It Happened In Hillsborough: The Westering Precinct

by Greg Gillette

Welcome to the first of what I hope will be a weekly column of interest to my fellow Hillsboroughians. I
have been writing about the history of Hillsborough, New Jersey, for about twenty years and have begun
new projects like this three or four times. Experience tells me that what I am planning now will
inevitably evolve over the course of the year. Because this is the year of America’s 250 th birthday
celebration, I will try to include some Hillsborough Revolutionary-era content each week. Please come
along for the ride!

The Westering Precinct

In December, the Van Harlingen Historical Society announced a $100 reward for anyone who can prove
that Montgomery Township was named for General Richard Montgomery, an early hero of the
Revolution who died at the Battle of Quebec.

The issue facing Montgomery is that the township was not named until the New Jersey Township Act of
1798, twenty-three years after the General's death and twenty-seven years after Hillsborough and
“Montgomery” were separated into two municipalities. And no one kept any notes.

From the formation of Somerset County in 1688 until 1771, Hillsborough and Montgomery were united
into one township called the Westering (or Western) Precinct. The northern portion of the district
received a royal charter in 1771 and became Hillsborough Township. Unlike Montgomery, there is little
doubt where Hillsborough got its name.

Wills Hill, also known as Lord Hillsborough, was an English politician with many titles, both vocational
and hereditary. He began his political career as a member of Parliament in 1751, and after he became
the first Baron Harwich in 1756, he joined England’s upper chamber, the House of Lords.

He was president of the Board of Trade beginning in 1763, and, most importantly, was Secretary of State
for the Colonies (America) between 1768 and 1772. All of this is to say that he was quite famous and
infamous during his lifetime. We can explore Hill’s machinations during the Revolution in another
column, but there is virtually no possibility that the naming of Hillsborough Township in 1771 could be
related to any other person.

Consequently, there will be no need for a $100 reward in Hillsborough!
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Gregory Gillette has been writing about local history for 20 years, starting with his Courier News column
‘Gillette on Hillsborough” and continuing today with a Facebook page of the same name. He was named
as Hillsborough’s first Local Historian in 2025.