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Tuckerton, New Jersey Revolutionary War Sites
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR SITES IN TUCKERTON, NEW JERSEY

Revolutionary War New Jersey
TUCKERTON MARKER
Tuckerton Historic Marker
Tuckerton Historic Sites

Tuckerton Marker
E. Main St and Wood St.
Map / Directions to the Tuckerton Marker

Map / Directions to all Tuckerton Revolutionary War Sites

The historic marker in front of the Tuckerton Borough Hall tells about Tuckerton's history, including that it was named for Ebenezer Tucker. [1] Tucker is believed to have been a Revolutionary War soldier who served under General Washington at the Battle of Long Island. [2]

He served as a judge in Burlington County before moving to what is now Tuckerton, N.J., where he was engaged in the shipbuilding business. He served as a Congressman almost a half century after the Revolutionary War. He served in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Congresses (March 4, 1825-March 3, 1829). [3]

Tucker died September 5, 1845, and is buried in Tuckerton's Old Methodist Cemetery. (See next entry below.)

Revolutionary War New Jersey
OLD METHODIST CEMETERY
Tuckerton - Old Methodist Cemtery
Ebenezer Tucker Gravesite

Old Methodist Cemetery
N. Green St. and Church St.
Map / Directions to the Old Methodist Cemetery

Map / Directions to all Tuckerton Revolutionary War Sites

Revolutionary War soldier Ebenezer Tucker (see above entry) is buried here.

An obelisk monument at his grave bears the following inscription: [4]

In memory of Ebenezer Tucker
Born November 15th A.D. 1757
Died September 5th A.D. 1845

Patriot of the Revolution, he served under WASHINGTON, sharing the Battle of Long Island and other engagements, and held several important posts during that event period. Appointed by WASHINGTON the first Collector of Revenue for this Port, he was also under him the first Post Master of TUCKERTON.

For nearly half a century he held the office of Judge of the Several Courts of the County of BURLINGTON, part of the time presiding, and filled other responsible public stations, discharging their various duties with ability, faithfulness and zeal.

He was a member of the 19th and 20th Congress from the STATE OF NEW JERSESY.

His life was marked by benevolence in his social and domestic intercourse and he descended to the grave venerated by all who had come within the influence of his virtues, leaving a name fondly cherished by his bereaved offspring.

Honour virtutis praemium [Latin for 'Honor is the reward for virtue' or "Esteem is the reward of virtue']

Revolutionary War New Jersey
LITTLE EGG HARBOR FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE CEMETERY
Little Egg Harbor Friend Meeting House Cemetery
Great John Mathis

Little Egg Harbor Friends Meeting House Cemetery
21 E. Main St.
Map / Directions to the Little Egg Harbor Friends Meeting House

Map / Directions to all Tuckerton Revolutionary War Sites

The Little Egg Harbor Friends Meeting House was built in 1863; it replaced an earlier meeting house at this spot which was built in 1709. There  are many unmarked graves from the 1700's, as gravestones were not part of the Quaker tradition. A modern marker in the cemetery (pictured above right) pays tribute to those buried here in unmarked graves.

John Mathis (1690 - October 23, 1779) is believed to be among the unmarked graves.  He was a locally prominent and respected citizen, so much so that he was known as the "Great" John Mathis. He amassed significant wealth in land speculation, shipbuilding, and fisheries, and he used part of his fortune to help finance the Revolutionary War, lending money to the American government. Unfortunately for him, he was paid back in Continental currency that had heavily depreciated, which cost him greatly. His house was burned down by the British. [5]

Revolutionary War New Jersey

Source Notes:

1. ^ Tuckerton Historical Society sign

2. ^  In addition to the Tuckerton Historical Society sign referring to Tucker as a "Revolutionary War patriot," the Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress, and the obelisk at Tucker's grave state that he served with Washington at the Battle of Long Island.

However, in an article THE LIFE AND TIMES OF EBENEZER TUCKER by local historian E.R. "Duke" DuPuis (Bass River Gazette, Issue 16, June 2004), DuPuis states that "It has long been stated that Ebenezer Tucker served in the Continental Army with General Washington at the battle of Long Island. Extensive research has been made on that claim without any documented evidence being found that he did serve. At the close of the war, Stephen Tucker, Ebenezer's older brother, a Loyalist, was forced to take refuge in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in disgrace with the new nation. He was one of many in the area who had to leave the country under the same circumstances."

Note that DuPuis does not state that Ebenezer Tucker did not serve in the Revolutionary War, only that no documentation has been found for his service.
He also states that "Records have not been found that tell us where Ebenezer received his education, or where he studied law, at which he was so successful." This shows there are other gaps in the documented record.
So while recognizing that there is some question about the matter of Tucker's Revolutionary War service, I have chosen to include the entries about Tucker on this page.

3. ^ Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress

4. ^ Full text on the obelisk at the grave of Ebenezer Tucker.
The obelisk does not provide the English translation of the Latin phrase, which is included in the brackets.

5. ^ Information about the Great John Mathis, the meeting house, and the unmarked graves is drawn mainly from:
Leah Blackman, History of Little Egg Harbor Township, Burlington County, NJ (Trenton: Trenton Printing Company, Inc, 1963) p.206-208, 259, and 307-310
This book is a reissue by the Great John Mathis Foundation of Blackman's work, which originally appeared in an 1880 report of the West Jersey Surveyors' Association. It can be purchased from the Tuckerton Historical Society.
Those looking for more information about Mathis and the cemetery can also read two articles by Peter M. Stemmer which appeared in the BASS RIVER GAZETTE, A Newsletter from the History Committee of the Bass River Community Library. Both are posted as PDFs on the Bass River NJ History website:
"Great John Mathis and Mathistown" / Bass River Gazette / Issue No. 3- January, 1999
and
"Bass River Cemeteries - Mirrors of the Past" / Bass River Gazette / Issue No. 5: September-December, 1999