USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume II > Part 1
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HISTORY
OF
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
NEW JERSEY
1664-1920
UNDER THE ASSOCIATE EDITORSHIP OF JOHN P. WALL AND HAROLD E. PICKERSGILL ASSISTED BY AN ABLE CORPS OF LOCAL HISTORIANS
HISTORICAL=BIOGRAPHICAL
VOLUME II
1921 LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK AND CHICAGO
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 58469%
ASTOR. LENOX AND ILDEN FOUNDATIONS R 1922 L
HISTORICAL-BIOGRAPHICAL
ยท 22/20 Sign -on19
JOHN WELLS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, NEW BRUNSWICK
BUCCLEUCH MANSION, NEW BRUNSWICK
CHAPTER XXVI. NEW BRUNSWICK-Concluded.
The New Brunswick of the present day is preeminently one of the enterprising and progressive cities of the State. The markets of the world are open to her commercial interests and manufacturing indus- tries, located as she is in direct communication and connection with the two populous seaports of the eastern portion of the Nation. The traveler from the East, reclining in his comfortable seat in a Pullman of today, as he approaches the east bank of the Raritan river, sees spread before him the smoke rising towards the heavens from the large brick chimneys of her thriving manufactories, and in the distance the campus and classic college buildings. In his overhead passage, the highways and byways of the city attract his attention, glimpses are caught of twirling trolley cars, and a busy class of people engaged in the various vocations of life. If he is a student of history, he cannot fail to call to his mind the description of Kalm, the great Swedish traveler, and the autocratic New Englander, the second President of the United States, who in voluminous notes more than a century and a half ago recorded their impressions of New Brunswick, then in her infancy.
In closing the history of the city we append mention of some of her native born sons and residents who in their chosen professions have gained not only a local but a national reputation.
A naval career appealed to Charles Stuart Boggs. His mother was a sister of Captain James Lawrence, who is notable in American history as the commander of the "Chesapeake," and who, when mortally wounded in the engagement with the British frigate "Shannon," gave the famous command, "Don't give up the ship." The future rear- admiral of the United States was born at New Brunswick, New Jersey, January 28, 1811. When quite young he became a cadet at Captain Patridge's celebrated military academy at Middletown, Connecticut. But the navy was his chosen profession, and on November 26, 1826, he received the appointment of midshipman from the State of New Jersey and was ordered to the Mediterranean squadron, which was engaged in protecting American commerce from Greek pirates. Here three years were passed, the next two years being spent with the West India squadron. Having been appointed passed-midshipman, he was for four years, one year excepted, on land service on board a receiving ship at New York. He joined the ship-of-the-line "North Carolina" in 1836 as master, and on September 6, 1837, was appointed lieutenant. He returned to this country in 1839, when the "North Carolina" was made a school ship in New York harbor. As lieutenant in charge of the
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apprentices, Lieutenant Boggs displayed his fine capacity for command, combining mildness and courtesy of manner with absolute strictness in the enforcement of discipline. The decade between 1840 and 1850 was spent by Lieutenant Boggs on the sloop "Saratoga," on the coast of Africa, bombarding and destroying slave ports. Later, on the steamer "Princeton," in the Mexican War, he took part in the bombardment of San Juan de Ulloa and Tampico. With a boat crew he successfully destroyed the U. S. brig "Truxton," which had surrendered to the Mexicans; this was a mission requiring tact and courage on the part of the commander to prevent the capture of the attacking party. The "Princeton" was ordered to the Mediterranean, and was the first pro- peller to navigate those waters. Lieutenant Boggs, as executive officer of the frigate "St. Lawrence," carried the American contributions to the World's Fair held in London, England, in 1851. His next assignment was as inspector of clothing and provisions at the New York Navy Yard. Here he remained until 1854, and the following year was placed in command of the mail steamer "Illinois," in the service of the Califor- nia Steamship Company.
At the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion he requested to be placed in active service, and was given command of the "Varuna," which was ordered to join Farragut's fleet below New Orleans. The "Varuna" was the first ship to force its way past the rebel batteries, but was demolished by the ironclad "Stonewall Jackson." Following the notable command of his famous uncle, Boggs ran the "Varuna" ashore, firing her guns until they were under water. For his gallantry in this unparalleled naval combat, his native city and State each pre- sented him with a sword.
