USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, V. 1 > Part 48
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In touching upon the social side of Mr. Keyler's life we may state that he is a pop- ular member of the Montclair Club and of
On the 27th of September, 1871, was
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celebrated the marriage of Mr. Parsil and Miss Elizabeth Harmony, of Long Island, a daughter of Benjamin and Amy (Ryor- son) Harmony, the former a native of Greenwich, the latter of Long Island. Her father followed the sea, sailing to many ports. To Mr. and Mrs. Parsil have been born seven children: William H., Thomas E., Ella, Lewis Baldwin, John R. B., Hattie Budd, and Ruth Burnett. The family is widely and favorably known throughout the community. Mr. Parsil gives his po- litical support to the Republican party, and is a progressive and highly respected cit- izen.
JOHN D. MEEKER,
a retired citizen of Millburn, New Jersey, belongs to a family whose identification with New Jersey covers a number of years and whose name is an honored one. He was born in what was Springfield township, now Millburn township, Essex county, New Jersey, October 20, 1822, son of Jonathan and Mary (Denman) Meeker. Jonathan Meeker, born on the old Meeker home- ·stead in this county, September 13, 1779, was a son of Timothy Meeker, who was a son of Timothy Meeker, who had nine sons and two sons-in-law in the Revolution. The latter, Timothy Meeker, was the founder of the Meeker family in New Jersey. Jona- than Meeker was a shoemaker by trade and followed that trade all through life. His wife, nee Mary Denman, was born August 17, 1782, daughter of John Denman, who was probably of French descent and who served in the Colonial army in the Revolu- tionary war. Soon after marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Meeker settled in what is now Millburn township and here reared their family, their children numbering
eight, being as follows: Cyrus, born Aug- ust 20, 1806; Jotham, born March 7, 1807; Julia Ann, born July 28, 1809, was twice married, first to a Mr. Jones and next to Samuel Bailey, and died, leaving two child- ren; Mary, born March 26, 1812; Catherine, born March 19, 1814, wife of Samuel Bail- ey, died, leaving one child; William N., born April 17, 1816; Stephen, born Febru- ary 29, 1320, and John D., whose name forms the heading of this sketch, and the date of whose birth has already been re- corded. The father of this family was a man who stood high in the esteem of the people among whom he lived. He filled many local offices, performing their duties with the strictest fidelity. His whole life was blameless. He died in 1851, and his wife passed away in 1838.
John D. Meeker's youth was spent in at- tending school and fitting uppers on shoes in his father's shop. He remained with his father, assisting him until twenty-seven years of age. December 5, 1848. he set- tled in his present home and engaged in the shoe business on his own account. carrying on the same until 1856, in which year he opened a general-merchandise establish- ment which he conducted for about thirty- five years. He disposed of his business in 1887 and has since that date lived retired.
Mr. Meeker was married April 28. 1847, to Miss Permelia C. Roll, a native of West- field and a daughter of James and Cath- erine (Dunham) Roll, natives of Essex county. Mr. and Mrs. Meeker have had four children, namely: Mary Catherine, wife of John R. Silance, Millburn, New Jer- sey; James R., who died at the age of twen- ty-two years: Lizzie W .; and Phoebe A., wife of Howard S. Osborn, Orange, New Jersey.
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Mr. Meeker is a Democrat. He has al- ways taken a commendable interest in pub- lic affairs and has filled some positions of local prominence, such as member of the town committee, town treasurer, and clerk of the township.
WILLIAM R. BALL.
The history of the business life of Essex county would be incomplete without men- tion of this gentleman, who is the leading grocer of Roseland and a recognized leader in commercial circles. Throughout his entire business career he has been looked upon as a model of integrity and honor, never making an engagement that he has not met, and standing to-day as an example of what determination and force, combined with the strictest regard for the ethics of commercial life, can accomplish for a man of natural ability and strength of charac- ter.
Mr. Ball was born in Roseland on the 13th of October, 1850, and is a son of John H. and Abbie C. (Bond) Ball. His father was born November 7, 1820, and was a son of Timothy Ball, who was born at North Farms and married Rebecca Courter. Dur- ing the war of 1812 he conducted the Adams hotel, at Pinebrook, which was used as a recruiting place. He also served as justice of the peace of Caldwell township and was a man of considerable local prom- inence, widely known and highly respected. He died at the age of sixty-eight years and his wife passed away at the age of seventy- one. They were the parents of the follow- ing named: Wickliffe, Horace, John H., and Susan, wife of William Beach.
