USA > New Jersey > Cyclopedia of New Jersey Biography > Part 41
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The Newark family of Jackson is of English Puritan stock which settled in the North of Ireland about 1641. The name appears among the Anglo-Norman and Eng- lish families of the time of Henry II, and is found in the South of Ireland as early as II00. Those coming from Ireland to Amer- ica are included under the title of Scotch- Irish, a name of American origin designat- ing the Protestant emigrants from Ireland, mostly Presbyterians, who were driven to this country by the stringent laws repress- ing manufactures in Ireland, enacted after the accession of William and Mary. In Ireland the family was first in Londonder- ry, in which county, near Giant's Cause- way, there is a place called Jackson Hall; and a little later in Armagh. In the old cathedral there are still memorials of the family and their armorial bearings. The Jacksons of Forkhill, County Armagh, had for their motto: "Malo mori quam foe- dari," meaning "Better to die than to be a traitor."
James Jackson, the first of the family in America, came from Forkhill, Coun- ty Armagh, early in the eighteenth cen- tury, accompanied probably by his wife
and his brother, William Jackson. Family tradition says that he paid seventy guineas passage money. After a sojourn in New York or vicinity, during which the name of William Jackson appears in the records of the First Presbyterian Church, they remov- ed to Orange county, New York. The rec- ords of the town of Goshen show that in 1721 they united with twenty-two others in a grant of property to the town for a church, school house, minister's house and ceme- tery. James Jackson appears to have sign- ed, at New Marlboro, Ulster county, New York, the revolutionary pledge agreeing to abide by the acts of the Continental Con- gress, in 1777. There is still in the family a Bible printed at Edinburgh with the in- scription, "I, James Jackson, Senior, do give this Bible to my grandson Peter Jack- son as his real property, the 27th day of September, 1779." He had six children, and one of his grandsons was the Rev. Abel Jackson, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Bloomfield, New Jersey.
James Jackson, eldest son of James Jack- son, the immigrant, was born in 1718, and died in 1795. He was one of the early set- tlers of New Windsor, Orange county, New York, Jackson avenue there being named in his honor. He owned vessels (sloops) en- gaged in Hudson river transportation, and was given the courtesy title of Commodore. Edgar's "History of Orange County" says, "The Jacksons are captains of their own sloops." He married three times.
Peter Jackson, youngest son of James and Maria (Roome) Jackson, she being his sec- ond wife, was born at Pompton Plains, New Jersey, at the home of his grandfather, Peter Roome, December 13, 1777, and died in Newark, February 25, 1859. He lived with his parents at New Windsor, New York, until the death of his mother, when he was taken to Pompton Plains, and there educated by his aunts, Hester (Roome) Ac- ton and Deborah (Roome) Spear, who had no children of their own. For a time he was employed in the store of General Wil-
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liam Colfax (who had been captain of Washington's Life Guard, and later opened a store for himself at a place in Pompton Plains, still known as Jackson's Corner. Shortly after his marriage he removed to Acquackanonck, now Passaic, where he built a store adjoining his own wharf, and following the same line of business as his father and half-brothers, he despatched his vessels to Albany, New York, Virginia, Georgia, and the West Indies, supplying the country around as far as Newburgh and Philadelphia, with lumber, southern pro- ducts and general merchandise. He was appointed postmaster of Acquackanonck by President Madison in 1812, holding the of- fice until 1838. In 1839 he removed with his wife and youngest daughter and son to Newark, where some of his children were already settled, and there continued his bus- iness until his sudden death on the train between Newark and Jersey City.
Peter Jackson married, May 16, 1802, Hester Van der Linde Brinckerhoff, who celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of her birth in Newark, January 30, 1882, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Hubbell; she retained her faculties until her death, March 20, 1883. She was a daughter of Adrain W. and Adriana (Van der Linde) Brinckerhoff ; a granddaughter of Dominie Benjamin Van der Linde, who was the first minister of the Dutch Reformed Church to he ordained in America ; and also a grand- daughter of Colonel John and Elizabeth (Schuyler) Brinckerhoff, the former, who was of Fishkill, was a friend of Washing- ton and his home, built in 1738, was one of "Washington's Headquarters," the latter a great-granddaughter of Philip Pieterse Schuyler, the first Dutch governor of Al- bany. Children : James, for years engaged in business with his father, married Mary Stagg ; John P., lawyer, editor, business man and statesman, married Elizabeth Hunting- ton Wolcott, of distinguished ancestry ; Maria, died in infancy; Maria, married Henry E. Van Winkle, a prominent lawyer
of New York City; Eliza Van der Linde, married Amzi Armstrong, a well known lawyer of Newark ; Julia Ann, married Al- gernon S. Hubbell, a prominent Newark lawyer; Jane, married Rev. Samuel W. Fisher, D. D., a Presbyterian minister, who became president of Hamilton College, and was afterwards connected with the Presby- terian Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio; Wil- iam, whose name heads this sketch.