Having been commissioned a captain July 16, 1862, he was placed in command of the "Sacramento," of the blockading squadron off Cape Fear river. Here his health failed him and he was obliged to resign. During the last years of the war, he was on shore duty at New York, engaged in superintending the building and fitting out of a fleet of steam picket-boats planned by himself. One of these was the torpedo- boat with which Lieutenant Cushing sank the Confederate ram "Albe- marle." After the close of the war, Captain Boggs cruised in the West Indies, attached to the North Atlantic squadron. He was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral July 1, 1870, and given duty as lighthouse inspector of the Third District. He was placed on the retired list in 1873, and died April 22, 1888.
A resident of New Brunswick for nearly thirty years was Theodore Sanford Doolittle. His boyhood days were spent in his native town of Ovid, Seneca county, New York, where he was born November 30, 1834. He became a student at Rutgers College in 1855, was one of the editors of the "Rutgers Quarterly," and in his senior year gained the
THE NEW PUBLIC L. 200 7.00
ASTOR. I FNOX TILDEN FILTRATIONS
ST. PETERS'S GENERAL HOSPITAL. NEW BRUNSWICK.
CHRIST CHURCH, NEW BRUNSWICK
NEW BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL.
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Suydam prize for the best English composition .. As a collegian, he familiarized himself with the works of essayists, historians, and poets, was a proficient student in the classics, and became especially versed in the German language. His mastery of this language enabled him to preach to German speaking congregations. Dr. Doolittle entered the Theological Seminary at New Brunswick in 1861, and after his gradua- tion became pastor of a church at Flatlands, Long Island. His pastorate was of short duration, as in 1864 he accepted the chair of rhetoric, logic and metaphysics in Rutgers College. He remained a member of the faculty of the college during his life, was elected vice-president in 1891, and from August, 1890, to February, 1891, acted as president. He was a contributor to magazines, reviewer of important works, a keen critic, and a brilliant writer. An extensive traveler, he twice visited Europe, and also toured the Bahamas, Canada, and the Pacific coast. He died at New Brunswick, April 18, 1893.
For nearly a score of years president of Rutgers College, the Rev. William Henry Campbell was a familiar figure to the citizens of New Brunswick. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, September 14, 1808, a son of a merchant of that city. Young Campbell became a student at Dickinson College at the age of sixteen ; after his graduation a year was spent at the Theological Seminary at Princeton. Mr. Campbell's first settlement was as assistant to the Rev. Dr. Andrew Yates, at Chit- tenango, New York. This pastorate included a large number of depen- dent churches, and in the performance of his duties Mr. Campbell con- tracted a throat malady that interrupted his career as a preacher, and from 1834 to 1839 he became principal of Erasmus Hall, Brooklyn, New York. During the next decade he established a church in East New York, and was pastor of the Third Reformed Church at Albany, New York. Returning to educational pursuits in 1848, he accepted the principalship of the Albany Academy, and three years later was called to the professorship of Oriental literature in the Theological Seminary at New Brunswick. Here he also occupied the chair of belles-lettres under the trustees of Rutgers College for twelve years. On the death of Dr. Frelinghuysen, in 1862, after much persuasion on the part of the trustees, Dr. Campbell consented to become his successor as president of the college, and entered with exceptional enthusiasm and ability into the work both of teaching and securing a large endow- ment fund for the institution. During his administration over $300,000 was raised, six new professorships were established, the number of students was doubled, a large geological hall was erected, also a beauti- ful chapel and library under one roof ; an astronomical observatory was erected and thoroughly equipped ; an addition made to the grammar school, doubling its accommodations ; and useful buildings were erected on the experimental farm. At the age of seventy-three years, Dr. Camp-
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bell resigned the presidency of the college, and a new professorship was created, "The Chair of Evidences of Christianity," his services being thus retained by the college until his death, September 7, 1890. Of his twenty years' service as president, the inscription on Sir Christopher Wren's tomb in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, may stand for the whole story : Sirequiris monumentum circumspice.
