The Cougar's Byte

Issue date: 10/1/07 Section: Campus News

On May 9th, 2007, Kean University formally acquired the 26 acres of historic land known as Liberty Hall. Liberty Hall has been maintained by the Kean family since the early 1700's, and served as the home of New Jersey's first governor William Livingston during the course of the American Revolution. Along with the land acquisition, Kean University has been able to acquire priceless artifacts from the Revolutionary war era. These artifacts include never before examined letter correspondences from George Washington, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton; during the pivotal stages of the Revolution. The commencement of the Liberty Hall Campus signifies Kean's devotion toward honoring and preserving the history of both the University and America.

Liberty Hall was built in 1772 for William Livingston; a prominent Lawyer from New York who would eventually become New Jersey's first appointed governor during the Revolution. One night during at the dawn of the Revolution, some 20,000 Hessian mercenaries under the command of British officers stormed the grounds of Liberty Hall in Route to Springfield. Livingston (acting governor and avid spokesman for the Revolution) narrowly escaped execution, as he and his family rode off on horseback away from the advancing troops.

Liberty Hall remained the home of Livingston until his death in 1790. In 1811, Liberty Hall was purchased by Peter Kean; a prominent merchant from South Carolina who served his country in the Second Continental Congress and was appointed the first cashier of the bank of the United States by George Washington himself. Throughout the years, Liberty Hall was gradually transformed into the beautiful mansion that stands today. John Kean, occupant of the home in the early to mid 1800's, is accredited for much of the expansion. John Kean also played an integral role in the initiation of the Elizabethtown Light and Water companies, solidifying the role of the Kean family as New Jersey's most prominent family. Liberty Hall remained in the Kean family until 1995 when it was converted into a public museum.

During the ceremony to honor this landmark achievement, John Kean spoke on behalf of his family, speaking of the family's regard for its own rich history. John Kean spoke of a story involving his great-great aunt, Julia Kean, who lived in the Liberty Hall mansion and was notorious for endlessly working on family scrapbooks. At the age of 10, Julia Kean made history when she pasted a letter from George Washington in one such book. The letter from Washington (which was previously undiscovered until recently) has scholars buzzing, and was featured in the April 27th New York Times. The recent discovery of these previously unknown letters is only the tip of the iceberg, as discoveries like this are optimistically anticipated by historians in the near future.

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