USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey, V. 2 > Part 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
Mr. Turrell married Miss Elise J. Mig- eon, daughter of Henri Migeon, a native of France and an intimate personal friend of the Marquis de Lafayette, from whom he had letters of introduction to Mr. Howe, who was mayor of New York city at the time of Mr. Migeon's arrival in America. These letters of introduction were couched in the most flattering terms, and, together with other correspondence with Lafayette, are deposited with the Connecticut His- torical Society, at Hartford. Mr. Migeon established a successful business in New York city and subsequently purchased and occupied the old homestead of Governor Wolcott, at Litchfield, Connecticut. Of the
415
ESSEX COUNTY.
children of Mr. and Mrs. Turrell only two are living,-William H., and Elise, who is the wife of Harvey I. Underhill, formerly agent of the Guion Line of steamers. Louise, the wife of Dr. E. T. Weed, died in 1894.
GEORGE LEWIS MITCHELL,
second son of Lewis and Mary Ann (Peck) Mitchell, was born at the homestead on Main street, in East Orange, August 9, 1831. He had no aspirations beyond the simple farm life which his father and grand- father led before him, but he resolved to make the best of his opportunities, and when he was sent to the village school he did his best to acquire a thorough knowl- edge of the elementary branches. As a child he was obedient, earnest, industrious and faithful; as a man, he was honest, up- right, straightforward and truthful. He was honest with himself, honest with his neighbors and honest in all his dealings with the world. It has been truly said "An hon- est man's the noblest work of God," and in this he had the patent of true nobility, and it has often been said of him, truthfully, that "his word was as good as his bond." No man ever tried harder to live up to the golden rule, and if he could not speak well of a man he would say nothing at all.
He began his business career at an age when most boys are wholly dependent on others. He was but eighteen years of age when he became associated with his brother in the dairy business, and for thirty-eight years, until death severed the ties, they were one and inseparable. What one did the other did. Their love was like that of Jon- athan and David, and all their interests were identical. George L. was pleasing in his
manners, and his patrons loved him for himself, as well as for his fair and honest dealings. As a Christian, he fulfilled liter- ally the injunction, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in heaven." He was one of the little faithful band who founded the First Con- gregational church of East Orange, and who kept the flame burning brightly, hold- ing up the hands of the pastor amid dis- couragements and trials. He was one of the financial pillars of the society, and one of the largest contributors to the building fund. He was deacon of the church in 1871, 1874, 1882 and 1885, and, with one exception, served longer on the prudential committee-the most important commit- tee in the church-than any other man. His love for his fellowmen was unbounded, without distinction of race or color, and his heart was ever touched by the sufferings of others.
He could not be induced to run for office, yet he was a member of the Republican Club of East Orange, and always worked for the success of his party. He was a member of the Ambrosia Inaugural Club, and with it attended the inauguration of President Harrison. He was a member of the reception committee which received the members of the Society of the Army of the Potomac when the annual meeting was held in Orange. He was associated with his brother in opening streets and avenues in East Orange, and in the various im- provements which have made this locality a suburban paradise. He had a special fondness for arboriculture, and the beauti- ful shade trees that adorn the streets were, to a large extent, planted by him. His own home, though simple in its architec-
416
ESSEX COUNTY.
· tural features, is one of the most beautiful and attractive in the township. There were two places he loved above all others. Those were his home and his church. His death occurred on Easter Sunday, March 29, 1891.
He married Joanna Wyckoff Collins, youngest daughter of Isaac Collins, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, and Jane Wyckoff, of Flatlands, Long Island. John Collins, the father of Isaac, came to this country from Ballyshannon, Donegal county, Ire- land, in 1774, and settled in Bloomfield. During the war of the Revolution he served with the Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers. At the storming of Stony Point by "Mad Anthony" Wayne, on the night of July 16, 1779, he formed one of the "forlorn hope," and was among the first to mount the para- pet, receiving an ugly gash on the cheek from the bayonet thrust of a British soldier. He fought his way into the fort, shouting with the brave Americans the countersign of the day, "The fort's our own!" He served the full term of his enlistment and was honorably discharged at Trenton, New Jersey, January 1, 1781, his discharge, signed by Brigadier-General Anthony Wayne, being still in possession of the fam- ily.
