A History of Stone Road Meadows
Statement of Significance;
Historical Figures”
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[Research and Compilation by Stephen Gale, October, 2006]
The lands now known as “Stone Road Meadows” comprise the last, but central portion of an early Hazlet Farm and Homestead originally purchased April 1, 1836 by Gilbert Van Mater, an early figure in Monmouth County (1). The family emigrated to New Jersey from Holland and became large landowners and farmers of the County. Gilbert Van Mater’s wife, Sarah Taylor was a descendant of Norman Baron Taillefer who came to England with the Conqueror in 1066 (2).
William Van Mater, one of the three children of Gilbert and Sarah was born on the family homestead on February 7 1840. He assisted his father before inheriting the farm on the death of Gilbert in 1881, and “continued a prosperous farmer, fruit and vegetable gardener.” (3). Although moderately involved with civic affairs as a School Trustee, his nephew, William Van Mater Jr. was elected to the Township Committee after having served many years as a Road Supervisor. (4)
Gilbert T. Van Mater, as the only son of William Van Mater was born on the family farm in 1881 (5). He combined the attributes of his father and cousin by both continuing in agriculture while advancing in public life. In 1919 he was appointed Township Clerk where he served 29 years. (6). His additional civic affairs included the Monmouth County Historical Society, Raritan Township Board of Education and the Baptist Church in Keyport. (7)
All the while, however, Gilbert T. Van Mater maintained and operated the family farm at the corner of Stone Road and Poole Avenue. The farm was mentioned in a number of articles covering the N.J. Horticultural Society in 1925 as well as the Farm Bureau News in 1927 (8).As Raritan Township had emerged from Middletown in 1848 then to become Hazlet over a century later, most of the important figures retained an involvement with agriculture. Thus, while his obituary lists him as a retired farmer (9) it’s clear from the number of ordinances which carry his name over almost 30 years as Clerk, that Gilbert T. Van Mater, was instrumental in the establishment of the community of Hazlet.
Footnotes:
1. Deed Book l3 page 406; Cornelius Carhart to Gilbert Van Mater
2. History of Monmouth County Lewis Publishing , N.Y. 1922; page 411
3. Ibid
4. Raritan Township Committee Minute Book 6/1/32; Keyport Weekly 2/3/28
5. Hist of Monmouth Cty...pg 411
6. Keyport Weekly, 6/12/47
7. Hazlet Township Library, clipping file… Friday, May 30. 1919…. “ Centerville School
8. Keyport Weekly 8/28/25; 9/9/27
9. Keyport Weekly 10/24/ 65
Geographical Significance
The original lands of Gilbert Van Mater consisted of over 50 acres inland from Monasconck Neck, a portion of the vast holdings along the Bayshore granted to Richard Hartshorne in 1676, part of which was acquired by Colonel Richard Poole during the era of the Revolutionary war. (1) The tract extended northward across what was to become Stone Road; and southward across what is now Highway # 36 to the center of Flat Creek. Where, in the words of the 1836 deed specified, “its meandering course as it existed in 1836. “ (2) The surrounding countryside was already being put to productive use, as the woods were cleared providing timber and yielding acreage for crops. The land was fertile, level, and highly suited to farming. (3)
Water rights and hydrology were an important issue. Not only did the fields require drainage during periods of excessive rainfall, but also the flow of the creek generated sufficient power to operate a grist and saw mill further upstream.(4) The local population grew most of their own food and built many of their own habitations and some of their implements. The nearby town of Keyport had blacksmiths, millwrights, and carriage makers.
While the earliest deed description for Gilbert Van Mater’s land only specified natural features and adjoining property owners, the acreage was later traversed and bordered by several thoroughfares, the rights of way for which were subsequently deed to the Township, County and State. These three roads now enclose the area called Stone Road Meadows.
