Elsinboro Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Elsinboro is a Township
in Salem County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 1,092.
Elsinboro's first mention dates back to May 12, 1701, though it was also mentioned in records on November 28, 1676. The details and date of its original incorporation are unknown. The township was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on February 21, 1798 as one of New Jersey's original group of 104 townships.
, the township has a total area of 13.3 square miles (34.4 km²), of which, 12.3 square miles (31.9 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (7.95%) is water. The Salem River
flows along a portion of the township's northern boundary, and Alloway Creek
flows along its southern boundary.
Elsinboro Township borders Pennsville Township
, Salem
, and Lower Alloways Creek Township
. Elsinboro also borders the Delaware Bay
.
was a settlement that was part of New Sweden
. Fort Nya Elfsborg was built shortly after Johan Printz, governor of New Sweden, arrived in the colony in 1643. Named after the old Älvsborg Fortress
off shore from Gothenburg
, Sweden
, it was located on the Delaware River
near Alloway Creek
. Fort Nya Elfsborg was one of the earliest European
settlements in the State of New Jersey
. In 1655 Peter Stuyvesant
, on behalf of the Dutch West India Company
, re-asserted control over the region, which was later captured by the British
in 1664.
of 2000, there were 1,092 people, 468 households, and 324 families residing in the township. The population density
was 89.0 people per square mile (34.4/km²). There were 530 housing units at an average density of 43.2 per square mile (16.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.05% White, 3.57% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.27% from other races
, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
There were 468 households out of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $50,972, and the median income for a family was $59,688. Males had a median income of $42,232 versus $30,357 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $25,415. About 2.1% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
Members of the Elsinboro Township Committee are Mayor
John J. Elk, Deputy Mayor Sean Elwell and William McGowan.
Elsinboro Township is in the
public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The Elsinboro Township School had an enrollment of 124 students in the 2005-06 school year.
For grades 9-12, public school students attend Salem High School
in Salem City
, as part of a sending/receiving relationship
with the Salem City School District.
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
in Salem County
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 1,092.
Elsinboro's first mention dates back to May 12, 1701, though it was also mentioned in records on November 28, 1676. The details and date of its original incorporation are unknown. The township was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on February 21, 1798 as one of New Jersey's original group of 104 townships.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 13.3 square miles (34.4 km²), of which, 12.3 square miles (31.9 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (7.95%) is water. The Salem River
Salem River
The Salem River is a tributary of the Delaware River in southwestern New Jersey in the United States.The course and watershed of the Salem River are entirely within Salem County. The river rises in Upper Pittsgrove Township and flows initially westwardly, through Pilesgrove Township and the...
flows along a portion of the township's northern boundary, and Alloway Creek
Alloway Creek
Alloway Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Salem County, southwestern New Jersey in the U.S.The headwaters of the creek are to the southeast of Daretown, in Upper Pittsgrove Township. It flows roughly parallel and to the south of Commissioners Pike, meeting Cool Run before turning west...
flows along its southern boundary.
Elsinboro Township borders Pennsville Township
Pennsville Township, New Jersey
Pennsville Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 13,194. The township is named for William Penn....
, Salem
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
, and Lower Alloways Creek Township
Lower Alloways Creek Township, New Jersey
Lower Alloways Creek Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 1,851....
. Elsinboro also borders the Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
.
History
Fort Nya ElfsborgFort Nya Elfsborg
Fort Nya Elfsborg was a fortification and settlement established as a part of New Sweden. Built in 1643 and named after the Älvsborg Fortress off Gothenburg, Fort Nya Elfsborg was located on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, between present day Salem and Alloway Creek.-History:Fort Nya...
was a settlement that was part of New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
. Fort Nya Elfsborg was built shortly after Johan Printz, governor of New Sweden, arrived in the colony in 1643. Named after the old Älvsborg Fortress
Älvsborg Fortress
Älvsborg, also Elfsborg Fortress, is a sea fortress located in today's Gothenburg , Sweden. Situated on the mouth of the Göta Älv river, it served to protect Sweden's access to the Atlantic Ocean and the nearby settlement of today's Gothenburg and its four predecessors. The fortress was relocated...
off shore from Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, it was located on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
near Alloway Creek
Alloway Creek
Alloway Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Salem County, southwestern New Jersey in the U.S.The headwaters of the creek are to the southeast of Daretown, in Upper Pittsgrove Township. It flows roughly parallel and to the south of Commissioners Pike, meeting Cool Run before turning west...
. Fort Nya Elfsborg was one of the earliest European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
settlements in the State of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. In 1655 Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
, on behalf of the Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants. Among its founding fathers was Willem Usselincx...
, re-asserted control over the region, which was later captured by the British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
in 1664.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,092 people, 468 households, and 324 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 89.0 people per square mile (34.4/km²). There were 530 housing units at an average density of 43.2 per square mile (16.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.05% White, 3.57% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.27% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
There were 468 households out of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $50,972, and the median income for a family was $59,688. Males had a median income of $42,232 versus $30,357 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $25,415. About 2.1% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Elsinboro Township is governed under the TownshipTownship (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
Members of the Elsinboro Township Committee are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
John J. Elk, Deputy Mayor Sean Elwell and William McGowan.
Federal, state and county representation
Elsinboro Township is in the 2nd Congressional district.Elsinboro Township is in the
Education
The Elsinboro Township School DistrictElsinboro Township School District
The Elsinboro Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade from Elsinboro Township, in Salem County, New Jersey, United States....
public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The Elsinboro Township School had an enrollment of 124 students in the 2005-06 school year.
For grades 9-12, public school students attend Salem High School
Salem High School (New Jersey)
Salem High School is a comprehensive community four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Salem City, in Salem County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Salem City School District....
in Salem City
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
, as part of a sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
with the Salem City School District.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Elsinboro Township include:- George HiresGeorge HiresGeorge Hires was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1885 to 1889....
(1835–1911), represented New Jersey's 1st congressional districtNew Jersey's 1st congressional districtNew Jersey's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of New Jersey.The current U.S. Representative from the 1st district is Democrat Rob Andrews...
in the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1885 to 1889.
External links
- Elsinboro Township School
- Data for the Elsinboro Township School, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- History of Elsinboro