![]() John Woodhull, pastor of Old Tennent Church. In 1779 Ellis records show another school that was opened by Rev. The school has also been known as the Ancient Baptist Burying Ground Schoolhouse. Scholars from Blue Ball (now Adelphia), Mounts Corners (now West Freehold), and other neighborhoods also attended this school. Bennett attended it between 18, when it was the only public school in the vicinity of Freehold. This school was maintained by General Forman as a select school for the education of his own children and neighbors who chose to avail themselves of this privilege. General Forman gave General George Washington one of his own horses when Washington's was shot from under him during the Battle of Monmouth. He was also known as Black David because of his swarthy looks and to distinguish him from Sheriff David Forman. General David Forman of Revolutionary War fame built the schoolhouse. It stood on the byroad (now Barkalow Avenue) leading from the main road to the Old Baptist Cemetery, south of the mansion on the Covenhoven Farm (Clinton House-Moreau Farmstead). The next reference to a school at this time was known as the Old Log Schoolhouse. However, additional information could not be found. It is also reported that there was an English and Classical School taught by the Rev. It was advertised in Collins' Gazette dated March 14, 1778, and was "where scholars can be accommodated in the best manner and at the lowest expense." It was called the Latin School and was held in the house of Henry Perrine. ![]() The Latin SchoolÄuring the same time period, there was another school that was announced by Joseph Rue. He was buried with honors in Old Tennent Churchyard. He was shot in 1781 near Shrewsbury while helping General David Forman repel one of the many incursions by the enemy. In June 1778, during a short recess in Congress, he came home and was present at the Battle of Monmouth. He designed the Articles of Confederation. In 1777 he was chosen a member of Congress. He was a member of the Legislature for several years, and in 1776 was speaker of the House. He gave up his practice and became a colonel in the First Regiment of Monmouth during the Revolution. He was an ardent patriot, writing many articles against the tyranny of England. It is said his house, which was of 18th-century architecture, stood where the Freehold Borough Municipal Building and the Railroad Station are today. He became a physician and settled at Monmouth Courthouse. He later became one of the trustees of the college. He was a graduate of Princeton College in 1751. Scudder was born in Freehold Township in 1733 and lived in Freehold most of his life. Nathaniel Scudder was one of the 3 men responsible for the school. They, with others from the area, became prominent in the War for Independence. Charles McKnight's sons, Charles and Richard, were educated there. It is not known how long the school was in operation however, the Rev. The site of the Mattisonia Grammar School was somewhere in the vicinity of Old Tennent Church - probably on church property. Some of this same land came into the hands of David Rhea, John Henderson, and Samuel Ker, together they gave the land for a consideration of 1 shilling to the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church. John Reid had purchased the land from the Indians on July 25, 1696. It adjoined land belonging to Benjamin Allen and Captain Anderson known as Clear Brook, which ran through a meadow near the church during the Revolution. An unrecorded deed, dated May 25, 1753, which is said to be in the possession of the Old Tennent Church, states that Aaron Mattison of Freehold gave to the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth County a plot of ground "for a consideration of 2 shillings, 6 pence current lawful money of the Province of New York." An original deed for a "great deal of land sold" is recorded in the Courthouse in Freehold in Book E of Deeds on page 55, and was apparently sold to Arrie Marteson by John Reid on November 25, 1707, for 10 pounds, 4 shillings. The earliest recorded school was the Mattisonia Grammar School, which was established on July 23, 1767.
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