New Tuckerton Historical Society Web Site

I've just finished developing a new web site for the Tuckerton Historical Society.

Tuckerton Historical Society

If you are interested in our local history, click on the link below. Hopefully, your visit will be informative and enjoyable. Items will be added periodically, so you may want to put it on your "Favorites" list and stop in now and then.

Be sure to check out their "Up Coming Events". There are some good programs planned throughout the rest of the year.

Enjoy!

Pete S

GO TO THE

TUCKERTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Japan Fundraisers

I'm taking place in a couple of auctions for the relief efforts in Japan here is the info:


Time: Tuesday march 29th at 7:00pm - Wednesday March 30th at 2:00am

Location:

The Great Hall

1087 Queen Street West

Toronto, ON

Our heart and minds are with the Japanese people and now its time for action!
The Toronto arts community felt the shock much like everyone else when images first started to appear on the news and stories through friends started to come in

Many of the artists have traveled to Japan as visiting artists or to study its rich culture and its embrace with nature and nurture. We have made many friends and built bridges through collabora...tions and deep friendship

Curator Rafi Ghanaghounian and Artist Daisuke Takeya are organizing a fundraiser event that will bring the arts community of Toronto together to support our friends in Japan both mentally and financially. All artists and performers will give their time and efforts for this very cause

This night will include musicians, artists, poets from both Canada and Japan. As well galleries have donated books and other items available for purchase

Thank you for your support!

Participating groups, sponsors and partners:
The Great Hall, GUU restaurant, K6cards, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Japanese Visitors Association (JAVA), Nihongo Art Contest 2011, Toronto Artists Fund Raising, Orange LLP, Healing Japan, Hardboiledinc for doing our shirts!!

Special Thanks to: Kateryna Topol, Christine Seki

Participating galleries (more coming!):
OBorn Contemporary, Le Gallery, Show and Tell Gallery, Art Metropole, Koyama Press, Narwhal/Magic Pony, OUCHI Gallery NYC, Orbital arts

Participating artists (more coming!):
Howard Podeswa, Laura Horne, Fiona Smyth, Yuriko Kubota, Tomori Nagamoto, Winnie Truong, Nicholas Di Genova, Shigeko Okada, Keiko Tokushima, Ayako Bando, Sonomi, Kobayashi, Bernice Lum, Ron Loranger, Pierre Julien, Richelle Forsey, Jae-hong Ahn, Juno Youn, Miki Shinozaki, Keita Morimoto, Shinobu Akimoto, Yumi Onose, Shinya Kumazawa, Martin de la Rue, Joshua Choi, James Fowler, Martin Ouellette, Patrick DeCoste, Daisuke Takeya, Matt Evans, Martin Reis, Aisha Simpson, Harvey Chan, Peter Chan, Shary Boyle, Akira Yoshikawa, Rie Aikawa, Bud Fujikawa, Laura Adams,Tanya Reed, Dasar, REN, Amy Wong, Risa Kusumoto, Chrisopher Hayes

Participating performers:

Your MC's for the evening:
Rafi Ghanaghounian and Nana Akimoto

music:
Clara Venice and Ken Ogawa
Nobu Adilman: Choir!Choir!Choir!
Rambunctious featuring Michael Louis Johnson
Ashely Ingram

performance:
AKA Dance (Keiko Ninomiya, Amy Hampton, Mike Dell)
Natasha Bailey, Nayeon Kim, Adam Herst, Yumi Onose
VPV (Daisuke Takeya, Ayumi Sawada, Tatsu)

tea ceremony:
Tomori Nagamoto and Mika Sato

poetry by:
Ewan Whyte, Bonnie Bowman

DJ
Luis Jacob
Derek Mainella

Time: Thursday, March 31 at 12:00pm - April 5 at 8:00pm

Location: Gladstone Hotel, 2nd Floor

Narwhal Art Projects, Invisible-Friends and friends are excited to host Toronto Hearts Japan, a fundraiser for our far-away loves. Our hearts have been broken by news of devastated towns and people separated from their homes and families, and we want to help. This event lets all of us who feel a special connection to Japan lend a hand in our own way. All proceeds will be donated to The Red Cross and to helping rebuild the Birdo ...Flugas Artist Centre and Community in Shiogama.

