USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume II > Part 31
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On January 1, 1920, Dr. London was appointed attending physician to the out-patient department, pediatric service, of the Nursery and Child's Hospital of New York City, attending physician to the Perth Amboy Baby Keep-Well Station, Department of Child Hygiene of State of New Jersey; attending physician to the Perth Amboy Day Nursery ; appointed a member of the auxiliary staff of the Perth Amboy City Hospital, March, 1921. He is a member of the Zeta Beta Tau intercollegiate fraternity, the Medical Society of New Jersey, the Mid- dlesex County Medical Society, the American Child Hygiene Associa- tion, Middlesex County Professional Guild, and the New York University Alumni Association. During the World War he was appointed first lieutenant of the Medical Reserve Corps of the United States army. His hobby is swimming. Dr. London is unmarried.
DANIEL W. CLAYTON .- On November 8, 1911, when the citizens of Middlesex county elected Daniel W. Clayton to the office of surrogate they chose a man whom all knew to be the right man in the right place. Fitted for the position by nine years spent in the surrogate's office as deputy under Surrogate Peter F. Daly, Mr. Clayton's record needed no exploitation, as nearly every man in Middlesex county could speak, from personal experience, of his efficient work, courteous manner and sympathetic treatment of every case which he was called upon to meet.
Born September 4, 1858, upon his father's farm, the old Maple Lawn homestead of the Clayton family, situated at Prospect Plains in Monroe township, Middlesex county, New Jersey, Daniel W. Clayton spent all the early years of his life, assisting his father in the work of the farm and in acquiring an education in the old Church public school during the months between harvest time and the planting season.
Upon reaching the age of twenty-two years, Mr. Clayton gave up farming and started out to seek employment in some other line of business. His first position was as salesman in D. C. Perrine's general store at Freehold, New Jersey, later becoming bookkeeper and cashier. He next became a salesman in the dress goods department of Edward Ridley & Sons, dry goods dealers on Grand street, New York. After gaining considerable experience there, Mr. Clayton came back to Mid- dlesex county, New Jersey, settling in South Amboy and opening a general store in partnership with a Mr. Hulitt, the firm being known as Clayton & Hulitt. While engaged in this business the death of the elder Mr. Clayton necessitated the return of his son to his birthplace, and rather than permit the old Maple Lawn homestead to pass into the
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hands of strangers Daniel W. Clayton gave up his career and again became a tiller of the soil. The house was built by the elder Mr. Clayton just after his marriage and he lived there all his life. He was born January 10, 1826, and died March 1, 1884, at Maple Lawn homestead. In his early youth he had learned the carpenter's trade, but abandoned it to take up farming. The ancestry of the Clayton family is supposed to be Scotch, two brothers of that name having come to this country from Scotland on the "Mayflower."
While residing at Maple Lawn, Mr. Clayton took an active interest in political affairs, being a member of the Democratic party. For four- teen years he served as clerk on the Board of Education, that being the first board chosen in Monroe township, part of that time being also clerk of the Board of Freeholders, serving on both boards. He afterward became deputy surrogate. In 1911, when Daniel W. Clayton was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for the office of surrogate, he was elected by a majority of fifteen hundred, being reelected in November, 1916, when the Republicans carried the county by two thousand. In his official capacity he has always extended to those in search of infor- mation such assistance as lay within his power, and from one end of the county to the other it is nothing unusual to hear the people say "Go to Daniel Clayton and he will tell you."
Mr. Clayton is a director of the First National Bank of Cranbury, New Jersey. He is also a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury, being president of the board of trustees of the church. In fraternal affairs, Mr. Clayton is as actively interested as he is in politics. He is a past master of Apollo Lodge, No. 156, Free and Accepted Masons, of Cranbury, New Jersey, and a past councillor of Cranbury Council, No. 60, Junior Order of United American Mechanics ; also past deputy State councillor. For many years Mr. Clayton has taken a lead- ing part in all educational matters in his section of the State ; he was one of the founders of the Middlesex County School Board Association and has been the treasurer of it since its organization. Mr. Clayton and the various members of his family all reside in and around Cranbury, New Jersey.
