Wingate House

The Wingate House at 91 Woodland Road

by Susan Simon

Madison has a few houses that were built during the 18th century. During the bicentennial celebration of 1976, the Bicentennial Heritage Committee recognized the houses with a special plaque that the borough placed on each of the houses. The two best-known houses receiving the plaque are located on Ridgedale Avenue, the Sayre House at 31 Ridgedale built in 1740, and the Luke Miller House at 105 Ridgedale built between 1740 and 1750. We are slowly losing the houses that received the plaque. In 2020 we lost the Daniel Burnet House on Rosedale built before 1766.

Madison is now in danger of losing another house. The Wingate House located at 91 Woodland Road, was bought by Stephen McCann who, after the purchase was revealed, plans to demolish the house. The Wingate house was built in 1770 by Jonas and Deborah Carter Genung. Deborah Carter was the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Anne Carter. Her father Benjamin, and grandfather Barnabas Carter were the first occupiers of the area after the Lenape Indians. The Genungs arrived not long after the Carters. Jonas and Deborah’s first child Benjamin served in the Revolutionary War. He was a wagoner under Captain Enos Ward with the Morris County Militia. After Jonas died Deborah married Joseph Wingate whose father Jeremiah arrived in the area around the same time as the Genungs. All three families, Carters, Genungs, and Wingates were founders of the community – our community!

Since the 1776-1777 Loantaka Winter Encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington was located around Woodland and Treadwell Avenues, it does seem the troops would have passed by the Wingate House.

There are nine houses that were authenticated by the Bicentennial Committee to be built during the 18th Century. All nine received the specially designed plaques Madison Borough placed on the houses in 1976. We have lost one house and may lose another. How do we stop this? I suggest we encourage homeowners to put their homes on the Federal and State Historic Registers. Also, Madison could pass a law slowing down the demolition of properties. Require a six to eighteen-month wait period. This would be in keeping with other communities with historic homes that have such laws.