Liberty Corner & Bullion’s Tavern

Every great historical story starts with something like, “So we were at this tavern and……” This is one of those stories.

America was in the final stages of the Revolutionary war. After an agreement with the French was finalized General Rochembeau joined the Continental army on what many say is the march that would end the war at Yorktown. But there was on stopover in late August 1781 that put Liberty Corner, New Jersey on the map. And as in many great revolutionary war stories, there was a tavern. Yes, then known as Annin’s Corner, there was a tavern.

The Boylans (Bullions) – One of the Somerset Hills Founding Families

The Boylans were among the founding settlers of what was then known as Pluckemin Annins Corner and Vealtown. First off, many have stated that the Boylan name is pronounced “Bullion.” This is true.

Originally called Annin’s Corner after the Annin family, the village gained widespread recognition during the Revolution as Bullion’s Tavern before residents finally settled on the name we know today: Liberty Corner. The convergence of Revolutionary War records, period maps, tavern daybooks, geocache documentation, and present-day historic signs tells us beyond doubt that Bullion’s (Boylan’s) Tavern was the original nucleus of Liberty Corner. Run by John “Captain Bullion” Boylan, Aaron’s son, the family name’s enduring legacy is preserved in maps, and memorials in Bernards Township. Boylan’s own daybooks (e.g., Pluckemin ledgers) confirm his operation of a tavern in Liberty Corner. The Anne O’Brien Room at the Dillon Library holds the Somerset Hills Historical Collection, which includes John Boylan’s 18th‑century daybooks.

According to records, the Boylan family also operated a store in Basking Ridge around the time the Boylan house was built in nearby Pluckemin (Bedminster) in 1751. Initially, the ground floor of the new Pluckemin house served as a store, but once a separate store building was completed, the house was used solely as a residence. Aaron Boylan’s son, John Boylan, was born in 1746, just five years before his father’s death. According to Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Vol. 6 (1917), p. 101, John passed away on March 4, 1793. The same records note that John Boylan owned four stores located in Pluckemin, Liberty Corner (at Bullion’s Tavern), Vealtown (now Bernardsville), and Vanderveer’s Mills (Bedminster).

Liberty Corner’s Boylan’s (Bullion’s) Tavern

Captain John Bullion (or Bullen/Bullian, as the name sometimes appears in early records) was a local militia leader and tavern keeper in Liberty Corner during the Revolutionary War era. He is referenced as “Captain”, which usually indicates a rank in the New Jersey militia, not the Continental Army. Many local men were given such titles as leaders of township-based militia companies. By 1781 Bullion appears to have been operating Bullion’s Tavern, a well-known stop on the road through Liberty Corner, rather than being in active military service.

Then 1781 Happened

In 1781, Bullion’s Tavern was more than just a local tavern—it stood at the crossroads of history during the Revolutionary War, serving as a key stop during Rochambeau’s march and later evolving into a central fixture of community life in Liberty Corner. Over time, and through genealogical research, we began to uncover frequent overlaps between the Boylan and Bullion surnames after their arrival in America. Under the ownership of John “Captain Bullion” (Boylan), the tavern became a symbol of the village’s transformation, its significance still reflected today in historic place names and local memory.

General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, led the French army through Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on their famous march to Yorktown in 1781, as part of the coordinated effort with George Washington during the Revolutionary War. On August 29, 1781, over 5,000 French troops would camp on today’s English Farm in Liberty Corner, marching from Rhode Island to Virginia. Considering the area probably had a few hundred residents, it must have been quite the disruption. Not to mention the over 2,000 horses and 700 oxen.

The French quartermasters often arrived in advance to negotiate purchases and ensure supplies were ready. Unlike the poorly funded Continental Army, the French generally paid higher prices and in reliable currency, which made local residents more willing to sell to them. In areas like Liberty Corner, this helped foster goodwill, and the French army was remembered for its disciplined behavior and fairness in dealing with civilians.

Feeding 5,000+ troops and support staff daily required massive quantities of bread, meat, flour, and wine. The army often had to coordinate with local farmers for supplies, but not all towns were cooperative or well-stocked. French troops needed interpreters to coordinate with American locals and militia. Poor sanitation posed a risk of disease outbreaks, especially in the hot, late-summer conditions.

Rochambeau’s French army paid for provisions using a combination of gold, silver, and military vouchers. The French brought substantial funds with them—often Spanish silver and French gold—to buy food, forage, and services directly from local farmers and merchants. When cash wasn’t immediately available, they issued signed receipts or vouchers promising later payment, which many locals accepted in good faith. These served as IOUs, listing the goods provided, the supplier’s name, and the officer’s signature. After the war, residents submitted these receipts to local officials or state authorities to claim payment.

The process was often slow and bureaucratic. Residents had to file sworn statements and present their original receipts, sometimes appearing before a committee to verify their claims. Some were eventually paid in hard currency, while others received depreciated Continental paper money, or nothing at all. In some cases, the French government reimbursed the American government, which then attempted to settle the claims.

What Happened to the Tavern

After the victory at Yorktown in October 1781, Rochambeau’s troops remained in Virginia for the winter. Rather than retracing their whole march northward through New Jersey in 1782, they took a different return route. No one has the exact date, but after John died, the tavern was most likely operated by his brother James’ son John. John was deeply involved in the local business scene, having managed the tavern in nearby Vealtown. But he would pass away on December 9, 1843. Having not married, the tavern was most likely sold.

Bullion’s Tavern would later evolve into a hotel, a carriage stop, a post office, and a general store, positioned at the historic center of Liberty Corner near today’s Lyon’s Road and Church Street. The Exxon Station and Post Office stand where once the most essential businesses of the Revolutionary War era were located.

Side Note:
2nd Buillon’s Tavern

It is documented that Aaron Boylan purchased a substantial tract of land—114 acres—approximately 3 miles north of Liberty Corner, in Basking Ridge, recorded on March 24, 1761, when he purchased it from James Parker, a prominent colonial printer, landholder, and East Jersey Proprietor. There has been a discrepancy regarding the exact acreage, with estimates ranging from 114 acres to as much as 150 acres. A tavern named Bullion’s Tavern would be opened just off what’s known today as Olcott Square on the grounds where the Old Stone Hotel sits today.

Original Post: August 20, 2022
Updated: June 15, 2025

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