History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 100

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830

USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 100
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 100

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Mr. Olmsted was a Democrat in politics, and was frequently spoken of us surrogate of the county, but he never cared to enter into a contest for the office, as his whole nature was of a retiring and modest dis- position.

Hle married Miss Virginia Schadale, who survives him as his widow. Mr. Olmsted died May 7, 1851, very suddenly, with scarcely an hour's sickness, and his early death was deeply lamented.

JAMES HARVEY LYONS, was born at St. Mary's Isle Parish, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, October, 1828. Ile was educated at Salem, N. Y., and was admit- ted to the New York bar and afterwards the New Jersey bar as an attorney at February term, 1856, and as a counselor at February term, 1859, and died at Hoboken. Nov. 21, 1871 from the results of an injury he received from being thrown from his carriage.

He was a practitioner at the Hudson County bar for a period of eighteen years. Upon the death of Mr. Mcclellan he was appointed prosecutor of the pleas of Hudson Conuty by Governor Ward, and held the office for a few months.

Mr. Lyons was an able lawyer. Ahard student, he gathered around him a large law library, and was for several years one of the leading lawyers of Ho- boken, having a large court and office practice. He was an able advocate, and frequently appeared in the highest courts of the State.

CHARLES H. VOORHIS, of Jersey City, was born at Spring Valley, Bergen t'o., N. J., March 13, 1833;

vated in Jersey City ; resided in Hackensack from 1859 to 18%] ; was one of the corporaters of the First National Bank of Jersey City in 1864, and its notary till 1876 ; several years trustee of Burlington College, member of standing committee of diocese of Northern New Jersey, treasurer of convocation of Jersey City, and trustee of the General Theological Seminary; in 1869 was elected into the Hackensack Improvement Commission ; was its president till 1872, its treasurer till 1873. During his term it graded the streets, paved the sidewalks, and built all the sewers. He was one of the founders of the Hackensack Academy, also of Christ Church, and gave the lot on which its rectory stands ; organized the First National Bank of Hackensack in 1871, the Hackensack Savings-Bank in 1873; was president of both till October, 1879, and owned a majority of their eap ital stock ; organized the Hackensack Water Company in 1873, and completed its works in 1574; was delegate to the National Republi- can Convention in 1864; appointed Inw judge for Bergen County in 1868, and elected member of Con-

1072

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

gress as a Republican, by the Fifth District, in 1878.

Judge Voorhis was one of the leading lawyers in the transaction of the law business of the county of Bergen, and the Law and Chancery reports will show that he has argued very many important eases in the Court of Chancery, Supreme Court, and Court of Errors and Appeals, and was one of the foremost men in Ber- gen County, but undertook the enterprises in which he was engaged at an unfortunate time in the finan- cial history of the county. All the enterprises in which he engaged were started after 1870, and were overtaken by the great financial crash of 1873 and by the greater distress which prevailed for three years before resumption of specie payments of 1879, which resulted in the overthrow of the institutions which he had founded and wrecked his private fortune. But Judge Voorhis is still in the prime of vigorous manhood, with none of his powers abated, and has started out to achieve a new success, which it is hoped will be more enduring.

ABRAHAM S. JACKSON is descended from the widely-known Jackson family, which formerly re- sided at Passaic, in Passaic County, N. J., his grand- mother having recently died at Newark after she had passed her one hundredth birthday. He is a son of James Jackson, received an academic education, en- tered Columbia College, and graduated there in the class of 1853. He studied law with the Jate Chancel- lor Zabriskie, was admitted to the bar as an attorney at November term, 1856, and as a counselor at No- vember term, 1859.

Upon coming to the bar he remained some time with Chancellor Zabriskie, and then opened an office on his own account in Jersey City, and continues to practice there. He is a good lawyer, but his advance- ment in his profession was greatly retarded by ill health from disease contracted in the Sunday-school room in St. Matthew's Church, Jersey City, the room being in the basement of a stone building, and very damp. Mr. Jackson devoted much of his time to his Sabbath-school, and still continues the work. After several years of lingering sickness, he is again re- stored to quite good health.

PHILIP J. RYALI. was born at Frechold, in Mon- mouth County. His father was Daniel B. Ryall, one of the prominent lawyers of Monmouth County. He | bench and the bar in his short period of successful received an academic education, and entered Rutgers i practice. College, at New Brunswick, and graduated there in the class of 1854. lle entered the office of ex-tioy- ernor Joseph D. Bedle, at Freehold, and studied law with him, and was admitted to the bar as an attorney at November term, 1557, and as a counselor at Novem- ber term, Isto.

