Category: Revolutionary Tales

Today’s adventure was a full immersion into Trenton’s Revolutionary past, from quiet reflection to street-level action and spirited conversation. The day felt like stepping directly into a defining moment in American history and walking away with a deeper appreciation for the people who lived it.

I began at the Trenton Meetinghouse, believed to be the oldest surviving house of worship in Trenton. There, I learned about the Religious Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers, and how their commitment to peace was challenged during the American Revolution. We explored the complicated story of Philemon Dickinson, a Trenton Quaker who owned slaves and later fought as a general in the Battle of Trenton. The lecture, led by Fred Millner, Ph.D., brought these contradictions to life in a thought-provoking way and was the perfect start to the day.

From there, history spilled out onto the streets. Along Warren and Broad Streets, I watched reenactors bring the first Battle of Trenton to life between the Trenton Battle Monument and Mill Hill Park. Seeing the uniforms, movement, and sounds unfold where it actually happened made the past feel vivid and immediate, woven into the city as everyday life continued around us.

One of my favorite stops was Tavern Talks inside First Presbyterian Church. Sitting with reenactors in a casual, tavern-style setting made history feel incredibly personal. Over drinks, we listened as they debated loyalties, fears, and motivations of colonial citizens whose lives were being reshaped by the war for independence. It truly felt like stepping into a colonial tavern and being part of those conversations.

Beyond reenactments, Trenton offered hands-on experiences during Patriots Week. The brand-new Visitor Center was a must-stop, with activities like making cornhusk dolls, crafting games, trying on tricorn hats, and writing with a quill pen. It was also the perfect spot to warm up, ask questions, and get information for the day.

Another highlight was the New Jersey State Museum Planetarium, where I saw the night sky as George Washington and his troops would have in 1776. Seeing the same stars that guided Revolutionary soldiers made history feel alive and tangible.

The day also included a visit to Trenton’s First Presbyterian Church, a key site during the British occupation of 1776–77. Although currently closed for preservation, guided walk-throughs offered insight into its past and future as a community gathering space. We even saw tombstones dating back to 1745, hidden in the crawl space.

From historic meetinghouses to reenactments, conversations, and immersive experiences, touring Trenton the 1776 way was an unforgettable mix of history, community, and local charm.

Right in the center of the Garden State, Mercer County delivers a plethora of history. Visitors and residents can tour two Revolutionary War battlefields, pass Einstein’s old stomping grounds at Princeton University, and pay respects to Aaron Burr and Grover Cleveland all before lunch?

Mercer County set the stage for the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, where George Washington and his Continentals pulled off not one, but two of the boldest underdog victories in Revolutionary history. Those snowy wins didn’t just boost morale; they changed the course of the entire war. You, too, can experience those “Ten Crucial Days” not only during December’s Patriot’s Week but year-round with visits to the battlefields of Princeton, Trenton, and Washington’s Crossing State Park.

But Mercer doesn’t stop at 1777-it layers its Revolutionary roots with a milieu of characters and curiosities that will keep you fascinated. A stroll through Princeton Cemetery reveals a cast of figures who helped shape the nation-Declaration signers, Princeton presidents, Grover Cleveland, Aaron Burr, and even Ruth Cleveland, the baby behind the candy bar legend.

With its blend of Revolutionary charm and academic edge, Mercer County isn’t just a detour on the way to Philadelphia-it’s the destination. So whether you’re tracing Washington’s footsteps, following Einstein’s wanderings, or visiting Aaron Burr’s gravestone, Mercer County offers more than just historic highlights-it’s the fascinating footnote that brings history to life.

Let us not forget, the land now known as Mercer County was originally inhabited by the Lenape people. European settlers referred to them as Delaware Indians. The Lenape lived in this region for approximately 12,000 years before Europeans arrived. Mercer County was established in 1838. Previously, the land that now comprises Mercer County included townships from Hunterdon, Burlington, Middlesex, and Somerset counties. Trenton was part of Hunterdon County, and Princeton was in both Somerset and Middlesex counties. Among today’s townships, Ewing was once Trenton, Lawrence was Maidenhead, and Hamilton was Nottingham in Burlington County. Before Princeton gained its name, the area south of the town was the Stony Brook Quaker Community in Windsor Township. Before Trenton became the state capital, it served as the capital of the early United States in 1784, and it officially became the state capital in 1790. And, in Colonial America, roads did not even have names. If you traveled from Trenton to today’s Lawrenceville, Route 206 would have been called the Maidenhead Road. To get to Princeton, the same route was known as the Princeton Road; to New Brunswick, it was the Brunswick Road, and so on. If you traveled south on that route, it would have been called the Trenton Road. Mercer County’s communities all have active historical societies.

