History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 97

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 97
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 97

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PETER BENTLEY, SR., one of the founders of Jersey City, was born at the village of Half-Moon, in the county of Saratoga, in the State of New York, in the year 1805. His early life was devoted to farming and attending the county schools until he was twenty years of age, when he started out to seek his own fortune. In 1825 he came to Jersey City, and learned the occu- pation of a printer, which he followed for a few years, and earned and saved money enough to enable him to take up the study of the law, and about 1830 he entered the law-office of Samuel Cassedy, Esq., and was licensed as an attorney at May term, 1834, and took his counselor's license at the September term, 1839; he opened his office in Jersey City, and practiced there for forty-one years, and died Sept. 26, 1875, seventy years of age.

In 1833 he was clerk of the Board of Selectmen of Jersey t'ity, and in 1843 he was elected mayor of Jersey City ; these were the only political offices he ever held. He helped to organize several of the banks and insurance companies of the city, and served as a director or trustee, notably the Provident Insti- tution for Savings ; he was made a trustee when the bank was organized, and served until his death, a period of thirty years ; he was a vice-president for fourteen years, and attorney and counsel to the bank for many years.

lle was the leading spirit in the organization ofthe Mechanics' and Traders' Bank in 1853, and was its first president : this bank was afterwards merged into the First National Bank of Jersey City, and is now

J. C. Sceddu

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BENCH AND BAR OF HUDSON COUNTY

one of the most prosperous banks in the State of New Jersey. He helped to organize the Jersey City Fire Insurance Company, and was one of its directors ; he Was treasurer of the Jersey t'ity and Bergen Plauk- Road Company, n director in the Jersey City thay- Light Company, and at one time treasurer, and he ex- ecuted many trusts relative to property where indi- viduals were concerned.

On the Hth of October, 1842, he married Miss Margaret E. Holmes, of Jersey City, who was of English descent ; she still survives with two chil- dret,-Peter Bentley, Jr., a leading member of the Jersey City bar, and a daughter, Rosaline II., who married Thomas H. Tower, a member of the New York Stock Exchange.

Mr. Bentley came to Jersey City without fortune, and at the time of his death left a large estate ; he had traveled extensively in Europe and in this country, and always took a very active part in all that per- tained to Hudson County and Jersey City, and on the occasion of his death the bar of Hudson County ! Company initiated the series of vast improvements published a memorial volume which contains ad- which now line our shores for miles, and I believe that whatever may be said of the sure result, sooner or Inter, of the natural advantages of this shore, the persistent energy of Mr. Bentley greatly aided in has- tening the advent of these improvements. dresses by Jneoh Weart, Washington B. Williams, Charles 11. Winfickt, Stephen B. Ransom, and n eulogy hy the late Isaac W. Seudder, and addresses on the occasion of his funeral by Rev. Mr. Putnam, Rev. Dr. W. W. Parnaly, and the late Rev. Dr. Ben- jamin C. Taylor, who preached the funeral sermon by request of Mr. Bentley, expressed some twenty years before his death, because Dr. Taylor had served so acceptalily at the funeral of one of Mr. Bentley's friends.

A few selections from these addresses will give a Full view of Mr. Bentley's character.

Mr. Stephen B. Ransom said : . Mr. Bent- ley was in some respects a remarkable man. Com- mencing his career here when our county was in its infancy, he became identified with its growth, and in no small measure assisted in shaping its destiny. In- justice, oppression, fraud and corruption in municipal, State or national affairs found in him an uncompro- mising foe. He was originally a Democrat, and acted with that party, but no party ties were strong enough to control his action in a direction which his conscience did not approve ; and when, in 1848, the Democratic party, at the dictation of the South, pro- claimed its purpose to force slavery into all our Terri- tories, his free spirit revolted, an 1, united with similar spirits in the State, he took an active part in organiz- ing the Free-Soil party. It was at the convention held in Trenton in the summer of 1848, to organize that party and nominate an electoral ticket, that I first became acquainted with him. He took a very active part in that movement, and although the ticket then nominated at the election in November follow- ing received but about one hundred and forty votes in the State, the principles of that party which he then advocated took deep root in the nation, and he lived long enough to se their complete triumph in

the absolute overthrow of the hated institution of slavery."!

