The Friends of the

Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead

Cordially Invite You To The

Annual Membership Meeting

Friday, March 12, 2009

7:30 PM

The Brick Academy

15 West Oak Street

Basking Ridge, NJ

Annual President’s Report

Election of Trustees

Peter Carhart and Peter Hall, nominees for 3 year term

Please RSVP by March 8

kmsfarmstead@t3consortium.com

Saturday & Sunday, October 10 – 11, 2009 

As part of Somerset County’s Journey through the Past, the KMS farmstead and arts center will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday, October 10-11, 2009

Saturday: 10:30 -5:00pm
Sunday: 12-5:00pm

Come Join us for a open house at the KMS Artscenter

Events:

• There will be guided tours of the Historic Farmhouse and English Barn and exhibits of Revolutionary War-era artifacts and historic farm tools throughout the weekend. 
• The Girl Scouts will lead fun activities for the kids, including art projects and games from the Colonial times.
•  On Sunday from 1 – 3 , come meet “Reverend Kennedy”  and others from the history of the Farmstead, who will  be dressed for the occasion and ready to guide you through a typical day  on the Farm during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. 
• Also on Sunday from 1 – 3, Troubador Bill Ward will stroll the grounds singing songs from the 1800’s and 1900’s.

For additional information and details, please contact:

908-696-0906 / Kathleen Kleiber

For a complete listing of all tour stops for the Journey Through the Past – Click Here or paste http://www.schistoryweekend.com/

About the KMS Artscenter

The Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead sits on a pastoral setting along the Passaic River and is an important historic site dating to the Revolutionary War. Its four historic structures are currently in the process of being restored for fine and performing arts, for community events and for interpretive historic exhibits and education.

The structures consist of an 18th century farmhouse, a circa 1800 wagon house, a mid-to late 18th century barn, and a number of 19th century outbuildings. The farmhouse, wagon house and English barn are significant early examples of English and modified Dutch framing techniques, as well as for their association with the Reverend Samuel Kennedy, a distinguished local minister and educator; and Colonel Ephraim Martin, a Revolutionary War hero and New Jersey Legislator.

The KMS Farmstead received a note from Richard Stelle of New York, a  direct descendant of the KMS farmstead along with an image of John Stelle; owner of the farmstead and the “S” in KMS farmstead. Below is a note he wrote with the image:

“A portrait of John Stelle (rhymes with bell) (1790-1850), son of Oliver Stelle (1756-1832), owner during his time at the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead. The original, in my possession, is a tintype. The portrait was taken in 1850, when John Stelle visited his son Jacob Kirkpatrick Stelle in Jerseyville, Illinois in 1850. Several days later, John Stelle died, and was buried in Jerseyville. His wife, Anna Kirkpatrick Stelle (1794-1870), apparently decided to stay in Illinois, and survived another 20 years. We have no picture of Anna.

 This copy of the original tin type was made by a professional restorer, and is the best available copy of the tintype, which is about 2″ high and 1 1/2″ across. We decided not to do extensive touch ups for the copy. But as you can see, if you look carefully, there is a certain depth to the portrait, and a definite sense of the hard life John Stelle had lived. But for  a 60 year old man, he doesn’t look that bad, in my opinion.

I can trace other Stelle ancestors to the general area of the Stelle Farmstead, including in Perth Amboy, North Plainfield, but as far as I know none that have possessions or items from the time.  I can now confirm that the Oliver Stelle and John Stelle who owned this farm are my Great and Great Grandfather’s respectively. The picture of John Stelle that I shared with Mr. Betz, is indeed the same John Stelle.

We will plan to come to visit and will be in contact with you to set up this time. Again, thanks for the work you do to preserve our country’s heritage.”

Richard Stelle

We, Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead (Friends), are honored to have received a grant of $2,000 from the Historical Society of Somerset Hills, the first grant ever awarded by THSSH. We are a 501C3 not for profit group, organized in 2004 as successors to the Kennedy Farmstead Task Force that had been appointed by Bernards Township in 2001. We lease this secluded four acre tract on the banks of the Passaic River and its four 18th century buildings from Bernards Township. It is our responsibility to preserve the buildings and to operate the Farmstead to provide historical education and as a center for the arts for the benefit of the public. The generous THSSH (www.historicalsocietyofsomersethills.org) grant provides much needed financial support for this effort.

KMS History

The KMS Farmstead is an  important historical landmark that is listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Since Nathaniel Rolfe first homesteaded the land in 1740 it was continuously farmed until 1999. Progressing down its 1000 foot access lane at 450 King George Road past its 18th Century barns to the Farm House on the bank of the Passaic River is a step back in time evocative of the 18th and 19th Century life when farms like this formed the basis for local culture. Rolfe built the first part of the Farm House in 1750. Rev. Samuel Kennedy, who was the fourth pastor of the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church, lived here from 1760 until 1768 and on this property established a classical school which prepared young men to attend Kings College (Princeton University).

This school moved several times, finally in 1809 to the Brick Academy in Basking Ridge. Colonel Ephraim Martin, who lived on the farm from 1768 to 1794, was a Revolutionary War patriot who served under General, Lord Stirling, and was wounded in the battles of Long Island and Monmouth. While living in the Farm House he was elected to the newly created State Legislature and thus became a Founding Father of the state of New Jersey. Catherine Stelle, Colonel Martin’s third wife, acquired the property in 1794 and her descendants lived on the Farmstead until the 1940’s.

