The lower part of the Samuel B. Headley farm was located by some one of the ancient Belangee's, after which it came into Gentleman John Ridgway's hands, and during his ownership, John Berry, Sr., lived on it for the space of 19 years. The Berrys carried on weaving, and paid the rent of the place in weaving, each year they wove one piece of linen and one piece of linsey woolsey cloth for John Ridgway, and this paid the year's rent. The usual length of a piece of cloth was thirty yards, and the rent for 19 years would be 38 pieces of cloth, which at 30 yards apiece would be 1140 yards.

Thomas Willits, Sr., must have bought of John Ridgway, and Willits also bought the balance of the S.B. Headley farm of Carpenter John Mathis.

Thomas Willits, sold the farm to Samuel and Nathan Andrews, and they sold it to Jesse Mathis, and he sold it to Samuel B. Headley, who has added to the buildings and improved it in various other ways.

The northern section of the Samuel B. Headley farm, the Joseph T. Headley farm, the Falkinburg place, (now owned by Pharo's) the Aden Mathis farm, and the Isaac Gifford farm, were all owned by John Mathis, Sr. He deeded the whole of the above property to his grandson's children of his deceased son, Jeremiah Mathis. John Mathis had the upper section of the S.B. Headley place, the J.T. Headley place and the Falkinburg place. John Mathis sold this property and went to the State of Ohio, since which time it has passed through various hands. Hezekiah Mathis had the Aden Mathis farm, which he deeded to his son Aden, since whose death it has been divided, into lots and sold to various persons.

Eli Mathis had the Isaac Gifford farm, which he sold to Thomas Gifford, Sr., who willed it to his son Isaac Gifford, the present occupant and proprietor.

The saw-mill at Mathistown occupies the site of a fulling mill, built in very early times by some one of the ancient Belangees. There was not enough business in the place to pay for the running of a fulling mill, and it was abandoned for that purpose and then turned into a saw-mill. Eli Mathis bought it and bequeathed it to his daughter Mary, and she sold it to Francis French, and now it belongs to Thomas E. French.

Mathistown received its name from Jeremiah Mathis, or some of his family, and has always been inhabited principally by his descendants. After the lower road was opened from Tuckerton to Bass river, Jacob Willits set up a tavern where Samuel B. Headley now lives, but it soon ceased to exist as a public house.

These lands were owned by John Mathis, Sr.; he deeded them to his son, Nehemiah Mathis, Sr.; he made his home on the Point farm, where he brought up his thirteen children, most of whom lived to be very old people. Finally the Point property was purchased by Eli Mathis. Nehemiah Mathis, Jr., made his home where David Mathis now lives. This and the Point property together contains about a thousand acres, all of which Eli Mathis purchased and bequeathed to his sons Jesse and David, and at this time David Mathis has the whole of the property.

These lands were once owned by John Mathis, Sr. He deeded them to his son, Micajah Mathis, Sr., and he left them to his son, Job Mathis, who cleared the farm and gave it to his son Ellis. The buildings now on both places were built by Ellis Mathis, and the property belongs among his sons.

This farm was cleared up by John Mathis, Sr., who, in the year 1729, purchased of John Budd and others 813 acres of land. This farm, the Isaiah Adams farm, and several other small places, are included in the 813 acre survey. After John Mathis had got this farm in a habitable condition, he left his home on Daniel Mathis' Island, and took up his abode on this, his new farm, where he ended his days. He deeded this farm to his son, Micajah Mathis, who resided here until he was eighty-eight years of age, when he died and left the farm to his son Benjamin, who spent his life here, and dying without a will, the farm was sold at commissioner's sale, and Francis French became the purchaser, and now it belongs to his son, Thomas E. French. This farm has never been out of the ownership of John Mathis' descendants. There is a shipyard on this place, and the first large vessel (the brig Argo) built at Bass River, was built in this shipyard.

