USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > History of Bergen county, New Jersey > Part 21
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199
HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
Assessors, 1849-51, Abram H. Lydecker; '50, Edward Salyer; '52-54, John Young: '55, Abram A. Van Riper; '56-58, John W. House; '59, Christian W. Christie; '60, Albert G. Lydecker; '61, George W. Whitley; '62, Abram Garrison, '63-65; Isaac J. Storms; '66-68, John E. Hopper; '69. Albert A. Lydecker; '70, John W. Bogert; '71, David A. Pell; '72-73, Matthew D. White; '74-75, Stephen J. Terhune; '76-78, James Shuart; '79-81, William H. Murray; '84, Lewis H. May; '81, Albert W. Conklin; '86-94, W. H. Murray; '94-99, John Ackerman.
Collectors, 1849-51, George Esler; '52-54, Richard Christie; '55-57, John W. Ramsey; '58-60, Elijah Conklin; '60-62-63, Andrew Winter; '64- 66, Garret H. Van Horn; '67-69, John H. Henion; '70, John Q. Voorhees; '71-73, Levi Hopper; '74-76, John V. B. Henion; '77-79, George I. Ryer- son; '80-81, W. E. Conklin; '83, W. H. Youmans; '84-86; A. A. Acker- man; '87-99, Garret Valentine.
VILLAGES.
The most important village in the township is Ramsey, so named from Peter J. Ramsey, the original owner of the land. It was sold after his decease, about the year 1854, at Commissioner's sale, to William J. Pulis, the tract disposed of embracing sixty acres. Mr. Pulis resold twent-two acres to John Y. Dater, of Hohokus township, with whose advent an era of enterprise dawned upon the locality. Mr. Dater at once began the erection of buildings, and opened a store of general merchan- dise, adding to this an extensive supply of coal and building materials. The earliest structure was of brick. About the same time a hotel was erected by David W. Valentine, which was burned, and the Fowler House since built upon the site. Mr. August Schroder has owned this property since 1885. Mr. Dater next erected a building for the manu- facture of sleighs, and for a long period did a thriving business, finally leasing to M. B. Deyoe. William J. Pulis then built a store of which his son subsequently became the propretor, he dying in 1895. His son. J. W. Pulis, and his grandson, W. H. Pulis, the present postmaster, each have stores in this place. A station had been established on the com- pletion of the Ramapo and Paterson (now the Erie) Railroad, which was called Ramsey, and a post office was located here by the Govern- ment with Albert G. Lydecker as the first postmaster, and John Y. Dater as his successor. As the location became more favorably known, capital flowed into the embryo village, residences were erected, business in- creased and Ramsey took a place among the growing towns of the county.
The Reformed Dutch Church at Ramseys was erected in 1876, the ground on which it stands having been donated by Mrs. William Halstead.
William Slack has been a prominent merchant in the place for about forty years. He first came to Ramsey's in 1849 and at that time there were but two or three houses in the place. He followed the cabinet business, and after a few years in Haverstraw, N. Y., pursuing his trade, he returned in 1860 and since that time has been the principal
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
undertaker not only for Ramseys but for a large portion of this part of Bergen county. Mr. Slack still has the old hearse he himself made many years ago. In 1869 he built his present store, in which he carries a full line of hardware and furniture, also a full equipment of stock for caskets, and funeral supplies. When Mr. Slack first came to Ramseys he was honored with the office of Constable, and one of the first duties that fell to his lot was the arrest of Ben. Moore, a notorious character, for stabbing a man in Fowlers Hotel, taking him to Hackensack Jail. Moore was a bully, and Slack was a slight young man not particularly skilled in ruffianism, but he succeeded finally in landing his man, though it was a herculean task. The victim of the affray died nine days after the sad event and Moore got ten years in the penitentiary.
In 1870, James Shuart, a man well known in Bergen county, came to Ramsey's where he built his house in 1871, and subsequently built a half dozen other houses. Mr. Shuart has been in the meat business during all this time and is one of the prominent butchers in the county. It has not been an unusual thing for him in former years to kill a 100 sheep in a week and a half dozen steers. He bought and sold only the best, and his trade was phenominal. On the 17th of November 1888 he celebrated the election of Harrison over Cleveland by treating the people of Ramseys and of the surrounding country to a "barbacue." For that occasion he roasted an ox that weighed 750 pounds, provided three bar- rels of the Cream of Ale, and 400 loaves of bread, and fully 1500 people partook of that banquet, the like of which had never been seen before, in this part of the State.
