USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, V. 1 > Part 17
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Mr. Lebkuecher was born in the prov- ince of Baden, Germany, February 9, 1844,
and is a son of Francis and Louise (Kurz) Lebkuecher, who emigrated to the United States in 1848, taking up their residence in Jersey City, where they made their home until 1852, when they came to Newark. Our subject is the eldest of their three chil- dren. He is indebted to the public-school system for his education, which was com- pleted by his graduation at the high school of Newark in the class of 1860. He then began learning the jewelry trade and in a few years was thoroughly conversant with both the mercantile and manufacturing branches of the trade. He studied closely and systematically every department of the business until he was master of the same, and in 1869, with a broad understanding thereof, he embarked in business on his own account, joining George Krementz in the organization of the firm of Krementz & Company, which is now one of the old- est and best known jewelry firms in this part of the state. Their reputation for re- liability, their commendable methods of business and the excellent stock which they carry have secured to them a very lib- eral patronage, and their business is now extensive and profitable. In connection with his other interests Mr. Lebkuecher is a director in the German National Bank, the Franklin Savings Institution and is president of the Fourteenth Ward Build- ing & Loan Association.
Mr. Lebkuecher was married on the 20th of July, 1870, to Miss Mary Hayden, a native of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, who died in 1893, leaving three children,- Frank, Carl and Mary. Mr. Lebkuecher's present wife was Mrs. Louise Burger.
In his political views Mr. Lebkuecher has long been an ardent Republican, and his political belief is the result of close and
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earnest investigation of the issues and questions affecting the weal or woe of the country. Since becoming a tax-payer he has felt a deep and growing interest in mu- nicipal affairs, but it was not until the spring of 1894 that he could be induced to permit his name to be used in connection with public office. In that year there seemed to be a general demand that a practical business man be placed in the of- fice of mayor, and Mr. Lebkuecher was nominated by his party. He received a majority of nearly five thousand, the larg- est ever given a mayoralty candidate in Newark. His election, therefore, was un- mistakable evidence of the trust and confi- dence reposed in him as a man of splendid business qualifications and unquestioned integrity.
On the 7th of May, 1894, he entered upon the duties of his office and in the be- ginning of his administration he placed the general business of the city upon a business footing. Extravagances in the purchase of supplies were cut off; the cost of sewers, paving and other improvements was les- sened; the business methods of the depart- ments were put on a more practical and therefore economical basis; the long-out- standing claims due the city from various corporations were collected, including one of eighty-nine thousand dollars against two railroad corporations, which money was devoted to the increase of public- school accommodations in the city; and he secured the passage of a state law encour- aging street paving. Originally the cost of all street paving had to be met at once; if not, the parties assessed were subject to heavy rates of interest, but under the bill passed by the legislature at the instance of the mayor parties assessed for street
paving were permitted to meet the expense in five annual installments at a low rate of interest. As a result of this law, thirty miles of street pavements were laid in New- ark in two years, whereas only sixty miles of streets had been paved in sixty years pre- viously. At the close of his term he had almost completed arrangements for the elevation of the railroad tracks in the city and for the acquirement and use, by the city, of the burying-ground property in the block bounded by Broad, Market, Halsey and William streets.
Mr. Lebkuecher's administration was business-like, energetic and guided by sound judgment, and won the support of many of the best citizens who could look beyond the exigencies of the moment and provide for the future welfare of the city. Considering the fact that great improve- ments were made during his term and that there had been but a slight increase in tax- able valuations, owing to the depressed conditions of the times, the tax rate of the city was reduced, rather than increased. Mr. Lebkuecher, however, was not success- ful in his candidacy for re-election, al- though supported by the most substantial and progressive citizens. The methods which he had employed were in such con- trast to the lax and unbusiness-like meth- ods formerly in vogue that the introduc- tion of these striking innovations caused some dissatisfaction within the lines of his own party; and to this was added certain factional differences, growing out of ap- pointments, which created such a breach that in his candidacy he did not receive the unanimous support of his party. The im- petus given to public improvements dur- ing his administration still obtains, and its influence will be permanent and constant.
