The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-02-22
WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION.
New Members Photographs of
Grounds in CoIOrs.

| N0W NCNDGES = EHONOREoPHS ~
Grounds in CoIOrs.
| At the business meeting of the Execu-
tibe Committee of the Washington AS
sociation held at noon today, reports
were made to the effect that the affairs
of the Association were in a most salts
factory condition. The following mem
bers were elected Messrs. Wilberforce
Freeman of Orange, and Tonza Sanvage
of Newark.
The following have become members
by succession: Benjamin B. Tilt, Pater-
son; Lewis M. Brown, Paris Maine;
Gordon fisherman. Morristown; Garret
A. Hobart, Paterson; Henry E. Worthen
Passaic County; Cortlandt Richardson,
Lawrence Swan and Robert F. Randolph
of Morristown, Frederick Nishwitz Taft;
members deceased since last meeting,
F. B. Richardson, John d. Harrison,
Albert w. Green, Charles Y. Swan,
William S. Stryker, James F Randolph,
Samuel K Wilson, Thomas 7. Kinney,
George Lord Day, Daniel A, Heald,
Thomas N. McCarter, Henry W. Ford,
David H. McAlpin. George w. Howell.
The membership to date is 49S there
being but two vacancies.
The historical building known as
Washington Headquarters was built
by Col. Jacob Ford, Jr., just before
the Revolutionary War broke out.
Col. Ford took an active part in cover
ing Washington retreat across New
Jersey in 1776 and in this service con-
tracted pneumonia of which he died
early in 1777. His widow was the
daughter of the Rev. Timothy Jones,
then pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church, who was said to have ad-
ministered the communion to Wash
ington.
This lady in 1779-8o offered Wash
ington the hospitality of her house
which he made his headquarters from
December, 1779 to June, 1880.
The house remained the property of
the Ford family until June, 1870, when
it was bought by Governor Theodore
f. Randolph, Hon. George A. Halsey,
Gen. N. N. Halsted and William V.
v. Lidgerwood, ESQ.,, with the inten-
tion of offering it to the State to be
preserved as an historic place.
Shortly afterward the Washington
Association was formed with capital
of $50, 900. 1t received a charter
from the State under which it receives
So, 500 per annum on condition that
it shall be kept as an historical build
ing, within which the peopleS of New
Jersey may deposit articles of interest
connected with the Revolution and
that it shall be open to the public free
of charge at all proper times.
On several occasions additional land
has been bought and few years ago
Lafayette Hall was built to accommo-
date the meetings of the Association.
The collections of relics is one of
the finest in the United States.
The increase and formation of the
various collections of relics together
with the arrangements of the exhibits
in the house have been done under
the personal supervision of Jonathan
W. Roberts, the president of the AS
sociation to whose efforts are due
over eighty per cent. of the member
ship, the removal of the debt and the
restoration and improvement of the
property, and who since the time of
his first connection with the Associa-
tion in 1884 has given it his constant
and unwearied attention. That the
members of the Association appreciate
the devotion of Mr.. Boberts is evid-
enced by the fact that he has con-
tinued to hold the Office of president
for the past fourteen years.
The views of the Headquar-
ters shown on the cover of
this issue of the Chronicle are from
pictures by the Detroit Photographic
Company through whose courtesy they
are reproduced. The panoramic view
of the old mansion and Fort Nonsense
with other views is reproduced in
coIors and are particularly fine speci-
mems of the Detroit Company's work.
The negatives were taken by W. Fl.
Jackson a Photographic expert of
world wide celebrity. Orders can be
left at Headquarters for the pictures,
either @ngly or in sets.
Basket Bali Tonigt,