September Meeting: Ancient Greece and Rome Meet Revolutionary New Jersey

The Union County Historical Society joined with Kean University’s History Department and the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs on September 22, 2021, to host a lecture by Dr. Christopher M. Bellitto entitled Ancient Greece and Rome Meet Revolutionary New Jersey. The talk was held on the Liberty Hall campus in Union.

The free lecture, attended by approximately forty people, was the first in a series offered by the three organizations to encourage historical research and the study of history pertaining to the Elizabethtown area.

UCHS President Joanne Rajoppi noted that Dr. Bellitto explored Liberty Hall archives to show how John Kean, the first cashier of the United States Bank, and William Livingston, New Jersey’s first and longest-serving governor, drew inspiration from classical Greece and Rome. The presentation illustrated how the ancient past helped guide Revolutionary leaders as they shaped a new nation.

Ms. Rajoppi added that the next lecture in the series was scheduled for spring 2022.

Sad News for UCHS

It is with deep regret that the Society announces the passing of longtime Treasurer Bill Frolich of Roselle on September 30, 2021, after a short illness. Mr. Frolich was 101 years old.

In addition to his service with UCHS, he was a Trustee of the Hillside Historical Society and Treasurer of the Roselle Park Historical Society. A forty-five-year member of UCHS, Mr. Frolich became active when the Society was revitalized during the Bicentennial celebration in 1976.

President Rajoppi described his breadth of knowledge of Union County history as extraordinary and noted that he served as a dedicated Treasurer, careful steward of Society funds, and editor of this newsletter. Our sympathy and condolences are extended to the Frolich family.

UCHS New Treasurer Appointed

Society member Lauren Socha was appointed Treasurer at a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees. A Mayflower descendant and former college mathematics major, Ms. Socha is welcomed to this role with confidence in her service as steward of the Society’s funds.

Thoughts About the Last 100 Years by Bill Frolich (Part 1)

Asked to record how life changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill Frolich reflected instead on more than a century of living, beginning with memories of Elizabeth in the 1920s. His family lived on Morris Avenue near the Union border, drawing water from a backyard well and growing fruit and vegetables for daily use.

He recalled the transition from horse-and-carriage barns to automobile garages and the family’s first cars, including a Franklin Touring Car and later a 1924 Rickenbacher sedan, which they owned for eleven years.

Mr. Frolich also described daily life before modern refrigeration, when ice was cut from frozen rivers and stored in ice houses, and schooling practices that included early vaccinations and neighborhood grammar schools.

Over the Back Fence

We miss you, Bill.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the focus of the September 2021 UCHS lecture?

The lecture examined how Revolutionary New Jersey leaders used ideas from ancient Greece and Rome to shape a new nation.

Why is Bill Frolich remembered by the Union County Historical Society?

Bill Frolich was a longtime Treasurer, historian, and newsletter editor whose decades of service and historical knowledge greatly benefited the Society.