History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 61

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 61

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

A. J. Ofplats

John J. Hopping), Margaret (Mrs. Joseph Applegate) and Ann. To his second wife, Lydia, daughter of John Hopping, were born thirteen children,-John H. (sheriff of Mon- mouth County, and for two years doorkeeper of the House of Representatives of the United States), James H., Mary Emma (Mrs. Josepli Burrows), Samuel H. (for several years free- holder of Middletown township), Andrew, Charles G., Rebecca (wife of ex-Senator William H. Hendrickson), Allen, Henry, Charles Ewing

necessitated his removal to New Brunswick, the county seat, with his family. Here his son entered the grammar school connected with Rutgers College, and remained until his subse- quent connection as a pupil with the preparatory school of John C. Schenck, at Princeton. In 1864 he became a student of the freshmen class of Princeton College, and continued his studies until the sophomore year. In the Spring of 1866, having decided upon the pro- fession of medicine, he entered the office of

351

MONMOUTH MEDICAL SOCIETY.

Dr. Thomas J. Thomason, of Perrineville, and father and his father's preceptor, James Thom- continued his medical studies for three years at ason. The doctor is the son of James Apple- gate, who married Dena Dey, and the grandsou of Stephen and Catherine Applegate. His maternal grandparents were John B. and Han- nah Dey. He has two sisters, -Mrs. Achsah Amelia Van Doren and Mrs. Hannah Ely.

the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in March, 1869. In October of the same year he began practice at Hamilton Square, Mercer County, and remained thus located until October of the following year. In April, 1871, he entered upon the practice of his profession at Englishtown, Monmouth County, and has since that date continued a very active and successful career as a practitioner. He is a

OTIS RUSSELL FREEMAN M.D. was born at Hanover, N. 11., on December 30, 1809. Long before America's struggle for independence his forefathers were among the early pioneers who

O.VB. Fauna

member of the Momouth County Medical dwelt amid the rugged hills of New England. Society and of the New Jersey State Medical So- His mother, Mary Russell, daughter of Thomas ciety. He is also examiner for the Mutual Life Russell, of Salem, Mass., was of English blood, and the United States Life Insurance Companies. while his paternal ancestry is traced baek He is a Free and Accepted Mason, identified to that sturdy class of prosperous and intelligent with - Lodge, No. 16, and with Columbia , yeomanry of England, who, having forsaken Lodge, Knights of Pythias. He is likewise a the British Isles on account of their Puritan principles, sought freedom on American soil, and founded the colonies of Massachusetts and Connecticut.

member of the Board of Health. Dr. Apple- gate, in 1873, married Miss Jennie C. Wilson, daughter of Robert K. and Helena Wilson, to whom was born a son, named after his grand- 1

Prior to 1760 his great-grandfather seeured

352

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

a charter for Hanover township, in New Hamp- shire, within whose bounds Dr. Eleazar Wheelock, with whom Dr. Freeman's grandfather had sub- sequently emigrated from Connecticut, founded Dartmouth College, and became its first presi- dent in 1769.

At Hanover his immediate ancestry resided for nearly a century, holding prominent places of trust and honor in State and local govern- ment, and influential positions in church and society. Both his father and grandfather were at different times elected selectmen of the town- ship, justices of the peace and members of the State Legislature, while his father, for forty consecutive years, was annually elected to fill the office of clerk of the township.

In 1835 he married Abbie Willard, daughter of Dr. Samuel Alden, a lineal descendant of John Alden, who landed on Plymouth Rock two and a half centuries ago.

Having received an academical education, the subject of this sketch began the study of medi- cine and surgery in the Medical Department of Dartmouth College, under Dr. R. D. Mussey, with whom were associated those eminent pro- fessors, Daniel Oliver and Benjamin Hale. After attending three courses of lectures he re- ceived his medical degree from that institution, the fourth medical school established in America.