I'pon coming to the bar he opened his office in Jersey City, and practiced there a few years, when his health gave way, and he was obliged to return to Frecholl, where he died early in life.

The early death of Mr. Ryall was deeply lamented,

as he bid fair to become an eminent lawyer and a very worthy man. He made many warm friends during his short stay in Jersey City, and was highly respected in Freehold, where he closed his short carcer.

NATHANIEL COWPERTHWAITE SLAIGHT ' was born at Tuckerton, Burlington Co., N. J., Feb. 26. 1837. His father's name, Bornt Slaight ; his mother's name. Ruth ; her maiden-name was Cowperthwaite.

He received an academic education and graduated from the Philadelphia High School. He next de- voted himself to the study of law in Jersey City, in the office of Edgar B. Wakeman, and was admitted as attorney in New Jersey at February term, 1858, and as counselor at February term, IS6l.

On coming to the bar he opened an office in Jersey City, and by his industry, energy and ability soon acquired an active and flattering practice.

He was a member of the General Assembly of New Jersey from Jersey City, for the year 1860, and by the ability shown in his office as legislator, and his zeal in the discharge of his legislative work, he gained a reputation honorable alike to himself and pleasing to his friends. From this time on his practice largely increased.

In 1863 he formed a partnership with William A. Lewis, Esq., which continued up to the time of Mr. Slaight's death, in February, 1868.

Mr. Slaight's health having become seriously im- paired with pulmonary trouble in the fall of 1867, he visited the warmer climate of France, and after a struggle with disease died at Nice, France. Feb. 13, 1868. His remains are interred in the cemetery at Morristown, N. J., beside his wife and son, whom he had survived. His daughter, Sara Taylor Slaight, has since died. His wife's maiden-name was Sarah Tay- lor; she was the daughter of David Taylor, Esq., of Jersey City.

Mr. Slaight was a member of the Methodist Church and a zealous Christian. In a letter written home from Nice just before his death, he writes : "Though far away from home, I am as near Heaven in infidel France as in Christian America," thus beautifully exhibiting his resignation and trust.

Had he not been cut off in early life, Mr. Slaight gave promise of taking a commanding position at the bar, having already acquired the esteem of both the

LANSING ZABRISKIE, eldest son of the late C'han- cellor Zabriskie, was born at Hackensack, N. J., April 20, 1837. He was educated at Columbia College, New York, studied law in the office of his father and was admitted to the bar as an attorney at February term, 1859, and as counselor at November term, 1862. After coming to the bar, he commenced practice in Jersey City with his father, and has been in practice there for the last twenty-five years, and is now the

1 Sketch by Hon. William A. Lewis,

BENCH AND BAR OF HUDSON COUNTY.

head of the firm of L. & 1. Zabriskie. He has resided for several years at Rahway, N. J.

His practice is principally in the Court of Chancery, Supreme Court and Court of Errors and Appeals. He is largely engaged in the settlement of estates and the care of large trust properties. His ability as a lawyer has brought him a large clientage.

Mr. Zabriskie is fond of travel. Some years ago he visited the wild and historie frontier- of North Caro- lina. Hle afterwards made a visit to Mexico, and spent some time in the city of Mexico. He has just returned from a trip around the world, which took seven month , and he enjoyed his trip very much.

1863. He participated in the following battles ; Siege of Yorktown, Williamsburgh, Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, Savage Station, Glendale, Malvern Hill, first and second Bristoe Station, Wapping Heights, Me- Clellan's Ford, Mine Run, Coll Harbor, and before Petersburgh he was wounded seriously Aug. 30, 1862, and returned home but recovered, and re-entered the service in the summer of 1863. He was in command of the regiment before Petersburgh, June 17, 1864, and gallantly leading the same, received five different wounds, one of which proved fatal, and he died June 19. 1864.

He was provost marshal of the First District of New Jersey during April and May, 1864.

I take from a Trenton paper the following obituary notice :

" Woolsey -n Snoday, 18th instant, near Petersburgh, Vu., of wonnda received in the battle of the Isth, L'apt. H. H. Wwwley, of the Fifth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, In the twenty-eighth year of bis age."

The friends of that brave soldier, the late Capt. HI. 11. Woolsey, will be interested in the following letter written by Surgeon Edward Livingston Welling to his father, Dr. H. P. Welling, of Pennington :

"Homjutal Thin Division, Seconil Corpo, near

Peter-hurgh, Va., June 19, 1864, 3,30 g. M.