In the Navy of the United States, another son of New Brunswick was, in the opinion of Attorney-General Jeremiah S. Black, the victim of more governmental blunders than any one man in the history of the American Navy. Philip Falkerson Voorhees was born in New Brunswick in 1792. He entered the navy as midshipman, November 15, 1809, and was engaged in the second war with Great Britain, taking part in the capture of the "Macedonian" by the "United States," and of the "Epervier" by the "Peacock," for which he received a medal from Congress. He was promoted to commander April 24, 1828, and to captain February 28, 1838, and three years later was assigned to the frigate "Congress" on her first cruise. He assisted in rescuing the stranded British ship "Gorgon" in the La Plata river, and in 1844 captured an armed Argentine squadron and allied cruiser which had fired into his convoy, a Boston bark, on which some fishermen chased by the cruiser had taken refuge. Captain Voorhees released the squadron, but detained the cruiser, which had aggravated the assault by firing from under a false flag. The cruiser was subsequently released, but Captain Voorhees' action was justified, and he was highly praised by the United States diplomatic and consular representatives and foreign naval officers in South America. Yet this capture was made the occa- sion for a series of charges on which he was tried by court-martial. The sentence of the court was not approved by President Polk, who restored Captain Voorhees to his full rank and gave him the command of the East India squadron, and the proceedings of the court-martial were by the attorney-general declared null and void. Returning to this country in 1851 on his flag-ship "Plymouth," he was placed four years later on the reserved list; this he deemed an injustice, and he appealed to Con- gress for reinstatement, but a court of inquiry reaffirmed the decision. A second appeal was made to President Buchanan, who referred the whole matter to Attorney-General Jeremiah S. Black, whose opinion is stated at the commencement of this paragraph. Having been restored to the leave pay-list, at the opening of the Civil War Captain Voorhees urged his assignment to active duty, but his death took place at Annapolis, Maryland, February 26, 1862.
The Terhune family was of Huguenot origin, as early as 1651 the emigrant ancestor, Albert Terhune, settling at Gravesend. Long Island. A descendant of this emigrant, John Stafford Terhune, served with the New Jersey troops during the Revolution. His son John, born at
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Blawenburg, Somerset county, New Jersey, May 4, 1793, became a resident of New Brunswick in 1812. He engaged in the trade of printer and bookbinder, and also became a publisher and stationer, which business he conducted until his death, January 9, 1886. He was printer of the celebrated Webster's "Elementary Spelling Book," and was the father of Rev. Edward Payson Terhune, the noted divine, whose wife was well known to the literary world under the nom-de plume of Marion Harland. A son by this marriage was Albert Payson Terhune, whose short stories and novelettes, besides miscellaneous articles, have appeared in popular magazines of the present day.
In the world of arts and sciences, New Brunswick's claim to recogni- tion is that it was the birthplace of Johnson Marchant Mundy, the sculptor. His paternal ancestor, Nicholas Mundy, emigrated from England in 1680 and settled in Middlesex county. The sculptor was the son of Frederick and Mary (Marchant) Mundy, and was born at New Brunswick, May 13, 1832. When Johnson was only three years of age, his parents removed to Geneva, New York, and with the western part of that State the family were ever afterwards identified. The boy was educated, making rapid progress with his studies, particularly in the languages, and early displayed remarkable taste for art, especially in drawing, carving, and the study of music. His school studies, how- ever, terminated when he was fourteen years of age on account of a disease of the eyes; though his sight was not impaired in the daytime, he was subject to what was called "night-blindness." A maternal uncle was a distinguished surgeon in North Carolina, and young Mundy was sent in 1847 to him for treatment, but, receiving no benefit, he returned North and was placed under charge of different medical men in Phila- delphia and New York.
A sea voyage was undertaken in the summer of 1849 to the Azores, and he lived several months at Fayal. He became skilled in cameo and ivory carving. In 1851-52 he determined to study sculpture, and accord- ingly went to New York City, procuring employment in a marble yard. From this primary practice he went to the studio of J. K. Brown in Brooklyn, New York, and began modeling in clay, at the same time giving attention to drawing. Here he remained eight years, acquiring the art of the bronze-worker and the principles and processes of sculp- ture. He also familiarized himself with anatomy, and modeled a number of busts. During this period his financial resources became exhausted, and he was obliged to depend on his art to enable him to carry on his studies, and accordingly made portraits and drawings from the antique, which he sold. After spending two years at Watertown, New York, he settled in 1863 in Rochester, New York, where he opened a studio. He was first known as a crayon artist, working also in pastels, and made a large number of medallion portraits and portrait busts of promi-
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nent people in Rochester and its neighborhood ; he executed also several ideal heads.
