Davis House

John and Abbie Davis House, July 2023.

Historical Overview

 Standing at 762 Village Road West is a 2-story, 3-bay side hall plan house. This is the John and Abbie Davis house - a a member of West Windsor's "100 Club."​

At the time of this writing (September 2024), the home's exact construction date is unknown, but an architectural survey from 1988 estimated construction in the second quarter of the 1800s. At the time, it was owned by Peter Davis, who had purchased a 5-acre lot of land in 1815.[1] After his death (date unknown), the house passed to John Davis (relation to Peter unknown) in 1849.[2] This may have been the same John Davis that served as one of West Windsor's very first Overseers of the Highways in 1797.[3] At some point, the house further passed to Abigail "Abbie" Davis (relation to John unknown).[4] She, in turn, kept the house until her death in 1884.[5]

The house eventually passed to Lizzie Brown in 1888.[6] It's unknown how long she kept the house. In fact, its early-1900s ownership is still a mystery to the Historical Society of West Windsor. Its next known owners were Clarence and Alice Bailey, who in 1922 sold the property to James H. Everett,[7] who also owned the nearby Robbins-Everett-Chamberlin homestead at 774 Village Road West.[8] James was presumably a descendant an older James H. Everett, namesake of the nearby Everett's Corner intersection.[9] In 1941, a few years after James' death, his heirs sold the property to Herman and Marie Waldbusser.[10] The couple owned this property for most of 1941-65.[11],[12],[13],[14],[15]

Closeup of 1849 Mercer County map. Note "J. Davis" along Village Rd W.

Several others have owned the house over the years:

• Charles & Jane Geherty (1965-72)[16],[17]
• Harry & Louise Canning (1972-79)[18],[19]
  • Harry was a President of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company[20] and a President of the Twin "W" First Aid Squad.[21] Meanwhile, he and Louise were also charter members of the Twin "W."[22]
• Greshak, Greshak & Glovers Investments, Inc. (1979-80)[23],[24]
• Bruce & Deborah Kasten (1980-86)[25]

The house has long since passed to other owners.

John & Abbie Davis house, date unknown.

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Bibliography

1. Bullock, Joseph, Davis, Peter. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1815. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Middlesex County Deed Book 12 Page 609.
2. Davis, John, Green, Caleb S. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1849. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book X Page 363.
3. ​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
4. Brown, James V., Davis, William C. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1885. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 154 Page 405.
5. Ibid.
6. Brown, Lizzie, Stevens, Charles P., Stevens, Sarah M. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1893. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 191 Page 236.
7. Bailey, Alice R., Bailey, Clarence E., Everett, James H. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1922. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 482 Page 554.
8. Clayton, George W., Everett, James H. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1916. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 387 Page 339.
9. Administrators of Francis S. Labaw, Everett, James H. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1839. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book A Page 588.
10. Chamberlin, Florence R., Chamberlin, Frank C., Everett, Ruth R., Waldbusser, Herman A., Waldbusser, Marie A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1941. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 818 Page 485.
11. Antoniewics, Ann I., Antoniewics, Stanley J., Waldbusser, Herman A., Waldbusser, Marie A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1952. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1187 Page 345.
12. Antoniewics, Ann I., Antoniewics, Stanley J., Waldbusser, Herman A., Waldbusser, Marie A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1954. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1279 Page 72.
13. Briggs, Joan L., Briggs, Owen H., Waldbusser, Herman A., Waldbusser, Marie A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1954. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1286 Page 141.
14. Briggs, Joan L., Briggs, Owen H., Waldbusser, Herman A., Waldbusser, Marie A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1963. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1652 Page 170.
15. Geherty, Charles C., Geherty, Jane S., Waldbusser, Herman A., Waldbusser, Marie A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1965. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1742 Page 593.
16. Ibid.
17. Canning, Harry J., Canning, Louise L., Geherty, Charles C., Geherty. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1972. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1965 Page 856.
18. Ibid.
19. Canning, Harry J., Canning, Louise L., Greshak, Greshak & Glovers Investments, Inc. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1979. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2122 Page 933.
20. "Fire Unit Reelects Roszel." The Evening Times. January 31, 1973.
21. "Squad Officers." The Trentonian. November 30, 1974.
22. "Clubs and Organizations." Town Topics. August 8, 1979.
23. Canning, Harry J., Canning, Louise L., Greshak, Greshak & Glovers Investments, Inc. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1979. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2122 Page 933.
24. Kasten, Bruce J., Kasten, Deborah, Greshak, Greshak & Glovers Investments, Inc. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1980. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2134 Page 622.
25. Ibid.