Fertile Past
Originally occupied by the Lenni Lenapi Indians, the area’s easy access to the sea made it highly desirable to Dutch and English explorers throughout the 15th and 17th centuries. The area’s natural beauty, vast abundance of fertile fields and natural resources proved to be ideal for colonial settlements, and the development of the area was aided by the network of Native American trails that became colonial roads.
The Township of Union has a rich historic past, dating back to America’s Colonial Era. The Elizabethtown Purchase of 1664 gave English settlers title to a tract of land that extended from the Raritan to the Passaic Rivers and westward for over 30 miles. The purchase led to the formation of Elizabethtown, the first permanent English settlement in New Jersey. The Township of Union, three miles from Elizabethtown and known at the time as Connecticut Farms, was settled in 1667 by a small group of Puritans, who played an important role in the American Revolution.
Connecticut Farms and the surrounding area was the backdrop for many battles between the British and American forces, including the Battle of Connecticut Farms. On June 7, 1780, a British and Hessian army marched to General Washington’s army, camped at Morristown, in an attempt to end the war. General William Maxwell ordered 1,500 Continental soldiers and militia into the woods along Chestnut Street from the Presbyterian Church to Colonial Avenue to fire their muskets at the British as they marched north to the church. After a three-hour battle, British General Knyphausen ordered the village of Connecticut Farms plundered and burned to the ground.
It was during this battle that a British soldier killed Hannah Caldwell, the wife of Reverend James Caldwell (called “The Rebel Priest” and “The High Priest of Rebellion” by the British), at the church parsonage. Hannah Caldwell’s death became a rallying cry for militia, which swarmed in unexpected numbers to oppose the enemy.
Reverend James Caldwell and his wife lived in the parsonage of the Connecticut Farms church on what is now Caldwell Place in Union. The parsonage was burned to the ground, but both the village and the parsonage were later rebuilt. The parsonage is now a museum of Union Township history and culture. Tour groups are welcome and can call (908) 687-7977 to make arrangements to see this historic site.
On November 23, 1808, the Township of Union — then primarily a farming community — was created when the General Assembly in Trenton approved a petition from local residents asking for a separation from Elizabeth. At that time, the township was about 75% larger than it is today. The 1810 federal census listed its population at 1,428. Over the last two centuries, Union has changed from a farm area to an industrialized community.
Union has also been home to two New Jersey governors — Governor William Livingston in Revolutionary times (1776-1790) and Thomas H. Kean in modern day (1982-1990). Livingston and Kean’s families are actually related, and have resided in Liberty Hall, located on Morris Avenue.
The governing body is called the Township Committee. Its function is to pass ordinances and resolutions, including the annual budget. This committee of five members, serving for staggered three-year terms by popular vote in a general election, sets policy on all township business.
