Become a Volunteer Educator! Would you like to be a part of something greater than yourself? Would you like to engage with students eager to learn about their amazing local history? Would you like to give the gift of time and effort to help our education program and youth community grow? If your answer to any of these questions is YES , then we want you to VOLUNTEER WITH US! Apply The generosity and efforts of our valued volunteers are integral to the success of our K-12 education programs. A background in education is preferred, but those with a flair for storytelling or a love of history are encouraged to apply! Prerequisites : Availability during school hours Reliable transportation to locations Ability climb stairs Interview by phone and/or in person Program Locations: Marlpit Hall, Middletown Covenhoven House, Freehold MCHA Museum, Freehold Allen House, Shrewsbury Additional Information : We will work with your schedule and preferences Tours run about 60 minutes for Grades 3-5; 90 minutes for Grades 6-12 Mandatory training will be provided by MCHA staff to ensure our volunteers are confident and effective educators Volunteers will always conduct programs with one or two other staff/volunteers Period clothing is required for programs at Covenhoven House and Allen House, and will be provided from our authentic colonial reproduction wardrobe! MCHA Volunteer Educator Application Please fill out the form completely to be considered for a position Name Email Phone Address Hours of availability Our volunteering shifts vary depending on the location or event. 9am-3 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday How did you hear about us? Language skills About yourself References Submit Thank you! Your application has been sent Volunteer Application Have a question? Please email Yvette Rego, On-Site Education Coordinator at education@monmouthhistory.org

Join us for free virtual lectures given by Monmouth County's most interesting speakers! MCHA Presents HISTORICALLY SPEAKING A Virtual Lecture Series - Co-Sponsored by the Monmouth County Library - Register below today for FREE Zoom lectures given by Monmouth County's most interesting and well-respected historians! You'll even have the chance to engage in a Q&A at the end! Browse our upcoming line-up to join us on the specified date at 7 PM: April 17 Bernadette Rogoff presents The Allen House Tavern: A Remarkable History Summer home. Tavern. Courthouse. Meeting space. Library. Massacre site. Doctor’s office. Pharmacy. Tea Room. And now one of the oldest existing historic sites in Monmouth County. The remarkable history of the Allen House, presented by Director of Collections Bernadette Rogoff, offers an engaging look at this amazing survivor and its current restoration project. Don’t miss it! July 17th Dan Lieb presents The Wreck of the Manasquan For decades, divers exploring the waters off Manasquan, New Jersey misidentified a local wreck as the Thistle . A careful review of the artifacts recovered over the years by area divers - and an exhaustive search of public records - led to the identification of this enigmatic wreck site. Join Dan Lieb, a professional diver of over 50 years, as we explore this fascinating story! October 16 Greg Caggiano presents The Haunted History of Monmouth County Greg Caggiano is an award-winning historian, lecturer, author, and consultant, writing for magazines such as Weird N.J. and Garden State Legacy. His work has been referenced in the New York Daily News , New York Times , Asbury Park Press , and Today . This presentation focuses on the Haunted History of Monmouth County, including MCHA's own Taylor-Butler House! Join us - if you dare - as Greg blends history, ghost stories, myths, and legends. What is fact and what is fiction? You'll have to wait to find out! Previous Lectures are Now Available! Register Register with the last name of each lecturer you would like to attend, or just type "All" if you would like to be automatically registered for all future lectures. There is no need to register again if you have selected "all" at any point. You will receive a reminder email a few days before the lecture date, and the link will be emailed a couple of hours prior to start time. Submit Thanks for registering! Anchor 2

