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 49
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His Sundays are generally spent with the Congregational Churches of the State in the endeavor to bring more closely together the college and its natural constituency. From the influences thus spread many students have come to lowa College.
The church was without any settled pastor for the next three years. A call was extended to Rev. William O. Weeden in November, 1890, and in May of the following year he was installed as pastor. Ile was faithful in his efforts and endeavored to continne the work so snecessfully carried forward by his predecessor, but his usefulness was impaired through failing health, and in April of the present year he was compelled to relinquish his charge.
REV. WILLIAM O. WEEDEN.
REV. WILLIAM O. WEEDEN was born at Providence, R. I., April 4, 1855. His preparatory course was at the high schools of that city. He was gradnated at Amherst College in 1877, and studied at An- dover Theological Seminary. He traveled two years abroad, making a tour of Palestine, and other places in the East in company with Rev. Henry M. Field, Dr. Lyon and others. On his return he took a post graduate course at Andover and afterward was for six months assistant pastor of the De Witt Memorial Church, New York City. In the autumn of 1884 he received a call from the First Congregational Church of Beatrice, Nebraska, where he was ordained and installed as pastor. A severe illness, which impaired his constitution, necessitated his resignation, and he again went abroad, traveling in Japan, where he visited missions and studied missionary fields. On his return he was called to the First Congre- gational Church at Springfield, Vt., one of the largest in the State, remaining there about two-and-a-half years. Ile then accepted a call to the Bushwick Avenue Church of Brooklyn, but found the climate of that city induced throat trouble, thus necessitating another change. In November, 1890, he received a call from the Christian Union Congregational Church of this place, and in May of the following year was installed as its pastor, continning until April, 1894.
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HISTORY OF MONTCLAIR TOWNSHIP.
ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
AMONG the residents of Upper Montelair there has been for many years individual members of the Episcopal Church ; these for a time united with the members of other religious denominations in their worship, and it was not until 1885 that any concerted effort was made to establish a distinct organization.
In February, 1550, the stone building was completed by the contributions of the residents of Upper Montelair, with the expectation that it was to be used as a Christian Union Church. Some disagreement having arisen, and the title to the land having passed to the Trustees of the Montelair Presbyterian Church, the building was, on February 22, 1880, dedicated as a Chapel of that Church. A Congregational Society having been formed. held services there for a few months, but subsequently made other arrangements, and as there were not sufficient members to sustain a distinctive Presbyterian Church, the building remained closed for some time.
In 1855 the advisability of obtaining possession of the Chapel, and holding in it the services of the Episcopal Church, was disenssed by a attempted to establish a mission in connec- reasons this plan was abandoned for the
During the summer of I>>7 the project were obtained for the support of the mission. Luke's Church of Montelair gave consent erty referred to passed into the hands building was newly furnished and prop- Rev. P. MeD. Bleecker was placed in the Bishop, and the first ser- the morning of the Advent.
few families in the neighborhood. It was at first tion with St. Luke's Church, but for various time. was again started, and subscriptions and pledges The bishop of the diocese and the rector of St. to the formation of a new mission, and the prop- of the new organization. The church erly arranged for church services. The temporary charge by viees were held on fourth Sunday in At a meeting of the work of the mis- purpose of complet- Mr. W. II. Howell and Mr. Wilbur Hunt- W. H. Parsons, Treas- W. Il. Littell, and quently added.
persons interested in sion, called for the ing the organization. was elected Warden ington, Secretary; Mr. urer; A. J. Varno, ST. JAMIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH. other names subse- On December 12, 1988, Bishop Starkey gave his canonical consent to the formation of St. James Parish. At the parish meeting to take steps for incorporation, the following gentlemen were elected officers : William H. Power and Wilbur Huntington, Wardens; Auguste J. Varno, W. H. Parsons, John Mancini, William H. Littell, F. B. Littlejohn, G. L. Prentis, Charles Richards and J. II. Schoon- maker, Vestrymen.
At a meeting of the Vestry, held January 29, 1859, the Rev. Richard Hayward, of the diocese of Chicago, was unanimously called to be Rector of this Parish.
Improvements in the church edifice have been made from time to time, and in 1892 important modifications were made in the interior of the church. All plaster was removed, the ceiling was raised and ceiled in wood, and the walls were covered with rongh terra cotta tiles. The interior is beautifully furnished, the woodwork being of antique oak, highly polished. The altar was designed by Tiffany & Co., of New York : the lecturn designed by Lamb & Rich, architects, of New York ; the font and reredos are all gifts to the church as memorials or thanksgivings. It may be truly said that there are few country churches more artistic in design and treatment, or more reverent and churchly in expression.
