Everett's Corner

The former James H. Everett house, viewed from Village Road West, 1992. Photo by Joe Ryan.

Historical Overview

A weed-infested lot looms over the northeastern corner of the intersection of Village Road West and Quakerbridge Road. Although now overgrown at the time of this writing (September 2024), this property (address: 838 Village Road West) was, long ago, the site of a historical home: the James H. Everett house. The intersection itself also once had a popular local name – “Everett’s Corner.”

The house was 2 stories tall and 5 window bays wide and faced Village Road West. Its irregular window and front porch placement suggested it was built in two sections. Behind the house was a wooden carriage house. According to an architectural survey from 1988, it was probably built in the late 1700s or early 1800s.[1] If built in 1794 or earlier, then it may have been erected by John and Hannah Davis, who that year deeded several acres, containing a “premises” (i.e., a structure) to Francis S. Labaw.[2] Early West Windsor Township meeting minutes show Francis serving as an Overseer of the Highways and Township Clerk from the late 1790s-1810s.[3]

After Francis died, this tract passed to James H. Everett in 1839.[4] James, too, was active in local government from the 1850s-70s: as a Commissioner of Appeal in Case of Taxation, Township Committeeman, Constable, and Tax Assessor.[5] He and his wife, Rachel Combs, had ten known children: Thomas, Isaac, William, Margaret, Keturah, James Jr., Robert, George, Alfred, and Rebecca (the last two of whom died in infancy).[6] Notably, Isaac was a Civil War veteran, having served in New Jersey's 21st Infantry, fighting for the Union Army.[7] Tradition says that James and Rachel gave their children houses as wedding gifts.[8] One house, deeded to Thomas in 1868,[9] is the main house of the Schenck Farmstead at 50 Southfield Road, home to the West Windsor History Museum.

Everett's Corner, 1849. James H. Everett's house is circled.

At least as early as 1852, the intersection of Quakerbridge Road and Village Road West became commonly referred to as “Everett’s Corner,”[10] a name that stuck until at least the mid-1900s.[11] There were also a few other houses near the intersection, as well as a wheelwright’s shop and blacksmith’s shops west of Quakerbridge Road.[12],[13]

James died in 1898.[14] The next year the property passed to his son, Robert.[15] According to a newspaper from that year, the property contained “…a large dwelling house, blacksmith and wheelwright shops, tenant house, barn, stables, [and] carriage house.”[16] Robert owned the property until at least 1919 or later.[17]

The next known owners were Horace and Florence Baker, who in 1929 sold the property to Theodosia Weart.[18] She, her husband John, and their children lived in this house for some time.[19] Theodosia died in 1943,[20] and John in 1959.[21] The home then passed to their son, John Jr., and his wife, Gladys.[22] After them were a few more owners: Tadeusz Skwarek (1964-1985),[23],[24] Shaik and Raza Matin (1985-98),[25],[26] Village Road West Property, LLC (1998-2019),[27],[28] and, starting in 2019, Bauman WW Medical Properties Development LLC.[29]

After the Wearts sold the property, it became abandoned and increasingly dilapidated over many years. The remaining structures were demolished in the 1990s.[30],[31] Now, in September 2024, all that remains on the lot are weeds, growing over old Everett’s Corner.

Map of Village Road East, 1890. None of the buildings on the left still exist. The Williamson-Conover house is the one directly above the blacksmith shop.

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Bibliography

1. “Mercer County Historic Sites Survey: West Windsor Township, Mercer County, NJ.” Princeton, 1988. Conducted by Kinsey & Hand Associates.
2. Everett, Caroline, Everett, James H., Everett, Thomas S. “Indenture.” Windsor, 1794. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Middlesex County Deed Book 3 Page 407.
3. ​​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
4. 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.
5. ​​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
6. Lee, Francis Bazley. Genealogical and Personal Memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey. Lewis Publishing Company, 1907.
7. The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; U.s., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; NAI Title: General Index to Civil War and Later Pension Files, Ca. 1949-Ca. 1949; NAI Number: 563268; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773-2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Number: T288; Roll: 146​
8. “Keturah E. Everett Pierson (1849-1945) - Find a...” Find a Grave. Accessed September 4, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/41546172/keturah-e.-pierson. ​
9. Everett, Caroline, Everett, James H., Everett, Thomas S. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1868. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 70 Page 443.
10. Joseph Justice, Sheriff. (1852, September 21). Sheriff's Sale. Daily True American. Trenton. 
11. Philip T Carrol, Clerk - Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders. (1961, May 5). Notice. Trenton Evening Times. Trenton.
12. Otley, J W, and James Keily. “Map of Mercer County, New Jersey.” Map. Camden, New Jersey: L. Van der Veer, 1849.
13. Lake, D J, and S N Beers. Map of the Vicinity of Philadelphia and Trenton from Actual Surveys By D.J. Lake and S. N. Beers. Assisted by F. Beers, L. B. Lake and D. G. Beers. Philadelphia, PA: C.K. Stone and A. Pomeroy, 1860. https://dspace.njstatelib.org/xmlui/handle/10929/34112?show=full.
14. "Everett." Daily True American. March 31, 1898.
15. Everett, Anna, Everett, Caroline, Everett, George R., Everett, Ida, Everett, James S., Everett, Rebecca, Everett, Robert M., Everett, Thomas S., Everett, William, Hutchinson, H. H., Hutchinson, Margaret, Pierson, Joseph, Pierson, Keturah. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1899. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 228 Page 239.
16. Thomas S. Everett and Isaac S. Everett and H. H. Hutchinson and R. M. Everett. (1898, October 24). Public Sale of Real Estate. Daily State Gazette.
17. R.. M. Everett. (1919, December 17). Public Sale. Trenton Sunday Times-Advertiser.
18. Baker, Florence Y., Baker, Horace S., Weart, Theodosia. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1929. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 660 Page 337.
19. "Obituary - Mrs. John Q. Weart." Trenton Evening Times. May 24, 1943.​
20. Skwarek, Tadeusz Alexander, Van Hise, Mildred W., Van Hise, Victor, Weart, Gladys C., Weart, John Earle. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1964. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1713 Page 560.
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid,
23. Skwarek, Tadeusz Alexander, Van Hise, Mildred W., Van Hise, Victor, Weart, Gladys C., Weart, John Earle. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1964. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1713 Page 560.
24. Matin, Raiza Q., Raizin, Shaikh M., Skwarek, Tadeusz Alexander. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1985. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2289 Page 357.
25. Ibid.
26. Matin, Raiza Q., Village Road West Property LLC. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1998. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2524 Page 150.
27. Ibid.
28. Bauman WW Medical Properties Development LLC, Village Road West Property LLC. “Deed.” West Windsor, 2019. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 6393 Page 952,
29. Ibid.
30. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1995.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1995.
31. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1997.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1997.