DIGITAL RESOURCES CLASS TRIPS PROF. DEV MCHA is a proud partner of the grades 5-12 History Happened Here initiative. Students are welcome to click here to learn how to use our resources to discover our fascinating Monmouth County history, and how it fits into the larger framework of American history. Education Programs DigRes Digital Education Our award-winning exhibit on slavery in New Jersey, Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall , is now the focus of two grade-banded digital companions, tailored to NJ curriculum standards Colonial History (Upper Elementary level) General Monmouth County History (Intermediate-through-Secondary level) Digital resources are currently only available for laptop/PC viewing CLICK the image to access the resource Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall Using primary sources and artifacts from the MCHA collections and material culture from the historic c. 1756 Marlpit Hall in Middletown, this exhibit tells the stories of seven of the 12 known enslaved individuals who inhabited this residence. The larger story of slavery in New Jersey is also explored through careful research and documentation. Upper Elementary Level Middle School / High School Colonial Kids Education Page This upper elementary resource focuses on the Colonial Era. Discover what 18th-century life was like for the people who lived at the historic Covenhoven House in Freehold! Monmouth County Education Page This intermediate/high school resource focuses heavily on primary sources from the collections of MCHA and beyond to illustrate the rich history of Monmouth County! Colonial era documents, WWII artifacts and ephemera, newspaper articles, and other unique objects help students connect American history to fascinating local history. Trips On-Site Education: Covenhoven House and Monmouth Battlefield! 150 W. Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 Grades 2-6 The only date left for this immensely popular combination trip is May 14th, 2025. Dates are still available, however, for the 90-minute Covenhoven program. Book NOW for 2026, the 250th anniversary of our nation!! This beautiful 1752 historic house museum offers students a window into the Colonial era. Situated on what was known as the Burlington Path, Elizabeth Covenhoven's stately residence was used by General Clinton as the British headquarters in the days before the Battle of Monmouth. Our new exhibit, Choices , will explore the options our various forebears were faced with during the American Revolution. Would you side with the Patriots...or Loyalists? Stay to defend your home, or flee to safety? For the enslaved, the British promised freedom if they fought for the crown...but could this promise be trusted? Students will tour the house and learn about life in the Colonial era through the various historical figures who lived in and visited this home. Groups of students will rotate out to nearby Monmouth Battlefield, the next stop for the British where they clashed with the Continental Army at the Battle of Monmouth. There they will learn about the battle from the park historian and participate in a pre-selected choice of activities, including a battlefield hike, museum scavenger hunt, cannon or musket drill! Covenhoven House Program Only This 90-minute program includes a fun tour of this historic house museum, a hearth cooking demonstration, and a spy code-cracking activity! Students are welcomed into the home by a costumed interpreter, where they will be transported by the sights and sounds of the 18th century as the delicious scent of cinnamon applesauce cooks gently in the kitchen. Dates book very quickly - we cannot stress enough to secure your date early! Hope to see you soon! INQUIRE Recent Review from Mr. Iosue at St. Rose of Lima School: Taking our fifth graders on a trip to the Covenhoven House was a no brainer. As a local historical site I knew this would allow the students to connect on a deeper level. As we toured the home the children were extremely engaged in all of the aspects of colonial life demonstrated to them. The presenters were very knowledgeable and receptive to questions and comments. It was a day that will remain with our students for a long time because of the dedication of the staff. The program was well organized and structured while being exciting and filled with suspense. Every room had a rich history and as it all was explained to us, our fifth graders were able to see the classroom experience come alive. I truly would recommend a trip to the Covenhoven House to any teacher! The kids have not stopped talking about it...from the kitchen to the garden...they loved it all! Thank you to the association! Marlpit Hall Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall 137 Kings Hwy, Middletown, NJ 07748 Program is tailored for attending grade band (click here for pdf) $10 per student grades 3-12 (Approx. 