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HAMMONTON, During the war of 1812, William Coffin, in agreement with John Coates, built a sawmill along what later became known as Hammonton Lake. Mr. Coffin went into partnership with Jonathan Haines and started a glass factory. When Coffin died, his two sons, John Hammond Coffin and Edward Winslow Coffin, inherited the factory. The settlement also became known as "Hammondton". As one can see, the "d" was later dropped from the town's name. (The "Winslow" Coffin moved a bit further west and founded the Winslow Township community of Winslow.) Hammonton was now growing and became a business community as the saw mill, glass factory, and agriculture began to flourish. Every two weeks, church services were held by a traveling minister who conducted services in the community school house. Transportation for the area consisted of a stagecoach that ran from Camden to Leeds Point (home of the famous Jersey Devil). Hammonton was incorporated in 1866 and the community now had many of the buildings one would expect to find in a small town--a store, a post office, a school, a church, and a town center. When the railroad came to Hammonton, the town's population began to grow. During the 1860's, Hammonton began to see Italian immigrants moving into the community along with their culture and customs. Today, Hammonton has a population of 12,604 residents based on the 2000 Census. The town now encompasses an area of 40.8 square miles. |
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