 "Very interesting and informative" - - - Fairfield Mayor William Galese BY PAUL POLLIO OF THE FAIRFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY THIS IS THE TEXT PORTION ONLY. THE FULL ARTICLE WITH PHOTO COLLAGES CAN BE REQUESTED OF PAUL POLLIO : [email protected] MARCH 28, 2023  Remembering Eleanor Schubert ( 1921 – 2022 ) and George Pierce ( 1930 – 2023 )  Fairfield’s first inhabitants were Native Americans who arrived over 10,000 years ago and were the ancestors to the Lenape Nation that hunted, fished, and cultivated crops in villages along the Passaic River. The first Europeans in this area were Dutch and Dutch acculturated French Huguenots[i] ( together called ‘Jersey Dutch’ ) who followed the rivers into the Passaic River Valley that was already deliberately altered by the Lenape for agricultural purposes. [ii] This was one of many reasons why Frontier Farmers were attracted to “Gansegat” [iii] the first Dutch name given to the Fairfield area. In 1701 Simon Van Ness and eight Dutch partners purchased thousands of acres of Fairfield land from the Lenape.[iv] About the same time the Dey and Francisco ( sometimes today as Sisco ) Families of Huguenot descent also bought substantial acreage from the Natives who were then relocating to the north and west. These Frontier Families along with the Pier, Bush, Kierstead, Speer, and Vanderhoof Families formed the nucleus of the Dutch Reformed Church Congregation that was organized in 1720. For over fifty years this House of Worship was the only sanctuary building in all of Western Essex County and served as the center of all religious, cultural and social life. ( The present building was built in 1804 with the labor of its Parishioners setting the brownstone that was quarried in nearby Little Falls and generously donated by its Minister John Duryea ). During the 1740’s, many land disputes arose because early Settlers possessed only Indian deeds, ‘improvement deeds’, or were outright squatters on Royal land. When the East Jersey Proprietors took actions to evict illegal occupants, riots by land claimants ensued. These ‘Horseneck Riots’ were conducted almost exclusively by outraged descendents of English Puritans who were expanding westward from their original Newark Settlements. Although the Fairfield ‘Jersey Dutch’ may have been sympathetic to the plight of their neighbors and faced similar ownership issues and back taxes, there is no real proof that they participated in any significant way. Virtually all Horseneck Rioters arrested, convicted, penalized and dispossessed had English surnames.[v] Footnotes : [i] The Huguenots were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism just like their Dutch Reformed brethren. [ii] Land & People A Cultural Geography of Preindustrial New Jersey : Origins and Settlement Patterns / Peter O. Wacker 1975 page 57 [iii] For many decades “Gansegat” has been fancifully translated as a Dutch word for “Ducks Pond.” However, there seems to be no plausible path to such an interpretation. [iv] Since all deed boundary markers were stated in Lenape nomenclature, the total acreage of this 1701 purchase has never been determined. Authors and Journalist’s who state ’14,000 acres’ are conflating this purchase with a different tract altogether. [v] The Jersey Dutch and Puritan English harbored little love for one another. This cultural insularity was palpable in 18th century West Essex. At the time, they didn’t even speak the same language. See 07004history.com Article 8 Horseneck Riots Revisited March 1, 2019. In 1798 New Jersey established Caldwell Township as one of the original 104 State Townships, forming it from parts of the vast Newark ( Horseneck Section ) and Acquackanonk territories of Essex County. [i] Caldwell Township was named after Revolutionary War Hero and Presbyterian Minister - James Caldwell – nicknamed the "Fighting Parson"[ii] who had strong ties to the First Presbyterian Church in Caldwell Village. For more than two centuries today’s Fairfield was almost entirely dedicated to subsistence farming. Part of their surplus yields ( Eggs, Milk, Poultry, Pork, Vegetables, Fruits, etc. ) were bartered or sold to merchants for non-local essentials ( Tobacco, Sugar, Molasses, Coffee, Flour, Tools, etc. ). Even the vast Great Piece and Little Piece Meadows were groomed sources of an annual 2,000 ton hay crop. After mechanization of Farming, vegetable ‘truck’ farms[iii] emerged to meet rising consumer demand by selling produce to city farm markets in Paterson, Newark, Orange and New York. The most famous and successful farm was the Fairfield Dairy that attained worldwide recognition for developing ‘Certified Milk’ an entirely new level of milk quality and purity. Owned and operated by the Francisco Family, Stephen ‘Dutch’ Francisco partnered with Dr. Henry Leber Coit a Newark Pediatrician to remedy milk borne diseases such as typhoid fever, tuberculosis and diphtheria.