Local Author Jill Maser to Write Book on Gloucester Township 'Legends'

Chews Landing resident Jill Maser decided for her third local nonfiction book she would look no further than her own “backyard” for inspiration.

This time, she’s looking to explore Gloucester Township’s rich history by seeking out some “local legends,” and she hopes the community will help her out by pitching some ideas her way.

Maser's career as an author began when she decided she wanted to write a book about the White Horse Pike. Maser found the historic road to be of great importance to the development of the towns running along and nearby it, including Gloucester Township.    

Her hometown being Gloucester Township, specifically the town's Chews Landing section, Maser went into the White Horse Pike community to find more information on the roadway, which dates back almost 200 years. 

She learned the White Horse Pike existed long before it was ever a paved road, serving as a foot path for local Native Americans.

After conducting her research and compiling quotes from historic figures such as Walt Whitman, Maser was able to complete her first nonfiction book, The White Horse Pike, in just six months. The book was published in 2005.

Maser says what drew her to the White Horse Pike was the way it tied so many towns together. She says she was fortunate to have been aided by a great number of historical societies in the area.  

“It developed from there and most of its development, apparently, came from Lenni Lenape settlements and trails,” Maser said. 

Interestingly, Maser found in her research historical documents of sightings of the Jersey Devil all along the White Horse Pike. She says it seems the Jersey Devil used the Pike to travel from the central part of South Jersey all the way to Philadelphia.     

Maser says, naturally, she then had to write a book on the Black Horse Pike.          

While she enjoyed writing the multi-town "Pike" books, Maser’s new subject of interest focuses exclusively on her hometown, as she sets out to write on the “local legends” of Gloucester Township.    

What is a local legend? Maser considers anyone, living or dead, who has played a significant role in developing the Gloucester Township community worthy of this title. She says she is looking for the township's “unsung local heroes." Maser says this can include war heroes, police officers, or teachers who have taught generation after generation of students.     

Maser says her research will include simply driving down the street and, if she comes across a street named after somebody, asking around to find out why it's named for that person. 

“We are looking for pioneering citizens who have built and shaped our community,” Maser said.     

Maser says she was contacted to write this book after the “local legends” line launched nationwide by Arcadia Publishing, the company that had published her two previous books. She says the this upcoming book will be released in fall 2013.     

She says she is aiming to feature close to 200 people in her upcoming book. She says one of the people she is planning on featuring is William Schuck, a predominate figure in Glendora’s history.   

“He purchased the Gabreil Daveis Tavern in 1923 (then a private residence that had fallen into a state of disrepair), worked hard to restore it and, upon his death in 1976, gave the building and the grounds to the township with the condition that it was maintained and also open to the public to enjoy,” says Maser.     

As a member of the Gloucester Township Historical Society, Maser is very familiar with the history of the area. Still, she encourages anybody who feels they may know of a “local legend” to contact her at legendarylocals@yahoo.com.     

You can also learn more about Maser's work by visiting her website.