Franklin Township is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, C ...

in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It is centrally located in the Raritan Valley region, within the

New York Metropolitan Area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass, at , and one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. The vast metropolitan area ...

. As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...

, the township's population was 62,300,DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
,

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

. Accessed December 16, 2011. reflecting an increase of 11,397 (+22.4%) from the 50,903 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 8,123 (+19.0%) from the 42,780 counted in the 1990 Census. Traditionally a farming community, it has become a fast-growing suburb with massive development in the later 20th and 21st centuries as a diverse blend of races, religions, and cultures. In 2008, Franklin Township ranked #5 on ''

Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as ...

'' magazine's list of America's Top 100 Best Places to Live. What is now Franklin Township was originally formed circa 1745 as Eastern precinct. Franklin Township was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Portions of the township were taken to form South Bound Brook (formed within Township, became independent municipality as of April 11, 1907) and East Millstone (February 18, 1873, returned to Franklin Township on December 31, 1949).Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 223. Accessed October 28, 2012.

History

It has been unclear if the township was named for founding father

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

or for his illegitimate son

William Franklin William Franklin (22 February 1730 – 17 November 1813) was an American-born attorney, soldier, politician, and colonial administrator. He was the acknowledged illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin. William Franklin was the last colonial G ...

, a Loyalist and the last Royal Governor of New Jersey (from 1763 to 1776). In 2000, after considering the evidence set forth by William B. Brahms in his books ''Images of America: Franklin Township'' (1997) and ''Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ: A History'', and ''The Case for William Franklin and The Case for Benjamin Franklin'', the Township Council chose the theory that the township was indeed named for Benjamin Franklin. Franklin Township was very much a part of Revolutionary War history and the scene of many raiding parties along

Route 27 Route 27, or Highway 27, may refer to: Australia * Burke Developmental Road (Queensland) * Zeehan Highway (Tasmania) Canada * Alberta Highway 27 * British Columbia Highway 27 * Manitoba Highway 27 * Prince Edward Island Route 27 * Saskatchew ...

, then known as the King's Highway. Two British generals,

Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805), styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as the Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army general and official. In the United S ...

and DeHeister, tried to lure

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

and his Continental Army into battle on the plains of Middlebush and East Millstone. Washington, however, kept his troops at Chimney Rock, just north of Franklin, until the British withdrew. Several of the prosperous Middlebush farms were destroyed by the British soldiers during their retreat. In 1777, near the mill on the

Millstone River The Millstone River is a tributary of the Raritan River in central New Jersey in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ''Garden State Canoeing'', Seneca Press, 2002. The Millstone River begins in western Monmouth County and flows westward throu ...

Weston Weston may refer to: Places Australia * Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Weston, New South Wales * Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra * Weston Park, Canberra, a park Canada * Weston, Nova Scotia * ...

, the Continental Army and local militia engaged and successfully drove off a British foraging party of about 600 troops, sent out of

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

by General Cornwallis. On November 2, 1783, Washington composed his farewell address to the army while staying at Rockingham near Rocky Hill. The construction of the

Delaware and Raritan Canal The Delaware and Raritan Canal (D&R Canal) is a canal in central New Jersey, built in the 1830s, that served to connect the Delaware River to the Raritan River. It was an efficient and reliable means of transportation of freight between Philadelp ...

in the 1830s, stretching to connect

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

and

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, led to significant growth in the township, with as much as 200,000 tons of goods shipped on barges using the canal by the 1860s. The rise of shipping commercial goods using railroads led to a substantial decline in canal traffic.History
Township of Franklin. Accessed March 31, 2020. The area has been restored as the

Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park is a New Jersey state park along the Delaware and Raritan Canal. History In 1974, most of the canal system was declared a New Jersey state park. It remains one today, and is used for canoeing, kayaking, an ...

The Van Wickle House, located next to the

in the Somerset section of the township, in between

and South Bound Brook, was built in 1722 by

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

settlers and is now owned by Franklin Township and leased by the Meadows Foundation. Set back behind Easton Avenue, the home adjoins the Rutgers Preparatory School and a Revolutionary War-era graveyard.Van Wickle House 1722
Meadows Foundation. Accessed March 31, 2020. Passenger and freight railroad service was available in Franklin Township during the later half of the 19th century via the Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad (M&NB) which opened in 1854. The railroad was built and operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), from a junction with the PRR mainline at Jersey Avenue in

to East Millstone. The M&NB is now known as the Conrail Millstone Secondary Branch. The branch line was still operated by Conrail up to just west of Clyde Road in

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

for a time, serving local industry in the industrial section of Somerset.As of 2011, Hermann Warehouse Corp re-located out of the Clyde Road facility and there has not been rail service into that building since then. A bumper was placed east of the Somerset Road/Route 27 crossing, with Clyde Road, Veronica Avenue and Route 27 crossings currently out of service. Jersey Avenue/Route 91 remains the sole active crossing on the line. In 1922, the infamous Hall-Mills Murder took place in Franklin Township, in the area adjacent to New Brunswick known as Somerset.