[iv] Today, 150 years later such diseases are extremely rare with vaccinations and milk pasteurization, but back then one out of five babies died before their first birthday. In 1893 Francisco and Dr. Coit created the Essex County Medical Milk Board and drafted a 68 point contract that contained all the policies and procedures necessary to produce bacteria free milk. This was 13 years before the first Federal Food and Drug Act ( 1906 ). The ‘Certified Milk’ crusade was already being spread from coast to coast. Coit and Francisco were ‘rock stars’ in the pure milk business. Milk Commissions similar to Coit’s in Essex County were being formed in major cities across the Country. Francisco trademarked the ‘Certified Milk’ designation but it was too late to benefit from it because it had already become a common term within the industry. [i] Shaw, William H. History of Essex and Hudson Counties, New Jersey Vol 2 1884 page 830 [ii] Reverend James Caldwell Patriot 1734-1781 Norman F. Brydon 1976 [iii] “Truck Farming" is the horticultural practice of growing one or more vegetable crops on a large scale. The old French word ‘troquer’ means barter or exchange, and has nothing to do with motor vehicles, trucks or tractors. [iv] The named diseases can also be contracted by polluted drinking water and wells, unsanitary living conditions, etc. At one time, Newark N.J. was considered the Nation’s unhealthiest city. See : Galishoff, Stuart., Newark – The Nation’s Unhealthiest City 1832 – 1895 (1975 ) ( With hindsight, Francisco could have retired a rich man if he registered and certified dairies for fees like ‘Kosher’ and ‘Organic’ as Producers are so authorized today. )[i] This was the first time in Fairfield’s history that the small rural Community could boast of being home to the ‘best in the world’. There will be two more times that Fairfield will garner such worldwide acclaim. Milk was not the only source of bacterial contamination. Prior to 1892, public city water was being drawn from the Passaic River after it had flowed through Paterson and Passaic who were then releasing various pollutants and sewerage. Filtering did not make the water safe from bacteria, so country reservoirs and pipelines were created with successful results. First, the Newark Watershed and pipeline (1892), then Jersey City’s Boonton Reservoir and pipeline (1901). The six foot Jersey City water pipe ran easterly 3.5 miles through Fairfield pleasing some Farmers who welcomed right-of-way compensation. The piped water that flowed under Fairfield was the first chlorinated public water supply in the Nation.[ii] The success of these reservoirs would soon influence a proposal to create an enormous new reservoir that would place Fairfield totally under water. The N.J. State Geologist’s Department was under increasing pressure to mitigate the extensive downstream flood damage caused by record setting deluges in 1902 and 1903. The 1905 N.J. Geologic Survey proposed a mile long dam at Little Falls that would inundate 35,000 acres of Passaic Valley lowlands. For an estimated $ 13 million dollars, flood waters could be retained then released during dry months ( when drying riverbanks emitted fetid odors ). Potable water could be made available to cities in need, hydro electric power could be generated, and some ‘shoreline’ commercialization could produce income. [iii] Luckily for Fairfield the New Jersey Legislature did not approve the proposal ( that could have made the Reformed Church steeple a lighthouse ! ). Also in 1905 the Township consolidated two one room Schoolhouses and a third rented Schoolroom into a new four classroom Elementary School. Two grade levels per classroom, costing the Community less than $ 6,000. [i] For more details including the demise of this great Dairy Operation see 07004history.com articles 11 and 12. [ii] The Chlorine Revolution : Water Disinfection and the fight to save lives / Michael J. McGuire. 2013 [iii] New Jersey Geological Survey. 1905 Annual Report The new Elementary School was the first significant Township building that came after Fairfield’s final borders were established in 1904. Some writers called this area “undeveloped” then because Farmhouses, Farms, and only a few stores, Blacksmiths, Inns and Taverns were in Town at the time. The Dutch Reformed Church building was now 100 years old and a Methodist Church at Clinton’s ‘Piers Corner’ intersection was then 52 years old. Rural Communities had little services and utilities at the turn of the century. A few good roads, some electric power and indoor plumbing, but no phones or automobiles yet. Mail had to be picked up at Dey’s General Store, with Train and Trolley service only available in Caldwell or Singac ( Little Falls ). In 1916 New Jersey laid out its first thirteen ‘highways’ designating an East/West Route 12 through Fairfield. It was truly a ‘route’ because it simply connected existing roads without any construction or improvements. This old Route 12 ran 65 miles from Paterson to Phillipsburg at the Delaware River Crossing there. Locally it ran west from Little Falls Road to Fairfield Road; to Clinton Road; to Oak Road; then to Bloomfield Avenue over the Pine Brook Bridge. About eleven years later the State renumbered Route 12 as Route 6 and bypassed the Little Falls Road section with a newly constructed bridge to Wayne ( Willowbrook ). The old Clinton Schoolhouse became the Municipal Building after it was vacated in 1905. All Township Meetings, Local Court Proceedings, and Voting took place there. If there was an immediate criminal matter, the Township Constable would take the accused to the Judge’s home for a hearing. In April 1917 President Woodrow Wilson entered the U.S. into World War 1 against the ‘Central Powers’ requiring immediate training of 500,000 troops . The ‘Associated Rifle Clubs of New York and New Jersey’ coalition pointed out an ideal location for a Rifle Training Range in Fairfield’s Great Piece Meadow along Horseneck Road. Caldwell Progress Publisher William H. Van Wart rallied local Congressmen and the Governors of N.Y. and N.J.to support a 2,000 acre Military Training site between Big Piece Road and the Passaic River. The Fairfield location was an easy choice because it was inexpensive meadowland, expandable, inside an area with a population of 10 million people ( Greater NYC ), in the direct path of Troops bound for Europe, and had an unlimited chlorinated water supply ( Jersey City pipeline ran under the site ).