USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, V. 2 > Part 17
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On the 2d of July, 1866, the Rev. Mr.
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Frazer was married, at Penn's Manor, . ily have figured among the sturdy yeo- Pennsylvania, to Miss Rose Thompson, of that place, and their children are Francis M., a practicing physician; Phoebe E., H. Thompson, Florence, and H. F. Spaulding.
CHARLES A. FEICK.
Charles A. Feick, Newark, was admitted as an attorney in November, 1881, and as a counselor in June, 1886. He is one of the leading German lawyers of Newark.
GEORGE C. FREEMAN.
If biography is the home aspect of his- tory, as Willmott has expressed it, it is en- tirely within the province of true history to commemorate and perpetuate the lives and character, the achievements and honor of the sons of the nation, whether it were theirs to walk in the full light of public dis- tinction, or in the quieter avenues play equally well their parts in life. If any stim- ulus is needed in this behalf it may be found in the caustic words of Burke, that "Those only deserve to be remembered who treasure up a history of their ances- tors."
The Freeman family figures as one of the oldest and most honored in Orange Valley and traces the ancestral line through Ger- shom W., Cyrus and Abel to Samuel Free- man, who was probably the original pro- genitor in this section of the state. Cyrus Freeman, the grandfather of the immedi- ate subject of this review, served in the war of the Revolution, having been a young man at the time and having been detailed for detached duty. He eventually settled on a farm in Essex county, and from that time forward the representatives of the fam-
manry, upon which has ever rested the stable prosperity of the republic. Cyrus Freeman married a Miss Williams, and they became the parents of seven children, of whom Gershom W., the father of our subject, was the youngest son. He was born on the old homestead farm in 1792, and there he remained until he had at- tained man's estate, when he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza N. Gildersleeve, a daughter of Ezra Gildersleeve, and they reared two sons,-Edward, who lived to the age of forty years, and George C., whose name initiates this review. When our subject was about fifteen months of age his mother died, and the father subse- quently consummated a second marriage, being united to Miss Eliza B. Crane. Their children were three in number,-Cy- rus G., who died in childhood; Eliza N., who became the wife of R. C. Campbell and who is now deceased; and Anna M., the wife of T. W. Taylor. Mr. Freeman con- tinued to follow farming until his death, which occurred at the venerable age of eighty years. He was a man of sterling honor in all the relations of life. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church of Orange, and politically he was identified with the old-line Whig party.
George C. Freeman was born on the old homestead and in the same house which he now occupies and which was built by his grandfather, Cyrus Freeman, the date of his nativity being August 15, 1825. The old farm was settled upon by Samuel Free- man early in the seventeenth century and has been in the possession of the family ever since, having descended in turn to Abel, Cyrus, Gershom W. and George C., the last named of whom is the immediate
Gee de. Freeman
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subject of this sketch. The present dwell- ing was erected about the year 1815, and is the third one to have been built upon the farm. On the ancestral farmstead George C. Freeman passed his youth, under the invigorating discipline thus im- plied, and he acquired his educational train- ing in the district school. He has followed the vocation dignified by the efforts of his
county, and a daughter of Martin R. Van- duyne. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman became the parents of five children, of whom we offer brief record, as follows: Orvil E., Horace N., Cyrus G., William B. and Herman M. Orvil E. and Cyrus G. are the leading greengrocers of Orange Val- ley, their establishment, widely known as the Freeman Brothers' Store, being located
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ancestors, and has been continuously and successfully engaged in farming pursuits, bringing to bear that judgment and dis- crimination which ever render returns in success.
In the year 1861 Mr. Freeman was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Frances Vanduyne, a native of Montville, Morris
on Freeman street. Herman is employed as a salesman in his brothers' store. Will- iam B. died at the age of twenty-eight years, and Horace is a clergyman of the United Presbyterian church, having a charge at McAlevys Fort, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Freeman is a man of strong men- tality and mature judgment, is known and
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honored as a public-spirited citizen, and is distinctively one of the representative men of the community in which his long and useful life has been passed. In his political allegiance Mr. Freeman is stanchly arrayed in the support of the principles and policies advanced by the Republican party, and though he has never been an aspirant for public preferment, he has served most effi- ciently as one of the school trustees of West Orange, and ever maintains a lively interest in all that conserves the well-be- ing of the community.