William Jackson, son of Peter and Hes- ter Van der Linde (Brinckerhoff) Jackson, was born at Acquackanonck, now Passaic, in the large brick house recently occupied as a hotel on the River road, near the bridge leading to Hoboken via Carlstadt, Decem- ber 15, 1817, and died in Belleville, New Jersey, May 24, 1902. During his boyhood the Jackson property extended over the hill near the present City Hall, and on this prop- erty there was erected a private schoolhouse, in which a master, obtained by his father, taught his brothers and sisters and the chil- dren of such of the neighbors as he wished to have attend. His later schooling was re- ceived at Hackensack, at a prominent school for boys. His early business training was obtained as private secretary to his brother, John P. Jackson, while the latter was pres- ident of the Camden & Amboy Railroad Company, this being the earliest railroad in New Jersey. Later he engaged in the whole- sale lumber business, and retired from ac- tive business life in 1860. For a time he was connected with the New Jersey Rail- road and Transportation Company and he was a director of the Firemen's Insurance Company. He spent many years in Euro- pean travel, and for the purpose of educat- ing his children. He removed from Newark to Belleville in 1860, when he retired from business, and had his home there until his death.
William Jackson married (first) Octo- ber 24, 1849, Helen Wilbur, who died Jan- uary 2, 1857, a daughter of Rodney and Charlotte (Denman) Wilbur; he married (second) October 17, 1860, Elizabeth
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Brinckerhoff McNulty, of Norwich, Con- necticut, who died August 23, 1901, daugh- ter of Marvin and Mary Jeannette (Brinckerhoff) McNulty. Children by the first marriage: I. Mary Louise, died in in- fancy. 2. Helen Wilbur, who married Wil- liam Gifford, and died in Portland, Oregon, May 4, 1881. 3. William Brinckerhoff, who resides near Washington, D. C., married (first) Emilie S., and had : Helen Wilbur, who married Edward B. Harran, of Ches- hire, England, and William B., Jr., living with his father. He married (second) Alice Richardson, and has: John Brinckerhoff. Children by the second marriage: 4. Ed- ward Woolsey, born October 13, 1861 ; he was educated at Geneva and Heidelberg, and upon his return to America, lived in Belleville, New Jersey. He was elected to the New Jersey Assembly in 1890 and 1891 ; was one of the original members of the Essex County Park Commission in 1893 ; was elected surrogate of Essex County in 1894, serving till 1899; an original member of the Essex Troop; member of the Essex Club, of the New Jersey Historical Society, and other well known organizations. He married, October 15, 1902, Frances Lock- wood Casebolt, daughter of George T. and Mary F. (Lockwood) Casebolt. Their only child, Edward Woolsey, Jr., was born Feb- ruary 7, 1910, and lives in Newark. 5 Percy, born May 21, 1863; was edu- cated in Geneva and Heidelberg; was graduated from Yale University in the class - of 1885, and from Columbia Law School in the class of 1887. He resided with his parents in Belleville till their death, prac- ticing law in New York and New Jersey and taking an active part in local New Jer- sey politics, he was twice Democratic candi- date for the Assembly, and at one time Democratic Congressional candidate for his district. He was an early member of the Essex Troop, and is a member of the Uni- versity Club, and many other associations. He has been a resident of New York City since 1906. He married. November 4, 1910,
Alice Hooker Day, a daughter of John Cal- vin Day and Alice Beecher Hooker, of Hartford, Connecticut.
Although always taking an active interest in public matters, William Jackson never as- pired to office, and never held public office other than such as related to city or town. In his municipal activities he was a hard worker, and was always in the forefront of movements tending to the betterment of his neighborhood. He was one of the earliest of those actively interested in the Newark Public Library, and at various times was director in companies in Newark. At the time of his death he was a member of the finance committee of the board of directors of the Firemen's Insurance Company.
