USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Genealogical and personal memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey > Part 53
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This outline of the views of which Words of Reconciliation was made the channel, is here given in explanation of the fact that Mr. Ba- ker was soon obliged to face the question as to whether he should refrain from their publication or withdraw from the Presbyterian church. Under the conviction that his position as a minis- ter in that body required him to seek its welfare by enlarging its knowledge of the truth at these vital points, he made the initial attempt toward the revision of the Westminster Confession of Faith by introducing into the Presbytery of West Jersey at its meeting in May, 1885, an overture to the general assembly, requesting them to ap- point a committee whose duty it shall be :
"First, To consider whether the doctrine of our Confession concerning the final results of God's dealings with mankind, as set forth in Chapter XXXIII, Questions 29, 89, Larger Catechism, and elsewhere, is a complete and final expression of the teaching of Holy Scripture upon this sub- ject, and Second, To propose any alterations or explanations in the statements of our Standards upon this subject which may seem to them advis- able."
As the result of a clamor raised in several of the church papers against this movement, and the publication of his views in his magazine, Mr. Baker finally resolved to submit to his Presbytery in April, 1887, the question of his right to advo- cate them, as he believed for the good of the church, or to withdraw from its ministry, re- questing the appointment of a committee to ad- vise with him as to his duty. A year later this committee made its report at length, concluding it as follows: "If Mr. Baker could hold his pe- culiar views privately without agitating the
church, we would be content to retain the same relation as heretofore to one whom we sincerely love and honor for his piety and ability. But if, as he has intimated to the committee, he cannot cease from a course of agitation, which must un- settle the faith of some and disturb the peace of the church, we believe that it would be more manly, more honorable, and more consistent with his ordination vows first to withdraw from the ministry of the Presbyterian Church."
There was, of course, no formal trial in this case and no verdict of suspension ; simply a fra- ternal conference over a solemn question of duty. Accordingly, at the session of Presbytery in At- lantic City in April, 1888, Mr. Baker offered his resignation, which was accepted.
His publications on this subject, beside the eight volumes of Words of Reconciliation, were a volume of sermons on "The Mystery of Cre- ation and of Man," followed by a monograph on the "Eschatology of the Future," published by J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1884. A volume of Scripture studies-reprints from the Magazine -entitled "The Fire of God's. Anger, or Light From the Old Testament on the New Testament Teaching Concerning Future Punishment." An essay on "The Redemptive Value of Resurrec- tion," published in a volume entitled "That Un- known Country," containing articles by fifty se- lected contributors from this country and abroad. The Rev. Henry T. Cheever, who was an ardent supporter of Mr. Baker's views, pub- lished in Boston, 1893, for circulation, specially among Congregationalists, copied extracts and a full digest of them in a volume called "Bible Es- chatology," being a review of the writings of the Presbyterian divine, L. C. Baker, supplemented by an original thesis by Mr. Baker. The last vol- ume of Words of Reconciliation was published in 1892.
February, 1894, Mr. Baker was ordained by Bishop O. W. Whitaker to the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal church. After serving as assistant in two churches in Philadelphia, he re- moved to Princeton in 1898. He was, however, in April, 1901, requested to become chaplain of "Christ Church Hospital," Philadelphia, which is the oldest institution in the country of the kind, being a home for such aged gentlewomen of the Episcopal church as may require such a retreat, preference of admission being given to widows and orphans of clergymen. To the duties of this position Mr. Baker has given a por-
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tion of his time every week, while still retaining his residence in Princeton.
The Rev. Alfred Brittin Baker, D. D., was graduated from Princeton in 1861. In the same vear he entered the Princeton Theological Sem- inary, where he remained one year. His views changing, he determined to prepare for the min- istry of the Protestant Episcopal church. He therefore entered the General Theological Sem- inary of that church at New York, from which he graduated in 1864. On July 5th of that year he was ordained deacon by Bishop Odenheimer, and began clerical work as assistant to the Rev. Al- fred Stubbs, D. D., rector of Christ Church, New Brunswick, having special charge of St. John's Chapel, a mission of that church. A year later he was ordained priest and continued his serv- ice at New Brunswick until Easter of 1866, when having been called by the vestry to the charge of Trinity Church, Princeton, he began his duties as rector of that parish. On Easter Monday, 1867, he was married to Emilia J. Stubbs, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Stubbs, whose wife was Emilia Houghton, of St. Albans, Vermont, the line of whose descent runs: Sir Richard Hough- ton, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and made Baronet by James I. The Rev. Mr. Stubbs was also of English birth, coming to this coun- try from Turk's Island, a British possession in the West Indies.
