USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > Hackensack > Addresses, membership roll; semi-annual meeting October twenty-fifth 1919 the Bergen County Historical Society > Part 1
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ADDRESSES MEMBERSHIP ROLL
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SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING OCTOBER TWENTY-FIFTH 1919
BERGEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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Gift Society MAY DL.
The Bergen County Historical Society SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING
Assembly Room. Johnson Public Library Building Hackensack, New Jersey SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 25, 1919
at 8 o'clock
PROGRAM
Address of Welcome Lewis Marsena Miller President Report of Membership Committee .... Cornelius V. R. Bogert. Chairman
Report of the Treasurer. Theodore Romaine Treasurer Music The Glee Club Address-" Local History in the Making" ... Mr. Reid Howell Bergen County Board of Freeholders
Music The Glee Club Address-" Some Achievements of Camp Merritt"
Major F. G. Landon Morale Officer, Camp Merritt Address-". The Camp Merritt Memorial". . Mr. W. II. Roberts Bergen County Board of Frecholders
AAddress-" The Aims of Our Association"
Dr. Herman H. Horne Professor of the History of Education, New York University
Final Number-The Social Half Hour
All Members and Guests
The Johnson Public Library Building, Hackensack HOME OF THE BERGEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS
On Saturday evening, April 26th, 1919, the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Bergen County Historical Society was held in this room.
This evening, six months later, occurs our first Semi- Annual Meeting, and I want to tell you of the pleasure it gives me to greet so many of my fellow members and the assurance it gives of increasing interest in the work and in the purpose for which this Society is organized.
At a recent meeting of the Executive Committee it was resolved that in addition to our regular annual meeting in April, as required by our constitution, at which we hear reports of standing committees and elect officers for the ensuing year, a "get together" meeting shall be held here in October of each year.
Also, one each month November to March inclusive at such places in the county where suitable arrangements can be made by the local Vice-President and sufficient interest manifested by the resident members.
In this manner it is hoped that the purposes of the Society will become more widely known, its membership roll broadened, and correspondingly its ability to carry forward the purposes for which the Society is organized. Its pro- moters had lofty ideals, and not all have yet been realized. I wonder how many members know that the Bergen County Historical Society stands for :
The intellectual cultivation and development of its mem- bers.
To make researches into historical facts, and collect data relating thereto.
To suitably mark by monument or tablet historic sites, to preserve them from oblivion.
To collect and preserve genealogical records and family traditions.
To foster National. State, Local and Family pride.
To eultivate throughout the county a spirit of Patriotism, which is love of country, respect for its laws and aid to up- hold them.
We have various standing committees whose duty it is to aid specifically in fulfilling the duties imposed by this declara- tion of principles.
In March, 1902, seventeen gentlemen met in the Johnson Public Library Building and on the 26th of that month the Bergen County Historical Society was organized and a con- stitution adopted.
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Bergen County Historical Society
In February, 1907. the Society was incorporated under an act of the New Jersey Legislature entitled "An Act 10 Incorporate Associations not for pecuniary profit."
In chronological order the Executives of the Society have been :
HIon. William M. Johnson, Hackensack, 1902-03. Mr. Cornelius Christie, Leonia, 1903-04.
Mr. T. N. Glover, Rutherford, 1904-05.
Hon. Cornelius Doremus, Ridgewood, 1905-06. Mr. Burton II. Allbee, Paterson, 1906-07.
Dr. Byron G. Van Horne, Englewood, 1907-08.
Col. W. D. Snow, Hackensack, 1908-09. llon. David D. Zabriskie, Ridgewood. 1909-10.
Mr. Everett L. Zabriskie, Ridgewood, 1910-11.
Mr. Howard B. Goetschius, Little Ferry, 1911-12.
Mr. Matt J. Bogert, Demarest, 1912-13.
Mr. Robert T. Wilson, Saddle River. 1913-14.
Mrs. Frances A. Westervelt, Hackensack, 1914-16
Mr. Cornelius V. R. Bogert, Bogota, 1916-18.
Mr. Arthur Van Buskirk, Hackensack, 1918-19.
Mr. Lewis Marsena Miller. Leonia, 1919-20.
The steady though not rapid growth of the Society and the many objects of historie interest now in our museum testify to the ability and conservatism with which the affairs of the Society have been conducted.
At the date of our last annual meeting. April 26th, our membership roll numbered one hundred and forty-five. It now numbers three hundred and seventy-eight. It is gratify- ing to have this evidence of awakened public interest in the plans and purposes of the Society.
