This home stands on land once owned by Philip Weise, one of the earliest and most influential settlers in the valley. Arriving in the mid-1700s as part of a wave of German immigrants, Weise helped transform this area from wilderness into a thriving rural community.

In 1749, he purchased 262 acres as part of the Logan Tract, much of which would later become the village of Long Valley. A farmer and entrepreneur, Weise played a central role in local industry—operating mills, establishing a tannery, and supporting trade that served farmers across the region.

The house seen today was built on the site of the original Weise homestead, which began as a log structure. Over time, it was expanded into a substantial stone dwelling, reflecting both the family’s prosperity and the growth of the surrounding village. Many nearby historic buildings are also connected to the extended Weise family, whose influence shaped the development of early German Valley.

the Jacob Weise Home

Jacob Weise was a young boy of eight when he sailed with his parents on the Robert and Alice from Rotterdam via Dublin, arriving in Philadelphia on September 11, 1738. Thirty-eight immigrants, among them, the Nachbars (Neighbour), Duffords, Terriberrys, Schenkles and Weises, crossed the Delaware River and traveled together over land to the area along the Raritan River that we know as Washington Township. The area was sparsely settled.  It was wilderness and there was no village.

In 1738, Morris County had just been set off from Hunterdon County. In 1738, Lewis Morris was appointed the first British Governor of the Colony of New Jersey. Prior to that, New Jersey had always been governed jointly with — and no doubt overshadowed by — New York. In 1738, Washington Township was still part of Morris Township, becoming Roxbury in 1740.

Johannes “Philip” Weise built a log house on the north side of the Raritan River, on what is now 8 Schooley’s Mountain Road, the Philip Weise House. The property was part of the Logan Tract. James Logan had served as William Penn’s colonial secretary and received land as compensation. On December 8, 1749, Philip held the deed from William Logan, James’ son, for 262 acres. Philip was industrious as well as an entrepreneur. In addition to clearing farm land, he helped establish a community on his acreage. Peter Neitzer arrived in 1744 and established the only store for miles, bringing customers from three counties (Note: the store was in the parking lot of the former bike shop at 8 West Mill). A tannery, harness shop, and of course the grist and saw mills were also located-on Weise property; in addition to “The Fort” at 23 East Mill Road. Constructed by 1774, it may have been inspired by the line of forts and fortified houses that were developed to protect the western edge of the colony during the French and Indian Wars.

By 1774, land for a Union church and school had been set aside. Following German tradition, buildings were made of good, solid local granite. Most of the stone buildings in the German Valley Historic District relate to members of Philip’s family. While we do not know exactly who built One East Mill, it has most often been associated with Jacob Weise, who was involved with the mills and pre-deceased his father in 1784, leaving six children. Jacob was approximately 36 years old when the initial log cabin was built. The oldest section is the smaller kitchen wing to the east, with the larger almost square, gambrel roofed main block and its delicate demi-lune attic windows added about 1800. Interior details include a birthing room, coffin door, summer kitchen, Jersey winder stairs, wide pine flooring, hand-hewn beams and seven fireplaces. There was a huge walk-in kitchen fireplace, with the original fireback, two Adams influenced mantels, and a graceful, curved, Federal stair banister that matches several local ones from an unnamed master carpenter. An old ice house is located to the rear of the property and at one point in the 20th century the backyard had a modern, in-ground swimming pool.

Philip Weise passed away in 1790 “dividing his lands among his children”.  A quarter share each was given to son Philip, Jr. and daughters Margaret and Elizabeth.  The fourth quarter was to be divided among the five youngest of Jacob’s children.  Philip’s daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth, had literally married “the boys next door” and their husbands served as executors of the will.  Elizabeth married John Hager whose family had purchased the Tunis Trimmer farm (9 West Mill) while Margaret married William Neitzer who, along with his cousin Elizabeth, had arrived in 1765 to claim their inheritance from their uncle, Peter Neitzer.  In addition to constructing a tavern across from his store, William became involved in the management of the mill, then known as Neitzer and Welsh. The village was growing.  The New Jersey legislature passed the Township Act of 1798 which formally incorporated 104 Townships from 13 counties. This included Washington Township, the first of many and the only one established while George Washington was living.

The Weise house remained in the family until 1947, when it was sold to Jerry Ahlfeld. Jacob Weiss’ granddaughter, Lydia Ann, married Morris Naughright, another farmer and business entrepreneur. While Morris’s daughter Laura married John N. Frone from up the road on East Mill.

In the 1860s, Morris renovated the former wheelwright shop that, until 1942, stood next to the bridge into the Naughright and Bartles Store. The store and building passed to Morris’s son-in-law, John. Around 1867, Morris experimented with the molasses business.  Several acres of the farm were planted in sugar cane.  His “molasses factory” consisted of several oblong ovens built in the open near the barn. The mill for squeezing the juice from the cane was located in the apple orchard behind 3 East Mill Road. Joe Smith handled the “mill” while “Uncle Morris” dealt with the ovens to boil off the syrup.

At some point in the late 1800s the house was “updated” in the fashionable Victorian style.  Stucco, scored to look like ashlar blocks, covered the rubble stone construction, an attic cross-gable was added along with new windows, scrollwork, a porch, and Italianate brackets and an elaborate metal fence. These elements were reversed by the Painter family who owned it after Mr. Ahlfeld.

In 1983, yet another change faced the property when the Gould family sold it to Burgdorf Realtors and it became commercial property.  Since then, it has changed owners several times.

There are those who claim the building is haunted; who have seen odd lights or have been overcome by feelings of extreme sadness.