Geography

According to the

, the township had a total area of 46.88 square miles (121.43 km²), including 46.17 square miles (119.58 km²) of land and 0.71 square miles (1.85 km²) of water (1.52%). The community is approximately 75% rural.Cheslow, Jerry
"If You're Thinking of Living In Franklin Township, N.J.; A Town Acting to Preserve Its Farmland"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', November 15, 1998. Accessed August 23, 2012. "The 47-square-mile community, which is still three-fourths rural, is coming under increasing development pressure, according to Mayor Bottcher." The township borders the municipalities of Bridgewater Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery Township, Rocky Hill and South Bound Brook in Somerset County;

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...

in Mercer County;

, North Brunswick,

Piscataway Piscataway may refer to: *Piscataway people, a Native American ethnic group native to the southern Mid-Atlantic States *Piscataway language *Piscataway, Maryland, an unincorporated community *Piscataway, New Jersey, a township *Piscataway Creek, Ma ...

and South Brunswick in Middlesex County.

Communities

The following are

unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

s (CDPs) located within Franklin Township:New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32)

, August 2012. Accessed February 12, 2013. * Blackwells Mills (2010 CDP population of 803) *

Clyde Clyde may refer to: People * Clyde (given name) * Clyde (surname) Places For townships see also Clyde Township Australia * Clyde, New South Wales * Clyde, Victoria * Clyde River, New South Wales Canada * Clyde, Alberta * Clyde, Ontario, a tow ...

(2010 CDP population of 213) * East Franklin (2010 CDP population of 8,669) * East Millstone (2010 CDP population of 579) * East Rocky Hill (2010 CDP population of 469) * Franklin Center (2010 CDP population of 4,460) * Franklin Park (2010 CDP population of 13,295) * Griggstown (2010 CDP population of 819) * Kingston – officially designated as a Village Center by the New Jersey State Planning Commission. The Kingston Village Advisory Committee, jointly appointed by the Councils of Franklin and South Brunswick townships, advises Franklin on matters of concern to Kingston's residents. (2010 CDP population of 271 for portion of Kingston in Franklin Township) * Middlebush (2010 CDP population of 2,326) * Pleasant Plains (2010 CDP population of 922) * Six Mile Run (2010 CDP population of 3,184) *

(2010 CDP population of 22,083) * Ten Mile Run (2010 CDP population of 1,959) * Voorhees CDP (2010 CDP population of 976) *

(2010 CDP population of 1,235) * Zarephath, religious community in western part of the township, centered around the

Pillar of Fire Church The Pillar of Fire International, also known as the Pillar of Fire Church, is a Methodist Christian denomination with headquarters in Zarephath, New Jersey. The Pillar of Fire Church affirms the Methodist Articles of Religion and as of 1988, had ...

(2010 CDP population of 37) Other unincorporated communities, localities, and place names located partially or completely within the township include Hamilton Park and Rockingham.

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Franklin Township, New Jersey would have an Appalachian

Oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

(''104'') vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest (''25'') vegetation form.U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)

Data Basin In the pursuit of knowledge, data (; ) is a collection of discrete values that convey information, describing quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted. ...

. Accessed November 5, 2020.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

was $89,992 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,918) and the median family income was $103,060 (+/− $3,429). Males had a median income of $66,178 (+/− $2,448) versus $54,733 (+/− $2,427) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the borough was $40,036 (+/− $1,203). About 3.2% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...

there were 50,903 people, 19,355 households, and 12,987 families residing in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 1,088.3 people per square mile (420.2/km²). There were 19,789 housing units at an average density of 423.1 per square mile (163.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 55.11%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 25.98%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.18% Native American, 12.74% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 3.56% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.39% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 8.11% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Franklin Township, New Jersey
,

. Accessed October 31, 2016.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed August 23, 2012. There were 19,355 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.14. In the township, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males. The median income for a household in the township was $67,923, and the median income for a family was $78,177. Males had a median income of $52,351 versus $41,101 for females. The

for the township was $31,209. About 3.1% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the

, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Parks in the township include: *The William L. Hutcheson Memorial Forest is a natural preserve administered by

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...