Two sons were born in the Princeton rectory- Alfred Stubbs Baker and William Osborn Ba- ker. After graduating at Princeton in 1890, Al- fred devoted himself to music, in which he gained distinction as an organist and composer. Hymns and anthems of great excellence were composed by him, published by Novello, and are now in frequent use in numerous churches in this coun- try and England. What promised to be a bril- liant career was sadly terminated by his death in 1896 at the age of twenty-seven. At that time he was organist at St. James Church, New York City.
William Osborn, after graduating from col- lege in 1893 and from the General Theological Seminary at New York in 1896, was ordained deacon by Bishop Scarborough on June 11th of that year. He began his clerical staff work in connection with the Associate Mission at Tren- ton, New Jersey, remaining on its staff for one year, after which he became curate of the Church of Saint Saviour, Bar Harbor, Maine. Two years later, upon the retirement of Mr. Lef-
fingwell, he was appointed rector of the parish. In 1899 he was married to Miss Elizabeth O. Jackson, daughter of Charles Carroll Jackson, a lineal descendant of Charles Carroll, of Carroll- ton, Maryland, and Elizabeth Coster, of a well-known family in New York. One son was born to them, May 5, 1900. After five years of service the Rev. Mr. Baker resigned at Bar Harbor, and accepted the rectorship of St. John's Church, Haverhill, Massachusetts.
The pastorate of Dr. Baker at Princeton has been one of exceptional length, marked on his part by unusual fidelity and by marked loyalty and increasing respect on the part of his congre- gation. He has also filled important posts in the diocese and in the church at large. At the last general convention held in Boston in 1904, pro- vincial courts of review were created, covering the whole church. The five dioceses in New York state, with the two of New Jersey, were constituted into a province in which one such court should sit to hear appeals from diocesan courts. It was to consist of an assessor from each of the above dioceses. As a mark of its confi- dence in Dr. Baker, he was chosen by the gen- eral convention as the member of the court from New Jersey.
On Easter Day of 1906, Dr. Baker completed forty years of service in Trinity Parish. Shortly after the following brief summary of his life- work appeared in "The Churchman" of New York, and the "Church Standard" of Philadel- phia :
"On Easter Tuesday there was a notable ob- servance at Princeton, New Jersey, of the for- tieth anniversary of the institution of the Rev. Alfred B. Baker, D. D., as rector of Trinity Church.
"After the morning service on Easter Day, Mr. Bayard Stockton, treasurer of the parish, presented Dr. Baker with a bag of gold contain- ing $725, as a free-will offering from his parish- ioners in token of their appreciation of his long and faithful services. A committee of ladies had also arranged for a general gathering of the con- gregation on Tuesday evening, at which kindly greetings and loving remembrances of the past were exchanged between pastor and people.
"Dr. Baker's pastorate has been a remarkable one, not only for its length, but as one in which the ties of confidence and affection between him and his flock have not been weakened by time, but strengthened. He soon also won, and has
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continued to retain the respect and confidence of the whole community at Princeton, which is a peculiar one, as being a university town, and one in which the predominant religious sentiment has long been Presbyterian. Nothing but the lim- ited accommodations at the rectory prevented the reception from enlarging itself into a demonstra- tion of respect from the whole community. Some years ago he established the St. Paul's Society for the special benefit and oversight of the stu- dents of the university who were Episcopalians. This feature of his work was, from the first, ap- proved by the president and faculty, and their appreciation of it was shown by the authorities in their conferring upon him his degree.
"Dr. Baker has also been a most useful man in the diocese, serving for over a score of years as rural dean of the Convocation of New Bruns- wick, and as chairman of the Standing Com- mittee of the diocese; also as one of its deputies to the General Convention.
"Bishop Scarborough was prevented from be- ing present at the reception by an imperative engagement, but in a letter to the committee, and in a personal letter to Dr. Baker, he gave expres- sion to his regret, and to the high regard and es- teem in which he had held him from the begin- ning of his espiscopate.
"In a brief address at the reception Dr. Baker made a most grateful and touching recognition of the kindness of his parishioners and of the ties that had bound them so long together. The pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, the Rev. S. W. Beach, who, although lately settled in Princeton, had graduated from its university and theological seminary, responded for the com- munity in words of grateful recognition of the wide influence for good exerted by Dr. Baker during his long pastorate."
