March Meeting: Rick Geffken – “New Jersey’s Revolutionary Rivalry, the Untold Story of Col. Tye & Capt. Huddy”

We are happy to welcome well-known local historian Rick Geffken as our first speaker of 2026! (John Schneider’s talk, postponed because of multiple snowstorms, has been rescheduled to April 27, 2026.)

Please join us for this free event, open to the public. A brief business meeting will follow John’s talk. This event is co-sponsored by the Keyport Historical Society.

Topic: New Jersey’s Revolutionary Rivalry, the Untold Story of Col. Tye & Capt. Huddy

The intriguing and little-known story of the Revolutionary War conflicts between a runaway slave called Col. Tye fighting for the British and his Patriot foe. The extralegal hanging of militia Capt. Joshua Huddy in Highlands, New Jersey created an international incident when George Washington resolved to hang a British P.O.W. in retribution. These incidents threatened the success of the Paris Peace Treaty talks which were saved by the intervention of the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette.

About Rick Geffken

Rick Geffken has authored numerous articles on New Jersey history and presented historical papers at the New Jersey History & Historic Preservation, the New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey Library Association, and the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton).

He is part of a project called the New Jersey Slavery Records Index under the auspices of Rutgers University, (New Brunswick). He joined the New Jersey Social Justice Reconciliation Committee to commemorate the only recorded lynching of a Black man in New Jersey.

In 2023, Rick was recognized for historical contributions by The Monmouth County Historical Association, and the Monmouth County Clerk for his efforts in the preservation and knowledge of Monmouth County history. The Monmouth County Genealogy Society awarded Rick the Barbara Carver Smith Distinguished Service Award in 2025.

A former U.S. Army officer and Viet Nam veteran, Rick retired from a career with Hewlett-Packard. He earned a BS from St. Peter’s University, a Teaching Certificate from Monmouth University, and an MA from Montclair State University.

Rick is a Trustee of the Shrewsbury Historical Society. He formerly served on the Board of the Friends of Cedar View Cemetery, and the Jersey Coast Heritage Museum at Sandlass House. He is an advisor for the Tinton Falls Historic Preservation Commission; the Board of the Asbury Park Museum; a member of the Monmouth County Historical Association; and former Board member of Truehart Productions.

Rick Geffken has authored numerous articles on various aspects of New Jersey history for local newspapers, magazines, historical societies, and newsletters. He has presented historical papers at the New Jersey History & Historic Preservation conferences. He has participated in Symposia for groups such as the Rutgers Business School (Newark, NJ); the Navesink Maritime Historical Association, and has appeared on the New Jersey Cable TV show, Family Historian.

Rick has spoken about New Jersey historical topics – Lost Amusement Parks; Quakers & Slavery in NJ; New Jersey’s Submarine Inventors: Simon Lake & John Holland; The Morris Family of NJ; Historical Maritime Events along the New Jersey Coast; Mysteries of the 1777 Battle of Navesink; The Lenape/Munsee Peoples & European Settlers in New Jersey – at dozens of historical societies and libraries. He has been a featured speaker at the Trent House Museum, the Quaker Meeting of Shrewsbury, the Battleground Historical Society, and other organizations.

Rick has taught courses on New Jersey slavery for Monmouth University (West Long Branch); and on Revolutionary War topics at Brookdale Community College (Lincroft). He contributes to the New Jersey Slavery Records Index project under the auspices of Rutgers University (New Brunswick).

As an active member of the New Jersey Social Justice Reconciliation Committee, Rick was instrumental in placing a memorial plaque in Eatontown, the 1886 site of the only recorded lynching of a Black man in New Jersey. He was also successful in convincing Middletown Township to erect a commemorative plaque at Cedar View Cemetery, purchased by fourteen free Black men in 1850.

He works closely with the Middletown NJ Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Rick’s books include:
The Story of Shrewsbury Revisited, 1965-2015
Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore
Hidden History of Monmouth County
To Preserve & Protect, profiles of people who recorded the history and heritage of Monmouth County, New Jersey
Stories of Slavery in New Jersey.
New Jersey’s Revolutionary Rivalry, the Untold Story of Col. Tye vs. Capt. Huddy