" I write you, feeling extremely sul. Searcely an hour has elapand since I closed the eyes of Capt. H. H. Woolsey in denth. He was

woutsleuly tr Play mornin . at five -h. ly a Minte ball ; ing illet his body just below the diaphragm and ar terite me or vert

medintely In my test, where Dr Vandes y to sorgen of his te ne hal sul Fovif have been constanti with hon lir ban suffe el much, and it . Let night at ( . ... 'I k wong to the heck to bin gateau, he he twee samsonite He knew me up? that hour and called to Sed' Yesterday afternoon, as I anthe ile him but d me he couldn't

Hamember me to my wife , tell her I di- in a gl-na- I fiel thet I haven't lived in van is this w rii and for the world to come ' Them were his Inst fotelbig tit words Il diet te diav At . I was sitting hold him, with his hand in mine thank God it was my privilege t have bini n ar un and to root him wufferingen, borar his last mrmage to his wife and -y that ] | 11 by Rov. W. Knowles, who lugar this to you. '

It is known to most of our readers that the wife of Capt. Woolsey died on the Joth inst .. and both he is the same grav .

HENRY HARRISON WOOLSEY was born at Pen- nington, Mercer ( D. V. J., April t, 1837. He was the son of Ephraim Woolsey, who descended from George Woolsey, who came from Jamaica, L. L., about 1700. JAMES MANNERS WEART' was born in 152s, at Hopewell, Mercer Co. N.I., being the seventh son of Spencer S. Weart and Sarah Garrison his wife. He was educated at the common schools of his neighbor- hood, and took up the study ofthe law with his brother. Jacob Woart, in Jersey City, and had not completed his course of reading when Fort Sumter was fired upon, in April, Isil. The Pres dent's proclamation was issued for seventy-five thousand volunteers to suppress the Rebellion on Monday, April 15, 1sil. A vall was issued on the afternoon of that day for a meeting at the Hudson House for Tuesday evening. April 16, 1861 This meeting was organized by elect - ing llon. Isaac W. Scudder chairman, and Thomas and settled at Maidenhead. Henry received his aca- demic education at the Pennington Seminary ; entered Princeton College, and graduated there in the class of 1856; studied law with the Hon. Edward W. Scudder, now a justice of the Supreme Court, and was admitted to the bar at June term, 1859, and opened his office in Hoboken, and practiced there until he joined the Fifth Regiment of New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, enlisted for three years in Angust, 1861. He was commissioned by Governor Ohlen as second lieutenant in Company E, and mustered into service Aug. 28, 1861, and made acting commissary of the regiment; com- missioned first lieutenant May 9, 1862; was com- missioned as captain of Company HI, June B, Potter. Esq. offered a resolution that a roll be opened for volunteers. Upon this resolution being passed, James M. Weart came forward as the first man to put down his name, and some thirty others followed im- mediately afterwards, amidst great enthusiasm, and the meeting gave such an impetus to the movement that the whole Second Regiment volunteered in a body a few days afterwards, and the companies were filled by volunteers who had never before belonged to any military organization.

Mr. Weart was the first man to volunteer from Hud- son County, and this meeting is believed to have been the first organized meeting in the State, and if so, he was the first volunteer in the State. His brother, George W. Weart, was in business in New York City, and he volunteered also, and they both joined Com- pany C, commanded by t'apt. Frederick Grain. Jr.

While in the field Mr. Weart was the war corres- pondent of the Courier and Advertiser of Jersey City, and wrote many letters which were published in that paper. On his return he again resumed the study of law, was licensed at November term, 1561, and opened an office at Hoboken, where he continued to practice until September, 1862. when he was commissioned hy Governor tiden as second lieutenant in Company 11,

It has not been our parpa to give sketche of the young men of the Hudson Bar who have not, as yet, won come distin tion, but no apology is needed In giving the sketch ut this gallant and brave officer anl'ir sketch of James M. Weart, the Best volunteer from Huden Cont )

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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

commanded by Capt. Foster W. Van Kirk, in the Twenty-first Regiment, of nine months' volunteers, commanded by Col. Gilliam Van Houten.1 Soon after the regiment reached the field Ir. Weart was transferrel to the general's st: ff, and placed in com- mand of an Ambulance Corps, which position he held until the regiment returned and was mustered out of service.

In the fall of 1863, Mr Weart removed to Indepen- dence. Iowa, and opened an office there for the prac- tire of his profession. When the town was incorpo- rotel he was elected the first city clerk, and held the office until his death. He was appointed assistant secretary of th lowa & nate, and afterwards elected s retary of the Senate. After serving his term out he was elected clerk of the lowa House of Assembly. which office he held at the time of his death. He accidentally shot himself while out gunning for prai- rie chickens, and died in 1572, in the thirty-fourth year of his age.