On November 17, 1885, Daniel W. Clayton married Katie J. Apple- gate, the daughter of Abijah and Sarah J. Applegate, of New York City. Two children have been born of this marriage: I. Bertram S., proprietor of a hay, grain and produce company at Cranbury. 2. Arthur A., a farmer, living at Maple Lawn homestead in Monroe township.
FREDERICK CONRAD SCHNEIDER .- About forty years ago the Schneider family returned to New Brunswick after an absence of a few years spent in the State of Kansas. The father of this family, George 'Schneider, and the mother, Babetta (Keidel) Schneider, were both natives of Germany. After arriving in this country, they settled in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where Mr. Schneider conducted a shoe store for some time, but gave it up when the family went to Kansas. When he returned, he again entered the shoe business and now has
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a flourishing trade at No. 52 Easton avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Schneider are the parents of nine children, all living at the present time but one, a son John. The others are : Charles, Anna, George, Frederick Conrad, of whom further ; Edward; Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. Morris Farkas, of Orange, New Jersey ; Laura, who married Garrett Himmler ; and Lillian. All but Mrs. Farkas reside in New Brunswick, three of the daughters, Anna, Laura and Lillian, being school teachers in that city.
Frederick Conrad Schneider, fourth child of George and Babetta (Keidel) Schneider, was born in Phillipsburg, Phillips county, Kansas, December 11, 1879, but his stay there was very short, as he was a mere baby when taken to New Brunswick. His education was acquired in the public school and in the high school, he graduating from the latter in 1899. In the same year Mr. Schneider entered Rutgers College, New Brunswick, taking the civil engineering course of four years, he gradu- ated from this college in 1903, receiving the degree of B. S.
At this time the Pennsylvania Railroad was engaged in the work of elevating their roadbed running through the city of New Brunswick, and Mr. Schneider entered the employ of this company in the engi- neering and constructing department; this was in 1903 and the young man remained with them until 1905, when he became instructor in surveying and mathematics in Trinity College, Durham, North Carolina. In the same year Mr. Schneider received the appointment of city engi- neer of New Brunswick, retaining this position until 1912.
Having had so much experience in constructional work, and real- izing the opportunities for success in that line, Mr. Schneider entered into the building and contracting business in 1912, and the result being entirely satisfactory, he is still carrying on the enterprise. His principal work is the construction of roads, and he has done a large amount of road work on the State highways, his largest contract being one which amounted to $335,000. He also built the roads at Camp Dix for the government, and did considerable work in Delaware for the DuPonts. The business is now carried on under the corporate name of the Utility Construction Company, Incorporated, in 1915, successors to Schneider & Steele. Mr. Schneider is president of the corporation; Otto R. Voel- ker, vice-president; and Mr. Steele, secretary and treasurer. They give employment to some one hundred and seventy-five men, and their con- tracts for 1920 totaled about $600,000.
Meanwhile, Mr. Schneider became interested in politics in his city, and in 1917 was elected an assemblyman from his district, his term of office expiring in 1918. He was reelected the following year, serving as chairman of the highway committee the second year. He served on various committees, and was an active factor both terms he served. He was then made State committeeman from Middlesex county, being reelected in 1919 for a period of three years (1919-22). Mr. Schneider is connected with several organizations in New Brunswick, among them the local lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, and Lodge No. 324, Benev- olent and Protective Order of Elks. His clubs are the Craftsmen's and New Brunswick. He and his family are members of the Baptist church of New Brunswick.
MULLS LIBRARY
ASTUR, LENOX TILONI FOUNDATIONS
John & Clark
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On February 3, 1908, Frederick Conrad Schneider was married to Ethel May Smalley, the ceremony taking place in New Brunswick, which was also her birthplace. She is the daughter of William and Emily (Lenox) Smalley, both born in New Brunswick, where they have lived all their lives and where their home is now located on a farm in the outskirts of the city. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Schneider have two children, both living: Dorothea Ethel, born December 5, 1909; and Frederick C., Jr., born January 12, 1913.
