Clayton

By Christopher Gassler and Clayton Historic Preservation

The area now known as Clayton was settled shortly before the American Revolution by Jacob Fisler, the son of a Swedish immigrant. Fisler's land grew to become known as Fislertown, later renamed Fislerville, and in 1864 was deemed Clayton. Jacob Fisler and his business partner, Benjamin Beckett, began the manufacturing of glass in this new town. Clayton's glassblowing industry has had many names, from Moore's to Pierce to Clevenger, and was the heart and soul of the community for well over 100 years. While some of Clayton's historic buildings have fallen victim to the hands of progress, many remain and are inhabited by new businesses, which grow and thrive in this small community. Much has changed in Clayton, yet it continues to be a proud community.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Sep 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781439624029

Christopher Gassler

Christopher Gassler, a resident of Clayton, is a graduate of Clayton public schools and a teacher of mathematics at Clayton High School. Clayton Historic Preservation has selected the best images from their collection as well as from those graciously loaned from private collections to illustrate the rich history of this beloved town.

Book preview

Museum.

INTRODUCTION

Clayton’s history is a rich and exciting story filled with the same American spirit that formed this country when it was inaugurating. Clayton’s roots began how most stories of American small towns begin: with a family of immigrants. In 1730, Felix Fisler, along with his wife, Barbara, two sons Jacob and Leonard, and two daughters Usley and Elizabeth, left their home in Suisenlin, Switzerland, and booked passage on a ship headed for the New World. Aboard the same ship were Sophia Klein and her parents. When the captain of the ship had Sophia’s parents killed for their money, Felix Fisler paid the fare for Sophia so she would not be sold as chattel when the ship docked. Sophia then became associated with the family, and 14 years later, Sophia married Jacob Fisler, Felix’s son.

After their wedding, Jacob and Sophia Fisler settled near Swedesboro, New Jersey. They lived along the banks of the Delaware River and raised 11 children. During the Revolutionary War, the family fell victim when British soldiers stole the Fislers’ cattle and even took some of their younger sons as servants. Jacob eventually purchased 2,800 acres of land near the present Cedar Green Cemetery in Clayton, built a home, and moved inland with his family and their possessions.

Three of the Fislers’ sons—Felix, Jacob Jr., and Leonard—served in the army during the Revolutionary War. In addition to the family’s first cabin, a second cabin was built where Jacob and his sons would stay when coming home from war. At the time, the town where the second cabin was located consisted of five homes, all located on the land between the Malaga Turnpike (now Delsea Drive), Route 47, and the Road to Fries’ Mill or Road to Fislers’ Mill, which is now named Academy Street. The crossroads were known as Fisler Town.

After the Revolutionary War, Jacob and his son Leonard jointly bought 3,755 acres, expanding Fisler territory from the land near the Clayton cemetery westward to Aura. Leonard built a home on this new land by Still Run Creek, which is now called Silver Lake. Jacob’s younger sons moved to the land west of Still Run. The family also owned the land eastward of the cemetery to Fries’ Mill and had a homestead next to the lake.

As their territory expanded in size, it also grew in population. More and more families moved to the area, and by 1812, thirty-six families had settled in Fisler Town. Jacob Fisler, now a doctor, donated 4 acres to be used for a facility that would serve as a school by day and a meetinghouse for religious and civic gatherings in the evenings. This new building was called the Useful School House and housed the Methodist church meeting until a church was erected.

In 1847, Francis Wilson bought 1,600 acres of land, which he named Fries’ Mill for himself and some other farmers. On his newly purchased land, a sawmill was built, along with a bridge over the stream. A corduroy road, or pole road, was built to connect Fries’ Mill with Fisler Town. In addition to his farm and the sawmill, Wilson also had a store located in this area. He opened up his home to be used as a school during the day, a place for prayer meetings every Friday night, and a location for Presbyterian church services on Sunday mornings. Eventually a small schoolhouse was built in the vicinity. The lake located by Wilson’s farm was renamed Wilson Lake in his honor.

With growth comes change, and in 1850, the name Fisler Town was altered to Fislerville. In addition to the name change, there was another transformation in town that shaped the community for years to come: Fislerville Glassworks was built by Dr. Jacob Fisler and Benjamin Beckett, which prompted exponential growth in this tiny town. In 1851, Edmund P. Bacon bought Beckett’s shares of the business, but in 1855 Bacon was killed in a train accident. In time, the glassworks went into foreclosure and the business was sold to John M. Moore, who, at the time, had rented buildings from Fisler. Later Moore’s brother, D. W. Moore, joined him as a partner in the business. The Moore brothers’ glass factory was well known and its workers continued successfully blowing glass until 1911, when hard times took glassblowing westward.

John Moore owned a considerable amount of land around Fislerville on which he laid roads leading from town to the outskirts, specifically to the farms that he rented. During slack times at the glass factory, Moore kept his workers busy by having them clear and prepare the land for roads. He also bought Fisler and Harding