Deed between West Jersey Proprietors and Minsi Indians of the Leni Lenape Tribe.

Prior to 1713 there are no records concerning Mendham Township.
Englishman James Wills bought land from the West Jersey Proprietors in the area called Roxiticus, an Indian name for “meeting place,” which was on a branch of the Raritan River.
Joseph Latham also acquired land from West Jersey Proprietors that included present day Dover, where iron ore was plentiful.

James Pitney purchased land and built Pitney Farms.

Entrepreneurs Levi and Eliphalet Lewis moved to the area later called Combs Hollow to farm and mine.

The Roxiticus Meeting House was built. It was called “God’s Barn” because it was a simple log cabin structure, with no lighting or heating. The first pastor was Eliab Byram. The exact location is still to be determined.

Drake Manor was constructed (Cold Hill Road, Mendham).
Apple Jack was the most popular farm product.

Waterstreet had abundant waterpower for local mills. A & J Byrams built woolen fulling and dyeing mills. The Stevens Woolen Mill was on the eastern side. One mine was located in the area.

The prominent names in Mendham: Jacob Cook, Joseph Beach, James Pitney, Caleb Baldwin, Joseph Thompson, Ebenezer Condict, Nathan Cooper, Henry Wick, Robert Cummins, Henry Axtell, Stephen Dod, Jacob Drake, Ephraim Sanders, James McVickers, Henry Clark, Elias Howell, Zebulon Riggs and Benjamin Hurlburt.  Prominent family names in the eastern portion of the township: Beach, Loree, Tingley,  Condict, Turner, Cary and Smith.  Prominent family names near Washington Corners: Riggs, Vance, Bedell and Day.  On the mountain the early settlers were Connet, Smith, Clark, Pool, Style, Cozad, McIlrath, and Bonnel.

The settled area was originally called “Black Horse.” Ebenezer Byram is credited with renaming it Mendham. The origin of the name is still unknown, perhaps referring to the village of Mendham in Suffolk, England.

One of the Roxiticus congregations created by the doctrinal dispute was the First Presbyterian “Hilltop” Church of Mendham, established (at 20 Hilltop Road). About the only other structure in the area at the time was the Black Horse wayside inn. Eliab Byram was the first pastor; Mendham grew around this Church.

After the split from the Presbyterian faction of the Roxiticus worshipers, the second group of congregants established their own organization that would lead to the First Congregational Church of Chester.

Henry Clark built a sawmill in Dismal Glen (Brookside)

Hartshorne Fitz Randolph, who owned a farm nearby, purchased the Jackson Forge at a sheriff’s sale. Jackson was forced into bankruptcy by the British Parliament Iron Act.

With the approval of the Woodbridge Meeting, John Vail, Robert Schooley, Hartshorne Fitz-Randolph and Jacob Laing were named to find a site, decide on the type of building, compute the cost and raise the funds. Mendham Meeting and Quaker Cemetery was built on Robert Schooley’s property.

During the American Revolution Mendham Minutemen served and citizens provided food and livestock to the military, collected food and clothing, and paid heavy war taxes. Lebbeus Dod repaired and manufactured muskets. John Logan operated the Grist Mill and, appointed commissary to George Washington, supplied food to Jockey Hollow encampment.

Hilltop Church was used as a barracks and hospital for the soldiers. A smallpox epidemic killed many soldiers.

By the 1780s-90s there were several forges including the Mendham Forge (Ralston), Rushes Forge, Rye Forge on the Whippany River (in Brookside near the eastern end Main Street) and the Willets Forge.  In 1777 there were 100 forges in Morris County.

With his partner Hugh Nesbitt, Ralston built a General Store which was a thriving trade business until 1893.

Rev. Henry Axtell, D.D. established the first “Academy,” approximately on the site of the present Hilltop School.

Chester separated from Mendham.

In the early 18th c. mail service began with a post office (Mendham center).

The northern half of Mendham splits off and becomes Randolph Township, named after Hartshorne Fitz Randolph. Mendham is now approximately twenty-two square miles.

William Burd operated a blacksmith shop in Ralston and then moved it to the site of the later Gunther Garage. Nathaniel Tingley operated a black smithery to reshod pack horses. Job & Lewis Loree operated a blacksmith shop on Washington Valley Road, which was later moved to the center of Waterstreet.

First Presbyterian Hilltop Church was taken down and replaced with new larger edifice.

John Ralston dies.

