Changewater, New Jersey

One of the early iron furnaces in the county—known as the Changewater Forge—was established here in the mid-1700s by Mark Thomson ^[3] and later purchased by a well known local Van Leer family. Ledgers show Samuel Van Leer's sons B. Van Leer and Isaac Van Leer owning the property in the early 1800s.^[7]

In 1843, a farmer on his way to work came across the murdered body of a local resident named John Castner. Further investigation found that the victim’s wife, Maria Castner, their daughter, Maria Matilda Castner, and brother-in-law, John Parke, had been killed in a home nearby. The owner of the home, John Parke, was a wealthy man and robbery was quickly suspected to be the motive.^[8] The crime attracted widespread publicity, and in 1845, two men were convicted and hanged at the Warren County Court House.^[3][9]

During the 1800s, a number of industries were attempted in Changewater, including a tannery, woolen factory, flouring mill, picture frame factory, snuff factory, and distillery.^[3]

In 1874, the village consisted of a looking glass and picture framing factory, a store and post office, a grist mill, and eight residences.^[3]

By 1918, Changewater had a population of 200, and the A. T. Skerry woolen mill was its only industry.^[3]

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Changewater include:

• Mark Thomson (1739–1803), politician who served as a United States representative from New Jersey^[10]