USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Montclair > History of Montclair township state of New Jersey; including the history of the families who have been identified with its growth and prosperity > Part 33
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"She was one of the original members of the Congregational Church, and she worked for its welfare with tireless zeal. Yet she was no sectarian. She was simply a Christian. She was almost passionately evangelistie. Her religion was her life. She wanted every one to enjoy her faith. For years she was President of the Ladies' Aid Society, and her influence was felt in all the departments of the church's activity. Before the organization of the Congregational Church she worked with the same spirit in the Presbyterian Church. She was greatly interested in missions, and the only one of her children living who could not be with her during her last hours, was her daughter, Mrs. Eaton, who is a missionary in Mexico. When the Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized, she threw into it her intense and eager enthusiasm. It was the last public work in which she had a part. Nothing
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which concerned human welfare and happiness was foreign to her. She may be said to have given her life to this community. In her home, in society, in the Sunday School, in the Church, in all beneficent work. she was constantly interested. During her sickness her flowers were divided and sent to others who were sick : and her constant prayer was for those whom she desired to see more heartily consecrated. ยท ller thread of life was strung with beads of love and thought.'
** * * Her life was beautiful and beneficent : her death painless and peaceful : her memory is a benediction and an inspiration. She belonged to the whole community, and the whole community is sad at its loss."
Eight children were the issue of this marriage, two dying in infancy and six others now living, viz .: HARRIET AMELIA, the wife of Henry F. Torrey, Montelair. Died September 15, 1893.
GERTRUDE CLIFFORD, who married Rev. James D. Eaton, both now in the service of the American Board of Foreign Missions in Chihuahna, Mexico.
WILLIAM A., Superintendent of Mines in Mexico.
ADELA. the wife of Charles Il. Johnson. Ir . in Montelair.
THE PRAIT HOMESTEAD BUILT IN 1856, NOW NO. 55 ELM STREET.
JULIUS HOWARD, Proprietor and Manager of an Educational Institution in Milwaukee, Wis., and John Barnes, now residing in Montelair.
Ile bought a farm in 1856 and built his first residence on Ehn Street, which he caused to be widened from a narrow farm road to its present width, and along which he planted the ehns which suggested the name of the street. and which for twenty-five years have been an ornamental feature of the town. At that time his house was the only one occupying the area between Fullerton Avenue and the Bloomfield line in one direction, and Bloomfield Avenne and Orange Road in the other direction. A view of the house is shown in the accompanying illustration.
During his publie career in Montelair Mr. Pratt has made enemies, but at the same time he has made many warm friends. A man of great decision of character, and one who has the courage of his convictions, no amount of argument or opposition could swerve him from a line he had marked out for himself. His pertinacity and strong determination of character are hereditary traits and have marked
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his course through life. He has given liberally of his means in aid of public and private charities, and always extended a helping hand and a word of encouragement to those who were fighting life's battle's amid adverse circumstances.
THE CHITTENDEN FAMILY.
LINE OF DESCENT OF HENRY A. CHITTENDEN FROM WILLIAM THE ANCESTOR.
WILLIAM CHITTENDEN, the American ancestor of this family, came from the parish of Canbrook, in Kent, near London, England, in 1639, and settled at Guilford, Conn., which was then a part of the New Haven Colony. He was one of the six persons selected to purchase lands in Guilford, and was the chief military man in the plantation, bearing the title of " Lieutenant." He had been a soldier in the English Army in the Netherlands, where he held the title of " Major." He was a chief magistrate in the colony and a deputy to the General Court until of great executive ability did much to advance and little band of colonists lands in order to enjoy the ious principles. The old which he occupied is still scendants and is known as his death. Ile was a man and common sense, and protect the interests of the who had left their native free exercise of their relig- homestead in Guilford in the hands of his de- " Mapleside."
is said to be derived from from the words chy or dun [hill], meaning the hill."
The name of Chittenden the British and Welsh, [house], tane [lower], din "lower house under the The line of descent of through Thomas, one of William; thence through Conn., in 1677, " Deaeon " ford, 1714; Simeon (2), a who enlisted with the "Lexington Alarm." Ile
Henry A. Chittenden is the ten children of Josiah, born in Woodbury, Simeon (1), born in Guil- soldier of the Revolution, Guilford troops in the was the father of Abel. ABEL CHITTENDEN, Son in Guilford in 1779. He in the community, of great aeter, and possessed strong Married Ann Hart Bald- Baldwin and Olive Norton. occupied by William the of Simeon (2), was born was a man of prominence foree and energy of char- religions convictions. win, daughter of Timothy Ile resided on the lot H. A. CHITTENDEN. ancestor. His children were: Henry Baldwin, Olive Norton, Sarah Dudley, Anna Hart, Simeon Baldwin -of whom hereafter-and Henry Abel.
