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V O LU M E X LI V I S S U E I IPAGE 3Historical Soc.To Open For Sunday ProgramsSundays To Be Added To Regular Monthly Tuesday MeetingsDOVER-Realizing that manymembers, supporters and regular citizens ofthe Dover area find it difficult to venture outat night to attend one of the Dover AreaHistorical Society’s regular monthlyprograms on a Tuesday evening, the Trusteeshave decided to add a Sunday afternoonprogram to the roster in order to reach alarger audience in presenting one of themany excellent programs developed andnarrated by Stan Schoonmaker.Through a generous grant from theMorris County Heritage Commission, thehistorical society has the extra funds to payfor the extra heat, air conditioning (whennecessary), electric, etc. to open its doorsmore frequently.According to president Betty Inglis,“we hope to open our programs to moreindividuals of the Dover area, especially thestudents and children who may find Sundayafternoons more convenient.”Over the past 10-years, Mr.Schoonmaker has produced dozens ofprograms that cover the Dover area’s richhistory, from the early iron mines, downtown businesses, the railroads, the MorrisCanal, trolleys .all the way to the presentschools, churches, social clubs, includingthe Dover ShoppingCenter and the recentbridge constructions atSalem St. and the Route15-46 overpass.The 2:00 pmSunday programs willinclude “The Disastersof Dover” (one of themost popular) andlectures on the MorrisCanal, History of theDover Churches, theCivil War along withClassic Movie presentations from BobWagner’s film library.There are no charges for theseprograms, but donations are always accepted.Refreshments will be served at everymeeting.(Below: George Richard’s Building (oldNewberry’s) on Blackwell Street circa 1905)Sunday’s at the museum houseWhat’s The Story With Reaction Motors In Dover?Dear Dover Area Historical Society:Dr. Patrick J. Owens, theHistorian of Pictatinny Arsenal gave meyour name.As you apparently know, backin the 1980s, Fred Ordway and I produced a series of historical papers andarticles about the history of ReactionMotors, Inc. (RMI)At this point, we are workingtowards a book dedicated to the historyof this pioneering aerospace New Jersey firm which is not only a compilationof all our papers on RMI, but will alsoinclude additional relevant historypapers, besides corrections to any inad-Upcoming EventsTuesday * April 16th * 7:30 pmMUSEUM HOUSE“Bon-Ton Movie Night”Alfred Hickcock’s Stage fright(Starring Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, RichardTodd, Michael Wilding)No Charge - Refreshments Served!Sunday * April 28th * 2:00 pmMUSEUM HOUSE“History of Blackwell Street”(Who were Blackwell & McFarlan? How didBlackwell St. grow? What businesses were there?The answers are here)No charge - Refreshments served!vertent errors that we find in the original papers and extensive additionalnotes to accompany these papersthat provide additional new finds and/or clarifications.In going over the originalmaterial, I found a copy of an e-maildated 10 April 2002 from Dr. Owensto me but which I now learn was actually generated by a comment to himat the time, that our articles on RMI'shistory in the Journal of the BritishInterplanetary Society "make nomention of Dover or Precision Instruments."We still do not know anythingSunday * May 5th * 2:00 pmMUSEUM HOUE“Reception for the scholarship students”(Invitations only)Tuesday * May 21st * 7:30 pmMUSEUM HOUSE“Dover - The Parade Town”(View the historic parades of Dover)Sunday * May 26th * 2:00 - 4:00MUSEUM HOUSE“Diasters of Dover”(No charge * Refreshments served)Reservations Only!973.361.3525Sunday * June 9th * All dayDOVER FLEA MARKET“11th Annual Townwide Yard Sale”of these connections and I am nowwriting to you directly to ask you if youcould please enlighten us on them sothat we can add this additional materialaccordingly. Likewise, we would welcome any additional material you mayhave found on RMI's history.Frank H. Winter fhwinter@gmail.com Ed. Note: It’s been long believed thatin 1941 Precision Instr. (before RMI)operated out of the Guenther Millsprior to its move to Denville. Do youhave any info on this? If so, pleasecontact Frank or us at:Info@doverhistoricalsociety.com(Call 973.361.3525 for application)Tuesday * June 18th * 7:30 PMMUSEUM HOUSE “Old - Old Dover”(View some of the oldest photographs of Dover)No Charge - Refreshments Served!Sunday * June 23rd * 2:00 - 4:00 pmMUSEUM HOUSE“A Special Event” T.B.A.(Reservations Only - 973.361.3525)Tuesday * July 16th * 7:30 pmMUSEUM HOUSE“The History of Radio”COMING SOON! Old time radio shows “War of the Worlds”(These programs are subject to change)

