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.) Continue reading »
The Revolution
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). Continue reading »
A Short History of Rittenhouse Tavern
In this week’s edition of the Hunterdon County Democrat, the regular feature “Old Ink” had an interesting item:
1887
PRESIDENTIAL–The house owned by Mr. George Hoppock at Rosemont is now undergoing an overhauling. This is an old relic, built in 1754. The rafters were raised on the day of Braddock’s defeat. It was long known as Rittenhouse’s tavern. It is reported that Gen. Washington took dinner in the house during the period of the Revolutionary War. Continue reading »
Caleb Farley’s Headquarters Farm
In this article, Mr. Bush begins with a discussion of the Caleb Farley farm in Headquarters, but strays from the subject of his headline to also discuss a farm just west of Sergeantsville, once owned by the Larew family. Continue reading »
Andrew Bray and Sarah Rittenhouse
I am not ready to write at length about Gen. Daniel Bray. But in order to write about his son Andrew, something must be said of the father. Continue reading »
Thomas Jones v. David Johnes
Who Collected The Boats?
I must begin by congratulating all those who worked so hard to save the Christopher Vought house in Clinton Township. The building is a living reminder of the passions that so profoundly moved Americans of all persuasions during the Revolutionary War. To lose that building would have been a tragic loss through demolition by neglect. Continue reading »
Home of Capt. David Jones
by Jonathan M. Hoppock
published August 31, 1905
in the Democrat Advertiser, Flemington, NJ
The article was written by Mr. Hoppock. The footnotes are mine.
Reading Howell’s Map of 1785
Some time ago, I made reference to the map of the Delaware River prepared by Reading Howell. Some people pointed out to me that Howell had made such a map in 1792, but were surprised by the date 1785. I had seen a copy of that map but had been unable to find it in my papers—that is, until today, when I found a very nice copy among the news clippings and other items saved by Edna Laszlo of Raven Rock. I am sorry to say, there was no notation explaining where the original map is kept. Continue reading »
Raven Rock (Saxtonville) & Bull’s Island, continued
John Ladd
John Ladd was one of the Quaker immigrants who came to West New Jersey in 1678. He was also on hand when William Penn was designing the layout of his new town of Philadelphia. Family tradition says that Penn offered him a choice of one of the best squares in the city or £30, and that Ladd chose the money, whereupon Penn said: “John thou art a ladd by name and a lad by nature, doesn’t thee know that Philadelphia will be a great city?” (Ah, Penn—such a joker.) Continue reading »
White Hall Recruiting Station, 1775-1781
by Jonathan M. Hoppock
Democrat-Advertiser, 24 October 1901
This old building, erected in 1758 at Head Quarters, now Grover, standing on the corner of the road on the farm at present owned by Smith Skinner, was, between the dates given above, used as a recruiting station.1 As shown by papers in possession of the writer, Captain David Jones, of the Continental line, was the recruiting officer, and at this point, when the alarm was given that the then hated minions of King George had made a landing at Paulus Hook (Jersey City) or Amboy, would assemble the patriotic old citizen-soldiery, armed with the flint-locks, home-made bullets and powder horns, and from thence hasten to the front to assist the great Washington in beating back the invaders.2 Continue reading »