Spring Edition - Lebanon Borough
Transcription
Spring Edition - Lebanon Borough
The Lebanon Lantern Spring 2016 6 High Street Lebanon, NJ 08833 (908) 236-2425 Fax (908) 236-2939 www.lebanonboro.com IT’S TIME TO SIGN UP FOR PARK SCHOOL!!! Early Bird Registration Deadline: April 30, 2016 Registration Deadline: June 20, 2016 Historical Committee LEBANON’S PATRIOTS It seems fitting with the 240th anniversary of the Fourth of July that we write about two of Lebanon’s heroes. They are the same two gentlemen who owned virtually all of Lebanon Borough. Major Walter Rutherfurd, hero of the French and Indian War, owned a “plantation” of 272 acres that included most if not all of the borough from Cherry St. East. Captain Thomas Jones, a hero of the Revolutionary War, purchased a farm west of Cherry St. that was 221 acres. Rutherfurd descended from a noble old Sottish family. We believe that Jones’ roots were humble and probably Welsh. Both men were very steadfast in their beliefs, Rutherfurd risked his life in 1756, and then his fortune in 1776, while Jones risked everything in 1776 by joining the Patriot cause. Major Walter Rutherfurd Rutherfurd’s history comes to us from multiple sources on both sides of the Atlantic. He was born in Roxburghshire, Scotland at the Rutherfurd ancestral estate of Edgerston. He was the sixth son of Sir John Rutherfurd and Elizabeth Cairncross. John was knighted by Queen Anne in 1706. John had twenty-two children, and at one point had eighteen sons and grandsons in the army, navy and East India service. Walter entered the army when he was fifteen and served on ships-of-war off the coasts of America, Spain and Portugal until 1746. Over the next eight years he served in the Royal Scots rising to the rank of lieutenant. When the French and Indian war broke out, he was ordered to America in 1756 with the rank of Captain of the Sixty-Second or Royal American Regiment, and subsequently was made Major. His distinguished service in that war included leading the Grenadiers of the Fourth Battalion were he led the charge of the French breastworks at Ft. Ticonderoga. His brother a major was killed at the same battle. He was the officer selected to demand the surrender of Ft. Niagara. When Montreal surrendered, the keys were delivered to Walter Rutherfurd. Walter married in 1758 the widowed Catherine Alexander Parker. She was the sister of a man we know as Lord Stirling, and the daughter of James Alexander. James Alexander was now a wealthy successful lawyer, had emigrated from Scotland in 1715, and had married into a very influential and wealthy Dutch family, the DePeysters. James furthered his connections when his children married into the very rich and powerful Livingston families. After twenty years of service, Walter retired from the military in 1760. Shortly thereafter, he built a fine home in lower Manhattan that was later removed and replaced by the Astor home. Catherine his wife inherited land from her father’s estate including the 272 acre tract in Lebanon. He built a very pleasant country estate that he named Edgerston after his family’s estate in Scotland. When war broke out in 1776, he decided to ride it out in the obscurity of the rural area. The King had given him a 5,000 acre land grant in New York state as a reward for his service, and possibly to keep him out of the patriot army. Walter, however, was loyal to the crown, but he played no part in the Tory mischief as all his relations were active patriots. In 1777, the British captured Judge Fell of Bergen county. He was the head of the Committee of Safety there, as such ridding the area of Tories was his charge. Another patriot, Van Zandt, was also imprisoned, and Gov. Livingston was led to believe that Van Zandt and Fell were being treated badly in captivity. Rutherfurd and James Parker (the brother of Catherine’s first husband) were asked to renounce their allegiance to the King. They both refused and were subsequently jailed in Morristown. This allowed the governor to show how serious he was about rooting out Tories. Rutherfurd’s wife was the sister of Washington’s most trusted general, Lord Stirling. Lord Stirling was married to the governor’s sister and another sister of Catherine and Stirling was married to the governor’s brother, Peter V B Livingston. There were more than a few intersessions to obtain Walter’s release, however, it didn’t happen until Fell and Van Zandt were released in December of 1777. After the war, life returned to normal. Rutherfurd’s lands were not confiscated and his son John was selected as U.S. Senator from New Jersey in 1790. Captain Thomas Jones Thomas owned a tavern in what is now Clinton Township, and he was a captain