The disease of his eyes had been steadily developing; in 1879-80 he was obliged to abandon his art work; his condition improving, he opened the Rochester Art School, where he taught drawing and model- ing. His power of vision was extremely limited and feeble, and most of his work had to be accomplished by the sense of touch. It was in this condition that he performed his two masterpieces,-the Soldiers' Monument in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery at Tarrytown-on-Hudson, which represents a vidette in the volunteer service, and is adjudged as the most graceful and spirited statue of a soldier in the country; the other heroic statue was that of Washington Irving, the work upon which proved a severe strain upon the artist's nerves, and marked diminution of sight. Materials for the statue were gathered and compared and studied by the aid of magnifying glasses. After eighteen months of arduous labor, in which the actual work was performed by the sense of touch, the statue was completed and received encomiums from all visitors. The statue was intended for a bronze casting to be placed on a granite pedestal in an open air location. The gifted author is represented sitting in an appropriate armchair, in his habitual easy manner while in conversation, the body well settled in an ample cushion, the limbs crossed in a natural and easy manner, the arms rest upon those of the chair, the head is slightly inclined to one side and the countenance is illumined by a most genial and tender feeling. As a whole, the figure is marked by a natural and easy posturing, and pre- sents that happy combination of qualities so characteristic of Mr. Irving -- modesty, dignity, and benevolence. Among Mr. Mundy's other works mention might be made of the statuettes of "The Reaper," "The Pilgrim" and "Columbia." His life came to a peaceful close at Geneva. New York, August 16, 1897.
A familiar figure in the streets of New Brunswick in the middle of the past century, was Gustavius Fischer, a member of the faculty of Rutgers College. He was born at Berlin, Germany, in June. 1815, re- ceiving his education at the Universities of Berlin and Gottingen, and making a specialty of the study of law, philology and music. Becoming involved in the revolution that swept over Germany in 1848. he became a member of Parliament, and on the overthrow of that rump body hic fled to Switzerland and from thence came to America in IS50. He became professor of modern languages at Rutgers College in [858, and also taught French and German in a private seminary for voung ladies in New Brunswick. He held his chair in the college until 1869, when he resigned, spending the remainder of his life in musical study. He ended an eventful life at New Brunswick, September 16, 1893.
One of the noted benefactors and philanthropists of New Brunswick
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was Simon Van Wickle. A native of Middlesex county, he was born at Jamesburg in March, 1820. After attaining his majority, he removed to New Brunswick, where he became a marine captain, obtaining wide notoriety as the commander of the steamer "Antelope," which operated in opposition to Commodore Vanderbilt's boats. He afterwards engaged in the coal business and became interested in the firm of Van Wickle & Stout, of New York City. A prominent member of the Baptist church, he held official positions in the New Jersey Central Baptist Association and the State Baptist Convention. He was also a member of the board of managers of the Peddie Institute. To this institution he gave $15,000; he also erected a church in New Brunswick for the colored Baptists, and gave various sums to struggling congregations of that denomination throughout the State, his gifts aggregating more than $100,000. His death occurred at New Brunswick, May 15, 1888.
