Groveville Fire Co. Officers ~ 1962

These are the Fire Officers of the Groveville Fire Company in 1962. Three things happened that year, I graduated high school, joined the fire company, and the fire company promoted me to S.O.T (Santa On the Truck). That position lasted more than 10 years. I did a good job at that Santa thing, never fell off once, more than I can say for some.

The Last TBM-3E Avenger Torpedo Bomber

This is a photo of the last TBM-3E Avenger Torpedo Bomber, produced anywhere rolling of the line at Eastern Aircraft, General Motors, Ewing, NJ.

The tie to Groveville is long time Groveville resident, Groveville Fireman, Hamilton Township Committeeman, Hamilton Township Mayor, and friend Ray Dwier standing in the center, with coat open. On Ray's right, leaning away from Ray, is Groveville resident, Bob Smith, of Main Street. Kneeling, center, in front of Ray is long time friend of Ray’s and Yardville resident, Ralph Beck.

Below is a little history of this aircraft and the plant from research done on this interesting time in our local history.

The TBM-3E illustrates the massive military manufacturing effort that New Jersey made during World War II. The Avenger built at General Motors' Eastern Aircraft Trenton-Ternstedt plant. Formerly used to manufacture and assemble General Motor's automobiles, the plant was converted in 1942 to assemble TBM Avengers and built them from 1942 until the end of hostilities in 1945. In recognition of its great effort to produce war materials, the Trenton-Ternstedt plant was awarded the "E for Excellence Award" for superior war production on January 2, 1945.

The Avenger participated in every major air-sea battle of World War II between June 1942 and August 1945, and played a significant role in search-and-destroy missions hunting German submarines, proving its worth in both night and daytime assignments.

The most famous American to fly an Avenger was George H.W. Bush, later 41st President of the United States, who joined the Navy in 1942 and became the youngest naval aviator ever, at the age of 20, in June 1943.

"Big White Stone"

Most people have seen this large white stone in front of the Groveville Methodist Church, inscribed with M.E. Church, but were unaware as to what its purpose was. The inscription is for Methodist Episcopal Church, this was the former name of most Methodist Churches; now known as The United Methodist Church.

This large white stone has been there, unmoved, for over one hundred years. Before Church Street was lowered and widened to improve the grade of Church Street this stone was at the level of the street.

This stone is known as a Carriage Stepping Stone. People arriving at church by carriage would stop at this stone and it would give them a safe and sturdy place to dismount their carriage or horse. Most carriage steps attached to the carriage are high off the ground to allow for ground clearance, but are inconvenient for those dressed for church.

I learned this the same way I try to pass on little bits of knowledge on to my daughter Kati. One day as I was walking home from church with my father, Ken, he said to me, bet you don’t know what that is, of course I had no idea, and he explained it to me. Doing research and asking questions of others proved he was right, not that I doubted him.

It’s amazing the things we pass every day and take them for granted, to most it’s just a “Big White Stone” that has been there forever and hopefully always will be.

To me as a kid it was a place to sit and eat your penny candy on your way home from Jo Hepburn’s store, cause if you took that candy all the way home your Mom would not let you eat it all.

Old Yardville School Today

This is the old Yardville School as it looks today. It is now four apartments.

Yardville School ~ 1937

This is the eighth grade at the old Yardville School, 1936~1937. For those that do not know the location of the school, it was on Route 25, now Route 156, between Yardville - Groveville Road (Church Street) and the Yardville - Crosswicks Road (Broad Street). It's across the road from the old Saint Elisabeth's Home and is now apartments.

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This was most likely one of the last classes in the old school, as the new Yardville School opened in 1939.

First Hamilton Township Fire District

March 10, 1879, the first Hamilton Township Fire District was created at Crosswicks. Crosswicks is still Hamilton Township Fire District #1

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The following has nothing to do with Groveville, but Crosswicks is our close neighbor. I knew most of this before, but I am sure many did not know this and will find this interesting.

