The Brookhill Farm

It’s amazing the things you find or receive while doing research. This envelope looks like it was mailed yesterday, just a little yellow, but no rips or tears. I came upon an opportunity to get this envelope, just why do people save envelopes for seventy years, I guess so people like me can find them and share them with others.

This letter was sent from The Brookhill Farm, on the Yardville – Hamilton Square Road, with a three cent stamp and post marked Yardville, NJ, March 24, 1937, 5PM

Most people from this area know The Brookhill Farm was the property of the Simpkins Family. Robert “Bob” Simpkins knows more about Hamilton Township history than anyone in the township, being born in the township in 1905, and still active in its history. Bob just turned 103 this month, God Bless him.

As a child, I cannot count the times I have been past this farm with my parents, seeing the cows grazing in the pastures. This was a time when Yardville – Hamilton Square road was nothing but Dairy farms, as you left Yardville and crossed the railroad tracks, on your left was Bower’s Dairy Farm and its owner was Tim Bower’s, next you crossed over the bridge at Edge’s Brook or Back Creek and there was The Brookhill Farm, on the right.

On the left there was a long mysterious lane, as a child it seemed very “spooky”, lined with tall trees and slightly winding, you could never see the house at the end; we now know that as Locust Hill, The Burholme Estate, a place with a very historic past.

Continuing on you came to the Selmon Farm, at Kuser Road. Then there was nothing, except that “scary swamp” until you almost reached Hamilton Square, there was a farm on the right, across from where Reynolds Middle School is now, the farm house is still there but has been enveloped by the development.

It seems that just a seventy year old envelope sure can bring on some old memories.

If this envelope brought back memories to me can you imagine what memories Bob Simpkins would have with this?

Miss Florence R. Longstreet

I really don't like posting sad events on my site, but this is one that touches every one that grew up in Groveville. Miss Longstreet was every one's Kindergarten (Reception Grade) and First Grade teacher and I posted an article when she turned 100 and many set her cards and letters.

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I just returned from vacation and learned from my friends Linda LeJambre Dorsey and Claire Dwier Zarr, who were also students of Miss Longstreet that she had passed away, she will be missed. She also left us all with good memories of the time spent at Groveville School. She is the first teacher we met in our long career of learning and she will be missed.

Florence R. Longstreet

Florence R. Longstreet HAMILTON - Florence R. Longstreet, 100, passed away Saturday in St. Francis Medical Center. Born in Trenton, she had been a longtime area resident. Ms. Longstreet retired in 1977 as an elementary school teacher for Hamilton Township after over 40 years of service. She was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Nottingham Chapter #246, and she enjoyed reading and traveling. Daughter of the late Charles T. and Jane R. Longstreet and sister of the late Henry Longstreet; she is survived by her sister, Dorothy E. Scarborough. A funeral service will be held 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Ewing Cemetery Chapel, 78 Scotch Road, Ewing. Entombment will be private. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark United Methodist Church Building Fund, 465 Paxson Ave., Hamilton Square, NJ 08690. Arrangements are under the direction of Saul Colonial Home, 3795 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square.

An "Unknown" photo

Usually I post a photo or article and I have a story to go with the photo. I usually do some research, try to find as many interesting facts and the relationship the photo or article has with the Groveville – Yardville area. For this photo I have nothing, but I am still working on it.

I received this photo and the seller of this photo has no history of the photo, in fact they too are trying to find how they came to have this photo, for me.

Here is the obvious; it is a photo of a young red haired girl, standing in front of what appears to be a dump body truck. I have been told by Charlie Donnell, who knows more about old trucks and cars than anyone I know, that he believes the truck is a 1938 Chevy. The phone number is “Trenton 6-2190” , which is most likely now 586-2190. I remember when our number “Trenton 5-0000”, then it changed to (juniper) JU5-0000, and then to the same number today is “585-0000, the 5-8 portion is really still J-U.

Amazing that made me think, our phone number has remained the same since we got our first phone, I guess in the 1940’s, that is when, so I have been told, we were on a party line with the Neal family on Main Street. We were fortunate to be on only a "Two Party Line", some were more, if the phone rang once with a break, then once with a break, it was for the Neals, if it rang twice with a break, then twice with a break, it was for us. Everyone could listen to every ones conversation, Like a "Soap Opera" with local characters, this was Groveville, I do mean "Characters", my family no exception.

Back to the photo, if any one recognizes anything about this photo, please let me know, if the little girl, who would be in her 60’s now, or her family is still in the area, I would be more than happy to give her this photo, in exchange for just a little history of the photo.