History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 55

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148

USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth county, New Jersey > Part 55

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amusing way. His first act was to select from among his own discarded clothes a black dress- coat and suit, which he soon substituted in place of the dilapidated garments which he found upon his poor client when assigned by the court to defend him. The transformation was a complete surprise to both the court and the prisoner, and went far in the minds of the jury towards proving the defendant's respectability. Afterwards, Mr. Ryall frequently laughed at the recollection of the proud look with which the poor negro faced the court and the jury when arraigned before them for trial in his suit of fine broadeloth.

In the social life of Philip J. Ryall, even all through his long and distressing sickness, there was exhibited in him a cheerful disposition, a genial flow of spirits, a lively wit and a kindly hospitality which will live long in the memories of those with whom he came in contaet. His culture, his high and chivalrous sense of honor ; his detestation of all double dealing, and of everything that partook of meanness or deceit: his faith in his friends, and his championship of their honor, whether present or absent ; his constancy toward them, which never wavered or faltered ; his constant observance of the gentle- manly instinct which made it impossible for their behalf never ceased while there was the him to violate the confidence reposed in him,- all these were qualities which marked his char- acter, and placed him on a high plane in the estimation of all who knew him.

Ile was, in a remarkable degree, the possessor of courage such as must always stamp the char- arter of so pronounced and perfect a gentleman as he. That courage never forsook him ; and in the supreme hour, even in his last moments, he contemplated his long-expected death with unshaken nerve and unfaltering firmness.

In 1858, Mr. Ryall was married to Ella V., daughter of Dr. Arthur V. Conover. She, with their daughter, Juliet Soudder Ryall, sur- vived him, and are now living at Freehold.

JOHN STILWELL APPLEGATE, of Red Bank, was born in Middletown, Monmouth County, N. J., August 6, 1837. He is a descend- ant of Bartholomew Applegate, of whom it is recorded, in the first volume of " the New Jersey Archives," that he applied to a council

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.

assembled at Fort Willem Hendrick, in 1674, interest in all projects which, in his judgment, for permission to purchase land from the In- dians, in Middletown, " near the Navesings," fit for a settlement of six or eight families. A patent was granted him for this land, located on the Raritan Bay, at what is now known as " Applegate's Landing," a portion of which is now occupied by William Conover, whose wife, Annie Cooper, is also a descendant of Bartholo- mew Applegate. His mother was a descendant of Rev. John Bray, a Baptist minister from England, who, about the year 1688, organized the first Baptist Church at Holmdel, and built the meeting-house and parsonage at his own ex- pense, and gave the land, four and one-half acres, for that purpose.

would tend to the advancement of hi- town. Additional banking facilities being a plain necessity of the locality, he initiated a move- ment which resulted in the organization, in 1875, of the Second National Bank of Red Bank. His executive ability and financial standing marked him out as eminently fitted for the suc- ces-ful rondnet of the new enterprise, and he was accordingly elected the first president of theinsti- tution. This post he has since continued to fill, and under his management the bank has secured an assured financial position and the high favor of the community. In politics he is and has always been an earnest Republican, devoting himself at all times to the promotion of his party's success in the simple faith that the country's welfare is inseparably bound up in the supremacy of Re- publican principles. In 1862 he was com- missioned as president for Monmouth County of the Union League of America, and he organized a chapter of that patriotic organization in nearly every township of the county. Following that year he was four times elected superintendent of public schools of Shrewsbury township, over- coming at each election, a strong opposition put forth by his political opponents to defeat him.