SIMEON BALDWIN, fifth child of Abel and Anna Hart (Baldwin) Chittenden was born at the home- stead in Guilford, Conn., in March, 1814. He was for many years the head of the well-known New York dry goods firm of S. B. Chittenden & Co., was a well-known philanthropist, one of the most prom- inent as well as one of the most popular men in Brooklyn. He represented his Congressional District in Congress from 1874 to 1881, and was one of the most influential members during that term. He was also Vice-President of the New York Chamber of Commerce for a number of years. He died in 1889. The library building which he gave to Yale College is a beautiful and enduring monument to his memory.
HENRY ABEL CHITTENDEN, youngest child of Abel and Anna Hart (Baldwin) Chittenden, was born at the homestead of his ancestors in Guilford, Conn., in April, 1816. He was educated at Guilford
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and began his business career at a very early age in New Haven, Conn., and afterward went to Hartford, where for many years he was a prosperous and leading merchant. He was one of the early advocates of temperanee, and took a prominent part in what was known as the "Washingtonian " movement. He subsequently removed to New York City, and was for many years associated with his brother Simeon B. in the wholesale dry goods business, and later carried on business on his own account. He was for many years a resident of Brooklyn, and was one of the founders of Plymouth Church. Ile introduced Rev. Henry Ward Beecher at the Broadway Tabernaele to the first eastern congregation where he distinguished himself, and was instrumental in the calling of Mr. Beecher to Plymouth Church. Mr. Chittenden was one of the pioneers in the great abolition movement, and a prominent actor in the "underground rail- road " system which conveyed numbers of fugitive slaves to places of safety, he assisting by generous contributions of money and by personal efforts. He individually maintained a church at Washington in the cause of " free speech" for a period of six years about this time. Plain, outspoken and fearless. he carried on the crusade which finally resulted in the nomination of Abraham Lincoln as the standard bearer of the Republican party. He is a man of strong religious convictions, a thorough Bible student and possesses a wonderfully retentive memory, being able to quote offhand from almost any portion of the Scriptures. As a public speaker he is earnest and and impressive and on his favorite subject. " The Second Advent," he is eloquent. He is very orthodox in his religious views and is firm and unyielding in his convictions of truth as expounded by the Bible. In 1>45 he wrote a pamphlet entitled. " A Reply to the Charge of Heresy," wherein he maintained that there is no future life for mortals ont of Christ. This pamphlet ha- had an enormous circulation, and is still published in Boston.
Mr. Chittenden is the oldest surviving settler of that interesting coterie of New York business men who began the settlement of West Bloomfield-later Montelair-as a place of suburban residence nearly forty years ago. He came about 1556 and purchased a large tract of land on the corner of what is now known as Grove Street and Glen Ridge Avenne. He built the "old homestead," improved his spacious grounds, and there amid pleasant surrounding of trees, flowers and shrubbery has sinee continued to reside. He married. in 1844, Miss Henrietta Gano, of Ohio, a descendant of Francis Gerneaux, one of the French Huguenot refugees who came to America in 1686 and settled in New Rochelle, N. Y. Iler great-grandfather, Rev. John Gano, was the son of Daniel, and grandson of Stephen, and great-grandson of Francis, the ancestor who AAmericanized and changed his own name for simplicity to that of Gano. lle was born in 1727, was a noted Baptist preacher, who organized the first Baptist Church in New York ('ity, and was ordained as its pastor in 1762. He early espoused the cause of the colonists in their struggle to shake off the British yoke, and became chaplain in Washington's army, and remained with his beloved commander, whose friend and spiritual adviser he was, until the close of the war. Ile was known as the " Fighting Parson "-was a man of great personal courage, and always found at the front encouraging the soldiers with his genial presence and cheerful words. He removed to Kentucky and died at Frank- fort in 1804. His son, Major-General John Stites Gano was a distinguished officer in the war of 1812, and the principal founder and proprietor of Covington, Ky. He died in 1822. His son, Major Daniel Gano, the father of Mrs. Chittenden, was the first white child born in the region known as the city of Cincinnati, in 1794. He was a gentleman of the old school, noted for his kindness of heart, great learning and courtly manners. Ile was a liberal patron of the fine arts, something of a poet, and counted among his most intimate friends Henry Clay, General Winfield Scott, Governor Clinton, General Harrison and the Marquis de Lafayette. His beautiful home " Acacia " was the mecca and rendezvous for all the distinguished people of that time. He did much to build up his native city, and was beloved by all who knew him. His daughter, Mrs. Henry A. Chittenden, still living, inherits many of his amiable qualities, and is greatly beloved by her large circle of friends and acquaintances. The issue of the marriage of Henry A. Chit- tenden with Henrietta Gano is eight children-two deceased, Henrietta, aged three years, and Belle, aged thirteen. Those now living are Henry A., Jr., the editor : Anna C. Duncan, wife of the eminent lawyer, D. D. Duncan, formerly of St. Louis, but now of New York City, Daniel Gano, Charles Baldwin, Eliza- beth L., wife of Dr. W. E. Pinkham, of New York, and William Lawrence.