WILLIAM H. COTTRELL, assistant post- master of Princeton, was born in that city De- cember 19, 1871, son of John R. Cottrell, and grandson of Cornelius Cottrell, whose father was the founder of the family in this country. Cornelius Cottrell, son of Cot- trell, the emigrant, was born in 1800, and all his life followed the calling of a tanner. He mar- ried Eleanor Rue, and they were the parents of three children, all of whom are deceased : James, Jolın R., of whom later ; and Mary.
John R. Cottrell, son of Cornelius and Eleanor (Rue) Cottrell, was born in Princeton, where Vol. II-19
his entire life was passed. Like his father, he was a tanner, but some time before his death relinquished his labors and spent the latter years of his life in retirement. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Presbyterian church. John R. Cottrell married Elizabeth Pearson, born in Princeton, the other members of her family hav- ing been: John, Stephen, George, William and Myra. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cottrell: Mary, wife of C. E. Seger. Edward, married Mae Robertson. William H., of whom later. Walter, unmarried. Mrs. Cot- trell died May, 1905.
William H. Cottrell, son of John R. and Eliz- abeth (Pearson) Cottrell, received a public school education in his native city of Princeton. June 14. 1887, he was appointed to a clerkship in the Princeton postoffice, a position which he held until March 3, 1898, when he was appointed assistant postmaster, an office which he now fills. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, secre- tary of the civil service commission, and in poli- tics affiliates with the Republican party. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Cottrell married, January 27, 1901, Eliza- beth. daughter of Ignatius and Delia (Doud) Hoff, and they have one child, Helen H., born November 1, 1902.
COOK FAMILY. George R. Cook, resident of Mercer county, New Jersey, has been for many years prominently identified with the finan- cial, commercial, manufacturing and social in- terests of the county and state. He is descendant of a family, the earliest members of which set- tled in the state of New Jersey many years pre- viously, and they have been large land holders since that time
(I) Daniel Cook, great-grandfather of George R. Cook, was born in Federal City, Hopewell township, New Jersey, and followed the occupa- tion of farming. He was the owner of a large amount of landed property, a part of which be- came the Cook homestead, and consists of about three hundred acres. 9. 1816 Samuel
(II) Samuel Cook, son of Daniel Cook (1), was also born in Federal City, on the Cook home- stead, and was a man of considerable influence in his day and time. He filled the office of jus- tice of the peace very efficiently for some years. He married Keziah Smith, of Lawrence town- ship. He di 1837
(III) Edmund Burroughs Cook, son of Sam-
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uel (2) and Kezialı (Smithi) Cook, was born on the Cook homestead, March 19, 1831. He fol- lowed in the footsteps of his ancestors as a tiller of the soil, and was very successful in all of his ventures in this direction. He also became an extensive land holder, and is now (1907) living in retirement at No. 310 Bellevue avenue, Tren- ton, New Jersey. He married Sarah D. Howell, daughter of Joseph Howell, of Millstone, Somer- set county, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Cook have had children : I. Charles Howell, married Lucy Brady, daughter of Henry Brady, and they have one child, Lucy Cook. Mr. Cook is presi- dent of the Cook Pottery Company, and treas- urer of the Hamilton Rubber Manufacturing Company, both of Trenton, New Jersey. His residence is located at No. 307 West State street, Trenton. 2. Mary, whose education was acquir- ed under private instruction. She married J. Russell Beekman, secretary of the Trenton Oil- cloth & Linoleum Company, and they reside at No. 310 Bellevue avenue, Trenton. 3. George R., see forward. 4. Edmund Dunham.
(IV) George R. Cook, second son and third child of Edmund Burroughs (3) and Sarah D. (Howell) Cook, was born on the Cook home- stead. His education, which was a most thor- ough one, was acquired under private tuition, and he entered the business world well equipped to fight the battle of life. He is noted for his remarkable executive ability and business acu- men, and is at present president of the Standard Inlaid Manufacturing Company, and of the En1- reka Rubber Manufacturing Company, the name of the latter having now been changed to the Acme Rubber Manufacturing Company. Mr. Cook resides with his family in a commodious residence on the Lawrenceville road. He mar- ried Mary Taylor, daughter of Joseph Taylor, of Morrisville, and they have children: Eleanor and Horace.
