USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, V. 2 > Part 54
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and treasurer from the time of their organization. He is also connected with the many branch organizations estab- lished in the leading cities of each sec- tion of the Union. He is one of the United States trustees of the Union Assurance So- ciety of London, England, and a member of the directorate of the Victoria Fire In- surance Company of New York. He holds a commanding position in the industrial world, and his record is one that lies open to the closest scrutiny, setting calumny or detraction at defiance by its very patent evi- dences of integrity and honor.
Mr. Minott has been a resident of Orange since the year 1858, and his effective efforts and influence in the beautifying and im- proving of this attractive section of Essex county will ever remain an integral part of its history. He was one of the pioneers in the movement, inaugurated in the early '50s, for developing this section as a sub- urban or residence locality, and in 1858 he took up his abode on Arlington avenue, East Orange. In 1880 he erected one of the largest and finest houses to be found in this section of beautiful homes, and this stately building not only served to enhance the value of surrounding property, but by its symmetry and artistic design lent an added attractiveness to East Orange. Mr. Minott disposed of this fine property in 1886, after which he resided in New York city for several years. The quiet charms of the Oranges, however, eventually en- ticed him back to the locality, and in 1892 he removed to Montrose, South Orange, purchased a lot on Scotland road, between Montrose and Irvington avenues, and in 1895 erected on this most eligible site a most beautiful and spacious dwelling of modern and effective architectural design
and one in which are in evidence all those comforts, luxuries and refining elements which go to make up the ideal home life.
Mr. Minott has had realty and financial interests in the various sections of the Oranges, but his principal concern and in- vestment have touched East Orange more particularly. He was one of the prime mov- ers in securing an effective water-supply system, so essential to the public welfare, and assisted in the organization of the Orange Water Company, of which he was made treasurer. He was one of those most prominently concerned in the organization of the Munn Avenue, or First Presbyterian church, of East Orange, and one of the ear- liest members of this now important and numerous religious body. His social re- lationships are shown in his membership in the New England Society, the Essex County Country Club, the Riding & Driv- ing Club and other local organizations of kindred order.
Mr. Minott married Mary Kilburn Man- deville, daughter of Abram and Lydia (Kil- burn) Mandeville, the former of whom was a son of Giles, son of Hendrick Mandeville, one of the original and most prominent set- tlers of Pompton Plains, New Jersey. Hen- drick Mandeville was the son of Giles Jan- sen Mandeville, who accompanied Gov- ernor Stuyvesant to the New World in 1647. He became the owner of a large tract of land in what is now the center of the city of New York, his dwelling being located near the present site of Abingdon Square.
Of the children of Joseph A. and Mary Kilburn (Mandeville) Minott we make brief record, as follows: Joseph Otis; Frederick Shepard; Samuel Jones; Arthur Mandeville, who was united in marriage,
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on the 24th of June, 1896, to Florence Gli- san, daughter of the late Dr. Rodney Gli- san, of Portland, Oregon; William Albert, who was married April 6, 1896, to Miss Clara Brewer, daughter of William A. Brewer, of South Orange; Mary Mande- ville, and Howard.
AARON S. ROSS,
deceased, was born in Millburn township, this county, August 8, 1821, and died Feb- ruary 23, 1898. His father, Aaron Ross, was born in Morris county, New Jersey, where lived his father, Samuel Ross, for many years. The last mentioned married Jane Vreeland, who was of Holland extrac- tion, and they both reached advanced ages. Aaron Ross was reared and educated in Morris county and in early life served an apprenticeship at wagon-making, but never followed the business as a vocation. After his marriage he purchased land in Millburn township, Essex county, where he spent his remaining days, with the exception of two years passed in New York city. He was a prominent and influential citizen in this locality and was a recognized leader in pub- lic affairs. He voted with the Republican party and held the office of town-commit- teeman, while for seventeen years he served as assessor of his township. Aaron Ross married Hannah Drew, a daughter of John Drew, belonging to one of the oldest fami- lies in Millburn township. Their children were Mary, wife of Aaron B. Denman; Aaron S., our subject; George M., who married Amanda Denman; Jane, wife of George Force; Phoebe A. and Alice M., both deceased; John D., who was killed in the civil war; and Sarah, who also has passed to the invisible world. The father of these children served his country in the
war of 1812, and during his later life he received a pension from the government. He died April 30, 1872, and his wife's death occurred September 29, 1865.
