Lewis – Boudinot – Southard- Ross Farm in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Twp., New Jersey.
The Ross Farm in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, has a rich history of the Revolutionary War and played a notable role in the cause of American independence. Known historically as a Revolutionary War historic property, the site is now part of the Friends of the Boudinot-Southard-Ross Estate. This local nonprofit works to preserve and interpret the site’s legacy.
During the American Revolution, the Ross Farm and the surrounding area were part of a vital corridor used by Continental forces. The 61-acre Boudinot–Southard–Ross estate, which borders both Lord Stirling Park and the Great Swamp, was likely built by Dr. Edward Lewis of Basking Ridge—namesake of Lewis Street—before being sold in 1771 to Elias Boudinot, a prominent New Jersey lawyer and patriot. Boudinot went on to serve as the second President of the Continental Congress in 1783, later becoming a U.S. Congressman and being appointed by President George Washington as Director of the U.S. Mint.
The estate, of which today’s Ross Farm is a part, has deep Revolutionary War connections. Though Boudinot’s principal residence was elsewhere, his ownership ties the site to the larger patriotic landscape of the region. The farm’s later name also honors Samuel Lewis Southard, a U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy under Presidents Monroe and John Quincy Adams, New Jersey Attorney General, and Governor, who was among the property’s notable owners. In the early 20th century, Senator John C. Spooner of Wisconsin used the property as a summer retreat.
Subsequent owners included William D. Bancker, a publisher and developer, followed by the Ross family, who purchased the property in 1952 and preserved it as a gentleman’s farm for over 50 years. In May 2005, Somerset County acquired the farm for $6.79 million, ensuring its permanent protection. Today, the Ross Farm honors this layered legacy through historical interpretation, educational programs, reenactments, and community events that reflect how this land helped support the cause of American independence, not with arms, but through enduring civic spirit.
Let’s start at the beginning. In 1717, William Penn was granted 7,500 acres of land “on the branches of the Pasaick River” through his rights as a proprietor in West Jersey. One of these branches of the Passaic River would later become known as Penn’s Brook. The Boudinot/Southard Farmstead would eventually be established within this expansive tract, located along the north side of Penn’s Brook and just east of the early road that connected Basking Ridge and Morristown.
According to a 1769 mortgage, Daniel Morris sold the Boudinot/Southard Farmstead property to Garret Van Derveer, who held it for only a short period before selling it to Dr. Edward Lewis. It was Dr. Lewis who mortgaged the property later that same year.
Dr. Edward Lewis, born in Wales in 1722, had purchased the land from John Ayers Jr. He married Sarah Morris (1728–1808), daughter of Daniel and Mary Riggs Morris, in 1745. The couple had nine children, including Sarah Lewis, who would go on to marry Henry Southard—linking the Morris, Lewis, and Southard families through both land and lineage.
Elias Boudinot IV purchases and resides at his Country Home known as “the Farmstead.”
On July 13, 1771, Elias Boudinot purchased what would later serve as his “country house” during the Revolutionary War. The 500-pound sterling transaction marked the beginning of a chapter that spanned national service, wartime upheaval, and post-war recovery.
Between 1771 and 1772, Boudinot acquired approximately 100 acres in Basking Ridge from Edward Lewis. Though he continued to reside at Boxwood Hall in Elizabeth, he and his wife, Hannah Stockton Boudinot, relocated to the Basking Ridge estate in November 1776 to escape the increasing threat of British raids near their home in Elizabeth.
By 1778, Boudinot was listed on the Bernards Township tax roll as the owner of 35 improved acres. His holdings included five horses, eight head of cattle, four hogs, a riding chair, a phaeton, and one enslaved person. While Boudinot did participate in slavery earlier in life, he later freed those he had enslaved. Guided by his Christian (Huguenot) faith and Enlightenment ideals, he became a vocal opponent of slavery and an advocate for abolition. In his later years, he actively promoted the rights and education of both African Americans and Native Americans.
During his time in Basking Ridge, Boudinot rose to national prominence. He served as President of the Second Continental Congress and was later elected to the U.S. Congress.
