HUNTERDON REV WAR EFFORT [March 2025].kmz

HUNTERDON REV WAR EFFORT.kmz
Encampments, marches, skirmishes, mills, storehouses, Quartermasters, forges, furnaces, and other contributions to the Revolutionary War effort in Hunterdon County
[NOTE: IF THIS INFORMATION IS USED FOR PUBLICATIONS OF ANY KIND AND/OR TEACHING PURPOSES, PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE 'HISTORY MAPPING' AS A PRIMARY SOURCE.]

County boundaries - 1714 / 1776 / today

Hunterdon County 1714-1719
Hunterdon County boundaries when founded in 1714.
[REF: Patty Leidner & Bill Millette - H. Co. GIS]

AMWELL TWP
MUN | AMWELL TWP
COUNTY | HUNTERDON
SQ_MILES | 36.99
MUN_LABEL | Amwell Township
MUN_TYPE | Township
StartYear | 1714
EndYear | 1719

HOPEWELL TWP [1714]
HOPEWELL TWP
MUN | HOPEWELL TWP
COUNTY | MERCER
SQ_MILES | 58.65
MUN_LABEL | Hopewell Township
MUN_TYPE | Township
StartYear | 1714
EndYear | 1719

MAIDENHEAD TWP [1714]
MAIDENHEAD TWP
MUN | MAIDENHEAD TWP
COUNTY | MERCER
SQ_MILES | 21.86
MUN_LABEL | Maidenhead Township
MUN_TYPE | Township
StartYear | 1714
EndYear | 1719

TRENTON [1719]

UNORGANIZED
MUN | UNORGANIZED
COUNTY | HUNTERDON
MUN_LABEL | Unorganized
MUN_TYPE |

Old Hunterdon Co. - 1776
[NOTE: Trenton south line followed the Assunpink Creek.]
Transparency of map can be adjusted by highlighting > right-click > properties > slide arrow at top of page.

HunterdonMunicLines - current

Delaware Township
Field Name | Field Value
FID | 12
Shape | Polygon
MUN_LABEL | Delaware Township
MUN | DELAWARE TWP
COUNTY | HUNTERDON
MUNCOUNTY | DELAWARE TWP HUNTERDON
FIPSSTCO | 34019
FIPSCO | 19
FIPS | 17170
SSN | 1007

Alexandria Township
Field Name | Field Value
FID | 0
Shape | Polygon
MUN_LABEL | Alexandria Township
MUN | ALEXANDRIA TWP
MUNCOUNTY | ALEXANDRIA TWP HUNTERDON
FIPSSTCO | 34019
FIPSCO | 19
FIPS | 00550
SSN | 1001

Bethlehem Township
Field Name | Field Value
FID | 1
Shape | Polygon
MUN_LABEL | Bethlehem Township
MUN | BETHLEHEM TWP
MUNCOUNTY | BETHLEHEM TWP HUNTERDON
FIPSSTCO | 34019
FIPSCO | 19
FIPS | 05650
SSN | 1002

Tewksbury Township
MUN_LABEL | Tewksbury Township
MUN | TEWKSBURY TWP
MUNCOUNTY | TEWKSBURY TWP HUNTERDON

Holland Township
MUN_LABEL | Holland Township
MUN | HOLLAND TWP
MUNCOUNTY | HOLLAND TWP HUNTERDON

Union Township
MUN_LABEL | Union Township
MUN | UNION TWP
MUNCOUNTY | UNION TWP HUNTERDON

Stockton Borough
MUN_LABEL | Stockton Borough
MUN | STOCKTON BORO
MUNCOUNTY | STOCKTON BORO HUNTERDON
POP2000 | 560
POP1990 | 629
POP1980 | 643
MUN_TYPE | Borough

Clinton Town
MUN_LABEL | Clinton Town
MUN | CLINTON TOWN
MUNCOUNTY | CLINTON TOWN HUNTERDON
MUN_TYPE | Town

Milford Borough
MUN_LABEL | Milford Borough
MUN | MILFORD BORO
MUNCOUNTY | MILFORD BORO HUNTERDON
MUN_TYPE | Borough

Kingwood Township
MUN_LABEL | Kingwood Township
MUN | KINGWOOD TWP
MUNCOUNTY | KINGWOOD TWP HUNTERDON

Glen Gardner Borough
MUN_LABEL | Glen Gardner Borough
MUN | GLEN GARDNER BORO
MUNCOUNTY | GLEN GARDNER BORO HUNTERDON
MUN_TYPE | Borough

Califon Borough
MUN_LABEL | Califon Borough
MUN | CALIFON BORO
MUNCOUNTY | CALIFON BORO HUNTERDON

Readington Township
MUN_LABEL | Readington Township
MUN | READINGTON TWP
MUNCOUNTY | READINGTON TWP HUNTERDON

Frenchtown Borough
MUN_LABEL | Frenchtown Borough
MUN | FRENCHTOWN BORO
MUNCOUNTY | FRENCHTOWN BORO HUNTERDON

Lebanon Borough
MUN_LABEL | Lebanon Borough
MUN | LEBANON BORO
MUNCOUNTY | LEBANON BORO HUNTERDON

Flemington Borough
MUN_LABEL | Flemington Borough
MUN | FLEMINGTON BORO
MUNCOUNTY | FLEMINGTON BORO HUNTERDON

West Amwell Township
MUN_LABEL | West Amwell Township
MUN | WEST AMWELL TWP
MUNCOUNTY | WEST AMWELL TWP HUNTERDON

