History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I, Part 73

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 840

USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 73
USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 73

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" Resolved, That by his death our city has lost a faithful and efficient officer, and every member of this Council a friend."

At a meeting of the bar of Essex county, held a few days after the death of Mr. Perry, the following was among the resolutions adopted by that body :

" Resolved, That the life of Mr Perry, short as it has been, has de- veloped qualities which have not only endeared him to the profession, but rendered his death a public calamity. His love for the profession of thir law was wellom, if ever, exceeded. Ilis real and faithfulness In its practice was unsurpassed. lle was an accurate and clear thinker, in- dustrions, studious, cultivated, of the strictest integrity in private life, and the lofticet views on to profesional duty, and he was especially die- tinguihed for fairness and courtesy. His future was full of promise, und few ine pass away from life for whome los no sincere, justifiable and un- uwnal grief is felt as that which follows him to the tomb."

March 12, 1817. His parents were from the High- lands of Scotland. Soon after reaching his majority, Mr. Cumming was admitted to the bar of New York State, and practiced with great success in his native county until 1858, when he removed to Chicago. Here he also labored in his profession until 1861, when, on the breaking out of the Rebellion, he offered his services and was appointed colonel of the Fifty-first Illinois Volunteers. Joining the army under Gen. Pope, he participated in the battle of New Madrid, and was the officer who captured Island No. 10. He assisted in the capture of six thousand rebels at Tip- tonville, and then proceeded with his command, which now consisted of an entire brigade, to Fort Pillow, and took part in its investment. Subsequently he was ordered np the Tennessee to join Gen. Hal- leck before Corinth. Sickness, occasioned by hard service, finally compelled him to resign before the close of the war, when he was made a brigadier- general for "gallant and meritorious services at Island No. 10." On retiring, he settled in Newark, N. J., and in 1865 was admitted to the bar. Ile resumed the practice of his profession, and continued therein until his death, in 1877. Gen. Cumming was twice married, his first wife being a Miss MeKen- zic, by whom he had a daughter, and his second wife Miss Laurinda Garfield, a connection of the late President, by whom he had a sou, who is now a prac- ticing lawyer in Newark, N. J.

ADOLPHIE'S PENNINGTON YOUNG was born in Newark, September, 1844. He was the son of Capt. Aaron Young, who died from exposure during the war of the Rebellion, and the great-grandson of Governor William S. Pennington. His early edu- cation was obtained in Newark, under Professor Ab- bott, and his legal studies pursued in the office of Lewis C. Grover, Jr. In 1868 he was admitted to the bar, and was licensed as a counselor in November, 1877. His quiet disposition and retiring habits unfitted him as an advocate, but his office practice, and especially his careful and judicious labors in the investigation of land titles, and his methodical and accurate ab-

GILBERT W. CUMMING was born at Stamford, N. Y., | stracts, gave him a high rank in that branch of his

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profession. Mr. Young was an untiring student of tice of his profession in Newark, N. J. For ten years history, and at the time of his death had in hand the he had been thus occupied, and was beginning to reap the benefits of his patience and industry, when he was suddenly prostrated by sickness, and tina ly removed by death July 16, 18st. On the public announcement of his death, a meeting of the bar of Essex County was held, and the following, among other resolutions, was adopted : history of the campaigns in the valley of the Shen- andoah during the war of the Rebellion. At a meet- ing of the New Jersey Historical Society, in January, 1873, he read a paper on the events in that valley of 1864. Of this society Mr. Young was recording see- retary for several years prior to his death, which occurred October 6, 1×79, at the age of thirty-five " Readdead, That in losing Frank MI Bable'tt, we lose a cheerful c na juinien, a genlul friend and a fonrageuus adversary, and a man who, in the face of troubles and diwonragements which were known to hot low, and were by him disclosed to none, always maintained a pleasant demiranor and an undaunted heart. " years. At a meeting of the bar of Essex County, held upon that occasion, the following, among other resolutions, was adopted :

"Resolved, That in losing his the Church tomes a faithful supporter. the conimunity lones an upright man, society loves a talented member, the Bar loves a conscientious practitioner, and his widower mother love an exemplary sou."

JOHN A. COBB was born in Newark, N. J., in 1844, and was graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1866. lle entered soon after, as a student-at-law, the office of Hon. Theodore Runyon, now chancellor, and in 1869 was admitted to the bar. Subsequently he began to practice in Newark, N. J., and continued to do so with much success until his death, which or- eurred on the 5th of November, 18>1. Mr. Cobb left a widow (daughter of William A. Ripley, E-q.) and one child, who still survive him.

WILLIAM II. HAGAMAN was born in Newton, Sussex Co., N. J. Having been graduated from the Newton Collegiate Institute, he entered, in 1870, as a student-at-law, the office of Messrs. Parker & Keasbey, of Newark. and during his clerkship attended lectures at the Columbia Law School. In 1871 he was admitted to the bar, and soon after hegan the practice of his profession with Charles Borcherling. Esq. For a short time he held the othce of police justice of the Second Precinct of the city of New- ark, but his health failing somewhat, he went to Colorado, where he remained two years, and then returning to Newark, married, and resumed his prac- tice. In the autumn of 1882 he was made assistant prosecutor of the pleas for Essex County, and dis- charged with great activity the duties of this office until the following summer, when, his health ouce more failing, he returned to Colorado. His disease, however, which proved to be bronchial consumption, was too deeply seated to admit of a cure, and he died soon after reaching his destination, Boulder City, August 23, 1883.

Mr. Hagaman was a young man of great ability, and the skill and judgment which he exhibited as the assistant of Mr. Borcherling in the defense of Lam- mens, on the charge of murder, gave promise of a brilliant career. His death was regarded as a great loss to the bar of New Jersey.

FRANK M. BANRITT was born in Orange, Essex Co., N. J., January 16, 1852. He received his education at Burlington College and at Eaglewood Military Academy, New Jersey. In 1874 he was admit- ted to the bar, and immediately cutered upon the prac-

ELIAS M. PENNINGTON was born at Basking Ridge, N. J., September 1, 1850, Having received a good preliminary education at the classical school of Mr. William Rankin, at Mendham, he entered the Col- lege of New Jersey, at Princeton, in 1x67, and was graduated with honor therefrom in 1870. Soon after he began the study of law under Charles H. Win- field, Esq., at Jersey City, and was admitted to the bar in 1874. He began to practice law in Jersey City, and remained there until March, 1876, when he removed to Newark, N. J. where he continued to practice until his death, which occurred at Basking Ridge, N. J., June 9, 1878. Mr. Pennington was a young lawyer who gave promise of a brilliant career. Ilis loss was deeply lamented by all who knew him.

CHARLES M. JESSUP was a native of New Jersey, and born in 1550. He studied law in the office of Chancellor Theodore Runyon, in Newark, and was admitted to the bar in 1875. Soon afterwards he entered upon the practice of his profession, and gave promise of becoming a successful lawyer. In 1876 he was appointed police justice of the city of New- ark, and continued to hohl that position until with- in a few months prior to his death, which occurred September 18, 1578. At a meeting of the Essex County bar held a few days after, several addresses highly eulogistic of the deceased were pronounced. Among the resolutions adopted on that occasion, and ordered to be entered upon the miuntes of the court, is the following :

" Read'red, That the Bar of Essex County learn with deep regret of the death of Charles M. Jessup, Faq., young in years, stricken down in the very morning of life, manly, courteous and gentlemanly in charge- ter, we cheerfully bear testimony to lite terne friendship, his legal ability and very promising professional usefulness."

JAMES F. MENTEE was born in Newark, N. J., October 16, 1856. He received his education at St. Mary's C'ollege, near Baltimore, and at Seton Hall, Essex Ca., N. J. In 1878 he was admitted to the bar, and immediately began the practice of his profession in his native city. In 1580, when but twenty-four years of age, he was a member of the Electoral College, and was probably the youngest man that ever hell a seat in that august body. Mr. MeEntee died suddenly February 20, 1582. At a session of the court held on the following day. addresses were made by various members of the bar

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

in which the marked abilities of the deceased, as well as his integrity and his many virtues, were spoken of in the highest terms, and a motion was made and adopted that the court adjourn, and that a record of his death and the action of the court be entered in the minutes.

