Join us for the Garden Party, a time-honored tradition of the Monmouth County Historical Association! Please Join Us for the 50th Annual Garden Party Honoring Cynthia Wilby and Larry Metz for Years of Service Preserving and Protecting Monmouth County History Friday, June 13th 5:30 - 8:30 Graciously hosted at the home of Claire and Woody Knopf 72 West River Road Rumson, New Jersey 07760 Tickets Sponsor Packages  Taylor Butler House - $10,00 0  Includes 12 Tickets, event recognition on signage, full color virtual ad displayed for 20 seconds  Marlpit Hall - $5000  Includes 8 Tickets, event recognition on signage, full color virtua l ad displayed for 15 seconds  Covenhoven House - $2500  Includes 6 Tickets, event recognition on signage, full color virtua l ad displayed for 15 seconds  Allen House - $1000  Includes 4 Tickets, event recognition on signage, full color virtua l ad displayed for 10 seconds  Holmes-Hendrickson House $600  Includes 2 Tickets, event recognition on signage, full color virtua l ad displayed for 10 seconds  Underwriting All Underwriting opportunities include a full-page color ad in the Virtual Ad Journal for 15 seconds  Catering - $20,000         Tent - $10,000        Valet Parking  - $7000     Ad Journal - $5000 Invitation -  Sold Bar - Sold Music - $3000  Party Favor Fan - Sold Flowers - Sold Advertising / Ticket Packages Patron $400  Includes 2 Tickets and a 2 sentence “Shout Out” Virtual ad displayed for 10 seconds History Lover $200 Includes 1 Ticket and a 2 sentence “Shout Out” Virtual ad displayed for 10 seconds  Advertisement Only $300  Includes a full page Virtual ad, displayed for 10 seconds  Individual Ticket $175  Tickets MCHA Commemorative Bricks   Purchase a 4”x8”x 2.5” commemorative brick to be laid at an MCHA property   Three lines of text, 20 characters per line (including spaces and punctuation)  $125 

Monmouth County Historical Association is a non-profit history museum, research library and archives with five historic houses throughout the county. Museum Hours Main Museum, 70 Court Street in Freehold : Opening Wednesday October 30th for our new exhibit On the Edge of War: Monmouth Before the Revolution. Open Wed-Fri 1-4, and on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays of the month from 1-4 Covenhoven House : Fridays 1-4, 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from 1-4 Marlpit Hall and Taylor Butler House : Fri-Sun 1-4 Allen House is currently closed for renovations, reopening in 2026! Free audio tours for adults (and kids!) available here for Covenhoven, Marlpit Hall and the Allen House! Events 50th Annual Garden Party June 13, 2025 5:30 - 8:30 pm Please help support MCHA by joining us for this wonderful tradition! Click the link for more information! New Exhibit! Opening Wed, October 30th, 2024 Wed - Fri 1 - 4 pm 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays of the month This exhibition presents a personal look at the lives and conditions of Monmouth’s men, women, and children in the decades leading up to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. The Allen House Restoration Project 400 Sycamore Ave, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 Please consider helping MCHA save an important piece of American history by donating to the Allen House restoration project. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar. Thank you in advance for your generosity - we could not do everything we do without the care and dedication of the community! DONATE Reading of the Declaration of Independence at The Allen House 9:00 am, Friday, July 4th 400 Sycamore Ave, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 Join us in paying homage to our nation's most iconic document at this patriotic, longtime family tradition! This beloved event grows every year - we hope to see you there! RevolutionNJ's History Happened Here initiative MCHA is a proud partner of the grades 5-12 History Happened Here initiative. Students are welcome to click HERE to learn how to use our resources to discover our fascinating Monmouth County history, and how it fits into the larger framework of American history. Explore Explore our museum collections, exhibits, educational materials, research library and historic houses. Exhibits Click image for more details on individual exhibits Education: K-12 and Lifelong Learners Digital and on-site programs K-12 Education Library & Archives Research Monmouth County History and Genealogy Library and Archives Open by appointment only A Virtual Lecture Series Historically Speaking Historically Speaking: A Virtual Lecture Series Check schedule for upcoming presentations BLOG Blog Check out what the MCHA staff finds interesting! eMuseum Explore one of the country's finest regional collections eMuseum Virtual Museum Gallery Visit the Houses Visit the Houses Learn about the houses with select exterior audio tours Oral Histories Hear history told by the fascinating individuals who lived it Oral Histories Monmouth History! Our curriculum-based digital resource was created for high schoolers - but we guarantee you'll learn something new no matter what your age! Objects, images, archival documents, and videos tell many of Monmouth's most fascinating stories. The page is under construction, but you are welcome to see it in progress! Learn more Join our email list for updates! Sign Up Thanks for submitting!

