Famous Names in Burlington County HistoryClara Barton – A famous woman who started the first “Free School” in New Jersey in 1852 and founded the American Red Cross.
Joseph Bonaparte – An exiled king of Spain and brother of Napoleon. He settled in Bordentown where he designed extensive parks and an elaborate mansion.
Elias Boudinot – A director of the U.S. Mint in 1775, president of the Continental Congress from 1782-1785 and signed the Treaty of Peace with Great Britain. He founded the American Bible Society in Burlington in 1816.
James Fenimore Cooper – An author of Frontier Tales who was born in Burlington City.
Varina Howell Davis – The wife of Jefferson Davis, and the first lady of the Confederacy who lived in Westhampton Township in her home of “Peachfield”. In her later years, she became a brilliant writer.
Jersey Devil – A legendary creature said to be born around Leed’s Point to a “harum, scarum” wife of the town’s founder. Legend has it that he flew out of the chimney shrieking and screaming. He supposedly inhabits the cedar swamps.
John Fitch – An inventor of the steamboat, which operated between Philadelphia and Burlington from 1788-1791.
Benjamin Franklin – A famous American who lived in the county while under contract to print paper money for the colony of West Jersey, which is now Burlington.
William Franklin – A loyalist son of Benjamin Franklin who was the Royal Governor of West Jersey. He fled to England when the revolution began.
Ulysses S. Grant – A civil war general for the Union Army who moved his family to Burlington City during this conflict in our country.
Francis Hopkinson – A talented artist, composer, poet and scientist who practiced law in Bordentown. He was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress in June 1776. He signed the Declaration of Independence and later designed the Great Seal of the State of New Jersey.
Captain James Lawrence – A captain born in Burlington City. He died following a naval battle in Boston Harbor. His dying words were “Don’t give up the ship!”
William Livingston – The first governor of the State of New Jersey who was elected to that office in Burlington City.
Thomas Paine – A writer who is famous for publishing “Common Sense” in 1776 who later settled in Bordentown.
William Penn – The “Founder of Pennsylvania” who paid his last visit to Burlington in 1701 before sailing to England. He never returned to his “beloved land”.
Peggy Shippen – A resident of Burlington City who married Benedict Arnold.
Elizabeth C. White – A scientist from Whitesbog who experimented with plants, especially the blueberry. She raised her first successful crop in 1916. She also developed an idea for marketing by covering blueberries with a “window of clear plastic”. By the time of her death, the blueberry had become a million dollar crop.
John Woolman – A teacher and an example of good character to the young and the “Defender of the Quaker Faith”.
Poster of Famous People in
Burlington County History
Peggy Shippen
Burlington County Education
It wasn’t until after the Revolutionary War that most children in Burlington County attended school. Their schools were called “common schools” and usually met in the local churches. Schools were extremely strict and children were often whipped if they misbehaved! Families had to pay for their children’s education, and if they couldn’t, they would give the teacher food they grew in their gardens. Many did not have the money or the food and were simply denied education. Clara Barton decided to help these children by creating schools that would be free.
In 1852, she received permission from Bordentown’s school committee to open a free school where she would teach. The school was so successful that she had 600 students by the end of the year. The town just loved her and decided to build a new brick school in 1853. However, they hired a man to be the principal instead of her and paid him twice her salary! Clara became discouraged and left teaching. She then entered the field of nursing and in 1881 founded The American Red Cross. Today, you can visit the original Clara Barton School in Bordentown.
In 1871, the New Jersey Legislature established a free public school system. In 1885, a law was passed stating that all children between the ages of 5 and 18 must attend school. In 1895, another law was passed which stated that all children in New Jersey must be supplied with textbooks and supplies.
To view a list of all public, private, and higher education schools in Burlington County, please log on to: http://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/Webguides/bceducation.html
