In approximately 1677, Andrew Smith, Sr. of Yorkshire, England came to America with a land grant from the King. He was quite possibly the man who named Hopewell Township, NJ in 1688. This name may have originated from the ship “Hopewell” which safely brought early English emigrants across the Atlantic. Or, like many other towns, the name could have originated from a hometown in England.
Andrew Smith, Sr. left his legacy to his son Andrew Smith, Jr. along with 200 acres within the town. Andrew Smith, Jr. then established Crown Charter Farm in 1712. The name suggests loyalty to the king, or a mark of appreciation for the land. The home, which stands on the property (now a small farm of 7 acres), has a stone carved into it which reads “1712″. In this home, Andrew Smith, Jr. and his wife Sarah Stout, raised their children (approximately 13 of them, although not all lived through childhood). One of their children was named Mary Smith, nicknamed “Hopewell”. She married into the Hunt family, and now the name “Hopewell Hunt” is found all over the township. The Smith family is buried in a cemetery down the road from the farm.
The property and home still retain many original features. On the lowest level of the home is a large, stone fireplace where the family would have cooked their meals and heated the house. That room leads to an original flagstone porch, which is right next to a small spring house. Stone walls and the original dug-out channel were used once to keep perishables submerged in cold spring water. A smoke house is on the other side of the house, with hooks still in the stone that meat would have hung from. The barn has an old, stone base and a painted mural of the original American Flag on the side of it. There is also a pond on the property, which has several old pieces in it, possibly parts of a dock or for fishing purposes.