that includes a virgin old-growth forest designated a National Natural Landmark, and is located at 2150 Amwell Road ( Route 514) about east of East Millstone. * Colonial Park, part of the Somerset County Park System, is a facility located in the western portion of Franklin Township near East Millstone with entrances off Mettlers Lane and Elizabeth Avenue. The park offers many recreational activities, including picnicking, hiking, biking, fishing, paddle boating, golf, and tennis. It features a Arboretum, "a living tree museum" that provides a wide range of examples of trees and shrubs that grow well in the Central Jersey environment. The park also offers a leash-free dog area, a fitness parcourse, paddleboat rentals, an 18-hole putting course, the 18 hole championship Spooky Brook Golf Course, 3 stocked fishing ponds, softball fields, a tennis center, playground, nature trail, a Perennial Garden, the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden, an accredited All-America Rose Selections (AARS) display garden, and the Fragrance and Sensory Garden, designed to be of special interest to visitors who are visually or physically impaired. *A portion of the

runs for along much of the northern and western borders of Franklin Township eventually making its way as far south as Trenton with a feeder canal following the Delaware River north for another to Bull's Island near Frenchtown. The canal and adjacent tow path offer many recreational activities, from hiking and biking to fishing and boating. Access points with parking can be found near most road crossings of the canal, via bridges at Colonial Park (see above) and the Van Wickle House (see below) in Franklin Township as well as at many of the locks on the canal. *The John W. Flemer Preserve is a preserve adjacent to the

in Kingston that features a trail on the east bank of the Canal that offers a connection to the tow path on the west side of the Canal for a round trip hike. *The Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve is a preserve located between Bennets Lane and Skillmans Lane in the Somerset section that features of grassland, forest, and scrubland and a wetland attracting migratory birds and amphibians with over of pedestrian trails, bird boxes and interpretive signage. *

Six Mile Run Reservoir Site The Six Mile Run Reservoir Site, part of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, is located in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It is adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal. It covers . The reservoir plan wa ...

, part of the

New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry In the state of New Jersey, the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry is an administrative division of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. In its most visible role, the Division is directly responsible for the management and ...

, is located in the central portion of Franklin Township. The park consists of land that was set aside in c. 1970 for water resource needs that still remains largely undeveloped and that offers numerous multi-use recreational trails. Access is provided via the former D&R Canal Main Office parking area off Canal Road just south of Blackwells Mills Road. *Ten Mile Run Greenway is a greenway over in length running between Canal Road south of Bunker Hill Road in Griggstown and S. Middlebush Road near Old Vliet Road in Franklin Park. It runs along the Ten Mile Run. It features four sections including: **Bunker Hill Natural Area, accessed from the north side of Bunker Hill Road near the intersection of Route 27, features trails through mature forest and meadows and along Ten Mile Run stream. Trails connect to the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve and the Catalpa Farm areas. **Catalpa Farm, on Old Vliet Road, offers trails along field edges and a small forest that connect to the Bunker Hill Natural Area. **Environmental Education Center, 255 Bunker Hill Road (parking is available at 287 Bunker Hill Road), is a area that features a deciduous forest known as Graeber Woods, a one-mile (1.6 km) self-guided nature trail, the "Glass House", a home that has been renovated and is now used as a classroom and conference center to provide a wide range of instructional, hands-on activities in natural habitats, and a 20' climbing tower and a high ropes course adventure area. The Environmental Education Center is a cooperative effort of the Township of Franklin, the Franklin Township Board of Education, and the Green Acres Program. A trail connect to the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve and the rest of the Ten Mile Run Greenway. **Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve accessed from Canal Road in Griggstown (1091 Canal Road) has over of grassland and hundreds of acres of forest and features over of mapped trails. Trails connect to the other sections of the Ten Mile Run Greenway.

Government

Local government

The Township of Franklin is chartered under the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, within the Council-Manager, Plan D.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 81. The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The Township Council is comprised of nine members. The Mayor is elected directly from the township at-large. The Township Council is comprised of one member from each of the five wards and three elected from the township at-large. The Mayor is the Chief Legislative Officer of the township and is elected by the voters to serve for a four-year term. The Township Manager is the Chief Executive Officer overseeing the township's daily operations and is hired by and serves at the pleasure of the Township Council. Councilmembers are chosen for a four-year term in partisan elections held at the June Primary and November General Elections in odd-numbered years, with the five ward seats coming up for election together and the mayoral and at-large seats up for election two years later. , the