HENRY KAZENMAYER,
the present city auditor of Orange, is a na- tive of Germany, having been born in Con- stanz, Baden, on the 25th of September, 1832, a son of Conrad and Barbara (Thoma) Kazenmayer, both of whom also were born in Constanz. The primary edu- cation of our subject was received in the public schools, and was supplemented by a course of study in the lyceum, a prepara-
tory school of Constanz; and it was his intention to enter the university, but owing to the emigration of his father to America his plans were changed and he accom- panied his parents to the New World. He subsequently located in Orange, and here established a private school which he taught in both German and English, and conducted the same until 1863, when he was appointed to the position of principal in a private school by the German and English School Association of Orange, and served as such until 1876.
Mr. Kazenmayer next engaged in the general insurance business, representing several of the leading companies and meet- ing with a high order of success in this undertaking. He has also been identi- fied more or less with the local and political affairs of Orange, and cast his first presi- dential vote for Fremont, in 1856, but in 1872 he allied himself with the Democratic party and may be classed as a Democrat of the true Jeffersonian type. He always takes an active interest in such enterprises as have for their object the advancement and welfare of the community, and in 1877 he was appointed by the city council to the office of city auditor, re-appointed at the close of his term in 1884, and has since con- tinued to serve in the same capacity until the present time. He is associated with the singing societies of Orange and vicinity, and was the leader of the Orange Maenner- chor from 1864 to 1885.
In 1880 Mr. Kazenmayer paid a visit to his native land, and on the 5th of August, in the same year, was there united in mar- riage to Miss Bertha Kramer, who was born February 23, 1834, a daughter of Andrew and Waldberger Kramer. They have no issue, but in 1881, Mr. Kazenmayer adopt-
417
ESSEX COUNTY.
ed Barbara Steiger, who was born on the 13th of December, 1874.
Conrad Kazenmayer, the father of Henry, was born in Constanz, Baden, in 1802, and was a son of Fidel and Chris- centia (Rolle) Kazenmayer. He was edu- cated at the college in his native city, later attending the Freiburg University, and in 1832 he was elected city clerk of Constanz, holding that office until 1849. In the movements of that and the preceding year he took a very active part on the side of the revolutionists and was chosen civil com- missioner. When the revolutionary army was defeated it retreated to Switzerland by way of Constanz, and, it having been ru- mored that the people of Reichenau, an island in the Boden-see, intended to cut off the retreat, Kazenmayer was sent with a small force of sharpshooters in boats to ascertain the truth or falsity of the report. Upon landing, Mr. Kazenmayer moved forward alone and unarmed, leaving his men in the boats, and had an interview with the burgomaster of the place, who re- ceived him cordially and assured him that the rumor was entirely false. In the mean- time some anti-revolutionists gathered and threatened to lynch Mr. Kazenmayer, and soon afterward a couple of gens d'armes appeared and pointing two pistols at his head compelled him to surrender. He was marched off to the camp of the enemy and General Schaeffer, of the Hessian forces, ordered him to be imprisoned, and intimated that short work would be made of him. For a long time it was undecided whether he would be tried by court martial or by a civil court, but finally the circum- stance of his having landed on the island alone and unarmed saved him from the former and certain death. He was handed
over to the civil authorities and after an in- vestigation lasting over thirteen months, during which time he was refused bail and confined in prison, he was sentenced to ten years in the state penitentiary. This sentence, on appeal, was commuted to six years, and after serving eleven months he was pardoned, through the intervention of the then prince of Baden, now the grand duke, who was inoved to this act of clemency by the piteous supplication of the patriot's wife, the latter appearing before the prince and on her bended knees pleading for her hus- band's release. This was granted on the condition that Mr. Kazenmayer would for- ever leave his native land; so in 1851, ac- companied by his son Henry, he emigrated to the United States, landing at New York on the 4th of September. The rest of his family followed him two years later, and until 1855 they remained in New York city, whence they came to Orange, where Mr. Kazenmayer resided until his death, which occurred on the 17th of July, 1868. He was honored and respected by all who knew him for his uprightness and integrity of character, for his outspoken opinions, his honesty and his steadfast adherence to prin- ciple. His faithful and devoted wife was born in 1802 and survived him until May, 1879, when she, too, passed away. They were both devout and consistent members of the Catholic church.
Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Kazenmayer be- came the parents of the following children : Albert, who came to America in 1850 and located in Newark, where he married Miss Mary Lang; an adopted daughter of Jacob von Dannaker, and died in 1890; Henry, the subject of this mention; Louisa, who became the wife of Anton Schlachter, of
ii-27
418
ESSEX COUNTY.
