DEATH OF THE FOX INN 1727

In 1766, the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club was formed by wealthy and prominent men from Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, and the members hunted foxes throughout Gloucester County, New Jersey. The dues were 5 pounds per year and the charter set two hunting days per week, Tuesdays and Fridays, which changed to one day per week after the Revolutionary War. The hunt would last from one to six hours and in some instances for ten hours. In 1798, a chase ended in Salem, NJ, 40 miles from the starting point. Several of the tavern's proprietors were members of the club and it became a favorite meeting place to celebrate the end of the chase.

 

First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry

The expert horsemanship of the men of this club was later employed in the Revolutionary War when these men formed the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also known as the First City Troop. Samuel Morris was its founder and captain. The troop fought in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, and Valley Forge and served as General Washington's personal escort and bodyguard. In 1812 after the death of Samuel Morris, Gen. Robert Wharton, once mayor of Philadelphia, was elected president of the club and held the position until the club disbanded in 1818.

 

Hugg's Tavern

The “huntsman” took care of the hounds at the kennels in Hugg’s Tavern in Gloucester City. Joseph Hugg built the tavern in 1721 and was a good friend of the builder and first proprietor of Death of the Fox Inn, Christopher Taylor. Joseph Hugg died in 1731 and William, 14, applied “with the consent of his mother” for the appointment of Christopher Taylor to be his guardian. By 1763, William was a prominent man of influence in the area, and the tavern had an excellent reputation. After William Hugg’s death in 1775, his son, William Hugg, Jr. took over. An elopement of note occurred at Hugg's Tavern in 1773. Betsy Griscom, a Quaker, married John Ross, an Anglican. Betsy Ross was subsequently disowned by her family the Quaker Society. Despite vigorous protests to save this historic landmark, Hugg’s Tavern was torn down in 1927 by the Camden County Parks Commission to build a park.

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Jonas Cattell

The “whipper-in” traveled with the hounds on horseback during the hunt, but Jonas Cattell, an experienced tracker and hunter with exceptional endurance, ran with the dogs on foot. From 1796 to 1818, from the age of 38 to 60, Cattell was the whipper-in for the hunt club. He was renowned for his 10-mile run as a teenager on October 22, 1777, from Haddonfield through backwoods to Fort Mercer to warn of an impending Hessian attack. The outnumbered Patriot army prepared a defense, potentially by redirecting the cannons from the Delaware River to the impending land attack, and routed the Hessian army. A local running race that commemorates this feat, the Jonas Cattell Memorial 10-miler, has been held every October since 1970 and follows Cattell’s approximate route. On one fox hunt, the chase was called off due to darkness, but Jonas Cattell continued through the night on foot. He eventually caught the fox and returned to the rendezvous near dawn. The fox’s tail, or “brush,” was a prized possession awarded to the first hunter who reached the captured fox. Cattell prized this trophy and decorated the necks of the hounds with pieces of the divided brush.

 

According to the rules set by the club, “It is agreed that at the death of every Fox, one of the Company shall carry about a Cap, to collect what the company may please to give the huntsman.” The fox’s skin was also valuable, and, in this instance, Cattell received 3 dollars for it. On one occasion, Cattell and his hounds chased the fox as it ran across the frozen Delaware River. The hounds, with Cattell alone on foot, caught the fox 100 yards short of the Pennsylvania shore.

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On one chase in the winter of 1810, the hounds were released, and “gave fine music in full chorus.” The fox was eventually forced onto an ice-covered pond and fell through broken ice. While the dogs watched, and the club assessed what to do, one hunter, a New Jersey farmer named Caldwell, “stripped and boldly plunged in and captured her.” All applauded and quickly resuscitated their frozen, wet companion and “was rubbed with ardor and ardent” to warm and save him from frostbite and sickness.

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There was a strong desire to win the coveted prize and, at the banquet that followed the chase, be placed at the seat of honor at the right hand of the presiding officer. One would risk their health and safety for the admiration of their peers.

 

These stories of the chases, exploits and colorful characters of this club were depicted in a book, "Memoirs of the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club Near Philadelphia," written in 1830 by William Melnor, a member of the club. Death of the Fox Inn was a party to the many characters and feats of the club over its 52-year history and remains a visible testament to the rich history involved in this early American recreational sport.

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