History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 81

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 81

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town, in Burlington County, N. J., and subse- quently under Samuel Gummere, of Burlington, adding much to this carly training by careful and judicious reading and habits of observation and thought. The early death of his father placed in his hands, when a youth, the manage- ment of the farm, and cansed him to be intrusted with unusual responsibilities, which were met

Hannah Shinn. Their children were James ' with a determination and energy that insured S .; Ritchie, born September 5, 1801; and success. At a later period, though placing the cultivation of the land in other hands, he still retained his residence in Upper Freehold town- ship. Judge Lawrence was married, on the 10th of February, 1825. to Mary S., daughter of Hendrick Conover, whose death occurred on the 7th of August, 1834. He was again married, on the 3d of June, 1841, to Phobe Ann, eldest Margaret R. (Mrs. William Tilton), whose birth occurred April 3, 1803. James S. Lawrence was born August 24, 1797, at Cream Ridge, Upper Freehold township, and spent the greater portion of his life at the ancestral home which was the scene of his birth. He received a thorough preparatory education, first at Arney- 30

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

daughter of Nathaniel S. Rue, Sr., of New York City, formerly of Manalapan township, Mon- mouth County. Mrs. Lawrence's paternal grand- father was William Rue, who married Nellie Conover, and had, among his seven children, a son, Nathaniel S. Rue, who was united in mar- riage to Elizabeth Toan. The surviving children of the latter marriage are Mrs. Lawrence; Na- thaniel S., of Cream Ridge, Upper Freehold township, whose children are Elizabeth L. and James L .; Robert C., who has children, Lucretia M. and Nathaniel S. (deceased); and Sarah M , wife of George W. Shinn, of Freehold, whose children are James L. and Mary A. Judge Lawrence, in 1856, made Frechold his residence, having that year been elected president of the Freehold Banking Company, which position he held until his death, on the 26th of February, 1860, in his sixty-third year. He was also director of the Mercer County Fire Insurance Company, and frequently the incumbent of offices of trust, sueli as guardian and executor. He was long identified with the Oldl-Line Whig party in politics, and on the organization of the Republican party joined its ranks. He was for twenty-four years freeholder of Upper Freehold township, for many years justice of the peace and served a term in the State Legislature. He was also appointed associate judge of the Mon- mouth County Court. Judge Lawrence was descended on the maternal side from Quaker stock, but in later life supported the Presbyte- rian Church, to which he was ever a willing contributor.

WILLIAM STATESIR is of Holland descent, his grandfather, Isaac Statesir, having been a farmer in Shrewsbury township, Monmouth County, N.J. He had children-John, Isaac and a daugh- ter, who became Mrs. Simon Duryea. The birth of John, who served in the Revolutionary army, occurred January 24, 1760, in Shrewsbury town- ship, where his life was spent. He married, February 16, 1783, Agnes, daughter of John Aumack, of Freehold township, whose children were Mary, Lena, Elizabeth, Arintha, Jane, Isaac, John, Tunis and William, of whom Elizabeth died in her ninety-eighth year, and William is the only survivor. John Statesir died October 13, 1825, and his wife October 1,

1836. William was born on the 25th of Jann- ary, 1806, in Shrewsbury, now Atlantic town- ship, and remained during his youth at Colt's Neck, in the latter township, where his father was engaged in the business of a tanner. After such advantages of education as were obtaina- ble at the common schools, he entered the tan- nery and became familiar with the business. Desiring a less cirenmseribed field of action, he studied surveying, which for several years en- gaged his attention in the vicinity of his home. He was, April 20, 1836, married to Sarah Ann, daughter of John Conover, of Freehold, now Marlboro' township, whose children are John Henry (deceased), David Abeel, Agnes and Alpheus. Mrs. Statesir died December 6, 1851, and he was a second time married, in January, 1855, to Cornelia Ann, daughter of Arthur Van Derveer, of Atlantie township, whose only child, Eliza R., born November 17, 1855, died on her twenty-fifth birthday. Mr. Statesir, the year following his first marriage, removed to a farm in Marlboro' township, and remained un- til the spring of 1864. On the organization of the Freehold Banking Company he was elected a director, and in 1864 was made its president, which influenced his removal the same year to Freehold. He has, since that date, made that town his residence, and still retains his official connection with the bank. His fidelity to important trusts has caused him frequently to be chosen as administrator and guardian. He has in polities always been identified either with the Whig or Republican party, but has filled no political office. Mr. Statesir was formerly a member of the First Reformed Church of Free- hold, and now holds his membership with the Second Reformed Church of that place, having officiated as elder in both. He has for twenty years been the treasurer of the Monmouth County Bible Society, and is among the most active citizens of the county in the promotion of all philanthropie and Christian projects.

