USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > History of Bergen county, New Jersey > Part 46
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
engaged in the battle of life against odds, and enjoys that faculty of discernment which permits him to guage accurately the motives of men. Of an intrepid nature himself, he appreciates courage in others, and has all that catholicity of view which enables men to judge their fellows leniently. While a lover of peace Mr. Mckenzie never avoids a conflict where a question of principle is involved. His rapid business advance- ment has, in no instance, been accomplished to the detriment of others, and no ruins mark the path that he has trod. He is an illustration of what a sound head and a willing heart can accomplish, when united with the other sterling attributes of an upright man, and his prosperity to-day awakens nothing but satisfaction in the minds of those who know him, for no man's sorrow has contributed thereto, and no man is the poorer because of his splendid rise.
MR. JOHN J. DUPUY.
Mr. John J. Dupuy, proprietor of the Hoffman House, and a well known official in municipal and county affairs, passed his early days in the busy city of New York, where he was born August 6, 1855. At the age of thirteen years he left school and since that time his life has been a busy one.
In 1876, he came to Rutherford, where he was employed in a watch case factory for five years. In 1881, he opened a store which he con- ducted till 1886. During this time he began in a small way to manu- facture base balls and other sporting goods, eventually becoming very successful in this business, His factory was in Rutherford and his salesroom at .No. 112 Chambers Street, New York. At one time he had in all nearly one hundred hands employed and in one season manufac- tured 365,000 dozen balls. He conducted this business and at the same time a dry goods store in Rutherford, until the panic of 1893 caused him to relinquish both enterprises.
As an official Mr. Dupuy's career has beeen successful also. He served the borough of Rutherford, first, in the capacity of constable from 1880 to 1885, was Town Collector from 1886 to 1888, the only Demo- crat elected on that ticket. He was Coroner from 1887, to 1889, running ahead of his ticket in that election. It was during his incumbency the inquest was held over the remains of Sherff Demarest who was killed at the Erie crossing.
Mr. Dupuy was elected Justice of the Peace in 1882, serving five years, and again elected in 1893. In 1891, he was elected Assemblyman from the second Assembly District, and re-elected the following year. He is Chief of the State Detective Bureau, and has been prominent, in fire circles having served in the department as foreman, chief and president of the organization.
Mr. Dupuy is also a member of the Boiling Spring Lodge, No. 152. F. and A. M .; Rutherford Lodge, No. 240, I. O. O. F .; Passaic Lodge, No. 387, B. P. O. Elks; Rutherford Lodge, No. 42, Foresters of America; Rutherford Council Roval Arcanum; United Friends Council and other social organizations.
JOHN J. DUPUY
PETER J. POST
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
PETER J. POST.
Peter J. Post, a resident of East Rutherford from 1875 till his death, was a prominent business man in New York for over fifty years. He was born in Rockland county, N. Y., in 1821. When a youth he went to New York and learned the clothiers' trade, subsequently going into business for himself at Eighth Avenue and Twentieth Street, where he remained twenty-five years, He then joined his brother of the firm of A. J. Post & Son and carried on business with them at two places in the city for twenty years or more. In 1875 Mr. Post purchased prop- erty in Rutherford where he remained until removed by death. From 1875 till 1884 he was a commuter, at which time he retired from active pursuits. In 1843 he married his first wife Miss Caroline Canfield, and after four children were born of this union she died. The children are all dead also. His second wife, who was Miss Elizabeth A. Owens, survives him. She was born in Bangor, North Wales, and was married at the home of her uncle, James Loyd, in Sullivan county, N. Y. She is a Christian woman, highly respected by all who know her. Mr. Post was a religious man and greatly devoted to his church. He was a life member of the American Institute Missionary Society, and belonged to the Baptist Church in Sixteenth Street, New York. He was a Free Mason, also. Mr. Post is missed the most in his home, for those who knew him best loved him most. He died in 1897, and was buried by Stephen Merrit, his intimate friend, who also buried General Grant, Bishop Simpson and other persons of note. He was buried in Green- wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, N. Y.
JOHN F. RANDOLPH.
The earliest paternal ancestors of the Randolph family in America, of which we have a record, was Basil F., born in Virginia. His son, Justice F., was born in Elizabeth, N. J., and was the father of Absalom Fitz Randolph. also a native of Elizabeth, and the grandfather of our subject. Edwin Fitz Randolph the father of John F., was born in Jersey City, November 9, 1812. He married Hannah Goetchius, of Paterson, a grand-daughter of Rev. Henry Goetchius a Dutch Reformed minister of early days. They had ten children, two boys and eight girls.
