West Allenhurst & Ocean Township

Page 2

In our tour of Ocean Township I'm sticking to the areas close to Deal Lake (the township covers a bit more territory than what we're seeing here). For me, Highway 35 (which borders our region to the west) is like the ends of the earth!

For those in love with idyllic Indian times and the lore of Native Americans, Ocean Township can provide the necessary romance.

The Lenni Lenape Indians of the Delaware Nation played the foundational role in the early history of the area. You've already noticed a couple of Indian names - Wanamassa and Wickapecko in particular. You've also seen the image of an Indian a couple of times - one on the side of the Wanamassa Firehouse and another on the Colonial Golf Club sign. These Native Americans used to spend their summers in the area, hunting, fishing and engaging in various forms of recreation.

Thomas Potter (the earliest settler, in 1670), along with Woolley, Whyte, Drummond and others, are strongly connected with the early history of our area. It was Scotsman Gavin Drummond, in 1687, who purchased "with consent of Indian and their tribes," much of the land bordering Deal Lake. The deed was signed by chief sachems Wanamassa, Wallammassekaman and Waywinotunce. Part of the deed reads, "Wee Wanamassa, Wallammassekaman and Waywinotunce, chief sachems, with consent of the rest of the Indians, doe by this pret. bargaine & sell (in name & behalf of the Governor and Proprietor of East New Jersey) to Gawen Drummond a tract of land lying within the branches of Great Pone [Great Pond or Deal Lake] called by the Indians Wickapecko ..."

1.7.2 The tiny Drummond Cemetery, North Wickapecko Drive.

It was a pretty good deal (pun intended). Drummond paid for the land with "one gun, five match coats, one kettle and two pounds weight of powder." (The rumor that Drummond threw in a "getaway weekend" in A.C. is completely unfounded.)

According to tradition, Drummond ended up with a little more than just the land. He fell in love with Nissima, an Indian maiden. She also fell for him, but her father disapproved of the match. When her tribe returned to Delaware for the winter, Nissima ran away and found employment with some settlers. Years later, when Drummond was visiting a cousin who lived near the Delaware Water Gap, he was startled to find her working in his relative's employment. She had received an education and was in charge of his cousin's children. The rest is history ... or legend.

Please go to the next page to see a few more images of Ocean Township.

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