USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > A History of the city of Newark, New Jersey : embracing practically two and a half centuries, 1666-1913 Volume III > Part 2
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He married, April 20, 1876, Charlotte E., daughter of Hon. William and Margaret ( Ballard) Stainsby, of Newark. They have three children: Margaretta; Franklin W., a lawyer of Newark; and Leslie R., editor.
MORRIS ROBESON SHERRERD
Morris Robeson Sherrerd, one of the best known and eminent civil engineers that the state of New Jersey has produced, has given proof by his past achievements of what may be expected from him in the brilliant future which surely lies before him. The Sherrerds came to this country about the middle of the eighteenth century and they and their connections have been noted in the history of their country in military and professional life. His grandfather, John Maxwell Sherrerd, was the first surrogate of the new county of Warren, and was the leading member of the bar in that county. Samuel Sherrerd, father of the Mr. Sherrerd of this sketch, was a well-known lawyer and a pioneer in the iron business in Virginia, and became President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Warren County. Hle married Frances Maria Hamilton, by which marriage a connection was
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HISTORY OF NEWARK
formed with many of the most prominent families of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, among them being the Robeson, Paul, Rockhill, Fitz Randolph, Manning, Ross and Hamilton families.
Mr. Sherrerd, the subject of this sketch, was born in Scranton, Pennsyl- vania, December 16, 1865. His preparatory college education was acquired at the Blair Presbyterian Academy, Blairstown, from whence he went to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, graduating in 1886 with the degree of civil engineer. Railroad work occupied his time for a short period and he then formed a connection with the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania, which lasted two years. Municipal work engaged his attention the next two years under the Public Improvement Committee of Troy, New York, he being the superintendent of construction of sewers and pavements. A further two years were then given as assistant city engineer of Peoria, Illinois, and he resigned from this in order to take up a consultation practice in Troy, at the same time having charge of the construction work connected with the water supply system for Mechanics- ville, New York, and designed and constructed several other water and sewer systems in the neighborhood of Troy. The surveys for the additional water supply for the city of Troy were also entrusted to him and, in 1893, under the reorganization of the Public Works Department of Troy, by which the powers of the Public Improvement Commission were transferred to the city engineer, Mr. Sherrerd was appointed to that office, which he filled very efficiently until 1895. In that year he was appointed engineer and superintendent of the department of water of the Board of Street and Water Commissioners of Newark, New Jer- sey, in which his ability received well-earned commendation. In June, 1905, the office of chief engineer of the Board of Street and Water Commissioners was created and Mr. Sherrerd was the first incumbent to be appointed, and is still in office at the present time (1913), his services having been of value to the city in the field of public improvement, particularly from a consolida- tion of the engineering work of the city under one head.
One of the most important acts of Mr. Sherrerd during his incumbency as engineer and superintendent of the water department of Newark was his supervision of the carrying out of the contract between the city and the East Jersey Water Company, by which the new water supply for Newark was acquired at a total cost of six million dollars. In the settle- ment of this contract in 1900, the city successfully established its claims not only for the Canistear reservoir, the possession of which was disputed by the company, but it gained several other concessions, the most important being the transfer of the right to divert the entire flow of the Pequannock, instead of limiting the same to fifty millions of gallons per day, as the original contract contemplated. Mr. Sherrerd was the most important figure in all of these transactions, he being indefatigable in his efforts to obtain all rights to which the city was justly entitled. Another enterprise of magni- tude which owes it successful issue to the energy and enterprise of Mr. Sherrerd was the construction of the Cedar Grove reservoir, tunnel and pipe line, with its huge connecting mains to the city, altogether costing almost two millions of dollars. By the completion of this portion of the system of water supply Newark is now equipped with the finest and most perfect plant of this kind possessed by any city of its size.
