Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Mary Ann Stires

Mahlon Fisher

In contrast to other family Treasure Cities such as Cambridge and Watertown, in Massachusetts, which served our colonial forebears largely as jumping-off points, our Fishers and allied families tended to stay in Hunterdon County long after the pioneering generations went to their rest. So, Hunterdon’s institutions, places, and cemeteries are replete with our family names.

The county Historical Society has its headquarters in the mansion that Mahlon Fisher, our second cousin, four generations removed, built on Main Street in Flemington. These portraits of Mahlon and his wife Mary Ann Stires are a bit distorted by photographic necessity: they’re behind glass on the wall of the grand staircase, and it was tricky to avoid reflections.

A lot of our relatives were born, lived, died, and/or were buried in this vicinity, which bears the charming label of “Ringoes.” Named, we’re told, after a tavern operated there a long time ago by one John Ringo. One of the roads is still labeled with his name.