Somers Point was originally settled by JohnSomers, an Englishman and practicingQuaker, who bought the land from ThomasBudd. Earlynames for the areawere Somerset Plan-tation, Somers Ferry, and Somers Plantation, namedafter the first settlers in 1693. The land purchasedoriginally covered all of Somers Point, part ofLinwood, and went into Egg Harbor Township. Inthe early years it was part of Gloucester County,becauseAtlantic County had not yet been named.

The name Somers Point was adopted in1750. It was a seafaring town and sloops, schoo-ners, and barges were built in the many shipyardslocated along the Greate Egg Harbor Bay, GreateEgg Harbor River, and Patcong Creek. The SooyBoatworks was located on Shore Road, and thecompleted ships were rolled on logs down ShoreRoad to Delaware Avenue, and then down to thebay. Shipbuilding and life along the waterways wasa very important part of life in early Somers Point.

Our hero, Richard Somers, served in theNavyin theMediterranean under the com-mandofEdwardPreble.Thisyoungofficeriscreditedwithconceivingacourageousplan. Whilein command of the Nautilus, he proposed to fit upthe ketch Intrepid as a fire ship and sail her into theTripoli Harbor and explode her amongst the enemyships. Commodore Preble accepted the plan, andthe Intrepid was fitted with 1500 pounds ofgunpowder, a quantity of shells, shot, broken iron,and combustibles. Combustibleswereconnected bya tube with the powder as a fuse. It was intendedthat the crew sail the vessel into the harbor underthe dark of night close to the pirate ships, ignite thecombustibles, and quickly row to safety in therowboats bythe time the flamesreached the powder.The expectation was that much of the enemyflotillawould be destroyed by the explosion.

All men, knowing this mission could meantheir death, volunteered. They included: LieutenantHenryWadsworth, Joseph “Pickle” Israel, WilliamHarrison, Robert Clark, Hugh McCormick, JacobWilliams, Peter Penner, Isaac W. Downs, JamesSimms,ThomasTompline,JamesHarris,andWilliamKeith.

On the eve of September 3, 1804, theIntrepid sailed into Tripoli Harbor. Upon enteringthe harbor, several shots were heard by the waitingfleet of Commodore Preble outside the harbor.Watchingandwaiting,a sudden explosion wasseen.Preeble’s fleetkept vigil throughout thenight, but nosign of Richard and his crew appeared.

According to the journal of a seaman in thesquadron, “…the Ketch USS Intrepid got underway and was sent into Tripoli as a fire ship.Commanded by Capt. Somers, he had our green

A Short Historyof Somers Point

cutter to make their escape from her. At ¾ past 9she blew up, in which unfortunatelyperished Capt.Somers, Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Israel, Midshipmanand 10 men. It is supposed that she took fire in themagazine sooner than was intended, or that theyattempted to be boarded bytheTripolitans and blewher up sooner than suffer themselves to fall into thehands of the Tripolitans, as she had 100 barrels ofpowder on board. The loss of those brave officersand men are much to be regretted by their countryand friends. Capt. Somers was as brave andenterprising an officer as ever stepped on the deckof a ship, possessing every virtue that the humanheart is susceptible of …”

Richard Somers was born at the intersectionof Bethel and Shore Road, Somers Point.

1. Birthplace of Master CommandantRichard Somers, USNMarker shows the birthplace of Richard Somers–born 1778, died 1804. Numerous memorialswere given to Master Commandant Somers,including the honor of having seven ships namedUSS Somers, and a monument at the US NavalAcademy at Annapolis, MD.

2. Site of Colonel Richard SomersTavern and Homestead, circa 1771,later called the Deborah Jane SomersAnderson HouseCol. Richard Somers was prominent in theRevolutionary War, engaging in privateering,holding interest in several schooners and themilitia. The present home served as an inn andtavern, and was later the home of Deborah JaneSomers Anderson, daughter of Richard L.Somers, the last Somers to own the Mansion.Go inside to see where the old structureconnects with the new by means of a glassatrium. County and city historical plaque.

3. Colonel Richard Somers FamilyBurial Plot / New York Avenue SchoolOriginal gravestones of the Col. Richard Somersfamily, circa 1790, are in the south wall. Themonument in the center of the plot, erected in1850, is dedicated to Master CommandantRichard Somers, USN, who died September 4,1804, in the Battle of Tripoli. New York AvenueSchool, built in 1912, replaced a small woodenschoolhouse adjacent to the burial plot. It is usedtoday as Administration Offices, as well as PreK and K classes.

4. Somers Point Historical Museum(745 Shore Road - next to City Hall)This building, originally the West Jersey BaptistChurch, was built in 1886 on land donated byJesse Somers. The one-story frame structureis Colonial-style architecture, with a small belfry

and plain glass windows. It now serves as thelocal historical museum. Phone for hours: (609)927-2900. County and city historical plaque.

5. Somers Point City Hall / RichardSomers DisplayThis 1985 building houses municipal offices andpolice headquarters. In the council chambers isa permanent photo exhibit from the US NavalArchives honoring Richard Somers, naval hero.

6. Richard Somers Monument andPark (Future Mural Project)The monument dedicated to Barbary War heroRichard Somers, who died in the explosion ofthe Intrepid in Tripoli, Libya, was dedicated in2013. The bronze bust duplicates the bust fromSomers, New York, sculpted by Luigi Badia.

7. Atlantic County Historical Society(907 Shore Road)The Atlantic County Historical Society has beenpreserving the history of Atlantic County andsouthern New Jersey since 1913. Volunteer staffis available to assist visiting researchers andgenealogists in the library, which is the largestrepository of historical and genealogicaldocuments in the county. Free, guided tours areoffered in the museum, where more than 20,000pieces of local history are waiting to bediscovered. Library and museum hours areWednesday - Saturday, 10 AM to 3:30 PM (609)927-5218.

8. Historic Somers MansionBuilt between 1720 and 1726 by Richard Somers,son of John Somers, the first area settler, it isAtlantic County’s oldest house still standing. It islisted on the State and National Registers ofHistoric Places, and the Historic AmericanBuildings Survey. Owned by the State of NewJersey; Call for hours: (609) 927-2212.

9. Somers Family CemeteryThe headstones in the small family plot mark thegraves of early members of the Somers familythrough the 1800s.The large monument marksthe resting place of Richard L. Somers and hiswives, the last Somers’ owners of the Mansion.

10. Job’s Ferry MarkerThis location was named for John Somers’ 11thchild. In 1695 John Somers was grantedpermission to join Great Egg Harbor and CapeMay County by means of a ferry across the GreatEgg Harbor Bay near this location. A flat boat withtiller and oar ferried people and merchandise. Asingle crossing cost 12 pence per person.

•Printing for this material is made possible

through a grant by South Jersey Industriesand the Somers Point Business Association.

Produced by the Somers Point HeritageTourism Committee.

•For more information visit:

www.somerspointhistory.orgwww.atlanticcountyhistoricalsocietynj.org