01/15/2026
Wonderful write-up about the Frazee House from The History Girl
The Aunt Betty Frazee House in Scotch Plains, is one of those places where legend and history meet. Built around 1761–1766 by carpenter and joiner Gershom Frazee, the home sheltered him, his wife Elizabeth “Betty” Lee, and their nephew, Gershom Lee.
In February 1777, the Frazees housed militia troops under Captain Eliakim Littell. And, according to long-held local tradition, Betty herself had a famous encounter with General Cornwallis after the Battle of Short Hills on June 26, 1777. The British, drawn by the smell of fresh bread, reportedly demanded her next loaf. Betty’s brave reply—“I give you this bread through fear, not in love”—was said to impress Cornwallis enough that he forbade his men from taking anything else. While the exact words remain unproven, we do know the property was plundered and the Frazees owned baking tools, as shown in a 1791 inventory.
The house later became home to the operators of the Terry-Lou Zoo from the 1970s to 1996. Scotch Plains acquired the property in 1998, and the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Club took over stewardship in 2004, leading ongoing restoration efforts. In 2009, the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
If you love stories like this, don’t forget to grab my new book 365 Days of New Jersey History—a perfect holiday gift and packed with daily NJ stories just like this one! Get it before Christmas: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5HDGZ65