[i] Lt. Colonel William C. Harllee of the U.S. Marines had already established or expanded 13 Rifle Ranges nationwide, but he chose the proposed ‘Caldwell Range’ to be his ‘crown jewel’ by incorporating all of his best-liked features.[ii] The first 50 Navy ‘Blue Jackets’ arrived in mid July of 1918 to begin construction of the massive Training Campus. Soon there were 780 ‘Jackies’ modifying the terrain and fabricating dozens of essential and ancillary buildings. Within only eight weeks rifle, pistol, and machine gun training commenced. The Knights of Columbus and the YM/WCA built large ‘huts’ to accommodate and entertain the servicemen and trainees. The Red Cross also supported the site especially when the Flu Pandemic infected 25% of the contingent.[iii] Only 38 days after the October 5, 1918 official opening ceremonies WW1 ended. But soon there was other good news, the Navy and the National Rifle Association ( NRA ) agreed to cosponsor the National Rifle Matches at the CNRR. For over 20 years these annual NRA Matches drew thousands of shooting competitors and spectators from around the World. With the War over, the U.S. Army also sought to display and demonstrate all of its latest technology, equipment, field guns, ordnance, tanks, aircraft[iv], etc. What was ‘top secret’ only a few months earlier was now for everyone to see. It was going to be the greatest Military exhibition and shooting competition ever known. And it was. Thousands upon thousands of enthusiasts and NRA devotees converged on Fairfield during the month of August 1919. This would be the second time that Fairfield could irrefutably boast of having achieved ‘World’s Best’ status. Lt. Colonel W.C. ‘Bo’ Harllee and the U.S.N. always wanted CNRR to be a permanent Rifle Training Camp, especially because ‘any Citizen capable of bearing arms’ could be expertly instructed there with free cartridges and even loaned rifles. But after “The War That Will End all Wars”,[i] the Navy had other priorities and more economical options. On April 27, 1920 the War Department abandoned the site and sold the 50+ government owned buildings for $15,000. [i] Drainage and mosquitoes were disadvantages that were overcome successfully at other lowland Ranges established by Lt. Colonel Harllee. Thus considered only minor concerns. [ii] Marine from Manatee: A Tradition of Rifle Marksmanship, by John Harllee 1984 [iii] Six CNRR Servicemen died in the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. There were no medicines or vaccines at this time. Nationwide 4,158 Sailors and Marines died from this deadly illness. [iv] The 7 aircraft demonstrated by the Army Air Force were the first ‘aeroplanes’ to ever fly into Fairfield. This was on the CNRR Grounds on Horseneck Road (not 2.5 miles away at the Fairfield Dairy Property that eventually became Curtiss-Marvin Airport ten years later ). This was a big blow to Fairfield, but not the only one at the time. The great Fairfield Dairy was devastated by a bovine tuberculosis outbreak that required 35% of its dairy herd to be destroyed. This along with the associated negative press forced the Francisco’s to begin parceling off their land, then eventually closing altogether. This was particularly heartbreaking for the Townspeople because Stephen and Lydia Francisco were highly respected members of the Fairfield Reformed Church and Community. They were Fairfield’s “FRIENDS OF LITTLE CHILDREN” and much more. 1920 held great significance for Women who could now vote for the very first time. No one was prouder than 83 year old Mary R. Van Ness Francisco when she entered the old Clinton Schoolhouse to cast her vote for President. ( Mary actually lived 3 years longer than Warren Harding who won the election ). Fairfield was now changing like other rural farm communities. After WW1 the Great Depression began for Farmers as overproduction collapsed crop sales.[ii] One unfortunate remedy was to sell land. Large farms were subdivided into smaller farms that then became affordable for foreign born buyers. Of these ‘new’ buyers, many saved their city sweatshop and ‘slave wages’ for farm mortgages, so they could return to their former European agrarian lifestyles. Total electrification of Fairfield was still 10 years away but telephones with 6 customer party lines were available. Each of the 6 lines had its own unique ring. The early 1920’s may have seemed like quiet times following the Fairfield Dairy and Caldwell Naval Rifle Range years, but not to Chief Constable Morris E. Collerd. After working on the Family Farm most of the day, Morris would patrol Fairfield for four hours on his motorcycle. Given only a badge, a night stick, and a pistol that couldn’t shoot straight, Morris kept the peace with the help of Deputies as needed.