Genealogical and personal memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey, Part 25

Author: Lee, Francis Bazley, 1869-1914
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 698

USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Genealogical and personal memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey > Part 25

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(V) George Bergen, third son and child of George (4) and - (Hoagland) Bergen, was born February 14, 1743. He followed the calling of milling at what is now Grover's Mills, where his death occurred September 14. 1785. He mar- ried Helena Hoagland, and they were the parents of: 1. Margaret, born 1765, married a cousin, George Bergen, and removed to the west. 2. John G., born 1767, married Elizabeth Conover. 3. George G., see forward. 4. Christopher, born 1771. 5. Peter, born 1774, died young. 6. Di- nah, born September 30. 1775. 7. Sarah. born July 16, 1778. 8. Mary, born May 5, 1780. 9. Ida, born November 22, 1781. 10. Peter G., born August 30, 1783 : married Sarah Mershon ; died December 1, 1856.

(VI) George G. Bergen, second son and third

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child of George (5) and Helena (Hoagland) Bergen, was born in West Windsor township, Mercer county, New Jersey, March 19, 1769. He was a farmer and owned and occupied a farm near Dutch Neck. He took an active interest in public affairs, and for a time served as clerk of the township. He was also captain of a company in the state militia about 1815. His death oc- curred in 1851. He married (first) Marcia Scudder, and they were the parents of : 1. Joseph, born 1793. 2. Lydia, born 1794. 3. Elijah V., born 1796, died in childhood. 4. Sarah, born 1798. 5. Elijah, born 1800. 6. Isabella, born 1804. 7. Helena, born 1806. 8. Mary, born 1808. 9. Richard, born 1809. He married (second) Elizabeth Scudder, who bore him: 1. Hannah, born December 24, 1810. 2. Elizabeth, born March 19, 1813. 3. William G., see forward. 4. Isaac H., born February 23, 1819, married Margaret Hoffman, sister of Britton Hoffman, the well known seedsman of Trenton, New Jer- sey. George G. Bergen married (third) Polly Conover, by whom he had no children.

(VII) William G. Bergen, third child and eld- est son of George G. (6) and Elizabeth (Scud- der) Bergen, was born in West Windsor town- ship, Mercer county, New Jersey, September 3, 1815. He was a farmer by occupation, and a man of prominence and influence in the community in which he resided. He served as assessor and tax collector of his district for several terms; was a member of the board of freeholders for two terms; and lay judge of the Mercer county court of common pleas. Politically he was a Democrat. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and his death occurred in West Windsor town- ship in 1900. He married, 1837, Susan Reid, daughter of Captain James and Elizabeth (Cor- bitt) Reid, and they had children : I. James Reid, see forward. 2. Spofford W., born Au- gust 19, 1839. He is engaged in farming in Mer- cer county, and at present resides in Trenton. He has served as sheriff of Mercer county, and as a member of the board of freeholders of Ewing township. He married (first) Sarah Moore; (second) Ellen Heston. 3. Stephen B., born De- cember 14, 1840. Was postmaster of Allentown, New Jersey, for eight years, and filled the office of constable for several years. He married, De- cember, 1863, Anna M. Pullen, daughter of Peter and Eliza Pullen, of Mercer county, and had children: Harvey R .; Elizabeth, born October 7, 1866; and Clarence W., born March 15, 1873.

4. Sarah R., born February 14, 1842. Married David D. Grover, a farmer at Cranbury Neck, who is now living in retirement. 5. Johnson R., born May 14, 1843. Held the office of deputy keeper of the state prison of New Jersey for a period of twenty-five years. Died in 1905. 6. Elizabeth S., born November 22, 1844. Married John Conover, a veterinary surgeon of Dutch Neck. 7. Charles H., born January 7, 1847, died in youth. 8. Mary S., born December 23, 1848, died young. 9. John Wesley, died in early youth. IO. Isaac H., born August 3, 1853, is a farmer near Plainsboro, New Jersey. He married Rachel Stults. II. Martha Isabella, born August 30, 1855: died 1876. 12. George T., born August 17, 1858; married Elizabeth Rogers; died when about twenty-one years of age. 13. Emma F., born November 2, 1860. Married Eli Rogers, a farmer of Dutch Neck, New Jersey.

