French-Hollinshead House

512 Camden Avenue, Moorestown, NJ

This house is individually listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is believed to incorporate the oldest house still standing in Moorestown.

It was once the centerpiece of a large 300 acre farm, lately known as “Forest Brook”. The house was constructed in three sections - the oldest part of which was built c. 1695 by Thomas French, Jr. This section is encompassed in the southwest corner of the building, according to the National Register nomination form for the house. Some original interior features survive to this day.

During the Revolutionary War years, the French property was occupied and raided by both British and Continental troops. Recorded damage claims reveal that Continental troops appropriated wood rails, hay, and grain in February 1777. In June 1778, British troops, retreating from Philadelphia, made off with 72 pounds, 18 shillings worth of goods.

Claim by Edward French for damages incurred from British raid in June 1778

Thomas French, Jr. was locally prominent in Moorestown in the early 18th century. He served in several church and township offices and was elected as a county freeholder. He was the first tax collector of the township, being appointed in 1693, and again, by the Governor, in 1701. He held the same office in 1723. In 1699, he was overseer of highways. In 1705, he was chosen to be constable, in 1707 - overseer of the poor, and served as freeholder 1713-14, 1720, and 1725-1728.

1819 signature of Edward’s youngest son, Charles H. French, on east facing window of the house

During the Revolutionary War period, the farm belonged to Thomas’ grandson, Edward “Neddy” French. Edward was also very involved in town and county government, serving as overseer of highways in 1773, chosen freeholder in 1784, and from 1788 through 1793. He was a member of the township committee in 1786 and from 1788 to 1794. He was also a longtime justice of the peace; and between 1795 (when the marriage license law was passed) and 1801, he married sixty-four couples.

The property remained in the French family until 1837. For a time in the 19th Century, a girl’s school was conducted here. The farm was acquired by Elwood Hollinshead and became known as Forest Brook in 1858. The Hollinshead family started subdividing their substantial acreage for development in 1914, while the home remained in the family until 1965.

Elwood Hollinshead

French-Hollinshead House, south elevation today

Commodore Truxtun/ Bispham/Walton House

730 Marne Highway, Moorestown

The oldest portion of this historic farm house was built c. 1770 by Joshua Bispham. The residents of the house would have been witness to Hessian troops on June 20, 1778, marching up the Old Salem Road towards Mt. Holly to meet up with the rest of the British Army. Between the years 1812 and 1816, the house was owned by Commodore Thomas Truxtun, one of the US Navy’s most important early heroes.

During his retirement, the Truxtun family moved to Chester Township from Cranbury, NJ, in 1812. He moved to this 40-acre plantation he called Woodlawn, on what is now Marne Highway. His wife did not enjoy living in Cranbury, and the previous owner of this house, Dr. George Davis, wanted to move closer to family in Brunswick so they simply traded properties. The Truxtun family lived here until 1816, when he moved to Philadelphia. Tax records from 1812 show that Truxtun owned 40 acres of land, 3 horses, and 3 head of cattle. He described the property, which he intended to continue farming as previous owners had, as “handsome, healthy, and in a good neighbourhood.”

As a privateer commander during the American Revolution, he captured ten enemy ships. After the war he continued to sail in service of the nation he fought to create. He was one of six commanders appointed by George Washington to the new US Navy. In 1785 he was responsible for the safe return of Benjamin Franklin to the USA from his tour as Ambassador to France.

US Mint bronze medal, from 1800

In 1786 his ship, the Canton, was one of the first American vessels to open direct trade between China and the United States. In 1794, he published an important book on navigation, Remarks, Instructions, and Examples Relating to the Latitude and Longitude, and was one of the first to map the Gulf Stream.

Commodore Truxtun’s 1794 navigational book

He also designed the original Navy signal manual and wrote the predecessor to the Navy Regulations in use today. As commander of the USS Constellation in 1799 he defeated the French ship L’Insurgente in the Caribbean as part of the “Quasi War” with France. In 1800, he forced the surrender of another French warship, La Vengeance. Six naval ships have been named for him in recent decades, including the current USS Truxtun (DDG-103), a destroyer. He had a reputation for bravery and tenacity as a disciplined but fair commander and a superior seaman and leader.

Commodore Truxtun’s ship, the Independence, 1777, capturing a West Indiaman ship

Silas Walton was another notable owner of the plantation in the later 19th century. In addition to farming his sizable acreage, he also invented a cultivator/tiller and developed a new variety of strawberry. The house remained in the Walton family until 1983.