USA > New Jersey > Biographical, genealogical and descriptive history of the first congressional district of New Jersey, Volume I > Part 64
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A native of New Jersey, he was born in Cape May, October 5, 1865, and is a son of H. L. Gilmour, whose birth occurred in Londonderry, Ireland, and who came to the United States in the year of the Doctor's birth. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Captain Howard, was a sea captain and broke the chain by which the French tried to blockade the port of Lon- donderry in the war between England and France in 1740. The paternal grandfather also participated in the same war and fired the first gun at the French whereby hostilities were inaugurated.
The Doctor's father came to the United States with Captain Lake, with no intention of taking up his abode here, but began work at the printer's trade and located in Cape May, where he carried on a successful business for some time. During the civil war he joined the First New Jersey Cav- alry and was in the service for four and a half years, a most loyal defender of his adopted country. Captured by the enemy he was incarcerated in Libby prison for three months, after which he was exchanged and served in the hospital as steward; subsequently he received a commission in the medical corps and held the rank of Major at the time of the surrender of the · Confederate army. Returning to the north, he became a student in the Philadelphia Dental College, where he was graduated with the class of 1867. He then opened an office in Philadelphia, and also one in Cape May, and has since been successfully engaged in practice. He is especially in- terested in musical services in camp-meetings and has been a composer of much sacred music. He holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and takes an active part in its work and has been a trustee and steward in the congregation in which his membership is placed. He has also served as a class-leader and superintendent of the Sunday-school. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and is an exemplary representative of that benevolent order.
Dr. Gilmour, Sr., was united in marriage to Miss Letitia Howard, and their union has been blest with three children: L. H., the subject of this review; L. D. H., a resident of Newark, New Jersey, and Mary P.
H. L. Gilmour, Jr., was reared under the paternal roof and supple- mented his preliminary education by a course in the South Jersey Institute. where he was graduated in 1884. Determined to devote his life to the practice of dental surgery, he matriculated in the Philadelphia Dental Col- lege, and after completing a thorough course he was graduated, in 1889.
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He then joined his father in practice, and they have a most pleasant suite of rooms at No. 1520 Chestnut street, Philadelphia. Their office is most thoroughly equipped with all modern appliances, and the efficiency of and skill of both the senior and junior dentist has secured to them a very liberal patronage.
On the 4th of June, 1890, Dr. H. L. Gilmour, Jr., was married to Miss Lena M. Cunningham, a daughter of Thomas Cunningham, who was a very prominent citizen of Delaware and served as a member of the state legisla- ture. They had two children, but both are now deceased. The Doctor and his wife share the hospitality of the best homes of Wenonah and their circle of friends and acquaintances is very extensive. In his professional life he has already gained enviable distinction, and the future undoubtedly holds in store for him a successful career.
THE EVENING NEWS, BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY.
The Bridgeton Evening News, one of the most pronounced journalistic successes of the state, with the "largest circulation of any daily or weekly paper in New Jersey south of Camden," has an interesting history. Its first number was February 1, 1879, with ominous shakings of heads and discouraging words showered upon its venturesome proprietors, J. Ward Richardson, J. H. C. Applegate and Paul J. Davis; but determination, a clear comprehension of the rapid progress in store for Bridgeton, the pa- tience and knowledge requisite to educate the popular mind to an apprecia- tion of a live local daily paper, and fifty-one dollars in cash constituted the capital. The original financing of the enterprise is thus amusingly told in the recent souvenir edition of the paper :
"When the appointed time came for each member of the new firm to hand out twenty dollars, as previously agreed upon, one of the trio (courtesy compels that no names be mentioned here), was in dire straits. Despite his most vigorous searching among his old clothes in odd corners, he was forced to declare his inability to raise more than seventeen dollars. This brought a change of base. The remaining two each hastily grabbed three dollars from the stupendous pile in front of them and the three hopefuls contributed just seventeen dollars each as their magnificent capital for launching the sheet upon a heartless and unfeeling world !"
The initial numbers consisted of a five column folio, eighteen and one- half by twenty-four inches, remotely prophetic of its subsequent expan- sion; and yet, nine-tenths of its advertising space for the year had been
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sold, a two-column advertisement had declined to put room for reading space, one advertiser had been requested to reduce his card, and the venture had five hundred pay subscribers.
At the outset John Walker, a negro, was the "steam power"; a suc- cessful manufacturer now on North Laurel street was the office man; Rich- ardson managed the business end: Applegate hustled for the news; and Davis looked after the type-setting and printing. The first location was on East Commerce street, where the law office of A. R. Fithian is now lo- cated. A change was subsequently made to the corner of Commerce and Cohansey streets, and later the plant was removed to No. 3 Laurel street, where the firm, now beginning to prosper, bought the property. Here the Evening News with its companion paper the Dollar Weekly grew and pros- pered and played no unimportant part in making the history of Bridgeton.