BENJAMIN HART, deceased, for many years a farmer in Hopewell township, was the grandson of Elijah and Elizabeth Hart.
Elijah Hart, son of Elijah and Elizabeth Hart, married Rebecca Coin, daughter of Rich- ard and Mary Coin, and had children: I. Saralı, married Gerardus Wiley, three children. 2. Benjamin, see forward. 3. Nathan, married Annie Abbott, and has three children. 4. George, married Emma Garner, has two chil-
dren. 5. Elias, married Josephine Ege, has six children. 6. Mary, married Jobn E. Sinclair.
Benjamin Hart, eldest son and second child of Elijah and Rebecca (Coin) Hart, was born June 26, 1836, died April 27, 1905. His entire edu- cation was acquired in the public schools, and he then commenced to work on the farm. He also learned the trades of shoemaker and car- penter, which he followed for many years. He bought the present Hart farm in 1887, which consists of one hundred acres, and this has been devoted to general market gardening, dairy farm- ing and stock raising. In all of these lines Mr. Hart met with notable success, due to the careful personal attention he gave to all details of the work. His political affiliations were with the Republican party, and he was a member of the Presbyterian church. He was a member of no secret or other organization, preferring to spend his spare time in the domestic circle.
Mr. Hart married Rachel Chambers, daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Loveless) Chambers, and granddaughter of William and Rachel (Scud- der) Chambers, and of Gershom and Mary (Adams) Loveless. Daniel and Sarah (Love- less) Chambers had children: I. William, mar- ried Caroline Allinson, has children : Sarah Jane, Ann Elizabeth, Jolın and Lila. 2. Ger- shom, married Sarah Reynolds. 3. Theodosia, married Cornelius Dill, has children: William Edgar, Kate and Sarah Emma. 4. Matthew, married Mary Runnells, has children : Mary and Ella. 5. Isaac, married Ann Donnelly, has one child. 6. Rachel, mentioned above. 7. Caleb, married Annie Runnells, has children : Sarah, Ida and Kate. Benjamin and Rachel (Chamb- ers) Hart have had children: I. John P., mar- ried Judith Van Pelt, deceased, has children : Martha Rachel, Gracie Lavinia, Evelyn Schenck and Pauline. 2. Daniel, married Rachel Sut- phin, has children : Mary S., Benjamin and Wil- liam C. 3. Mary Annetta, married Wilson Lem- ing, has children: Jessie Helene, Edgar Fay, Newell Allen and Harold Wilson. 4. George Edgar, married Augusta Servey, has children : Ethel May, Florence Helene and Eleanor Vir- ginia. 5. Sarah Rebecca, unmarried.
WILLIAM BERNARD ALLEN, deceased, for many years numbered among Trenton's most respected business men and most public- spirited citizens, was born October 6, 1842, in the village of Philadelphia, Jefferson county,
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New York, son of Benjamin Allen, who moved to Trenton when his children were young, and there followed his trade. Benjamin Allen mar- ried Louise Pierce, and the following children were born to them: William Bernard, of whom later. Pauline O., died August, 1906, wife of Manning F. Burns. Albertus E. Mr. Allen died at the age of sixty-three, and the death of his wife occurred about 1887 or 1888.
William Bernard Allen, son of Benjamin and Louise (Pierce) Allen, was about ten years old when his parents moved to Trenton, and his education was received in the schools of that city. At the age of thirteen he became clerk in an internal revenue office, and after remaining there some years was associated with a Mr. Ryder in the conduct of a business college. He ultimately disposed of his interest to Mr. Ryder -after carrying on the enterprise for a time alone-and the institution is now known as the Ryder-Moore college. He was then for twenty- two years associated with Frank McGovern in the management of the Mercer Pottery for James Moses. He held the offices of manager and treasurer, and during the last two years had entire charge of the business. He affiliated with Royal Lodge, F. and A. M., Trenton, and gave his political allegiance to the principles ad- vocated by the Republican party. He was a mem- ber of the State Street Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Allen married, June II, 1867, Adaline E. Harper, and they became the parents of one child, Mary Louise, who died in infancy. The death of Mr. Allen, which occurred March I. 1906, was widely regretted as that of one whose place could with difficulty be filled. He was one of Trenton's most honored citizens, taking an ac- tive part in all matters pertaining to the public welfare. Mr. James Moses, with whom Mr. Allen was for so many years associated in busi- ness, established a free bed in the Mckinley Hospital in the latter's name, and speaks of him in a published letter as a man excelled bv none in truthfulness, honesty and fidelity to what he believed to be just and right. Mrs. Allen is a daughter of William Harper, who went to Tren- ton from Meadville, Pennsylvania, about the close of the Civil war. He opened a music store in Trenton, which he conducted for many years. He married Marian Mason, and three children were born to them: Adaline E., widow of Wil- liam Bernard Allen; Charles E., and William E.