Lebanon Township
MUN_LABEL | Lebanon Township
MUN | LEBANON TWP
MUNCOUNTY | LEBANON TWP HUNTERDON

Hampton Borough
MUN_LABEL | Hampton Borough
MUN | HAMPTON BORO
MUNCOUNTY | HAMPTON BORO HUNTERDON

High Bridge Borough
MUN_LABEL | High Bridge Borough
MUN | HIGH BRIDGE BORO
MUNCOUNTY | HIGH BRIDGE BORO HUNTERDON

Raritan Township
MUN_LABEL | Raritan Township
MUN | RARITAN TWP
MUNCOUNTY | RARITAN TWP HUNTERDON

Lambertville City
MUN_LABEL | Lambertville City
MUN | LAMBERTVILLE CITY
MUNCOUNTY | LAMBERTVILLE CITY HUNTERDON
MUN_TYPE | City

East Amwell Township
MUN_LABEL | East Amwell Township
MUN | EAST AMWELL TWP
MUNCOUNTY | EAST AMWELL TWP HUNTERDON

Bloomsbury Borough
MUN_LABEL | Bloomsbury Borough
MUN | BLOOMSBURY BORO
MUNCOUNTY | BLOOMSBURY BORO HUNTERDON

Clinton Township
MUN_LABEL | Clinton Township
MUN | CLINTON TWP
MUNCOUNTY | CLINTON TWP HUNTERDON

Franklin Township
MUN_LABEL | Franklin Township
MUN | FRANKLIN TWP
MUNCOUNTY | FRANKLIN TWP HUNTERDON

Waterways & geo-markers

Delaware River
Called the South River by early settlers, Delaware River was the main navigable waterway to the western part of New Jersey. It played a pivital role in the war effort.

Raritan River
In the early history of the state, travel by this waterway was a direct path to the interior of central New Jersey and to Hunterdon County. From Raritan Bay, this river played a large role in the development of the area.

Raritan - South Branch

Raritan-Readington border

Raritan - North Branch

Raritan River

Raritan Bay

Villages

[New] Brunswick

South Bound Brook

Piscataway [Quibbletown]

Somerville

Raritan

Alexauken/Alexsauken Creek watershed
Folklore has it named for a pioneer hunter and trapper - Alias [alternately Alex/Elias/Ellis] Hawkins/Sauken/Hocking. There probably was no such person.
Hammond map?? - "Alias Hocking"
1749 Evans map - "Aliabhoking"
1812 Lewis map - "Ahabhocking Cr."
1851 Cornell map - "Alexsocken"

Ferries on Hessian map

Cokes Ferry [Coxe]

Conkys Ferry [Johnson's]

Correyls Ferry [Lambertville]

Howels Ferry [Stockton]

Sherrads Ferry [Frenchtown]

empty

Assunpink Creek

Washington's Rock
Goat Hill Preserve - West Amwell
A high bluff lookout related to the gathering of the Durham boats.

Conky's Ferry [Johnson's]

Howel's Ferry [Stockton]

Ferries & Fords on Hill map

Coxes Ferry

Coryels Ferry [Lambertville]

Howels Ferry [Yardley?]

Humphrys [Tavern]

Pursleys Ferry

Sherrards Ferry [Frenchtown]

Trenton Ferry

ford

Major early roads

Old York Rd. - very early 1700s
Also called the King's Road or the King's Highway (as all main roads of any great size were), it was laid out in Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to Wells Ferry [New Hope] between 1711 and 1771.
Its continuation in New Jersey was from Coryell's Ferry [Lambertville] to Elizabethtown and on to New York City. It took less time to finish the construction on this half because there was a larger network of existing roads to connect to the project. It was completed in 1764.

Coryell's Ferry [Lambertville]

approximate north route

Swift Sure Path - SCo.

Swift-Sure Path - HCo.

approximate south route

Swift-Sure Stage Line stops
It took two days to travel from New York to Philadelphia and the stage ran three times a week.
It was advertised as follows:
"TO THE PUBLIC
A New Stage Is Erected to go from New York to Philadelphia, by Way of Powles-Hook from thence through Newark and Elizabeth-Town to Bound-Brook and the North Branch of Rariton, to Coryell's Ferry, the only Ferry Between Newark and Philadelphia, noted for its Shortness and Conveniency over the River Delaware.
This Road is known by the Name of the Old York Road through the finest, most pleasant and best inhabited Part of New Jersey. It is proposed to set off from Powles-Hook every Tuesday Morning by Sun-rise.
The Waggon from Philadelphia sets out also on every Tuesday Morning from Josiah F. Davenport's at the Sign of the Bunch of Grapes in Third Street and proceeds over Coryell's Ferry to the South Branch of Rariton where they meet the Newark Waggon. The Price for each Passenger from Powles-Hook to Philadelphia will be Twenty Shillings Proc, or Ten Shillings to each Waggon, Ferriage to the Passengers free. All possible care shall be taken that Justice be done the Public that shall please to employ
Thier very humble Servants,
Joseph Crane
Josiah F. Davenport
September 25, 1769
New York Gazette"

Hunterdon Co.

Amwell Meeting [Mt. Airy]

Ringoes

Larison's Corner

Manners [Reaville]

Three Bridges

Centerville
Centerville grew up because of a tavern that marked the halfway point on the Swift Sure Stage Line route from New York to Philadelphia. It took two days to make the journey, so this was a logical stopping point for travelers. The tavern was in operation as early as 1829.
[Wiki, HCPN]

Somerset Co.

