James M. Brookfield

SEVENTY YEARS AGO

Interesting Description of the Old Glass Days

in the Twin Villages of Marshallville and

Tuckahoe, N. J. — List of Workers Who

Swung Out Rollers in the Days When the

American Glass Trade Was in Its Infancy.

By John H. Downer.

Unlike many other former glass manufacturing villages the pretty little village of Marshallville, situated above Tuckahoe, on the Tuckahoe river, still maintains a fair population with almost every house occupied. The twelve acres of land, formerly the factory site from about 1814 up to 1856, is now a beautiful garden and orchard owned and occupied by John Wallace who, at eight years of age, began working in the window glass factory here in 1833, seventy-two years ago. This gentlemanly octogenarian, possessing the documentary data in addition to his valuable memory of former affairs, gave the writer a fine two-hour entertainment and instruction, most all of this story coming from him.

The property here was purchased from Joseph Falkenberg by Randall Marshall and his son-in-law, Frederick Stanger, March 21, 1814, and they, coming from Port Elizabeth along the Maurice river, twelve miles west, where they had previously engaged in the glass manufacturing and store business, shortly after established the factory at Marshallville, but Stanger's wife, Ann, Marshall's daughter, dying and he marrying Elizabeth Marshall, daughter of John Marshall, of New Brooklyn, Frederick and his second wife, Elizabeth, conveyed their holdings to Randall August 6, 1827. Still owning the land Marshall retired and was succeeded by his sons, Thomas and Randolph Marshall, his son-in-law, Ebenezer Seeley and grandson, Franklin D. Edmunds.

Thomas Marshall was the general manager, Seeley and Edmunds ran the store and Randolph practiced his profession, medicine, though a partner in the business. Among the blowers were Samuel McCauley, James Taylor, Egbert Vosburg, Louis Hirsch, John Coleinger, Joseph Mickle, Issac Mickle, Matthias Steelman, Isaac Steelman, Guenther Greiner and son Anthony Greiner, Japhet, Edmund, William and Richard Hann; Jos. Stewart and John Bennett. The master shearers and batchmakers were Andrew Steelman and William Endicott.

Mrs. Daniel Earling, daughter of William Endicott, master shearer, gives these additional names of blowers: Thomas Marshall, later a partner, Martin Madden, John Madden, Hosea Madden, later sheriff and senator from Atlantic county; Charles Fisher and David Scull. She relates that Rev. Samuel Parker, formerly a leading Methodist minister in New Jersey, and studied theology with his book fastened up before his table where he drove nails and gained knowledge at the same time. It was here, also, that James Brookfield began his career as glass cutter, culminating in making a fortune manufacturing telegraph insulators at the Brookfield works in Williamsburg, N. Y. Cutters remembered Mr. Wallace, who also learned that branch of the window glass trade, are John Mann, Thomas Marshall, later partner, and his son, Henry Marshall, and Benjamin Braddock.

Following Randall Marshall's death and bequest of his property to his children they continued the business together until 1849, when they sold to John S. Vangilder, he and his father running the works a few years and selling to the Union Window Glass Co. in 1853, when the Vangilders started works in Tennessee, and later in partnership with another, each on opposite sides during the civil war, they did business with both north and south, amassing a large fortune.

The Union Window Glass Co., composed of blowers, J. B. Stadler, John A. Getsinger, John Wallace, Wm. Otterson, John Hartman and Charles Fisher, continued the business three years when, after 40 years running and four different proprietorships, the fires at Marshallville went out for good 50 years ago.

The following blowers were at Marshall's window glass works at the different periods mentioned: 1831, John Orbin and sons, Edward and Henry; 1832, Isaac Lowe, James Taylor, Samuel McCauley; 1836, Anthony Scull, Richard Scull, David Reddock, James Reddock; 1838, Edmond Thomas, Wm. Thomas, David Bennett.

Other blowers were the Steelman brothers, Edmund, Matthias, Isaac and Eli; William, John and Thomas Wallace; Joseph, Samuel and Medford Smith, Robert McIntire and sons, John and Luther; Alexander Fowler, Lucius Howard, Wm. Lutz, Charles Fisher, John Vogeding. Henry, Randall and Frederick Stanger Marshall, sons of Manager and one-fourth owner, Thomas Marshall, were cutters, and Charles Beebe, a flattener, John Hann, John B. Stadler, Simon Westcott, Frank Schmousi, Benjamin Braddock, John Barker, Wm. Vanaman, Gains Strong and James M. Brookfield were also cutters, some becoming blowers.

The Union Window Glass Co.'s roster was as follows: Benjamin I. Wynn, financier; J. B. Stadler, bookkeeper; Joseph Getsinger and sons, Frank and Lorenzo; John E. Getsinger, William and John Wallace, William and James Otterson, John Hartman, John Vogeding and Charles Fisher.

The residences of the four partners, Marshall brothers, Seeley and Edmunds; the old factory store, several tenement houses and the old factory barn, are still occupied. The old twin villages of Tuckahoe and Marshallville, the former noted for ship building and the latter for its window glass works, one furnace containing eight pots, in the good old days before the advent of railroads and coal, are now in their Sleepy Hollow stage, although their beautiful river, new railroads, splendid lands and valuable beds of brick clay include possibilities of a glorious awakening not many years hence.

Could one of our glass blower camping parties but pitch their tents in Tuckahoe one summer the town would ever after have them for regular visitors. With Cape May, Atlantic City, Ocean and Sea Isle cities all in easy reach by both rail and water, besides fine fresh and salt water fishing in easy reach. Tuckahoe is one of the finest pleasuring places on the planet — but nobody knows its many pastoral beauties and piscatorial advantages.