JOHN JOSEPH CLARK is one of the prominent men in the busi- ness and public life of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. His father, John Joseph Clark, was born in Ireland. While in that country he engaged in farming, but later he removed to Scotland and became an inspector in the sanitary department of the city of Dundee, Scotland. He married Helen Brady, who was born in Ireland, and they were the parents of eight children, of whom Thomas P., of Short Hills, New Jersey, and John Joseph, of Perth Amboy, are the only ones now living. John J. Clark, Sr., died in Dundee, Scotland, at the age of forty-five years, and his wife survived him for many years, coming to this country and residing in Perth Amboy, where she died in 1902, at the age of sixty- seven years.
John Joseph Clark was born in Dundee, Scotland, September 15, 1864. He received his education in the Board or Government schools of that city, leaving school at the age of fourteen to go to work as a locksmith and bell hanger. This work he found less congenial than might be desired, and when opportunity offered he entered the linen industry in Dundee. The dash and spirit which he inherited from his Irish ancestry, balanced by the sound common sense of his Scotch training, was a factor in his career, but the young man knew that his success in life depended entirely on himself. So he forthwith took it into his own hands, and at the age of eighteen came to America. He located at once in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, becoming identified with the terra cotta industry. He has been continuously engaged along this line ever since with the exception of a period about 1890, when he was in the service of the United States army, on the Northwestern Frontier.
Mr. Clark has long since established himself in the confidence of his fellow-townsmen, and has been called upon to bear an important share in the city government. He is alderman from the Fifth Ward, which office he has held since 1913, his business ability and excellent judgment making his a sane and forceful influence in the deliberations of the board. He is connected with several fraternal orders, being a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Army and Navy Union, and of the Foresters of America.
Mr. Clark married (first) September 6, 1891, Anna Pullen, daughter of James and Anna (Carroll) Pullen. Mrs. Clark was born in Ireland, and came to America at the age of ten years. Her father died in Ire- land, and her mother in Glasgow, Scotland. John Joseph and Anna (Pullen) Clark were the parents of one child, John Carroll, who is now
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an insurance adjuster and broker at No. 49 Wall street, New York City. The first Mrs. Clark died August 26, 1905. On August 2, 1907, Mr. Clark married (second) Rose M. Kilmurray. The family have always been members of the Roman Catholic church.
GROVER TAYLOR APPLEGATE, M. D .- The Applegate family, represented in Middlesex county, New Jersey, by Dr. Grover Taylor Applegate, of New Brunswick, descends from Bartholomew Applegate, who in 1674 applied for permission to purchase land from Indian chiefs at Middletown, near the Navesinks. The patent granted him called for land located on Raritan bay, at what is yet known as Applegate's Land- ing. The members of the family have |ways held honored position in community life, ranking as substantial agriculturists and business men eminent in the professions. Grover T. Applegate is a son of Grover T., grandson of John, and great-grandson of Richard Applegate, a descend- ant of Thomas Applegate, one of the patentees of Flushing, Long Island, in 1647, who came from Weymouth, Massachusetts, where he settled about 1633.
Grover T. Applegate, father of Grover Taylor Applegate, was born at Applegate's Landing, New Jersey, and died at Red Bank, New Jersey, January 5, 1890. He married Margaret Herbert, born in Middletown, New Jersey, who died in October, 1908, aged seventy-seven. They were the parents of six children, as follows: John, now a resident of Brooklyn, New York; Daniel, deceased; Emily, residing in Red Bank. New Jersey ; Grover Taylor, of further mention ; Herbert, of Brooklyn, New York; and Richard, deceased.
Grover Taylor Applegate, son of Grover T. and Margaret (Herbert) Applegate, was born at Red Bank, New Jersey, April 5, 1859, and spent the first sixteen years of his life at the home farm and in acquiring an education. He then taught school for one year in the home district, then was in charge of the public school at Holmdel, New Jersey, for two years. He decided upon a profession and entered Hahnemann Medical College at Chicago, Illinois, receiving his M. D. from that institution with the graduating class of 1883. He practiced in Chicago until Febru- ary, 1884, when he came to New Brunswick, where he has since practiced continuously until the present, 1920, specializing in chronic diseases. He has won high standing in the profession and has gained public confi- dence and respect through his professional skill and his manly attributes of character. During the World War he was a member of the Medical Advisory Board, and for a long time was president of the Provident Building and Loan Association. Dr. Applegate belongs to the Masonic order, being a member of Palestine Lodge, No. III, Free and Accepted Masons; Scott Chapter, No. 3, Royal Arch Masons; Temple Com- mandery, No. 18, Knights Templar; Mecca Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of New York City. He is a member of the State Medical Society, is State supervising medical examiner of the Royal Arcanum, and was supreme councillor of the Loyal Associa- tion from 1903 to 1906. He is a member and ex-president of the New
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Jersey State Homeopathic Medical Society, and a fellow of same ; mem- ber of the American Institute of Homoeopathy and of the senate of same ; member of the Middlesex Medical Society; member of the New Jersey State Medical Society ; and fellow of the American Medical Association. He has contributed extensively to the medical journals, etc. Dr. Apple- gate is also a member of several social organizations, especially clubs devoted to his favorite recreation, whist. He was a charter member of the Union Club of New Brunswick, of which he is president. For eighteen years he has been an elder of the Suydam Street Reformed Church Aid he has a deep interest in the welfare of that organization.
