We were so thrilled to partner with Morven Museum to explore the close family ties between our two properties. With Greer Luce, Curator of Education & Public programs at Morven, we dug into the family trees and owners of the Marquand Park property from pre-Colonial times when the Lenape people lived there onward. The Stockton Family tree is complicated and how the land came into his hands of Richard Stockton Field was puzzling. Here is what Greer untangled for the tour:

Richard Stockton “The Settler”

In 1677, William Penn and a group of prominent Quakers purchased the colonial province of West Jersey, encouraging Quaker settlement in this area. Richard Stockton (the Signer’s grandfather) was one of six or so original Quakers who came to settle around Stony Brook and founded the Stony Brook Meeting (he became a trustee of the Stony Brook Meeting by 1693).

The land that would become Morven came into Stockton possession in 1701 through a deed from William Penn to Richard “The Settler.” The deed conveyed some 5,550 acres of land. Most of this land fell north of us in what would become Somerset County.

Stockton’s purchase also included 300 acres that fell south of the King’s Highway (Stockton Street). When Richard “The Settler” died in 1709 he, in a move that was unusual for the time, left his widow Susannah an interest in half of his extensive land holdings. He left his homestead farm to one of his younger sons, John, who was eight years old at the time. John Stockton went on to live in the homestead, called “The Barracks,” located on what today is Edgehill Street.

The land that we stand on today was certainly part of early Quaker landholdings. However, additional research is needed to confirm the land’s ownership dating back to early settlement. What we do know is that Stockton family members were in possession of this land by the early nineteenth century.

Richard Stockton “The Signer”

In 1754, John Stockton’s son, Richard, was gifted the core of the Morven property from his parents. Within a few years, he married Annis Boudinot Stockton. The couple had seven children together. Morven, the mansion, was built in the 1760s following a fire that burned down the original structure in 1758.

Richard was a lawyer and signer of the Declaration of Independence. He and Annis were both invested in Morven’s gardens which included woodlands. Letters and diary entries suggest that Richard and Annis also enjoyed walking in the woods far afield from Morven. Richard once contrasted “the elegance of England to the sylvan shades of America,” expressing his preference for the latter.

Properties along the King’s Highway in Princeton were eyewitness to central movements of the American Revolution. The Stocktons fled Morven on November 29, 1776 as the British pursued the retreating American army down the highway. Property and goods were plundered from Morven during the British occupation of Princeton.

Richard Stockton died in February of 1781 from cancer of the throat. Morven would see yet another significant part of Revolutionary history later that year as George Washington and French general, the Comte de Rochambeau, marched toward Yorktown (and victory). Marching troops camped in Princeton right across from Morven and along the King’s Highway, more than likely including the land that would become Marquand Park.

Richard Stockton “The Duke”

Richard and Annis’ son, also named Richard, inherited Morven upon his marriage in December 1788. Richard was a lawyer, like his father, and nicknamed “the Duke” because of his imperious and often arrogant attitude. Richard married Mary Field of Bordentown Township.

Family drama ensued when Richard’s youngest sister, Abigail, married his wife, Mary’s, brother Robert. Robert inherited his parents' large estate and then proceeded to mismanage it. Richard repeatedly provided loans to keep the Fields afloat. When Robert Field died in 1810, Richard provided his sister (and now widow) Abigail with a small house called Rose Cottage.

Richard Stockton Field “The Judge”

Richard Stockton Field, Abigail and Robert’s son, was born in 1803. He studied the law under his uncle “the Duke. Richard Field would go on to serve as a member of the New Jersey State Legislature, as Attorney General of New Jersey, and as a US Senator. On January 21, 1863, President Lincoln appointed him the District Judge for the district of New Jersey. He was a founding member of both the New Jersey Historical Society and the New Jersey Horticultural Society.

Marquand Park was originally part of a 30-acre farm established by Judge Field in 1842. Field purchased the land from his cousin, Philip Augustus Stockton. Philip’s father, Lucius, was Judge Field’s uncle.

In the 1852 Mercer County Wall Map from John Bevan, we can see that around the time of Field’s purchase, the Stockton family (or families connected by marriage to the Stocktons like the Potters) still owned much of the land in and around this section of the road. Judge Field’s cousin, Robert Field Stockton “The Commodore” owned Morven by the time he acquired what would become Marquand Park.

After Judge Field’s death, “Fieldwood” (as the property was referred to during his tenure) was purchased by a wealthy widow named Susan Dod Brown. We will look at her ties to the Stockton family in another blog post – Including the tragic tale of her ne’re-do-well son and the “Gardener’s Pretty Daughter,” ripped from the headlines of 1876. Many thanks to Greer and Morven Museum and we look forward to more collaborative events in the future.

It was a glorious spring day in March when we uncovered the mystery of our little Albert Einstein.

Three years ago we noticed a small bronze looking statue about 3” high attached to the cement bench near the willow oak tree. Since then we’ve wondered how it got there? Where it came from? A local gentleman, Mr. Papp revealed its provenance. He commissioned the artwork from his friend, Mykhailo Kolodka, a Hungarian artist. His history/artwork can be found here: http://kolodkoart.com

He’s a Hungarian, born in western Ukrainian sculptor. In the realm of Bansky, he’s installed some politically pertinent pieces around Eastern Europe.