Orange, and they had the following chil- dren: Jessie, Alfred, Louisa, Bertha, Max, William, Edward and Adolph; Udo mar- ried Agnes Buttner, and three children were born to them, namely, Ida, Hedwig and Oscar; Otto was married twice, his first wife being Mary Volk, by whom he had these children: Albert, who is mar- ried; Louisa, now Mrs. John Voss, of Orange; Otto, who married Mary Leber; Jessie, now Mrs. William Zipf, of Newark; and Clara, now Mrs. Henry Wolff, of Orange. The mother of these children died April 14, 1876, and in August, 1878, Mr. Kazenmayer was united to Miss Brigitte Kratt, and they have one child, named Henry C.
OTTO KAZENMAYER.
A son of Conrad Kazenmayer, the sub- ject of this review was born in the city of Constance, Germany, February 14, 1840, and acquired his early education in the pub- lic schools of that place. At the age of thir- teen he came to America, in company with his mother, his sister Louisa and his broth- er Udo, to join their father, who had crossed the Atlantic some years previous. They landed at New York on the 4th of September, 1853, just two years after Con- rad Kazenmayer and one of his sons first set foot on American soil. In 1855 the fam- ily removed to Orange and in 1857 our sub- ject entered the employ of Mr. Proessel, a tobacco merchant, of Newark, with whom he remained until 1859, when he went to New Orleans and became employed in the wholesale tobacco business with the firm of Myer Brothers, remaining in their service until the outbreak of the Rebellion.
Upon the urgent solicitation of his father
and brother Henry, Mr. Kazenmayer then returned to the north, but it was with considerable difficulty that he made the journey, for hostilities had already begun. When he reached Orange he became asso- ciated with his brother-in-law, Anton Schlachter, in the manufacture of soap, and in that undertaking met with good suc- cess. In 1868 he severed his connection with his brother-in-law, and has since been engaged in the restaurant and hotel busi- ness in Orange, this enterprise proving a profitable one. His genial manner and cor- dial disposition, combined with his honora- ble business methods, have secured to him a liberal patronage, and his trade is now large and satisfactory. Mr. Kazenmayer was married May 24, 1865, to Miss Mary Volk, a daughter of Leonard and Barbara, neé Kemmerlein, Volk. To them have been born the following children: Albert F., who is married and resides in Newark; Mary, wife of John Voss, of Orange; Otto, who wedded Mary Leber; Jessie, wife of William Zipf, of Newark; Clara, wife of Henry Wolf; Josephine, who died at the age of one year. The mother of this family was called to her final rest April 17, 1876, and Mr. Kazenmayer was married October 16, 1878, to Brigitta Kratt, by whom he has one son, Henry Joseph. Mr. Kazenmayer is a worthy and substantial citizen of Orange, and his well spent life has brought to him a comfortable competence and the esteem of many friends.
JOSEPH E. BEACH,
a contractor and builder of Caldwell, be- longs to one of the families that formed a part of the New Haven colony in the early period of American history, when this
419
ESSEX COUNTY.
country was first being brought under the influences of civilization.
John and Thomas Beach, natives of Der- byshire, England, crossed the Atlantic in 1643, and the former, known as "Pilgrim John," took up his residence in the New Haven colony, whence he removed to Stratford, Connecticut, in 1660. He owned property there and continued his connection with that town until 1670, when he went to Wallingford, that state, where his death occurred in 1680. He was a very prominent and influential citizen of Wall- ingford and aided in building the first church there. His youngest son, Benjamin Beach, was born in Stratford, March 3, 1673, and was the owner of land in that town. In 1717, accompanied by his wife, Mary, and eight children, he removed to Newark, New Jersey, and for more than two hundred and fifty years his descendants have borne their part in the development and improvement of the county. His son, Noah Beach, was born November 15, 1700, and at his death, which occurred July 20, 1780, his remains were interred in the Han- over cemetery. He was married in the Hanover church, and to him and his wife, Hannah Beach, were born four children, viz .: Stephen, who was born in 1732 and died in 1791; Nathaniel; Enoch, who was born in 1737 and died March 7, 1814; and Peter, who was born in 1740 and died Janu- ary 10, 1777.
Of this family Nathaniel Beach, who was born in 1734, married Sarah Peck, the wed- ding being celebrated January 30, 1755. Her parents, Timothy and Phoebe Peck, became residents of Morristown, New Jersey. Mrs. Beach and three of her chil- dren-James, Nathaniel and Timothy- were received into the Hanover church,
May 17, 1761, and her death occurred May 30, 18II. She became the mother of seven children : James, born May 17, 1761; Na- thaniel (Ist); Timothy; Mary, born June 12, 1768; Jared, born November 4, 1770; Lydia, born May 30, 1773; and Nathaniel (2d), born February II, 1776.
