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Here are some photos people sent me- I still have some Books for sale-The Maple Shade Historical Society ordered 20 "Maple Shade, a Village in Chester Twp." books. I sold about 10 already and have 10 left. If you are local- You can get a book SAME DAY, 20 dollars if you contact me- 856-667-8728. Great to learn about Maple Shade's history. -Dennis Weaver People who the Maple Shade Schools are named after-From the Courier Post newspaper, January 6, 1990 School Number 1 (Later Wee Love daycare) was renamed after Elizabeth B. Haig. From the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, August 25, 1966 School Number 2 was renamed after Rev. Ralph J. Steinhauer. From the Courier Post newspaper, February 17, 1971 School Number 3 was renamed after Maude M. Wilkins. From the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, October 25, 1989 School Number 4 was renamed after Howard R. Yocum. A Story of the Public Schools of Burlington County, NJBC Schools bookGreat book on the early history of Burlington County, NJ schools. You can read it online or download the PDF. School Math in 1804-
From Enoch Roberts' cyphering book (spelled today- ciphering)
There is a circular pond, whos area is 5028 4/7 square feet, in the middle of which stood a pole 100 feet high; now the pole having been broken, it was observed that the top just struck the brink of the pond; what is the height of the pole?
Ansr 41.99
Two men depart from the same place at the same time, one travels 30, and the other 35 miles a day; how far are they distant from each other after 7 days, supposing they both travel the same road, and how far apart if they travel in contrary directions
ansr 35 miles were going the same direction
If the earth be 360 degrees in circumfurance and each degree 690 miles, how long would a man be in traveling round it, who advances 20 miles a day; reckoning 365 1/4 (I also wrote 364 1/4) days in a year Ansr 3 years 155 1/2 days Chesterford School-We know it was named that if not from the very start to within a few years of it because of the sampler Lydia Burrough did in 1814. There is a VERY similar sampler done in 1812 (both of the Westtown Friends school where the young girls aspired to go) but doesn't have Chesterford School written on it. The name Chesterford School would probably have more to do with the South branch of the Pennsauken Creek than the North branch which one might think, looking at the school district when it became a County District school and then a Twp. District School and had the Maple Shade area for the most part excluding the Matlack family/ apartments section. You see when it was built in 1811 the neighborhood had nothing to do with counties. Children went to that school from both sides of the creek. Members of the Burrough family owned the land on both sides of the south branch of the Pennsauken Creek almost entirely (like 95%) along the Maple Shade area border. The old school it replaced was on former Rudderow land somewhat near Collins Lane and the school teacher Emmanuel Beagary was renting that house from the Estate of Samuel Burrough of Evesham. He was also very involved in St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Colestown with the Rudderow family. Little Samuel Burrough Jr. had just turned 21 years old and inherited his "new house" on what is now Maple Ave. Cherry Hill. Also Cropwell Meeting House was just recently built which the rents of the Collins lane house and the new house helped at least in a small way build. Joseph Burrough built on the very edge of his land and ALSO note- on the not too old road (1794) our Main street the new school for the area. So the name Chesterford- The school was in Chester Township not Waterford Township. (Also note that had a FORD in it) now Cherry Hill. So I would think they were saying It is in Chester Twp. but don't forget where it was built from over here across the creek or saying that to those people from that side even. -Dennis Books for sale-
Dennis' books on Lulu
The Moorestown book would probably be of more interest to Moorestowners or broader history lovers. All profits I give to the Maple Shade Historical Society. Lulu has a promotion code sale like every 3 days for 10% off or sometimes even 15% off your order.
For the "Village book" the back cover description is sort of the time frame but not the essence of the book so it might be a bad description if its supposed to say what the book's contents are. Here are the "chapters"-
![]() A friend of mine added the "MS Village book" to his local history books library. I see he has books on Marlton, Levitt town, Willingboro, The Pine Barrons, Haddonfield, etc... Turkey FarmsThere were two turkey farms in Maple Shade. One was on Orchard Ave. owned by John and Therese Martin. (Swiss French) Another was on Kings Highway owned by the Martinovich family. Across the street from the Martin's turkey farm on Orchard Ave. was Rudy Zillincar's farm where he sold eggs. He was known as "the egg man." He left the eggs out and you took them and paid by the honor system. The Evan Martinovich turkey farm was on Kings Highway just west of Lenola Rd. aprox. where the Iron Hill Restaurant is now.
