Historic Main Street Reading

Celebrating Bound Brook 325^th Anniversary

Hendrick Fisher Descendent To Read Declaration of Independence on the Anniversary of its Original Reading in Bound Brook on July 9, 2006, 1pm

Hear ye, Hear ye! Come one, come all as we celebrate the 325th Anniversary of Bound Brook with a reenactment of the July 9, 1776 reading of the Declaration of Independence, featuring 17-year-old Jim Fisher, 10th generation removed of the actual reader.

On July 9^th 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time in Somerset County on Main Street in Bound Brook.  It had traveled from Philadelphia on to readings in Trenton, Princeton, New Brunswick and arriving in Bound Brook on July 9^th.  In this 325^th Anniversary of the oldest community in Somerset County this reading will be reenacted this Sunday, July 9^th at 1PM on Main Street in Bound Brook.

Hendrick Fisher lived and is buried on what is now the current site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Somerset, NJ.  Fisher held the following political offices: Judge of the Court of Common Pleas; Member of the Colonial Assembly for 30 years and for some time its powerful leader; New Jersey Representative at the Continental Congress of 1765; President of the Colonial Assembly; Member of the Committee of Governors; President of The First Provincial Congress of New Jersey, 1775; President of the New Jersey Delegation to the Continental Congress; One of three members of the Stamp Act and was present for the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.   He returned to his residence bringing with him a copy of the historic document.

On July 9, 1776, Fisher read, for the first time in Somerset County, the Declaration of Independence to the inhabitants of Bound Brook, New Jersey at the Frelinghuysen Tavern. The Tavern, which later became Klompus Thread Shop on Main Street, west of Maiden Lane, Bound Brook, exhibits a plaque that marks this historic event.

This meaningful re-enactment was done once before in 1976 during the bicentennial celebrations. You are invited to attend this historic reading.  For more information contact Lynn Fazen at lynnrae@fazen.org or call 732-560-0138.

 PHOTO (CAPTION FOLLOWED BY PHOTO):

THIS TABLET MARKS

THE SITE OF

HERE

HENDRICK HARPENDING,

A SHOEMAKER FROM HOLLAND BUILT HIS HOME

CIRCA 1720, WHICH LATER BEVAME

A TAVERN, OWNED BY HIS SON, PETER.

. . .

SOON AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

JULY 4, 1776

THE TOWNSPEOPLEASSEMBLED ON THE STREET

IN FRONT OF THIS TAVERN

TO HEAR IT READ BY THEIR NEIGHBOR,

HENDRICK FISHER

OF SOUTH BOUND BROOK, PRESIDENT OF THE

PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF NEW J ERSEY, MEMBER OF THE

COMMITTEE OF SAFETY AND AN “ENEMY OF THE CROWN,”

EXCLUDED FROM THE GENERAL AMNESTY OFFERED THE

REBELLIOUS COLONISTS EARLIER THAT YEAR

…

“UPON COMPLETION OF THE READIONG THE CROWD WENT WILD

WITH JOY CARRYING FISHER ON THEIR SHOULDERS THROUGH THE VILLAGE, WHILE THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BELL RANG

LOUD AND LONG, CANNONS FIRED, AND ROUSING TOASTS

WERE DRUNK BY THE LUSTY PATRIOTS GATHERD THERE.”

ERECTED BY THE

SOMERSET COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

1960

http://www.pbase.com/staatshouse/tavern_sign

click that link to see picture

For even more background info go to:
http://www.nj.com/specialprojects/index.ssf?/specialprojects/revwar/rev3one.html