USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, V. 2 > Part 28
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(Seventh Generation.)-Elias Mulford Condit, fourth child of Ira Harrison and Phebe Farrand (Mulford) Condit, was born at the homestead of his father, on Eagle Rock avenue, in what is now West Orange, May 21, 1841. His education was received at public and private schools. With these limited advantages he has achieved suc- cess far beyond that of many who have re- ceived a collegiate education. Like most
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of his ancestors he was endowed with great powers of observation. Gifted with a re- tentive memory and other mental qualifica- tions, he acquired a fund of information that made up in a great measure the lack of a more thorough education. His strong, rugged constitution is due to his early life on the farm. His occupation as a surveyor which he subsequently chose was better suited to his tastes and inclinations. . He became city surveyor and this afforded him the opportunity for acquiring a knowledge of realty values that laid the foundation of his subsequent success. He increased the circle of his acquaintance and made many warm friends, not only in his native town but throughout the county. He was never known to sacrifice his friends to further his own interests.
In politics he is a Republican, and has been a zealous worker for his party. It was at the solicitation of his friends that he became a member of the board of chosen freeholders and for years its director, a posi- tion which is recognized as the most honor- able of any local office in the county. This proved of great political advantage to him and was the stepping stone to higher hon- ors. In 1885 he was nominated for the legislature by the Republicans of his dis- trict and elected by a handsome majority, and re-elected in 1886. He served on sev- eral important committees during both ses- sions of the legislature and without any violation of his own convictions he fully represented the interests of his constitu- ents and received their hearty congratu- lations for the effective services he rendered his party. Still higher honors awaited him, and three years later his friends deter- mined to place him in nomination for con- gress.
At the county convention, held Septem- ber 20, 1890, he became the unanimous choice of that body. The campaign was an exciting one and the tariff issue, under the Mckinley bill, was pushed vigorously by its advocates, and the working people were told that their salvation depended on the defeat of the Republican party. The Dem- ocratic candidate, Thomas Dunn English, was the strongest man of his party in Es- sex county. He made a strong canvass and, while Mr. Condit ran considerably ahead of the ticket, he was defeated by a small majority; his total vote was 21,468 and that of his opponent, 23,278. Even the defeat was an honor to Mr. Condit, for it showed the strong following he had, not only from his own party but hosts of his personal friends in the Democratic party testified their appreciation of his merits by giving him their hearty support. In 1892, Mr. Condit was chosen by his party as one of the delegates to represent his district at the national convention held at Minne- apolis.
Mr. Condit has been for many years ex- tensively engaged in real-estate operations, and while he is an honored descendant of one of the chief founders he is worthy to be classed among the leading builders of the Oranges. He has done much to improve and beautify his native town, in which he has always taken a laudable pride.
He is a worthy representative of the Ma- sonic fraternity, and acquired his first knowledge of its mysterious rites in Union Lodge, F. & A. M., of Orange. He is also a member of Orange Chapter, R. A. M. He is a member of various other societies in the city and county, to all of which he is a most liberal contributor.
Mr. Condit married, in 1870, Sarah
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Louise Beach, daughter of Charles Beach, a descendant of Zopher Beach, son of Thomas, who took the oath of fidelity at New Haven, in 1654. Zopher was in New- ark (1685) called the "well beloved broth- er" by Samuel and Sarah Lyon (1687). The children of Elias M. and Sarah Louise (Beach) Condit are: Charles Beach, Phebe A., Clara L., Wilberforce, Albert Kitchell, Hattie May and Elias Mulford, Tr.
SAMUEL CONDIT,
of the firm of Williams & Condit, carriage builders of East Orange, was born in Or- ange, New Jersey, on the 9th of July, 1832, and is a son of Ira H. and Phoebe F. (Mul- ford) Condit. He has been a resident of the Oranges during his entire life, receiv- ing his literary education in the public schools of his native city, and at an early age serving an apprenticeship in the car- riage-making trade. After completing his term of service he continued working at that vocation, in which he has now been engaged on his own responsibility for a period of forty years, making a most suc- cessful career, distinguished by faithful en- deavor, industry and signal ability.
