The name Belleville has a French connotation. In French, Belleville means “beautiful town.” To those of us here in the United States, Belleville means, “birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in America.”
Outside of Belleville’s earlier days, well-earned setting within our Industrial Revolution, the origin for what today we know to be Belleville can be traced back to the late-18th Century. Yet then, in those waning years of the 18th Century, today’s Belleville was once, Second River.
In 1797 Belleville’s name was changed. From Second River. To Washington. But that name change – to Washington – didn’t last very long.
This new name – Washington – proved to be unsatisfactory to inhabitants of the old Second River settlement. As such, shortly thereafter, the name change – from Second River to Washington – proved to be the first of two name changes for Second River.
Second River’s name was changed, once again. This time, changed to Belleville. Yet at that time, Belleville was moreso a settlement than it was an organized town. That changed.
Belleville was incorporated as a New Jersey township 42 years after receiving its name – as Belleville. The year was 1839. This once-a-settlement completed its evolution into becoming a full fledged township in New Jersey by way of an act of the State legislature. The year was 1839.
Forty-some years prior to the thrice renamings – from Second River, to Washington to Belleville – an occurrence of historical significance took place in this township. An occurrence which cemented Belleville’s place within the annals of an emerging industrial economy in the New World.
You see, Belleville is the official birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution. Belleville’s position, as such, brought to be through the workings of an 18th Century New World newcomer. A newcomer who arrived in Belleville by way of Great Britain. Josiah Hornblower.
In 1753, Josiah Hornblower was commissioned by his company across The Pond – his company being, Newcomen – to build what would become the first steam engine assembled in the New World.
And it was the result of this first steam engine that Josiah Hornblower’s link to Belleville, and thus, Belleville’s position as the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution, was formed.
Josiah Hornblower traveled from Great Britain to the New World to build a Newcomen steam engine. A steam engine he’d build for the owners of what was then the oldest copper mine in the New World. A copper mine located in Belleville. The Schuyler Copper Mine.
The Schuyler Copper Mine traces its history all the way back to 1710.
In 1710 Arent Schuyler purchased a tract of land on which the future Schuyler Copper Mine would be built. The construction of this mine…the byproduct a discovery. This discovery being, copper ore. Copper ore discovered on Schuyler’s land.
This discovery of copper ore coming three years after Arent Schuyler completed his land purchase. This discovery of copper ore taking place in 1713.
The purchase of a large tract of land… The discovery of copper ore… Yet, neither the land purchase, nor the subsequent copper ore discovery directly led to Josiah Hornblower’s arrival in Belleville. Nor did the land purchase, nor the discovery of copper ore, directly lead to Belleville’s designation as the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution.
Belleville – as the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution – and Belleville – as the Josiah Hornblower’s home- came about because of an act of God. It was a flood.
In 1748, a flood decommissioned the Schuyler Copper Mine. In order to continue on with mining operations, Schuyler Copper Mine – then run by Arent Schuyler’s sons – was in need of a steamship. A Newcomen steam engine, that is.
Newcomen steam engines were manufactured in England. The Schuyler mine was in Belleville. Therein, we find our Belleville link to Josiah Hornblower. And thus, to Belleville becoming the birthplace of our Industrial Revolution.
Schuyler Copper Mine contracted England’s Newcomen to build the steam engine they needed.
Newcomen, located in Cornwall, England, sent Josiah Hornblower across The Pond to assemble this steam engine for the Schuyler Copper Mine.
Thus arriving, Josiah Hornblower established himself as a Belleville resident. To assemble the Newcomen steam engine for Schuyler Copper Mine. A steam engine which would be used to pump flood water out of Schuyler’s mine.
Thirty-nine years later, the first steam engine was manufactured in the United States. That year was 1794. Tellingly so, the very first steam engine manufactured in the United States was manufactured in Belleville.
In 1797 – three years after the manufacture of the first steam engine in the United States – the first steamboat produced in New Jersey was built by Josiah Hornblower. New Jersey’s first steamboat was built in Belleville.
Two-hundred years after Josiah Hornblower built that first steam engine in Belleville, the Congress passed a resolution recognizing Belleville’s historical role in a then-industrializing United States.
Congress’s 1994 resolution: Belleville, birthplace of our Industrial Resolution.
The late, great Congressman Bill Pascrell was responsible for our Belleville resolution.
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