Middle Brook [Somerville]

Bound Brook

Trenton-Easton Pike

Route

Trenton-Easton Turnpike - lower

Trenton-Easton Turnpike - middle

Trenton-Easton Turnpike - upper

Warren Co. section

Trent Town

Easton

Penny Town/Penning Town

Quaker Meetinghouse [Quakertown]

Hoff's [Pitt's Town]

Hickory

Johnson's [Bloomsbury]

Brunswick-Easton Pike
From New Brunswick, the pike came through the villages listed below. The Brunswick-Easton Stage ran round-trips daily from Somerville to New Brunswick.

"New Jersey Turnpike"

Whitehouse

Potterstown

Lebanon

Bonnell's Tavern [Clinton]

Vansickles

Jugtown

Sidney
Shown on maps of the Colonial period. This was a diversion on the way to Pittstown where it connected with the Trenton-Easton Turnpike.
1776 map
1780 map

REV WAR maps

major roads & war maps - use map link

Erskine maps [pending]

1781 - Rev War Hessian map
The Hessian map & the Hills map are of the same date and similar, but contain some notably different information. They should be referenced together. [use map link above]

Places

Baptist Meetg [Hopewell]

Baptisttown

Durham [locate exactly]

Fleming Town

Fox Hill [in Tewksbury?]

Helltown [Spring Mills]

Johnson's Forge [on HCo side]

Johnson's Iron Works [Warren Co]

Maiden Head [Lawrenceville]

New Germantown [Oldwick]

Penning Town

Petterstown [Potterstown]

Pittstown

Prince Town

Quakertown

Reading Meeting

Reading Mill [locate]

Trenton

Union Forge

Union Furnace

White House

places or people?? [locate]

Charl Cox [?]

Mill [?]

Old English Church [?]

Heir Parker

Taverns

Bohammons Tav [Buchanan's]

Abri Bonnils [Clinton]

Chursons Tav

Fields Tav [ck]

Hickerey Tav

Hozzels [?]

Humphreys Tav

Hughs [?]

Koughs Tavern [Clover Hill]

Ringoes Tav

Updickers Tavern [locate]

Ferries

1781 - John Hills map
The Hessian map & the Hills map are of the same date and similar, but contain some notably different information. They should be referenced together. [use map link above]

Baptist [Town]

Flemming Town

Grandines [locate exactly]

Kings Town [Princeton]

Maidenhead [Lawrenceville]

Mehelms [house - resolve location]

New German Town [Oldwick]

Pennington

Pitts Town

Potters Town

Quaker

Reading

Reading [Mill - locate exactly]

Shipley [plantation]

Cox's [locate]

Guff's Town [Clover Hill?]]

Hozells [locate]

Rutherfords [locate]

Stevens [locate]

Bohannas [Buchanan's Tavern]

Bonnels [Clinton]

Chursones [Tavern]

Fields Tav [Trenton - ck]

Hickery [Tavern]

Humprys [Tavern?]

Merchons [tavern in Harbourton?]

Ringoes [Tavern]

Updikes [Tavern]

Ferries & Fords

Howels Ferry [Readings/Stockton]

Howels Ferry [lower-Yardley?]

ford [Durham?]

ford [Readings]

1851 Cornell map - area of action

War-related events & other historic markers

Ambush at Geary's Ridge/Amwell Skirmish
Wiki source: The Ambush of Geary, also known as the Amwell Skirmish, was a skirmish of the American Revolutionary War fought on 14 December 1776 in Amwell Township of Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Cornet Francis Geary, the leader of a company of dragoons, was shot in an ambush set up by local militiamen led by Captain John Schenck.
After British forces captured New York City in the first part of the New York and New Jersey campaign, they established outposts throughout central New Jersey. Geary, the son of Admiral Sir Francis Geary, was operating from a station at Pennington when he was killed in the ambush. His body was concealed and later buried in a shallow grave, preventing its recovery by British troops. In the 19th century local historical interest led to the confirmation of his grave's location, and the establishment of markers at the site and in England.

Amwell Skirmish marker
Amwell Skirmish
December 14, 1776
[marker image photographed by Alan Edelson, June 17, 2010]
Inscription. Support for the rebellion against British tyranny was at a low ebb in December 1776. The British occupied a strategic area in New Jersey and Washington's army had retreated across the Delaware River.
The British commander in New Jersey sent Cornet Geary and a squad of Dragoons to conduct a raid on Flemington to destroy colonial supplies and to see if a determined patriot resistance existed. This force departed the main body at Pennington on December 14, 1776 and conducted the raid, but upon returning they were intercepted by the Amwell Militia.
Determined to repulse this intrusion, Capt. John Schenck had gathered the citizen soldiers. During the fierce fire fight that ensured, Geary was shot dead. The other Dragoons fled in disorder. Geary was buried nearby. This stone was erected by the Geary Family when the gravesite was confirmed in 1891.
The action contributed to Gen. Washington's ability to conceal Durham Boats at Bulls Island and to maintain the Old York Road supply line.

Flemington Raid [resolve]
Near here British cavalry were routed by Capt. John Schenck's militia Dec. 1776. British Geary was killed and buried on the field.