Poole Avenue named for a Revolutionary War Figure, and landowner generally served as an access to farms further away from the shoreline where transport boats would dock. Topographically, the highest point between Chingarora and Flat Creeks, Poole Avenue was more certain to remain dry and passable. Over time, farmstands and other activities developed along this route (5)
In an apparently similar informal fashion, another dirt roadway came into use as travel increased from Keyport to the neck of land first knows as Wakaka, then Granville, and finally Keansburg. Known as the “Keyport-Keansburg Road “by the 1920’s it was an extension from the former town eastward to an irregular intersection with Poole Avenue called “Van Mater’s Corner.” The condition of the road deteriorated to the point where it was surfaced with a layer of stone and hence it’s new name. (6)
By 1929 travel in the Bayshore area and throughout the State had increased to a point where major new highway projects were needed. In order to facilitate regional traffic a number of bypass routes were prescribed. While the Keyport business community wished to further improve the Keansburg route along Stone Road as a “Shore Boulevard”, the ultimate path for the new road was plotted south of town, connecting with the Keyport-Keansburg route as it crossed Flat Creek. (7) This configuration not only made Stone Road a local street, but also cut the across the Van Mater farm. A small portion was bordered on the north by new Highway 36 and on the southeast by Flat Creek, while the larger portion was enclosed by the Highway, Poole Avenue and Stone Road. Nonetheless, provisions were made to maintain farming the fields and continue draining excess runoff through ditches under the new highway and into the creek. (8)
Despite additional highway widening and some commercial development, the extensive wetlands of Flat Creek, along with the athletic fields and grounds of a high school on the opposite bank, have limited the alteration of much of this terrain. Presently it can be appreciated in much the same condition as it has historically existed with a band of upland trees and shrubs leading to facultative vegetation along the creek banks and littoral zones in the bed of the creek. Thus despite being bisected by the highway; the land is visually, and contextually perceived as connected.
Footnotes:
- History of Monmouth County page 443-4; Lewis Publishing 1922
- Deed Book L-3 page 406 “... “ beginning at a stake… Daniel Walling’s land…line of lands to Monasconck Creek….. containing 58 acres
- Oral history of Hazlet by Jack McGrath 1/5/72…Hazlet Township Library
- Deed Book 2102 page 467…” conveyance is subject to (3) slope rights, right to construct, maintain and operate an open ditch and right to clean, straighten, widen, deepen and maintain Flat Creek… “See also “Lightfoot Map of Monmouth County & Beers Atlas “for location of Saw and Grist Mills….
- Courier 10./11/73 page 10…see also Oral History by Jack McGrath
- Keyport Weekly 4/9/26; See also Raritan Township Minute Book; 11/2/23 & 8/3/23
- A series of newspaper accounts 1929- 1931 in the Keyport Weekly details the wide range of deliberations over this issue; however, despite local political pressures; the state initially and finally imposed it’s own route for Highway # 36
- Deed Book 2102 page 467;
Significant Structures
Much of what remains of the Van Mater Farm at Stone Road Meadows exists in an unaltered state and blends into the nature of the surrounding lands. A configuration of small structures around a farmyard are of simple construction but unique to the purposes they historically served.
A long low building on the north, presumably a poultry house, faces a small barn on the south. The first structure with shed roofs at different heights from opposite end walls generates a knee wall connecting the peaks and providing enough area for ventilating windows. On the south side of the yard a small square barn, presumably used for domestic animals is topped with a large oversized gable vent. On the east, facing these buildings is a long, domestic tripartite structure, each division of which is square in plan. The gable roofs of each step down with the last portion being one story in height. The windows under the eaves of the first two parts, long and narrow in height; are similar to those used for upper stories in early U.S. Greek Revival homes. The unique nature of this building may be due to the fact that it was quickly built and enlarged to provide sleeping quarters for farmhands.
That the quality and construction of these buildings is not the best, may be due to the fact that the lumber came from local saw mills, as the one that existed on Flat Creek. Nonetheless, these structures retain a form that was both unique and typical for small family farms, or truck farms, of which this is probably the last example in Hazlet.
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