Dr. Jabez Campfield House facts for kids
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Dr. Jabez Campfield House
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Campfield House
Schuyler-Hamilton House |
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 Location in Morris County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5 Olyphant Place Morristown, New Jersey |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1765 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000837 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 4, 2008 |
The Dr. Jabez Campfield House, also known as the Schuyler Hamilton House, is a historic, two-story house in Morristown, New Jersey. It was built a long time ago using strong wooden frames. This house is a museum today. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Morristown Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) owns it.
Contents
History of the House
A Doctor's Home
The house was built around 1760. It was located on King's Highway, which is now Morris Street. In 1765, a young doctor named Jabez Campfield bought the house. He moved to Morristown from Newark with his wife, Sarah Ward. Dr. Campfield started his medical practice there.
The Campfields lived in this house for 56 years. Their only son, William, was born in the house in 1766. William inherited the property when his father, Dr. Campfield, passed away in 1821.
A Special Winter
During the American Revolutionary War, Dr. Campfield was a surgeon for the Continental Army. In 1777, the army stayed in Morristown for the winter. A sickness called smallpox spread through the army and the town. Dr. Campfield was very important in helping soldiers. He used his house to give them shots to protect them from the disease.
The army returned to Morristown for another winter in 1779–1780. Dr. John Cochran, who was the main surgeon for the army, stayed at Dr. Campfield's house. The house became a "flying hospital," which was like a mobile hospital for the army. It also stored important medical supplies.
A Love Story Unfolds
That same winter, a very important person named Alexander Hamilton met his future wife, Elizabeth Schuyler, in Dr. Campfield's house. Hamilton worked closely with George Washington. Washington was staying nearby at the Ford Mansion. Dr. Cochran's wife, Gertrude, joined him at the Campfield house. In January, their niece Elizabeth Schuyler also came to stay.
Soon after meeting, Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler became engaged. There's a story that Dr. Cochran often found the young couple on his favorite sofa. He was tired after long days but couldn't stretch out because they were always there! Marrying Elizabeth Schuyler helped Alexander Hamilton connect with powerful families. This helped him become even more important in society.
After the war, Dr. Campfield taught many new doctors. He was also very active in helping the community.
New Owners and a New Purpose
When Dr. Campfield passed away in 1821, his son William took over the house. William lived there for only three more years, passing away in 1824. William left the house to his six children. However, none of them stayed in Morristown. The house was rented out for several years. It stayed in the Campfield family until 1831. Then, a well-known local family, the Tuttles, bought it. The Tuttles owned the house for the next sixty years.
In 1891, a builder named James Clark and an investor named Robert Dalglish bought the property. Clark later became the sole owner. In 1895, Clark moved the house about 100 feet back on the property. He also turned it to face Olyphant Place. For a few years, Clark rented the house out as a home for two families.
In 1923, Mr. Clark's widow, Millie, sold the house to the Morristown Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This group decided to restore the house. They wanted it to look like it did during the American Revolution. They named it the Schuyler-Hamilton House. This name remembers the special meeting of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler.
Since 1924, the Daughters of the American Revolution have used the house as their main office. They also open it to the public for tours. The house has furniture and items from the 1700s. It also has things that belonged to Dr. Campfield and the Hamiltons. One room, called the "keeping room," shows medical tools from the 18th century. It also explains how doctors practiced medicine back then. In 2020, part of the garden was updated. It was replanted with purple, yellow, and white flowers. This celebrated the 100th anniversary of the women's suffrage movement, which gave women the right to vote.
Volunteers from the Daughters of the American Revolution lead tours of the house regularly.
See also