The Monmouth County Historical Association collects, preserves, and interprets its extensive museum and archival collections relating to Monmouth County history and culture, making these resources available to the widest possible audience through special programming and exhibits. MCHA also preserves and interprets five significant historic sites that represent the county’s vanishing architectural heritage. Freehold High School, c. 1925 History is Ours Monmouth County, New Jersey is home to some of the most revolutionary history in the story of America. Originally settled in 1675 as part of what was known as the province of East Jersey and officially established in 1683, the county was divided into the three towns of Freehold, Middletown and Shrewsbury. It was from Freehold that Washington strengthened our resolve at the Battle of Monmouth, young William Burroughs Ross went off to fight for the Union, and a tenacious, spirited Lillie Hamm walked into Freehold High School, ready to change the world. Explore the Stories in the MCHA Museum and Archives and Beyond... Established in 1898, MCHA is home to one of the finest and most extensive regional collections in the country. Our museum collection contains over 35,000 objects, and our archives house over 1,000 manuscript collections. In partnership with local history organizations, this digital resource has been curated to support the NJ Social Studies Curriculum for high school students. We are pleased to offer a variety of local and national primary source examples and other fascinating material to help engage students in the classroom, and will continue to build and refresh the resource with new discoveries. Colonial Era thru Revolution 1600s - 1783 Slavery Era, 16oos-1865 Civil War Era, 1861-1865 Early L ocal Industry 1800s to mid-1900s The Gilded Age thru the New Deal 1870-1938 War in the 20th Century Featured Art Peter Luyster c. 1760 by Daniel Hendrickson No, we don't know either. But good luck sleeping tonight. Now and Then... Hover to Peek Into the Past! Click to Enter Under Construction ! Small Town Life Diverse Monmouth Monmouth County has a rich history of diversity, though minority populations have not always been documented as thoroughly. Through oral histories, video presentations and photographs, learn about the achievements of individuals with physical challenges, the fight for women's equality, the fascinating history of Asbury Park's Segregated Seashore, and the struggles and triumphs of our African American and LGBTQ communities. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Inspiring Civil Rights Quotes from MC Residents We must discredit the notion that economic status defines an individual’s morality. - Reverend William H. Dickerson Next Social Justice Next Next Hey guess what? The next group of categories really have nothing to do with your curriculum, but we think this stuff is cool so we're sharing it with you anyway! Fun ... Fascinating... Quirky.... Monmouth County Stuff & Things People Interesting Stories Museum Collection Have an idea for us? We know an awful lot over here but we don't know it all...if you have an idea for a topic, please share it and we will do our best to integrate it! Email suggestions to dhowell@monmouthhistory.org

Colonial Monmouth Cockpit of the Revolution Due to its positioning as the corridor between New York and Philadelphia, Monmouth County has been referred to as the Cockpit of the Revolution. It was a hotbed of revolutionary activity, brimming with unsettling tension and violence between patriots and loyalists who had little tolerance for each other. Spying and secret business abounded, and much was happening behind the scenes to further the cause of American Independence. Colonial NJ 1600s -1763 Revolution! 1764 - 1783 Battle of Monmouth June 28, 1778 The Aftermath The effects of the war were felt for decades after in Monmouth County. Music of the Era Much can be learned from the songs that were being sung amongst the colonists, giving insight into the events and the sentiments surrounding them. Explore some of the popular tunes that would have been familiar to both Patriots and Loyalists alike! Historic Sites There are still plenty of places you can visit if you want to walk in the footsteps of our revolutionary ancestors. You have probably driven by many of them already and not known what happened there two and a half centuries ago! BACK

Our Historic Houses Check Homepage for Current Hours CoHo Audio Tour About the House: Welcome to Covenhoven House! This historic 1752 Freehold home was acquired by the Monmouth County Historical Association in 1966 and restored between 1968 and 1970. It is furnished to reflect a 1790 inventory from William Covenhoven’s estate, and includes many furnishings that a successful Monmouth County farm family might have had at that time. Interestingly, the back of the house now faces the street because when the house was erected the road was located several hundred feet from the opposite side of the structure. In the early 19th century, the road to Mount Holly was straightened, later becoming West Main Street (Route 537). Covenhoven House, 1752 150 West Main Street Freehold, NJ 07728 William and Elizabeth Covenhoven built their imposing new residence in an unusual combination of the latest English Georgian features and good Dutch traditions, fitting given that they were a fifth generation family from the Netherlands who settled originally in the New Amsterdam area. In June of 1778, the Covenhoven House had an unexpected, and important, visitor. On the way to New York City from Philadelphia, British General Henry Clinton occupied what must have been the finest house in Freehold for thirty-six hours leading up the Battle of Monmouth (June 28, 