Thomas Anderson, born in Hunterdon County about 1743, moved to Newton about 1765 and opened his law practice. On October 11, 1768, Joseph Barton sold him a house lot, 198' by 6B, fronting the Court House Green, which he enlarged on March 30, 1774, by purchasing an additional strip of land, 15' wide and 198' deep, from Jonathan Hampton.

Thomas Anderson represented Sussex County at a provincial convention convened at New Brunswick on July 23, 1774, that selected New Jersey’s representatives to a General Congress to be held at Philadelphia beginning September 5, 1774. On August 10, 1775, he represented Newton Township on the Sussex County Committee of Safety, serving as Committee Clerk, when they met to assess progress on gathering signatures to the Provincial Association, a loyalty oath to the Continental Congress.

Securing provisions for the Continental troops, particularly during their winter cantonments at Morristown, Thomas Anderson served as an Assistant Deputy Quartermaster General, directing supplies of flour, chopped feed, hemp and iron to Trenton, New Windsor and Morristown. Cavalry horses were consigned to him for resuscitation. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1773 and served on the Sussex County Committee of Correspondence in 1774.

On May 24, 1777, Thomas Anderson was commissioned a Justice of the Peace by Governor William Livingston to assist a Supreme Court Justice in the ,circuit court. On July 12, 1777, he was made a member of the Provincial Committee of Safety, which was then meeting at Sussex Court House.

On July 4, 1780, his wife, Lititia Thorton Anderson, Lvas one of four women to organize a Sussex County Ladies’ Aid Committee "for the purpose of promoting a subscription for the relief and encouragement of those brave Men in the Continental Army."

According to General Washington’s expense account, he stayed at Sussex Court House (Newton) on November 28, 1780, while en route to the cantonment at New Windsor. It is also thought that he quartered for the night in Newton on July 26, 1782, after dining at Hope en route to Newburgh, New York. On the occasion of his first visit, the Commander-in-Chief stayed at the old County Hotel on Park Place (burned 1857) and dined down the block at the residence of Thomas Anderson.

On April 1, 1783, John Chetwood and John Blanchard, trustees of the real estate of Jonathan Hampton, conveyed 1.39 acres to Thomas Anderson, lying adjacent to the lot "where Thomas Anderson now lives." On March 8, 1784, Anderson also purchased another .3 acre adjoining his "House Lott." It is probable that he constructed his gambrel-roof townhouse at this time.

As depicted in this photograph, taken about 1896, the Anderson House originally had two lateral wings. The main block of the house, moved in 1896, was built by Thomas Anderson about 1785. According to tradition, the two wings formed the residence of Thomas Anderson prior to and during the Revolution. According to an 1871 account, these wooden wings "stood together, the part nearest the M. E. Church was used as the dwelling place of Mr. Anderson, while the lower story of the other part was occupied by him as an office. The upper part he converted into a store room for the storage of the commissary goods which Sussex furnished for the support of the American army. In this house General Washington stopped while on his way from Easton to Newburgh, and dined with Mr. Anderson. An old lady upwards of eighty years of age, now residing in Newton, informs us that she was told when very young, by good authority, that on this visit a number of the prominent families of our town wished to do the great chieftain all the honor possible in these primitive days, and so set before him all the silver ware at their disposal, together with the choicest eatables to be then obtained. But to their surprise Washington rebuked them for the display, remarking that it was inappropriate at a time when soldiers in the field were suffering for the necessaries of life."

In 1785, he was appointed the first Surrogate of Sussex County, retaining this office until his death. He was also acting Clerk of Sussex County from 1770 to 1777. Thomas Anderson died May 27, 1805, aged 62 years, and is buried in the Old Newton Burial Ground. He was survived by his second wife. Hannah J. Euen.

In April 1896, the Anderson House was moved to the rear of the lot fronting Main Street. On March 29, 1898, the renovated house was sold to Dr. Emerson Potter. In 1908, Dr. Potter completed improvements to his residence including addition of a new office ell. Owned by Christ Church, the Anderson House presently stands at 62 Main Street.

Townhouses such as the Anderson House, built on a two-thirds Georgian plan, two stories in height with side hall and two rooms deep, were constructed in Newton as late as 1870. As we have seen, the Old Parsonage is a prototype. The gambrel roof was popular between 1785 and 1810; thereafter, pitched gables became common. Often, only window and door surrounds reflect changing modes of taste in houses built to this pattern. Porticos were added after 1840.

Washington Dined Here
According to an account published in the New JerseyHerald in 1871: “ The building on the upper side of the Park,now the residence of Capt. Thomas Anderson, has two wings onits eastern and western extremities. The central part of this house is of modern date, but the two wings formed the residence of the Thomas Anderson above spoken of, prior to and during the Revolutionary war. They stood together, the part nearest the M. E. Church, was used as the dwelling place of Mr. Anderson, while the lower story of the other part was occupied by him as an office. The upper part he converted into a store room for the storage of the commissary goods which Sussex furnished for the support of the American army. In this house General Washington stopped while on his way from Easton to Newburgh, and dined with Mr. Anderson. An old lady upwards of eighty years of age, now residing in Newton, informs us that she was told when very young, by good authority, that on this visit a number of the prominent families of our town wished to do the great chieftain all the honor possible in these primitive days, and so set before him all the silver ware at their disposal, together with the choicest eatables to be then obtained. But to their surprise Washington rebuked them for the display, remarking that it was inappropriate at a time when soldiers in the field were suffering for the necessaries of life.“

According to General Washington’s expense account, he stayed at Sussex Court-House (Newton) on November 28, 1780, while enroute to the cantonment at New Windsor. It is also thought that he quartered for the night in Newton on July 26, 1782, after dining at Hope enroute to Newburgh. On the occasion of his first visit, the Commander-in-Chief stayed at the old County Hotel (which burned in 1857; the site presently occupied by the County Hall of Records) and dined, down the block, at the residence of Thomas Anderson.

Thomas Anderson died on May 27, 1805, aged 62 years, and is buried in the Old Newton Burial Ground. The homestead was occupied by his son, Major William T. Anderson (1777-1850), an attorney prominent in town and county affairs.

In April 1896, Huston, VanBlarcom & Ackerson awarded contract to move the Anderson House from its original location on the site of proposed Park Block around the corner to the rear of the lot on Main Street. On March 29, 1898, the renovated house was sold by John Huston, Andrew Van Blarcom and William D. Ackerson to Dr. Emerson B. Potter for $5,000.

On May 3, 1965, Martin R. Snook and his wife, Anna, sold the Anderson House to the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of Christ Church.

Copyright 2000 Kevin W. Wright. All rights reserved.

About the Photos in the order they appear:
1. Anderson House on corner of Main Street and Park Place, circa 1895