In the year 1713, John Mathis, William Birdsall and Moses Forman, all of whom then resided on Long Island, purchased of Daniel Leeds, of Springfield, 250 acres of land, in which was included this island, which at that time was called Biddle's Island. Soon after this joint purchase, Birdsall and Forman sold their shares to John Mathis, thus constituting him the sole proprietor of the island. In the year 1716, John Mathis married and settled on this island, which he soon made into a farm. He made extensive banks around the island in order to defend it against the encroachments of the tide, and also built causeways, bridges and other conveniences. This island is noted for its valuable fisheries and its extensive salt marshes. After Job Mathis married, his father, John Mathis, deeded him this island farm; and after Job Mathis' death, the farm came into the possession of his son Daniel, who spent a long life there, and bequeathed the farm to his sons, Micajah Smith Mathis and Daniel Mathis. Daniel bought his brother's share of the farm, thus constituting himself the sole proprietor. John Mathis built a bridge across the creek, between this island and the Francis French farm, and thus had a convenient communication between his two farms. The ownership of this island has been in the Mathis name ever since John Mathis purchased it - one hundred and fifty-five years ago.

I cannot ascertain who first located this farm. It is probable that it belonged to some one of the ancient land speculators, who, at an early date, sold it to John Mathis, as it appears he owned it in early times.

John Mathis must have deeded it to his son, Job Mathis, at whose death it descended to his son Enoch. There is a valuable fishery belonging to this farm, which used to rent for an hundred and twenty dollars a year. Enoch Mathis was an enterprising and economical man, and while he lived on the farm he kept a store, the only one about Bass River; and by this and various other means he accumulated a considerable sum of money. He bequeathed the farm and a valuable scope of woodland to his two sons, Marshal and Enoch Jackson Mathis. They sold the farm to Micajah S. Mathis and Thomas French, Jr., and now it belongs to some of Francis French's family, and also to others, as there is a number of houses on the land which once belonged to this farm.

This place was located by Robert Allen, who settled here about the year 1716. After Robert Allen's death, his farm was divided between his sons, Peter and Edward Allen. Joseph Allen, Esq., became the owner of most of his grandfather's farm, and since his time it has been formed into a little rural village, denominated Allentown, and inhabited mostly by the descendants of Robert Allen.

Tradition says that John Mathis, Sr., once owned Bridgeport, and also that he sold it to Captain John Leake, who settled there at a rather early date. It is probable that Leake left the property to one of his sons, who probably sold it to Robert McKean, and now it belongs to some of McKean's children.

At quite an early date, Captain Charles Loveland, Sr., settled on those lands. and since his time the property has been divided, re-divided, and re-re-divided among his posterity.

This farm was located by John Mathis. Sr. He had it cleared and farmed under his superintendence until 1765, when his son Eli took the farm in the capacity of a tenant, and finally his father deeded him the farm, together with several hundred acres of outlands. In Eli Mathis' time, this farm and the adjoining farm, now called the Ebenezer Sooy farm, were included in one farm. These two farms, the Enoch Adams' farm, the Sears' farm, the Jeremiah Mathis' farm, and other property in that section, all belonged to the above-named Eli Mathis. Eli Mathis' farm buildings were on that portion of his farm now known as the Arthur Cranmer farm, and this farm possesses considerable historic interest. It was here that in the year 1778, the British burnt the farm house and all ofthe out buildings, destroyed the hay and the grain, and the lives tock of the farm. And here, after this ruinous affair, he put up a small house on the ruins of the old house, but he had scarcely got it finished and furnished with needful articles, when a band of refugees came and carried away every movable article to which they took a fancy, and in this house Eli Mathis stood, with a refugee holding a loaded gun at his breast, and threatening him with instant death if he did not give up his money. In the farm house which the British burnt, it is said was held the first Methodist meeting in Egg Harbor, and the owner of the house was the first proselyte to Methodism in the Quaker colony. Eli Mathis became a class leader and a local preacher, and his house was a temporary Methodist Church, until it was destroyed by the British.

Eli Mathis gave the Arthur Cranmer farm to his son, Amasa Mathis; he sold it to Caleb Cranmer, Esq.; he gave it to his son, Joseph B. Cranmer, and he bequeathed it to his son, Arthur Cranmer.

Eli Mathis gave the Ebenezer Sooy farm to his son, Asa Mathis. Ebenezer Sooy bought it and now it belongs to his son, Daniel Sooy.

Eli Mathis gave the Enoch Adams farm to his son, Maja Mathis, Esq., and now Enoch Adams is the proprietor.

Eli Mathis gave his son, Jeremiah, the Jeremiah Mathis' farm, and now Jeremiah Mathis, Jr., is the occupant and proprietor.

