Milford chronicle., 1909-04-16
Facts and Fancies Of Milford Neck
From Early Times to the
Present.
OLD LANDMARKS.

much surprise, how long names will stick
to certain places. On one of the farms of
COL Robert H. Williams, iB Milford Neck,
there is a small branch or brooket that
rises and flows in a sOutheasterly direction
until it falls into Crooked Gut, a small
tributary of Mispillion River. This min
iature stream still bears the patronymic
of "Perry's Branch" The land was pat
ented and held by William Perry, previ-
GUS to 1885 For more than a hundred
years the name Of the Perrys have not
existed in this locality, and yet that small
stream has borne the name for more than
two centuries, and will perhaps continue
TO do so for centuries to come.
Another stream, flowing into the Mis-.
lplllion River, known as Beaver Dam
Branch" has held that title ever since
the first settlers came certainly since the
land was patented in 1851. This stream
furnishes theme for thought and refec-
ton. At a point where the public road
crosses the stream may vet be seen part
Of the dam the work of that industrious
and intelligent little animal the beaver.
On the north side of the road. above the
dam, is a pond two to three feet deep and
extending over an area of about a half
acre, unquestionably, the work of that
sagacious animal. The pond, formerly
abounding with fishes, is slowly filling in
with silt and rubbish from the upper
stream and has to some extent become a
stagnant pool but Nature, which makes
but few mistakes, in order to abate the
nuisance, has planted it in howers-the /
beautiful and highly-prized water lily. |
MANY persons travelling along the high |
way pass this relic of antiquity unheaded, |
never realizing that it was once the home /
OF the fur bearing animal, which has long /
ago been driven away by the incoming |
tide Of civilization. Many generations have
passed away, and have been forgotten, but
evidence of those skillful little creatures
still remain. And now comes the ques-
ton How long will earthworks endure
Seventy years ago, when every farmers
home was a factory for the manufacture
of clothing for the family, this pond was
utilized by them for the rotting of fax.
Ii was subjected to this treatment until
the woody portion became soft, and by 4
means of the Aaxbrake could be separated
from the fiber, which was spun into
thread. To most of the present generation
this procedure is a lost art and faxbrake
an instrument unknown.
just how long the public road leading
through this section has been in use is 4
uncertain. 1t may have been open when
the Steward kings ruled England Ger /
tain it is, thct it was in use when the Col s
onies were governed by king A certain s
part of the road, where it crosses "Love I
Long Branch" is known as the ''Kings {
Causeway,' perhaps being uamed in c
honor of the king-not much of a compli \
ment either. {
The stream known as Molleston's
Branch has borne this name for many @
years-perhaps as far back as the early I
settlement. The land on the eastern side 4
having been patented by man Of that I
name it was held by his descendants until t
1920 when it pa sed out of the family and B
the name in this section became nearly
extinct, but the stream of water still re- '
tains its original name e
On the farm once owned by the Molles- d
toms, but now the property of Dr. Lester v
L. Carlisle. stands an old time building t
one time this was the homestead of the fC
How long it has stood there d
no one knows, but it has bravely defed d
The wastes of time and is to-day in good o.
state Of preservation. 1t has several times a
been repaired but the design and general r'
outline has been sacredly preserved. The h
architecture is of colonial stvle. fC
Still another point of interest on the F
Murderkill River is "Cole's Shoal, where Oi
he river touches the main land. 1t took NJ
is name from a former owner, Spencer NJ
Jole, who owned the land as long ago as u
he beginning of the eighteenth century
md still bears his name Nearly three in
ourths of a century ago it was a great NJ
business place a store was kept by the N
,wner, Aaron Bowman, that did a large in
'olume of business. Grain, wood, bark d
nd slaves were bought and shipped to R
in immense quantities. Later m
hese activities ceased the place has fallen N
nto a state of ''inooquious dessitude," h,
nd its former glory has departed, but Bi
he name still remains.
Next comes "Lowber's Landing" which Y
las borne the name for many generations. pc
in navigation on the river,
v cutting inals, has isolated these places ev
rom the main line Of water travel and ",
brown them in the background.
Further down the river is barren Isl.
nd corrupted into Barn Island). Sur
ounded by large body of marsh, this
land skirts the riverside and contains W
oout three acres. The romance OF this tic