Rev. Alfred Osborn. Founder of Ocean Grove

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @ Blogfinger.net      Re-post 2011.

Several weeks ago we received a flyer about a flea market sponsored by the Old Corlies Preservation Association (OCPA). It seemed innocuous enough when we posted it, until we read to the bottom where it said, “Hamilton—the birthplace of Neptune and Ocean Grove.” Hamilton is the site of an early settlement near Old Corlies Road. Its earliest name was Shark River Village, then Greenville and then it was called Hamilton in 1875, after the founding of OG. There was a church there, but it burned down in 1940 along with all its historic records.

Their claim was surprising, because it did not agree with the history of OG’s founding as we knew it. I contacted the OCPA and received an unsigned email linking to a YouTube video. Their claim is based on the assertion that Ocean Grove’s founding father Reverend William B. Osborn was working for the Hamilton church when he went off to start the community of OG. This seemed like a pretty flimsy linkage, so I hit the books.

Thanks to Ms. Marion Bauman, director at the Neptune Library, I was introduced to a pile of history books including the voluminous History of Monmouth County, a fat book that could give you a hernia if you didn’t lift it with both hands. I also had a history of Neptune Township, Gibbons History of Ocean Grove, and, best of all, I had, in my personal collection, a history of the founding of Ocean Grove written by Mrs. W.B. Osborn, the founder’s wife.

Since this blog posting is not an academic treatise, I will simple tell you that the OCPA’s claim is frivolous. Rev. Osborn singlehandedly promoted the camp meeting concept in New Jersey and it was his energy, commitment, and enthusiasm which resulted eventually in the founding of Ocean Grove. The idea was first presented in 1867 at a national camp meeting conference in Vineland, and the group appointed Rev. Osborn as their official agent to find a suitable site in New Jersey. After an extensive search up and down the Jersey coast, the site now known as Ocean Grove was chosen in 1868. Rev. Osborn named the town and he recruited a team of supporters from places like Farmingdale, Philadelphia and Long Branch.

A group of them set up tents in the summer of 1869 and had the first prayer meeting on July 31, 1869, amongst the bushes, trees, briars, and dunes at a location now known as Founders’ Park. In December 1969, the founders met in Trenton and set up the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. Rev Osborn was put in charge, although he was assigned a part time job, to help support his family, performing Sunday services at the church in Greenville (later known as the Hamilton Methodist Church).

None of my sources give credit to anyone or any church or any organization other than Rev. William B. Osborn himself as the founder of OG. The claim by the OCPA has the effect of diminishing Rev. Osborn’s role. I believe that the claim should be formally challenged by the Ocean Grove Historical Society and the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, in order to set the record straight.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Subsequently the OCPA gave up its paternity claim regarding Ocean Grove.–PG

RIVKA ZOHAR.  “The Road to the Village”   In Hebrew from a collection of Israeli folk songs.

CREDITS:

1. History of Neptune Township. “Four Score and Five”. 1964

2. History of Ocean Grove. Gibbons. 1944

3. History of Monmouth County, 1964

4. Pioneer Days of Ocean Grove. Mrs. W.B. Osborn c1910.

5. Mr Ted Bell. Ocean Grove Historical Society