The church is supported solely by voluntary contributions. All seats are free. It has a seating capacity of about 150 ; the present membership is about 80.
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HISTORY OF MONTCLAIR TOWNSHIP.
MOUNT HEBRON CEMETERY.
" There is no Death ! What seems so is transition ; This life of mortal breath Is but a suburb of the life elysian Whose portal we call death."-LONGFELLOW.
Tms cemetery is located in the northwest corner of Montclair Township, at Montelair Heights, on the east side of the mountain, about three minutes' walk from the station on the Greenwood Lake R.R. It contains about twenty acres, occupying an elevated position, affording a very extended view from almost every point of the compass. On a elear day, Brooklyn Heights, the Bridge and a part of Greenwood Cemetery ean easily be seen-as well as the banks of the Hudson, the Palisades, from the southernmost point at Weehawken, extending north to its termination above Closter. The projectors of this enterprise designed it not simply for local use, but parties from Jersey City, Paterson, Newark and Little Falls, are owners of plots on which they have expended large sums of money, The cemetery is beautifully laid out with macadamized roads, is provided with a lodge for the keeper, a receiving vault, and other improvements are constantly being made. A number of costly monuments have been erceted, and everything has been done to make the place attractive and beautiful, and a fit resting-place for departed loved ones.
The Mount Hebron Association was organized in February, 1863, for the purpose of procuring land to be held in trust for cemetery purposes. The following persons were elected Trustees to serve for one, two and three years : Peter G. Speer, Star Parsons, Rymer Speer, M. S. Crane, W. R. Jacobus, Thomas C. Van Reypen, Aaron Sigler, Stephen Ennis, and Rymer S. Speer. Peter Speer was elected President and held the position up to the time of his death. He was succeeded by Rymer Speer, who held the position from 1865 to 1875; Arzy E. Van Gieson, 1875 to 1854; Rev. J. C. Cruikshank, 1884 to the present time. The present officers are: President, Rev. J. C. Cruikshank, Little Falls ; Secretary and Treasurer, Thomas C. Van Reypen, Montelair Heights; Trustees, Henry V. Praget, Jersey City ; William Beattie, Little Falls; Henry Smith, Little Falls; George Fisher, Brookdale; W. Sigler, Montclair ; A. T. Van Gieson, Upper Montelair, and J. D. Mockridge, Montclair; Thomas Cowley, Keeper and Superintendent.
SCHOOLS.
PRIOR to the Revolution, the people of this locality had little use for schools, the country was sparsely settled, and the Hollanders, whoinhabited content to cultivate their of "book larnin " to those to it. They listened once Dutch dominie, who in- "shorter catechism." aequired a knowledge of in the old country doubt- to read and write. the neighborhood. were farms and leave the matter who had leisure to devote a week to the good old structed them in the Some of them, who had the elementary branches less taught their children
There was probably no public building erected ons to 1816, for, as has Osborne opened a Sunday hood in 1816, he held it ward in private houses. probably erected about corner of Bellevue Ave- for school purposes previ- been stated, when Enos A. school in this neighbor- first in a barn, and after- The first school-house was 1827, and stood on the NEW SCHOOL BUILDING. nue and Valley Road-or what was formerly known as the Stone House Plains Road. The little frame building which now stands in the centre of the village was erected about 1849, on the spot where the old school-house stood. The land was given by James Van Gieson for school purposes, and the deed
Майдан W. Ayres.
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HISTORY OF MONTCLAIR TOWNSHIP,
stipulated that when the land should no longer be required for this purpose, it was then to revert to his heirs.
When the intlux of the " city people " began early in the seventies, the need of better accommo- dations was felt ; it was not, however, until within the past ten years that anything was done toward the erection of a new school building.
In 1884, a lot was purchased of Joseph Lux on Bellevue, near Wellwood Avenue, on_ which was erected a large briek school-house, the total cost, including the land, being $8,848.83. A corps of efficient teachers was provided, and an excellent school established. This was known as the Tenth School District. There was a gradual increase in the population, and before the beginning of the second decade, it was found that additional room would be required. In the sunnner of 1>93 this building was torn down, and a new one erected of brick on the same site, a part of the old foundation being utilized. The total cost of the new building, with the improved heating apparatus, was 822,293.51. The interior arrangements are all in accordance with the latest improvements for the comfort, health and conven- ience of the children.