Of these children John Fitz, was born at Lodi, January 31, 1857, and was educated in the public schools of Rutherford. After leaving school Mr. Randolph turned his attention to the nursery business and horticulture, and since 1872, has devoted his energies to this line of trade. His nurseries and greenhouses are located in East Rutherford, where he has built up a successful and growing industry.
Mr. Randolph's military record covers a period of five years in Com- pany L. Second Regiment. New Jersey Volunteers. He served a term of two years as member of Township Committee and three years as bor- ough Councilman. He has been a trustee of the Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church since its organization ; was for thirteen years a fireman and for fifteen years belonged to the order of United Friends, in addi-
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tion to several other clubs and organizations of minor importance.
Mr. Randolph was married May 15, 1890, to Miss Mary Emma Ostendorff, daughter of Louis H. Ostendorff of Hoboken.
ARTHUR ANDERS.
Arthur Anders in real estate and insurance business in East Ruther- ford is a native of Berlin, Germany, and was born July 22, 1859.
Mr. Anders acquired his education in his native country, first in the public schools, following this by a High School course. In preparation for a business life, Mr. Anders immediately entered a business college in Berlin, and after completing the prescribed course of instruction, began his career by spending three years in commercial business in that city. After coming to America, in 1884, he occupied various positions in New York business houses, beginning at a small salary, but building up until in 1890, his accumulations enabled him to come to East Ruther- ford and purchase property.
After establishing a general agency business, he continued in it until 1897, when he turned his attention wholly to real estate and insur- ance, in which he has been successful. Mr. Anders takes pride in doing his share toward the development of his village, and the vicinity. He organized a Board for the Metropolitan Savings and Loan Association, a prosperous organization of Newark, N. J., which is of great benefit to those who have a small income.
Mr. Anders married Miss Margaret Mutter, of Berlin, Germany. He is a progressive man in every sense of the word, having taken ad- vantage of all the privileges of an American by acquiring his citizen- ship in 1890.
JAMES A. MORGAN.
James A. Morgan, Recorder for the borough of East Rutherford, is a native of England, born in 1846. In 1847 his father emigrated to this country, where James received his education in the public schools of New York city. Subsequently he went to Franklin Grove in Illinois. In 1861 he enlisted in a New York Regiment volunteers, and served in the army until honorably discharged in June, 1865. After a visit to England in 1866, he followed his trade of marble cutter, coming into the employ of S. Klauber & Co., eventually working for them from 1873 to 1897.
In 1871 he married Miss Kate Corrigan, who has shared in all that has made his social and business relations successful in the home of his adoption. Judge Morgan was elected Justice of the Peace in the Spring of 1896, and was appointed Borough Recorder in the Spring of 1897. He is manager of the Thespian Institute of Carlstadt, which organiza- tion he effected in December, 1897. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, belongs to the Army of the Republic, and is an esteemed citizen of Bergen county.
LOUIS BECK.
Louis Beck of East Rutherford, N. J., is a man of varied and wide experience. He was born at Homburg, Germany, February 1, 1846, and
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
is of pure German descent by both paternal and maternal lines. He was educated in the public schools of his native country, going to sea when but fourteen years of age and remaining until his twentieth year. The last two years of this time he was Quartermaster in the service of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and before that in the Anchor and Allen Line, and also in the American, Bremen and Brazilian Lines. In 1861, when fifteen years of age, he came to America, entering as cabin bov on the Vanderbilt line of steamers, "Northern Light," but had to leave after a few trips to Aspinwall on account of being sick with fever. In 1865 he left the service coming from Liver- pool to New York in the steamer St. David of the Allen Line, which was thirty-three days making the trip. He then began work as a painter remaining with one man nine and one-half years. He came to Rutherford in 1871, and has seen the place grow from nothing to its present rather prosperous proportions. In 1877, he opened business on his own account, and in 1892, started in the building and contracting business.
Mr. Beck is a public spirited citizen, is president of the Union town- ship committee and Board of school trustees in District No. 402. He belongs to the "Order of United Friends," the "Fraternal League," and the "Odd Fellows." Is a member of the German Presbyterian Church. His wife is also German; she was Miss Caroline Greyner.
