Franklin Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey


Franklin Township is a township in central Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 3,195, reflecting an increase of 205 from the 2,990 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 139 from the 2,851 counted in the 1990 Census. Most of the township lies on the Hunterdon Plateau with only the eastern section along the South Branch Raritan River being on the lower part of the Newark Basin.

History

Long populated by the Lenape Native Americans, the first European settlement of present-day Franklin was around 1700, when it became a Quaker community of settlers who came from Burlington County. The most reliable records that are available about the early days of the Township are found in the minutes of the Friends' Meeting in Quakertown.
Franklin Township was established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1845, when it was created from portions of Kingwood Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Portions of the township were taken to form Clinton town on April 5, 1865. The township was named for Benjamin Franklin.
The rich soil made the township a center of agriculture for hundreds of years. While Franklin Township had long hosted a major dairy farming industry, in modern times, the primary crops have been corn, hay and soybeans.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 22.998 square miles, including 22.803 square miles of land and 0.195 square miles of water.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Allens Corner, Alvater Corner, Cherryville, Grandin, Kingtown, Lansdowne, Littletown, Oak Grove, Pittstown, Quakertown, Sidney and Sunnyside. Pittstown, previously known as Hoffs, is also spread across Alexandria Township and Union Township.
The Capoolong Creek, which runs through Pittstown, was an attraction to early settlers and they soon established three of the oldest churches in present-day Hunterdon: Thomas Episcopal, established in 1723, Bethlehem Presbyterian, organized in 1730 and the Quaker Church in 1733.
The township borders the municipalities of Alexandria Township, Clinton, Clinton Township, Delaware Township, Kingwood Township, Raritan Township and Union Township.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $104,500 and the median family income was $118,182. Males had a median income of $72,303 versus $52,202 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,892. About 1.7% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,990 people, 1,091 households, and 890 families residing in the township. The population density was 130.7 people per square mile. There were 1,125 housing units at an average density of 49.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 97.53% White, 0.40% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.
There were 1,091 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $91,364, and the median income for a family was $96,320. Males had a median income of $66,667 versus $44,779 for females. The per capita income for the township was $39,668. About 1.5% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Franklin Township is governed under the Township form of government, which is used by 141 of the state's 565 municipalities. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
, members of the Franklin Township Committee are Mayor Philip J. Koury, Deputy Mayor Diane M. Burgess, Sebastian Donaruma, Michael Homulak and Craig A. Repmann.
In January 2019, the Township Committee selected Sebastian Donaruma from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that was vacated in December 2018 by Susan Soloway before she was sworn into the Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Federal, state and county representation

Franklin Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Franklin Township had been part of the, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,253 registered voters in Franklin Township, of which 382 were registered as Democrats, 1,021 were registered as Republicans and 850 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 65.8% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 33.2%, and other candidates with 1.0%, among the 1,781 ballots cast by the township's 2,362 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 61.0% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.6% and other candidates with 1.7%, among the 1,833 ballots cast by the township's 2,228 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63.3% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 35.3% and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 1,784 ballots cast by the township's 2,133 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.6.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 77.8% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 20.3%, and other candidates with 1.9%, among the 1,132 ballots cast by the township's 2,279 registered voters, for a turnout of 49.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.5% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 21.6%, Independent Chris Daggett with 8.0% and other candidates with 0.3%, among the 1,406 ballots cast by the township's 2,215 registered voters, yielding a 63.5% turnout.

Education

The Franklin Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Franklin Township School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprising one school, had an enrollment of 283 students and 29.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 9.8:1.
Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale together with students from Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,584 students and 123.2 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.9:1. The school is part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, which also includes students from Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township and Tewksbury Township, who attend Voorhees High School in Lebanon Township.

Transportation

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Hunterdon County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
The most major road in Franklin Township is Interstate 78/U.S. Route 22, which traverses through for a fifth of a mile with an interchange at the northern tip of the township. Route 12 also passes through for just less than ½ mile.
County roads that pass through include CR 513 and CR 579.
The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line, runs through the northern part of Franklin Township.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Franklin Township include: