Sayreville Through The Years

by Diane Norek Harrison

SAYREVILLE-This first part was given to me for my column. Circa 1917, there was the Victorian Troop Marching Band. The members at this time were: William Hockenjos, Moon Bailey, Frank Johnson, John McCutcheon, Charles Burkshot, Emit Karwatt, Willis Shuler, Neal Chevalier, Otto Weck, John Sugrue, Ed Engelhart, Andy Nelson, William McCutcheon, Mike Kynch, Fred Fortenbacker, Joe Fritz, William Letts, John Hartman, Douglas Lochs, James (Clarence) Guilfoyle, F. Freeman, Joe Kupsch, Ed Fritz, Eric Shuler, Francis Wagner, Walter Karwatt and Joseph Smith. Have similar material from any town?

This part is from my accumulation of looking for the past in Sayreville: The 1954 Members of the Governing Body were: Mayor Anthony J. Popowski, Councilmen were: my grandfather; Edwin J. Baumann, Charles P. Buchanan, Alex P. Loniewski, Raymond J. Presnal, Alfred W. Schussler and Joseph F. Ziemba.

Read Full Post »

Memories Of Mr. Frolich’s Early Youth

By Diane Norek Harrison

ELIZABETH-These memories are from reader William Frolich:

Some of my earliest memories go back to when I was about two or three years old. By this time the family was living at 567 Morris Avenue in Elizabeth, although when the house was purchased, it was actually in Union Township. At some time shortly after we moved in, the boundary line between Elizabeth and Union was shifted slightly, and we again lived in Elizabeth without even moving.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Rahway Memories

by Diane Norek Harrison

RAHWAY-Here is a trivia question from my contributor Ed from Rahway. He wanted me to ask the readers if they knew what once stood on the grounds where the City Hall is now? I think he knows the answer, but he did not tell me! Know it? Send it to me when sending your own memories or past material.

Here are some memories I received by email from Patty DeLeo Gwozdz a member of the 1966 class of Rahway High School. “Hi Diane, When I was a teenager, I couldn’t wait to leave Rahway. But now…how wonderful the memories of growing up in Rahway. If only I could go back for a short visit to a time of sharing carefree summers and magical winters with family and friends!

Read Full Post »

Memories Of 1920s Woodbridge

by Diane Norek Harrison

WOODBRIDGE-This is from some of my own material dated 1920: The beautiful High School on Barron avenue was built in 1911. There are, in addition, seven excellent public schools, located as follows: No. 1, Central Avenue, Woodbridge, Keasbey, Port Reading, Fords, Avenel, Hopelawn, and Iselin, each conducted by an excellent corps of teachers. Prof. John H. Love came here in 1895 as the principal of No. 1 School, and for the past seventeen years has been the efficient supervising principal of all the schools in the township. There are 83 teachers and 3,000 pupils in the township. Among the chairmen of the Board of Education have been William H. Berry, Howard Valentine, Joseph H.T. Martin, Victor W. Main, Wilson A. Tappen, President; Melvin H. Clum, vice-president; Everett C. Ensign, secretary, Charles S. Farrell, Howard R. Valentine, Maurice P. Dunigan, Benjamin B. Walling, Frederick Bohlen and Louis E. Meyer; attendance officer John Thompson.

Have memories or past material on any of the schools listed above or from any school in the other towns? Don’t keep them to yourself!

Read Full Post »

Early Perth Amboy History

By Diane Norek Harrison

PERTH AMBOY-In honor of Perth Amboy’s 325th Anniversary here is some early history of the city. This column is from material given to me a while back by readers Rose (Tarloski) and Jerry Celecki:

Perth Amboy has a proud history. Chartered in 1683, it was the first city in New Jersey to be chartered by the Crown in 1718. Its seal represented by King George I, contained the Latin phrase “Portus Optimus” which means the “the best port.” Perth Amboy’s port has served whale boats, oysters and sloops.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Raritan Township Schools

By Diane Norek Harrison

EDISON-This is from my own material dated 1882 when Edison Township was known as Raritan Township: Although the allotment of a portion of the common lands for the benefit of schools is evidence of the interest in education felt by the first settlers, yet there was no action on the part of the town (then Woodbridge) to effect the establishment of a school, until 1689. This was in march of that year, and James Fullerton, who owned lands with his brother, near what is now Plainfield township, and near Oak-Tree School, as it was called, in this township, was employed as “schoolmaster.”