The Boudinots left their Basking Ridge property in November 1783, returning briefly to Elizabeth before selling the estate in 1795. They eventually settled in Burlington, New Jersey. As noted in his biography, “In 1805, Elias, Hannah, and Susan moved to a new home in Burlington.” Hannah passed away a few years later, while Elias remained in Burlington until his death in 1821.
Henry Southard purchases the Farmstead and Estate.
Henry Southard, Revolutionary War veteran and future U.S. Congressman, buys the estate in 1785. The Southard family was one of the original families in the area, originating in what is known as the Franklin Corners area, located north of Basking Ridge Village.
The Southard family occupied the home during his tenure in office. His son, Samuel L. Southard, would become Governor of New Jersey and U.S. Secretary of the Navy, and MLHP believes he was the default Vice President of the United States after the death of President William Harry Harrison. President William Henry Harrison died on April 4, 1841, just 31 days after taking office, making his the shortest presidency in U.S. history.
In 1818, Henry Southard of Bernards Township sold the Boudinot/Southard Farmstead and two additional properties to George Slater of New York City for $7000, with the farmstead property described as the same 102-acre parcel that Southard had purchased from Elias Boudinot in 1785.
The Boudinot/Southard Farmstead was later owned or occupied by several notable individuals over its long history. In the 18th and 19th centuries, prominent Basking Ridge citizens, including George Slater, Daniel Morris, Edward Lewis, Edward A. Darcy, and John C. Cross, were associated with the property.
During the 20th century, the farmstead became a “gentleman’s farm,” serving as a country residence for several distinguished owners. Between 1913 and 1919, it was owned by John C. Spooner, a former U.S. Senator who served two terms (1885–1891 and 1897–1907). From 1919 to 1940, the estate was home to William D. Bancker, a successful publisher and member of a prominent New York City family.
In 1919, William D. Bancker Jr. purchased the historic Boudinot/Southard farmstead in Basking Ridge. Then on February 1, 1923, it was announced that the tract of land would be sold off to make way for what became the Penn Brook Golf Club in the 1920s; today, the Basking Ridge Country Club sits just to the north of the current Ross Farm property.
Bancker is credited with initiating the first wave of Colonial Revival renovations that significantly shaped the architectural character of the Boudinot/Southard Farmstead during the early to mid-20th century.
The property’s next significant owner was Edwin J. Beinecke Jr., who held the farmstead from 1940 to 1947. He was the grandson of Bernhard Beinecke, a prominent New York City businessman best known for his role in developing the Plaza Hotel, and the son of Edwin J. Beinecke Sr., longtime CEO of the Sperry and Hutchinson Company—famous for “S&H Green Stamps”—and a major benefactor of Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Edwin Jr., an executive with Sperry and Hutchinson himself, continued the “Colonial Revivalization” of the Boudinot/Southard Farmstead. This process was further advanced by subsequent owners Nathaniel E. Burgess and Edmund B. Ross.
Then, in 1952, Edmund Burke “Ned” Ross purchased 37.4 acres of the property from Nathaniel Burgess, the previous owner. Ned, a World War II Army veteran and gentleman farmer, spent over five decades raising thoroughbred horses and managing the estate alongside his wife, Margaret Haskell Ross, and their five children. Margaret’s parents had strong ties to thoroughbred horses as her father served as Master of the Monmouth County Hunt, often referred to as MFH (Master of Foxhounds), beginning in 1932 and also founded Monmouth Racetrack.
Ross didn’t just breed horses; he also played hockey competitively at college, enjoyed spirited pond games with family and friends, and maintained athletic involvement into his senior years. He was a noted member of the Essex Hunt Club in Peapack, New Jersey, where he actively participated in foxhunting, equestrian events, and hockey alongside many of the region’s leading families. He was the Vice President of the Somerset Hills Community Chest, a member of the Somerset Hills Country Club, the Essex Hunt Club, the Morristown Club, and at their second home on Martha’s Vineyard, the Edgartown Yacht Club, the Edgartown Golf Club, and the Edgartown Reading Room.
Don’t forget that Edmund’s wife, Margaret, was part of Jersey horseracing royalty. Her parents had strong ties to thoroughbred horses as her father founded and was the President of Monmouth Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey.
