The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: John Hills, surveyor

Title: A collection of plans ... in the Province of New Jersey

Dates: 1976 reprint from originals made between 1777 and 1782

Call No.: Col. 532

Acc. No.: 80x242

Quantity: 15 sheets in portfolio, separate booklet

Location: 9 B 5

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

John Hills was an 18^th century British military engineer. After serving in the American Revolution, he settled first in Princeton, New Jersey, and later in Philadelphia. He advertised his services as “surveyor, architector [sic], and draughtsman,” and offered “to survey landed estates, make plans of estates and houses, and estimate valuations.” He died around 1818 or 1819. His wife Mary ran a school for young ladies in Philadelphia.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Reproductions of maps of New Jersey produced by John Hills between 1777 and 1782. "Reprinted from the original[s] in the Library of Congress for the Portolan Press by the Meriden Gravure Company." Accompanied by Peter J. Guthorn's study "John Hills, Assistant Engineer."

ORGANIZATION

The maps are on separate pieces of paper and held in a portfolio.

PROVENANCE

Purchased from Peter J. Guthorn, Brielle, NJ.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Surveyors - United States - Bibliography.

New Jersey - Maps.

Additional author:

Guthorn, Peter J.

Portolan Press.

Meriden Gravure Company.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 9 B 5

Accession 80x242.1-.20 are contents of portfolio: (note: some sheets contain more than one map; other sheets are folded):

.1 Plan of Perth Amboy, by James Grant

.2 Sketch of Bonham Town, and redoubts for its defense in the winter 1776-1777, by Alexander Sutherland, Eng.

.3 Sketch. of Brunswick, by Sutherland

.4 Sketch of the Ground near Mr. Low's at Raritan Landing, by John Hills

.5 Sketch of Haddonfield, by John Hills, March 1778 [inset in map .6]

.6 Sketch of the Roads from Pennyhill to Black Horse through Mount Holly, by I. Hills, Assistant Engineer

.7 Sketch of the Road from Black Horse to Crosswick, by I. Hills, June 1778;

.8 Sketch of Allens Town, June 1778, by J. Hills [inset in map .7]

.9 Sketch of part of the Road from Freehold to Middletown shewing the Skirmish between the rear of the British Army under the command of his Excellency Gen. Sir Henry Clinton and the advanced Corps of the Rebel Army, June 28^th, 1778, by I. Hills

.10 Sketch of Middletown, June.

.11 A map of part of the Province of Jersey, compiled from the original survey by I. Hills, asst. engineer, 1781 (with parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, and Essex Counties and part of Staten Island) (from surveys by Benjamin Morgan, John Williams, Anthony Dennis, Joseph Rue, Azariah Dunham, George Taylor, and Andrew Skinner)

.12 A map [of] of Somerset County, reduced from the original survey by I. Hills, asst. engineer, 1781, [from work by B. Morgan].

.13 A map of Middlesex County, reduced from the original survey by I. Hills, asst. engineer, 1781, [from work by Azaraih Dunham and Joseph Rue].

.14 A map of Monmouth County, reduced from the original survey by I. Hills, asst. engineer, 1781, [from work by John Williams and Anthony Dennis]; map dedicated to General Sir Henry Clinton.

.15 A Sketch of the Northern Parts of New Jersey, copied from the original by Lt. I. Hills, 23d Regt., 1781, [from work by Thomas Milliadge].

.16 A Chart of Delaware Bay and River from the Capes to Philadelphia, being part of the Province of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, copied form the original by I. Hills,1777 [based on work by Joshua Fisher]

.17 A Sketch of the Road from Paulus Hook and Hoboken to New Bridge, by I. Hills, 1770

.18 Plan of Paulus Hook with the Road to Bergen and parts adjacent, surveyed by I. Hills, asst. engineer, 1781. Also includes A Plan of Paulus Hook shewing the Works erected for its Defence, 1781-1782.

.19: Plan of Paulus Hook shewing the Works erected for its Defence, 1781-82, surveyed by I. Hills, Lt. in the 23d Regt.

.20 Plan of the Road from Elizabeth Town Point to Elizabeth Town shewing the Revel Works Raised for its Defense, surveyed by I. Hills, Assistant Engr., 1780.

.21 Guthorn, Peter J. John Hills, Assistant Engineer. Brielle, New Jersey: Portolan Press; [1976].

This booklet gives a little biographical information about Hills and lists maps made by him, including the ones in this portfolio.