In the vicinity of his native town he prac- ticed medicine for several years, and in 1847 removed to Perrineville, this county, where his early advantages and natural qualities soon won for him a large practice in the upper section of the county. In 1852 a more central opening presented itself, and he removed to Freehold, there to resume his profession until the civil ! household word throughout the county. war. In April, 1862, he received from Governor Olden his commission as surgeon, and took charge of the Tenth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers. His patriotic impulses were stronger than self-interest, stronger than paternal affec- tion, stronger than the ties of home,-a home which was to be made desolate by the silent hand of death, while the battle raged fiercely on the field. A detailed account of his army life would exceed the bounds of this sketch. The first year was spent with his regiment doing provost duty in Washington, where his duties

were not confined to the care of his soldiers alone, but extended to other matters requiring ingenuity and skill in hygienic problems. In April, 1863, during the siege of Suffolk, Va., by the Confederate army, under Peck's division, he was chief of brigade on Corcoran's staff, and for a time was acting medical director.

In July, with his regiment, he was transferred to Philadelphia to quell the anticipated draft riots, and during the fall and winter of the same year was in charge of the troops in the Penn- sylvania coal-mines. In the spring of 1864 he joined the Army of the Potomac, and was at- tached to the First Division, First Brigade, Sixth Army Corps. He remained in the service until July, 1865, being at the close of the war chief of the First Division.

With his regiment he participated in more than twenty engagements, including that of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court-house, Hanover Court-house, before Petersburg, capture of Petersburg, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Cold Harbor and Lee's surrender. These were years of toil and hardship, of care and anxiety, and yet, withal, years whose experience went far to perfect him in the science and practice of his profession.

Returning to Freehold in the early dawn of peace, he soon regained his old practice. Since then his entire time and attention have been devoted to his work. A practice extending be- vond the limits of Monmouth, an unfailing suc- cess in operations requiring the hand of a master- surgeon, an unceasing devotion to his profession, and, with all, a kind and charitable heart in distress and poverty, have made his name a

In Christianity and pohtics his Presbyterian- ism and Republicanism are equally firm and consistent.

He has two children living,-Samuel Alden Freeman, a Presbyterian clergyman, and Mrs. Abbie W. Raiguel.

CHARLES A. CONOVER, M.D., died of phthisis at his residence in Marlborough, Monmouth Co., November 2, 1882, in the forty-first year of his age. He graduated in medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in the City of New York, in the spring of 1865. He

353

MONMOUTH COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

served in the army for a short time as assistant 'Conover, fourth vice-president ; Nathaniel S. surgeon on the volunteer staff, and subsequently Wikoff, secretary ; Caleb Lloyd, treasurer. commenced the practice of medicine in his na- In addition to the names already mentioned, there are entered on the treasurer's book, under the same date, as subscribing members, whose names are also worthy of mention this day as pioneers in this work, the following : tive county. He was a member of the District Medical Society, and always took an active part in its meetings. He held the office of president a short time previous to his death.

lle was held in high esteem by his profes- sional brethren, his intercourse with them being strictly honorable and courteous. Always faith- ful in the discharge of his duties, he enjoyed the confidence of the community he so well served. At his funeral a large concourse of relatives and friends met to pay their last trib- ute of esteem.1

MONMOUTH COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY .- On the 8th day of September, 1817, a meeting was ealled at the court-house in Freehold " for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency of forming a Bible Society for the county of Monmouth." The Rev. John Woodhull, D.D., was appointed chairman, and Corlies Lloyd, secretary. On motion of Thomas Henderson, the resolution to form such a society unanimously prevailed. A constitu- tion was adopted ; the society was made aux- iliary to the New Jersey Bible Society, and the price of membership was fixed at one dollar per year. A board of managers, consisting of twenty-five, was then appointed as follows:

Thomas Henderson, Caleb Lloyd, Joseph Seudder, Tunis Forman, Captain Dennis For- man, Dr. Samuel Forman, John J. Ely, Na- thaniel S. Wikoff, William Lloyd, John Mc- Chesney, Dr. John T. Woodhull, William Davies, Jacob Wykoff, William Little, Cor- lies Lloyd, Robert Little, Colonel Elias Cono- ver, Joseph Philips, Garret P. Wykoff, Hugh McChesney, Abraham Osborn, Robert Conover, Woolsey Baldwin, Lewis Gordon, Denice I. Forman.

