The village prior to 1850 contained only the buildings of the farm and tenant-houses of the Rudderow family. Soon after that time Alexander G. Cattell purchased theplot of ground containing the old house built by John Rudderow in 1804, which he tore down and erected on its site his residence. In 1856 Amos Rudderow, whoowned the farm, sold to Jacob Bunting, ten acres of land on tlie south side of the pike, for the purpose of laying it out into lots. He erected a house, now the property of Mr. Whickall, a spice merchant of Philadelphia. Soon after the Hon. A. G. and E. G. Cattell, John Loutz and David E. Stetson purchase*! twenty acres of land on the uorth side of the pike, where each erected a mansion. Iu 1858 the same persons bought seventy-five acres, the balance of the Amos Rudderow farm. About the same time A. G. and E. G.
Cattell purchased the old Coopers woods, on the north side of the railroad, cleared it of stumps and laid it out into lots and began selling. In 1853 the Stockton Hotel was erected on the turn- pike, which was kept by Benjamin Martin until 1885. About 18C0 a school-house was erected and used until the erection of the present commodious house. The old house is now used as a drug-store. The first store iu town was kept by Charles W. Starn, and is now owned by Benj. II. Browning, and is the residence of Dr. D. W. Bartine, who was the first resident physician and is still in practice there.
A town hall, forty by sixty feet, two stories in height, was erected in 1870 at a cost of eight thousand dollars. The Methodist Episcopal Church - In 1863 an effort was made to build a church at the place, which failed. In the fall of 1885 David S. Stetson, Chas. W. and Jos. A. Starn, members of Bethel Church, residing at Merchantville, called a meeting of the citizens, which met at the old schoolhouse and organized by electing as trustees 1). S-Stetson, Mathias Homer, E. G. Cattell, Thomas Sinex, Isaac Hinchman, Charles W, and Joseph A. Starn. A subscription was at once opened and two thousand dollars was subscribed, which was increased to six thousand dollars. A building committee was appointed. Lots for a church and parsonage were donated by James C. Finn, and a church building begun, which was completed in the spring of 1866, and dedicated in March by Bishop Matthew Simpson. The pastor at the time was the Rev. R. S. Harris. He was succeeded by the Revs. David H. Shoch, Wm. W. Moffatt, Edward Hewitt, Wm. Boyd, R. J. Andrews, George B. White, J. E. Price, Nelson McNicholl, William McCowen, W. S. Bernard and J. B. Rogers, who is the present pastor.
The Sunday-school was begun by David S. Stetson, in his own house, and later held in the schoolhouse, and upon the completion of the church the meeting-place was changed to that building.
The First Presbyterian Church was erected at a cost of about eight thousand dollars in 1874. The congregation was under the pastoral care of the Rev. Nathaniel L. Upham from its organization to September, 1884, when the Rev. M. C. Wood, the present pastor, assumed the charge. The church has a membership of sixty-seven.
Grace Episcopal Church. A small band of this denomination was gathered in the Town Hall in 1873, and organized into a church. Services were supplied by appointment by the bishop from Philadelphia. The congregation was weak for several years, but in 1880 a better spirit prevailed, Grace Parish was erected and the present chapel built. In February, 1883, the Rev. R. G. Moses was selected as rector of the parish, and isnow in charge. There are about one hundred and twenty in the parish and fifty-six communicants.
The Post-Office was established in 1866, with Chas. W. Starn as postmaster. The following persons have officiated as postmasters : John W. Kaighn, Richard Shreiner, Mrs. R.Shrciner, Wm. . Kirby, E. L. Shiun and the present incumbent, Gottlieb Mich.
The village was incorporated March 3, 1874, with Mathias Homer as burgess, and Jas. Millinger, Elijah G. Cattell, D. T. Gage, Jos. Baylis, E. S. Hall, T. C. Knight and C. E. Spangler as the first Council, Mr. Homer continued as burgess until 1886, when he was succeeded by John H. AVilkinson. The justices of the peace since the incorporation of the borough have been Richard Shreiner, Wm. Sheldrake, John Potts, E. J. Spangler, E. L. Shinn and Jos. Baylis.
The Stockton Sanitarium, for the treatment and care of persons suffering from nervous affections, and for mild cases of mental disease, is located at Merchantville, New Jersey, and was opened for patients October 29, 1884. The buildings stand one hundred feet above the elevation of the Delaware River, in grounds containing eleven acres, divided into shade, lawn and garden. They are handsomely, as well as comfortably furnished. All unnecessary restraint is removed, the appearance of an asylum avoided, and a degree of freedom is allowed which would be impossible where large numbers are congregated. It is wholly a private establishment and has no board of directors or trustees. There are separate buildings for the sexes, which gives the patients very considerable more freedom than could be extended if all were in one building. Dr. S. Preston Jones was the founder of the institution, and is still its proprietor. Read more.