Toronto Hearts Japan is an exhibition, silent auction, and two (count them!) parties at the beloved Gladstone Hotel (with DJ Paul E. Lopes and DJ Jun). Featuring works from local to international artists (and other surprises too), everybody can find a way to offer our hearts to Japan and help them soldier on.

Silent Auction Art Exhibition:
Thurs March 31- Tues April 5th
12-5pm daily, Gladstone Hotel 2nd Floor

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday April 1st
7-10pm

$20 admission (includes raffle ticket)
*Special one night only auction and raffle with art gifts and surprises*
With DJ Paul E. Lopes (Bump N' Hustle) & DJ Jun (Cr8apes.com, Invisible-Friends.com)


CLOSING RECEPTION
Tuesday April 5th 5-8pm
Winners of our silent art auction will be announced at 7pm. Art pickup from 7-8pm.

More info and art preview at: www.torontoheartsjapan.com

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PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Sonja Ahlers, Paul Aloisi, Nicholas Aoki, Stephen Appleby-Barr, Andrew Remington Bailey, Ashley Barron, Marc Bell, Diego Bergia, Katie Bethune-Leamen, Shary Boyle, Mat Brown, Robin Cameron, Tyler Clark-Burke, Trudie Cheng, Mark Connery, Robert Dayton, Taku Dazai, Brett Despotovich, Yuri Didrichsons, Nicholas DiGenova, Brian Donnelly, Dave Dyment, Shayne Ehman, Matthew Feyld, Melissa Fisher, Brendan Flanagan, Theo Gallaro, James Gardner, Shannon Gerard, Dana Gils, Heather Goodchild, Adrian Hayles, Sachi Hirano, Derrick Hodgson, Jay Isaac, Melinda Josie, Nathan Jurevicius, Adrienne Kammerer, Patrick Kyle, Christy Langer, Tessar Lo, Amy Lockhart, Jamiyla Lowe, Derek Mainella, Chris Martin, Derek Mainella, Megan McKenzie, Jason Mclean, Alex McLeod, Julie Moon, Jennifer Murphy, Alicia Nauta, Tibi Tibi Neuspiel, Noel Middleton, Luke Painter, Roula Parthenou, Sandy Plotnikoff, Brad Phillips, Katherine Piro, Andrew Pommier, Lauchie Reid, Tony Romano, Kathryn Ruppert-Dazai, Tania Sanhueza, Jennifer Rose Sciarrino, Seth Scriver, Emiko Sekiguchi, Germa Shible, Lisa Smolkin, Jordan Sonenberg, Jennie Suddick, Derek Sullivan, Team Macho, Jon Todd, Michael Toke, Celeste TooGood, Karen Tracanelli, Howie Tsui, Lara Vincent, Andrew Waite, Meichen Waxer, Jacob Whibley, and Balint Zsasko.

RAFFLE PRIZES FROM:
The Arcade Fire, Art Metropole, The Beguiling, Cabaret, Carte Blanche, Coupe Bizarre, Dark Horse, Fieldguided, Films We Like, Honeybea Designhive, Hunter & Cook, Jayna Corbett, Kid Icarus, Klaxon Howl, Koyama Press, Living Face Photography, Liz Milkau, Magic Pony, Ministry Of the Interior, Monster Factory, Robber, Sweet Bliss Baking Company, Sydney’s,The Ten Spot, Turning Point Training Methods/SBG Toronto, Warriors, (and the list keeps growing!)


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John Headley's Mystery Bottle

I visited with John and Nancy Headley of West Creek the other day. They are always interesting to talk with, as they collect a wide range of historical "stuff" from West Creek and the surrounding area.

John Headley

During the visit, John brought out an old bottle with the following embossed words:

P.E. BIRMINGHAM

BOTTLER

WEST CREEK, NJ

I asked John if he would do a rubbing of the bottle for me. Luckily, having grandchildren who visit often, John was able to quickly put his hands on a box of crayons and some paper. He soon handed me a rubbing of the embossed words on the bottle.

