By Kayla J. Marsh
Staff Writer
In 1964, author Richard Kraybill published a book entitled, “The Story of Shrewsbury,” focused on the early beginnings of the second oldest town in Monmouth County and its importance as an early colonial settlement.
Long out of print and much out of date, local author and historian Rick Geffken and Borough of Shrewsbury Mayor Donald Burden teamed up to revisit the book and bring it up to date with the last 50 years of the borough’s history.
Geffken discussed the new book, “The Story of Shrewsbury Revisited, 1965-2015,” March 30 at a reading and signing event at the Long Branch Free Public Library, held in collaboration with the Long Branch Historic Association.
“From a young kid, I always had an interest in history, not only growing up here but everywhere, and what I discovered as an adult was when you read and you dig a little bit deeper into these topics you find out that people are people,” he said. “Motivations don’t change a whole lot, obviously technology does and obviously knowledge does, but people tend to do the same things today they did 200 years ago [and] we found out a lot of great things.”
According to Geffken, “The Story of Shrewsbury Revisited, 1965-2015,” recognizes the uniqueness the Shrewsbury community had years ago, while looking at the distinctiveness of the borough today.
“‘The Story of Shrewsbury’” was kind of a small book, it was a thick book, but it had the best historical references and information that the committee could come up with,” Geffken said.
“Basically we reprinted the older book, and incorporated the new book into it and it has biographies of more than 30 prominent people who made their mark and we put a lot in there about how the town government functioned, the volunteer groups, the schools and we also took a harder look at the older book and … included some new researches so it was a real fun project.”
Shrewsbury was established in 1665 and was originally comprised of a vast area from the Navesink River to Little Egg Harbor.
In “The Story of Shrewsbury Revisited, 1965-2015,” Geffken and Burden follow the story of Shrewsbury’s colonial past as the community made its way from an agricultural area to a commercial and residential site.
The book discusses the role the Shrewsbury Quakers had in the abolition of slavery and the impact the first European contacts had on the Native American Lenape culture.
“The Story of Shrewsbury Revisited, 1965-2015,” also focuses on Shrewsbury’s historic Four Corners – the area at the corners of Broad Street and Sycamore Avenue, including Christ Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Quaker Meeting House and the Allen House – an area that is widely regarded as Monmouth County’s most historic acre.
The story of the Reverend Samuel Cooke, who built Christ Church prior to the Revolutionary War, is one of the many readers will find in the book of prominent individuals to Shrewsbury’s history.
The Allen House and the Wardell House, some of the oldest buildings in the borough, are also featured for their significance to the area during colonial times.
Ninety years ago on May 11, 1926, Shrewsbury’s voters decided to establish the Borough of Shrewsbury, disassociating itself from the then Shrewsbury Township.
In the same year, on June 8, the first officials of the Borough of Shrewsbury were elected and the first Council meeting was held on July 19.
“This is why I did the book and why I am interested in these topics because history … nobody knows what everybody does at any moment in time,” he said.
“This room is full of people who love history and the comments from people tonight such as ‘well that’s not quite right,’ I love that and the exchange because I think you can always learn.
“I learn more at these things that sitting home reading a book, so it is great.”
