USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > History of Bergen county, New Jersey > Part 58
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Here he learned to swing the broad-axe, to handle the adze, to tongue and groove flooring by hand, to match boards, to dress siding, to stick mouldings, and to do all the various things pertaining to house building. After working here for about three years Mr. Springer became dissatisfied with the prospects in a small country town, and once again returned to the city of New York where he obtained employment
MOSES E. SPRINGER
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
for a time, at five shillings a day, under instruction. By close applica- tion he soon obtained sufficient knowledge of the art of house building. to be able to turn his hand to stair building, sash and blind making which are now followed as separate trades.
In the year 1853, Mr. Springer became acquainted with Miss Mary A. Golding, of English parentage, born in London, but subsequently removed to New York. He wedded her in 1854. At this time, and for two or three years previously he was in the employ of Mr. A. G. Bogert, in Bank street, New York, a brother of Mr. Andrew D. Bogert, of Englewood. In his shop, for some time he occupied the responsible position of foreman, until in the Spring of 1856.
About this time he started West, landing in Beaverdam, Wisconsin. Two years following his arrival at Beaverdam were marked by great financial depression, and although Mr. Springer worked hard to make the business of a steam planing mill and sash and door factory (in which he was part owner) successful, the venture proved a failure. Heartily tired and sick of the West he turned his feet toward his former home. To reach this he was obliged to obtain some pecuniary assistance, hav- ing wasted his substance and accumulation of former years in his ill-stared venture in Beaverdam.
As Mr. Springer and family were about ready to start for the East they heard through a friend of the existence of a place called Engle- wood, and where carpenters would be in demand to put up houses which it was supposed would soon be needed for the accommodation of the multitude expected to flock to its beautiful site. This news was the changing factor in Mr. Springer's life. It brought him to Englewood in time to grow up with the town and to be identified with its founders. With his little family of wife, two girls and a boy, he left Beaverdam. and on April 10, 1859, landing in Englewood. At first he occupied the house which has recently been known as the Metzler house, now in Lafayette Park; and worked for a year as a journeyman carpenter for Messrs. Van Brunt & Waters, whose shop-a brick building with steam power-was located at what was then called Van Brunt's Station, on Railroad avenue, near Grand.
Arriving thus in the infant days of the town, Mr. Springer natur- ally assisted in putting up some of the first buildings which were erected in the place. He helped to build the first railroad station at Englewood, and also aided in constructing the water tank for the rail- road, Englewood then being a watering station. He further contri- buted his labor in the building of the Presbyterian Chapel which for a long time occupied the site where the Church now stands.
In the Spring of 1860 Mr. Springer purchased the interest of Mr. Waters in the firm and entered into a co-partnership with Mr. Adriance V'an Brunt. One of the first buildings erected by them was the store now occupied by Mr. H. J. DeMott, on Palisade Avenue, by the rail- road. In this building Englewood had its first post-office located, Mr. John Van Brunt, then the owner, being the first postmaster. The
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small building now owned and occupied by the Woman's Exchange was erected along side the Van Brunt building and was used as Van Brunt & Springer's office.
At the close of the civil war they removed their shop from Van Brunt's station, and erected the large building west of the railroad, for a time known as the Ramie Spinning Works, although used at one time as a rubber factory, subsequently as the Democratic Campaign headquarters during the Cleveland campaign, and since as a livery stable. They fitted the building with steam power and introduced the many wood working machines required in con- ducting a large business for building purposes. Mr. Joseph Blauvelt was about this time taken into partnership with Messrs. Van Brunt & Springer, and the firm became "Van Brunt, Springer & Blauvelt." After a few years Mr. Springer purchased the interest of his two partners and then for a number of years conducted the business alone. During this time he erected many substantial residences.
Mr. Springer has been connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church of Englewood almost from the date of its organization, both himself and wife having united with it during the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Hewett, who was in charge during the first six months after the erection and dedication of the building. He has been a member of the Official Board of the church from that time to the present, and was. largely instrumental in raising the funds necessary for the work of en- larging the church building in 1869, during the pastorate of Rev. E. W. Burr.