Aaron S. Ross was educated in the com- mon schools of Millburn township and re- ceived unlimited training in the work and duties of the farm. This prepared him for his own business career, for after attaining man's estate he carried on farming and dairying successfully on his own responsi- bility. In 1874 he purchased a home which had been a part of the farm owned by his father, and here he passed the rest of his life. He was progressive and system- atic in his methods and had that practical judgment which enabled him to make the most of his opportunities and yet not ven- ture into the unsafe region of speculation. He was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics a Repub- lican.
His estimable wife, who had borne the maiden name of Vashti Littell, was a daughter of Jonathan Littell, one of the founders of Livingston township, Essex county. She was married to Mr. Ross, September 4, 1844, and had the following named children : William A., who married Parthenia Vreeland, was for twenty-five years a blacksmith in the Newark car shops and is now a resident of Millburn township; Sarah L. is the wife of Samuel B. Parsil, of Millburn township; Aaron, Jr., married Nellie Doremus and is living in Millburn; and Cornelia A. is the wife of Halsey Vree- land, also of Millburn. The children all re- side near the old homestead, and there are now eighteen grandchildren. Mrs. Ross is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in Livingston, in whose work she has taken a very active part.
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ERNEST A. GEOFFROY.
Among the progressive and enterprising citizens of Forest Hill, a prosperous and rapidly growing suburb of Newark, is num- bered Mr. Geoffroy, who is connected with several important enterprises there. He was born near Madison, Morris county, New Jersey, May 4, 1857, and is a son of Nicholas C. and Francoise (Duclos) Geof- froy. His paternal grandparents were Jean Baptiste and Cecile (Seguin) Geoffroy, both of whom were natives of the north of France. The grandfather was born in the town of Rocquigny, and made farming his life occupation. His father, Jean Nicholas Geoffroy, was also a native of that place and was an agriculturist throughout his life. The different generations of the Geoffroy family were people of learning and intelli- gence, and representatives of the name achieved prominence in various walks of life. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire Etienne, zo- ologist and physiologist, was born at Etampes, Seine-et-Oise, France, April 15, 1772, and distinguished himself by his brave rescue of Haüy from the Terrorists, in 1792. He became professor of zoology in the Museum d' Histoire Naturelle in 1793; was actively engaged in the Egyptian ex- ploration from 1798 to 1802; was chosen to the Legion of Honor in 1803, to the Insti- tute in 1807, and became professor of zo- ology in the Faculty of Sciences in 1809. In 1829 was begun his famous controversy with Cuvier regarding the unity of plan ly- ing at the basis of the philosophic or trans- cendental system of comparative anatomy, the soundness of which system Cuvier de- nied. Geoffroy, who was a synthesist, con- tended that though all animals are formed according to some plan, the same forms,
owing to a change in the conditions of life, have not been preserved; while Cuvier, who was an analytic observer, maintained the absolute invariability of species. The con- troversy attracted the attention of the whole civilized world, and the sympathy of the public was equally divided between the two opponents. Geoffroy wrote "Sur le Principe de l'Unité de Composition Or- ganique," in 1828; "Principe de Philosophie Zoologiques" in 1830; "Notions Syntheti- ques, Historiques et Physiologiques de Philsophie Naturelle," in 1838, and other scientific publications. He died in Paris, June 19, 1844.
Nicholas Geoffroy, the father of our sub- ject, was born December 8, 1818, acquired his education in France and learned the trade of an artificer in wood and willow- ware. At the age of twenty he determined to come to America, and in 1838 landed in New York, where he remained for some time, but finally removed to Madison, Mor- ris county, where he engaged in farming and milling. He was married in New York city, April 16, 1842, to Francoise Duclos, a daughter of Joseph and Marie (Grand) Duclos, both of whom were natives of the town of Grenoble, in the south of France. The maternal grandmother of our subject, Marie Grand Duclos, was a daughter of Charles and Marie (Girard) Grand, and the latter was a sister of the late Stephen Girard, the noted philanthropist of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both Charles and Marie (Girard) Grand, were born in the town of Corps in the department de l' Isere, in France.