After the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775, Americans laid siege to Boston. One of the soldiers, and a member of a Massachusetts regiment, was Jacob Francis, a free Black man. Born near Trenton in Amwell Township in 1754, he was indentured as a boy until age 21. He passed through several owners, the last being a Salem, Massachusetts merchant. Jacob eventually gained his freedom in January 1775. After he gained his freedom, Jacob enlisted in the Continental Army in October, despite General Washington and the Continental Congress’s orders not to enlist men of color. After the Boston siege, Jacob’s regiment fought to stop British General William Howe from capturing New York City. That campaign was unsuccessful for George Washington. He took his remaining troops and crossed the Delaware River at Trenton on December 2, 1776, preventing the British from following him. Jacob’s regiment joined Washington in Bucks County on December 21.

Jacob was present during the famous night crossing of the Delaware River on December 25. After the Battle of Trenton, Jacob left the Continental Army and returned to his childhood home near Flemington. There, he learned that his mother was still alive. He then discovered that his last name was “Francis.” Jacob served actively in the Hunterdon County militia for the rest of the war. He later married and raised a family, and made it a priority that his children received an education. His youngest son, Abner, at 20 years old, began working with abolitionists in the Trenton area and later worked with Frederick Douglass. Jacob Francis and his family are perfect examples of the fact that the fight for freedom and equality in the Trenton and Flemington areas involved everyone.

Adapted from the Trent House Eyewitness Collection*

Charity Brittain was born in 1720 into the prominent Tucker family of Trenton. She married Henry Bellerjeau, who died in 1746, and later married Joseph Britton, a shoemaker from Trenton. Charity operated a tavern in their home, which she continued to manage after Joseph’s death in 1755. Throughout her life, she supported the American Revolution’s cause.

Trenton at the time had about a dozen taverns. Because of this, stagecoaches traveling between New York and Philadelphia often stopped there for meals or overnight stays. Her Indian King Tavern was a large, two-story frame house with four rooms on each floor, an attached kitchen, a wood house, a shed, a two-story stable capable of holding over 40 horses, and numerous fruit-bearing trees. During the French and Indian War in 1757 and 1758, Charity provided housing for British soldiers-accommodating six soldiers for 21 weeks and five days, two soldiers for 13 weeks, and three soldiers for over a week. During the Revolutionary War, her tavern served meals to army officers who were en route to join George Washington’s forces. The rest of her family was heavily involved in the war effort as well. Her sons served in the militia, and their hometown Trenton was heavily affected by two major battles in the area during the British and Hessian occupation in December 1776. Her tavern on King Street was right at the heart of these conflicts.

In July 1779, her son Isaac took over the family business. That same year, a joint meeting of the New Jersey General Assembly and Legislative Council was held in their tavern-this was the meeting where William Livingston was reelected as governor. The government also met there at other times during the Revolution, despite the fact that Trenton was not yet the state capital.

*Used with permission from the Trent House Association

Hugh Mercer was born on January 17, 1726, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He was heavily shaped by his education at the University of Aberdeen where he earned a degree in medicine. He would later use this education to become a remarkable physician and courageous soldier. Hugh served as an assistant surgeon with Jacobite forces during the pivotal Battle of Culloden in 1746. Afterwards, Mercer fled Scotland to escape persecution and found a new home in Pennsylvania.

In Fredericksburg Virginia, Mercer quickly became a renowned physician, for both his skill and his innovative approach to treating battlefield injuries and illnesses. His blending of traditional Scottish remedies with cutting-edge medical techniques of his time led to a successful career in medicine. His strategic brilliance was put on full display during the French and Indian War; where he quickly was given the rank of colonel under General Edward Braddock. Mercer was a passionate supporter of American independence; he was also a trusted friend of George Washington. Mercer would eventually serve as a brigadier general in the Continental Army. During the Battle of Princeton in January 1777, Mercer displayed heroic courage, however he suffered fatal wounds while rallying his troops against the British. Though Hugh Mercer had treated many soldiers who had been wounded on the battlefield, he could not save himself from his own injuries.

Mercer’s unwavering commitment to liberty left a profound legacy in American history. Today, his memory is preserved through statues, memorials, and the naming of Mercer County-found in seven other states: Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. To honor his enduring spirit, the Mercer Oak at Princeton Battlefield State Park stands as a living symbol of his heroic contribution during the nation’s 250th anniversary, inspiring new generations to remember the heroism that helped shape our freedoms.