Local History

About the Collection

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Types of Material:

The collection is available to all interested persons whenever the Library is open. All the material in the Franklin Township Local History collection is for reference only and may not be checked out. A photocopier is provided in the Library for those who wish to make copies. A microfilm reader/printer is available to read and make copies of the newspapers on microfilm.

New Jersey Collection

To browse a subject in our New Jersey Collection pick a subject and click search:

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The New Jersey Collection contains materials dealing with all aspects of New Jersey life from history to social issues. The collection contains both circulating and non-circulating materials.

Click here to browse circulating materials in the New Jersey Collection.

Click here to browse non-circulating materials in the New Jersey Collection.

Geneaology

Local Genealogy Sites and Information

The following is a list of websites and documents that will aid the researcher in topics related to the genealogy and history of Franklin Township and its surrounding areas.

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Middlesex County Genealogy

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Church Records

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Military Reocrds

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Historic Buildings of Franklin Township

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Maps of Franklin Township

LoC American Memory-- "A map of Rariton River, Milstone River, South River ... (1685)"
LoC American Memory--"Map of Somerset County, New Jersey"
The above two maps come from the Library of Congress' American Memory Collections which includes materials documenting the history of the American people. To search the maps collection click here.
Franklin Township, NJ 1873
Franklin Township Photo Archive
The Franklin Township Photo Archive contains a number of maps of the area.
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Early Local Families

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Biographical Links to Famous Franklinites

"The American Revolution and the Post-Revolutionary Era: A Historical Legacy"
A detailed account from the National Counterintelligence Center that gives a history of the counterintelligence movement (i.e. spies) from the Revolutionary war until after the First World War. The section linked here details some of the known spies during the Revolutionary Era, amongst which was Frankliite John Honeyman.
"The Founding Fathers of American Intelligence"
A lengthy essay from the CIA discussing the early American members of the intelligence community, amongst these was Frankliite John Honeyman.
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Obituaries and Cemetery Records

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Photograph Collections

Elton Wade Photograph Collection

About the Elton H. L. Wade Photograph Collection

View the Exhibit Elton Wade

Elton H. L. (Henry Lee) Wade was an amateur photographer who lived in the Middlebush area of Franklin Township for most of his life. The collection presented here is a small sample of the over 2,000 photographs taken by Mr. Wade during his lifetime. The collection, in the form of photographic negatives, was donated to the Franklin Township Public Library in 2009 by Mr. Wade's nephew, Robert Zimmermann.

Elton Wade was born on February 11, 1899 in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey. He lived for most of his life in the Middlebush area of Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. He married Sarah Totten. Mr. Wade worked at the New Brunswick Post Office for 46 years and rose to the position of chief accountant, and later Assistant Postmaster. He died on May 5, 1980 at the age of 81.

Most of the photographs in this collection were taken by Mr. Wade, although some were taken by family and friends. The collection captures images of Mr. Wade's extended family, as well as life in the Franklin Township area. Mr. Wade also took pictures during vacations and travels around New Jersey and nearby states.

Mr. Wade's most notable photograph was undoubtedly the picture he took on a summer day of his three nephews fishing and reclining on the banks of the Delaware & Raritan Canal. He entered that photograph in an Eastman Kodak international photo contest. Mr. Wade won the first prize of $100, representing New Jersey. His photograph appeared in a full-page ad on the back cover of the Saturday Evening Post July 2, 1932 issue.

Mr. and Mrs. Wade lived near many other members of the Wade and Totten families. Elton's older brother G. Harold Wade was married to Sarah's sister Marian Totten Wade. They were also residents of the Middlebush area of Franklin Township. The three boys in Elton's prize-winning photograph were Harold and Marian's children: George H. Wade, Jr., Alan T. Wade, and E. Leslie Wade.

Over time, Library staff will digitize the collection, catalog the photographs, and create exhibits of the photographs for display on the Library's website. Mr. Wade kept meticulous records about most of the photographs he took. He recorded information about the date of the photograph, the subjects, the lighting conditions, and more, and that information will be included in the Library's online exhibit. As additional photographs are added to the online collections, the Library will also provide genealogical information whenever possible to help document the extended family.

The Franklin Township Public Library is delighted to be able to share these photographs that document Mr. Wade's life and that of the Franklin Township community in the early 20th century. Please check back frequently as new photographs will be added monthly!

View the Exhibit

Franklin Township Public Library Photgraph Collection

Franklin Township Public Library Photgraph Collection >>