Abel and Mary Nicholson House facts for kids
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Abel and Mary Nicholson House
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_House,_Elsinboro_(Salem_County,_New_Jersey).jpg)
The Able House, c.1936
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 Abel House
Location in Salem County, New Jersey
Abel House
Location in New Jersey
Abel House
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Elsinboro Township |
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| Built | 1722 |
| Built by | William Petty John Mason |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001548 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 16, 1997 |
| Designated NHL | February 16, 2000 |
The Abel and Mary Nicholson House is a historic brick house built in 1722. It is located in Salem, New Jersey, in the United States. This house is a great example of a special building style from the Delaware Valley. It uses bricks that are treated to look shiny and dark, forming cool patterns and even showing the year it was built. The house hasn't changed much since it was first built. It has also received special money to help keep it in good shape.
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History of the Nicholson House
The Abel and Mary Nicholson House was built by Abel Nicholson. He was a successful farmer whose family had been among the first Quaker settlers in the area. They arrived near Lower Alloways Creek in the late 1600s. When Abel finished building this house, it was very large and fancy for its time. It was considered a mansion compared to other homes nearby. People believe this new brick house replaced an older, smaller wooden home. That first home was likely built by his father around the late 1690s or early 1700s. It was located close to the Alloway Creek, which flows into the Delaware River.
Building Details
The original house has three sections across its front. It is two-and-a-half stories tall and made of brick. It sits on a tall brick base and has a pointed roof called a gable roof. There are brick chimneys at both the east and west ends of the house.
Three sides of the house above the basement level have a checkerboard pattern. This pattern is made using special shiny, dark bricks. These bricks are laid in a style called Flemish bond. The fourth side, the east wall, uses a different brick pattern called English bond. This wall also clearly shows the date "1722" in the pointed part of the roof (the gable). The "1722" date is made from the shiny, dark bricks. It is seven brick rows tall and is right in the middle of a diamond pattern.
Originally, the east wall had two small windows on its southern side. One was on the second floor and one was in the attic. These windows have since been filled in with bricks.
Family Life and Changes
The house stayed in the Nicholson family for a long time. After Abel died in 1752, his son John inherited the house and the land. It is thought that the house remained in the family until 1852. At that time, the farm was passed down to William Nelson from his father, Davis Nelson.
William Nelson is believed to have added a brick section to the house. He also placed a stone marked "1859" in the west end gable. This 1859 addition was two stories tall. It included two new bedrooms on the second floor. It also had a larger kitchen, a big brick fireplace, and a storage cellar.
Special Features Inside
A recent study of the house found clues about an older, one-story building. This building might have been attached to the 1722 house, or even built before it. This suggests that the ground floor of the 1722 house might have had three rooms. This means the main hall, with its fancy fireplace, might have been used for social gatherings.
Inside the house, there is also a special "writing closet." This is like a small, private office. It has a desk-like surface, bookshelves, windows for light, and even a vent for air. This type of writing closet is very rare. Only two other examples have been found in the Delaware Valley. These are at Graeme Park near Horsham, PA, and the Pusey House near Avondale, PA. However, the writing closet in the Nicholson House is the clearest example.
