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Westfield was originally part of Elizabethtown, New Jersey. the Elizabethtown area was settled originally by some scattered Dutch pioneers, but it's founding date is 1664 A previous settlement from Wethersfield, Connecticut by Robert Treat, Dr. Jaspar Gunn, Richard Law and Benjamin Fum was previously but nothing further was heard of it. Earlier Dutch settlers who traded beaver pelts with the Indians for decades had caused great hostilities to occur.The trading ceased between 1664-1655.
In 1664, Charles II granted his brother James, Duke of York, an extensive tract of land from the Connecticut river to the Delaware. After this, Charles II gave what is now New Jersey to Sir George Cararet and Lord Berkeley (John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley). However, Sir Richard Nicholls, acting governor under the Duke of York, had already bought some of this land from the Indians for settlement, and had permitted settlers from Connecticut and Long Island to occupy it. This resulted in the founding of Elizabeth Town, Piscataway and Woodbridge. Nicholls relinquished the land to Cataret and Berkeley, who arrived in August 1665 with 30 associates and founded Elizabeth Town.
Capt. John Baker, interpreter for the English and Dutch with the Indians, purchased adjacent lands. Before 1883, a 2,000 acre tract was owned by T. Hart (it was later called the Baker tract). Interestingly, and Indian who helped Baker negotiate land purchases was named "Hans".
The original settlers/owners of the Baker Tract (later Westfield) were: John Barkley, John Forbes, Dr. Robinson, John Frazey, John Clark and John Carrington. At Mil Brook, Governors Barclay and Lowry, Mr. Bryant, Mr. Blanchard, Stephen Osborne and John Erskine (a Scotsman).
When Sir George Cataret died, his lands at East New Jersey went up for auction in London and were purchased by many Quakers (Society of Friends) including: William Penn, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, James and David Drummond, Robert Barclay and Gawen Lawrie. Gawen Lawrie bought more land from the Indians and wrote about it inducing many Scots Presbyterians to immigrate to Elizabeth Town and area.
Other first settlers: Richard French who started a trading post with the Indians. Gideon Ross, Joseph and Richard Harriman, Andrew Craig. There may have been a Spanish mission at Elizabeth Town in the past as a mission bell was found there. The land west of Elizabeth Town came to be called "west fields" and then Westfield, and a stream of settlers from New England via Long Island came.
About 1720, Elizabeth Town had expanded to include Scotch Plains, Branch Mills and Willow Grove. A hotel was built about this time. Prior to the Revolution, settler names included: Baker, Cory, Woodruff, Pierson, Miller, Marsh, Scudder, Crane, Clark, Frazee, Hetfield, Lambert, Denman. Acken, Badgley, Bryant, Brooks, Craig, Connet, Hole, Littel, Ludlum, Spinnage, Yeomans, Erskine, Elmer, Radley, Roll, Sayre. Other's mentioned by 1740: Isaac Lyon, Tophar Beech, Benjamin Hines, John Van Winkle, Sally Dunham.Gov. Morris, Johnathan Belcher, James Alexander (a prominent barrister) whose work on the many land disputes provide excellent historical material. Abraham Clark and Ephraim Marsh were leaders in the patriotic drive for the Revolution.