This is a fantastic look into the history of the Bernardsville, NJ, mountain colony through the eyes of a wealthy Gilded Age family member at the turn of the 19th century. And we have a digital copy here for your reading pleasure.
A. (Allison) Wright Post (1867–1944) was the son of renowned American architect George Browne Post (1837–1913) and his wife, Alice Matilda Stone (1840–1909) . Born on July 25, 1867, in Westhampton, Long Island, New York, Allison would later pursue a career in law and real estate. He would raise his family at “White Lodge” in Bernardsville, New Jersey. Allison’s father, George Browne Post, was a prominent American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the New York Stock Exchange Building (NYSE), the New York Public Library, and the U.S. Custom House.
This story is about a book we found after researching several of the Posts buried in St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Bernardsville. While George Post II and a few others are in St. Bernard’s, sixty-five Post family members are buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York. After the story was produced, we wanted to know more about the family. We found a forty-eight-page recollection of what we’ve found to be one of the most significant historic writings of the area and the exciting times of what was known as the Gilded Age of the Bernardsville community. The book is called “Recollections of Bernardsville, New Jersey, 1871-1941.”
“Recollections of Bernardsville, New Jersey, 1871-1941” by Allison Wright Post (also A.Wright Post), third of five children to George Post shared his detailed account of the history, development, and notable events in Bernardsville, New Jersey, spanning seven decades from the early days when Bernadsville was a hamlet of Bernards Township and his recollections of life at the top of what was the Mine Mountain and the early days of Bishop Edmond James home that later became one of the most lavish hotels that attracted guests to what would become the founding residents of what became known as “the Mountain Colony.”
It begins with the author’s earliest memories of Bernardsville, including his family’s move to the area in 1871 when he was just four, prompted by his father’s search for a summer home to benefit his mother’s health. The family purchased the Eliza Ballentine Farm, which they renamed “Claremont Farms,” and witnessed the transformation of Bernardsville from a rural community to a thriving town. The Eliza Ballentine Farm was a historic 104-acre property situated on elevated terrain approximately 750 feet above sea level along Claremont Road. The farm was named after Eliza Guerin Ballentine, who was married to John Ballentine. The Ballentine family was an early settler in the region, and their farm played a significant role in the area’s agricultural development. They also started the Bernards Inn. There is NO relation to the Newark Ballantine family, which also later lived on Bernardsville Mountain. They spell their name Ballentine.
In 1871, George B. Post purchased the Ballentine farm, seeking the area’s favorable climate to alleviate his wife’s rheumatism. Post named the property “Claremont Farms,” drawing inspiration from his ancestral home in New York City (which is home today of the Grant Tomb). George’s wife, Alice Matilda Stone, died on February 21, 1909, in New York City at 68. She is buried alongside her husband, George B. Post, at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
Allison’s narrative recounts the Passaic and Delaware Railroad establishment in 1875, which facilitated commuting and contributed to the area’s growth. Before the Bernardsville train functioned, the Posts would travel by carriage to Morristown, where they would take the train to New York City.
Allison Post describes significant events, such as the Great Blizzard of 1888, which disrupted transportation and communication for days, and the Somerset Hills Country Club formation in 1899, which became a hub for recreation and social activities. He details the creation of Ravine Lake and the Somerset Lake and Game Club, emphasizing the community’s efforts to enhance leisure opportunities. The dedication of St. Bernard’s Episcopal Church in 1898 and the founding of St. Bernard’s School in 1900 are highlighted as milestones in Bernardsville’s cultural and educational development.
On December 15, 1898, Allison married Katharine Beekman Hoppin (1875–1961) in New York City. The couple had a daughter, Katharine Hoppin Post, born on September 25, 1901, who married Josiah Culbert Palmer Jr. Katharine Beekman Hoppin, the daughter of William Warner Hoppin Jr. and Catharine Beekman. (Beekman Street in NYC is named after their family.) The couple resided at “White Lodge” as part of what was known as a Post compound around their father’s Claremont estate.