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There are in every community men who without any particular effort on their part leave an impress upon the community which can never be effaced. Mr. Leb- kuecher is one of these. Whatever he has done for his own financial benefit has also conferred permanent and valuable results upon the entire community. He has done much for the city, and no man takes less credit for his acts than he. With his own hand he has shaped his destiny. The com- mon testimony concerning him is that he is a man of remarkable sagacity, a quality of the human mind that we can scarcely over- estimate in business and many relations of life; a man who is careful, prudent and honest; a man therefore favored not by chance but by the due exercise of his own good qualities. He is a perfect type of a noble American citizen, and manliness, pa- triotism, sincerity and friendship are in- stinctively associated with his name.
JOSEPH COULT,
one of the most prominent lawyers of the state of New Jersey and for many years a resident of Newark, traces his ancestry in the agnatic line back to England, his fore- fathers belonging to the gentry. Repre- sentatives of the family were among the early settlers of New England. The rec- ords show that John Coult was a resident of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1638, and Jo- seph Coult a prominent citizen of Windsor, that state, in 1648. About the middle of the eighteenth century some members of the Coult family removed to New Jersey and settled in Sussex county, where their home was maintained for many years.
In Frankfort, Sussex county, New Jer- sey, Joseph Coult, whose name heads this
review, was born May 25, 1834, youngest of the family of ten children of Joseph Coult, Sr. The boy had excellent educa- tional advantages, and predilection led him into the profession of law. Graduating in the Law School at New Albany, New York, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, he was admitted to the bar in the state of New York and began the practice of law in New York city. Shortly afterward, however, he returned to his native state and was ad- mitted as an attorney at law in New Jersey in February, 1861.
Mr. Coult entered upon his professional career in this state at Newton, in partner- ship with Hon. Thomas Anderson, the partnership continuing for several years and being attended with signal success. For thirteen years he practiced in his native county. Then, in 1874, desiring a field from which he could draw a larger client- age, Mr. Coult came to Newark, and here his business soon grew to such an extent that it became necessary for him to secure one with whom to share his labors, and he entered into a copartnership with James E. Howell, Esq., thus forming the law firm of Coult & Howell, now one of the oldest, best known and most successful in the state.
Mr. Coult is a Republican. Ever since the organization of the Republican party he has consistently and unfalteringly advo- cated and supported the principles of this party, both in state and local politics ever taking a conspicuous part. On numerous occasions he has been a delegate to conven- tions of various kinds, and he has the honor of having helped to nominate no less than three of the men who have stood at the head of this nation. He was a delegate to the Baltimore convention, that nominated Lincoln for a second term, the convention
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at Philadelphia, which nominated General Grant, and the Cincinnati convention, which nominated Rutherford B. Hayes for president.
Both as a lawyer and citizen he has the confidence and high esteem of all who know him.
HON. GEORGE A. HALSEY,
of Newark, now deceased, was through the period of America's greatest development one of her most eminent representatives. Through the dark days of civil war, the period of reconstruction and the era of progress in agriculture, commerce, science and art which followed, he was a most con- spicuous figure. His opinions were sought in the council chambers of the nation and he was a recognized leader in the trade circles of the country. His distinguished service in congress and his brilliant achieve- ments in business life gained him prestige throughout his native land, and he was known and honored in all sections of the republic : his work redounded to the glory of America and the perpetuation of her fair name.