On March 24, 1886, adjoining properties, Nos. 70, 72 and 74 East Com- merce street, were purchased, and soon afterward the business office was removed to 72 Commerce street. A few months later, the firm needing room, a brief addition was erected in the rear of 74 Commerce street and the plant removed, occupying the entire property. The second floor of No. 72 has recently been added and is used as a job-printing department, and a doorway cut through connecting with the main offices, making it one of the most complete and best equipped printing offices in the state.
Among the first advertisers of the paper were S. E. McGear & Brothers, P. H. Goldsmith, Reeves & Fithian, W. Robbins, John McPherson, George H. Whipple, W. G. Fisher (Philadelphia), Mrs. H. A. Mead, N. Elmer & Brother, A. H. Gregory, and W. H. Woodruff, many of whom are still in business in Bridgeton.
Mr. Davis having early sold out his interest to the remaining partners, Messrs. Applegate & Richardson continued the proprietors until January I, 1889, when David C. Applegate succeeded his father as a member of the firm. Two years later, he having withdrawn, J. W. Richardson has since then been the sole proprietor. The plant and paper are owned by Mr. Rich- ardson,-the most valuable newspaper property in southern New Jersey and its location one of the most valuable in the city.
The Evening News, with its companion publication the Dollar Weekly, though started practically without capital, paid expenses from the start. The leading features have been a circulation based upon live local city and county news gleaned from every possible quarter, and printed even to the exclusion of advertising matter; its strict attention being to the small details of home life. This latter feature gave rise to the "Personal Department," at first se- verely criticised, but now universally followed by all leading metropolitan
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journals. The Evening News is carefully edited, is a clean sheet with Bill- ingsgate journalism unknown to its columns, which, stanchly Republican, it is so fair to all parties that Democrats, Prohibitionists and Populists are its regular readers. With a circulation ranging from 3,600 to 4,800 at high water mark the News is known from one end of the state to the other and is accorded by the "American Newspaper Directory" the largest circulation in Cumberland county.
JOSEPH R. BECKETT.
One of the leading farmers of Logan township, Gloucester county, is Joseph Richards Beckett, who owns and cultivates about eighty acres of land, which has been in his possession since 1883. He has one of the well culti- vated farms of the locality, on which are found all the improvements and accessories seen on the property of the most advanced agriculturists of the period. His fields are well tilled and in the autumn golden harvests reward his labors. The buildings are commodious and substantial and everything about the place indicates the thrift and enterprise of the owner.
Mr. Beckett is a native of Bridgeport, New Jersey, his birth having oc- curred on the 12th of March, 1850. His grandfather, William Beckett, mar- ried a Miss Iszard, and his maternal grandfather was Joseph Richards, whose wife was Miss Pederick in her maidenhood. Both families were of English lineage. Josiah B. Beckett, the father of our subject, was born near Barns- boro, New Jersey, and after arriving at the years of maturity married Miss Mary Richards, a native of Bridgeport, and they had five children, namely : William Henry, who died at the age of forty-seven years; Sarah Ann, who died at the age of fourteen years; Mary Elizabeth, deceased wife of William J. Peterson, of Penn Grove; Joseph R .; and Frank, who died at the age of four years. After the death of his first wife, the father of these children married Sybilla Daniels Horner, by whom he had eight children, namely: Samuel, who died at the age of two years; one who died in infancy; George, who has been an employe in the United States pension bureau for twelve years; Sarah, who is married and resides upon a farm near Woodbury, New Jersey; Isabella, who died at the age of ten years; Annie L., a resident of Woodbury; Josiah B .; and Charles, who died at the age of two years.
Mr. Beckett, whose name introduces this sketch, was educated in the public schools of Logan township, Bridgeport, and Swedesboro, and in a pri- vate school conducted by Professor Russell, of Penn Grove. He further pre- pared for the practical duties of life by a commercial course in Eastman's Business College, in which he was graduated in the class of 1873. He then
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engaged in farming, which has since engaged his attention, together with marketing and a commission business. His father was the owner of one hundred and sixty-five acres of land, eighty-two acres of which was pur- chased by William Henry Beckett, some time before the father's death, and the remainder of the property was purchased by Joseph R. Beckett, in 1883. a year after his father's death. Since that time he has carried on agricultural pursuits with a marked degree of success.
In 1885 occurred the marriage of Mr. Beckett and Miss Susannah Just- ice, a daughter of William P. Justice, of Bridgeport, and four children have been born to them,-William Justice, Mary Richards, Altha Elizabeth and Emma Justice.
Mr. Beckett votes with the Democratic party and is deeply interested in everything tending to secure its success. He was for three years a member of the township committee and is now a member of the school board of Logan township, in which capacity he has served for several years. Socially he is connected with Swedesboro Grange, the American Order of United Workmen, of Bridgeport, and is a past grand of Bridgeport Lodge, I. O. O. F. He and his family hold membership in the Center Square Methodist Episcopal church, and among its members have many friends. Their well spent lives indicate their belief and they are regarded as representative citi- zens of the community.
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