The Village Guardian and the Pope of Basking Ridge – Bill Hine
Every once in a while, we find a human interest story that’s so much more than history that we must tell it so the story continues in local circles for generations. This is one of those stories. We take you to the small village of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, home to the Mr. Local History Project and an area full of great Jersey history. But this one caught us by surprise.
We introduce you to a singer, poet, and photographer who shared his love of music, poetry, and religion on the street corners of a tiny local village. Most mornings, Bill Hine would gather his personal belongings and harmonica and begin his commute to work.. But this wasn’t just any work; this was God’s work. You see, Hine loved the harmonica and learned to play by ear.
Songs like Benny Goodman’s quartet “Sweet Sue” and Bobby Darin’s “Baby Face (You’ve got the cutest little..) ” were Bill’s favorites, and passersby often said they heard him sing. It wasn’t a paying job. It wasn’t a formal job. This was Bill Hine’s mission.
Here are a few of the tunes that people would hear Bill humming and singing.
Before moving to Basking Ridge, Hine was born in Westfield, New Jersey, on November 1, 1924, and grew up in Westfield (1920s-1940s), Scotch Plains (1950s), and Plainfield with his parents, Willard and Edith Hine. Starting in 1960, the Hines would move to Basking Ridge, just off the town’s center, a village of sorts. With a town green and a quaint, small-town feeling, Bill would be seen almost every day walking up from their home at 153 Spencer Road, down W. Oak Street on his daily commute to his “office.”
Hine’s office included the Pepper Mill Deli (Burgdorff Realty) building on the corner of S. Finley, Oak Street, and Brush’s Deli. Honestly, they were less his office and more his stage.
Bill Touched Many Hearts
In addition to singing and playing the harmonica, Bill loved opera and poetry. Some may know Bill and even have a copy of his poetry book, a collection of over 150 poems he has written since his early twenties. Many remember one poem that stuck with those who heard it: “In the town of Basking Ridge…”
And guess what? We have a video! Make sure you hang in there until the end as former resident Paula Axt, our Mr. Local History Project tour guide, shares her favorite Bill Hine poem. Enjoy… as it makes her cry (well, almost).
IN THE TOWN OF BASKING RIDGE by Bill Hine
I love to live in Basking Ridge,
It’s such a friendly town—
Especially in the evening
As the setting sun goes down.
I love to hear the laughter of the little children
And see a smile upon their face,
I love to be in Basking Ridge,
It’s such a lovely place.
I’ve been to other towns before,
But not as nice as this,
If I should have to go away
It’s this town that I’d miss.
If you happen to be driving by,
Just stop and you will see—
It’s the town of Basking Ridge,
That’s where you’ll want to be.
Early Years
Some news clippings said that Bill never went beyond the fourth grade. Then we found Bill’s military registration card with Bill stating he was a student at Wardlaw – Hartridge School in Plainfield before being drafted into WW2 in 1942. At the time, he was 18 years old and living at 126 Stanmore Place in Westfield, NJ.
The Hines Later Life
Bill’s father, Willard Foster Hine Sr., passed away on January 25, 1969, at the age of 82 in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Then, on October 15, 1973, Edith, the widow, sold the family home on Spencer Road. Bill’s mother, Edith Callahan Hine, passed on May 21, 1983, after moving from Basking Ridge in 1979. Her daughter, Edith Gloria Gamble, was living in the area. She passed in Wilmington, Delaware, at a nursing home due to heart failure. She was 95.
It was mentioned that Edith and Bill would move to Anderson Road in Bernardsville and later at Ridge Oak Senior Living in Basking Ridge, where Bill would live out his life. Bill (Willard Foster Hine Jr.) passed away on May 24, 1997, at 72, in Morristown (Basking Ridge), New Jersey. Bill’s sister Gloria was married and lived in Wilmington, DE and would pass in April 2018, at 98.
We are still seeking documented proof of Bill’s later residences, including Ridge Oak in Basking Ridge. If you know, please let us know in the comments section below.
Townspeople Remember
Typically, there are many sides to history, and it often lies with who is telling the story. While we look to the positive, there was also a negative side to this story that came out. We’ve seen this other times when we’ve researched other controversial residents; Irwin Richardt comes to mind.
For those who didn’t take the time to meet Bill and understand his journey, some felt that Bill’s presence was a threat. Some would question his mental acuity and stability, while others thought he might be homeless. For those who hadn’t seen him around town for decades, newer residents would sometimes call the police to address “the man on the corner.” Others would move across the street to avoid him. While not the theme of the story, it is something we hope, if it ever happens again, that enlightenment comes in multiple ways. Sometimes, people need to step back and put themselves in the other person’s shoes to try to understand the person without letting personal fear get in the way.
Townspeople reminisced on social media about their memories of Mr. Hine. If you have a memory of Bill and would like to share, there’s a comment section at the end of the story, and we’d love to hear your thoughts.
- Bill and his harmonica on the steps of Brush’s. Polished off a few sloppy joes while listening to him play. A wonderful fixture of Finley Avenue! Scott Keeler
- He was always around! They say he went to New York on the train almost every day. He always had a smile on his face!! Barbara Loock
- My Dad would often go and sit with Bill. Someone once asked Dad who the crazy guy was that he sat with? My Dad told them, “That crazy man has more money than you will ever have.” Bill lived at Ridge Oak with his Mom. After she passed away, they allowed Bill to stay. Ellen Crafferty Houlihan
- Every day, Bill walked past our house once going up to town, and once coming back from town, and always singing his heart out. One day, I heard a commotion and looked out the window to see a teenage boy mocking and chasing Bill. I confronted the boy, and I never saw him do it again, at least not in my presence. Ellie Villegas Lucaire Hess
- I was taking a walk through town a few years ago, and I stopped to sit on the steps of the Coldwell Banker building. I instantly thought of Bill and how many times I had seen him there. I started to look around to see what Bill saw. Try it sometime. It is an absolutely beautiful spot. No wonder poetry and song followed. Martha Brown Heiner
- I heard that he built an organ from scratch, and it was in his house on Spencer Road. Lisa Heere
- In the late ‘60s, Bill would walk past our house every day on his way to town. Always singing. A wonderful man. Robert Jewett
- I remember Bill well and fondly. He would handwrite Christmas cards with a poem inside. My mom worked at the post office for years and had a few. Chris Lewis
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