The board then met and elected for officers of the society :

Rev. Dr. John Woodhull, president ; Thomas Henderson, Esq., vice-president; William Lloyd, Esq., second vice-president ; Dr. Samuel Forman, third vice-president : Colonel Elias

Alex. Lowe, Francis M. De Klyn, Thomas C. Throckmorton, James Lloyd, David Sut- phen, William I. Thompson, Joseph Coven- hoven, Levi Solomon, Nathaniel S. Rue, Wil- liam Johnston, William Covenhoven, Dr. Gil- bert S. Woodhull, David Craig, James H. Bald- win. Whether those persons were all present at that first meeting that came together sixty- seven years ago to establish this society, and how many others were present whose names do not appear, there are no means of ascertaining. By one who was present it was described as a " very interesting and well-attended meeting, especially by the ladies, and gave much encour- agement to the friends of the Bible cause."

This may, to some, have the appearance of a mere local or church organization. seeing that there was only one Christian minister present. and participating. It may throw some light on the early operations of this society to observe that minister- in this country were at that time scarce, and of organized churches there were but few. The minister of the congregation nearest to Dr. Woodhull, and which, with it, oveupied, for the most part, the territory for many miles around Freehold as a centre, was about being released from his duties on account of his age and infirmities, and his successor had not yet been inducted into office. While it is true that Dr. Woodhull and the people of his charge were largely instrumental in effecting the organization, yet it is also true that among the laymen participating on that occasion were those representing at least three, if not four or more, Christian denominations; and the first act of the society was to manifest its catholic character by organizing all the townships in the county, and appointing agents in them to collect funds and carry on the work.

We have here the first phase of the society in its organization. It was the first step in the beginning of a great work. Benevolent indi-

1 By Henry Cooke, M. D.

354

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

At the first anniversary, in 1818, the treas- nrer reported in hand thirty-six dollars and fifty cents. Fifty Bibles had been purchased, at sixty-two cents cach, of which twenty-five had been given away, and the rest were on hand. The next year (1819) fifty dollars was appro- priated for Bibles and ten for Testaments, twenty of which were to be given to the "Sunday- school of the Methodist Meeting-house in Howell."

At the annual meeting in 1820 the president reported the purchase of the books before or- dered, and the society again appropriated fifty dollars for Bibles and Testaments. Five dol- lars of this money was to go to purchase Testa- ments for " William Rogers' school," and five dollars in the same way for the "school at Squan Neck," and the remaining forty dollars was to be expended in Bibles. At the next annual meeting in 1821, the sum of twenty-five dollars was added to the former appropriation for Bibles.

In the minutes of the board of managers dated June, 1822, this record appears, -" Isaac K. Lippencott was unanimously chosen Treas- urer to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of our worthy and lamented brother-member, Caleb Lloyd, Esq." The active members of much later times will remember Mr. Lippen- cott, who for so many years served his society with great care and fidelity in the position to which he was chosen at this early day.

To this meeting a prisoner in the jail sent up a respectful petition, to be presented with a Bible, as he had no religious book to read and was too poor to buy one, when the board, in response, presented a copy of the Scriptures to the jailor for the use of the prisoners.

At the anniversary meeting in 1822, fifty-one

viduals may have been found willing to give copies of the Bible to poor persons under cer- 'dollars were reported in the treasury, of which tain circumstances ; but now a combined effort thirty were appropriated for Bibles and ten for is inaugurated which is to secure the Bible to Testaments. all. Though this may appear to have been a " day of small things," it was a day when men's faith wrought and was tried. The whole field of operations was then new and unexplored, and paths which are now plain had to be searched out and pursued. They began by showing us what to do, and afterwards how to do it.

In June, 1823, the board of managers met. A committee consisting of the Rev. Eli F. Cooley, Thomas Henderson and William Lloyd reported amendments to the constitution ; a cir- cular was issued to the " ministers, congrega- tions and friends of the Bible" in the county, when the board adjourned for the anniversary meeting of the society on the second Tuesday of November following. Of this meeting there is no record, nor are there any minutes from this time till 1832. Meetings were held during this time, but how often, there are no means of determining. That the meeting was held in November, 1823, is as certain as indirect evi- dence can make it. The treasurer's book, which at that time was kept with great care, was footed up to date of November 13th, as though in immediate preparation for the annual meet- ing, and a balance indicated of forty-nine dol- lars and fifty cents as donations received. It is, however, likely that this was the last meeting for some time, as the treasurer's book show no trace of further operations. Rev. Dr. Wood- hull was, up to this time, president of the society, and appears to have been its chief execu- tive officer, and his death occurring soon after the meeting in 1823 may mark the point where the regular meetings were suspended. The secretaries of the society during these years were Nathaniel S. Wikoff, Isaac K. Lippencott and Dr. Gilbert S. Woodhull. Besides these, the minutes of the society show that they had good and faithful workers among them ; they did a good work and the blessing of the Master was upon it. From 1817 to 1823 there was collected, accord- ing to the records, $267.50, for which one hun- dred and fifty-six Bibles and ninety Testaments were purchased and put in the way of doing good. With regard to the missing record, the vacancy would be a sad one were the labors of the next ten years to be forever lost to knowl- edge. A great work was before the society, and had she been certain that she was making history, she would no doubt have been careful to preserve the record.

