Rachel Conover House

Rachel Conover house, August 2021.

Historical Overview

A 3-bay, 2-story house with 1-story extensions and several sheds/outbuildings in the backyard stands at 1726 Old Trenton Road in the historic community of Edinburg. This building - hereafter called the "Rachel Conover" house - is also a member of West Windsor's "100 Club."

Township tax records claim this building was constructed around the year 1900.[1] If true, then this house was originally owned by Rachel E. Conover, who had purchased this property in 1891 from Alexis Rainear.[2] She, with the help of her son, Harold,[3] used this as a boarding house for many years. It was popular with "drummers" - salesmen who visited local farmers.[4]

In 1942, much of the house burned down.[5] It's unknown how much of the current structure is original. Five years later, the property passed to Thomas and Marion Everett. Following them were several owners, many of whom rented out the property:

• Robert and Shirley Rooks (1963-71)
• Paul and Ramona Bertles (1971-73)
• Cheston Robbins and Jonathan Hewitt and Mary Hewitt (1973-77)
• William and Valerie Galliard (1977-2001).

Since then, the property has passed to new ownership. It remains a familiar sight in old Edinburg.

Rachel Conover House after a fire, April 1, 1942. Courtesy of Trevor LePrevost.

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Bibliography

1. "West Windsor Tax Assessor Address List, 2019.” West Windsor, 2019. List of all residences in West Windsor with dates of construction, according to tax assessor. Sent to the Historical Society by Lorraine Jones and Dawn Moretti.​
2. Conover, Rachel. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1891. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1732 Page 854. Mentions the 1963 Robins-Conover transfer.
3. United States Census, 1900 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1900.
4. Tantum, Bernice. “Broadside,” 1993. Historical Society of West Windsor newsletter, Autumn, 1993. History of the Village of Edinburg. With contributions from Dorothy M. Tindall, Pauline Conover, Nellie & Al Carson, and Joe & Madeline Taylor.
5. Fire at 1726 Old Trenton Road - April 1, 1942. Photograph. West Windsor, NJ, April 1, 1942. West Windsor History Museum. Courtesy of Trevor LePrevost.