1778). Mrs. Covenhoven took precautions to save some of her household goods. But General Clinton and his officers did much damage to the contents of the house, forcing the elderly Elizabeth to sleep in her milk room. After the war, the Covenhovens filed a claim for their losses with the State of New Jersey. Visitors to the house should ask their docent more about this story! Exterior Audio tour AllenHouse Marlpit Hall, c. 1762 137 Kings Highway Middletown, NJ 07748 Exhibit Open Fri-Sun from 1-4 Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall is a reinterpretation of this 18th century farmhouse to include the stories of seven of the enslaved who once resided there. Discover the stories of Tom, Elizabeth, Clarisse, York, William, Hannah, and Ephraim. About the House: While four of the five historical houses owned by Monmouth County Historical Association have ties to Patriots of the American Revolution, this house represents the residence of a Loyalist family. Both the structure and the site are rich in historical significance. The property was laid out as lot number 36 in the original 1667 survey of Middletown village. Early owner James Grover Jr. erected the kitchen section of thestructure in 1686, making it one of the oldest surviving structures in New Jersey. It was built in a salt-box shape with a large keeping room in front, and one or two smaller rooms behind. The house was greatly enlarged about 1762 into a center hallway residence with grandly paneled rooms on either side. The original cottage became the kitchen, and its salt-box shape determined the roofline of the new section. Edward Taylor, a brother of John, took possession of Marlpit Hall in 1771. It remained in the hands of his descendants until 1930. The Georgian-style house, reflecting the lifestyle and taste of its occupants, is furnished with fine examples of 18th century furniture, many with histories of ownership in Middletown. During a Kings Highway realignment project in 1919, Marlpit Hall was moved back roughly thirty feet due to the energetic efforts to preserve it by Miss Mary Holmes Taylor. But gradually the house fell into decay. In 1935, Marlpit Hall was purchased by Mrs. J. Amory Haskell, a pre-eminent collector of early American decorative arts who lived in Middletown. Mrs. Haskell had the house restored, and in 1936 presented it fully furnished to Monmouth County Historical Association, of which she was a principal patron. It became the first historic house museum in Monmouth County to open to the public. Marlpit Hall is a key property in the Middletown Village Historic District, which is listed on the New Jersey State and National Register of Historic Places. The house is also listed on the New Jersey Women’s Heritage Trail. The Taylor family later built the Taylor-Butler House next door in 1853. MCHA owns and operates both properties as a single campus. Exterior Audio Tours *Spanish language tour available! Allen House, c. 1710 Historic Four Corners 400 Sycamore Avenue Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 About the Allen House: This landmark structure sits at the northwest corner of the Historic Four Corners in Shrewsbury, sharing the intersection with Christ Church (1769), the Presbyterian Church (1821), Shrewsbury Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Meetinghouse (1816) and the Shrewsbury Historical Museum. MCHA has chosen to furnish the building as a tavern to reflect its 18th century reputation as the Blue Ball Tavern when it served as the very popular and “most noted tavern in Shrewsbury.” It also acted as the one of the community’s vital social institutions, serving at times as a court room where legal decisions were handed down by a visiting judge, town hall, post office, dance hall and gathering place. The property where the house stands was first purchased around 1680 by a Quaker named Judah Allen. In 1754, Josiah Halstead bought the property and turned the existing dwelling on the site into the Blue Ball Tavern which operated for almost sixty years at that busy intersection. Over the years, several major improvements were made to the structure, including construction of an attached kitchen with a large brick fireplace, and conversion to the present gambrel roof so that the attic space could be turned into more usable rooms. The first floor provided a tap room where patrons could enjoy a drink, discuss local politics and engage in a card game by the fireplace. The second floor contained a large meeting room, and a smaller chamber that might have accommodated overnight patrons. The rich history of the Allen House includes, among other events, a Revolutionary War massacre (1779) and a visit from President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson (1916), who stopped in for goods during a period when the property acted as a local store. Allen House is currently under renovation. Visitors are welcome to tour the exterior! Exterior Audio Tour Taylor-Butler House, c. 1853 127 Kings Highway Middletown, NJ 07748 About the House: While four of the five historical houses owned by Monmouth County Historical Association have ties to the Revolutionary War, this house represents the Civil War era. Joseph Dorset Taylor and Mary Holmes Taylor, first cousins and proud descendants of the Taylors of Middletown, decided to move back to Middletown and build an imposing new house on an inherited family farm (one including Marlpit Hall). The outcome was a restrained Italianate residence, named “Orchard Home” but now called the Taylor-Butler House, built in 1853. It reflected the success that Joseph Taylor had achieved as a merchant in the China Trade. They furnished their new home with items from China mixed with Taylor family heirlooms. The house, with its broad stair