Cornet Francis Geary [marker]
(The Queen's) Light Dragoons
Born 1752
Killed in action here in the service of King George III December 14, 1776
Eldest son of Admiral Sir Francis Geary Baronet
Erected in 1907 by his great nephew Sir William Nevill M. Geary Baronet

Other historical markers

Captain Daniel Bray marker
To commemorate the valour of Captain Daniel Bray.
Who with a few patriotic citizens braved the enemy and collected enough boats from along the river to make possible the memorable crossing of the ice-laden Delaware of General Washington and his troops on the night of December 25, 1776.

George Coryell's Grave [ck]
Revolutionary War Lieutenant, and pallbearer of George Washington is buried here, along with Sam Holcombe, one of Gen. Washington's spies.

Major General Daniel Morgan - birthplace
Born in this Village of New Hampton, Lebanon
Township, NJ in 1736.
Died in Winchester, VA July 6, 1802.
Military Service
French and Indian War
Revolutionary War
Battle of Quebec, Canada Captured 1775
Distinguished himself in the Battle of Saratoga, NY 1777
Victor at the Battle of Cowpens, SC 1781

War-related dwellings

Daniel Bray birthplace
Captain Daniel Bray secured the boats for the December 25th crossing from PA to NJ in the march to defeat the British in Trenton. [private residence]

Capt. Jacob Gearhart Farmstead
On 308 acres: circa 1765 Revolutionary War patriot who secured boats for Washington's Crossing and wintered at Valley Forge.

John Hart's cave
Refuge of local signer of The Declaration of Independence while hiding from the British. His estate ransacked by Hessians, he was financially ruined and died in 1779.

John Holcombe House
First section built about 1733. [Dendrodating has revised this to 1754, making it the Richard Holcombe House.] Washington stayed here, July, 1777, and June 1778, prior to battles of Germantown and Monmouth.

Landis House
Built 1750 by Henry Landis. Lafayette stayed here while a patient of Dr. Gershom Craven.

Site of Col. John Mehelm House [resolve]
George Washington stayed in this house while his troops camped between White House and New Bromley. House burned in mid 1960’s.

Murfin-Hoff Plantation - early 1700s
c. 1712 - land surveyed / "manor house" built - mid 1740s
From 1745-47 the original “manor house” was built, taking three years to complete. Eventually, along with other outbuildings, a still was added to the property. This building caught fire and in the process burned down the manor house. The stone foundation of the house remained and at the end of Prohibition a second house was built.
See also Revolutionary War encampments.

Solitude House
Solitude House started life as a classic Germanic style stone home in 1712 and was part of a 10,000 acre parcel of land that came to be part of the Union Iron Works.
Patriots imprisoned loyalist Pennsylvania Governor John Penn and Crown Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Chew here during the Revolutionary War. They named the place “Solitude".

Lake Solitude

General Stewart House
The original 1763 home was here. Commissary-General Charles Stewart feted officers of the Continental Army. House replaced c. 1800 by the imposing stone residence across the road.

Colonel Charles Stewart House
Colonel Charles Stewart was George Washington's Commissary-General of Issues. The house was built in 1763.

Joseph Turner House [get info]
The Joseph Turner house started as a simple two story, four-room dwelling c.1760. [Mike & Bill, please help here.]

Christopher Vought House
Built by Johannes Cristofel Vought in 1759, the house features unique aspects of Germanic construction.
Vought was the active loyalist leader in his area during the Revolution.
His son and he were prominent in Lebanon Township and both held public offices during the years of protest leading up to the Revolution.
At first they protested Parliament’s actions and attended militia drills. But they became among those who refused to serve in the patriot militia and were ordered to appear before the Provincial Congress on June 25, 1776. In December 1776.
While the rebel army was retreating through New Jersey pursued by British and Hessian forces, the two helped lead 75 Hunterdon County loyalists to join the British forces at New Brunswick. Once there John enlisted in the New Jersey Volunteers, the largest group of provincial troops raised to help put down the rebellion. For the rest of the war he fought as a military officer.

Taverns of the time
Taverns were major gathering places and sources of information which was especially important during the time of war.
There were literally upwards of 50 taverns in operation in what became Hunterdon County. An entire list can be found in the '18thC Hunterdon County' download. Named here are some of the most prominent ones that were shown on early maps or referred to in histories and diaries of the time.

Anderson Tavern - c.1738
c.1740s - John Mullen
William Mullen [son]
c. 1765 - Joseph Reed
c. 1767 - John Throckmorton
1773-78 - John Anderson
1778 - tavern closed
Across from the ancient village of Amwell which is no longer in existence. The height of activity at the tavern was during Rev War.
[see www.goodspeedhistories.com]

Bonnell Tavern
The first regiment of Minute Men in the colonies formed here in 1775. Built in 1767 on the main road from New Brunswick to Easton.

Campbell-Hart-Johnson Tavern [c.1766]
Johnson’s Tavern was the earliest known tavern in Kingwood Township, originating in a log house a few miles south of Baptistown & Barbertown on Route 519. Log structure c. 1766; it later became a stone structure.

Century Inn / Hoff Mill Inn / Pittstown Inn
Commissioner General Moore Furman supervised bakery near here for George Washington’s troops. Later he built this stone inn in 1800. Building renovated in 2001.

Coryell's Tavern
Originally Coates' Tavern; then purchased by Coryell. Used as a tavern until the 1750s. During the Revolution, occupied by George Coryell as his home. In attendance by General Greene.