90-minute program) Combination trips with the historic Murray Farmhouse at Poricy Park or the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center are also available! Freehold High School students, 2022 This c. 1762 house features our award-winning exhibit, Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall . Students Grades 3-6* tour the historic house museum to learn about slavery in New Jersey through the lens of those who were once enslaved at the residence. The personal stories of these individuals are explored, reconstructed through primary sources such as birth records and freedom papers. Students are given the opportunity to investigate the process of creating historically accurate stories using primary sources; they leave the exhibit with a solid understanding of the institution of slavery in New Jersey, and the skills needed to think like historians. Students grades 7-12** are engaged in an in-depth Primary Source Workshop after the guided museum tour to learn about the processes involved in analyzing documents such as birth records, inventories, freedom papers, as well as "for sale" and runaway ads. What can these sources tell us, what questions do they leave us with, and how can we use our understanding of history to develop possible theories? Students leave with the skills to conduct responsible analysis and interpretation of historic documents, and a solid background on the components of slavery in New Jersey. *For a longer program for grades 3-6 , pair Marlpit Hall with the historic Murray Farmhouse at Poricy Park ! Students will gain a fuller understanding of the Colonial era in this dual program. Murray Farmhouse visitors will learn about Patriots and Loyalists in Monmouth County, as well as have a chance for hands-on activities such as churning butter and grinding spices. ** Grades 7-12 can pair Marlpit Hall with a trip to the historic T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center in nearby Red Bank. This dual program is an excellent segue from slavery to an emphasis on the many successes of Black men and women post-1865. INQUIRE Recent Testimonial Saint John Vianney High School History Club recently visited Marlpit Hall in Middletown. This 18th-century farmhouse holds layers of history regarding slavery in Monmouth County. Thanks to the Monmouth County Historical Association, our guided tour delved into the lives of the seven slaves who once called this place home. From their daily routines to the broader narrative of slavery in Monmouth County, every detail was thoughtfully explored. The interactive workshop afterward was equally enlightening, as students engaged with primary sources, including descriptive want ads offering rewards for runaway slaves. The tour was a powerful learning experience. For fellow educators seeking impactful experiences for their students, I can't recommend this tour enough. The insights gained at Marlpit Hall are invaluable for understanding our shared history. I'm already planning future visits with the MCHA and eagerly anticipating the opportunity to incorporate their educational web resources into my early American history lessons. It's a journey worth taking, enriching both educators and students alike. Kenneth Brumbaugh Social Studies Teacher/Saint John Vianney High School Early College Academy, Adjunct Professor/Brookdale Community College Hybrid Virtual Programs! Marlpit Hall comes directly to your classroom with MCHA's hybrid virtual class trip, bringing your students the best of both worlds! This webinar package includes: - A video tour of Marlpit Hall, learning directly from the curators who built the exhibit. A professional educator will then be available after the presentation for a live Q&A, to answer any questions the students might have. - Grades 7-12 will also be guided through the Primary Source Workshop, in which the skills to critically analyze historical primary source documents are developed. - All grades receive professional lesson plans and activities based on the exhibit material - Students are encouraged to explore the free digital education pages above as a pre-or-post trip activity. - MCHA educators are always available by email to any questions that teachers or students may have, so feel free to reach out! INQUIRE PD Professional Development MCHA offers free professional development training for all grade levels. Our PD program is given by professionals in the field, and presents educators with a two-fold approach to understanding the topic on an in-depth level. First, educators experience a curator-led tour of the exhibit, where they gain the background necessary to bolster their confidence level in the subject matter. They then take part in a Primary Source Workshop in which they learn how to analyze documents from the era to extract information in the most useful way, applying curriculum standards into guided classroom discussion. They are prepared with the most commonly asked questions from students, and provided answers according to top scholars in the field. This workshop can be applied in the classroom as well via the digital companion to the exhibit, and has been found useful by ELA educators as well. The program runs approximately 2 hours long. The Elizabeth Van Cleaf Institute is a multi-day workshop that runs during the summer and is by application only. Click here to learn more! Want to book a trip or PD training? Have questions? Suggestions? Compliments (yes, please!)??? Contact Dana at dhowell@monmouthhistory.org Thank you to our advisors and supporters on the Beneath the Floorboards digital programs: Hank Bitten, Executive Director, New Jersey Council for the Social Studies Dr. Wendy Morales, Assistant Superintendent, Monmouth Ocean Educational Services Commission Dr. Jason Fitzgerald, Dr. Rich Veit and Dr. Bill George, Monmouth University Noelle Lorraine Williams, Director of African American Education at the New Jersey Historical Commission The New Jersey School Boards Association The New Jersey Center for Civic Education Many Thanks to Our Education Sponsors and Supporters Larry & Paula Metz Sam & Laurie Landy Bill Mehr