The installation of the auxiliary high pressure fire system was another of Mr. Sherrerd's notable introductions, the water being supplied directly from the new Cedar Grove reservoir, and thus having sufficient pressure for
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BIOGRAPHICAL
fire service by gravity without the necessity of pumping. Since Mr. Sherrerd has been in charge of all the engineering work of the Board of Street and Water Commissioners this division of the board's work has been a department by itself and all the engineering work of the department of water and of streets and sewer construction has been brought into har- monious relations. Almost twice as much paving and sewer work has been undertaken during the past two years than in any like period of time in the history of the city. Since locating in Newark Mr. Sherrerd has been identified with many engineering problems in the eastern part of the State of New Jersey, and is consulting engineer for a number of private corpora- tions. The State Water Supply Commission, recently created by the Legisla- ture, has the benefit of his advice as consulting engineer, and he has charge of the water matters of the entire State of New Jersey. His attention has also been given to the study of the questions arising in connection with the proposed trunk sewer for the purification of the Passaic River, in which project he has represented the city of Newark, and was one of the consulting engineers for the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners. Many large enterprises have had the benefit of his services as consulting engineer, a specially important one necessitating a trip to Brazil, South America. In court litigation concerning engineering matters his opinion has frequently been a decisive one regarding the merits of a disputed case. The many problems which continually confront him in his official capacity keep his mind constantly employed, and he has never ceased to be a student of all progressive literature relating, directly or indirectly, to technical matters connected with his profession. As a consequence, he has reached a level where he has few equals in municipal engineering and is regarded as an authority by his colleagues.
Mr. Sherrerd has many connections with technical and other organiza- tions. He has been president of the American Water Works Association, the American Society for Municipal Improvements and the Rensselaer Poly- technle Institute General Alumni. He has been director of the board of direction of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and is a member of the New England Water Works Association, the American Society for the Testing of Materials, the New Jersey State Reclamation and Drainage Asso- ciation, the New Jersey Sanitary Association, the Engineers' Culb, and the Theta Delta Chi Club, of New York City; the Essex, Union and North End clubs of the city of Nowark.
CHARLES ADAMS COLTON
One of the leading educators of Newark is Professor Charles Adams Colton, director of the Newark Technical School. He was born in New York City March 29, 1852, and is a son of John Adams and Ruth Ann (Ely) Colton.
The Colton family is of ancient English ancestry. The progenitor of the family in America was George Colton, a native of Sutton Coldfield, a place about eight miles from Birmingham, County of Warwick, England. He emigrated to America previous to 1647, and setttled first in Windsor, Con- necticut. : Hle later removed to Longmeadow, now a part of Springfield, Massachusetts, being one of the original settlers of that town, where at an early date he was taxed on sixty-one acres, sixteen shillings and nine pence. In 1665 he is recorded as a freeman, and in 1670 was one of the grantees of Suf- field. He was prominent in military affairs, serving as quartermaster for
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HISTORY OF NEWARK
some time. He gained great prominence in the public affairs of Longmeadow, and has been called the father of the town. He was a representative during the years 1669-77. In 1667 he served as first selectman, and was given the duty of improving the streets of the town. He was one of those present when William Pynchon negotiated with the Indian chiefs, Wequogan, Wawapaw and Wecombo, for their interest in the lands to which Pynchon and others of the settlers had an imperfect title. He was twice married, first, about 1644, to Deborah Gardner of Hartford, Connecticut. She died in Springfield, Massachusetts, September 5, 1689. Nine children, all born in Longmeadow: Isaac, November 21, 1646; Ephraim, April 19, 1648; Mary, September 22, 1649; Thomas, May 1, 1651; Sarah, February 24, 1653; Deborah, January 25, 1655; Hepzibah, January 7, 1657; John, April 8, 1659; Benjamin, May 26, 1661. He was married the second time, March 1, 1692, to Mrs. Lydia (Wright) Lamb, widow of John Lamb. She died February 18, 1699, and his death occurred December 17, 1699. Professor Charles Adams Colton's descent from George Colton, the immigrant ances- tor, is as follows:
(II) John Colton, son of George and Deborah (Gardner) Colton, was married February 19, 1684, and died in Longmeadow, February 3, 1727. He married (first) Abigail Parson, who died June 27, 1689, and (second), September 2, 1690, Joanna Wolcott, sister of Governor Roger Wolcott, of Connecticut. She died January 10, 1755. Twelve children.
