My last article was the first of the series I hope to write about Flemington’s 19th century buildings with arches on their rooflines. That last article featured the Clock Tower building at the corner of Main Street and Bloomfield Avenue, built in 1874 by George A. Rea. Now let’s stroll south along Main Street to visit the next building in this series.
part nine of The Route Not Taken
In this episode of the saga of the unbuilt rail line we travel from Sand Brook into Raritan Township, on our way to Walnut Brook. Here is a detail of the railroad survey map.
Recently I gave a talk at the Hunterdon Co. Historical Society on how to research the history of one’s house. While preparing for the talk, I decided to look over the history I did for my own house back in 1981. It was the first one I had ever done, and I hadn’t a clue about how to go about it. I found most of the owners of my home, but some of them were absentee owners, so I didn’t pay much attention to them. On reviewing my chain of title, I got curious about one of those absentee owners, and began to do some more serious research. It paid off with a pretty interesting story.
I sometimes lose track of the information I have collected in my researches. Today I stumbled across these photographs I took of Delilah Buchanan’s 1829 tavern license application, on file at the Hunterdon County Archives. Delilah Buchanan got a lot of my attention while researching Buchanan’s Tavern. (The series of articles can be found by clicking on the topic in the right-hand column.)
Hunterdon County Needlework and Hunterdon County in the Civil War.
On Saturday (June 1st) I visited the Hunterdon County Historical Society in Flemington to see what had become of the familiar old Deats Memorial Library. Significant changes have been taking place there, triggered by the need to meet building requirements for handicap access. The results are impressive, and I am looking forward to spending time in these new digs.
In response to Egbert T. Bush’s article on Buchanan’s Tavern
Where was Buchanan’s Tavern? Recently,1 I found the first tavern where I didn’t expect it, on the west side of Route 579 near the intersection with Route 523. Most people think it was on the east side of the road, where the Miceks now have a small farm. They are right—there was a Buchanan’s tavern there, but it was the second Buchanan’s Tavern, and here is the rest of the story.
I’ve been hard at work trying finish up the saga of Buchanan’s Tavern, and it still isn’t done. Still some last minute questions to resolve. But I want to share this little surprise I found in the Guardianship papers for the children of Archibald Buchanan dec’d (File No. 73). I guess the Surrogate’s Clerk had some empty moments to fill.
Was the clerk’s name ‘S. Camaken Houd’ ? ¬†Love the tree, the book and the number square.
A response to the article written by Egbert T. Bush on August 7, 1930 entitled “Buchanan’s, A Tavern With A Long History”
The three previous articles on this subject and Mr. Bush’s article can be found by clicking on the topic “Buchanan’s Tavern” in the right-hand column.
A response to the article written by Egbert T. Bush on August 7, 1930 entitled “Buchanan’s, A Tavern With A Long History”
(Part One and Part Two)
Continuing on the quest to find Buchanan’s Tavern, let us return to Daniel Robins, who died in 1763. My previous post mentioned that his wife Frances was named administrator of his estate. Surety (“fellowbondsman”) for administration of the estate was Thomas Atkinson, merchant. The Inventory was made by John Mullinner and John Emley. These were all important men in early Kingwood Township, which is some reflection on Daniel Robins. Thomas Atkinson ran an important store in Kingwood.1 John Emley was a wealthy Quaker and large landowner in Kingwood Township. (He was close enough to the Robins family to be named to make the inventory of Daniel Robins, along with Hugh Hicks.) John Mullinner was also a Quaker of Kingwood Township. With these three Kingwood men involved in the estate, one might conclude that Daniel Robins lived there also, but there is no evidence that he did. Perhaps the real connection was their Quaker religion. Sure enough, the minutes of the Kingwood Monthly Meeting show that on the 10th day of the 7th  month (Sept. 10), 1758, Daniel Robins declared himself a Quaker.
A response to the article by Egbert T. Bush on August 7, 1930 titled
“Buchanan’s, A Tavern With A Long History” and a continuation from Part One, A History of the Old Stone House on Robins Hill (Raritan Twp. Block 60 lot 40)
Anyone who has attempted to sort out land titles in the 18th century, particularly in New Jersey, knows what frustration is. It’s true, there are some records, but they are so incomplete, so full of hints that can’t be verified, that I feel just a little uneasy about the claims I am about to make. But make them I will.
