Haddon Township Historical Photographs Haddon Avenue (150-200s even #s), Wynnewood and Glenwood Avenues including The Hobensack Family (Drs. G.S., J.N, and J.B. Hobensack), the Blacksmiths and wheelwrights, the Coal Yard, Rohrer Towers I and Modern Business

Advertisement for Hobensack Worm Syrup and Liver Pills (1854) Advertisement for L.B. Griffith Bakery Haddon and Wynnewood Aves. (1922) Advertisement for Haddon Sweet Shop Opening Haddon and Wynnewood Aves. (1931) Advertisement for Quaker Store Haddon and Wynnewood Aves. (1939) Advertisement for W.C. Payne Cards 3 Crystal Lake Avenue (1932) Advertisement for Dr. Horace H. Given 200 Haddon Avenue (1922) Advertisement for James J. Duffy & Son 224 Haddon Avenue (1949)

Hobensack Property in 1877 when Westmont was still called "Rowandtown" Hobensack Property in 1887 in Westmont Early History of Property Among the earliest known uses of the properties between Glenwood and Crystal Lake Avenue on the south side of presnt day Haddon Avveue were blacksmiths and wheelwright who plied their trade for both the local farmers and the travelers. There were several known blacksmiths who operated in this areas, a "mid-point" of sorts between the port city of Camden and the business district of Haddonfield. Surrounded by farms, this only starting to change in the after the arrival of the railroad in the mid-19th century, and only significantly in the early twentieth century. This specific area's first settler is often said to be John Rowand, who was a blacksmith--described as located at "the corner of a road, on the edge of what was then sort of a briar swamp." This would have been in operation in the 1700s even before the toll road when Haddon Avenue was much rougher. In the 19th century the greneral Rownandtown area was the site of about a half-dozen blacksmith and wheelright shops (all along the Turnpike). On the property discussed on this page, it is known that Kimber Clement opertated a blackmith shop on the southwest corner of what is now Haddon and Crystal Lake Avenues (where the large TDNorth bank building stands, across from Brewers Towne Tavern. Kimber Celement's shop was in operation before 1850 and continued with a brisk businessz until he passed away in 1869. Richard Clement took over the property and business, but only operated until about 1873. Next door to Clement's shop was a wheelwright operated by Joseph Engle. Engle operted his business until he passed away in 1875 where it appears that Russel Williams took over his assets. There was also a toll gate on one of the subject properties in this section that was used in conjunction with Haddonfield and Camden Turnpike Company when present day Haddon Avenue operated as a toll road (discussed on a separate page). There was a railroad station (discussed on a separate page) at "Rownandtown" later renamed "Glenwood" which was part of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad before the tracks evenutually evolved into the modern PATCO line. And during the early twentienth century part of this property was the site of the Westmont Field Club (discussed on a separate page). At some point the properties came into the formal ownership, perhaps while the smiths were still operating, of the Hobensack family. Eventually as the smiths disappeared there shop lots were replaced with house. The Albertson family maintained a successful blacksmith and wheelwright shop operation farther down Haddon Avenue to the west where these services could be rendered. Running a smith shop was no small task it required generally at least three trained craftsman, who obtained their positions through apprenticeships. It was hard work and large forges had to be maintained. This was not the Hobensack line of work. They saw them selves as in the medical profession. The Hobensack Properties on Haddon Avenue Dr. John N. Hobensack owned a 20 acre piece of land at the southwest corner of Haddon and Crystal Lake Avenues. The Hobensack house was built about 1835 on the corner of Glenwood and Haddon Avenues. It was a two-story, five-bedroom dwelling measuring 28' x28' with a veranda across the front of the house. It faced Haddon Avenue and had a two story addition added to the back of the house. Additionally the Hobensack's had a number of outbuildings including a single-story summer kitchen, a brick building (tool house), a barn, a carriage house, and a wagon shed connected to a cow house. In 1870 Dr. John N. Hobensack, his wife Lucilla, a son Dr. James B. Hobensack and a daughter were living in the house along with two farm laborers and two African-American domestic servants also residing on the property. Crossing the Hobensack land was Webster's Lane, an old road (in what was then called Rowandtown) that ran from the Webster farm house (still standing behind Stoy School) to Haddon Avenue (parts of Webster's Lane later became Glenwood near Haddon and Briarwood near the Webster house). Looking West on Haddon Avenue from Crystal Lake Avenue. Old Hobensack Properties are on the Left. (c. 1910) The Hobensacks as Real Estate Developers The Hobensacks may have been among the earliest to be active and systematically subdivide land in the real estate market in Rowandtown. In 1869 John N. Hobensack purchased the 58-acre "Creek Farm" near Cooper's Creek (Cooper River), which he leased to a tenant farmer. In 1873, he sold the farm to Samuel French who acquired much of the land in that area of Haddon Township where the Blue Bird section would develop years later. By the 1870s, Hobensack owned several tenant homes situated on his property on Haddon Avenue. In 1875, he had one house moved to Rowandtown from Haddonfield with the aid of eight horses. In the late 1880s, after John had past-away, his wife Lucilla Hobensack held all of the property on the south side of Haddon Avenue from Crystal Lake Avenue down to approximately opposite the location of the present day municipal building. The Hobensack land stretched back to the Crystal Paint Factory on the stream that ran into Crystal Lake (south of present Westmont Avenue) and at some points, the land even crossed the stream west of the factory nearer to present day Park Boulevard. By this time the Hobensack property had already begun to be subdivided. An 1887 map shows Mrs. L. Hobensack's subdivided properties contained 14 structures (including the toll booth which was still in operation), many on subdivided lots, and a house with an out building. The Hobensack Institute, Patent Medicines and Treatments Mid 19th Century Hobensack's Medicated Work Syrup Bottle While the Hobensacks may have been among the early systematic land developers in Haddon Township, they made their primary means and wealth from a successful series of patent medicine products. The history of the family in medicine dates back to before the mid 19th century with G.N. Hobensack. While their medical credentials are uncertain the title Dr. was always carried in their names after a certain point. No member of the family was ever a member of the Camden County Medical Society. However their primary outlet for production, distribution and treatment was in Philadelphia, where, even when they lived in Haddon Township, they maintained a home in the city. The Hobensacks were noted in several niches of medical treatment. They espoused a theory that many illnesses of children were the result of worms for which they devised a well known patent medicine that was relatively benign (a vegetable and root tonic sold by the bottle). They also espoused the theory that as the liver is the body's filter; a suitable liver pill was needed, which they also marketed. In later years they turned toward medical cures for "nervous conditions." (an open market which often left doctors of the time seemingly helpless). Hobensack's products were widely advertised in newspapers and their slogans well-known. Mention of the products even pops up in a few novels of the day, often refernce of ther slogans and the necessary omnipressence of their products. In 1850, a Passaic newspaper ad claims that Hobensack's Worm Syrup then produced by J.N. and G.S. Hobensack (no claim of being Doctors) at their "Chemical Laboratory" located on St. John's Street, above Coates in Philadelphia and also in Martinville, Belmont County, Ohio was being used by 10,000 children a day. The advertisement noted that the syrup was for sale generally all over the United States, also through Robert Shoemaker General Agent (Second Street) Philadelphia. Where an agent advertised was listed in Passaic it was Druggist R.T. Creamer. Later the Hobensacks conducted business out of what they called the Hobensack Institute at 206 North Second Street near Race Street in Philadelphia. Although never revered as a major medical institution of the day (in any major history of Philadlphia or the medical profession of the era), the Hobensacks did well for themselves through drug store sales. One advertisement printed in 1878 does indicate that Dr. J.N. and Dr. J.B. Hobensack (father and son) were "graduates of best medical institutions for last thirty years" (no institutes are mentioned nor could they be found) and publicized their business for "those inflected with habits which destroy both mind and body and send thousands to insane asylums and premature deaths" to "call and be saved." Most of Dr. J.N. Hobensacks patients came from Philadelphia and Camden where he advertised heavily. In the Camden Democrat in January 1870, Dr. J.N. Hobensack is listed as treating 231 patients the prior month of "all diseases of a private nature" further indicating there were sufferer of "wrong treatments of quacks." (assumable before finding Dr. Hobensack). Dr. Hobensack further indicates he treated young men suffering from "disease which causes pimples on the face, fear of friends, melancholy habits, loss of ambition and memory, down-cast looks, insanity... Through the Institutes mail order department, an individual could for a 3 cent stamp receive a copy of Dr. Hobensack's "Wisdom in a Nutshell" (most like the wisdom included buying Hobensack products or seeking treatment at the Institute). Sometime before the turn of the century August A. Vilsack of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania bought an interest as a partner in the Hobensack Drug Company and eventually bough the whole company outright bringing in his brother as a partner and incorporating as the Vilsack Drug Company in 1905.