CHARLES DANIEL BROOKS, M. D.
Among the prominent physicians of the county, having a large practice, may be mentioned Dr. Brooks, of East Rutherford. He was born near St. Paul, Minnesota, thirty years ago and spent the first nine- teen years of his life on his father's farm. Having natural inclinations to the study of medicine, he began a course in that science before leav- ing his early home. His educational career began in the public school, which in time was supplemented by special courses on subjects looking towards the profession he intended to espouse. In time he was gradu- ated from Bellevue Medical College, New York, taking his degree from that institution. He also completed a course of instruction in the New York Midwifery Dispensary, April 6, 1892, and on January 22, 1894, passed the examination by the State Board of Medical Examiners, at Trenton, N. J. Dr. Brooks is a brother of Dr. Harry H. Brooks, a pro- fessor in Bellevue College, New York, who is also one of the visiting physicians at Sing Sing, on expert cases, for testimony.
THEODORE WOOD.
Theodore Wood, a citizen of East Rutherford since 1870, and one of the original councilmen of that borough is a native of New York city, and was born in 1840. He is the son of John and Maria Wood, both de- scendants of old New Jersey families, members of the old Holland Church. Having received a good education in the public schools of New York, Mr. Wood learned the trade of bookbinding, taking up the work in the employ of Beatty & Stevenson, with whom he remained thirty-five years.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
the last ten years of which, as a member of the firm. In 1890 he estab- lished himself in business on Dutch street, New York, where he still remains as the head of the firm of Wood & Salter, binders and manu- facturer of blank books. The firm employ from fifteen to twenty hands constantly, and do a large business. In 1865 Mr. Wood was married to Miss Mary E. Rodman of New York, and in 1870 they moved to East Rutherford. They have four children. Mr. Wood has been a member of the Masonic Lodge for thirty years.
JAMES P. EDWARDS.
James P. Edwards, son of James B. Edwards, a former wholesale drug dealer of Jersey City, was born in Morrisania in 1862. When four years of age his father removed to Jersey City, where he lived the remainder of his life dying in 1881. James P. was brought up in that city coming to Boiling Springs in 1886. He then bought property and built several houses. In 1888 when a vacancy occurred in the Town- ship Committee the office was tendered him which he declined, but three years later he appeared as an independent candidate and was elected over two other regular party nominees. He has been councilman in East Rutherford for eight years.
Mr. Edwards is of English descent. His grandfather Major John Edwards of Paterson was born in the town of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, October 14, 1808, and came to this country when but fourteen years of age. Making his way to Paterson, he learned the trade of machinist, finally becoming a member of the firm of Danforth & Cooke Locomotive Works, from which he retired with a comfortable fortune to spend his last days in peace and rest. Our subject is a progressive citizen in the best sense, and looks to the interest of his borough. In 1893 he built his own residence, where he now lives, enjoying the con- fidence and respect of all.
JACOB H. VREELAND.
Mr. Vreeland's ancestors came from Amsterdam, Holland, and set- tled in Bergen county at a very early date. The old homestead is on the Polifly road, the site of which is now Hasbrouck Heights. His grand- father, Abraham Vreeland was an officer in the Revolutionary war, his grandmother drawing a pension until her death which occurred in 1856. Mr. Vreeland was educated in the public schools of his native place, and in a private high school at West Hoboken. Upon leaving his father's farm at sixteen years of age he became apprenticed to the firm of Hogg & Delameter, marine machinists, located at the foot of Thirteenth Street, New York city. After serving his full time a position was immediately offered him as assistant engineer in the Russian Navy, which he declined.
In 1861 Mr. Vreeland removed to West Hoboken and in 1863 he was elected a member of the Township Committee and by them was made president of the Board. Returning to Boiling Springs (now Rutherford ) in 1865 he was elected president of the township committee, serving two
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terms. He was also school trustee for fourteen years, being president of the board of trustees for a period of ten years, and was collector of the town three years.
While serving the public he was not neglecting his own interests, being the inventor of a "Patented Hydraulic Jack," for removing and replacing locomotive drivers without disturbing the height of the engine. This device is in use on all the prominent roads in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In 1864 and part of 1865 he was employed by Commodore Stevens of Hoboken, superintending his machine shops. At this time he was offered a situation with the Erie Railroad Company at Jersey City. He accepted a position as foreman, soon after becoming general foreman, and later master mechanic of the Eastern division and all its branches, including the care of about three hundred locomotives, and a fleet of ferry and tugboats. He remained with the company until 1888.