The average attendance of children at the present time is 125. The principal of the school receives a salary of 81,250. He has five assistants whose aggregate pay is $3,050 per annum. The total annual expenses are about $5,000.
MORGAN WILLCOX AYRES, M. D.
DANIEL AYRES, the grandfather of Dr. Morgan W. Ayres, was for more than a quarter of a cent- ury a prominent merchant of New York City, and for nearly forty years a leading member of the old John St. M. E. Church (still standing). His diary-recently discovered-contains interesting facts con- nected with his own life; also of the Ayres and Smith families : " Born at Haverstraw, May 18, 1790; educated at College School of Ref. Dutch Church ; graduated May 12, 1802, with diploma much too good. I think, for my small attainments, but it was kind. Entered iron store of Blackwells & MeFar- lan ; indentured for six years ; remained there thirty-one years." After completing his apprenticeship in 1sos, he says : " Agreed with Blackwells & MeFarlan for three years at a salary of $300 till twenty-one years of age, when I received 8500, in 1516 increased to $1,000." " In I>12 war declared against England ; had to perform military duty : was made Sergeant ; Hugh Maxwell, our Captain (Hugh Maxwell was the distinguished lawyer, politician, collector of customs, etc., whose daughter married Gen. Phil. Kearney); outpost for service, Harlem Heights. My employers furnish a substitute, and my military services elose. At the close of the war was presented by my employers with $100 as a .peace present.' In 1517 salary increased to $1,500 for five years. Purchased a plot 137 Elizabeth Street for $750, and built a brick house upon it for $2,400. Placed my father and mother there, where they ended their days ; mother died 1843, father (Thomas) in 1844. In 1820 purchased a house and lot at 94 John Street for $3,250."
In 1830 Daniel Ayres organized the firm of MeFarlans & Ayres. They had large money interests in New Jersey, and were also largely interested in the Morris Canal Company. Through the latter they became involved and suspended payment in 1832, with assets amounting to 830,000, liabilities, $300,000. Their creditors gave them an extension, and in two years the entire amont was paid with interest.
In 1835 he organized the firm of Boorman. Johnston, Ayres & Co. His diary states that "in 1844 my partners permitted me to invest my earnings at once, and I find myself worth 887,000." Ile soon after retired from business.
Referring to family matters he says : " My paternal grandfather, Daniel Ayres, married Sarah Smith, at Smith's Clove, back of New Cornwall, Orange Co., N. Y. The place received its name from her grandfather. He sent his son to England to take letters patent for the tract upon the death of his father, but it was found the son had taken it out in his own name. In my library is an ancient pocket bible, with the name of Thomas Smith, 1714. My father said it was the pocket bible of his (Thomas
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HISTORY OF MONTCLAIR TOWNSHIP.
Smith's) father in England, and that there was a tradition that there was valuable property in the Vale of Aylesbury, in which the family claimed an interest.
" The children of Daniel Ayres and Sarah Smith (Strockem) were Thomas (my father) and Kamp Ayres. After the death of her second husband, James Strockem, my grandmother married Daniel Devoe, in 1775. My grandfather Devoe married for his second wife, Sarah Turrell. He was a Captain in the War of 1812, and afterwards a Member of Congress.
" My father, Thomas Ayres, was born at Smith's Clove, September 24, 1754. My mother, Mary Devoe, born at New Rochelle, December 30, 1758. She said that her mother, Hester Devoe, was French, and could scarcely speak English."
Daniel Ayres (son of Thomas) from whose diary the foregoing was taken, married Anna Morgan, of New York City. He had three sons, and two daughters : Daniel, Gabriel Disosway, Joseph Blackwell, Mary Anne and Eliza.
Daniel Ayres, son of Daniel and Anna Morgan Ayres, was born at Jamaica, L. I., October 6, 1822, was educated at Daniel H. Chase's School at Middletown, Conn. Entered Wesleyan University at Middletown in 1841; leaving there he entered Princeton in his junior year, to obtain better scientific instruction under Professor Joseph Henry, and graduated with degree. Took full course in the Medical Department of the University of the City of New York in 1844, and soon after settled in Brooklyn, N. Y. Ile was one of the founders of the Long Island College Hospital, and was a prime mover in the establish- ment of the Brooklyn City Hospital. The Wesleyan University at Middletown gave him degree of LL.D. in 1856.