Mr. Condit celebrated his marriage at Orange in May, 1860, being then united to Miss Mary E. Harrison, a daughter of Richard B. and Mary (Porter) Harrison. Mr. and Mrs. Condit became the parents of three children, namely: Ira H., born May 13, 1862; Mary Belle, born May 16, 1869; and Roland S., born February 9, 1879.
In his political faith Mr. Condit supports the platform of the Republican party, and · in his religious adherency he and his fam- ily attend the Presbyterian church, to which they are liberal contributors.
JOSEPH H. OSBORN,
who is engaged in the real-estate and insur- ance business in Hilton, was born in Union township, Union county, on the 19th of May, 1848, and is a son of William H. Os- born, who was a native of the same locality. The grandfather, Jonathan Osborn, re- moved from Long Island, and was the founder of this branch of the Osborn family in New Jersey. The father of our subject was a shoemaker by trade and followed that pursuit throughout the greater part of his life. He married Elmira Little, a native of New Jersey, and they became the parents of five children, four of whom reached years of maturity, namely; Joseph H .; J. Well- ington, who is living in Newark; Laura M. and Clarence W., who died at the age of forty years. The father of this family was at one time a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His death occurred in 1893, but his widow is still living.
During his boyhood Joseph H. Osborn was afflicted with an enlargement of the hip joint, and in consequence could attend school but little. However, he improved his time at home, and at the age of eighteen entered the public schools, where he pur- sued his studies for two years, after which he engaged in teaching for a year. He then turned his attention to the real-estate and insurance business, establishing an office in
Hilton, where he has since remained. He represents a number of the leading insur- ance companies of the country, but does business chiefly with the American. His genial manner, unfailing courtesy and nat- ural affability well fit him for his duties, while his honorable dealing commends him to the confidence and regard of all.
His fellow citizens, appreciating his worth
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and capability, have called upon him to fill various public positions. In 1879 he was elected township clerk and has been con- tinuously re-elected up to the present time. He was school director for about twenty years, is president of the board of educa- tion and is now secretary of the Hilton Li- brary Association. He does all in his power to promote the interests of education and mental culture, and is a man of scholarly tastes and habits. His political support is given the men and measures of the Democ- racy.
FREDERICK H. PRICE,
a wholesale and retail dealer in coal, is one of Newark's native citizens, and has at- tained a prominent place in her business circles. He was born December 28, 1854, and is a son of Jeremiah C. and Sarah Ann (Mooney) Price. The Price family is of Welsh origin and was founded in America by four brothers who came from the little rock-ribbed country of Wales to the New World and took up their residence in Eliza- bethtown, New Jersey, now Elizabeth. Two of the brothers married and reared their families there, and the other two went further west, finally locating in Chicago, where both married and reared families. Some of their de- scendants are among the representative men of Chicago, notably Cornelius and Ab- ner Price, who for a number of years were successful and extensive contractors and builders in that city.
Jeremiah C. Price, the father of our sub- ject, was born in Newark, New Jersey, and at an early age was left an orphan. His ed- ucational privileges were small, as he at- tended school only until eleven years of
age, at which time he entered upon an ap- prenticeship to learn the cabinet-maker's trade, under Mr. Crane, in Broad street, Newark. Subsequently he worked as a journeyman and then engaged in business on his own account, continuing his connec- tion with the industrial interests of Newark until 1860, when he removed with his fam- ily to Columbus, South Carolina, where he engaged in cabinet-making and the under- taking business. He was a skilled and ar- tistic workman in his line and among his patrons were many of the most prominent citizens of Columbus, including the Hon. Wade Hampton.