To these new members, all and singly. I extend on be- half of the Society a cordial welcome and an equally cordial invitation to take an active part in its work. I ask that each will look over the list of standing committees and let me know in which line of work you can feel the liveliest interest. I will see that opportunity soon knocks at your door.
I want to call attention to one of the principal objects of the Society which should receive more attention than has been possible with the limited means available. I refer to the many points of historic interest which have not been marked by commemorative monuments or tablets. The records of the Society are not complete in this particular and I wish every member of the Society would become a committee of 'ne to seek out such places, verify their claims and then re- port these to me for action by the "Historic Sites and Events" committee.
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The President's Address
There are few, if any counties in the United States so rich in scenes and events connected with the early history of our country. Bergen County has been making history and contributing to the wonderful development of the Nation all along through the years that have passed since the first settlers came. But during the past two years there has been a great work carried on here, undoubtedly the most impor- tant in the history of the county, important not only to us but to the whole Nation.
From Camp Merritt, here in Bergen County, nearly one- third of all the men sent overseas received their final training and equipment and embarked, mostly from Alpine, to go "over there" and help "make the world a decent place to live in." And how nobly they did it! Not all who went have come back, some will never come, but more than five hundred thousand returned soldiers, covered with glory, have been received and cared for at Camp Merritt until ready to go to the demobilization camp nearest their home towns.
It is the duty of Bergen County to see to it that the site of Camp Merritt is marked by a noble and impressive Memo- rial which shall commemorate the wonderful work carried for- ward and accomplished in so short a time.
This is an ambitions enterprise for the Bergen County Historical Society, but in line with its duty and we were not afraid to undertake it. And what is more important, with the earnest co-operation of the Board of Chosen Freeholders and of the Camp authorities the building of this Memorial, costing one hundred thousand dollars, and possibly more, will be accomplished.
Major Sullivan, the Executive Officer of Camp Merritt, who is taking Major Landon's place in this program, will tell you of the wonderful work that has been carried on here in Bergen County and of which we necessarily could know so little until the ban on publicity was recently removed.
Mr. Roberts, the Director of the Board of Chosen Free- holders, will tell you of the work of the Camp Merritt Mem- orial Association since its organization.
The Camp Merritt Memorial will not only mark the site and commemorate the achievements of that camp, but it will stand as testimony to the activity of the Bergen County Historical Society in fulfilling its obligations to Bergen Conniy.
Bergen County Historical Society
I have referred to the ambition and the duty of this Society in connection with the Camp Merritt Me- morial. I regret that this movement did not originate here, but Major Francis G. Landon, the Morale Officer of Camp Merritt, is the father of the idea and an efficient co-worker in its accomplishment. It is proper that the records of this Society should tell its history from the beginning, and the beginning is shown in the following correspondence :
HEADQUARTERS
CAMP MERRITT, NEW JERSEY.
Morale Office
June 17. 1919
Mr. Theodore Romaine, Secretary
The Bergen County Historical Society
158 Main Street
Hackensack, N. J.
Dear Sir :-
The Camp Merritt newspaper, The Merritt Dispatch, in its Memorial Day number, suggested the idea of erecting a Monu- ment to indicate for all time the place where Camp Merritt stood.
We are looking into the matter as regards the title of a bit of land for such purpose, its eost, etc. The question arises to whom could we turn over its care and upkeep. and the thought was that the Bergen County Historical Society might be willing and interested enough in the idea to help solve this problem.
Will you be kind enough to let me know the view of your Society as to the suggestion.
I am very truly yours, (Signed) F. G. LANDON. Major A. G. Morale Officer.
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The President's Address
June 20, 1919.
Major F. G. Landon.
Morale Officer, Camp Merritt, New Jersey.
Dear Sir :-
I am in receipt of your favor of the 17th inst., which I am referring to our President, Mr. Lewis M. Miller, 112 Oak- tree Place, Leonia, New Jersey. You will doubtless hear from him either by letter or in person.
Thanking you for referring this matter to our Society, I am,
Yours very truly, (Signed) TITEODORE ROMAINE, Secretary.
Leonia, 22nd June, 1919.
Major F. G. Landon,
Morale Officer,
Camp Merritt, N. J.
Dear Sir :
I am today in receipt of your letter of the 17th inst. addressed to Mr. Romaine, the Seeretary of this Society, and assure you that personally I am in sympathy with the idea of ereeting a monument not only to indicate the site of Camp Merritt, but to commemorate the important work begun, ac- complished and finished there.
