# What really happened at Crowleytown.



## Steve/sewell (Sep 8, 2012)

Glass historians have always labeled a certain factory in New Jersey as Crowleytown. No glass factory was ever called Crowleytown. The Mckearins had some of the history correct but it was a combination of them,One of the greatest New Jersey Glass historians Ed Pfeiffer,local tax and business records, Howard Kembles glass notes and research by myself including visiting the site on numerous occasions to finally I believe in creating the most accurate chronological order of events. If any one has any other information regarding this subject please post it here and correct any possible misinformation. Thank you 


  The glass factory at Crowleytown was located where the Crowley's Landing picnic area is located today in the Wharton tract State Forest just off of County route 542,in Washington Township New Jersey. Samuel Crowley Sr.who was born on the 5th of MAY 1788 and died on the 23rd of OCT 1864 was the owner of four hundred acres of land deep in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. He did not erect the first glass works there as legend has stated it was in fact John Huffsey of Philadelphia. By the following year the town as a whole consisted of the glass house,a hotel a blacksmith shop, a school, a store, and about 17 other dwellings. This factory employed twelve glass blowers. 

  Huffsey named his glass works the Atlantic Glass works. Samuel Crowley Jr was born on the 28th day of February 1811,and died on the 22 of January 1887. He now entered the picture in 1855 as a part owner of the town along with his father and relative Isaiah Weeks and and tried to sell to investors that the town and the glass works would be come quite profitable.He also with other business and influential wealthy men located nearby who owned either Iron works or other glass factories petitioned the State of New Jersey for the construction of a canal to the Delaware river.This never materialized as the business environment was growing cold. The first 4 years of the factory were quite profitable. This is also the period when the first Mason jars were blown here and also at the the Tansboro Glass works by John Mason. A downturn in business brought on by stiff competition from other nearby glass works in Southern New Jersey slowed output dramatically.

  Ultimately the glasshouse proved unprofitable for Huffsey as an owner when Samuel Crowley Jr. failed to attract the necessary investment in the village .Huffsey sold his interest in the glass works back to Samuel Crowley Jr who then leased the glass works to a group of New York and Philadelphia investors headed by Daniel Burling and his brothers in 1857. As part of the lease agreement in 1857 Samuel Jr agreed to purchase half of the glass products produced at the factory. Burling was in Camden, New Jersey listed as a merchant in the year 1850 . He is also listed as a merchant on Cliff Street in New York City in 1859 and in 1860 he is listed as being in the glass business at the Atlantic Glass Company. Burling is also listed in the Washington Township tax list with the other glass workers in Crowleyville in 1860. Daniel did well for about two years  but gave up the lease and the business went back back to Samuel Crowley Jr and Isaiah Weeks in 1862.

  In the same year Crowley and Weeks reorganized the glass works and Crowley Jr assumed full control naming the Glass works the Crowleyville Glass company. Samuel Crowley jr operated the glass works from 1862 to 1864 when he leased the works to David Felt of New York City. The town at the time consisted of two lots and fourteen houses,a hotel,general store and a small grist mill. The US Civil War began on 12 April 1861.Samuel Crowley Sr died on the 23rd of October and Samuel Jr inherited his fathers interest in the town. The war had a devastating effect on virtually all business's. When the war ended Felt went out of business and Crowley Jr was forced to sell his interest in the Glass works back to Isaiah Weeks in 1866. It seems Samuel Crowley jr got into financial hard times and was accused of swindling his sister in-law out of 15,000 dollars.When a court ruled in the sister in-laws favor Samuel Jr was forced to sell everything he owned to pay his court ordered debt to his creditors and sister in law. The Crowleys and the Weeks were inter related through the generations and money can ruin anything as we all know.

  Isaiah Weeks in turn sold the factory back to the Burlington, Atlantic, Cape May, and Philadelphia Glass Company where again Crowley Jr was a part owner of. The company also owned the Bulltown glass factory down river and the Milford glass works near Pendleton. In 1868 The works were purchased by a group of 4 men led by John Daugherty who continued to call the Glass works the Burlington, Atlantic, Cape May, and Philadelphia Glass Company. In less then a years time the company again was restructured and John Daugherty and Company named their glass works The Neptune glass and manufacturing company.This company manufactured all sorts of glass ware including the famous Gothic pickle jars and many soda and porter bottles. The Neptune glass works operated until 1871 .This was the final failure of the glass works. This was also the end of Crowleytown the small hamlet. Samuel Jr. was unable to come up with enough revenue to pay his sister in-law the court rendered judgement.Then as quickly as the town Samuel Crowley Sr. had founded sprung up it ended just as quickly. Although it was abandoned, the plant stood until it finally collapsed in 1874. The Crowleytown glass works were literally blown over by a possible tornado.