Allison also explores the transition from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles around 1905, marking a shift in transportation and lifestyle. Among some of the owners of cars at Bernardsville were the following: Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Graham with their Locomobile. The 1905 Locomobile was an early American luxury automobile produced by the Locomobile Company of America, which was based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. By 1905, the $4,000 (100,000 today) Locomobile had fully transitioned from steam-powered vehicles (produced between 1899 and 1903) to internal combustion engines, specifically high-quality gasoline-powered cars.
, Mr. and Mrs. J. Magee Ellsworth, who had recently purchased the Col. Edwin A. Stevens place, had a “Leon Bollee,” as did also Col. Anthony R. Kuser and Richard V. Lindabury. In 1895, Bollée founded Léon Bollée Automobiles in Le Mans. His first vehicle, the Voiturette, was a three-wheeled tandem car powered by a single-cylinder engine. Its unique design, placing the passenger in front of the driver, led to the nickname “Mother-in-law killer.”
Mr. Grant B. Schley had a “Renault.” The Renault 1905 car is one of the early models that the Renault Frères (Renault Brothers) company produced, founded by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand. By 1905, Renault had already established a reputation for innovative, high-quality vehicles and expanded commercially and internationally. Renault was among the first automakers to integrate the engine and gearbox, a significant innovation.
Mr. Grant B. Schley had a “Renault.” The Renault 1905 car refers to one of the early models produced by the Renault Frères (Renault Brothers) company, founded by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand. By 1905, Renault had already established a reputation for innovative, high-quality vehicles and expanded commercially and internationally. Renault was among the first automakers to integrate the engine and gearbox, a major innovation at the time.
Mrs. George Bliss, who had leased his country place from Mr. Henry R. Kunhardt for the summer, had a “Packard.” Packard was a prestigious American automobile manufacturer founded in 1899 in Warren, Ohio, and later based in Detroit. Known for engineering excellence, elegant design, and innovation, Packard became a symbol of luxury and quality.
The formation of the Borough of Bernardsville in 1924 and earlier attempts to establish local governance are discussed. The New Jersey Legislature passed the act of incorporation on March 6, 1924, and it took effect after a special election on April 29, 1924.
With Allison Post having a father who one of the most famous architects and financiers of the time, George Post, Allison reflects on the contributions of other distinguished residents, including Senator John F. Dryden, who played a key role in the creation of the Panama Canal, and Grant B. Schley, a benefactor of Far Hills and Bernardsville. Anecdotes about other notable figures, such as Richard V. Lindabury (Meadowbrook Farm), Frederic P. Olcott (Somerset Hills Country & Golf Club/Olcott School), and J. Coleman Drayton, provide insight into the community’s character and achievements.
Throughout the narrative, Post shares her memories and observations, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the evolution of Bernardsville. He concludes by expressing gratitude for the community’s progress and his cherished experiences, preserving the history of a town that grew from a quiet rural area into a vibrant and influential community.
The book below recounts the history and significant events of Bernardsville, New Jersey, from 1871 to 1941.
If you cannot see the embedded document, download it Here
Document Focus
My Earliest Recollections of Bernardsville
The Great Blizzard
Origin of Somerset Hills Country Club and Somerset Lake Game Club
St. Bernard’s Episcopal Church
The Borough of Bernardsville
Changing Conditions – Automobiles Coming into Use
Anecdotes Connected with Lives of Some of Bernardsville’s Distinguished Residents
Allison Wright Post, along with about sixty-five other Post family members, is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York. Allison’s brother, George Post II, and his sister Alice Post Turnbull are in St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Bernardsville.
The entrance of Fairview Cemetery, which was purchased, was known in those days as “Mount…
UPDATE:We have NOT Agreed on a Date yet - Sign Up to receive an update…
Preservation New Jersey announced the 2025 list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places, highlighting…
This story brings the history of the Gilded Age, also known as the Golden Age…
Honoring Two Stories - Two Men - Two Estates Kate Macy and Walter Ladd Charles…
The Far Hills Inn along Route 31 (Now Route 202) was in Bridgewater, not Far…
This website uses cookies.