ORVILLE E. FREEMAN,
.
the eldest son of the gentleman whose sketch precedes this review, is one of the popular citizens and leading business men in Orange Valley. He was born on the old homestead, on the 17th of February, 1863, and his preliminary education was acquired in a private school taught by his aunt, Miss Lucy Van Duyne, after which he entered the high school of Orange, in which insti- tution he was graduated at the age of nine- teen years. In early life he became familiar with all the duties that fall to the lot of the agriculturist, and when not occupied with his studies he devoted the greater part of his time to farm work on the old home- stead. After his graduation he assumed the management of the farm for his father, and continued to successfully engage in its operation until 1889, when he resolved to engage in mercantile pursuits in Orange Valley. Accordingly, in connection with his brother, Cyrus G. Freeman, he estab- lished what has grown to be one of the largest and most popular stores in Essex county. The greater part of the vegeta- bles, of which they carry an extensive as-
sortment, is the product of their own farm. They also conduct a meat market in con- nection with the other branches of the en- terprise, and in all departments of their bus- iness they are enjoying a very liberal patronage. The building which the firm of Freeman Brothers occupies was erected especially for their business and is a structure forty-five by fifty feet, located at Nos. 53 and 55 Freeman street, near the Highland avenue station. This mar- ket constitutes one of the leading busi- ness houses of the Oranges, and en- joys a large trade, which is constant- ly increasing. The senior member of the firm is also engaged in the livery business, as a partner in the firm of P. Vroom & Company, which is also a profitable enter- prise, with a large patronage.
Orville E. Freeman married Miss S. Adelaide Sigler, a daughter of Charles and Margaret (Beam) Sigler. On the 16th of January, 1895, they became the parents of a little daughter, Elizabeth Frances, who is the joy of the household and the pet of the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George C. Freeman, who reside with their son.
Orville E. Freeman is deeply interested in the welfare of the community with which he is connected, and does all in his power to promote the educational, moral and ma- terial growth of the county. He is pro- gressive and public-spirited and withholds his co-operation from no movement calcu- lated for the public good. In 1894 he was elected a member of the board of education, and so ably did he discharge his duties that in 1896 he was re-elected for another term of three years. He holds a membership connection with Council No. 799, of the National Union, at Orange, and is also a valued member of the Patrons of Hus-
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bandry. His public career and his private life are alike above reproach, and in matters of business his reputation is un- assailable, by reason of his close adherence to the ethics that govern an honorable, business life.
CYRUS G. FREEMAN,
the junior member of the firm of Freeman Brothers, is actively engaged in the man- agement of the enterprise which has now grown to extensive proportions. A por- tion of his time is devoted to the manage- ment of the farm and the cultivation of the vegetables which are sold in the store, and to the control of the milk business which is carried on in connection with the store. The milk is also a product of their farm and they use in their business about two hundred quarts daily. Their well kept gardens en- able them to supply to their patrons a fine grade of vegetables, always fresh, brought in directly from the farm. Their meats are alike noted for their excellent quality, and this, added to the firm's well known reliabil- ity, has insured them a patronage which has returned to them a good income. Success does not depend altogether upon advan- tageous circumstances or the influence of the wealthy, but comes as the reward of earnest, persistent labor, guided by a well defined purpose and sound judgment; and such are the qualities which have given the Freeman Brothers prestige among the mer- chants in their line in Essex county.
THE HALSTED FAMILY.
That a native of east New Jersey and a descendant of an adjoining town should be- come the first builder of the Oranges, is a cause for congratulation by the native pop- ulation. To the efforts of Matthias O. Hal-
sted is due the wonderful growth of East Orange. He laid the foundation and gave it its first impetus. Little is known of the early history of the Halsted family. Jonas, Timothy and Joseph Halsted are found at Jamaica, Long Island, as early as 1656-57. Timothy Halsted was the ancestor of the New Jersey family of this name.