The Dater Building is one of the attractive features of Ramsey's. It was commenced by J. Y. Dater on Thanksgiving Day 1897 and com- pleted in May 1898. It is seventy-five by eighty-nine feet front, con- tains four stores, Lodge rooms for the J. O. A. M .; Mahwah Council No. 45; Ramsey Council No. 26; Ramapo Valley Council No. 1759; Royal Arcanum and also offices for the Ramseys Journal. It is a sub- stantial brick building and does credit to the place.
LODGE NO. 178, I. O. O. F.
Two members of Amity Lodge of Spring Valley, N. Y., located in Ramseys and the Lodge was finally instituted on March 19, 1874. Ber- gen County Lodge No. 73 had charge of the work and the following men constituted the Charter Members: D. S. Wanamaker, John H. Ter- hune, W. H. Murray, Thomas H. Howard, William Slack and John Finch. The lodge was named Hohokus. The first meeting was held in the building afterwards occupied by Murray's Meat Market. The nine members of the Lodge struggled on and in the fourth fiscal year, they experienced their darkest period. No new members were added, but four were dropped from the roll, and two withdrew. The Lodge then withdrew to the Dater Building. The first death occurred after the Lodge had been instituted fifteen years.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
NEWSPAPERS.
The people of North Bergen, centre their financial interests natur- ally at Ramseys, and thus followed, as a consequence, the " Ramseys Journal," to give the news of the week. This paper was established by J. Y. Dater who issued Volume I No. 1. Thursday May 26, 1892. It was the successor of the Courier, a previous publication by Mr. Dater. but as a monthly it did not prove a financial success. Mr. Dater not de- spairing, however, established the weekly, taking care to equip it as it should be, as the official organ of Hohokus township, and then success came to him. There are probably no better equipped offices in Bergen county, not only for newspaper printing but for pamphlet work, than those in the Dater Building at Ramsey. There is also a bindery con- nected with the Journal. J. Y. Dater is proprietor.
RAMSEY'S FIRE COMPANY.
Provision against fire was made in 1895, by the organization of a company November 18th of that year, consisting of forty-six members, leading men of Ramsey's, The officers elected were J. Y. Dater, Presi- dent : A. C. Zabriskie, Vice-President : W. H. Pulis, Treasurer ; W. F. Halstead, Recording Secretary ; C. G. Sargent, Financial Secretary ; A. G. Sherwood, Foreman : C. Rose, Engineer. James Shuart is President of the Board of Trustees.
The Department owns a four wheeled apparatus on which are mounted two forty-gallon copper cylinders which are charged with chem- icals ; and it is claimed that one gallon of this acid is equal in effect to forty gallons of water.
SCHOOLS.
In 1840 the people of this district erected a wooden structure sixteen by twenty feet in size which was used for a school building unril 1874. The building was then condemned by the County Superintendent, when a more commodious edifice was erected in its stead. This house was twenty-five by forty-five feet in dimentions one story high with belfry; attractive in appearance and well furnished. It cost $5000. The present building was erected in 1892 at a cost of $10,000. James Shuart is pre- sident of the Board of Trustees, and W. S. Stowell is principal of the school. There are 257 scholars in attendance and five teachers employed.
The True Reformed Church at Ramsey's was organized on the 24th of May, 1824, and was the outgrowth of a separation from the Reformed (Dutch ) Church. The causes of this departure from the parent church will not be deemed of essential importance in a history of this character. and are therefore not given. The following persons who left the orig- inal body placed themselves under the jurisdiction of the True Reformed Church of America: Rev. James D. Demarest, V. D. M., David Valen- tine and wife, David Christie and wife, Peter S. Bush and wife. Henry 17. Forte and wife, John I. Post and wife, Peter Haring and wife, John J. Post and wife, John A. Ackerman and wife, William Emmit and wife, David C. Christie and wife, Matthew Dougherty, Jacob Mitchel and
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wife, Widow Jemima Van Rhoder, Widow Margaret Wanamaker, Wid- ow Isabella Donaldson, David Meyers and wife, Jacob Valentine, Eliza- beth Christie, James P. Ramsey, Mrs. Abram Van Roda, Mrs. Charles Townsend, - making a total of thirty-six members.
