1675

Weequehela, Indian sachem resides at Quainheetquas, which may be the site of his plantation identified by deeds and surveys as being in Spotswood, just west of Indian Brook. A copy of the Forge Company Map, originally drawn in the 1760s, shows a large building at this site which conforms to deed and survey descriptions of Weequehela’s plantation.

1700

The Leonards of Monmouth County purchase large tracts of land immediately to the east of Weequehela’s plantation. By 1717 , Captain John Leonard is operating a public house at the South River Bridge along the road from Amboy to Burlington.

1727

Weequehela shoots Leonard for having cheated him out of his lands. In less than a week, a special court is held in Perth Amboy, Weequehela found guilty in one day, and sentenced to death one week later.

1731

Leonard’s widow sells his property along the Manalapan to Andrew & Lewis Johnston, the site then becoming known as Johnston’s Mills.

1739

Andrew Woolley, successor to Weequehela, and others sell land at the mills from the Wading Place, westward along the South River and Manalapan.

1744

Location of what was to become Spotswood village, referred to as Manalapan (Road Return of 1744)

1749

Andrew & Lewis Johnston advertise mill seat for sale. 1757 road return refers to this area as Mr. Johnston’s Mills.

1762 May

Andrew & Lewis Johnston sell the Spotswood mill site and adjoining lands to Peter Ten Eick, "late of Somerset."

1762 October

Lewis Johnston sells to Peter Corne land along the Manalapan, excepting the mill seat already in operation by Peter Ten Eick

1762 December

Peter Ten Eick and wife, sell 2408 acres, including the upper forge site, to Derick Brinckerhoff, merchant of New York.

1763

Peter Corne enters into business agreement with James Perry and Thomas Hayes of England to operate Penkridge (forge and mills).

1764

Ten Eick advertises his one-half interest in the mills to be sold, and later he flees his creditors, abandoning his property.

1767

Brinckerhoff & Company advertise the Manalapan Forge, also known as the South River Forge, for sale; this is the upper forge (Old Forge Road site).

1770

Peter Corne and wife sell of his interest in the extensive land holdings and mill operations along the Manalapan, to Perry and Hayes of England.  Corne moves to Peekskill, NY - although considered a Loyalist during the Revolution, his grand daughter marries Staats Dyckman of Boscobel.  Corne had been a sea captain, slave trader and successful merchant.

1771

Brinckerhoff sells to Jeston Homfray, agent of Perry & Hayes, the site of Swin Forge and other properties.

1772

Paper mill at Spotswood is referred to in newspaper notice. This mill was located on the Matchaponix, near the crossing of Greystone Road (now Mundy Ave.).

1777

Penkridge is abandoned by Samuel Smyth, manager of the mills and forge and Loyalist. January, 1777 the site is raided by Col. John Neilson of the Middlesex County militia and vast stores of materiel are taken by the Continentals.

1778

Paper mill to be abandoned due to lack of financial support of its owner and the vagaries of war.

1779

The paper mill is under new management, and continues for the next twenty years.

1779

One-third interest in Penkridge and Swin Forge, owned by Miles Sherbrooke, agent for Perry & Hayes, is confiscated and sold by New Jersey authorities.

1780

Col. Joseph Haight offers mills for rent or sale. Similar notice appears in 1781.

1786

Fire destroys mills, but they are rebuilt (except for the lower forge).

1780s-90s

Ongoing litigation amongst alleged owners of the mill property due to clouded title stemming from sale of a portion of the property belonging to Miles Sherbrooke, agent for Perry & Hayes.  Miles Sherbrooke works relentlessly for compensation of the property and materiel seized at Spotswood. The United States Congress finally rules in 1798 that the claim has no merit.

1796

The Spotswood mills are sold at auction to Daniel Lott and eventually acquired by John H. Disborough (Disbrow), which marks the beginning of the 19th century transformation of the mills into snuff manufacturing.

1829

John D. Outcalt, of New York, acquires from the Trustees of Rutgers College, the land which was the site of Weequehela’s Upper Saw Mill and begins a tobacco mill. In the mid 1800s, the mill becomes a hominy, or grist mill. Financial difficulties lead to the end of Outcalt’s Mill by the late 1800s, and the purchase by Bernard McFadden of the property for the development of the Physical Culture City, and the establishment of the neighborhood of Outcalt in Spotswood, Helmetta and Monroe.