Historical Name: Governor Joel Parker
Common Name: Holly
Latin Name: Ilex opaca
An old male American Holly grows in front of the former Smithburg Tavern near Freehold, NJ. The building is the birthplace of Joel Parker (1816-1888). He was the first New Jersey governor to serve non-consecutive terms (1863-1866 and 1871-1874). In addition he served as the Attorney General of New Jersey and as a New Jersey Supreme Court Justice. A graduate of Princeton University (then the College of New Jersey), he was a lawyer who began his political career in the New Jersey State Legislature. His father had been a member of the New Jersey State Legislature and also served as State Treasurer.
As a candidate for governor during the Civil War in 1862, Parker campaigned as a “War Democrat,” advocating a military solution rather than accommodating the Confederacy. He had a military background, having been appointed a major general of volunteers in 1860. Despite his support of the War, he was an outspoken critic of President Lincoln’s Administration. He strongly opposed the Emancipation Proclamation, considering it unconstitutional. When the Confederate Army entered Pennsylvania. Governor Parker was concerned about a New Jersey invasion and demanded that Lincoln appoint McClellan as the head of the Army of the Potomac. At the War’s conclusion Parker aggressively supported amnesty for all of the Confederacy’s supporters.
Interestingly, Parker attended the dedication ceremonies of the Soldier’s National Cemetery in 1863. He witnessed Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address, as did the Gettysburg Address Honey Locust whose offspring is nearby as Historic Tree #20 in this Grove. The Governor Joel Parker Holly is a cutting grown offspring (clone) of the tree found at Parker’s birthplace. It was planted into the Grove in 2016.