Coryell's Ferry Tavern c. 1750s
The site of Coryell's second tavern, visited by Washington on numerous occasions. Where Daniel Bray met Washington and received directions for the hiding of the boats from Cornwallis and reserving them on the other side of the river to be used in the attack on Trenton.
Used by General Charles, Lord of Cornwallis on December 9-14, 1776. In attendance: Coronet Banaster Tarlton ["The Wolverine of the Revolution"], Colonel John Simcoe, Colonel Harcort, Coronet Francis Geary who was killed in the Flemington raid by John Schencks of the Amwell Militia.
After the Battle of Trenton in which Major Monroe was wounded, he recovered at the Ferry House before being moved across the river to Coryell's Ferry in New Hope.
Adjacent to the property on the west side, the original well of Coryell's Ferry is restored in a private residence under the kitchen, visible through a glass floor. Memorized in poem by historian Sarah Gallagher to commemorate the crossing for the Battle of Monmouth and the fact that Washington drank from it.
Coryell paid for Washington to be crossed with approximately 12,000 people, of which approximately 10,000 were military plus baggage, cannons, and tents. Paid in colonial script, this banrupted the Coryell family.

Hickory Corners / Hickory Tavern
Hickory Tavern was a regular stop in the early 1700's for coaches on The King’s Highway.

Jones's Tavern [add Vought lynching]
Established in 1760 by Captain Thomas Jones. During the Revolution was one of the recruiting stations for the militia of Hunterdon County.

Koughs Tavern
Koughstown/Coughstown/Cuxtown [CLOVER HILL - c. 1850]
Named for the Kough family who were the original owners of the tavern. This village is prominent on 18thC maps.

Mechlin's Tavern
Tavern lot purchased by J. Robeson in 1752 from the “Great Society.” Tavern and farm were in Mechlin’s family ownership from 1810 to 1934.

Ringo's Tavern
Site of Tavern owned by Ringo Family, 1738-1779. "Sons of Liberty" met here in 1766. Local political center during Revolution.

Van Syckles Tavern - David Reynolds
Est. 1763 Served workers from Union Forge. David Reynolds was the owner and builder. He was hanged in 1765 by the British for counterfeiting.

Taverns listed on Hessian map

Taverns listed on Hill's map

Mershons [tav?] locate

Hessian & Hill listings [identify-locate]

Bohammons/Bohannas Tav [Buchanan's]

Updikes/Updickers Tavern [locate]

Feeding the army - mills & storehouses
Major General Nathanael Greene was the Quartermaster General from 1778-1780. There were approximately 60 forage masters in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War... 15 issuing forage masters... and 5 purchasing forage masters.

Mills

Chamberlin Mills / Nevius' Mills [grist]
William Chamberlin [Chamberlain] was a Colonel in the Colonial army. In 1761 he bought a house and mill on the Neshanic River. His mill supplied grain to Washington's troops. The mill was raided by the British and burned. It was later rebuilt, then burned again in the 20th century.
1851 map - J.S. Williiamson [gristmill & sawmill]
1860 map - gristmill & sawmill
1873 - D. Nevins [gristmill]

Dawlis Mill / Amwell
In 1727, William Dawlis bought 265 acres of land and built the first grist mill in the area. Over the next several years another grist mill, a sawmill, an oil mill, a rye & corn distillery, a cider mill, and a brandy distillery were built.
In the process, three dams were constructed on what was a tributary of Back Brook Creek [earlier called Mill Brook/Clearwater Rill], forming an amazing complex of mechanical interdependency that utilized the water power from the gravity drop of the three dams. Quite a feat of engineering for that early period!
In addition to the numerous mills and distilleries, the site eventually had a blacksmith shop, a wheelwright shop, a cooper shop, a store and a tavern [see Johnson's Tavern on the west side of Route 31]. In a fairly short period of time, it became the entirely self-sufficient village known as Amwell.
In the later part of the 1700s, the grist mills ground grain for the Patriot Army.
"The Ancient Village of Amwell," by Cornelius Larison
1851 map - Spring Mills
1873 map - gristmill

Furman's Stone Mill
Built by Moore Furman, Deputy Quartermaster General of Washington’s army.

Larason's Mill

J Runkel's Grist Mill

Col. John Taylor's Grist Mill

Taylor's Mill [resolve location]
English settler John Taylor established a gristmill c. 1760 approximately 0.7 miles downstream on Taylor's Mill Road. The mill supplied flour to American troops during the Revolutionary War and continued to operate into the early 20th century.

mill ruin - West Amwell

18thC storehouses for the army

Baptist Meeting [Hopewell]
Peter Gordon? supplies from south Trent Town

New Market [Linvale]

Pitt's Town [formerly Hoff's]
Quartermaster Moore Furman with his supply area at Pittstown was a key source.

Penny Town [Pennington]
Robert Combes may have had a storehouse here [goods confiscated from the Trenton battle].

Trent Town [Trenton]

Equipping the army - forges, furnaces, lime kilns
[Information from Mike Gronsky & Bill Honachefsky - Union Township]
Forges and furnaces in the 18thC turned from manufacturing farming implements to producing supplies for the war.

18thC Forges & Furnaces
These forges & furnaces originally made farm implements. Later they were involved with such endeavors as cannonballs for the war effort.

unknown forge

Amesbury Furnace [Cokesbury or Beaver Brook Furnace]
Built in 1753 by William Allen and Jos. Turner, founders of Union Ironworks. Also known as Cokesbury Furnace.

Chelsea Forge [c. 1752] & sawmill [c. early 1760s]
Water power for Chelsea Forge initially developed c.1752. A sawmill was added prior to 1763. The forge was abandoned in the early 1790s. In 1797 Philip Fine Sr. purchased the property and developed a mill complex.

