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Jacob Francis: soldier, farmer, American New book chronicles life of a free Black man coming of age in colonial America By Joe EMansKi
Jacob Francis, like many Lakeside Cafe and Liquors partners Mike Attara, John Goeke and Rich Rutzler outside the new men who lived in Colonial America, was a farmer and a business making a bar out of old bowling lanes. soldier. Born in Amwell in 1754, Francis served in both the Continental Army and the New Jersey Militia during the American Revolution. After the war for independence between the colonists and the on Route 31 and one from location of convenience. It’s British was over, he bought By SUe Ferrara Route 518, people could run part grab-and-go food, part a farm in his hometown, What happens when three in-and-out to grab a nosh. stay eat and chat, part bar for married, and raised a family friends invest in a golf course, They wanted to maintain that a drink, and part liquor store, with his wife, Mary. all located within 5000 square But Francis’ story is sell the golf course, but end accessibility for patrons. different from the story of “People were passionate feet of space. up holding the golf course You like coffee, it’s there; many of his contemporaries liquor license? They try to about the QuickChek because find the liquor license a new it was a place to stop, gather black, flavored Cappuccino, in one significant way: Francis or Nitro/Cold Brew. There’s was a free Black man, living home. That challenge faced and get coffee,” Attara said. But Goeke’s memories of tea. There’s hot chocolate. in a time when a great many Mike Attara, John Goeke and Rich Rutzler, when, as the for- what used to sit on the site, The cafe has bottled juices. Black people were enslaved, mer owners of the Hopewell Hiohela Sportland, became There’s pork roll on a bagel in New Jersey and throughout Valley Golf Club, they sold a driving force too. “We had for those who love to engage the Colonies. William L. (Larry) Kidder, the establishment to Mercer a number of conversations in that pork roll versus Taylor about tying the location back ham debate; there’s salmon a local author and historian, County in 2020. While the three looked to what it used to be,” Attara for those craving omega-3s. has recently published a book for the right location in and said. The more they dis- You can have a plain bagel about Francis, entitled The around Hopewell, Attara cussed the idea with people with cream cheese, a scone, Revolutionary World of a Free said, “we saw the QuickChek in the area, Attara said, “we or muffin. The breads and Black Man: Jacob Francis baked goods come from 1754–1836. Kidder will give had closed and we started could see their excitement.” This past December, the Baked in Brooklyn, which has a Zoom-based presentation thinking.” based on his book on They liked the location and three opened Lakeside Cafe a location in New Jersey. Breakfast is served all day. Thursday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. the layout of the defunct busi- & Liquors. They want customThose interested in attending ness. With two entrances, one ers to think of Lakeside as a See LAKESIDE, Page 4
Old Hiohela site comes back to life as Lakeside Cafe and Liquors
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virtually can register at tinyurl.com/francisJacob. In addition to the virtual online presentation, the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library will also livestream the talk in the library. To reserve a seat at the Hopewell Branch, call (609) 737-2610 or email hopeprogs@mcl. org. The presentation is co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, the Hopewell Museum and the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library. Kidder, a Ewing resident, is a former president of both the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and the Ewing Township Historical Preservation Society. He taught history for 40 years, including 8 years at Ewing High and 32 at The Hun School in Princeton. He has also been a volunteer at the Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell’s Pleasant Valley for more than 30 years. The Revolutionary World of a Free Black Man is his sixth book. He first came across the story of Jacob Francis when he was researching his book on the history of the Hunterdon Brigade of the New Jersey Militia during the American Revolution. Francis served in both the Continental Army and the Hunterdon militia during the Revolution, but it wasn’t until See JACOB, Page 11
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