USA > New Jersey > Morris County > A history of Morris County, New Jersey : embracing upwards of two centuries, 1710-1913, Volume I > Part 47
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The eyes of my auditors twinkled in a dubious sort of a way. I didn't know whether they would or they wouldn't. One boy spoke up and said, "We were living in an old house that was full of old papers-old deeds, and letters, and diaries, and account books. We just took them out and burned them by the barrel to get rid of them. The man that lived there
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before was a lawyer." "I wish I could see some of those papers," said I. "I have the old roll-book of the Dover Academy in 1856," said he. "My little sister is playing with it, and marking in it, and tearing it up." "Bring me the pieces," I said. "I want to see it."
The next day he brought me the book. It was an ordinary blank book, about 612 by eight inches, rather dilapidated. I bound the loose leaves together and began to study it. The title page showed some attempt at ornamental penmanship and read as follows :
Roll Book of the Dover Academy,
W. I. Harvey,
Principal. Oct. 4th, 1856.
Dover, N. J.
Another title page was found in the other end of the book :
Roll Book, Second Term of the Dover Academy. Commencing Dec. 15th, 1856. W. Irving Harvey, Prin.
I was now fairly launched on my study of Dover history. What was the Dover Academy? Where was it? Who was W. Irving Harvey? Who were the pupils? What did they study in those days? Such were the in- quiries that I began to make. They have drawn me on much further than I intended or expected. I had no intention of looking up Dover history at large.
If I had been an old resident of Dover, I should have known more about these questions. My curiosity would not have been aroused. But I had only lived in Dover ten years. So I began to inquire. Being a school- teacher myself, I wanted to learn something about the schoolteachers and the schools of former days. There may not have been any sacred "laying on of hands," by which the schoolmasters of old transmitted their virtues and authority to their successors in office, unless, perchance, some of their pupils became teachers. But I felt a desire to establish the line of succes- sion. So I went to work with the very modest design of gathering the names of Dover's school teachers in their order of time, as far back as I could discover any trace of them.
My first stumbling block was the name, "Dover Academy." My friend, Judson Coe, explained to me that the "Academy" was a name that properly applied to the stone Academy on Dickerson street, where Snyder's restau- rant now, in 1913, still endeavors, though in a different way, to satisfy the inner man. Judson Coe's name is the first on the old roll-book, and he remembers W. Irving Harvey distinctly. Mr. Harvey was a Princeton grad- uate and taught school in the building that is now back of Birch's Store at the foot of Morris street, south of the Lackawanna railroad track. This was the public school of Dover, and the Academy was just across the street from it. Many have told me that the name "Academy" did not apply to the public school held in the Birch building. But Mr. J. B. Palmer tells me that his mother, who was a Baker, used to refer to the Birch building as the "Academy" where she had gone to school. There seems to be some con- fusion of titles. But by using the name "Stone Academy" we shall avoid all confusion. And this name "Stone Academy" was used by Phebe H. Baker in her copy book in 1829, when the Stone Academy was built.
Judson Coe vouches for the fact that Mr. Harvey taught in the Birch building. At recess Mr. Harvey would stand on the porch, for there was a
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porch then, and smoke a cigar. When the children saw him throw away the stump of the cigar they knew that recess was over. He didn't have to ring any bell. William Champion, whose name is on the list of pupils, says that Mr. Harvey afterwards went to the oil fields in Pennsylvania, and died there of typhoid fever. He was buried in Succasunna. Mr. Champion attended his funeral and remembers the hymns that were sung. This was about 1865. The Harvey home was at Mine Hill, near the old Mine Hill hotel. It was in this house that the old roll-book was found among the old deeds and other papers. If it had not escaped the flames, I suppose I should not have begun the study of Dover history.
The school appears to have had two terms, a fall term and a winter term. It will be seen that more boys came in for the winter term, when farm work was out of the way. Then the trustees had to secure the services of an able-bodied man teacher, skilled to rule according to the methods of the old regime. But it is now time to open school and call the roll.