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF FREEHOLD was incorporated under the National Banking Law, February 24, 1864, and was organized with the following-named board of directors, viz.,- Arthur V. Conover, John Dorrance, Joseph T.

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THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

Laird, Joseph D. Bedle, Charles Haight, Charles Allen, Charles A. Bennett, Jacob B. Rue, Philip J. Ryall. Jacob B. Rue was elected president and James Fountain cashier. Mr. Rue con- tinued in the presidency until January, 1883, when he resigned, and was succeeded by the present president, Joseph T. Laird, Esq. In 1865, James Fountain was succeeded as cashier by Isaac B. Edwards, who continued until 1875, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Joseph T. Laird. When Mr. Laird accepted the presi- dency, J. W. S. Campbell became acting cashier, and on the 8th of January, 1884, was appointed to the cashiership, which he holds at the present. time.

The capital of the bank at its organization was $100,000, which was afterwards increased to $125,000. In February, 1883, the charter of the bank was renewed, to continue twenty years from that date, and in the same year $75,000 was refunded to the stockholders, and the capital stock accordingly reduced to $50,000, still leaving a net surplus of $50,000. Since the reduction of the capital, three semi-annual dividends of seven per cent. each, have been made.

The banking-house of the institution (a hand- some and substantial structure of brick, with 1 brown-stone trimmings) is on the north side of Main Street, between Court and Throckmorton. For more than twelve years after the bank went into operation the building had a front of but eighteen feet on Main Street, but in 1877 it was rebuilt and enlarged to a front of twenty-five feet, with a depth of sixty feet, as it now stands.

The present directors of the bank are Joseph T. Laird (president), Charles Haight, Elihu B. Bedle, William H. Vredenburgh and Charles A. Bennett.

JACOB B. RUE, who for nearly thirty years was widely known and prominent as a bank officer of Freehold, being a large stockholder in both the present banks of the place, and hold- ing, at different times, high positions in both, was born on the family homestead in Middle- sex County, near Cranbury, October 10, 1827. His father was Joseph I. Rue, a farmer, and his grandfather was John Rue, of Cranbury, a soldier of the Revolution. His mother was

Mary Bergen, daughter of Abraham Bergen, of Middlesex, in the same neighborhood. His education was acquired in the district school. In his boyhood he developed an inclination for mercantile pursuits, and at the age of sixteen years he became a clerk in a store in New York City ; but after a short experience there he removed to Freehokl, where he entered the store of Colonel William D. Davis as a elerk. In that position he exhibited such an aptitude for business that at the end of about two years, and when he had hardly attained his majority, he was taken into partnership, and so continued until he entered upon his duties as cashier of the Freehold Banking Company. He was active in promoting the establishment of the bank, and was elected its cashier upon the organization of the board of directors, in De- cember, 1855, the bank being opened for busi- ness early in the following year. He remained in this position until the organization of the First National Bank of Freehold, when he was elected its first president, and he continued at the head of the institution until the condition of his health warned him to retire, which he did, resigning the position January 1, 1883. His condition was not thought to be immediately alarming, but his health continued precarious, and, with a view to its improvement, he left Freehold with his family on the 9th of Febru- ary, 1885, and proceeded to Jacksonville, Florida. But the anticipated benefit of the Southern climate was not realized, and he died at Jacksonville on the 19th of the following March.

During all the period of his business life Mr. Rue was largely engaged in buying and selling real estate in Monmouth County, both on his own account and in company with others, who were glad to avail themselves of his accurate judgment and business tact in this line. He was also one of the promoters of the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad, and at the time of his death was one of its directors. In fact, he was foremost in most of the larger business enterprises of Freehold and vicinity almost from the beginning of his career. In all his business relations he was methodical, correct and upright, as may be judged from his long

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

and uniformly successful career. In his inter- course with the public he was in business matters sometimes brusque and peremptory in his manner, because of his quick perception and the decisive cast of his mind. This caused him to be occasionally misunderstood by men less accustomed to business habits and methods, but he was always just and fair in all his dealings, and ordinarily was easy and affable. Ile was frank in the expression of his sentiments, and a hearty hater of shams. In his family relations and in the social eirele the better traits of his character were exhibited. He was an affec- tionate and indulgent husband and father, and a warm and reliable friend.

