Bits of South Jersey

The King That Lived In Bordentown

A name that is usually not forgotten from our school days in history class is Napoleon Bonaparte. There have been documentaries and Hollywood movies made about this man including his conquests and defeats. Although Jay Leno with his “People on the Street” segment may prove me wrong, there are not many people that do not know who Napoleon Bonaparte was. If you ask people who Joseph Bonaparte was you may not get an answer. He did not play a large part in south Jersey history. He pretty much lived carefree in a mansion or castle just outside of Bordentown. You could almost say he was a refugee of Europe for with the fall of his Emperor brother, Napoleon, he had nowhere else to go.

During Napoleon`s reign as emperor of France and many other defeated countries, he chose his brother, Joseph to reign as the King of Naples. Joseph did not really want to be King and he was not particular successful in doing so. Once Napoleon realized that the reign over Naples was working out he decided to give Joseph another kingdom and sent him to Spain. The people of Spain were not at all pleased with this arrangement. Ruling was difficult when the people refused to accept him and especially when they enlisted the help of the English and Portuguese to get rid of him. Joseph fled Spain and made a decision that Europe was no longer safe for him so he booked passage on a small ship headed for America. He disguised himself so that the ship`s captain did not even know who he was. He arrived with his secretary on free soil and chose to start his new life over again in Bordentown, New Jersey. Like a King he brought with him enough riches to live a very good life. He bought over a thousand acres of land and built a very vast mansion which became a place for grand entertaining.

Through the years as he settled into to his new life, the towns people began to accept him more and more. He was known as a very kind and generous man. He entertained some of the most notable people of the time including: Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams and Daniel Webster. It was said that some gentleman for Mexico visited him and requested that he return with them as their King. Joseph was not inclined to try the “royalty robe” again and respectfully refused their offer. Joseph Bonaparte stayed in Bordentown for fourteen years. He was reluctant to travel back to Europe for fear of capture but eventually interest in him had died and he felt comfortable enough to return for a visit. He stayed in England for a short time and returned to south Jersey. Perhaps he would have lived his life out in Bordentown but he sailed to Italy years later and died there in 1844.

New Jersey is the only State that can lay claim to a citizen who wore two royal crowns and it took place in south Jersey.

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Author: Vickie Van Antwerp