It will be my pleasure to bring this matter before the Executive Committee of this Society at their first meeting.
Very truly yours, (Signed) LEWIS M. MILLER, President.
At the meeting of the Executive Committee called to consider this matter a Special Committee was appointed to carry forward the movement, viz:
Cornelius V. R. Bogert, Chairman. Dr. Byron G. Van Horne, of Englewood. Mr. M. J. Bogert, of Demarest.
This Committee, with the President. appeared before
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Bergen County Historical Society
the Board of Chosen Freeholders soliciting the co-operation of the Board and appointment of a committee of three to act with us, which request was promptly complied with by the appointment of
Mr. Reid Howell, of Rutherford, Chairman. Mr. William II. Roberts, of Closter. Mr. Charles K. Allen, of Ridgewood.
This action was reported to Major Landon at Camp Merritt, whereupon General Dumean, Commandant of the C'amp, appointed
Major Francis G. Landon. Morale Officer Major Max W. Sullivan, Executive Officer Major Jessie I. Sloat, Chief Medical Officer
a committee to represent the Camp and co-operate with the Historical Society and the Board of Chosen Freeholders .;
These three committees met at the Officers' Club and organized the Camp Merritt Memorial Association by electing Cornelius V. R. Bogert, President William II. Roberts, Vice-President Major Francis G. Landon, Secretary and constituting these three officers as the Executive Com- mittee.
Major-General George B. Duncan, Commandant of the Post, Mr. JJoseph Kinzley. JJr., Director of the Board of Freeholders, Mr. Lewis M. Miller, President of the Bergen County His- forical Society.
were elected members of the Association.
Subsequently the committee of the Historical Society was enlarged by the appointment of Mr. Abram DeRonde. Mr. Echimind W. Wakelee, Mr. Daniel E. Pomeroy, Mr. Dwight W. Morrow, Mr. J. W. Binder. Hon. William M. Johnson, Mr. William Conklin and Mr. George Van Buskirk.
These gentlement were immediately elected to membership of the Camp Merritt Memorial Association, which has under- taken with the co-operation of all the members of the Bergen County Historical Society, the construction of a Memorial which shall be noble in proportion, dignified, artistie and inspiring.
THE PARAMU'S CHURCH, BUILT 1735
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THE SCHRAALENBURGH DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH. ERECTED 1779
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The Aims of Our Association
THE AIMS OF OUR ASSOCIATION
BY PROFESSOR H. H. HORNE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY.
Resident of Leonia.
Carlyle says a nation without a history is a nation without heroes. We want to make history, and know his- tory that we may have heroes. American history and Ameri- can traditions help make the American spirit, which in- spired the final effort in winning the Great War. America sent erusading heroes to Europe.
The function of an historial association is to be society's memory. Its motto might well be: "Lest We Forget !"
At this point let me read into the record one good para- graph,-provided me by our active and progressive presi- dent, on our aims, as follows:
The Bergen County Historical Society was organized in 1902 and incorporated in 1907 for the intellectual cultiva- tion and development of its members.
To protect and preserve genealogieal records and family traditions.
To make researches into historical faets and to collect data relating thereto.
To seek and suitably mark to preserve from oblivion historie sites and events.
To cultivate and broaden a spirit of Patriotism through- out the County.
To foster and extend National, State, Local and Family pride.
Ilow are we to solve our problem and bo Society's memory for Bergen County? There are a number of things we might well undertake, both as a society and as individual members. Among these I venture to note the following :
1. Preserve all war materials, all souvenirs of the war. in whatsoever tangible form. One member of our Society, Mr. R. HI. Greene, of Leonia, has already collected several hundred posters. A century from now such material will probably be rare and very valuable.
2. Dig. The sites of the Revolutionary battle grounds, as described in Nelson's History of Bergen County, might well be dug over for relies. Other counties have been re- warded for such effort.
3. Study the publications of other historical societies. for information and suggestive ideas. Exchange periodicals.
4. Concentrate on one point for a season, like Dress, Drink, or Deportment. Urge every member to be ready to
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Bergen County Historical Society
contribute something to the meeting. Have a talk-fest at the meetings devoted to these points. Other topics will be mentioned later.
5. Interview the oldest residents of each community, and make notes on their recollections of men and things and Folk-ways.
6. Keep some leading Historical Magazines on file in the library and let the public school teachers of the county know about the society, its work, and its museum, and reference library.
