Double Trouble
Double Trouble
Double Trouble is the name of a village in Berkeley township, near Bayville and Beachwood. It is currentlyl a State Park, and yet I have had very little luck locating any information at all about the people who used to live here.
It seems this place was always a 'company town', inhabited solely by the people who worked there, either at the sawmill or, later, harvesting the cranberries.
On 14 Jun 1918, the New Jersey Courier contained this write up about the place, apparently copied from the New York Sun:
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Double Trouble, NJ- June 1: Good news from Double Trouble! The Board of Fish and Game Commissioners has discovered a really fine but neglected trout stream and stocked it.
The stream rises in Mount Misery, threads its wasy across the State to Double Trouble, passes Good Luck and empties into the Atlantic between Toms River and Forked River. The trout brook is Cedar Creek and was discovered by Ernest Napier, president of the commission. Such a find was it that he put in last year 500 two year old trout, observed that they made good and this year had a carload (2,500) of two year old brown trout put in and now the sport is open to all anglers for bait or fly casting.
Double Trouble may cause a chuckle and some doubt, but just as sure as there is a Hell-For-Sartin creek in Kentucky, there is a Double Trouble in New Jersey. Indeed, Edward Crabbe and H.B. Scammell are in business there and have had good luck, so much so that Mr. Crabbe saw no reason why they should not call their cranberry and blueberry business and their other industries the Double Trouble Company. The Double Trouble Company has a rating in Dun's and Bradstreet's.
How Double Trouble Got Name.
"How did Double Trouble receive its name?", repeated Mr. Crabbe. "Good Luck, further down from Double Trouble, was the birthplace of the Universalist Church in America. In 1770, the clergyman who established the Universalist Church built a dam at this point and the beavers and muskrats, according to the story, broke through the dam and when the men came up to inspect it and saw the havoc wrought he remarked, "More trouble, double trouble". The name stuck. If you will look at the topographic maps of New Jersey, you will see Double Trouble indicated. I have looked back over records in Perth Amboy and I find Double Trouble mentioned in deeds as far back as 1790."
"How Good Luck Point got its name is also interesting. In the Revolutionary War, Col. Coates, for whom Coates Point is named, was almost captured by the British, but he spurred his horse and the animal swam from Coate's Point to a landing which he called "Good Luck Point", where he made his escape. It is called Good Luck to this day."
Cedar Creek is most attractive to the angler at Double Trouble, where it flows through the cranberry bogs and is an open stream for a couple of miles until it finally meanders through the cedar woods, where casting fine fly naturally is more dificult than in the open. The stream is known to only a few anglers as a pickerl stream, because of its inaccessibility, yet Mr. Scammell's father landed a ten inch trout the other day and the next trout that rose to his fly smashes his leader and having only one leader with him, he was unable to come back.
Double Trouble is on the west road from Toms River, three and one half miles from that place. Shortly after leaving Toms River, Jake's Branch, a rather likely looking trout stream is passed and one enters the pine and cedar forests and no house is visible and the country seemingly as wild as remote sections of the Adirondacks or Maine. Deer rabbits and pheasants abound. Indeed, Mr. Crabbe nearly struck two while crossing Double Trouble dam recently. Arriving at Double Trouble one might fish all day and see no person except the men working about the Crabbe farm.
Cedar Creek has any number of cold spring brooks flowing into it, which makes it ideal for the raising of young trout. Also it has such a flow of water that in January, when the flood gates are closed in preparation for cleaning out the ponds for cranberry culture, the bogged dammed area will fill within twenty four hours.
In April the water is let out and instead of five big ponds, containing, say, 250 acres of water, only a smalls tream from ten to forty feet wide remains.
The brook trout angler should wear rubber boots, although it is not necessary in dry weather for the banks are practically hard enough to keep one from even getting muddy. Rubbers would do just as well for trhe man who does not own wading boots. But for the angler who is equipped with all the paraphenalia that goes with brook trout angling, it is a f ine stream to wade, being from eight to twelve feet in depth. For the man who delights to cast from the bank the steream is ideal.