Mr. W. R. Williams said: ". . . He had a quick and excellent perception of the right of a case and of its reasonable probabilities. He was noted for bringing about settlement-, aud fought his client-' battles as runningly, and with as much tart, ingenuity and success, in office conferences, as many others do before the court.

"I think his shrewd judgment of the probabilities of success was well shown in his advocacy, with per- sistent energy and confidence, the celebrated case of Mrs. Bell, involving the question of the right of the State to lands below high-water mark. After twelve or fourteen years of contest, in which he se- cured the aid of some of the ablest counsel in the State, and it seemed likely that final success in the United States Supreme Court would justify hi- views, a satisfactory settlement was reached. The sale of the valuable rights in question to the Long Dock

"My own friendly relations" (Mr. Williams was a student in his office) "with him remained unchanged after my admission to the bar, and I was glad and proud when I could in turn assist him, and when, as his years advanced, he would come and put questions to a younger mind fresh from the work-bench and the tools. Especially was I glad to receive at times his confidence, and to unite with him in his paternal an- ticipation of the usefulness and success of his only son, with whom we sympathize to-day, and to whom he so earnestly looked to inherit his honorably earned reputation and clientage, and to attend his gray hairs with honor to the grave."

Mr. Scudder said. ". . . Opposed to municipal extravagance, Mr. Bentley took an active part in all those plans designed to protect property from un- necessary taxes and assessments.

" Finding that extravagant and unjust assessments had been imposed on property in Jersey City, which provoked serions litigation, the result of which, if successful, would have thrown great burthens on the public at large, where they did not properly belong, in 1573 he conceived the plan of creating a commis- sion, to be composed of men of high character, who should be empowered to review all anch cases, and adjust them on sound and equitable principles. With his usual energy he engaged in this important subject ; he carried his project before the Legislature, had a commission appointed, of which Judge Harris, who had been the trovernor of the State and justice of the

1 Atul when the army was reviewed at Washington ut the cl me [ the Inter stell war, Mr Bentley want to Washington to witness the review

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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Supreme Court, was made the head, and the result was a more just and proper distribution of the public burthens, and the assessments, having been fairly established, have been for the most part collected."

ISAAC WILLIAMSON SOUDDER was born nt Eliza- bethtown, N. J. (now known as Elizabeth), in 1×16. llis father, Smith Scudder, was a lawyer, aud licensed as an attorney in 1808, and as a counselor in 1×13. Hle resided at Elizabeth and practiced his profession there. He was a very ardent admirer of the profession, as was shown by the names he gave to his two sons, -William Mansfield Seudder, after Lord Mansfield, one of the greatest judges in England, and Isaac Williamson Scudder after Governor Isaac H. Williamson, who was chancellor of New Jersey for twelve years, and a very great lawyer.

The subject of this sketch was licensed as an at- torney at May term, 1838, and as counselor at May term, 1844, and settled in Jersey City shortly after the for- mation of the county of Hudson, and continued to reside and practice there until the time of his death, which occurred on Sept. 10. 1881. He never married, although he was very courteous to ladies, and seemed to enjoy their society very much, and always showed them great respect, and in their absence spoke kindly of them. The secret of his having led a bachelor's life was locked in his own heart, and was never revealed to his most intimate friends.

Upon coming to Jersey City he soon took rank in his profession, and in 1845 was appointed by Governor Stratton prosecutor of the pleas for Hudson County. The first important trial in which he was engaged was the case of the State versus Eliphelet M. S. Spen- cer for the murder of his wife, Adeline M. Spencer. The trial took place at August tori, 1846, of the Iludson County Oyer and Terminer. Chief Justice Horn- blower presided, and the State was represented by Mr. Scudder and Attorney-General Browning, a very eminent lawyer residing at Camden ; Mr. Spencer was defended by Edgar B. Wakeman, ex-Chancellor B. Williamson and David Graham, Jr., one of the most distinguished criminal lawyers of New York City. The plea was insanity. Twenty-one witnesses were examined for the State and forty for the defense, and the verdict was "Not guilty."

Mr. Sendder's father had come over from Elizabeth to hear the argument of his son. Ilis son had closed his great argument, and shortly afterwards his father expired in his chair in the court-room. His death was so quiet and peaceful that but few of the spectators observed that he had passed away.