In the period of the Revolution his ancestors were active Whigs and soldiers in that heroic struggle. Ilis parents, Joseph S. and Ann (Bray) Applegate followed agricultural pursuits, and their son grew up amid the quiet and health- giving surroundings of farm-life. His prelim- inary educational training was obtained in the neighboring schools, where he made good use of his opportunities. Being destined for a learned profession, his parents sent him to college, his course being taken at Madison University, at Hamilton, N. Y., from which he graduated In 1871 some of his fellow-citizens, not pleased with the regular nomination for chief com- missioner of his town, organized a meeting which in 1858, after four years' study, receiving the degree of A.B. Choosing the law for a career, he pursued his studies for a time at Red Bank, tendered him the independent nomination for in the office of Robert Allen, Jr., and afterwards that office, which he accepted, and was elected entered the office of Hon. William L. Dayton, at after a warm local contest. He was a member Trenton. Under the superintendence of that of the Republican State Executive Committee in 1865, and in that capacity rendered most efficient service to the canse. In 1881 he was nominated by his party with an enthusiastic unanimity for State Senator, to which office he was elected by a majority of nine hundred and ninety-three, being the first Republican Senator ever elected from Monmonth County. Ilis services as a legislator have been important as well as conspicuous, his ability and influence having been exerted with marked effect in pro- moting good legislation and opposing bad. AAmong the important acts drawn by him and passed under the pressure of his influence was the act requiring the public printing to be awarded to the lowest bidder, by which a saving learned lawyer and polished advocate, he prose- cuted his studies until his preceptor was offered and accepted the responsible position of minister to the court of France. Then he removed to Jer- sey City, and completed his term of study with E. B. Wakeman. In due time he received his license as an attorney, in November, 1861, and subsequently, at the February term of 1865, he was admitted as counselor. He began, and has always continued, practice at Red Bank, and is acknowledged to stand among the leaders of the bar in that section. His practice lies principally in the State and county courts. He is a man of large public spirit, and has always manifested an active and intelligent

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

to the State was effected of $50,000 per annum ; the act extending the Mechanics' Lien Law to alterations of buildings, which was highly popular with the workingmen ; the act author- izing taxes on chancellor's mortgages to be de- ducted from the interest ; the act authorizing incorporated towns and boroughs to construct water-works. Under the last act his town con- structed its excellent and economical system of water-works, and he was chosen to serve for three years on the first board of water com- missioners.

Ile was married, in 1865, to Deborah Catha- rine, daughter of Charles G. Allen, of Red Bank, and his surviving children are Annie, John S. and Catharine Trafferd Applegate.

HOLMES W. MURPHY is a son of Joseph Murphy, late of Freehold, in this county, who died on the 6th day of May, A.D. 1884, in the eighty-eighth year of his age. Joseph Murphy was born at Bethany, in this county, near Keyport, January 1, 1797. His father, Timothy Murphy, was an emigrant from Ireland, who came to America about 1750, and served against the Tories in this county during the war of the Revolution. He was an educated man and a school-teacher, a justice of the peace and a judge of the Common Pleas. He also taught surveying and navigation. Among other prominent men of our county who were educated by him was Garret D. Wall, after- wards United States Senator. He married Mary Garrison, daughter of a Baptist clergy- man, and granddaughter of Richard Harts- horne, one of the first settlers of the castern part of the county, and the original owner of Sandy Hook. They had eight children,-four sons and four daughters,-who all lived to an advanced age, the youngest of whom was Joseph. Of the daughters, Anne married George Ingra- ham, of Dutchess County, N. Y., and their descendants are among the most honored citi- zens of that county; and among the grand- children are Richard Ingraham and William M. Ingraham, well-known lawyers of Brooklyn, N. Y. Mary married Henry Greenwood, also of New York, and their descendants are also numerous and highly respected. Joseph M. Greenwood, a successful lawyer of Brooklyn,

is one of their children. Elizabeth married Cornelius Walling, and among their children was the late Alfred Walling, the well-known surveyor, and father of the Hon. Alfred Wal- ling, Jr., the present law judge of this county. Catharine, the other daughter, never married.

