|
Wallace House
|
|
|
|
|
| Location: | 71 Somerset Street, Somerville, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Area: | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built: | 1778 |
| Governing body: | State |
| NRHP Reference#: | 70000395[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | December 02, 1970 |
The Wallace House is a Georgian style historic house in Somerville, New Jersey.
While living at the Dutch Parsonage Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh sold 95 acres (380,000 m2) of land and a small farmhouse to John Wallace, a Philadelphia fabric importer and merchant. Between 1775 and 1776, Wallace purchased an additional 12 acres (49,000 m2) of land and built the eight-room Georgian style mansion adjoining part of the existing farmhouse. Hew called the estate "Hope Farm," Wallace intended the property to be his place of retirement. In the winter of 1778, George Washington's Continental Army camped at Middlebrook in the Watchung Mountains, 3 miles (4.8 km) from Hope Farm. John Wallace was asked to share his home with Washington and his staff and Wallace House became Washington's headquarters during winter, spending 11 days before moving to Philadelphia to attend Congress for 6 weeks. When he returned to the Wallace House in February 1779, his wife, Martha, his aides and his servants went with him. Washington and his staff planned the 1779 campaign against the Iroquois League, or Sullivan's Campaign. Washington left on June 3, 1779, and paid Wallace $1,000 for the use of his house and furniture. Wallace occupied the house with his wife, Mary, his mother-in-law, Mary Maddox, his youngest son, William, and their slaves. Two older children, Joshua and Anne, lived nearby with their families. In 1783, John Wallace and Mary Maddox died. Mary Wallace died the following year. William Wallace, at the age of 21, became the heir to Hope Farm. He lived there until his death in 1796 at age 33. His wife, Sarah had died before him and their three orphaned children went to live with their uncle, Joshua Wallace in Burlington, New Jersey. Joshua sold Hope Farm to Dickinson Miller in 1801, after the house sat vacant for 5 years.[2]
In 1896, after several different families lived in the house, the Revolutionary Memorial Society purchased the home as their headquarters and museum. In 1947, they gave the house to the State of New Jersey. The Old Dutch Parsonage and the Wallace House are both listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places.[2]