Author: slopoet

Friends of Van Ness House Held Fundraiser on Saturday, April 1

We heard the fundraiser was a great success! Here is what the local newspaper wrote about us before the event:

By Gail Bottone

Published March 30, 2023 at 9:27 AM

FAIRFIELD, NJ — The Friends of the Van Ness House is having a kick-off fundraiser at the Van Ness House on 236 Little Falls Road in Fairfield on Saturday, April 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tulips, daffodils, hydrangeas, herb plants, breads, honey, jams and T-shirts will be sold. The Friends of the Van Ness House is a Federal 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to saving and restoring the historic 1720 Van Ness House in Fairfield.  

The hope is that money from this “Fundraiser Spring Pop Up Market” will help the organization start significant exterior repairs, apply for grants through the New Jersey Historic Trust, and fund the eventual purchase of the property from the Fairfield Township.  

The Van Ness House was constructed in the early 18th century by one of the first Dutch families to settle in Western Essex County. Simon Van Ness brought his family to Fairfield in 1701 and was one of the founders of the Fairfield Reformed Church in 1720.   

The Van Ness House was included on the list of the 10 most endangered historic places in New Jersey by Preservation New Jersey, Inc. in 2019. The current state of the house is cited as due to a lack of funding to stabilize and maintain the property. Due to this, the Township of Fairfield has been working with the Friends of the Van Ness House in a limited capacity to implement temporary repairs. However, the current roof has exceeded its service life and desperately needs to be replaced to abatement future deterioration of the house and to create a stable water-tight building envelope.   

The organization is planning similar and other fundraiser events in the future. As a Federal 501(c)3 organization all donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent provided by the law. All donations are welcome and greatly needed.  

The Friends of the Van Ness House was founded by three members; Michael Middleton, who grew up and lives in Fairfield and is a preservation architect, John Ostering, formerly of Morgan Farms in Cedar Grove, and Sharon Olson, who is a descendant of Simon Van Ness. If anyone is interested in supporting the organization in any way, please contact Michael Middleton via email at jmiddl2778@aol.com.

Tax-Exempt Status Confirmed

The Friends of the Van Ness House received notification from the IRS December 20, 2022 (but effective as of July 8, 2022) that we are an official 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. In the upcoming month we will begin negotiations with the Township of Fairfield to have our organization take ownership of the house. This new status allows us now to apply for all-important grants. We also hope that individuals with an interest in our endeavor will now find it more appealing to make a contribution towards much-needed restoration and upkeep of the structure. Any donations may be sent to:

Friends of the Van Ness House
Care of Michael Middleton
96 Big Piece Rd
Fairfield, NJ 07004

History of the House

The First Van Ness ancestors to settle in America were Cornelis Hendricksz van Ness (1600-1681) and his wife Maycke (Hendricksdr) van den Burchgraeff (1602-1664), who were married in Vianen, Netherlands in 1625, and by 1641 arrived on the Rensselaer tract near present-day Albany, New York. Their grandson Simon Van Ness (1666-1733) came south to New Jersey to purchase land, along with eight other Dutch settlers, in the 14,000 acre Horseneck Tract from the Lenape Native Americans. Simon Van Ness owned 300 acres of the north-east boundary. Eventually, in a dispute with the Lords Proprietor of the region, the administrators of his estate accepted their terms and his descendants got a deed on September 3, 1744, confirming they owned the land. In 1749 his estate was divided among his four children and two sons-in-law. The part of his property situated in present-day Fairfield, known as his homestead, was inherited by his son Isaac (1707-1785). The house is estimated to have been built ca. 1760. Isaac’s son Peter (1730-1820) was the next owner, followed by his son Jacob (1755-1821). The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 29, 1977, and in 2019 it was listed by Preservation New Jersey as one of the ten most endangered properties in the state.

Contact:

John Ostering, johnostering@yahoo.com, 973-865-7398. Verona resident, member of the Cedar Grove Historical Society. Michael Middleton, jmiddl2778@aol.com, 973-356-5961, Fairfield resident, preservation architect with Li/Saltzman Architects in NYC. Sharon Olson, slopoet@gmail.com, 203-893-3497. Fifth great-granddaughter of Peter Van Ness, Annapolis, MD, resident. Responsible for nominating the house for endangered status in 2019.

Peter Van Ness House, 236 Little Falls Road, Fairfield, New Jersey