Dairy farming and the growing of potatoes, tomatoes, and apples were the mainstays of Marlboro’s economy. By the time of the Census of 1880, the population had grown to 2,000. Holmes later served as sheriff of Monmouth County and lived on Pleasant Valley Road in Marlboro for thirty years.Īt the time of its incorporation as a township in 1848, Marlboro had a population of about 1,500.

Not only did he head up the Monmouth County militia, but he and his men participated in battles in other areas as well. One of the leading military officers of Monmouth County was Col. There was also considerable activity in the Montrose area of the Township as British troops, retreating from the Battle of Monmouth, tried to wind their way to ships lying off Sandy Hook. Beacon Hill (of present day Beacon Hill Road) had a commanding view of Raritan Bay and was one of three Monmouth County sites where beacons were placed to warn the residents and the Continental forces if the enemy should approach by the bay. The area was referred to as the “Hornet’s nest” because of the intensity of the militia’s attacks on the British. The British often foraged for food in the area around Pleasant Valley Road. The heavy demand for marl from all parts of the country spawned one of Marlboro’s first industries.ĭuring the Revolutionary War, Marlboro was the scene of many skirmishes between British troops and the Monmouth militia. Farmers used marl to improve productivity of the soil in the days before commercial fertilizers were available. Marl is composed of the remains of prehistoric fish, clams, etc., from the period when New Jersey was part of the ocean bed. The name Marlboro came from the discovery of marl on a farm just east of the village in 1768. This is the area around the intersection of Main Street (Route 79) and School Road. Although each had small inns or taverns, the hub of activity centered on what is still referred to as Marlboro Village. Until fairly recently, Marlboro remained a rural agricultural community composed of a number of small hamlets with names like Morganville, Robertsville, Wickatunk, Bradevelt, Topanemus, Hillsdale, Montrose, Bucktown, and Pleasant Valley. It has been in continuous operation since that time. 520 was acquired in 1709 and the present edifice was erected in 1826. The site for its present building on Rte. The Dutch settlers established a Dutch Reformed Church in 1699. The old Scots Cemetery still remains at its original site. The church eventually moved to Tennent where it became known as the Old Tennent Church and played a role in the Revolutionary War. In 1692 those of the Presbyterian Faith built a church and burial ground on what is now Gordons Corner Road. The old burial ground still remains on Topanemus Road. Peter’s Episcopal Church which is now located in Freehold. The church later changed its affiliation to the Episcopal faith and became St. They established a meetinghouse and a cemetery on what is now Topanemus Road. The English and Scotch settlers were predominantly of Quaker persuasion. The early farms and the roads linking them to one another were carved out of the wilderness by the settlers on land granted to them by the Proprietors of New Jersey and purchased from the Lenni‑Lenape people. Marlboro had been part of Freehold Township since the English, Scotch, and Dutch farmers settled in the area in 1693. Marlboro Township was created by an act of the State Legislature on February 17, 1848. The following historical narrative about Marlboro was prepared by Township Historian Nathan Handlin, for the book, Town by Town: Impressions of Monmouth County (Freehold: Office of the Monmouth County Clerk, 2002):

Marlboro county