The Rosencrantz Family
The Rosencrantz family lived on the Hermitage property from 1807-1970. Over four generations, this middle class family experienced both struggle and prosperity.
First Generation
Elijah Rosegrant (Rosencrantz) (1766-1832)
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Elijah Rosegrant, a fourth-generation American and descendant of Dutch pioneer Harmon Rosenkrantz, purchased The Hermitage in 1807, establishing himself as a prominent figure in early 19th-century Bergen County, New Jersey. Born into a family with deep roots in the Hudson River Valley and Sussex County, Elijah was uniquely educated for his time, graduating from Queens College (now Rutgers) in 1791.
Initially licensed as a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church, he soon shifted careers, training as a physician and surgeon—one of the few practicing doctors in the region. Elijah served local families as a country doctor, making hundreds of house calls, and balancing his medical practice with managing a working farm and other business ventures.
Beyond medicine and agriculture, Elijah was an early industrialist who embraced the opportunities of the burgeoning American Industrial Revolution. After acquiring land adjacent to the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook, he built a cotton mill by 1830, leasing it to local operators despite financial strains and conflicts over water rights.
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Elijah Rosegrant is certified to preach in the Dutch Reformed Church-1794
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Married to Cornelia Suffern, from a leading local family, Elijah also held a military appointment as Surgeon Mate of the Bergen County Militia and actively contributed to the community’s social and economic life. His diverse pursuits—from farming and land speculation to medicine and manufacturing—reflect the adaptability and ambition of early American entrepreneurs navigating a rapidly changing world.
Cornelia Suffern Rosegrant (1774-1859)Cornelia Suffern was born into the prominent Suffern family of Rockland County, New York, a leading local family influential in the region adjoining northern Bergen County. In 1807, she and Elijah were married. Their union connected two notable families and rooted Cornelia firmly in the social and economic life of the early 19th-century Hudson Valley region. Despite marrying late in life, Cornelia and Elijah had four sons, three of whom lived to adulthood.
Throughout her life at The Hermitage, Cornelia played a central role in managing the household and supporting her husband’s diverse endeavors, from his medical practice to farming and industrial ventures. As a mother, she balanced the demands of raising a growing family with her social responsibilities, helping maintain the legacy and stature of both the Suffern and Rosegrant families.
Cornelia’s influence in the community extended through her children, who carried on the family traditions and values for generations. |
Poems copied by Cornelia Suffern Rosegrant in 1830s
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