Mr. Vreeland married Miss Frances Ferritt whose ancestors are of the Morgan family of Connecticut. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having been Master three successive terms. In his religious connections he is a member of Grace Episcopal Church of Rutherford. He is a son of Lawrence and Mary (Smith) Vreeland, his grand- parents being Abraham Vreeland and Rachel Ackerman. He was born in Bergen county, August 16, 1834.
ADOLPH GUHL.
Adolph Guhl, wagon manufacturer and general blacksmith, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March 11, 1850, where he learned the trade of wheelwright with his father. He came to New York in 1873, and the year following to Carlstadt, where he worked three years as a hired hand. In 1878 he started business for himself, but after two years he again began working for wages remaining in his position until 1896, when he built his present brick shop. Since that time he has been manufacturing wagons and doing all kinds of blacksmithing, employing at times a dozen or more hands. In 1879 he was married to Miss Freda Guckelberger, and in 1882 purchased his present residence. Mr. Guhl belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the Foresters.
EDWARD A. JEANNERET.
Edward A. Jeanneret is of Huguenot extraction born in Locle, Switzerland, in 1840. His father August Jeanneret, was a manufac- turer of watches and lived for a time in St. Petersburg, where he mar- ried Amelia Walter in 1836. Her father was a Polander. She is still living and is now ninety-four years old. In 1859 Mr. Jeanneret came to America, and in 1872 located in Rutherford, N. J. He died in 1882.
Edward Jeanneret learned the trade of manufacturing watches in Switzerland and worked at his trade for a time in New York. In 1867, he married Juliet Guinand whose father was an old watch case manu- facturer in New York for many years, and when he died in 1881 Mr. Jeanneret succeeded to the business.
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In 1885 his brother, Paul Jeanneret, who had been with him for a time, succeeded as sole owner. The brothers were successful manu- facturers and often employed twenty-five and thirty men. Mr. Edward Jeanneret came to East Rutherford in 1870, and has been in the real estate business ever since. Soon after coming here he was made Tax Collector and still holds that office. He is vice president of the East Rutherford Building and Loan Association and has been president of the Fishing and Gun Club since August 1888. His wife died in 1895.
VALENTINE GRAMLICH.
Valentine Gramlich was résident here since 1853, is a native of Baden, Germany, and was born August 1, 1830. He came to this country in the William Tell in 1853. In 1856 he built the first five houses in Carlstadt for the German Land Association. In 1863 he began busi- ness in coal and wood and during that same year married Miss Mina Hobe. They have five sons and one daughter,
William Gramlich, the eldest son is president of the Borough Council, having been a member of that body since 1892, and chairman of the Board since 1895, He has been in charge of the Station on the Erie Railroad at Carlstadt for many years.
WILLIAM E. VOLMER.
William E. Volmer, florist, conducts a profitable trade in flowers on the Paterson Plank Road, East Rutherford, N. J. He was born in Brunswick, Germany, in 1856. His early training in the business was obtained in the Botanical Gardens of his native town, and a diploma conferred upon him in 1891 in testimony of his advancement in the knowledge of plants and flowers.
After coming to America in 1892, he was in the employ of De Forest, at Summit, N. J., four years, in charge of an extensive place, the orchids alone numbering 125,000. In 1896 he began business for himself on Jersey City Heights, and in 1897 Mr. Volmer bought three acres of land, where he is at present located, and has about 10,000 square feet of this under glass. He enjoys a liberal patronage in his new field.
JAMES R. TOLESON.