[iii] [i] Quote attributed to H.G. Wells in his 1914 book ‘The War That Will End War’ [ii] See : https://www.history.com/news/roaring-twenties-labor-great-depression by Becky Little March 23, 2021 History.com [iii] Constable Deputies on call were: Vincent Mullane, Rudolph Geiger, John Filipow, Robert Henning, and Charles Voelker Sr ( Father of Police Chief Charles Voelker and Grandfather of Chief Chuck Voelker). Automobiles were becoming more popular, so ‘city folks’headed to the country for weekend pleasure rides, picnics, camping, canoeing, fishing, swimming and plenty of fresh country air. Route 12 remained the primary east/west thoroughfare with refreshment stands, gas stations, taverns, farm produce stands, and even a fortune-telling shack popping up along the way. Arthur Talamini operated one of the finest Refreshment Stands along this route, with Austin and Grace Speer operating another popular store two miles west at Hollywood Avenue.[i] It now became necessary for Chief Constable Collerd to direct traffic every Sunday at the Two Bridges Road and Fairfield Road Intersection. It would soon become even busier when an Amusement Park expanded to a 25 acre campus at Fairfield’s eastern border. Grandview Park would soon feature 35 big rides, over 80 concessions, and two enormous pools featuring 4,000 lockers and sandy beaches. A 900 ft. Dock on the Passaic River allowed for a huge boat rental fleet, and dancing marathons, weekly boxing matches, and even a skating rink were eventually added. The Amusement Park claimed that they could accommodate 50,000 guests daily and had 3,000 parking places. Although only half of the gigantic 200’ x 220’ pool and a racetrack were inside Fairfield’s Municipal border, the large crowds increased various activities for miles around. This was great news for local businesses but only more headaches for Chief Constable Collerd. In 1926 with Elementary School enrollment at 165 the Township added a brick annex of two classrooms, an auditorium and a small kitchen to the 1905 structure. After a long period of inactivity, a new Fire Department movement was started in 1926 by Chief Andrew Shaw with a new group of Volunteers : Sam Klein, Lloyd Van Ness, Bill Wohkittel, Joe Schubert, Bill Stanek Sr., Lou LaRegina, Edgar Schmitt, Harold Jacobus, Al Sisco, Ralph Kent, Bert Garrabrant and Bert Steinert. Ray Collerd and Lou Schlapfer carried over their service from the original 1911 ‘Horse and Wagon’ Fire Company. They were all rightfully proud of Fairfield’s first Fire Truck, a 1927 Day-Elder.[ii] [i] For additional details about these two stores narrated by Family Members see : https://www.07004history.com/blog/early-stores-in-fairfield [ii] Undated Caldwell Progress clipping authored by Walter Kulick a long time Fairfield Fireman. 1927 was an important year for Transportation in Northern New Jersey. The Holland Tunnel opened for traffic and construction of the George Washington Bridge had already begun. New Jersey also renumbered its Highways that year officially changing Route Number 12 to Route Number 6. In a few years Route 6 would connect the new GW Bridge all the way across Northern N.J. to the Delaware Water Gap. This didn’t immediately impact Fairfield, but increasing property values in Bergen, Hudson and Eastern Essex Counties plus improved highways would soon push Farms and other development into Fairfield’s general direction. In April 1929, many years after the Fairfield Dairy had ceased operations, seven men from Montclair announced they were forming Essex Airport Inc. as a private Aviation Association in Fairfield. This was due in part to the ‘flying fever’ that had soared in Montclair after Charles Lindbergh had crossed the Atlantic in 1927.[i] These ‘people of means’ contrasted sharply with their out-country cousins in Fairfield, by imagining a national network of ‘Aviation Country Clubs’ with Flight Instructor Pro’s, Pools, Tennis Courts, and perhaps even Golf and Lodging accommodations. A new Curtiss-Wright holding company also saw an opportunity to combine pilot training, maintenance, fuel, hangar storage, chartering etc. to boost orders for new airplanes, aircraft engines and propellers. So this ‘Marvin Field’[ii] quickly became ‘Curtiss Marvin Airport’ with C-W raising $31 million dollars to add 12 similarly affiliated airports to their national network.[iii] Even the late 1929 Stock Market Crash did not dampen C-W’s enthusiasm to hold a colossal opening day Air Show the following year. On October 26, 1930 over 35,000 spectators showed up for the biggest single day event that Fairfield would ever witness. ‘Speed King’ Frank Hawks flew over the Field at 250+ mph, and USN ‘Stunt Marvel’ Lt. Alford J. Williams performed aerial maneuvers seldom seen before. Also, parachuting, spot landing, and ‘bomb dropping’ competition for $100 prizes wowed the crowds. Hawks and Lt. Williams showed off their skills with a ‘follow the leader’ race full of vertical banks, dives, barrel rolls, and ‘figure eights’, [i] Per : http://marvinairport.blogspot.com/ David Price Cannon 2004 [ii] The new airport was to be called ‘Marvin Field’ after Montclair Native Walter Marvin who spearheaded the initial airport location initiative. [iii] The development of Curtiss-Wright Corporation was complex and multifaceted. See : Curtiss-Wright : Greatness and Decline by Louis R. Eltscher and Edward M. Young 1998 Hundreds of participants were given sightseeing flights over Fairfield in Curtiss ‘Condors’ that were the latest technology in 18 passenger aircraft. (It’s funny that the Condors even had toilets when a large number of Fairfield Families were still using outdoor privys[i] ). The highlight of the show was a near crash when Lt. Williams’ motor quit in the middle of a low inverted pass. Luckily the Navy Pilot glided the aircraft to a safe landing. It was a long and ‘Woodstock-like’ day of exciting events that couldn’t end soon enough as far as Chief Constable Collerd was concerned.