The Ghost Couple of Clinton, NJ

(Great Tale Submitted by Rick Sacco from Clinton NJ)

Just a stones throw from the Holiday Inn Select, Clinton , NJ, stands Bonnell's Tavern where the first regiment of Minutemen in the Colonies was formed in 1775. The Tavern, a Clinton NJ landmark, was built in 1767, and still stands on the main road used by the Minutemen whop traveled from New Brunswick to Easton, Pa.

The Minutmen represented a small hand-picked force selected from the ranksof local militia companies and regiments. The title "minute-men" was formally adopted the year before the American Revolution started. In October 1774, the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts voted to enroll 12,000 men under the title of "minute-men", volunteers who would be ready at a moments warning to take to the field with arms.

Jack Finnegan, a young Minuteman Officer from Boston, frequented Bonnell's Tavern in the Spring of 1775 where he met Clinton native, Maggie Taylor, During his time here that Spring, Jack and Maggie enjoyed walking the wooded paths east and west of Bonnell's Tavern. this wooded area lies directly east and west on the hillside where the Holiday Inn Select , Clinton is now built. The couple became engaged, but before they could be married, Jack was called to Boston as was critically wounded in the Battle of Bunker Hill. After jack's death, Maggie was regualrly seen walkingaimlessly through the wooded hills outside of Clinton, claiming that "Jack was returning from battle to take her off to Boston". No one is really sure what happened to her since she disappeared shortly thereafter. Many years have passed since then and on occasions just before dawn, guests of the hotel have reported seeing the likeness of a young man in minuteman garb, and a woman in a white dress, walking through the woods west of the hotel. Perhaps the two lovers have been reunited in time. Let us know if you catch a glimpse of them......."if only for a minute".

Take is on laminated parchment paper in each of our guest rooms............I caught your show as I was waking up this Monday morning, and enjoyed it ......I look forward to viewing your website.
Rick Sacco
GM