Joseph Duclos, the maternal grandfather of our subject was a glove manufacturer, that being one of the important industries of his section of France. He lived to an
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Ernest A Geoffroy
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advanced age, but his wife died when their daughter Francoise was a small child. When sixteen years of age, the latter ac- cepted an invitation to come to America, and landed in New York in 1838. She was born May 9, 1821, and by her marriage to Nicholas C. Geoffroy she became the mother of six children, as follows: Sophia C., who was born June 5, 1843, and is the wife of E. G. Heller; Hortense J., who was born July 8, 1848, and is the wife of Mon- roe Doremus; Lucy L., who was born Feb- ruary I, 1853, and is the wife of Jefferson Doremus; Leon L., who was born June 12, 1855, and died July 13, 1859; Ernest A., of this review; and Amelie M., who was born February 10, 1860, and resides with her parents on the old homestead in Morris county, New Jersey.
Ernest A. Geoffroy acquired his educa- tion in the public schools of his native county and also under private instruction. At the age of eighteen he entered the em- ploy of Heller Brothers and remained in their service for a number of years, win- ning their confidence and regard by his in- dustry, fidelity to duty and business tact. In 1881, in connection with George E. and John J. Heller, he succeeded to the inter- ests of Peter J. Heller, who, on account of failing health, severed his business associ- ations with his brother, Elias G. Heller, since which time the firm name of Heller & Brothers has been used, the partners being Elias G., George E. and John J. Heller and Ernest A. Geoffroy. In 1883 the last named became manager of the Heller Steel Works, and in 1890 was chosen treas- urer of the Heller Tool Company. In ad- dition to these important positions, Mr. Geoffroy is the president of the E. A. Geof- froy Coal Company, of Forest Hill and
Newark, and was a charter member of the Woodside Building & Loan Association, of which he has served as treasurer from the time of its organization.
Mr. Geoffroy was married in Morris county, October 10, 1883, to Miss Eliza- beth C. Eagles, daughter of Alfred and Pheba (Sturges) Eagles. They have two children : Francoise Duclos, born January I, 1885; and Rhoda Sturges, born October 22, 1887.
It will not be uninteresting in this con- nection to note something of the family history of Mrs. Geoffroy. On the maternal side she is descended from the Sturges family, her grandparents being John and Elizabeth (Cory) Sturges, both of whom were of English lineage. The first of the name who came to America were three Sturges brothers, who crossed the Atlantic on one of the first trips made by the May- flower. One of these brothers settled in New York, another in Connecticut, and the third in New Jersey, and from the last men- tioned are descended the members of the Sturges family in this state. John Sturges, the grandfather of Mrs. Geoffroy, was a son of Daniel and Rhoda (Southard) Sturges. The former, born December 19, 1759, died March 3, 1828, while his wife passed away in 1787. They were residents of Morris county. Elizabeth Cory Sturges, the grandmother of Mrs. Geoffroy, was born July 28, 1792, and died March 28, 1869. Her parents were Luke and Anna (Carter) Cory. The former was a son of James and Martha (Carter) Cory, and for many gen- erations the Cory family has been represent- ed in Morris county. James Cory was born November 26, 1735, and died September 27, 1799, while his wife, Martha (Carter) Cory, was born March 25, 1739, and died
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November 5, 1794. They were married May 26, 1757. Their son Luke Cory was born August 26, 1766,and died October 25, 1794. He married Anna Carter who was born March 13, 1771, and was a daughter of Barnabas and Mary Carter. Her father was the first of his family to settle in Morris county. His birth occurred August 2, 1739, and his death September 2, 1822.
On the paternal side Mrs. Ernest A. Geoffroy is descended from a prominent old family of Essex county. The first of the name to come to America was Alex- ander Eagles, a native of Scotland, who lo- cated in Newark. He married, and reared a family, and among his children was Thomas Eagles, who was born in 1709, and died August 8, 1783. He was thrice married. His first wife, Rachel Eagles, was born in 1714, and died November 7, 1734. His second wife, Louise Eagles, died January I, ·1838, and his third wife, Jerusha Eagles, who was born in 1704, died February 28, 1760. Alexander Eagles, son of Thomas Eagles, married Sarah Crane, and among their children was Thomas Eagles, the grandfather of Mrs. Geoffroy. He was a worthy and prominent citizen of Newark, where for many years he followed the black- smith's trade. He was born March 7, 1780, and died March 14, 1835. He was married March 19, 1808, to Elizabeth Swartzel, who was born March II, 1790, and died March 14, 1832. Their children were Israel Crane, born May 4, 1809; William Crane, born April 5, 1811; Janet, born June 13, 1813; Alexander, born March 1, 1815; John Camp, who was born June 13, 1816, and died June 14, 1817; Alfred, born December 18, 1818; Rachel, born April 28, 1821; Het- tie, born September 26, 1825; and Thomas, born January 8, 1826.
