Ford Mansion - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Washington Association of New Jersey)

United States historic place


Ford Mansion
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

Ford Mansion, George Washington's Revolutionary War headquarters from December 1779 to June 1780
Show map of Morris County, New JerseyShow map of New JerseyShow map of the United States
Location	30 Washington Place Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.
Coordinates	40°47′47″N 74°28′00″W / 40.79639°N 74.46667°W / 40.79639; -74.46667
Built	1774 (1774)
Built by	Jacob Ford, Jr.
Architectural style	Georgian style
Part of	Morristown National Historical Park (ID66000053)
Designated CP	October 15, 1966

The Ford Mansion, also known as Washington's Headquarters, is a classic 18th-century American home located at 30 Washington Place in Morristown, New Jersey that served as General George Washington's headquarters from December 1779 to June 1780 during the American Revolutionary War.

The house was built in Georgian architectural style in 1774 by Jacob Ford Jr. It is now owned by the National Park Service. It was acquired by the Washington Association of New Jersey in 1873. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966 as part of the Morristown National Historical Park.

Architecture

The house has a Georgian-style exterior, but the interior kitchen and framing shows evidence of Dutch influence. According to Alan Gowan, "the boarding of the Ford Mansion was laid evenly painted and scored to look like a fine masonry with quoins at the corners". The mansion has a palladian window above the door and a stylish cornice. The fancy architecture was not created to look appealing, but to showcase the wealth of the family who owned the building.

The headmaster's section of the house was built with symmetrical rooms on both sides of the foyer. The office is across from the library, and the parlor is across from the dining room. On the second floor, there are symmetrical bedrooms on each side of the hallway. The servant's section of the house was near the kitchen and the pantry on the east side. The grand hall and the parlor are what categorize the house as a mansion. The Ford Mansion used painted flush boards and clapboards for the exterior rather than brick, which was more common at the time.

Location

George Washington and the Continental Army were obliged to set up an encampment in Morristown because of transportation problems. Washington liked Morristown's "defensible terrain, important communication routes, and access to critical resources.". The Ford family had businesses in iron mines and forges, a gristmill, a hemp-mill, and a gunpowder mill that were all stationed near the house. These businesses were useful to the army in getting resources.

The surrounding community was made up of 250 residents and 70 buildings. In 1777, many high-ranking officials rented these houses. Unfortunately, an epidemic of smallpox spread through the town from the soldiers, making the townspeople somewhat bitter to Washington's troops when they arrived in 1779.

Washington's army was stationed at Jockey Hollow while Washington stayed in Ford Mansion. Jockey Hollow is five miles south of Washington's Headquarters.

Ownership

The Ford Mansion was originally owned by Colonel Jacob Ford Jr. He was given the deed to the two hundred acres of land by his father in 1762, which was the same year he married Theodosia Johnes. Before serving in the war, Jacob Jr. and his father owned an iron forge in Whippany, New Jersey. Ford built the house just south of the Whippany River, making it easier to travel to work.

Ford was the Eastern Battalion Commander of the Morris County Militia. He died from pneumonia on January 11, 1777 in the mansion house, and 35 Delaware troops witnessed his death.

Ford and his soldiers captured a bronze six-pounder field cannon from the British Army on January 3, 1777 at the victory in Princeton, New Jersey. According to Morristown National Historical Park, "with artillery and arms in short supply, the victory at Princeton not only boosted the morale of the Continental Army, but it bolstered their scant arsenal of weapons.". The cannon that was captured is on display at the museum on the property of the Ford Mansion, along with other field guns of the era.

Resistance of 1779–1780

After Ford's death, Mrs. Theodosia Ford gained ownership of the mansion. According to Pfister, "Mrs. Ford held the family together and kept the farm and family business a profitable endeavor".

Prior to Washington's arrival, the house was considered a "great human tragedy for the Ford family" because it was rented in 1777 to Continental Army troops that developed smallpox. When Washington arrived, he asked permission from the widow if he could stay in the mansion and paid her rent. General Washington, Martha Washington, five aides-de-camp, and 18 servants stayed in the mansion.