Monmouth County Historical Association is a non-profit history museum, research library and archives with five historic houses throughout the county. Museum Hours Main Museum, 70 Court Street in Freehold : Opening Wednesday October 30th for our new exhibit On the Edge of War: Monmouth Before the Revolution. Open Wed-Fri 1-4, and on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays of the month from 1-4 Covenhoven House : Fridays 1-4, 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from 1-4 Marlpit Hall and Taylor Butler House : Fri-Sun 1-4 Allen House is currently closed for renovations, reopening in 2026! Free audio tours for adults (and kids!) available here for Covenhoven, Marlpit Hall and the Allen House! Events New Exhibit! Opening Wed, October 30th, 2024 Wed - Fri 1 - 4 pm 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays of the month This exhibition presents a personal look at the lives and conditions of Monmouth’s men, women, and children in the decades leading up to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. The Allen House Restoration Project 400 Sycamore Ave, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 Please consider helping MCHA save an important piece of American history by donating to the Allen House restoration project. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar. Thank you in advance for your generosity - we could not do everything we do without the care and dedication of the community! DONATE Reading of the Declaration of Independence at The Allen House 9:00 am, Friday, July 4th 400 Sycamore Ave, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 Join us in paying homage to our nation's most iconic document at this patriotic, longtime family tradition! This beloved event grows every year - we hope to see you there! RevolutionNJ's History Happened Here initiative MCHA is a proud partner of the grades 5-12 History Happened Here initiative. Students are welcome to click HERE to learn how to use our resources to discover our fascinating Monmouth County history, and how it fits into the larger framework of American history. Explore Explore our museum collections, exhibits, educational materials, research library and historic houses. Exhibits Click image for more details on individual exhibits Education: K-12 and Lifelong Learners Digital and on-site programs K-12 Education Library & Archives Research Monmouth County History and Genealogy Library and Archives Open by appointment only A Virtual Lecture Series Historically Speaking Historically Speaking: A Virtual Lecture Series Check schedule for upcoming presentations BLOG Blog Check out what the MCHA staff finds interesting! eMuseum Explore one of the country's finest regional collections eMuseum Virtual Museum Gallery Visit the Houses Visit the Houses Learn about the houses with select exterior audio tours Oral Histories Hear history told by the fascinating individuals who lived it Oral Histories Monmouth History! Our curriculum-based digital resource was created for high schoolers - but we guarantee you'll learn something new no matter what your age! Objects, images, archival documents, and videos tell many of Monmouth's most fascinating stories. The page is under construction, but you are welcome to see it in progress! Learn more Join our email list for updates! Sign Up Thanks for submitting!

This exhibition is the first major development stemming from the Living and Breathing initiative, started in late 2019 as a means of reinterpreting MCHA’s colonial-era historic houses to include the stories of the enslaved African Americans who once resided within them. The exhibition will offer a better understanding of how slavery took root in early Monmouth County, as well as the complex dynamics of daily life and relationships among the enslaved.  