Built November 5, 1740 NJRHP # 1086 Opened 5 November 1740 Added to NRHP 29 July 1977 | NRHP Reference # 77000862 Designated NJRHP August 10, 1976 Area 400 m² Nearest city Fairfield | |
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The Peter Van Ness Farmhouse is located in Fairfield, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The house was built in 1740 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 29, 1977.
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Van Ness Family History
After arriving in America in 1699, nine Dutch settlers (Simon Van Ness, Gerebrand Clawson, Hans Spier, Elias Franson, Christopher Steinmets, Andrese Louwrentz, Garret Vanderhoof, Hessell Pieters and Jan Spier) purchased the 14,000 acre (57 km²) Horseneck Tract from the Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to about $325 today. Simon Van Ness owned 300 acres of the north-east boundary. He also gathered some of this land through private contracts with the Lenape Native Americans. Eventually, he ran into trouble with the Lords Proprietor of the region, so he accepted their terms and got a deed on September 3, 1744, confirming he owned the land. After his death in 1749, Simon distributed the land to his four children and two sons-in-law. His son Isaac was given most of what is now Fairfield, New Jersey. Isaac's son Peter was named executor of the will of Isaac Reyken (Ryker) on September 30, 1768. Peter Van Ness then became the first registered owner of the Van Ness House, along the Passaic River where it can still be found today.
Changes to the House
The house went through some renovation in the 1840s, 1930s, and today has electricity.