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

of Franklin Township is Democrat Phillip Kramer, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Township Council are Deputy Mayor Crystal Pruitt (D; At-Large, 2023), Sivaraman Anbarasan (D; At-Large, 2023), Kimberly Francois (D; At-Large, 2023), Charles Onyejiaka (D; 3rd Ward, 2025), Ed Potosnak (D; 1st Ward, 2025), Shepa Uddin (D; 2nd Ward, 2025), James Vassanella (D; 5th Ward, 2025) and Carl R.A. Wright (D; 4th Ward, 2025).Council Members
Township of Franklin. Accessed June 6, 2022.''2021 Directory of County & Municipal Offices''
Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed May 1, 2022.2021 General Election Winning Candidates
Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.Somerset County General Election November 3, 2020 Final Certified Results
Somerset County, New Jersey, dated December 3, 2020. Accessed January 19, 2021.General Election November 5, 2019 Final Results
Somerset County, New Jersey, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020. In the November 2015 general election, Phillip Kramer became the first Democrat directly elected as Mayor in the township's history, resulting in the Mayor and entire council being from the Democratic Party. This marked a transition that started in 1995, when the council was controlled 8 to 1 by the Republican Party. In January 2016, the Township Council selected Charles Onyejiaka from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Third Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that was vacated by Philip Kramer when he took office as mayor; Onyejiaka will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will select a candidate to fill the one-year balance of the term of office. In January 2015, the Township Council chose Chris Kelly from among three candidates offered by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of Brian D. Levine, who had resigned from his council seat to take office on the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders. In 1998, the township approved a referendum by a better than 2–1 margin to raise

property tax A property tax or millage rate is an ad valorem tax on the value of a property.In the OECD classification scheme, tax on property includes "taxes on immovable property or net wealth, taxes on the change of ownership of property through inhe ...

es by 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, with the money to be used to preserve open space.

Federal, state and county representation

Franklin Township is located in the 12th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; t ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 17th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019. Prior to the 2010 Census, Franklin Township had been split between the and the 12th Congressional District, a change made by the

that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 57, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015. Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held on the first Friday of January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members. , Somerset County's County Commissioners are Director Shanel Robinson ( D, Franklin Township, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as director ends 2022), Deputy Director Melonie Marano (D, Green Brook Township, term as commissioner and as deputy director ends 2022), Paul Drake (D, Hillsborough Township, 2023), Douglas Singleterry (D, North Plainfield, 2023) and Sara Sooy (D,

Basking Ridge Basking Ridge is an Local government in New Jersey#Unincorporated communities, unincorporated community located within Bernards Township, New Jersey, Bernards Township in the Somerset Hills region of Somerset County, New Jersey, Somerset Count ...

in Bernards Township, 2024).''2021 Directory of County & Municipal Offices''
Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed May 1, 2022.2021 General Election Winning Candidates
Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.Somerset County General Election November 3, 2020 Final Certified Results
Somerset County, New Jersey, dated December 3, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.General Election November 5, 2019 Final Results
Somerset County, New Jersey, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020. Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as constitutional officers. These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the

County Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

(elected for a three-year term). Constitutional officers, elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Steve Peter ( D, Somerville, 2022), Sheriff Darrin Russo (D, Franklin Township, 2022) and Surrogate Bernice "Tina" Jalloh (D, Franklin Township, 2025)

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 36,240 registered voters in Franklin Township, of which 13,993 (38.6% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 4,962 (13.7% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 17,262 (47.6% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 23 voters registered to the Libertarian Party or other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Somerset
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 12, 2013. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 58.2% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 74.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide). In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January ...

, Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

received 71.2% of the vote (19,611 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 27.7% (7,640 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (288 votes), among the 27,718 ballots cast by the township's 39,291 registered voters (179 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 19,442 votes (70.0% vs. 52.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 7,951 votes (28.6% vs. 46.1%) and other candidates with 246 votes (0.9% vs. 1.1%), among the 27,776 ballots cast by the township's 35,508 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.2% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...

received 14,737 votes (64.2% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 7,913 votes (34.5% vs. 51.5%) and other candidates with 211 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 22,962 ballots cast by the township's 28,743 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.9% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Christie, who was born in N ...

received 51.7% of the vote (8,178 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 46.9% (7,420 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (209 votes), among the 16,108 ballots cast by the township's 40,155 registered voters (301 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...

received 9,369 ballots cast (53.0% vs. 34.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 6,842 votes (38.7% vs. 55.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 1,180 votes (6.7% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 137 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 17,679 ballots cast by the township's 36,033 registered voters, yielding a 49.1% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).

Points of interest

*The

Blackwells Mills Canal House The Blackwells Mills Canal House is located at Blackwells Mills Road and Canal Road in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, on the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Across the canal is Blackwells Mills, New Jersey. History ...

, located at Blackwells Mills Road and Canal Road (598 Canal Road, Somerset) on the Delaware and Raritan Canal, was built , at the same time as the canal. It was constructed to house the bridge tender, who would open the swing bridge when canal boats came through, then close it to allow traffic to cross over the canal. The building is leased from the State and is maintained and operated by the Blackwells Mills Canal House Association in conjunction with the Meadows Foundation. *The

Franklin Inn The Franklin Inn was built by Cornelius Van Liew in 1752. Located at 2371 Amwell Road ( Route 514), East Millstone, New Jersey. Originally it was the Van Liew farmhouse, it has also been known as Annie Van Liew's house and, after being remodeled ...