During the war, he served in the New York Corps of Surgeons, participating in the results of many of the principal engagements. Owing to an intense desire to embody his views in physiology and pathology in a series of lectures, he gave up his general practice in 1880, and devoted himself to the arrangement of his large store of notes, bringing out his thoughts in a manner calculated to render clear many hitherto obseure problems. His teachings were wonderfully lucid, practical, and stripped of the mystery surrounding the older physiological dogmas. Ile held for a number of years the chair of Emeritus Professor of Clinical Surgery.
His peculiar methods of teaching gave him a pre-eminence attained by few, and there can be no question but that his influence npon medical science will continue to be felt for years. Shortly before his death, in 1892, he gave to the cause of education more than half a million of dollars, considering it but a small contribution toward so grand a canse.
Hle married, October 6, 1848, Charlotte Angusta Russell, daughter of Daniel and Mary ( Willcox) Russell, of Portland (opposite Middletown, and formerly known as Chatham), Conn. This branch of the Russell family was descended from William Russell, born in England, 1612, came to America in 1639, and settled in the New Haven Colony. His only son, Noadiah, born at New Haven, 1650, was graduated at Harvard College in 1681, and was settled as pastor of the First Congregational Church at Middletown in 1687. Ile was one of the twelve ministers who founded Yale College at Saybrook in 1700, and was one of the framers of the famous " Saybrook Platform." He married Mary, daughter of Giles Hamlin, one of the original settlers of Middletown. He had issue nine children, viz. : William, Noadiah, Giles, Mary, John, Esther, Daniel, Mehritable and Hannah. William, his eldest son, succeeded him as pastor of the First Congregational Church at Middletown, June 1, 1715. Dr. Trumbull says of Rev. Noadiah Russell : "Ile was a gentleman of great respectability for knowledge, experience, moderation, and for pacific measures on all occasions."
DR. MORGAN WILLCOX AYRES, son of Dr. Daniel and Charlotte Augusta (Russell) Ayres, was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., Sept. 7, 1851. He attended the public schools of that city and was afterward sent to Professor Chase's school at Middletown, one of the best known educational institutions in New England. llis father and two uncles-all physicians-were educated at the same school. He was graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, in 1875. During a portion of the time while at college he was Assistant at St. Peter's Ilospital, Brooklyn-of which his father was then consulting
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HISTORY OF MONTCLAIR TOWNSHIP.
surgeon-and continned there after his graduation, his whole term of service there covering a period of three years.
In 1876 he settled at that part of Montelair lleights bordering on the township of Aequackan- onck, and his practice extended over a large portion of that township, as well as Upper Montelair, and for some years he was the only physician in that locality. His practice has grown with the increase in population, and covers an extent of territory almost as large as the whole of Montelair proper. While edueated in the old school of physicians, he is wedded to no theory, but is a man of advanced ideas and adopts whatever he finds best in either the old or new school of practice, according to circumstances. His methods have proved successful and he enjoys the unlimited confidence of his large clientèle.
Notwithstanding the fact that his time is almost wholly absorbed by his professional engagements, he has consented on several occasions to fill publie positions, and has heartily co-operated in every move. ment tending to advance the interests of the township. He served three years as a member of the Township Committee, at a time when some of the most important improvements were made. He is an earnest advocate of the " higher education " for which Montclair is famous, and has exerted his influence to furnish the best facilities in his own school district. He has served three years as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Tenth School District known as Mt. Hebron District, at Upper Montelair, and it was during his administration that the present large and commodious school-house was begun and completed ; at the last municipal election, the first one under the " Short" law, he was elected a mem_ ber of the Board of Education to serve for three years.
Dr. Avres resided for some years at Montelair Heights. In 199 he moved to the corner of Bellevne Avenue and Park Street in Upper Montelair, where he resided until 1894. The year previous he purchased a plot on the corner of Lorraine Avenue and Park Street, where he erected a handsome house to which he removed in the spring of 1-94.
Dr. Ayres married Sarah Ella, daughter of Rev. Charles A. Roe, who was the son of Austin, of Connecticut, and of Butler, N. Y., son of Daniel, one of the first settlers of Butler, Wayne County, N. Y., son of Daniel, of Long Island, who served in the Revolutionary War, who served as Captain of Second Company Col. Clinton's Regiment, New York, son of John, of Long Island, son of Nathaniel, born in Long Island, 1670, son of John, born in Ireland, 1628, died at Port Jefferson, L. 1., 1711. Rev. E. P. Roe, the author, is a descendant in the same line through Nathaniel, son of John, the ancestor.
