Russell Martin Van Lieu (1895-1985) was my grandfather. He was born to a family that worked a farm in Hunterdon County, New Jersey since pre-revolutionary times. I don’t know the precise location of the farm, if it still exists, but it wasn’t far from Van Lieu’s Corner on Back Brook Road. It was not a large farm, and it became clear when the four sons came of age that there was not enough land to support four new families, so the Patriarch chose trades for each, or so I was told by my father. Russell drew the carpentry straw, and with it found not only his path, but the path of his son and grandson.
Mary Mildred and Russell Martin Van Lieu
During the Great War, Russell served in the 6th Engineers, 3rd Division, the famed “Rock of the Marne”. I have a framed certificate of his military history that lists the many historic battles in which he participated. Rather prosaically, the last entry is “Regular Duties in Organization-carpenter”.
I never heard much about his early work, but I know that there were times when he walked miles with a heavy tool box on his shoulder to get to Princeton University where he hung many of the large oak doors throughout the campus. Some time after the war, he teamed with George Van Horn to form Van Lieu and Van Horn. Much of their early work was the building of dairy barns for the many farms throughout Hunterdon County. They went on to build a few special residences and a lot of commercial projects including movie theaters, sewage treatment plants, Bell Telephone switching stations and additions for Johnson and Johnson and CIBA Pharmaceutical.
My attitude about work, carpentry and tools is easily traced back through my father John and grandfather Russell. They will both figure in these pages from time to time.
-dvl
My name is Gary Van Lieu. My grandfather, Clifford, was your grandfather’s brother. My grandfather also served in WWI and became a blacksmith. My father and I visited your grandfather some near the end of his life. We used to visit with their other brother, Oscar, and his family once in a while as well. My father and I were at your grandfather’s funeral. Still, I don’t know all that much about our grandfathers’ generation. If you know more family lore, it would be interesting to hear.
I just happened to read the bit today about your grandfather, my Uncle Russell. I am the daughter of Russell’s youngest brother, Oscar. I spent the 1st 11 years of my life on the farm where your grandfather did most of his growing up. It is on what was then called Back Brook Road, now called Larsen Road, East Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, NJ. It was a small farm with a brook, hence the name of the road, running through it. There were three farms on this road, this farm being the middle one.
Russell & Oscar’s (and an additional 5 siblings) father died when my dad was still in high school, at which time he quit school and took over operation of the farm with the help of their mother. Their mother died in 1951 and the farm was sold in 1954, at which time my dad bought a farm in a neighboring township.
I thought you might be interested in knowing exactly where the farm was located.
You might be further interested in knowing that Oscar has a 30 year old grandson, Dirck Van Lieu, who does excellent carpentry work, though he’s a gunsmith. Also, Oscar’s son Tom (not Dirck’s father) has built many, many houses over the last several decades.