The Plum House In Newark NJ
Date
2008-01-17
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Description
This house was built about 1726 and today serves as the Rectory for The House of Prayer. Over six decades later in 1777, Ann Van Wagenen Plume became a local legend for standing up to a group of boorish Hessians or German mercenaries fighting for the British. Her husband, Isaac Plume, was away fighting in the Continental Army and Ann was on her own minding the farm. One day she came upon the soldiers chopping wood in her living room, and angrily ordered them out. When one of them threatened to shoot her, she dared him to do it by telling him she was prepared to die. The soldiers promptly left the house. Days later when the soldiers were still lingering around her property, she locked one of them in her ice house. When the Continental Army arrived the Hessian escaped from the ice house by climbing out a small window, leaving behind his helmet. In both cases, Ann winds up with the brass decoration from his helmet which was then used as the door knocker for the rectory.
Original file name Newark 10 (2).jpg
Original file name Newark 10 (2).jpg
Keywords
The Plum House, Historic House, American History, House of Prayer, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, New Jersey Register of Historic Places, Newark, Newark New Jersey, Essex County, Gateway, New Jersey, NJ, Jersey, The Garden State