An alphabetical list of the pupils who attended school in Dover in 1856:
Albert Bailey
Mulford King
&
William Bailey
Joseph B. Kinney
=
Lucinda Ball
Martha Lamson
Lyman Ball
Walter Lawrence
Asa Berry
Amelia Lindsley
C. A. Berry
Harriet Lindsley
Franklin Berry
&
Marshall Losey
Titus Berry
John Love
Hattie Breese
&
Nathaniel Maze
Mary L. Breese
&
David MacDavit
Sidney Breese
James MacDavit
Philip Champion
Adelia Palmer
William Champion
Stephen Palmer
&
Judson Coe
Susan Pruden
Charles Conrad
Julia Riley
&
Carrie Cooper
Frances Ross
Wm. Cooper
George Ross
George L. Denman
=
Nathaniel Ross
Ludlow Denman
Thaddy Ross
Joseph Dickerson
Eliza Sanford
Elisabeth Dickerson
Hattie Searing
Rebecca Dickerson
Mary Searing
Susan Dickerson
Phebe Searing
&
Wm. Donahue
Olivia Segur
Wellington B. Doty
John Stickle
Elisabeth Fleming
Nelson Stickle
Marcus Freeman
&
Susan Stickle
Caroline Gage
John Tebo
Ella Gage
Augustus Tucker
Laura Garrigus
Edward Tucker
&
Leonard V. Gillen
Albert Wiggins
Emma Goodale
Henry Wiggins
John Hance
Louisa Wiggins
Racilia Hoagland
&
Robert Wighton
Whitfield Hoagland
Isabella Willson
Edwin Hurd
Sidney Willson
Frank Hurd
David Young
&
Ford King
= Present October 4th, 1856.
Isaac King
+ Present Dec. 16th, 1856.
Lewis King
In October 29 B + 27 G = 56.
Margaret King
In December 44 B + 17 G = 61.
"&" means living, in March, 1913.
+++++++ +++ ++ ++ +++ +++++++ +++
Mary King
++++++ + ++ +++++ ++ + +++
+++ ++ ++++++
&
Libbie Singleton
Lewis N. Doty
&
++++
Joseph King
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Studies Taught-Composition, declamation, reading (4th reader and 5th reader), Colton's geography, Ist and 2nd, Physiology, English grammar, mental arithmetic, natural philosophy.
W. IRVING HARVEY, Principal.
On arranging this list in alphabetical order in one combined roll we find that there are eighty-two names. (The pupils enrolled in the Dover public schools now [1914] are 1,984.) Of these eighty-two persons it is estimated that twenty-seven are living in 1913. The Program of Studies is quite brief, compared with that now in use, including the High School.
Believing that persons whose names appeared on this list would be pleased to see the names of their old schoolmates, I made copies of the list and gave it or sent it to all of whom I could hear, who could still be reached by post. In return much information was gathered and some interesting letters received. This list represents many old families of Dover. The history of Dover began to unfold before me as I inquired. I had found a key to the history of the community in this list of school-boys and school- girls. I traced them to Newark, New York, Colorado, and California, Massachusetts, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, Wharton, and the Dover of today. I began to be impressed with the momentous im- portance of the school teacher. But when I found how little these scholars could tell about their old teachers, I wondered what school teachers do count for, after all. But then, children never do tell all they know. Those teachers counted for more than these pages are able to express. The reader must learn to draw inferences and use his imagination upon the scanty annals that I have gleaned. There is a world of history back of that list of names. Some of the old inhabitants can read more between the lines than I can.
I began to inquire of people who have lived in Dover longer than I have. I suggested that we form a Local History Club, not for the sake of organizing and electing a President, Secretary and Treasurer, but actually to gather all information possible about the history of Dover, beginning with this list of 1856. In this connection I appealed to our teachers of his- tory, Miss Isabel Hance and Miss Minerva Freeman, who accepted the sug- gestion with enthusiasm. Miss Hance has advised me from time to time, and Miss Freeman found many clues to fact and story and helped me "set the historical ball a-rolling." With the assistance of Mr. Peter Burrell she furnished some preliminary gleanings, like the first streaks of dawn upon the horizon. Miss Grace Richards, another of our history teachers, has assisted greatly by loaning me her copy of "The History of Morris County," published in 1882. My aim has been to add to this history, not to copy out extracts from it, but it has been of great service to me as a guide, and I fully appreciate the good work that was done in it by my predecessors in local history, such as the Rev. B. C. Magie, D.D., the Hon. Edmund K. Halsey and others. In fact there has been a local history club in Morris county from "way back." But that would be a subject for another volume. Let me now give some of our preliminary gleanings, gathered by personal inquiry.
