore OF what was al
that time called Gooss Pond because OF It's Delng
favOrite resort for wild geese This house was
| in a cleared space between what IS now known as
New ave. and Pilgrim Pathway on Tletcher LAKE
Goose Pond was named after 1t became the properly
of the Ocean Grove Association Here lived Charles
Rogers and his little family, consisting OF MS WIG
and two children with no neigbors along shore nearer
than Deal the north or Shark River on the souul'
In the winter of 1869 two Methodist ministers spled
out this land Of solitude, and although a deep sno"
covered the ground, they CROPPED their way throusn
tan ged Of brierS and over the sanuE r"soo
until the sight Of the Atlantic Ocean on tho east ana
Long Pond, Wesley Lake, on tho north. caught
their vision, and Ocean Grove was discovered. Inc
following summer band of twentYtw persons pitched
their tents the bluff Long Pond, in what IS no"
Thompson Park, In front of the sheldon House. me
first general religious service in this primitive camp
was prayer-meeting. held at the instance OF Mrs
Joseph ii. Thornley,, OF Brooklyn in tho tent occupied
by herself and her husband few days later camp
meeting was projected. The people for distance Oh
several miles furnished the congregations.
A small purchase Of land the beach and along
Long Pond was made and the Ocean Grove Association
70 med In Ito fal OF that veal the soho n
SOUL, Captain Thomas Tion. was wrecked OIL shore,
and Mr. Rogers securing quantity Of timber and lum
her from the wreckage. built house therefrom In
the spring Of the following year. That same winter
another schooner ashore at Goose Pond, loaded
with cypress shingles These, with the vessel, were
sold, and Allen II. Cook who lived at what is now
Avon by e-Sea but then Shark River bought
the shingles. Mr.. Rogers purchased enough Of them
to single his house. Mr.. Cook afterwam be-
came Mr. Bradeys very efficient assistant In the de
velopment of Asbury Park. The house built by Mr..
Rogers of material cast the shore by the was
a few rods east OF the turnpike on his own land. II
called Grove Cottage, and rs by 10 feet, with
lcan-to kitchen. The floors of this old part Of tho
house uneven, owing to the curves of tho ships
timbes.
The summer Of 1870 found the Rogers family in
their now house, and the old home on Goose Pond
occupied by Gardner Howell, of California,
member of the Ocean Grove Association, which had
been chartered in the meantime In this
new house Mr.. Rogers entertained the people
who came to Ocean Grove either on business or
pleasure or from curiosity In 1871 the association
bought Mr.. Rogers's tract Of eight acres, on which
Grove Cottage situated. The house enlarged
and adorned with piazzas. In 1874 the place
grow ana The multtudeS began 10 nOck miner, the
necessity became apparent of house where ministers
possessed Of little could come for a season Of
recuperaton by the seashore. This thought seems
to have come to than about the same time,
among whom were the late Rev. DR.. Alfred Goodman
and his esteemed wife; Miss Eveine Iibbs niece Of
Mrs. James A. Bradley, and the late Mrs. Ryan, Of
NewYork The subject was presented to the Ocean
Grove Association By of the ladies'. and Grove
Cottage, with its furniture was given TO them for this
purpose
In 1876 1t opened under the auspices of the
ladies' Union Aid Society of Ocean Grove, receiving
tho new name Of Elm Cottage. Here in this Place
Of Rest have been received since that time over 1000
guests. Ministers of all evangelical denominations
have come, broken in health. Others Just tired
out with their labors 10 find health and rccuperation
in the restfulness of the place and the invgoratng
Atlantic breezes which IS added the spicy aroma of
the pines.
Tho family that gathers in Elm Is cosmopolitan In
It's makeup, welcoming. it does, the swarthy son
Of midas coral strand with Swede, Japanese,
Bulgarian, Dane and HebnY. Mother Badeau, who
is the matron Of this happy family, Is the rgt woman
In the right place. being untring In her attention 10
her guests and successful in so catering to their sea-
side appetites as to send them home invariably better
than when they
Last summer 1853 guests registered OF these 1o3
were Methodsts, twenty four Presbyterians, ten
Baptists five Lutherans four Reformed. seven Con
gregatiOnalists and two EpScOpallans. Nine ntareS
were represented; New-York by ffty-four NewJersey
by forty, Pennsylvania by thirty eight Delaware. Con
necticut and Ohio each by four Vermont and Mary
land by each. Illinois by one Japan. sweden
and London each hal a guest, while India was rep
resented by converted Parsce:
This Elm among the pines by the sea IS designed
30 give to ministers and other Christian WORKERS
much needed and advantages for rccuperat0h az
the more cost OF living expenses and service Board
costs from three to five dollars although inability 70
pay even these prices Is no bar to admission. as
many grateful hearts have testified. Many talented
Young theologue has been helped through the summer
vacation by this unosentatOus charity. An efficient
board OF management looks after all the appointments
of the house. which kept mp by suhscrp ions and
Gifts Mrs, Alfred Goodman, OF Philadelphia, has
been the president since the organization Of the society
in 1870 and reelected at the annual meeting
held rer"nfv. The vice presidents are Mrs. Martha
j. Inshp, Of Ocean Grove; Mrs. David NJ Brown, Of
Stokes, Of Ocean Grove. and Mrs. Anna Kent of
Rrsdlev Beach: corresponding secretary, Mrs. A. r.
THOMPSON of Philadelphia. recording secretary, Mrs
A. J. Myers. of Washington; treasurer, Mrs. George
". Evans. of Ocean Grove. The manager, arc Mrs
Henry A. Higlcy, of Brooklyn; Mrs. f. sticHney, Of
Albany; Mrs. f. A. Horton Of Philadelphia; Mrs
Joseph II. Thornley, Of Ocean Grove; Mrs. I. J. Nc
Pherson and Mrs. Middleton. Of Trenton: Mrs. J.
Skm, OF Trenton; Mrs. Henry Wheeler, Miss Anna
Graham and Mrs. r. s. De Bow. of Philadelphia
Mrs b Mann Of Orange. y. J.. Mrs. II. A. Newton
of Albany Mrs. r. II. Van Kirk. Of New Brunswick
\ J.; Miss Mary COokman. of New York; Mrs. VI
Helen Crane. of Asbury Park; Mrs T. ;. Crawford,
Penn. Mrs. NJ A. scrven of Linden, y j.. Ms
Joanna Perry Mrs Waricll, Miss Josie Hamilton,
Mir. Hiram Blake, Mrs. Jane f. Pratt Mrs. T. =.
somers Of Ocean Grove, and Mrs. Anna Kent, Of
Bradley Beach.