As a citizen, Dr. Applegate h'is taken an active part in public affairs, having been twice a candidate' for mayor of New Brunswick on the Democratic ticket. He was alri a member and president of the board of water commissioners, having held that office for four years. In 1887 he was a member of the Board of Education, serving for two years. He has given freely of his time and his ability to the cause of the public good, and is an ardent apostle of the gospel of prevention of disease by sanitary precaution, pure water and right living. His acquaintance is large, and to know him well is to admire and esteem him.
Dr. Applegate married, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, October 25, 1888, Sarah Mundy, born on Long Island, New York. They have no children.
HAROLD RICHARD SEGOINE, although young in years, has already made a name for himself as an executant which might well be the envy of a much older man. He was born October 14, 1887, at Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, the son of William and Frances (Conover) Segoine. His father, William Segoine, was a civil engineer and sur- veyor, and for several years was county engineer of Ocean county, New Jersey. The elder man had also been mayor of Point Pleasant Beach, and ever took a keen and active interest in the affairs of the community, his relations to the public having always been an influential factor in support of advancement and improvement. He died April 5, 1919. He was a member of the East Jersey Proprietors, and was deputy surveyor of East Jersey; was also engineer for the Riparian Commission, and did much work along the east coast of New Jersey. The Conover family were of Revolutionary stock, the great-grandfather of Harold R. Segoine, Lewis Cowenhoven (later Conover), served under General Washington in the battle of Monmouth as sergeant.
As a boy, Harold Richard Segoine went through the public schools of his native place, taking also the full course at the Freehold High School, and was graduated in 1904. Having in the meantime decided upon civil engineering as a profession, he matriculated in Rutgers Col- lege and four years later received from that institution the degree of Bachelor of Science, subsequently identifying himself with George E. Jenkins, a civil and mining engineer at Dover, New Jersey. Here Mr. Segoine remained until 1910, when he secured a position as assistant to the president of the Livingston Manor Corporation, realty developers,
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with which concern he was identified until 1914, when he resigned to accept the presidency of the Highland Park Building Company and the Highland Park Lumber Company, in which he has continued up to the present time, 1921. In 1918, Mr. Segoine was elected president of the Cronk Manufacturing Company, woodworkers and box manufactur- ers, in which capacity he is still active. As a business man he is held in the highest esteem, it being his high sense of honor and his ability, as displayed in the conduct of his business affairs, which has given him his standing in the city. Mr. Segoine operates the old homestead farm, near Freehold, New Jersey, which has been in the possession of the family for four generations.
From 1910 until 1914, he was borough engineer for Highland Park, and has ever been highly popular both as an official and a civilian. From 1917 to 1918, Mr. Segoine served his country with the rank of captain of Company B, New Jersey Reserves. He affiliates with the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Rutgers Chapter Delta Upsilon, and with the First Reformed Church of New Brunswick. His clubs are the Rotary and Rutgers of New Brunswick.
On April 30, 1912, Harold Richard Segoine was united in marriage with Margaret Elizabeth Suydam, daughter of Peter Hoagland and Phoebe (Combs) Suydam, of New Brunswick. Mr. and Mrs. Segoine are the parents of four children : Margaret Elizabeth, born August 10, 1913: Ruth Suydam, born July 11, 1914; Frances C., born March 14, 1916; Harold Richard, born September 28, 1918.