(VIII) James Reid Bergen, eldest child of William G. (7) and Susan (Reid) Bergen, was born at Dutch Neck, Mercer county, New Jersey, February 27, 1838. His education was acquired in the public schools of his native town- ship. At an early age he commenced to assist his father in the cultivation of the home farm. At the age of sixteen years he went to Pennington, where he was apprenticed to his uncle, Isaac H. Bergen, to learn the trade of carriage building. He remained with him for a period of three years, then worked at his trade as follows: One year at Dutch Neck: two years at Princeton ; two years at Hopewell; then commenced busi- ness for himself at Edinboro, Mercer county, and continued it for one year ; one year at Ever- ett's Corners; then in 1864, returned to Pen- nington and entered into a business partnership with his uncle, Isaac H. Bergen, which con- tinuted for three years. At the expiration of this time he bought from his uncle all the interests of the business, and has conducted it alone very successfully up to the present (1907) time. In addition to the manufacture of carriages he has a number of other business interests: Presi- dent of the Mercer County Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company of Pennington; director in the Trenton Bone and Fertilizer Company; and was connected with the Princeton Mutual Fire In- surance Company for a period of five years. He is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party and has taken a prominent part in the public affairs of the county. He is the only Democrat who was ever president of the township com-

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mittee. He was the postmaster of Pennington from 1885 to 1889, and then re-appointed ; chair- man of the township committee of Hopewell township for three years; councilman of the bor- ough, since the borough was established sixteen years ago; clerk of the board of freeholders for five years ; has been a political delegate to every state convention since 1864, and was alternate to the Democratic national committee which nominated Parker. He married, February 8, 1864, Mary Embly, daughter of Robert and Susan (Jamieson) Embly. of Hightstown, Mer- cer county, New Jersey. They have no children.

James Reid, the maternal great-grandfather of James R. Bergen, born July 9, 1737, died October 19, 1813. He married, March 3, 1763, Susanna Scott, and their children were: Mary, born November 29, 1763, died April 8, 1783. James, horn July 30, 1765, see forward. Wil- liam, born March 18, 1766. John. born June 16, 1769, died August 25, 1784. Eleanor, born December 28, 1771. Hannah, born August 15, 1774, died January 21, 1810. Elizabeth, born October 28, 1776, died November 18, 1776. Mrs. Reid died November 13, 1776. Mr. Reid mar- ried (second), December 21, 1779, Elizabeth Applegate.

James Reid, Jr., grandfather of James R. Ber- gen, born July 30, 1765, married Elizabeth Cor- bitt, and their children were: Sarah S., born July 11, 1800, died August 23, 1836, unmarried. Susan, born June 4, 1816, aforementioned as the wife of William G. Bergen, and mother of James R. Bergen. James Reid died February 6, 1826, and his wife November 16, 1869, aged ninety- two years, eight months.

JACOB STULTS, for many years engaged in editorial and newspaper work in various states of the Union, but principally in the state of New Jersey, is a member of an old family of the state.

Peter Stults, great-grandfather of Jacob Stults, was the founder of the family in this country. He located in Cranbury, New Jersey, where he engaged in the tilling of the soil. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. He married Elizabeth Mynheer, who bore him a son John.

John Stults, grandfather of Jacob Stults, was born on the voyage from England to the United States. He was reared near Cranbury, New Jersey, and there resided throughout his life-

time. He married Elizabeth Higbee, and among their children was a son David.

David Stults, youngest child of John and Elizabeth (Higbee) Stults, and father of Jacob Stults, was born near Cranbury, New Jersey, January 19, 1800, died October 11, 1847, aged forty-seven years. He served an apprenticeship at the trade of tailor, and in 1824 moved to Hightstown, New Jersey, where he followed his trade, achieving a marked degree of success. He was a Presbyterian in religion and a Whig in politics. He married, November 24, 1824, Har- riet Hartman, born September 3, 1806, died January 3, 1892, daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Praa) Hartman, and they had children : I. Elizabeth, died in infancy. 2. Mary Elizabeth, a sketch of whom follows this. 3. William W., married Mary Dayton. 4. Jacob, see forward. 5. Catherine, married Richard A. Outcault. 6. John Henry, deceased. 7. Charles H., mar- ried Hannah Cornelius, and had children. 8. Hart Wilson, died in infancy. 9. Anna H., married Thomas L. Tibbs, had children. IO. Madison L., deceased. II. Helen M., de- ceased. 12. Harriet. deceased, married William W. Swett, left two sons, Forrest and Lyle. 13. David C., deceased. 14.

Helen A., un- inarried.

