From Horsepower to Jeep Power — 117 Years and Still Rolling!
Before Jeeps had four-wheel drive, Far Hills had four-legged horsepower! Back in the early 1900s, this little railroad village ran on coal furnaces, hand-pumped water, and horse-drawn transportation. And forget grabbing a cold beer; village property deeds actually prohibited selling booze!
Then, in 1906, automobiles came rumbling into town, and local businessman Charles Welsh decided it was time to trade hay for gasoline. He installed a gas pump at his livery stable, and the rest is Somerset Hills history. Electricity arrived around 1910, telephones in 1912, and by 1916 Welsh was selling brand-new Ford Model Ts for as little as $360. Fast-forward 117 years, and that horse-and-buggy business is still rolling as Team Welsh Jeep Chrysler — New Jersey’s oldest Jeep dealership. Talk about getting some mileage out of a family business!
Far Hills, New Jersey — Est. 1909
Before there were Jeeps, there were horses. Before there were showrooms, there were stables. Before anyone dreamed of heated seats, GPS navigation, or four-wheel drive, a Far Hills businessman named Charles Welsh helped the Somerset Hills get from here to there, one horse at a time.
Source: eBay
Welcome to the story of Team Welsh Jeep Chrysler, one of the Somerset Hills’ oldest continuously operating family businesses and a remarkable survivor of the American automobile revolution.
When Horses Ruled Far Hills
Turn the clock back to the early 1900s. Far Hills was a charming railroad village surrounded by farms, sprawling country estates, and winding country roads. The railroad brought wealthy New Yorkers to their summer homes, while horses and carriages handled most local transportation. Among the village’s early businessmen was Charles Welsh, who ran a livery stable that served the community.
Then something happened that would change transportation forever. The automobile arrived. According to a published history of Far Hills, automobiles began appearing locally around 1906, and Welsh recognized an opportunity. He installed a gasoline pump at his livery stable, helping introduce the village to the motor age.
1909: A Family Business Is Born
Imagine the scene: horses waiting in their stalls while one of those noisy, sputtering newfangled automobiles pulled up for gasoline. The future was literally arriving at the stable door.
When automobiles began rumbling into Far Hills around 1906, Charles Welsh wasn’t about to be left holding the reins! He installed a gasoline pump at his livery stable, and by 1912, the photograph below shows a building identified as Welsh’s Garage.
Clarence Dillion Public Library.
By 1916, the family had expanded into selling Ford Model Ts, helping put the Somerset Hills on wheels. What began with horses and hay was quickly becoming a business built on gasoline and horsepower!
Sidebar:
1921 – Far Hills Becomes Its Own Entity
When Far Hills separated from Bernards Township in 1921, Charles Ramsay Welsh had good reason to pay attention. His growing automobile business depended on the village’s roads, railroad commuters, and local customers. With Far Hills now controlling its own municipal affairs, residents could make decisions about road improvements, taxes, and downtown development closer to home.
The biggest potential benefit for Welsh was greater local control over road maintenance and municipal spending. Rising taxes were a major reason Far Hills separated: residents objected to paying for roads, schools, and services elsewhere in the much larger township. For an automobile dealer like Welsh, better attention to village roads could have been particularly valuable.
From Model Ts to Jeeps
As the decades passed, the American automobile changed dramatically. The country went through two world wars, the Great Depression, the rise of suburban America, and a boom in automobile ownership. Through it all, the Welsh family kept people moving. The dealership evolved with changing manufacturers, technologies, and customer tastes, eventually becoming closely associated with the Jeep and Chrysler brands.
Welsh after World War II: From Parking Cars to Selling Jeeps
When World War II arrived, the Welsh family found another way to keep the Somerset Hills moving. With Far Hills serving as a commuter stop along the railroad, Welsh provided covered parking for residents catching the train into Manhattan.
As the company recalls:
“World War II, we provided commuters into New York City covered parking for their vehicles as they took the train into Manhattan. After the war, we then became a dedicated Jeep dealership up the road from Somerville, NJ.”
And what a perfect time to get into the Jeep business! The rugged little military vehicle that helped carry Allied troops to victory was about to become an American civilian icon. Willys-Overland introduced its civilian CJ-2A in 1945, opening a whole new chapter for farmers, businesses, and adventurous drivers.
For Welsh, it was another remarkable transformation, from feeding horses to fueling Model Ts, parking commuters’ cars, and eventually selling one of America’s most legendary four-wheel-drive vehicles. Not bad for a little garage in Far Hills!
Four Generations of Welshes:
From the Garage to Borough Hall
The Welsh family story is about much more than selling cars. It’s about four generations of family, hard work, and hometown pride. The story begins with Charles Welsh, whose early livery stable helped introduce Far Hills to the automobile age. The family legacy continued through succeeding generations, including Norman Welsh and his son Peter Welsh, who became the third-generation dealer principal of the family business. Peter’s brother Gregory also worked at the dealership after serving in the U.S. Navy.
Today, that legacy extends right into Far Hills Borough Hall. Peter’s son, Kevin P. Welsh, represents the fourth generation of the family business and became mayor of Far Hills in January 2023. In his inaugural address, Kevin publicly thanked his father, Peter, for teaching him the importance of hard work, dedication, respect, and leadership. He also spoke proudly of the family’s 114-year business history and pledged to bring those same values to his responsibilities as mayor.
Think about that for a moment. The Welsh family did business in Far Hills a dozen years before the borough even existed, in 1921! Now, more than a century later, a member of that same family is helping lead the community where it all began. From Charles Welsh’s horses and gasoline pumps to Peter’s Jeep dealership and Kevin’s mayoral office, the Welsh name has become a remarkable part of Far Hills history.
Talk about a family that’s kept Far Hills moving — both on the road and at Borough Hall!
Welsh Advertisements over the Decades
Our researchers scanned decades of newspapers as part of Welsh’s Auto history.