J. MILTON PREGER, one of the many bright young lawyers to be found in New Brunswick, whose office is located at No. 360 George street, has been a resident of the city for five years, but for a portion of that time he was absent, serving his country on the battlefields of France. He was attached to the 311th Ambulance Company, 303rd Sani- tary Train, 78th Division, taking his part in the World War on the firing line. Mr. Preger was at the battle of St. Mihiel from September 12 to October 2, 1918, and the Meuse-Argonne front from October 5 to 15, 1918. The best description of his part in the midst of shell fire is to quote from the official history of the 311th Ambulance Company : "Milton Preger, lawyer and company clerk, was a good runner while at Veiville and was the first man, as a runner, to go to the shell-ridden stone quarry-the worst place of them all. He was game all through and stuck it out till we got out of the lines. Was worn out so was sent to the hospital to recover and never came back."
Born in Blossburg, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1887, J. Milton Preger was the son of Louis and Sarah (Goodman) Preger. Louis Preger is a clothing merchant, located at No. 140 West Front street, Plainfield, New Jersey, having been in business there for many years. There are seven children in the family, all now living. During the early boyhood of the son, J. Milton, he attended the public schools of his birthplace, but his parents moved to New York City when he was thirteen years of age, and the boy continued his education at Public School No. 19
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in New York City. After finishing the prescribed course there, the youth entered the De Witt Clinton High School, from which he graduated in June, 1907. J. Milton Preger immediately enrolled at the Law School of New York University, graduating in 1909 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In 1910 he was admitted to the bar of the State of New York, and five years later, in March, 1915, he was admitted to the bar of New Jersey and has been in practice in New Brunswick ever since, except for the period of service in the army.
Mr. Preger is a Democrat in politics, being a candidate for member of the General Assembly from Middlesex county on the Democratic ticket at the election of 1920. He is a member of the local lodge, No. 324, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Young Men's Hebrew Asso- ciation, the Young Men's Christian Association, Charles Henry Post of the American Legion, and the Middlesex County Bar Association. Mr. Preger is a member of the Masonic order, affiliating with Union Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. He attends the Jewish Temple of New Brunswick.
In his boyhood days and during his high school career Mr. Preger was very fond of all athletic sports, playing on the Midget football team at De Witt Clinton High School. He is still enthusiastic in the matter of swimming, an exercise in which he frequently indulges.
EUGENE MASON CLARK .- Emigration to America of members of the Clark family began early in the colonization period of our his- tory, and from the earliest record of any of the name the various branches have produced men of sterling worth, who have rendered service in our Republic in the various walks of life, respected and honored citizens. The branch to which Eugene Mason Clark belongs have lived for many years in Rahway, New Jersey.
William Terrill Clark, father of Eugene Mason Clark, was born in Rahway, and died in Woodbridge. He learned the trade of wheelwright and cabinet maker when a young man and followed these occupations throughout his entire lifetime. He married Elizabeth Mason, a native of Jersey City ; she died in Rahway. To Mr. and Mrs. Clark were born three children : William Henry, freight agent for the Pennsylvania Rail- road in Philadelphia ; Eugene Mason, mentioned below ; Sarah, widow of Vernon Steele.
Eugene Mason Clark was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, November 23, 1876. He moved with his parents to Woodbridge when he was very young, obtaining his education in the schools of the latter place. At the age of sixteen he entered upon his business career, securing a position as clerk in the office of the Salamander Brick Works, at the same time attending Woods Business College, from which he was graduated, and then was made the New York salesman for these works. Later he was made assistant superintendent of the Southern Clay Product Company at Buena Vista, Virginia, and was with this concern two years when he left to take charge of the office of the National Fireproofing Company
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at Lorillard, New Jersey. One year later he secured a position as book- keeper in the First National Bank of Perth Amboy, and in 1906, when the First National Bank of Roosevelt was organized at Chrome, Mr. Clark accepted his present position as cashier. He is a Republican in political belief, and at one time finished an unexpired term as park commissioner of Perth Amboy. He fraternizes with the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, and Raritan Lodge, No. 61, Free and Accepted Masons, of Perth Amboy. In 1920 he was elected secretary and treasurer of Group No. I, New Jersey Bankers' Association. In religious belief Mr. Clark is a Methodist.
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