Of the sons, William formerly lived in New York City, and was the builder of the second old John Street Methodist Episcopal Church. His son, Timothy Murphy, Esq., is still living in Keyport at an advanced age. John, at an early period in his life, moved to Brooklyn, N. Y., and grew up with the place. He filled many important positions in that city, and was the father of the late Hon. Henry C. Murphy, who was minister of the United States to the Hague, under President Buchanan's adminis- tration ; member of the House of Representa- tives, and for many years Senator of the State of New York. Francis always lived in this county, near Keyport, and was the father of a large family, some of whom are still living, highly respected and honored. He was for a great number of years a justice of the peace and a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Joseph, the youngest of the children and the father of the subject of this sketch, re- moved to Freehold about the year 1819, and established a tannery nearly opposite the "Cowart. Place," on the Keyport road. On January 1, 1820, he was married to Alice Holmes, daughter of Stout Holmes, then of Freehold, and former- ly of Middletown township. By this alliance he became connected with one of the most numer- ous and influential families in the county, whose members are principally found in Holmdel and Middletown townships. His wife's mother had previously been married to Samuel Bray, and their descendants also are numerous, and among our most respected citizens. His wife died July 10, 1880. They had nine children, --- Timothy, the eldest, was accidentally drowned when a young child; Holmes W., the sub- ject of this sketch; Mary, wife of Seth R. Robins, of Brooklyn, who died in 1853; Louisa S., who married A. A. Wheeler, and who is still living ; Kate, wife of Alfred Walters, still living ; Phebe, unmarried, who died in 1866; Joseph, who died unmarried in 1866; Anne,

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.

who married Stokes J. Clark, and died in 1879; connected with that church at an early age, and and William H., who died in infancy.

remained active and devoted members during their lives. Judge Murphy was the principal organizer of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Freehold in 1833, and was president of the board of trustees from the organization of the church till his decease.

Joseph Murphy subsequently engaged in the mercantile business in company with Isaac K. Lippincott and William D. Davis, and after- wards with Richard Davis. During this latter partnership, about 1838, he purchased the farm adjoining the town of Freehold known as the ! Judge Murphy was a man widely known for his integrity of character and sound judgment. He was quiet and undemonstrative in his man- "Murphy farm," and about 1850 abandoned the mercantile business and devoted his atten- tion entirely to his farm, and became one of the | ners, cautious in forming his opinions, but having

Holmes W. Wupby

most successful practical farmers in this section. In 1867 he sold his farm, and having acquired an ample competency, retired from business. He was for several years one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of this county, definitely fixed them in his own mind, he firmly adhered to them. His attachments were not easily loosened, and his friendships were lasting. Holmes W. Murphy, the subject of this sketch, was born at Freehold, in this county, which position he filled with dignity and credit. November 28, 1822. In his early school-boy

Judge Murphy's father and mother were, per- ? days there was no school in the village, except a haps, the oldest members of the Methodist ' small one kept by Miss Sally Throckmorton, and subsequently by other ladies, which he Episcopal Church in this county, and their house was for a long time a preaching-place for attended. He also was a pupil for a time of that society. All of their children became | Samuel Throp, well known as a school-teacher,

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

about a mile out of the village. He was one of engaged in assisting the county authorities to the first pupils entered at the Frechold Academy, raise money by the sale of its bonds for furnish- about 1832, under MeBurney as teacher. Gen- ing its quota of volunteers ; and by reason also eral Shields was for a time also a teacher in this of his position and the confidence reposed in school. He early commenced at this academy him, he was appointed to pay out the State the study of the languages, and under Mr. bounty to the wives and families of the volun- Hobart, one of its most successful teachers, teers from Freehold township. Mr. Murphy ardently espoused the cause of the Union in the pending struggle, and wrote, over his own signa- ture, and as editorials, many articles in favor of the war and its vigorous prosecution, in the Monmouth Democrat, which for a time he edited, while his brother-in-law, Major James S. Yard, was at the front with the New Jersey volunteers. beeame fitted for college, and in the year 1838 entered the Wesleyan University, at Middle- town, Conn., as a freshman. In 1841 he left that institution, and entered for his senior year the senior elass at the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, where he graduated in the class of 1842, being one of the speakers at commencement, which in those days was considered one of the Mr. Murphy was also chief commissioner of the town of Freehold from the date of its ceived from this college the degree of Master of incorporation, in May, 1869, to May, 1872. honors of the college. In due course he re- Arts. After his graduation Mr. Murphy During these first years of the incorporation of studied law with the Hon. Judge Dikeman, of the town, sidewalks had to be laid, lamps erected and grades established, and as the inter- ests of many were conflicting, much courage and

