Farley Blacksmith Shop

Cornelius Farley and his wife arrived in New Jersey from Ireland. He opened the shop in 1850 and was listed in the 1860 census at age 61 as a master Blacksmith. The shop consisted of two small rectangular sections. The first section was built in 1850 and is one and a half stories tall. The second section was a larger two-story addition constructed after 1912. At the time of his death in 1869 Cornelius Farley’s real estate was worth $1200, and his personal estate was worth $520. The Farley family were wealthy compared to the average New Brunswick household. 

In 1868 Cornelius’ son Patrick was listed in the City Directory as a Blacksmith with a shop at 54 Burnet Street, and a home at 76 Burnet. The 1865/66 directory listed nine Blacksmiths in New Brunswick, five of which lived on Burnet Street, including Cornelius and Patrick. Blacksmiths often lived close to their businesses due to competition. The closer one lived to their shop, the easier it was to offer services. The Sanborn Fire Insurance maps from 1897 and 1912 showcase the short distance between the homes of New Brunswick Blacksmiths and their shops.  

After Cornelius’ 1869 death, his son Patrick took over the family business. Patrick’s four sons, (Patrick Jr., Harry, Cornelius, and John) eventually joined the family business, and between 1897 and 1961 they had varying levels of involvement. In 1908, they incorporated themselves as PJ Farley & Sons. Patrick Jr.’s sons William and Joseph later joined the family trade. Three of the five Farley brothers operated the forge until the shop closed in 1960. John, William, and Harry Farley continued working well into their twilight years.  

When the shop closed in 1960, it was the last remaining building on land cleared for the Bishop Street urban renewal project of the New Brunswick Housing Authority. With demolition looming, the New Brunswick Historical Club saved the shop. With the help of schoolchildren, a public subscription drive successfully raised the $3,000 needed to move the shop to Johnson Park, where it could be preserved. In early 1961, the Army Corps of Engineers stationed at Camp Kilmer undertook the move. The building was later moved again to the East Jersey Old Town Village.