Buchanan’s Tavern

John P. Rittenhouse

By in Delaware Township, Flemington, Hunterdon County, Rittenhouse No Comments Tags: , , , ,

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.

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Delilah Buchanan’s Tavern License Application

By in Hunterdon County 2 Comments Tags: ,

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.)

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In My Library: Two Hunterdon Books

By in Hunterdon County, In My Library 2 Comments Tags: , , , ,

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. Continue reading »

Buchanan’s Tavern, The Last Chapter

By in Hunterdon County, Raritan Township, Sutton 5 Comments Tags: , , ,

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. Continue reading »

An 1835 Doodle

By in Hunterdon County 4 Comments Tags:

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.

Found on minutes of a hearing in the guardianship papers for Archibald Buchanan dec'd, No. 73
Found on minutes of a hearing in the guardianship papers for Archibald Buchanan dec’d, No. 73

Was the clerk’s name ‘S. Camaken Houd’ ?  Love the tree, the book and the number square.

The Two Taverns at Robins Hill, part four

By in Families, Hunterdon County, Kitchen, Raritan Township, Robins, Sutton 9 Comments Tags: , , ,

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.

The Second Buchanan’s Tavern

The landmark house at the intersection of Routes 523 and 579, familiar to all who pass that way (especially in the summer when fresh corn and tomatoes can be had from the Micek farm), was once known as Buchanan’s tavern. It was, in fact, the second Buchanan’s tavern, owned by Archibald Buchanan and his wife Delilah Sutton. But before writing about them, I must return to the Robins family. Continue reading »

The Two Taverns at Robins Hill, part three

By in Amwell Township, Families, Hunterdon County, Raritan Township, Robins 4 Comments Tags: , , , ,

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)

Daniel and Frances Robins

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. Continue reading »

The Two Taverns at Robins Hill, Part Two

By in Amwell Township, Families, Hunterdon County, Kitchen, Myers, Raritan Township, Robins 15 Comments Tags: , , ,

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. Continue reading »

The Two Taverns At Robins Hill

By in Amwell Township, Families, Hunterdon County, Raritan Township, Robins 5 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

A response to the article written by Egbert T. Bush on August 7, 1930 entitled
“Buchanan’s, A Tavern With A Long History”

Never, never assume. That’s a lesson I have just learned again. When I began looking into the history of Buchanan’s Tavern, I was operating on the assumption that the original 18th century tavern was the old stone house at the top of the hill on Route 579, just north of the intersection of County Routes 523 and 579. And the newer Buchanan’s was the old house on the northeast corner of the intersection, now owned by the Micek family. Turns out, I was wrong, but now I know why. And I’ve gotten a chance to write about one of my favorite early settlers, Daniel Robins. Here is the tale: Continue reading »

Buchanan’s, A Tavern With A Long History

By in E. T. Bush, Families, Historians Revisited, Raritan Township, Robins, Sutton, Thatcher No Comments Tags: , , ,

Property Was Formerly Owned by Judge Adam O. Robbins
Stood at Important Crossroads

by Egbert T. Bush, Stockton, N.J.
published in the Hunterdon County Democrat, August 7, 1930

This article needs many more footnote annotations than most of the Bush articles I have published so far. In fact, despite the 24 footnotes in this article, there is so much to say about it, that I find it necessary to write a separate post. It is called “The Two Taverns at Robins Hill.“ Continue reading »