Jacob Stults, second son and fourth child of David and Harriet (Hartman) Stults, was born in Hightstown, Mercer county, New Jersey, April 20, 1830. He attended the public schools of the township until he attained the age of thir- teen years, and then accepted the position of clerk in the store of Titus Brothers, in Tren- ton, New Jersey. In association with James S. Yard, in June, 1849, he commenced the publica- tion of a paper in Hightstown called the "Vil- lage Record," and this was published under the editorship of Yard & Stults. At the end of five months Mr. Yard was obliged to abandon this undertaking because of ill health, and sold his interest in the business to Edward C. Taylor, and the publication was thus continued until 1852, when he also sold out. Two years later Mr. Stults returned to Hightstown, and in 1856 consolidated with the "Excelsior," which had been started in 1847. He sold a half interest of this to Thomas B. Applegate, in 1870, and two years later sold the balance of his interest in this enterprise. During his residence up to 1872, he served as clerk of the borough about ten years, and for two years was borough treas-

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urer. He removed to Long Branch and pur- chased the "Long Branch News" and conducted the same for a period of fifteen years; he then sold his interests to Mrs. Frank S. Chanfrau and went to Washington, District of Columbia, where he was engaged in business for about a vear. He then went to Columbia, Pennsylvania, and purchased a haif interest in a newspaper establishment. He sold out his interest in the plant and removed to Philadelphia, and at the solicitation of a syndicate of business men of that city he went to Nicaraugua to report upon the business situation of that country with re- gard to banking, gold mining, coffee growing and general investments. Upon his return he took charge of H. H. Yard's interest in the "Spring Lake Gazette." This he continued until 1894. when he returned to Long Branch and purchased the "Long Branch Times," which two years later was consolidated with the "Long Branch News," with which he had been before connected for a period of fifteen years. He sold his interests to his partners in 1897 and went to Hightstown, where he resided for one year, then going to Washington, District of Columbia, and remaining there until 1900. At that time he re- sponded to a call from Long Branch to take charge of the "Long Branch Press," which he managed until 1906, then resigned and returned to Hightstown, where he assumed the manage- ment of the "Gazette," serving as editor and publisher at the present time (1907). His en- terprise and energy seem practically inexhausti- ble, and his executive ability is of a markedly high order. He gives his political support to the Republican party, and is a member of the Meth- odist church. He is the only survivor of the charter members of Hightstown Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Stults married, May 20, 1858, Martha Jane, voungest daughter of the Rev. Robert E. and Martha (Swift) Morrison, and they have children : 1. Robert M., a noted composer and musician : among his compositions is "The Sweetest Story Ever Told." He married Julie Vanderveer. 2. Mary Ellen, died at the age of seven years. 3. Milton, died in infancy. 4. Jacob Albert, a graduate of the Baltimore Col- lege of Dental Surgery, died at the age of twen- tv-six years. 5. Henry Warren, joined the Third Cavalry Regiment, United States regu-

lar army, and served in the Philippine Islands for three years with bravery and honor; he is now with the Spreckels Sugar Refining Com- pany, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He mar- ried Margaret Bingham.

EDWARD CROWELL TAYLOR, deceased, was for many years prominently and closely identified with the political, literary, religious and social interests of Hightstown, Mercer county, New Jersey. Wilson Taylor, father of Edward Crowell Taylor, was the son of Joseph and Sarah (Crowell) Taylor. He married Susan Cunningham, daughter of David and Philadel- phia (Doty) Cunningham, of New York.

Edward Crowell Tavlor, son of Wilson and Susan (Cunninghanı) Taylor, was born in the city of New York, August 6, 1822, and died September 13, 1887. He was educated in the public schools, where he proved an apt and bright scholar, and was twelve years of age when his parents removed to Hightstown. There he obtained employment on a farm, and followed farming as an occupation until he was twenty- seven years of age. He then learned the print- ing business, and from this drifted into literary work. He bought the interest of James S. Yard in the publication of the "Village Record," he la- ter having been connected with Jacob Stults, brother-in-law of Mr. Taylor, then purchased the interest of his partner and published it alone for a period of three years, with a great amount of success. He then sold out and went to Toms River, where he purchased the "Ocean Signal," changed the name to "Ocean Emblem," and managed this very successfully for two years, when he returned to Hightstown and retired front active business labors. In addition to his newspaper work he was a potent factor in many other business enterprises, and his counsel was highly valued in financial circles. He was at one time president of the Central National Bank. He was an earnest worker in political affairs, and held membership in the town council. He was a member of the Universalist church, of which he was also a trustee, and superintendent of the Sunday school for many years. He was a charter member of Hightstown Lodge, No. 41, Free and Accepted Masons, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Taylor married, October 19, 1848, Mary Elizabeth Stults, a member of an old and hon-

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ored family of the state of New Jersey, whose ancestry is recorded in the sketch immediately preceding this.