The gentlemen named in the following notices were still living on the Ist of October, 1884. They are here mentioned in the order in which they were admitted to the bar as attorneys.

JABEZ P. PENNINGTON, the oldest living member of the bar of Essex County, as to date of admission to the courts of New Jersey, was born in Newark, N. J., December 3, 1802. fle is also the eldest of three brothers, the second of whom is Dr. Samuel HI. Pennington, still living, and the youngest, Gen. Alexander (. M. Pennington, deceased. Mr. Pen- nington, as has been elsewhere in this volume said, is of English origin, his earliest American ancestor being Ephraim Pennington, who came from England and settled in New Haven about the year 1643. His father was a man of fair education, and of far more than ordinary abilities, as is evident from the active part which he took in public affairs and the con- fidenee placed in him by his fellow-citizens. He was the editor of the Newark Centinel of Freedom, from 1799 to November, 1803, when it passed into the hands of Mr. William Tuttle. For eleven years he was a member of the General Assembly, and one year, 1827, a member of the State Council, now ealled Senate. To his sons he furnished every opportu- nity for a thorough education. Jabez P., when suf- ficiently prepared, was sent to the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, from which he was graduated in 1×23. lle afterwards entered, as a student, the office of Oliver S. Halsted, subsequently chancellor, and was admitted to the bar in 1826. For several years he practiced in the courts. but after the death of his father, in 1835, he gradually withdrew, and con- fined himself to an office business. He has been notary public to the State Bank of Newark for more than fifty years, and, although now more than four- score years of age, possesses great activity, and is daily at his place of business.

JOSEPH NATHANIEL TUTTLE was born in Newark, N. J., January 1, 1810. Ilis father, William Tuttle, was a lineal descendant of William Tuttle, who, at the age of twenty-six years, landed in Boston (April 2, 1635); and his mother was Hannah (Camp) Tut- tle, a descendant of William Camp, who, in 1666, removed from Branford, Conn., becoming one of the founders of the town of Newark, N. J. The eighth in the descending line of the American pro- genitor- whose name he hears, he can look back upon an ancestry, paternal as well as maternal, of whom history makes honorable mention. The first and second of his American forefathers, William and Joseph Tuttle, never removed from Connecticut, but

the third, Stephen, left his native place, and settled in Woodbridge, N. J., where, according to the Newark "Town Records" he became a man of mark and a public officer. The fourth, Timothy, who was born in Woodbridge, removed, in early life, to Newark, and for many years was prominent in its township affairs. Towards the close of his life he went to Hanover, Morris Co., N. J., and there served for several years as a magistrate. The fifth, Daniel, was the father of fifteen children, and, together with five of his sons, did good service in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war. The sixth, Joseph, was a successful man in business until public office was conferred upon him, when, his business becoming necessarily neglected, he lost everything, and, to add to his discomfort, became a cripple. Being. how- ever, a man of great energy, he retrieved his fortune to some extent before his death. The seventh, Wil- liam Tuttle, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in New Vernon, Morris Co., N. J., and at an early age movel to Newark, N. J., where he learned the printing business, and for many years was the proprietor and editor of the Sentinel of Freedom. Hle was a man remarkable for his piety and his be- nevolence, and during his latter years devoted much of his time and income to works of charity and love. The story of his exemplary life was written by Presi- dent Tuttle, of Wabash College, and was published by Carter & Brothers, of New York. He married, as has been already intimated, Hannah Camp, daughter of Nathaniel Camp, and great-grand-daughter of Wil- liam Camp, mentioned above as one of Newark's carliest settlers.

With a preparatory education far beyond what was required, young Joseph N. Tuttle entered the sopho- more class of the College of New Jersey, at Prince- ton, in 1825, after the collegiate year had half ex pired, and was graduated from that institution in 1827. Soon after he became a student in the law office of Joseph C. Hornblower, subsequently chief justice of New Jersey, and in 1831, was admitted to the bar. Opening an office in Newark, he continued to practice in the various courts of com- mon law, both of the county and State, until 1842, when his business in the Court of Chancery, together with the management of various important private trusts, began to occupy so much of his time that he gradually withdrew from his common law practice, and gave his whole attention to this branch of his profession. Finally, in 1863, he withdrew entirely from the courts, in order to assume, without any im- pediments, the duties of treasurer of the Howard Savings Institution, a position which he still retains.