JOSEPH T. LAIRD, for many years a well-known merchant at Colt's Neck, and now president of the first National Bank of Freehold, is a grand- son of Robert Laird, a soldier of the Revolu- tion, who was a deseendant of one of three brothers (Alexander, William and Robert Laird) who emigrated from Scotland and settled in East New Jersey before the year 1700. Robert Laird, the descendant of one of these brothers, was born April 7, 1758, and died June 3, 1811. His wife, Elizabeth, was born May 12, 1754, and died April 13, 1833. Their home was at Englishtown. They had two daughters -- Sarah (Mrs. Thomas Walton) and Charlotte (Mrs. James Herbert)-and four sons,-John A., Ben- jamin, Samuel and Elisha,-none of whom are now living. John A. (who received a better education than either of the other sons) went South and died there early in life; Benjamin, who was a well-known hotel-keeper at Freehold and other places in Monmouth County, died at his son's house at Long Branch ; Samuel was the father of the subject of this biography, as more fully mentioned below ; Elisha, the young- est of Robert Laird's sons, remained a bach- elor, and died at Colt's Neck, September 12, 1863. For more than thirty years, and until the time of his death, he had been engaged in a general mercantile business at Colt's Neck. He was county collector from 1856 to 1862, and was a man widely known and universally re- speeted.

Samuel Laird, third son of Robert, was born February 1, 1787. In 1817 he became pro-

prietor of the hotel at Colt's Neek, which he kept continuously for forty-two years, and died there July 5, 1859. His wife was Eleanor Tilton, who was born May 16, 1795, and died June 1, 1848. She was a daughter of John Tilton, a Revolutionary soldier, who lived in what is now Atlantie township, north of Colt's Neek. He was living there at the time of the battle of Monmouth, and had his eattle taken from him by the British troops, who were guided by his Tory neighbors to the place where he had concealed the cattle in a swamp. In the latter years of his life Mr. Tilton lived with his son- in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Laird, and he died in their house at Colt's Neck about fifty years ago.

The children of Samuel Laird were eleven in number, viz.,-Sarah, Benjamin (who died in infancy), Alice, John T., Joseph T., Elizabeth, James, Malvina, Mary (died May 29, 1839), Robert and Mary S. Laird, of whom only the three brothers, Joseph I., James and Robert, at present are living.

Joseph T. Laird, son of Samuel and Eleanor (Tilton) Laird, was born at his father's house at Colt's Neck, February 12, 1824. His earliest education was obtained at the public schools ; afterwards he attended for about two years at the old Freehold Academy, then under charge of Professor A. W. Hobart, and a shorter term at the same academy under W. W. Woodhull. During all the years of his boyhood and youth he lived with his father, whose hotel at Colt's Neek was the stopping-place for the lines of stages then running from Bordentown to Long Branch. Mr. Laird also usually had in his charge many valuable blooded horses, in which his son Joseph very naturally took considerable interest, and being then young, light and active, he became a very expert rider. Among Mr. Laird's horses was one which was managed and trained by himself, and which became the most famous racer then in America. This was the celebrated mare " Fashion," which, in her memorable contest against the noted horse " Boston," at Union Course, L. I., on the 10th of May, 1842, was ridden by the boy " Joe Laird," making the best race which up to that time had ever been run on this side of the Atlantic. He was also

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THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

the rider of "Fashion" in all her other public contests on the turf.

In 1846, Joseph T. Laird became a partner with his unele, Elisha Laird (under the firm-name of Elisha Laird & Co.), in a general merchandise business, which the latter had established about 1830, in a store which had been occupied for the same purpose during the Revolutionary strug- gle, it being part of the historic old house which was the home of the patriot Captain Joshua Huddy until he was murdered by Tory Refu- gees, in 1782.

The partnership of Elisha Laird & Co. re- mained without change until about 1859, when, 1 by the admission of flames, brother of Joseph T. Laird, the firm-name was changed to E. & I. T. Laird & Co., and so continued until the death of Elisha Laird, in 1863. From that time it was J. T. & J. Laird until 1865, when the business was sold ont, and Joseph T. Laird re- moved to Freehold, where, in the previous year he had been elected one of the first board of di- rectors of the then established First National Bank of Freehold. He was one of the original stockholders, and has been continuously a direc- tor of the bank from its organization to the present time.