The Sears farm and other portions of Eli Mathis possessions, have been sold from the farms which he gave his four sons.

The Joseph and the Joseph B. Cranmer farms were formerly included in one farm, located by Stephen Cranmer who came to Bass River in the year 1729. This farm was Stephen Cranmer's homestead, and on a hill near the centre of this farm, the ancient members of the Cranmer family were buried, and now it is the principal burial place in Bass River.

After Stephen Cranmer's death, his son Caleb Cranmer, Sr., became the proprietor. He left it to his son Caleb Cranmer, Esq., and he bequeathed it to his two sons Joseph B. Cranmer and Caleb S. Cranmer, and now the farms belong to some of the heirs of these two men. Joseph Cranmer is the proprietor of his father's (Caleb S. Cranmer's) farm.

There are a few more ancient farms in Bass River, of which I cannot obtain a connected account. Such as the Hezekiah Adams farm, the Isaac Cranmer farm, the Chalkley Cranmer farm, etc.

At the time the first European emigrants came to Egg Harbor they found it a howling wilderness, along whose seaboard forests, the red men had reared their skin lodges, in which they dwelt, and "kept up appearances," in the most primitive style. Here they held their sage war councils and mysterious pow-wows, and then when wearied with the chase, they reclined in the shadow of the immense oaks, whose huge limbs had been shaken by the breezes of many centuries. The forest teemed with deer, bears, wolves, panthers, wild cats, and various other kinds of game, so that the Indian hunter need be at no loss for employment. There too, the huge spotted rattle-snake frequently sprung his rattle, and it is said the Indian esteemed a broiled rattle-snake as the greatest delicacy that could be placed on his board. The thickets abounded with turkeys, pheasants, grouse and quail; while in the marshes were found the swan, canvass back, brant and black duck, and many other kinds of wild fowl, and the bays and rivers were stocked with sheephead, bass, shad, flounders, perch and numerous other kinds of fish, and there also were found immense quantities of terrapin. On the salt marshes the aborigines gathered thousands of the eggs of ducks, gulls, &c. During the season of fruits, the Indians gathered whortleberries, cranberries, teaberries, cherries, grapes, nuts, etc., and an abundant supply of roots, which were added to their bill of fare; so that it appears the aboriginal inhabitants were almost as well supplied with luxuries, as they fancied the spirits of the departed, who follow the chase in the "happy hunting ground," to be.

The first white settlers who were Quakers, followed the example set them by William Penn, by first obtaining the confidence and friendship of the natives, and then treating with them, and paying them for their landed possessions, thus avoiding the envy and hostility of the rightful owners of the soil. There is not a single instance on record of there ever having been the least disturbance between the whites and Indians.

In the year 1758, after the Indians relinquished their rights to the soil of New Jersey, and the State had purchased the "Brotherton" lands, on Edge-pe-lick creek, the Egg Harbor Indians removed to that settlement, leaving their homes and the bones of their kindred to their friends, the Quaker settlers, and ever since that time the "Great Spirit" has blessed the inhabitants of Little Egg Harbor, with the natural privileges which their progenitors, and the government of New Jersey, purchased of the red men.

The Indians, having, at the sale of their lands, reserved the right of hunting and fishing, and of cutting basket wood on the unsettled portions thereof; for a long period after their removal, they came every spring to the seashore, and encamped in a position convenient to the bay, in order to enjoy these privileges. They caught shell-fish, which they roasted, and then removed them from the shell, and strung them upon sticks to dry in the sun; when they were wanted for food, they were soaked or boiled, until they became soft, and were much esteemed by the Indians. After they had procured a sufficient supply, they would strike their tents, and wend their way back to their adopted home. For a long succession of years, the Indian Queen, Bathsheba Moolis, came with her subjects, on their annual visit to the shore. Tradition says that Queen Bathsbeba was treated with great respect by her people, and was indeed, no ordinary character, being of superior intellect from most others of her race, and also differing from them in personal appearance, being exceedingly corpulent and rather short.

When the Queen came on her annual visit to Egg Harbor, she was not permitted to camp out with her subjects, but was always invited by some of the principal inhabitants of the place, to partake of their hospitality, where she was treated with the respect due to one of her exalted station, and amiable character. She continued coming to the seashore as long as she was able to endure the fatigue of the journey. It is said that Queen Bathsheba was a favorite with a number of the principal inhabitants of Medford, which place she frequently visited; and during the whortleberry season, took great pleasure in bringing them presents of delicious swamp whortleberries, picked with her own royal fingers.