WILLIAM T. HOFFMAN was born Nov. 8, 1836, in Middlesex County, N. J. He was educated at Free- hokl, N. J., and studied law with ex-tiovernor Joseph I). Bedle, and was admitted to the bar as an attorney at February term, 1862, and as counselor at Novem- ber term, 1872.

He prepared for college with the idea of studying for the ministry, but abandoned it for business, and chose the laborious profession of the law.

Upon coming to the bar he commenced his practice at Ilightstown, and remained there until the spring of 1863, when he entered into the pay department of the Unit. I States army, and was stationed at New- berne, N. C., and Norfolk, Va., and hell that position until the close of the war. He then commenced the practice of the law at Iloboken, and afterwards re- moved to Jersey City, and has been a practitioner at the Hudson County bar for the last sixteen years.

He was made president of the Board of Education of Hoboken, aml hehl that position for three years, being the only Republican member of the board. He was appointed president judge of the Hudson County Court of Common Pleas April 1, 1-73, and held that office for five years. He is a l'united States commis- sioner, and is now (1884) a member of the Republican State Committee and one of the executive committee of the State Committee.

Whik judge he presided over the Orphans' Court business of the county and presided at most of the criminal trials, and gave good satisfaction as a judge.

As a lawyer he is an able advocate, and his services are largely sought after in the defense of criminals, in which he displays great ability.

In politics he is an ardent Republican, and in the campaign of Iss4 he was engaged in stumping the State of New Jersey for Blaine and Logan.

JOMY GARRICK was born at Bolton, England,

Nov. 15, 1841, and removed to Jersey City when he was six years old, and has resided there ever since. He was educated at St. Mary's College, Wilming- ton, Del., and St. Francis Xavier's College, New York t'ity. He studied law with the Hon. Isaac W. Scudder, and was admitted to the bar as an attorney at June term, 1862, and as a counselor at February term, 1869. Upon coming to the bar he opened his office in Jersey City, and has practiced there ever since.

In 1878 he was appointed by Governor Mot lellan a judge of the Second District Court of Jersey City, and served a term of five years. He is now secretary and treasurer of the Law Library of Jersey City.

Judge Garrick made an upright and capable judge; he is faithful to his professional duties, and has a large circle of warm friends.

ISAAC ROMAINE, son of John R. Romaine, was born in Jersey City; received an academic education ; entered Rutgers College, and graduated there in the class of 1859; studied law in the office of the late Chancellor Zabriskie; was admitted to bar as an attor- ney at November term, 1862, and as a counselor at November term, 1865. Upon coming to the bar he opened his office in Jersey City, and continues to practice there.

He was president of the Board of Aldermen of the city of Bergen during the years 1869-70. Ile was corporation attorney of the city of Bergen during 1865-66-67.

Ile was a member of the Board of Education of Jersey City from 1880-9, and in 1883 he was again elected for two years.

Mr. Romaine has devoted his life to taking testi- mony in causes pending in the Court of Chancery, Supreme Court and the United States Courts; his office is constantly crowded with suitors and their roussel engaged in the examination of witnesses, so that he has become very expert in that branch of the profession.

As a citizen he i- highly respected, and he is fill- ing a very useful sphere in Jersey City He was elected, in November, 1884, to the House of Assem- bly from the Fitth District of Hudson County.

JONATHAN DIXON2-This distinguished advocate and judge has lived in Jersey City since 1862. For the last ten years, during which he has been upon the bench, his judicial duties have been elsewhere per- formed; but from preference he has here retained his home, and has been and is thoroughly identified with Hudson County. He was born July 6, 1839, in Liverpool, England, of English stock. He was the seenod son of Jonathan Dixon, who came to this country while the son was yet a lad, and settled in New Brunswick, in this State, and died in Jersey City recently, leaving sons and daughters, all occupying useful and honorable stations in life, of whom one

Isket h by lon. Gilbert Collins.