[ii] In 1930 the Clinton Methodist Church sponsored a fundraiser by selling embroidered names ( 25 cents each ) onto a “signature quilt” meticulously stitched together by the CMC Members. 42 panels with 16 names each totaled 672 named individuals when the entire Township population was less than 1,000. This may seem of little historical significance, but it serves as an example of how the Greater Fairfield Community supported one another regardless of religious denomination, ethnicity, or position in life. Shortly thereafter, in 1933 the old Clinton School House burned to the ground. Luckily the most important documents were then in the Township Clerk’s home office. The large safe inside was melted into a large steel clump. It was conveniently buried right there ( under today’s Route 46 / Plymouth Street ‘Jughandle’ ). No doubt Constable Collerd rolled up to this fiery scene in his new 1932 Chevrolet that served as Fairfield’s first police car. This ‘Standard Sedan’ had sixty horsepower and a three speed transmission that allowed the Chief Constable to rip down Horseneck Road at a breakneck speed of 55 mph. ( The $600 sales price was equivalent to 200 days of daily patrol wages ). In March 1933 a former Visitor to the Caldwell Naval Rifle Range took Office as President of the United States! Franklin D. Roosevelt was also a Friend of Farm Communities and immediately rendered much needed Federal assistance with price control and farm mortgage refinance laws. Fairfield was also going through some other major changes as a result of Curtiss-Wright greatly expanding the airport. [i] Census data ten years later in 1940 indicated 25% of residences still had “no private baths” per Caldwell Township Information article published about 1951 in Authors possession. [ii] All Constable Collerd’s feelings expressed in this pamphlet were conveyed to Adelia Van Ness Collerd who documented them in her personal notes. Passaic Avenue was now ‘cut through’ being designed as the western part of a so-called ‘Metropolitan Loop Highway,’ a beltway that would began at the GW Bridge then ‘loop’ through Northern N.J. back to Newark.[i] Although this beltway was never fully realized, for Fairfield it became a vital southern artery from Route 6 to Bloomfield Avenue in West Caldwell. The Green Brook millstream that had previously flowed through the Fairfield Dairy pastures would now need to be re routed around the expanded Airport. It would connect with the Deepavaal Brook[ii] ( sometimes called the ‘Great Ditch’ ) a half mile further upstream. ( see map on page 20 ). Similarly, Dutch Lane[iii] one of Fairfield’s main roads for over 175 years, would also need to be relocated. This (Old ) Dutch Lane ran from Franklin Village at Bloomfield Avenue all the way to the Fairfield Road / Hollywood Avenue intersection ( 2.6 miles ). This was previously ‘main street’ for Fairfield Dairy and also the best route for wagon loads of milk bound for their Montclair depot.[iv] With a few property changes and all the necessary approvals ( including a “New Dutch Lane” cut through ), Curtiss-Wright Airport transitioned from the small grass ‘all direction’ airfield into a modern airport. C-W Corporation reorganized and shed all ancillary businesses but retained their core manufacture of airplanes, aircraft engines, and propellers. With large Plants in Paterson ( Wright engines ) and Clifton ( Propellers ) it made business sense back then to hold onto the Fairfield Facility as a C-W Service Center.[v] This focused strategy paid off enormously in 1935 soon after Great Britain boasted about the strength of their Royal Air Force. Hitler and Goering then immediately responded by announcing the formation of their Luftwaffe Aerial Warfare Branch that had already been ramping up significantly in secret. As you can imagine, the panic for advanced military aircraft took off.[vi] C-W was swamped with new orders and could supply our Allies with war planes in about a year. Even though C-W’s competition may have had superior designs, they required two years lead time. In a few years C-W would expand into Fairfield. [i] Per : http://marvinairport.blogspot.com/ David Price Cannon 2004 [ii] Deepavaal like Gansegat has no direct Dutch translation, but it’s plausible that it’s a corruption of ‘Diep Kanaal’ ( Deep Canal in English ). [iii] Dutch Lane was officially made a public road in 1790, but it was a local thoroughfare with homes in the 1750’s. [iv] The West Caldwell section of Old Dutch Lane is now Fairfield Avenue. Dutch Lane was named after the numerous Dutch Families whose homesteads were on this country pathway { Van Ness (3) Cadmus (3), and Westervelt (1)}. [v] New Jersey Hills Media Group March 25, 2007 ‘History of Fairfield’s Essex County Airport’ [vi] See 07004history.com