DAVID ADDISON VAN DOREN, station agent for many years at Hightstown, Mercer county, New Jersey, and one of the represent- ative citizens of that town, is a descendant of the old Van Doren family.

Cornelius Wyckoff Van Doren, father of David Addison Van Doren, was the son of Jacob Van Doren. He married Merabeh Cox Norris, daughter of Reuben and Sarah (Cox) Norris, and they had children: Anna N., un- married ; John Davison, married Mary Pullen. has one child, Olive A .; David Addison, see forward.

David Addison Van Doren, second son and third and youngest child of Cornelius Wyckoff and Merabeh Cox (Norris) Van Doren, was born in Hightstown, Mercer county, New Jer- sey, January 26, 1861. He had the advantages of a good education, attending the Wells Home Seminary, and then the Presbyterian Institute at Vanrenssalaer. His first step in his business career was at the railroad station at Hightstown, in 1877, where he learned telegraphy under R. M. Early, and served as a general helper. His progress was so rapid, and he displayed such zeal in whatever he undertook, that he was soon promoted to the position of night operator, and at the end of one year was considered one of the extras on the line. He was then for a time with the American Union at Cranbury ; for one year at Plainsboro: one year and a half with the Baltimore & Ohio railroad: for a time with the Camden & Amboy division of the Penn- sylvania railroad ; and then at Asbury Park, New Jersev. for the Western Union Company. He had held this last named position four days when the Pennsylvania Railroad Company offered him the position of station agent at Hightstown, in Mav. 1885. which he accepted and has now held for more than twenty years to the entire satis- faction of all concerned. He has frequently been commended for his strict attention to all the details of the duties entrusted to his charge. and his executive ability highly praised. In ad- dition to the numerous duties of this position he has found time to give his attention to the public affairs of the community, greatly to the benefit of the town in many directions. He has always given his support to the principles of

the Republican party, and was a member of the borough council from 1894 until 1900. During this time he was the leading spirit in having the water works and the electric light plants in- stalled, and was the father of a number of other measures, all tending to the improvement and welfare of the town. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and also of the following fraternal organizations : Royal Arcanum of Princeton; Modern Woodmen of America of Jamesburg ; Junior Order of United American Mechanics of Hightstown; Daughters of Lib- erty; and The National Protective Legion.

Mr. Van Doren married, October 28, 1885, Anna Augusta Allen, born August 12, 1861, daughter of Marshall and Margaret (Neafie) Allen, and granddaughter of Gabriel Allen. Mrs. Van Doren died March 30, 1905, from the effects of injuries received in an accident. Mar- shall and Margaret (Neafie) Allen had chil- dren : I. Sadie, married James W. Vande- wenter, had children: Emma L., John Mar- shall, Elva Fay, Anna Letson, Eva Dorson and Helen Gladys. 2. Anna Augusta, mentioned above. 3. Margaret Neafie, unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. Van Doren had children: Irene Fay and Newton Wyckoff.

JOSEPH HARRIS SMITH, of Hightstown, now leading a retired life, enjoving to the full the consciousness of duties well and faithfully performed, and enjoying the ease and comfort which is a fitting sequel to a life of activity and usefulness. He is a descendant of an English ancestry, his paternal grandfather having been a native of England, from whence he emigrated to America at an early date.

John T. Smith, father of Joseph H. Smith, was captain of a vessel during the Mexican war, and throughout his active career, which termi- nated when he was in the prime of life, per- formed the duties assigned to him in a creditable manner. He married Charity Grout, and their children were: I. Henry C., enlisted in the Tenth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, served his time, and then re-enlisted in General Han- cock's corps and was appointed lieutenant of his company. He is now (1907) with the Hudson Bay Fur Company in the far north- west. 2. Joseph Harris, see forward. 3. Lizzie, unmarried. 4. Richard, married Mamie Sher- man, one child, William.