Mrs. Ford and her four children occupied two of the four downstairs bedrooms and reserved the kitchen for her own personal use.

Commander-in-Chief

The study used by George Washington during his stay at the mansion

Washington arrived at Ford mansion in December 1779. The location was perfect for him because the American capital was in Philadelphia and the British Army capital was in Manhattan. It allowed Washington to keep a close eye on the British and enabled him to send letters successfully to the Continental Congress.

Washington wrote many letters to Congress explaining the poor predicament that his troops were in during his stay at the Ford Mansion. His place of work was in the private study, which was located on the first floor of the house. Washington's aides-de-camp worked in the parlor, which became the military office. These included Alexander Hamilton, Robert H. Harrison, Tench Tilghman, Richard Meade, and James McHenry. The only record of Washington's stay at the mansion was a letter from Richard Meade to Mrs. Ford, dated July 26, 1780:

Madam: I have received your favour by Captain Tomas Pry. I communicated its contents to His Excellency and am directed to transmit you the inclosed certificate. I have the honour and I certify that the commander in Chief took up his quarters at Mrs. Fords at Morris Town the first day of December 1779, that he left them the 23d of June 1780, and that he occupied two rooms below; all the upper floor, Kitchen, Cellar and Stable. The Stable was built and the two Rooms above Stairs finished at the public expence, and a well, which was intirely useless and filled up before, put in thorough repair by walling & c. Head Quarters near Passaick July 26th. 1780.

Preservation

The Washington Association of New Jersey was founded to preserve the Ford Mansion and its history in Morristown. It purchased the mansion in 1873 and began restoration. A caretaker's cottage was built nearby in 1886. The mansion and grounds were transferred to the National Park Service in 1933.

References

^ Gowans, Alan (1964). Architecture in New Jersey: A Record of American Civilization. New Jersey: D. Van Nostrand Company Inc. p. 39.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 17.
Torres-Reves, Ricardo (October 1978). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Morristown National Historical Park". National Park Service. With accompanying 21 photos
Gowans. Architecture in New Jersey: A Record of American Civilization. p. 41.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 33.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 37.
Reidy, Joseph (2008). Washington Headquarters PowerPoint. Morristown, New Jersey: Morristown Nation Historical Park. p. 5.
Reidy, Joseph. Washington Headquarters PowerPoint. Morristown, New Jersey: Morristown Nation Historical Park, 2008). p. 6.
Szuter, Bob (2009). Morristown: Where American Survived (DVD). Morristown, New Jersey: New Jersey Network.
Reidy, Joseph (2008). Washington Headquarters PowerPoint. Morristown, New Jersey: Morristown Nation Historical Park. p. 23.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 19.
^ Reidy, Joseph (2008). Washington Headquarters PowerPoint. Morristown, New Jersey: Morristown Nation Historical Park. p. 19.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 13.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 42.
Fleming, Thomas (2008). The Forgotten Victory: The Battle for New Jersey – 1780. New York: Reader's Digest Press. p. 62.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 58.
Reidy. Washington Headquarters PowerPoint. p. 61.
Pfister, Jude (2009). The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 61.
Fitzpatrick, Jude. Richard K. Meade to Theodosia Ford. p. 1.
"Cultural Landscapes Inventory – Washington's Headquarters, Morristown National Historical Park" (PDF). National Park Service. 1995. pp. 27–28.
"About the Washington Association of New Jersey". Washington Association of New Jersey.

