Passages from the memoir of Eliza Susan Morton Quincy (d. 1850) were reprinted in this memorable booklet by the Basking Ridge Historical Society (now The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills) for Bernards Township’s 200th anniversary in 1960. Eliza’s father, John Morton, brought his family to Basking Ridge in 1776 from New York City to escape the British. Their house stood below the Presbyterian Cemetery on North Maple Avenue. Eliza’s recollections were originally published in 1861 after her death and were reprinted in the Somerset County Historical Quarterly (vols. 1 & 2 in 1912 and 1913). Today, you can read/download them online at the NJ State Library:
https://dspace.njstatelib.org/xmlui/handle/10929/46268
Very interesting. I will definitely look for the booklet. I assume their house is gone? Thank you.
Hi Cynthia, The booklet is in the Research Room at the Brick Academy. The original Morton house was torn down in the mid-1800s.
Were any artifacts from the Revolutionary War discovered in the mid-18oos? If so, can you recommend any resources where I could learn more about that?
Hi Marilyn,
Locally, try contacting the National Park Service at Washington’s Headquarters Museum in Morristown. They may have a curator knowledgeable about early work on sites. Also try The Washington Assn of NJ. Old periodicals like Somerset Co. Hist. Quarterly (available online from state library) and Proceedings of the NJ Hist Soc may also describe 19th century finds.