Here are some newspaper articles on the Martinovich turkey farm- Website Announcements-
I need to talk to Bill Gerkens. I lost your email addy and need to get in touch so please email me.
Someone bought a copy of each of the three books off Lulu on August 2, 2020. There was spelling errors and things changed and 6 additional pages added to the "Village book" soon after and I made it right on the 3 other copies sold besides this sale. If you are local I can exchange you with the corrected book at some point.
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It's almost like I see it coming. What's the most historical thing to take out next?
They are razing Mennels/ Red Carpet/ Charlie Browns but this block of old houses and even more specifically this house was the original village of Maple Shade!
Here is an early mention in an advertisement from the New Jersey Mirror newspaper-
January 18, 1855, Page 2, Column 6
Two story house and Blacksmith Shop to let
Two story house and Blacksmith shop to let. They are situated on the South Side of the Turnpike Road between Moorestown and Camden, about 3 miles below Moorestown and 6 miles from Camden. Possession given on March 26, 1855. Benjamin Stiles.
Laura Mennel was the daughter of Christian and Louisa Frech. Below is a summary of her marriage announcement to John Mennel from the New Jersey Mirror, March 2, page 2, column 8-
In Camden, March 2, 1896, by Rev. Clarence A. Adams, John Mennel, of Merchantville, and Laura Frech, of Burlington County were married.
John and Laura Mennel lived in the hamlet of Sorrel Horse, across the street from the Sorrel Horse Hotel. Sorrel Horse was located where Haddonfield Road and Route 130 meet.
John and Laura Mennel and family moved to the village of Maple Shade about 1904 and first lived in the northern half of the large double house on South Poplar Avenue. In 1905 due to her efforts and the community’s, Maple Shade again had a post office which was at the Mennel’s store.
In 1909 William Frech bought back from the Larzelere family the old (circa. 1850) blacksmith house, his father and mother once lived in, for his sister Laura Mennel. The Mennels then moved their store to there, “Mennel’s Dry Goods store and Maple Shade Post Office.” Within a few years a right side addition was put on it.
The Maple Shade Post Office would be at their store until 1926 when it was moved to 16 South Forklanding Road. John and Laura Mennel had a son Harry B. (Sr.), and a daughter Louisa. Harry later changed the store to a bar called Mennel’s Inn. Later it was bought and made the Red Carpet Lounge, and today it is a Charlie Brown’s Restaurant.
Bill Gerkens Jr. emailed me and after he saw the Maple Shade in the 30s and 40s video he said, "I really enjoyed the video. In the first minutes of the film, in the newspaper, are my father Bill Sr. the young boy and his oldest brother Frank with glasses." He didn't know who the other man was smoking the pipe and talking on the phone was.
Frank Sr. And Minnie had the house on Wallace Ave. My father William and brothers Frank, Paul and sisters Elizabeth and Elsie all grew up there.
Frank Jr. on Mecray Lane, Elsie on Woodlawn Ave. (Maple Shade gardens), Elizabeth in Marmora, William on Terrace Ave., and Paul in Somers Point who passed away two years ago at 103 yrs.
Oh, the house on Wallace Ave. was not torn down. It was moved to Mildred Ave.
This collection of old movies of Maple Shade, NJ aired on the Maple Shade Cable TV network. This has been copied from a VHS tape and is not the best quality, but I am not sure how good it got. The beginning and end photos of the Roxy have been added.
Do yourself a favor and open the video up in Youtube- Maple Shade, NJ in the 30s and the 40s That way in the Description you can see the contents and time stamp links.
Historical Books in PDF format
This is like the best of the best. Download the whole folder! (Go up a directory to Public, then click on the folder and choose to download it.)
The one called MatlackFamily has writings from Chalkley Matlack and also covers some of the Roberts family and Stiles families, etc...
-Dennis
From Lumber Trade Magazine 74 (Google Books snippet view only)
Barlow & Company ordered their lumber for their bungalows through John S. Collins and Son Lumber co. which had several locations. Their main yard was in Moorestown but they had one in Maple Shade as well.
If you live in Maple Shade and did not get out to the sale and want to buy it direct-
Email me with your phone number and we'll make an arrangement for you to get a copy. The Maple Shade Historical Society makes more money off of direct sales.
-Dennis (member of Maple Shade Historical Society)
Compare Maple Shade esp. to 1930 and see how early we turned mostly suburban! Be sure to think of the land area sizes of each of the Twps. as well!