John H. Ball, father of our subject, learned the shoemaker's trade in his youth and followed that pursuit in connection
with farming. He married Miss Abbie Caroline Bond, a daughter of Isaac and Charlotte (Condit) Bond. His father had died during his infancy and he was brought to Caldwell where he was reared. Remov- ing to Roseland, he learned his trade with his brother Wickliffe, after which he en- gaged in business for himself. After his marriage he purchased the place which is now the home of his son, and there resided for thirty-five years. He was a trustee of the Presbyterian church and a man whose many excellent traits of character com- mended him to the confidence and regard of all. He died July 12, 1883, but his widow is still living. They were the parents of five children: Myra F., wife of John Nealy; William; Susan C., wife of Walter Bush; Ida A., wife of Ambrose Swinwack; and Charles H.
William H. Ball pursued his studies in the public schools and worked on the home farm until seventeen years of age, when he entered upon his business career as an ap- prentice to the plumber's trade. He worked as a journeyman for a short time and then accepted a clerkship in the office of Judge Rufus F. Harrison, with whom he remained for seven years. In 1884 he engaged in the grocery business, in partnership with Major Jonathan De Camp, and after a connection of five years he bought out his partner's interest and has since been alone. The busi- ness prospered from the beginning and has steadily increased in importance and vol- ume. The trade extends over a wide area and three wagons are used in the delivery of the orders. The stock is large and always fresh, and the store is neat in appearance, and perhaps one of the most attractive fea- tures of the house is its thorough reliability, which is above question.
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On the 16th of July, 1866, Mr. Ball was united in marriage to Miss Elnora Pierce, a daughter of Richard and Rachel (Jacoby) Pierce. She was born in Clinton, Caldwell township, but was reared in Franklin town- ship. By her marriage she has become the mother of four children: Flora I., George H., Carrie C. and Frank E. Mrs. Ball is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Ball is a member of the Junior Order of American Mechanics, and in his political views is a Democrat.
WILLIAM STOLL,
although of German birth, has for forty years been a resident of East Orange, and is esteemed as one of its worthy and re- spected citizens, who in the prosecution of his business interests and his fidelity to every public and private duty has won a favored place in the regard of those with whom he has come in contact.
A native of the fatherland, he was born in 1830 and spent his childhood and youth in that country. Hoping to find better business opportunities in the United States, he crossed the ocean to New York and thence came to Doddtown, East Orange, where he secured employment as a farm hand, devoting his energies to that pursuit for a number of years. He then turned his attention to gardening, which he has since followed with good success. He has an accurate and ready knowledge of the best methods of carrying on this industry, and his products are always of such excellence as to find a ready sale on the market, thus bringing to him good financial returns. Industry is probably his most marked char- acteristic and indolence is utterly foreign to his nature. His continuous and well
directed efforts therefore have brought him prosperity, and while he has never acquired wealth he is now the possessor of a com- petence which supplies him with the com- forts of life.
Soon after coming to America Mr. Stoll took steps leading to his enfranchisement, and since obtaining the privileges of citi- zenship has been an advocate of the Dem- ocracy. He and his wife are both faithful members of the Reformed church of East Orange. Mrs. Stoll bore the maiden name of Magdalena Stuckey, and is a daughter of Henry Stuckey, of Doddtown, now East Orange. By this union have been born the following children: William H., who married Fanny Mort, by whom he has one son, Alexander; Emma, who married George Brokaw, and has one child; Joseph; Rosanna; John, 'who married Mary Strouse, and has a son; Katie, Julia and Anna, at home; and Edward and Frank, who died in early childhood.
The two eldest sons, John and Joseph, are now engaged in the livery and ex- change business. They started out in life for themselves with an excellent business training but no capital, and the success that they have already achieved is most cred- itable and satisfactory. They first pur- chased the Eureka Sale and Exchange Stable in East Orange and successfully con- ducted that until 1894. when they pur- chased the Ashland stable on Ashland avenue near Main street. They are enter- prising and progressive young men who are steadily working their way upward, and their prosperity may be attributed entirely to their enterprise, good management and careful supervision of their business inter- ests. They now receive a liberal patron- age and their trade is constantly increasing.
