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OF N.J. LLC
| Old House To Become Museum Group Forms To Acquire And Restore Loyalist's Home |
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As Independence Day nears, many of us conjure images of George Washington's scruffy patriots waging bloody guerrilla warfare against the
British. But the rebels were fighting their fellow Americans, too, a fact that will be brought home as a loyalist museum is established near here.
That museum will be the circa 1759 home of loyalist Stoffel Vought. Located off Gray Rock Road on the site of the new Clinton Township Middle
School, it has sparked a modern-day revolution of it's own.
During the American Revolution the Vought house was a hot-bed of loyalist activity and a frequent target of raids by insurgent neighbors. In return,
Mr. Vought's son John, along with Joseph Lee and about 25 other loyalists, raided the tavern home of Thomas Jones. The tavern still stands nearby
on Beaver Avenue in Annandale.
School officials had planned to demolish the Vought house and the township's own Historic Commission didn't object. State officials said a report
from the school board engineers Schoor DePalma didn't even note anything historic on the property.
Nevertheless, momentum grew to save the house. Some people credit, or blame, County Historian Stephanie Stevens with leading the charge.
That led the state Department of Environmental Protection to require studies of the house, and the DEP then refused to grant some of the permits
needed for construction until the school promised to save the old house.
"It's an 18-century fixer-upper," said Jo-An' Van Doren of Raritan Township, who has already restored nine homes. She's on the Red mill Museum
Village Board of Trustees, and now she's part of a new non-profit group called 1759 Vought House Inc. It aims to acquire the house from the school
board and turn it into a museum.
"This is how you teach history," said Don Sherblom of Clinton Township, who's also part of the group. "During the Revolution, loyalties were fluid...
You can't understand the history of the Revolution without understanding those who sided with the King." Loyalists haven't been given more space in
history books because, "It's the victors of war who write the books." he said, paraphrasing Churchill.
The pair have enlisted others in the effort. They include former Clinton Township Councilwoman Antje Doyle; Toad Braisted, a loyalist expert;
Timothy Johnson, an expert in historic preservation; Melissa Travis Mohlman, who has a art history degree and experience working with architects;
Charles Riddle, who has a master's degree in history and has taught social studies in Bethlehem Township schools for 35 years; Ginger Rolleri, a
township resident and teacher who thinks children best learn history through hands-on experience; and Adam Wengryn of Ringoes, whose company
Restoration Technologies specializes in dismantling and restoring old buildings. He also was among the first to recognize the value of the Vought
House's unique plaster ceilings, which Ms. Stevens calls "a national treasure."
Mr. Sherblom said the house would be the first loyalist museum in the state and "the centerpiece of Revolutionary history in Hunterdon." He
recognizes a lot of work needs to be done. Mr. Wengryn said the project is "like restoring old art work" and part of the challenge is deciding, "How
do we want to use the building? What do we want to do and what do we want to keep?"
There are other obstacles, too. The school board hopes to subdivide the property so the house can be sold. But school board member Tom Marron
said access to the house "can't be in the deceleration lane" on Gray Rock Road "and can't be from the school driveway" for safety reasons. School
board member Robert Sabattis said the school may be able to grant an easement for the septic to be placed on the school land.
"Electric, sewer, water - it all has to be provided inside a C-1 category team buffer," Mr. Marron said. And School board administrator Daria
Wasserbach said the house can't be given outright to 1759 Vought House Inc., but sold to it at a public auction. Writing the auction rules so that the
Vought House becomes a museum and not a bank branch will be a task left to school board attorney Walter Willson.
How will Mr. Sherblom's group pay for the work to be done to the house? "Visit our Web site" 1759house.org, he said. "We welcome the help."
British. But the rebels were fighting their fellow Americans, too, a fact that will be brought home as a loyalist museum is established near here.
That museum will be the circa 1759 home of loyalist Stoffel Vought. Located off Gray Rock Road on the site of the new Clinton Township Middle
School, it has sparked a modern-day revolution of it's own.