Our statue was created on a 3-D printer Out of brass and steel. He carries a compass and has big eyes and big hair. People love to see it and have put wildflowers, knit scarves and hats to add to the whimsy of the art.

Marquand park thanks you Mr. Papp for honoring Professor Einstein, who used to regularly walk through our beautiful park. We encourage you and your families to stroll through the park and have some big thoughts of your own!

An exciting new indtallation called a StoryWalk will make its official debut at Marquand Park in January of 2023. It starts near the Children's Arboretum and continues into the native woods, along the Rhododendron Trail, encouraging families to explore this historic area of the park.

The community is invited to a grand opening celebration on Saturday, January 14th at 11:00 a.m. The event will include a ribbon cutting ceremony and snacks for children before attendees are invited to walk the trail and enjoy the story. The StoryWalk® will kick off by featuring the book “Tap the Magic Tree” by author Christie Matheson. It’s an interactive book about the changing of the seasons and combines a playful spirit with the wonder of nature. Families can enjoy reading the book as they stroll down the trail. A new book is planned to be displayed seasonally.

This innovative, interactive literary installation that gets whole families up and moving and reading together, marks the completion of Ansh Rana’s, Eagle Scout, StoryWalk® project. Ansh is a resident of Monmouth Junction and is a senior at South Brunswick High School. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 90, in Kendall Park, and has been involved in scouting ever since he can remember. When it came time for Ansh to pick a project for his Eagle Project he immediately thought of building a StoryWalk. It was the perfect way of combining his love of reading and the outdoors and sharing that with others. Ansh credits the Marquand Park Board members for being supportive of his StoryWalk idea and cooperative from the start. He also thanks Troop 90 volunteers and leaders for helping and guiding him through his project. As part of his Eagle Scout project, Ansh led scouts and adults from his Boy Scout troop to build, assemble, and install the 11 display frames at the park. He then placed the pages of the book into the frames bringing the StoryWalk to life!

More about StoryWalk®
A StoryWalk® is a way for kids and adults to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Pages from a children’s book are laminated and placed in display frames at intervals along a nature trail. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. StoryWalks have been installed in all 50 states and 12 countries.

Recently Marquand Park board members Evie Timberlake and Becca Flemer completed a short form HALS (Historic American Landscape Survey) report for Cadwalader Park in Trenton. The HALS program along with HABS and HAER are run by the National Park Service in with consultation form the American Association of Landscape Architects. Collectively called Heritage Documentation Programs, they are the only surviving programs still operating from the WPA (Works Progress Association). Their website states: *Heritage Documentation Programs administers the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), the Federal Government's oldest preservation program, and its companion programs: the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) and Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS). Documentation produced through the programs constitutes the nation's largest archive of historic architectural, engineering, and landscape documentation. The HABS/HAER/HALS Collection is housed at the Library of Congress. *

Why didn’t we work on one for Marquand Park? This year the HALS program is promoting a HALS challenge recognizing the work of Frederick Law Olmsted in connection with the 200th anniversary of his birth. The challenge, which encourages documentation with a different theme every year, aims to build public awareness of historic landscapes. Long Form HALS reports are much more involved including large format photography, measured drawings, and more detailed historic narratives. For the short form HALS we consulted with two board members: Historian David Bosted and Landscape Architect Randy Baum of the Trenton Museum Society and The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion.

Although there is no direct connection to Marquand Park, we found many similarities with the two parks. Both were designed in the nineteenth century in the picturesque style, that is winding paths with varied vistas and more focus on trees than flower beds. Marquand Park was recognized in the sixth edition of Andrew Jackson Downing’s A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, Adapted to North America. The park, then known as Woodlawn, exemplified Downing’s principles which were hugely influential for Olmsted. In fact, Downing first championed Olmsted as he embarked on his Landscape Design career.

Frederick Law Olmsted's Preliminary Plan of Cadwalader Park, 1891

John Notman's Plan for Woodlawn, Later, Marquand Park

Both parks began as private properties with elegant Italianate houses designed by noted Philadelphia architect John Notman. Ellarslie Mansion at Cadwalader Park is now the Trenton City Museum while Guernsey Hall, formerly the home of the Marquand family, is now a private residence. This combination of Italianate mansion and picturesque landscape is a hallmark of mid-nineteenth century design and the height of fashion before the Civil War. Today both parks are treasured resources for their communities providing the respite of nature Olmsted envisioned.

Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park is now The Trenton City Museum. Built in 1845 it is now on the National Register of Historic Places. From 5x7 inch glass negatives. Photographs taken by A .L. Opdyke of 106 E. Hanover Street, Trenton, NJ. (1907-1918). https://www.flickr.com/people/63490482@N03

East side of Guernsey Hall, before 1912. Historical Society of Princeton. http://princeton.pastperfectonline.com/Photo/5DE155A0-6A7E-4255-92FE-495419952228