Gleanings, Relating to the Academy Roll of Names-Whitfield Hoag- land lived in the Spargo house on Morris street. He worked for The George Richards Company when their store was in the frame building that has since been moved out to East Blackwell street, known there as the wooden- heel factory. It was originally the Breese store. Whitfield Hoagland later
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went to Colorado Springs. His father was a merchant. Leonard V. Gillen, uncle of Whit. B. Gillen, lives at 24 Orchard street, Newark, New Jersey; visits Dover. Rev. Franklin P. Berry, 5103 Pasadena avenue, Los Angeles, California, brother of Stephen H. Berry, and son of Titus Berry. Joseph B. Kinney lived on Blackwell street, originally, where pool-room now is. Sup- posed to have died during the Civil War. Marcus Freeman lived in the house now occupied by the House family, adjoining the Thomas Oram prop- erty, in East Dover. Sidney Breese had a stationery store where the 3 and 9 cent store now is ; went west; died recently. David Young, ex-surrogate, lives in Morristown.
Edward Tucker and Augustus Tucker lived on the Tucker farm be- yond the George Richards estate, just before you come to the James Brotherton house. The Tuckers were masons and erected the National Union Bank Building. Some one has said that they were "gentlemen masons"-used to lay brick with their coats on, wearing cuffs. David Mc- Davit, brother of Henry ; died a few years ago at Eagle's Corners. Stephen Palmer lives on Sanford street, Dover. Philip Champion is related to the Wharton Champions. Was killed at one of the mines, either Weldon or Ford; his wife still lives at Wharton. William Champion, brother of Philip, father of present generation of Wharton Champions; employed at Ulster Iron Works. Ford King worked in old blacksmith shop near North- side schoolhouse ; his wife lives on Morris street. George Ross and Nathan- iel Ross lived in an old plastered house (still standing) on Mt. Hope avenue, left side of road. They left Dover several years ago; very nice people. Susan Dickerson. Rebecca Dickerson is Mrs. F. Trowbridge, of Essex street, Dover. Sister of Mrs. Judson Coe, who was Elizabeth Dick- erson. Martha Lamson lived on the Lamson farm on Mill Brook road, now the Dover Chicken Farm; she married Mr. Kuhns. Susie Stickle, Mrs. Nathaniel Chandler, died in Paterson. Olivia Segur lived in the Segur home, now the Elks' Club house. Very charming, beautiful, popular. Died of tuberculosis; buried in Orchard street cemetery. Mary Searing, Hattie Searing, Phebe Searing. Ella Gage, sister of Mrs. William Harris, became Mrs. Wildrick. Charles Conrad (Coonrad) lived in a little brown house next to the Richards estate, corner of Penn avenue; went west; he visited Dover in 1912. John Love, uncle of Harry Weaver, lives at Ledge- wood, at the home of William Sheer. Henry Wiggins, a prominent physi- cian of Succasunna. William Bailey and Albert Bailey of Mill Brook.
Robert Wighton, brother of Mrs. S. R. Bennett; died thirty or more years ago. Racilia Hoagland, sister of Whitfield, became Mrs. George Hance, Easthampton, Massachusetts. Louise Wiggins, sister of Dr. Wig- gins, lives in Succasunna. Elizabeth Fleming married Stephen Palmer. Amelia Lindsley, sister of Mrs. Charles Dickerson, born and died in house on corner of Sussex and McFarlan streets. Adelia Palmer, sister of Stephen Palmer, became Mrs. Henry McDavit. Mary L. Breese, sister of Miss Hattie Breese, became Mrs. Whitlock. Susan Pruden, aunt of Mr. Ed. L. Dickerson. Died recently. Harriet Lindsley, daughter of Ephraim Lindsley, became Mrs. Charles Gage. Caroline Gage became Mrs. Kanouse. Joseph Dickerson, brother of Mrs. Coe, resides in the South. Lyman Ball, lived in Prospect street-a very nice man.