article # 16 here : https://www.07004history.com/blog/fairfield-historical-society-early-aviation-in-fairfield Fairfield Constable Collerd decided it was time to turn in his badge at the end of 1935. Morris was always a full time Farmer and 11 years the Sexton at the Fairfield Reformed Church. Although the Chief Constable’s responsibilities grew dramatically during his tenure, that was not the reason for his resignation. Dozens of ticket ‘squashing’ requests from other policemen on behalf of their law breaking friends was his biggest complaint. This is difficult for us to understand today, but in Morris’ noble view, it was about dignity and honor. Robert G. Henning, Morris’ top Deputy, became Chief Constable briefly, then Chief of Police after the Department was organized by the Township. ( Police Chief Henning served Fairfield honorably for over 25 years ). In 1936 the voters approved a $14,000 bond to build a new Municipal Building, and when it was nearly finished, William Vanderhoof Sr. joined Chief Henning as a Patrolman.[i] While the Municipal Building was being built, a new well was being drilled at John Munkacsy’s Camp Lane picnic grove and beer garden on the Passaic River. John originally came from Hungary to America to study the NY City Water Supply System. But when WW1 began he settled in Passaic N.J. as a model maker for Inventors. Later, his Fairfield residence and part-time picnic grove required a better water supply, so he had a new artesian well drilled there. The water tasted fine, but strangely, it was practically unfit for cooking purposes. When a few Neighbors claimed it cured some of their ailments, John had the water tested by a NJ State Laboratory. The results were stunning, the waters alkalinity was extremely high and it contained over a dozen beneficial minerals. But the ‘curative powers’ is what made this water so popular. Testimony after testimony claimed it immediately cured ailments like “constipation, rheumatism, arthritis and neuritis.” [ii] When word of this ‘curative’ water got out, thousands of people flocked to ‘Munkacsy’s Fountain’ with ‘vinegar jugs, wine bottles, and milk cans’.[iii] At first, John called his water “Red Cross Health Water” but its popularity caught the attention of the Red Cross trademark holder who threatened legal action. Camp Lane and Lane Road Neighbors soon began drilling their own artesian wells and selling brands with names like “Water of Youth, Inc.” etc. [i] After 1937 one Patrolman was added in 1940, 1945, 1947, 1949 and two in 1955. [ii] NY Times The Bottled‐Water War: It All Began in Caldwell in ’37 Sept 16, 1979 Justin B. Galford. Authors note : Actually, bottled water started much sooner when Public Water Supply’s carried bacterial disease that could not be removed by filtration. [iii] Popular Science Monthly Mineral Water Gushers Bring Sudden Wealth In Strange Boom by Edwin Teale January 1938. ( 15 cents ). On Sundays hundreds of cars arrived from over 20 miles away to buy a few gallons of this special mineral water. It was necessary to call in the North Caldwell Police Force to keep the area traffic moving. This would be the third time Fairfield was home to an undisputed World Leader. Munkacsy’s Mineral Water was entered into the 1939 World’s Fair competition for Mineral Waters. The Fairfield water won the International Gold Medal prevailing over many highly regarded entrants from springs in France and Italy. Munkacsy sold the rights to a Newark Sales and Distribution Syndicate who watched their sales steadily drop over the next decade due mostly to our involvement in WW2. Eventually they closed in the early 1950’s due to ‘mismanagement’. In 1938 Morris Collerd’s Father Abram Van Duyne Collerd was now in his late 60’s and was approached by Kemp Brothers Contractors to buy 40 acres of the Collerd Farm. Abrams orchard was on a glacial hummock ( like Hillside Cemetery ) that promised to be a great source of fill for Route 6 improvements. Abram sold Kemp Brothers the property and they dug a large gravel pit and hauled away great quantities of sand and fill. When they abandoned the excavation it filled with ground water creating a small lake. This became Fairfield’s local swimming pond. Great for Families because it was less dangerous than river swimming, mostly only Fairfield Folks, and free. ‘Boulder Beach’ may appear to be of little historical significance today, but it was a really popular recreation locale for many years. Those who remember it, do so with great affection. On September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland prompting Great Britain and France to declare war. Curtiss-Wright was already producing record numbers of aircraft engines, propellers and fighter planes. Now they needed new plants and factories. Their Propeller Division quickly made plans to build several manufacturing facilities including one on Fairfield Road that bordered C-W Airport. In only 68 days from breaking ground, it was reported that limited production was in progress. This new plant immediately became the Fairfield Area’s largest employer, and virtually every resident had Friends or Relatives working there. Even draft exempted Farm Owners worked at C-W on the night shifts machining and assembling precision aircraft parts. But in 1940 Fairfield was still a country town. Census data indicated 423 total dwelling units with 96 being ‘rural farm’. Only 57% were owner occupied while 43% were tenant occupied, and there were still 107 dwellings without indoor baths.