Amory Lawrence Haskell and his wife, Annette Tilford Haskell, were prominent figures in American equestrian and social circles during the early 20th century, with Amory serving as a key organizer of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club and a major supporter of Thoroughbred racing in New Jersey. Amory and Margaret also helped revive interest in steeplechase and flat racing, leaving a legacy honored through events like the Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Raceway in Oceanport, NJ, which is named in their memory. The Haskell Hunt—formally the Monmouth County Hunt Race Meet—was founded in 1932 by Amory L. Haskell, then Master of the Monmouth County Hunt. Held on his Middletown estate (Woodland Farm), the event combined a traditional fox/hare hunt with multiple steeplechase races, dining, and social gatherings to thank local farmers whose land was used during hunts.
Edmund’s wife, Margaret, passed at 75 in early 1999 at Morristown Memorial. Upon Edmund “Ned” Ross’s death in January 2005 at the age of 85, and was buried in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. He was survived by three sons, E. Burke Ross Jr. of Palm Beach, Fla., Amory L. Ross of Basking Ridge, and Benson T. Ross of New York City; one daughter, Parthenia R. Kiersted of Edgartown, and 11 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter, Robin Ross, who passed away in 1989. His children honored his wish to preserve the land by selling the expanded 61‑acre property to Somerset County later that year, ensuring its protection as open space and historic parkland.
Somerset County Park Commission Purchases Basking Ridge’s 61-Acre Ross Farm Property for .79 million.
Edmund Ross’s family engaged in considerate, multi-stage negotiations with Somerset County, based on their commitment to preserving the property. Upon Ross’s death in January 2005, the 61-acre estate passed to his children, who promptly initiated conversations with the Somerset County Park Commission, aligning their plans with their father’s wish to protect the land and house. The Somerset County Parks Commission has also invested heavily in owning the Lord Stirling Park and Environmental Education Center, located just to the south of the Ross Farm.
Bernards Township Committee member Thomas Moschello served as the Bernards Township liaison to the county. After a few phone conversations with the Ross family, he contacted Christopher Daggett, a longtime township resident and member of Somerset County’s Open Space Committee, which led to discussions between Ross and the county. Joint meetings took place at the Ross kitchen table, Moschello said. “It was kind of low-key.” County Park Commission Director Ray Brown said he viewed the farm as a natural appendage to the 925-acre Lord Stirling Park, with extended trails being just one possibility.
The farm sale would include the main house, along with five other buildings that were built during the evolution of the Boudinot/Southard property. Farmstead. To the north of the main house stands a carriage house, and west of that a Pennsylvania bank barn. Adjacent to the north of the barn is a small shed. Located approximately fifty feet to the east of the carriage house is a very low, gabled pump house. A timber livestock shelter, open in the front, is the only other structure on the property, occupying a solitary position northeast of the farm nucleus. A small watercourse, Penn’s Brook, meanders from west to east across the south part of the property, draining swampy areas southwest of the house and a pond retained by a small concrete dam.
A clear conservation intent: the Ross children emphasized their desire for the land to remain undeveloped and historically intact. The transaction was structured through the county’s park commission, ensuring the property’s legal protection and integration into Somerset County’s park system. Part of the negotiation and sale process involved preparing the property for placement on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places—a designation granted in 2009, ensuring its long-term preservation and stewardship by public entities. In short, the Ross family’s negotiations were driven by heritage preservation, transparent valuation, and close collaboration with public agencies, culminating in a successful public stewardship agreement.
The Boudinot Southard Ross property was awarded New Jersey Register status on September 11, 2009, and subsequently added to the National Register on December 18, 2009, in recognition of its architectural, agricultural, and historical significance.
Preservation and public use begin.
The Boudinot/Southard Farmstead is made up of 37.4 rolling acres that include swampy bottomlands, previously cultivated flat expanses, grassy knolls, and wood lots. In 2006, the thirteenth Mansion in May was held at The Ross Family Farm in Basking Ridge, raising 0,000 to benefit the Gagnon Heart Hospital.