DOREMUS, Elias Osborn,
Financier, Public Official.
In the closing years of the seventeenth century there came from Holland to what is now Passaic, New Jersey, Cornelius Do- remus, who became a large land owner, and founded the prominent New Jersey family of which Elias Osborn Doremus, a late res- ident of East Orange, was representative in the seventh American generation. An In- dian deed of the Duck Purchase, dated May 16, 1703, describing a large tract of land lying along the Passaic river, has the name of Cornelius Doremus attached as a witness, the conveyance being made by twelve In- dians, probably of the Hackensack tribe of Lenni-Lenapes. The name of the wife of Cornelius Doremus is not known, but his children were : Johannes, Holland, Thomas, Cornelius, Hendrick, Joris.
Thomas Doremus, third son of Cornelius Doremus, was born at Acquackanonck (Passaic), New Jersey, and later became a resident of Wesel, same State, where he married Annekes Abrahmse Ackerman, a native of Hackensack, New Jersey, and they were the parents of six children: Cornel- ius, Goline, Abraham, Peter, Johannes, An- neke.
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Cornelius (2) Doremus, son of Thomas Doremus, was a resident of Doremustown, New Jersey, a man of influence in the com- munity. He married Antje Young, who bore him ten children, among whom were: Hendricus, Thomas, Peter, Maritji, Johan- nes, Jannetji, Susannah, Alitta.
Peter Doremus, son of Cornelius (2) Doremus, was born at Slotterdam, New Jer- sey, in 1744, and later resided near Beaver- town, same State, ranking among the repre- sentative citizens of that section. He mar- ried Polly Dey, and their children were: Jacob, Richard, Cornelius, Peter, and two daughters, one of whom became the wife of Henry Perry, and the other the wife of J. Speer.
Cornelius (3) Doremus, son of Peter Doremus, was born in the vicinity of Beav- ertown, New Jersey, in 1787. He lived a life of usefulness, and was an honored and esteemed citizen. He married Jane DeHart, who bore him five children: Peter Cornel- ius ; John Cornelius ; Sarah, became the wife of John R. Van Duyne, of Montville, New Jersey, and their only surviving child was Harrison Van Duyne, one of the leading citizens of Newark, New Jersey ; Mary, be- came the wife of Cornelius Cook, both now deceased ; Lydia, became the wife of Peter Van Houten, and after his death became the wife of Elias Littell, of Montclair, New Jersey, both now deceased.
Peter Cornelius Doremus, son of Cornel- ius (3) Doremus, was born April 9, 1807, died June 30, 1869. He was reared and ed- ucated in his native town, and in the year 1829 removed to Orange, New Jersey, and there spent the remainder of his days, re- spected by all with whom he was brought in contact, whether in business or social life. He married Julia A. Osborn, daughter of John H. Osborn, born in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in 1770, and his wife, Rhoda (Baldwin) Osborn, who was a daugh- ter of Zophar Baldwin, who served with the Essex County Militia in the Rev- olutionary War. Zophar Baldwin was
the son of David Baldwin, son of Benjamin Baldwin, son of Joseph Baldwin, son of John Baldwin, a signer of the Funda- mental Agreement. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Doremus: Mary Cook, who became the wife of Charles Clark; Julia A., who became the wife of David J. Rogers; Elias Osborn, of whom further.
Elias Osborn Doremus, son of Peter Cor- nelius Doremus, was born in Orange, New Jersey, January 17, 1831, died at his res- idence in East Orange, May 13, 1907. He was educated in the public schools of Orange, and after completing his studies began an apprenticeship with his father, who was one of the leading builders of his day. He succeeded to his father's business, having as his partner his brother-in-law, Al- fred Jones, and they continued building op- erations until 1874, under the name of Jones & Doremus, theirs being the largest building firm in all the Oranges. From 1874 until his death, Mr. Doremus was intimately con- nected with insurance and banking corpora- tions, and he was also largely interested in the development of that part of Orange now East Orange, and with the Baldwins platted an important addition of forty acres. In 1876 he was elected a director of the Amer- ican Insurance Company of Newark, in 1881 he became its vice-president, and in 1899 was elected president to succeed Fred- erick H. Harris, which office he held until his death, but in 1905 ill health compelled him to relinquish the greater portion of the active burden of executive manager. He was a director of the Orange National Bank for several years, but withdrew from that directorate several years prior to his death. He was for many years a member of the board of managers of the Orange Savings Bank, never relinquishing his managerial in- terest in that institution. He was also at different times a director of the Newark City National Bank, the National Newark Banking Company, and the United States Industrial Insurance Company. He was a member of the Newark Board of Trade,
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and a member of the original board of man- agers of Rosedale Cemetery, serving for many years as president of this board.
