Brick Academy is the nickname for a Federal-style brick building built in 1809 to meet the growing needs of the Basking Ridge Classical School located in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township , Somerset County , New Jersey. That school existed prior to 1799, at least 10 years before the construction of this building in 1809. The brick building was constructed for the elementary school run by local Presbyterian pastor, Rev. Robert Finley . This was about halfway through Rev. Finley's time at Basking Ridge. During the time he ran the school, attendance grew from fewer than 12 to an average near 25 students, and sometimes as high as 40 students. Students came from near & far, mostly from prominent families. The school was a high end preparatory school for boys who generally continued on to the College of New Jersey, later (in 1896), known as Princeton University . In 1817, Rev. Finley quit Basking Ridge to briefly become president of the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. By 1828, the "Brick Academy" corporation was formed and the building continued use as a private, then public school in 1853, before being used for other purposes.
20-580: The nickname "Brick Academy" is often misused to include students who actually attended the "Basking Ridge Classical School" (prior to 1828). It is also used inappropriately to include students at that school prior to the construction of the brick building, later known as "the Brick Academy". Samuel Southard is frequently cited as having attended the "Brick Academy" in Basking Ridge, however he graduated Princeton in 1804 - fully 5 years prior to
40-594: A U.S. Senator , Secretary of the Navy , and the tenth governor of New Jersey . He also served as President pro tempore of the Senate , and was briefly first in the presidential line of succession . The son of Henry Southard and Sarah (Lewis) Southard, Henry was born in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township, New Jersey , on June 9, 1787. Southard's ancestors included Anthony Janszoon van Salee , one of
60-514: A vote of 40 to 24. In 1833, he was again elected to the U.S. Senate. During the next decade, he was a leader of the Whig Party and attained national prominence as chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs. As President pro tempore of the Senate, he was first in the presidential line of succession after the death of William Henry Harrison and the accession of Vice President John Tyler to
80-588: Is constructed as the home of the Basking Ridge Classical School 1817 Rev Finley leaves NJ and travels to Athens GA to become president of University of Georgia, about a month before his death. 1828 Basking Ridge Brick Academy Company incorporated 1853 School District #12 in Basking Ridge opens in the Brick Academy building as a public school. 1896 College of New Jersey changes name to Princeton University as part of
100-649: The American Revolution Brooke was active in the militia and served on General Greene 's staff with the rank of lieutenant. At the end of the war he studied medicine for a year, but then decided to study law in his brother Robert’s office. Francis T. Brooke was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of Virginia. After admission to the bar in 1788, Brooke traveled westward to
120-608: The First Families of Virginia ). They were the uncle and aunt of Major General Dabney Herndon Maury . His elder brother Robert Brooke would become governor of Virginia, and another brother, Lawrence Brooke, was the surgeon of the Bon Homme Richard , commanded by John Paul Jones . Like his brothers, Brooke received a private education from tutors and in private grammar schools in Fredericksburg . During
140-825: The Ohio River and practiced in Monongalia and Harrison counties (in what after the American Civil War would become West Virginia ). However, Brooke returned to the Chesapeake bay area and was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney (prosecutor) for Essex County, Virginia , where he also had a private legal practice and would be was elected to the House of Delegates in 1794. Two years later he moved nearer his family's home in Fredericksburg and won election to
160-1452: The State Senate in 1800. After the Revolution, Brooke remained active in the Virginia militia and was promoted to the rank of major in 1796, lieutenant colonel in 1800 and brigadier general in 1802. He was an original member of the Virginia Society of the Cincinnati . In 1811, fellow legislators elected Brooke a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals , his fellow judges made his president of that court for eight years, from 1823 to 1831. The legislature re-elected Brooke as judge in 1831, and he continued in office until his death on March 3, 1851. Judge Francis Brooke married twice, and survived his eldest son, who died in Macau. In 1791, Francis Brooke married Mary Randolph Spottswood Brooke (1775–1803) and their children who survived to adulthood included John Francis Brooke (1795–1849), Robert Spotswood Brooke (1800–1851) and Mary Randolph Spotswood Brooke Berkeley (1803–1875). The widower remarried in 1804, to Mary Champe Carter Brooke (1788–1846), who bore John Brooke (b. 1805), Francis Edward Brooke (1813–1874) and Helen Brooke Forman (1821–1899). Judge Brooke