, at 2371 Amwell Road ( Route 514), East Millstone, NJ a farmhouse built by Cornelius Van Liew, it has also been known as Annie Van Liew's House and, after being remodeled into a tavern and inn, the Franklin House Hotel. *The

Hageman Farm The Hageman Farm is a historic house located at 209 South Middlebush Road in Somerset, New Jersey. It is a registered historic place of New Jersey. Hageman family The progenitors of the Hageman family were Catherine and Adrian Hegeman, who emigrat ...

, at 209 South Middlebush Road, is a historic farm. Owned by Franklin Township, the farm is under the stewardship of the Meadows Foundation. * Rockingham State Historic Site, near Kingston on CR 603 (Somerset County), adjacent to the

wrote his Farewell Address to the Revolutionary Army while staying here in the fall of 1783. *Spieden & Hoebel Farms, Little Valley Natural Area is a area at 1327 and 1345 Canal Road with several miles of trails through forest and along field edges. Across Canal Road is access to the

tow path and the Millstone River and flood plain. *

Tulipwood Most commonly, tulipwood is the greenish yellowish wood yielded from the tulip tree, found on the Eastern side of North America and a similar species in some parts of China. In the United States, it is commonly known as tulip poplar or yellow po ...

, at 1165 Hamilton Street, is a designed by J. August Lienau, the son of

Detlef Lienau Detlef Lienau (17 February 1818 – 29 August 1887) was a German architect born in Holstein. He is credited with having introduced the French style to American building construction, notably the mansard roof and all its decorative flourishes. Trai ...

for his brother-in-law Stephen Guion Williams whose family owned the Williams & Guion Black Star Line. The home is owned by Franklin Township. *The Ukrainian Cultural Center at 135 Davidson Avenue, serves as the headquarters of the

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (UOC of USA; uk, Українська православна церква у США) is a jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the United States. It consists of two eparchies (dioceses), ruled ...

and includes the following at the site (some open by appointment only): **St. Sophia Seminary and Library, founded in 1975 **St. Andrew Memorial Church, completed and consecrated in 1967 in memory of the 7-14 million people who died in the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33 is a unique example of Ukrainian Cossack Baroque architecture in the area **St. Andrew Cemetery, founded in 1952 **The Ukrainian Historical and Educational Center, founded in 1972, which contains treasures of Ukrainian cultural, historical, social, religious, literary and political life including Easter eggs, lacework, hand embroidery, statuary and church vessels. **The Ukrainian Cultural Center, dedicated in 1985 **St. Andrew Ukrainian School, founded in 1962 and located in the Cultural Center **St. Andrew Bookstore and Ecclesiastical Supply, founded in 1992 *The historic Fisher Homestead, built in 1688, the home of

Hendrick Fisher Hendrick Fisher (also spelled Fischer, Visscher; 1697–1779) represented Somerset County in the New Jersey Colonial Assembly, was one of three delegates representing New Jersey at the Stamp Act Congress in New York in 1765, was elected to New ...

, New Jersey's delegate to the Continental Congress, and the site of the Fisher Family Cemetery. *The Van Liew-Suydam House, at 280 South Middlebush Road, was built in the 18th century by Peter Van Liew. Joseph Suydam later built the part of the house that is visible today. The newest and largest portion of the house was built in 1875. Although the most recent long term owner of the house was named French, the house has been named after its two initial owners. Owned by Franklin Township, the farm is under the stewardship of the Meadows Foundation. *The Van Wickle House, at 1289 Easton Avenue is a historic house built by Symen Van Wickle. Operated by the Meadows Foundation which holds special annual events here. *The Wyckoff-Garretson House, at 215 South Middlebush Road, was built in 1730 by Cornelius Wyckoff. The house was restored by the Meadows Foundation under the direction of architect Mark Alan Hewitt.

Education

The Franklin Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through

twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 7,150 students and 703.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.2:1.District information for Franklin Township Public Schools
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020. Schools in the district (with 2018–2019 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Claremont Elementary School (665 students; in grades Pre-K–5), Conerly Road School (400; Pre-K–5), Elizabeth Avenue School (493; Pre-K–5), Franklin Park School (664; Pre-K–5), Hillcrest School (436; Pre-K–5), MacAfee Road School (381; Pre-K–5), Pine Grove Manor School (331; Pre-K–5), Franklin Middle School at Hamilton Street Campus (706; 6–8), Franklin Middle School at Sampson G. Smith Campus (797; 6–8) and Franklin High School (2,146; 9–12). Central Jersey College Prep Charter School is a comprehensive public charter middle school / high school serving students in grades 6–12 that aims to prepare all graduates for admission to a four-year university. In 2016, the school was one of ten schools in New Jersey, and the only charter school, recognized as a

National Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

by the

United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Departmen ...

. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 820 students and 73.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1. Rutgers Preparatory School, a private

day school A day school — as opposed to a boarding school — is an educational institution where children and adolescents are given instructions during the day, after which the students return to their homes. A day school has full-day programs when compa ...

founded in 1766, is located in Franklin Township and occupies a 35-acre campus between Easton Avenue and the

Raritan River Raritan River is a major river of New Jersey. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. History Geologists assert that the lower Raritan provided t ...

. The state's oldest independent school, RPS moved to Franklin Township in 1957. Saint Matthias School is a parochial elementary school founded in 1962 that serves students in preschool through eighth grade and operates under the supervision of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen The Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen ( la, Dioecesis Metuchenis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in New Jersey, centered in the borough of Metuchen. It was established on November 19, 1981, from the territory of the Diocese of Trenton. The diocese ...

. Cedar Hill Preparatory School, a Pre-K–8 school founded in 2003 as Oakcrest Academy, was one of eight private schools recognized in 2017 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program as an Exemplary High Performing School by the

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Somerset County and by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transporta ...

Interstate 287 Interstate 287 (I-287) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in ...

is the most significant highway within the township. It runs through the northern part of the township with two interchanges.

runs along the border between

, and the townships of South Brunswick and North Brunswick. Some of the major county routes that are in the township are CR 514, CR 518 and CR 527. The New Jersey Turnpike ( Interstate 95) passes outside the township in both neighboring South Brunswick and New Brunswick, but the closest interchanges are two towns away in Edison (Exit 10), East Brunswick Township (Exit 9) and Monroe Township (Exit 8A). Franklin Township was to house the northern end of the Somerset Freeway at I-287 back in 1964 until it was later proposed to end in Piscataway. An additional spur, Interstate 695, was also proposed as part of the project. This road was to complete Interstate 95 at the proposed southern end in Hopewell Township at I-95 and

I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for several Interstate Highways in the United States: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Interstate 295 (Florida), a beltway around central Jacksonville * Interstate ...

. However the entire project was ultimately cancelled in 1982.

Public transportation

Somerset County offers DASH routes 851 and 852, providing service to Franklin Township from Bound Brook,

and North Brunswick. Additionally, the CAT 1R provides service to Raritan Valley Community College, passing through Bound Brook, Somerville, and Raritan. Commuter bus service to Midtown Manhattan is offered by commuter transportation company OurBus, during peak hours, with service at Kendall Park to and from New York City.

Utilities

Gas and electricity are provided by PSE&G. Water comes from the

from water bought from American Water and neighboring North Brunswick and

in Middlesex County. In 2011, the township considered privatizing the system and awarding the contract to

United Water Suez North America, founded as the Hackensack Water Company in 1869 and later named United Water, is an American water service company headquartered in Paramus, New Jersey. It owns and operates 16 water and waste water utilities, and operates 9 ...

. Sewerage service is provided by the Township of Franklin Sewerage Authority.

Emergency services

;Fire companies Franklin Township is served by 10 all-volunteer Fire Departments in four fire districts. * Community Fire Company / Station 25 (District 3) * Elizabeth Ave. Fire Company / Station 26 (District 1) * East Franklin Fire Department / Station 27 (District 3) * Middlebush Fire Department / Station 44 (District 1) * Millstone Valley Fire Company / Station 28 (District 1) * Franklin Park Fire Department / Station 31 (District 2) * Griggstown Fire Company / Station 35 (District 2) * Kingston Fire Company / Station 39 (District 4) * Little Rocky Hill Fire Company / Station 41 (District 2) * Somerset Fire & Rescue Company #1 / Station 56 (District 1) ;First aid squads Franklin Township is served by four volunteer First Aid and Rescue Squads and one hospital-based EMS provider *East Millstone First Aid Squad / Station 52 *Franklin Somerset First Aid Squad / Station 71 (Permanently closed) *Rocky Hill First Aid & Rescue Squad / Station 53 *Kendall Park First Aid & Rescue Squad *Kingston First Aid & Rescue Squad / Station 72 *Robert Wood Johnson EMS (Paid EMS through Municipal Contract)

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Franklin Township include: * Carlton Agudosi (born 1994), wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL * Anthony Bartholomay (1919–1975), mathematician who introduced molecular set theory *

Avery Brooks Avery Franklin Brooks (born October 2, 1948) is an American actor, director, singer, narrator and educator. He is best known for his television roles as Captain Benjamin Sisko on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', as Hawk on '' Spenser: For Hire'' ...