in the local militia. In 1776, he was attacked by a neighbor and a gang of two dozen club wielding Tories. This story is well told in Don Sherbloom’s book about the 1759 house that is on Grayrock Road in front of the Middle School building. The mob’s intention was to deliver a severe beating, which would discourage Jones from any further recruiting. It failed, Jones escaped, the mob was arrested and fined, most of them over the next few months left the county and went to New Brunswick to fight for the British as part of the NJ Volunteers. That same December, Jones took part in a series of events that plays a role in saving the patriot cause. He is one of several soldiers who rounded up all the boats on the Delaware River. The purpose was twofold; first to provide Washington’s army with boats to cross the Delaware and escape the British, and second to leave no boats on the Jersey side and prevent the British pursuit of the ragtag remnants of the Continental Army. Those same boats were used on Christmas Eve to cross back over to NJ and surprise the Hessians at Trenton, the turning point of the war. That was quite a feat, but Thomas Jones was not finished yet. Historian Charles Riddle has a great talk that describes the Potterstown Skirmish. In 1777, the British issued warrants to four NJ Tories, who had reached the British lines at Staten Island. The warrants gave them the charge to travel to Hunterdon County and eastern Pennsylvania, and recruit for the Loyalist regiment. The four men and their recruits arranged to meet on September 12th at Potterstown, and then march to New Brunswick, then Perth Amboy to be ferried over to the British lines in Staten Island. They met as planned - a total of 100 men. However, they were discovered and the Readington/Tewkesbury miltia led by Captain David Scamp came at them from the east and the Lebanon Township militia led by Captain Thomas Jones came from the west. The Loyalist realized they needed to break away, and this created a running battle that lasted overnight into the 13th of the month. At Piscataway, the Loyalists were surrounded and forced to surrender. Eight Tories escaped, seventy-five were captured with about fifteen unaccounted for. They and nineteen other Tories were eventually tried at Morristown fifty-nine, were found guilty of a misdemeanor, and were fined and required to take an oath of allegiance. They were then released. Thirty-five were charged with treason, found guilty and sentenced to be hanged! Intersessions to the governor from family and friends saved all but two. Those spared paid a fine, swore allegiance and enlisted in the Continental army. James Iliff and John Mee two of the four recruiters were hanged on December 2, 1777. Watch for the Branch Pick-up Schedule on our website, www.lebanonboro.com, and on the Electronic Board on Main St. No Branches larger than 4 inches in diameter. Each Street will be picked up ONCE!! Bright Horizons at Lebanon Open House April 11-15, 2016 Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool is located at 1388 Route 22 West, Lebanon, NJ Lebanon Reformed Church Pastor Thomas E. Jones 100 Brunswick Ave, Lebanon, NJ 08833 (908) 236-6167 Lebanon Reformed Church will host the 2nd Annual “We Shall Over-Run”. 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk to benefit Hunterdon Hospice on Sat. May 14, 2016. Information and registration forms can be found at www.lebanonreformedchurch.org. LRC members and friends enthusiastically welcome Daren McCann as our new organist/music director. He is a native of the Finger Lakes Region of NY State. Remarkably, Daren is a self-taught pianist and organist. He played for services at his home church from the age of 10. Daren taught Jr/Sr. high school music and has previous experience as church music director/organist. Daren now teaches voice and piano privately. In addition, he is founder/director of the Somerset County based choral ensemble, The Deer Ridge Singers. Daren enjoys antique and classic cars as a hobby. Visitors are welcome to attend LRC’s Easter services, beginning with Palm Sunday, March 20. Maundy Thursday evening service March 24 is at 7pm. Easter Sunday, the church will be decorated with flowers. You will hear special music by both the chancel and hand bell choirs. Come alone or bring your family. Sunday worship service starts at 10:30 am. Nursery care with Miss Melanie is available as an option for your young children. Afterward, you are invited for coffee and refreshments served in fellowship hall. The community is welcome to attend LRC Outdoor Worship Service on June 26, followed by the annual church picnic on the lawn. Bacon, Bible and Bro’s men’s bible study lead by