USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, V. 1 > Part 52
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Charles Edwin Breeden, the immediate subject of this review, is a retired merchant of the national metropolis, and now main- tains his home in that beautiful suburban district, Glen Ridge, Essex county, New Jersey, being recognized as one of the representative and public-spirited citizens of the place. A native of the city of Bos- ton, Massachusetts, he was born on the 16th of June, 1842, being the son of Abner H. and Deborah (French) Breeden. His paternal grandfather, Abner Breeden, re- sided at Winchester, Massachusetts, and devoted his attention to farming. The fa- ther of our subject was a prominent busi- ness man of Boston and held a position of distinctive precedence in the commercial world. He inherited the business sagacity and tact of his father, and became a promi- nent merchant in New York city, where he dealt extensively in rubber boots, as well as general lines of boots and shoes. He was a man of unswerving integrity, and his business career stood in evidence of the
sterling principles by which his whole life was dominated. At his death, which oc- curred when Charles E. was but ten years of age, Abner H. Breeden left a handsome estate. Deborah (French) Breeden, mo- ther of our subject, was born in the old Bay state, being the daughter of E. French, who rendered active service in the Conti- nental army during the war of the Revo- lution. She was reared and educated in Massachusetts, and her death occurred in New York city.
Charles E. Breeden was accorded excel- lent educational advantages in his youth, his discipline in the line having been princi- pally secured in the Russell School, at New Haven, Connecticut, in which institution he continued his studies during an interval of five years, after which he took a special course of study in the German language, under the direction of a private tutor. His business career had its initiation when he became a clerk in the establishment of his uncle, William H. Breeden, of the firm of Breeden & Southwick, dealers in rubber boots and shoes, in New York.
Thoroughly loyal and patriotic by inher- itance and by personal conviction, Mr. Breeden was ready to render service to his country when it was menaced by armed re- bellion. At the outbreak of the late war he enlisted: when the first call was made for seventy-five thousand men, he enlisted as a member of Company D, of the Seventh Regiment of New York Volunteer Infan- try, and was sent with his regiment to Washington, D. C., in defense of the cap- ital. After the expiration of his term of service Mr. Breeden returned to New York and again entered the employ of his uncle, the late William H. Breeden, who had suc- ceeded to the business established by the
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father of our subject. He retired from his New York commercial associations about 1871, since which time he has devoted his time and attention principally to his realty and financial interests. He owns a con- siderable amount of valuable property in Glen Ridge, having a number of fine houses which he rents, while his own home is one of the most attractive in this section, notable for its beautiful residence places. A spacious dwelling, of modern architec- ture, located on grounds where art and na- ture have been prodigal in their gifts, the home is one in which are ever in evidence the refining amenities of life and in which a gracious hospitality is extended. Mr. Breeden is a prominent member of the Congregational church, of which he is a trustee, according to its specific and collat- eral work a liberal support.
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In the year 1870 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Breeden to Miss Mary E. Hall, a daughter of Harrison Hall, a prom- inent New York merchant and president of the Atlantic Savings Bank of that city. Of this union three children have been born,-Ora, wife of Arthur S. Roberts, of Montclair, New Jersey, and Emilie and William Harrison, who still remain at the parental home.
CHARLES F. HERR,
one of the successful and enterprising lawyers of Newark, was born in Little Falls, Passaic county, New Jersey, on the 5th of March, 1863, a son of Frederick and Eliza- beth (Heinrick) Herr, both his parents be- ing natives of Germany, the former's birth occurring at Baden and the latter's at Darmstadt. After emigrating to America they were married in Newark, to which city
they had moved from Little Falls in 1867, and where for many years the father was engaged in the coal business.
In the parochial school of St. Peter's church of Newark Charles F. received a part of his education, completing the same in the public schools. Upon finishing here he entered the law office of Mr. Naundorff, of Newark, and there began the study of that profession, being admitted to the bar in 1885, when he at once became engaged in active practice in his home city. His signal ability soon became recognized and gained for him a large and remunerative clientele, since which time his success has been of a most distinctive kind.
From 1886 to 1889 Mr. Herr served as a member of the board of education, during which time he was instrumental in securing the erection of the Waverly Avenue school- house. In his political faith he is a stanch Democrat, and, although not an office-seek- er, at the earnest solicitation of his friends he became, in the spring of 1897, a candi- date for membership on the Newark city board of public works, and was elected. He is quite active in politics and has ren- dered valuable service in the interests of his party.
