Among the first Scottish settlers in modern-day western Monmouth County was John Craig Sr. (ca. 1650–1724) of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, who settled with his family in 1685. He acquired in 1695 a plot of land named by locals as "Topinemes".[5]
John Sr.'s son Archibald Craig (1678-1751) bought the premises of what would be the Craig Farmstead in 1720. His son Samuel (1708–1746) inherited the farm in 1744 and set out to construct what would be the Craig House in 1746.[5]
Samuel unfortunately died later in 1746, with the ownership of the farm reverting to his father Archibald. When Archibald died in 1751, he bequeathed the estate to his grandson (and Samuel's son) John Jr. (1737-1824), however he was not of adult age to take claim his inheritance. The farm had to been rented out to tenants until John Jr. turned 21 in 1758.[5]
Sometime around 1770, John Jr., now married to his wife Ann Craig (1739-1824) with a child, had added an addition to the house. He added a two-story Georgian style section adjacent to the older single-story Dutch style section of the house.[5] This brought the house to its modern proportions and to what it would've looked like at the time of the Battle of Monmouth, roughly seven years later.
American Revolutionary War
During the Revolutionary War, John Craig was in the Continental Army.[6] This left his wife Ann as the sole protector of their property during the battle. Once it became clear that the British were heading towards Monmouth, she escaped with her child, two slaves, and her household goods to Upper Freehold, New Jersey. Ann decided not to take her prized possessions of silver and gold, out of fears that it would weigh her down on that treacherous journey. She instead placed them underneath the open well. She hid her buckets and chain in the hay mow in the barn.[6] These efforts ended up in no avail, as the British shortly after reaching the farmstead were able to find the mineral wealth at the bottom of the well. This was mainly due to the fact of how severely hot it was on the day of that fated battle, the soldiers' first priority would have been to get fresh water from the well.[7] During that battle, the abandoned Craig House was quartered by the British and utilized as a hospital.[8]
As the family returned after the battle, they were stunned to see that the house was miraculously still standing but also equally saddened that their hidden prized possessions had vanished.[9] Thankfully, the iron kettle that the jewelry were placed in to hide under the well has been preserved.[6]
British soldiers were buried at the Craig House's premises.
Later history
Reconstructed barn at Craig House premises (February 2021)
With the house left intact, the family were able to continue farming for 50 years after the battle. John Craig, Jr. died in 1824, his inheritance was divided amongst his children, Jonathan (who received a half of the share) and his daughters Amelia and Mary (whom both inherited one-quarter share each).[5] When Mary died in 1839, Jonathan and his brother Samuel (who inherited property in New York) legally granted full ownership of the property to Amelia and her husband Peter Bowne. Amelia and Peter birthed a daughter, Anna Maria Bowne. Anna married Enoch L. Cowart, birthed a son named Samuel Craig Cowart in 1854, and inherited the property upon her mother's death in 1855.[5]
Samuel Craig Cowart (1854-1943), was active in the community. Hailing from Freehold Borough, New Jersey, he was a prestigious lawyer. A charter member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, he had a deep passion for history. When his mother Anna Maria died in 1898, the property was bequeathed to his father Enoch, before being passed down to Samuel upon Enoch's death in 1908. While despite Samuel not residing in the Craig House (he would rent it out to tenant farmers) he was still very enamored with the homestead's rich history and the role it played during the Battle of Monmouth.[5] The iron kettle that held the legendary jewelry of his ancestors was actually retrieved and restored by Samuel.[6] After Samuel's death in 1943, his widowed wife sold the farm to Ernest Tark, whom used what he renamed as 'Battleground Farm' to hire migrants to cultivate the agriculture. The farmland was maintained but the home itself deteriorated.[5]
The State of New Jersey acquired the house in 1965. It is a contributing property of the Monmouth Battlefield State Park, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.[10] The Craig House was restored to its Revolutionary War era appearance in 1993 (thanks in part to the advocacy of preserving historic structures at Monmouth Battlefield, by the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield).[11][5] The home reopened that same year as a museum, and remains a notable fixture at Monmouth Battlefield. The museum is located near Schibanoff Park and Ride on U.S. Route 9.
Despite the restoration in 1993, the home has not been maintained that much since. There have been calls to restore the home again, especially with the 250th anniversary of American independence fast approaching.[7] Historian and President of the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield society Dr. David G. Martin, has expressed concern for all of the structures on the Battlefield's premises, but is particularly concerned for the Craig House and thinks that should be the beneficiary of any grants from the state.[7] For the time being, the home's rustic charm still invokes a calling to the area's colonial agrarian past.
Facilities
Craig House – Open on Sundays from 1-4PM (as of 2022)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , , "Craig House, Monmouth Battlefield State Park: Interpreted by the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield", Friends of Monmouth Battlefield, Text by Dr. David G. Martin, Date unknown, Accessed April 8, 2022.
1 2 3 4 Symmes, Frank, "History of the Old Tennent Church", January 1, 1904. Accessed April 8, 2022,
↑ Archived May 22, 2022, at the Wayback Machine , "Time Has Taken its Toll at Monmouth Battlefield's Craig House", The History Girl, Written by NJ Historian, March 2014. Accessed April 8, 2022
Monmouth County is a county located on the northern part of the Jersey Shore in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's fifth-most-populous county with a population of 643,615, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 13,235 (+2.1%) from the 2010 census count of 630,380, which in turn reflected an increase of 15,079 from 615,301 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the county fell to the fifth-most populous county in the state, having been surpassed by Hudson County. Monmouth County's geographic area comprises 30% water. The county is part of the Jersey Shore region and the Central Jersey region of the state.