PAGE 42013 PAID MEMBERSHIPINDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPMichael Srsich, RockawayVictor’s Flowers, DoverCharles Walker, Greensboro, NCAlma Williams, DoverJoseph F. Woodhull, Portland, ORWilliam B. Woodhull, Jr., NewtonSENIOR MEMBERSHIPCarole Edwards Angel, Swansboro, NCMrs. Charlotte Arndt, DenvilleRobert R. Bahrs, Morris PlainsJoan Batson, Spencer, NCCarolina & Joe Bentrovato, DoverFrederick James Blakley, DoverJane Boschen, RandolphJoyce Boniface, Mine HillEnnette Boyiatgis, DoverDavid & Flavia Brock, DoverWalter M. Buczek, TotowaMs. Jean Cater, DoverPatricia Carthage, Lk HopatcongNorma Clardi, Morris PlainsIngrid J. Cleffi, Simi Valley, CASENIOR MEMBERSHIPHarold W. Johnson, San Marcos, CADan & Judy Klement, Remer, MNJohn Kostakis, RockawayJudith Kovar, RockawayHelen & John Kuzel, DoverJoyce B. Lake, DoverJean M. Lane, BoontonDonald L. Lansing, DoverClaire Wexelblatt Lelfer, Dix Hills, NYShirley Lohman, DenvilleMrs. Delores M. Lynch, Stevens, PACharlene Sue May, Manassas, VAGloria J. Melneck, Atlanta, GAHelen G. McCahill, Ocean GroveAthena Mantgas, DoverByard & Linda Miller, Heber Springs, ARKenneth Miller, Mine HillSENIOR MEMBERSHIPJack & Marie Slater, RockawayAnne Stephens, Lake HopatcongMary & Raymond Storey, ManchesterPaul & Gladys Sullivan, DoverDolores M. Tate, Bethaven, NCKensley R. Thompson, RandolphMarian Thriemer, Murphysboro,ILEdith Y. Trengrove, HackettstownEd Turocey, Margate, FLCheryl Uhlig, DoverRobert & Catherine VanOrden, Easton, PAMary Ceder VanSant, WhitingEllen M. Visioli, MorristownJim & Rae Ann Visioli, DoverV O LU M E X LI V I S S U E I ILouis Cloitre, DoverMrs. Jane B. Cody, Pompton PlainsLowell Cook, Twp. of WashingtonFrances Sakala Cordes, Tavares, FLAnn Cortese, Morris PlainsMargaret Hastie Coward, Houston, TXJeanne C. Crofton, Scotch PlainsHenry Crouse Sr. Underhill, VTBarbara J. Cumella, Lewes, DEHarold Curtis, Kenton, OHEdward Daniels, DoverJim D’Auria, DoverSarah F. Davis, DoverFrancisco DeJesus, DoverMrs. Catherane DeShazo, DoverThomas R. DeShazo, Jr., Millsboro, DEDouglas L. Dickerson, DoverDrew D. Diesel, NewtonAlbert G. Ebner, Mine HillRichard & Elfriede Egan, DoverJean B. Evans, WhartonAlex Everitt, Jr., LafayetteDorothy Fackina, RingwoodRobert Fancher, WhartonRobert Feinberg, Wesley Chapel, FLFrances M. Ferrara, DoverMrs. Shirley Ferriero, BoontonRaymond Fisher, DoverMary Flanagan, DoverMr. & Mrs. Roy L. Miller, DoverJohn Morrison, Simpsonville, SCMrs. Jean Monnia, WhartonNeil’s Barber Shop, DoverJoan Munson, DoverCarlo J. Nisi, DoverDorothy Broadback O’Leary,Hanover, PAMichael & Irene Palanchi, DoverHelen S. Peterson, DoverMrs. Raymond Porphy, RidgeSpring, SCMabel Poulos, DoverDiane Power, RockawayPaul H. Preis, DoverRussell M. Reed, HackettstownEdward Reich, DoverMarie Richards, DoverMarsha H. (Mimmis) Vitow, Essex, MDMajorie J. Weber, Birdsboro, PAJoseph & Barbara Williams, DoverMiriam Willinger, DoverSusan M. Wittig, DoverDonna L. Whittam, DoverClara M. Wolford, DoverSpring is a time for planting! * Time to plant your memory in Dover, forever ** Buy-A-Brick for the Memorial Park at the Gazeboin JFK (the Common’s) Park Dover, New Jersey *Call Joan for an application: 973.361.3279Roger Flartey, Mine HillCarmine Gangemi, DoverCarol Garnet, DoverRobert Gilbert, Concord, NCJohn V. Gill, FlandersMs. Mary Gleckler, RandolphRolando Gomez, DoverGary N. Gordon, Morris PlainsJoyce Gorine, DoverSophie Goritski, Londonderry, NHNancy Hagerich, DoverAllen C. Hale, Lake Mary, FLWilliam Hastie, WhartonAlbert C. Heath, IroniaRuth Hildebrant, IroniaJoAnn Hillabrant, RockawayMartha A. Hoffman, DoverKaren Ceder Holmes, BrickMatilda Hooper, RockawayLyndon E. Hooper Jr., Camden, DEMrs. Betty Howard, DoverDiane Hunter, DoverCaroline & John Huntzinger,Slaughter Beach, DEPhil Jaeger, Cedar GroveMary Jenkins, Dover(cont. below)Phil Reynolds, DoverMrs. John Romeo, Burlington, VTMaxine Rosen, Ulster, PAEmma & Lou Rushing, Ottawa, CanadaDiane Saitta, DoverMrs. Martha Salvesen, DoverBernard Schenkler, Alden, NYMrs. Florence Schuten, Pellon, SCRosita L. Scinto, DoverDonald R. Seath, WhartonCarolyn Seeger, E. Stroudsburg, PALorraine Shallop, DoverFred & Carol Shay, Mt. ArlingtonBernard Schenkler, Alden, NYVirginia Shukalio, DoverBetty Shunk, Dover(cont. below) DONATIONS Susan L. Demeo, RandolphJoan & Allen Bocchino, Dover 500.00 75.00(Toward room-darkening shades in Museum)Dover Reading Circle 25.00Sarah F. Davis, Dover 10.00Eugene & Beatrice Lemoncelli,Blairstown 10.00Chris Chapman & Barb Gardner, Dover 25.00Buy-A-Brick Donations for a non-profit 30.00Thank You!

