USA > New Jersey > Morris County > History of Morris County, New Jersey > Part 41
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Theodore F. Randolph was educated at Rutgers gram- mar school, New Brunswick; entered upon mercantile life at 16 years of age, and spent the succeeding ten years as a clerk, accountant, and principal in business, mostly in Southern States. During his school days he partly learned, in spare hours, to be a printer, and was also given a subordinate position in editorial work.
In 1852, at Vicksburg, Miss., Mr. Randolph married a daughter of Hon. N. D. Coleman, a member of Congress from the Maysville district, Ky. The succeeding year he moved to Easton, Pa., and immediately thereafter to Jersey City-engaging in the business of mining coal and transporting iron and ores.
In 1859 Mr. Randolph was elected from the rst district of Jersey City to the House of Assembly of the State Legislature. By his party friends he was tendered the speakership of the House at this session, and declined it. The session of 1859-60 was the one immediately preceding the outbreak of the civil war. As a "war Democrat" Mr. Randolph was put on many important committees-among them the committee on Federal Relations, which reported at his suggestion the bill ap- pointing commissioners to the peace congress of 1861. The commission was strictly non-partisan, and included the leading statesmen of both political parties in New Jersey.
Mr. Randolph was also a member of the special or war session of 1861. It convened April 30th. On the Ist
of May he introduced and had passed the first bill giv- ing relief to families of volunteers. He also suggested and advocated many of the principal appropriation bills during this session.
In October 186r Mr. Randolph was elected from the county of Hudson to the Senate of the State to fill a vacancy, and thereafter was mainly in charge of legisla- tion connected with federal affairs during the session of 1861-2. In August 1862 he was appointed by Governor Olden the commissioner of draft for Jersey City and Hudson county. This office he held till the close of the year, sending forward-as volunteers, however-several thousand men. In November 1862 Mr. Randolph was re-elected to the Senate of New Jersey for three years, receiving 6,300 of the 6,400 votes cast.
During this term beginning with 1863 he was chairman
Relations, Taxation, etc. He began during this term the advocacy of a more equitable system of taxation between corporations and the people, resulting somewhat later in powerful antagonisms to him. He also led the opposi- tion to a scheme by which the State was to be burdened with nearly $10,000,000 of local bounties; and intro- duced and had passed the first relief bill which extended equal benefits and bounties to white and colored volunteers.
The office of State controller was created in 1865, at Mr. Randolph's suggestion, the bills of the State, amount- ing to many millions of dollars since the war had opened, suggesting this additional safeguard. The creation of this office is said to have saved half a million of dollars to the State during the first few years of its existence.
In 1867 Mr. Randolph was elected president of the Morris and Essex Railroad Company, resigning the position, however, in 1869 upon his election as governor. During his presidency there was completed the main line across the State to Pennsylvania; a branch road built to Chester; an extension made of the Montclair branch and the Boonton division branch, and the whole line was opened to the coal and iron trade, nearly doub- ling in eighteen months the gross tonnage of the com- pany and its money receipts, and advancing its securities largely. He then negotiated the existing lease, by which the Morris and Essex stockholders and bondholders are guaranteed in perpetuity 7 per cent. upon par values.
In January 1869 Mr. Randolph was sworn in office as governor of New Jersey. His term of office-three years-was filled with unusual affairs, and they can only be rapidly alluded to. His first message-at once after his inaugural-was aimed at the abolition of the so-called Camden and Amboy monopoly, which had substantially controlled State affairs during the previous thirty years.
At the outset of his administration a law was put in force which forever abolished the "transit duties " on passengers and freight across New Jersey, and substan- tially concluded the hated railway monopoly agreement with the State. The State public treasury, moreover, was largely benefited under the operation of the new law. An effort-powerfully backed-was made in 1869 to " bond " certain cities and townships of the State, osten-
169
GOVERNOR RANDOLPH'S ADMINISTRATION.
sibly to aid in railway construction. Some favorable legislation had been obtained under a preceding admin- istration, and the scheme presented in 1869 was most specious and attractive as well as dangerous. After a severe contest and several vetoes all these measures, involving many millions, were finally defeated by the governor.
