The Penn's Grove record., 1889-07-27

II NAV be said thu, it WAS he VINO
nave Penu's Grove u start 10 be not on
liz a center of business hut also u reiig-
ions center. At one time oven thirty
different families rented Of him. lie
generally attended to collecting his
rents persona. ~. II lie got it, 1t was
all right: if they could not pay he kind
Nv forgavp the debt. His charity was
extensive in all his dealings.
About 1910 he started a shipyafd
near the foot Of Harmony street, though
at that time, Main street was the ohiy
regular street by which 10 approach the
river. He had several vessels huilt,
some of which engaged in the eoaSting
trade, In 1859 he built steamboat,
which WAS named Antelope, and Tor
speed deserved the name. II run ior a
while un the line between salem ana
Philadelphia.
He also started the business OF buy
ing and shipping grain aud on n &C.
casion. by "A sudden rise in the price, he
cleared $1,000 in one month, but on
anolhe occasion by a sudden decline
in price, he lost 5000. In lis business
transactions he was often successful
and sometimes through mismanage-
meDt unsuccessful. II was his DISPOSE
ton to he a leader and he had uncom-
promising view. which if not aceeded
to by others, he put into force himseIt,
ven though he met with losses by 50
doing. He built a wharf about ~ years
ago at the foot of what is now the
Delaware River Railroad property. This
proved a failure.
He was also one of the first Directors
| of the Delaware River Railroad, and
was instrumental in building 1t n
making the terminus where 1t nov IS,
on what was once his property. when
the Company failed, he lost all of his
property, as the other Directors ala
-
nearly all of theirs, and never recovered
from the financially shock.
In 1871 Mr.. Guest gave one acre OF
land fol The pa pose Of having a school
near at home, the nearest then being
the Lafayette Seminary at the Cove.
He also contributed towards the build
ing of the house which WAS for many
years known as Harmony School, where
many of our present citizens received
all their education ~ 80
He was twice married. His first
wife. Mary Ann. WAS the daughter of
james Flanagan. She died III 1860
His second wife, Lydia, whom lie mar
ried in 1861. was the widow of John
Stalcup, ii local preacher. No children
blessed either marriage. ~
But it WAS in the religious world that
he most delighted il. and it may be
SAID thai lie did more to elevate the re-
ligiuuS life OF our community and i'm
prove its morals than any other "ne per-
son IN his youth he touk active part
il tie stniui delights Of the Sabbath
day. Seventy years ago 1t was a usual
occurrence for the young men, and oft
en- the older ones, TO meet on Sunday
at the Cove tavern, in tn brick build
ing now occupied by ThOs. Norton, Jr.,
and engage in drinking playing cards,
pitching qI0its and race horses up and
down the Cove lane.
1t was in 1927 while returning home
from Il horse race that he Ia deeply
convicted OF his sinful ways. Hisfolks
at home noticed the marked improve
meUts in his morals and at first,
thought lie must be sick, as he did not
swear as usual. He commenced to do
better but did not want any one to
know If his conversion. 1t Sas "A year
before he joined Church and three years
before he took an active part in the SER
vices. He WAS one of the pioneer Meth
0distS OF Salem county and did az much
II not more than any Ujher man to-
Maids placing it III il solid basis.
In those days The regular ministers
had to serve Il circuit in which there
were several appointments. AS the
ministers could not preach at "a place
more than once in three or four weeks,
local preachers found much to do il
conducting the services. A general re-
viyal started about 1885 in the vicinity
of Auburn, no doubt, partly through
the religious zeal and enthusiasm of
Joseph Guest, II spread TO Perkintown
and finally reached PENIS Grove. John
Boqua, John p. Leap and Benjamin
Smith were able assistants to Mr., |
Guest in breaking mp the s~trnngholds
of sin. Nj. Gueal was "a very good
singer in his day and it is said he and
Benjamin Smith would visit sinners
and 10 anything 20 get a person con-
verified. They never wearied, no mat
ter how hard the labor, in bringing sim
ners to Christ
In 1876 a camp-meeting was held in
John lotions woods, neal Penn's |
Grove, which the late William SUM- |
merrill in his History of Methodism in
PENIS Grove, says, no doubt threw off
the germ which started the famous re-
vival 10 the Cove School House in the |
winter of 1867. In these meetings
Nh. Guest and the other exhorters lab
ored with great zeal and were instru-
mental in converting many, who BE-.
came steadfast friends of Methodism.
some Of whom have gone TO receive the
reward Of the blessed. THIS revival led
to the organization of Emmanuel
church.
1t was'Uucle Jne's" delight to be
asked to ill the palpits OF churches oc-
c~asionaIly and until whiting the a,st