Johnson's Forge [Bloomsbury]

Johnson's Iron Works [Warren County]

Union Furnace [Union]

Lime Kilns
Creator: John Allen from book by Frank Curcio

Lime Kilns
www.s120804860.onlinehome.us/limekilns/limekiln.html Photos of New Jersey lime kilns are at this link, below PA counties.

Annandale Lime District
Locator Map 2 in Curcio

Colvin Bros. Lime Manufacturers, Kilns
Extinct

Colvin Bros., Lime Manufacturers, Kilns
Extinct

J. F. Mulligan "Beaver Brook" Kilns
Partially preserved, stable. Private property

G. Leigh Lime Quarry Kilns
Ruins

A. Huffman Lime Kiln
Extinct. Location provided by coordinates with Locator Map 2 in Curcio

Approx. mapped location of A. Huffman Lime Kiln
Extinct. Location as shown on Locator Map 2 in Curcio

Califon-Vernoy Lime District
Locator Map 4 in Curcio

3-Bay Route 513 Kiln
1st Bay in ruins; 2nd is damaged; 3rd is stable. Private property.

4-Bay Vernoy Road Kiln
Stable. Private property.

Limestone crusher footings
Remains. Private property.

Clinton Village District
Locator Map 1 in Curcio.

J. T. Leigh Lime Kilns
Extinct.

P. Huffman Lime Kilns
Extinct

M. C. Mulligan, North Kiln
Preserved; Red Mill Village

M. C. Mulligan, Center Kiln
Preserved, Red Mill Village

M. C. Mulligan, South Kiln
Preserved, Red Mill Museum

J. A. Young Lime Kilns

L. Humphrey? kiln

"Hunterdon's Other Sites"
Locator Maps 13 through 22, inclusive, in Curcio

Bethlehem-Heritage Park Kiln
Ruins

P. Hoovle(?)-Bloomsbury Lime Kiln
Extinct. Private property.

Valley Crest Farm Lime Kiln
Stable. Private property.

Cregar Road Kiln
Stable. Private property.

"Dorland's Mill" Kiln
Extinct. Private property.

Holland Farm Lime Kiln

Readington Township, suspected lime kiln
Extinct (if existed at all). Shown location is described as "beginning search coordinates".

Likely site of Readington Township, suspected lime kiln
Extinct (if existed at all). Shown location is based on Locator Map 18 in Curcio.

Fairmount Kiln

Guinea Hollow Road Kiln
Ruins. Pivate property.

Van Syckle's Kiln

Mapped location of Van Syckle's Kiln
Extinct. Location shown in from Locator Map 20 in Curcio.

Oscar Hoffman's Farm Kiln

"Rambles"
Locator Map 5 through 12, inclusive, in Curcio

Riverside remains
Artifact. Private property.

Hoffman's Crossing Kiln
Ruins. Private property.

Readingsburg Kiln
Ruins. Private property.

Teetertown Kiln
Stable ruins

Anthony-Mt. Lebanon
Extinct. Private property.

Anthony Road Kiln

Red Mill Kiln

Bunnvale-Woodglen Kiln
Ruins. Private property.

Penwell Farms
Ruins

Penwell Backyard Kiln

Likely site of "Penwell Backyard Kiln"

Point Mountain Kiln

Hoffman Park, possible kiln site
Coordinates shown are "beginning search coordinates" from Curcio.

signal beacons [copy maps]
Map prepared by James T. Raleigh, using ArcView 8.3 as a NJ DEP NGO and the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield. Printed by Philip Freneau Press February 2004.
Signal beacons were pyramids of logs, sixteen feet square and eighteen feet high, located on the highest point in a given area, and filled with tinder that could be quickly ignited to assemble the militia if necessary.

Untitled Image Overlay

maps [get other maps]
beacons #1-16 [get map]

A large fire on the mountain in the rear of Pluckemin

(Also) on the prominent part of the Moutain Steele's [?] Gap

(Also) on the most conspicuous part of the mountain - Mordicai's Gap (Alias Wayne's Gap)

One (also) near Lincoln's Gap

One near Quibbletown Gap

One on the hill near the road to Basking Ridge about four miles north of Col. Van Horne's which is plainly seen at Morris Town & the Country on that side

One near the Remarkable Tree on the hill toward Princeton

Another on the hill in the front of Martin's Tavern, Short Hills

At the point of the mountain north of Springfield almost a mile

On the top of the hill about a mile southeast of Chatham Bridge

At Cooper's Wind Mill on Long Hill at Col. Ludlow's [see Erskine map]

At the point of Kenney's Hill at Morris Town

On the highest part of Pigeons Hill about four miles northwest of Morristown

On the highest part of Schyler's Mountain northwest of Pluckemin 11 miles

On the hill 10 miles west of above

On the southwest part of Culshvick Hills

On the hill NW of Fleming Town

#18 [locate exactly]
On the NW point of Sowerland Hill

On the most conspicuous place on the Heights of Amwell looking southward

Near Princeton looking southward

#21 On Center Hill in Monmouth [locate exactly]

#22 on Middletown Hill [built on Ruckman's Hill]

#23 on Mt. Pleasant [built on Vanderbilt's Hill]
[?in NY? - locate]

Loyalists & Patriots??