Alfred Eagles, the father of Mrs. Geof- froy, was born in Newark, was educated in the public schools, and on reaching man's estate learned the trade of a coach-lamp maker. He subsequently began business on his own account and engaged in the manufacture of lamp goods and other spe- cialties. He became identified with the firm of Roberts, Eagles & Company, and under their wise and prudent management the business prospered and the firm met with gratifying success. Mr. Eagles started upon his business career empty-handed, but by his industry, energy and capable man- agement won a splendid competence. His death occurred April 10, 1878. He was twice married. On the 23d of May, 1842, he wedded Jane Elizabeth Smithson, who was born June 19, 1819, and died June 7, 1855. They had five children: Francis, born April 26, 1843; Alfred Smithson, born February 26, 1846; Charles Alexander, born January 19, 1848; Frederick Wyckoff, born January 4, 1851; and Louise Janet, born May 15, 1853. On the 17th of Sep- tember, 1856, was solemnized the marriage of Alfred Eagles and Pebha Sturges. They had but one child, Mrs. Geoffroy. The mother died October 22, 1880. Both par- ents were. Presbyterians in religious faith and were consistent Christian people.
The old Eagles homestead in Newark stood for many years on the site of the armory on Orange street, and for over a century the different generations of the family resided in that thoroughfare.
G. WASHINGTON SMITH.
The ancestors of our subject have been prominently identified with the public wel- fare of New Jersey from the time of the
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Revolutionary war, and, as one of the con- spicuous families of the state, the genealog- ical record is herewith presented.
James (2d), son of David and grandfa- ther of G. Washington, married Miss El- eanor Harrison, and was one of the minute men and was subsequently promoted to the position of ensign during the Revolution- ary war, in which he was an active partici- pant. Although minus a limb at the time, he could not resist the temptation to offer his services in behalf of his country's free- dom, and performed most efficient work on horseback. To him and his wife were born the following children: Hannah, who mar- ried Moses Condit; Eneas; Jonas, who married Penninah Ward, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Smith) Ward; and Lillaes, who became the wife of Jotham Quimby.
The children of Jonas by his first wife were : James E., who married Harriet Bald- win, and their issue was Penninah W., Eneas, and Josiah B .; Thomas L., who married Francis Lathrope for his first wife, and Harriet Bacon for his second, one child, Eleanor, being born to him; Eneas married Sarah Williams, and their children were James E., Henry, William P., and Thomas L. The second wife of Jonas was Eliza (Clark) Tucker, daughter of Charles Clark and widow of John Tucker. The children of this union were: John, born Oc- tober 19, 1810, died February 24, 1891. He married Jane J. Woodworth, and these chil- dren were born: Thomas L., Everein, Clarendon L., Elsworth C., Clara M., Clara Ann, Clarinda, and Carlton.
Penninah W. married John Miller, and they became the parents of one child, Jonas L. Charles C. married Julia Robinson, and they had five children: Juliette, Frederick
R., Fanny, Penninah, and Charles. Jonas was born December 18, 1813, and died January 13, 1815. Jonas, Jr., was born September II, 1815, and married Caroline Van Houten, their children being Wallace, William H., and Franklin. George W. was born September 26, 1817, and died in Sep- tember, 1819. Hannah M. was born No- vember 7, 1818, and died in September, 1819. Sarah Jane was born June 20, 1824, and married Joseph Cosaleir, their one child being Mary L. Marshall N. was born April IO, 1822, and married Jane Halstead, their issue being Marella, Theodora H., Mary E., and Ella L.
G. Washington Smith, the immediate subject of this review, was born on the 12th of March, 1820, and was reared upon the old homestead, engaging in farming during his early youth.
His father had a farm of about one hun- dred and fifty acres, with large orchards, through the products of which he derived his main income,-manufacturing and sell- ing cider, of which he made from three hun- dred to four hundred barrels a year. He also operated a still from 1814 until about 1826, when, on account of the temperance movement on the part of the public, he abandoned this enterprise. He was elected to the legislature in 1840 and 1842, and was known as a man of marked ability and sterling worth. He had carpenter tools, cooper tools, and sufficient blacksmith tools to shoe a horse. He made many of his farming implements, and had a turning lathe, with which he turned all his plugs and bungs for barrels. In this way his son, the immediate subject of this sketch, became accustomed to the use of tools, and could use hammer, saw, plane and drawing-knife; make a hoop and hoop a barrel. This con-
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stituted his apprenticeship in the mechan- politics he was a Whig and prominent in the affairs of his party, which he served most effectively.
ical line. At an early day he owned a large tract of land in Orange Valley, which has now been cut up into lots and made a part of the city.