 This is a pretty accurate account of the company's and names associated with the glass works at Crowleyville by doing painstaking research at various towns tax records,New Jersey historic Business records and glass notes from Howard Kemble. A majority of the Washington/Taylor Historical Flasks were made at the factories associated with the Burlington, Atlantic, Cape May, and Philadelphia Glass Company. These were the factories of Milford,The Atlantic Glass Works and Bulltown. Also made at the various glass works at Crowleyville were quite a few soda and beer bottles along with common medicine bottle and vials.

  I found the following bottles on the Mullica River directly at the factory site right next to the boat slip earlier this year in April when we in Southern New Jersey were still in drought conditions. The Mullica River was running at about 50 percent of normal yearly average and at low tide 70 horizontal feet of river bank bottom was exposed during low tide. These two bottles in the purest blue green aqua color were lying stuck in the mud about twenty feet apart along with numerous shards all in the same deep rich aqua color.The flow of the river at Crowleys landing is slowed because of layout of the bank. It is almost an inlet which protects the area from swift current. 

 The beer or soda Bottle is embossed E Low Gloucester Co. It was I believe an Iron Pontiled bottle. The Square medicine bottle is smooth based but I believe it was made here also in the last years of the factory.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 8, 2012)

2. The bottles were slightly sand blasted from being buried for over 140 years but are still pretty clear. The beer bottle is a hybrid squat size. The double taper top was very popular in the 1860 to 1870 time period.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 8, 2012)

3.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 8, 2012)

4.


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## RICKJJ59W (Sep 8, 2012)

Cool History there Steve e boy thanks for sharing.

 So you found the squat in the river?


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## botlguy (Sep 8, 2012)

The Crowleytown 1858 jars, especially the Midgets, were my favorites when I had my Fruit Jar collection years ago. Thanks for this insight, it is quite welcome.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 8, 2012)

Funny Jim, your still calling the glass works and the Mason Jars CROWLEYTOWN !![&:] After all of the above where I explained about it. Huffsey or Atlantic Glass Mason Jars the new Nomenclature.[] Huffsey Mason Jars or the Atlantic Glass Works Mason Jars . I like Huffsey Jars has a nice ring to it.[8D]


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## epackage (Sep 8, 2012)

I think Crowleytown hits the ear the best, and since the Crowley's were involved or represented throughout I'm gonna call it Crowleytown, maybe my Archdeacon Mineral Water was made there...[]


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 9, 2012)

As far as glass family's doing the most for the early glass industry in not only the United States but particularly in the Southern New Jersey area,the Glass Mecca of  The United States in the early 1820s right up to 1900 the Huffseys rank right up there just below the Stanger Family. Samuel Huffsey had a 65 year career doing it all, building furnaces,making clay pots,Making bottle molds,Blowing the glass, and he worked in over 20 different glass factories spanning from Southern New Jersey to Philadelphia to Pittsburgh back to Philadelphia and then back to South Jersey one more time. His Brother John was no slouch either as he was an owner of at least 3 glass works in his life time and was a glass dealer or agent for at least 10 more.  John Huffsey owned the Glass Works at Crowleytown and named them the Atlantic Glass works for good reason being located less then 15 miles from the Atlantic ocean. I like the name Crowleytown too but give credit where credit is due. The Mckearins did to much broad brushing and lumping together of historical early glass information to fill in the missing pieces sometimes down here in South Jersey away from their main interest of New England and New York State glass. I was only messin around with Jim botlguy anyway Jim E and I know you are messin around with me back.[] As far as your bottle Jim I'll see what I can find out about it. This took a lot of time to compile in going over my notes I did omit one large event at Crowleytown the big Fire in 1866 when a new glass factory was built on the same site.I have the corrdinates for the Herman City glass works also. Put these coordinates    N 39Â° 37.076 W 074Â° 35.954   into google maps. You will be standing at the Herman City Glass Works just North of the Mullica River 2 and a half miles east of Crowleytown. I have shot movies there and will post them along with Crowleytown,Bulltown,Greenbank,Hammonton and Coffin and Hay.


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## botlguy (Sep 9, 2012)

Stephen, I agree with you totally. I used to fight about accuracy and correctness all the time. Problem is, old habits die hard when there is resistance. It's like trying to change the term "CLEAR" to a more correct "COLORLESS" or "BIM" to "TOOLED TOP" or "GRAPHITE" pontil to "IRON OXIDE" or "IMPROVED" pontil. (Even those terms are not entirely accurate.)  I understand and agree but most folks in the hobby won't. 

 Anyway, I SINCERELY appreciate your efforts and will be one of the first to use the correct term when the change is considered the consensus. Please let me know when that happens.


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## surfaceone (Sep 12, 2012)

Thanks for this Steve,

 You've not only greatly expanded my knowledge of the glass works at Crowleyville [8D] which, I must admit, was largely non existent. Let's put the scholarship aside, for just a minute, while I applaud your beautiful finds. 

That drippy "C" Low is fantastic!

 Would you call it Atlantic Aqua?