hall, spacious rooms, high ceilings, and exceptional architectural detailing, was an elegant testimony to the family’s traditions and to mid-19th century taste. At the time of its construction, the Taylor-Butler House was considered the grandest house in Middletown, a distinction it richly deserved. After the death of the last Mary Holmes Taylor in 1930, Orchard Home stood vacant for ten years. The Kramer family purchased the home in 1941 and installed modern plumbing, electricity, and a hot water heating system but otherwise left the structure’s architectural character largely alone. In 1954, George and Alice Butler – noted for their community involvement and hospitality – took possession of this gracious home. The Monmouth County Historical Association acquired this historic site and five acres in 1999 from the estate of George Butler. Today, the house serves as a gallery space to showcase MCHA’s extensive art collection, with a special nod to artists from the immediate area. In addition, the Taylor-Butler House is available to rent for weddings, gatherings, parties, and other special events. Together, the two Taylor houses – Taylor-Butler and Marlpit Hall – offer a unique historical and cultural resource to benefit the Middletown community and Monmouth County at large. Holmes-Hendrickson House Property of the Monmouth County Park System Interior furnished and interpreted by the Monmouth County Historical Association 62 Longstreet Rd. Holmdel, NJ 07733 About Holmes-Hendrickson House: This uniquely well-preserved structure with wide flaring eaves is set in the Pleasant Valley section of Holmdel, NJ, abutting Holmdel Park & Historic Longstreet Farm. Built in 1754, it is a combination of Georgian and Dutch vernacular architecture that borrowed elements from both Dutch and English cultures. William Holmes, the youngest son of Jonathan Holmes and Teuntje Hendrickson, purchased the land from his parents in 1752. His first cousin Garret Hendrickson then bought the property in 1756 with all of its improvements. Hendrickson operated a successful mixed-use farm where he grew crops, raised livestock including sheep for wool, and planted flax to produce linen. Originally, the house stood just over a mile from its current location. In 1929, Bell Telephone Laboratories acquired the farm to establish a communications test site. Afterward, the house, never equipped with plumbing, electricity, or central heating, was used occasionally for storage. In 1959, Bell Labs began planning for the construction of a large new office building designed by legendary architect Eero Saarinen, now an important landmark in its own right. MCHA acquired the house and moved it to a small lot donated for the purpose. Visitors should ask their house docent for more details on the move itself! After several years of restoration, the Holmes-Hendrickson House was opened to the public in 1965. Today, the house stands in the same orientation to the sun as in its original location. Should Garret Hendrickson, who died in 1801, visit his home again, he would surely recognize it immediately.

DIGITAL RESOURCES CLASS TRIPS PROF. DEV MCHA is a proud partner of the grades 5-12 History Happened Here initiative. Students are welcome to click here to learn how to use our resources to discover our fascinating Monmouth County history, and how it fits into the larger framework of American history. Education Programs DigRes Digital Education Our award-winning exhibit on slavery in New Jersey, Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall , is now the focus of two grade-banded digital companions, tailored to NJ curriculum standards Colonial History (Upper Elementary level) General Monmouth County History (Intermediate-through-Secondary level) Digital resources are currently only available for laptop/PC viewing CLICK the image to access the resource Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall Using primary sources and artifacts from the MCHA collections and material culture from the historic c. 1756 Marlpit Hall in Middletown, this exhibit tells the stories of seven of the 12 known enslaved individuals who inhabited this residence. The larger story of slavery in New Jersey is also explored through careful research and documentation. Upper Elementary Level Middle School / High School Colonial Kids Education Page This upper elementary resource focuses on the Colonial Era. Discover what 18th-century life was like for the people who lived at the historic Covenhoven House in Freehold! Monmouth County Education Page This intermediate/high school resource focuses heavily on primary sources from the collections of MCHA and beyond to illustrate the rich history of Monmouth County! Colonial era documents, WWII artifacts and ephemera, newspaper articles, and other unique objects help students connect American history to fascinating local history. Trips On-Site Education: Covenhoven House and Monmouth Battlefield! 150 W. Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 Grades 2-6 The only date left for this immensely popular combination trip is May 14th, 2025. Dates are still available, however, for the 90-minute Covenhoven program. Book NOW for 2026, the 250th anniversary of our nation!! This beautiful 1752 historic house museum offers students a window into the Colonial era. Situated on what was known as the Burlington Path, Elizabeth Covenhoven's stately residence was used by General Clinton as the British headquarters in the days before the Battle of Monmouth. Our new exhibit, Choices , will explore the options our various forebears were faced with during the American Revolution. Would you side with the Patriots...or Loyalists? Stay to defend your home, or flee to safety? For the enslaved, the British promised freedom if they fought for the crown...but could this promise be trusted? Students will tour the house and learn about life in the Colonial era through the various historical figures who lived in and visited this home. Groups of students will rotate out to nearby Monmouth Battlefield, the next stop for the British where they clashed with the Continental Army at the Battle of Monmouth. There they will learn about the battle from the park historian and participate in a pre-selected choice of activities, including a battlefield hike, museum scavenger hunt, cannon or musket drill! Covenhoven House Program Only This 90-minute program includes a fun tour of this historic house museum, a hearth cooking demonstration, and a spy code-cracking activity! Students are welcomed into the home by a costumed interpreter, where they will be transported by the sights and sounds of the 18th century as the delicious scent of cinnamon applesauce cooks gently in the kitchen. Dates book very quickly - we cannot stress enough to secure your date early! Hope to see you soon! INQUIRE Recent Review from Mr. Iosue at St. Rose of Lima School: Taking our fifth graders on a trip to the Covenhoven House was a no brainer. As a local historical site I knew this would allow the students to connect on a deeper level. As we toured the home the children were extremely engaged in all of the aspects of colonial life demonstrated to them. The presenters were very knowledgeable and receptive to questions and comments. It was a day that will remain with our students for a long time because of the dedication of the staff. The program was well organized and structured while being exciting and filled with suspense. Every room had a rich history and as it all was explained to us, our fifth graders were able to see the classroom experience come alive. I truly would recommend a trip to the Covenhoven House to any teacher! The kids have not stopped talking about it...from the kitchen to the garden...they loved it all! Thank you to the association! Marlpit Hall Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall 137 Kings Hwy, Middletown, NJ 07748 Program is tailored for attending grade band (click here for pdf) $10 per student grades 3-12 (Approx. 90-minute program) Combination trips with the historic Murray Farmhouse at Poricy Park or the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center are also available! Freehold High School students, 2022 This c. 1762 house features our award-winning exhibit, Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall . Students Grades 3-6* tour the historic house museum to learn about slavery in New Jersey through the lens of those who were once enslaved at the residence. The personal stories of these individuals are explored, reconstructed through primary sources such as birth records and freedom papers. Students are given the opportunity to investigate the process of creating historically accurate stories using primary sources; they leave the exhibit with a solid understanding of the institution of slavery in New Jersey, and the skills needed to think like historians. Students grades 7-12** are engaged in an in-depth Primary Source Workshop after the guided museum tour to learn about the processes involved in analyzing documents such as birth records, inventories, freedom papers, as well as "for sale" and runaway ads. What can these sources tell us, what questions do they leave us with, and how can we use our understanding of history to develop possible theories? Students leave with the skills to conduct responsible analysis and interpretation of historic documents, and a solid background on the components of slavery in New Jersey. *For a longer program for grades 3-6 , pair Marlpit Hall with the historic Murray Farmhouse at Poricy Park ! Students will gain a fuller understanding of the Colonial era in this dual program. Murray Farmhouse visitors will learn about Patriots and Loyalists in Monmouth County, as well as have a chance for hands-on activities such as churning butter and grinding spices. ** Grades 7-12 can pair Marlpit Hall with a trip to the historic T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center in nearby Red Bank. This dual program is an excellent segue from slavery to an emphasis on the many successes of Black men and women post-1865. INQUIRE Recent Testimonial Saint John Vianney High School History Club recently visited Marlpit Hall in Middletown. This 18th-century farmhouse holds layers of history regarding slavery in Monmouth County. Thanks to the Monmouth County Historical Association, our guided tour delved into the lives of the seven slaves who once called this place home. From their daily routines to the broader narrative of slavery in Monmouth County, every detail was thoughtfully explored. The interactive workshop afterward was equally enlightening, as students engaged with primary sources, including descriptive want ads offering rewards for runaway slaves. The tour was a powerful learning experience. For fellow educators seeking impactful experiences for their students, I can't recommend this tour enough. The insights gained at Marlpit Hall are invaluable for understanding our shared history. I'm already planning future visits with the MCHA and eagerly anticipating the opportunity to incorporate their educational web resources into my early American history lessons. It's a journey worth taking, enriching both educators and students alike. Kenneth Brumbaugh Social Studies Teacher/Saint John Vianney High School Early College Academy, Adjunct Professor/Brookdale Community College Hybrid Virtual Programs! Marlpit Hall comes directly to your classroom with MCHA's hybrid virtual class trip, bringing your students the best of both worlds! This webinar package