Able and efficient as a business man, Mr. Doremus gave to the public as legislator and freeholder considerable of his valuable time, city, county and State benefitting thereby. He was elected freeholder in 1868, and through successive re-elections held that of- fice for seventeen years, seven of them as president of the board. In 1872 he was the choice of the Republican party as represen- tative to the State legislature and in 1873 was re-elected, his district being the old sec- ond. In the legislature he tendered impor- tant service as chairman of the committee on ways and means, chairman of the com- mittee on education, and through member- ship of other important committees of the house. Two notable measures that he strongly championed became laws most val- uable in their results: The compulsory ed- ucation and the general railway laws.
executive ability was of a high order, his. personal character above reproach.
Mr. Doremus married, in 1855, Harriet. Peck, daughter of William Peck, and de- scendant of Joseph Peck, a signer of the Fundamental Agreement in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1639. Children : Emily, died at the age of eight years; Edwin Pat- erson, who after a brilliant and successful but brief business career, died May 24, 1895, aged twenty-seven years ; Frederick Halsey, a merchant and importer of New York City ; Fannie, became the wife of George F. Bas- sett, who died May 24, 1891.
CRANE, John Williams,
Jurist, Man of Affairs.
John Williams Crane, son of Moses Mil- ler and Phoebe Stiles Williams Crane, was born at the old homestead that had been the birthplace of the Crane family for four generations, on December 23rd, 1834, and passed away at the same place, now known as No. 556 Morris avenue, Elizabeth, New Jersey, on December 31st, 1913. He was a direct descendant of Stephen Crane, one of the original Elizabethtown Associates who settled at that place in 1664.
Through his Colonial and Revolutionary ancestors he was eligible to many societies, and held membership in the New England Society of Orange, Sons of the American Revolution (of which he was one of the managers) and the New Jersey Historical Society. He was a member of the Masonic He obtained his early education under Mr. Frederick W. Foote, at that time prin- cipal of the Old North End school, later attending Mr. James C. Nuttman's school in Elizabeth. He married, at Elizabeth, New Jersey, on December 21st, 1859, Anna Elizabeth, daughter of John and Nancy Lyon Wilson. The issue of this marriage was Moses Miller, born January 15th, 1864. and Henry Wilson, born May 7th, 1874. order for fifty-five years, receiving his Master Mason's degree in Union Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, in 1852. Later he was a charter member of Corinthian Lodge; he was a companion of Orange Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and a Sir Knight of Damascus Commandery, Knights Templar, of Newark. He was an active and consistent member of the Presbyterian church, afflliating with Brick Church, East The record of business successes that sur- vives him is one that speaks truthfully of able powers, upright endeavor and industry, a reputation gained through more than fifty years connection with extensive real estate and insurance operations. To an active and useful business career he added long and honorable public service, and during his ma- Orange. This brief record of the impor- tant activities of his life show Mr. Dore- mus to have been a man possessing the full confidence of his fellow-men. This was shown in his elevation to important public and private , trusts, and by the close com- munion he held with influential men throughout the active years of his life. His , ture years was constantly and closely iden-
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tified with the Democratic organization in his county, serving as a member of the county committee for thirty-eight years. His intimates knew him as a loyal and true gentleman, his business associates as a man of honor and responsibility, and Judge Crane, as he was universally known, from his judicial services in the Court of Com- mon Pleas, ever stood in a position of re- gard and respect; his death severed the many and closely knit ties that bound him to his community, but all his works were good, and so likewise must be his reward.