Timothy Halsted, Jr., son of Timothy (Ist), was taxed on seventy-eight acres of land at Hempstead, in 1685. He probably sold his land- and removed to New Jersey the same year, as appears by the following affidavit : "The testimony of Timothy Hol- stead, of Hempstead, in Queens county (Long Island), who declareth yt ye pur- chasers of Affter Kull (viz.): Daniel Den- ton, John Baylus and Luke Watson, did ad- mit off myselff and my brother alsoe, vpon ye disbursement off ffour pounds a peece in bever pay to be Associates wt ym in ye pur- chase in case wee liked, which money we disbursed ffor Indean trade which sayd Indean goods went to ye purchase of ye sd land at Affter Kull, at ye request of ye afforesd purchasers, we desliking ye place vpon a run off it. And they imaging we should be payd ffor our goods and wee ac- knowledge yt wee Received satisfaction off Danl Denton afforsd, one of ye purchasers, the whole sum payd by selff and brother, was ffour pounds a peece and two and six- pence. Sworn before vs ye 17th of No- vembr, 1685. Elias Doughty, Richard Cornwell, Justices in Quorem." Timothy Halsted, Jr., had a son, Caleb; the latter had a son Caleb, who also had a son, Caleb Halsted, born in 1741. The last Caleb mar- ried Rebecca Ogden, and had a son, Robert.
Robert Halsted, M. D., son of Caleb (3d) and Rebecca (Ogden) Halsted, was born in
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Elizabeth, New Jersey, September 13, 1746. He was a leading and fearless citizen in the gloomy days of the Revolution. On one occasion a renegade Tory informed against him as a rebel and an ardent upholder of rebellion, and he was temporarily lodged in the old Sugar House on Liberty street, New York, where he suffered great hard- ship; but was finally released, through the influence of friends. On another occasion he saved the life of Colonel Aaron Ogden, who had been seriously wounded by the Hessians, while out alone on military reconnoissance. He was a physician of note. His younger brother, Caleb, was also an eminent physician. On July 25, 1825, the latter, while confined to his house by illness, received a visit from General La- fayette, and he had the pleasure of enter- taining that son of France. Caleb Halsted, Jr., was for a long time mayor of the bor- ough of Elizabeth. Robert Halsted, M. D., married, first, Mary Wiley; second, Mary Mills. He had children, of whom Matthias Ogden was the fourth.
Matthias Ogden Halsted, fourth son of Dr. Robert and Mary (Mills) Halsted, was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, July 12, 1792. He was graduated at Princeton College and studied law with Matthias Og- den, of Elizabeth Town, New Jersey. He settled at Belvidere, New Jersey, where he practiced law for some years and was sur- rogate of Warren county. He made many warm friends and was held in high estima- tion throughout that district of New Jer- sey. He subsequently relinquished the practice of law and entered, as partner, the mercantile house of Halsted, Haines & Company, New York city, which in his day was one of the largest and most successful dry-goods firms in the country. Among
their customers was Amos W. Cundit, of East Orange, who failed, owing the firm a large balance. He offered his farm,-one hundred acres,-and the homestead front- ing on Main street in liquidation of the debt. Mr. Halsted assumed the debt on his own account and took the farm in payment. He removed to East Orange about 1838, and in 1840 built the large elegant mansion with Corinthian pillars now occupied by Mr. Hawkesworth, who married a grand- daughter of Mr. Halsted. The building at- tracted great attention at the time, as there was nothing like it in this part of New Jer- sey. The farm which he purchased was known as the Gruett farm. It lay between what is now Halsted street and Clinton ave- nue, with a frontage on Main street and extending in a southerly direction nearly to the South Orange line. He subsequent- ly bought thirty acres on Harrison street, adjoining his original purchase. All this he laid out into large building plots. He erected homes for his two daughters and built other houses, which he sold to his New York friends and induced them to settle here. When he began operations there was but one train each way on the D. L. & W. R. R. The morning train took him and the evening train let him off, both stopping near his residence for his indi- vidual accommodation. He soon provided better facilities. He erected a depot on the site of the present Brick Church station at his own expense, placed a man and wife in charge, and conveyed the property to the railroad company free of cost. He thus opened the way for the pioneer settlement and lived to see it well advanced, although he reaved but little pecuniary benefit from his large outlay. He was generous and lib- eral at all times. He gave freely to the
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Brick church, of which he was a member. He was unostentatious in his charities and it afforded him pleasure to help his fellow- men. He mingled freely with the people and took part in all their meetings. He was an elder of the church and superintend- ent of the Sunday-school. He established a private school for young ladies, erected a building on Washington Place and in- duced Rev. F. A. Adams, of Andover, Massachusetts, a celebrated teacher in his day, to come and take charge of it.