Two sons of James and Mary Faugeres (Ellis) Bishop, both natives of New Brunswick, gained a wide reputation in their chosen profession. The eldest, James Remsen Bishop, born September 17, 1860, prepared for college in the schools of Germany and at the famous St. Paul's School at Concord, New Hampshire, where having received the highest honors, he entered in 1880 the sophomore class of Yale University. Throughout his collegiate course he was distinguished for proficiency in the classics, also for skill in athletic sports. Leaving Yale in 1881 he was, in consequence of the favorable reports of his instructors, admitted to the senior class of Harvard College. Here he devoted him- self almost exclusively to classic philology based upon the study of Sanscrit. After graduation at Harvard, for a year he taught Greek and English at his old school in Concord, New Hampshire. President Mc- Cosh, of Princeton University, invited him to the difficult task of building up the decayed preparatory school founded by Henry E. Marquard, as a feeder to the University. Mr. Bishop possessed novel methods of school government and instruction, in which he advocated the cultiva- tion of self-activity in the moral and mental nature of the young as the chief end of education. Adopting this principle, he succeeded in arousing a rare enthusiasm in the boys of the school, and in 1887, the future of the Princeton Preparatory School, having been assured and the prac- ticability of his educational ideas established, Mr. Bishop removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, to accept a position in the Hughes High School in that city. He was connected with educational institutions in Cincinnati until 1904, when he removed to Detroit, Michigan, to take charge of the Eastern High School, in which labors he was engaged at the time of his death. A younger brother, Louis Faugeres Bishop, born March 14, 1864, after graduating from Rutgers College and the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons of Columbia College, became resident physician of St. Luke's Hospital, New York City, and professor of diseases of the
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heart and circulation at Fordham University Medical School. He is also a member of the medical staffs of Lincoln Hospital, and Mercy Hospital at Hempstead, Long Island. Dr. Bishop was secretary of the New York Academy of Medicine from 1889 to 1892, and is engaged in the practice of his chosen profession in New York City.
Thomas Hill, the twenty-first president of Harvard College, was born at New Brunswick, January 6, 1818, the son of Thomas Hill, a Unitarian in religious belief, who left his native country of England to enjoy a larger freedom of thought, speech and action in America. The future president of Harvard College was left an orphan at an early age, and was educated by his sisters. When old enough to be placed at work he was apprenticed to a printer, and on completing his term of apprenticeship in 1833 he attended school at the Lower Dublin Academy, near Philadelphia, of which his oldest brother was principal. After a year at this school, he was apprenticed to an apothecary in New Brunswick. He commenced his preparation for college in 1838, and in August of the following year was matriculated at Harvard Col- lege for the class of 1843. After his graduation, high standing in mathematics and physical science secured him the offer of a position in the National Observatory in Washington, but he could not be dis- suaded from studying the ministry. He attended the Divinity School, graduated in 1845, and was for fourteen years settled as minister of the Unitarian church at Waltham, Massachusetts. In 1859 he suc- ceeded Horace Mann as president of Antioch College, of Yellow Springs, Ohio, and during his incumbency of this office served as pastor of the Church of the Redeemer at Cincinnati. He resigned from the presidency of Antioch College in 1862, and the same year succeeded President Cornelius Conway Felton as president of Harvard College. The faculty welcomed his presidency, as he had their entire respect and confidence, and the science teachers recognized in him their rightful head. The academic council was started at his suggestion, and the university lectures were first opened to the public. He held the office until 1868, when he was compelled by ill health and domestic afflictions to resign, and was succeeded by Charles William Eliot. He had married a niece of an eminent Unitarian minister.
After his retirement from the presidency, he returned to Waltham, Massachusetts, and later accompanied Professor Louis Agassiz to South America on his well known epedition. Upon his return he accepted the pastorate of the First Parish Church of Portland, Maine. He was devoted to the study of mathematical problems, became a foremost investigator in natural science, an accomplished classical scholar, and was especially conversant with Hebrew and cognate Oriental languages. He made in May, 1891, his annual visit to the Divinity School at Mead- ville, Pennsylvania, to deliver a course of lectures before the students,
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and upon his return homeward, while at his daughter's home in Wal- tham, Massachusetts, died on November 21, 1891.
Among those whose inventive brains have aided in the safety of ocean travel may be numbered Lawrence Fisher Frazee, born in New Brunswick, May 22, 1813. In his early life he was apprenticed to learn the jewelry trade, and finally carried on that business in his native city. At the time of the great tornado of June 19, 1835, his store was completely demolished, which ruined him financially. He then entered the employ of the New Brunswick Steamboat and Transportation Com- pany, remaining with its successors, the Camden & Amboy Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad, until his death, except during the period of the Civil War, when he commanded the government trans- port "Massachusetts," which ran between Fortress Monroe and points on the James river. During his marine career, he invented and per- fected appliances of much value, including a stern paddle-wheel for canal boats, a life-boat, a life-raft, that was adopted by the United States government; a safety gang plank, the life boat davits used on ocean steamers and ferryboats, and the safety gates on the latter. He died at New Brunswick, October 10, 1896.
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