V O LU M E X LI V I S S U E I IGranddaddy’s Clock(cont. from pg. 1) Withno place for the clock togo, members of the historical societyrequested a temporary “stay” at the library,until a permanent home could be found.“Now that we are in our tenth year at our newlocation at 55 West Blackwell Street, thanksto the community outreach of the First Presbyterian Church of Dover, we felt, along withthe Library Board of Directors, that it wastime to return the clock to its rightful place inDover’s history,” according to Betty Inglis,president of the historical society.The clock, E. Howard Watch ofBoston, has a silvered chapter ring with blackRoman hour numerals inside Arabic 5 minutemarkers, silvered sub seconds dial, piercedspandrels on a brass plate, moon phase dialand E. Howard & Co. Boston Tag on thefront, quality brass weight driven time andhalf hour strike movement, Graham's DeadBeat escapement with jeweled pallets,strikes on a single gong, 2 quality brassweights and pulleys, lock down hardware,brass pendulum bob with gold painted roundwood stick; original movement unsigned.Wonderful oak case with high grain and orig-PAGE 5inal finish, pierce carved crest,brass eagle and ball finials andturned columns on the bonnet;beveled door glass and quartercolumns on the body.BONNIEVIEWThe BonnieviewEstate was established in 1873by Alpheus Beemer and hiswife Margaret, a wealthy silkmill owner and one of the original directors of the NationalUnion Bank of Dover. Mr.Beemer passed away in 1883 and hiswidow sold the property to Edwin andElla Ross, owner of the Ross Silk Mill ofPort Oram (Wharton) and the RossRibbon Factory of Dover.In later years Bonnieview became the popular PineTerrace Inn, a gracious get-away retreatfor well known personalities of the dayfrom New York City. Many local historians believe the Inn was a popular secret“speakeasy” during prohibition thateventually quietly closed its doors.Harry Schwarz, aprominent business leader purchased thethe 1920s and sold it to Dover General Hospital in 1966. The original plan was to usethis mansion as a nurse’s home and additional clinics, but those plans fell through.In 1975, the Dover Area HistoricalSociety leased the mansion from the hospitalfor a 10-year period investing more than 30,000 in repairs and renovation alongwith a great amount of time and volunteerhelp. One year into the lease, the hospitalordered the historical society out, demolished the mansion and paved a rarely, everused parking lot. One can still see the“Bonnieview” street sign along Route 46.Who Was Edwin J. Ross?DOVER-Edwin J. Ross was thepresident and founder of the E. J. RossManufacturing Co. of Morris County, manfacturers of silk goods which was veryimportant in the commercial life of MorrisCounty.Born in Newark on December 30,1851, Edwin was the son of Aaron L. Rosswith ancestral traces back to the early colonial life in America. Growing up, Edwinwas employed by the Hyde, Ayers & Company of New York City working in themanufacturing of wool products.In 1880, after accumulating somecapital, he embarked in business of his owndeveloping a strong interest in silk. InEast Dover Abattoir?1883, he moved to Dover and established the Hopper & Ross Silk Company.A year later, Mr. Hopperdied and now Edwin entered a partnership with George B. Baker of PortOram (Wharton).Mr. & Mrs. Ross had a family of 10 children and were members ofthe First Presbyterian Church in Dover. The family home was a verycomfortable residence on West. Blackwell Street known as Bonnieviewwhich was the center of a culturedsocial circle of Dover.Mr. Rosswas amember oftheMerchants’Club ofNew Yorkand of theSilkAssociationofAmerica.DOVER-This may be an extremely rare photograph of John B. Richardsabattoir in East Dover. John was one ofDover’s early butchers who opened a butcher shop on Myrtle Ave. at Union St.After people objected