Needless to say, I was surprised when I read the inscription. I had never heard of a "Birmingham" in West Creek nor have I ever heard of a bottling plant in the tiny town. I remember hearing something about a glass works in Barnegat in the old days and wondered if the bottle could have been made there and shipped to to West Creek. This may be true, but it doesn't explain the P.E. Birmingham. Is he a person or is it the name of a company?

The bottle was clearly old, with a green tint and some bubbles noticeable in the glass. There was no indication on the bottle regarding the date it was manufactured. The presence of seams on the bottle indicate that it was manufactured by machine in a mold and not hand blown. I am not an expert in old bottles, so I don't have a clue as to how old it might be or what it's contents may have been. It looks like a soda bottle to me. Perhaps someone out in the Blog-O-Sphere can tell from the photo below.

I Googled "P.T. Birmingham" and found that there was a Birmingham Bottle Company in Alabama who made a wide assortment of mostly soda bottles. I'm wondering if someone in West Creek may have ordered bottles from this company to fill with and sell soda, etc. If this is true, then P.E. Birmington is a bottle company rather than a person. It's a logical possibility.

The bottle was found by Tom Miller, a bottle collector from Warren Grove, in a wooded area on Route 9 in West Creek across the street from the location of the old Tower Tavern. It was with a case of the same bottles, but it was the only one that was not broken. The fact that the bottle was a part of a case and was found across the street from the Tower Tavern may indicate that it came from the tavern.

Site of old Tower Tavern

Tom gave the bottle to John, in 2009, for safe keeping until the West Creek Historical Society had a location where it could be displayed for public view. Could the place where the bottle was found be a clue for the bottles West Creek origin?

I wonder if someone out in the Blog-O-Sphere has any knowledge or another theory regarding the source of John Headley's bottle? It's a mystery I would like to solve!

Pete S

Hughie Bolton- Old Tuckerton Railroad Conductor

I know there are a lot of railroad buffs out there in the Blog-O-Sphere, particularly of the old Tuckerton Railroad. I came across a December 3, 1982 Tuckerton Beacon article featuring Hughie Bolton, an old Tuckerton Railroad conductor, who had just died at 93 years old. I found it interesting and thought I would share it with you. I particularly enjoyed Hughie's account of the first car in Mayetta. I'm also scratching my head and wondering what the world is coming to, today.

For those of you who know Bill Bolton from Otis Avenue in Tuckerton, there is no relation. Bill originally came to the Tuckerton area, from Georgia, in the 1950's to serve at the nearby Navy base at Warren Grove. He met Barbara Pancoast, fell in love, married, and decided to settle down in Tuckerton. Barbara is presently the curator at the local Tuckerton Historical Society Museum housed in the old Giffordtown School House. Stop in on a Wednesday and say hello to her!

Pete S

Drawing Now in Paris, Maclean's Magazine, and more stuff.

Here are a bunch of things I consider noteworthy. I should be making smaller posts more often, but I tend to forget to update my blog, until I have a bunch of things piled up...

The first thing is that I'll be participating in Drawing Now, a fair in Paris that is centered on contemporary drawing.

I'll be represented there by my gallery in France, Dukan et Hourdequin. The fair runs from March 25th -28th, you can check out more information here. Below is one of the pieces I'll be exhibiting, its pretty large, 24" x 24"...


If you click it it gets bigger, but I guess every knows that because computers have been around for so long.


The next bit of news is that I was mentioned, along with a picture, in an article in this week's Maclean's Magazine. The article revolves around the rising importance of an online identity in the art market. My friend Alex McLeod was mentioned as well, his art is fantastic. I was really happy to be included, there is something really legit feeling about being included in a magazine with such history here in Canada.

Here is the article online.


The next thing is that Jamiyla and I are now selling our prints through a really nice print shop in Paris called Sergeant Paper. You can check out our, and many other people's, prints there. They have some really nice stuff available.



Awhile back I posted about The Dazzle, a group show at Narwhal Art Projects that included myself and a bunch of my friends. The people at Narwhal just released a book containing much of the work in the show, you can purchase it at Magic Pony.