Pastor Tom, meets the first Saturday of every month at 8am in fellowship hall. All men in the community are invited to enjoy a hot, fresh cooked breakfast during the meeting. Bring a friend. The Lebanon Lantern readers are encouraged to submit prayer requests for Pastor Tom to LRC email, [email protected] or call 236-6167. Thank You! to the community for your recent support of Operation Christmas Child. With your help, 72 shoebox sized gifts and Christian education materials were collected for children in the United States, Africa and other locations around the world. Every week, LRC accepts nonperishable food and personal hygiene products for donation to Open Cupboard Food Pantry. We also help to support the guests of Family Promise of Hunterdon County. LRC members and friends provide hot, home cooked meals to these young families during the two weeks in March, September and January they will call Rockaway Reformed Church “home”. Lebanon Borough School “Where great things are happening” Lebanon Borough Families, I hope this “update” finds you well and in good spirits and looking forward to the spring weather ahead! LBS students have jumped all over heart disease and stroke by participating in Ms. Pritchard’s “Jump Rope for Heart” event/program. I am excited to report that our students have raised over $3,000.00 dollars for the American Heart Association, which funds research programs and education to fight heart disease and stroke, our nation’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. The event/program promotes physical activity and heart health through jumping rope. Mrs. Kosciolek’s Dental Assembly was held Friday, March 11, 2016. Students met in the Library with Dr. Erin and Karyn, the hygienist, for about 20-25 minutes and received a “dental goody bag” at the end of the program. Please remember, LBS 5th and 6th grade students will be participating in the Hunterdon Regional Reading Olympics on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 5:00 pm, at the Holland Township School. Reading Olympics teams consist of 8 to 12 members and each member of the team will share the responsibility for reading 35 titles from a pre-selected list of books. LBS students will then compete against other teams (schools in Hunterdon County) in three rounds of twenty questions. I am very excited and proud of the 5th and 6th grade students who have elected to participate in this competition and I hope to see you there. Good Luck “Team LBS!” Regards, Dr. Sutter ART - SUCH TALENT at LBS….! We had had some very successful work completed this year. During March 30 pieces of our students’ very best work will be on display in the Hunterdon Art Museum. Each exhibited student will receive a formal invitation for the gallery opening. SECOND GRADE: This week we partner read with a kindergarten student to celebrate “Read Across America” for Dr. Seuss’s birthday! Everyone did an excellent job reading as well as listening and assisting their kindergarten friends. They seemed to really enjoy this activity. The students completed their map unit in social studies just in time for the 3D Landform Map project to be returned. The class presented their maps and talked about the different landforms and what they learned. They look amazing!! Thank you for your help at home. In writing the students are working on gathering information for a color poem. They are brainstorming lists of things that come to mind when they think of their color. We are reading books, listening to poems, and discussing figurative language to help spark their creativity. ~Mrs. Adamaitis~ Upcoming Events at LBS: March 23rd - Kindergarten Orientation March 25th – Spring Break April 27th – Preschool Orientation May 24th- 25th- Scholastic Bookfair May 19th - Trep$ Market Place June 1st – Spring Concert June 9th – Last Day of School! The Lebanon Borough School offers a full-day Kindergarten Program. The full-day program runs from 8:40 AM to 3:00 PM daily. To be eligible for the 2016-2017 school year, children must be 5 years old on or before October 1st 2016 and be a resident of Lebanon Borough. Kindergarten Orientation/Registration will be held Wednesday March 23th at 2:00 in the school Library. Children are welcome to attend. The Lebanon Borough School will be hosting a Preschool Orientation Wednesday April 27 th 2016 in the school library. The half-day program runs from 8:40 AM to 11:10 AM daily. It is taught by a dual-certified Early Childhood/Special Education Teacher, with support provided by an Early Childhood Education certified aide. Children must be 3 years old on or before October 1 st 2016. The tuition for the 2016-2017 school year will remain $200 per month. For any additional information please contact the main office, (908) 236-2448. Lebanon Borough School PTA cordially invites the community to Painting in the Park Who: When: Where: Time: Fee: All local community members (ages 13 and up) April 17th (rain date April 24th) Near the ball fields of Holjes-Shepherd Memorial Park 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. $25 We will supply a 12’’ x 18’’ canvas, paints, cups, easels, brushes. The afternoon will be lead by Carol Koop, art teacher and illustrator from LBS. Event is open to all local community members ages 13 and up. All proceeds will benefit LBS PTA. Please join us for a delightful afternoon with guided instruction on painting! