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You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library 1941-42 Series Bulletin No. 2 STORIES of New Jersey THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SY PREPARED FOR USE IN WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION NEW JERSEY WRITERS' PROJECT, New Jersey ijq Chestnut Street, Newark,

ABRAHAM CLARK American Both the Daughters of the of the American Revolution and the Sons monuments to Revolution have erected greatest monu Abraham Clark, but the the man himself ment was the one built by build American in his unceasing fight to too minute for democracy. Nothing was that mem his attention: he complained gather punc bers of Congress did not nothing, was tually at 10 o'clock. And for he con too great for his ability, the ma.ior tributed to the solution ot~ beset the new country which - probl~ms that he helped establish. 1, 1726 on Clark was born February is now Roselle. his father's farm in what in Elizabeth His father was an alderman and the boy town and later amagistrate, higher had he might not have risen any work around been able to do the heavy men in his the farm expected of young his health was position. But because nature exceptionally Clark very poor and his Abraham career of mathematics and encouraged him to make a studious, Clark's parents law. and his c.ivil in which he soon became expert, led him to surveying, eventual po Mathematics a growing reputation and law, was responsible for other vocation, judgment, he willingly con A man of integrity and sound litical prominence. the title throughout the to the needy and earned tributed his legal talents a political lead Later,arter he had become state of "Poor Man's Counsellor." distinguish him nickname--"Congress Abraham"--to er, he was called by another of the same name. Assembly from others Clark was appointed by the and real estate br0ker, As a surveyor among the property owners. lands inBerg:en Township in 1764 to divide thecornmon by his election was followed two years later political appointment of road This first and appointment to a board H.igh Sheriff of Essex County to the office of Trenton and Newark. and build a highway between commissioners to lay out of Safety, and the a member of the Committee December 1774 Clark became Con In Elizabethtown in the Provincial he was elected to represent following May Among tfhe duties laid upon the State's first constitution. gress which drafted for strategic points within was providing gun powder him by the governing body the State. You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library STORIES of New Jersey

His close attention to the affairs was of the State was not relaxea devoting his energies to while he national problems as a member Congress. His flourishing of the Continental signature is affixed to many reports as well important Congressional as to the Declaration of that Independence Yet despite these reports must have taken, the time Governor Livingston could that the New Jersey legislature report to a friend in 1778 had "passed many valuablt.. laws and dispatched more business and spirited than usual which is principally to Mr. Clark who has to be ascribed indeed great talents for legislation fatigable industry." and is a man of inde Though he worked hard and with seeming of confidence in tlle successful the struggle, Clark was beset outcome by doubts, sometimes expressed friends. "Perhaps oqr congress in letters to will be exalted on a lligh ,gallows," August 1776. "It is he wrote in not in our numbers, our union, I think an interposing our val our, I dare trust. Providence hath been evident essarily led in all the events that us to what we are--I mean nec independent states; but for pose, whether tomake us a what pur great empire, or to make our issue only can determine." ruin more complete, the Clark expected this same devotion to duty from others. January 1778, when dissatisfaction Late ill the war, smouldered throughout Abraham" hit at the officers the army, "Congress who chafed under the burden " ••• Who that are either of things gone wrong. in civil or military departments for retirement?" are not weary and he asked. "This is wish no time to talk of ease and us first establish our liberties--our retirement; let desires of ease will be then He never hesitated to obtained." rebuke even those in the highest General washington ordered positions. When that all who did not declare tinental Congress allegiance to the ~on would be treated as enemies, of civil Clark rose furiously in det·ense liberties. The Congress had directly opposed any such "Though I believe him honest," requirement. Clark declared of the lible." He tookissue getteral, "I think him fal frequently with Governor Livingston, chiefly on the questions too. They disagreed of complete isolation from eral government, Europe and on a loose fed both of which Clark favored. An exceptionalpoltt·ician, Clarkwas intimately concerned with the nation's government. Not until the Bill of Rights had been included did he approve the Con stitution, and it was on his motion that a committee drew up the law which put the Constitution into operation. On September 15, 1804,the slender, still upright man, creasing his heavy brows before the bright sun, was watching a group of workmen build a bridge across the stream that ran tl1rou~.h his meadow. Suddenly he collapsed, and ali ttle later he died of sunstroke. Tlley buried Abraham Clark in tne cemetery of t11e Rahway Pres byterian Church, and on his gravestone was written the epitaph: "Firm and de cided as a patriot, zealous and faithful as a friend to the public, he loved his country and adhered to l1er cause tn tl1e darkest hours of 11er struJ!gle against oppression."