During the year 1826 a church building was erected one mile from Ramsey's Station, on the road leading to Darlington. Here regular worship was maintained until 1868 (a period of forty-two years), when the inconvenience of the location caused a change to be suggested. Ground was partly purchased, and the remainder donated in the village of Ramsey's, and an edifice erected which, together with furniture, cost $5000. This was dedicated in the year of its completion. During the year 1875 the walls were frescoed, a new and effective heating apparatus added, and a new chandelier and an organ presented by Mrs. John Y. Dater. Several gentlemen in the congregation contributed liberally towards beautifying the edifice, which is now free of debt. It has a seating capacity of 250 persons. The Rev. James D. Demarest, the first pastor, labored alternately between this church and the one at Monsey until 1855 or 1856, and at a ripe old age retired from the ministry. Rev. John Y. De Baun next received a call from the same churches, and con- tinued pastor during a period of four years and six months, when a larger field was opened to him at Hackensack. The church was then served by supply and by stated supply, the Rev. Isaac J. De Baun offi- ciating until 1875. In April 1875 Rev. Samuel I. Vanderbeck received and accepted a call, continuing his ministrations here fourteen years, when the present pastor, Rev. Jacob N. Trompen, then a young gradu- ate from Princeton, accepted a call, taking charge in the Spring of 1891. The church is now in a very flourishing condition. The elders of the church are Abram A. Ackerman, David Tracy, Jacob Halstead. Dea- cons: John Y. Dater, John Terwilliger, Peter Winter.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, at Ramsey's, was organized under the auspices of Rev. E. De Yoe, on the 1st of Feb- ruary, 1867. Soon after a committee consisting of James N. Bogert, George Hosey, Heney R. Wanamaker, J. W. Valentine, Martin Litch- hult, David Carlough, and Charles A. May were appointed to secure a building lot and erect thereon a church edifice. In the fall of 1867 a lot was secured of David Valentine, and the plan of the church having been drawn by Henry Rehling, work was begun by excavating for the found- ation and basement. The contract for the erection and completion of the building was awarded in March, 1868, to Mr. Rehling, but, owing to delay in securing the lumber, operations were not begun until the fall of that year.
The corner-stone was laid September 12, 1868, with appropiate ser- vices, Rev. Henry A. Pohlman, D.D. of Albany having preached the sermon in the house of David Valentine. In 1869 services were held in the basement in the new church, and on the 25th of March, the following officers were elected. Martin Litchhult, James N. Bogert, David Car- lough and Thomas Ackerman, elders; Richard C. Straut, William S.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
Valentine, John A. Straut, and C. Quackenbush, Deacons. The church was dedicated September 6, 1871, Rev. E. Belfour of Easton, Pa., preach- ing the serinon. Rev. E. De Yoe, who was from the beginning the pastor of this little flock, continued in that relation until February 1878. Rev. L. A. Burrell became pastor in October of that same year. He was succeeded shortly after that by Rev. J. W. Lake. The present pastor, the Rev. Carlton Bannister, succeeded the Rev. S. H. Weaver in 1892. The church now has a membership of sixty-nine and a flourishing Sab- bath school, under the superintendency of William Slack. The elders are George F. Hosey, W. H. Pulis, George Shuart, A. J. Bloomer. The deacons are Abram Pulis, James Hopper, Everet Pulis, William Ro- maine. JAMES SHUART.
In Bergen county are many of the descendants of soldiers of the War of the Revolution, an honor to which they may well refer with pride. Among these we find James Shuart, of Ramseys, whose grand- father, Adolphus Shuart, fought in the war of Independence, while his maternal grandfather, John Sutherland, was in the war of 1812, and re- ceived a pension of twelve dollars per month up to the time of his death. The Shuarts are of German ancestry, but have made their home in Ber- gen county since coming to America.
Our subject, a son of Henry A. Shuart, and grandson of Adolphus, was born in Hohokus township, August 19, 1844. After receiving a limited education in the common schools, he began business in the dry goods and grocery trade in Orange county. This proved successful, and in 1870 he came to Ramseys, where he opened a meat market. This also became a profitable business, and in 1896 he retired.
Mr. Shuart was married at the age of seventeen years to Susan Jane Hunter, a daughter of David Hunter of Orange county. By this union there was one son, Franklin Shuart, who now lives in Ramseys. Mr. Shuart's first wife died in 1868, and he married in 1872, Miss Eleanor N. Litchult of Brooklyn, N. Y. They have had four children. Eliza- beth, who married Albert G. May, of Ramseys; Eva R., who married S. G. Conklin, of Newburg, N. Y., and died at the age of twenty and one- half years; Harry now in Peddie Institute, preparing for the study of law; and Edna at home.
Mr. Shuart is a Free Mason and also a prominent Odd Fellow. He served three years as a member and president of the Board of Education. and was recently elected to serve three years more in the same capacity. He has also served as assessor and road commissioner of Hohokus town- ship for three years. In politics he is a Democrat. ( He was christened James K. Polk ). He and family attend the Lutheran Church.
