Rogers-Forman-Walton House

The Rogers-Forman House in August 2021.

Historical Overview

Located at 509 Village Road West is a 2-story, 5-bay house. This building is a contributing structure to the historic community of Dutch Neck and a member of West Windsor's "100 Club."

Various records suggest that this house was built between 1858 and 1880.[1],[2] However, while the range of potential construction dates is large, what is certain is that an early property owner (house or no house) was Eli Rogers. In 1832, the land was sold by Elizabeth Covenhoven to Eli as part of a larger, 5-acre tract including the nearby Dutch Neck Inn.[3] From the 1820s to the 1860s, Eli was active in local government, serving in positions such as Poundkeeper, Constable, Commissioner of Taxation Appeal, Tax Collector, Overseer of the Poor, Judge of Elections, and finally Freeholder.[4]

In 1865, Eli sold two acres of the Dutch Neck Inn property to William and Catherine Everett. The associated deed mentioned a "premises," suggesting a house may have existed within these two acres at the time.[5] Two years later, the Everetts sold this same tract to Enoch W. Hart[6] - also an owner of the Dutch Neck Inn.[7] Hart, in turn, sold the property to Alice Forman two years later.[8]

Alice owned the property for the next twenty years. In 1889, she sold it to a series of owners,[9] ending with Mary A. Walton in 1892.[10]

509 Village Road West, probably 1920s. From the Wilson family.

It's presumed that Mary lived here until her death in 1937,[11] after which the property passed to her children, Jacob and Sarah.[12] Sarah soon inherited the property fully, and owned it until 1960.[13] That year, Joseph Wilson - a Navy veteran of World War II[14] - and his wife, Marilyn, purchased the property[15] and maintained it for the next 24 years.[16] It has long passed to new owners,[17] but remains a fixture of the historic community of Dutch Neck.

Go to Dutch Neck

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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. “Section IX – Conservation Plan Element – West Windsor Master Plan.” West Windsor Township, 2002.
3. Covenhoven, Elizabeth, Rogers, Eli. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1832. Deed from for the Dutch Neck Inn property at the intersection of South Mill Road and Village Roads East/West. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Middlesex County Deed Book 24 Page 617.
4. "West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center. 
5. Everett, Catherine, Everett, William, Rogers, Eli. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1865.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 61 Page 266.
6. Everett, Catherine, Everett, William, Hart, Enoch W. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1867.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 75 Page 236.
7. Hart, Enoch, Taylor, Josiah. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1861. Deed from for the Dutch Neck Inn property at the intersection of South Mill Road and Village Roads East/West. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Mercer County Deed Book 50 Page 111.
8. Forman, Alice A., Hart, Enoch W. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1867.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 75 Page 305.
9. Allen, William T., Forman, Alice A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1899.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 170 Page 145.
10. Bergen, William G., Robbins, Liscomb T., Walton, Mary A., Watson, Joseph L. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1892.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 183 Page 38. Liscomb, William, and Joseph were Commissioners of the estate of William T. Allen, deceased. 
11. “Obituary: Mrs. Mary A. Walton.” Trenton Sunday Times-Advertiser, September 19, 1937. 
12. Matthews, Sarah W., Walton, Jacob. “Deed” West Windsor, 1938.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 774 Page 46.
    
13. Matthews, Sarah W., Wilson, Joseph E., Wilson, Marilyn R. “Deed” West Windsor, 1960.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 1539 Page 55.
14. “Obituaries: Joseph E. Wilson.” Town Topics, October 9, 1991. 
15. Matthews, Sarah W., Wilson, Joseph E., Wilson, Marilyn R. “Deed” West Windsor, 1960.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 1539 Page 55.
16. Lancelot, Camile, Lancelot, Charles J., Wilson, Joseph E., Wilson, Marilyn R. “Deed” West Windsor, 1984.  Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Middlesex County Deed Book 2254 Page 417.
17. Ibid.