“The Titus story is an American story."--South Brunswick Deputy Mayor Chris Killmurray.
Saturday May 7 was a beautiful day. The temperature was perfect and mild, with a soft breeze flowing across the farmland through the trees, as the gathering of people were bathed in rays of sunlight.
Seemed like a typical mid-spring day in central New Jersey in 2011, or even 1811. I could feel the spirit of the Titus farm returning to claim its land. The crowd was warm and friendly, seemingly basking in the sunlight while chatting before the program. Everyone in attendance was smiling and greeting one another, just as I have imagined in my mind for eight years.
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In 2007, a dedication was held for the historic roadside marker which presides over the Titus farm. This crowd was different and considerably more special, with so many descendants in attendance.
I thought back to the many hours of research I have put into the farm's history, sometimes just a sentence of information at a sitting. Now it all held relevance to me in ways I never anticipated.
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The gathering was filled with Boy Scouts from Troop 90, all in support of Mike Hickey’s quest for Eagle Scout. I was filled with pride, almost as much as his parents, knowing how much effort Mike put into the Titus Farm Eagle Scout project.
The sight of so many young men now educated in Kendall Park history, Slave history and Dutch history honoring the grave of Thomas Titus was uplifting.
