Howell-Bergen Farm

Howell-Bergen farmhouse, probably 1980s. Viewed from Village Road West, looking southeast.

Historical Overview

Pictured above is a house that once stood in the backyard of 27 Sapphire Drive. Facing Village Road West, this 2-story, 2-bay clapboard vernacular house with simple front porch featured a 1.5-story ell and 1-story lean-to addition. To its west (just out of the right edge of the picture above) was a small barn. Although apparently abandoned and deteriorating in the 1980s (when it was torn down to make way for the Windsor Park Estates suburban development) the house nevertheless had a presence in West Windsor for possibly over 150 years. This is the Howell-Bergen Farmstead.

The home's first known owner was Arthur Howell, a Revolutionary War veteran. Arthur served in the patriot army, and some time before the Battle of Trenton, he was taken prisoner. On the day of the battle, his captors threatened to hang him, but he eventually made his escape. He continued to serve until 1781 in the Hunterdon County Militia's quartermaster department under Peter Gordon and James Paxton. His first wife, Euphemia, died in 1790, and he was wed to his second wife, Leah Swain, by Rev. Peter Wilson, an early pastor at the historic Princeton Baptist Church in West Windsor.[1] 

​Tax rolls from 1802 show Arthur owning 140 acres West Windsor.[2] He was also one of West Windsor's early "Commissioners for Laying Roads," from 1805-1809.[3]

The farmhouse's location (arrow) in 1959.

In 1823, three years after Arthur died in 1820,[4] John bought this house[5] and lived here for the next half-century. The 1860 census shows him aged 62, living with his wife Rebcca (59), daughter Catharine (26), and two children: Asher Porter and William Cook.[6] It was not until 1873, two years after he died,[7] that the house finally left Howell hands when 20 acres, passed to William G. Bergen.[8] William helf served many roles in town in the 1840s-50s: Constable, Overseer of the Poor, Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Pound Keeper, Township Committeeman, Freeholder, and Overseer of the Highways.[9]

​In 1902, a few the property had passed to S. Judson Allen.[10] Judson, too, was West Windsor's Tax Assessor and Freeholder, in the 1880s-90s.[11] In 1896, he was hired as the warden of the Mercer County Workhouse, a prison quarry along River Road in Hopewell Township.[12] It's unknown how long he kept the farm, and records grow sparse for the next few decades, until 1938, when a tax map shows its ownership under Ludwik Preneta, a Polish immigrant.[13] The 1940 census shows him living here with his wife, Katarzyna, their sons, Joseph and Stanley, and Ludwik's mother, Apolenia.[14]

Over the years, the house passed through several more owners: William and Ada Hutchinson (1945-1968),[15],[16] John and Ellen Powner (1968-1986),[17],[18] and several developers. After the Powners sold the property to Hathamar Ltd., a Bermuda-based developer, the house and barn were demolished.[19],[20] In its place rose the "Windsor Park Estates" suburban community in the 1990s.[21] Nothing remains of the old farm.

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Bibliography

1. Toft, Josephine E. “Josephine E. Toft - Application for Daughters of the American Revolution.” Vallejo, California: Vallejo, May 28, 1937. Application assert's Josephine's descendancy from Arthur Howell and his wife, Euphamia Hensilwood. It references several sources: (1) "From mother who is still living," "Veyerans Administration, Washington, from papers on file in Revolutionary War claim for pension W.14944," "Office of the Adjutant General, State of New Jersey," "Rev. Sol. Graves in NJ by NJ DAR, 1931-1937," and "Pension Record." It also provides a larger biography of Arthur Howell's service in the Revolution. This application was submitted to the Daughters of the Revolution on May 28, 1937, and signed before Edith G. Mahony, notary public.
2. ​“West Windsor Township Tax Ratables, June 1802.” West Windsor Township, 1802. Lists individuals that lived in West Windsor Township in 1802 - including their occupations. Digital copy donated to the Historical Society of West Windsor from the the New Jersey State Archives; listed in their archives as being in Book 1065, Box 49, Item 11, Reel 14. Also located in the Historical Society of West Windsor's West Windsor History Museum digital archives.
3. ​​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
4. Toft, Josephine E. “Josephine E. Toft - Application for Daughters of the American Revolution.” Vallejo, California: Vallejo, May 28, 1937. Application assert's Josephine's descendancy from Arthur Howell and his wife, Euphamia Hensilwood. It references several sources: (1) "From mother who is still living," "Veyerans Administration, Washington, from papers on file in Revolutionary War claim for pension W.14944," "Office of the Adjutant General, State of New Jersey," "Rev. Sol. Graves in NJ by NJ DAR, 1931-1937," and "Pension Record." It also provides a larger biography of Arthur Howell's service in the Revolution. This application was submitted to the Daughters of the Revolution on May 28, 1937, and signed before Edith G. Mahony, notary public.
5. Hutchinson, Ada V., Hutchinson, William C. Jr., Preneta, Katarzyna, Preneta, Ludwik. “Indenture." West Windsor, 1823. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Middlesex County Deed Book 16, Page 915.
6. United States Census, 1860 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1860.
7. Bonds on Proceedings to Sell Land, V. 1-2, 1861-1937; Author: New Jersey. Orphans' Court (Mercer County).
8. Bergen, William G., Robinson, Margaret J. “Indenture." West Windsor, 1823. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Middlesex County Deed Book 98, Page 523.
9. ​​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
10. Bergen, Isaac H., Bergen, S. Judson, Bergen, Spafford W. “Indenture." West Windsor, 1902. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 253, Page 28.
11. ​​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
12. "The New Warden.” Trenton Sunday Advertiser. July 12, 1896.
13. Fryer, H L. “Tax Maps of West Windsor Township.” Map. Trenton, New Jersey: H. L. Fryer, C.S., 1938. Revised by C. S. Sincerbeaux, 1938.
14. United States Census, 1940 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1940.
15. Hutchinson, Ada V., Hutchinson, William C. Jr., Preneta, Katarzyna, Preneta, Ludwik. “Indenture." West Windsor, 1945. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 905, Page 426.
16. Hutchinson, Ada V., Hutchinson, William C. Jr., Powner, Ellen R., Powner, John A. “Indenture." West Windsor, 1968. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2365, Page 696.
17. Ibid.
18. Hathmar Ltd., Powner, Ellen R., Powner, John A. “Deed." West Windsor, 1986. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2994, Page 265.
19. "West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1985.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1985. Shows the house and farmland still existing.
20. "West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1990.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1990. Shows the area under construction and the house and farmland no longer exist.
21. Ibid.