Grovers Mill: The Saltzman House
Historical Overview
This white, brick-façade house at 152 Cranbury Road is a contributing structure to the historic West Windsor community of Grovers Mill and also a member of the West Windsor's "100 Club". This building, like its neighbors, was originally part of the Grovers Mill "Joint Tract" that also included the adjacent Mill, Barn, and Millwright's House around which the community grew. According to township records, the house likely dates to between 1888 and 1892.[1],[2] Given its age and inclusion in the Joint Tract, this structure, like its neighbors, may have been a tenant house for mill-workers. For the remaining history of the Joint Tract (and thus this house) before 1928, click here.
Following the death of Walter S. Grover in 1928[3] his estate was subdivided into individual parcels for each building - including this house. The next owner was local farmer Charles Lawrence Dey, and his wife, Hattie May Dey. Charles formed the Grovers Mill Company, Inc. with William T. Denison, his brother-in-law. However, he sold his share of the company at some point.[4] Still, the Deys retained ownership of 152 Cranbury Road (and several other adjacent houses) and it was reputedly during their ownership, in 1945, that the one-story wing was added to the house.[5]
In 1946, the Deys sold the property to Doris M. Saltzman (later Doris Bowne). Doris, in turn, sold the property to her father and mother,[6] Eli Saltzman and Pearl Metz Saltzman. However, in 1956, the property passed out of Saltzman hands when it was bought by Charles Aversano and his wife, Viola. Charles, a Navy veteran in World War II, was the head of Aversano Construction Co. He was also a member of the First National Bank's West Windsor Advisory Board and President and founding member of the West Windsor Lions Club,[7] Meanwhile, Viola was supervisor of the New Jersey Bell Telephone Co. in Princeton.[8] The Aversanos sold the house in 1972 to Ralph A. Vierno. He and his wife removed the porch and added a breezeway and garage.[9] The house has since passed out of their ownership, however, but it remains one of Grovers Mill's longtime icons.
Following the death of Walter S. Grover in 1928[3] his estate was subdivided into individual parcels for each building - including this house. The next owner was local farmer Charles Lawrence Dey, and his wife, Hattie May Dey. Charles formed the Grovers Mill Company, Inc. with William T. Denison, his brother-in-law. However, he sold his share of the company at some point.[4] Still, the Deys retained ownership of 152 Cranbury Road (and several other adjacent houses) and it was reputedly during their ownership, in 1945, that the one-story wing was added to the house.[5]
In 1946, the Deys sold the property to Doris M. Saltzman (later Doris Bowne). Doris, in turn, sold the property to her father and mother,[6] Eli Saltzman and Pearl Metz Saltzman. However, in 1956, the property passed out of Saltzman hands when it was bought by Charles Aversano and his wife, Viola. Charles, a Navy veteran in World War II, was the head of Aversano Construction Co. He was also a member of the First National Bank's West Windsor Advisory Board and President and founding member of the West Windsor Lions Club,[7] Meanwhile, Viola was supervisor of the New Jersey Bell Telephone Co. in Princeton.[8] The Aversanos sold the house in 1972 to Ralph A. Vierno. He and his wife removed the porch and added a breezeway and garage.[9] The house has since passed out of their ownership, however, but it remains one of Grovers Mill's longtime icons.
Bibliography
- “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.
- “West Windsor Township Master Plan - Conservation Plan Element.” West Windsor Township, NJ: Historical Society of West Windsor's digital archives, 2002.
- Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church. (n.d.). Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church graveyard. West Windsor. Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church graveyard gravestones, which often list birth dates, death dates, and ages of those buried there.
- “Grover’s Mills.” Essay. In Old Princeton’s Neighbors. Princeton, NJ: Graphic Arts Press , 1939. Written by the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Writers’ Project.
- Bruno, Elise, Robert W Craig, Mrs. Charles Lawrence Dey, Luci DiPolvere, Edward DiPolvere, Cynthia Koch, Vivian MacPherson, Ronald Rogers, Ralph Vierno, and David O Wright. “A Brief History of Grover’s Mill: Part II,” 1995. Spring 1995 “Broadside” newsletter, published by the Historical Society of West Windsor
- United States Census, 1940 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1940.
- “Obituaries.” Town Topics. September 19, 1990.
- “Obituaries.” Town Topics. February 10, 1999.
- Bruno, Elise, Robert W Craig, Mrs. Charles Lawrence Dey, Luci DiPolvere, Edward DiPolvere, Cynthia Koch, Vivian MacPherson, Ronald Rogers, Ralph Vierno, and David O Wright. “A Brief History of Grover’s Mill: Part II,” 1995. Spring 1995 “Broadside” newsletter, published by the Historical Society of West Windsor