One of the county's oldest homes gets its honors

Sussex County - Surrounded by family members, friends, and neighbors, George Kately, Jr., saw his home at 519 Stanhope Road make history when it was recognized as the oldest house in the Township of Byram. The house, which has been in family since 1924, has been continuously occupied since 1892. The home, known as the Benjamin LePort Homestead and built in 1802, was memorialized by the Byram Historical Society last week in a ceremony hosted by society President Lou Esposito. The event drew residents, guests and local dignitaries that included the township’s council members. After Kately was approached by the society last year to install a plaque designating his property as a landmark he began a personal venture to “restore” the house with some of its former charm. A major undertaking was stripping the stucco to reveal the original stone façade. June Dobson, vice president of the historical society and chairperson of the event, said that stucco probably was used for two purposes: as a display of wealth by the family and, in a more practical vein, to keep in the warmth from the stone fireplaces. Saneh Lotty, a young student from Egypt, did the majority of the work clearing the stucco to reveal the underlying stones and exposing the original beauty of the house. Kately’s ancestral home became the oldest in Byram when the Hemminover House on Amity Road fell into decay and was torn down. Hemminover was the ancestor of George Mansfield who, together with Ebenezer Byram, founded Byram. Last week’s ceremony included a tour of the house. The home contains many antiques, intricately patterned wooden floors and the original stone fireplaces in the living and dining rooms. Kately pointed out the doll collections that were amassed by his late wife, Barbara Kately, and her blue-ribbon-winning hand-sewn quilts. Kately, who is the owner of both Tomahawk Electric and Byram General Store located next to the house, said, “I’m proud of Byram. That’s why I picked the name for the store.”