The famous and sometimes not-so-famous people and stories from the Mr. Local History Project researchers. Over 30 stories and counting.
Views: 6,521 John Morton was a Colonel in the Continental Army. Still, he relinquished his commission in 1761 to become a highly successful merchant, specializing in the trade of flax from his native Ulster in Northern Ireland, thereby supporting the… Read More »John Morton – General Washington’s Rebel Banker Stashed in Basking Ridge
Views: 4,392 Often, Mr. Local History doesn’t search for stories as those stories find us. Case in point is this weird little story about a man who comes to America only to find that his life is remembered after Basking… Read More »Remembering Willie Howard and Bedminster’s Willie’s Tavern
Views: 2,242 As a recent subscriber to Ancestry.com the first thing everyone does is they create a family tree. After you’ve added your basic living and deceased family members and started your frame, you are now a slave to what… Read More »Ancestry Comes Up Short on Analytics
Views: 3,427 If you live in Bernards Township, New Jersey, the Mr. Local History Project has written a few stories about the founding families of Basking Ridge for new residents to learn the history of the early Scottish and Dutch… Read More »Basking Ridge’s Genealogist and Historian, Gets Digitized
Views: 7,515 Cemeteries showcase some of history’s greatest reminders of where we came from. Many people new to the area are unaware of the local history until you trace it back to some of the originating families that chose this… Read More »Basking Ridge’s Oldest Cemetery
Views: 7,724 The date was May 24, 1883, a date years in the making alongside plenty of engineering accomplishments, drama, tragedy and perseverance. 140 years later, MLH honors the Roebling family accomplishments, as well as John A. Roebling 2nd, that… Read More »Retrospective: Bernardsville’s Roebling Family and Their Brooklyn Bridge
Views: 10,462 The Brothers Hildebrandt – Creating the original Star Wars poster was just the tip of the iceberg. May the 4th Be With You!!!!! UPDATE: The world lost Greg Hildebrandt on October 31, 2024 at 85. May the force… Read More »May the Force Be With You – Hildebrandt Twins New Jersey Connection
Views: 1,228 Terms and Conditions to the new Provincial Governor if accepted. And YES, Bernard accepted. As the internet grows, so does the information. This piece is a transcribe of what is the job description for Francis Bernard, who was… Read More »New Jersey Provincial Governor – Francis Bernard’s Actual 1758 Job Description
Views: 9,614 Brush’s Deli has a long history in Basking Ridge and is the longest-standing deli in the community. Located at 35 S. Finley Avenue in the same building, the P.C. Henry general store opened in 1869 and remained until… Read More »Brush’s Deli Served the Community for Three Generations and Now It’s Just a Memory
Views: 4,097 This Memorial Day, Bernards Township has a new monument honoring veterans and residents Robert & Estelle Terry for their Tuskegee Airmen efforts. A granite slab with a bronze plaque, alongside two banners of Captain Robert Terry and his… Read More »Monument Honors Robert & Estelle Terry’s Tuskegee Airmen Efforts
Views: 7,840 Many people know of the 1951 Shot Heard Round the World by Bobby Thomson. No other play-by-play call in baseball history has ever come close to raising the hairs on the back of your neck like that call.… Read More »Baseball’s Bobby Thomson’s 1951 ‘Shot Heard Round the World’ was a Jersey Guy
Views: 5,022 As many Bernards Township residents are familiar with Harry Dunham Park, very few people know about Harry Dunham, the man. Mr. Dunham was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and moved to Basking Ridge. Let’s dig in and see what… Read More »Retrospective: Harry Dunham and His Park
Views: 49,562 With our Board of Trustees settled into Central New Jersey, isn’t it fun to know what famous people live or have lived in the area? We’re about to show you what we’ve found from our research. The New… Read More »Somerset Hills Most Famous Families & Residents
Views: 16,811 Is William Alexander, aka The Earl & Lord of Stirling, Basking Ridge’s Most Famous Resident? Our researchers think so. Let’s see if we can answer that question. William Alexander (1726 – Jan 15, 1783) was the son of… Read More »Lord Stirling- Basking Ridge’s Most Famous Resident
Views: 15,507 General Washington, the Continental Army, and General Lord Stirling of Basking Ridge drew inspiration from history and created a sophisticated communications network to track the British movement. They were called the “Beacons.” We start off with a classic… Read More »Lord Stirling’s Rev War Beacon Signal Towers