If any sportsman takes advantage of this tip, let him not put in memory for next fall the big wild Canada goose that will follow him and answer the honk call. Let no gun barrel be pointed at this bird. The goose is quite tame and will accompany him along the bank, enjoying his society for it has few human companions. The goose has spent six happy years here. Of late its flight is not the best since a fox crept up to it while asleep one night and took a bite out of its leg.
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The above map and key was provided by the staff at Double Trouble park.
I've located a handful of news items referencing this place so far:
From the New Jersey Courier11 May 1905:
Mr. Orter and N. Herbert spent Monday in the Quaker City.
W. Dayton made a flying trip to New Gretna last week.
Warren Van Brunt and Clarence Saulsman have returned to duty after spending the past week in Forked River on the sick list.
Mrs. J. Doxey spent Saturday and Sunday in Toms River with her mother, Mrs. Reynolds.
Little Emma Foster is quite ill with tonsilitis.
E. Foster has his peas three inches above the ground.
Reba Dayton is sick with the measles.
J.L. Madison spent Sunday with his parents at Bayville.
Mr. Crabbe spent Wednesday in New York.
A number of our school children are on the sick list which gives us a small attendance.
A party of our young folks attended the circus at Toms River last Wednesday.
Mrs. Platt and daughter Lydia of Bayville spent Friday with Mrs. Doxsey.
John Havens has built a new hennery.
From the New Jersey Courier 18 May 1905
Hot, with plenty of mosquitoes.
W. Dayton moved his family to New Gretna last week.
Machinist Smith of Elmer, is with us again for a few days.
We are glad to notice the improvements being made on the Double Trouble road.
Howard Lee is off duty on account of sickness.
E.E. Thompson received an ugly gash on his left hand while working on the bench saw.
It is rumored that Berkeley Township intends building a new school house. We are anxiously awaiting to hear the carpenter's hammer.
Gertrude Estlow is sick with the measles.
Dr. Jones was a Monday visitor here.
Clarence Saulsman and Ralph Shaw spent Sunday with relatives in Forked River.
Mrs. Johnston of Whitesville came in last Tuesday with a load of pigs.
Fred Applegate spent a fortnight in Toms River.
Mac McKenney is building an addition to his cottage.
Warren Van Brunt is spending a short time at Forked River with his parents.
J.L. Madison spent Sunday in Toms River.
From the New Jersey Courier 25 May 1905
Out little town looks very pretty in its spring dress of green.
John Newman and family spent Sunday with Mrs. Havens.
Job Doxsey spent a few days in Merchantville and Camden this week.
Mrs. Estlow and daughter are visiting relatives in Waretown.
Willis Saulsman and Ralph Shaw spent Sunday in Forked River.
Mrs. Doxsey spent Monday in Toms River.
J.L. Madison spent sunday at Forked River with his mother.
E. Foster went to Toms River Tuesday last.
From the New Jersey Courier1 Jun 1905
William Richmond (of Lanoka Harbor) is supplying fish and clams to Double Trouble several times a week.
From the New Jersey Courier 31 Aug 1905:
Willis Saulsman (of Lacey) was at Double Trouble over Sunday.
From the New Jersey Courier 21 Sep 1905
The public school opened September 11th, with Leona Applegate as teacher.
The bicycle path from Toms River to Double Trouble is about to be completed--all credit to Messrs. Crabbe and Potter.
Now we are looking forward to the time (which we hope is near at hand) when the county road will come through.
Ralph Shaw has resumed dut ater spending a short vacation in Forked River.
J. Porter is spending a fortnight in Yonkers, NY.
Mr. Foster and son were over town on Friday last.
Mrs. John Havens has a little daughter.
About fifty pounds of pike have been caught in the Double Trouble pond recently.
From the New Jersey Courier 28 Sep 1905
Mr. Crabbe made a trip to New York this week.
Mr. Porter has returned to this place.
Dr. Jones gave us a call last Monday.
Howard Lee was over to Toms River on Saturday last.
Bennie Havens has been on the sick list but is slowly recovering.
Samuel Estlow and family are visiting relatives in Waretown.
Mr. Richmond of Forked River was here Friday, with a load of fruit and vegetables.