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Readers’ Memories

RAHWAY-Before I begin my column, I would like to make a correction. In my July 10 column I had “Mary Haines delivered milk to the area.” It was my typo and should have read Marty Haines. (This has been corrected in the version posted online.)

Read Full Post »

Past Perth Amboy Around The Raritan Bay

By Diane Norek Harrison

PERTH AMBOY—This is from my own material dated 1920: The Perth Amboy Dry Dock Company, with W. Parker Runyan, president and Charles D. Snedeker, secretary and treasurer, was incorporated in 1887, and developed from a marine railroad established in 1860. Since the incorporation, four dry docks have been installed, with a capacity of 2,500 tons, eight piers, 370 to 400 feet long, floating equipment, electric and air-welding plants, complete power equipment, derricks, blacksmith and machine shops, sawmills, etc. The average number of employees is between three hundred and four hundred. Adjoining frontage, recently purchased, gives the plant a water front of over one thousand feet. The Emergency Fleet Corporation of the United States Government Shipping Board has been building a number of modern dry docks, with a view of placing them with reliable established shipyards for operation, giving the shipyard owners the privilege of purchasing them upon reasonable terms. the Perth Amboy Company was warded one of these docks, with a capacity of one thousand tons, and it is now installed.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Early Clark History

By Diane Norek Harrison

CLARK-This is from my own past material dated 1882: This township was settled as part of the ancient borough or Elizabeth. In the early part of that history of that borough will be found the names of the early settlers in this section, as well as in the other parts of the old borough and township.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: More Memories Of South Amboy

By Diane Norek Harrison

SOUTH AMBOY- Here are former South Amboy resident Adam Kierst’s memories of his way home from St. Mary’s School on Augusta Street to Ward Avenue in the 1920s. I had his walking to St. Mary’s School in a column, dated July 25.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Early Sayreville History

By Diane Norek Harrison

SAYREVILLE-The following is some of my research from the year 1882: It is probable that settlement began in Sayreville as early as 1770, and it is possible some one may have located there prior to that time. After it had begun it was slow, and until the brick and clay industries brought numerous laboring men within its borders the township was sparsely inhabited. There was no town of any size near it that was not isolated by water. The land was low and sandy, and not well adapted to agriculture. Surely there was little to attract pioneers.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Battin High School Memories

by Diane Norek Harrison

ELIZABETH-Here are some more memories from reader Barbara Cook:

The Blue Gym Suit

“Long ago, (1957-1958), in a high school named Battin, there existed a tradition of getting the young ladies dressed up in a comical outfit and making them do ‘physical education.’ The strange garb consisted of a short-sleeve, sausage-shaped, balloon bottomed, blue cotton ‘gym suit.’ Some had a skirt of sorts but all showed the entire length of leg.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Woodbridge Knights Of Columbus

By Diane Norek Harrison

Before I begin my column, I would like to thank all the readers who have contributed to my column for the past five years. I couldn’t have done this column for so long if I didn’t have the help off the readers. If you have memories or past material and want to share the information in my column please send to me for the remainder of 2008.

It is never to early to start sending past winter, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas memories or past material for my end of the year columns. Thanks to Lisa McCormick, publisher of CMD Media and Paul Hadsall, editor, for their continuous support with having my “Remembering The Past” column in their publications for the past five years. I have talked to many of my contributors by phone, emailed even more and received many complimentary letters in the mail to be able to bring you my column each week. Thanks for a great five years in the Atom Tabloid & Citizen-Gazette! Already contributed and have more to share? No problem!

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Tall Ships and Public Schools in Perth Amboy

by Diane Norek Harrison
PERTH AMBOY- Back in 1982, I was in Perth Amboy when the Danmark was docked at the Perth Amboy waterfront and had the tour of the ship. Many years later when speaking to former South Amboy resident Adam Kierst, he filled me on some of the details of the Danmark.

The Danmark, docked in Perth Amboy around May 3, 1982.

Read Full Post »

Remembering the Past: Memories Of The Area

by Diane Norek Harrison

RAHWAY—Here are some 1980s memories from Rahway resident Derron Palmer:

“I remember buying Italian Ice at Truppa’s on Winfield Street, eating at the Foursome Diner, the summer sidewalk sales and the Fourth of July bicycle races in downtown Rahway. The summer reading programs at the old Rahway Library on St. Georges Avenue, playing hockey at Williams Field during the summer recreation programs, and having to pick up glass at Madden Field before playing CYRC baseball games.   

Read Full Post »