James R. Toleson was born in Paterson in 1843, and is a son of Robert Toleson of that city. He received his education in the public schools, after which he was apprenticed to the moulders' trade at the Danforth & Cooke Locomotive Works, where he remained until 1861. At the age of nineteen he enlisted in the First Regiment of Sickles' Brigade (70th N. Y. Volunteers ) as a drummer boy. Before he had been out a week he exchanged his drum for a gun, and at Chancellorsville was promoted to Color Sergeant. Not long after this he was recommended by his superior officers for a lieutenancy and papers were forwarded for his promotion, but on July 2d, at Gettysburg, he lost an arm, which
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
uufitted him for duty. Upon recovery he was placed in charge of the guards at the Jarvis General Hospital in Baltimore, and was subse- quently transferred to the Court Martial building in Washington, where he remained until mustered out of service after having been in the war three years. After Mr. Toleson returned to Paterson, he was elected Poormaster in 1868, but soon afterward became superintendent for T. Frank Hoxsie at that time one of the leading contractors of the state. He remained in this capacity until his removal to Bergen county in 1890, at which time he purchased his present property. He is a prominent contractor in this part of the county, and for a period of three years filled the office of Freeholder, having been elected on the Republican ticket, defeating both the Democratic and Citizen's candidates. As a contractor, Mr. Toleson built the bridge over the Lodi at that village; macadamized Washington Avenue from the river to Kingsland Lane, making it one hundred feet wide, and one of the best graded streets of the kind in the county. He did similar work on the other streets, including Bloomfield Avenue, Irvington Road and other thoroughfares of Rutherford, and has also done extensive work for the Erie Railroad Company.
CHAPTER XXVII RIDGEFEILD TOWNSHIP.
ORIGINAL TOWNSHIP- EARLY SETTLEMENTS-CIVIL LIST-COMPANY E --- VILLAGES-REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENTS-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES-
FORT LEE, RIDGEFIELD PARK, COYTESVILLE-BIOGRAPHICAL.
RIDGEFIELD.
This township embraced originally the earliest settlements in the ancient township of Hackensack, and was the first the traveller entered in passing up the Palisades. The valley of the Hackensack invited set- tlers early in the seventeenth century and the valley of the Overpeck Creek, a navigable arm of the Hackensack. also attracted settlers quite as early in this direction. Overpeck Creek is navigable for small ves- sels as far up as the nothern boundary of the township. Originally the township of Ridgefield included the villages of Fairview, Ridgefield. Palisades Park, Leonia, Nordhoff, Shady Side, Edgewater, Fort Lee, Taylorsville, Coytesville, Ridgefield Park and Bogota, but now the boroughs of Undercliff, Palisades Park, Bogota, Leonia. Fair- view, Ridgefield and the village of Ridgefield Park and Overpeck township have been taken away leaving but a small portion of the original town for the present township. The original township was bounded on the north by Englewood, on the east by the Hudson, on the south by Hudson county- Bellman's Creek forming part of the southern boundary line-and on the west by the Hackensack River. The southern boundary was less than two miles in extent, the nothern less than four, and the length of the township from North to South did not exceed four miles. The town was well watered while various railroad lines furnished the people with ample facilities for travel.
RIDGEFIELD TOWNSIIIP.
The early settlements of Ridgefield township antedates even the organization of Hackensack township in 1693, and of the county of Bergen in 1675. There seems to have been no town or village com- pactly built, like the village of Bergen, but there were settlements both of Dutch and English in and about what was subsequently known as Eng- lish Neighborhood prior to 1675. The Westervelts, the Zimermanns, the Bantas, and the Blauvelts. all coming from Holland, settled in the middle of the seventeenth century in that locality. The ancestors of Jacob P. Westervelt, now of Hackensack Village, with himself, were born in English Neighborhood. His father was born there in 1776, and was the son of Christopher Westervelt, who was born there certainly as early as 1690. He was the son of the original ancestor of his family. who came from Holland and settled on Overpeck Creek, within the pres- ent limits of Ridgefield township, probably about 1670.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
The earliest mention of the name of Westervelt that can be ascer- tained in Holland is that of Dirck Van Westervelt, who was born between 1475 and 1500, and married into the Van Wenkom family, and from them sprang a large and influential family now living in Holland.
The earliest settlers bearing the name in America were Lubbert Lubbertson and Willem Van Westervelt, who came from the town of Meppel, province of Drenthe, Holland, on the ship "Hoop," in April, 1662, and settled on Long Island, (as given in other portions of this volume). The fact of settlement is established from records, showing that a son of Willem purchased in 1697 considerable property in New Utrecht, which he sold in 1708 to Anthony Holsart, and also that Willem married Dericke -, and lived for some time there, as Dericke Wil- lemse Van Westervelt names in her will, her husband, Willem, and also her son, Abraham Willemse, whose wife was Margaret. Their children were Alltie, born in 1651; Abraham, 1653; Willemtie, 1654; Femmetie, 1658; and Jan, 1660.
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