Spies & Traitors?? : )

Encampments

Coryell's Ferry/Lambertville - officers' encampment
In 1778, the city of Lambertville was the colonial river-crossing village known as Coryell's Ferry. During the Revolution, the Grand Continental Army crossed the Delaware River from PA and camped here under the command of General George Washington. (This location was for the officers. The army was closer to Mt. Airy.)

Amwell Encampments
In Oct. 1777 enroute to Pennsylvania & June 1778 to Battle of Monmouth.

Ringoes-Amwell provisions
On October 6-7, 1777, when Washington's troops were marching from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, they drew provisions in the old village of Amwell before camping in the vicinity of Mt. Airy.
[Diary of a Common Soldier in the American Revolution
Jeremiah Greenman with editors]

Washington's Encampments
Oct 6-7, 1777 New England Regiments camped nearby en route to reinforce Washington's Army near Philadelphia.
June 20-23, 1778 The 12,000 man Continental Army camped in this area above Alexauken Creek prior to the Battle of Monmouth.
According to the diary of an army soldier, Washington's men camped on two different occasions in the vicinity of Mount Airy. The first time was on October 6th-7th of 1777 when the troops were headed down to Coryell's Ferry and over to Pennsylvania. The second time was June 20-23, 1778 when those troops crossed back into New Jersey and camped for three days while awaiting Washington to continue their march to the Battle of Monmouth.
Recent [2014] research indicates that the encampment in 1778 involved all of Washington's army who, after crossing from Pennsylvania, marched to the Mt. Airy location before moving on toward Monmouth via Rocktown, New Market [Linvale], Furman's Corner [Marshall's Corner], and Hopewell.
1851 Cornell map
1860 map of New Jersey - State Geological Survey
[Diary of a Common Soldier in the American Revolution, 1775-1783 - Edited by Robert C. Bray & Paul E. Bushnell]

Queen's Road - from Mt. Airy
Probable access to the encampment site.

area of encampments
Conjecture as to size & shape. Would have had to support approximately 12,000 troops & equipment. Probably covered the area between the indicated map location [at the red flag] to the Old York Rd. Would have included the large stream area that is the Alexauken Creek watershed to provide water. There were several mills in the area that help supply food.
1851 Cornell map
1860 New Jersey Geological Survey

Old York Rd.

Oak Summit encampment
Continental troops camped here in December 1778 while escorting British and Hessian prisoners to Virginia. The enemy troops were captured in the Battle of Saratoga.

Murfin-Hoff Plantation
The "manor house" on this plantation [no longer standing] was constructed in the early part of the 18thC [from 1715-1742].
During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Army ocupied the farm for a brief period while transferring English & Hessian prisoners to the South. Several thousand men camped at this site.
According to 18thC accounts, the prisoners were housed in a "dilapidated church" [presumably the original log church south of the cemetery]. They were served pork & sauerkraut for dinner by their German hosts. They were also given stockings because they had no shoes.
Source: Sal DeSapio

Shirley Plantation encampment

Shipley Plantation encampment
From December 5th-13th of 1778, several waves of troops of General Burgoyne's army were quartered at Shipley on their march to Virginia. [See details in Diary of James Parker.]

Important landmarks along the march to Monmouth

Coryell's Ferry [Lambertville] - key 18thC village

Coryell's Ferry [Lambertville]
Originally 'Coates Ferry', a ferry at this site was patented in 1726 to John Coates [Coats]. Two years later it was sold to John Purcell. In 1733, Emanuel Coryell bought the ferry and received a patent for it.
From then on, with various spellings, it was called by that name.
It's connecting counterpart on the PA side was Well's Ferry. They were a critical link in the marches & encampments of the patriot soldiers in the area.
There were only a handful of houses in existance here at that time. Three of these belonged to the Holcombe family and at least one to the Coryells.

Capt. George Coryell's home
Former location of Captain George Coryell's house. Shown on the Erskine maps as being at the corner of York & Main Streets.

John Holcombe House
Dendrodated to 1756 - Washington's headquarters at Coryell's Ferry
Located at Coryell's Ferry [see Lambertville for additional information]. This house was Gen. George Washington's headquarters on at least two occasions. It dendrodates to 1756 and was built by John's son, Richard Holcombe. The Holcombe family was the earliest to settle in the area. They came to these lands in 1705 and amassed a total of 1250 [some sources say 1350] acres of prime land along the Delaware River.

Holcombe-Jimison House
Circa 1711 to mid 1700s.
East section dendro-dated to c.1750.
Earliest [middle] section, possibly 1711 or 1730s
West section dates to late 1800s.
Now part of the Holcombe-Jimison Farm Museum. Incorrectly identified as Washington's Headquarters by some sources. May have housed Washington's officers, but no official source has been found to confirm this.

Richard Holcombe House
Current structure dendrodated to 1808 & 1811. Middle section was probably earlier, but was totally rebuilt in 1808.
Oldest (middle) section - 1744 datestone incorrect
West section - 1811 datestone correct for current structure
East section - later1800s/early 1900s
The farm complex includes later farm outbuildings.
May have housed Washington's officers, but no official source has been found to confirm this.

Miller's House
The Miller's House is mid-18th century and stands at the entrance to Bungtown Rd. which goes across Swan Creek and up the hill to the original line of march of Washington's Continental Army to the Battle of Monmouth. Also used by Major Monroe in the Trenton Campaign with William Washington (nephew of General Washington) as the north flank of the main army on the way to the Battle of Trenton.