[i] Many of Fairfield’s Resident Families sent their adult children off to fight in WW2: Sisco, Schlapfer, Esposito, Schubert, DeVito, Talamini, Voelker, Repa, Pierce and others. We lost two of these brave souls in the war: Louis J. Esposito and Alois F. Repa. Both were honored on a memorial plaque mounted on a stone taken from Boulder Beach. It is located in front of the Municipal Building. During the war, thousands of C-W Employees commuted to Fairfield every day bolstering the local businesses. Soon, Fairfield would have 15 additional Industries including wood working, plastics, and tool & die making. Many of the pre-war businesses were still thriving : Agricultural products, Nurseries, Picnic Grounds ( boating, bathing, fishing ), and Kennels. C-W Employees frequented three Township Stores, nineteen Taverns or Restaurants, and eighteen Filling Stations.[ii] Population density per square mile was 134 in 1940 and grew to 173 by 1950.[iii] ( For some perspective, the 2020 Census reported 760 people per square mile ). In 1942, Mary and Clyde Evans lived on Two Bridges Road and had one son David. Sadly, six year old David was killed crossing the street after getting off the School Bus. Once again, this may not seem historically significant, but this loss was felt by everyone in Fairfield’s close-knit Community. Since David’s Father and Uncle were both involved in politics, they became strong advocates of school bus safety regulations.[iv] C-W produced a total of 146,468 propellers during WW2[v] or 21% of the 708,000 total U.S. production. Three main Plants : Fairfield NJ, Beaver PA., and Indianapolis IN. all contributed to C-W’s total output. [i] Caldwell Township Information article published about 1951 in Authors possession. [ii] Ibid. [iii] Ibid. [iv] Per interview with 91 year old Mary Lebeda. Friend and Neighbor of the Evans Families. [v] Per Curtiss-Wright official corporate web site ‘1939-1948’ tab on https://www.curtisswright.com/company/history/ ( This is only being mentioned, because it has been greatly exaggerated previously in a few publications. For example, a 2007 New Jersey Hills Media article claimed C-W “supplied 85 percent of all propellers for U.S. aircraft during World War II.” Not to diminish C-W’s great achievements and contributions, but this is clearly not true. )[i] The good news for Fairfield was that C-W did not close the “Propeller Factory” immediately after the war ended. The Beaver and Indianapolis C-W Plants closed the day after the war ended. What is undeniably true is that the Boeing B-29 Super Fortress ‘Enola Gay’ that delivered the first nuclear weapon used in combat was fitted with both C-W engines and propellers. A new Highway bypass was now being planned through Fairfield to be built to the latest ‘Freeway Standards.’ In 1953 Route 6 was redesignated as U.S. Route 46 with overpasses at all intersections except for one ( Clinton/Plymouth ).[ii] ( This 3.5 mile stretch soon became one of the NJ State Police’s favorite zones for radar traps ). Late in 1952 Fairfield lost another hometown Son during the Korean Conflict. Army Private Robert L. Whitehead was killed in action with the Township dedicating a stone mounted plaque to him on Memorial Day 1955. Sadly, Robert would not be the last of the Fairfield Community to give his life for his Country. Seventeen years later Neal Epifanio would die on a battlefield in Viet Nam defending U.S. interests in Southeast Asia. We honor them all : Louis, Alois, Robert, and Neal. ‘Time will not dim the glory of their deeds’ said Gen. Pershing. Fairfield’s incredible residential and industrial growth during the 1950’s came at the expense of its Farmlands, but this was very common across America. New housing became affordable, especially for WW2 Veterans; improved highways and growth of automobile ownership for commuting; and ‘Racial fears and the desire to leave decaying cities’ were all factors leading to this growth. [iii][iv] Thankfully, Fairfield’s Mayors, Committeemen, Planning and Zoning Boards, etc. had the foresight to manage this sprawl effectively. [i] 2007 New Jersey Hills Media ‘The History of Fairfield’s Essex County Airport’ May 25, 2007. [ii] It’s highly likely that the auto and truck traffic associated with the huge C-W Plant influenced the highway planners. They even designed a pedestrian tunnel under the freeway for C-W personnel. [iii] See : https://www.ushistory.org/us/53b.asp Suburban Growth [iv] See: https://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1099&context=the_histories Suburban Sprawl When New Jersey established ‘Caldwell Township’ way back in 1798 it included virtually all of Northern and Western Essex County including parts of today’s West Orange and Livingston. Communities within the Township wanted to have their local taxes spent on their own roads and schools. For example when Old Dutch Lane was improved at great expense in 1891, Caldwell Villagers felt their tax money should have been spent on their Village roads alone. So in 1892 Caldwell incorporated separately along educational district lines. Then, Verona, North Caldwell, Essex Fells, and West Caldwell followed by also incorporating. So after 1904, Caldwell Township was about half the size of the original 1798 