Tindall-Dye Farmhouse​

Tindall-Dye farmhouse, date unknown.

Historical Overview

At the end of a long  gravel driveway at 1611 Old Trenton Road, about 500 feet from the road, is a 2-story, 5-bay L-shaped house with several 1-story and 2-story additions. Standing next to it are at at least two small barns-turned-garages. This property is hereafter called the Tindall-Dye farmhouse. It is also a contributing member of West Windsor's 100 Club.

The home's date of construction is unknown. Tax records assert it was built in 1780,[1] which may be true. In 1822, William I. Tindall purchased about 96 acres acres from his mother, Amy Tindall, and her husband, John T. Tindall - himself a Revolutionary War veteran.[2],[3] Per the deed, William was living on this "plantation" by that point. This was originally part of a much-larger (several hundred acres) estate that had apparently passed through the Tindall family for several generations by that point.[4],[5] This may also have been the same William who served as a West Windsor Township Committeeman, Tax Assessor, and Commissioner of (Taxation) Appeal, Surveyor of the Highways in the 1820-40s.[6]

Upon his father's death in 1837,[7] William inherited 300 acres directly to the east, including the property of the Amos Tindall homestead at 1645 Old Trenton Road.[8] He may have moved our of his house at 1611 Old Trenton Road after that point - perhaps to the Amos Tindall house or one of a few other houses that existed on the property at the time. Thirteen years later, he sold the Tindall-Dye house to his son, Clark.[9] The 1850 census shows Clark, 41 years old, residing with his wife, Martha (38) and several children: Elizabth (17), Enoch (15), Rachel (13), Mary (11), and Liscomb (9).​[10]

Extent of 1822 deed with 2023 aerial imagery.

Clark died in 1866,[11] and the next year the property passed to Liscomb.[12] At various points in time, Liscomb also owned the houses at 1712 Old Trenton Road[13] and 1721 Old Trenton Road.[14] He moved to Hamilton Square some time in the early 1900s, and when he died in 1936, he was said to have been the oldest resident of that community.[15]

In 1911, generations of Tindall ownership ended when Liscomb sold the property to Albert Grove.[16] Six years later, the property passed to Harry Dye.[17] The 1920 census shows Harry working as a farmer and living with his wife (Ada) and son (William).[18] However, fifteen years later, Harry died when a tree limb fell on him as he was cutting down trees in the woods on his farm.[19] William then inherited the property.[20]

The 1950 census shows William working as a farmer and living here with his wife, Verona, and their children: Irene, Harriet, and Howard.[21] In 1959, the Dyes moved to Florida,[22] and a few years later the property passed to Harold and Leone Tindall[23] - also longtime owners of the Hutchinson-Tindall farmstead at 1201 Old Trenton Road.[24]

Rear of Tindall-Dye Farmhouse, date unknown.

In 1966, Harold and Leone sold the property to their son, Robert, and his wife, Donna.[25] Fifteen years later, Robert - then sole owner of the property - sold it to Gregory and Cathy McLain.[26] It has since passed to other owners, but like the surrounding farms, remains (at the time of this writing in 2024) a contributing element to West Windsor's agrarian history.

Tindall-Dye farmhouse, 2023.

---

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. Tindall, John, Tindall, William I. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1822. Located in the New Jersey State Archives, Middlesex County Deed Book 19 Page 686.
3. McMurray, John Coddington. “John Coddington McMurray’s Application for Membership to the Board of Managers of the Connecticut Society of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution,” March 31, 1967. Application examined and approved: January 14, 1967. Accepted by the State Board of Management: February 19, 1967. Approved and registered by the Registrar General: March 31, 1967. Certificate of Membership delivered: June 26, 1967.
4. Tindall, Jonathan. “Will of Jonathan Tindall.” Windsor, New Jersey: New Jersey State Archives, 1793. Published in Middlesex County wills, Lib. 34 Page 524.
5. Tindall, Jonathan T. “Will of Thomas Tindall.” Middlesex County, New Jersey: New Jersey State Archives, 1712.Republished in Middlesex County wills book; located in the New Jersey State Archives.
6. “West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
7. Hamilton Square Baptist Church. (n.d.). Hamilton Square Baptist Church graveyard. West Windsor. Hamilton Square Baptist Church graveyard gravestones, which often list birth dates, death dates, and ages of those buried there - including those of many of central New Jersey's oldest families.
8. Tindall, Jonathan T. “Will of Jonathan T. Tindall.” Trenton, New Jersey: New Jersey State Archives, 1837. Published in Middlesex County wills, Volume C Page 314.
9. Tindall, Clark, Tindall, William I. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1850. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 140 Page 180.
10. United States Census, 1850 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1850.
11. Hamilton Square Baptist Church. (n.d.). Hamilton Square Baptist Church graveyard. West Windsor. Hamilton Square Baptist Church graveyard gravestones, which often list birth dates, death dates, and ages of those buried there - including those of many of central New Jersey's oldest families.
12. Tindall, Enoch, Tindall, Liscomb. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1867. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 68 Page 594.
13. Tindall, Anna, Tindall, Jonathan H., Tindall, Liscomb, Margaret. “Indenture.” Windsor, 1882. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 132 Page 286.
14. Clarke, William, Hill, James M., Tindall, Liscomb. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1889. Deed for the property of 1721 Old Trenton Road. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 164 Page 461.
15. "Liscomb Tindall Dies." Trenton Evening Times. March 14, 1936.
16. Grover, Albert, Tindall, Liscomb. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1911. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 336 Page 193.
17. Dye, Harry C., Grover, Albert. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1917. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 397 Page 549.
18. United States Census, 1920 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1920.
19. "Dye Funeral Will Be Held Tuesday." Trenton Evening Times. March 2, 1935.
20. Grover, Bertha J., Dye, Verona H., Dye, William Charles. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1935. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 738 Page 120.
21. United States Census, 1950 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1950.
22. "William Dye." The Trentonian. May 15, 1986.
23. Dye, Verona H., Dye, William Charles, Tindall, Harold S., Tindall, Leone E. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1962. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1611 Page 308.
24. Tindall, Gertrude et. al., Tindall, Harold S. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1942. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1833 Page 428.
25. Tindall, Donna May, Tindall, Harold S., Tindall, Leone E., Tindall, Robert Elmer. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1966. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1770 Page 699.
26. McLain, Cathy S., McLain, Gregory E., Tindall, Robert Elmer. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1966. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2162 Page 348.