includes: - A video tour of Marlpit Hall, learning directly from the curators who built the exhibit. A professional educator will then be available after the presentation for a live Q&A, to answer any questions the students might have. - Grades 7-12 will also be guided through the Primary Source Workshop, in which the skills to critically analyze historical primary source documents are developed. - All grades receive professional lesson plans and activities based on the exhibit material - Students are encouraged to explore the free digital education pages above as a pre-or-post trip activity. - MCHA educators are always available by email to any questions that teachers or students may have, so feel free to reach out! INQUIRE PD Professional Development MCHA offers free professional development training for all grade levels. Our PD program is given by professionals in the field, and presents educators with a two-fold approach to understanding the topic on an in-depth level. First, educators experience a curator-led tour of the exhibit, where they gain the background necessary to bolster their confidence level in the subject matter. They then take part in a Primary Source Workshop in which they learn how to analyze documents from the era to extract information in the most useful way, applying curriculum standards into guided classroom discussion. They are prepared with the most commonly asked questions from students, and provided answers according to top scholars in the field. This workshop can be applied in the classroom as well via the digital companion to the exhibit, and has been found useful by ELA educators as well. The program runs approximately 2 hours long. The Elizabeth Van Cleaf Institute is a multi-day workshop that runs during the summer and is by application only. Click here to learn more! Want to book a trip or PD training? Have questions? Suggestions? Compliments (yes, please!)??? Contact Dana at dhowell@monmouthhistory.org Thank you to our advisors and supporters on the Beneath the Floorboards digital programs: Hank Bitten, Executive Director, New Jersey Council for the Social Studies Dr. Wendy Morales, Assistant Superintendent, Monmouth Ocean Educational Services Commission Dr. Jason Fitzgerald, Dr. Rich Veit and Dr. Bill George, Monmouth University Noelle Lorraine Williams, Director of African American Education at the New Jersey Historical Commission The New Jersey School Boards Association The New Jersey Center for Civic Education Many Thanks to Our Education Sponsors and Supporters Larry & Paula Metz Sam & Laurie Landy Bill Mehr

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42. The "Tory Ascendency": Middletown and Freehold's Loyalist Insurrection < Back December 1776 Previous Next

18. Monmouth County Petitions Against Independence < Back June 1776 The Declaration of Independence forced Americans to take sides. Monmouth Countians authored and signed nine petitions against independence. By June 1776, Americans were hotly debating whether or not to declare independence from Great Britain. While a consensus for independence was emerging in large parts of the Thirteen Colonies, there were regions where significant minorities, and even local majorities, opposed independence. Monmouth County was one of those regions. In a time period before public polling, the best tool available for sensing public opinion were petitions to the state legislature (in June 1776, New Jersey’s legislature was the Provincial Congress). Different records of the Provincial Congress convey slightly different totals, but the most comprehensive source suggests that Monmouth Countians authored roughly half of New Jersey’s anti-independence petitions that were sent to the Provincial Congress. We can infer that the question of independence was well-settled in the counties that sent zero petitions. The large number of Monmouth County petitions suggests a deeply divided population in which individuals felt compelled to go on record with their opinions. In total, it appears that Monmouth Countians authored seventeen petitions to the Provincial Congress over a five week period—eight favoring independence and nine opposed. The sentiment of these petitions by township is in the table below: Township Pro-Independence Anti-Independence Freehold 2 0 Middletown 3 4 Shrewsbury 2 4 Upper Freehold 1 1 Dover & Stafford 0 0 Unfortunately, the contents of most of these petitions are lost. The minutes of the Provincial Congress briefly summarizes the contents of the petitions. The brief petition summaries contain information on additional topics beyond independence. For example, a June 12 petition from Monmouth County opposing independence also asked "that none of the militia may be taken out of that county, as it lies so exposed to hostile invasion." This brief statement tells us that Monmouth Countians felt vulnerable to being on the front lines of the expected British invasion, with little to defend them but their own militia. For these petitioners, their vulnerability was a motivation to oppose independence. It appears that only one of the June 1776 anti-independence petitions still exists. In this petition, the petitioners acknowledged: "We daily experience and sincerely lament in common with our fellow inhabitants, the calamitous consequences of the present unhappy controversies with Great Britain.” However, the petitioners suggested that destruction from the coming war would outweigh any potential benefit of independence: We trust, Gentlemen, that you will have the honor, the interest, safety, and welfare of your native country too much at heart to subject this once flourishing and happy province to the reproachful and calamitous consequences of an avowed separation... We are convinced that settlements of