Ok, just two more things and then that's it. My friends Adrienne Kammerer and Jesjit Gill just released a book of Adrienne's drawings, its fantastic. Adrienne drew it and Jesjit printed it. I asked Adrienne how people should go about buying it, and she said to either contact Jesjit or get it from Magic Pony. It's an extremely limited edition, so if you want one, you should get it soon. Adrienne's going to take off soon, so it will probably be worth a lot of money in 10 years.


Ok, very last thing. My good friend Stephen Appleby-Barr has a solo show up at Nicholas Metivier Gallery here in Toronto. If you are in the city, you should check it out. It's a really great show. Stephen's a great guy, when I had nowhere to live a few years back, he let me sleep under his ping pong table for $50 a month. He lets me come to his studio sunday nights and we draw together. Well, we did last week, but I'm going to come every week from now on. Anyway, check it out, I was really impressed with the show, and apparently the public was as well, it sold out opening night.

Anyway, that's it, thanks for reading.

Widow Greene Remarries

I had the following September 8, 1900 New York Times article announcing the remarriage of Widow Greene emailed to me by Nancy Gale out in Nebraska. I thought it particularly interesting that Widow Greene was a descendant of a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

I also thought those of you who had been following the news articles about Dr. Green's death near the Wading River in the 2/25/11 and 2/28/11 Blog entries might be interested in this follow up article.

Pete S

The 1914 Tuckerton Baseball Team

I got the following photo of the 1914 Tuckerton baseball team from John Allen up in still chilly New Hampshire. I believe he scanned it from the "Downshore From Manahawkin to New Gretna" book published by Arcadia Press. Can anyone answer his email question below?

I'm also wondering if anyone out in the Blog-O-Sphere is related to any of the 1914 ballplayers.

Pete S

Pete,

Great job on the 1950 THS baseball team. Who other than Ditty [Walter Loveland] was from New Gretna on the 1914 team pictured below?

Regards,

John

Parkertown's Gormley Twins - Who's Who?

Anyone driving through Parkertown can't help spotting "My Three Sons", a garden center-produce business, on Route 9 owned by the Gormley family for 46 years.

How many of you can name the three sons? Well there's Ray, John, and Tom. John and Tom are twins who were born in 1966, the same year that "My Three Sons" was started.

As it is with many twins, sometimes it's difficult to tell them apart. Who can tell who's who below? I still have difficulty when I see John and Tom in person today.

Pete S

PS- A special thank you to Shirley Whealton for clipping out the Gormley twins photos 46 years ago and sharing them with us today.

Mark Ford - 2011 Carver of the Year

From time to time a New Gretna resident receives some special recognition for an outstanding accomplishment. Such is the case with Mark Ford who was chosen as 2011 Carver of the Year by the New Jersey Decoy Collectors Association.

The following article appeared in the March 2, 2011 editions of The Leader and The Sandpaper. I thought I would share it with those of you who do not get those local newspapers. We are all proud of Mark and his carving talent.

Pete S

Carver of the Year from New Gretna

COOPED-UP: Carver Mark Ford is content to work on his carved birds its a converted chicken coop behind his New Gretna home. Ford will receive his prize as New Jersey Decoy Collectors 'Carver of the Year' at the annual Best Old Decoy Show in New Jersey March 26 at the Parkertown Firehouse, Railroad Avenue in Little Egg Harbor.

New Jersey Decoy Collectors Say:

This Decoy Carver Is a Cut Above

The New Jersey Decoy Col­lectors Association has selected Mark Ford as its 2011 "Carver of the Year." Ford, a native of the Parkertown section of Little Egg Harbor Township, is the 19th recipient of the yearly award given by the collectors.

Ford is a craftsman-carpenter by trade, and several nights a week you can find kiln carving b^y the wood-stove in a converted chicken coop behind his carefully restored New Gretna home. A high school decoy class taught by world-class maker John Holloway (a previous award winner) started Ford on a 30-year hobby that has resulted in two "Best in Show" ribbons and last year's first place in the Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show for his working black-duck hunting rig.

