The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-10
ROCKY HILLS DAY.
Washington's Farewell Adj
dress to Be Commemo-
rated at Somervi1le
MEMORIAL SocIETYS WORK
The Purchase Of the Wallace
House and Its Interesting
Historic Memories.
MEMORIAL SoCIETY'S WORK


soMERvILLE, Sept. 10, 1Sse-The
nineteenth of September. the centennial
anniversary of General Washington's
Farewell Address to the People of the
United States" promises to be a notable
occasion in Somerville. The "Revolution-
ary- Memorial Society of New jersey
which is the outgrowth of the society for
the preservation of Washington's Head
quarters at Rocky Hill, will be formally
inaugurated upon that day. The Mem
orial Society is purely patriotic, and has
for its sole object the preservation and
suitable marking of such places in New
Jersey as are associated with the Revo-
lutionary War. No hereditary test is re-
quired for membership, which is thrown
open to every loyal JerseyTnan or Jersey
woman. Its officers are selected from
among the members of the historico-pa-
triotic societies and are as follows
President, Richard F. Stevens, of South
Orange; First Vice President, Mrs. Jo-
sephine A. T. Swan, of Princeton; Sec
ond Vice President, Mrs. Margaret C.
Hodenpyf, of Summit; Treasurer, Mr..
Ernest z. Coe. of Newark; Correspond
ing Secretary. William Pennington, of
Newark; Recording Secretary. Francis B.
Lee, of Trenton; Curator, Miss E. Ellen
B~atcheller, of Milestone, all of whom are
prominently identified with the Revolu-
tionary and Colonial Societies in New
Jersey. Twenty-four prominent Jersey
people compos the Board of Trustees of
the Memorial Society. It is the expec-
tation that Semerville will be en- fete
upon the 10th. Prominent Jerseymen. de-
scendants of noted sires, will be invited
to make addresses. President Cleveland
and his Cabinet. Governor Griggs n his
staff, General Horace Porter, the Gen.
Pres. of S. 4. B.; Governor Carroll,
of Maryland. Pres. Gen. of S. B.,
Colonel w. Wayne, descendant of Gem
eral Anthony Wayne, Pres. of Cincin-
natl; Mrs. Vice President Stevenson, D.
A. R, with many others, will be invited.
made. the indications being that the at
tendance will be very large. Besides the
officers of the Memorial Society. the fol-
lowing are active as promoters of the af-
fair:-Dr. ]. 3. Cornell, VIM. H. Taylor,
Hon. James ]. Bergen, Joseph w. Bal
lantine Henry Herwicke, VIM. F..
BBrppoek Il Ff pap,e s. Ro nan ! n n James n,s
George LaMonte of Bound Brook, Mrs.
A r. Peeke, Miss Anna Sibble, Mrs. John
Allendorf, Mrs. VIM. F. Hoppock, Mrs.
VI y - q ~ t&liOt fitcP 1GiOllttE d u. OIlS.
Miss Louise Anderson. Miss j.. e. De
Naray of Somerville. Miss e. Ellen
Batcheller of Milestone, Miss Kate E. Nc
Farlane of Rocky Hill and Mrs. Putnam
of Elizabeth.
The Revolutionary Memorial Society
of New Jersey is thoroughly in earnest
in its desire to preserve houses consecrat-
ed to the cause of American liberty. In
connection with the integration of the
society, it is of especial interest to know
that preparations have been practically
concluded which will lead to the owner
ship by the Memorial Society of the
famous wallace House. at Somerville.
This historic mansion, which will be the
centre of the Somerville celebration is
situated in a grove in the western part of
the town. and was W~ashington's Head
quarters in 177S-17I9. In front of the prop
erty the main line of the Central Railroad
of New Jersey runs from Jersey City to
Easton. Miss Ellen Batcheller of Mill
stone, Regent of General -Frelinghuysen,
D.. A. B., has been SO Instrumental in its
preservation, has prepared a brief but
complete history of the structure The
served, has as its first attractive feature
a wide wainscoted hall, a wood cornice
with ornamented arch, and a broad, wind
ing staircase. Upon the right is Wash
ington's reception room, with its old
fashioned fireplace, with wood cornice
cut in dog-tooth design. In the rear is
W~ashington's sleeping apartment with
lin stove. The dining room on the left
contains the original chair rails, small
panes of glass, with heavy sash, and
the H and L hinges. The upper sleep
ing rooms and the laves quarters are
in a fine state of preservation. General
Washington moved into the house before
it was entirely completed and remained
there during the winter and spring of
1S78-ls79. This vas the Headquarters
Middlebrook, where were planned Sulli-
vans campaign against the six Ma
tons for ndian atrocities in Wyoming
and Cherry valleys. During Washing
toms residence at Somerville the brilliant
fete and ball at PluckenAin, N. j., oc-
CURED in honor of the French alliance.