In 1865, owing to the depression in busi- ness in the south, caused by the civil war, Mr. Price returned with his family to Newark and engaged in cabinet-making and the furniture busi- ness in New York city. Prosperity at- tended his well directed efforts and he con- ducted his store in New York until he had acquired a handsome competence, when he retired to private life and spent the remain- ing days in the enjoyment of a pleasant rest in Newark. He passed away in Newark, New Jersey, in 1892. His faithful wife still survives him and now resides with her son Frank L. Mr. Price was a consistent Chris- tian, a just and conscientious man and an active worker in St. Paul's church in New- ark, wherein he long held membership. In politics he was an ardent Republican.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Price had nine children. Elizabeth, the eldest, became the wife of Henry Barry, and they have one daughter, Anna, now the wife of Leon Blan- chard, by whom she has one son, Linus. The second child, Linus M., the eldest brother of our subject, died in Asheville, North Carolina. He was for several years
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cashier in the United States treasury de- partment in Washington, D.C., havingbeen appointed to that position during President Lincoln's administration. He resigned that office in order to accept the position of cashier of the Merchants' National Bank of Newark, having organized the institu- tion, and continued to act as cashier for a number of years, when he was appointed special bank examiner by President Grant. In that capacity he served for some time and was then appointed receiver of the Pacific National Bank
of Boston, and continued at the head of its affairs until all the business was settled up, to the entire satisfaction of the creditors. So arduous were his duties in that capacity that his health was under- mined, and, advised by his physicians to seek a more genial climate, he went to Asheville, North Carolina, where his death occurred in 1895. James E., the third of the family, resides in Newark and is single. Catherine W. is the wife of John P. Gruet, of St. Louis, Missouri, and they have six children : Wallace, John, Ruth, Howard, Sarah and Ester. Anna died in infancy. Charles and Clara died in early childhood. Frederick is the next of the family. Frank L., the young- est, who is now employed by his brother Frederick, married Louisa Leach and has two children, namely, Helen and Marion.
Frederick High Price obtained his pre- liminary education in the public schools of Newark and later was a student in the New- ark Academy for four years. This train- ing was supplemented by a course of study under the private instruction of Professor Robert Gray, of Grace church, Newark, and when he laid aside his text-books he decided to fit himself for a business career by learning the jeweler's trade. He served
an apprenticeship of five and a half years with Durand & Company, of Newark, and worked as a journeyman for a short time, after which he associated himself with' Ho- mer H. Moore, under the firm name of Moore & Price, and engaged in the silver- ware business at No. 886 Broad street, Newark. After a successful career of five years Mr. Price withdrew from the firm and began dealing in coal, doing a whole- sale and retail business. He is one of the enterprising business men of the city, and the success that he has achieved has re- sulted from his own well directed efforts.
On the 28th of May, 1882, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Price and Miss Nettie C. Blanchard, a daughter of Charles C. and Margaret (Smith) Blanchard. She was born in 1861, and by her marriage has one son, Charles Blanchard, who was born March 4, 1893. Mr. Price is a stanch Re- publican in his political associations, and he and his wife are attendants on the serv- ices of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church, of which Mrs. Price is a member. They occupy an enviable position in social circles, where true worth and intelligence are received as the passports into good so- ciety, and in the community they have a large circle of friends.
DANIEL A. DUGAN
was born in Orange, June 19, 1866, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Dunn) Dugan, both of whom were natives of New York city, and were of Irish parentage. He ob- tained his preliminary education in the pub- lic schools, and afterward spent two years as a student in Seton Academy, at Orange, completing his educational training in St. John's parochial school. In 1884 he de-
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cided to become master of a trade, and ac- cordingly entered the printing office of the Orange Monitor. He also learned stenog- raphy, and after becoming an adept in the "art preservative of all arts" he served as associate editor both on the Orange Moni- tor and the Orange Journal. Later he be- came correspondent at Orange for the New- ark Press, then owned by James C. Con- nelly. He also became the Orange corre- spondent for the Newark Journal, and was finally transferred to Newark, where he con- tinued until 1886, when he became the Or- ange correspondent for the New York World, and at the same time was manager of the Orange edition of the Newark Jour- nal.
On the Ist of September, 1888, Mr. Du- gan established the Orange Herald, which he conducted until 1893, when he sold to Thomas F. Lane. His next position was that of the assistant New Jersey editor on the New York World, and at the same time he became the legislative correspondent at Trenton for the same paper, filling both positions until 1894, when he was made the New Jersey editor of the New York World, which position he filled until January I, 1897. He then resigned to accept the posi- tion of Brooklyn and New Jersey editor of the New York Journal, serving in that ca- pacity until the Ist of May, 1897, when he once more resigned, in order to enter upon the duties of city clerk of Orange, to which position he had recently been appointed. He is still serving as political and legisla- tive correspondent of the New York Jour- nal.
