Brief History Of Clayton

Jacob and Sophia settled near Swedesboro, along the bank of the Delaware River where they raised eleven children. During the Revolutionary War, the British were in that area and stole cattle from the Fislers plus took some of the younger sons as servants. Jacob purchased 2800 acres located near the present Cedar Green Cemetery in Clayton and moved inland with his family and all their possessions. He bought the land from the government for 62 ½ cents per acre.

Three sons, Felix, Jacob Jr. and Leonard served in the army during the Revolutionary War. A second cabin was built where Felix, Jacob Jr. and Leonard would stay when coming home. The town now consisted of five homes, all located on the land between Malaga Turnpike (Delsea Drive, Rte 47) and the "Road to Fries’ Mill" or the "Road to Fislers Mill" (Academy Street). The crossroads were known as Fisler Town.

Jacob and his son Leonard bought 3755 acres jointly, expanding Fisler territory from the cemetery westward to Aura. Leonard built a home on the land by Still Run, which survives to the present day., a big yellow home across from the Still Run Boat House at Silver Lake. Younger sons had land more to the west of Still Run, closer to the town called Aura the Union. The Fisler family once owned the land from the cemetery eastward to Fries’ Mill. and had a homestead next to the lake.

In 1812 there were 36 families located in the area. Dr. Jacob Fisler donated three or four acres for a facility to serve as a school for the children by day and for religious and town meetings by evenings. The building was called the "Useful School House" part of which was moved to Delsea Drive and is in use today as "Denise, School of Dance".. This building was used for religious services until 1850 when a two story Methodist Church was built. The church was 36 by 55 feet, had a steeple and a bell, at the total cost of $5,000. $4,300 was pledged at the time. Rev. D.W. Baritone and Rev, W.E. Perry dedicated the new church. A separate Methodist station was declared in 1860 and a parsonage built in1867. This church was used until 1883 when it was moved down the lane and a new Methodist Church erected on this site.

In 1847 Francis Wilson bought 1600 acres of land, named Fries’ Mill, for himself and some other farmers. A saw mill was built there and a bridge over the stream. A corduroy or pole road was built to connect Fries’ Mill with Clayton. Mr. Wilson farmed the land and had a store there. In his homestead a room, later a kitchen, was once used as a school room for children, Prayer Meetings on Fri. Night and Presbyterian Church Services on Sunday. Later a school was built past the lake going toward Williamstown. Its front step was a large sand stone used by the Indians to grind corn into meal.. This stone is now in Sandlier Park which is located the Clayton Borough Hall. Later the name of the Lake was called Wilson Lake in honor of Mr. Wilson. The lake is now county owned and goes by the name of Scotland Run.

In 1850 the name of the town, Fisler Town, was changed to Fislerville. A glass factory was built by Dr. Jacob Fisler and Benjamin Beckett and the town started to grow. In 1851 Mr. Bacon took over the shares of Mr. Beckett. In 1855 Mr. Bacon was killed in a train accident. The business was sold to John M. Moore who then rented buildings from Dr. Fisler. The buildings consisted of a factory, a store, a mule barn, and houses for workers. Later D.W. Moore joined as a partner in the business. The Moore Brothers glass factory was well known. Boys started working in the factory at the age of 9 and worked their way up as apprentices, journeymen, blowers and master blowers, Workers shopped at the company store having credit in the summer when work was slow due to the heat, then were paid in script known as "shinnies" or "shinplasters" good at the company store for food, clothing, furniture, etc.. Moore Brothers continued blowing glass until 1911 . Hard times then took glass blowing westward.

Mr. Moore owned a lot of the land around the town on which he laid out roads from town to the outskirts and farms which he rented. His factory workers had jobs clearing and working the land in slack time at the glass factory. Mr. Moore also bought Fisler & Harding Pond, renamed Moore’s Lake (now Silver Lake) located on the west side of the town.

In 1853 six members of the town organized a Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian Church was built in 1869 on the ground which was once a brick yard located along the Malaga Turnpike. In 1870 a manse was built and in 1879 a second story was added to the church to hold the growing congregation. The Moore family were the backbone of this church.

In 1858 Clayton Township was formed consisting of Glassboro, Aura and Fislerville.