THE TRAP TAVERN During the Civil War a weekly newspaper was delivered at the Trap Tavern, and at the evening of "Newspaper Day" the men for miles around came to the Trap to hear the news read. Someone was selected to read aloud, and often that person would be a Methodist pastor named Reverend William Abbott. He would often drop in at the special evening, much to the discomfort of the landlord, as business at the bar was poor when the Dominie was around. The Reverend William Abbott was an Army Chaplain during the Civil War. There is a story that one cold and stormy night a horseman stopped at the Trap for the night. When he went in the barroom he found all seats near the big stove taken. He turned to the hostler and told him he wished his horse to be cared for, and also told him to feed the horse a peck of oysters in the shell. He repeated his order three times before the sur- prised hostler moved. When he did go out, the crowd went with him. The traveler found himself a good seat by the stove, and made himself quite comfortable. A few minutes later the men returned and said, "The horse won't eat oysters." So, the traveler replied, "If my horse won't eat them, then bring them and I will." THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD AND THE GREENVILLE GUARDS During the year 1862, a military company was formed, and was first mentioned in their minute book as the "Greenville Union Boys", but later were officially recognized as the "Greenville Guards, Second Regiment, Monmouth and Ocean County Brigade". The drills were held each Saturday afternoon in front of the Trap Tavern, where a tall flag pole was placed. The minutes book of the company lists the following fifty-eight members: SPECIAL COMMITTEES ------------------- President Abraham H. Morris Secretary Milton Tilton Treasurer Jackson Davison RECRUITERS: Charles White John H. Stout Micheal Howland ARMS: Ely Tilton Jeremiah Bennett Augustine Tilton COURT MARTIAL: Dewitt Shafto Amos Tilton Samuel Davison Jeremiah Bennett James Yoemans ------------------- OFFICERS: CORPORALS: Captain Abraham H. Morris Samuel Davison 1st Lt. Samuel R. Shafto Walter C. Mooney 2nd Lt. Dewitt C. Shafto Peter S. Taylor 3rd Lt. John Tilton 1st Orderly Lockwood F. Morton 2nd Orderly Richard Tilton PRIVATES: Amos Tilton Jackson Davison John E. Tilton Jeremiah Bennett Charles P. White James Yoemans William H. Shafto Jackson Morris Albert Wardell Henry White John Hunter Milton Tilton Halstead W. Cooper John H. Stout Micheal Bennett Henry Y. Morris Henry Smith Esek Howland Robert Shafto Samuel T. White Samuel Vanderhuse Benjamin T. White Charles C. Mooney Daniel C. Dangler Solomon Disbrow Jobe King Josephius Davison Charles Springsteen Corlies T. Newman John W. Morris Nicholas V. White Charles C. Jackson ENSIGN: Micheal Howland EXEMPT: Samuel H. Leonard John E. Shafto David H. Woolley Steward Hall Jacob Hurley James Elmer Garret White Curtis Yoemans ---Author Unknown