Mrs. Crabbe and family drove from Toms River on Wednesday.
Messrs. Crabbe and Porter are continually making improvements in their Double Trouble property.
Quite an exciting time here last Tuesday night when one of the iron gray horses deliberately walked out of the barn and gave the men quite a long chase
before he would allow them to catch him.
N. Herbert spent Saturday evening in Toms River.
From the New Jersey Courier, 23 Oct 1908
Charles Tilton [ of Forked River] has taken a job a the Double Trouble Mill.
From the New Jersey Courier, 24 Nov 1910
Austin "Dayton spent Sunday evening at Bayville.
Miss Elsie Worth is visiting in Bayville.
Mrs. Westbrook and daughter of Cambridge, MD and Miss Clara Worth of Bayville spent the weeks end with Mrs.
George H. Wainwright and family.
William Platt has moved into the Phillips cottage.
Miss Mabel Worth is home from Toms River for Thanksgiving week.
Mrs. Joseph Platt has been visiting in Mt. Holly.
Edward Crabbe and Reed Tilton have returned from a week's gunning down the bay.
Fred Wilbert the night watchman of this place is laid up with an abcess on the arm. George Wainwright is filling the vacancy.
Frank Keegan, who has been laid up with a very bad foot is slowly improving.
Miss Lucy Hulse has been visiting Mrs. Ralph Cummings.
from the New Jersey Courier 6 Oct 1910
Clarence and Eugene Phillips and wife, and John Newman and family have moved to Bayville.
Mr. Crabbe has had his men and teams repairing the road out to Toms River and it is now a fine gravel road, good
as can be found most anywhere.
A party from here who spent Sunday at Forked River were: George Wainwright and wife, Miss Mabel Worth, Frank Kegle and
Fred Wilbert.
Mr. Crabbe picked about a thousand bushels of fine cranberries this fall and is about finished up.
John Plummer and family have moved to Pleasantville.
From the New Jersey Courier 20 Jan 1911
Mrs. Ralph Cummings and daughter were recent visitors from Double Trouble. ( to Forked River)
from the New Jersey Courier 30 Mar 1911
Edward Crabbe on Saturday last let the water off the big mill pond which he partially set out in cranberry vines last summer.
He has two hundred barrels of vines which he will now set out on the bottom of the pond. During the winter sand was carted
out on the ice and dumped over the muddy spots, and is now in the places where it is wanted to be spread.
The water that was run off the pond was run on the east bog of 200 acres, which was flooded last summer. This will be ready for setting
out after another summer under water. When Mr. Crabbe gets through with bog building he will have about 500 acres of vines.
The mill is busy on cedar lumber.
A neat bungalow is being built on the shore of the lake. Some say the builder expects to have a bride to occupy it with him.
From the New Jersey Courier 29 Feb 1912
Jesse Taylor [ of Forked River] and family spent Sunday at Double Trouble.
From the New Jersey Courier 13 Jun 1912
Lester Hulit of this place [Forked River], who works at Double Trouble, has had a piece of music that he wrote published, and
he is at work on more.
A few, but not all, of the names mentioned above show up on the 1910 Census taken at Double Trouble. That's the only year I've been able to see where the enumerator actually listed the homes in Double Trouble separately from the rest of Berkeley township.
From the New Jersey Courier 18 Jan 1918, in the "Forked River" section:
Edward Cranmer of Double Trouble drove here to Hollywood Farm Tuesday for a load of hay. The oxteam is quite a curiosity these days.
The Courier also mentioned the village in its 2 Oct 1958 issue:
"Drag racing has gone about as big time as it can go in Berkeley township, despite frequent raids by Berkeley township Police chief Samuel Britton and State Police.
Chief Britton, who recommended the Berkeley Township Committee notify the state Division of Motor Vehicles, said the drag races have been going on all summer on two "strips" in the township.
One strip is on the Keswick Road near Double Trouble, and the other is on Bayview Avenue between Holly Park and Ocean Gate.
This link has some information regarding the Historic American Buildings Survey of Double Trouble.
The 1910 Census for Double Trouble has been posted here.
More photos of Double Trouble:
This page was last updated on June 25th, 2001.