Colts Neck Township is a township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located in the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 9,957, a decrease of 185 (−1.8%) from the 2010 census count of 10,142, which in turn reflected a decline of 2,189 (−17.8%) from the 12,331 counted in the 2000 census.
Freehold is a borough and the county seat of Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Known for its Victorian era homes and extensive colonial history, the borough is located in the Raritan Valley region within the New York Metropolitan Area, located about 33 miles (53 km) from Manhattan and 17 miles (27 km) from Staten Island. The borough has grown to become a commuter town of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,538, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 486 (+4.0%) from the 12,052 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected an increase of 1,076 (+9.8%) from the 10,976 counted at the 2000 census.
Freehold Township is a township in western Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Crisscrossed by several major highways, the township is a commercial hub for Central New Jersey and is a suburban bedroom community of New York City, located within the Raritan Valley region of the much larger New York Metropolitan Area. The township is located roughly 38 miles (61 km) away from Manhattan and about 20 miles (32 km) away from Staten Island. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 35,369, a decrease of 815 (−2.3%) from the 36,184 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected an increase of 4,647 (+14.7%) from the 31,537 counted at the 2000 census.
Manalapan Township is a township in western Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is centrally located within the Raritan Valley region and is a part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 40,905, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,033 (+5.2%) from the 2010 census count of 38,872, which in turn reflected an increase of 5,449 (+16.3%) from the 33,423 counted in the 2000 census.
Marlboro Township is a township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is located within the Raritan Valley region and is a part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 41,502, an increase of 1,311 (+3.3%) from the 2010 census count of 40,191, which in turn reflected an increase of 5,449 (+16.3%) from the 33,423 counted in the 2000 census.
Upper Freehold Township is a township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 7,273, an increase of 371 (+5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 6,902, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,620 (+61.2%) from the 4,282 counted in the 2000 census.
West Freehold is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) within Freehold Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 13,613. Due to the community's close proximity to the Battle of Monmouth, West Freehold is home to several important historical structures, which have been preserved in the 'West Freehold Village Historic District'. The historically preserved Monmouth Battlefield, along with the historic villages of Clarksburg, Englishtown, Smithburg and Tennent are a short distance away.
Monmouth Battlefield State Park is a 1,818-acre (7.36 km2) New Jersey state park located on the border of Manalapan and Freehold Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. This park preserves the historical battlefield on which the American Revolutionary War's Battle of Monmouth (1778) was waged. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in military history.
Adelphia is an unincorporated community located in northern Howell Township, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 07710. The community borders Freehold Township, and residents who reside in Adelphia use a Freehold mailing address.
Imlaystown is an unincorporated community located along County Route 43 and Davis Station Road within Upper Freehold Township in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located in ZIP code 08526. The community is accessible from Exit 11 of Interstate 195.
Monmouth Council, BSA, established in 1917, serves all of Monmouth County, New Jersey and part of Middlesex County, New Jersey. The Council was the starting point for the landmark US Supreme Court case Boy Scouts of America v. Dale.
Pleasant Valley is an unincorporated community located within Marlboro Township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The area reportedly received its name from George Washington after he went through the area in 1777. The area is hilly and forested and is dotted by medium to large-sized residences. Pleasant Valley Road and Reids Hill Road are main roads that pass through the area connecting to Routes 34, 79, and 520. A large part of land which makes up Pleasant Valley was originally granted by the King of England in 1665 to the Rev. Obadiah Holmes. In 1690, the area was settled by people of Dutch heritage and the original dominant language in the area was Low Dutch.
Coxs Corner, also known as Cox's Corner or Wrightsville, is an unincorporated community located within Upper Freehold Township, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Named for congressman and brigadier general James Cox (1753–1810), who had lived here at the family home of "Box Grove", it is at the juncture of County Route 524 and County Route 43. The Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Byway passes through the area.
Walnford is an unincorporated community located along Crosswicks Creek within Upper Freehold Township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Walnford was named for Richard Waln, the original owner of the town site.
Marlboro Township, New Jersey has a number of historic sites. The Monmouth County Historic Site Inventory (HSI) was started in 1980 by the directors of both the Monmouth County Historical Association and the Monmouth County Park System. This inventory project provided an inventory number to all historic properties in Monmouth County, New Jersey. In addition to property details, this listing provides reference numbers for easy identification. In addition to the park system inventory, the Marlboro Township Historic Commission provides a listing of Historic Commission Landmarks (HCL). These are physical signs placed in historically significant locations. There was also a list presented by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office (HPO).
The Walker, Combs, Hartshorne, Oakley Farmstead is located in the historic district of the village of West Freehold, a part of Freehold Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The house was built in 1686 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1990.
George Taylor House is in Freehold Borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States on the corner of Broadway and Dutch Lane Road across from Freehold High School. The house was built in circa 1870 by George Taylor, the son of John G. Taylor and Cary Conover Taylor. John G. Taylor was of Scottish ancestry, while Cary Conover was of Dutch ancestry. John G. Taylor was the proprietor of Taylors Mills, a successful family business that George continued to run in his father's footsteps. The grist mill was successful during the mid-late 19th century, as new markets were opening up with the advent of extensive railroad networks.
The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County was established in 2006 by a group of county residents headed by professionals from the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County. The museum opened to the public in 2008, "dedicated to the promotion of public awareness of the County’s Jewish heritage for the education and enjoyment of both children and adults." The museum is located at Mount's Corner Historic Shopping Center in the historic village of West Freehold. The museum features numerous collections of furniture, artifacts, rare documents, and books that had been preserved at the Levi Solomon Farmstead, one of New Jersey's earliest known Jewish farmsteads.
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