In November, 1862, he was appointed clerk in the office of the county surrogate, the incumbent of the office at that time be- ing Robert S. Green, subsequently Gover- nor of New Jersey. In the year that he accepted his position under Mr. Green, he was elected to membership in the Union County Board of Freeholders, filling his po- sition on that board for three terms. Upon retiring from the clerkship in the surro- gate's office, he entered the business to which he devoted his lifetime, forming a partnership in the real estate and insur- ance business with A. Denman Mulford, under the firm name of Mulford & Crane. ·Mr. Mulford changing his residence to a western state, Mr. Crane and former sheriff Frederick F. Glasby entered into a similar association, the latter partnership being dis- solved in 1879. From this date until his death, Mr. Crane was engaged independent- ly in operations in real estate and insurance, and rose to leadership in these lines, being a director and for a number of years vice-pres- ident of the National Fire and Marine In- surance Company of Elizabeth. His knowl- edge and ability were frequently called into service for expert testimony in relation to real estate matters. His business interests were extensive, his management showing administrative faculties of a high order, and he used his talents for the benefit of his clients with general satisfaction. He serv- ed many times on commissions whose duties
were the determination of property values, and in May, 1886, he was appointed by Jus- tice Van Syckle one of the commissioners of adjustment of the arrears of taxes and as- sessments of the city of Elizabeth. Mr. Crane's associates on this commission were ex-Governor George C. Ludlow and F. L. Heidritter. The work was successfully ac- complished and the result not only proved of great material benefit to the City but also gained high public endorsement.
Judge Crane was a member of the congre- gation of the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth, where his ancestors had worship- ped for the past two and a half centuries. He was a member of the Underwriters As- sociation of Elizabeth, a director in the New Jersey Agricultural Society from the time of its organization, and for about twenty years was a director of the old First Nation- al Bank of Elizabeth. He possessed a wide acquaintance in his county and northern New Jersey, was everywhere gladly receiv- ed and enjoyed the confidence and regard of all who knew him.
He was a lifelong Democrat and promi- nently identified with that party. In 1894 he was honored by an appointment by Gov- ernor George T. Werts to the position of Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for a five year term, occupying the bench with Judge Thomas F. McCormick and Judge Louis S. Heyer, but two years of his term had expired when associate judge- ships were abolished by legislative enact- ment ; his appointment by the Governor met with widespread approval that continued throughout his brief occupancy of the posi- tion. Mention has previously been made of the intimate connection of Judge Crane with Democratic councils in Union county. Broad in his views and generous in his politics, as in all things respecting the privileges and rights of his fellows, he nevertheless upheld his party with unchanging fealty, supporting his sincere faith in its principles at every turn. At an executive session of the Union
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County Democratic Committee resolutions of regret and condolence were adopted, which read as follows :-
Honorable J. Williams Crane, a member of this committee, died at his home in Union township, on the thirty-first day of December, Nineteen Hundred and Thirteen. Judge Crane, as he was familiarly called, was a veteran member of this committee, serving continuously from 1875 up to the time of his death, his services covering a period of thirty-eight years, and during thirty- three years of that period, from 1878 to 1912, he served the committee in the capacity of treas- urer.
During all these years he was faithful in his attendance at committee meetings, and discharged his duties both as member and officer in a man- ner which won for him the confidence and re- spect of his colleagues. He was indeed a familiar figure at its gatherings, as he was on every oc- casion which called the leaders of his party to- gether in conference and convention.
Desiring to record his services and the great loss which individually and collectively we have sustained, the members of the Union County Democratic Committee, in regular meeting as- sembled,
Resolved, That in the death of the Honorable J. Williams Crane, we suffer an irreparable loss, leaving a void in our ranks which no one else can fill. As a citizen, Democrat, official and jurist, his conduct was above reproach; in fact, it was ideal, and we extend to his family our heartfelt sympathy at his loss; and be it further
Resolved, That this modest tribute of our esteem be spread in full on the records of the organization and an engrossed copy thereof be prepared and presented to the family of our de- parted friend and colleague.
WRIGHT, Major Edward Henry,
Civil War Veteran, Ideal Citizen.
Among the men of exceptional devotion to duty in the city of Newark, New Jersey, of inflexible determination to do that which was right and just, despite criticism, the name of Edward Henry Wright took a fore- inost place. Intense patriotism was one of the fine qualities he inherited from a dis- tinguished ancestry, and when the occasion arose, he was among the first to give his services for his beloved country. There is
both propriety and satisfaction in giving a review of the life of a man who has really achieved, and when the achievement is of so varied a character and of so wide spread an influence, as is the case here, it almost be- comes a matter of necessity that the review should be written in order to serve as an ex- ample to future generations.
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