The Situation - Letter from Cindy Hatton Dear Friends of Moffa's Farm: The community's diligence and efforts are helping with the preservation of Moffa's farm. However, we have a long way to go. Continued public participation is vital.   Update on Moffa's Farms 1) Due to public pressure, the Council passed a resolution on September 26 removing the 5 private homes from the proposed redevelopment zone. The redevelopment law allows, "A redevelopment area may include lands, buildings, or improvements, which  of themselves are not detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, but the inclusion of which is found necessary, with or without change in their condition, for effective redevelopment of the area of which they are a part.'"   Even though the 5 houses did not meet the criteria for redevelopment, they were being used to "promote flexibilty".   (translation: needed for road frontage and additional buildable land due to the constraints of the property because of wetlands)   2) The Planning Bd. (Sept. 27) passed 4-2 to designate Moffa's farm as a redevelopment zone with the recommendation of saving the house and to condider SJ Land Trust's offer to acquire the property for conservation. Council does not have to take the recommendation. Next steps:   1) The Planning Bd will need to pass a resolution memorializing their action. Their  next meeting (unless they have a special meeting) is October 11. It will be forwarded to the Council.   2) The Council will introduce an ordinace to designate  Moffa's Farm as a redevelopment zone, advertise it with a public reading. (Oct. 24)   3) The second reading of the ordinace will have a public hearing . If they don't have a special meeting, the hearing should be Nov. 14 . This would be after the election, or if they are anxious to move forward, they could have a special meeting. I'm not sure which way they will do it.     I did meet with the Mayor on Sept. 27. ( asking if the grants director could help with the application).   The Mayor indicated that she thought the best scenario is to salvage the historic items and demolish the house, and perhaps have senior citizen apartments. I'm not sure what Council thinks, they have been vague, suggesting senior-residential or light commercial.   It is important that we stay active in this issue, I personally feel this property is unique and has a higher value  to our community by being  conserved and the farmhouse saved for its rich history. Please respond to me if you would like to attend the next "Friends of Moffa's Farm" meeting. I thank everyone for their hard work and continued support on this wonderful project.  The Courier Post will do another story (probably this week-end), and also the Record Breeze.   Cindy Rau-Hatton "Friends of Moffa's Farm"    The Wainwright-Moffa House It may not look like much from the outside, but behind the bad replacement windows, vinyl siding and odd bump out additions is a gem of colonial architecture. The Wainwright-Moffa House, also known as the Moffa Farm, located on Almonesson Road in Gloucester Township NJ, is a remarkable historic and cultural resource. The House was built in two sections. The earlier part was built some time between 1708 and 1740. While there was certainly a house on the property as early as 1720, there is some debate as to whether or not the older section is indeed that house. The newer section was built around 1790 and is notable for its punch and gouge decorated woodwork. Below is a more accurate history of the property than we've had to date. Like a lot of old houses this one came with a story that was inaccurate. Such things happen easily enough as one wrong turn in a chain of title can cause all sorts of problems down the line. As it is, the revised history is every bit as interesting as its predecessor. The Gloucester Township branch of the Chew Family settled here about 1699. The Chews bought land on the east side of the South Branch of Timber Creek from the Whitall and Cooper Families. The Moffa Farmhouse dates back to about 1708. It appears to have been a wedding gift to David Wainwright (1685-1720) and Charity Chew (1686-1739) from her parents Richard Chew (1655-1725) and Frances Woodward Chew (1757-   ). The deed is not recorded, but Richard and Frances Chew gifted land to many of their many children before their deaths. David's father, Jeffrey Wainwright (1642-1689) became a Quaker and emigrated from Bermuda to Woodbury Creek in 1680. Two of David's known brothers, Samuel Sr (1663- 1729) and Jeffrey moved to Philadelphia about 1700. Another brother was Jonathan. Their mother or sister, Hannah Wainwright (d 1718), married Upton miller George Ward in 1697. David and Charity Wainwright had no children. David's Will (NJ 69-H), which cites him as a yeoman and Charity as sole heiress and executrix. The will, gives to his "beloved wife ye use of my plantation & house & houses & all other privileges belonging to ye sd plantation that is which I now live".  After her death, the will states that the estate was to go to David's cousin Samuel Wainwright of Philadelphia. The inventory of the estate, which was signed by Charity's father and their neighbor John Roe details their estate belongs, from pewter ware to oxen to planks. David's 1720 tombstone is in the old Wallings-Powell graveyard on Landing Road.   After David's death, Charity Chew married John Brown, alias Ward, (1682-1736) who was also associated with Ward's Upton mill.  By 1740, the property had passed to Samuel Wainwright Jr. (1702-1741). Whether he lived there or leased it to others is not known. Samuel Jr. married a Mary X about 1720. Samuel Jr. was probable a tailor, like his father. They had at least three daughters: Elizabeth (b 1720), Sarah (b 1719) and Rebekah (b 1731) and least one son, Jonathan (1722-1792). Jonathan was a Philadelphia merchant, hatter and Quaker.     The property passes out of the Wainwright family after Samuel Jr.'s death. The sale of the property was advertised in the July 23, 1741 edition of the Philadelphia American Weekly Mercury: THE PLANTATION of Samuel Wainwright , late Deceased, scituate at the head of Timber Creek , in the County of Glouster , in west New Jersey , Containing 100 and 12 Acres of Land, and 50 Acres of Cedar Swamp. Is now to be Sold, it Lies about a Mile distant from a good Fulling Mill , and Grist Mill , half a Mile from a very good Landing, convenient for Trades Men. Whoever inclines to purchase the same, may enquire of Samuel McCollock , living near Premises , or of Jacob Reeder , of Newton , in Queens County, on Long-Island , Executors of the said Wainwright , and be further informed, and again the next year in the Pennsylvania Gazette. The property record becomes unclear for a few years. Then, the house appears again in 1803 when the heirs of John Walling (dec'd) sell it to Triel Westcott, who was married to John's daughter Anna. Westcott had picked up part of the tract later when he bought it from Jacob Glover, High Sheriff in 1806 as part of a suit against the heirs by Nicholas Waln, who was the executor of Jacob Shoemaker. Shoemaker may have held a mortgage or other lien on the property. Westcott then sold it to Robert Marshall in 1807 (Glo Co Deeds Book L Page 389). Marshall died intestate around 1831. The Orphans Court set the property off to John Marshall. (See Division Book 2, Page 291.) The property then passed to Robert Marshall in 1882. (Camden Deeds 104, Page 372, Tract 1) He owned it at least until 1907, when he appears on a title company's property owner map of that year. See some pictures of the interior as it is today. See some historic images of the house Here's a picture of the place from an 1832 survey of the property More to come...stay tuned What to Do and Who to Contact Contact: Cindy Hatton at hattoncindy@hotmail.com To register your concerns about this with Gloucester Township: Email them from this page or Call the office of Mayor Sandra Love at 856-374-3514

 

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