(born 1948), actor who portrayed Captain Sisko in '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', Hawk on '' Spenser: For Hire'' and '' A Man Called Hawk'', as well as film and theatre * Clifford P. Case (1904–1982), politician who served in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

and the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

* Upendra J. Chivukula (born 1950), New Jersey Board of Public Utilities commissioner who represented the 17th Legislative District in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

, and had served on the Franklin Township Council since 1997, serving as its Mayor in 2000 and its Deputy Mayor in 1998 * Joseph Danielsen, member of the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 17th Legislative District since October 2014, after being appointed to fill the vacant seat of Upendra J. Chivukula * Charles Leavitt Edgar (1860–1932), mechanical engineer working in the area of central

power stations A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid. Many po ...

noted for several firsts, president of Boston Edison (1900) and

National Electric Light Association The National Electric Light Association (NELA) was a national United States trade association that included the operators of electric central power generation stations, electrical supply companies, electrical engineers, scientists, educational i ...

* Margit Feldman (1929–2020), public speaker, educator, activist and

Holocaust survivor Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and its allies before and during World War II in Europe and North Africa. There is no universally accep ...

(1697–1778), represented Somerset County in the New Jersey Colonial Assembly, was one of three delegates representing New Jersey at the First Colonial Congress ("The

Stamp Act Congress The Stamp Act Congress (October 7 – 25, 1765), also known as the Continental Congress of 1765, was a meeting held in New York, New York, consisting of representatives from some of the British colonies in North America. It was the first gat ...

") in New York in 1765, was elected to New Jersey's

Committee of Correspondence The committees of correspondence were, prior to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, a collection of American political organizations that sought to coordinate opposition to British Parliament and, later, support for American independe ...

, served as a member of the Committee of Safety, was President of the Colonial Assembly, was the first President of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1775, was labeled an arch traitor and "Enemy of the

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

", and a founder and first President of the board of trustees of Queen's College (now

). His homestead and grave are currently located on the grounds of the Ukrainian Cultural Center on Easton Avenue west of Davidson Avenue in the Somerset section * Krystyna Freda (born 1993), footballer who plays as a forward for

Cypriot First Division The Cypriot First Division ( el, Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας) is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus, run by the Cyprus Football Association. Since February 2016, it is sponsored by Cyta and is thus officially ...

club Apollon Ladies FC *

Theodore Frelinghuysen Theodore Frelinghuysen (March 28, 1787April 12, 1862) was an American politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate. He was the Whig vice presidential nominee in the election of 1844, running on a ticket with Henry Clay. Bo ...

(1787–1862), politician who served as

New Jersey Attorney General The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limite ...

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

, and

Mayor of Newark, New Jersey The Mayor of Newark is the head of the executive branch of government of Newark, New Jersey, United States. The mayor has the duty to enforce the municipal charter and ordinances; prepare the annual budget; appoint deputy mayors, department head ...

before running as a candidate for

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

with Henry Clay on the Whig ticket in the election of 1844 * Colonel Routh Goshen (1837–1889), billed as the tallest man in the world at and , he was known as the Middlebush Giant, a stage name created by P. T. Barnum * Mary Griffith (1772–1846), writer, horticulturist and scientist * Benjamin Griggs (1690–1768), one of the earliest European settlers of the area that would later be known as Griggstown, a community that takes its name from the grist mill that Griggs established on the Millstone River * Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville (1776–1857), French aristocrat, diplomat, and politician who resided in Franklin Township between 1811 and 1814 on a farm on Easton Avenue in the area of the current Neuville Drive * Roy Hinson (born 1961),

stand-out who was a 1st round pick in the 1983 NBA Draft and played eight seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and

New Jersey Nets New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

John Honeyman John Honeyman (1729August 18, 1822) was an American spy and British informant for George Washington, primarily responsible for spreading disinformation and gathering the intelligence crucial to Washington's victory in the Battle of Trenton. ...

(1729–1822), purported spy for

who was primarily responsible for gathering the intelligence crucial to Washington's victory in the Battle of Trenton * Daryle Lamont Jenkins (born 1968), political activist, best known for founding One People's Project * Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu (born 1954), Sierra Leonean-American reverend, journalist and newspaper publisher who served as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations * Matthew Leydt (1755–1853), the first graduate of Queen's College (now Rutgers College of

) * Christopher Massimine, former CEO of the National Yiddish Theatre

Folksbiene The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, commonly known as NYTF, is a professional theater company in New York City which produces both Yiddish plays and plays translated into Yiddish, in a theater equipped with simultaneous superscript translat ...