(III) Simon, son of John and Joanna (Wolcott) Colton, was born in 1709, and died in Longmeadow May 29, 1796; served as captain of the Longmeadow militia; married twice, (first), February 3, 1736, Abigail Burt, who died May 3, 1760; twelve children. He married (second), Rebecca Hall, who died July 21, 1803; no children.
(IV) George, son of Captain Simon and Abigail (Burt) Colton, was born in Longmeadow June 23, 1747, and died in Munson, Massachusetts, July 9, 1812. He served in the Revolutionary War; first in Colonel Danielson's regiment, which responded to the alarm of April 19, 1775, and second in Colonel Nicholas Dike's regiment, September 17-November 26, 1776. He married (first), September 22, 1769, Caroline Willard, who died in July, 1770, and (second), in 1771, Tabitha Cooley; six children.
(V) Simon, son of George and Tabitha (Cooley) Colton, was born in Munson, Massachusetts, April 6, 1774, and died there in August, 1855. He married three times; (first), May 28, 1797, Charlotte Merrick, who died July 8, 1821; (second), December 6, 1821, Mrs. Ruby M. King, sister of his first wife. She died January 5, 1838. He married ( third), January 1, 1839, Mrs. Eunice Nutton; eleven children.
(VI) John Adams, son of Simon and Charlotte (Merrick) Colton, was born in Munson, Massachusetts, August 25, 1810, and died in Fulton, New York, December 2, 1885. He received an academic education and at an early age learned the machinist trade. For several years he was foreman in the Novelty Iron Works in New York City, which was under the management of Stillman, Allen & Co. Later, when the Collins line of steamships was built, he was superintendent of the construction of the engines. In 1861 he began business for himself as an engineer and machinist, in which line of work he continued for several years. He married in Wappinger Falls, New York, October 11, 1837, Ruth Ann, daughter of Samuel M. and Rebecca Ely. Samuel M. Ely was a son of Dr. William Ely, who practiced medicine for many years in Pleasant Valley and died there on the old family home- stead, which is now owned by Professor Colton of Newark. The house was
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BIOGRAPHICAL
built before the Revolutionary War and for many years was used as a tavern. Professor Colton has remodeled the house, and here he makes his summer home. Mrs. Colton died in Salt Point, New York, July 11, 18 -. Four chil- dren: Frances Augusta, born December 11, 1839, married Horatio A. ANen of Deposit, New York. She died in Fulton, New York, March 12, 1862. Charles Adams, mentioned above; Louis Addison, April 26, 1858; Harvey Anson, March 1, 1864, died young.
Charles Adams Colton prepared for college in the public schools of his native city, and entered the Columbia University School of Mines in 1869, graduating in 1873 with the degree of E. M. In that year he was appointed assistant in mineralogy and metallurgy in the department of applied science of Columbia University, retaining the position until 1882. He was then appointed professor of chemistry and mineralogy at the Rose Polytechnic Institute at Terre Haute, Indiana, where he remained until 1884, when he resigned to return east as director of the Newark Technical School of Newark, New Jersey.
The starting point in the history of this school was an address delivered before the Board of Trade of Newark, March 8, 1879, by Professor Alfred Colin. At this meeting a committee was appointed to report on some prac- tical plan for the beginning of a technical school. The committee made its report, but nothing definite was accomplished until February 9, 1881, when another committee was appointed to go to Trenton in the interest of a bill before the Legislature for the establishment of technical schools in New Jersey. This visit resulted in the passage on March 24, 1881, of the industrial education law, under which the present technical school has been conducted to the present time.
By the provision of the law the citizens of Newark were to subscribe from three thousand to five thousand dollars in order to secure an equal amount from the State. It was not until March, 1884, that the necessary subscriptions were made, and the success of the undertaking assured. On December 15 of the same year Professor Colton was appointed director. He soon assumed the duties of his new position and with his characteristic energy began the organization of the school. On February 9, 1885, the school was opened in a small building at No. 21 West Park street, with two instructors besides the director, and eighty-eight students.
