Wayne Township

Indian peoples inhabited this land from about 10,500 B.C. up to the early historic period, and at the time of European settlement they were referred to as the Munsee Delawares. In 1694 Arent Schuyler, on a fact-finding mission to the Indians in the Upper Delaware Valley, passed through and admired the beauty of the Pompton River Valley area. In 1695 a syndicate of eight, including Schuyler, purchased the Indian rights to this valley from the natives and the land rights from the East Jersey Company. First part of Essex County, Wayne became part of Saddle River Township, Bergen County, in 1710. After the formation of Passaic County in 1837, Wayne became part of Manchester Township, and in 1847 the New Jersey Legislature divided Manchester and created Wayne Township. The township was named after General Anthony Wayne, a Revolutionary War hero from Pennsylvania. The elected members of the first Township Committee in 1847 were Chairman William S. Hogencamp, Garret Berdan, William W. Colfax, John M. Demarest, and George Ryerson.

Preakness, New Jersey · United States