A Piece of Matawan History is for Sale

The house that one of Matawan's most notable residents, Philip Freneau, built and resided in from 1818 to 1824 is currently listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation website for $499,000.

Owners Mike and Linda Chartier affectionately refer to the Philip Freneau House at 12 Poet Drive as their "sanctuary" and "fortress," paying homage to the quality of the home's foundation. The 3200 square feet, 5-bedroom home's historical elegance is on display in its original Federal doorway and window mouldings in the great room that are almost exact matches of some in the White House.

The home's original occupant was Philip Freneau, a poet, privateer, newspaper publisher and newspaper editor. Known as the "Poet of the American Revolution" for his revolutionary and pro-Patriot writings during the war, Freneau is best known for his work The British Prison Ship. The poem, which describes the brutal conditions on British prison ships as places where "pain and sorrow dwell," was penned after Freneau was captured with a Patriot privateer crew and imprisoned on a prison ship moored in the Hudson River.

Freneau was also a close friend of James Madison, a strong critic of the presidency of George Washington and proponent of Jeffersonian policies.

The Chartiers joined Freneau and other influential residents of the grand home in 2004, when their journey of discovery and research into the history of the building began.

The history of the house is chronicled on Chartier's website Philip Freneau's House in Matawan, a website domain that Mike's wife Linda purchased for him as a Christmas present in 2007. This website sheds light on not only Freneau's time in the home, but that of later owners, such as former Mayor of Matawan Victor Armellino. Mike's research on the history of the home and its inhabitants have taken him to the archives and libraries of the Monmouth Historical County Historical Association, Princeton University and Rutgers University.

Mike is especially interested in Freneau's work in the Democratic-Republican partisan newspaper business. An ally of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, Freneau played a leading role in the National Gazette newspaper which published content directed against the policies of President George Washington and Federalist Party leaders such as Alexander Hamilton.

Reflecting on the newspaper career of Freneau as it relates to current affairs, Mike told Patch, "There is an enormous sense in the country that we are more divided than at any time and that much of the conflict is due to the media. When you study Freneau, however, you realize that the former is wrong. The country has been divided since its beginning, and that brief periods of harmony are the exception."

Freneau died at the age of 80 years old on December 18, 1832 from hypothermia. He is buried in the Philip Morin Freneau Cemetery across the street from his former residence at 12 Poet Drive with his mother Agnes Watson Freneau.

Mike Chartier doesn't just consider himself the owner of the Philip Freneau House, he also sees himself as its generational caretaker. In 2009, Mike successfully had the house declared eligible for the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. The house, which displays details from Federal and later periods, was not just the home of a notable historic figure. It is also a reflection of the evolution of Matawan- from agrarian society, to manufacturing hub, to bedroom community.

"The letter is a good thing to have because it gives the homeowner protections and potential access to some grants, while not restricting you from doing what you want to the home," Mike said in regards to the letter of eligibility he received from the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places.

As the day approaches for the Chartiers to part with their beloved home, they have one message for the next owners: "Enjoy the history, but also make it your own home."