Mr. Scudder's argument attracted much attention, and greatly aided him in acquiring civil business; his term as prosecutor expired in 1850, and he was again appointed prosecutor by Governor Olden in 1860, and served a second term of five years.

When the iludson River police force was estab- lished, and the Police Department of Jersey City was placed under a commission, in 1866. Mr. Scudder was

appointed by Governor Ward as one of the three com- missioners.

In this office his services were of great value to Jersey City ; he having for ten years been the prose- rutor of the pleas, he had a thorough knowledge of the criminal law, and knew the various requirements for an efficent police force.

When Hudson County was set off into a Congres- sional district by itself, he was elected to Congress in 1872 as a Republican, while the district was largely Democratic. He served with much distinction, and retired at the expiration of his term to private life. He was frequently solicited by his friends to allow his name to be used as a candidate for a justice of the Supreme t'ourt, and also for Governor of the State, but to all sneh solicitations he always answered, "No."

As a lawyer Mr. Scudder ranked as one of the first in the State, and he was engaged on either one side or the other of almost all of the great trials which took place in Hudson County during his time. lle was employed by the large corporations,-he was the counsel for many years of the Associates of the Jersey Company, owning the ferries; of the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Company ; of the United Railroads of New Jersey; and, lastly, of the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, who took the roads on a lease for nine hundred and ninety-nine years. Mr. Scudder was the chief manager of the important liti- gation which terminated in the confirmation of the lease. He was also engaged in important land cases, and, in fact, in all kinds of litigation, civil and erimi- nal, in which he was very successful, and much of his practice was in the highest courts of the State, and of the United States.

lle was a great worker, and labored very hard in the preparation of his causes, and continued this until the close of his life. He was working on a cause on the day of his death, and was taken ill at his office at 11 A.M., and expired about ten in the evening, in his chair, as his father had done before him.

He had a large clientage, a warm circle of friends, by whom he was greatly respected. He came to Hudson County without an estate, and at the close of his life left an estate of four hundred thousand dollars, which he mainly bequeathed to the descendants of his deceased brother, William Mansfield Scudder.

BENNINGTON F. RANDOLPH is best known by the work of his busy life. Wishing to see him on a Saturday morning recently, I ealled at his court-room, but Judge Randolph was absent. I remarked that the judge was a very busy man. The elerk replied. " Yes; he works every day from 8 A. M. until 11 p.3t." I said, " He can probably be found at the committee- room of the Equitable Lite," and upon going there, the judge was found, hard at work.

He was born at Belvidere, then in Sussex (now Warren) County, Dec. 13, 1817. Ilis grandfather was Dr. Robert F. Randolph. His father was Francis C. F. Randolph, who, after graduating at Queen's (now Rut-

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BENCH AND BAR OF HUDSON COUNTY.

gers) College, studied law with John Chetwood, Faq., At Elizabeth; was admitted to the bar in 1816, and settled ut Belvidere ; from there he removed to Eliza- beth, where he engaged in law practice ; represented the county of Essex in the Legislature; was by joint meeting electe I surrogate of that county, and removed to Newark where he died during his term of office, in 1828. fle married Phebe Halsey Crane, of Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Crane. Both the Randolph (formerly Fitz-Randolph) and the Crane families were among the very earliest settlers in East Jersey.

The subject of this sketch received an academic education at various schools, and then weut to La- fayette College, at Easton, l'a .; studied law first with William C. Morris, Esq. at Belvidere, and afterwards with Joseph F. Randolph, Esq .. at Free- hold, and was admitted to the bar as an attorney at February term, 1839, and as a counselor, at February term, 1842. I'pon coming to the bar he opened his office at Freehold, and practiced in the counties of Monmouth and Ocean until 1861, when he removed to Jersey City and opened an office there, and has continued to reside there ever since.

lle was nt one time a law-partner of Judge Joseph F. Randolph, and later Joseph F. Randolph, Jr., was admitted us a partner. He was admitted to the bar in the State of New York, and was at one time associated with Henry M. Alexander. James W. Alexander and Judge Ashbel tireen as law-partners.