Exhibits Anchor Choices Take a peek into the Discovery Room! On the Edge of War: Monmouth Before the Revolution 70 Court St. Freehold, NJ 07728 This exhibition provides a personal look at the lives and conditions of Monmouth's men, women, and children in the decades leading up to the Revolutionary War. The downstairs gallery will immerse you in the solitude and sounds familiar to Colonial Monmouth, where you can hear the stories of what life was life - told by some of the residents themselves! The Discovery Room will bring you into the home of a Colonial resident to give you a sense of what that may have looked like, and the Hartshorne Gallery contains fascinating documents to illustrate growing frustrations of Monmouth's residents. And of course, don't miss the opportunity to see the magnificent painting, Washington Rallying the Troops at Monmouth. Our rare Monmouth Flag is on loan to the Museum of the American Revolution, but will return home in September of 2025. A replica is currently holding its place. We hope to see you soon! Open Wednesdays through Fridays from 1-4, and on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays of the month. Please check our homepage for updated and holiday hours before visiting. Choices: The Covenhoven Family and the Battle of Monmouth 150 W. Main St. Freehold, NJ 07728 Visit the historic 1752 home of William and Elizabeth Covenhoven, which was used as a makeshift headquarters by British General Sir Henry Clinton and his officers in the days before the Battle of Monmouth. Discover the choices that were available to the Revolutionary-era residents of Freehold as the British came through on their way to Sandy Hook. Covenhoven House is open to the public Fridays from 1-4, and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Call-ahead appointments are available as well - email here to schedule a visit. Explore our volunteer tab if you would like to be a guide for this beautiful historic house museum! Open Fridays from 1-4 and from 1-4 on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall 137 Kings Hwy. Middletown, NJ 07748 Visit this two-time award-winning exhibit now at Marlpit Hall, a c. 1762 farmhouse once owned by the Taylor family of Middletown. The exhibit interprets the home from the perspective of seven of the twelve known enslaved men, women and children who once lived and worked there, exploring the often-overlooked topic of slavery in the North. Open Friday-Sunday from 1-4

Research Library The MCHA Research Library & Archives is a significant resource for historians, genealogists, scholars, and anyone with an interest in the storied history of Monmouth County, one of New Jersey’s earliest permanent settlements. The Association houses one of the largest collections of local published and unpublished materials in the state, including more than 1,000 manuscript collections. The breadth and depth of these collections offer regional insights into the broad themes of United States history, while documenting more than three centuries of daily life in Monmouth County. ~ Hours ~ The use of the research library is by appointment only. Please email library@monmouthhistory.org for questions or to schedule a research visit! Catalog / Research Resources Genealogy Email Unable to visit us in person? Let our research staff help. For a small fee, we will conduct “in-house” searches of our record holdings and manuscript collections. A specific search within a small batch of records (e.g. newspaper obituary, church or Bible record, basic research lookup) is a $10 fee, which includes up to five digital or printed records. Broader research questions and genealogy inquiries are $35 per hour (notice will be given upfront for expected research times of more than one hour). These include a thorough search of all relevant sources, collaboration with an experienced genealogist as necessary, photocopies, and postage. Our staff will contact you after you submit your request to give you a quote. PLEASE DO NOT make payment in advance before speaking with a staff member. We may not have the records you are looking for. Refunds will not be issued - any payment submitted without a consultation will be considered a donation. Rights and Reproduction The Monmouth County Historical Association is happy to extend image reproduction rights for various uses. Please email us here or call 732-462-1466, ext. 16 for details and fee structure (if applicable).

83. Forman's Troops and Monmouth Militia Fight British in Pennsylvania < Back September 1777 Previous Next

13. British Navy Takes Sandy Hook < Back April 1776 April 1776 was a tense time in New York City. American independence was not yet declared, yet Continental soldiers were flowing into the city and building defenses in preparation for a British attack. Meanwhile vestiges of the Royal Government continued in the city and a handful of British naval vessels sat in the harbor. The vulnerable position of the British ships was punctuated on April 7 when a small party of British was attacked while drawing fresh water on Staten Island. This resulted in the capture of one of the British boats and its crew. After this incident, Rear Admiral Molyneux Shudlham , commanding the British squadron in New York, determined it was necessary to move his ships to a less vulnerable location with fresh water. Sandy Hook was easily defended from New York, had