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Daniel Gano's latest namesake and descendant is Gano Westervelt Chittenden, born November 9, 1890, the son of Ilenry A. Chittenden, Jr., for many years in the editorial service of Mr. James Gordon Bennett on the New York Herald and the Telegram, his mother being Alice Westervelt, of Paterson, N. J., a well-known magazine and newspaper writer.
WILLIAM LAWRENCE CHITTENDEN, known as the " Poet Ranchman," youngest child of Henry A. and Henrietta (Gano) Chittenden, was born in Montelair, N. J., March, 1862. He is named from William the ancestor and from his maternal grandmother, who belonged to the distinguished Lawrence family. William L., or " Larry," as he is familiarly known, enjoyed all the advantages of the higher education for which Montelair is famous. As a lad he was popular with his schoolnates, full of fun, and fond of practical jokes ; he was "irrepressible," it is said, and became the "scapegoat" of the village, preferring to bear the sins of others rather than " peach " on his companions. Fond of athletic sports, bathing, fishing, etc., he gave more attention to these than to his books. Later in life he saw his mistake and made up for lost time in hard study and reading. His him a good purpose in later as a rider, swimmer and diver, his boldness and daring in Spring Lake Beach, N. J., by young ladies from drowning of his own life. Referring genius as a poet, the Gal- " When very young Larry goods business with his father a better appreciation than he piece of dry-goods-after it He also has done much repor- the New York papers. In business with his uncle Mr. in Jones County, Texas, resides. The solitary life on songs of the birds and the developed Larry's poetie in- song. He has wrought his readers may well be proud Verses,' as Larry terms them, yours Sincerely William Laurence Chittenden were published in a volume Sons, of New York. The hausted, and the second edi- early athletic training served years, for he became famous and distinguished himself by the summer of 1891, at rescuing two New York in the surf at the great risk to his business career and his veston News says of him : went into the wholesale dry- and uncle, and few poets have of what there is in a fine has been properly made up. torial and literary work for 1887 he went into the cattle S. B. Chittenden and settled where as a bachelor he now the ranch, listening to the music of the night winds, stincts, and his spirit rose in life into his lines, and our of his success. His ' Ranch assumed tangible form and issued by G. P. Putnam's first edition was soon ex- tion, more elaborate than the first and beautifully illustrated. has lately been issued. The crities of this country and Europe were unstinted in their praise of the work, and Larry finds himself on the high road to fame in this his first attempt to reach the public. In Western parlance, 'honors are easy' with him and he bears them modestly." The Boston Home Journal says of the volume: " It is full of true poetic genins and is a very welcome contribution to our best American poetical literature." The London Saturday Review says : "Ranch Verses are tuneful, manly in sentiment, and musical in flow. They have a right cheerful tone and are full of spirit and vivacity. The joy of existence and the sense of perfect sympathy for free and tameless nature animates Mr. Chittenden's lyrics." "Sure to become a favorite," says the Glasgow (Scotland) Herald. Public Opinion says: "Will win from readers okl and young unstinted praise and warm eulogy. The bold intellect of the author, tempered by culture and refinement, has produced a volume that must bring him fame." " Ranch Verses," says the Review of Reviews, "are worthy of a place beside those of Riley, Harte, Field and Miller." Not an adverse
I Marthurst
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criticism of the work has yet appeared, and a volume could be compiled of the many pleasant things said by his reviewers. In the words of the St. Louis Republic: " We repeat that > variety is the soul of it all and the spice of life pervades it."" The Montelair Times, believing that in this case a " prophet hath honor in his own country " and among his own kindred, emphasizes the sentiments expressed by others, and says, " All honor to our Poet Ranchman."