7. Prizes on assigned topies for compositions by school children should be offered. A good beginning has already been made in the Allison prizes.
8. Study Court House records for interesting histori- cal material, sure to be found, concerning laws, deeds, wills, boundaries and the like.
9. Rummage in garrets. An old hair trunk may re- veal precious documents and souvenirs, and the huur itself will prove engaging.
10. Write out your own reminiscences. and, if you have never done so, begin now and keep a diary for one year at least. Report any and everything coming under your daily observation. It will be valuable for posterity. and may win you a place in a footnote of the future history of Bergen County.
11. Preserve old newspapers, old albums, and old photos, with the names and dates plainly marked on each picture.
12. Keep the records of the meetings of the Borough C'onneils carefully. Some of the records of the early town meetings of this county are without doubt well worth editing and publishing.
13. The files of the leading County papers should be carefully kept. The new building of the Society should have a fire-proof vault for its most valuable possessions.
14. Study folk-lore and old forms of speech. The JJer- sey Dutch dialeet and pronunciations are unique and inter- esting. Old superstitions reveal the folk-soul.
15. Put interesting historical notes in the papers, and sign youself a member of this Society.
16. Give what you can spare from your own collec- tion of antiques to the museum of the Association. Do it by gift now, not in your will, and get the living satisfaction of knowing it is done.
17. The Association should make itself well known in the County by its aggressive support of the big movements of the
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The ims of Our Association
day; for example the Roosevelt Memorial and the Camp Merritt Memorial.
18. Investigate such topics as these in the past history of the county :
Churches Boundaries Lighting
llome-Life Indians
IIeating
Agriculture
First Letters Styles
Government
Cemeteries Manners
Newspapers and Names
Transportation
Cooking Schools
Taverns
Costumes
Industries
Negroes
Intoxicants
Money
Mills
Roads Railroads War Sites
What suggestiveness in such place names as Fort Lee, ('loster, Hackensack, Saddle River, and English Neighborhood (old name of Leonia) !
And what interesting ancestral history there must be behind such personal names as Ackerson, Blauvelt, Brinker- hoff. Cosse, DeBaun, DeRonde, Doremus. Goetschius, Jeffers, Kelder, Linkroum, Mabon, Marinus, Parigot, Staib, Stumm, Terhune, Van Buskirk, Voorhis, Zabriskie, and all the "Vans, " and many others.
If we should undertake even a portion of such a program as this in carrying out our aim to be Bergen County's mem- ory for it, how local pride would be stimulated, how the his- toric feeling would be cultivated, how the past would live, how we should antagonize violent overthrow of existing insti- tutions, how elders and youngsters would be brought together by common interests, how county esprit de corps would be developed and would take possession of our many newcomers. how patriotism would be cultivated, and how present prob- lemms would be understood and appreciated in the light of the past evolution of society !
There is only one question for the Association and for its individual members: Will We Do It ?
THE ANDRE PRISON HOUSE. AS IT NOW APPEARS
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THE ANDRE PRISON HOUSE, BEFORE RESTORATION
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Address by Major Mas W. Sultiran
ADDRESS BY MAJOR MAX W. SULLIVAN Executive Officer of Camp Merritt
Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen :
I hope I ean do justice to Major Landon, whose time I am to fill because of his illness.
If you will pardon me, I would mention that I arrived at Camp Merritt about 6:00 A.M. September 17, 1917, with the 49th Infantry from Syracuse, New York. As Adjutant of the Guard Regiment, later Camp Adjutant, and as Exeen- tive Officer of the Camp for the past year, which various capacities will give you my connection with the Camp.
Camp Merritt occupies an area of seven hundred seventy (770) aeres: five hundred eighty (580) aeres of that is actu- ally occupied in barrack buildings. There are one hundred ninety (190) aeres left, which is occupied by warehouses, rail- road areas and a small athletie field, setting aside for garden produce abont eighty (80) acres, which the permanent per- sonnel put to very good use in raising quantities of garden truck for their various messes. The buildings occupied by troops passing overseas was eleven hundred seventy-one (1171), buildings for hospital ninety-three (93). and for wel- fare organization twenty-eight (28), making a total number of buildings twelve hundred ninety-two (1292).
As to the capacity, which is somewhat over forty-two thousand (42,000), is worthy of mention. I had occasion to go to Camp Dix recently, to go over their organization, and in doing so they told me, with a great deal of pride, that they had a capacity of thirty-five thousand (35.000) which was by far the largest eamp in the country according to their own statements. Being their guest I said nothing, but for your information, Camp Merritt has barraek accommodations for forty thousand four hundred thirty-eight (40,438) enlisted men and quarters for two thousand twelve (2,012) officers.