fresh water nearby, and was a strategic location from which ocean-bound shipping could be either guarded or menaced. On April 7, Captain Thomas Parker of the Phoenix anchored off Sandy Hook and his sailors disembarked on the undefended peninsula. Within days, the British were garrisoning Sandy Hook as the Phoenix stood guard from the Raritan Bay side. A 12-man sentry was stationed at the bottom of the Hook to guard the freshwater well. The British also burned the pilot’s house near the light house in order to deny cover to would-be attackers. Lighthouse keeper, Adam Dobbs , was restricted in his activities and ordered to stay on the Hook. He was likely viewed with suspicion because his brother, William Dobbs , had previously refused to assist a British tea-ship and had recently joined the Continental Army. On April 16, the remaining British ships at New York sailed for Sandy Hook with the remainder of New York’s Royal Government, including Governor William Tryon . Tryon decided to permit Dobbs to leave the Hook for New York if a boat was sent for him. He wrote to New York’s mayor that “all possible care has been taken to Mr. Dobbs and his property, that if you will send a sloop to the Hook, it will be suffered to bring up to New York, Mr. Dobbs, his servants and effects." Dobbs was promptly retrieved and deposed before the New York Provincial Congress. After hearing from him, the Provincial Congress determined that Dobbs had information of value for the recently-arrived George Washington . It transcribed Dobbs’ testimony and: “Ordered, That Captain William Dobbs wait on his Excellency General Washington, with the said copy of a Letter." William Dobbs had enlisted in the Continental Army; he was the brother of Adam Dobbs, and the former pilot at Sandy Hook. Three days later, Tryon reported to George Germain , the British Foreign Secretary: I have now got down with my Ship under the guns of the Phoenix man of war, which is anchored within the Bay off Sandy Hook. This was necessary in order to replenish the Ship's water which was considerably expended. As I judged the possession of the Light House might prevent the Seamen from insults when watering at the well near the Light House, I have ordered a Sergeant and 12 men, from Cap' Campbell's new raised Company, for a night guard. Captain Parker assuring me that in case of extremity he could cover their retreat by the cannon of his Ships. The Pilot's house adjoining to the Light house is burnt down to prevent its being made a lurking place to the enemy, three or four hundred of which appeared yesterday near the Isthmus of the Peninsula where the Light house stands. The last sentence of Tryon’s report, in which he mentions 300-400 of the “enemy” at the bottom of the Hook must have been a reference to the still-organizing Monmouth militia . Companies of Middletown militia under Colonel George Taylor were stationed opposite the British, but they were less numerous than Tryon reported and in no condition to threaten the British. A British Colonel, Templehoffe, was on Sandy Hook during this time period. He discussed the importance of "being in possession of the light house upon Sandy Hook, which guards the right hand side of the harbour's mouth.” He further stated, “The entrance into the harbour is completely commanded by the light-house." His assessment about the importance of Sandy Hook was shared by Continental officers who would soon seek to dislodge the British. The HMS Phoenix was among the first British warships to land on the western bank of Sandy Hook. The British Navy took Sandy Hook without a fight in April 1776. Related Historical Sites : Sandy Hook Lighthouse Sources : Bruce Bliven, Under the Guns, New York 1775-1776 (New York: Harper & Row, 1972) p 236-7; Colin Lindsay, Extracts of Colonel Templehoffe's History of the Seven Years War (London: T. Cadel, 1793), v2, p484; David Syrett, The Royal Navy in American Waters, 1775-1783 (Aldershot, UK: Scolar Press, 1989), p 16; Harlow McMillen, “Red, Green, and a Little Blue: The Story of Staten Island in the American Revolution, Part 8,” Staten Island History, 1st ser., vol. 32 (1977): Part 3, p 25-6; Pennsylvania Ledger, May 4, 1776; The Library Company, Pennsylvania Ledger, vol. 1, Jan. 1775-Nov. 1776; Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York (Albany: John R. Broadhead, 1857), vol. 8, p677; Peter Force, American Archives, v5:955, 1470; Archives of the State of New Jersey, Extracts from American Newspapers Relating to New Jersey (Paterson, NJ: Call Printing, 1903) vol. 1, pp. 92-3; Genealogical webpage on William Dobbs: https://familypedia.fandom.com/wiki/William_Henry_Dobbs_(1716-1781) . Previous Next

