Hackettstown’s Ancestral Families
Obadiah Ayers was one of three brothers who came to this country from Aberdeen, Scotland.
In 1754, with the purchase of 1200 acres in the Musconetcong Valley, he became one of the earliest known settlers in the area. Ezekial Ayers II, the grandson of Obadiah, was the first child born in this area. However, it was because of the influence of the Hackett family, John and his son, Samuel, that the area would eventually be known as Hackettstown.
Ayers and Hackett were joined, over the years, by families named Caskey, Cummins, Davis, Everitt, Hazen, Johnson, Little, Moore, Rusling, Sharp, Stiger, Valentine and others. These were among the families who helped build Hackettstown from a small village into a thriving community. To this day, descendants of many of these families remain Hackettstown and the surrounding area.
Contribute to Our Collections
Do you have family history, photographs, vintage clothing, artifacts or other memorabilia you would like to contribute to the Hackettstown Historical Society?
HHS will gladly accept your contributions on a short term loan basis or as part of our permanent collections. We are also happy to scan your family photographs.
For additional information on how you can contribute, please contact the Museum at 908.852.8797.
Silent Clues from the Past
The Old Presbyterian and Union cemeteries
quietly provide a wealth of information to help us learn about the ancestral families of Hackettstown.
These two locations, one on Main Street and one on Mountain Avenue, are excellent resources for the genealogist, student, historian, or anyone interested in learning more about Hackettstown’s early citizens.
There are over 500 headstone images available on this site. For a specific search, simply type the name into the search field, or for a wider range of results, type the word “headstone”.