Bathsheba, the amiable Indian queen, and her subjects, are among the great throng whose barks have floated down the stream of the long past. Many decades of time have rolled away since the Indians stopped coming to Egg Harbor to visit the graves of their ancestors, and angle in the waters of the bays and rivers. Peace to their ashes.

There is not an Indian left in Egg Harbor, to lament the decline of the race, or envy the whites the possession of their ancient home and the bones of their kindred. In the year 1802, when the Edge-pe-lick Indians removed to the settlement on Oneida Lake, most of the small remnant which was left of the Egg Harbor tribe, went with their brethren where they remained until the year 1824, when they removed to the Indian purchase on Green Bay, where it is probable, in accordance with what seems to be the inevitable destiny of the race, they are gradually becoming extinct.

The Egg Harbor Indians are said to have been a branch of the great Delaware tribe, but at this late day, there is but little known of the Indians who inhabited the sea shore. At the time of the settlement of the place by Europeans, the Indians were not numerous. According to their traditions, their numbers had been greatly reduced by wars among themselves and among the neighboring tribes. The beds and mounds of shells along the borders of the sea-shore, are evidence that it was once the abode of a considerable number of Indians. In ancient times there were several Indian mounds or hummocks in Egg Harbor, but time, and the white men have destroyed them all except one, this hummock is situate in a salt marsh near Tuckerton bay; the base of the mound is said to have sunk several feet below the surface of the surrounding marsh, yet it still holds its tree-crowned head many feet above the meadows, on its summit stand several red cedar trees, which the oldest inhabitant says have graced its brow since his earliest remembrance. This hummock is composed of earth and the shells of shell-fish, which the Indians must have caught in the adjacent waters and heaped there for some purpose unknown to us. One would suppose they would have scattered the shells near the bay shore, instead of carrying them a considerable distance and putting them all together in one vast circular heap. It is probable that at this time the upland was much nearer the bay than it is at present, so that when the foundation of the hummock was laid it was on the upland, and intended as a burial place for the Indian dead, as there have been human bones found in similar though smaller mounds in other sections of Egg Harbor. These Indian burial mounds, contained perhaps, the dust of a people who lived, died and were buried, ages before Columbus dreamed his first day-dream of a Western world.

On the farms along the sea coast of Egg Harbor, the farmer, in turning up the soil, often finds implements, such as arrow heads, spears or darts, stone hatchets, sling stones and other relics, which once belonged to the aboriginal inhabitants.

There is a tradition handed down from the Indians to the first white settlers, that many years before the Europeans visited Egg Harbor, there was a tribe of Indians residing at Leeds' Point, in Atlantic county, another on Osborn's and Wills' Islands, in Little Egg Harbor, and still another tribe, who were located at Mannahawkin, in Ocean county. Between the Leeds' Point and the Egg Harbor tribes there existed a bitter hostility. At that time there was an Indian village on what is now called Zebedee M. Wills' Island. The village was situated on that portion of the island known as the Mulberry field, and one night when the inhabitants of the village island were sleeping in apparent security, the Leeds' Point warriors crossed over Mullica river, and taking their slumbering foes by surprise, massacred them all, except one man, who fled unnoticed by the enemy, and went to Mannahawkin, and informed the chief of the Mannahawkin tribe of the disaster which had befallen his tribe, and requested the aid of his warriors in avenging the wholesale murder of his friends.