Joseph H. Smith was born February 17, 1845,

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in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the early age of ten years he was left an orphan, and he was sent to his uncle, Thomas G. Smith, at Smith's Island, but after a short period of time he ran away and took up his residence in Bordentown, from whence he went to Ann Harbor, Michi- gan, with Joseph Pierce, to assist in bringing a drove of sheep. Later he secured a position as second fireman on the old Camden & Amboy railroad, which in those days was fired with wood and therefore employed three men on each engine. From this position he gradually ad- vanced until he was given an engine and regu- lar train. He has a large fund of anecdotes and stories pertaining to railroad life, both personal and otherwise, which are highly interesting. One of his experiences was in the blizzard of 1888, when he left Hightstown on his usual run and was gone from home four days, covering a distance of only twenty miles. After a service of forty-five years on the road, during which time lie gave entire satisfaction to his employers, Mr. Smithi retired from active labor, February 5, 1905. He is the owner of a fine house, equipped with all things needful for the com- fort of its inmates, has a well-kept and highly cultivated garden, and devotes considerable time to the raising of chickens, of which he has a large number. For forty years Mr. Smith has been a member of the Baptist church, taking an active interest in the work connected therewith.

Mr. Smith married (first) Mary Jane Gor- don, and their children were: I. Harry C., married Sophia Jones, three children: Joseph H., Lester C., Harry C., Jr. 2. Annie G., mar- ried William T. Berry, a railroad man in Wyo- ming, no children. 3. Dora, married Jacob Stults, three children : Margaret C., Kenneth and Joseph. Mr. Smith married (second) Fanny Thompson, two children : Mabel C. and Wil- liam B., both unmarried.

CAPTAIN GEORGE WASHINGTON CATHCART, of Hamilton township, Mercer county, was born in Middlesex county, New Jer- sey, May 19, 1861, son of Isaac and Mary S. (Cranmer) Cathcart. Isaac Cathcart (father) was born in Burlington county, New Jersey, and his father died when he was but a small boy. At the age of eight years he ran away to sea. Here he steadily worked his way from the lowest station on the ships, and in after years was known as the commodore of the merchant

marine. He was the first captain to build and launch a three-masted schooner. He built the "Spray" in Wilmington, Delaware, and went around the world with her. She was finally sold in California and was later brought 'round the cape,' and hier timbers are rolling on the Jersey coast today. He afterward built the "In- dianola" at Perth Amboy, in which vessel he sailed to South America and gulf ports. He also circumnavigated the globe in this vessel and finally sold her, shortly afterwards retiring from an active seafaring life, but still holding large interests in a number of vessels. The schooner "Maryland" was burned off Cape Hat- teras on her maiden voyage while loaded with hay for the federal army during the Civil war. The schooner "M. A. Chandler" was sunk by the government at about the same time, together with a number of other vessels as a means of obstructing the channel of the Potomac river for the protection of Washington. Captain Isaac Cathcart lived ashiore twenty years, and then meeting with serious reverses through the fail- ure of Jay Cooke & Co., he felt constrained to return to the sea in order to retrieve his fallen fortunes. He died in North Carolina in 1881, while in command of the schooner "Brutus."

Isaac Cathcart was married twice. By his first wife seven children were born, all of whom are now deceased. For his second wife he mar- ried Mary Cranmer, by whom was born to him the following children : Isaac, died young. George Washington, of whom later mention will be made. Edwin, married Anna Berger. George W. Catlicart attended the public and private schools; when ten years of age he went to sea and learned navigation and at nineteen years of age was captain of a coasting vessel between the Carolinas and New York. In 1883 he came to his father-in-law's place to manage the farm, consisting of one hundred and twenty-five acres. His brother Edwin is associated with him in car- rying on the place, which is devoted to general farming, fruit and truck gardening. In the autumn time thev do an extensive business at cider making. For twelve years Mr. Cathcart represented the Hydraulic Press Manufacturing Company, and is now a member of the Monarch Machinery Company, as well as a representative of the A. B. Farquhar Company of York, Penn- sylvania. Politically Mr. Cathcart is a Demo- crat. He has been a member of the board of education and on the election board at various

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times. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, No. 143, Yardville. In church relations he is affiliated with the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Cathcart married, in 1881, Irene Duffell, by whom has been born two children: Samuel D. and Lulu. Mrs. Cathcart is the daughter of Samuel T. and Sarah (Stiles) Duffell. The first of this family to come from England was David Duffell, with his three brothers, about 1700. The paternal great-grandfather of Mrs. Cath- cart resided in Camden, New Jersey. Her grandfather, Rev. David Duffell, was a Metho- dist minister and a member of the New Jersey Conference for over fifty years. His son, Dr. Charles Duffell, became a physician at Clayton, Gloucester county, New Jersey, and was a sur- geon in the Army of the Tennessee during the war of the rebellion.

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Genealogical and personal memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey, Part 25

Author: Lee, Francis Bazley, 1869-1914 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 698

Author: Lee, Francis Bazley, 1869-1914
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 698