In 1868, when the office of law judge was created for Hudson County, he was appointed president judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Orphan's Court and Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace. He held this office for five years, and retired in 1873, owing to a change in the politics of the Legislature, which had the appointment.

In 1877 the Legislature created District Courts in Jersey City and Hoboken and various other cities. Two districts were created in Jersey City, and Judge Randolph was immediately looked to as one of the gentlemen for a judgeship. The Governor had the appointment, and ex-Governor Bedle being then in office, and a son-in-law of Judge Randolph, it was feared that Governor Bedle would not appoint him ; but prominent members of the bar waited on Gover- nor Bedle personally, and a very strong petition signed by most of the prominent lawyers of the city was also presented to the Governor, and the appoint- ment secured ; he was reappointed by tiovernor Ludlow in 1882, and is now (1884) serving his second term.

In 1850, Judge Randolph was associated with the gentlemen who organized and established the Equita- ble Life Assurance Society of the I nited States, which, taking into consideration the date of its organization, is one of the largest and most successful societies in the world ; he has always been one of its trustees, and has performed there a great deal of the work of its commit- tees. He helped to organize in 155 the Freehold

Banking Company (now the Frechold National Bank- ing Company), and was one of its directors until he removed to Jersey City. He is now one of the directors of the First National Bank of Jersey City. also of the Mercantile Trust Company and the Mer- cantile Safe Deposit Company of the City of New York ; he is a riparian commissioner and a member of the State Board of Education, and i- now President of that Board ; he is at this time erv- ing as a trustee or director in four important our- porations, Is a member of two very important con- missions, holds an important court, and still find- time to do a considerable amount of church-work. Hlv is a director of the Theological Seminary at Princeton, a trustee of the board of church extension ot the Presbyterian Church, was an older in the Presbyte- rian Church at Frechold, and continues in the service of that office in the First Presbyterian Church in Jersey City.

When the Riparian commission was created. in 1869, it was composed of Judge Francis F. Lathrop, ex-Governor Oklen, Judge Peter Vredenburgh, and Mr. Randolph, who is still serving ; this commission has done a large work, and gathered into the school fund of the State three millions of dollars.

In 1854, when the Raritan and Delaware Bay Railroad was chartered, Mr. Randolph became one of its promoters, was counsel to the company, and at one time its treasurer. This road is now known as the Southern Railroad of New Jersey, and has been the means of developing the shore-front of the State, which has become so widely known all over the nation.

I'rom 1865 to 1569. Mr. Randolph was a member of the Board of Education in Jersey City. He took great interest in the organization of the school in the then new building, No. 4, and in seconding the efforts to secure the site for the High School building. During nearly the whole period of his residence in Jersey City he has been a trustee of the State Normal School. Soon after he became connected with the institution the question of the purchase by the State of the very valuable property at Trenton, which Elias t'ook then treasurer of the board had, at his own expense, built up, was considered, and he was appointed to conter with the legislative committee. Mr. Cook satisfied hun of the original cost of the property, and offering to waive all interest, and to apply the whole income that had been realized from the Model School to re- duce the amount to be paid by the State to a sum not much, if any, beyond the then actual cost of the property, Mr. Randolph urged the committee to advise the purchase. This was done, and the valuable prop- erty secured for the state.

In 1861, Mr. Randolph, with others, formed the steamship route between New York and San Francisco known as the Nicaragua route. They put steamers on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and steamers on the San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua, and convey - ances for the twelve miles of land carriage. After

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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

the company had been in operation some three years the harbor at Greytown was closed by the washing iu of sand during a violent storm, which caused the close of the company's business.

In all the various trusts and undertakings in which Judge Randolph has been engaged he has always been known as having a high sense for the discharge of his official duties, and has always had the respect and con- fidlence of his associate workers.

In I841 he married Eliza, daughter of John B., and Hope Forman, of Freehold; her mother was a daughter of Dr. Thomas Henderson. The families of Mr. For- man and of Dr. Henderson were among the early set- tlers in that part of the State.

THOMAS W. JAMES is now the Nestor of the Hud- son County bar, being the only lawyer living of those who were settled here at the formation of the county He was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1812, his parents being temporarily resident in that city at the time ; but he is a Jerseyman, descended from the llugnenots who settled in New Jersey before William Penn, and he cau trace his lineage back for seven generations. Soon after he was born his parents removed to Cam- den.