 You're the guy that introduced me to the Huffseys. Hello Samuel. You've further fleshed them out from an historic, and bottle shelf perspective.

Pulled them right out of the river bank @ the works! Can't get a better provenance than that!

 You are our correspondent in the Glass Triangle. I'm looking forward to the full Dr. Dyott treatment. Did you visit after the fire?




From.

 I'm so curious to see what is left...


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

Hey Surf what a 3 mile stretch of glass history along rte. 542 in Burlington County. Historical flasks were abound here as John Huffsey and his brother Sam can attest to. Jenny Linds,Washington/Taylor's, Sheaf of Wheat's,Union,Cornucopias,The first Mason Jars and all kinds of glass whimsey, and moils and glass drippings. Each site to this day has shards of glass and bricks from the furnaces lying strewn about the forest floor.The area is quite scenic also and still is as remote as it was a 150 years ago.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

Bulltown is located just north of Rte  542 and Hermann City on the other side a 500 foot walk towards the river. If you put these coordinates 
 39Â° 37.104'N 74Â° 36.019'W  in your GPS , your PC or smart phone you will be standing near Hermann City. If you put these coordinates in
 39Â° 37.240'N 74Â° 35.90'W  you will be at the Bulltown glass works. If you put in these coordinates 39Â° 37.61'N 74Â° 37.200'W you will be at the 
 Atlantic Glass works at Crowleytown. If you put in these coordinates  39Â° 36.730'N 74Â° 35.280'W   you will be at the William Coffin Glass works 
 at Greenbank the oldest glass  works in this area. If you put in these coordinates  39Â° 38.615'N 74Â° 38.980'W  you will be at the Batsto glass works.
 If you put in these coordinates 39Â° 37.885'N 74Â° 46.320'W you will be at the William Coffin Seniors glass factory in Hammonton New Jersey .
 Now for the good one if you collect Coffin and Hay historical flasks as you know they are the bench mark for mold quality superiority. This is where
 their works were located in 1828 to 1848. Put in these coordinates 39Â° 39.430'N 74Â° 51.680'W  .Check out this map at this link
  http://www.philageohistory.org/rdic-images/view-image.cfm/HGSv25.2373-2374   Yes there is a lot of glass history in South Central Southern New Jersey.


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## GuntherHess (Sep 13, 2012)

Interesting read.
 So, talking about NJ glass houses, what do you know about Moore Bros Glass Company in Clayton NY?
 I recently found a pint Mason jar with their mark on the bottom.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

Back in a while Matt .....The Moore brothers took over the original Fislerville glass works in Clayton New Jersey in around 1853


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## botlguy (Sep 13, 2012)

Steve, this is terrific stuff. Collected jars seriously for a number of years and had none of this information. Thanks and please keep it coming. Hope the F.J. folks are getting this also.


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## AntiqueMeds (Sep 13, 2012)

woops I typed Clayton NY by mistake , sorry to the Jerseyites who I moved to NY.


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## botlguy (Sep 13, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  AntiqueMeds
> 
> woops I typed Clayton NY by mistake , sorry to the Jerseyites who I moved to NY.


 I noticed that but am too polite to mention it. [8D]


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

The Mckearin numbered GI-40c Washington/Taylor pint flask which is listed as rare was blown at the Atlantic glass works of John Huffsey.South Jersey glass historian Ed Pfeiffer is the Harry Hall White of the South. He found numerous shards of this flask at the Atlantic Glass Works in Crowleytown.Here are two of them side by side.The one with the long bubble in the neck on the right was found less then 1 mile from the site.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

2.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

3.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

4.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

5.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

6.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

7


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

8


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

9.Neat striations in the bottom of this one. It has a huge amount of glass at the lower end.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 13, 2012)

Give me a little time Matt on the Moore Brothers I have a lot of stuff. Jim thanks for checking in . I have some videos I made at all of these glass works sites on the Mullica River.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 14, 2012)

Another flask missed by the Mckearins in their charting. The GXIII-32 Sheaf of Wheat /Sheaf of Wheat rare group C # 11 listed historical flask was made at both Crowleytown when it was the Neptune glass works and down the Mullica river 2 and a half miles at Bulltown. Again Southern New Jersey Glass historian Ed Pfeiffer who did extensive research at all of the glass works on the Mullica river found shards of this flask and other Sheaf of Wheat flasks at both glass works and noted them in his glass notes. This flask has 12 stalks fanning out across the top on this side of the flask,and on the other side the sheaf has only 10 stalks fanning out across the top. Pretty flask and it is quite rare.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 14, 2012)

2.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 14, 2012)

3. This flask has a key mold base, similar to the E G Booz bottle. This helps to date the flask from the 1860 to 1875 time period. This puts in right in the time each of the glass works were still operating.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 14, 2012)

4.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 14, 2012)

5.


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## Steve/sewell (Sep 14, 2012)

The other side of the flask which has only 10 stalks fanning out across the top.


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