The adaptive reuse of the Ross Farm in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, has become a shining example of how a historic property can be transformed into a vibrant cultural and community center while preserving its rich legacy from the Revolutionary War era. Originally a colonial farmstead with deep ties to the fight for American independence, the Ross Farm now thrives as a hub for music, agriculture, and seasonal celebrations, serving the diverse needs of its community.
One of the farm’s most celebrated roles of the Ross Farm is as a music venue, where the historic barn and surrounding grounds provide an intimate and acoustically rich setting for live performances. Through the “Ross Farm Music Series,” both local and nationally recognized artists perform concerts that draw audiences of all ages. This creative use not only supports the arts but also brings people together in a shared appreciation of history and culture.
The Ross Farm Giving Garden is another cornerstone of the farm’s adaptive mission. Volunteers of all ages cultivate fresh vegetables that are donated to local food banks and pantries, reflecting a deep commitment to community service. This initiative educates participants about sustainable farming and food insecurity while reviving the property’s agricultural roots in a modern, meaningful way.
Since 2016, the Giving Garden at the Ross Farm in Basking Ridge has donated an estimated 15,000 to 17,000 pounds of fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits to the Somerset County Food Bank and other local pantries. Operated by volunteers, the garden consistently yields between 1,000 and 3,500 pounds annually, with record donations of over 2,300 pounds in 2019 and nearly 2,500 pounds during the pandemic in 2020. The produce supports various organizations, including the VA Community Hope pantry, God’s Co-Op, and pop-up pantries across the county, making the garden a vital source of fresh, healthy food for neighbors in need.
Seasonal celebrations such as Flag Day, Halloween, and Winter Holidays offer opportunities to engage with history through joyful, family-friendly events. On Flag Day, the farm becomes a patriotic gathering place honoring the American flag and its significance. In fall, the grounds transform into a festive Halloween landscape with historical twists, while winter brings holiday lights, music, and traditions that warm the spirit and reinforce a sense of community.
Altogether, the Ross Farm’s adaptive use demonstrates how thoughtful stewardship can turn a historic site into a dynamic venue for education, celebration, service, and the arts, ensuring its relevance and vitality for generations to come.
I’ve had the pleasure of living in Basking Ridge for the duration of the purchase of the Ross Farm by the County and the formation of the non-profit Friends of the Ross Farm. While the local historical society had tried for years to persuade David Becker, a resident and history fan, to join their organization, he had bigger visions in his mind. Living across from the Ross Farm, I can only imagine what he had in mind as he invested the sweat and time into building what has become, in my opinion, the “Crown Jewel” of Somerset County’s historic park properties. Don’t get me wrong, David has had LOTS of help, but it all came down to a vision. And David Becker has driven that vision.
Congratulations to Basking Ridge, as you’re fortunate to have such a devoted history fan who took a vision and has helped drive the Ross Farm to become an iconic part of the America 250 celebration throughout 2026 and beyond. Now let’s honor Dave Becker and his signature tattered overalls. If you see him at any number of events, let him know you know how hard he and the volunteers have worked to make the Ross Farm possible.
Mr. Local History is proud to announce, in partnership with The Ross Farm, the release of the 6th collectible in the series, the Somerset County 1777 Boudinot Southard Ross House. The collectible is part of the New Jersey Historic Village collection. Ordering is simple and available while supplies last.
Mr. Local History released the sixth collectible in the series, the Somerset County 1777 Boudinot-Southard-Ross House. The collectible is part of the New Jersey Historic Village collection. Ordering is simple and available while supplies last.
The New Jersey Historic Village keepsake collection is a wood-painted collectible series honoring iconic historic buildings, properties, and fixtures that are part of New Jersey’s rich historical fabric. Each keepsake was selected based on community feedback and a voting process. Brooks Betz stated, “We’re really excited to see how the public reacts to the next additions to this historic series.” Sign up to receive updates when the new pieces will become available.
The keepsake is designed to be displayed on a counter or shelf. It is made of a sturdy 3/4″ handmade wood block and then painted.
Many people collect other village pieces and build their own personal village collection. The creations are part of the historic Cat’s Meow Village Collection, which has been producing iconic wood ornaments for over 40 years. Once they sell out, they’re typically gone forever, unless you find them at a garage sale or maybe on eBay. Happy collecting!
Part of the MLH Rev War Series
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