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16. Salt Works Begin on the Monmouth Shore < Back May 1776 Salt was far more than a seasoning in 18th Century America. Foods, particularly meats, were salted and dried in order to preserve them. A winter-store of food was essential to surviving the long winter and large quantities of salt were essential to creating a winter-store. Soldiers, unable to produce their own food, were particularly dependent upon salt-dried food. Prior to the American Revolution, Americans imported nearly all of their salt from England. In early 1776, a British naval blockade choked off imported salt and Americans experienced a severe salt shortage. For example, in Philadelphia, the price of salt jumped from £2 to £7 a bushel as the boycott of British goods became complete. The Reverend Muhlenberg noted "the people push and jostle each other whenever there is a small quantity of salt to be found." In 1776, American leaders started actively promoting domestic salt making. The Continental Congress passed a resolve encouraging American salt production and one of its delegates authored a booklet on salt-making. Shallow bays, from which salt water could be trapped in drying pans at high tide, were ideal for salt-making. The Monmouth shore was dotted with such bays. On May 28, the New Jersey Provincial Congress passed an act to encourage salt production, putting "a bounty of 1/3 a dollar per bushel upon all such salt... manufactured within one year of the date hereof.” It also granted militia-service exemptions to salt work owners with "500 gallons of boiling vessels" or more. But it was neighboring Pennsylvania that was first to establish a large salt making project on the Jersey shore. Establishing the Pennsylvania Salt Works On May 31, the Pennsylvania Convention (its new legislature), considered a proposal from an entrepreneur, Thomas Savadge , to establish a large salt works on the Jersey shore. On June 12, the committee charged with considering the proposal reported favorably: The Committee appointed to take into consideration the proposals of Thomas Savadge regarding the making of salt, &c., reported that they had examined the plan of said Thomas Savadge for making annual on the sea-coast about sixty thousand bushels, and are of the opinion that the said works may be completed in a short time, at an expense to exceeding two thousand five hundred pounds. The committee recommended that the project go forward but noted that private investment would be needed to supplement any public investment. On July 19, the Pennsylvania Council of Safety provided Savadge with a L400 advance to begin work. Interestingly, Savadge was already in New Jersey, and he had already spent more than his advance on the purchase of land near Toms River. Historian Harry Weiss wrote that the Pennsylvania Salt Works were "located at Coates Point on the north bank of the Toms River about one-half mile from its junction with Barnegat Bay, and six hundred yards inland." Savadge proceeded to purchase the materials necessary to build a large salt works. He hired laborers and purchased supplies on credit with little regard for his limited funding. In October, he optimistically reported on his progress: “I have nearly completed a boiling house… two drying houses, [and] a mill for the pump." But he also reported a litany of problems that included a lack of funds, laborers leaving every second month for militia service, and the non-delivery of purchased boiling pans. Savadge also noted that the salt works were vulnerable to British attack. The Pennsylvania Council of Safety resolved to advance Savadge more funds and protect the salt works: That an officer and twenty-five men be sent to the Salt Works at Toms River as a guard, and twenty-five spare muskets and two howitzers, and sufficient amount of ammunition to defend in case of attack. The Council of Safety also wrote the Continental Congress to ask the government of New Jersey to help protect the Pennsylvania Salt Works. Dr. Samuel Bard’s and Other Monmouth County Salt Works By August, New Jersey was actively promoting its own salt works. The New Jersey Assembly rolled out a plan to support a salt works owned by Dr. Samuel Bard of Shrewsbury. Bard would receive a L500 loan "for the term of two years without interest." The legislature further agreed to buy all salt produced at $1 a bushel. And the legislature agreed that "if any of the works shall be destroyed by the enemy" the legislature would reimburse Bard for half of his losses. Finally, it offered ten militia exemptions for Bard’s laborers. The plan was approved on September 11. Later that month, the New Jersey Assembly considered the salt works project of William Parker (also of Shrewsbury) and his partners. They requested a loan from the state “on easy terms.” On October 5, the legislature passed "An Act to Encourage William Parker & Others to Erect Salt Works." Loan terms included a provision that the loan would convert to a grant if the salt works were producing three bushels of salt a day within 90 days, and 50% loan forgiveness if the salt