355

MONMOUTH COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

It is known, however, that as this society entered upon its second ten years' life, a new movement was made that developed a new phase in its workings. It then entered upon the regular, thorough and systematie distribution of the Bible. The information on this subject is derived mainly from a report made to this society, at its annual meeting in 1847, by the Rev. Dr. McLean, the secretary.

The report says that " in June, 1827, Luther Halsey, Sr.,-a soldier and officer of the Revo- lution,-a warm and decided friend of the Bible, deeply impressed with the conviction that in places distant from Bible depositories there would be found a great destitution of the word of God, determined to spend some time in the county, exploring the destitution and en- deavoring to supply it. He soon found that a far greater number were without the Bible than he had even supposed, and that combined and systematic effort on the part of the friends of the Bible were greatly needed in this work of love and mercy." So strong and earnest were the representations that he made to many of the pious and benevolent of the county that it was determined to resuscitate the County Bible Society.

" Accordingly, on the 23d day of July, 1827, a pub- lic meeting of the former members of the Bible So- ciety and friends of the Bible was held in the Court- House in Freehold, and after the representations then made in regard to the deplorable destitution of the Scriptures in the county, so great was the convic- tion of inexcusable neglect of duty, aud so deep was the impression on the minds of many present in re- gard to the necessity of immediate, great and com- bined effort to supply the destitute, that the following resolution was offered by the Rev. Job F. Halsey, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Freehold, viz. : Resolved, in reliance upon Divine aid, that be- fore a year has passed every destitute family in the county shall be furnished with a copy of the Holy Scriptures."

An eye-witness and participant in the meeting describes the discussion of the resolution as most animated and exciting. The proposition was to some not only new and unheard of, but wild and visionary. Others felt that while the object proposed was a good one, it contemplated more than could be accomplished, and so was to be approached with caution, while the friends of

the measure felt strong in their purpose and confident of success. It was proposed to meet the case by having depositories of Bibles in different parts of the county, to which the people in want could have access ; to which Mr. Halsey Sr., replied : " The people are not hungry for the bread of life ; we must take it to them, and open their mouths, and then they will not eat it." The resolution, it seems, was first offered in this form, "Resolved, that we will supply every destitute family," etc. The cautious ones, however, wanted some saving clause behind which to shield themselves in case of the antici- pated failure; and one wanted " We will en- deavor," another, " We propose," others, " With the help of God." This last was sharply con- tended against. The sanguine men did not want to have that in. They said " We will do it." The resolution was adopted.

The report continues,-

" A subscription was opened on the spot and about 877 was subscribed, which was inereased in a few days to upwards of $300 by the exertions of Mr. Halsey and Dr. John T. Woodhull, and it is but jus- tice to say that no one was more active or exerted greater influence than Mr. Halsey.

"Though a number of Bible Societies had existed in different parts of the country for six or eight years, and had done much to circulate the Scriptures among the destitute, and though a society in the county of Monroe, New York, had resolved to supply the desti- tute within their bounds, and had, during the previ- ous year, in a good degree carried out their resolu- tion, still this movement of the Monmonth Couuty Bible Society was, in its consequences, decidedly the most important movement that had ever been made in the Bible cause. It roused the whole State of New Jersey from apathy to duty in seeking out and sup- plying the destitute with the bread of life, and the influence of our movement was speedily felt through- out our whole land, and even in foreign and distant lands. Just one week after this society adopted the above resolution the Nassau Hall Bible Society, in Princeton whose original organization preceded ours only four years, held its anniversary meeting. The Rev. Job F. Halsey and Dr. John T. Woodhull at- tended as delegates from the Monmouth County Bible Society.