During 1869 Governor Randolph advocated and ap- pointed the first " Riparian Commission." The labors of this body have given an income to the State of over $3,000,000.
In 1870 he urged the passage of a system of general laws by which all special legislation should be avoided. This system was finally adopted by the State.
The more noted recommendation of Governor Ran- dolph during 1870 was that which was contained in the annual and in special messages to the Legislature touch- ng the taxation of corporations. In these he urged that corporate capital, being the possessor of special privi- leges, was peculiarly the subject of taxation. These messages gave rise to much controversy.
During this period the Legislature gave authority to the governor to appoint a commission to remodel the State-house, and he was the president of that commis- sion, which began and completed the work.
The State prison inmates had been a source of large cost to the treasury for many years prior to this adminis- tration. The shops were enlarged, the business carried on in them reformed, and during this gubernatorial term a saving to the State of more than $100,000 was effected.
A disturbance known as the Bergen Riot occurred during 1870. Large bodies of men were opposing each other and hundreds of trains were delayed. The riot, was quelled by the governor without serious injury to any one, and the conflicting railway companies were brought into court to settle their difficulties.
The legislative session of 1871 was a noted one, principally on account of the passage of "an act to reorganize the government of Jersey City." The act was vetoed by Governor Randolph in a message of unusual severity. It was finally passed by a strict partisan majority over the veto. Within sixteen months its principal advocate was in State prison, and Jersey City has ever since been oppressed by wrongs which that charter made possible. The "election bribe- ry law," which was most effectively enforced in every county of the State by Governor Randolph, was written by him and urged upon and passed by the Legislature during this session.
Of other public acts of this period the most memor- able one, perhaps, is that known as the "Orange Proc- lamation." It was occasioned by the decision of a body of Orangemen to parade in Jersey City on their anniversary day (July 12th), which action was promptly met by others' purposing to prevent the parade. A highly excited con- dition of affairs in New York city aggravated, no doubt, the contending parties in New Jersey. Large bodies of men were known to be gathering for unfriendly purposes, and. Governor Randolph, acting upon established inform- ation, finally issued the so-called "Orange Proclama- tion." It asserted the right of peaceful assemblage by
citizens, irrespective of nationality, creed or religion. It warned all people against interference with such right. It commanded all officers to enforce the laws, and, though closing with a rebuke to the Orangemen for re- viving an unnecessary religious and political feud, of no general interest to Americans, it assured the people that the right of assemblage would be asserted and protected " at any cost." The proclamation was followed by an order for State troops, to the number of 3,000. The laws were enforced. No serious injury came to any per- son in New Jersey, although, from causes the same and occurring at the same hours, on the New York side of the Hudson many lives were unfortunately lost.
Upon the recommendation of Governor Randolph the Legislature during 1869 gave authority for the purchase, with the governor's approval, of a site for a new lunatic asylum. He approved of the site near Morris Plains, ap- pointed the commissioners to prepare plans and begin the work, and took an earnest and active part in the construc- tion of the great edifice, till its completion and occupancy.
The great fire at Chicago occurred during Mr. Ran- dolph's administration, and he promptly issued a procla- mation, which was responded to so promptly and gener- ously by the people of New Jersey that car loads of clothing and provisions, and thousands of dollars, were en route to Chicago before the flames were subdued.
An interesting and novel case occurred toward the close of the administration. The chancellor summoned Governor Randolph to appear before him in court to answer touching the executive action on a certain Legis- lative bill, which it was claimed should have been filed with the State department, and thus become law. The governor denied the power of the chancellor to inquire into executive action or non-action; a long controversy occurred, the governor maintaining throughout that the executive was amenable alone-as to his official acts-to the Legislature.
In 1875 Mr. Randolph was elected to the Senate of the United States, in which he served the term of six years. Much of this time he was chairman of the Military Com- mittee, and all the time was a member of the Committee on Commerce. He was on various other committees, as those of Education, Civil Service Reform, and the Cen- tennial Exhibition, and was also of the special Senate committee appointed to examine the political frauds in South Carolina. His speeches-not many in number- were upon the Count of the Electoral Vote, the Centen- nial Exhibition, the Bi-Metallic question and other finan- cial ones, the case of General Fitz John Porter, the Use of Troops at Polling Places, etc. They are of recent history and therefore do not need special reference. The speech upon Mono-Metallism had an especially large pub- lication and circulation.