With regard to the personnel necessary to operate the Camp-we found it necessary as the work grew to increase onr commissioned and enlisted strength so that at the time of the signing of the armistice our personnel consisted of approximately five hundred (500) officers and seven thous- and (7,000) enlisted men. At present our total strength, commissioned and enlisted, is about thirty-five hundred (3,500).
What we tried to do in getting the men overseas was to get them there as quickly as possible with little inconvenience and publicity, and I believe we succeeded. In total, we sent overseas nearly seven hundred thousand (700,000) men. The
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Bergen County Historical Society
greatest number sent in any one month was in September, 1918. which approximately reached eighty-five thousand (85,000). On troops returning we have had come back 10 date nearly seven hundred thousand (700,000). The greatest minber in bringing them back from overseas in one month was not quite seventy thousand (70,000 ).
It is uninteresting to go into detail too much, and I do not want to burden you with a series of figures or statistics. We tried various schemes in handling the troops so as to handle them as fast as possible, so by process of experiment we found the best method was to divide the camp into seven sections or districts as they were finally called. We had seven small camps, in other words, within the larger camp. As troops came in to go overseas they would be assigned a certain distriet and they left from that district for overseas. The transient personnel never found it necessary to come to camp headquarters as the district headquarters could meet all their wants and we were not annoyed by endless or im- necessary questions. In receiving troops from overseas the same system, in reverse order, worked very well. We had a receiving distriet where all troops from overseas were billeted. and after going thru the Sanitary Process Plant (the de- louser ) they were split up into detachments corresponding to their home camps and distributed in the other districts for preparation to be sent home. The 7th District was used for colored troops. They were handled entirely in this dis- triet and kept more or less separate as much as possible from the rest of the camp.
In the matter of sending troops overseas, we were fre- quently called upon, from May up to the signing of the armistice, to equip five thousand (5,000) men in twenty-four (24) hours. This meant the replacing of all worn articles of uniform, equipment, clipping of the hair, and most tedious of all details was the stamping of identification tags. in dupli- rate. At times we had as many as forty men doing this work. The greatest number we receive at one time to equip was fifteen thousand ( 15,000). They arrived in a series of four- teen trains at that particular time. Especially when there was large convoys going out we were called upon frequently to equip five hundred (500) to two thousand (2.000) men at short notice, usually from eight to fifteen hours. We found it necessary at times, or several times in fact. to empty the barracks on one side of camp, get the troops on the road and start them for the railroad station or Alpine landing while the buildings would be refilled, as fast as emptied, by incom- ing troops, not allowing the fires even to go out.
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Address by Major Mar W. Sullivan
The question soon arose as to how we should keep track of these men. The scheme finally established was on indiv- idnal 3x5 inch cards and as the status of each individual changed during his stay in Camp a corresponding entry had to be made on his particular card, making changes that often reached ten thousand (10,000) entries per day. Every time a man's status changed, we would change the record on his card. To accomplish all this it was found necessary to an- swer correspondence during the day which up until very recently amounted to two thousand (2,000) letters a day. We would use the clerical forces during the day to get the data from these cards of men who had gone through and then use a night force to bring the card record up to date as to what happened during the preceding twenty-four hours. Inquiries from anxious mothers were answered during the day from data obtained from the above mentioned cards.
For the troops coming in from overseas we used the same process, except that the work of getting the troops segre- gated according to their home camps on their return was much more in detail than getting them over. Troops for over- seas was only a matter of inspection and equipment, while we found in bringing them back from overseas, the men were apt to find fault and criticise, and we tried to satisfy everybody. In so doing, we had to go through the records of every man to see exactly where he should be sent and we tried to send them as near as possible to the camp nearest their home. He would never be over three hundred and fifty (350) miles from his home upon arrival at a demobilization eamp. In order to accomplish that, we had three shifts of eight (8) hours each of the permanent personnel who continued to work on these records during the stay of the individual. The stay of a transient was occupied as follows: During the first twenty-four (24) hours the permanent personnel inspected the records of the men to find out the nearest home camp, for example, Camp Dix for this State, or to whatever camp they should be assigned. Then they were moved from the receiving district, segregated into detachments for the camp nearest their respective homes. The next day was used in making up train rosters and the third day in making up the train and getting them out.
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