JAMES W. PULIS.
About the year 1854 Mr. William J. Pulis bought a tract of sixty acres of land, re-selling twenty-two acres to John Y. Daters who soon after built and opened a store of general merchandise. Subsequently Mr. Pulis built another store which he conducted for some years, and to which his son, James W. succeeded in 1874. He still continues in the business where he has been for more than thirty years.
JAMES SHUART
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
James W. was educated in the common schools and in Rutgers Col- lege, from which he was graduated in the class of 1862 having com- pleted the classical course.
He is a Republican and was postmaster of Ramseys for a period of more than thirty years. Mr. Pulis' first wife died in early life, leaving him one son, William H., who married in 1886, when the business was divided, William H. opening a grocery. He is also the present post- master.
James W., married in 1870, Miss Onderdonk of New York state. They have two sons, James Everet, attending a business college, and Arthur G., attending Hasbrouck Institute. James W. still conducts the Emporium. Mr. Pulis' father, William J. Pulis, died in 1895 at the age of ninety-three years.
W. H. Pulis, son of James W., was born in Ramseys December 7. 1864. After leaving the public school he was employed in his father's store until 1886, when he went into business for himself, building up a good trade. He is engaged in general merchandise, and is postmaster of the village. Mr. Pulis was married in 1886 to Miss Jennie Acker- man, daughter of Abram Ackerman. They have two children, Luella and James Wilbur. In politics Mr. Pulis is a Republican. He belongs to the Hohokus Lodge of Odd Fellows. With his family he attends the Lutheran Church.
WILLIAM SLACK.
Seth Slack, a native of Canada removed to New York going finally to Ulster county, N. Y., and from there to Stonington, Conn., where he died and where his son, William, was born August 15, 1824. In the family were Mary Ann, who married a Mr. Valentine, of Bergen county: William, Jane, who lives in New York state; Thomas, deceased; and Sarah, wife of Charles Corey, of the State of New York.
In his boyhood days Mr. Slack was apprenticed to the trade of cab- inet making and upholstering. This was to continue until he reached the age of twenty-one, which would be in seven years, four months and eighteen days. His master died, however, at the end of four years.
He afterwards lived in Stonington for a short time working at his trade. From there he shipped aboard a whaling vessel, the voyage con- tinuing four years. Upon returning he went to Haverstraw where he spent seven years, working at his trade.
He has been a resident of Ramseys for many years and is success- fully carrying on a general hardware trade, in addition to a complete undertaking establishment, which is fully equipped with all modern appliances.
Mr. Slack is a Democrat in politics, and has been justice of the peace for eighteen years. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, in which he is an active worker, having been superintendent of the Sunday school for many years.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
He was married in 1845 to Miss Matilda Valentine. They had three children, all of whom died in early life. His wife died in 1894.
MR. GEORGE WELCH.
Mr. George Welch, a florist living near Ramseys, came here in 1844 and purchased a small tract of land, which he improved by the erection of buildings and otherwise equipping for the purpose of growing plants and flowers for market. In his enterprise he has succeeded admirably, finding a liberal patronage in New York and Paterson. Mr. Welch served an apprenticeship of seven years as gardener in England, coming to America in 1868, where he has since followed his trade.
He was born in Reading, Berkshire, England, June 29, 1842. In 1870 he married Miss Louisa Adams, a daughter of Mr. Richard Adams, a farmer of Stafford, England, of which place Mrs. Welch is a native.
They have two children, daughters.
In politics Mr. Welch is independent.
MAHWAH.
The hamlet of Mahwah is the last station in Bergen county on the Erie Railroad. Aside from the old church, a hotel and "Owena," there is nothing of importance in the place. The land was originally owned by John Winter. Andrew J. Winter now owns the only store in the place. Andrew Hagerman built the hotel a number of years ago. It was bought by John Petry in 1891, who owns and runs it now. The " Owena " was built by Colonel Ezra Miller in 1876 at a very great cost. It is an elegant mansion situated on a beautiful and commanding site. The property is now owned by his son, Ezra W. Miller, who preserves the grounds, the fish ponds and other attractions in keeping with the tastes of its original owner.
Andrew H. Hagerman, son of Andrew, has been station agent for twenty-seven years, and postmaster most of that time.
THE RAMAPO REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH.
The Ramapo Reformed Dutch Church was doubtless established as early as the begining of the present century, or possibly before, and has been the place of worship of successive generations, having formerly been familiarly known as the Island Church. The old cemetery adjoin- ing the church is of equal antiquity, and is the place of sepulture of many of the old families in the congregation. A. A. King. the present pastor, succeeded Rev. W. W. Letson in 1892. The church has a mem- bership of 125. Its elder are David Hopper. Henry Van Gilder, R. V. Valentine, M. M. Henion, A. J. Winter and R. Wannaker.