Mr. Randolph has filled other positions not herein enu- merated, as, a delegate to national and State conventions; chairman of the Executive National Democratic Com- mittee; president of the Washington Headquarters Asso- ciation, of which he is one of the founders; trustee of Rutgers College and other institutions; and director of many corporations and institutions of which no record has been given us.
170
HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
AURELIUS B. HULL.
This gentleman descends from one of the oldest fami- lies in New England. The first of the name of whom there is any record was a physician living in England; a son of whom emigrated and settled in New Haven, Conn., soon after the settlement of that colony. One of his descendants afterward settled in Derby, Conn. The latter had seven sons. One of these, Captain Miles Hull, was great-great-grandfather to Aurelius B. He located at Cheshire, Conn., and raised his family there. His son Miles was a captain of Connecticut militia in the Revo- lutionary war. " He was much esteemed by officers and men, and in private life was highly respected for his sound judgment and excellent character."
Dr. Amzi Hull, son of the latter, was born in Cheshire, about 1762. He was proficient in the science of medi- cine, and during his short practice acquired eminence in his profession. He died October 3d 1795, in Woodbridge, Conn. His wife, Mary Ann, was a daughter of James Kasson. She received her education under the instruc- tion of Dr. Belamy, a celebrated divine and minister in her native place, Bethlehem, Conn.
To this worthy couple were born five children, one of whom, Arctius Bevil Hull, father of Aurelius B., was born in Woodbridge, Conn., October 12th 1788. He was graduated from Yale College in 1807; subsequently taught the Wethersfield Academy; then on account of his health went to South Carolina, and afterward to Wash- ington, D. C., teaching in the families of Colonel Fish- burne and Albert Gallatin. Returning to New Haven he was tutor at Yale from 1810 to 1816. He was licensed to preach in October 1816. May 5th 1817 he married Abigail Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Aurelia (Mills) Darling, of New Haven. Mrs. Hull's great-grandfather was an officer under General Wolfe, in the French and Indian war. After his marriage Mr. Hull preached in Brookfield and other places about four years. On the 23d of May 1821 he was installed pastor of Old South Church, Worcester, Mass., and for five years, to the time of his death, was its able and honored minister. He died May 17th 1826.
His wife survived him many years. She died in Brooklyn, at the residence of her son Aurelius B. Hull, January 9th 1860.
Of six children only two are now living, viz .: the Rev. Joseph D. Hull, now residing in West Hartford, Conn .; and Aurelius B. Hull, the subject of this sketch.
The latter was born in New Haven, Conn., November Ist 1819. He was educated, with a view to entering Yale College, at the high school in New Haven, the academies of New Canaan and Farmington, Conn., and the Washington Institute, New York city. The confine- ment of study not agreeing with his state of health he decided to turn his attention to some active employment, and through the influence of General Heard, of Worces- ter, he secured a position in the store of Daniel Hol. brook, at Westboro, Mass. This engagement soon term- inated by the death of Mr. Holbrook and consequent closing up of the business. In 1835 he went to New York city, where he obtained a situation in the East India house of Josiah Dow & Co., 157 Pearl street. In 1837 he determined to try his fortune in the west. After visit- ing Sandusky, O., he went to Pittsburg, and while there
he fell in with William K. Strong, of the firm of Tonnele & Hall, of New York city. He had brought there large quantities of woolen manufactured goods, with a view to disposing of them in the western markets. An arrange- ment was made with Mr. Hull to take invoices of these goods for disposal in the markets of Louisville and St. Louis. This venture was carried out to the entire satis- faction of his employer.
Returning to Pittsburg he secured a clerkship in the commission house of Atwood, Jones & Co., and in 1841, under the patronage of this firm, he opened in his own name a commission house in Louisville, Ky. This bus- iness was eventually given up for the purpose of entering the employ of B. A. Fahnestock & Co., wholesale drug- gists, of Pittsburg. After a series of successful trips in the interest of this firm, in different parts of the United States, Canada and the eastern provinces, it was decided to establish a branch house in the city of New York, and Mr. Hull became its sole manager March 25th 1843. At first only a commission business was done, but in 1844 it was decided to open a wholesale drug house at No. 49 John street, corner of Dutch street. In 1852 it was moved to 51 Cliff street. A branch house was also es- tablished in Philadelphia.