separation and independence must not only be highly impolitic, but may be of the most dangerous and destructive consequences. The 47 petition signers are an interesting mix. Several would become Loyalists—including John Taylor —who would serve as a county commissioner for administering loyalty oaths during the Loyalist insurrections of December 1776. Two signers, Morford Taylor and John Van Mater , would flee to the British in the coming weeks. One signer, Timothy Scoby , would become a Loyalist partisan who would be sentenced to death by a Monmouth County court later in the war. Other signers, such as Revaud Kearney , would weather the war at home, but remain disaffected from the new American government. And most interesting, two of the signers, Thomas Wainwright and Hendrick Vanderveer , would become leaders in the Revolutionary movement. In 1777, when the Monmouth militia was re-organized and purged of its Loyalist-leaning officers, they would become a captain and lieutenant respectively. The Monmouth Countians who were most vocal in composing and gathering signatures for the anti-independence petitions eventually paid a price for doing so. When New Jersey’s Provincial Congress adopted a new constitution free of British control on July 2 and the Continental Congress declared independence on July 4, these men were now effectively enemies of their country. John Wardell of Shrewsbury gathered signatures for one petition. The former judge of the courts would be arrested in November 1776, appointed a commissioner for administering British loyalty oaths during the Loyalist insurrection of December, and then arrested again in 1777. The case of William Taylor , as summarized in his postwar Loyalist Compensation Application, provides an even better example of the fate of the men who led anti-independence petitions. Taylor was the son of John Taylor of Middletown, one of the county’s wealthiest men, and the county sheriff through the 1760s. Under Royal Governor William Franklin , William Taylor was the Surrogate of the Monmouth County Courts, a patronage position from which he drew a salary and prestige. As the votes for independence drew closer, Taylor "prevailed upon a great majority of the inhabitants of the Country to sign a counter petition [against independence] and William Taylor, himself, delivered them to a member of Congress." Shortly after the Declaration of Independence, Taylor was confronted and summoned to sign a Loyalty oath, which he refused to do. Taylor would lay low in Middletown for the next few months where he quietly organized a Loyalist association and waited for the right opportunity to support the British Army. His association was broken up in November and Taylor had to flee to the British at Sandy Hook ahead of a party of Monmouth County Continentals led by David Forman . Many of Taylor’s followers were captured and ultimately jailed in far-off Frederick, Maryland. Taylor became an officeholder in Royal Governor William Franklin’s government-in-exile in British-held New York City . He was captured in May 1778. Taylor moved to England at war’s end. Related Historic Site : National Archives (Washington, DC) Sources : Jones, E. Alfred. The Loyalists of New Jersey, (Newark, N. J. Historical Society, 1927) p 215. Gregory Palmer, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution (Westport, Conn. and London, 1984), p 851; Minutes of the Provincial Congress and the Council of Safety of the State of New Jersey 1775-1776 (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2009) pp. 470-4; Franklin Ellis, The History of Monmouth County (R.T. Peck: Philadelphia, 1885), p135-8; Larry Gerlach, Prologue to Independence: New Jersey in the Coming of the American Revolution (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1976) p 335; Minutes of the Provincial Congress and the Council of Safety of the State of New Jersey 1775-1776 (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2009) p 451; Peter Force, American Archives: Consisting of a Collection of Authentick Records, State Papers, Debates, and Letters and Other Notices of Publick Affairs (Washington, DC: U.S. Congress Clerk's Office, 1853), 5th Series, vol. 6, p 1618; Monmouth County Historical Association, Articles File: "Local Facts about the American Revolution Made Public"; Jones, E. Alfred. The Loyalists of New Jersey, (Newark, N. J. Historical Society, 1927) p 241. Gregory Palmer, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution (Westport, Conn. and London, 1984), p 906. Rutgers University Special Collections, Great Britain Public Record Office, Loyalist Compensation Claims, D96, AO 13/112, reel 12. Previous Next

April 1774 Turning Away the Tea Ship, Nancy < Back April 1774 On April 19, 1774, a British merchant ship landed at Sandy Hook with a provocative cargo. Five months earlier, Bostonians staged the so-called Boston Tea Party—throwing the East India Tea Company’s tea into Boston Harbor. In response, the Royal Government passed the “Intolerable Acts” to punish the people of Boston and better enforce the tea tax. Colonists throughout the Thirteen Colonies retaliated by boycotting tea and other British goods. Now, the ship, Nancy , hoped to land its cargo of 698 tea chests (twice the amount destroyed in the Boston Tea Party) in New York City. If the tea was landed and sold, it would be a major breach in the colonial boycott. It had been a difficult voyage for the Nancy . A newspaper account noted that the ship was “without her mizen mast and one of her anchors, which were lost in a gale of wind.” In the 1700s, ocean-going ships bound for New York commonly stopped at Sandy Hook, which separates the open ocean from the sheltered waters of lower New York Harbor. Here, ships received fresh water