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please return this section to LBS or Borough Hall with a check payable to LBS PTA BEFORE FRIDAY, APRIL 1st, 2016 Name: __________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Deadline is 4/1/2016!!! Phone: __________________________ E-mail: _________________________________________________ Names of Additional Attendees, if any: _________________________________________________ Total # of painters: ________________ x $25.00/painter = $____________________ enclosed Please contact the LBS PTA at [email protected] for more information. GRAND MARSHAL NOMINATION Criteria for Selecting the Grand Marshal of the Lebanon 4th of July Parade • The individual should be known by many people or groups to have made a significant impact or contribution to the Lebanon Borough community. • The individual has demonstrated outstanding volunteerism in the community; or an act of heroism and continues to serve people in the community. • The individual is dedicated to improving opportunities for all people in the emotional, physical and social environment in which they live. The individual nominated should have met a minimum of one of the above criteria points. All nominations will be kept confidential. No candidate’s nomination form will be considered for the nomination unless it is received on the official form, completed in full, with reasons for the nomination stated. No photo copies or multiple computer generated nomination forms will be accepted with identical wording. Completed nomination forms will be accepted via mail only at the following address: Lebanon 4th of July Committee Attn: Grand Marshal Committee P.O. Box 158 Lebanon, NJ 08833 Deadline for Nominations is 4 pm April 18, 2016. Nominations received after the published deadline date will not be considered. GRAND MARSHAL Candidate Nomination Form Candidate’s Name _________________________________ Address __________________________________________ Town____________________________________ State_________Zip________ Phone # __________________________________________ Candidate's qualifications for Grand Marshal: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Nominated by________________________________ Phone______________________________________ Address_____________________________________ Completed nomination forms will be accepted via mail only at the following address: Lebanon 4th of July Committee Attn: Grand Marshal Committee P.O. Box 158 Lebanon, NJ 08833 Deadline for Nominations is 4pm April 18, 2016. Nominations received after the published deadline date will not be considered. HUNTERDON COUNTY SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING SERVICES Route 12 County Complex Building #1, 2nd Floor PO Box 2900 Flemington, NJ 08822-2900 PHONE: 908-788-1110 FAX 908-788-1662 HUNTERDON COUNTY RESIDENTS & SMALL BUSINESSES COMPUTER & ELECTRONICS COLLECTION DAY DATES: Saturday, April 9, 2016 RAIN OR SHINE LOCATION: Route 12 County Complex, Flemington, NJ HOURS: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM WE WILL ACCEPT: Up to 10 items containing electronic circuit boards including: Computers - Monitors - Televisions WE NOT WILL ACCEPT: Air Conditioners – Dehumidifiers - Refrigerators Propane Tanks - Hazardous Waste HUNTERDON COUNTY SPECIAL COLLECTION EVENT DATES: Saturday, May 30, 2015 RAIN OR SHINE – July 9th LOCATION: Route 12 County Complex, Flemington, NJ HOURS: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM WE WILL ACCEPT: Up to 10 gallons of the following: Latex Paint – Oil Based Paint – Varnish/Stain – Other Coatings Used Motor Oil – 20 lb. Propane Tanks – Smoke Detectors WE NOT WILL ACCEPT: Empty Containers – Tires - Electronics Air Conditioners - Solid Waste – PCB’s Park School Sponsored by The Borough of Lebanon When: June 27th – July 29th Times: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Where: Lebanon Borough Hall 6 High Street 908-236-2425 Eligibility: The Lebanon Borough Park School is open to all children who are 3.5 years old by June 29th, 2016 to children who will finish 6th grade by June 2016. 