I have been writing about the neighborhood of Sandy Ridge for several weeks now, but have neglected probably the most important family to live there—the Vandolahs. It is time to remedy that omission.
Once again, I return to Egbert T. Bush’s article, “Sandy Ridge Long a Farm Community.” He wrote:
This post is a return to Egbert T. Bush’s article “Sandy Ridge Long a Farm Community,” the first half of which was published last month (“Sandy Ridge, part four.”) Today I resume with Mr. Bush’s description of a small lot on Sandy Ridge Road, where once stood a house that is now long gone. (Block 54 Lot 10).
Observers of Hunterdon history on Facebook have called our attention to the anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Hunterdon County Courthouse on February 13, 1828. This inspired me to look at the Hunterdon Gazette for 1828 to see how people reacted to this disaster.
Last Sunday, I gave a talk to the Lambertville Historical Society about how to research one’s property in Hunterdon County, with a special focus on Lambertville. It was a great group of people, and I got a chance to appreciate how awesome old photos look when projected on an enormous screen. It was also nice to show many more pictures than I can reasonably do on this blog.
This article continues my exploration of the neighborhood of Sandy Ridge by presenting the first half of Egbert T. Bush’s article “Sandy Ridge Long a Farm Community.” There could be no better expert on the subject than Mr. Bush, who lived in Sandy Ridge for many years and taught at the old Vandolah School.
Robert Sharp immigrated from Deal, Kent County England to Philadelphia prior to the Revolution. He moved to Princeton and apprenticed as a shoemaker before settling in Hunterdon County. He married Rachel Ent, one of the twelve children of Valentine Ent and Susannah Moore about 1778, while the Revolution was in progress. The family is discussed in Egbert T. Bush’s article “Sandy Ridge Long a Farm Community,” published as Sandy Ridge, part four.
This is a continuation of Egbert T. Bush’s article, “Old Headstones and Headlines,” which focused on the neighborhood of Sandy Ridge.1
As far as I am concerned, the Fauss family in Hunterdon County begins with Rev. Jacob Fauss and his wife Margaret Space, who settled in Amwell Township before the Revolution. His parents may have been living in Amwell township when he was born, I cannot say. He probably had a sister Catharine (c.1746 – 1821) who married a Yawger.