Clinton Township Newsletter

2 0 a u g u s t 2 0 2 4 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M Welcome to with Rachel Sprague * C linton ree Questions * Last month, C3Q explored the revolutionary Bonnell Tavern, local gathering place of Revolutionary War patriots and hotbed of Minutemen. This month, in juxtaposition, C3Q visited local Loyalist historical t r e a s u r e , T h e V o u g h t H o u s e , r i g h t n e x t t o Clinton Township Middle School on Grayrock Road in Annandale. I spoke w i t h D a v i d O v e r a k e r , President of the Board of Trustees, and nonprofit founder Don Sherblom, as we travelled back in time to chat about the c o n t e n t i o u s p e r i o d o f the Revolutionary War, when neighbor was often against neighbor... C3Q: So this house was built in 1759? What makes Vought House so special? DO: The Vought House is a Revolutionary War Loyalist homestead, right next to Clinton Township Middle School, situated on 2.3 acres. The Vought House was the home of Christopher and John Vought, who remained loyal to England during the Revolutionary War. John Vought was the Lebanon Township clerk in 1774-1775, and fought alongside British regulars, serving as British Captain Joseph Lee's lieutenant, and later a captain. In 1759, Christopher Vought bought 285 acres of farmland near Union Ironworks, and built the stone house which stands today. These were prominent, respected men... church elders and leaders. There is a fantastic piece of history which happened here, when John Vought led two dozen men with clubs to the tavern of Thomas Jones, a local patriot militia captain and former friend. Vought was later arrested in a dramatic capture at this very spot, when he jumped out a back window to flee and was captured by the militia, who then feasted on his boiled ham and honey liquor. In fact, we are planning a re-enactment of this event in 2026 for the 250th Anniversary celebration. So, this was one of the most interesting Revolutionary War sites in the county; there was literally action happening right here at this building. You can read more about some of the history and see the original documents at our website, where you can read the actual court depositions from the NJ Provincial Congress, as well as the diary of Cornelia Vought from that time period, detailing how the family moved to Nova Scotia after their farm was confiscated in 1779. DS: One of the things that makes Vought House so special and unique is that it is one of the few Loyalist sites in New Jersey. There are so many other preserved sites where George Washington and his men slept, but not many Loyalist ones, which is interesting because patriot rebels accounted for only about 1/3 of the people in New Jersey. DO: The architecture of the Vought House is also what makes it truly unique and exciting. It is 'German Palatine' style; a real mix of imported building styles that could only happen in America or be quintessentially American. It's an English-Georgian theme and layout, mixed with a German building style, as during that time period, at least 30% of the population in Hunterdon County was German. It is also a 'bank house,' meaning that it is built into the bank of a hill, and one of the most unique things about it is that it has 'wattle and daub' ceilings and walls; a sort of plaster-and-woven-sticks construction, which are very rare. Only a few examples of this sort of construction remain, and they are in Pennsylvania, not New Jersey. One of the most interesting features of the Vought House is a plaster snake, which slithers down the center hall towards the front door. C3Q: The snake is really breathtaking and exciting to see; it is so unique! Can you talk about the restoration efforts? DS: The house was last inhabited in 2006, and restoration efforts began when we acquired the house in 2012; it was part of the school property at that time and was going to be torn down. In 2014, we got a grant which allowed us to restore and stabilize walls, replace the roof and chimneys, and tear down the front porch and parts of the structure which were not original, to return it to the 1700s building "parts of significance" or original structure. The restoration work has to be done according to historical preservation standards. Currently, there is an archaeological study being done under the floorboards and a test dig to search for artifacts. The Vought House is on the National Register of Historic Places. The site meets all four criteria of state historic places; significant events happened here, it can tell us about life in 18th century in rural New Jersey, it has unique architecture... the house is a historical home run, basically! The goal of our organization is to have it restored by 2026 as a Revolutionary War Museum which focuses on the Loyalist experience. C3Q: How can people visit the Vought House, or get involved? Are there any special needs or areas where you could use some help? DO: The Vought House is currently in the process of restoration, so it's not open for daily visits, but there is an upcoming public tour on October 19. We would love to have more people involved. We have open monthly meetings, and are always looking for volunteers or people who love history. In terms of immediate practical needs, we especially are looking for someone who could aid in applying for grants, doing some administrative tasks, and also someone who is interested in managing some social media. One of our biggest needs is fundraising; if you are a fundraising dynamo, please consider reaching out. 100% of donations help restore this local historic gem, we are a 501(c) tax-deductible nonprofit organization. You can find out more at www.VoughtHouse.org! C3Q: Thank you both so much, and looking forward to the tour on October 19th and seeing more of this outstanding piece of local history! n Local residents Rachel Sprague and her husband Russell are raising their two young children in Annandale. She thinks that Clinton Township is a delightful place to live.

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