3.5 year olds must be completely potty trained. Registration: Please complete the registration form and return it to: Lebanon Borough Hall 6 High Street Lebanon, NJ 08833 Fees: In Town Residents: $200.00 In Town Family Fee: $200.00 (1st Child) any additional children $175.00 per child In town Resident Early Bird Registration: $175.00 (1st child only) Out of Town Residents $250.00 (No discounts apply) EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION AVAILABLE FOR IN TOWN RESIDENTS ONLY NO ADDITIONAL SIBLING DISCOUNT Early Bird Registration Deadline: April 30, 2016 Registration Deadline: June 20, 2016 Please make all checks payable to “The Borough of Lebanon” Registration form: http://lebanonboro.vpweb.com/Forms.html The Lebanon Borough Shade Tree Committee FREE TREE SEEDLINGS FOR ARBOR DAY Last year's event was successful, and so we will be getting 100 seedlings from the State for us to give to residents. They will be distributed in the Borough Park on Saturday April 30th at 10AM. The State Nursery produces thousands of seedlings annually, and there is quite a variety. However, we won't know what we are getting until we get them. In the meantime, look for a place to plant some trees, and be ready to put them in the ground on the 30th of April. If you don't have room for a tree to grow large, perhaps you can take care of one until it is big enough for us to plant along one of our streets or in the park. WOULD YOU LIKE A SHADE TREE ALONG THE STREET IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE? The Lebanon Shade Tree Committee is always looking for locations to plant more trees. Trees turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. They sequester carbon in their wood. Trees provide cooling in the summer through shade and by giving off water vapor. They filter the air by intercepting fine particles of dirt which are washed off by the rain. They also reduce runoff by slowing down the raindrops as they fall to earth. They are green in more than one way. The Lebanon Borough Seniors Club The Lebanon Borough Senior Club meets the 4th Wednesday of the month at 10:00AM. Membership is open to anyone over the age of 55. Membership dues for Lebanon Borough residents is $15.00 paid yearly and nonresidents the yearly dues are $20.00. Dues should be paid by April 1st. Please pay by check made out to Lebanon Seniors and give it to Leona Burton. The month of April marks the 11th anniversary of the founding of the Lebanon Seniors Club. Our April 27th meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m. and a luncheon will follow. In order to attend the anniversary party, a person needs to be a member in good standing. More members have been donating items for our local food bank. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. If you haven’t remembered to bring something, perhaps marking your calendar or asking a friend to remind you would be helpful. There will be a trip to the Sands Casino on Monday, May 16th and a trip to the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse on Saturday, June 18th. Lebanon 4th Of July Celebration Committee Volunteers needed!!! The July 4th Celebration Committee is looking for volunteers to join the committee and/or help out with the many activities involved in the support and planning of the July 4th Parade and the picnic in Holjes-Sheppard park following the parade. Volunteers are needed to help with fund-raising, communications, food preparation, games in the park and many other activities. The parade committee meets once a month, January thru July. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 30th 7:30pm at the Lebanon Municipal Building. Please feel free to attend the meeting, even if it’s just to see what it’s all about. We need you! You can email to the following address if you have any questions. [email protected] Beautification Spring & Early Summer 2016 Spring 2016: The Beautification Team has several ongoing and new community projects planned for 2016. With the financial support and volunteer assistance of residents and businesses, these plans will be brought to fruition. Borough Hall. Clean-up will continue with trimming and cleaning out two long beds that run equal distance between Maple and High Streets. As this is an ongoing project, we welcome residents who would like to volunteer. Please contact the Clerk’s office and our Volunteer Coordinators, Anissa Mikituik and Linda Delia, who will be happy to provide you upcoming dates for this project. Main Street flower pots. Last year, donations made possible the replacement of five flower pots and maintenance of their contents throughout the changing seasons. In 2016, we would like to add three additional pots at a cost of $70.00/each (pots/seasonal plantings). If you are interested to sponsor this initiative, please use the Sponsorship Form below, returning it to Karen Romano, Administrator, at Borough Hall. 96 Main Street Beautification. 