In early life Mr. Tuttle became prominent in politi- cul matters as a member of the old Whig party. In 1835, when only twenty-five years of age, he was elected a member of the General Assembly, and was then the sole Representative in the Legislature of Newark, Elizabethtown and Paterson. In 1836 and

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1837 he was re-elected a member of the Legislature.

his settlement in Newark. Hle left his son, John While he was in this position the government of | Morris, in possession of his property in the latter place. This was the grandfather of the subject of our sketch, and we are justified in believing, from an examination of the town records, that he took a prom- inent and active part in both civil and religions mat- ters.

Newark was in the bands of a town committee, and Mr. Tuttle, being its clerk, had every opportu- nity to study the wants and interests of this now thriving town. Convinced that its growth and pros- perity would be greatly promoted by giving to it corporate powers, he assisted materially in preparing a suitable charter, and one of his first acts as a mem- ber of the Assembly was to introduce it and to se- cure its passage. At the first election under this charter, hold on the second Monday of April, 1836. William Halsey was elected mayor. and at an early meeting of the Common Council, Joseph N. Tuttle was elected clerk, which office he held until 1844. In 1845, he was elected an alderman of the West Ward, and was also president of Common Council during that year. At the expiration of his term of office he retired from polities, and devoted all his time to the duties of his profession, which were then becom- ing more and more onerous.

At the organization of the Howard Savings Institu- tion Mr. Tuttle became one of its directors and its vice-president, an office which he held until he as- sumed that of treasurer. In 1840 he was elected a director of the National Newark Banking Company, and was for eight years its notary. The Newark Foster llome is largely indebted to him for its estab- lishment, and since 1848 he has been one of its trus- tees and earnest supporters. He was one of the cor- porators of the Fairmount Cemetery, and for many years one of its managers. As a director of the New- ark Library Association, as well as chairman of the finance committee of the New Jersey Historical So- ciety, he has been active and useful; but nowhere does he render more hearty service than in the okl

He held several public offices, and in 1711 was one of the committee appointed to setthe the boundary line between Newark and Elizabethtown. Descended from ancestors distinguished so early in our history for their intelligence and worth, it follows quite natu- rally that young Morris should have been carefully brought up from childhood, and such was the case. He received in Newark the best preparatory education that could be obtained, and in due time entered Yale College, whence he was graduated in 1831. After giving the required time to the study of law, he was admitted to the bar in 1834, and from that time to the present has been engaged in active practice. Dur- ing the first years of his professional life he was a constant attendant at the courts, in accordance with his original purpose of winning a place and a name in the forum, but the excitement attendant thereupon having been followed twice or thrice by physical ef- fects of a serious nature, he was advised by his physi- cian to give up all thoughts of becoming an advocate. and to confine himself strictly to an otlice practice. The advice was taken, and thus it is that Mr. Morris. although a practitioner of fifty years' standing, with a very large number of clients, has rarely appeared as a pleader at the bar.

First Presbyterian Church of Newark, of which he is ! Stephens at first in some legal matters of no great im- the oklest living elder, occupying the same pew in which his fathers successively for three generations sat and worshiped tłod.

While yet very young in his profession Mr. Morris attracted the attention of the late John H. Stephens, then regarded as the merchant prince of Newark, and perhaps of New Jersey. He was employed by Mr. portance, and with so much satisfaction that, by de- grees, he was placed in charge of all Mr. Stephens legal business, and in the end was made one of the excentors of his will, and intrusted with an estate that was appraised at about a million dollars, but in reality of greater value. Under the act of Congress of 1867 he was appointed register in bankruptcy for the Fifth District, the duties of which office he con- tinues to discharge at the present time.

