Historic homes can reveal stories of former owners
Freehold Borough residents encouraged to research residences
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Derek and Dorothy Munnery, of Schanck Street, Freehold, look through the 1873 Monmouth County Atlas during a presentation on historic home research.

FREEHOLD - It's hard to value something when you don't really know what it is. These words were the subject of a presentation at the Carnegie Library, East Main Street, on June 7.

Learning the value and significance of the homes they live in brought a group of people to the library to listen to Wayne Mason, a member of the borough's Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.

Mason and his wife, Cheryl Wolf, held a workshop to help residents who live in some of Freehold's older homes research the history of their homes. Looking back at the lives of the people who made their homes in the same residence many years ago is interesting work and turns up more than a few really neat facts, according to Mason.

The Historic Preservation Advisory Committee created what is being called a house marker program. The idea of the program is to show pride in one's home and to encourage residents to research their home's history. The markers are carved wooden plaques which display the name of the home and the date it was built.

The 1873 Atlas of Monmouth County by F.W. Beers has been cited as a resource for people who want to explore the history of their homes.

The plaque was designed by local artist and borough resident Leslie Daley. The focal point of the plaque is the striking rendering of the clock tower atop the Monmouth County Hall of Records, West Main Street.

The people who attended the June 7 presentation received information that may make their research more fruitful and hopefully less frustrating.

Mason said a home must be more than 50 years old to qualify for the house marker program.

Committee members are hoping more residents will join the effort to recognize and celebrate the rich collection of old and distinctive buildings in the borough.

"They don't build them like they used to and we must hang on to what we have and make an effort to keep the best of the past," Mason said, explaining that part of the committee's mission is to educate the public. "The program will highlight older homes. "You (the residents) will learn about your house and you'll have a permanent record of your home for anyone who might own your home in the future."

The Freehold Borough Historic Preservation Advisory Committee will present a commemorative marker to residents who research their home and provide information about the structure to the advisory committee.

Committee member David Loring lives on Yard Avenue and was one of the first borough residents to acquire a house marker plaque. He shared some tips and information to make the process easier. Loring said he used copies of old maps. He found his original landowner on the Atlas of Monmouth County, New Jersey, dated 1873.

He began his research in the Monmouth County Clerk's Office where he tracked the deeds to his home. He told attendees that computers have made the search much easier and less time consuming - at least in the beginning of the process, until it is time to go back many decades when deeds and important documents were written by hand in ledgers.

One thing Loring learned about his home was that it had been sold in a sheriff's sale in 1944 for $1,000. He said he wished he had been around to buy it then.

"The Monmouth County Historical Association library and archives on Court Street also has many amazing documents and photos, too," Loring explained. "You may find many things belonging to those who once lived in your house. If you live in an older house, there is probably something in that museum from your house."

Wolf shared research she conducted about the house she and Mason bought on Manalapan Avenue in 1994. She learned that the home had been owned by the Musgrave family for many years. The Musgrave family, a noted family in Freehold, was only the third family to live in the house. Mason said that years ago family members either sold or gave their homes to family members.

She discovered that Ralph Musgrave had been to Antarctica in 1947 when he was in the service.

"How many people at that time had done that?" Mason said.

Tracking further back, Wolf learned that in 1900, according to the census, Forrest Treat, who worked in the shirt factory in town, lived in the home with his wife and their six children.

"He worked in the shirt factory, then moved up, opened a dry goods store and then ended up a shoe salesman," Wolf said.

"It's kind of cool," Mason added. "We have found many interesting facts and information during our research."

The couple narrowed their search to when the house was built to somewhere between 1889 and 1900.

Mason advised his research "students" to consult "A Field Guide to American Houses," which discusses the architectural style of homes and their time periods. He encouraged the attendees to use the book to find their home style and use that as a starting point for their research.

The style and design of a home, the materials used to build it, the type of roof and the design of a chimney are among the details that are helpful in the search for answers, Mason said.

Homeowners who apply for the house marker program are asked to complete an application and provide certain information about their homes. For more information about the house marker program, residents may call Borough Hall at (732) 462-1410 or Wayne Mason at (732) 866-1693.