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Obliging, anxious to please their custom- ers, they conduct their stable in a pro- gressive way, and their honorable dealing commends them to the confidence and re- spect of all.
HERBERT W. FOSTER, M. D.,
is one of the younger but very able mem- bers of the medical profession in Essex county. He engages in practice in Mont- clair and in a constantly broadening sphere of usefulness is demonstrating his superior ability and his deep interest in his calling from the humanitarian as well as the scien- tific standpoint. His success is now an as- sured fact, and the profession accord him a prominent place in their ranks.
The Doctor is a native of Putnam, Con- necticut, and is descended from honored colonial ancestry, prominently connected with the history of the republic. The Foster family was probably founded on American soil in Massachusetts, for the rec- ords show that Timothy Foster, of Wal- pole, Massachusetts, purchased land and settled in Dudley in 1748. From the stone which marks the grave of his youngest son, Joseph, who was buried in Windham, Con- necticut, we learn that he enlisted in the American army for service in the Revolu- tion when thirteen years of age and was one of the thirteen brothers who, together with their father, served in the war, in the ag- gregate, over sixty years. The eldest son of Timothy Foster was Peleg Foster, the father of Alfred Foster, who was born in Moosup, Connecticut. His son, Edward N. Foster, was the Doctor's father. He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and married Helen E. Westgate, whose ances- try can be traced back to Moses Weld, who
in 1638 located in western Massachusetts. One of his descendants, Mirian Weld, be- came the wife of Earl Westgate, of Ports- mouth, Rhode Island, and this couple were the great-grandparents of our subject.
After acquiring his elementary education in the public schools of Putnam, Dr. Fos- ter entered the high school of that place and there prepared for college. Soon after leaving the high school he began reading medicine in the office and under the direc- tion of Dr. G. L. Miller, of Putnam, Con- necticut. Later he entered the Homœo- pathic Medical College and Hospital of New York city, and was graduated in the spring of 1891. He also spent one year in the Ward's Island Hospital in the depart- ment of public charities, and one year in the Hahnemann Surgical Hospital. in New York city. In the spring of 1893 he came to Montclair, where he has since practiced and is now established.
The Doctor is a member of Montclair Lodge, No. 144, F. & A. M., the Chiron Club of New Jersey and some of the leading clubs of New York city. He is a man of strong individuality and pleasing personal- ity and is very popular in club and social life.
HERMAN JOERSCHKE.
Men of marked ability, forceful character and culture leave their impress upon the world, written in such indelible characters that time is powerless to obliterate their memory or sweep it from the minds of men. Their commendable acts live long after they have passed from the scenes of their early careers. The force of their ex- ample spurs others to emulation; the in- spiration of their worth is never lost. Mr.
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Joerschke is one of the strong characters who have become an integral part of the business life of Newark, and by the exer- cise of his powers has not only advanced his individual prosperity but has contrib- uted largely to the welfare of his adopted city. Looking backward through the vista of the past, we see a friendless German boy who came to the New World in search of a home and fortune; at the present we see his ambitious dreams realized; and could the veil of the future be lifted we would doubtless see an honored old age crowned with the respect and veneration which is accorded a well spent life.
Mr. Joerschke was born in Saxony, May 22, 1847, and was educated in the schools common to boys of his station. He learned the barber's trade in his youth and thus departed from the path in which walked his father, Traugott Joerschke, a shoemaker, who married Ernestine Gerth and became the father of eleven children, of whom Herman is the youngest.