Mrs. Harper died while her children were still young, and the death of Mr. Harper occurred in 1886 or 1887.
KUSER FAMILY. The Kuser family, whose pioneer ancestor came to this country from Switzerland and Austria, have been so closely and prominently identified with the commercial, financial and social interests of the city of Tren- ton, New Jersey, that a record of their doings is almost practically a history of the progress of events in the city in recent years.
Rudolph Kuser, son of Henry Kuser, whose entire life was spent in Zurich, Switzerland, was born in Zurich, August 30, 1818, died in New Jersey in 1891, and is buried in Greenwood cem- etery in Trenton in that state. He was an ex- pert mechanical engineer, and was associated as partner with the well known firm of Baxter, Kuser & Thompson, of Newark, New Jersey, builders of some of the first upright engines that were ever taken into use. Mr. Kuser retired from active interest in this business and pur- chased a large farm about four miles from Hack- ettstown, New Jersey, which he subsequently sold, and in April, 1867, came to Trenton, New Jersey, where he purchased the Timothy Lord farm, which has been the homestead of the fam- ily since that time. He married Rosalie Prieth, born in Graun, Tyrol, Austria, May 22, 1833, daughter of Gabriel Prieth, also a native of Graun. Austria, who was the prosecuting attor- ney of that city, and a lawyer of national repute. He had a number of sons who came to America with their sister, Rosalie, in 1857, and became prominent there. They are as follows: I. Rev. Godfrey Prieth, a celebrated Catholic clergy- man of Newark, New Jersey. He founded St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church in that city, also St. Peter's Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, and later St. Peter's Parochial School, one of the largest institutions of its kind in Newark. He died in 1885, and was succeeded by Father Mess- mer, now Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 2. Benedict Prieth was the founder, editor and proprietor of the New Jersey Freie Zeitung, of Newark, one of the first Republican newspapers in the country. 3. Louis Prieth, who fought bravely during the Civil war, and later became the general manager of the New Jersey Freie Zeitung. 4. John Prieth settled in Mercer county, New Jersey, in 1870, became a farmer
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there, and died in 1892; his family still resides there.
The children of Rudolph and Rosalie ( Prieth) Kuser are: 1. Frederick Kuser, born in New- ark, New Jersey, January 31, 1859. He was educated in the parochial schools of Newark, and became the general manager of the Peter Doelger brewery, New York. He is also president of the Walter Automobile Company, whose main offices are in Trenton, New Jersey, and his place of resi- dence is in New York City, and his summer home is in Hamilton township, Mercer county, New Jersey. He married a Miss Doelger, daughter of Peter Doelger, who was of German descent and the founder of the celebrated brew- ery which bears his name, and they have six daughters and three sons.
2. Colonel Anthony R. Kuser, born May 12, 1862, in Newark, New Jersey. He was also educated in the parochial schools of his native city and the public school of Hamilton township. He studied engineering and became interested in various enterprises in Trenton and elsewhere. He organized the Trenton Hygeia Ice Com- pany, the Trenton Brewery Company, and was instrumental in consolidating all the gas and electric companies of the city. It was his sug- gestion that the price of gas should be reduced from one dollar and fifty cents to one dollar, and it was due to his efforts that this measure was adopted. He, with his twin brother, John L. Kuser, was the leading spirit in the purchase of the Trenton Street Railway Company. He is president of the South Jersey Gas and Electric Lighting Company, and it was he who originated the idea of manufacturing coke at Camden, and of piping the gas to Trenton, New Jersey. This is the longest piping line of its kind in the world. So satisfactory have been the results of this en- terprise that the Public Service are now piping the same gas to North Jersey. Colonel Kuser was one of the organizers of Inter-State Fair. He has served on the board of railroad asses- sors, was nominated for state senator from Mer- cer county, but refused to accept. He has served on the staffs of Governors Abbott, Wertz and John W. Griggs. He married a Miss Dryden, daughter of United States Senator John F. Dry- den, and they have one child, John Dryden Kuser.
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