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Rising from the Ashes: The Colonial Revival of Peachfield

Not far from the bustle of Interstate 295 in Westampton, New Jersey, lies a pocket of silence. Set back from the road in a grove of mature trees is a stunning stone farmhouse overlooking acres of farmland.

This is Peachfield. But the house you see today is actually a ghost story of sorts. In the late 1920s, this home was a burned-out ruin. It was saved only by the grit of a female preservationist and the genius of a famous architect, who worked together to raise it from the ashes.

The First Freemason

The land’s history dates back to 1682, when John Skene, a Scottish Quaker fleeing religious persecution, purchased 500 acres for a plantation. He named it “Peachfield,” though ironically, the soil here wasn’t particularly good for growing peaches.

Skene was a heavyweight in colonial politics, serving as the Deputy Governor of West Jersey (1685–1688). However, he is perhaps most famous for a different title. Historians cite Skene as the first Freemason to settle in the New World, holding membership in the Aberdeen Lodge No. 1 in Scotland.

The Burr Dynasty and the Fire

After Skene’s widow sold the property in 1695, it was purchased by the Burr family, who would own it for nearly two centuries.

• 1725: Henry Burr built the east section (stone, four bays wide).
• 1732: His son, John Burr, added the west section.

For 200 years, it was a sturdy, sophisticated farmhouse. But in 1928, disaster struck. A fire—officially blamed on lightning, though family whispers suggest a kitchen accident—gutted the home. Only the thick stone exterior walls remained standing.

The Scavenger and the Architect

In 1931, Norman and Miriam Harker bought the charred shell. Most people would have bulldozed it. Miriam Harker was not most people.

She hired R. Brognard Okie, the premier architect of the Colonial Revival movement. (Okie is famous for restoring the Betsy Ross House and reconstructing Pennsbury Manor). Together, they didn’t just rebuild the house; they curated it.

The Art of the Scavenge: Miriam Harker was a pioneer of architectural salvage. To ensure the restoration felt authentic:

• She bought antique window panes from demolished historic homes for 15 cents apiece.
• The mantel in the older section was rescued from a nearby 1700s Burr homestead.
• Every floorboard and fixture was chosen to match the period of the original 1725 construction.

Okie added his signature touches, including a “modern” rear addition that blends seamlessly with the old stone, using his trademark technique of embedding fieldstone randomly into stucco.

A Legacy of Preservation

Miriam Harker lived in the house until her death in 1965. A true champion of history, she was also instrumental in saving the Burlington County Prison Museum in Mount Holly.

Upon her death, she bequeathed Peachfield and nearly 120 acres of land to the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of New Jersey (NSCDA-NJ).

Peachfield Today

Today, the Colonial Dames maintain Peachfield as their headquarters and a historic house museum. It stands as a dual monument: one part paying tribute to the 18th-century Quaker farmers, and the other part honoring the 20th-century preservation movement that saved it.

The property remains a rare green space in a developing region. The only surviving original outbuilding is an icehouse, but the Dames are working to restore Miriam’s beloved Colonial Revival gardens.

If You Visit

• Location: 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060.
• Tours: The house is generally open for tours by appointment or during specific open house events (often on Sundays).
• Don’t Miss: The details. Look for the “Okie” architectural quirks, like the rounded plaster corners on the second floor, and ask the guides about the items Miriam scavenged to build her dream home.

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For More Information

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of New Jersey (www.nscdanj.org)