to his business there, he moved to an 86 acre site onthe north side of E. McFarlan St.His business grew to employ over20 butchers and slaughtered up to 300 hogsdaily, filling 4 to 5 refrigerator cars withshipments to New York.His hogs arrived in Dover fromCleveland, Chicago, St. Joe, etc. and driventhrough town on Sussex St. to the GraceChurch and then eastward to McFarlan St.with gangs of Dover kids running along withgreat excitement and joy. Richardsworked from 4 in the morning until dark,along with his sons. Hogs were killed onthe first floor and cattle on another. Cowhides were sold to hide dealers, and thefat was placed in a rendering tank andsold as tallow.Dover’s plant was the nextlargest slaughterhouse to Paterson andsoon both Armour and Swift tried to cutRichards out of his prosperous business,but despite the lawsuits, hassles, etc. hecontinued to operate until his death at 73.To aid in his transport of hogsfrom the Central RR train station throughtown, Mr. Richards constructed the firstHudson Street Bridge over the canal.

PAGE 6V O LU M E X LI V I S S U E I ICivil War In Dover(cont. from pg. 1) Accordingto historic records,“the rapid increase of the populationbetween 1860 to 1870 was due to the ironindustry, which was never so prosperous asduring the Civil War.” Naturally Dover sawan increase in banking needs, hotel needs,rooming housing needs, stores, shops, blacksmiths, etc. Most of the activity in thissection was centered around Dover. At thetime it was said, “all roads lead toDover.” (Same remains true to this day.)Dover residents, like most of thepopulation in the north supported the wareffort. Harriet Breese, as a little girl, lived atthe corner of Blackwell and Morris Streetsand remembered when attending the HilltopSeminary School on Prospect St. of making“comfort bags” for the soldiers on the frontline. Putting in each bag, besides the usualneedles, pins, thread and buttons, a letterfrom the kids back home. Harriet also published a paper called “The Union” whichcarried all the replies from the troops ofDover. (No copies of these letters or papershave yet been found in the museum.)There was once an embarrassingmoment in William Young’s Bakery ShopCivil War (cont.)There has been a long-time rumorin Dover that an underground tunnel ranbeneath the streets of Dover out to the fieldsand woods of Randolph. This has neverbeen proven, except for the existence of alarge water tunnel under the old OperaHouse. As a matter of fact, one newspaperaccount reported that if a business owner inDover learned of an fleeing slave, mostlikely that incident would have been reported to the authorities. The closest anyunderground railroad activity that may haveoccurred in the Dover area would have beenat the Friends of the Quaker Church in Randolph. However, real attitudes of all northerners changed when the fear of the southinvading the north reached a fever pitch.on Dickerson St. when little Aunt Pollycame running in all excited about a lettershe had gotten from her son on the frontline, following a battle in which heappeared to be OK. Asking Mr. Youngto read the letter with several friends andneighbors standing about, it read the he(her son) “had crawled into a ditch whenthe bullets began to fly and remainedthere until the enemy “stopped ceasin’.”The room fell silent.Mr. Young was a very generouslikable man in town and would oftenoffer baked goodies to students whoachieved high scoreson tests. During theCivil War he helped feed the families ofmany of the soldiers who had gone off tothe war effort.During the Civil War yearsthere were several large patriotic ralliesheld in and around Dover and one ofthem in Port Oram (Wharton) was heldon June 1, 1861 on the day of the Battleof Bull Run. Several dignitaries were onhand as well as Dover’s Rev. B. C.Megie of the First Presbyterian Church.As the older citizens were showing theirpatriotism, the school children of Doverwere also fired up with patriotism andNow even high school kids were quittingschool and feeling that it was their patriotic duty to sign up and help fight the war.One outstanding Dover studentduring the war was Octavius L. Pruden.Born into a very prominent Dover family,young Octavius gained the talent of greatpenmanship which was highly valued atthe time by all. At the time, letters werethe main source of communications between individuals. When the war