Amwell Township, New Jersey

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Amwell Township, New Jersey
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Amwell Township
1731–1837 location of Amwell Township
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Amwell Township
Amwell Township (New Jersey)
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Amwell Township
Amwell Township (the United States)
Coordinates: 40°27′N74°53′W / 40.450°N 74.883°W / 40.450; -74.883 Coordinates: 40°27′N74°53′W / 40.450°N 74.883°W / 40.450; -74.883 [1]
Country Flag of the United States.svg  United States
State Flag of New Jersey.svg  New Jersey
County Hunterdon
Royal patent1708
Township 1798
Dissolved1846
Named for Great and Little Amwell, Hertfordshire

Amwell Township was a Township that existed in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States, from 1708 to 1846.

Contents

The Township was established by royal patent on June 8, 1708, from Queen Anne, the first sovereign of the combined kingdom of Great Britain, while the area was part of West Jersey. [1] [2] At the time of its inception, its territory comprised 200 square miles (520 km2) and included the present day Delaware Township, Raritan Township, Readington Township, East Amwell Township and West Amwell Township and portions of Clinton, Lebanon and Tewksbury Townships. [2] The township was named for Great and Little Amwell, Hertfordshire in England. [3]

On March 11, 1714, it became part of the newly formed Hunterdon County. Lebanon Township was first mentioned on October 26, 1731, as having been created from Amwell Township, though the exact date of its formation is unknown. [1] Reading Township (now known as Readington Township) was created from portions of Amwell Township on July 15, 1730. [1]

On February 21, 1798, Amwell Township was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships. [1] On April 2, 1838, both Delaware Township and Raritan Township were created from portions of Amwell Township. [1] On April 6, 1846, Amwell was split into East and West Amwell Townships, and Amwell Township was dissolved. [1] [2]

History

Amwell Militia monument for Captain John Schenck and the Ambush of Geary Amwell Militia monument, Raritan Township, NJ.jpg
Amwell Militia monument for Captain John Schenck and the Ambush of Geary

On December 14, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, local militia led by Captain John Schenck ambushed a party of British dragoons returning from a raid on Flemington. The British leader, Cornet Francis Geary, was killed during this skirmish, known as the Ambush of Geary, that took place between Copper Hill and Larison's Corners. [4] The ambush site is now located in Raritan Township. On December 14, 1976, as part of the United States Bicentennial, the township dedicated a monument to the Amwell Militia here. [5] A memorial monument to Geary is located nearby along with a plaque describing the Amwell Skirmish. [6] [7]

Notable people

Notable people who resided in Amwell Township include:

See also

Related Research Articles

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Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States Census, the county's population was 128,947, making it the state's 18th-most populous county, representing an increase of 598 (0.5%) from the 128,349 enumerated in the 2010 United States Census, which in turn increased by 6,360 (5.2%) from the 121,989 counted in the 2000 Census. Its county seat is Flemington.

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Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

Delaware Township is a township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. Part of the township is on the Hunterdon Plateau, while the southern portions are in the Amwell Valley. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 4,563, reflecting an increase of 85 (+1.9%) from the 4,478 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 34 (-0.8%) from the 4,512 counted in the 1990 Census.

East Amwell Township, New Jersey Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

East Amwell Township is a township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 4,013, reflecting a decline of 442 (-9.9%) from the 4,455 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 123 (+2.8%) from the 4,332 counted in the 1990 Census.

Flemington, New Jersey Borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

Flemington is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. It is the county seat of Hunterdon County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,581, reflecting an increase of 381 (+9.1%) from the 4,200 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 153 (+3.8%) from the 4,047 counted in the 1990 Census. Most of the borough is located in the Amwell Valley and the Raritan Valley. Northwestern portions of the borough sit on the Hunterdon Plateau.

