The Walton House

The Walton House in August 2021.

Historical Overview

Standing at 146 South Mill Road is a member of West Windsor's "100 Club" and a familiar sight in the historic community of Dutch Neck. This is the Walton house.

Township tax records put the home's construction at around 1920.[1] We do not currently know who constructed the house; research is ongoing. The earliest confirmed owner was Howard Nutt in 1927. Howard was the founding Vice President of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company, now directly across the street.[2]

In 1927, Howard and his wife sold the property to Orville Walton (a plumber) and his wife, Edith Gravatt.[3] Like Howard, Orville was an early and longtime member of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company[4]. 

It's presumed that Orville and Edith raised their children here. Tragically, disaster struck one of them - 18 year old Richard Walton - in 1952, when a small two-seater plane piloted by next door neighbor Norman crashed in a field near both of their houses. Neither pilot nor passenger survived. You can read more about the crash and the Mather-Glover house by clicking here.[5]

West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co., circa 1921. Orville Walton is in the very front center (with his left hand on the canisters).

In 1978, the house finally passed out of Walton hands (after more than half a century of ownership) when it was bought by Vincent and Grace DiDonato.[6] From there, the house passed to David and Charlotte Lesser in 1985,[7] Bruce and Carol Landau in 1986,[8] and after them, new owners.[9] The current residents still maintain the house as a familiar sight in old 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. "Minutes and Records of the West Windsor Township Volunteer Fire Company, Organized March 21, 1921.” West Windsor: West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 firehouse, n.d. Minutes detailing the first 11 years (1921-1932) of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1’s development.
3. Nutt, Howard Et. Ux., Walton, Edith G., Walton, Orville A. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1927. Deed for 146 South Mill Road. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 606 Page 346.
4. "Minutes and Records of the West Windsor Township Volunteer Fire Company, Organized March 21, 1921.” West Windsor: West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 firehouse, n.d. Minutes detailing the first 11 years (1921-1932) of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1’s development.
5. ​“Plane Tragedy Shocks Village of Dutch Neck." Newspaper Unknown, April 4, 1952. Newspaper clipping found in the Historical Society of West Windsor's archives at the West Windsor History Museum.
6. DiDonato, Grace J., DiDonato, Vincent, Walton, Orville A. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1978. Deed for 146 South Mill Road. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2068 Page 942.
7. DiDonato, Grace J., DiDonato, Vincent, Lesser, David B., Lesser, Charlotte B. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1985. Deed for 146 South Mill Road. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2293 Page 213.
8. Landau, Carol K., Landau, Bruce P., Lesser, David B., Lesser, Charlotte B. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1986. Deed for 146 South Mill Road. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2340 Page 484.
9. Barksdale, Allen, Barksdale, Ashley, Landau, Carol K., Landau, Bruce P. “Deed.” West Windsor, 2000. Deed for 146 South Mill Road. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 3824 Page 59.