Conklin-Sneden House

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	Conklin-Sneden House (Jacob Conklin House) (Samuel Sneden House) c. 1796
	Built about 1796 by Jacob Conklin, Jr., a "wheelwright", the house is an example of Dutch Colonial architecture. Erected on the site of an earlier Conklin homestead, it stands on a 166 ½ acre farm purchased in 1748 by Jacob Conklin, Sr. Later owners, all descendents of Conklin's, were the Samuel Sneden and Samuel Beasley families who lived here until 1902. The house since has been enlarged and remodeled. BCHS Marker*
	* The original frame house was built c.1848 by Jacob Conklin, Esq. It is more likely that Samuel Sneden, Jr., 2nd Jacob's son-in-law and a carpenter, built the sandstone structure about 1796. By then, 2nd Jacob & Elizabeth Gesner-Conklin had moved across the road to the preferable frame Riker-Mabie farmstead.
Site No. 21	21 Rockleigh Road
Links Conklin Family Sneden Family	The dwelling is a spacious, rectangular, five-bay, 1½ story gambrel-roof sandstone structure. The architectural style is "Dutch Colonial" with a gambrel roof. The side and rear walls are the original. The exterior sandstone front wall was refaced circa 1961. A small one-story sandstone wing on the south side of the main structure houses the present-day kitchen. A similar sandstone wing on the north side has been converted into a garage.^[1] [1] Bergen County Historic Sites Survey, Borough of Rockleigh. 1981-1982. Bergen County Office of Cultural and Historic Affairs, Hackensack, NJ The front door opens into a center hall which traverses the dwelling to a rear door. There were one or two rooms on each side of the center hall. The main floor includes living room, dining room and small rear chamber. The garret above is finished into four bedrooms and two baths. The house has its original floorboards. Above the eaves the gable ends are clapboard. The large open garret was divided into rooms. Later alterations include front dormers, additional windows on the front facade, exterior chimney, and a full-length rear shed dormer.^[1] [1] Reginald McMahon: A History of the Jacob Conklin House, Rockleigh, NJ. 1977 m/s Bergen County Historical Society, River Edge, NJ

	Conklin-Sneden House Photo circa 1973
	The cellar, fully excavated, was another large, open space and at each end were stone arches to support the weight of the fireplaces and chimneys above. Access to the cellar, for storage of crops, was by way of two outside hatchways (since removed) built into the front foundation.^[2] The present south wing is a modern addition that partially stands over a previous smaller wing (possibly dating to circa 1750) of which only he cellar excavation remains. The original small wing may have served as the kitchen for the main house. This small wing also may have been the older original structure before the main house was built circa 1796.
	Sited in an easterly direction on two acres of land on the west side of lower Rockleigh Road, the dwelling is in good condition. "Samuel Beasley, who lived in the present Peter Gates home, had a cider mill and stored the cider in a vault where Ted Happel's house is now [2 Willow Avenue]. Some of the cider was treated so it would not get to be hard cider, and some was allowed to turn to vinegar. A horse was used to run the tread mill to grind the apples."* * From the Handwritten notes of Newt Sneden, 1973. Courtesy of John A. Sneden, Jr.
	In recent times, the facade was altered by placing three windows at each side of the entrance. In addition, the sandstone wall was refaced, probably "in situ", from the usual smooth dressed stone to what is now "rock-faced". Roof dormers were added as well as a rear addition which widened the original structure.

	People Who Lived There ^[3]

	pre 1740	Robert & Phebe Hallet, owners of record
	1740 - 1773	Jacob Conklin, Esq. Jacob Conklin, Esq. (1718-1787) & Hesther Barheyt-Conklin (1720- 1783)
	1765 - 1773	Jacob Conklin (1718-1787) & Hesther Barheyt-Conklin (1720-1783 ), landowners of record 2nd Jacob Conklin (1743-1827) & Elizabeth Gesner-Conklin (1745-1825)
	1773-1796	2nd Jacob Conklin (1743-1827) & Elizabeth
	1796 - 1827	[2nd Jacob Conklin (1743-1827), owner] 2nd Samuel Sneden (1775-1863) & Elizabeth Conklin-Sneden (1778-c.1849)
	1827-1832	[2nd Samuel Sneden (1775-1863) & Elizabeth Conklin-Sneden (1778-c.1849), owners] Samuel S. Sneden (1800-?) & Maria Onderdonk-Sneden (c.1804-?)
	1832-1832	[2nd Samuel Sneden (1775-1863) & Elizabeth Conklin-Sneden (1778-c.1849), owners] Samuel S. Sneden (1800-?) & Maria Onderdonk-Sneden (c.1804-?)
	1848-1858	[Samuel S. Sneden ( 1800 - ?) and Elizabeth Sneden Beasley (1798-?), owners of record] Samuel S. Sneden (1800-?) & Maria Onderdonk-Sneden (c.1804-?) Jacob Sneden (1796-1862) & Cornelia Ann Rudd-Sneden (1805-1901)
	1858-1862	[Samuel S. Sneden ( 1800 - ?) & Elizabeth Sneden Beasley (1798-?), owners of record] Jacob Sneden (1796-1862) & Cornelia Ann Rudd-Sneden (1805-1901)
	1862 - 1902	Samuel Beasley (1831- 1911) & Sarah A. Matthews-Beasley
	1902-1912	? John Hallin (1877-?) & Jessie Hallin (1881-?)
	1912-1913	[Sir Martin Conway & Lady Katrina, owners of record]
	c.1920-c.1930	Ernest & Ingeborga Philblad

	1968- c.1974	Peter Gates Family
	1974-	Eric Innes Family
		[Peter and Roberta Adams, owners of record]
		...

	Map References
	Erskine, No. 110 (1778-80)		Jacob Conklin
	Hopkins-Corey (1861)		J. Sneden
	Walker's Atlas (1876)		S. Beasley
	Beers (1891)		S. Beasley
	Bromley (1912)		Henry De Guise

	References
	1. Bergen County Historic Sites Survey, Borough of Rockleigh. 1981-1982. Bergen County Office of Cultural and Historic Affairs, Hackensack, NJ 2. Reginald McMahon: A History of the Jacob Conklin House, Rockleigh, NJ. 1977. m/s Bergen County Historical Society, River Edge, NJ 3. Handwritten notes of Newt Sneden, 1974. Courtesy of John A. Sneden, Jr.