The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion: The Storied History of a New Jersey Home

by Jude M. Pfister

Overview

In 1772, the Ford family began building what would easily become the largest home in Morristown and years later became the site of the first National Historic Park in the United States. Completed just before colonial unrest reached a boiling point, the home quickly secured a reputation as a place of prominence for supporters of colonial interests. Today, the mansion is best known as George Washington's headquarters, when it became a strategic site for Washington during a winter encampment and gained importance for its role in the American Revolution. Jude Pfister tells the story of this beloved home that has endured the tests of time and whose own history is inextricably woven into that of the country's.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596297166
Publisher:	History Press, The
Publication date:	09/28/2009
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Dr. Jude Pfister is the Chief of Cultural Resources at the Morristown National Historical Park and has been in the heritage preservation field as a curator and archivist for over fifteen years. He is a member of a variety of national and regional museum and archival associations, most recently having served as a board member of the Mid-Atlantic Association of museums.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 9

Chapter 1 Introduction

The Purpose of this Book 11

The Mansion's Importance 13

How We View Importance 15

The Fords and History 16

Chapter 2 The Ford Family Builds a Home in Colonial New Jersey

A Brief Overview of the Fords of New Jersey 19

The Colony of New Jersey 23

New Jersey Iron 26

The Mansion 30

Outside the Mansion 38

Mr. Corbit 39

Cultural Considerations 40

Conclusions 41

Chapter 3 The American Revolution and the Mansion as Headquarters

A Brief Background 47

Prelude to War 49

Local Considerations 51

Cultural Aspects of the Conflict 54

How the War Progressed 56

Washington at the Ford Mansion 57

Conclusions 61

Chapter 4 The Mansion and the Family in Nineteenth-Century New Jersey

The War Is Over 65

Gabriel Ford 68

The Mansion's Development in the Nineteenth Century 71

The Postwar Growth of New Jersey 74

The Final Chapter of Ford Family Ownership 75

The Outcry 78

Remembering the Mansion 80

Chapter 5 The Washington Association of New Jersey

The Auction 81

The Washington Association of New Jersey Begins 84

The Development of an Ideal 85

Developing the Mansion's New Role 86

Chapter 6 The National Park Service

The National Park Service Is Very Interested 95

Historical Patrimony 98

Historical Preservation 101

1939 102

New Deal Pressures 110

Afterword: History and Washington Reverence 113

Appendix 1 Gabriel Ford Physical Landscape Changes, 1805-1849 117

Appendix 2 Henry A. Ford's Physical Landscape Changes, 1849-1873 121

Appendix 3 Fire Insurance Application of Henry A. Ford 123

Appendix 4 Washington's Headquarters at Morristown, New Jersey 127

A Note on Sources 131

Notes135

Bibliography 151

Partial Index 155

About the Author 159