The Gray House and Barn

Mapleton Road, 1939. From "Old Princeton's Neighbors." On the left is the Elbert Williamson house; on the right is the Gray house.

Historical Overview

A large barn with stone foundation - long converted into offices - stands at 3 Mapleton Road in the historic West Windsor community of Scudder's Mills. Located on the Plainsboro side of the community, this structure is one of the last remnant's of a property owned by the Gray mid-1800s mill-owners.

There was also once a 5-bay, 2-story house on this property (see the right building in the image above).[1] It is believed to have been constructed in the early-mid 1800s.[2] In fact, a structure seems to appear on or around this site in a map from 1840.[3] The barn's date of construction is unknown, but its stone foundation suggests a similar date of construction, if not earlier. At the time, this was part of a much-larger tract also including the mills, millwright's house next door, and several other structures.[4] For a history of that larger property - and thus potential owners of this house - prior to 1866, click here.

In 1866, a man named Alexander Gray bought this large tract, including the mills.[5] He and his wife, Jane Russell,[6] are suspected to have lived in this house. Perhaps the barn, located behind the house, existed then as well (its date of construction is unknown as well). The only other individuals known to have lived there, in the 1910s/20s, were Idah Engelke, her husband Robert, and their children, Esther and Louise.[7],[8] The house was demolished some time between 1997 and 2002. The barn still stands, albeit long converted into offices, a remnant of old Scudder's Mills.

Gray Barn, March 2019. From Paul Ligeti.

Go to Scudder's Mills

---

Bibliography

1. “Aqueduct.” Essay. In Old Princeton’s Neighbors. Princeton, NJ: Graphic Arts Press , 1939. Written by the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Writers’ Project.
2. “Penns Neck Area EIS - West Windsor and Princeton Townships, Mercer County and Plainsboro Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey - Historic Architectural Survey - Volume 2 of 2,” May 2003. Prepared for the New Jersey Department of Transportation by John Milner Associates (Architects/Archaeologists/Planners).
3. Hassler, F. R., & Gerdes, F. H. (1840). US Coast Survey - Princeton and Vicinity. map, Princeton and Vicinity, New Jersey. Scale 1:20,000
4. Gray, Alexander, Onderdonk, Peter C. “Indenture.” South Brunswick, 1866. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Middlesex County deed Book 103 Page 249.
5. Ibid.
6. United States Census, 1870 - South Brunswick Township.” South Brunswick Township, 1870.
7. Engelke, Ida Louise Williamson. “Broadside,” 1986. From the Fall & Winter 1986 "Broadside" newsletter, published by the Historical Society of West Windsor. The specific article is titled "The Aqueduct Story."
8. United States Census, 1920 - South Brunswick Township.” South Brunswick Township, 1920.