THE PARKHURST FAMILY AND COLLATERAL BRANCHES.
Four families of this name, bearing arms, are mentioned by Burke as early as the fifteenth century ; two were of London, one was of County Norfolk, one of County Surrey. One of this name was Lord Mayor of London in 1635. Another, Rev. John Parkhurst, was Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth -so stated in Alice Strickland's " Queens of England." The London family bore Arms. Argent a cross ermines between four bucks trippant ppr. Crest .- Out of a patlisado coronet or, a buck's head erased argent attired of the first.
GEORGE PARKHURST. the American ancestor, was of Watertown, Mass., as early as 1643. Ile married Susanna, widow of John Simpson, and removed to Boston about 1655. He had a son George (2) by his first wife, born in England in Iols.
GEORGE (2) PARKIERST, son of George first by his first wife, was born in 161s in England and exme over with his father. He remained in Watertown. He married, and had, among other children, John. JOHN (1) PARKHURST, son of George (2) married and had a child. John (2).
JOHN (2) PARKHURST. son of John (1). was born in Watertown. He married and had children, Isaac and Jonas, who removed to Milford about 1735.
JONAS PARKHURST, Son of John (2) was born in Watertown, married Abigail Morse, and removed to Milford, Mass. They had a son, Ephraim.
EPHRAIM PARKHURST, Son of Jonas and Abigail (Morse) Parkhurst, was born in Milford, Mass .. Dec. 27, 1743. Ile married Jemima Mayward, and had a son Nathan.
NATHAN PARKHURST, son of Ephraim and Jemima ( Mayward) Parkhurst, was born in Milford, June 20, 1770. Hle dwelt mostly on the " Island." so called, and for many years owned a mill seat just below Charles River Bridge : he was a clothier and miller by trade and did an extensive business. Ile married Ruth, daughter of Deacon Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Nelson) Rawson, born October 25, 1770.
DEACON NATHANIEL RAWSON, born July 9, 1745, was the son of Thomas, who was the son of Wilson, who was the son of Grindal Rawson, " The faithful and learned pastor of the Church of Christ in Mendon, who died February 6. 1713. This Grindal Rawson was the author of a work entitled Confessions of Faith,' written in the Indian and English tongues. He was the friend and classmate of Cotton Mather. By an order passed by the General Court of Massachusetts, July 31, 1692, he, with others, was desired to accompany the General and Forces in the expedition against Canada, to carry on the worshiping of God in that expedition." Grindal was the son of William, who was the son of Edward Rawson, the progenitor of all bearing the name of Rawson in the United States. Ile was born in Gillingham, Dorsetshire, England. April 15, 1615. He was married. in England to Rachel Perne, daughter of Thomas Perne, and grand-daughter of John Hooker, whose wife was a Grindal, sister of Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Edward Rawson came to Newbury, in the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, as early as 1637. He was a grantee of that town, chosen Publick Notary and Register, 1638, and was annually re-elected until chosen Secretary of the Colony.
The issue of the marriage of Nathan Parkhurst with Ruth Rawson was Evelina, born 1797; Ziba, born 1799; Stephen Rawson, of whom hereafter; Parmenus Parsus, born 1802, and Waldo, born 1807.
STEPHEN RAWSON PARKHURST, third child and second son of Nathan and Ruth (Rawson) Park- hurst, was born at Milford, Mass., March 19, 1802. He enjoyed the usual advantages of a common school education, with a brief term at the academy. It was his father's wish that he study civil engineering, but for this he had neither taste nor inclination. His fondness for mechanics was shown in early life,
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but it was not until the necessity arose that he developed the wonderful inventive genius that afterward placed him in the front rank of American inventors. Ile was but nineteen years of age when his father died, and, being thrown on his own resources, he began the battle of life with nothing save his own indomitable will, plnek, energy and perseverance. Ile first took to himself a wife and then obtained a situation in the carding department of a woolen mill, where he not only mastered the details, but saw the necessity for and the advantages to be gained by improved machinery. His first invention, although a very important one, he neglected to patent, and thereby failed to reap the benefits of it. His services, however, became valuable to his employer, and by the time he reached his majority he had accumulated a capital of $2,000, with which he started in business for himself. He was successful from the beginning, and was constantly engaged in making improvements in cotton and woolen machinery.