During the war Mr. Halsted was thor- oughly loyal to the government and aided in the vigorous prosecution of the war by encouraging enlistments and arousing pub- lic sentiment. He lived to see the union of the states maintained and the government established on a firm basis. He died June 12, 1866. Mr. Halsted was twice married. His first wife was Cornelia Wade, of Eliza- beth, New Jersey. By her he had three children,-Phebe, Mary, Enos. He mar- ried, secondly, Miss Hepzebah Clary, née Eastman, a relative of Daniel Webster. Their children were Julius, Cornelia, Emily and William.
THE COLGATE FAMILY.
Counting the latest of those who have arrived at the age of manhood, there are only four generations of Colgates in this country, and yet there is no name more prominently identified with the religious history of the country, especially of the Baptist denomination, than this. Robert Colgate, the progenitor of the American family of this name, was descended from a line of ancestors who had been in Kent county, England, for one hundred years. He was in strong sympathy with the de-
mocracy of France and his name headed a list of several persons who were to be ar- rested by the government. He was a warm friend and an old schoolmate of William Pitt, the "Great Commoner," and through the latter's efforts he was enabled to es- cape. Pitt sent a private messenger from London to warn him of his peril and ad- vised him to emigrate to a country whose politics were more congenial to his own, and Pitt assured him that he would delay arrest upon his pledge to leave the king- dom within two weeks. The messenger bore back the promise to London that in two weeks the liberty-loving citizen would embark, and in March, 1795, he took his departure for "the land of the free and the home of the brave." He purchased a farm for his large family, where they lived several years.
His son William, born in the parish of Hollingbourne, county of Kent, January 25, 1783, came with his parents to this country when he was twelve years of age. He founded the house of Colgate & Com- pany, which is now the oldest and one of the largest concerns in this country manufacturing soaps and perfumes. He was for many years connected with the Oliver Street Baptist church, New York, and was afterward prominent in the organ- ization and building up of the Baptist Tab- ernacle, in Mulberry street. He inaugur- ated the movement which led to the organ- ization of the first Baptist society in New York, known as the Young Men's Bible Society, of New York, the object of which was to translate the Bible or assist in caus- ing it to be translated into other languages. In 1816, when the American Bible Society was formed, Mr. Colgate became a director, and up to the last hours of his life he de-
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voted his best thoughts and energies to the work of ministerial education, especially at Hamilton University. Its first appeal met from him a ready response. He secured collections from his own and other churches of the metropolis. His increasing contribu- tions led to increasing interest in his annual visits to Hamilton to share the responsi- bility of the board of administration. He was married in 1811, to Mary Gilbert, a lady of English descent. Miss Gilbert pos- sessed rare endowments of mind and heart and a superior education. They raised a large family, of whom Samuel and James B. have both been conspicuous in furthering the interests of the Baptist church and in promoting the cause of education.
Samuel Colgate, son of William and Mary (Gilbert) Colgate, was born on John street, New York city, March 22, 1822, en- joyed the best educational advantages af- forded by the private schools of the city, and succeeded to the business established by his father, which, through his efforts, has largely increased. Mr. Colgate began his religious work in the Oliver Street Baptist church, and was associated with his father in this and other religious work. He came to Orange in 1857 and the fol- lowing year purchased nine acres on Cen- ter, near Harrison street, and subse- quently twenty acres additional, it being a part of the Zenas Baldwin farm. He built there his first residence. Soon after he came to Orange Mr. Colgate, with a few others, began the organization of a Baptist society, and in connection there- with a Sunday-school, of which he was made superintendent, and as soon as the church was publicly recognized he was elected one of its deacons. He has held both positions uninterruptedly for a period
of nearly forty years. Mr. Colgate has been identified with various Baptist organiza- tions for more than fifty years. Most of this time he has been a member of the board of managers of the Baptist Missionary Union. He was for twenty-five years a member of the finance committee of the American Tract Society, and has been a member of the Baptist Home Mission So- ciety, of which he was three years president. He was one of the founders of the Society for the Suppression of Vice, and as presi- dent has been active in promoting its ob- jects. As a member of the New York Bap- tist Education Society of the State of New York, whose aim is to assist young men in preparing for the ministry, he has done much to promote its objects. Madison University-recently changed to Colgate University in recognition of the princely gift of his brother, James B .- has been the special object of his attention for many years past.