Mr. Springer has always been greatly interested in the subject of temperance, and to him is due the credit of the establishment of the Englewood Lodge of Good Templars, No. 103, April 12, 1870. He was also instrumental in establishing a children's order called the Temple of Honor. He was also one of the charter members of Tuscan Lodge, F. and A. M., of Englewood, and was the third Grand Master of the Lodge, holding that office for two years. For fifteen consecutive years he was one of the trustees of the Englewood Free School, and for a considerable portion of that time he held the position of District Clerk. He has also been connected with Brookside Cemetery as its Superin- tendent, from the date of its organization, and still holds that position, as well as being one of the the trustees and secretary of the Cemetery Association.
In 1872 Mr. Springer retired from the business of carpenter and builder. But having subsequently invested heavily in considerable property he also burdened himself with a heavy mortgage in the pur- chases. The financial depression of 1873 followed with its reverse and shrinkage of values, and the result proved disastrous, leaving him some $4,000 worse off than nothing, and he was obliged to begin life over again.
In the fall of 1875 he started in his present business of Undertaker and Funeral Director, in which he has been successful. During the
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Andrew Bogat
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winter of 1875-76 he started a hardware and house furnishing store, having purchased entirely on credit the stock and fixtures of a small store of that description in the Parramore building, on Palisade avenue. He continued at this stand until his growing stock became too large for the building, when he leased a much larger store in the Athenaeum building and fitted same up with especial reference to the necessities of his trade. The work of fitting up was done by himself. He then took his son, who had been clerking for him from the start, into partnership, and for a time the firm did a thriving business. The Athenaeum was destroyed by fire in November 1887, and their business went up as the building was dissipated in smoke. During the time he was engaged in the hardware business Mr. Springer succeeded in paying off the entire debt incurred during the financial depression of 1873.
After the fire at the Athenaeum Mr. Springer again, for a few years, devoted himself to the business of constructing houses, putting up a number of dwellings in Englewood. But the attention this required in addition to the duties pertaining to his profession of undertaker proved to great, and he was once more compelled to relinquish the carpenter trade.
In August 1890 Mr. Springer was elected Secretary of the Engle- wood Mutual Loan and Building Association. The success of that organization is good proof of the character of his work in that capacity.
His family has been increased since he made Englewood his home by a son and daughter, making five children in all, four of whom are married. He has seventeen grandchildren, all living, and when he gives a Christmas or other family dinner he has a full table indeed.
Mr. Springer has also served as Assessor for the township of Engle- wood, and incidentally while in that position as Secretary to the Board of Health.
It will be seen that his life, while passed in the quiet lines of trade and business, has been by no means an uneventful one. Much of it has been directly or intimately passed in the building of Englewood, and few men have done more than he in his modest way to make the town what it is .-- From the Englewood Press of August 3, 1895.
ANDREW DEMAREST BOGERT.
Andrew D. Bogert was born at Teaneck, Bergen county, N. J., May 25, 1835, and is the son of Gilliam and Marie Demarest Bogert. The American ancestor of the family was Gilliam Bogert, who emigrated from Amsterdam, Holland, in the year 1662. Mr. Bogert's father was a volunteer in the war of 1812. His mother was a direct descendant of north of France Huguenot stock.
Mr. Bogert during his boyhood resided at home on his father's farm. receiving a common school education, principally at the Teaneck district school, and learned the art of farming, before leaving home, which he
مه حلية
RESIDENCE OF ANDREW D. BOGERT
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did at the age of sixteen. He then went to New York city where he served an apprenticeship to the carpentering and building business, during which period he utilized the opportunity afforded by the Cooper Institute night school, to master the branches best suited to his pur- pose. Mr. Bogert remained in New York city until the latter part of the year 1859, when he removod to Englewood, N. J., and entered into the contracting and building business on his own account, in which he has since been prominent. During the year 1877, Mr. Bogert purchased the Dutch Point saw mill and plant, adjoining the Colt's factory in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, where he carried on an extensive log- ging and lumbering trade on the Connecticut river, in which Mr. I. S. Homans was associated with him. This property, Mr. Bogert sold in 1878, and returned to Englewood, where he has since continued to reside, conducting his extensive contracting and building business, constructing many of the fine residences, hotels and public buildings in the neighborhood. An enumeration of a few of these includes the Englewood House, the Tenafly Hotel, Palisades Mountain House, Fort Lee Hotel and Octagon Building, the Methodist, Presbyterian and Reformed Dutch churches, the Englewood, Teaneck, and Undercliff school buildings. He has also been active in purchasing and promot- ing real estate enterprises in Englewood and vicinity, in buying, build- ing and selling, and was the promotor of Leonia Park at Leonia, N. J.