Mr. Burrell, who has given some of these notes, came to Dover in 1862. At that time the father of Eugene Cooper was the principal of the public school. Mr. Burrell remembers trading wagons with him one morning at recess. Mr. Cooper died in 1912. He lived on the Cooper farm, near the
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Quaker Church. Mr. Burrell gave from memory a stanza of a poem that was recited during the Civil War at one of the schools in town, viz .:
"Where the Cumberland River rolls its mighty waters on,
Thirty-four souls in the grasp of death went down;
Thirty-four brave strong hearts, thirty-four gallant youth,
Gave their life in the noble strife for country, freedom, and truth."
This refers to the Cumberland River disaster in the Civil War.
Rev. Charles T. Berry, D. D., son of Titus Berry, married a Miss Sears, sister of Mrs. James Dickerson, of High street, Newark, New Jersey. Dr. Berry was settled for many years in the Presbyterian Church of Caldwell, New Jersey, the "Cleveland Church." He is now living in Brooklyn. Laura Garrigus became Mrs. Wilmot H. Thompson, now of New Haven, Conn.
In the same manner I have gathered scraps of information from many persons. These are like the personal items in newspapers, the atoms of historical science. Gradually they group themselves in the mind, and out of chaos the story of individual lives and of the community takes form and sequence.
I am greatly indebted to Mr. Isaac W. Searing, who can remember for seventy years back. He is president of our board of trustees in the Dover Free Public Library, and takes a great interest in this effort to secure in writing a history of the town. He is one of my chief sources of information. When I was young I used to wish that I knew all that is in the history books. I am trying now to learn what is in the human volumes of history to whom I have access. This information will be woven into the story that follows.
Mrs. Montonye, born Malvina Sutton, daughter of Samuel Sutton, has been of great assistance, using her father as a book of reference. It is by following out the clues which she and others have given that I arrive at my results. Mr. Samuel Sutton is regarded as a veritable oracle on local history. He came to Dover in 1847, and claims to be our oldest living resident, being 87 years old in September, 1913; but Mrs. Emily Byram, of Morris street, nee Emily Baker, was born in 1824. I think we shall have to let her go up head in the history class, as our oldest inhabitant.
To be in the fashion, I may as well construct a bibliography or better, a list of persons, showing my chief original sources of information. These constitute our local history club.
Mrs. Phebe H. De Hart, nee Baker, now living in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Born November 28, 1815. The oldest living pupil of the Dover schools. (Died in 1913.) Mrs. Emily Byram, née Baker, born 1824, who has lived here all her life. (Died August, 1914.) Samuel Sutton, 87 years old, came to Dover in 1847. Isaac W. Searing, whose recollections extend back for seventy years.
(Some people have not advanced so far as to be proud of their age. The following names are not arranged in ætatical order.)
Miss Marjorie Spargo, Mr. and Mrs. John Spargo;
Miss Minerva Freeman ;
Mr. David Berry, Rockaway, N. J .; Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Palmer;
Mr. John Briant, Rockaway, N. J .; Mr. Wellington Briant ;
Mr. Luther M. Cox, Newark, N. J .;
Mrs. Alice Maguire ;
Mr. Emery Van Gilder ;
Mr. E. W. Rosevear;
Mr. George E. Jenkins;
Mrs. Wm. H. Goodale;
Miss Isabel Hance and her mother, Mrs. Hance;
Mrs. Wm. H. Harris;
Mrs. Gilbert B. Montanye;
Mr. George B. Sanford, Newark, N. J .;
Sir Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice, Wash- ington, D. C .;
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Mr. Guido Hinchman;
Mrs. Louisa M. Hinchman and Miss
Susan H. Crittenden, Scranton, Pa .;
Miss Harriet A. Breese, Redlands, Calif .;
Rev. Franklin P. Berry, D. D., Los Angeles, Calif .;
A. Judson Coe and wife;
Mr. Peter Burrell;