The Havemeyer estate consisting of 3500 acres of land is in this township. In 1881 the estate of Jacob W. DeCostra, consisting of 500 acres of land was purchased by F. O. Havemeyer, and the erection of a large barn and other extensive buildings were made. Subsequently other lands were purchased until all this portion of the township with the many homesteads represented, were swallowed up in the one estate.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
Following this came improvements of roads, the building of other stables, chicken vards, calf sheds, bull barns, piggeries, for the hous- ing of which and in the taking care of stock a large company of men is constantly employed. Ramapo River runs back of the place but water is supplied from large reservoirs especially constructed.
THE DARLING FARM.
The Darling Farm is an addition to this township in a way. Be- sides being a private affair the people take an interest in it also; for the love they have for the man. For they remember him not only as a broad minded and charitable gentlemen, but one who did not come among them, wholely for his selfish interest and only for luxurious gain. Consequently, Mr. Darling's extensive establishment the largest struct- ures he once erected his piggeries and bull-pens, his full blooded stock of fine brood-mares, his imported cattle and rare chickens etc., etc., have brought credit to him.
DARLINGTON SCHOOL
The hamlet of Darlington, the creation of Mr. A. B. Darling, the proprietor of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, N. Y., is the country-seat of a very fine estate. Mr. Darling came to this part of the county probably about the time of the Centennial Year and having made his selection be- gan improving the place. The spirit of progress siezed at once upon the people. The Hopkins & Dickinson bronze works, where some 200 hands were employed, before its removal to Newark, being one of the results.
JUDGE JOHN QUACKENBUSH.
ยท The first ancestor of the Quackenbush family in this vicinity was Rynier, who descended the Hudson River in 1700 from Albany, where the original family had been settled since 1626, and settled near Nyack. He had a family of nine children, one of whom was Abraham, the great- grandfather of the judge. His grandfather, John Quackenbush, was a native of Tappan, New York. His father was John, also, and married Mary Ann Van Sise, a relative of the Demarest family, and resided at Oakland, N. J., where our subject was born October 1, 1827.
JUDGE JOHN QUACKENBUSH
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
The Judge is of pure Holland ancestry, speaking the original Holland dialect fluently, and taking great interest in the history of the Holland people. He was educated in the common schools and after- ward received an academic training, taking his law course in the University of New York, from which he was graduated in 1856. In 1857, when thirty years of age, he was elected Police Justice in New York city and was President of the Board of Police Justices for six years, being the youngest member of the Board. Upon his retirement from this position, he practiced law in New York, in the firm of Quack- enbush, Dusenbury & Briggs. In 1865 he was appointed to a position in the Custom House and later was made Deputy Collector of Customs, and has held that position ever since; he has charge of the Second Division in which assessments of custom duties are levied.
Judge Quackenbush was married in 1846 to Miss Harriet A. Christopher, daughter of Joseph Christopher, of Allendale, N. J. The Judge is a Republican, but does not take an active part in politics. He is a Free Mason and belongs to the Holland Society of New York. being Vice President of the organization. He attends the Reformed Church and contributes liberally to the support of charitable enterprises.
COLONEL EZRA MILLER.
Among those who were interested in the railroads of our country when first put in operation, was Colonel Ezra Miller, who became widely known as the inventor of what is known as the " Miller Platform Coupler and Buffer."
He was born May 12, 1812, in Bergen county, opposite Fort Wash- ington, his parents removing to New York city a few years later. even- tually becoming residents of Flushing, L. I. Here Mr. Miller spent his boyhood days, receiving a thorough English education. In September 1833, he enlisted in a company of horse artillery belonging to the Second Regiment, First Brigade, New York Militia, in which he was promoted to the Colonency in 1842. In 1848, Colonel Miller removed with his fam- ily to Rock county, Wisconsin, and engaged in surveying United States and state lands. Having become identified with the interests of the state, he was appointed in 1851, by Governor Dewey, to the Colonelcy of the Eighth Wisconsin Regiment, an office he continued to hold during his residence in the state. The following year he was elected to the State Senate, serving one term, but declining a second nomination. About this time, his attention being called to defects in the matter of car coup- ling, which was causing accidents resulting in great loss of life, he began investigations looking toward a remedy. His great " Platform Coupler and Buffer " was the result of his perseverance. At the time of his death, Colonel Miller was representing Bergen county as senator.
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