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From the history of The Crosswicks Fire Company;

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The people of Crosswicks met at the home of Joshua English on January 5th, 1822, to form a fire company and purchase a fire engine. Committees were appointed to collect money, purchase an engine and draw up a Constitution. Robert Vanderbeek was named Chairman and Nathan Satterwaite, as secretary. At a meeting January 26th, 1822, it was reported that subscriptions totalling one hundred-eleven dollars ($111.00) had been obtained and Crosswicks Fire Co. had purchased the ancient hand-drawn, hand-pumper from a pump concern in Seneca Falls, New York. The cost of the engine was one hundred dollars ($100.00)

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Of more use than historic value in those days and in as good condition today as if ever was, it turned out to be equipment dated 1744. first used by the Union Fire Co. No. 1, of Philadelphia, organized in 1736, formed through the efforts of Benjamin Franklin. Several of the original buckets, made of leather and inscribed "Union Fire Co. No. 1, Phila. 1744, are part of the equipment Crosswicks folk have been taught to appreciate, even thought the purchase may have been part of an old time trade-in. It was the only fire protection the area had for a hundred years.

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The old apparatus is still in the possession of the company and is in good working order today.

Groveville Fire Co. ~ 1947 Ward LaFrance

This is a photo of Groveville Fire Company’s 1947 Ward LaFrance as it appeared in the December 2007 edition of 1st Responder Newspaper.

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This photo is from a parade in 1950, I don’t recognize the men in this photo or the location of the parade, but if I had to guess I would say it’s a parade in Trenton or maybe the convention in Atlantic City and its Don Snyder, driving and Roy (Smut) Champion on the back. I do have some 1950 convention photos, this may help put a date and place on both.

This photo does not show it, but Groveville Fire Company equipment was painted Gray. As I understand it this color was adopted as the official color during the war when “Blackouts” were common. The Gray was a non reflective color; even the chrome was painted gray during the war.

This was not just any gray, this was a blend and tint of gray that was developed for Groveville Fire Company and the exact color was known as “Groveville Gray”. Hamilton and Enterprise Fire Company’s had gray equipment, but each had its own unique tint of gray.

If you want to buy a brand new 1947 Ward LaFrance here is an advertisement I have, in my collection, (I call it a collection, at home it’s referred to as “Gary’s Junk”) that appeared in Fire Engineering Magazine in 1947.

Groveville Kindergarten ~ 1958

As the photo says, this is the Groveville School Kindergarten class of 1958. As always, Miss Longstreet is the kindergarten teacher.

By looking at this picture, all I can says is “Groveville sure has some good looking children” and you can tell they are from Groveville, they are all smiling. I know all of these people, but can only name a little more than half.

As you can tell by the cute little girl in the center with the blue jumper that skinned knee, it tells you we liked to play hard too, maybe a game of Tag or running for home during Hide & Seek. Maybe her big brother pushed her, I doubt it. Hey, I know her, I knew that smile was familiar, but then in Groveville we never forget each other.

Some of the people in this photo are not with us any more and that’s sad, because they left us too soon and they are missed.

Most of these people have left Groveville, but some still come back when necessary, a funeral, a wedding, or Memorial Day Parade. Just the other week I was at a gathering of people, not Groveville people either, and I overheard someone being asked where they were from, their response was “I have lived in Virginia for forty two years, but I am really from Groveville”. Kind of makes you smile to hear that.

Just a Thought

I thought I should post this photo before it to turns out to be a piece of history. After this weeks election I am sure this sign will be coming down, my questions is will it be replaced or will there be two pieces of sign post material just sticking out of the ground on Church Street, by the school and Main Street, by the park.

I don’t mean to editorialize, but then this is my site. Mayor Gilmore did a lot for Groveville, maybe not him personally, but he was instrumental in getting the work accomplished and I appreciate it.