Killed in the ha ir of Fralericksbuig

Nu A.Lewis

1075

BENCH AND BAR OF HUDSON COUNTY

only, Joseph M. Dixon, a successful lawyer in New York City, has since died. The widowed mother is still living. The family readily imlibed the spirit of institutions which they held in hearty sympathy, and it has been a surprise to many who have known Ju lge Dixon for years to learn that he is of foreign birth, so typical an American does he seem. He attended the public schools of New Brunswick and prepared for further education at home. He entered Rutgers College at the age of fifteen, maintained a high rank of scholarship throughout the entire course and was graduated in 1859, the valedictorian of his class. He has always held close relations with his college, which, in turn has delighted to honor him, its last distine- tion being the degree of Doctor of Laws. His only son is now in the junior year in the same institution. After graduation he read law, tir t, with Warren Har- denbergh ; second, with George Dutton; and lastly with the late Robert Adrain, in New Brunswick, and being of slender means, taught special classes in a local academy while pursuing his legal studies Ad- mitted to the bar at November term, 1862, he came, almost an entire stranger, to Jersey City, and began the practice of law, at first with Edgar B. Wakeman, and afterwards for about two years by himself. In 1870 be formed a partnership with Gilbert Collins, who had been a law-student with him, and the firm of Land a delightful companion. In early lite he professed

Dixon & Collins contined until his elevation to the Christianity, and during his residence in Jersey City bench, in April, 1875. To this post of honor and has been an active member of the Congregational labor he was first appointed by Governor Bedle, and Church. re-appointed in 1882 by Governor Ludlow, both of Ile married, in 1564. Elizabeth, daughter of Henry M. Price, a well-known citizen of New Brunswick, Of strong domestre tastes and habits, he finds his chief them political opponents. In 1883, against his wishes, the Republican party named him as its choice for (and has a large family, his son being the oldest child. Governor. In a characteristic letter he accepted the nomination as part of a citizen's duty, and remained I pleasures with his family, to whom he is devotedly quietly at his place. It is a strange commen- attached. tary on our political methods to note that while the "liquor interest" strongly opposed him because of certain of his judicial acts, the Prohibitionists ran a ticket of their own, and that while no public man in our State has ever more clearly shown his sym- pathy with and intelligent appreciation of the just claims of workingmen, the so-called " Labor" party also entered the field with its candidate. Between Judge Dixon and Lis successful Democratie com- petitor, Leon Abbott (now Governor), there was a plurality of 6809 votes in favor of the latter, while the combined Prohibitionist and Labor voto was TJB. So far as it affected his personal fortunes, Judge Dixon was more than content with this result, and the pen- ple of the State are to be congratulated that they have not lost from the beach a judge who possesses in an marked a degree the public confidence.

In person, Judge Divon is small, but well knit and of great vitality; while not averse to out-door life, he las no great fondness for it, and his activities have been almost entirely mental and in the line of his profession. His career at the bar was phenomenal. Supplementing an almost unerring intuition with ex-

haustive research in his cases, he became within a very few years an acknowledged lender of the bar of the State. His was no long nowvitiate. Whoever heard young Dixon try a cause aw that he was a thorough master of his art. In Fis legal speeches he presented the rare combination of the logicinn and the rhetorician. He was equally strony with the jury and with the court, and as, with the lapse of time, he justly gained the reputation of complete integrity, his sueress was assured. Before leaving the bar, by his own skill and industry, put forth strictly within the legitimate bnes of his profession, he had a wotired a moderate fortune Assuming judicial duties, he brought to them a thorough but unpretentious com- potency Many eminent advocates have failed as judges. He has not. Smitors feelinstinctively that he is impartial. Lawyers know that he is unpreju- diced, and that, notwith standing his quickness of ap- prehension and great experience, he will listen atten- tively to all they have to say, and is glad of their help. By his brethren on the beach he is much estermed. for to an absolute independence of thought and ac- tion he joins respect and deference. In private life Julge Dixon is simple and unostentatious. Retiring and reticent, he is not apt to make advances, but he responds warmly to those of others, and is a firm friend

WILLIAM ALIDAY LEWIS was born in the township of Shrewsbury, near Red Bank, Monmouth ('o., S. J., May 16, 1836. He is of New Jersey ancestry, of an old family. His grandfather, Jacob Lewis, was born in New Jersey, Aug. 19, 1773, and was married. March 25. 1800, to Mary Brown, who was born in New Jersey, August, 1778. Their second son, Joseph B. Lewis, was born at Middletown, Monmouth Co., V. .. , Sept. 17, 1844, and was married, March 19, 1:34, to Mary Allen, who was born at Howell, in Monmouth County, N. J., Aug. 8, Is1?, and the sub- ject of this sketch was their chlest son. This maternal grandparents were William Allen and Mary Allen his wife where maiden name was Mitchell, both born in and residents of New Jersey, and their youngest child and only daughter, Mary, married Joseph B. Lewis, as stated, and was the mother of the subject of this sketch. His mother died March 5. 1869. Bis father died July 2, 1878.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 100

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 830

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830