Mrs. Ella W. Livermore, née Losey, Richmond Hill, L. I .;
Mr. Edward W. Losey, San Bernardino, Calif .;
Mr. William Champion ;
Miss Mary Berry;
Mrs. Stephen H. Berry;
James O. Cooper and Eugene J. Cooper ; Major Andrew B. Byram ;
Miss Mary F. Rose;
Mr. James L. Hurd;
Mr. Ed. L. Dickerson ;
Miss Gussie A. Dickerson, Jersey City, N. J .;
Mrs. George Hance, née Racilia Hoag- land, Easthampton, Mass .;
Mrs. James Bigalow, Baileyville, Kansas ; Miss Abbie F. Magie, New York City; Mrs. Charles E. Wortman, Harmony, N. J., near Brookside ;
Mrs. George Singleton ;
Mrs. R. A. Bennett ;
Mr. Henry M. Worrell, New York City;
Mr. David Whitehead, Boonton, N. J .; Mr. Fred H. Beach, Morristown, N. J .;
Mr. Edward Howell, Morristown, N. J .;
Mrs. Jennie Chambre ;
Mr. David Young, Morristown, N. J .;
Mr. John T. Lawrence ;
Mrs. Ballentine, Kenvil, N. J .;
Mr. Fred A. Canfield, Ferromont;
Mr. R. C. Jenkinson, Newark, N. J .;
Mr. John C. Gordon, Wharton, N. J .; Mrs. Sarah E. Searing;
Mrs. Wheeler Corwin, Kenvil, N. J .;
Mr. Harry J. Dickerson ;
Mrs. D. F. Calkins and Mrs. S. L. Stickle ;
Mr. James H. Neighbour, old deed, etc .;
Mr. Henry C. Pitney, Morristown, N. J .; The Clerk's Office, Morristown, N. J .; The Surrogate's Office;
The Secretary of State, Trenton, N. J .; Munsell's History of Morris County,
1882, loaned by Miss Grace Richards ; McFarlan's Books and maps by courtesy of Hon. Fred H. Beach;
Mr. William Henry Baker;
Miss Olive Searing;
Mrs. H. W. Cortright, Nolan's Point, Lake Hopatcong ;
Mrs. Sarah Fichter, Wharton ;
Mrs. Isaac Christman, Dover ;
Mr. Charles Brotherton, Dover ;
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Elliott, Dover ;
Mrs. George Curtis, Dover ;
Mrs. Edward S. Hance, Wharton;
Miss Kate Ayers, Dover ;
William Hedges Baker;
Mrs. Althea Fitz Randolph Bedle, Jer- sey City, N. J.
REMINISCENCES OF THE DOVER SCHOOLS.
Having called the roll and glanced at the curriculum of the Dover public school of 1856, I will now call on some of the pupils to recite. The reader will kindly bear with me if I assume the role of schoolmaster on this occasion. This will not be an ordinary class recitation, such as I hear every day in the school of 1913. Fully fifty-six years have passed since these scholars sat on the benches of the old Birch building. The year 1856 was an eventful year. At least it was so for me, for in that year I first drew breath. So you may see that the schoolmaster is just a few years younger than the pupils whom he calls upon to recite. These pupils did not go to school to me. Will they respond to the voice of a stranger? The first name on the list is Judson Coe. We are not strangers to each other. I have already quoted him in the story of the cigar whose extinction marked the end of recess. Mr. Coe thinks that Mr. Harvey was rather eccentric. But there-I ought not to have mentioned that. Who says that a school teacher-any school teacher, is eccentric? I once raised that question with the president of our Board of Education. "Why do people say that school teachers are eccentric? Why don't they say that doctors are eccentric?" I innocently inquired. "Because they know better," he replied. (He's a doctor, himself.) I leave it to the reader to decide. I think he said that doctors have more to do with real folks, while teachers deal mostly with children. I wonder how many children, with their parents thrown in, it takes to equal the number of real folks that a doctor calls on each day. And he only sees them for a few minutes. Besides he calls
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on the same children and their parents that the school teacher does. But this is one of those subjects that I must drop, if I am to get on with my story.
One day Mr. Coe drove to Morristown with Mr. Harvey. They passed a large brick building. It was a public school. Mr. Harvey remarked : "There's another State's Prison." Now, does that prove that he was eccentric? Nevertheless I understand that Mr. Harvey was an able man and a good teacher. He afterwards studied law. Most able men who are teachers seem to do something of the kind, finally.