For about two years after Mr. Laird's removal to Freehold he was an active assistant in the bank. In 1868 he formed a partnership with C. C. Bowne in the house-furnishing and furniture business, which was continued until 1872, when the firm was dissolved by the retirement of MFr. Laird. In 1875 he was elected cashier of the bank, Jacob B. Rue being then its president. On December 31, 1882, Mr. Rue retired and Mr. Laird was elected president, in which office he still continues. He is a working president, giv- ing as close attention to the details of the busi- ness as when he was cashier, and under his in- cumbeney the bank has reached a condition of prosperity and strength altogether unusual in its history.

Mr. Laird was one of the first assistant com- missioners of the town of Freehold, elected in 1869, the year of its incorporation. In the fol- lowing year he was elected commissioner of the town (a position without salary or emolument of any kind), and held the office continuously

until 1875. During that term a large part of the public improvements of Freehold were made (including the construction of sidewalks and ereetion of lamp-posts), and the Fire De- partment was organized. When the steam fire- engine had been procured, in 1874, it was neces- sary that there should be a place to house it, and as there was no suitable building to be had for the purpose, and the town had no authority under its charter to build one, Messrs. Joseph T. Laird, Thomas W. Ryall, D. C. Perrine and Gilbert Combs purchased a lot on Throckmor- ton Street, and erected upon it the engine-house now in use, paying for the lot and building out of their own private means, trusting to the probability of the passage of an amendment to the town charter authorizing payment for the house and lot. At the ensuing session of the Legislature the amendment was passed permit- ting the issue of bonds, from the proceeds of which they were reimbursed for the expendi- ture which they had made on their own responsi- bility for the public good, amounting to nearly seven thousand dollars.

In October, 1872, Mr. Laird was married to Mary, daughter of John Evans, of Fryeburg, Me. Their surviving children are, Marion, Joseph T. and Eleanor, their youngest child, Samuel E., having deceased September 16, 1884.

THE MONMOUTH COUNTY MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY was incorporated Feb- ruary 18, 1858. Names of corporators,-Joseph Combs, Horatio Ely, George Taylor, Daniel H. Ellis, Henry C. Patterson, Joseph H. Rosell, William V. Ward, John R. Haley, William D. Davis, Anstin H. Patterson, James Cooper, Charles Butcher, Charles II. Conover, John Barriclo, William P. Forman, James M. Smith, Elisha Laird, John N. Conover, Jacob Herbert and Peter S. Conover. The charter named the persons who should be the first directors of the company until an election for directors should be held, accord- ing to the provisions of the charter, viz,- Joseph Combs, * Horatio Ely, Joseph H. Rosell, John R. Haley, William D. Davis,* James

1 Those marked with * are dead.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Cooper, Charles Butcher,* Charles H. Conover,* William P. Forman, James M. Smith, John N. Conover, Jacob Herbert and Peter S. Conover .*

On April 10, 1856, the directors held their first regular meeting, and Joseph Combs was chosen president, William T. Hoffman secretary, and Joseph H. Rosell treasurer. At a special meeting held March 12, 1859, William T. Hoff- man was relieved from the office of secretary, and Charles A. Bennett was appointed secretary in his place.

The present directors of the company (in the year 1884) are George W. Shinn, James Cooper, Joseph H. Rosell, James M. Smith, Henry Ben- nett, Horatio Ely, John N. Conover, William N. Sickles, William Spader, Peter Forman, Charles E. Hall, Charles H. Snyder, James Lippincott. The officers are George W. Shinn, president ; Charles A. Bennett, secretary ; and Joseph H. Rosell, treasurer.

The company has been in successful operation from its beginning, and, although it has paid a large amount of money for losses, it has never, gas company so that they might get the gas during the thirty-six years of its existence, had to resort to an assessment to pay any of its obli- gations.

According to the report made to the Secretary of State, December 31, 1883, the company had : insurances outstanding, 82,234,212; premium notes on hand, 8121,637; risks written during the year 1883, $261,390 ; premium notes received, $17,745; total cash assets, $6076.39; losses during the year 1883, 1429.50; cash receipts, $3451.58.

Expenditures, including payment of losses of 1882, $4586.09 ; number of members in the company or notes, 1627.

THE FREEHOLD GAS-LIGHT COMPANY Was incorporated March 20, 1857. Corporators,- James S. Lawrence, Enoch L. Cowart, David C. Perrine, Charles A. Bennett, John R. Haley, William H. Conover and Aaron R. Throck- morton. The capital stock, is thirty thousand dollars.