works were destroyed by the enemy. Interestingly, Bard and Parker would flirt with disaffection throughout the war, and one of Parker’s partners, Richard Lippincott , would become one of New Jersey’s most notorious Loyalists. Over the next year, several other saltworks started along the present-day Monmouth and Ocean County shore. According to one study that attempted to locate them all, there were nine salt works in total: 1. The mouth of the Shrewsbury River (The River Works, likely owner Samuel Bard); 2. Shark River (name unknown, likely owner William Parker); 3. Brielle bank of the Manasquan River ( Union Salt Works , co-owned by David Forman ); 4. Squan Inlet (name and owner unknown); 5. Mosquito Cove, north of Toms River (Randolph's Works owned by James Randolph ); 6. Toms River (Pennsylvania Salt Works managed by Thomas Savadge); 7. Forked River (name unknown, owned by Samuel Brown ); 8. Waretown (name unknown, owned by Trevor Newland ); and 9. Tuckerton (name and owner unknown). There were also ten other salt works south of Monmouth County along the New Jersey shore. The two largest salt works, the Pennsylvania Salt Works and the Union Salt Works, would be marred by scandal and destruction from Loyalist attacks . But a number of the smaller salt works steadily produced small quantities of salt. Sketch of a boiling house at a salt works. At least nine salt works were started on the Monmouth shore during the American Revolution, including large works at Brielle and Toms River. Related Historic Site : Historic Salt Park (Saltville, VA) Sources : Arthur Pierce, Smugglers' Woods, (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1960) p 225-6; The Library Company, Pennsylvania Ledger, vol. 1, Jan. 1775-Nov. 1776; Peter Force, American Archives, v6: 856; K. Braddock-Rogers, "Salt Works of New Jersey during the American Revolution," Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 15 (December, 1938), p 586; Samuel Hazard, Pennsylvania Archives (Harrisburg: State of Pennsylvania, 1902) First Series, vol. 4, p 771; Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Colony of Pennsylvania, 1767-1776 (Philadelphia: Henry Miller, 1776) p735, 739; Peter Force, American Archives, v1:1297; Library of Congress, J. Turner Coll., Folder - John Hart; The Library Company, New Jersey Votes of the Assembly, September 2, 1776, p 3.; Arthur Pierce, Smugglers' Woods, (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1960) p 235; Samuel Hazard, Pennsylvania Archives (Harrisburg: State of Pennsylvania, 1902) First Series, vol. 5, p 55; Weiss cited in Thomas Foster, The Coastal War in Monmouth County, 1778-1782 (MA Thesis, U. of Pennsylvania, 1961), p13-14; Edwin Salter, History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties (Bayonne, NJ: E. Gardner and Sons, 1890) p 419; Peter Force, American Archives, 4th series, vol. 3, pp. 182-183; Journals of the Continental Congress, p925-6 ( www.ammem/amlaw/lwdg.html ); Library of Congress, Journals of the Continental Congress, vol. 6, p 925; C.C. Smith, "Scarcity of Salt During the Revolutionary War", Proceedings of the Mass. Hist. Soc., 1856-7, vol. 15, p224; New Jersey State Archives, Bureau of Archives and History, Manuscript Collection, Manuscripts, box 14, #23 ; The Library Company, New Jersey Votes of the Assembly, September 11, 1776, p 8; Journals of the Legislative Council of New Jersey (Isaac Collins: State of New Jersey, 1776) p29-30; The Library Company, New Jersey Votes of the Assembly, September 20, 1776, p 17 and September 27, p 23; The Library Company, Acts of the General Assembly of New Jersey, pp. 6-7, 47; The Library Company, New Jersey Votes of the Assembly, November 22, 1776, p 42; Carl Prince, Papers of William Livingston (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1987) vol. 1, p 173, 182-4; J. Reuben Clark, Emergency Legislation Passed Before December 1917 Dealing with the Control and Taking of Private Property for the Public Use and Benefit to which is Added a Reprint of Analagous Legislation Since 1775 (Government Printing Office: Washington, DC, 1918), p501-2; K. Braddock-Rogers, "Salt Works of New Jersey during the American Revolution," Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 15 (December, 1938), p 590. Harold Wilson, The Jersey Shore: A Social and Economic History of the Counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean (Lewis, 1953) vol. 1, p 171; K. Braddock-Rogers, "Salt Works of New Jersey during the American Revolution," Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 15 (December, 1938), pp. 586-7, 591; Journals of the Continental Congress, American Memory, Library of Congress, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/hlawquery.html ; Arthur Pierce, Smugglers' Woods, (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1960) p 232. Previous Next

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