Township. But after 165 years, residents felt that there was too much confusion with the Townships name among all of the other ‘Caldwells’. So in 1963 a proposed name change to ‘Fairfield Township’ was put before the Voters. The name change was approved, but surprisingly only 55.5 % ( 696 votes of 1254 cast ) voted for the new name. ( So if only 70 of these ‘yes’ voters - that day - had said ‘no’ instead, Fairfield might now still be named Caldwell Township ! ). In 1975 the Fairfield Reformed Church was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Joseph Esposito and Jacquelin Gioioso prepared the application that was formally approved October 7, 1975. A great celebration was sponsored by the Fairfield Bicentennial Committee for October 19, 1975 with a commemorative plaque mounted near the Churches entry. It was a sad coincidence that Morris Collerd passed away on that very day. Just under two years later Esposito’s and Gioioso’s second application for the Van Ness House was approved July 29, 1977. ( Thankfully this application made no mention of the Underground Railroad and a tunnel leading to the Passaic River for escaping slaves. If you read this somewhere, trust this Author, this is pure unsubstantiated fiction ). Thank You for reading this ‘Brief History of Fairfield’. ……Paul Pollio March 2023 “Yes we knew changes were coming, but there isn’t much you can do about it. It’s called progress but I can’t see it. Anyone who lived in the old days wishes it was like that now.” ---- Adelia Van Ness Collerd ( 1903 – 1984 ) A DEDICATION TO THE MEMORY OF ADELIA VAN NESS COLLERD FOLLOWS :  ( Collage above : Top left then clockwise ) 1. Adelia’s Grandparents Ella ( Van Ness ) and Simon Munson Van Ness. 2. ‘Delia’ with Brother-in-law Ray Elwood Collerd. The last ‘Professional Trapper’ in Fairfield. 3. Delia and Morris with their first Grandchild Martha Pollio 1948. 4. Delia with second Grandchild Patricia Pollio 1950. 5. The last picture of Adelia and Morris together 1974. 6. Delia with Uncle Frank Van Duyne at Coney Island 1921. 7. Delia and Morris’s Gravestone at the Fairfield Reformed Church Cemetery. They shared a large plot with the Button/Van Duyne Family. 8. ( Center ) Delia at the Fairfield Reformed Church’s Silver Tea gathering 1970.
Adelia Melissa ( Van Ness ) Collerd, knew more about Fairfield between the years 1855 and 1970 than anyone else. That’s a fact, and here’s how she acquired that extensive knowledge : 1. The story starts with her Uncle Walter breaking his leg. Delia and her Dad Charles Sylvester Van Ness had to take over Walter’s Newark Evening News paper route. Every two weeks Delia did the collections ( 24 cents ) and became friendly with all the subscribing Fairfield Families. They did this together for four years including winters by sleigh. 2. Beginning at age eight, she and her Sister Leah stopped every day at their Grandmother Ella ( Van Ness ) Van Ness’s house for an after school snack. Ella enjoyed talking about their five generations of Van Ness Ancestors, and the young girls soaked it all up. That’s when Adelia said she was ‘bitten by the ancestry ( and history ) bug’. 3. When husband Morris became Chief Constable in 1924 he patrolled Fairfield four hours every evening that included frequent chats with townspeople. Upon his return home, Adelia then got the daily ‘downloads’ of everything going on around town and everyone involved. 4. Adelia and Morris were also very active members of the Reformed Church that included a large percentage of Fairfield Folks. Morris was also the Sexton at the FRC for fifteen years. 5. Morris was also the School Attendance (Truant) Officer from 1924 to 1968. Adelia assisted. 6. Adelia became the Administrator of the Hillside Cemetery and had access to all records including those of the FRC Cemetery. Any inquiries were more opportunities to gather information. Annual Cemetery maintenance solicitations by Adelia also led to descendent details of births, marriages, etc. Most of this information was written into her notebooks. 7. Adelia’s Grandfather Simon Munson Van Ness spent eight years with Adelia and Morris after Ella passed away. Though in his nineties, Simon had a keen memory that helped extend Adelia’s knowledge range of people and events nearly fifty years before she was born. 8. Even with all of this accumulated knowledge, there was still more to learn. So Delia made many trips to the New Jersey Historical Society in Newark to ‘fill in the blanks.’ When other history buffs, journalist’s and authors sought her out, Delia learned even more from their conversations. When Anne Harte started the Fairfield Chronicle Newspaper, she was introduced to this sixty seven year old authority of Community history. Delia then wrote over seventy Fairfield Chronicle columns highlighting over seventy Fairfield Families. This led to many inquiries from readers and relatives that created even more opportunities to expand her knowledge. God Bless You Delia. This ‘Brief History of Fairfield’ is dedicated to your legacy and memory. MORE ARTICLES BY PAUL POLLIO ABOUT FAIRFIELD HISTORY WITH BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FAIRFIELD LIBRARY BOOK SUGGESTIONS CAN BE FOUND ON : https://www.07004history.com/ WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK : [email protected] © 2023 [email protected]
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