Celebrating the Fourth

July 2005 - Celebrating the Fourth

Following is a newspaper account of an early Fourth of July as reported on 16 July 1794 in Woods Newark Gazette and Paterson Advertiser.


The 18th anniversary of American Independence was celebrated at Second River on July 4th. At ten o'clock Capt. KIDNEY's [Jacobus, Jan/John] company of Grenadiers and the companies of Light Infantry of Captain's Speer and Crane were paraded when a procession formed led by the Cap of Liberty supported by Major Dod. The Declaration of Independence was read by William Hornblower and some suitable remarks were made by John Hornblower. The company retired to partake of a plentiful repast at which toasts were delivered by Doctor Steel, at each of which a general discharge of guns was given.

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