Van Dyke is a very common name, especially in this area of New Jersey back then. Ed -----Original Message----- From: dutch-colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:dutch-colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of E.J.Richards Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 11:52 AM To: dutch-colonies@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [DUTCH-COLONIES] Van Dyke House, South Brunswick,N.J. to be Demolished I'd be interested in any and all details about this Van Dyke home. My 8th-grandmother, Anne van Dyke, born 1741 (apparently in Amwell) might be connected. I only know the name of her father, Frans van Dyke. My NJ geography is lousy, I admit, but is this the same family? Thanks! Jeff Richards -----Original Message----- From: dutch-colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:dutch-colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Jacassidy22@aol.com Sent: Sonntag, 25. März 2007 16:59 To: Dutch-Colonies@rootsweb.com Subject: [DUTCH-COLONIES] Van Dyke House, South Brunswick,N.J. to be Demolished The New York Times Metro Section pg. 3, has a large article on the Van Dyke Home build ca. 1713, which had slave quarters over the kitchen which are still intact and a Revolutionary spinning wheel and bill of sale for a young black girl were found in the basement. For the past two years residents have been trying to save this house located near Davison Mill Road near the N.J. turnpike. This 229 acres property was deeded by the Van Dykes in the 1690's. Behind the farm house sits an original carriage house, a 19th century barn and a slave cemetery. The current owner is a man named William Puida who bought the house in the 1950's from the Van Dyke family. Two years ago Mr. Puida agreed to sell the land to a developer, Joseph Morris who immediately announced a plan to demolish the existing buildings and put up a warehouse. In Feb. of 2005, he appeared to the zoning board to instead put up condo's and it was approved. The Van Dyke farm is a rare remnant of a time when N.J. was a major agricultural center largely because of the thousands of slaves who worked this land. In 1800, there were 12.000 to 13,000 slaves in the state which might account for why NY and NJ were the only Northern slaves that did not move to end slavery during the Revolutionary War. A local historian James Shackleford, says that when he was researching slavery in South Brunswick, at Rutgers Archives, he found documents about a young slave named Amy and other slaves who lived o the Van Dyke Farm. An organization Eastern Villages apparently has been trying to save this farm because of its historical value because the slave quarters and cemetery are still intact, members Elaine Livingston, Bill Klimowicz, Jean Dvorak. and others. The author of the article is J. Courtney Sullivan, and it is located on page 33, March 25, 2007. If any one is interested. One Note from me, It appears from the photograph with the article, that the original early Dutch house with the windows at the roof line, later became the kitchen with the slave quarters located over the kitchen in what was probably the original second story of the origional Dutch part of the house. The main house was then attached. The description of the slave quarters over the kitchen would probably apply to many of those houses in Somerset County, not necessarily as slave quarters, but simply the second story of the origional Dutch Home. I have seen many of this design near Harlingen. Judy Cassidy This area consisted of two bare wooden rooms, each about the size of a walk in closet with the original tiny windows and doors still in tact, as well as a trap door leading to the kitchen. ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DUTCH-COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DUTCH-COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message