George A. Halsey sprang from one of the oldest and most honored families of this land. Far back into English history is traceable the connection of his ancestors with the events which form the annals of that nation. It has been conjectured that the Alsis mentioned in the Domesday Book are the originators of this family. During the reign of William the Conqueror, 1066- 1087, they possessed land in half the coun- ties of the realm and had representatives in each of the three great classes into which landed proprietors were divided by the compilers of the Domesday Book. Such
is the origin of the family, as given by tra- dition; but well authenticated records fur- nish evidence that John Hals, a man of considerable wealth and repute, living in the reign of Edward III, 1327-1377, was a direct ancestor of the Halsey family which took root on American soil two and a half centuries ago. Although his early home was in Cornwall he afterward erected in the adjoining county of Devon the ancient mansion of Kenedon, mentioned by Burke in his Landed Gentry. This ancestral home stood at the time of the building of the palace of William Rufus, known as Westminster Hall of London, and of Wind- sor Castle. The reign of Edward III was notable as a time of luxury and most ex- travagant living, and it became necessary to pass sumptuary laws, which John Hals, as judge of the common-pleas court, aided in enforcing.
Robert Halse, second son of John, changed the orthography by the addition of the final "e." Educated in Exeter Col- lege, he became successively provost of Oriel, proctor of Oriel, prebendary of St. Paul's and bishop of Litchfield and Cov- entry. He was present at the battle of Bloreheath during the War of the Roses, and escorted Margaret of Anjou, the queen of the imbecile Henry VI, from that field to Eccleshall. Bishop Halse died in 1490 and was buried in Litchfield cathedral.
Probably the best known representative of the family at the present time in Eng- land is Thomas Frederick Halsey, of Gad- desden Place, Hertfordshire, a member of parliament from that county. Gaddesden Place was granted to William Halsey by Henry VIII and has since been in posses- sion of the family. His great-grandson was knighted and became Sir John Halsey.
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The first of the family to arrive in Amer- ica was Thomas Halsey, of Hertfordshire, a descendant of Bishop Halse. He pos- sessed extensive property interests, was a man of strong will and much force of char- acter and was the central figure in his col- ony. He made his final settlement at South Hampton, on Long Island, where he died about 1679. Among New Jersey's honored pioneers were members of the Halsey family who located in the colony of Berkeley and Carteret just before the close of the seventeenth century and left the indelible impress of their individuality upon all the generation of this state. The history of their descendants is inseparably interwoven with that of the nation. As patriots of the American army they aided in securing the independence of the coun- try, as leaders in business and professional life they were widely known, and their in- dustry brought to them the rich fruits of honest toil. That in private character they were also exemplary is indicated by the confidence and regard which they won in the various communities with which they were connected.
Samuel Halsey, father of him whose name introduces this review, was born in Springfield, New Jersey, October 1I, 1801,' and died June 17, 1884. He was a son of Isaac Halsey and his ancestors located in Springfield as early as 1684. He married Mary Hutchings and they had three chil- dren, of whom George A. was the eldest. In 1845 they removed to Newark, where the father engaged in the manufacture of clothing for the southern trade, but retired after three years and embarked in the man- ufacture of leather under the name of Hal- sey & Taylor, his partner afterward being succeeded by the subject of this review.
Mr. Halsey was a Republican and at one time served as a member of the city coun- cil.
George A. Halsey, who was born in Springfield, New Jersey, December 7, 1827, was reared amid rural surroundings until the removal of his father to Newark. He served an apprenticeship to the firm of Halsey & Taylor and fully mastered the details of the leather business, in which he achieved great success in later years. Early in life he developed remarkable busi- ness powers, and gave evidence of splendid executive ability, keen discrimination and sound judgment. As he gained prestige in the business world, he directed his ener- gies into other fields of labor and became prominently connected with the banking and insurance institutions of Newark. In 1861, however, the firm of which he was the head suffered severe losses through the secession of the southern states. Within a few months the labor of years was swept away, but notwithstanding their reverses the obligations of the firm were finally met. This instance indicates the unswerving fairness and justice which predominated in the nature of Mr. Halsey. He resolutely. set to work to retrieve his lost possessions and overcame all obstacles in his path to success by determined and honorable ef- fort. He was connected with various busi- ness enterprises, and his wise counsel and enterprise proved an important factor in conducting these to a successful issue. He was a director in the Niagara Fire Insur- ance Company, in the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company and the Citizens' Gas Company.
