Monroe Township, New Jersey history

23, 1838, Monroe, named after the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe, broke away from South Amboy and was incorporated as an independent municipality by the New Jersey State Legislature.

By 1839, Squankum had grown to include 10 businesses and 40 dwellings, a few farms, and a church.

In 1840 the Williamstown Presbyterian Church had organized.

By 1842 an increase in population caused a new post office to be established.

In 1844 a Sunday school was formed.

The first frame school house was built in 1849.

The township of Monroe was formed in March of 1859 at which time Williamstown was designated as a place of elections and town meetings.

The Chew family, an early name in the area, arrived about 1862 and was known to have operated a saw mill where Coles Mill stood.

In 1864 residents of Downer voted for Abraham Lincoln and were driven to the polls by Arthur Downer himself.

In about 1870 the town was honored with the presence of the great orator Horace Greeley who was the main speaker when a new fence was put around the Methodist Cemetery to replace the old wooden one.

By 1871 the population had grown sufficiently large to require the need of a school.

In 1872 a new school was built where the Maple Grove School now stands.

To contact the Monroe Township Historical Society, please call (856) 318-1877.

In 1883 a Post Office was set-up at which time the named was changed to Cecil to honor Lord Cecil, a respected Commissioner of the Exeter in England from whence the Coles originated.

The Roman Catholic Church too had an early beginning and in 1903 the first Mass was celebrated in the old Town Hall.

Banking in the town started in 1904 with the establishment of a bank on Main St opposite the Washington Hotel.

In 1919 a new industry rose in Monroe Township, the Williamstown Foundry.

John Downer himself died in 1928 and as he requested, was buried in the Williamstown Methodist Cemetery.

In 1949 a property on Library Street was bought for a parochial school.

Chief Corbett retired from the Navy Reserves in December, 2008 with over 21 years of service.

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