Her~ the Declaration was adopted. You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library STORIES of New Jersey

JOHN HART

John Hart was a New Jersey country threw him squire till as a man of 50 he for Amer- self furiously into the battle ican independence. "Honest John Hart" his un his nei.Philadelphia and two mills, hi~ an influential member of County. By 1761 Hart had become Peace of Hunterdon Assembly. to his first term in the Colonial his community and was elected li to terms with the opponents of in his career would Hart come Not once years later voted for theStamp Act in 1765, and three berty. He voted against to levy taxes only the colonists had the right a resolution that insisted that to 1770, after he had been elected Hart's stiffest fignt came in in America. not to support the King's time. The assembly had voted the le~islature a second William decision. The last royal governor, inNew Jersey, a very serious in troops withdrawn, and the assembly f'ell demanded that the enactment be Franklin, one of five men who would this SE~cond test Hart was with his wishes. But on was passed he was victorious, and the resolution not back down. The next year over the governor's objections. and to sup "taxation without representation" Despite Hart's opposition to the in 1774 appointed himJurl.ge of' royal army, Governor Franklin porting the year Hart accepted an Hunterdon County. That same Court of Common Pleas of Congress became a member of the t·irst Provincial other, more important duty--he entrusted William Franklin. Hart was New Jersey which at length deposed of colony, setting up the rnjlitia, a budget for the defense of the with preparing When the Congress was re of Admiralty and raising money. t'ounding the Court safety, and of this perrormed by the committee of cessed, important tasks were group John Hart was also a member. - select upon him. As one of New Jersey's and additional duties were piled Honors the Declaration of Inde Continental Congress Hart signed five delegates to Ute Jersey's Provin he was elected speaker of New pendence. The following August State Constitution. cial Congress under the first You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library STORIES of New jersey

When war came, John Hart was a marked rnau. As the British penetrated New Jersey, he led the governing body f'rom Princeton to Burlington to Pittston and finally to Haddonfield, where it was dissolved. His wife ill andhisproperty devastated, Hart fled for his life to a hid den spot, difficult of access, in the Sourland Mountains. For rnany weeks he lived the life of a hunted animal sheltered by a pile of rocks, now called the "Stone House." His dog was his only companion, and his only co11tact outside worldwashis with the Negro servant, Jack, who visited the casionally. mountain hideout oc Broken in health by the ordeal of the mountains and death grief-stricken by the of his wife, Hart nevertheless reconvened the legislature when Washin~ ton's victories at Trenton and Princeton made it possible f'or him to return home. At the meeting in Trenton January 1777, he was re-elected speaker. a year and a half Hart For struggled against collapse to serve his on country. Then May 11, 1779 he died at his home in Hopewell. Hart was buried in the private cemetery of a neizhbor, John P. Hunt, a few miles from his home. A plain stone lay above his grave, but one of the towns people put asecret mark on it which 85 ~ears later, when the legislature wish ed to honor Hart, served as identification. The Signer's remains were then re moved to the graveyard of the Baptist Church in Hopewell, and over the new bur ial place was erected the first monument ever to be dedicated by the State to an outstanding citizen. In the Statehouse at Trenton hangs a picture which is claimed to be of John Hart. It shows a handsome young man with long, curly black hair reaching to his shoulders. An account written by a contemporary describes Hart as a tall man with a dark complexion, blue eyes and "black to very black hair." The tope well Museum officials hardly agree with this description, for amone_ their ex hibits is a lock of hair which they say is John Hart's. It is red.