Our subject was a young man of eighteen years when, in 1865. he left the fatherland on the sailing vessel Freihandel for the United States. After fifty-two days . spent upon the water, he arrived in New York the last of December, his possessions consisting of nothing more than his cloth- ing and a German dollar, which went to pay for his first night's lodging. He spent the first two weeks after his arrival in look- ing for work and during that time sold nearly all of his effects until his supply was almost exhausted, but his perseverance was at length rewarded. Finding nothing to do in New York, he wandered to Hacken- sack and secured employment in a brick yard, but was discharged in two weeks be- cause his hands were so tender that he
could not meet the requirements of the position. He then went to Scranton, Pennsylvania, and obtained a situation as section hand on the railroad, but during his four months' service there he received only his board in compensation for his labor. Returning on foot to New York, he spent the succeeding three weeks in a fruitless search for work, wandering up and down the city, weary, footsore and hungry, only securing an occasional job at carrying coal or other menial service, which scarcely earned him enough to keep soul and body together. Finally, however, he secured work among the farmers in the outlying districts of New York, and when he re- turned to the city after five months he had a good wardrobe and fifty dollars in cash. But misfortune overtook him again: he was stricken with typhoid fever, and when he recovered and returned to his boarding- house he found that his landlord had gone, taking with him Mr. Joerschke's clothing and money !
Work he must have in order to live, and accordingly he accepted a position with a barber on Flesching street for his board and a dollar and a half per week. In two months, however, he found a better situa- tion, receiving seven dollars per week and his board, and still later he accepted a posi- tion at eighteen dollars per week. It seemed that he was now fairly started on the road to prosperity and for some time thereafter success attended his efforts. He went to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he secured a position at twenty dollars per week, and while there he became ac- quainted with and married Miss Frederica Schuler, the wedding being celebrated July 16, 1872. He went at once to Nyack, New York, where he established a barber shop,
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which he conducted three months, and then came to Newark in November, 1872, open- ing a shop at No. 167 Market street. For eight years he carried on business there and then sold out in order to establish a boarding-house in Harrison, which he did with the aid of Meyer Brothers, the well known dry-goods merchants, now in Pater- son, New Jersey. He also established a boarding-house there, but he had not con- ducted his new business long when he was stricken with a fever and on that account was obliged to close out the business.
On recovering his health Mr. Joerschke made a visit to his old home in Germany, and when he again came to the United States he purchased a residence at No. 28 South Orange avenue, Newark, and opened a barber shop at No. 56 Springfield avenue. He also became agent for an insurance company in connection with his other work, and this branch of his business grew to such proportions that in two years he closed his barber shop and devoted his en- tire time to the insurance and real-estate business. Soon afterward he began con- tracting and building, in connection with Judge Roder and John Frank, and they successfully carried on this industry for some time, but gradually relinquished it and embarked in the lumber business, form- ing the Builders' Material and Supply Company, which has come to be one of the most prominent enterprises of the kind in the city. Such is the known business ability, energy and enterprise of Mr. Joer- schke that his co-operation is frequently sought in connection with commercial in- terests and his effective management al- ways leads to good results. He is now treasurer of the Reliable Land & Improve- ment Company. He became interested in
the subject of building and loan associa- tions while in the midst of his operations as a real-estate and insurance man and has since organized two associations, the Stan- dard, in 1886, and the Teutonia, in 1890. At this writing (in 1897) he is president of the Standard, the Teutonia and the Pas- saic Building & Loan Associations.
Mr. Joerschke votes with the Republican party, but takes no active part in political affairs. Socially he is a valued and popu- lar member of the Odd Fellows society, the Chosen Friends, the Knights and La- dies of the Golden Star, the Turn Verein and other social organizations.
Mr. Joerschke has three living children, -John, George and August. He is a man of sterling principle, of undaunted courage and of resolute will, and ever carries for- ward to successful completion that which he undertakes. The genial, cordial ele- ment in his nature has made him a social favorite and won him a host of warm friends.
EDWARD GYRE BURGESS.
From a historic family on both sides is descended this gentleman. The name of Burges or Burgess, as appears from ancient documents, was formerly De Burges, after- ward Burches, and subsequently Burgess. From the French derivation of the name it is probable that the English ancestor came from Normandy with William the Con- queror, and was among those to whom lands were apportioned for military services rendered. Eleven persons of this name are mentioned by Burke as having received coats of arms in recognition of distin- guished service. Those borne by Charles Montoliere Burges, of Beaufort county,
Sabermer Photo-Grav. . . :-
89. Burgess
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Sussex, were: Arms-Per fesse argent and ermine a fesse azure fretty or, a bordure of the third bezantee, on a canton gules a bend of the first, charged with a baten of Knight Marshall ppr. Crest-A camel's head ppr. erased gules.