He has long been engaged in the collec- tion and classification of historical data from all parts of the world, both ancient and modern, bearing on the history of the Baptist denomination and the growth and development of the Baptist church. This collection, now numbering over 40,000 pamphlets, includes many rare and valuable works in the French, English and German languages; also annual reports and statis- tics from every state in the Union. These are conveniently arranged and indexed so that any information connected with the history of the Baptist church can be readily obtained. When completed, this will form the most valuable collection of historical data connected with the Baptist denomina- tion ever brought together. This collec- tion has involved a large amount of labor
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and money, but it has been entirely a work of love. All the books, papers and docu- ments connected with this work will be placed in the fire-proof building at Colgate University and will thus become accessible to all those who wish to examine the his- tory and work of Baptists, etc.
Mr. Colgate married Elizabeth A., daughter of Richard C. Morse, a descend- ant of Jedediah Morse, one of the original settlers of Dedham, Massachusetts, whose descendants for generations have exempli- fied the teachings of their Puritan ances- tors. Mrs. Colgate was well known to the people of Orange for her life-long labor of love in behalf of the poor and unfortu- nate.
JOHN GAREIS.
When, after years of long and active la- bor in some honorable field of business, a man puts aside all cares to spend his re- maining years in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil, it is certainly a well deserved reward of his former industry.
"How blest is he who crowns in shades like these
A youth of labor with an age of ease !"
wrote the poet, and the world everywhere recognizes the justice of a season of rest following an active period of business life. Mr. Gareis is now living retired at his pleas- ant home in Newark, and his history is one which shows the accomplishment of well directed labor.
A native of the fatherland, he was born in the ortschaft of Reichenbach, Ober Frank- en, in Bavaria, Germany, February 2, 1815, and is a son of John and Margaret (Stumpf) Gareis. There were four children in the family, the other three being daughters. In
the land of his nativity he acquired his early education, and in accordance with the cus- tom of the country he was confirmed at the age of fourteen. During his minority he remained at home and assisted his father in the various de- partments of farm work. When twenty- four years of age he decided to come to America, hoping that he might find better opportunities of making a home and for- tune for himself.
Accordingly he bade adieu to friends and native land and took passage on the sailing vessel Caroline, which weighed anchor on the 18th of June, 1840, and reached the harbor of New York on the 2d of Septem- ber following. In the eastern metropolis he followed various occupations for a time and was there married, September 17, 1844, to Miss Dorothea Weitman, a daughter of Lorenz and Kundigund Weitman, both of whom were of German ancestry. Remov- ing to Newark Mr. Gareis located in Plane street, where he remained for a year and a half, when he took up his residence on the corner of West and Mercer streets. There he engaged in merchandizing until 1855, when he removed to Springfield avenue, where he successfully carried on business until 1876. In 1854 he purchased three acres of ground on Springfield avenue, made many improvements on his property and has been an important factor in the de- velopment and substantial advancement of that neighborhood. His judicious invest- ments in real estate and his well directed efforts along commercial lines have brought to him a success which numbers him among the prosperous residents of the community.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gareis were born ten children. Dorothea became the wife of John Schreiber and died in 1879, leaving
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five children, namely : Dorothea, Annie, George, Frank and Mary. Barbara is the wife of Peter Keller, and they have five children : John, Katie, Peter, George and Jacob. Catharine is married and has five children: John, May, Frank, Joseph and Rosie. Sebastian married Barbara Steck- ert and their children are Antonius, Lillie, Joseph, Barbara and Clara. Mary is the widow of Joseph Duetsch, who was born July 12, 1859, and died May 18, 1896, leav- ing four children : Joseph, Edward, Charles and Dorothea. George was married in 1897 to Katie Hanson. John wedded Mary Miller and has two children,-Matilda and Dora. Michael died at the age of eleven years. The next member of the family died in infancy, and George died at the age of nine months. The mother of these chil- dren was called to her final rest November 2, 1878, at the age of fifty-four years. She was a lady of many excellencies of charac- ter, belonging to the Catholic church, and was widely known for her hospitality and kindness. Mr. Gareis also belongs to the same church. Coming to this country without capital, he has steadily worked his way upward to a position of affluence and has won the proud American title of a "self-made man."
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