BASS RIVER GAZETTE INDEX
The Bass River Gazette is a local historical newsletter jointly published by the Bass River Library History Committee and The Great John Mathis Foundation. It's contributing members are Harry DeVerter, Stephen Eichinger, Jean Harris, Murray T. Harris, Elaine Mathis, Peter H. Stemmer, and the Herrintown Poet. We lost our friend and colleague, Almira Steele, on July 11, 2006.
We welcome the submission of material for consideration. Please email us if you have any suggestions or if you would like to submit material for inclusion in future editions. Your contributions will effect the number of Gazettes that we publish. The more articles, photos, etc. that we receive, the more editions we will publish. CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US ABOUT THE GAZETTE
THE BASS RIVER GAZETTE STAFF
The original staff of the Bass River Gazette in 1998. (left to right) BACK ROW: Murray Harris, Steve Eichinger, Harry DeVerter, and Pete Stemmer. FRONT ROW: Elaine Mathis, Jean Harris, and Almira Cramer Steele (1922-2006).
NEW GAZETTE EDITION IS OUT!
Issue # 23, the March, 2009 edition, of the Gazette will be available shortly. Look below for a preview of the articles that will be included.
INDEX OF BACK ISSUES
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Gazette Issue #1, July, 1998
• Old Stores of New Gretna by Gladys Wilson – p1+
• The Bass River Gazette Committee- Who We Are – p1
• The Old Swimming Hole (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele- p2
• Woody Allen’s Clam Hurrier (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p2
• Wading River Bridges (Then & Now) by Steve Eichinger – p4
Gazette Issue #2, October 1998
• Bass River and It’s Neighborhoods by Peter H. Stemmer- p1+
• Mother Daughter Fall Recipes – Alberta Cramer & Peg Cramer McAnney (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis- p2
• How Herrintown Got It’s Name – a poem by the Herrintown Poet – p4
• Bass River Nicknames (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele- p5+
• A Place Called Goldecker by Steve Eichinger – p6
• News From the Past – News items from the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p6
Gazette Issue #3, January 1999
• Great John Mathis and Mathistown by Peter H. Stemmer- p1+
• A Man Called Joe (Another Thing I Remember) a story about Joe Cramer by Almira Cramer Steele- p2+
• Hen Updike and the Marsh Rabbit, a story and poem by the Herrintown Poet – p3
• Recipes From Carrie Cramer (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p4
• This Old House - the Caleb & Alma Cramer House – p5
• A Place Called Chips Folly by Steve Eichinger – p6
• Sources For Genealogical Research (Bass River Genealogy highlighting the Sears family) by Jean & Murray Harris – p7
• Bass River Ice Houses (Another Thing I Remember) by Walter Mathis – p8
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald and the New Jersey Mirror by Harry DeVerter – p8
Gazette Issue #4, May 1999
• The Short and Tall Allens of Bass River by Peter H. Stemmer- p1+
• Memories of New Gretna School (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele- p2+
• Joe B and the Runaway Car – A story by the Herrintown Poet – p3+
• Joe B’s Car (Another Thing I Remember . . . Revisited) by Walter Mathis – p3
• Recipes From Helen Mathis (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p4
• This Old House - the Joseph Hickman House and Betty Shutte – p5
• A Place Called Tub Mill Run by Steve Eichinger – p6
• Isaac Cramer- Revolutionary War Veteran by John Milton Adams – p7
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald related to the tragedy at sea of Burrows and Winfield French by Harry DeVerter – p8+
Gazette Issue #5, December 1999
• Bass River Cemeteries: Mirrors of the Past by Peter H. Stemmer- p1+
• Sunday School Picnics (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele- p2+
• Recipes of Mabel Sooy (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p3
• A Place Called Bodine’s Field by Steve Eichinger – p4
• On Finding A Tarnished Button At Bodine’s Field – A story by John Milton Adams – p5
• By The Sea – Photos taken on the Atlantic City Board Walk: Danny Loveland and Ella Johnson on a rolling chair and Ann Gaskill [nee Mathis] with Pete the “Our Gang” dog on the Steel Peer – p7
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p8
Gazette Issue #6, April, 2000
• Bass River’s Two Largest Cemeteries: Hillside Cemetery & Miller Cemetery by Peter H. Stemmer- p1+
• Huckster, Peddlers And Local Vendors (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele- p2+
• Wiseman Family Recipes (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p3
• Genealogy From Stained Glass Windows – Part 1 (First Presbyterian Church of New Gretna) by Jean & Murray Harris – p4+
• A Fish Called “Remember” – A poem about the First Presbyterian Church of New Gretna by the Herrintown Poet – p5
• Cutting Cedar In Mathistown by Steve Eichinger – p6
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p8
