January 1, 1866--"Cross Roads named for Senator William Dayton"

January 1, 1866--"Cross Roads named for Senator William Dayton"

Ever wonder what happened to Cross Roads, New Jersey?  Ever wonder why the name was not changed to "Five Corners"?  Those two names were what a large part of South Brunswick Township (a mere 105 feet above sea level) was called, up until January 1, 1866.  Thereafter, the official name became Dayton, New Jersey.  Back then, the locals wanted to re-name their part of the Township in honor of William L. Dayton (b. 2/17/1807-d. 12/1/1864), a U.S. Senator from New Jersey in the 1840's and the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican ticket in 1856.  After the election loss, he served as New Jersey's Attorney General.  During the first years of the Civil War, Dayton served as the Ambassador to France.  He was instrumental in persuading the French not to recognize the Confederacy.  His name was chosen by the locals because, when he was an Attorney for the Camden & Amboy Railroad, he was instrumental in having a local school built in a suitable location that did not disrupt plans for laying track for the Freehold & Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad.  He was also popular with locals for helping to finance the First Presbyterian Church near Five Corners.  No statue dedicated to old Will Dayton has ever been erected in "his" part of the Township.  Perhaps, some day, the current 7,000-plus locals of the unincorporated community of Dayton will change that.