2016 will bring a commemorative garden in memory of Gary Kristoff and Jeff Fowler. Gary Kristoff was a long-time resident of Maple Street who served as a volunteer Fireman. Gary was a passionate advocate for Lebanon Borough. He and his wife, Marie, operated a decorating and supply business for many years. He was a quiet and reflective, soft spoken man who utilized gardening as a form of therapy and expression. In the company of Marie, they were often seen working side by side throughout the gardens on their property. Jeff Fowler was a long-time resident of High Street who used his inherited gifts of carpentry to build a contracting business. Many homes in the Borough have been touched by Jeff’s hands over the years. Often times, the work was undertaken at reduced cost without reflection to his own circumstances. Jeff will be remembered for his easy smile and quiet manner. Despite long-term health challenges, Jeff was a seasoned volunteer with Freedom House Rehabilitation. The commemorative garden plan calls primarily for shrubs including boxwood and ilex with an offset of bright specimen perennials in honor of these two wonderful community members. The planting will take place Saturday, May 21, 2016. Sponsors are being sought for this project; please use the Sponsorship Form below, returning it to Karen Romano, Administrator, at Borough Hall. Main Street Flag presentation. With the help of community donations, we will be purchasing flag banners to hang along Main Street for presentation before Flag Day, June 14, 2016. The banners will stay up until the winter season when they will be changed out for the winter banners, as can be seen at 96 Main Street presently. The banners are $70.00 and will last about 10 years. Interested sponsors, please use the Sponsorship Form, returning it to Karen Romano, Administrator, at Borough Hall. Volunteers will also be sought for planting and projects throughout the year; children and residents of all ages are encouraged and welcome. Please contact the Clerk’s office and the Borough Volunteer Coordinators, as the target date approaches, they will get in touch with you to confirm. Lebanon is, and always will be, a community where neighbor reaches out to neighbor, whether in good times or in bad. Beautification is a celebration of that long-standing tradition with the display of our efforts offering a quiet reflection of our commitment to one-another. We thank you for keeping that spirit alive. Sponsorship Form Please return form to Karen Romano, Administrator. I/We, ______________________________________, are donating $__________ towards the 2016 Beautification Projects. Our donation is made in memory of: _______________________________________________________________. Lebanon Borough Recreation Fishing Derby Saturday, May 14th The Baptist Camp Blossom Hill Rd, Clinton Township 9:00 – 11:00 am Prizes! Please bring your own Equipment and Bait! To Advertise in The Lebanon Lantern and reach almost 1500 addresses within the community for the four publications annually: Business card size Quarter page Half page Full page Black & White $ 50.00 $ 75.00 $150.00 $300.00 Please contact the municipal office at 236-2425. Color $ 75.00 $115.00 $225.00 $450.00 The Borough of Lebanon Governing Body Mayor Michael F. Reino [email protected] Council President Richard Burton rburton @lebanonboro.com Councilman Sam Berger [email protected] Councilman Robert Junge [email protected] Councilman John Knoble jknoble @lebanonboro.com Councilman James Pittinger [email protected] Councilwoman Bonnie Schmidt [email protected] Municipal Contacts Karen Romano, Administrator/Municipal Clerk [email protected] Lisa Saharic, Deputy Clerk [email protected] Kay Winzenreid, Tax Collector [email protected] Jeffrey Burd, Tax Assessor [email protected] Anita Weingart, LBSA Secretary [email protected] GETTING MARRIED Download your Marriage Application at www.lebanonboro.com Present the completed application 30 days before your event at the Borough Hall with your partner and a witness. THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE ENCOURAGES COMMENTS AND ARTICLES. Submission deadline for the Summer Edition is Friday, June 3, 2016. You can email your submission to: [email protected] Please check the tab titled Announcements on our website http://lebanonboro.com for any updates or changes.