Influenced by the old school baymen/decoy makers - Lloyd Parker, Bradford Salmons, Harry Shourds and his Great-Uncle - Ben Maxwell - he makes ducks, brant and song birds from Jersey cedar in the classic Barnegat style. A friend of Ford's, the late Rob Daley from West Creek sparked Ford's collecting interest. "Rob taught me to appreciate decoys from all regions," Ford said. "'And I am as interested in collecting as I am in making decoys for family and friends."

His other passions, in reverse order. are restoring old sneakboxes, his Labrador dog Abby and his wife, Frances. Frances, a recent college grad, artisan gardener and fine cook, shares her husband's love of the bay shore and can be seen on most breezy summer days sailing as crew on their catboat.

Ford will receive his award on March 26 during the NJDCA annual "Best Old Decoy Show in New Jersey." The show will be held at the Parkertown Firehouse and will feature more than 60 decoy exhibitors, gunning boat displays, a contemporary carving competition and an old-bird contest for an admis­sion of $3. Show hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

NJDCA is entering its 40^th year as an organization dedicated to col­lecting antique and contemporary decoys and promoting decoys as "America's Finest Folk Art" The Organization has more than 200 members and enjoys a diverse group of duck people and storytellers nationwide.

For more information, contact Rich Pemberton, show chairman, at 609-652-8752, or Grove Conrad at grove@,sail2k.com.

The Sandpaper - 3/2/2011

Tuckerton High School 1948 Baseball Team

I noticed that a few New Gretna boys were on the Tuckerton High School baseball team when I was posting photos for Bob Sutton's New Gretna baseball list on the March 2, 2011 Blog and thought baseball fans out in the Blog-O-Sphere might enjoy seeing a vintage photo of a Tuckerton High School baseball team.

Any comments about a player in the photo would be appreciated.

Here's the 1950 Tuckerton High School baseball team. Unfortunately, I don't have the names of the team mates. I could use some help there.

Tuckerton High School Baseball Team - 1950

Row 1 (Front, l-r): Bill Sooy, Bob Haas, Joe Marshall (from Parkertown) Jim Mascola, Howard Rossell, Ernie Thompson, William Kidd. Row 2: Bob Sutton, Walt Peer?, Bob Walton, Jimmy Hand, Mason Price, George Irons, Harvard Allen, Bob Suralik, Coach William Hendricks. Row 3: Coach Henry Boney Sr., Sonny Kunen, Nelson 'Squak' Cramer, Mike Bailey, Allie 'Inkie' Goldberger, Charlie Hartley. Row 4: Chuck Schellenberger, Bob Bourguignon, Harold Sprague?. Names from Shirley W comment below with some minor corrections from Bob Sutton.

Well, I hope that these photos have gotten you in the spirit of this year's spring training. I can't wait for the regular season to start. Go Yankees!

Pete S

Spring Training - New Gretna Style

Here it is, the beginning of March. Hopefully, the worst part of the winter is behind us. It's a time when a young man's fancy turns to - BASEBALL.

A daily glance at the sports page shows highlights of Spring Training down in sunny Florida and out in the warm desert climate of Arizona. The Philadelphia sports writers are already proclaiming the Phillies' starting four the best pitching staff in the history of the game and this year's World Series Championship practically in the bag.

New Gretna also had it's share of baseball stars. I got an email the other day from Joyce Sutton with an attachment provided by her husband, Bob, containing a list of his favorite New Gretna baseball players from the "good old days."

In the spirit of Spring Training, I decided to share Bob's List, complete and in his own hand writing, with you here at the Blog.

Jack " Jelly Sandwich" Mathis

Wonder why they called him " Jelly Sandwich" ?

(l-r) Sam Carr,Rich Hickman & Jack Mathis

Baseball buddies

Orval Mathis

Lou Bourguignon - 1948

Norman Mathis

Fred Kalm - 1948

Bob Sutton - Senior Year, 1950

Harvard "Hob" Allen, Senior Year, 1951

John Barnes

Well, there you have it ! Are they a match for this year's Phillies? You be the judge.

Pete S

PS- John Yates wrote in a comment below that his grandfather, Elihu Ward Sears (1877-1927), who lived in New Gretna, was said to be an excellent baseball player. This would have been before the time of Bob Sutton's list; however, I think it appropriate to place a photo of Ward below.