Books of subscription were opened June 6, 1857. Charles B. Waring subscribed for four hundred shares, amounting to ten thousand

dollars. He assigned shares to Oliver R. Willis, James S. Lawrence, William H. Conover, Alfred Walters, on September 28, 1857. These constituted all the stockholders of the company. October 19, 1857, the stockholders met at the hotel of Conover & Carson, in Freehold, and elected five directors, viz. : James S. Lawrence, Oliver R. Willis, William H. Conover, Alfred Walters, Charles B. Waring. At the first meet- ing of the directors, October 24, 1857, James S. Lawrence was elected president, Oliver R. Willis secretary and treasurer, and AAlfred

Walters superintendent. At a subsequent. meeting, October 29, 1858, Charles B. Waring was appointed under an agreement, in writing, with full control to carry on the enterprise, and he proceeded to erect the gas-works in their present location and lay down the street mains, etc., and lighted the town of Freehold with gas on the first of the year 1859. Some of the citizens of the town of Freehold not being able to get Mr. Waring to extend the mains of the served to them in their dwellings, applied to the Legislature " for a charter for another gas

2 The following petition was presented to the General As- sembly, February 16, 1860:

"The subscribers, residents of Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey, hereby respectfully petition your honorable body to grant to the citizens of our village a charter for a gas company, for the purpose of supplying. at a reasonable price, a good quality of gas. There is already a company, with gas-works built in our village, but we respectfully represent that the whole stock of said con- pany (with the exception of enough nominal stockholders here to make up the number of directors required by the eharter) is owned by a person or persons outside of the State of New Jersey, whose object seems to be wholly for profit, without a proper regard to the wants and situation of the villagers. That the gas most generally furnished is of an inferior quality, emitting at times such an odor that some of our citizens have been compelled to turn it off, and be deprived of its use. That the price charged for it is so exorbitant that some of our merchants are about to abandon its use for the present. That we believe that a much better article, and at a much lower price could be furnished. That the said company has been remonstrated with upon the quality and price of their gas, and that no change has been made. We further represent that the amount of main pipe put down in said village is very in- adequate to the wants of the citizens. For these and other reasons we petition that a new Company may be chartered, with most of the stock to be owned in Freehold, so that we may be fully supplied with a good article of

Those marked with * are dead.

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THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

company, and in March 14, 1860, an act was passed to incorporate " The Citizens' Gas-Light Company of Freehold," the incorporators being John R. Haley, William H. Conover, Daniel H. Ellis, Joseph D. Bedle, Isaac MeNulty, David C. Perrine, Daniel B. Ryall, Thomas P. Barkalow, Rowland A. Ellis, John R. Con- over, Henry C. Patterson, Charles A. Bennett and Henry Bennett. This latter company did not fully organize. On May 14, 1860, Mr. Waring, then and at the organization of the Free- hold Gas-Light Company owning all the capital stock except four shares, sold his entire interest in the company to Daniel H. Ellis, John R. Haley, Charles A. Bennett, Joseph D. Bedle, David Clark Perrine, John R. Conover, Row- land A. Ellis and Isaac MeNulty. All the old directors resigned, and Daniel H. Ellis, Joseph D. Bedle, C. A. Bennett, John R. Haley and John R. Conover were elected directors for the new owners, and Daniel M. EHis was chosen presi- dent, Charles A. Bennett secretary, and David C. Perrine treasurer. The gas-works con- tinued to be run under the first charter up to the present time. The present officers of the company are David C. Perrine, president ; Charles A. Bennett, secretary and treasurer; and William S. Freeman, superintendent. There are five direc- tors,-D. C. Perrine, Alfred Walters, Henry Bennett, Chas. B. Ellis and Chas. A. Bennett.

On April 14, 1869, the gas-works were all burned down, which was caused by the acts of the agents of the Pneumatic Gas Company, who were trying to introduce their oil gas into these works. The company resolved to rebuild and put up large works of a very substantial char- acter, sufficient to supply a town three times as large as Freehold. The gas was furnished from the new works February 4, 1870. The town is supplied with a good quality of gas, and the company is very liberally patronized by the citizens. Their gas is used in all the public buildings, and in nearly all the better class of stores aud private buiklings. It is also used to some extent for heating and cooking purposes, and for running gas-engines.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 81

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