In one of the largest and least-known military actions of the Revolutionary War, General John Sullivan led a large army deep into the Iroquois homeland and in a scorched earth campaign, broke the power of the Iroquois Confederacy that opened the western frontier to settlement after the was was won.

At the February meeting of the Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood, historian and attorney John Orzel, Esq. will explain the background to this battle that encompassed Northwestern New Jersey, Southern New York and Northern Pennsylvania in flames in the winter of 1778-1779.

John Orzel, a practicing lawyer, was born on what was once the largest reservation into which the Seneca Tribe, the mighty and most warlike of the Iroquois Confederacy, had been placed by the new government of the United States, outside of Buffalo, New York.  Living outside of Buffalo and working in Manhattan, his thirty years of travel over much of the route of the Sullivan Expedition, peeked a keen interest in the expedition that is the genesis of his talk. John Orzel, a partner in Kennedys, an international law firm has practiced international transportation for over thirty years and has studied military history since learning to read.

The upcoming meeting is free and all are welcome. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, at the Shady Rest Country Club (known formerly as Scotch Hills), 820 Jerusalem Road (at the corner of Plainfield Ave) in Scotch Plains.  For further info, contact Connie Klock at (908) 232-9489.

The Historical Society of Scotch Plains/Fanwood is sponsoring a fundraising campaign to help the Osborn Cannonball House Museum, located in downtown Scotch Plains, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. The “Cannonball House,” named by locals after a cannon misfired and hit the building during The Battle of The Short Hills in Scotch Plains in June 1777, has been open to the public as a teaching museum since 1972.

The building, an 18th century Georgian style home, was built c. 1760, and was home to many noteworthy Scotch Plains families. Jonathan Osborn, who is credited with building the house and who raised 13 children there, was a prominent Scotch Plains citizen who was an innkeeper, tailor and farmer. His Son, David, was a Captain in the NJ Militia and the area’s first Clerk and Postmaster. It is also documented that two of Jonathan’s sons fought in the Revolutionary War. The Museum is one of the oldest and a unique structure in downtown Scotch Plains.

The Historical Society of Scotch Plains/Fanwood is pursuing the listing of the museum on the NJ State and National Registries of Historic Places. Inclusion on the Registry of Historic Places, while an honor for a property in itself, also provides opportunities for grants to procure funds which are necessary for the continued maintenance of the building to protect it for future generations. A successful nomination to the Registry of Historic Places signifies that a property is an important part of America’s cultural heritage and worthy of preservation. Nomination is a lengthy process which requires documentation prepared by a professional.

Leave your mark on history and help us preserve the legacy of the Cannonball House. Please send your donations to the campaign to have the Cannonball House listed on the NJ State and National Registries to The Historical Society of Scotch Plains/Fanwood, P. O Box 261, 1840 Front Street, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. Checks should be made out to “The Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood”. For further information call (908) 322-6700, Ext 230 or email Info@historicalsocietyspfnj.org.

The Cannonball House Museum is open to the public on the first Sunday of every month (except Jan. & Feb.) from 2-4 p.m. with tours by costumed historical interpreters. It is also open for special events, school tours and group tours by appointment.