But though his business interests made heavy demands upon his time Mr. Halsey in no wise failed to fulfill every obligation
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of citizenship and to fully meet the trust reposed in him on account of his eminent fitness for high official preferment. His fellow citizens, noting his reliability in all personal matters, wisely judged that the interests of the state would be in good hands if given into his keeping and turned to him for co-operation in public affairs. In 1860 he was elected to represent the district of Newark in the general assembly of New Jersey. Notwithstanding his large southern trade and his intimate association with business men at the south, he was a strong and active Republican from the or- ganization of that party in New Jersey. He belonged to the minority in the state legislature, but even under such unfavor- able circumstances his splendid business qualities, his sterling integrity and sound judgment gave him a large degree of in- fluence. Through the critical days which preceded the inauguration of the civil war, he was one of the strong aids of Governor Olden. In 1861 he was re-elected to the legislature and upon the organization of the internal-revenue bureau in 1862 he was appointed assessor for the fifth district of New Jersey. The territory over which he was thus given control comprised one of the largest manufacturing districts in the United States, and the revenue business was therefore very extensive and compli- cated, requiring the skillful handling of a competent business man. During his ser- vice in that capacity he was frequently con- sulted by the internal-revenue commis- sioner in reference to the construction and revision of the law, and many of its harsher provisions were ameliorated through his in- fluence. At the close of the war he was selected by the commissioner to visit the southern states and instruct the newly ap-
pointed revenue officers in their duties, but the requirements of his own district obliged him to decline the appointment. His services to the government, however, during these eventful days, were not con- fined to the due performance of his official duties. He loyally sustained the adminis- tration of Mr. Lincoln in its prosecution of the war for the preservation of the Union, and to this end his labors and energies were fully given until its object was secured.
In 1866 Andrew Johnson sought to re- move Mr. Halsey, together with many other faithful officers, from his official posi- tion, but the senate refused to confirm the nomination of a successor, and Mr. Halsey retained the assessorship. This attempt of the president, however, and the high es- teem in which Mr. Halsey was held, natur- ally called the attention of the Republicans of his district to him as their best choice for nomination as a representative to con- gress. He was almost unanimously se- lected by the convention, and after a vigor- ous contest was elected by a large major- ity, although the district heretofore had been largely Democratic. In congress he became distinguished as one of the leaders of his party and his fidelity to the best in- terests of the nation won him the gratitude and honor of the American people. He was consulted upon questions affecting the financial and manufacturing interests of the country, while his service in behalf of his home district was constant and invaluable, benefiting both Democrats and Republi- cans, the question of party never entering into the discharge of his duties affecting an entire constituency. He served on the committee on the District of Columbia; was appointed on the joint select committee on retrenchment and served with Senator Ed-
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monds on the sub-committee of the same, "to examine the method of printing and is- suing bonds, notes and other securities," the results of which secured important re- forms in the treasury department.
In 1868 Mr. Halsey was unanimously renominated for congress, but was de- feated, although his popularity was attested by the fact that his vote in the district largely exceeded that given General Grant. When the administration of the newly elected president was inaugurated, and Mr. Boutwell assumed the position of secretary of the treasury, he tendered Mr. Halsey the important office of register of the treasury, but he declined the honor that would have thus been conferred upon him, wishing to devote his attention to his business as a manufacturer of patent leather, which en- terprise he had resumed on retiring from congress. While thus engaged he was not unmindful, however, of the large inter- ests which centered around him and which naturally looked to him for protection. His knowledge of the wants of his district and his services in supplying these were so generally acknowledged that he was again nominated for congress in 1870, and elected by over three thousand majority. This brilliant success brought him promi- nently before the public, and upon taking his seat in congress he was assigned to the chairmanship of the committee on public buildings and grounds, the duties of which were performed with signal fidelity. He was pre-eminently watchful of the inter- ests of his district and state, it being largely due to his influence that the new court- house and postoffice at Trenton and the postoffice at Jersey City were secured. It was also largely through his instrumental- ity that the improvements on the Passaic
river and other waterways of the state were made. In 1872 he declined a renomi- nation to congress. The same year his party nominated him for governor, by ac- clamation, but the Democratic power in the state was too strong to be overcome, and although he received the unwavering support of his party he met defeat. For years he was a member of the Republican national committee and his wise counsel and sound judgment were very effective in. guiding the interests of his party.
