Winslow Township encompasses a large area - approximately 58 square miles. Consequently, the history or background of the township is really comprised of the history of many smaller villages - (see map).
But the for the history of the early residents- the Leni -Lenape Indians Click Here.
Blue Anchor
One of the oldest settlements in Winslow Township occurred in Blue Anchor at a point where an old Indian trail crossed through the swamp. In 1726, the first cedar tract was cleared in the township. Soon after, the first proprietary business in the area was established - a tavern made out of cedar logs.
Blue Anchor in Winslow Township. Village built around colonial inn of that name. Located on an Indian trail to the coast, junction of trails from Absecon and Tuckahoe. Surrounding land was purchased by Abraham Bickley in 1737. Tavern Built by John Hider in 1740.
Timber was plentiful in the region and John Inskip erected a sawmill on the Great Egg Harbor River. It was at this point on the Great Egg Harbor River that a public ford was erected around 1762. The Indians would stop and camp here overnight as they traveled between Indian villages of Shamong and Tuckahoe.
Inkeep's Mill, 1762 Inskeep Branch of Great Egg Harbor River, at crossing of the stream of Blue Anchor-Port Elizabeth Rd.( Inskip Rd). Winslow Twp, County border where Squankum Branch meets Great Egg HArbor River. In 1762, John Inskeep surveyed cedar swampland on the Indian Trail which crossed the state. Inskeep kept in deer with a high rail fence, to establish a deer park.. Also spelled Inskip.
Early Businesses and Trades
As noted previously, established businesses in the 1700's were The Blue Anchor Tavern and a sawmill on the Egg Harbor River.
Winslow- at the southern end of Camden County. William Coffin built Winslow Glass Works in 1831.In 1833, it was documented that Winslow had a glass factory owned by William Coffin and Andrew Hay (Winslow Village was named after William Cofffin's youngest son). By 1865, the factory employed 400 people. In 1892, it was destroyed by fire.
Tansboro was the location of a tannery owned by C. Tice and J. Venibe.
Tansboro Glass was located in Winslow
Township in Camden County. It started with a capital of $7,000, "to be composed of
seventy shares of $100. To be considered a General Partnership". The Constitution was
adopted on March 22, 1848.
Another glass factory was located in Wilton. J.L. Mason leased the facility in 1856 and manufactured fruit jars. When operating to capacity, the facility employed 100 people.
In 1880, Waterford and Winslow were considered wilderness regions. Its population was about 4000 residents, who lived mostly on remote farms.
Ruth Peacock opened a school at Pump Branch, now Cedar Brook, Winslow Twp. April 4, 1841 to teach reading and writing.
Braddock East of 561, west of Bates Mill, south of Pump Branch, North of Waterford- Blue Anchor Road. William S. Braddock owned a saw mill here, which was formerly called Bates' Mill.
Shaving causeway at Ancora: Spring Garden-Winslow Road at crossing of Blue Anchor brook,1838. "It is likely the stream was bridged by means of a causeway made of wood sahvings, as ther would have been an abundance of sahvings from several sawmills in the area."
Spring Garden in Winslow Township. Named for a tavern at White Horse Pike + Spring Road. Kept by David Albertson who died in 1844, then by his wife Rebecca past 1857.
Waretown, 1874 in Winslow Township, on Hopewell Road( route 536) at erial-new brooklyn road( route 7906). now Sicklerville.
More later.
Click here for a map and locations of Early Settlements
Click here for Old Photos of Buildings in Winslow
Click here for a Winslow TimelineClick here for a PDF of Winslow History written for Winslow's Sesquicentennial