Issue of the marriage of Dr. Ayres with Miss Sarah Ella Roe: Harry Morgan, Daniel Roc, and Russell Romeyn.
DR. OLIVER SOPER.
DR. OLIVER SOPER, is of New England and Holland Dutch ancestry. His great-great-grandfather was Samnel Soper, who married Esther Littlefield, in 1731 ; they lived at West Bridgewater, Mass. ; ten children were born to them-six boys and four girls. Oliver, son of Samuel, born 1740, married Ruth Staples, of Bridgewater, in 1763, and removed to Taunton about that time. They had one son, Oliver, and five daughters. This Oliver, the second, married Rebecca Paul, and remained at Taunton. They had seven children, one of whom was Benjamin, born July 19, 1509, is the father of Dr. Soper, and is still living. aged 85 years. Benjamin married Mary, daughter of Peter Abraham Kip, born 1789, a descendant of Ilendrick Hendrickson Kip, who removed from New Amsterdam to Hackensack before 1690. His grandson, Peter, owned a large traet of land at Pollifly, now Hasbrouck Heights. Another grandson, Ilenry, bought a tract of land which ineluded a large portion of what is now Rutherford. The Kip family went from France to Holland in 1652.
Hendrick Kip, the father of Hendrick Hendrickson Kip, was born in 1576. Ile was a member of the old established trading company which organized in 1588 for the purpose of discovering a north-east passage to the Indies around the coast of Asia. Failing in this, they employed Hendrick Hudson, in 1609, who sailed in one of their ships and discovered the Hudson River in September of that year.
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HISTORY OF MONTCLAIR TOWNSIIIP.
Peter Abraham Kip, the maternal grandfather of Dr. Soper, married Maria Stuyvesant, a lineal descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the first Dutch Governor of New Amsterdam.
Dr. Oliver Soper, son of Benjamin and Mary (Kip) Soper, was born in Bergen County, N. J., December 29, 1843. IIe attended school in his native town and afterward at Taunton, Mass. He began the study of medicine with Dr. Robert S. Newton, of New York City, in 1873, and was graduated at the Eclectie Medical College of New York (of which Dr. Newton was President), in March, 1877. IIe began practice at Lodi, in Bergen County, N. J., where he carried on the drug business at the same time. He served as physician to the Board of Health for nearly two years, and was examining physician for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for three years. He removed to Upper Montclair in 1892, and has had a successful and increasing practice.
He married, first, Emma Garrabrant, deceased, by whom he had three children ; he married, secondly, Nellie F., daughter of Edward B. and Ellen (Baldwin) Crane, a grandson of Israel Crane, one of the most famous men of his time in East New Jersey.
THOMAS HOWE BIRD.
THOMAS H. BIRD was known to the people of Upper Montelair as one of the founders of the new settlement, which within the space of a few years was transformed from the broad pasture lands, orchards, meadows and nplands, into a beautiful suburban village, with its well graded streets, its attractive homes, and other evidences of progress and enterprise. Like the little colony of Puritans who landed on the banks of the Passaie River to establish a " New Worke " [Newark ], Mr. Bird, after years of successful labor in other fields, came to what is now known as Upper Montelair to begin a "new work." The record of the growth and progress of the new settlement shows his foot-prints in every direction. Like his Divine Master he " went about doing good," and the very atmosphere was fragrant with his presence.
" His life was gentle ; and the elements so mixed in him, that
Nature might stand up and say to all the world, This was a man."
1831. He was ing school at Mass .; came to at the age of nine- the house of H. B. where he remain- time. Later he white goods busi- firm name of & Co. He after- business, and ed Wall Street as broker, and was years a member Exchange. man Mr. Bird was teemed for his in- ruptible honor. his life, however, Mr. Bird was of Puritan stoek with all the objectionable features eliminated. Ile was born in Boston in April, educated at board- Framingham, New York City teen, and entered Claflin & Co., ed for a short started in the ness under the Thomas H. Bird ward sold ont this about 1860 enter- banker and stoek for thirty-four of the Stock As a business universally es- tegrity and incor- The good work of RESIDENCE OF MRS. THOMAS H. BIRD, UPPER MONTCLAIR. was in connection with Bethel Mission, Brooklyn, of which he was one of the founders in 1852, and for many years its superintendent. It was at his suggestion that in 1866 this Mission was offered to Plymouth for adoption, it having been for a number of years previons sustained by teachers from
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