Mr. Hampton Pullis lived in Sparta, now a township of Sussex County in north-central New Jersey.
Despite early exploration of the red ores in the vicinity by Dutch pioneers, the area around Sparta was first settled by Europeans in 1778 when an Englishman built a home and iron forge.
By the 19th century, mines for iron, zinc, and limestone were established – and the Ogden Mine Railroad arrived in 1868 to facilitate the growth of the industry.
Today, the mines are gone and Sparta Township is primarily a residential community – almost 70% of residents work outside the township.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta,_New_Jersey
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We met Hampton and members of his extended family in other postcard stories:
“The New Hired Man”, “The Railroad Depot in Scranton”, “A Roller Skate for the New Year”, “A Country House for Christmas”.
We know from these postcards that Hampton and many of his family members inhabited towns in northern New Jersey.
In September of 1912, Hampton received a postcard from his friend, Elwood S.
Elwood mailed the postcard from Dover, a town in Morris County of north-central New Jersey.
Dover also profited from early iron mines, and later, a ribbon factory.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover,_New_Jersey
Sparta is about 13 miles northwest of Dover.
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The face of the postcard is a hand-colored photograph of the “Corner of Blackwell and Norris Streets, Dover, N. J.”
The photograph may have been taken in the early morning as there are few pedestrians on the clean sidewalks, and no trolley cars glide along the tracks in the road.
Th handsome building on the corner appears to be a General Store – based on the small selection of goods visible in the windows.
(Having grown up in a small suburban town where one could walk to the Post Office, the Drugstore, the General Store, and the candy shop – I am fond of these century-old pictures of towns.
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On the reverse, Elwood inscribes a brief message, “Hope to see you in October sure”.
I am not sure if Hampton is returning to High School or if there is some other reason for the Fall reunion.
In the RESEARCH NOTE (below), we learn that Hampton was 18 years old when he received the postcard from his friend.
RESEARCH NOTE
In March of 1894, Hampton Andress Pullis was born in Sparta, NJ.
He was the son of Seymour Horatio Pullis (1868- not recorded) and Malvenia Byrum (1867-1937).
Seymour and Malvenia had been married in Sparta in May of 1888.
Hampton had an older sister, Laura, and a younger brother, Robert.
Hampton registered for the Draft during World War I and performed service as a Corporal in the 303 Trench Mortar Battery.
By 1920, Hampton was back in Sparta, where he married Amelia Bonawitz (1900-1998) sometime around 1922.
Hampton and Amelia had one son and one daughter.
By 1930, Hampton and his family are living in the borough of West Lawn in Berks County of southeast Pennsylvania.
Hampton registered for the Draft in West Lawn in 1942, but it does not appear that he was drafted.
In December of 1959, Hampton died in Berks County – he was 65 years old.
Amelia survived as a widow for 39 years, dying at a retirement home in Lititz, PA in 1998.
Amelia was 98 years old when she died, and she is now buried with Hampton in the Sinking Spring Cemetery in Berks County, PA.