Bibliography

Fleming, Thomas. The Forgotten Victory: The Battle For New Jersey – 1780. New York: Reader's Digest Press.
Gowans, Alan (1964). Architecture in New Jersey: A Record of American Civilization. New Jersey: D. Van Nostrand Company Inc.
Meade, Richard K. Richard K. Meade to Theodosia Ford Morristown, July 26, 1780, In George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741–1799, ed. John C. Fitzpatrick (1745–1799).
Pfister, Jude M. (2009) The Jacob Ford Jr. Mansion. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press.
Reidy, Joseph (2008). Washington Headquarters PowerPoint. Morristown, New Jersey: Morristown National Historical Park.
Szuter, Bob (2009). Morristown: Where American Survived (DVD). Narrated by Edward Herman. Morristown, New Jersey: New Jersey Network.
Bartenstein, Fred and Isabel (1975). "New Jersey's Revolutionary War Powder Mill". Morris County Historical Society.

External links

Media related to Ford Mansion at Wikimedia Commons
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. NJ-32, "Colonel Jacob Ford Jr. House, 230 Morris Street, Morristown, Morris County, NJ", 18 photos, 28 measured drawings, 7 data pages, supplemental material
"Ford Mansion". The Historical Marker Database.
"Washington's Headquarters". The Historical Marker Database.
"The Path to History". The Historical Marker Database.

v t e New Jersey in the American Revolution
1776	Turtle Gut Inlet New York and New Jersey campaign Fort Lee Geary ambush Iron Works Hill Delaware River crossing First Trenton
1777	Assunpink Creek (Second Trenton) Princeton Millstone Forage War Bound Brook First Middlebrook encampment Short Hills Red Bank Gloucester
1778	Quinton's Bridge Monmouth Baylor Massacre Affair at Little Egg Harbor Chestnut Neck Second Middlebrook encampment
1779	Paulus Hook Jockey Hollow New Jersey Brigade encampment
1780	Connecticut Farms Springfield Bull's Ferry
1781	Pennsylvania Line Mutiny
1783	U.S. Capital at Princeton
Other	Fort Billingsport Fort Mercer Mary Hays ("Molly Pitcher") New Bridge Landing Pluckemin Cantonment Temperance Wick
See also: Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, Morristown National Historical Park, Washington Crossing State Park

