Somerset County, New Jersey: History
=== Etymology ===
Somerset County is one of the oldest counties in the United States, and is named after the English county of Somerset.
The area was first settled in 1681 in the vicinity of Bound Brook, and the county was established by charter on May 22, 1688. Most of the early residents were Dutch.
During the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington and his troops marched through the county on several occasions and slept in many of the homes located throughout the area. Somerset County also played an important part during both World War I and World War II. Weapons depots were established here, and factories manufactured the army's woolen blankets. For much of its history, Somerset County was primarily an agricultural county. In the late 19th century, the Somerset Hills area of Somerset County became a popular area for country homes built by wealthy industrialists. The area continues to be the home of wealthy people who own businesses.
In 1917, Somerset County, in cooperation with Rutgers University, hired its first agricultural agent to connect local farmers with expert advice. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Somerset County, located in Bridgewater, serves residents in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, and family and community health sciences. In the 1960s, townships which were once exclusively agricultural were quickly developed as suburban residential communities. Examples include Bridgewater Township and the Watchung Hills communities of Watchung, Green Brook Township and Warren Township. The growth was aided by the development of the county's very strong pharmaceutical and technology presence. Warren Township used to be considered "the greenest place in New Jersey." More recently, an influx has occurred of New York City commuters who use NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line and Gladstone Branch or use Interstate 78.
In 1996, Nicholas L. Bissell Jr., the county prosecutor, was charged with embezzlement, tax fraud, and abuse of power. He fled to Laughlin, Nevada, southeast of Las Vegas, and killed himself when the federal authorities attempted to arrest him.