In 1759, Christoffel Vought built a fine stone homestead on 285 acres of prime farmland in northern Hunterdon County near modern-day Clinton, NJ. His family soon grew to become prominent community leaders with a thriving farming operation of nearly 500 acres. Christoffel and his son John, both staunch Loyalists, would soon find themselves on a collision course with their neighbor Thomas Jones, a prominent Patriot leader. In December 1776, Christoffel and John Vought led a party of Hunterdon Loyalists on a daring journey through rebel assaults to reach British forces stationed at New Brunswick. David Overaker, Board President of the 1759 Vought House, will tell the fascinating story of the Vought family from their arrival in the colony of New Jersey in 1710 through their Loyalist activities during the American Revolution and their fate after the war. The passage of legislation enforcing allegiance to the newly formed State of New Jersey and its impact on the Vought family will be discussed.

David joined the Board of Trustees of the 1759 Vought House in 2022, and currently serves as President. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization, he serves as the project director for a complex multi-year restoration of the building. He is also a member of the Lebanon Township Historians Committee. David holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Rutgers University and has more than 25 years of industry experience with Johnson & Johnson and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics.