Later purchased by Walter Thomas, it flourished as the Williamstown Glass Mfg. dating from 1837 the Bodine names was connected with the glass industry. It was located in part at what is now the West Jersey Mfg. The Free Will Glass Manufacturer was the first plant in the area. Good sand was plentiful and invited the glass industry to become a major aspect in the growth of the town. The name of Squankum had already been designated to a settlement further north so the name Williamstown was selected for the post office and subsequently the town. By 1842 an increase in population caused a new post office to be established. The site of the first post office was located at Cross Keys. By 1839, Squankum had grown to include 10 businesses and 40 dwellings, a few farms, and a church.Ī stage coach route from Camden to Cape May passed through Cross Keys. The main occupation to the residents during this period was hunting and logging. It was connected to Whitehall Mill by road constructed about 1758. WILLIAMSTOWN – Squankum was first settled in 1737 at which time the settlement consisted of a few houses. His son, John, later divided this land into lots and farms and sold it.įor a more complete account of the history surrounding Monroe Township to the present, consult “A History of Monroe Township” published by the Historic Society of Monroe Township. This tract was later transferred to Israel Williams.

Somewhere between 17 Richard Penn recorded a deed covering what is now Williamstown. It is thought that the “Evil Ghosts” referred to the numerous mosquitoes found in the area. The first settlement now known as Williamstown was called “Squankum”, an Indian name meaning, “Place of Evil Ghosts”. Little opposition was given the white man when he settled here. The Lenni-Lenape Indians, a member of the Delaware Tribe, hunted the woods and fished the streams in early times. Present population is approximately 36,129. Williamstown is surrounded by Cecil, Cross Keys, Downer, New Brooklyn, Robanna and Victory Lakes. The area is drained on the east by Four Mile Branch and Squankum Branch of the Great Egg Harbor River, on the south by Whitehall and Hospitality Branches and Scotland Run. Early history refers to this as one of the “pine townships” because of the abundance of pine timber in the area. Monroe Township is located in the northeast corner of Gloucester County. The township of Monroe was formed in March of 1859 at which time Williamstown was designated as a place of elections and town meetings. Monroe Township is in fact a Bicentennial Community.

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