Timothy Beach, the third son of Na- thaniel and Sarah (Peck) Beach, was mar- ried November 10, 1802, to Abigail De- Camp, and had six children,-David, Jared, Aaron, Timothy, Deborah and James Har- vey. Of this family, Jared was born June 29, 1804, and was married November 14, 1833, to Elizabeth Canfield, who was born May 12, 1813. His death occurred Sep- tember 2, 1886, and his wife passed away November 20, 1889. This worthy couple were highly esteemed people, whose ster- ling worth commended them to the confi- dence and good will of all. The father was the first carpenter of Caldwell, and many of the homes of that village and Bloomfield stand as monuments to his handiwork. His family numbered the following children : Judson Irving, born March 16, 1837, died June 6, 1844; Dr. Augustus R., born Au- gust 28, 1834, was the homeopathic physi- cian in this part of the county, where he died; Mathias Owen, an attorney, was born March 20, 1839, and died March 5, 1888; Erastus Watson, born January 21, 1842, married Elvina Kirk, June 24, 1877; Cyrus Canfield, born April 4, 1844, is still living on the old homestead, where he is conduct- ing an extensive dairy; Jane Eliza, born December 5, 1847; Joseph Edgar, born No- vember 29, 1849; Phoebe E., who was born September 25, 1852, and died November 25, 1853; and Flora Ella, who was born September 28, 1854.
Dr. A. R. Beach's children were: Emma
420
ESSEX COUNTY.
Eliza, who was born May 15, 1857, and is the wife of John Reed; Rausin E., who was born January 16, 1859, and married Edith Kirk; Charles Eliphalet, who was born No- vember 22, 1861, and married Emma Thompson; James E., born February 24, 1864, married Lucy McClure November I, 1893, and is a Baptist minister, of Hanover; Carrie Ellen, who was born March IO, 1868, attended school in Kearny and died in 1898; and Mary Augusta, who was born October 13, 1869, is the wife of Charles Smith, of Smithville, Tennessee.
Joseph E. Beach, whose name forms the caption of this article, was born November 29, 1849, and in early life learned the car- penter's trade, which he has followed as a life work. He is now engaged in contract- ing and building in Caldwell, owning and conducting a shop in partnership with John Whitton. They do a general business in their line and enjoy a fair trade.
Mr. Beach was married to Mary E. Baldwin, a daughter of William and Mary A. (Crain) Baldwin. She died October 2, 1895, leaving one daughter, Grace, who was born February 2, 1885.
ANTHONY Q. KEASBEY.
For nearly half a century Anthony Q. Keasbey was actively engaged in the prac- tice of law in the courts of New Jersey, and for a great part of that time was one of the leading members of the bar of the state. He was admitted as an attorney in the October term, 1846, and was constantly engaged in the work of his chosen profession until his death, on April 4, 1895.
Mr. Keasbey was born in Salem, on the Ist of March, 1824. His family had been residents of Salem county from the time of
its settlement by Fenwick's colony in the seventeenth century. Edward Keasbey came to America from England in 1664, settled in Salem and married there in 1701. His son Edward was born in 1705 and mar- ried, in 1725, Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Bradway, Jr., who was a son of Edward Bradway, one of the justices of the first su- preme court of West New Jersey, which met in March, 1685. Their son, Edward, born in 1726, married Prudence, daughter of Edward Quinton. This Edward Keas- bey was a member of the general assembly and of the provincial congress by which the state constitution was adopted in 1776. In 1778 he was appointed a member of the council of safety and served as such throughout the Revolutionary war. An- thony Keasbey, his son, was clerk of the county of Salem, a member of the state legislature and a judge of the court of com- mon pleas. His son, Edward Q. Keasbey, born in 1793, studied medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Philip Physick, of Philadelphia, and practiced in Salem until his death, in 1847. He was a judge of the court of common pleas and was nominated by the Whig party as one of the presidential electors on the Henry Clay ticket. He mar- ried Mary Parry Aertsen, of Philadelphia.
The eldest son by this marriage was An- thony Q. Keasbey, whose name introduces this review. A part of his boyhood was spent on a farm and a part in the town. He pursued his education in the Salem Acad- emy, where he studied eagerly and read with great interest all the books that came within his reach. His teacher, a graduate of Yale, inspired him with a desire for a col- lege education, and he was the first youth of his time to go from Salem to college. He entered the sophomore class of Yale Col-
Meti coop fibr.Si mary Hilstown ... J.
