Category: History Channel

Delaware’s Cemeteries, Part 2 in a Series

Before reading this post don’t miss the part I of Delaware’s Cemeteries.

SEMI – PUBLIC CEMETERIES
These are fairly large cemeteries that are seemingly public, but the organization that created the cemetery has gone out of existence. As a consequence, maintenance of these cemeteries is problematic, often relying on the work of volunteers.

BARBER CEMETERY
Located on the Lambertville-Headquarters Road, this cemetery, one of the oldest in the township, was begun by members of the Barber family who settled in the area as early as 1740. When Samuel Barber died in 1751, he left his farm to his wife Eliada until his minor children were 21. It was offered for public sale in 1766, and was purchased by Samuel’s son John (c.1720-1795).

Barber Cemetery is a good example of …

Delaware Township Mills in the 19th Century

Mill Owners and Operators

The earliest mill owners were millers themselves. But the more successful the mill, the more help was needed to run it. Millers hired laborers or indentured servants, and it was fairly common for millers to own one or two slaves. In the 1780s, there were about 50 slaves in Amwell Township, many of them owned by millers. In Delaware Township, Samuel Opdycke owned the mill that later was known as Sergeant’s Mill. His slave was named Robbin and was bequeathed to him in his father’s will, written in 1777. When Robbin died, he was buried on the hillside near the mill. Other early mill owners of Delaware Township who might have owned slaves were Peter Rittenhouse and his son Elisha, Charles Woolverton and his son John, …

Headquarters Farm: A Center of Historic Preservation in Delaware Township

The flowers planted in the right of way along Rosemont-Ringoes Road are just the most visible signs of new life in this old hamlet. They are one of several cooperative efforts by Roger Byrom, who owns the farm associated in legend with General Washington, and Marilyn and Kenneth Cummings, who built a home on a lot subdivided from the old farm.

The Cummings are also founding members of the Delaware Township Historical Society. Their home, a comfortable evocation of the colonial vernacular style, reflects their interests in local history. Their many interests and activities include cataloguing and measuring the township’s historic buildings, and collecting and passing on the history of the township.

Roger Byrom, who owns the mill and farm house and other outbuildings, has several irons in the …

A History of Headquarters Mill

A few years ago, I wrote articles for the township newsletter, The Bridge, while holding the position of Township Historian. When Charles Frischman became Township Historian he took over the job of writing a regular column for the newsletter. When I stopped writing, I was working on a series about the mills of Delaware Township. The next mill in the series was to be the mill in the village of Headquarters, known variously over the years as Opdycke’s Mill, Tyson’s Mill, Holcombe’s Mill, Conover’s Mill, Carrell Mill and Headquarters Mill.

Now that The Post is up and running, it seemed like a good time to finish that series on the Mills of Delaware Township. Another good reason to do this is the effort being made by members of the Delaware …