While processing the reams of archived material at the Hunterdon County Historical Society, archivist Donald Cornelius came upon a handwritten diary composed during the years of the Civil War. He was stunned and thrilled by what he found, a personal journal from a resident of Locktown written during those stressful years, 1861-1863. I am equally thrilled that he shared his find with me. Since the Civil War officially ended 150 years ago on April 9th, I would like to share with you the first pages of this fascinating document, written by Benjamin Harvey Ellicott.
Flemington
FLEMINGTON has been the county seat of Hunterdon County since 1780. With the county court house there, it has been home to some fascinating characters like Samuel G. Opdycke and Nathaniel Saxton, and other attorneys like Samuel Southard. The town has a rich history which I hope to mine.
Samuel G. Opdycke Esq., continued
For the first part of this story, please visit Samuel G. Opdycke Esq.
Samuel G. Opdycke was a young man of promise. Thanks to the Opdycke Genealogy, we have a description of what he looked like, and, even better, we have a portrait:
Samuel Green Opdycke Esq.
“Ascending!
FINDING the room on the first floor of the Court House rather too much confined for an office, and the passage too much obstructed by lockage for the free ingress and egress of clients, I have selected, for a summer office, a beautiful airy chamber in the extreme front of the building. This pleasant apartment is situated immediately over the portico of this lofty edifice, and overlooks the main street of the village; After rising three inclined planes, clients will arrive at the summit level of my office; the door opens toward the east between two windows; No toll demanded until they arrive at the summit. – Passage back, free of expense; Samuel G. Opdycke, Flemington, May 19, 1830.”1
The Jubilee Continues
Now the fun begins–the 1826 Celebration of the Fourth of July in Flemington, NJ. (Part Two of the reprint of my article in the Hunterdon Historical Newsletter, Spring 2006. You can read Part One here.)
The Jubilee of 1826
In celebration of this year’s Fourth of July, it seems appropriate to reprint (in two parts, and slightly updated) my article published in the Hunterdon Historical Newsletter, in the Spring issue of 2006 (pp. 981, 983-87).