Mr. James was educated in the schools and acade- mies of his day, and took up the study of the law, aud was admitted as an attorney at September terni, 1×39, and as counselor at November term, 1859.

Judge Randolph has four daughters living,-Mrs. Althea R. Bedle, wife of ex-Governor Bedle; Mrs. Julia F. R. Mettee, wife of Flavel McGee, Esq., of Jersey City ; Miss Frances F. and Miss Isabella H. Ran- delph. Mr. James opened his office in Jersey City, and soon formed a partnership with Gen. Edwin R. V. Wright. The great work of his life was the founding of the Provident Institution for Savings, which was incorporated Feb. 27. 1839, but not organized until EDWIN RUTHVIN VINCENT WRIGHT was born at Hoboken, Jan. 2, 1812, and died in Jersey City, Jan. 21, 1871, iu the sixtieth year of his age. 1843, when a board of managers was selected, of which Hon. Dudley S. Gregory was president and Thomas W. James was secretary aud treasurer. This is be- He studied law, and was admitted to the bar as an attorney-at-law at May term, 1839, and as a counselor at February term, 1844. Upon coming to the bar he opened his office in Jersey City, and was a partner with Thomas W. James, Esq. After that partnership was dissolved he moved his office to Hudson City, op- posite the court-house. Governor Ilaines appointed him prosecutor of the pleas for Hudson County in 1850, and he served one term of five years. In 1857 he was appointed a major-general by Governor New- ell. In 1836 he edited a paper called the Jersey Blue, published at Hoboken. lieved to be the oldest savings-bank in the State. Mr. James at first opened the bank on Saturday even- ings, and the deposits he received he took home with him and placed under his pillow, took the same with him to church on Sunday, and placed the same under his pillow again on Sunday night, and on Monday inoruing he would take the deposits over to New York City, and place the same in the North River Bank. There was no bank in Jersey t'ity at the time. This Mr. James did for nine years, and until the organiza- tion of the Mechanics' and Traders' Bank of Jersey City, of which Mr. James was a director, and then he ten. Wright's character was of a sociable and con- vivial nature, and he had no taste for the hard study necessary to make an eminent lawyer; but he was a strong and ardent Democratic politician. He was an deposited the funds in that bank. Mr. James con- tinued to act as secretary and treasurer until 1856, when he resigned to remove to Wilmington, Del. Upon his resignation being accepted, the board of able and fluent stump speaker, and in that capacity | trustees presented him with a silver service as a token has addressed Democratic meetings all over the State. of their respect and appreciation for his long and

At the early age of thirty-one years he was elected . faithful service. At the January statement, 1856, the to the Council, in 1843, from Hudson County. In bank had a deposit of $170,724.52; in January, 1884, the bank had on deposit 85,176,962.30, and a surplus fund of $493,369,57, and in the assets were embraced $2,224,125 in United States government bonds. 1855 the city of Hudson was incorporated, with a mayor and Common Council, and Gen. Wright was elected the first mayor.

In 1869 he ran for Governor on the Democratic ticket against Charles S. Ohlen, who had received the Republican and American nominations, and was elected after a very active political campaign, iu which both of the candidates took an active part.

In 1864 he ran for Congress on the Democratie ticket, in the district composed of the county of Ilud- son and the city of Newark, in the county of Essex, against Elgar B. Wakeman, the Republican candidate.

Mr. James has mainly devoted himself to office Gen. Wright was elected and served one term, but did : business. He is a sound and able adviser, well read not run a second time owing to ill health.

For nearly thirty years Gen. Wright was one of the lea ling citizens of Hudson County, and a very conspicuous character in State politics.

This bank has passed through all the financial troubles of the last forty years, and has never closed its doors, and has always paid on demand, or in ac- cordance with the terms of its by-laws.

Mr. James remained in Wilmington but a short time, and returned to Jersey City and took up the practice of his profession, in which he has been en- gaged for the last twenty-five years.

in the law, very accurate and methodical in his busi- ness, his opinions, when pronounced, always accurate, and his work to be relied upon. He is now counsel to the Hudson County National Bank, and has been

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 97

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