Pidcock's Mill
Constructed in the first quarter of the 18th century, a mill on Swan Creek was used to grind grain and had a temporary apparatus to convert to a saw mill. Owing to the vast amount of raw lumber coming down the Delaware River in over 200-foot long rafts. The wood was cut at the many mills and then transported to the northeastern portion of New Jersey.

Prime Hope Mill [locate exactly]
Prime Hope Mill near the east wall of the wing dam between it and the Lambertville Sewerage Authority. Built by Pidcock, this was the Jersey-side location. Further from the river in New Hope up at Ingham Spring was his other mill called "New Hope". This is the same family that had the mill on Quarry St.

Site of unnamed tavern
Small tavern frequented by the rowdy boatmen who plied their goods up and down the river and needed a place to unwind, have a good fight, and pick up some charming girls.
Sarah Gallagher relates that a goat was dropped down the chimney of the walk-in fireplace on a very busy night. The goat came out of the fireplace with cinders and ashes and the patrons exited quickly, fearing the devil had arrived.

Old Orchard / Encampment
This area was covered by an orchard and used by Washington's bodyguards who were called the "Life Guards". They were made up entirely of Virginia Continental Line soldiers.

Amwell Meeting House [Mt. Airy]

Mt. Airy [formerly Amwell Meetinghouse]

"New Church" - 1754
2nd Presbyterian Church of Amwell - current church built in mid 1800s

Holcombe Store [get info]

J Runkel's Grist Mill
[1851 Cornell map]

mill ruin

S. Holcombe Mill
[1851 Cornell map] This mill was probably not in existance during the Revolutionary War.

Ringo's Tavern - 1738
At the intersection of two major Indian trails. Site of Tavern owned by Ringo Family, 1738-1779. An 1840 fire destroyed the original building.
Local political center during Revolution. Many patriot Revolutionary War meetings [Sons of Liberty & Hunterdon Militia among them] were held here.

Joseph Innslee Tavern - c.1730s [ask Dave]

Amwell

Amwell village [Mill Brook / Clearwater Rill]
Not to be confused with Amwell Meeting [Mt. Airy].
Both are shown on early maps.
In 1727, William Dawlis built the first grist mill in the area. Over the years this became the entirely self-sufficient town known as Amwell. It had numerous mills and distilleries, a sawmill, a wheelwright shop, a cooper shop, a store and a tavern [see Johnson's Tavern on the west side of Route 31].
It was proably the biggest town in East Amwell prior to the Amercian Revolution. It predated the village of Ringoes, but later declined when the road system favored the intersection of the two major early trails at John Ringo's Tavern.
"The Ancient Village of Amwell," by Cornelius Larison
[Democrat article - Jim Davidson & others]

mills
An amazing network of mills cleverly powered by waterfalls and dams.

Anderson Tavern - c.1738
Across from the ancient village of Amwell which is no longer in existence. The height of activity at the tavern was during Rev War.
c.1740s - John Mullen
William Mullen [son]
c. 1765 - Joseph Reed
c. 1767 - John Throckmorton
1773-78 - John Anderson
1778 - tavern closed
[see www.goodspeedhistories.com]

Rocktown

Rocktown - Wyckoff's Tavern

New Market [Linvale]
An early crossroads market village at the intersection of the Trenton-Easton Rd and the Bungtown Rd.

Furman's Corner [Marshall's Corner] ?include?

[Furman's Corner] Marshall's Corner
During the 18th & early 19thC this crossroads village was named Furman's for the family that built the stone & frame house at its center. This crossroads had formerly been two early Indian paths.
In the 1830s the name was changed when William Marshall bought the Furman house and took over the operation of the village store opposite the dwelling.
George Washington & his troops passed here in 1778 on their way to the Battle of Monmouth.

Furman/Marshall House - c.1725
Samuel, Josiah, & Johnathan Furman came to Hopewell from Long Island during the early 18thC. The stone section of this dwelling is undoubtedly 18thC; the frame section was added in the early 19thC.

Blackwell's Mills [Moore's Mills]
First mill by Philip Ringo in 1717.

Moore's Mills - c. 1720
Grist, Oil, & Saw

March to Monmouth - Hunterdon [June 1778]
[Creator of map: John Allen]
All of this part of the march was through what was Hunterdon County.

Old York Rd. in Hunterdon

"road along the rocks" [Bungtown Rd. west-check with John]

Amwell Meetinghouse [Mt. Airy]

3.3 miles

Queen's Road [encampment]

1.5 miles to Ringoes

Ringoes to Rocktown

Old York to Gulick Rd.

Rocktown to New Market [Linvale]

Woodsville Rd.

Hopewell Rd.

Furman's Corner [Marshall's]

8.0 miles to Furman's Corner [now Marshall's Corner]

Lee's proposed battlefield

Stony Brook

Stoutsburg

Provenceline Rd.

March to Monmouth - Hopewell [June 1778]
[Creator of map: John Allen]
During the Revolutionary War, Hopewell was part of Hunterdon County.

John Stillwell House - c. 1750

Wilson-Hunt Farmstead - c. 1740

Samuel Furman House - c. 1725

stone schoolhouse - c. 1745

Deacon James Hunt Farmstead - c. 1750

Baptist Meeting House - 1747/1822
Original building 1747. Later building 1822.

John Hart Farm

Widow Eaton House - c. 1750
Oldest part c. 1750.
Issac Eaton's Grammar School

Benjamin Stout House - c. 1740
Back portion c. 1740.

Andrew Stout House - c. 1750

"Hunt House" - GW HQ
Washington's Headquarters June 23-24, 1778
[Really the Stout estate]