Gazette Issue #7, September 2000
• The Great Bucto-Harrisville Fire of 1930 by Peter H. Stemmer- p1+
• Yesterday along The Bass River (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele- p2+
• Jack & Jill by the River in Old Bridgeport – A true story written by Alice Adams Weber in 1958 – p3+
• Alice Weber’s White House Snapper Soup (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p4
• Catching Snappers on the Wading River by Steve Eichinger – p5
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p6
• Genealogy From Stained Glass Windows – Part 2 (First Presbyterian Church of New Gretna) by Jean & Murray Harris – p7+
Gazette Issue #8 - December 2000
• Bass River’s Churches- Part 1: The Quakers by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• Summertime Fun (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele - p2+
• Mischief Night In Herrintown: A True Story by the Herrintown Poet – p3+
• Lizzie Gerew’s Bread Pudding and Hot Milk Cake (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p4
• Wading River Landings – Part 1 by Steve Eichinger – p5
• The Evi Adams Family of Bass River (Geneology Corner) by Jean & Murray Harris – p7
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p8
Gazette Issue #9, April 2001
• Bass River’s Churches- Part 2: The Presbyterians by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• Life & Times of the Baymen (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele - p2+
• My How Things Have Changed Over The Years – A look back at growing up in New Gretna in the 1940’s – 1960’s by Mike Allen – p3+
• Mother & Daughter Recipes: Monica Walker Kalm and Claire Kalm Allen (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p4
• Wading River Landings – Part 2: The McKeens by Steve Eichinger – p5
• News From the Past – 1935 news items from the Bass River Log, the newspaper of the Bass River CCC Company #225, featuring Fur Bridge by Harry DeVerter – p7
Gazette Issue #10, August 2001
• Bass River’s Churches- Part 3: The Methodists by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• Restaurants and Other Eatery Places (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele - p2+
• In A Strange Land – David Altscher tells the story of his family’s emigration to New Gretna in 1952 and some memories of his growing up. – p3+
• Minnie Mathis Shropshire’s Fruit Cake (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p4
• Wading River Landings – Part 3: The McKeens (Continued) by Steve Eichinger – p5
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p5
• Growing Up in New Gretna by Donald Maxwell – p8+
Gazette Issue #11, December 2001
• Bass River Garages and Gas Stations by Almira Cramer Steele - p1+
• Along the Bass River: Thanks for the Memories – Mike Allen’s memories of growing up beside the Bass River in the late 1940’s through the early 1960’s. – p2+
• Alice Mathis’ Clam Recipes (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p3
• The Old Tuckerton State Police Station by Pete Dunn – p4+
• News From the Past - News items from the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p5
• Researching Our Quaker Roots (Genealogy Corner) by Jean & Murray Harris – p7
Gazette Issue #12, June 2002
• Bass River’s One Room School Houses – Part 1: The Quaker Influence by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• The Ladies Guild Cookbook by Phyllis Briggs – p2+
• Our Pop (Remembrances of John Wiseman) by Myrtle Wiseman Falkinburg and Rennard Wiseman –p3
• The Outfit (Budd Wilson, Sr.’s career in the N.J. State Police) by Budd Wislon, Jr. – p4+
• The Stage Road by Steve Eichinger – p7+
• My New Gretna Ancestors and the French Connection (the Allen and Gerew families) by John Allen – p8+
Gazette Issue #13, December 2002
• Bass River’s One Room School Houses – Part 2: The Little Egg Harbor Years by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• Early Memories of the New Gretna Presbyterian Church (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele - p2+
• Betty Lamson West’s Clam Pot Pie (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p3
• Memories of “Unk” and “Mim” (Henry and Minnie Updike) by Mike Allen – p5+
• Summer In New Gretna by Brian Detrick – p8+
Gazette Issue #14, June 2003
• Bass River’s One Room School Houses – Part 3: The Bass River School System by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• Memories of My Grandmother Cramer (Mary Minnie Mathis Cramer) by Ann Stratton Keklak in “Genealogy Corner” edited by Jean & Murray Harris – p2+
• The Mathistown School – Now & Then, A 2002 and circa 1880 photo comparison – p4
• “Unc” and “Mim” Revisited by Ted Briggs, further memories and reflections on Henry and Minnie Updike – p5
• Quaker Bridge- Then & Now, circa 1940 and a 2002 photo comparison – p6
• News From the Past – The Bass River Bridge, News items from the Little Egg Harbor Minutes and the Mt. Holly Herald regarding the Bass River Bridge by Harry DeVerter – p7
• Stage Road Revisited: Taverns Along the Way by Steve Eichinger – p8+
