Past State President Projects
2007/2008 Jacquelyn Castorino:
Last Updated: July 27, 2009
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of the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution. All rights reserved.
2006/2007 William Wootton
William Wootton, NJCAR State President for 2006/07 selected “Unsung Patriots of the Revolution” for his state theme and his state project was to raise funds to assist the Historical Society of the Rockaways with the restoration of the Ford-Faesch Manor House in Mt. Hope, New Jersey.This home was built in 1768 by Colonel Jacob Ford. The Ford family were pioneers in the iron industry establishing the first forge in Morris County in 1710. Because of the valuable iron deposits in Rockaway Township the family purchased much of the area in 1750. The house was leased in 1772 along with associated ironworks to Swiss émigré John Jacob Faesch. These ironworks supplied ammunition and ordinance to General George Washington and the Continental Army during the American Revolution. John Jacob Faesch applied his advanced knowledge of European technology to improve the iron industry.2008/2009 - Andrew Novalsky
Preserving the Past...Investing in the Future
The project is to preserve the heritage of looking at the american revolution throught the eyes of everyday people...a peaceful Quaker family caught in the events of 1777 and the Revolutionary War along the Delaware River. The property of James and ann Whitall, because of its strategic location, was seized to build Fort Mercer. During the battle of Fort Mercer, Ann Whitall refused to leave her home. After the battle, the wounded soldiers were carried off the battlefield and the Whitall's home became a field hospital. Ann used her skills with herbal medicine to tend all the wounded, American and Hessian alike. Presently, the history of the house is presentled as an oral history by the docents. The State President's project is to purchase museum-quality text panels so all visitors can learn about the Whitall's and their home's remarkable history.
In 1777, a teenage boy by the name of Jonas Cattell was working in Haddonfield, New Jersey as a blacksmith. On his way hime, he was captured by the Hessians. During the night, Jonas overheard members of the Hessian army make plans to attack Fort Mercer at Red Bank Battlefield near his hometown of Woodbury, New Jersey.The next morning the Hessians had no use for Jonas so they released him. What the Hessians did not know was that Jonas was a long distance runner. Jonas sprinted ahead of the hessians through the woods and marshes of South Jersey. When he reached the fort, he informed Colonel Greene about the impending attack on his fort. Colonel Greene ordered all of the soldiers to move the cannons for a land attack. When Col. Von Donop and the Hessians arrived, they were easily defeated thanks to the warning provided by Jonas Cattell.In honor of the 230th anniversary of the warning that saved Fort Mercer, the 2007/08 New Jersey state project is to raise money to design, make and install permanent road signs to place along the 10 mile commemorative route from Haddonfield to National Park, New Jersey. In addition, our state society will contact every high school cross country coach in the 10 mile area to help find a Jonas Cattell impersonator for the commemorative run on October 14, 2007.