The next scholar whom I will call on is Franklin Berry. He has got so far away from the old school that he must answer by letter. I wrote to him, and sent him a list of questions, like an examination paper. You will see that he passed a very good examination. Another indication of his ability is the fact that he bears the title, "Doctor of Divinity." Here I have an advantage over the ordinary teacher, who never knows just which boy is going to achieve a "D. D.," an "M. D.," or an "LL. D."
Yes, I find that I am really conducting an examination. But instead of trying to find out what my pupils learned yesterday or an hour ago, I am asking what they can remember about their school life fifty-six years ago. No doubt they remember a good deal more than they can tell. There is always some scholar who "knows the lesson, but can't tell it."
When I called on Stephen Palmer for his reminiscences, he said, "There's Jud Coe: he has a very good memory: ask him." But I could see that Mr. Palmer was just as much interested in the lesson as any one. And he offered to lend us "Palmer Hall" for a re-union meeting. A re-union after fifty-six years would be full of interest.
Some of these scholars are beyond my reach. Whitfield Hoagland died recently in Duarte, California. But I have a letter from Racilia Hoagland. She afterwards attended the Chester Institute under the regime of Miss Susan Magie. Miss Magie asked her, on her first appearance at the dinner table, whether she would be helped to "a little lamb or a little roast beef," and Miss Racilia replied, "A little of both, if you please." At which the other young ladies, longer accustomed to the austere deportment of that institution, fairly gasped in amazement. (I wonder if I shall be forgiven for telling this.) She may now answer for herself. Letter of Mrs. George Hance :
Mr. Platt :
Dear Sir: Sorry not to have been more prompt in writing you, but have had company and this is my first opportunity to write. Mr. Gage, Calkins, Cox, Lee, Harvey, Bancroft, Noble and Wilson all taught in the frame building (Mr. Birch's Feed Store). Mr. Dudley was principal of a school in the Stone Academy. Fred Dalrymple taught for him, and, I think, George Sanford. Miss Janette Chapman, now Mrs. Bile, taught in the Frame Building, also Josephine Belknap, afterwards Mrs. Swayne, (dead). Maria Dalrymple (dead). These taught before Miss Dickerson. Miss Forgus taught in the Stone Academy in '69, '70, '71. Mr. Bancroft came to Dover in '59, I think; studied medicine; located in Denver, Colo., and died there. Albert Wiggins joined the 27th N. J. Regiment; was drowned in the Cumberland River in the spring of '63.
My first teacher was Mrs. Whittlesey. She taught in the basement of the house where Mr. Allen lived, afterwards owned by Alex. Elliott, I think. Later a school house was built farther up the hill for her, near the parsonage. Later on Miss Carrie Breese taught in the Whittlesey school house. My brother, Whitfield Hoagland, died in 1910 at Duarte, Calif. Fear I have not been able to give you many items of interest.
Yours resp.,
RACILIA H. HANCE.
Easthampton, Mass., April 15th, 1913.
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By this time I had begun to extend my inquiries and ask for informa- tion about all the schools and school teachers of Dover. . The above letter contains a good deal of such information in a brief compass.
I learn that Leonard V. Gillen is living in Newark, New Jersey, but I have not heard from him; he died in 1914. Marcus L. Freeman has been carrying on a contracting business as a mason at 139 West 24th street, New York City. When I called at his office he had gone South. William Champion I found working at his anvil in the shop of The Ulster Iron Company. I called on him on my way home from school one day. He came to this country from Cornwall, England, in 1854. His father was a miner and first lived at Andover, Sussex county, New Jersey, where there was iron mining at that time. The railroad did not extend further than Dover. They lived for a time at the old Swede's Mine, Dover. Afterwards they removed to Mine Hill. Mr. Champion is a fine old gentleman of the old-fashioned religious type. His daughter, Miss Ella Champion (since married) used to be principal of the Wharton public school and teacher of German. She has sent to our Dover High School some of our best scholars. I should say that the Champions believe in "making men, as well as iron." Charles Conrad or Coonrad visited Dover recently. This is one of the old names on the map of Dover.
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