Mr. Herr is treasurer of the Joel Parker Association, and is a member of the Jeffer- sonian Club, the Gottfried Krueger Associ- ation, the Catholic Benevolent Legion, and of many German and American singing so- cieties of Newark. Religiously he is an ad- herent of the Catholic church, and was one of the founders of the Young Men's Orphan Aid Society of St. Peter's church.
Mr. Herr is counsel for eight different building and loan associations, he is secre- tary and counsel for the Essex County Brewing Company, of which he is also a
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director, and he is executor for several large estates. He is one of Newark's prominent and representative citizens, is a self-made man in every sense of the term and the gratifying success he has achieved has been the logical.result of his own in- dividual efforts.
In 1887 Mr. Herr was united in marriage to Miss Anne Schwitzer, of Newark, and they have become the parents of two sons and two daughters.
SAMUEL KISSAM,
an agriculturist of Millburn township, has back of him an ancestry honorable and dis- tinguished. The families from which he sprung have furnished many eminent rep- resentatives to the various callings of life, and different members have won fame and honor in the callings to which their lives and energies have been given. Mr. Kis- sam was born in Springfield, New Jersey, May 5, 1827, and is a son of Daniel Kissam, whose birth occurred in that state, March 4, 1804. The grandfather, Richard Kis- sam, was born in New York city in 1773 and was a nephew of the famous Dr. Ben- jamin Kissam, who was a surgeon in the New York City Hospital and was the grandfather of Mrs. William H. Vander- bilt. Richard Kissam studied law in the Philadelphia Law College, and became a successful practitioner at the New York bar. In his legal capacity he was sent to Chicago by the government and became prominent there, a street being named in his honor. He lost his life while attend- ing a theater which was consumed by fire, in 1808. He married Hannah Bryant. His son, Samuel M. Kissam, was a surgeon in the United States Navy and in the war of
1812 was stationed near Virginia. He was on the ship Hornet in its encounter with an English vessel and afterward was given a silver medal by Captain Little in appre- ciation of his able services. He died in 1822 of yellow fever.
Daniel Kissam, the father of our subject, was reared to manhood in Springfield, New Jersey, and learned the art of farming, which he followed throughout his entire life. He wedded Mary Bryant, a daughter of Aaron Bryant, one of the founders of Springfield, having built the first house in that city. He was a descendant of Sir George Carteret. His father, Benjamin, was a son of Cornelius, whose father and grandfather each bore the name of Sam- uel Bryant. The latter was a son of John Bryant, who married Hannah Carteret, a daughter of Sir George Carteret. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Kissam had four children, namely: Samuel; John R., who married Clara Dufford and resides in New York; Franklin, who married Anna Doran, of Newark, and is living in Irvington. New Jersey; and Anna, wife of George Noble, of Harrison. The father of this family (lied May 1, 1849, and the mother's death occurred January 1, 1893.
Samuel Kissam was reared to manhood in Springfield. In 1856 he sold his inter- ests in Union county and in 1859 purchased his present farm in Millburn township, Es- sex county, where he has since been en- gaged in farming and dairying. He has fifty acres of valuable land, pleasantly and conveniently situated only two miles from Millburn, and the care and cultivation which he bestows upon the fields is re- warded with good harvests. His dairy also is a profitable source of income, and his well managed business interests, his straightfor-
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ward dealings and his indefatigable labors have brought to him a fair success.
On the IIth of January, 1854, Mr. Kis- sam was united in marriage to Miss Har- riet E. Drew, a daughter of John and Phoebe Drew, her father being a represen- tative of one of the oldest families of this part of New Jersey. George Drew, a na- tive of England, was the founder of the family in America. Mr. and Mrs. Kissam have six children: George D., who mar- ried Nettie Drew and lives on the old Drew homestead in Millburn township, where he is carrying on the dairy business: their children are Ray, Benjamin K., Lillie, Russel and George; Mary A. is the wife of George Allen; Willie A. is the next of the family; Franklin K. is a proof-reader in New York city; Lucy is living in New York city; and Emma L. is at home.
Mr. Kissam votes with the Republican party, but has never sought or desired the honors or emoluments of public office, pre- ferring to devote his time and energies to his business interests, in which he has met a well merited success.
HENRY YOUNG.
