I can’t think of a better year to visit Morven than in this semiquincentennial year, or a better season to visit its gardens — except, perhaps, spring.
Morven, of course, was the home of signer of the Declaration of Independence Richard Stockton. Stockton (1730-1781) was a native of Princeton and graduated first in his class at the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. He was elected to the Second Continental Congress and was one of the five signers of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey. His wife, Annis Boudinot Stockton, was a poet and one of the first women to be published in the colonies.
Stockton acquired the property in 1754, but the original structure and kitchen burned down in 1758. The Stocktons rebuilt it as a brick structure. In the early 1800s, Morven was renovated under the ownership of Richard Stockton and his wife.
The entrance for the tour begins on the side of the home.
Several generations of Stocktons lived at Morven over the years, but during the 1930s and 1940s, Morven was home to Robert Wood Johnson, president and chairman of Johnson & Johnson.
In the 1940s, Gov. Walter Edge and his wife purchased Morven and eventually gifted it to the state of New Jersey. A quote from Edge’s autobiography reads, “Few things in my life have given me more satisfaction than the dedication of the Princeton Battlefield and the gift of Morven to the state.”
Gov. Richard Hughes and his wife lived at Morven during the 1960s and hosted many political leaders at the home. Betty Hughes had a newspaper column recounting some of these encounters called “Memo from Morven.”
Brendan Byrne, elected governor in 1973, moved into Morven with his wife and seven children that year. Morven later transitioned from a governor’s residence into a museum.
The halls here are filled with portraits of dignitaries and former residents, but the current exhibit on display is entitled “Five Independent Souls — The Signers from New Jersey.” Here, we learn of John Witherspoon, Richard Stockton, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart and Abraham Clark, the five signers of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey.
The exhibit not only explores their decision to stand up to England, but also examines the contradiction of men who put their lives on the line for freedom while some were themselves slaveholders.
There are many, many things to read, examine and admire in the museum, such as the most beautiful piano I’ve ever seen — an 8-foot Steinway & Sons piano.
Once you have sated your desire for history, there is still a wonderful garden and grounds to explore! I must also note that I have never seen bees this size in my life! It was like being in the “Bee Movie”! But the bees certainly keep the gardens bright and beautiful!
As the afternoon sun started to drop in the sky, the patinaed weathervane let us know it was time to head home.
At the end of the tour, the museum even provides visitors with a family tree of the Potters and Stocktons to take home with them, making it much easier to follow the lineages. I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone.
If You Go
Morven Museum & Garden is located at 55 Stockton St. in Princeton. The current exhibition, “Five Independent Souls — The Signers from New Jersey,” explores the lives and legacies of New Jersey’s five signers of the Declaration of Independence. Learn more and find out their current hours at their website.