His connection with the leading news- papers of America's metropolis well indi- cates his ability in that line. He is a force- ful, clear, entertaining writer, and New Jer-
sey's interests are well represented by his facile pen.
In 1896 Mr. Dugan was elected an en- sign of the First Division of the Battalion of the East New Jersey Naval Reserve. He is a member in good standing of the Knights of Columbus, and he and his wife are communicants of the St. John's church, Roman Catholic. Mr. Dugan was married June 20, 1889, to Miss Anna C. Davis, a daughter of Hon. Michael and Mary (Rooney) Davis, of Orange. Their children are: Anna Louise, born September 14, 1890; Daniel A., born June 20, 1892; Clar- issa, born November 7, 1894, and Dorothy, born February 6, 1897.
HUGH HOLMES.
The town of Belleville largely owes its early development and much of its later progress to this gentleman, who has been an important factor in the progress and advancement of Essex county. He was twice its representative in the general as- sembly, and after a long and useful life is now living retired in his pleasant home in his native town of Belleville, honored and respected by all. He was born September 8, 1820, at the home of his grandparents, his parents being Hugh and Ann Eliza (Dow) Holmes.
His maternal grandparents were Rev. John and Anna Dow, the former a Meth- odist minister, highly esteemed and beloved by the people of Belleville. He represent- ed his district in the state legislature of New Jersey during the latter part of the eigh- teenth century and died at the ripe old age of seventy-seven years. He had one son, William, who became sheriff of Essex coun- ty and married Catharine Van Zandford, by
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whom he had one son, John, who was for many years a worthy citizen of Belleville. Rev. John Dow also had a son John, who died a bachelor, and the other members of his family were: Sarah, wife of Nicholas N. Jerolaman; Phoebe, wife of Jeremiah T. Brower, who was for many years a school- teacher of Belleville; Jane, wife of William H. Rolston, a New York pilot, by whom she had three sons, one of whom died dur- ing boyhood, the others being John H., who became a cashier in one of the banks of New York city, and Rosswell, who is still living and is now the president of the Farmers' Loan & Trust Company, of New York city; Abby, the next daughter of Rev. John Dow, became the wife of Will- iam Lee, and they had two children, Charles W. and Mary Ann; the fifth daughter, Mary Dow, became the wife of William M. Sandford, a local Methodist preacher, who died in Belleville, at the advanced age of ninety-one years; Eliza was the next of the family; and Margaret became the wife of Rev. Isaac N. Felch, a prominent Meth- odist minister of the New Jersey confer- ence, by whom she had two sons and two daughters.
The paternal grandparents of our sub- ject were William and Abigail (Crane) Holmes, the latter a daughter of Israel Crane, who was one of the pioneers of Cranetown, now Bloomfield, Essex county. William Holmes was born October 4, 1766, and his father was a native of the Emerald Isle, whence he came to America with his two sisters. Locating in Belleville, William Holmes was for many years one of its suc- cessful merchants. He and the Rev. John Dow were the founders of the first Meth- odist Episcopal church in Belleville, and . this was the first organization of the de-
nomination in New Jersey. On the 19th of April. 1785, he married Abigail Crane, who was born October 30, 1768, and died Aug- ust 22, 1800. Their children were as fol- lows: Betsey, who was born March 23, 1786, and became the wife of Benjamin Mead; Sarah married Ralph Mead; Lydia, born July 10, 1796, wife of States Mead; Mathias, born March 23, 1788, and died June 26, 1796; Wilson, who was born Aug- ust 22, 1794, and lost his life by drowning, July 6, 1799; and Israel, who was born Sep- tember 22, 1798, and married and located in New York, where he became a minister of the Presbyterian church. He had one son, Mead, who became a Presbyterian minister, and resides in Rockford, Illinois, where he is very prominent in church cir- cles. He married and has two children,- a son who enlisted in the army during the rebellion and lost his life in battle, and Mary E., a talented and cultured woman, who is very active in Christian work.