The history of a state, as well as that of a nation, is chiefly the chronicles of the lives and deeds of those who have conferred honor and dignity upon society. The world judges the character of a community by those of its representative citizens, and yields its tributes of admiration and respect for the genius or learning or virtues of those whose works and actions constitute the record of a state's prosperity and pride; and it is this record that offers for our con- sideration the history of men, who in their characters for probity and benevolence, and
the kindly virtues, as well as for integrity in the affairs of life, are ever affording to the young worthy examples for their regard and emulation. Therefore it is proper that a just celebrity be given to those men who are distinguished in their day and genera- tion, that the living may enjoy the appro- bation of their contemporaries, as well as that of a grateful posterity.
Among the many able members of the New Jersey bar who are mentioned in this work, it is fitting that we should present for honorable mention the name of Henry Young, who for thirty-two years has been identified with the legal profession in New- ark. Mr. Young is one of Essex county's native citizens, having been born in the city of Newark, New Jersey, October 24, 1844. He is a descendant of Scotch and English stock, his paternal ancestors having come to this country from Scotland, and his ma- ternal ancestors from England. Charles E. Young, the father of our subject, was born in New Jersey, and married Miss Charlotte Denman Wilbur. In his native city he received his primary education, pre- pared himself for college, entered Princeton University in 1859 and graduated with the class of 1862, receiving the degree of Mas- ter of Arts in 1865. He entered the law office of Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, and studied under the preceptorate of that able and distinguished gentleman until he en- tered the Harvard Law School, at Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, and in 1864 re- ceived his diploma from that well known institution. The following year he was made an attorney, in 1868 a counselor at law, and for a period of thirty-two years has been engaged in active business in Newark, his professional career being one of marked success and without a blemish. Honors of
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various kinds have been bestowed upon him from time to time. Early in his career, in 1867, he became assistant United States district attorney, a position which for six years he filled with distinguished ability. From 1876 to 1884 he was city counsel.
His political views are those advocated by the Republican party, and his services as an advocate of the principles of the grand old party have been recognized and appreciated by his. fellow workers.
Mr. Young was married in 1872 to Miss Margaret Hitchcock, of New York, and to them have been born three children, namely: Henry, who graduated at Prince- ton University in 1893, was admitted to the bar in 1896, and is engaged in the prac- tice of law in Newark : he is considered one of the most promising young lawyers of Newark; also Stuart Young, now in Princeton University, to graduate in the class of 1902; and Roger Young, now in the Newark Academy.
WILLIAM COLLINS,
one of the well known and much respected citizens of Livingston township, Essex county, New Jersey, is a native of this place and belongs to a family which for several generations has resided within the borders of New Jersey.
His parents, Pell T. and Lackey (Ed- wards) Collins, were both born in Essex county. Grandfather Ebenezer Collins was a native of Morris county, and his father, an Irishman by birth, was a Presbyterian preacher and one of the prominent early settlers of Morris county. Ebenezer Col- lins came to Essex county when a young man. He was a road contractor and built many of the roads in this county. Pell
T. Collins, as above stated, was born in this county, the date of his birth being March 17, 1795. He was the owner of the old Watson place, was a shoemaker by trade and followed that trade all his life. As was the custom in those days, he went from house to house, taking contracts for and doing family work. His wife, who be- fore her marriage was Miss Lackey Ed- wards, was a daughter of Enoch Edwards and wife, nee Reeves. Mr. and Mrs. Ed- wards were representatives of old New Jer- sey families, whose identification with the state dates back to the first settlement of Essex county. The children of Pell T. Collins and wife are as follows: Abbie, wife of Joseph Johnson, Northfield, New Jer- sey: James T., who has been twice married and resides in Livingston township, Essex county, his first wife being Mary, nee Mc- Chestney, his present companion nee Cath- arine Kent; Enoch E., who wedded Miss Phoebe Baker, and lives in Northfield, New Jersey; Hannah M., wife of George Cope, lives in Orange, New Jersey; Sarah, widow of Hugh McChestney, Millburn, New Jersey; Rachel, wife of Brazil Hop- kins; William, the subject of this sketch; Vashti, wife of Edward Cranich, of Tennes- see; Louise, wife of Harris Burnet; Ben- jamin, who has been married twice, first to Matilda Wright and secondly to Belle Yerger; and Monda, wife of Jacob Pryer, of Elizabeth, New Jersey.
