The house at 70 North Finley at the corner of Ridge Street in Basking Ridge has more history than most. The 1873 Beers Atlas of Somerset County shows it belonged to D. A. Minard (Dayton A. Minard), an investor who owned lands near the new Basking Ridge railroad station.
The Rev. Peter S. Dagnault, the first resident pastor of St. James Roman Catholic Church, reportedly boarded here in 1873-74.
By the early 20th century, Monroe F. Ellis and his wife, Mary Conkling Ellis, made it their home and had this postcard made. Monroe Ellis was manager of the Conking Lumber Company and president of the state lumberman’s association. Ellis was mysteriously shot at the dinner table here in 1911 but survived.
In 1928, his wife, Mary Conkling Ellis, became the first president of the Basking Ridge Historical Society (now THSSH).
The divided back indicates the card was printed after 1907 when the post office allowed messages on the back. The publisher was W. E. Tunis of Basking Ridge.
See catalog record.
Isn’t that on the corner of North Finley not North Maple? Didn’t Dr. Frost live their for years in the 1950’s and 60’s?
Yes. I’ve corrected the post. Thank you for the catch!