Mr. Bogert was a member ofthe Englewood Reformed Church until 1881, and held offices of trust. Since that time he has been a member of the Englewood Presbyterian Church. He became a member of the Hol- land Society of New York in 1889, and was elected vice-president for Bergen county in 1896. For ten years he has been a director in the Englewood Loan and Building Association and has also acted on the Building Committee during that time. He has been president of the Citizens' Sewer Company since its incorporation in 1882, also a member of the Englewood Field Club since its organization.
In politics Mr. Bogert is an ardent Democrat and has held many minor offices of trust. He was elected Chosen Freeholder from Engle- wood township in the spring of 1895, and from Englewood city. in 1898. his familiarity with architectural construction and finance. well fitting him for the office. He has been president of the Democratic County Committee for three terms, has always been a hard worker and an ener- getic organizer in every undertaking. He is of Christian character and of such temperate, methodical and unassuming habits, as seems the best kind of success with which American life is concerned.
ABRAM TALLMAN.
Abram Tallman of the firm of Gulnac & Tallman, carpenters and builders of Englewood, is a descendant in the direct male line of Douwe Harmensen Talhan who came to this country from Friesland, Holland in 1658 and settled in Bergen ( now Jersey City ), New Jersey. Douwe purchased a tract of land in Nyack, Rockland county, New York, extend-
ABRAM TALLMAN.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
ing from the Hudson River to the Hackensack River and embracing what is now the business portion of the town. His son Tunis and Douwe removed to Nyack after his death and became the progenitors of all the Tallmans in Rockland county, N. Y. and Bergen county, N. J. Mr. Tallman can also trace his connection with many of the other old Dutch families who settled in this country in the latter part of the seventeenth and the the early part of the eighteenth centuries, among them being the DeRonde, Onderdonk, Haring and Blauvelt families of Rockland county, N. Y.
Abram Tallman was born at Tallman's, Rockland, county, N. Y., on May 6, 1846. His father, John A. Tallman, like most of his ancestors, was a farmer, and Abram's early life was spent on the farm and attending school at Sufferns, N. Y. In 1862, when sixteen years of age, he taught school for a few months at Tallman's, the first venture he made in life for himself. In 1863 and 1864 he was employed in a photograph gallery in New York city, but this work proving too trying to his health, he returned to Tallman's, and, after six months' rest on the farm, found employment at the Ramapo Car Shops, at Ramapo, Rockland county, N. Y., where he stayed for the next two years, learning the car building trade. Afterwards he worked at the carpenter trade in Sufferns and Middletown, N. Y., and Paterson, N. J., and finally, in 1867, came to Englewood. From 1867 to 1882 he worked at the building trade in Englewood, and in 1882 formed, with Mr. James M. Gulnac, the present firm of Gulnac & Tallman. This firm, since 1882, have built up a good business and established a first-class reputation for themselves as car- penters and builders, and are among the leading concerns engaged in that business in Englewood, having built many of the city's finest residences.
Mr. Tallman has always taken an active interest in the welfare of Englewood, having seen it grow from a village of about fifteen hundred, in 1867, when he first came there, to a city of about five thousand five hundred inhabitants in 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Engle- wood Township Committee from 1889 to 1893. He was also a member of the Citizens' Committee formed in 1895 to promote the movement for the incorporation of Englewood as a city, and when the place was finally incorporated in 1896, he was elected a member of the first regular City Council and was chairman of that body from 1896 to 1898.
Mr. Tallman was married in 1870 to Miss Maria Zabriskie of what is now Oradell, Bergen County, N. J., whose ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Bergen County. They have one daughter and three sons of whom one, William Tallman is a lawyer practicing in New York city.
THE BOROUGH OF ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS.
This borough originally formed a part of Englewood township and was organized into a municipality by itself March 11th, 1895. W. (). Allison was elected mayor, and has been continued in office to the pres-
DAVID L. BARRETT.
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ent time. John G. Ropes, Assessor and Clerk ; and Benjamin Woster- velt, Collector, have also held their respective positions from the organization of the borough.