During the twenty-two years of Mr. Hull's partner- ship with this house the business was conducted under the following firm names: B. A. Fahnestock & Co., B. A. Fahnestock, Hull & Co., Fahnestock, Hull & Co., B. A. Fahnestock's Son & Co. They always ranked among the most successful and extensive firms in their line in the country. Of the consolidated firm of 1857 Mr. Hull is the sole survivor. In 1865 he sold his interest and withdrew from active business.
In the years 1849 and 1850, for the purpose of recruit- ing his health, he took an extended tour, visiting the principal countries of Europe. Though withdrawn since 1865 from active participation in business, Mr. Hull, by his official connection with a number of prominent organizations, has been kept sufficiently employed to be counted a "busy man." He was one of the corporators of the Continental Insurance Company, and has ever since its organization been a member of its board of directors. He is a director in the Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York, the United States Warehouse Company, and the New Jersey Zinc and Iron Com- pany. He is vice-president of the Morris County Savings Bank, Morristown, and one of the proprietors of the Morris aqueduct of that place. He is also president of the Cayuta Wheel and Foundry Company, at Sayre, Bradford county, Pa.
During his business career in New York and up to 1870 Mr. Hull resided in Brooklyn. He then moved to Morristown, where he has since resided.
He has been a member of the Presbyterian church since 1836, and at the present time is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown, of which he is one of the board of trustees and treasurer. He married, October 25th 1843, Sarah Morris, daughter of Rev. James W. and Harriet A. Tucker.
Their children were: Mary Amanda, born January 7th 1847, died May 15th 1847; Charles Aurelius, born May 26th 1848, secretary of the Howard Insurance Company, New York city; George Lawrence, born May 8th 1850, died April 29th 1879; Harrie Tucker, born October 25th 1858.
Aurelius BHull
Fng4 oy H.R.Ein! & Sons DO Barclay St NY
THE LIFE OF W. L. KING.
171
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WILLIAM L. KING.
William Lewis King was born in Morristown, Morris county, N. J., on the 30th of January 1806, and was the son of Henry and Charlotte Morrell King. He was the ninth of ten children, and is the last survivor of them. His grandfather Frederick King removed to Morristown from Long Island in 1762. Both Frederick and Henry King were well known citizens of Morristown. Fred- erick was the first postmaster at Morristown, and his son Henry succeeded him in the office. The first members of the King family who came to this country settled in Salem, Mass., about the year 1650, whence one branch removed to the east end of Long Island.
The homestead at which William L. and all his bro- thers and sisters were born is located about 200 feet east of the present railroad station in Morristown. His bro- thers Jacob M., Frederick, Henry H. and Charles M. King were well known among the business men of this state and of New York.
William L. had the advantage of a good English edu- cation, with some instruction in the ancient classics at the old Morris Academy, which was then under the charge of James D. Johnson as principal. In the year 1821 he went to New York city, as clerk for Henry Youngs, who was then keeping a dry goods store in Broadway near Chambers street. He continued with Mr. Youngs until 1824, when he went to Richmond, Va., as clerk for his
brother Henry, who was one of the firm of King & Richardson. In 1829, on the removal of King & Rich- ardson to New York, he went with them to the latter city, and remained with them until the dissolution of their firm in 1832. He then entered the office of Naylor & Co., New York, that firm being the American branch of the old mercantile house of Naylor, Vickers & Co., steel manufacturers, of Sheffield, England. In the year 1843 he became American partner of the firm, which was then doing a very extensive business in New York and Boston. This position he occupied, residing in the city of New York and giving close attention to business, until the autumn of 1862, when he withdrew from the firm and retired from active business.
