Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
Interesting article in the June 24, 1999 Hunterdon County Democrat(Hunterdon County, N.J.)about a 220 acre farm on Lebanon-Stanton Road in Clinton Township, N.J. held by the same family since 1775.
The family ownership of the farm stretches back to JOHN DAWES, who purchased it for 950 pounds in May 1775. It once served as the center of DAWESTOWN, a hamlet during the Revolution.
It is presently owned by DONALD DAWES SMITH, 87, the last surviving member of the DAWES farm family. DONALD DAWES SMITH signed a contract(one million dollar deal) in August 1998 to sell the development rights (farmland preservation - prevents any future owner from building homes on the property or otherwise changing its use)to Clinton Township. DONALD DAWES SMITH is now in poor health suffering from senile dementia, diabetes, cardiac problems and other ills.
The contract is being disputed by a non-relative, Mark Gogal, age 26, who has power of attorney to sign documents but is NOT Mr. Dawes Smith's legal guardian. Mark Gogal grew up a mile away on the same road, takes care of the elderly landowner, lives at Mr. Dawes-Smith's home and stands to inherit the estate. Mark Gogal claims the township took advantage of a senile farmer while no one was watching.
The dispute went into the courts. The trial, which began on Monday, June 21, 1999, went before Judge Roger Mahon in Superior Court in Flemington, N.J. and Judge Mahon was to hand down a decision by the end of Thursday, June 24, 1999.
The Hunterdon County Democrat is published weekly. Hopefully, the outcome of the trial will be published.
Any of DONALD DAWES SMITH's relatives out there?
Followups:
|
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/dawes/messages/60.html | ||
 |
Agreement of Use Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|