While public duties so largely claimed his attention Mr. Halsey was at the same time one of the most important factors in the development and improvement of the city in which he made his home and left the impress of his splendid individuality upon its public life. Upon the retirement of Governor M. L. Ward he was immediately chosen president of the Newark Industrial Exposition, and his labors in its behalf were a source of inspiration to his associ- ates in this work. In connection with Governor Randolph and others he was. prominent in preserving to the future one of the few remaining landmarks of the past, -. Washington's headquarters at Mor- ristown,-and from 1884 to 1887 was pres- ident of the Washington Association. In 1872 he was one of the commissioners of the new lunatic asylum. He was a direc- tor in the Newark Library Association, chairman of the executive committee of the New Jersey State Historical Society, vice- president of the New Jersey Agricultural Society, vice-president of the Society of Sons of the American Revolution, member of the Essex Republican and Essex Clubs. and of the Union League Club of New York. He was for many years president of the New Jersey State Insane Asylum at
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Morris Plains, and at the time of his death was the only surviving member of the com- mission appointed to select a site for that institution and direct the building of the same.
Mr. Halsey was married January 18, 1849, to Miss Abbie C. Connet, daughter of Zenas Connet. Their children are William A., born December 5, 1849; George E., born April 5, 1856; and Isabel, wife of P. W. Vail, Jr., born April 10, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Halsey are both now deceased, the former dying April 1, 1894, and the latter April 2, 1897.
For years a distinguished leader in po- litical and commercial circles, the malevo- lence of detraction dared never assail his reputation, nor the tongue of calumny utter a word against either his public or private character. The institutions with which he was connected and with whose success his name will ever be associated will long stand as monuments to his energy and ability and a visible proof of what he was able to accomplish during a long life of honorable activity.
HENRY CLAY SNYDER.
Heinrich Schneider came to America from Holland in the latter part of the sev- enteenth century and settled near Easton, Pennsylvania. He married Catherine Buschne (Bush) August 3, 1787, and of three children Samuel Snyder was the third in order of birth. He was born February 5, 1792, and married Susannah Bittenben- der October 4, 1812, at Easton, Pennsyl- vania.
His first business was that of saddler. Then he engaged in the slate business at a place now known as Slateford, New Jersey, two miles below the Delaware Water Gap,
Pennsylvania, along the Delaware river, and there opened the quarry then known as the Clay Slate Quarry and Factory. In 1826 he invented and put in use the first machinery for sawing and framing school slates at that place. In 1832 he purchased the Kittatinny House, Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, with the view of mak- ing it a place of resort, and to his memory the credit is due of bringing it into public notice and for giving the house a character for neatness, cleanliness and comfort that has required much effort on the part of his successors to maintain. Among his first guests in 1833, before the house, which was enlarged, was completed, was General Cadwalader. When Monroe county, Penn- sylvania, was organized, in 1836, Governor Ritner appointed Samuel Snyder prothono- tary register, recorder and clerk, a very un- usual thing for one man to hold so many offices. He was an expert penman and the records of the county have never been kept more neatly nor more correctly since then. He died April 5, 1844. His wife died De- cember 3, 1867. They had four sons and eight daughters.
William Katts, the second son, was born at Easton, Pennsylvania, February II, I82I. He was engaged in the lumber business in the starting of his early busi- ness career with his brother, Henry Clay, in Virginia, but returned north again in 1862 and took charge of and opened the Limestone Quarry at Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, for the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company, which stone was used at their Scranton (Pennsylvania) fur- naces. He remained in their service (twenty-one years) until killed by accident, February 9, 1883, in their Voss Gap Quarry at Bridgeville, New Jersey, which
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