In the Dutch farming communities of Somerset County, New Jersey, Michael Blue (also recorded as Blaw or Blau) answered repeated militia calls throughout the Revolutionary War. On April 3, 1777, he mustered under Captain Peter D. Vroom in Colonel Van Dyke's 2nd Battalion—serving alongside William Van Dyck, whose granddaughter Sarah Ada Blue would later marry Michael's descendant Peter Van Dyke, uniting two Patriot bloodlines.
Somerset's Dutch Farming Community
The Blue family (originally spelled Blaw or Blau in Dutch records) farmed in the Raritan-Millstone district of Somerset County—the same fertile river valleys that supported the Van Dyke, Vroom, and other Dutch families who had settled the region in the late 1600s and early 1700s. These families maintained their Dutch Reformed faith, intermarried extensively, and formed a tight-knit community that would provide the backbone of local militia service during the Revolution.
When war came to New Jersey, it came to their doorstep. British forces occupied New York City just across the Hudson, Staten Island became a Loyalist stronghold, and Somerset County found itself in the contested middle ground—subjected to raids, requisitions, and the constant movement of armies.
Service in the Jersey Militia
The militia was not a distant army. It was neighbors defending neighbors, Dutch farmers protecting Dutch farms, men who knew every road and stream in the countryside they were sworn to defend.
Michael Blue's documented service began April 3, 1777, when he enlisted under Captain Peter D. Vroom in the 2nd Battalion of Somerset County Militia. This battalion was commanded by Colonel Van Dyke (likely Cornelius Van Dyck or a close relative of William Van Dyck), placing Michael in the same military organization as his future in-law.
Confirmed Actions (1776-1780)
- •Staten Island Alarms (1776–77): Responded to British raids and reconnaissance from Staten Island across the Raritan Bay
- •Battle of Monmouth (June 28, 1778): Somerset militia positioned in reserve line during Washington's pivotal victory. Endured the 100-degree heat that killed more men than British musket fire
- •The Forage War (1777): Local patrols protecting farms from British foraging parties seeking supplies for the New York garrison
The Somerset militia saw service throughout the war in their home county. Unlike Continental soldiers who marched to distant campaigns, militiamen fought to protect their own lands, families, and communities. This made their service no less arduous—they faced the same dangers while maintaining their farms and families between call-ups.
Post-War Life and Family Union
Michael Blue remained in Somerset County after the war, continuing the farming life that had sustained his family for generations. His daughter, Sarah Ada Blue, would marry Peter Van Dyke—a union that joined two families whose patriarchs had served together in the Revolution.
When Sarah Ada Blue married Peter Van Dyke, she brought together two Revolutionary War lineages—father and father-in-law who had both answered the call at Monmouth.
Many Blue descendants followed the Van Dykes' westward migration in the 19th century, carrying their shared Revolutionary heritage to new frontiers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and beyond.
Sons of the American Revolution Recognition
Michael Blue's service has been verified and recognized by the Sons of the American Revolution under membership number SAR #28417. This recognition confirms his documented military service in the Somerset County Militia and validates his status as a proven Patriot of the American Revolution.
Historical Note: The Blue/Blaw/Blau Name
Like many Dutch surnames in colonial New Jersey, "Blue" appears in various spellings in period documents—Blaw, Blau, and Blue were all used interchangeably. This reflects both the fluid nature of 18th-century spelling and the anglicization of Dutch names as English became the dominant language in post-Revolutionary New Jersey.