The Upper Lewis mine was operated during the Mexican American War.

The Leddel family purchased Ralston mill and operated it until 1906.

Ralston Schoolhouse was built on land donated for Dr. John Leddell. It had one classroom for grades 1-4 and was in use until 1940.

Hilltop Church was destroyed by fire in February.

The Ralston Grist Mill was built by Mary Ann Nesbitt and her son John Ralston Nesbitt. It produced milled wheat, oats and corn. Milling ended in 1904.

A second one-room schoolhouse, Union Schoolhouse, was built on land donated by Mary Ann Ralston Nesbitt and Eliza Ralston Arrowsmith. It operated until 1928.

1853 map of Morris County showing Mendham, Chester (parts of which separated from Mendham in 1796) and Randolph (which separated after 1805).

Julia Phoenix took over her father’s Inn after his death and operated it as a boarding house until 1907. This was one among several boarding houses, suggesting an increase in housing for non-property owners, such as millworkers, shop workers and others. Today it serves as Mendham Borough Town Hall.

The fourth and present Hilltop church was erected on its present site.

The Brookside School, a one-room schoolhouse, was built where the present Municipal Building is located. In 1899 it was divided into two classrooms with entrances on the sides of the building. It operated until 1923.

A tannery was operated in the 1860s by Joseph Babbitt to the north of Mendham center. The Days mill (Tingley Road, Brookside) was built by George Connet and operated by Ephraim Day and his son, Charles.

The first parsonage of the Methodist Episcopal Church was built in West Main Street (now privately owned).

First detailed map of Mendham by Beer’s Atlas Company. The village had 81 principal buildings of which 61 are still standing.

A new parsonage for the Methodist Episcopal Church was built on the adjoining lot.

The building of St. Mark’s Church was instigated in 1872. Prior to this services were conducted in the upper rooms of Mrs. Dodd’s School House.

Brookside was noted as a postal village. The Post Office itself was operated in various locations depending on the post master.

Rockaway Valley Railroad, “Rockabye Baby,”  was built to service the peach farms of Hunterdon County and to transport coal for lime kilns. It was extended from Whitehouse to Mendham in 1891 and to Whatnong (Morris Plains) in 1892.

Henry Gunther opened a carriage/wagon repair shop which was converted to an auto garage in 1912 and over time became a very early Chevrolet Dealership.

A new church was built and used by Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian congregations.

The Brookside Union Chapel was built and dedicated the following year on March 8. In its infancy it was serviced by ministers from area churches. It was destroyed in a raging fire on December 20, 1942.

The Second Presbyterian Church was disbanded and reunited with The Presbyterian Church in Mendham.

Thomas Laughlin bought the Nesbitt Mill, converting it to a distillery to produce Tiger Apple Jack and peach brandy.

The Rockaway Valley Railroad, which passed through the middle of Mendham Township, ceased operation. The Peach blight of 1895, along with frequent derailments of the narrow rail line, caused its decline. Its tracks were sold as scrap metal during World War I (1914-1917).

Brookside Engine Company No. 1 was formed to serve the Township.

The Cider Mill in Ralston was closed due to the beginning of Prohibition with the Volsted Act.

Frederick Garrabrant Kiser opened the Community Club of Brookside after moving a derelict schoolhouse across the Whippany Brook in Brookside Center. Rental space was available. The Community Club of Brookside was founded and continues to serve the residents of Mendham Township.

Brookside Union Chapel was renamed Brookside Community Church.

The greenhouse at the Pitney home in Morristown was moved to the Pitney Farm Estate.

Brookside Community Church was destroyed by fire.

Ralston General Store building was acquired by the Ralston Historical Association.

The Brookside Community Church dedicated the new addition, built to conform to architectural style of main structure.

The Museum was created by the Ralston Historical Association to highlight local history and display a collection of vintage artifacts, photographs, maps, and manuscripts from the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Morris County Freeholders proposed the construction of a major correctional facility in the Washington Valley area. This focused public attention on the historic resources in the area, leading to the formation of the Township Historic Preservation Committee.

Brookside Historic District and Combs Hollow Historic District are registered in both State and National Register of Historic Places.

The Fornaro family sold the Cider Mill in Ralston to Mendham Township with the stipulation that it be preserved as a museum.

Pitney Farm house was razed after a fire destroyed sections of it. The only remaining structures are the Seed House and Walled Garden. Seven remaining acres of the estate were deeded as Open Space.