South Amboy Carpetbaggers Club

Casual conversations around town may include the good-natured local term “Carpetbagger” when referring to residents who were not born in South Amboy. As someone born and raised here, I’ve heard it used regularly for as long as I can remember as a reference, spoken without malice, to simply identify those who came from somewhere else and have settled here. Many jokingly take the distinction in stride and comment that no matter how long they live here, they are still considered Carpetbaggers.

Who knows when this term started, but history provides a glimpse of a group of locals, not born in the town, who took the opportunity to embrace this distinction to form a long-forgotten social club known as the South Amboy Carpetbaggers Club. On December 11, 1942, a special meeting was held at Thomsen’s Tavern at 267 First Street (Braney’s → Borbely’s → Gay 90s), with the election of officers installed on December 29, 1942. James Harkins headed the organization as the Great Intruder, Robert Pearson was elected the Great Interferer, with William Kohler Secretary and Hugh Farrell Treasurer. Membership was open to any male citizen not born in South Amboy; “while those born outside the city will be received with open arms, those born in this city will under no condition be permitted to enjoy the privileges of membership.” The organization was swamped with membership applications and boasted of over forty members on the rolls.

Joseph McGowan was appointed Grand Spotter with duties to ensure the exclusion of native-born intruders from club meetings. On January 20, 1943, a “Midnight Trial for Accused Member of Carpetbaggers” was held for my great uncle Harris Covell who was charged with not being a Carpetbagger and ousted from the club. Steve Estill was appointed Sergeant at Arms in June of 1943 but resigned his position claiming the task of keeping the native sons out of the meeting room was too strenuous.

Being born in South Amboy historically meant either at home or in the maternity ward of the local hospital. Since home births are uncommon and the maternity ward of South Amboy Memorial Hospital closed its doors in 1976, the birth of a baby in South Amboy hasn’t happened in forty-five years, with the last recorded birth on December 29, 1976 (ironically thirty-four years to the day following the installation of officers of the Carpetbaggers Club).

My hope is that we can take a light-hearted look at this historic local term without offense and remember a time when our ancestors took an opportunity to gather together over never-ending bowls of clam chowder to conduct fundraising drives for the local hospital, hold drawings for war bonds and throw clam bakes at the Water Works. My dear friend from high school and I still laugh and reminisce that her grandfather was one of the officers who kicked my family out of the South Amboy Carpetbaggers Club at that Midnight Trial.

~ Remembering Our History ~