after the long ocean voyage and secured a pilot to guide the ship around lower New York Harbor’s shallows and into the city’s piers. Captain Benjamin Lockyer of the Nancy summoned the resident pilot at Sandy Hook, William Dobbs , to board the ship and guide it to New York. Dobbs, an employee of the City of New York, refused to cooperate. Dobbs was closely tied to the city’s leaders based on prior employment of the administrator of the city’s almshouse; he would serve in the Continental Army as a sergeant from 1776-1781, including being put on-call to guide French fleets four times. Dobbs gave Lockyer a letter “from sundry gentlemen of this city, informing him of the determined resolution of the citizens not to suffer tea on board of his ship to be landed.” Lockyer responded by requesting a personal passage to New York “to procure the necessaries [for his crew] and make a protest.” Dobbs was unmoved. The newspaper report further noted that “the pilot would not bring up the Captain [to New York].” The Nancy sat at Sandy Hook without fresh provisions or a pilot to navigate the shallows of New York’s lower harbor. A few days later, a sloop “with a committee of citizens” came to the Nancy . It is impossible to know exactly what transpired between this committee and Captain Lockyer, but the committeemen declined to let the Nancy pass to New York. Further, at least some of these committeemen remained after the meeting: “a committee of observation was immediately appointed to… remain there near the tea ship till it departs for London.” However, a handbill was printed and circulated in New York stating that Lockyer, but not his ship, would be allowed to come to New York: The long expected TEA SHIP arrived last night at Sandy-Hook, but the pilot would not bring up the Captain until the sense of the city was known. The Committee were immediately informed of its arrival, and that the Captain solicits to come up to provide necessaries for his return. The ship to remain at Sandy-Hook. The Committee conceiving it to be the sense of the city that he should have such liberty, signified it to the Gentleman who is to supply him with provisions, and other necessaries. Advice of this was immediately dispatched to the Captain; and whenever he comes up, care will be taken that he does not enter the custom-house, and that no time be lost dispatching him. This handbill alerted the people of New York City that Captain Lockyer would be permitted to come from Sandy Hook to New York , but strictly supervised while in the city. Lockyer was apparently permitted to come to New York, but was strictly supervised while in the city and only permitted to purchase items needed to enable the Nancy ’s departure. After five days at Sandy Hook, the Nancy pulled up its anchor and limped away. The senior-most British official in New York, Lt. Governor Cadwallader Colden , complained that he never knew that Lockyer or his ship was at Sandy Hook. He blamed Lockyer for not requesting his help. While surviving documents discuss the Nancy ’s difficult time at Sandy Hook from a New Yorker’s perspective, it is important to remember that dozens of Monmouth Countians regularly sailed the waters around Sandy Hook. Each day, they ferried goods from Monmouth farms to New York in barges and sloops; they fished the banks off Sandy Hook and sold their catch in New York. These Monmouth Countians would have seen the Nancy . Further, Monmouth Countians were likely in the committee that visited Captain Lockyer and the subsequent Committee of Observation. They had it within their power to assist the Nancy with supplies or pilot services and chose not to do so. Many later accounts of this event liken the boycott of the Nancy to the Boston Tea Party. Some narratives suggest that the Committee detained Lockyer and took control of the ship. Original sources do not support these details. The stiff-arm given to the Nancy was not a second Boston Tea Party. The Nancy ’s tea chests were not thrown overboard and Lockyer was permitted to purchase a narrow set of provisions. This discipline was not evident a few days later when a mob gathered in New York and then proceeded to the docks to sack the ship London after it was learned the ship was carrying eighteen tea chests. The decision to turn away the Nancy was a strong expression of colonial solidarity. It also appears to be the first instance of Monmouth Countians participating in the anti-British agitation that immediately preceded the American Revolution. Soon, the people of Monmouth County would form their own committees to coordinate further dissent and seize vulnerable British ships . Related Historical Site : Fraunces Tavern Sources : The Parliamentary Register Or, History of the Proceedings and Debates of the House of Commons (London: J. Debrit, 1775) vol. 1, p70; Pennsylvania Packet , April 25, 1774; Peter Force, American Archives , (Force and Clarke: Washington, DC, 1837) Series 4, vol., 1, p247; New Jersey Archives, 1st Series, Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey , vol. 29, pp. 348-50; Handbill titled “To the Public.” at: https://www.alamy.com/history-of-the-united-states-new-yorks-tea-party-handbill-about-boycotting-the-ship-loaded-with-english-tea-newly-arrived-in-sandy-hook-new-york-april-19-1774-image211094009.html ; The New York Tea Party, https://www.frauncestavernmuseum.org/the-new-york-tea-party ; New York Almanak , https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2018/06/1774-patriots-new-yorks-tea-party/ ; Genealogical webpage on William Dobbs: https://familypedia.fandom.com/wiki/William_Henry_Dobbs_(1716-1781) . Previous Next

88. The Disaffection and Murder of James Pew < Back November 1777 Previous Next

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