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HUDSON RIVER AND THE PALISADES
RESIDENCE OF W. O. ALLISON.
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CHAPTER XXX. TEANECK TOWNSHIP.
HOW FORMED-CIVIL LIST-TEANECK GRANGE-SCHOOLS -- BIOGRAPHICAL
This township was formed from Englewood township and is bounded on the north by Bergenfields borough, east by Englewood city and Le- onia borough, south by Bogota borough and river, and on the west by the Bogota borough and river. It contains about three thousand five hundred acres and has a real estate valuation of four hundred and sixty three thousand, six hundred and seventy-five dollars. The population in 1895 was one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five. The official vote cast at the November election of 1898 was one hundred and forty- nine.
The township was incorporated February 13, 1895. The first officers were: Township Clerk, Frank S. De Ronde, 1895-98; John H. Acker- man, 1898-1901; Township Committee, William Bennett, 1895-98; Peter I. Ackerman, 1895-97; Henry J. Brinkerhoff, 1895-96; Freeholder, John J. Phelps, 1895-1901; Assessor, Daniel G. Bogert, 1895-98; Jonathan Hawkins, 1898-1901. Collector, Tunis Cole, 1895-98 (died in 1895), Warren M. Cluss appointed to '96, elected '96-98: Jasper Westervelt 1898 resigned in '98; Robert Stevenson appointed in 1898. Daniel G. Bogert elected in 1899-1901. Justices of the Peace, Robert Stevenson, 1895 to 1900; William Bennett, 1898-1903. Officers elected March 14, 1899, were :- For Township Committee, Henry J. Brinkerhoff; for Collector, Daniel G. Bogert; for Constable, Christian Cole, Jr .; for Commissioners of Appeals, Peter Rademann, Jasper Westervelt; for Surveyors of High- ways, Donald Matheson, Cornelius J. Terhune.
Teaneck township is a representative of unity so far as politics and party are concerned, there never having been a party election held, all tickets have been citizens tickets and all nominations have been made at citizens primaries. While the political complexion of the township is two to one Republican the agreement is favorable to the Democrats who could not expect anything from a party vote.
TEANECK GRANGE.
There are no villages in Teaneck township, but a villa grange lies within its precincts, of more than usual significance and historical importance, extending from Nordhoff in both directions over twenty-five miles of roads. It runs through the Phelps estate and is the Mecca of thousands during the summer months, who drive or bicycle through the. woods and shaded groves.
Here resided William Walter Phelps, our former minister to Austria and Germany. His estate included the thousand of acres of field, slope and hill. intersected by macadamized roads, shaded by
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
forests and ornamental trees. The quaint, low. rambling, wooden structure flanked on the south by an ornate one of stone containing drawing rooms, picture gallery, etc., the whole surrounded by spacious grounds beautified by rare plants and flowering shrubs was for years the home residence of the family. This unique Villa-Grange, for years, not only the political Mecca of one party, but the seat of hospitality so generous and wide as to attract to it persons of all parties and classes, unfortunately and to the regret of all, fell with the greater portion of its contents, a victim to the cruel ravages of fire, April 1, 1888.
On the hill New Bridge lies partly in this township and partly in Palisade township. It is the locality of Baron Steubens residence, built in 1752, but aside from its Revolutionary history and traditions the place has but little that is important for this chapter.
WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS.
William Walter Phelps, was born in New York city, August 24, 1839. His father, John Jay Phelps, one of the leading merchants of the city, accumulated a large fortune, having been prominently identified with many of the important enterprises of his day. He was the pro- jector and virtual founder of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company and held the office of president for many years.
William Walter, his distinguished son, received his collegiate edu- cation at Yale College from which institution he was graduated with high honors in 1860. Following this he pursued a special line of study for a short time in Europe, subsequently taking a leading place in the class of 1863, in the Columbia Law School, where he was graduated as valedictorian.
Immediately after being admitted to the bar, Mr. Phelps opened offices in New York and was rapidly building up a large practice when the death of his father occurring in 1868, changed all his future plans for life. The settlement and care of a large estate now demanded his attention, compelling him to abandon his profession and devote his entire time to private interests. Recognizing his abilities, Governor Fenton, had, prior to this, tendered him the appointment to the bench of the Sixth Judicial District of New York city.
