Captain Studson, during the Revolution, lived at Toms River, on the bank of the river a few hundred yards below the present bridge. He was a captain in the privateer service and was also appointed a lieutenant in Captain Ephraim Jenkins' company of militia, June 14, 1780. In the latter part of 1783,' Captain Studson took two prizes, the schooner "John" and the sloop "Catharine," on the south side of Staten Island, in Princes or Raritan Bay. The prizes were taken to Middletown. The Admiralty Court, which adjusted prize claims in his case met at the house of Isaac Wood, Mount Holly, and the vessels were advertised to be sold at public sale at Freehold Court House, January 1, 1781. Just a month before this sale, on December 1, 1780, Studson was killed by the Refugee Bacon. It would seem that after taking his prizes to Middletown Point, he sailed down the beach and into the inlet, and thence up to Toms River, probably to lay up his vessel for winter. The particulars of his death have been handed down as follows:

Three men living along the bay, named Asa Woodmansee, Richard Barber and Thomas Collins, hearing that farm produce was bringing exorbitant prices among the British at New York, loaded a whale boat with truck from farms along the bay and proceeded to New York by way of old Cranberry Inlet, which was then open nearly opposite Toms River. These men were not known as Refugees, but undertook the trip merely to make a little money by a kind of "running the blockade" business on a small scale. They arrived safely in New York, sold out their produce, and were about returning home, when the noted Refugee, Captain John Bacon, called on them and insisted on taking passage back in the whale boat. Much against their will they were forced to allow him to come on board. They arrived near Cranberry Inlet before sundown, and lay outside until after dark, being afraid to venture in the bay during the day. In the meantime the patriot militia stationed at Toms River had got wind of their proceedings, and being determined to put a stop to the contraband trade, a small party under command of Lieutenant Joshua Studson took a boat and went across to the inlet and concealed themselves behind a point just inside. After dark the whale boat came in, but no sooner had it rounded the point than to the consternation of those on board they saw the boat of the militia so close by that there was no apparent chance of escape. Lieutenant Stndson stood up in his boat and called upon them to surrender. The unfortunate speculators were unarmed and in favor of yielding, but Bacon knowing that his life was already forfeited, refused, and having his musket loaded, suddenly fired with so deadly an aim that the brave lieutenant instantly dropped dead in the boat. The sudden, unexpected firing, and the death of Studson, threw the militia into momentary confusion, and before they could decide how to act the whale boat was out of sight in the darkness. The militia rowed back to Toms River the same night, and landing in front of the house, some of the number went up and aroused Mrs. Studson, and told her the sad news. His unexpected death, and so shortly after leaving home, completely overwhelmed her with sorrow. The men procured a blanket from the house aud went down to their boat, took the body of Captain Studson and put it in the blanket and carried it up to the house.

The crew of the whaleboat, knowing it was not safe for them to remain at home after this affair, fled to the British army and were forced into service, but were of little use as "they were sick with the small pox, and suffered everything but death," as one of them (Collins) said, during their stay with the British. Taking advantage of one of General Washington's proclamations, offering protection to deserters from the British army, they were afterwards allowed to return home. James Mills, an aged, respected citizen now living at Barnegat, born 1806, in his young days resided with one of the Woodmansees on the James Jones place, at Forked River, and frequently met one or two of these ill-starred blockade runners. Thomas Collins lived to an advanced age, and was always badly scarred from the small pox, which he caught within the British lines.

Not long after the war, Mrs. Studson married a man named Chamberlain at Toms River.