Interviews with Local Residents

May 4, 2009

Responsibility

John Holloway, at the age of 13, was influenced by Jay C Parker [of Parkertown] to take up decoy carving as a hobby. Jay Parker was a very heavy influence on John because of his skill and outstanding character. John persistently bugged Mr. Parker to teach him how to carve. Little did he know that his hobby would turn John into a world renowned decoy and folk art carver. http://www.decoymag.com/features/showstops/PDFs/ShowstopsSept2004.pdf

His favorite kind of wood to carve is pine.
John Holloway was born in Haddonfield in 1935. Mr. Holloway’s mother is 103 years old and he still keeps in touch every Friday. John has a son in Massachusetts and his nephew following in his footsteps.
Decoys were made with two slabs of wood put together; carvers got extra wood free for the taking. Tuckerton was a well known place for decoys. People in Tuckerton that made them were usually outstanding citizens. Tuckerton copied Parkertown and vice versa. You can tell where a decoy was made by looking at the tail and body of the decoy.
Mr. Holloway has a collection of decoys from 1900 through 1920. A few are shorebirds, which were outlawed to shoot in 1918, hence the decoys were not made any more. Although he is an amazing carver, John is the world’s lousiest fisher. John Holloway taught classes on carving in the high school. John is both a good citizen and an interesting, kind man. It was an honor to interview Mr. John Holloway. [Alexis B, Catherine M, Dakota W]

Cathleen Engelsen was born in the small town of Surf City. She grew up with an older brother, mother, and father. When she was a young child, her father had a boat yard. She worked and helped out during the summer.
Cathleen lived in the same house when she was a child and still lives in that house today. When she was a child, her house did not have a refrigerator, only an ice box. Ice was brought around every day. Her room was very small and is now a bathroom in her house today. Cathleen and her brother fought over unloading and loading the dishwasher, which was her favorite chore. She dreaded dusting, but she has been a tidy person.
One thing she loved to do when she was a young girl was paint. She borrowed old pictures from her father and grandfather, and used them to paint her first paintings. Cathleen’s painting are gorgeous and I personally think they are great.
Cathleen has a website, if you would like to look at some of her paintings:
http://www.cathleenengelsen.com/gallery.htm We interviewed Mr. Bob Fricke, Senior. He was a middle child, and he grew up in Ship Bottom, until he moved here at the age of ten. Bob is a builder of seven speed boats, and the captain of his own charter boat.
Bob told us that in 1962, he wanted to build boats because he loved to go fishing, crabbing, and clamming. Bob told us about a local boat builder who helped him build his first boat. So far to this day he has built 107 garveys and 75 Barnegat Bay sneak boxes. Bob also told us that when he got his boating license, he ran charter boats on the weekend. He retired six years ago, and he is now taking parties of fisherman out to the open sea.
Mr. Bob Fricke, Senior is responsible because he takes men out to sea, goes through storms and shows them how to return home safely. One important thing that we remember that Bob told us was, when you are out at sea, you should never push your boat to what it can’t do. Bob said, “You should always take it calm no matter what.” [Richard H, Devin U, Michael P]

Bud Cranmer is a very interesting citizen of Tuckerton, New Jersey. He has been a resident of Tuckerton since he was born in 1940. As the oldest child of the family, Bud had the responsibilities of watching his younger siblings, mowing the lawn, doing dishes, and working around the house. At home, his mother did both the cooking and ironing. Of course keeping in touch with distant family is very important. The Cranmers kept in touch by telephone and visiting relatives. Bud had family in town, so there was no need for him to travel far. Since the development of antibiotics was not as advanced as now, some childhood diseases were the dreaded hoof and mouth, measles, and mumps. The closest hospital around his area was in Atlantic City. Doctor Komono was the local family doctor and his payment received from the family was in cash. Of course you always had one of those favorite relatives that you liked more than anyone else; Bud was especially close to his three uncles and his aunt.
Do you remember when you had your first job? Bud’s first job was working at the Acme. At Acme he was a clerk and cashier. His next job was as a trucker for the family business. His family lived in a small bungalow on Water Street. Then Bud’s family moved to a two story Colonial home located on Wood Street. In their new home he didn’t have a room of his own; he had to share with his brother. It didn’t bother him at all. They lived in a medium sized home; they ate in the large kitchen. [Jash, Will, Jimmy]

