Thomas P. Farner

FacebookTwitterEmailPrintCopy LinkShare Two hundred fifty years ago, events were heading toward a crisis between England and the 13 North American colonies. In December 1773, Boston had held its famous tea party, followed a month later at the College of New Jersey (today’s Princeton University), where students showed support by publicly burning the college’s supply of tea.

This is the first in a series. The story of how Barnegat Lighthouse is still standing at the north end of Long Beach Island is one of ups and downs and a long list of heroes. None deserves more credit for saving old Barney then Frank Appleby, the 3rd District congressman. During his first term, Appleby was able to persuade […]

FacebookTwitterEmailPrintCopy LinkShare This is the third in a series.

This is the first in a series. As we near the 250th anniversary of American independence, I have decided to concentrate on the little-known heroes and events. If you ask a group of citizens if they have heard of the Boston Tea Party, most hands would be raised. Mention Betsy Ross, and heads nod knowingly. But the New Jersey Tea […]

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FacebookTwitterEmailPrintCopy LinkShare What was Christmas like in colonial America? In Colonial Williamsburg, Va., historians have worked to re-create life as it was during that time. Ivor Noel Hume, who was director of the archaeological research program there for 30 years, described in “A Christmas Essay” the experience to be had during the holidays.

The story of how modern Christmas in America emerged is the result of many factors, but the influence of one New Jersey man must be conceded. Lorraine Boissoneault gave some background in a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article. “Prior to the early 1800s, Christmas was a religious holiday, plain and simple. Several forces in conjunction transformed it into the commercial fete […]

FacebookTwitterEmailPrintCopy LinkShare 2024 is finally coming to an end. Judging from the polls, over half of you are smiling, but a large number have tears in your eyes.

FacebookTwitterEmailPrintCopy LinkShare It’s finally 2025 and the talk about who is running for president has stopped – at least until Groundhog Day in February. That also means it’s the first column of the year as The SandPaper comes back online. With that also come the long-awaited answers to the 2024 history test. Give yourself four points for each correct answer plus an additional four if you got the bonus.