OKeasley
421
ESSEX COUNTY.
lege at the age of sixteen, and a warm friendship sprang up between him and . Theodore Runyon, who was then a member of the junior class. They were among those who founded the Scroll and Key Society in 1842, and were present together as the orators and honored guests on the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the so- ciety, in 1892.
On leaving college, in 1843, Mr. Keasbey began the study of law in Salem, under the guidance of Fran- cis L. MacCulloch, a son of George P. MacCulloch, of Morristown, and after- ward went to Newark, where he completed his studies under the direction of Cortlandt Parker, who had at that time already acquired a good practice there. Mr. Keas- bey received his license as an attorney at the October term of 1846, and returned to Sa- lem, where he opened an office. He attend- ed the circuit in Cumberland and Cape May as well as in Salem, and acquired a good reputation as an advocate.
On the 18th of October, 1848, Mr. Keas- bey married Elizabeth, second daughter of the Hon. Jacob W. Miller, of Morristown, then a member of the United States senate from New Jersey. By this marriage there were three children, born in Salem. His wife died in 1852, and after spending tlie succeeding winter in Europe, Mr. Keasbey returned to Newark and took up the prac- tice of law, there forming a partnership with Mr. Parker. They were the first to avail themselves of the act of 1852, authorizing attorneys to use a partnership name, and the title of Parker & Keasbey was adopted and used by them until 1876, when the part- nership was dissolved, and each formed a new partnership with his sons.
Mr. Keasbey married again on Septem-
ber 30,' 1854, choosing for his second wife Edwina Louisa, the eldest daughter of Sen- ator Miller. He bought a house and sev- eral acres of land on Clinton avenue, and lived in this house and afterward in a new one on the same land until a few months be- fore his death. His wife died August 18, 1888. Six children by this marriage sur- vive.
Mr. Keasbey devoted himself with great energy to the practice of his profession, and soon acquired a good practice in Essex county, and was still engaged in some im- portant cases in Cape May, including the insurance cases relating to the burning of the Mount Vernon Hotel, and it was in Cape May that he first invoked the jurisdic- tion of the United States court, in which he was afterward so much at home. It was during the year 1859, when the state was without a chancellor, and Mr. Keasbey went and found Judge Dickerson in a fish- ing boat on the coast of Long Island and returned to Cape May with an injunction.
During the first year of the civil war Mr. Keasbey was appointed, by President Lin- coln, attorney of the United States for the district of New Jersey and found himself at once engaged in many difficult and re- sponsible duties with reference to persons suspected of giving aid and comfort to the enemy in his own state and town, also with reference to the enlistment of soldiers for the war. He prosecuted a man who at- tempted to abduct a youthful volunteer from Massachusetts, and received a letter of commendation from Governor Andrew. The enforcement of the revenue law gave rise to important legal questions, and the business of the United States district court was greatly increased. Mr. Keasbey took an active and efficient part in the suppres-
422
ESSEX COUNTY.
sion of great frauds upon the revenue, and was associated in this with the officers of the government in Washington, and with district attorneys of other states. He was reappointed district attorney by Presidents Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, Hayes and Ar- thur, and served in this office for twenty-five years, a longer service than any United States attorney in the country. One of the most important cases with which he was connected in his official capacity was the discovery of the conspiracy to defraud the government of a legacy of one million dol- lars and the prosecution of the conspirators. This legacy was left by Joseph L. Lewis, an eccentric miser in Hoboken, to be applied to the payment of the national debt. The pretended widow and her associates were convicted and the government received more than a million dollars.
During all his term as United States at- torney, Mr. Keasbey was also engaged in a large general practice, and in many business affairs. He was counsel for the Mutual Life Insurance Company in New Jersey from 1868 until 1876, and examined applications for loans and the titles to lands in Essex, Union, Middlesex and Monmouth counties. He showed great ability as a trial lawyer and was distinguished for his skillin the conduct of a cause before a jury and especially in the cross-examination of witnesses. He had a remarkable faculty for clearness of state- ment, and with gentleness of manner he had the power of vigorous denunciation and even of passionate invective against fraud and wrong. For many years he was con- spicuous in the trial of causes in the Essex circuit court, but was afterward engaged more especially in the United States courts, in civil as well as criminal cases, and in argu- ments in the court of chancery and in the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.