LOOKING BACK
By:Michele Dansak
Following the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the soldiers returned home and focused their attention on a new and growing township.
On April 2, 1791, Gerrit Terhune was chosen to be the township moderator. As moderator, his duties were similar to those of mayor. Mention of the first election is found in the minutes of April 2, 1799. Town meetings were to be held in Flagtown.
In the years following the war, Hillsborough began to prosper. The township had nine stores, a tannery, a pottery shop, a flour mill, six gristmills and an oil mill.
Money was assessed and collected annually for various public purposes. The money was used for working public highways.
In 1828, the Township Committee resolved that, "In working the public highway, a man with a team of horses shall be allowed one dollar and fifty cents per day and a man fifty cents per day to keep the roads in repair."
The money also went toward "the common school," the first building used for public education in the township.
In 1851, the committee agreed to raise the sum of $1.50 to educate every child between the ages of 5 and 18. The assessor and collector were to assist the superintendent of schools in redistricting the schools within the township.
Despite an annual collection of money, caring for the poor was an ongoing problem.
On April 30, 1824, Hillsborough and Montgomery townships mutually agreed to purchase a 175-acre farm for the care and supervision of the poor. Three people were to care for and supervise the farm.
The agreement lasted 12 years.
In 1836, "It was carried by a large majority to dissolve the connection with Montgomery as soon as may be convenient and appoint a committee to sell the poorhouse and purchase one for Hillsborough only."
The winds of war were felt once again in the township during the years 1861-1865. As the Civil War raged on, the citizens of Hillsborough fought for their country once again.
On Sept. 2, 1862, the township sustained the resolution of the Freeholders of Somerset County to pay for "volunteers answering the call of the president."
Each volunteer was to be paid $50 for each nine months of service to his country. However, on Aug. 25, 1863, a resolution was passed paying $300 to each man drafted.
Hillsborough met its quota of 47 men.
The activities of the township fell back into their normal routine after the Civil War concluded. Neshanic, while still having a profitable tannery and mill, was coming to be known as the greatest peach producing region in the state.
Belle Mead, with its inns and taverns, became a popular location for social and political activity. Horace Greeley spoke there in 1872 when he was campaigning for President.
Blackwells Mills was a major force in the commercial development of the state.
By 1881, there were 389 farms operating successfully within the township.
Life continued in this seemingly bucolic fashion into the early 20th century. There were, however, changes along the way.
In 1894, Somerset County Courthouse broke away from the township and incorporated under the name of Millstone. Another portion of the township broke away in 1929 and became Manville.
The impact of war was felt again in the township during World War II. The U.S. government built two army depots within the township, the Belle Mead Quartermaster Depot and the South Somerville Quartermaster Sub-Depot.
Military strategists chose the site because of its close proximity to New York Harbor, from which supplies were shipped overseas.
The Belle Mead Depot was said to be the second largest of its type in the world. Most of the equipment used in the D-Day invasion was sent from this location.
After the war, the reservoir of material stored there supplied military aid to Greece as part of President Truman’s initiative to implement the Truman Doctrine.
In November 1961, a referendum vote increased the Township Committee to five members. In 1965, the Township Master Plan was adopted.
The plan calls for a township center to be located in the area of Amwell Road and Route 206, with zoning for a balanced mixture of uses.
Today, Hillsborough is the largest municipality in Somerset County. It is comprised of several towns, such as Belle Mead, Blackwells Mills, Flagtown, Neshanic, South Branch, and Clover Hill.
Each has its own unique character that has left its imprint on the township and its history.
Michele Dansak is a member of the Historic Preservation Commission.