Looking West Down Haddon Avenue From Crystal Lake Ave. First Block with Hobensack House c. 1920.

Looking West Down Haddon Avenue, block between Glenwood and Wynnewood when "new" stores were built c. 1920.

Glenwood Avenue (near Haddon)

Westmont Coal Company located on Glenwood Avenue near the train station in 1932 advertisment. Coal company was operated C.F. Taylor and William Dow

Ben's Coal Supply and Egbert's Fuel Oil were located at 39 Glenwood Avenue about 1950

Glenwood Avenue during Construction of Row Homes

Wynnewood Avenue

Architect's rendering of Rohrer Towers when it was designed

Early photo postcard of completed Rohrer Towers on Wynnewood Avenue

[All items Courtesy: William B. Brahms Collection. Sources: Advertisements: Paterson Guardian/Passaic and Bergen Advertiser, August 7, 1850, Paterson, NJ; Putnam County Courier, August 10, 1853, Putnam County, NY; Camden Democrat January 15, 1870, Camden, NJ; West Jersey Press, February 17, 1875, Camden, NJ; West Jersey Press, October 31, 1878, Camden, NJ; The Westmont Progressive Monthly, February 1922. Books: Jordan, John W., A Century and a Half of Pittsburg and her People: Genealogical Memoirs of the Leading Families of Pittsburg and Vicinity, Vol. IV. Pittsburg, PA: Lewis Publishing Co., 1908.; Raible, Dennis G. Down A Country Lane, Camden, NJ: Camden County Historical Society, 1998; Raible, Dennis G.The First Three Hundred Years: Haddon Township?s Hopkins Plantation, Philadelphia, PA: Saint Joseph?s University Press, 1990.; Map: Atlas of Philadelphia and its Environs, 1877 (G.M Hopkins); Map of Camden and Vicinity, 1887 G. Wm. Baist.]