In his political adherency G. Washington Smith was originally an old-line Whig, casting his initial presidential vote for Henry Clay, in 1844, and again giving sim- ilar support to this great statesman in the election of 1848. Upon the organization of the Republican party Mr. Smith trans- ferred his allegiance to the same, and has since served that party faithfully and ener- getically. In the year 1860 the town was incorporated, in three wards, and elected a mayor and a council of nine aldermen. Mr. Smith assisted in the organization of the town, and was elected the first assessor for the third ward, as well as commissioner of streets for the same ward. In 1870 he was elected justice of the peace, in which office he served five years. At the same time he engaged in the real-estate and insurance business, becoming agent for the Firemen's Insurance Company, of Newark, in which capacity he is still retained.
Mr. Smith was married in 1848 to Miss Margaret Munn, a daughter of William and Hannah (Van Boskerck) Munn, of Hobo- ken, New Jersey, and the children born to them were as follows: Junius W., who mar- ried Mary A. Doyle; William M., who mar- ried Margaret Tripp; Robert, who died in infancy; Cyrus L. married Harriet Condit; H. Margaret became the wife of Charles Van Nostrand, of Orange; Kate resides with her parents; and James L., who died in in- fancy.
Jonas Smith, the father of our subject, was a public-spirited citizen of his day, served in the "whiskey rebellion," and in
HENRY A. MANDEVILLE, M. D.
History as traced back through the dim vistas of the past invariably loses itself in obscurity or tradition. Few persons who have not investigated the facts in the case know that surnames, or family names, origi- nated in France about the year one thous- and. Surnames had their origin according to the state, importance or position of the individual. When the Normans, under Wil- liam the Conquerer, crossed the channel from France to England, in 1066, they took possession of England, body and soul, and it has had Norman owners and rulers ever since. The name of Mandeville in itself gives evidence of its origin, and it appears in the English records at a very early date, the Doomsday Book making due mention of the same, while there is no reason to doubt that the present French and English branches sprung from a common source.
The family has been conspicuously iden- tified with the annals of American history from the earliest colonial epoch, the origi- nal American ancestor having been Giles Jansen de Mandeville, who was born in France and who, according to duly authen- tic tradition, fled from Normandy to Hol- land, whence he emigrated to America in 1647, in company with Governor Stuyve- sant, taking up his abode on Manhattan Island, north of New Amsterdam, where he engaged in farming. His farm extended from what is now Fourteenth street, New York city, to Twenty-first street, and from the North river, then called Shappana- conck, to the Warren road. His dwelling
my
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was standing at as late a date as 1890. In the province of Guilderland, Holland, he married Elsje Hendricks, and of their seven children, the eldest, Hendrick, figures in the direct genealogical line tracing down to the immediate subject of this review.
Hendrick Mandeville was born in Guil- derland, Holland, about the year 1646, and accompanied his parents upon their emi- gration to the New World. After attain- ing maturity he resided at Flatbush, Long Island, and as early as 1701 he bought lands at Pompton Plains and Pacquenac (now Mountain View), New Jersey, residing in a stone dwelling in the latter place. He married Annetje Pieterse Scholl, of Hemp- stead, and after her death was united to Elizabeth Jansen Berry, of New Albany and New York. He became the father of six children, one of whom was Giles, the youngest. Giles Mandeville was born at Pompton Plains, January 25, 1708; about 1731 he married Leah Bruen or Brown, of Second River, and they became the parents of eight children, one of whom, Anthony, figures as the progenitor of the subject of this sketch.
Anthony Mandeville was born at Pomp- ton Plains, on the 7th of March, 1742, be- coming a man of wealth and prominence He was three times married,-first to Will- iampe Van Houten; second to Margaret Jones, and third to Charity Van Devort. One of his six children was Giles A., who was born at Pompton Plains, in May, 1777. He was a farmer and resided in the brick house in the central part of the plains. Sep- tember 20, 1798, he married Elizabeth Doremus, one of their ten children being Thomas, who was born on the old home- stead in Pompton Plains, February 13, 1803. He married Hester Secor, of New
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