Gazette Issue #15, December 2003
• Oyster Season Opening: An Old New Gretna Tradition by Donald Maxwell - p1+
• Bureau of Shell Fisheries Oyster Bed Leases and Tonging Licenses: 1906 – p3
• Anita Cramer’s Coconut Layer Cake (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis – p4
• News From the Past – Oyster news items from the Little Egg Harbor Minutes and the Mt. Holly Herald by Harry DeVerter – p5
• Old Time Flower Gardens, excerpts from Leah Blackman’s writings regarding flower gardens in the 1830’s – p7
• Memories of My Old Allentown Neighborhood (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele – p8+
Gazette Issue #16, June 2004
• The Chalkley Cramer Family of New Gretna by Ruth Cramer Soles - p1+
• The Bass River CCC Camp (Another Thing I Remember) by Almira Cramer Steele – p2+
•How Tuckerton Got It’s Name, an excerpt from Leah Blackman’s Old Times And Other Writings – p7
• This Old House: The White Oak Inn, circa 1929 and a 2004 photo comparison – p7
• A Memorial to Marian C. Broome – p7
• The Life And Times of Ebenezer Tucker by E.R. “Duke” Dupruis – p8+
Gazette Issue #17, December 2004
• The New Gretna PTA Minstrels by Phyllis Sharp Briggs - p1+
• The Allen-Steinhauer Connection (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis – p2
• Yesteryear’s Cooking, an excerpt from Leah Blackman’s Old Times And Other Writings – p3
• The Chalkley Cramer Family of New Gretna Revisited by Ruth Cramer Soles as told be her sister-in-law, Jane Newbury Cramer– p6
• The New Gretna House Gone, two photos of the ruins of the New Gretna House after the October 31, 2004 fire – p6
• Letters to the Editor, Donald Maxwell writes a letter about the Chalkley Cramer Family of New Gretna – p7
• 1939 News From New Gretna, an article by Brian Detrick written from August 24, 1939 and October 5, 1939 editions of the Tuckerton Beacon newspaper – p8+
Gazette Issue #18, June 2005
• Bass River’s Old Taverns And Hotels by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• The Bishops of Riverside Drive- Irene Bishop’s Recipes (Yesterday’s Recipes) by Elaine Mathis - p2
• News From the Past – The Bass River Hotel’s 1888 Liquor License Hearing by Harry DeVerter - p6
• The New Gretna House . . . Remembered – Photos through the Decades, 1920’s through 2004 - p7
• The Early History of the New Gretna House by Peter H. Stemmer - p8+
Gazette Issue #19, October 2005 - Special Bass River State Forest Centennial Celebration Edition
• Bass River - New Jersey’s First State Forest by Kevin Wright – p1+
• Letters to the Editor – the Bass River CCC Camp – p3
• 100th Year Celebration Photo Collage – p4
• Another Thing I Remember- The Bass River CCC Camp by Almira Cramer Steele – p6+
Gazette Issue #20, October 2006 - Special Forest Fire Fighter's Memorial Rededication Edition
• Bass River State Forest Fire Fighters’ Memorial To Be Rededicated by Peter H. Stemmer – p1+
• 1936 Fire News Article Transcription from the 5/26/36 edition of the Asbury Park Press – p2+
• Eyewitness Account of 1936 Fire- transcription from 1/31/36 letter of Richard Allen, a Bass River CCC member – p3
• 1936 Fire related articles from the Bass River Log newspaper, Company 225 – p4+
• Roster of Bass River CCC Company 225 from the Thanksgiving, 1936 Camp Dinner Menu – p5
• Bass River CCC Company 225 photo – p5
• 1936 Fire News Article Transcription from the 5/27/36 edition of the New Jersey Morror – p6
• 1977 Fire News Article Transcription from the 7/28/77 edition of the Tuckerton Beacon – p7
• They Die Who Serve – an editorial memorial to the four Eagleswood Township fire fighters (Harold Cramer, Marcus Cullen, Herbert Blackwell, and John Baker) who died fighting the July, 1977 forest fire – p8
Gazette Issue #21, October 2007
• Jesse Johnson - A Legend In His Own Time by Peter H. Stemmer - p1+
• Yesterday's Recipes - A New Gretna Thanksgiving by Elaine Weber Mathis - p2+
• Genealogy Corner by Jean and Murray Harris - Almira Cramer Steele's Family Tree - p 7
• Almira Cramer Steel's "Another Thing I Remember" Revisited - p8+
Gazette Issue #22, September 2008
• The Judge William Collins French Family by Genevieve Adeline French Bennet- p1+
• Life With Grandpop [Arthur] Loveland by Kenneth M. Mick, Sr. - p2+
• News From The Past - New Gretna Social News from the February 19, 1948 "Tuckerton Beacon" with photos added - p7+
• Levi's Barbershop And The Would Be Corpse, A True Story by the Herrintown Poet - p8+
Gazette Issue #23, March 2009
• Boyhood Memories of Allen's Dock by Jim McAnney - p1+
• Antiquity Revisited, Leah Blackman's description of a country kitchen comes alive in a pen and ink sketch by Ron Kurtz - p3+
• Spotlight on "Dolly" Falkinburg, a pioneer women's race car driver in the New Gretna area in the 1950's through the 1970's by Pete Stemmer - p 4
• Genealogy Corner - The Headley Family of New Gretna by John and Nancy Headley - p5+
• News From The Past - A visit back to New Gretna on May 19, 1949 - p7+
• Another Thing I Remember - Duck Hunting on the Wading River by Steve Eichinger - p8+