NJ History Online

By in Sources Tags:

I recently discovered some interesting articles online about New Jersey history. For instance:

“Mutiny of the New Jersey Line” by Michael Schellhammer (March 19, 2014)

Nice summary of the events of the winter of 1780-81 when NJ troops stationed at Pompton became fed up with their conditions. Written in casual, non-academic language, perfect for us busy folks who love history but have other things to distract us. Considering that the mutineers had agreed to return to camp, it is surprising that Gen. Washington took such a strong position against them. Despite the fact that the NJ men only wanted to return home because their enlistments had expired, Washington and Howe determined to make an example of them, to discourage insubordination throughout the army. Two men were executed: Sergeant David Gilmore and Sergeant John Tuttle. Sergeant Major Grant would have been, but officers were persuaded he was not a ring leader that they thought he was. It was a high price to pay for a disciplined army.

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The Secrets To A Great House History

By in Hunterdon, Sources Tags:

Most people who decide to research their properties head straight to the Search Room in the County Clerk’s Office to find the earliest deed they can. I understand the impulse—that’s exactly what I did over 30 years ago. But experience has taught me there is a better way to get started. I recently gave a talk on this subject for the Hunterdon County 300th Anniversary speakers’ series. It gave me a chance to boil down my approach to a few simple rules. Here they are:

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The Old Sergeant Mill

By in Delaware Township, Historians Revisited, J. M. Hoppock, Opdycke, Sergeant Tags:

by Jonathan M. Hoppock
published in the Democrat-Advertiser, July 20, 1905

This article is a follow up to the one published in 1901 titled “Sergeant Mansion and Mill, 1745.” Some of the information in this article was taken directly from the earlier one. Perhaps Mr. Hoppock figured no one would remember what he had written before. I am publishing these articles on the website because there are errors and this is a good way to make note of them.

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Sergeant Mill and Mansion, 1745

By in Delaware Township, Historians Revisited, J. M. Hoppock, Opdycke, Sergeant Tags:

by Jonathan M. Hoppock
published in the Democrat Advertiser, December 5, 1901

This interesting old property deserves a much longer treatment than Mr. Hoppock was able to give. He did return to this subject when he published “The Old Sergeant Mill” on July 20, 1905. However, that article was focused on the mill, rather than the house—the mill was located just north of  the house, but has since been torn down. The most remarkable thing about the house is that it has been in the same family since Charles Sergeant and wife Sarah Green took possession in 1805, over 200 years.1

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Poor Horace Greeley

By in E. T. Bush, Families, Historians Revisited, Williamson Tags: ,

“Poor Horace” was Horace Greeley (1811-1872), founder, publisher and editor of the New York Tribune, a very influential newspaper during Greeley’s lifetime. He was also one of the founders of the new Republican Party in 1854. He was a vigorous opponent of slavery, and promoted many idealistic causes. In 1872 he was the candidate of both the Liberal Republican party and the Democratic Party against Republican Ulysses S. Grant, who was running for a second term. Despite the corruption of Grant’s administration, Greeley lost the electoral college in a landslide.

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Generations of Greens

By in Delaware Township, Families, Green, Hunterdon, Larison Tags:

The family of Samuel Green and Sarah Bull were among the earliest settlers of Amwell Township in Hunterdon County. The part of Amwell they lived in became Delaware Township in 1838. Their descendants were important to the town’s history, and married into other notable local families. Because this one family had such an impact, I thought it appropriate to list them all, or at least down to the great-grandchildren of Samuel and Sarah—all 154 of them. Each of their four children had an astounding number of grandchildren: 21, 50, 31 and 52.

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A Scandal in Baptistown

By in Baptistown, Bray, Families, Hunterdon, Kingwood Township, Lair, Locktown, Rittenhouse Tags:

“Repeated Rascalities” Create
Embarrassment for a New Church

A continuation of the Kingwood Baptist division of 1839

The Missionary Baptists of Kingwood got off to a very rough start. After a promising beginning, they turned their backs on the pastor who led them through the creation a new church, and chose instead a newcomer who proved to be a scoundrel. (You can see the first installment of this story here.)

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Baptists Divided, or

By in Bray, Families, Hunterdon, Kingwood Township, Lair, Locktown, Rittenhouse Tags: ,

Who Put the Lock in Locktown?

The Kingwood Baptist Church and the Second Great Awakening

This article is based on an article published many years ago in “Friends Report,” the newsletter of the Friends of the Locktown Stone Church. I have added information and made some major corrections.

The Swamp Meeting House

Pediment over a door to the Locktown Stone Church
Pediment over a door to the Locktown Stone Church

In the village of Locktown, in Delaware Township, there is a handsome stone church constructed in 1819 in the federal style.

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