From this small beginning the school has gradually grown under the wise management of Professor Colton until at this time there are twenty- two instructors, 250 resident, and 150 non-resident students. The courses have been increased from one general technical course in 1885 to nine courses, three of which provide trade instruction. The expenditures have increased from $7,000 to $28,000.
In March, 1890, a new site was secured for the school at the corner of High street and Summit place. The erection of the new building was begun on March 30, 1896, and completed in December of the same year. In 1898 a valuable plot of land adjoining the school grounds was given the institution. A library, reading room, laboratories and extensive mechan- ical equipment have been added, so that today the school is one of the best equipped in the State.
On June 29, 1901, Professor Colton was married to Augusta M., daughter of Louis F. Beyer.
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HISTORY OF NEWARK
JOSEPH HENRY BACHELLER
Joseph Henry Bacheller, a man who, though still to be accounted young, has made for himself an important place in the municipal affairs of Newark, is a native of the town, having been born here, the only son of John Collins and Harriet Amelia (Parcells) Bacheller, February 1, 1869.
The Bacheller family is an English one and the name, spelled in various ways, is found in most of the southeastern counties of England and dates back to the early days when surnames first came into use. Its original meaning was "college graduate," used later to signify "an unmarried man," since the colleges usually were institutions of the church and those that received their degrees had taken the monkish vows. As such it was a name of special dignity and probably not confined to one related family. The American progenitor of this family was a Joshua Bacheller, who came from Canterbury with his wife and children between the years 1630 and 1635, settling at Ipswich, in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He and his descendants occupied positions of honor and public trust in the growing communities of the colony, serving as selectmen and in the wars of the time. Joseph Newhall Bacheller, in the ninth generation, left New England, and in the early part of the nineteenth century came to Newark, New Jersey, but later removed to South Orange and from thence to Orange County, New York.
John Collins Bacheller, the son of this Joseph Newhall Bacheller and ' the father of Joseph Henry Bacheller, was born in Newark and was the first of the name to live there permanently. He married Harriet Amelia, daughter of Henry L. Parcells, and a niece of George D. G. Moore, at one time Surrogate of Essex County.
Joseph Henry Bacheller went through the various grades of the public schools of Newark, ending with the high school. He was sixteen years old when he left school and got a position in the employ of the New York Life Insurance Company, remaining with them from 1885 to 1890. A step forward was taken in 1890, when he entered into a business connection with Mr. Samuel S. Dennis, this being preliminary to a position of responsibility in the management of the real estate belonging to the estate of A. L. Dennis, a connection which he has held up to the present day. He is president of the Ironbound Trust Company, to which he devotes most of his time, and he is also a director in the Nowark Fire Insurance Company.
The career of public usefulness and honor with which the name of Joseph H. Bacheller is known in Newark began in 1897, when he was elected alderman from the Ninth Ward, to which office he was re-elected in 1899 and again in 1901. In 1899 he succeeded Winton C. Garrison as leader of the Republican minority in the Common Council. In the following year he was continued as leader when the Republicans gained the chief power in that body, and was also made chairman of the finance committee until January, 1903, when he was made president. In the years 1900, 1901 and 1902 he served as a member of the Assembly, heading the Essex County delegation in the last two years. His work in the Assembly was charac- terized by force and efficiency, testimony to which was shown by his being placed upon various important committees and by the satisfaction he gave in every capacity in which he served.
In 1902 he was sent to represent Essex County in the State Senate, the campaign being. keenly contested and his victory over his Democratic oppo- nent, Samuel Kalisch, being marked by a plurality of 10,269 votes. His senatorial work showed the same resolute determination to fight for the rights and interests of the people that had characterized his previous service
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BIOGRAPHICAL
in the Assembly. Recognizing his keen interest in nature and the beautifying of his native town, Mayor Doremus in 1904 appointed Mr. Bacheller one of the first Shade Tree Commission, a board that had just been created, and he was elected its first president. He held the position until the end of the year, resigning in order to become comptroller. The position of city comp- troller, to which he was nominated by the Mayor January 4, 1905, and immediately confirmed by the Council, he held to January 1, 1911. Mr. Bacheller was at one time president of the Municipal Insurance Fund Com-, mission and is now a member and president of the New Jersey State Water Supply Commission.