STAATS SMITH MORRIS was born in Newark, N. J., April 15, 1809, and is a lineal descendant of Mr. Thomas Morris, one of the original settlers of Newark, and whose name appears on the first page of the writ- ten records of that place, in an instrument providing for " the speedier and better expedition of things then emergent to be done." Here he is simply called Mr. Throughout all his life Mr. Morris has been strongly averse to holding any public office; nevertheless, in 1854 he was, much against his will, elected a member of the Common Council of the city of Newark. It was during this year that the subject of disbanding the old volunteer fire companies, and replacing them with a paid department, came before the Council, and very bitter was the contest between the parties inter- l'ested. Mr. Morris was the champion of a paid de- partment, and the passage of the ordinance under which it was established was, doubtless, mainly due to the force of his arguments and appeals upon the Morris, probably because there was no other family of that name. He subscribed his name "Thom. Morris," as we find it appended to a paper providing " for the maintenance of the purity of religion professed in the Congregational t'hurches," and matters kindred there- to. It is not unusual to find nantes variously spelled in the old town records, as is that of Mr. Morris, which occurs in several places as Morrish. The last time that his name appears in that carly history of New- ark is in the minutes of the town-meeting held Feb- ruary 6, 1677, and it was not long after this that he returned to Brandford, Conn., where he dwelt prior to | Council floor. The measure was highly applauded by

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

York daily papers, and their own Council earnestly advised to follow the example of Newark.

In all matters affecting the public welfare Mr. Morris has always manifested a laudable interest. To the Newark Library Association and the New Jersey Historical Society he has given his name and a helping hand. For many years he was a vestryman of Trinity Church, as well as its treasurer. Although his three- score years and ten have passed, they have not num- bered themselves upon his brow, nor do they appar- ently form any burden upon his shoulders or gather any clouds upon his mind. Like very few of the cit- izens of Newark, he was born, and is still living in the centre of a large city, upon the identical acre which his forefathers have by turn owned and occupied for more than two hundred years, with no other interven- ing titles since his first American progenitor received it from the Lords Proprietors of New Jersey, with the consent and guaranty of the Indian owners of the land.

THEODORE FRELINGHUYSEN, JR., was born at Raritan, Somerset Co., N. J., March 11, 1814. His preparatory education was received at Somerville, N. J., and he was subsequently graduated from Rutgers College in 1831. His law studies were com- menced in the office of Thomas A. Ilartwell, Es J., of Somerville, and afterwards prosecuted in that of his unele, Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen, in Newark, N. J. In 1835 he was admitted as an attorney, and in 1838 as a counselor-at-law. For three years after his admission as an attorney he practiced law in Somer- ville, and on being admitted as counselor, in 1838, he practice, and where he continued in the work of his profession until 1870, -- a period of thirty-two years. Mr. Frelinghuysen then returned to Somerset County, and is at present residing in Raritan.

ALGERNON SIDNEY HUBBELL was born in Lanes- boro', Berkshire Co., Mass., November 22, 1799. His father, Wolcott Hubbell, of the same place, fought at the battle of Bennington, in the Revo- lutionary war, and was afterwards State Senator of Massachusetts, and for many years judge of one of the courts of Berkshire County. After receiving a good academic education, Mr. Hubbell entered upon the study of law in the city of Troy, N. Y., and was subsequently admitted to the bar of Massachusetts. He began immediately the practice of his profession in his native place, and was for a time associated with George N. Briggs, Esq., subsequently Governer of that State. During a part of this time he was a member of the Massachusetts Legislature. In Octo- ber, 1836, he removed to Newark, N. J., and in the following month was admitted both as an attorney and a counselor-at-law in the Supreme court of New Jersey. Mr. Hubbell established himself at once as a practitioner, and from that time until the present has been actively and successfully engaged in the labors of his profession. Although averse to public

office, he served as a member of the State General Assembly in 1847 and 1848, and in 1873 was ap- pointed by the Governor one of the commission to suggest and prepare amendments to the State Consti- tution. He always manifested a great interest in the cause of learning, and was one of the members of the "Old School Committee," which finally became incor- porated as the Board of Education. For many years he has been one of the trustees of the Newark Acad- emy, and is still active and faithful in the discharge of his duties as such. The Newark Library Associa- tion is largely indebted to him for the early etforts which he made for its establishment. He was also one of the originators of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, and from the time of its incorporation until 1882 was its secretary and one of its managers. Although now well advanced in years, Mr. Hubbell is still ac- tively engaged in the work of his profession, both in his office and in the court-room.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I, Part 73

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 840

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 840