Raritan Township, New Jersey Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

Raritan Township is a township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 22,185, reflecting an increase of 2,376 (+12.0%) from the 19,809 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 4,193 (+26.9%) from the 15,616 counted in the 1990 Census. The township is located within the heart of the Amwell Valley and Raritan Valley regions, as the South Branch of the Raritan River flows through the center of the township. The northwestern portion of the township is located on the Hunterdon Plateau.

Readington Township, New Jersey Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

Readington Township is a township located in the easternmost portion of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 16,126, reflecting an increase of 323 (+2.0%) from the 15,803 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,403 (+17.9%) from the 13,400 counted in the 1990 Census.

The Flemington-Raritan Regional School District is a comprehensive regional public school district in eastern Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grades from the neighboring communities of Flemington Borough and Raritan Township.

Hunterdon Central Regional High School School district in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

Hunterdon Central Regional High School is a comprehensive, four-year public high school, and regional school district that serves students from five municipalities in east central Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. Students hail from Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Flemington, Raritan Township and Readington Township.

The Readington Township Public Schools is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Readington Township, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States.

Ambush of Geary Skirmish of the American Revolutionary War

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.

John Schenck

John Schenck (1750–1823) was a captain in the New Jersey Militia during the American Revolutionary War.

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The East Amwell Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from East Amwell Township, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States.

Amwell Valley

The Amwell Valley is a small valley in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, between the Hunterdon Plateau and the Sourlands. It comprises Stockton, parts of Delaware Township, West Amwell, East Amwell, Flemington and Raritan Township. The region borders the Delaware River to the west and the South Branch Raritan River to the east. The entire area has elevations around 200 feet above sea level. US 202 is the main route running west to east through the valley. Old York Road also passes through the valley, taking a generally more southern route through Raritan and along the Sourlands at Mount Airy. Like the Hunterdon Plateau, Amwell Valley still has a large number of farms due to its sufficient climate, relatively flat land and the presence of silt-loams soils. The valley is home to Unionville Winery and Old York Cellars in Ringoes.

Copper Hill, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Copper Hill is an unincorporated community located within the Amwell Valley of Raritan Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It is located between Flemington and Ringoes along U.S. Route 202, New Jersey Route 31 and Copper Hill Road. It was named for the old copper mines in the area.

Flemington Junction, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Flemington Junction is an unincorporated community located within Raritan Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. The area is located approximately one and a half miles (2.4 km) northeast of downtown Flemington and was the site of the junction of the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Flemington Branch and Mainline. The Flemington Junction station was listed as part of the Raritan–Readington South Branch Historic District in 1990. Today, the Flemington Spur tracks have been removed but numerous industries and commercial businesses are located in the vicinity of the crossing. In addition to the Norfolk Southern rail line, County Route 523 passes through the area.

Raritan–Readington South Branch Historic District United States historic place

The Raritan–Readington South Branch Historic District is a 556-acre (225 ha) historic district along River Road from New Jersey Route 31 to U.S. Route 202 near Flemington in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It is primarily on the western side of the South Branch Raritan River in Raritan Township. It extends onto the eastern side of the river in Readington Township. County Route 523 and County Route 612 pass through the district to the north. The district encompasses the small settlements of Holcomb Mills, Flemington Junction, and Rockefellows Mills. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 26, 1990, for its significance in architecture, politics, transportation, and exploration/settlement. The district includes 36 contributing buildings, four contributing structures, and three contributing sites. It also includes the John Reading Farmstead, previously listed on the NRHP individually.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 153. Accessed November 14, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 The Township of East Amwell, accessed March 16, 2007
  3. Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 29, 2015.
  4. Mott, George Scudder (1894). History of the Presbyterian Church in Flemington, New Jersey. pp. 14–17. OCLC   1046526468.
  5. Raritan Township, New Jersey. "Amwell Militia".
  6. William Nevill M. Geary. "To the memory of Cornet Francis Geary".
  7. "Amwell Skirmish".
  8. William Kirkpatrick, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . Accessed December 21, 2007.
  9. Kugler, John Backer (1912). "Captain Schenck". The History of the First English Presbyterian Church in Amwell. pp. 120–122.