The American ancestor of the New York branch of this family was Edward E. Bur- gess, who came from England to this coun- try about 1760, and settled in Watervliet, now Bethlehem, in Albany county. Leon- ard Burgess, a great-uncle of our subject, was for many years a prominent manufac- turer of jewelry in Albany, and another uncle, Daniel Hewson was a prominent resident of Auburn and a neighbor and warm personal friend of William H. Sew- ard.
Edward G. Burgess, Sr., the father of our subject, was a successful merchant in Al- bany for a number of years. He removed to Jersey City in 1840 and was one of the originators of the system of floating grain- elevators, which has revolutionized the grain business in the country and enabled those engaged in the grain trade to handle millions of bushels in the same time that thousands were handled under the old sys- tem. He with others owned the first grain elevator and established the new system as early as 1848, although they met great op- position in this enterprise. He is on the roll of honor of the Produce Exchange, having volunteered his services during the .riot of 1863. He wedded Mary Tanner Wands, daughter of James Wands and granddaughter of John Wands,of the town- ship of New Scotland, formerly Bethlehem, Albany county, New York, who came from Glasgow, Scotland, about 1750. He and his brother Ebenezer were the only persons of that name who ever settled in this coun-
try. In the history of New Scotland, it is stated that "from 1750 to 1775 there was a large emigration of a sturdy, industrious class from Scotland, Ireland, England, etc., possessing an intelligence which inspired them with courage to promote the well- being of each other, and by their influence to give to the reformed religion an example worthy of Christianity."
Among the names prominently men- tioned in this connection is that of John Wands. He was a thrifty Scotchman and an industrious farmer. At the outbreak of the French and Indian war he shouldered his "flintlock" and fought the wily savages -- the allies of the French-with that cour- age and determination which distinguished the hardy Scotch pioneer. A powder horn, artistically inscribed with designs of Fort Stanwix and other fortifications, is now in the possession of E. G. Burgess, his great- grandson, and is evidently a record of his achievements. He was stationed for a time in a stone church in the village of Scho- harie, which was then used as a fortification and which is still standing. During the war of the Revolution he was known as Ensign John Wands, being ensign of the First Regiment of Albany Militia, com- manded by Colonel Henry Quackenbush. In the war of 1812 the family was represent- ed by Peter, Joseph and James W. Wands, who volunteered their services and fought in defense of their country.
John Wands was evidently a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity and one of the organizers of the lodge in his local- ity. The history of New Scotland states that as early as 1794 a Masonic lodge was in existence there. Among the few names of the members given are John, Cloud and James Wands and eight others. It is fur-
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ther stated that "James Wands, 2d, was a teacher previous to 1794." James B. Wands was supervisor of the town in 1832 and again in 1837. Another account states that "Dr. Wands, from New Scotland, prac- ticed in the township of Guelderland about eight years and then removed to Cohoes." Thomas D. Wands, the grand-uncle of Mr. Burgess, was supervisor of his district in Albany for many years. He was a stove manufacturer and was a near neighbor and friend of Thurlow Weed. The families of Wands and Burgess were both prominent in Albany county, and held many offices of trust both before and after the Revolu- tion. William E. Burgess, a cousin of Ed- ward G., is specially mentioned in the an- nals of the town for the part he took in the Mexican war. Another cousin, Eben- ezer E. Wands, who now occupies the old homestead of the great-grandfather, had the following sons in the civil war-James E., Robert J., Thomas, Alexander H. and Oliver.
Edward G. Burgess, whose name intro- duces this review, was born in Albany, New York, but in his early childhood removed with his parents to Jersey City. He was educated in the public schools there and subsequently entered the service of the Grain Elevating Company, of which his fa- ther was the leading spirit, being president of the company at the time of his death, in 1872. The son succeeded to that office in 1873, and conducted the affairs of the enterprise with success until 1881, when he became associated with Annan & Com- pany, and in 1891 the firm was changed to the International Grain Elevating Com- pany, of which he has since been president. He was one of the board of managers of the New York Produce Exchange, elected
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