09/03/2025
Eagleswood Memory
Posted by Steve Dodson
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July 5, 1928 – Oldest West Creek Man Died June 26
Charles L. Shinn, the oldest native of West Creek, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Holman, on Tuesday evening, June 26th. Mr. Shinn was very well known in this State, especially in the shore resorts, having for years supplied the towns along the coast with honey.
C L. Shinn was born in West Creek, August 29th, 1837, the son of Phoebe and Jonathan Shinn. He spent practically his entire life here, except for a few years in which he attended school in Lumberton, N. J. As a young man he carted clams and fish “up country”, as it was called, being the towns en route in Burlington and Mercer counties. After disposing of his stock he would fill his wagon with store supplies in Trenton, and bring them back for the small stores in the village. Two trips a week were considered very good traveling.
Mr. Shinn often told stories of the olden days, among them being the fact that his father had the first box of matches in this section, and he himself brought home the first lamp ever had in West Creek. This with a gallon of the then-called “illuminating liquid,” he brought to his mother from Pemberton, N. J. One of his most favorite reminiscences was that he voted twice for Abraham Lincoln for president, and also that he was the first man drafted for the Civil War in the State of New Jersey.
When he was 25 years of age, in 1867, he married Hannah Pharo, daughter of Stephen and Mary Pharo of this place, and established a residence here. For years he kept a general store and was post-master. At that time Mr. Shinn kept his own apiary and did quite a large business in honey.
It was about this period of his life that Mr. Shinn purchased some swamp land on Rail Branch from Jos. H. Sapp, of Tuckerton, and cleared and made several acres of very fertile cranberry bogs. During his prime he owned and personally operated about 20 acres of bogs which he kept to within 6 or 7 years of his death, when he deeded his property to his children.
Mr. Shinn was quite an important figure in the town, being a town surveyor, commissioner of deeds, and notary public. Another business for which C. L. Shinn will be long remembered is the terrapin business. Men from the beach and all places along the shore went terrapin hunting in the winter months, and brought them to him, who sold them to caterers in Philadelphia.
Charles L. Shinn was a very highly respected and well-loved figure of this town, and always enjoyed exceptional health and an exceedingly bright and agile mind. His death was caused by old age, never had a sick day in his life. He was the father of seven children, five of whom are living. Four of these with their families, Mrs. Edwin Salmon, Mr. Howard Shinn, Sr., Mrs. Frank Holman, Mr. Charles Shinn, live in West Creek, and Mrs. Helen Taylor of Barnegat. Besides his children, Mr. Shinn is survived by a sister, Mrs. Samantha Cranmer of Beverly, and eleven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
The funeral services were held from the residence of his son-in-law, Frank Holman, June 29th, at 2 p.m., with Rev. G. C. Reynolds officiating. Interment at West Creek cemetery.