The father of our subject, Hugh Holmes, was born in Belleville, February 14. 1790, and married Eliza Dow, who was born November 15, 1789. They became the par- ents of ten children : Angelina, born March 9, 1810, married Cyrus Pearson; Sarah Henrietta, born May 11, 1812, became the wife of John S. Kingsland and had two sons,-Hugh Adolphus and Stephen De Forrest; Orilla Clarissa, born May 16, 1814, married Charles A. Lent and has two children, James W. and Susan; William Wilson, born November 6. 1816, married Elizabeth Van Riper, who had three sons,- Edmund, John and William Dow: the last named has been postmaster of Belleville for the last thirteen years; Anna Eliza, born September 7, 1818, became the wife of James G. Hinkle and had three children,-
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James, Frank and Sarah; Hugh is the sub- ject of this sketch; Lydia, born May 31, 1822, became the wife of Nicholas Van Houten and had five children, of whom Frank, Sarah and Emma are still liv- ing; John Dow, born May 7, 1825, died in early life; Adolphus Morrel, born December 27, 1827, died at the age of nine years; and Abigail Emeline, born October 31, 1829, became the wife of John Rusby, of Franklin township, and is still living, having seven sons and two daughters living. All of these children were bap- tized, at Belleville, by their grandfather, Rev. John Dow.
Hugh Holmes, whose name introduces this review, acquired his education in the common schools, and when fourteen years of age continued his education in the night schools. He soon began to earn his own livelihood, and applied himself diligently to his work, following various occupations un- til 1839, when, having by his earnest labors acquired some capital, he became asso- ciated with his brother-in-law in the manu- facture of tobacco, at Belleville, under the firm name of Holmes & Kingsland, in which enterprise they met with good suc- cess. His next business venture was in the grocery trade, in connection with his brother-in-law, John Collard, under the firm name of Holmes & Collard, and on dis- posing of his interest in that line, he entered the coal business in East Newark, where he continued in business for five years.
His ambition next led him to explore the oil fields of Pennsylvania and he there organized a company for the development of oil wells, becoming its manager. In this he only met with partial success and finally abandoned the enterprise, but the
three wells which he opened afterward yielded an enormous output. On leaving Pennsylvania he went to the lumber regions of Michigan, where he built extensive mills for the manufacture of lumber and met with good success, but later he sold out and lost the result of his labors, owing to the dis- honesty of the purchaser. Mr. Holmes has at various times been interested in real es- tate in Belleville, and though he has met with some reverses his career has alto- gether been a prosperous one, owing to his energy, perseverance and well directed ef- forts. He was the principal factor in the upbuilding and development of Belleville at an early day and laid the foundation for its present prosperity and progress. He took an active interest in all matters pertaining to the general welfare and lent his support and co-operation to all measures for the public good.
In his political views Mr. Holmes has al- ways been a Jeffersonian Democrat, and in 1854 he was nominated by his party for the general assembly, being elected by a ma- jority of three hundred, while at the pre- ceding election the opposition had a ma- jority of four hundred. At the end of his first term he was re-elected by an increased majority, a fact which indicated his fidelity to the interests of his constituents. During his second term he came within one vote of being elected speaker of the house. When his name was called for he voted for his opponent. Mr. Holmes was largely instru- mental in securing the passage of a number of important bills which affected the inter- ests of Essex county. He was the leading spirit and prime mover of the bill which made Belleville a city, and his name is as- sociated with other important legislation.
It is a recognized fact that Mr. Holmes
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figured as the most prominent factor in many of the enterprises and undertakings which have conserved the development and material prosperity of Belleville, and his zealous efforts have not fallen short of ap- preciation on the part of his fellow citi- zens. There is no doubt that his chief ac- complishment in the way of advancing the interests of Belleville was in connection with the very important work of widening and deepening the channel of the Passaic river at this point, involving the elimination of the bar which had for so many years been a menace to navigation. Mr. Holmes in- augurated the movement for this essential improvement and labored earnestly and un- tiringly until success crowned his efforts. Through the effective aid of Hon. George A. Halsey, then a member of congress, an appropriation was secured from the govern- ment, in the amount of twenty-five thou- sand dollars, and this was subsequently in- creased to eighty thousand. This appro- priation was expended carefully and ju- diciously in the completion of the pre- scribed work, and the result will prove a perpetual benefit to navigation and to the various towns along the Passaic river. An article recently published speaks as fol- lows in regard to this great improvement :
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