By Natalia Knochowski, Staff Writer
MONROE — A brass bell found 16 years ago that could date back to the early 19th century has been donated back to Monroe Township.
The bell was discovered while Borromeo Construction was installing a new sewer line along Links Drive where Forsgate’s Pine Run and Fairways developments are located.
John Katerba, Monroe Township historian, chief inspector of the Monroe Township Utility Department and chairman of the Monroe Township Historic Preservation Commission, was present Aug. 15, 1996, the day the bell was uncovered because he was one of the inspectors for project.
Mr. Katerba said that while the construction workers were digging up the ground, a stone wall was discovered. The wall was approximately 20 feet high and 20 feet wide.
The workers knocked down the wall and discovered the wall belonged to a stone foundation of a building that Mr. Katerba said must have burned down because the bottom 2 feet of the foundation were filled with ash.
In addition, Mr. Katerba said he believes whomever the building belonged to after the building burned down used the space to store garbage.
This was because the rest of the stone foundation was filled with empty bottles, jugs, broken plates and other items — one of the items being the bell, which is 15 inches high and 15 inches in diameter and weighs about 70 to 80 pounds.
But it was backhoe operator Joe Borromeo, of Mercerville, who got to it first, Mr. Katerba said.
”It was the one that got away,” Mr. Katerba said of the bell. “I begged him, ‘Joe, please donate it to the town,” but that did not happen at first.
It wouldn’t happen for 16 years actually.
Mr. Katerba’s request finally was fulfilled earlier this month when Mr. Katerba received a phone call from Pat Thomas, a neighbor of Mr. Borromeo’s.
It turned out Mr. Borromeo and his wife moved to Arizona in September and left the bell with Ms. Thomas with instructions to return the bell to Monroe, which she did a few weeks ago.
”I’m just the middle man,” said Ms. Thomas, who has been friends with Mrs. Borromeo for more than 30 years.
”They said, ‘Hey Pat, we’ve got a job for you. Take this bell to Monroe Township,’” Ms. Thomas said.
So Ms. Thomas called former Assemblywoman Barbara Wright, who directed her to Monroe Township’s historical society.
”I wanted to make sure that it went back to their historical society,” Ms. Thomas said.
It’s important for towns to keep their historical items, she added.
Mr. Katerba is storing the bell, but residents who wish to see it will get the opportunity in April and May. The bell will be on display at the Monroe Township Public Library with the bottles and artifacts it was found with.
Until then, the Monroe Township Historic Preservation Commission is researching the bell’s origin.
Mr. Katerba said he has been receiving e-mails and information from a number of people, and new developments about the bell’s history have arisen.
At first, Mr. Katerba said he and the commission thought the bell dated back to the Civil War era, but it turns out the bell might date back to an earlier time period — possibly to before 1850.
This information was discovered because the bell has the imprint of the name W. Buckley, which Mr. Katerba said stands for William Buckley.
According to information Mr. Katerba received from David Grider, an architect in New York City, Mr. Buckley was a bell founder in New York and died in 1850.
Therefore, the bell probably was made before 1850 when Mr. Buckley was living, and the bell could have been recycled and relocated to the building in the township, Mr. Katerba said.
This is significant because Monroe Township itself only dates back to 1838. So the bell potentially could be as old as the town, Mr. Katerba said.
Mr. Katerba said the commission also researched what the building where the bell was found used to be.
Using a map of Monroe Township from 1861, the commission discovered the building, which belonged to Jamesburg founder James Buckelew and his estate, was at an intersection of five streets.
Therefore, it probably wasn’t a residence, Mr. Katerba said. The commission also determined the building wasn’t a meeting place or church.
As of now, Mr. Katerba that he and the commission believe the building could have been a toll stop.