The concerned people of Groveville have for years questioned the dangerous conditions at the old Anchor Thread Company, but no one seemed to care or respond. It was in danger of collapsing onto Main Street. If there were a fire it would have been life threatening to the firefighters. The city water supply in the area is poor and drafting from the creek is difficult due to the lift from the creek.

Jean Mushinski made a call directly to the mayor, explained the conditions and he, personally, was out to look at in a day and we were on our way from a dilapidated, dangerous, eyesore, to a lovely park through grants and donations.

For quite some time we had a trash problem on Church Street. People coming into Groveville on Church Street felt that this was the place to dispose of bottles, cans and fast food packages, between the creek and the school. It was dark, high weeds and brush, and no houses. Different areas of government were contacted and we were always told it was not there problem, it was the property owners.

A call was place to Mayor Gilmore, the situation was explained, and it was soon after that the brush and trees were cut back, new period lighting was installed, with fresh hanging plants, azaleas were planted and this sign erected. Now the trash is not thrown there and what is can be seen and not hidden in the brush and is readily picked up by the township employee that comes to water the plantings

Mayor Gilmore found out that our WWII Memorial had been removed and not replaced. Last Memorial Day our pastor, Rev Lin Hofacker, was retiring. Mayor Gilmore came to Groveville Methodist Church that Sunday to wish her well in her retirement. He and I spoke about this earlier, but he proposed at Church that day, that he wanted to remove the hedge around our WWI monument, put in a planting garden and erect a new WWII monument on Church Street. I spoke to him lately and this is in the works after the winter weather breaks, I hope this still comes true.

My fear and I hope I am wrong, is that now Groveville will go back to being the forgotten end of the township that it was before. My seventh grade teacher, Miss Mae Davis said “Maybe you don’t like the person elected and maybe you did not vote for him, but the majority did elect him and it’s up to us all to support him” (and you all thought I didn’t learn anything in school).

I am sure Groveville will still get what it needs, we just might have to speak a little louder to get it.

Just a thought from Gary, for what its worth.

Obituary ~ First Chief of Groveville Volunteer Fire Company ~June 5, 1925

Maurice Doughty was the first chief of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company. He along with his brother, Bud Doughty, were two of the group of organizers of the fire company. Both were employed at the mill.

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I did know that he was a cousin of mine, but during the research, speaking to Shirley Wright DeGenova, I found he was her uncle. One of the bearers, George B. Rollings was my Great Grandfather.

Main Street in Winter ~ 1945

This is a photo of Main Street, Groveville in winter, looking north from in front of the old firehouse at 200 Main Street.

The house on the left is Snyder’s, next is the store owned by Diamond’s, then Hepburn’s and know as “Jo’s Store” when I was growing up, for Josephine "Jo" Hepburn. The large white house on the corner was their house.

The general store is visible in the distance with the gas pump in the front.

The date this photo was printed is 1945, by the date stamped on the back by the developer.

Groveville Fire Company, December 21, 1967

This was the equipment we had in 1967 to keep Hamilton Township, District #9 safe.

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First in line was 9-1, a 1957 Ward LaFrance, 750 GPM 3 Stage, High Pressure Pump, 500 gallon tank. Hose, 2 1/2 & 1 1/2, two top mounted high pressure booster reels.

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Second in line is 9-2, a 1947 Ward LaFrance, 500 GPM Pump, 500 gallon tank. Hose, 2 1/2 & 1 1/2, one booster reel in the rear above the tail board. (I learned to drive & become a pump operator on this one).

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Third in line is 9-3, a 1958 Ford Utility/Support vehicle. This carried a Portable Pump and Portable Generator, portable lights, and wire reels. Masks, MSA & Chemox (we've come a long way from them, amazin we are still alive), Indian Tanks (for brush fires), and extinguishers, brush brooms (for brush and grass fires), shovels, and salvage equipment.

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This photo was taken on the Baseball Field behind the old fire house at 200 Main Street in Groveville