Ilis elder brother succeeded to the father's business in Milford. Stephen next assumed it, who, after carrying it on for a short time, and making still further improvements, met with a great disaster in the destruction of the building by fire. After many hard struggles he decided to remove to New York City, where he soon after constructed machinery for the manufacture of his several inventions, and organized a company for the purpose of operating the business known as the Atlas Manufacturing Com- pany. This was subsequently transferred to Newark, where the business is still continued in that name.
As an inventor Mr. Parkhurst did more to revolutionize the manufacture of wool and cotton than any man sinee the days of Amos Whittemore and Eli Whitney. His first invention was known as the Burring Machine, for which he obtained Letters Patent May 1, 1845. The object of this invention was to remove the burrs, and other foreign substances, from wool before carding, thereby preventing damage to the card clothing, and effecting great saving in labor and material, and to free cotton from seeds and other substances injurious to the staple, thereby materially enhancing its value.
When used in combination with a carding machine, as it generally is, the burr cylinder is placed next the feed rollers, draws the unburred wool from between them on to plain surface, between narrow, toothed, or serrated steel rings, placed upon a light, hollow, rigid, metallic cylinder, called a burr cylinder ; the plain surface being somewhat less in diameter than the serrated rings, allows the material to be drawn below the periphery of the steel rings on to the plain surface, and leaves the burrs on top to be knocked off by a revolving guard over the burr cylinder into a trash receptacle in front. The wool being thus freed from burrs, is stripped from the burr cylinder in the rear by a rapidly revolving card-clothed cylinder of the carding machine, and passes on through the machine in the ordinary process of earding. Previous to this invention various attempts had been made, especially on burring wool, to devise some means whereby the burrs could be removed without injury to the fibre and the wool rendered more serviceable for high grade manufacturing purposes, but with only partial snecess. At the time of the introduction of these machines into use, the old methods of picking the burrs from the wool by hand, or cutting them out with common sheep shears, was generally resorted to. But this process was slow, tedious, expensive, and unreliable, and wool, which was very burry-especially foreign wools of this description-was only used to a very limited extent in this country, in consequence of the great difficulty and expense incurred in removing the burrs.
Besides inventing numerous other machines of a similar character, Mr. Parkhurst made many improvements in his burring machine. He was subjected to a long and expensive litigation in de- fending his patents, and Judge Nelson of the U. S. Circuit Court, in giving his decision in 1865, remarked that "this invention was very meritorious."
Hle invented his Double Burring Machine in 1862. His steel ring eylinders and feed rollers as applied to earding machines are still regarded as the best in the market, and his machinery for cleaning wool is considered far superior to any machine for this purpose in this country or in Europe.
His Steel Cylinder Cotton Gin, patented long before the war, was of inestimable value to the planters of the South. One planter wrote : "The cotton that I ginned on them last year sold for one and a half cents more than my saw-gin cotton." This was especially adapted to the long and short staple cotton, without injury to the fibre. It received the First Medal and Diploma at the Fair of the American Institute in 1869.
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Mr. Parkhurst had a large sale for his Cotton Gin at the South before the war. He lost heavily, however, at the breaking out of the war, and after that confined his attention principally to the manufacture of other machinery. Ile removed to Montclair. or what was then West Bloomfield, abont 1857. lle purchased the Mountain House property, where he resided for a number of years until his death in April, 1ss7.
Ile was a man of unimpeachable integrity, uprightness of character, generous to a fault, and greatly beloved by his associates and employees-to any and all of whom he was ever ready to lend a helping hand.
Mr. Parkhurst married Thankful Legge, daughter of David Legge, of Mendon, Mass., who served as Sergeant in the War of the Revolution, and was with Washington at Valley Forge. He was a descendant of John Legge, of Salem. 1631. who came in the fleet with Winthrop and lived at Marblehead. Members of this family were noted for their personal prowess and courage ; several of them took part in the Colonial as well as the French and Indian Wars: their descendants were largely represented in the War of the Rebellion. David Legge was the son of William, who was probably the son of John Legge, of Mendon, who married Hannah Nelson, daughter of Gersham and Abigail ( Winthrop) Nelson born at Rowley, 1714.
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