* Judy Melick (born 1954), former competition swimmer who participated as part of the U.S. team at the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

Diamond Miller Diamond Miller (born February 11, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins women's basketball, Mar ...

(born 2001),

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

player for the Maryland Terrapins women's basketball team *

Paul Muldoon Paul Muldoon (born 20 June 1951) is an Irish poet. He has published more than thirty collections and won a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the T. S. Eliot Prize. At Princeton University he is currently both the Howard G. B. Clark '21 University P ...

(born 1951), writer, academic and educator, as well as Pulitzer Prize-winning

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...

originally from

County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of an ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

* Jeanette Mundt (born 1982), painter, best known for her works in the 2019

Whitney Biennial The Whitney Biennial is a biennial exhibition of contemporary American art, typically by young and lesser known artists, on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, United States. The event began as an annual exhibition ...

* Peter Davis Oakey (1861–1920), politician who served in the

1915–1917 * Michael James Pappas (born 1960), former U.S. Congressman known for securing the release of the battleship USS ''New Jersey'' to the state of New Jersey as a museum, and his infamous singing of "Twinkle, Twinkle,

Kenneth Starr Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge who authored the Starr Report, which led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He headed an investigation of members of the Clinton administration, know ...

" on the House floor, former Mayor of Franklin Township. * Randal Pinkett (born 1971), winner of '' The Apprentice 4'', entrepreneur, speaker, author, scholar and community servant. Co-Founder, President and CEO of BCT Partners, a Rutgers University Rhodes Scholar with four advanced degrees from

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

and M.I.T. *

Jeff Porter Jeffrey Issack Porter (born November 27, 1985) is an American track and field athlete who competes in the 110-meter hurdles. He has a personal best of 13.08 seconds for the event. He gained a spot on the United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics ...

(born 1985), track and field athlete who competed for the United States in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Summer OlympicsDenman, Elliott
"Franklin's Jeff Porter makes Olympics in hurdles"
''

Courier News The ''Courier News'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Somerville, New Jersey, that serves Somerset County and other areas of Central Jersey. The paper has been owned by Gannett since 1927. Notable employees *John Curley, former presid ...

'', July 1, 2012. Accessed February 12, 2013. "Joe Porter, the Franklin Township High School and Rutgers University alumnus, played in the NFL from 2006 to 2011, most recently as an Oakland Raiders cornerback. But now it's his twin brother. Jeff, making news of his own." * Joe Porter (born 1985), cornerback who played in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers,

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...

and Oakland Raiders * Ferdinand Schureman Schenck (1790–1860), politician who represented New Jersey in the

from 1833 to 1837 * Breein Tyree (born 1998), point guard / shooting guard for the

Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball The Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team represents the University of Mississippi in the sport of basketball. The Rebels compete in the NCAA Division I and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They started the 2015–16 season playing home games ...

team *

Charlie Weis Charles Joseph Weis Sr. (born March 30, 1956) is a former American football coach. He was the head coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2005 to 2009 and the Kansas Jayhawks from 2012 to 2014. He also served as an offensive coordinator ...

(born 1956), former head coach of the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...

Fighting Irish football team, former offensive coordinator for New England Patriots during Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX, football coach for Franklin High School during its 1989 state championship season * Helen Westley (1875–1942), movie actress popular in the 1930s and 1940s, starring in such films as ''

The Age of Innocence ''The Age of Innocence'' is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel, and was initially serialized in 1920 in four parts, in the magazine '' Pictorial Review''. Later that year, it was released as a book by D. App ...

'', '' Anne of Green Gables'', and '' Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'' * Alma Bridwell White (1862–1946), founder of the

and Zarephath community, first woman consecrated a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

in the United States * Arlene White Lawrence (1916–1990), Bishop and the third President and General Superintendent of the

* Bruce Williams (born 1932), radio talk show host; currently the longest running talk show in history. Member of Radio Hall of Fame, former Mayor of Franklin Township from 1967 to 1975 * Earl Williams (1948–2013), MLB catcher for eight seasons who earned the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...

's Rookie of the Year Award at that position in 1971Weber, Bruce
"Earl Williams, Baseball Slugger, Dies at 64"
''

'', February 1, 2013. Accessed February 2, 2015. "Earl Williams, a slugging if ambivalent catcher and infielder — 'My favorite position is batter,' he once said — who won the National League rookie of the year award in 1971 but whose promise went unfulfilled amid a welter of minor controversies, died early Tuesday at his home in Somerset, N.J."

References

External links

Franklin Township websiteChamber of Commerce
{{Authority control 1798 establishments in New Jersey Faulkner Act (council–manager) Populated places established in 1798 Townships in Somerset County, New Jersey