Volunteers

Tremendous amounts of work accomplished during the past eight years resulted from a wide spectrum of forces: preservation grants from the Somerset County Historic Preservation Trust & the Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund, financial support from Bernards Township, advisory and administrative support from the Township’s engineering staff, pro bono help from many local businesses, and diverse participation by 110 volunteers.

These volunteers, many of whom are members of THSSH, have accomplished important tasks ranging from heavy and dirty (using sledge hammers to remove a 20th century shower stall, repairing the Cow Shed roof, and cleaning the basement), to intellectual (creating a first rate web site, and writing grant applications), to social and educational (greeting the public and conducting tours of the property), to exciting (while removing 20th century wallpaper, wallboard and paneling in the Farm House, volunteers found two previously unknown doors between rooms and a stairway from the kitchen to the second floor that had been boxed in to form closets).

Restoration Update

To date the exterior of the big English Barn has been completely preserved, and the collapsing Dairy Barn has been removed. The Wagon House and Cow Shed have been shored up with support beams. Extensive progress has been made in preserving the Farm House with major accomplishments that include: foundation repaired, vinyl siding removed and clapboard repaired and painted, a new cedar-shingle roof installed, new electrical, heating and air conditioning systems installed, and a French drain and sump pump system installed in the basement. More Farm House work is currently underway to repair and insulate windows and to repair plaster. This April we applied to Somerset County for funds to complete work on the Farm House – refurbish two bathrooms, paint the interior, install a new galley-kitchen and build an exterior access ramp to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

If this grant is awarded we will complete work on Farm House so two arts organizations can begin using the building. The Eastern Conservatory of Music and Art will use the first and second floors to expand its operations from its current location in Lamington, N. J. The non-profit Conservatory’s instructors, including those from Julliard and Peabody conservatories, will provide music lessons for individuals and chamber music ensembles and present performances by professional musicians for the education of students and the enjoyment of the general public. The well established Raritan Valley Art Association plans to make the Farmstead a permanent home for its 100 members. The Friends are continuing discussions with other established local arts organizations and practitioners about providing a variety of arts programs at the Farmstead.

Come Visit

Open House Weekend
Scheduled Oct 10-11,2009

In October the Farmstead will once again participate in the Somerset County “Weekend Journey Through the Past,” and in 2010 will help celebrate the 250th anniversary of Bernards Township with historical and arts events at the Farmstead. For more insights into the Farmstead go to our web site, www.kmsfarmstead.org . If you’d like to schedule a private tour, or to find out how you can help, call John Campbell on 908 647-2241.

Thanks again to THSSH for its generous grant and the continuing involvement of many of its members in this exciting project.

From left: Somerset County Freeholder Peter Palmer, Kennedy Farmstead VP Ann Osterdale Rosenblum, Bernards Township Committeeman, Scott Spitzer, liaison to the Kennedy Farmstead Board.

Pictured are (from left to Right) former Bernards Twp Mayor, Carolyn Kelly, John Campbell, and Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission Chair Ann Osterdale Rosenblum at the Awards

Bernards Twp – November 20, 2008 -

Somerset Hills YMCA Volunteer Recognition Night honors those who give back to their community.

The YMCA Volunteer Recognition awards honored John Campbell at this year’s Somerset Hills YMCA Volunteer Recognition Night.

The event, held on Thursday, November 20, 2008, at the Old Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, marked the 21st anniversary f the awards. The evening provides participating organizations the opportunity to honor their own volunteers, share in the community’s spirit of volunteerism as well as learn about one another’s volunteer programs.  The 2008 awards were presented to 17 recipients from fifteen community non-profit organizations.

“I am honored to receive this award,” stated Campbell, “but, I am simply the tip of the iceberg.  Over the past 9 years many people have played crucial roles in bringing the Farmstead project to its current state.  A total of 109 volunteers have helped with the project – writing business plans, exploring potential synergies with area arts organizations, taking pictures,  removing 20th century wall paper and wall board, cleaning roof gutters, writing grant applications, negotiating with contractors, making presentations to various Township committees.”

“Working with individuals who have provided so much personal effort and financial support, with the Farmstead’s neighbors, and with the Township’s political leaders and the municipal staff, has been truly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. ”

John Campbell’s volunteer affiliations include in addition to the KMS Farmstead,  the Historical Society of the Somerset Hills, the Bernards Township Planning Board, Bernards Township Recreation, and the Bernards Township Parks and Pathways Committees as well.

John is married to his wife June and have three grown children: Edith Bryan, Jeffrey, and Daniel.

The Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead is a non-profit 501c(3) organization formed in June of 2004 by a group of local residents and citizens wanting to preserve, develop and operate the KMS Farmstead as a historic landmark in Bernards Township.

There are currently approximately 50 dues-paying members.  Six trustees presently form our Board as of July 1, 2008.  

Welcome to the internet home of the Farmstead Center for the Arts, also known as the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead.

The Farmstead is an important historic site dating to the Revolutionary War, and is listed on both the National and New Jersey Register of Historic Places.

The Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead have been working to restore the four historical structures on the site with the goal of creating a center for fine and performing arts, and a place to host community events, interpretive historic exhibits and other types of community and educational activities.

We’ve come a long way…and we’re glad you’re here to visit. There will continue to be interactive additions to this site and we hope you visit us often.

Sincerely,

The Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead

Also known as:

Farmstead Arts
Farmstead Arts Center
KMS Farmstead
Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead
Friends of the Farmstead
Friends of the KMS Farmstead