William Collins, the immediate subject of this review, was born in Livingston township, Essex county, New Jersey, Sep- tember 14, 1832, and here spent his boy- hood and youth. In early life he learned his father's trade, that of shoemaker, and for thirty years was engaged in the shoe business, in partnership with his brother, at
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Morristown, New Jersey. Finally, on ac- count of financial reverses, he abandoned that business there and turned his attention to landscape gardening, which he followed for some time. Some years ago he re- turned to the county of his nativity and purchased the fifty acres of land upon which he has since lived and where he is engaged in gardening and stock-raising. He does his own marketing and has from two to three wagons on the road all the time.
Mr. Collins was married in 1858 to Miss Mary Yerger, daughter of Joseph and Bar- bara (Hurtz) Yerger, who came to this country from Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Collins have had seven children, namely : Hannah M., wife of William Collins; Pell T., who married Elizabeth Nailer; Enoch E., who married Mamie Bowers; Benjamin, who married Anna Krute; Ebenezer, de- ceased; Mathias, who married Anna Ming; and Julius K., who married Mary Frances McVey. As a family they are musically in- clined and are frequently called upon to render public service in song.
Mr. Collins is a Republican. He has long supported this party and remains true to the principles as set forth by it.
PHILEMON WOODRUFF.
The Woodruff family is able to trace its ancestry as far back as the thirteenth cen- tury. The progenitor of the American branch is supposed to have been John Woodruff, who came from England in 1640 with Rev. Abraham Pierson and settled at Southampton, Long Island: his son John settled in Essex county, New Jersey, and was elected high sheriff of the county in 1684. His son, also named John, was also
sheriff of the county in 1696, and from him the lineal ancestry is traced through Heze- kiah, Stites, Hezekiah-Stites, Ebenezer, Blachly, George D., to Philemon, the im- mediate subject of this review.
George D. Woodruff, the father, was born in Morris county, New Jersey, and was a grandson of Colonel Jacob Drake, a soldier of the Revolution and a nephew of George K. Drake, a justice of the supreme court, and connected by birth with Phile- mon and Mahlon Dickerson, both of whom were cabinet officers and governors of New Jersey. Mr. Woodruff was also related to the Blachly family, of Morris county, and other prominent and well known families of the state. He was engaged as a whole- sale grocery merchant in New York for nearly fifty years, and for a long time re- sided in Newark, but about 1868 he moved to East Orange and there died in 1888, at the age of nearly seventy-five years, being survived by his wife only five weeks. He was one of the prominent men of East Or- ange, and was instrumental while in New- ark in securing the organization of the Newark & New York Railroad, having been one of its incorporators. He was chairman of the township committee in East Orange, was a progressive and public-spirited citi- zen of the county, and possessed very con- siderable business qualifications, which he put to a successful issue. He married Miss Mary Green, who belonged to a family long known in New Jersey. She was a sister of Henry Green, judge of the su- preme court of Pennsylvania, and a daugh- ter of Enoch Green, of Greenwich, New Jersey, who was one of the founders of La Fayette College, and who traces his ances- try through William (1), Richard (2), Rich- ard (3), John (4) and John (5); William
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coming to this country before the year 1700 and first landing in. Philadelphia, but soon after locating in Mercer county, New Jersey. He was one of the first judges of Hunterdon county, New Jersey. The Green family's connection was well known in the Revolution and it is one of the prom- inent and foremost in the state.
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Philemon Woodruff was born in New- ark, New Jersey, on the 17th of March, 1853, and after attending the public schools for two years and the Newark Academy for six years was graduated at Newark Acad- emy in 1869, at Princeton University in 1873, and at the Columbia Law School in 1876. He was admitted to the bar as an attorney at law in 1876, and as a counselor at law in 1879, and has continued in suc- cessful practice in Newark since 1876, his present residence being East Orange. He is counsel for East Orange township, and was formerly chairman of the township committee.
In 1885 Mr. Woodruff celebrated his marriage to Miss Carrie W. Cowdin, of East Orange.
JACKSON HYER,
one of the representative farmers and re- spected citizens of Livingston township, Essex county, New Jersey, is a native of this place, born on the farm on which he now lives, May 20, 1830.