Brooklyn, and was admitted an attorney-at-law in the State of New York in 1845. He prae- ticed his profession in that city for about ten firmness, as well as prudence, were needed to years, a part of which time he was also engaged harmonize conflicting interests, and carry on the work to a successful issue. In this work Mr. elerk's office of Kings County during the Murphy and his fellow commissioners succeeded so well that they were re-elected each year by

as a searcher of real estate titles in the county terms of County Clerks John M. Hieks and F. B Stryker. As a commissioner of deeds in large majorities, till the work was completed.

the city of Brooklyn, he was also largely en- Mr. Murphy remained in the clerk's office after his term expired with his successor, Cap- tain Thomas V. Arrowsmith, during his first term, till November, 1873. In the year 1874 he was admitted to the bar of this State, and formed a partnership with the Hon. George C. Beekman. As a law firm they had an exten- sive practice, and were engaged in many im- portant cases. Mr. Murphy was also elected a member of the General Assembly of this State in the fall of 1880, having been elected as a Democrat by a majority of five hundred and ninety-three in the First Legislative District, which the year before had returned a Repub- He served during the year 1881, and declined a re-election. He was a member of the Committee on Revision of Laws and other gaged in conveyancing. About the year 1854 he moved back to Freehold, his native town, and in February, 1856, was employed as assist- ant by Jehu Patterson, Esq., who had just been elected county clerk. Mr. Patterson died in the spring of 1858, and was succeeded by John W. Bartleson, who was appointed clerk by the Governor to fill the vacancy. Mr. Murphy remained with Mr. Bartleson in the office till November, 1858, at which time he became himself the clerk of the county, having been elected to that position by a very large majority of the electors. He held the office of county clerk till November, 1868, having been re- | lican. elected without opposition. During this time he was also elerk of the Board of Chosen Free-' holders of the county, having held that office | important committees, and was selected by the from May, 1858, to May, 1874. This was dur- Speaker and Governor as a member of the Constitutional Commission, which embraced some of the leading lawyers and most eminent citizens of the State. ing the period of the stirring events of the civil war, and Mr. Murphy, by reason of his position in the above-named offices, was actively

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.

At present Mr. Murphy is deputy county that position by the present county clerk, Dr. James H. Patterson. Mr. Murphy has also been, and is yet, a clerk of this county, having been appointed to prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, having been made a Mason in Fortitude Lodge, No. 19, Brooklyn, N. Y., about 1844, and

Mr. Murphy was married, in the year 1861, having filled the offices of Grand Junior War- to Lavinia C. Swift, of Lancaster County, Pa. den and Deputy Grand Master in the Grand She is a daughter of Daniel D. Swift and Lodge of New Jersey. The latter office he Lavinia C. Clark, both of whom arenow deceased. filled from 1865 for several years.

He has also been a member of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd-Fellows from about 1844 to the present time, and has filled the office of Distriet Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey.

Mr. Murphy adhered to the faith of his social circles. The first ancestor of Daniel D. fathers, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Freehold. and president

Mr. Swift was descended from one of the oldest families in Pennsylvania, his ancestors having been prominent in business and political life in the city of Philadelphia at a very early period in its history, and members of the same ; family are still prominent in its business and Swift in this country was Joseph Swift, who married Margaret MeCall, in Philadelphia, of its board of trustees. He has also been closely identified with the shore interests of the county, and has been a member of the Ocean Grove Camp-Meeting Association of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church from 1874 to the present time, and has been for most of that time and is yet a member of its executive committee. He has also been a director of the Atlantic Highlands Association from its organization to

February 3, 1759. Mr. Swift was born June 24, 1731, and received a good education, partly in this country and partly in England. He was a successful merchant, becoming quite wealthy, a member of the Common Council, and subsequently alderman of the city. He died December 24, 1806. His wife died Deren- ber 19, 1804. They were both buried in Christ Church burial-ground, Philadelphia, of the present time.

which church they had long been prominent members. They had fourteen chiklren, one of whom was Joseph Swift, the father of Daniel D. Swift. He was born in Philadelphia, December 14, 1765, and was engaged in mer cantile pursuits in that city, and resided for some time on a farm in Little Britain (now