180-475: The American tradition of civilian control over the military establishment. Also on Southard's watch, the Navy grew by some 50% in personnel and expenditures and expanded its reach into waters that had not previously seen an American man-of-war. In 1829 Southard became New Jersey Attorney General , succeeding Theodore Frelinghuysen . In 1832, the state legislature elected him Governor over Peter D. Vroom by
200-489: The Somerset Hills 1976 Brick Academy listed on National Register of Historic Places 2008 Dedication and opening of the top floor of the Brick Academy restoration effort. (November 11, 2008) 2009 Brick Academy Bicentennial celebration Samuel Southard Samuel Lewis Southard (June 9, 1787 – June 26, 1842) was a prominent American statesman of the early 19th century, serving as
220-550: The Somerset Hills which uses the historic building for its headquarters and public meetings, and operates a museum, one room schoolhouse for local history, and research room. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 21, 1976 for its significance in education, philosophy, and religion. 1795-8 Basking Ridge Classical School founded(?) by Reverend Robert Finley with students boarding locally or with Dr. Finley 1809 Brick Academy
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#1732775418296240-588: The Treasury (1825) and Secretary of War (1828). Southard proved to be one of the most effective of the Navy's early Secretaries. He endeavored to enlarge the Navy and improve its administration, purchased land for the first Naval Hospitals, began construction of the first Navy dry docks, undertook surveys of U.S. coastal waters and promoted exploration in the Pacific Ocean . Responding to actions by influential officers, including David Porter , he reinforced
260-805: The bar, he returned to New Jersey, and started his practice in Flemington in 1811. He was appointed law reporter by the New Jersey Legislature in 1814. Elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1815, Southard was appointed to the New Jersey Supreme Court to succeed Mahlon Dickerson shortly thereafter, and in 1820 served as a presidential elector. He was elected to a seat in the United States Senate over James J. Wilson , and
280-534: The construction of the brick building later known as the Brick Academy. After many years of service as a private boys' school, the Brick Academy later served as a public school, and then as a meeting hall for several fraternal and benevolent organizations, and the Bernards Township municipal building. (See timeline below.) In 1976 the Township leased the Brick Academy to The Historical Society of
300-760: The day, including well-known representatives of the military, government service, medical and other professions. In 1839, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society . The destroyer USS Southard (DD-207) , (later DMS-10), 1919–1946, was named in his honor. There is also a public park in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, named after him. There is also a street named after him in Key West, FL as well as Southard Street in Trenton, New Jersey . Francis T. Brooke Francis Taliaferro Brooke (August 27, 1763 – March 3, 1851)
320-634: The earliest settlers of New Amsterdam (of partial Moorish descent), and his siblings included Isaac Southard . Southard attended the Brick Academy classical school and graduated from Princeton University in 1804. After teaching in New Jersey, he worked for several years as a tutor in the Virginia home of John Taliaferro , his father's congressional colleague. While living in Virginia, Southard studied law with Francis T. Brooke and Judge Williams, both of Fredericksburg. Upon being admitted to
340-566: The presidency. Failing health forced Southard to resign from the Senate in 1842. He died in Fredericksburg, Virginia , on June 26, 1842. Southard was buried in Washington's Congressional Cemetery . During the 1820s, Southard was a member of the prestigious society, Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences , who counted among their members former presidents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams and many prominent men of
360-542: The sesquicentennial celebrations. 1904 The Brick Academy is sold to the Ancient Order of United Workmen (1904-1925) Junior Order of United American Mechanics 1924 Bernards Township, New Jersey rents building for municipal offices 1948 Bernards Township buys building for continued use for municipal offices 1975 Bernards Township government moves to former Astor estate at 1 Collyer Lane 1976 Township leases Brick Academy to The Historical Society of
380-702: Was a Virginia lawyer, soldier, politician and judge. He served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly before fellow legislators elected him to the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals (which later became the Supreme Court of Virginia ), where he served decades and became that body's fourth President (now called Chief Justice). Brooke was born in Spotsylvania County , Virginia . His parents were Richard Brooke of Smithfield and Ann Hay Taliaferro (of one of
400-613: Was appointed to the remainder of Wilson's term After Wilson resigned. Southard served in office from January 26, 1821, to March 3, 1823, when he resigned. During this time, he was a member of the committee that produced the Missouri Compromise . President James Monroe selected Senator Southard to be Secretary of the Navy in September 1823, and he remained in office under President John Quincy Adams . During these years, he also served briefly as ad interim Secretary of
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