David Hewitt was born in 1978, in an Atlantic City hospital. He was raised in Little Egg Harbor. Although he did not have all of the experiences of other adults interviewed in this session, Mr. Hewitt, growing up, had knowledge of the experiences. He explained to us that his father was a fisherman in a factory. His father, like all the other fishermen in the factory, used a boat to get to work every day. Unlike him, Mr. Hewitt’s father and his grandparents cut, sewed, and knitted their own clothes.
Mr. Hewitt is now a 5th grade teacher. After school, he also has a class where Mr. Hewitt contributes his knowledge to younger children. His young gifted after school students even made a book of what they learned ‘Tuckerton’s History T.E.S 3rd& 4th Grade Gifted and Talented’. [Stephanie C, Jade V]

When we interviewed them, Sandra and David Hewitt gave us a lot of information about their lives. They told us was that their backgrounds made them who they are today. Sandra was born in Pennsylvania and she moved to New Jersey in 1960. David was born in Lakewood, New Jersey, and he grew up in Tuckerton. Sandra was most influenced or most inspired by her grandmother, who helped her become a good person. As for David, he was influenced by his dad and his brother, who helped him learn to become a good man and have encouraged him throughout his life.
Sandra’s aunt did most of the cooking in the house. She made many foods and great dinners for Sandra as a child. David’s mom did most of the cooking and he appreciated the food she made. Sandra and her family didn’t have any pets, but David always had a cat or dog running around the house. He enjoyed having animals to keep him company on a rainy day.
Sandra and David’s childhood were very interesting. Sandra lived in a mobile home, but David lived in a house. Sandra had to share her room with her mom, while David had to share his room with his three sisters. Sandra was always comfortable because her housing had heat. David’s home didn’t have as much heat, but he enjoyed his childhood.
Their childhood family income and livelihood had to do with what they had. Sandra’s mother worked outside of the house, so she could pay for what her house and family needed. David’s mom worked at home, but his father brought in an income. When they reached their teenage years, Dave and Sandra got jobs of their own. Sandra was 15 when she got her first job, but David was 12. David’s dad hunted to put food on the table or to make money. He gathered clams and hunted birds, so they could sell or eat them.
Sandra and David had many occasions or days that were special to them. On Sundays Sandra would go to church; on Saturdays David’s parents would go out and his sister would babysit him.
Sandra and David both finished 12th grade. Sandra switched many schools throughout her life; she went to Long Beach Island grade school and Southern Regional High School. David and Sandra’s grades were average; they are very smart.
Sandra and David worked hard throughout their lives. Sandra worked at Acme and ShopRite. David worked at Acme also and they both enjoyed their jobs.
Sandra and David are very respectful, responsible, and caring people, who have enjoyed their lives. [Lauren C, Makenzie S]

Robert Fricke was born on October 3, 1969, in Somers Point, NJ. He was the middle child of a family of three children, and the only boy. As a small child Fricke had to do some chores, like mowing the lawn. His mother and sisters did a lot of the in thenhouse chores, such as ironing and cooking. Fricke learned boat building from his father, Robert Fricke. He also learned how to work and build boat and car motors on his own. Fricke’s jobs have always had to do with the ocean, from being a marine mechanic to a clammer, and even a boat builder. Out of all the jobs he’s ever had, clamming has always been his favorite. Fricke says, “While clamming I was self employed and no one told me what to do and when to do it. I got to work my own hours.” His current job is working at Art Merrill Marina as the head mechanic and R & R Boat Crafts as a boat builder with his father. At the age of 39, father of four girls with a wife of eleven years, Fricke couldn’t be any happier with his career. [Alison W, Brent C, Chad M]

Joseph Hagan was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1950. At the age of two he moved to Tuckerton, New Jersey, in 1952. Joseph was the middle child of his family. He had two older and two younger sisters and he states, “There was nothing but advantages.” Joe lived on a small ranch, as he called it. It was a one story house but most people in that time lived in small houses. When company was over, his family ate at a small dining table. The family got water from the sink in their kitchen. They always had indoor plumbing. His mother worked outside of their house. When Joe was 11, he worked at a farm, cleaning stalls to earn money. At 12 he washed dishes at the local diner and at age 14 he worked at the Beacon Press. Saturdays meant they would eat well because his mom was paid on Friday. When Joe got older, he started to hang out up town. To keep cool Joe and his friends would walk or swim in the lake.