ACTON ('IVIL HARTSHORNE, a prominent member of the Monmouth bar, and a resident pof Frechold, was born October 12, 1843, on the old Hartshorne homestead farm (which he now owns), adjoining West Frechold, and about two miles west of Freehold village. He re- ceived his primary education in the district Fulton) township, in Lancaster County, Pa , school until the fall of 1857, from which time which was the birth-place of Robert Fulton, and is still called Fulton House, and is in pos- session of the Swift family. He had quite a large family, of which Daniel D. was the youngest. His wife, Lavinia Clark, was the daughter of Judge Thomas Clark, of the same county, and at one time proprietor of the large

until the spring of 1859 he attended William W. Woodhull's private school, in Frechold. In April of that year he entered the employ of Holmes W. Murphy, Esq. (then clerk of Mon- mouth County), as a copyist, and remained in his employ until the spring of 1866, during the last five years of that time acting as deputy iron-works about five miles from Fulton House. "clerk and attending chiefly to searching and There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. "preparing abstracts of title.

Murphy eight children,-M. Lonise, Alice H.,

In 1866, Mr. Hartshorne entered the office of Emma S., Joseph, Lavinia S., Adaline S., the Hon. Joel Parker, where he served a regu- Holmes W., Jr., and a son who lived but a few hours after his birth. Four of these children

lar clerkship as student-at-law, and at the Feb- ruary term of 1870 was admitted to practice in are still living, viz .: MI. Louise. Lavinia S., 'the courts of the State as an attorney-at-law and Addie S. and Holmes W., Jr. solicitor in Chancery. At the February term

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

of 1876 he was admitted as a counselor-at-law. On the 1st of May, 1875, he formed a law partnership with the Hon. Chilion Robbins, ex-judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Monmouth County, under the name and style of Robbins & Hartshorne. Since that time the firm have had an extensive practice in all the courts of the State, and have been engaged in a large number of the most important cases. Mr. Hartshorne has been entrusted and honored with

of ex-Governor and ex-United States Senator Bibb, of Alabama. After that time his southern trips were frequent, and on November 28, 1877, he was married to Georgie E. Bibb, daughter of the late George B. Bibb and his wife, Cath- arine Bibb, at Carlowville, Alabama. In the fall of 1871 he went abroad with Dr. D. MeLean Forman, and remained nearly six months, traveling through England, France, Italy and Egypt, the Island of Sicily and Malta,

Alle artihome

all the appointments conferred by the respective passing through the Suez Canal and climbing courts on members of the legal profession, in eInding that of special master and examiner in the Court of Chancery and that of Supreme Court commissioner.

In his earlier years Mr. Hartshorne was a somewhat extensive traveler. Hespent the win- ter of 1868-69 in traveling through all the Southern States, and while on that trip first met the lady who became his wife,-a granddaughter

the Pyramid of Cheops. In the spring of 1863 he again went abroad in company with the Hon. Henry S. Little, Aaron Rhea Throckmorton, Dr. John Vought, Jonathan Longstreet, James Laird and Henry C. Pitney, remaining nearly four months visiting England, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland. He attended the World's Exposition at Vienna as a commissioner from New Jersey, appointed

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.

by the Governor, under an act of the Legis- lature.

He is an active member of St. Peter's P. E. Church, Freehold, and has been one of its ves- trymen for several years past.

lage, and afterwards purchased a farm, store and mills about one mile north of Freehold. On that farm he resided for several years prior to 1808. In that year he removed to Middletown Point (now Matawan), and remained there ten years, during which time he carried on a gen- eral country store, in partnership with Holmes Van Mater, under the name of Van Mater & Hartshorne. They were also engaged in run- ning small sailing-vessels between the Point and New York City, carrying passengers and freights, the regularity of their trips depending entirely upon wind and tide. This was then the most direct route of communication with New York for the people of Monmouth and a part of Middlesex County. While living at Middletown Point, Mr. Hartshorne still re- mained the owner of the property near Free- hold, and in 1816 he rebuilt the mill on that property. In digging the new foundation, the workmen struck a deposit of marl, the first that was discovered in this seetion of the county. Soon afterwards " Hartshorne's Marl Pits " . were opened (as also others in the vicinity), and proved very remunerative. In 1818 he sold

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 55

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co. Number of Pages: 1148

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148