Pat,
I believe Warner Shelley believed what he wrote. The question is the logical explanation of it. Crump is clearly in the woods, most likely hunting, and I'm sure it was 1909. How in the world would they have known it was on the exact tiny parcel (relative to the 100,000's acres of hunting grounds in the immediate surrounding area) that became the initial 184 acres?
You and Tom have argued that the 1909 - 1910 timeframe of the train story is bogus, in part, because Crump apparently still looked at Absecon and Browns Mills afterward.
Now you're suggesting the 1928 article, which stands alone in its claim, is true in which Crump owned the land all along. If he did, why Absecon and Browns Mills?
Truth is, I've never thought the Browns Mills speculated site had any basis in fact, but to suggest Crump owned the land all along would totally refute several of the reports from the exact same time (1912 - 1913) in favor of one nearly 20 years later...doesn't seem prudent.
Did you really just say that the 3rd hole does not drop? You used the words 3rd tee and I can only assume you meant 3rd hole because who would ever discuss, let alone argue, the changing elevation of a tee pad?