During the American Revolution the Vought house was a hot-bed of loyalist activity and a frequent target of raids by insurgent neighbors. In return,
Mr. Vought's son John, along with Joseph Lee and about 25 other loyalists, raided the tavern home of Thomas Jones. The tavern still stands nearby
on Beaver Avenue in Annandale.
School officials had planned to demolish the Vought house and the township's own Historic Commission didn't object. State officials said a report
from the school board engineers Schoor DePalma didn't even note anything historic on the property.
Nevertheless, momentum grew to save the house. Some people credit, or blame, County Historian Stephanie Stevens with leading the charge.
That led the state Department of Environmental Protection to require studies of the house, and the DEP then refused to grant some of the permits
needed for construction until the school promised to save the old house.
"It's an 18-century fixer-upper," said Jo-An' Van Doren of Raritan Township, who has already restored nine homes. She's on the Red mill Museum
Village Board of Trustees, and now she's part of a new non-profit group called 1759 Vought House Inc. It aims to acquire the house from the school
board and turn it into a museum.
"This is how you teach history," said Don Sherblom of Clinton Township, who's also part of the group. "During the Revolution, loyalties were fluid...
You can't understand the history of the Revolution without understanding those who sided with the King." Loyalists haven't been given more space in
history books because, "It's the victors of war who write the books." he said, paraphrasing Churchill.
The pair have enlisted others in the effort. They include former Clinton Township Councilwoman Antje Doyle; Toad Braisted, a loyalist expert;
Timothy Johnson, an expert in historic preservation; Melissa Travis Mohlman, who has a art history degree and experience working with architects;
Charles Riddle, who has a master's degree in history and has taught social studies in Bethlehem Township schools for 35 years; Ginger Rolleri, a
township resident and teacher who thinks children best learn history through hands-on experience; and Adam Wengryn of Ringoes, whose company
Restoration Technologies specializes in dismantling and restoring old buildings. He also was among the first to recognize the value of the Vought
House's unique plaster ceilings, which Ms. Stevens calls "a national treasure."
Mr. Sherblom said the house would be the first loyalist museum in the state and "the centerpiece of Revolutionary history in Hunterdon." He
recognizes a lot of work needs to be done. Mr. Wengryn said the project is "like restoring old art work" and part of the challenge is deciding, "How
do we want to use the building? What do we want to do and what do we want to keep?"
There are other obstacles, too. The school board hopes to subdivide the property so the house can be sold. But school board member Tom Marron
said access to the house "can't be in the deceleration lane" on Gray Rock Road "and can't be from the school driveway" for safety reasons. School
board member Robert Sabattis said the school may be able to grant an easement for the septic to be placed on the school land.
"Electric, sewer, water - it all has to be provided inside a C-1 category team buffer," Mr. Marron said. And School board administrator Daria
Wasserbach said the house can't be given outright to 1759 Vought House Inc., but sold to it at a public auction. Writing the auction rules so that the
Vought House becomes a museum and not a bank branch will be a task left to school board attorney Walter Willson.
How will Mr. Sherblom's group pay for the work to be done to the house? "Visit our Web site" 1759house.org, he said. "We welcome the help."
For more information on the 1759 Vought House
please visit:
1759house.org
1759house.net
please visit:
1759house.org
1759house.net
Click Here To See More Pictures Of the 1759 Vought House
This Old House was home to those 'who considered
themselves Americans' even as they supported the British during
the revolution, says Don Sherblom, and that makes the Vought
House special. Hoping to restore the house and convert in into a
museum are, from left, (back row) Mr. Sherblom, Todd Braisted,
Jo-an' Van Doren, Beth Rice, Ginger Rolleri and (front) Tim
Johnson and Adam Wengryn.
themselves Americans' even as they supported the British during
the revolution, says Don Sherblom, and that makes the Vought
House special. Hoping to restore the house and convert in into a
museum are, from left, (back row) Mr. Sherblom, Todd Braisted,
Jo-an' Van Doren, Beth Rice, Ginger Rolleri and (front) Tim
Johnson and Adam Wengryn.