General Henry Knox and the Jacobus Vanderveer House

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General Henry Knox was the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and later served as the first United States Secretary of War under President George Washington. During the war, he established the Continental Army’s first artillery training academy at Pluckemin during the winter encampment of 1778-79. The academy is considered the forerunner of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Knox was joined at Pluckemin by his wife Lucy and their two-year-old daughter. During their stay, the Knoxes had another  daughter, Julia, who died in infancy and is buried in the Bedminster Reformed Church Cemetery.

General Knox is also remembered as the first commander of West Point and as the namesake of Fort Knox, the United States Army post and US Department of the Treasury's gold bullion depository in Fort Knox, Kentucky.  He also founded the Society of the Cincinnati, America’s oldest patriotic organization.