The chief of the Mannahawkins called a council of war, and it was unanimously agreed upon to assist their unfortunate neighbor. The Mannahawkin braves painted and armed themselves, and marched for the scene of carnage, which they reached the next night after the fatal skirmish, and found the victorious warriors singing and dancing and "making night hideous," as they exulted over their slain and scalped enemies. The Mannahawkin warriors stealthily marched around the island to the eastern shore of Mullica river, where they took possession of the canoes of the Leeds' Point warriors, and after placing a guard over them, the braves rushed in among the unsuspecting revellers, slaying them on every hand. Those of the enemy who fled to their canoes found them in possession of the guard, who dealt such death blows among them that in a short time there was not a Leeds' Point warrior left to tell the history of the battle. Mulberry field, where the battle took place, has always been remarkable for the fertility of the soil, owing, no doubt, to its being enriched with the blood of so many slain, and further from being the site of an Indian village. Near the field were several small mounds, and several years ago a farmer who owned the Island farm resolved on turning these mounds to a profitable account, and accordingly removed them and scattered their contents over his land for purposes of fertilization. In digging into these mounds many human bones were discovered, there being alternate layers of bones, earth and shells; the bones, on being exposed to the air, rapidly mouldered to dust. Mingled with the bones were a number of savage implements, which had doubtless, according to Indian custom, been buried with the dead in order to be conveyed with them to the "Land of Shadows."

Ashatama was an ancient and honorable name among the Indians of Egg Harbor. The last Indian of this tribe who had a residence in the place, was Elisha Ashatama, his mother's name was Nancy Ashatama, and he also had a sister Nancy, who was one of the settlers of Oneida lake.

Elisha Ashatama and his mother and a few other of the Edge-pe-lick Indians refused to go with the company, that emigrated to Oneida lake, and the few who were left behind kept up the ancient custom of visiting the sea-shore.

Elisha Ashatama and his friends continued their annual visits to the sea-shore until the war of 1812, when Elisha, (according to his own account,) went on board the renowned war vessel, the Chesapeake, and partook of his share of the good and bad fortunes of that celebrated craft.

Elisha was gone from home five years, and his wife (Patty,) supposing herself a widow, married a mulatto, and became the mother of a child in whose veins coursed the blood of three races.

At the expiration of five years Elisha returned and found his wife living with her mulatto spouse. He drove off the intruder and took Patty to himself, but whenever he was intoxicated, he would abuse his wife about her negro husband. On a certain time when he and his friends had been on a visit to the sea-shore, and were on their return home, they encamped for the night on the "plains" where they held an Indian cantico, being well supplied with whiskey which contributed greatly to the enjoyments of their uncouth revels. Next morning when they were about to resume their journey, it was ascertained that Patty's mulatto child was missing, and their search for it proved unsuccessful. It was supposed that Elisha, while his mind was influenced with liquor, had murdered the child, and concealed it in some thicket or pond. Some years after the circumstance just narrated, Elisha Ashatama and another Indian named Job, came to Egg Harbor and took up their abode. Elisha's companion Job said the cause of Elisha's coming to reside at Egg Harbor, was that in a drunken fit he had murdered his wife to be avenged on her for marrying during his absence, and further, that when his wife's kindred discovered the murder, they were for serving him in the same manner, and to avoid their wrath he fled from them and came to the shore.

Shortly after his arrival, Job being under the influence of liquor, was drowned in Tuckerton creek.

Soon after his coming to Egg Harbor Elisha Ashatama built a rude hut or wigwam on Flax Island, where he resided a number of years, and followed his trade of making baskets and selling them to the inhabitants of the surrounding country. He was indeed a proficient in the art of basket making. He was skilled in the medical prescriptions of his race, and often prescribed for those who had faith in his rude practice. About the year 1833 or 1834, Elisha was (while intoxicated) drowned in Mullica river - near the gravelling. He was buried in the Methodist graveyard at Tuckerton.

The following table is a specimen of the arithmetic of the Egg Harbor Indians. It is affirmed that these numbers comprised the whole of their knowledge in numeration. In the following manner they counted twenty and commenced again at one and counted twenty, which was their highest number, so if they desired to count an hundred, they counted twenty, five times.

Cooti, 1; Nishi, 2; Nawhaw, 3; Nayway, 4; Plainah, 5; Hosh, 6; Coot-Hosh, 7; Nish-Hosh, 8; Pesh-Konk, 9; Tellon, 10; Tellon-Cooti, 10 and 1, or 11; Tellon-Nishi, 10 2, 12; Tellon-Nawhaw, 10 3, 13; Tellon-Nayway, 10 4, 14; Tellon-Plainah, 10 5, l5; Tellon-Hosh, 10 6, 16; Tellon-Coot-Hosh, 10 7, 17; Tellon-Nish-Hosh, 10 8, 18; Tellon-Pesh-Kong, 10 9, 19; Tellon-Tellon, 10 10, 20.