" With strong faith and ardent zeal, the Rev. Mr. Halsey proposed at that meeting that the Nassau Hall Bible Society, with the co-operation of the other Bible Societies of the State, should resolve to supply, within one year, every destitute family in the State of New Jersey with a Bible! This resolution was

356

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

most warmly and eloquently advocated by Mr. Hal- sey and a few others, while it was warmly opposed as wild and impracticable by a number of others."

The report informs us that after a long dis- cussion the resolution, slightly modified by Rev. Dr. Alexander, was adopted.

The report continues, --

"This effort of New Jersey, which owed its origin to the resolution of our society and the active zeal of one of its members, disclosed such astonishing facts in regard to the destitution of the Bible that other counties and States in a short time undertook the same work; and the American Bible Society, two years after, viz. : in 1829, resolved to supply the whole United States ; and scarcely had this been done, when the New Jersey Bible Society resolved to supply the Sandwich Islanders with such parts of the sacred oracles as were then translated into the language of these Islands; and uext the American Bible Society, in 1833, passed resolutions looking to the supply of the whole accessible population of the globe within a given period."

The report then speaks of the movement that had been made in promoting the interest of Sabbath and day-schools, and traces them to the influence which this same meeting had ex- erted in bringing to light the existing igno- rance and destitution of the word of God. It then proceeds :

"Immediately after the society had adopted the resolution to supply the county, the board of mana- gers resolved that they would supply the townships in which they resided, and that those townships in which no managers lived should be supplied by such agents as the New Jersey Bible Society should send. Between the 1st of August, 1827, and the 1st of Jaunary, 1828, one thousand Bibles were ordered, at a cost of $729.82, and most nobly was the resolution of the society redeemed before the expiration of the year. Dr. John T. Woodhull and Dr. J. S. English explored and supplied the township of Stafford, the most remote part of the county of Moumouth (now Ocean). Shrewsbury, Dover and Howell were sup- plied by young men from one of the institutions at Princeton ; and Freehold, Middletown and Upper Freehold by the managers, assisted by the young men from Princeton. About one thousand families were found destitute of the Bible. Five hundred and thirty dollars was collected and paid for Bibles, leav- ing the society in debt, when the supply was com- pleted, $199.55."

After this, as before stated, there are no re- cords till 1832, and it is almost certain that no

meeting was held after the one in 1827 up to this time, when, on the 5th of June, the society convened with Dr. John T. Woodhull in the chair, and the Rev. J. R. Converse as secretary. The only item of its business recorded was a report on the state of the debt. This was now reduced to $136.50.

In October, 1833, the society again met, Dr. J. T. Woodhull in the chair, and Rev. D. V. McLean secretary. At this meeting delegates were appointed to a State Convention of the friends of the Bible, then in process of being called by the executive committee of the State Society. From this time there are no minutes, and it is conceded that there was no meeting of the society till 1837.

A meeting was held at the court-house in Freehold on the 6th day of March, 1837, when the Rev. Joseph L. Schafer presided, and Rev. D. V. McLean was secretary. The pro- ceedings of this meeting premised that there had been no meeting " for near four years," and a resolution was passed to reorganize the society and assume the debts of the former one. A new constitution was adopted, making the society auxiliary to the American Bible Society. The following persons were elected officers : Rev. James Otterson, president ; William Lit- tle, Dr. John T. Woodhull and Rev. Wesley Robinson, vice-presidents; Rev. D. V. McLean, secretary ; Isaac K. Lippincott, treasurer; Wil- liam Lloyd, Jr., depository ; directors, B. F. Randolph, Esq., J. C. Whitlock, Joseph Mur- phy, J. F. T. Forman, Rev. J. T. B. Beekman, Rev. Levi S. Bebee. Mr. McLean offered a set of resolutions, which were adopted. The society then adjourned to meet at the court-house "on Wednesday morning succeeding the fourth Tuesday in January, 1838." The board of managers met immediately after the adjourn- ment, "and chose the following executive com- mittee to meet in this place on Saturday next, at 3 o'clock, P. M., and afterwards on their own adjournment, viz. : Rev. D. V. McLean, B. Du Bois Smock, Esq., Dr. J. T. Woodhull, Joseph Murphy, I. K. Lippincott."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 61

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