Moving To New Jersey? You're In Good Company

If you are considering moving to New Jersey to raise your family, you will find a state that is beautiful, full of friendly people, and endowed with a long and storied history. Your children can proudly claim to be New Jerseyans their whole lives: here are a few of the famous people from the Garden State who have called it home.

-- The first political native son of New Jersey was Aaron Burr, who was born in Newark in 1756. This politician, Revolutionary War hero, and adventurer was also the third Vice-President of the United States and served under Thomas Jefferson, his political rival. He is perhaps most famous for the duel he participated in with Alexander Hamilton in 1804, in which he mortally wounded his adversary.

-- Author James Fenimore Cooper was born in Burlington. He was a relatively early white native of the state, having made his debut on the New Jersey scene in 1789. He is most famous for writing historical tales which illustrate the rough and tumble existence of early Americans. The well-regarded work of his successful writing career is The Last of the Mohicans.

-- Grover Cleveland, who was both the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, was born in Caldwell in 1837. He is the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms. He was known as a man of courage, honesty, firmness, independence, and common sense. Cleveland also has the unusual distinction of being the only President to have held his own wedding in the White House: he married young Frances Folsom in the Blue Room in 1886; she was only 21 years old. He died from oral cancer in 1908.

-- Thomas Edison was born in West Orange in 1847. He is remembered best, of course, for his development of the light bulb and transforming it into a device that was easily useable in American homes. This successful inventor and businessman also came up with the phonograph, and brought music to homes across the United States. This famous genius's career spanned a century which saw massive evolutions in technology: he died in 1931, having witnessed the advent of the automobile and airplane.

In addition to other famous folks, New Jersey has produced a plethora of actors and actresses who have gone on to gain fame and fortune in our day: some of them are Tom Cruise (Glen Ridge), Danny DeVito (Asbury Park), Jerry Lewis (Newark), Jack Nicholson (Neptune City), Brooke Shields (Englewood), Meryl Streep (Summit), and Denzell Washington (Mt Vernon).

Today's most famous son is musician Bruce Springsteen, who proudly describes the life and people of New Jersey in song.