In 1828, while living in Richmond, William L. King connected himself with the First Presbyterian church of that city, which was under the pastoral care of Rev. William J. Armstrong. After removing to New York in 1829 he united first with the Spring Street church, of which Rev. Henry G. Ludlow was pastor, and in 1843 connected himself with the Mercer Street Presbyterian church, which was under the pastoral care of Rev. Dr. Skinner. In the year 1852 he took an active part in es- tablishing a "boys' meeting " for wandering street boys. Several of. these "meetings " were about this time estab- lished in the upper part of the city of New York. To the work connected with these meetings Mr. King de- voted a part of each Sabbath for several years. The work thus commenced has grown into the "Children's Aid Society," of which Mr. King was one of the founders, and which is now one of the foremost charities of the city of New York. The great success of this society is mainly due to its indefatigable and devoted secretary and manager, Charles L. Brace.
William L. King married Mary Dabney Hallam, daughter of Edward Hallam, of Richmond, Va. They had two children only-Harriet Lincoln King, and Mary Virginia King.
In the summer of 1861 Mr. King went to Europe with his family, for the benefit of their health. His eldest daughter, Harriet L., died on the 8th of March 1862, at Paris, France. On account of the delicate health of their surviving daughter Mr. and Mrs. King remained in the south of France for several years.
In the years 1866 and 1867 Mr. and Mrs. King with their daughter traveled in Italy, Spain and Germany, and they returned home by way of England in the sum- mer of 1867.
Mr. King's detention in Europe during the civil war was very trying to him. He took great interest in the progress of the war and the success of the national gov- ernment, and remitted funds to the Sanitary Commission.
In the spring of 1867 he purchased, through the agency of his brother Charles M. King, the old Lewis place in Morris street, Morristown, and moved into it in the autumn of that year; and he has since that time made it his residence.
Since his removal to Morristown Mr. King has taken an active part in all public and benevolent enterprises
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1 72
HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
there. In 1871 and 1872 he was a member of the com- mon council of Morristown. For a number of years he was a director in the National Iron Bank and the presi- dent of the Morris County Savings Bank. He is and long has been a trustee of the South Street Presbyterian church of Morristown. He was one of the most active of the founders of the Morristown Library and Lyceum, an account of which appears on another page. He has been its president from the beginning, and has contributed very largely toward the funds raised for erecting the build- ing and carrying through the enterprise. Besides that, he has given a great deal of his time and personal care to the conduct of the institution. At the urgent request of many of his friends his portrait was painted in the
spring of 1881 by J. Alden Weir, of New York city, and ber of the House of Assembly in the years 1862 and 1863, it now hangs in the reading room.
Mr. King's kind and generous spirit and actions have endeared him to all his townsmen, and, indeed, to all who know him.
HON. JACOB VANATTA.
Hon. Jacob Vanatta was born on the banks of the Musconetcong, near Washington, Warren county, New Jersey, on the 4th day of June 1824. He early devoted all the time he could possibly spare to study and the improvement of his mind.
He had always desired to embrace the profession of the law, and in 1845 he entered the law office of Theo- dore Little as a student. He was licensed as an attorney in October 1849, and as counsellor in February 1853. From the very first he had an extended and lucrative practice. He quickly assumed a. leading position, and in a short time became the foremost lawyer in Morris county. There has scarcely been an important case tried in the county since his admission to the bar that he has not been connected with. In all his cases he was painstaking, and he expended upon them an amount of thought and labor truly wonderful. His practice grew until at the time of his death it was probably the largest in the State. His reputation advanced with his practice, and for years he stood at the head of the New Jersey bar, as an able, faithful, conscientious and untiring advocate and counsel.
Mr. Vanatta was always a firm, consistent and un- wavering Democrat. He was the recognized head of the | his death.
party in his county, and all over the State was for years regarded as one of its ablest men. In 1856 he was a delegate to the national convention that nominated Buchanan. In the memorable struggle of 1860 he ad- hered to the fortunes of Stephen A. Douglas, and was chairman of the Douglas State committee; as such he refused to join the fusion ticket, and thus succeeded in dividing the electoral vote of the State between Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Douglas. During the war he followed his chieftain, and was throughout a war Democrat. At the convention which nominated General Mcclellan for governor he was appointed chairman of the State com- mittee, a position he held at the time of his death.
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