Died From Drink

A Well Known Freehold Character Found Dead in a Barn

Martin Ballantine, who was well known about Freehold as Martin "Tine", was found dead about a week ago in W. F. Barkalow's barn near that place. Ballantine was addicted to drink. Mr. Barkalow saw him go in his barn drunk. He followed him and found him lying on the floor in a stupor. He put a blanket over him and went in the barn an hour later and found him dead. His death was due to acute alcoholism.

Ballantine had worked for the farmers near Freehold for many years. Not much is known of him before he went to Freehold but he is said to have been born of good parentage in Ireland and to have had a good education. So far as known he had no relatives in this country but he often claimed that he was related to Ballantine, the Newark brewer. He was 57 years old and unmarried. He had a good many friends at Freehold and they saw to it that he had a good burial.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, Mar 13, 1901

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

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