The estate upon which he resided is situated near Englewood, N. J., and comprises about twenty-nine hundred acres of land. In the midst of this stood a residence of palatial proportions filled with treasures collected during extensive travel in foreign lands. (This residence was burned April 1, 1888.
Soon after his removal to Bergen county, Mr. Phelps began to take an interest in the success of the Republican party.
In 1872 he was elected to Congress, representing the Fifth Con- gressional District of New Jersey. Forceful and vigorous in oratory. ready in debate, and ever the courteous gentleman, he attracted atten- tion and made an immediate and marked impression. He was made a
Un Walter Phelps
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member of the committee on Banking and Commerce, one of the lead- ing committees of the House.
His statesmanlike abilities were quickly recognized by Speaker Blaine, who appointed the young New Jersey Congressman upon several special committees of the highest importance, where he acquitted him- self with such fairness and good judgment as to elicit the approval of prominent men and the newspapers of all parties.
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It was at this time that a warm friendship and close personal inti- macy sprang up between Mr. Phelps and Mr. Blaine which was life lasting.
Mr. Phelps was renominated for Congress in 1874, which was a Democratic tidal wave year. and although he ran six hundred votes ahead of his ticket, the Democratic candidate was elected by a plurality of seven. He declined to become a candidate again in 1878, his private business demanding his whole attention.
In 1880 he was a delegate-at-large from the state of New Jersey to the National Republican Convention at Chicago, where he worked heroically for the nomination of James G. Blaine for president, but with characteristic gracefulness he accepted the inevitable, and at once threw his influence and hearty support toward the election of Mr. Garfield.
His health giving way during this campaign, he was ordered abroad by his physicians and sailed in October. In the Spring of 1881, while still abroad, he received the appointment of Minister to Austria from the new administration. This he accepted but resigned the new posi- tion after the death of Mr. Garfield three months later. He, how- ever, remained in his position at the Court of Vienna for another year before being relieved by a successor.
On returning to this country in 1882, he found his party ready to again nominate him for a seat in the National House of Representatives. He was elected by a handsome plurality, and was re-elected in 1884, and again in 1886, each time by an increased majority.
He positively declined a re-nomination for Congress in 1888, and at the Republican National Convention, that year his name was pre- sented as a candidate for the vice-presidency, and he received a vote next to that of Mr. Morton of New York, the successful candidate.
Mr. Phelps had no sooner closed his Congressional career in March, 1889, than he was appointed by President Harrison, one of the Com- missioners to represent the United States at the International Congress on the Samoan question which met in Berlin in the coming April. Here Mr. Phelps and his American associates as well as some of the leading diplomats of Europe, had to measure swords with Bismark and his talented son, Herbert.
It was agreed on all sides that American interests had been splen- didly guarded in this conference. Mr. Phelps arrived in this country with the treaty in June. The examination of the treaty proved so satisfactory to our government that in two weeks after Mr. Phelps
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returned. he was nominated by the President to be Minister to Germany. Mr. Harrison remarking at the time that it was the reward of merit. His nomination was promptly confirmed by the Senate which was then in session. Mr. Phelps filled the Berlin mission until superseded in the summer of 1893 by Ex-Chancellor Theodore Runyon the appointee of President Cleveland. The mutual regard which had grown up between the American Commission and Prince Bismark during the Samoan Conference, proved of much assistance to Mr. Phelps when he went back as Minister and it enabled him to perform important services to the United States which his predecessor had failed to secure. especi- ally in the removal of the embargo on American port products.
Before Mr. Phelps left Berlin, he received an appointment from Governor Werts to be a special judge of the Court of Errors and Appeals of the State of New Jersey. Mr. Phelps accepted the honor, and the choice of so distinguished a man to serve in the court was warmly applauded throughout New Jersey. Mr. Phelps took a keen interest in the work of the court, but his health never robust began rapidly to fail. and his illness made rapid progress early in the Spring of 1894. Governor Werts had named him as one of the Commissioners provided for by a joint resolution of the Legislature to revise the con- stitution of the State. Mr. Phelps looked forward with great interest to the work of this body, which was to hold its first session the latter part of June, but it was fated that he should never meet his distin- guished associates of that Commission, for on the seventeenth day of June he died.
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