brokeout Mr. Pruden enlisted in the 11th Regiment of the N.J. Volunteers. The recruiting clerk immediately noticed Octavius’sgreat penmanship and assigned him toclerical duties. He was assigned to theWar Department in Washington and remained there until after the war whenPresident Grant appointed him to one ofexpressed their feelings by singing long andloud, the popular Civil War song “JohnBrown.” The school master of The DoverInstitute on Orchard Street disapproved of thesinging and ordered the kids not to singinside the school. Now, kids being kidswould only obey instructions as little as possible and as school was let out for the day at4:00 pm, the first boy to reach the lobbywould begin to sing “out loud” with “John”and each boy and girl that followed wouldjoin in until they reached the doorway andthen would sing at the top of their lungs, .“John Brown’s body lies a-moulderin’in the grave, John Brown’s body liesa-moulderin’ in the grave, John Brown’sbody lies a-moulderin’ in the grave, ButHis soul is marching on. Glory GloryHallelujah! Glory, Glory Hallelujah!Glory, Glory Hallelujah! His soul ismarching on.”UNDERGROUND RAILRAODDover generally supported the wareffort even though several business ownerssupported the rights to own slaves. In manyinstances, businessmen in both the north andthe south thought the same about slavery.(cont. below)the principal clerkships in the White House.Photo shows the Mansion House Hotelshortly after the war. It is believed that thebunting represented both “mourning” forthe war, and “celebrating” the war was over.100 Years Ago, Baker Theatre At Its PeakDOVER-According to historical records, it tookuntil 1913 for the historic Baker Theatre to reach its peak inpresenting, direct from New York City, live, on-stage theatrical productions of the highest class, rarely seen elsewherein New Jersey. Great performances of that year included“The Winifred St. Claire Co.”; the season’s sensational production of “Within The Law”; “John Philip Sousa Band”;“Little Women”; “Peg O’ My Heart” starring Lauretta Taylor; Miss Laura Burt in “Butterfly on the Wheel”; “Mutt &Jeff in Panama” and ending the year with “America’s greatest comedian” Henrietta Crossman. By the late teens, theBaker turned to vaudeville shows and by the 20s, turned tothe new “moving pictures” also known as “Photo Plays.”Compliments ofBeaverkill Enterprises, Inc.DoverCompliments ofCharlotte MorganDenville

V O LU M E X LI V I S S U E I IPAGE 7History of the Dover Area Historical SocietyRocky Start to a 47-Year Old Historical SocietyDOVER-Dover’s rich historicroots run deep into the history of NorthAmerica and the early development of theUnited States of America. Just think, Doverhad already been settled and developing ahalf-a-century before the United States everexisted, so it’s only fitting that Dover wouldhave a strong historical society with continuous efforts in seeking out the details of itshistory and then presenting those facts to thegeneral public and the schools through themeans of technology in every effort to reachout to as many as possible.Today, the Dover historical societyhas a paid membership base of nearly 450individuals and families across America andCanada; produces and presents dozens ofinformative programs every year; reachesout to the Dover area schools, not limited tojust Dover; to senior citizen’s organizations;to the churches and other non-profit groupsand through our website.A BRIEF HISTORYOn April 28, 1966 a call went out to anyoneIn February of 1969, it was announced a new location was being readiedfor the Dover Museum located at 59 NorthSussex Street. Sidney Schwarz offered thesociety the first floor of this building alongwith the basement to house a museum for asix month period. On June 18, 1975, theinterested in Dover history to meet at8:00 pm on Wednesday at Dover TownHall. Fifteen people showed up at thatfirst meeting and voted temporary president of the group to be Willy Pederson.Dr. Herbert Rosen was elected vice president, Mrs. Richard Sakaris was chosensecretary and h

in the next newsletter). First Dover residents to head for the GOLD RUSH OF '49 were John Hurd & Sandy Young. First talks for a NASCAR racing association was at the DOVER SPEEDWAY. Want to learn more? Doverhistoricalsociety.com DOVER-The historic grandfa-ther's clock that once belonged to Edwin Ross will be returned to the