Our History
The Boy Scouts in Roxbury Township
The first Troop of Boy Scouts in Roxbury Township was organized in September 1920 as Troop 2, sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church, Succasunna. Rev. Ralph Davy was the Scoutmaster, assisted by Sereno G. Norton. The Troop Committee consisted of Joseph Emmett, Samuel D. Beasley, and Lewis J. Reger.
Cub Pack 54, sponsored by the Roxbury PTA, was formed in July 1950.
The Women's Auxiliary Of Succasunna Troop #54
Established in 1939, the Women's Auxiliary of the Boy Scout Troop No. 54 met in the Stoddard Memorial Chapel of the First Presbyterian Church, Succasunna. The first officers were: Mrs. Palmer Anaya, president; Mrs. Lory Wright, vice-president; Mrs. Charles D. Bitting, secretary; Mrs. Otto V. Freund, treasurer.
The organization raised money by making, selling, and delivering clam chowder; making and selling homemade cookies; preparing and serving dinners; hostessing teas; and sponsoring game parties at the Hercules Club House. The proceeds were used to send the Scouts to camp and to buy equipment for them.
The Mother's Club of Troop #54
At the last Pack meeting to which their boys could attend as Cub Scouts, the mothers decided to form the Mothers' Club to benefit their boys, new scouts, and to continue to be active as a group of congenial mothers.
Their first meeting was held in September 1952 at the home of Margarett Lindemann, who was elected President, the only officer at that time.
The first Annual Boy Scout Picnic was held at Butler Park, the picnic a suggestion of the Scoutmaster, Mr. Robert Peterson. Each family brought their own lunch and they all joined in group games.
Nine mothers attended the 1957 Fourth National Boy Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge, Penna. On March 5, 1958, the Mothers' Club sponsored a trip to Washington, D. C., for a group of qualified Scouts.They spent a week in the nation's Capital during Easter vacation. Since then, these trips have been a happy event about every three years.
In 1960, twelve boys experienced the thrill of attending the National Jamboree in Colorado. They were: Jon Freund, Dave Pawlowski, Robert Magnus, Doug Busch, Robert Freund, Bruce Morell, William Kuletz, Marshall Gates, Robert Petersen, Gordon Venner, Richard Greene. Also explorer J. Smith.
The total cost of this was $250.00 per boy. The Mothers' Club donated $200.00 per boy and the boys themselves earned the $50.00.
The neckerchiefs which are still used by Troop 54 were originally designed for our boys to use at the 1960 Jamboree and were so warmly welcomed that they are continued in use, made by the Mothers' Club members each year.
If anyone has information that can update or add to the above historical account, please e-mail it to us at:
Some of the above is an excerpt from "The History of Roxbury Township"
Published by the Roxbury Township Historical Society.
Compiled and Edited by Annie Hosking and Harriet Meeker in 1965.