v t e George Washington
1st President of the United States (1789–1797) Senior Officer of the Army (1798–1799) Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army (1775–1783) Delegate to the Second Continental Congress (1775) Delegate to the First Continental Congress (1774)
Military career Revolutionary War	Military career French and Indian War Jumonville Glen Battle of Fort Necessity Battle of the Monongahela Forbes Expedition Washington in the American Revolution Commander-in-chief, Continental Army Aides-de-camp Washington's headquarters office and sleeping tent Boston campaign Siege of Boston New York and New Jersey campaign Delaware River crossing Battle of Trenton Battle of the Assunpink Creek Battle of Princeton Philadelphia campaign Battle of Brandywine Battle of Germantown Battle of White Marsh Valley Forge Battle of Monmouth Battles of Saratoga Sullivan Expedition Yorktown campaign Siege of Yorktown Culper Spy Ring Newburgh Conspiracy Newburgh letter Asgill Affair Evacuation Day Resignation as commander-in-chief Badge of Military Merit Purple Heart Washington Before Boston Medal Horses Nelson Blueskin
Other U.S. founding events	Initiated, co-wrote, 1769 Virginia Association Initiated, 1774 Fairfax Resolves Continental Association Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture 1785 Mount Vernon Conference Chairman, 1787 Constitutional Convention George Washington's political evolution
Presidency (timeline)	1788–89 United States presidential election First inauguration inaugural bible 1792 presidential election Second inauguration Reception at Trenton Title of "Mr. President" Cabinet of the United States Secretary of State Attorney General Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of War Judiciary Act of 1789 Oath Administration Act Nonintercourse Act Whiskey Rebellion Militia Acts of 1792 Coinage Act of 1792 United States Mint Presidential Succession Act of 1792 United States Capitol cornerstone laying Proclamation of Neutrality Neutrality Act of 1794 Jay Treaty Pinckney's Treaty Slave Trade Act of 1794 Residence Act Thanksgiving Proclamation Farewell Address State of the Union Address 1790 1791 1792 1793 1796 Cabinet Federal judicial appointments John Rutledge Supreme Court nominations
Views and public image	Presidential library The Washington Papers Religious views Town Destroyer Legacy
Life and homes	Early life Birthplace Ferry Farm boyhood home Mount Vernon Fishery Gristmill Whiskey distillery Woodlawn Plantation Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Ford Mansion, Washington's headquarters Hasbrouck House First Presidential Mansion Second Presidential Mansion President's House, Philadelphia Germantown White House Custis estate Washington's relations with the Iroquois Confederacy Potomac Company James River and Kanawha Canal Mountain Road Lottery Congressional Gold Medal Thanks of Congress President General of the Society of the Cincinnati Washington College Washington and Lee University Electoral history of George Washington Post-presidency of George Washington
Memorials and depictions	Washington, D.C. Washington state Washington Monument Mount Rushmore Washington's Birthday Purple Heart The Apotheosis of Washington Washington Monument (Boonsboro, Maryland) Washington Monument (Baltimore) George Washington (Houdon) plaster copy George Washington (Ceracchi) George Washington (Canova) George Washington (Greenough) George Washington (Trumbull) George Washington and the Revolutionary War Door Revolutionary War Door Washington Crossing the Delaware The Passage of the Delaware General George Washington at Trenton Washington at Verplanck's Point General George Washington Resigning His Commission Surrender of Lord Cornwallis Unfinished portrait Lansdowne portrait The Washington Family portrait Washington at Princeton paintings George Washington Taking the Salute at Trenton Reception at Trenton painting Statues Trenton Battle Monument Princeton Battle Monument Point of View sculpture George Washington on Horseback Austin statue Baltimore statue Boston statue Mexico City statue Morristown statue Newark statue New York City statue Wall Street statue Paris statue Perth Amboy statue Philadelphia statue Portland statue Washington, D.C. statue West Point monument George Washington University Washington University in St. Louis Washington Masonic National Memorial George Washington Memorial Parkway George Washington Bridge Washington and Jefferson National Forests Washington Square Park Arch U.S. Postage stamps Washington–Franklin Issues 1932 bicentennial Currency Washington quarter 50 State Quarters D.C. and territories quarters America the Beautiful quarters American Women quarters History Instructing Youth dollar Washington dollar Lafayette dollar Silver bullion coins Washington nickel Washington half eagle 250th Anniversary half dollar Mount Rushmore Anniversary coins Mount Washington Cultural depictions George Washington (1984 miniseries 1986 sequel) A More Perfect Union (1989 film) The Crossing (2000 film) We Fight to Be Free (2006 film) Turn: Washington's Spies (2014–2017 series) The War that Made America (2006 miniseries) Washington (2020 miniseries) Hamilton (film)
Related	Bibliography List of articles Founders Online Founding Fathers of the United States Republicanism Federalist Party Federalist Era Virginia dynasty Coat of arms Cherry-tree anecdote River Farm Washington's Crossing Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route 1751 Barbados trip Category Syng inkstand General of the Armies Conway Cabal American Foxhound American Philosophical Society American Revolution patriots Betsy Ross flag Mount Vernon Ladies' Association Mount Vernon replicas George Washington Memorial Building Attempted theft of Washington's skull
Family	Martha Washington (wife) John Parke Custis (stepson) George Washington Parke Custis (step-grandson, adopted son) Eleanor Parke Custis (step-granddaughter, adopted daughter) Augustine Washington (father) Mary Ball Washington (mother) Lawrence Washington (half-brother) Augustine Washington Jr. (half-brother) Elizabeth Washington Lewis (sister) Samuel Washington (brother) John A. Washington (brother) Charles Washington (brother) Lawrence Washington (grandfather) Mildred Gale (grandmother) John Washington (great-grandfather) George Reade (2nd great-grandfather) Bushrod Washington (nephew)
Slavery	Washington and slavery List of enslaved people of Mount Vernon Betty Caroline Branham William Costin West Ford Sarah Johnson Oney Judge Philip Lee William Lee Hercules Posey Christopher Sheels Deborah Squash Harry Washington
John Adams → Category Outline

Categories: