The Mr. Local History project often digs into multiple archives looking for evidence of the areas collective past. But this one got us scratching our heads. There is no doubt that Bernards Township is named after Sir Francis Bernard. But is the town name really Bernard or Bernards? Could someone have added an “S” to Sir Francis’ surname? Where did the S come from?
(12 July 1712 – 16 June 1779)
First Notice
Our first instance takes us back to 1873 to the go-to F.W. Beers 1873 map collection of Somerset County, New Jersey. Every map in the collection is precise to boundaries and residential owners throughout the county. This is such an iconic collectible that the Mr. Local History gives a re-print of the iconic map to anyone donating to our MLH non-profit supporting our annual scholarship. But as you see on the title, the name is BERNARD, NOT BERNARDS.
See it AGAIN! Something’s up!
Our second occurrence takes you to one of the most important accounts of each town in Somerset County. Compiled by James P. Shell in 1881, the book is one of the most complete and accurate accounts of the history of each town in Somerset County: History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey. As you flip to page 734, you recognize clearly that Bernards Township is written as the Township of BERNARD.
Mistake or a Purposeful Change?
As a writer and researcher, it reminds me of when the national restaurant chain Friendly changed its name to Friendly’s because the public refused to call it “Friendly.”
The question remains, is it Bernards or is it Bernard?
Or maybe it was Bernard’s Township and just morphed?
If it changed, who knows when and why?
MLH Francis Bernard Series
Meet (Sir) Francis Bernard Esq. – New Jersey’s Royal Governor
Views: 9,257 Our curiosity started with a round-table discussion: Who is Francis Bernard, and should there be a statue to recognize his service to New Jersey? Read the story and tell us what you think at the end. It is…
Sir Francis Bernard Honored With American Town Names
Views: 5,199 Sir Francis Bernard’s Legacy Carries On as Towns Honor the Royal Governor of New Jersey and Massachusetts In 1758, Francis Bernard, originally from Lincolnshire, England, was appointed Governor of the province of Nova Caesarea (New Jersey). He packed…
Plenty of Local Ties to Jersey in the Ken Burns Rev War Series
Views: 197 These are a series of posts that provide local insight into Ken Burns’ American Revolution series and its ties to local history, which the Mr. Local History Project has been covering. Here are all six episodes of Ken…
Royal Governor Francis Bernard and the Stamp Act
Views: 170 These are a series of posts that provide local insight into Ken Burns’ American Revolution series and ties to local history that the Mr. Local History Project has been covering. Episode 1, titled “How Land, Taxes and Rebellion…
Thanksgiving Proclamations Way Before Lincoln Did It -Thanks Jersey Guys
Views: 1,342 On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated Thursday, November 26, 1863, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. While many recognize President Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving proclamation, many don’t know that two New Jersey statesmen persuaded President…
In Search of the Crest of Sir Francis Bernard
Views: 4,505 In Search of the Official Crest of Sir Francis Bernard, the Royal Governor of New Jersey and Massachusetts. The towns of Bernards Township and Bernardsville, New Jersey, are named in honor of Sir Francis Bernard, the Royal Governor…
Retrospective: Why Bernardsville was Once Called Vealtown
Views: 12,430 It’s an age-old question, and the internet didn’t know the answer. So the Mr. Local History Project went digging. Why was Bernardsville once called Vealtown? Our research began with a post on social media, because, yes, there are…
Bernards Township Origins
Views: 5,361 UPDATE: March 12, 2025 –A few researchers at the Mr. Local History Project are looking for a few Chinese and Indian residents interested in tracing the roots of these two growing communities in Bernards Township to the first…
Flag Honors Bernards Township’s History & Available for First Time in 64 Years
Views: 14,348 For the First Time in 64 Years, Fundraiser offers an Exclusive, Large Bernards Township Flag Made by the Annin Flag Company, the world’s largest and most prestigious flag maker. For the first time since 1960, an original Bernards…
Sir Francis Bernard History Series
Views: 2,863 FRANCIS BERNARD, NEW JERSEY’S FORGOTTEN GOVERNOR SOCIAL MEDIA HISTORY SERIES The Mr. Local History Project hopes you’ve been following our Facebook series honoring the life of New Jersey Royal Governor Sir Francis Bernard, named for the towns of…
Three Sister Towns Historic Links to Governor Sir Francis Bernard
Views: 4,866 Amid controversy and intrigue, we have been writing for years about a controversial figure in early American history who served the English majesty as the provincial governor of New Jersey and Massachusetts Bay. If you were to define…
New Jersey Provincial Governor – Francis Bernard’s Actual 1758 Job Description
Views: 1,225 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…
Most People Don’t Know The Meaning Behind These Town Names
Views: 6,859 The Mr. Local History Project took a moment out to answer a very simple set of questions, of which we’ve learned many people just didn’t know the correct answer. The Somerset Hills is an area of northern Somerset…
The Lost Charters of Bernards Township & Bedminster
Views: 14,870 UPDATE: While we wrote this piece years ago, the Bedminster Charter came back in the news on October 21, 2019, when it was announced that the Forbes family was donating the charter back to Bedminster Township. The story…
Recreating the Historic Charter of Bernardston
Views: 8,660 Historic documents often meet their tragic endings swiftly and tragically. In 1850, Bernards Township was known to have had a massive fire at the home of the township administrator, burning all of the township’s documents, including its founding…