His parents, Isaac and Phoebe (Os- borne) Hyer, were natives of Short Hills, New Jersey, where the former's parents, John and Elizabeth (Headley) Hyer, lived for many years and died. John Hyer had one brother who lived in Newark, one of the early residents of that city. Isaac Hyer moved from Short Hills, New Jersey, to
Roseland, this state, in 1815, and at that time purchased the farm now owned and occupied by his son Jackson, our subject. He was a veteran of the war of 1812. His whole life was passed in the quiet pursuits of the farm, he lived to a ripe old age, and April 27, 1874, quietly passed away. His good wife survived him until June 15, 1886. She was a daughter of John Osborne, a representative of one of the pioneer fami- lies of New Jersey and a relative of the well known Moses Condit, of Essex county. Of the children of this worthy couple, we re- cord that John is deceased; Hannah, wife of Jacob Kent, Livingston township, Essex county, is now deceased; Caroline, wife of Albert Carr, Livingston township; Rachel, wife of John Conklin, same township; Eliz- abeth, wife of John Kent, also of that town- ship; Jackson, whose name forms the head- ing of this review; Mary, deceased, was the wife of Thomas Furman; and Phoebe, Roseland, New Jersey.
Jackson Hyer passed his boyhood days on his father's farm, received his education in the schools of Roseland, and early in life learned the trade of cigar manufacturer, which he followed for a time. In 1853, during the gold excitement in California, young Hyer was one of a company of three young men of Paterson, New Jersey, and vicinity who united their fortunes and started for the new El Dorado. They made the journey by way of Central Amer- ica, crossing the isthmus on pack mules and embarking in the steamer Independ- ence for the Pacific voyage. About mid- way in the journey this vessel was wrecked and half of her five hundred passengers were lost, Mr. Hyer being one of the three of his party who were saved. They reached an island and later were picked up
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by an old whaling vessel and carried ashore. And thus, after eighty days attended with hardships of various kinds and the loss of many of his companions, Mr. Hyer finally landed in California, where he spent five years. All this time was devoted to min- ing. In 1858 he returned to his old home in the east, purchased the homestead, com- prising eighty acres, and settled down to agricultural pursuits, and here he has ever since resided. He carries on general farm- ing and dairying, has a beautiful home, and here, surrounded by his many friends of long standing, he is comfortably situated to enjoy life.
Mr. Hyer was married in 1858 to Miss Mary Jane Luck, daughter of William and Betsie (Allen) Luck, natives of Paterson, New Jersey; and they have two children, - John and Bessie,-the latter the wife of Stephen Speer, Caldwell, New Jersey.
In his political views, Mr. Hyer accords with the Republican party.
ALFRED JASPER CRANE,
a retired capitalist and prominent citizen of Montclair, is the present representative of one of the oldest and most distinguished families in New Jersey, and it is with par- ticular appropriateness that a resume of his ancestral history be accorded a place in this work.
The progenitor of the Crane family in America was Jasper Crane, who emigrated with his wife, Alice, from London, Eng- land, about the year 1637, and died in this country in 1681. His son, Azariah Crane, was born about 1647, married Mary Treat, and died on the 5th of November, 1730. Mary Treat was born in 1650 and died No- vember 12, 1704, and was a daughter of Robert and Jane (Trapp) Treat, the former
of whom was born in 1625 and died July 12, 1710. His father was Richard Treat. Nathaniel Crane, son of Azariah, died in 1761, and his son, William, was born about the year 1716, in the old stone house used by Washington as his headquarters, and died in 1784, his wife, Mercy, surviving him until about 1788. William Crane was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Oliver Crane, son of William and grandfather of our subject, was born September 29, 1765, married Susannah Baldwin, on the 2d of March, 1786, and died in 1817. Susannah was born March 29, 1768, and died Novem- ber II, 1838, her parents being Zophar Baldwin and Rebecca (Ward) Baldwin, and her grandparents David and Eunice (Dodd) Baldwin.
Amos Crane, son of Oliver, was born on the 20th of January, 1799, in the same stone house where his father's birth oc- curred, and which is still standing in a fair state of preservation. In the front yard is a large walnut tree, the wide spreading branches of which have sheltered weary travelers for many generations past. Amos Crane died April 11, 1882. He was married on the 18th of June, 1861, to Miss Rhoda C. Ward, who was born in Bloom- field, New Jersey, on the 3d of January, 1823, a daughter of Enos and Susan (Si- denhan) Ward. Enos Ward was born in Bloomfield on the 5th of February, 1781, was married to Susan Sidenhan on January 26, 1804, and died July 2, 1828. His wife was born July 3, 1780, and died August 31, .1852. The father of Enos Ward was Sam- uel L. Ward, who was born in Essex coun- ty, July I, 1748, and who died July 29, 1814. He married Margaret Farond, who was born April 28, 1754, and died May 3, 1828.
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