In political convictions Mr. Bacheller is a Republican. He is president of the board of trustees of the Fairmount Baptist Church, a member of St. John's Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and Union Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; of the Essex Club, the Garfield Club, and the Republican Club of New York.
Mr. Bacheller married in Newark, April 30, 1895, Edith Adele, daughter of Israel Pierson and Mary Ella (Van Ness) Smith, of that city. Their children are: Muriel, born March 27, 1896; Adele, August 25, 1897; Joseph Henry, Jr., February 25, 1905; John Smith, October 2, 1907.
HENRY HAHN
Henry Hahn, a representative of the legal profession, engaged in active practice in the city of Newark, where he is well and prominently known, was born September 5, 1872, in Newark, New Jersey, son of Rev. Joseph Hahn, a noted Hebrew divine, who has labored earnestly in his holy calling in the State of New Jersey for many years.
Henry Hahn was a student in the public schools of Newark, including the high school, graduating from the latter in the class of 1890 at the age of eighteen years." He thus acquired a practical education which proved especially valuable in his later studies. Desiring to follow law as his life work, he placed himself under the competent preceptorship of the eminent lawyers, Ludlow McCarter, Samuel Kalisch and Coult & Howell, who pre- pared him for admission to the bar, to which he was admitted as an attorney February 23, 1894, and as a counsellor in 1897. In the former named year he opened an office in Newark for the general practice of his profes- slon, and since then has continued along the same lines, gaining renown as the result of earnest and painstaking work, coupled with a thorough preparation and ability of a high order. For a number of years he was the senior member of the law firm of Hahn & Hahn, the other member being his younger brother, Simon Hahn, but this connection was dissolved when Simon Hahn was appointed to the bench. Henry Hahn is the owner of one of the most select private libraries in Newark, where he passes the greater part of his leisure time. He is a member of a number of fraternal and social organizations, and for six years was a member of the First Regiment, New Jersey National Guard. He gives his political allegiance to the Repub- lean party, with which he has been identified since attaining his majority.
HENRY M. DOREMUS
One of the representative men of the city of Newark is to be found in the person of Henry M. Doremus, who excels as statesman, financier, business man, and is a popular figure in the social life of the city. His efforts in behalf of the welfare and improvement of the community have been unre-
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mitting, and he has been successful in the accomplishment of projects which a less energetic and enterprising man would have lost courage in establishing. The Doremus family has been domiciled in America for many generations, and from the outset displayed traits which were of inestimable value in the upbuilding of the communities in which they settled. Cornelius Doremus, the first of this family of whom we have official record, lived in Bergen County, New Jersey, was the owner of a large tract of land and was a power among his fellow settlers. In 1708 he purchased another large tract of land on the Passaic River, this including what is now the site of the city of Paterson. In addition he bought other tracts from the East Jersey proprie- tors, and the family overflowed into Morris County, one of his descendants owning a farm near Jacksonville. The original homestead was established by Cornelius Doremus in 1744, and he married Elizabeth Young, of Hanover. This homestead consisted of more than seven hundred acres, an exceedingly large one, even for those days, and in later years was divided among the children and their descendants. The original house is still standing, how- ever, and is one of the fine old historic landmarks of the State of New Jersey. It had been erected by the great-grandfather of the Mr. Doremus of this sketch.
Henry M. Doremus was born on the family homestead May 23, 1851, and his early years were spent there. During the winter months, when there was less work on the farm, he walked to and from the nearest district school daily, and was an active worker on the farm all the rest of the year. This healthful, outdoor training gave him the advantage of a fine physique and he is truly possessed of a sound mind in a sound body. In this way his opportunities for obtaining a school education were rather limited, yet the results achieved compare favorably with those obtained by boys who have been able to attend school during the regular course. Mr. Doremus, from his earliest youth, has possessed the power of concentration in a remarkable and unusually strong degree, and as he bent his entire energies upon acquir- ing knowledge when he did attend school, he acquired a very fair amount of learning. This he has supplemented in later years by sound, common sense reading, and being naturally of an observant nature, he can pass muster with many a man who has been favored with a college education.
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