Dates in Newark History

1700 - 1799


1714 - The first school house was erected.

November 20, 1719 - An assessment for raising taxes to support the poor of the town is ordered

March 14, 1721 - The common land of the town is to be let out for digging mines

September 5, 1732 - At noon a slight shock of an earthquake was felt

September 19, 1745 - A band of rioters release Nehemiah Baldwin from Newark Jail, imprisoned for cutting and milling trees on land claimed by East Jersey

January 16, 1746 - A band of rioters, headed by Amos Roberts, release Nehemiah Baldwin from the hands of the Sheriff of Essex, then breaks open the jail freeing Robert Young and Thomas Sarjeant

September 1, 1746 - A company of soldiers under Captain Campbell Stevens departs from Newark for Albany to oppose the French & Indians. Among them is Tom Bell, the notorious adventurer.

October, 1747 - The College of New Jersey (Princeton U.) comes to Newark

January 23, 1749 - Amos Robords, the rioter, publishes an offer of ten pounds to anybody who can show two sufficient evidences that he spoke treason at the time he was committed to jail.

March 29, 1749 - A dancing frolic in town ends with the arrest of a young man on the charge of assault and battery who masqueraded as a female.

February 6, 1756 - Aaron Burr, Jr., is born in the parsonage on Broad Street just below the present William Street. He becomes vice president of the US and the slayer, in a duel, of Alexander Hamilton.

May 13, 1761 - St. John's Lodge, No. 1, Masonic, is organized in the Rising Sun Tavern.

January 9, 1770 - Newark's last land riot occurs.

1774 - The first Newark Academy was founded.

December 7, 1774 - A committee of observation is elected at Newark Court House. Their duty is to observe the conduct of all persons regarding their attitude to the General Congress and liberty of the country.

1775 - Population estimate 1000

1776 - General Washington was stationed in Newark with an army of 3,000 men for five days.

September 13, 1777 - The patriots gather in the hills and a skirmish takes place, the British by a flank movement driving the patriots from a position along the ravine of the Second River in the present Forest Hill section.

November 21, 1780 - British troops under Captain Thomas Ward, a Tory, raid the town and burn the Newark Academy.

March 16, 1787 - The Society for Promoting Useful Knowledge in the Town of New Ark is organized

October 12, 1787 - The Constitution of the US is approved by citizens of Essex County

1790 - Newark's first major industry was established - Shoemaking.

1791 - Newark's first hanging - William Jones for the murder of Samuel Shotwell.

1792 - The first bridges over the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers were built.

July 10, 1798 - The Voluntary Association of the People of Newark to Observe the Sabbath is organized

August, 1798 - Aaron Pennington, an editor of the Sentinal, is assaulted by Isaac Andruss and Matthias B. Higgins at Tuttle's Tavern.

1798 - President Adams passed through Newark three times, usually making short stops.