USA > New Jersey > Morris County > History of Morris County, New Jersey > Part 86
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Second N. J. Cavalry .- Elijah Struble, Company C, died June 4th 1864, at White's Station, Tenn., of typhoid fever.
Third N. J. Cavalry .- John T. Heminover, enlisted December 5th 1863 in Company E; died while a prisoner of war at Salisbury, N. C., December 4th 1864.
Battery B Ist N. J. Artillery .- Mahlon Stickle, dis- charged August Ist 1862 for disability, died September Ist 1862; Jacob P. Stickle, discharged November Ist 1862 for disability; died at Boonton.
Belonging to Regiments of Other States .- Jabez Winget, Company D zoth N. Y., shot through the head at Wil- liamsburgh, Va., May 5th 1862; William H. Stickle, Company D 70th N. Y., killed in battle May 5th 1862, at Williamsburgh, Va .; Edward L. Marsh, Company E 38th N. Y., captured at the first Bull Run battle, taken to Libby prison, and there suffered such hardships that he died at home May 30th 1862; Joseph E. Dickerson, Com- pany A 2nd N. Y. cavalry, died February 3d 1862, at Ar- lington Heights, from starvation on Belle Island; Chileon Odell, Company A IoIst N. Y., killed August 29th 1862, at Bull Run, Va .; Edward Smith, Company F 66th N. Y., died February tst 1862; John Henry Beach, 135th Indiana, died June 30th 1864, at Bridgeport, Ala .; Ed- ward Barnes, Company C 4th Wis. cavalry, died May 8th 1864, at Baton Rouge, La.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
HENRY BAKER.
The Baker family of which the subject of this sketch (as well as William H., whose biography appears else- where) was a member is of English descent. The eat- liest history of the family in this country dates from the settlement of Easthampton, on Long Island, where Thomas Baker, who had emigrated from England, first settled some time previous to 1700, and from which place he removed to Connecticut Farms (now Union), where he died.
Jeremiah Baker, the father of Henry, was born Au- gust 28th 1770, near Westfield, N. J., where his father, Henry Baker, resided. He learned his trade of tanner and currier and also that of shoemaker with his brother- in-law, Ziba Ludlow, at Mendham, N. J., and removed to near Mt. Pleasant (in what was then Pequannock township), near Dover, in June 1792. Here, having worked at his trade about two years, he bought the property of Josiah Beman, built a tannery, and car- ried on the business until he was succeeded by his sons Henry and William H. In addition to his tanning
business he was a large landowner, owning at the time much of the site of Dover. He was also extensively en- gaged in iron manufacture. He was a man of great in- dustry, very conscientious and just in his dealings with his fellow men. He was a liberal supporter of the Rock- away Presbyterian church, of which he was a mem- ber more than forty years. In 1798 he was married to Mary, daughter of Andrew King. She was born June 9th 1778. Their children were Andrew K., Henry, Elizabeth (who married James B. Carle), William H., Nancy W. (Mrs. William H. Spencer), Phebe H. (wife of John De Hart of Parsippany), and Margaret.
Henry Baker was born at the homestead near Dover, April 29th 1801. He was reared a tanner and shoe- maker, but as he grew older he engaged extensively in other departments of business in partnership with his brother William H. They jointly carried on the busi- ness of tanning and currying, milling, and manufac- turing iron, as well as farming. They were also joint owners of several valuable iron mines.
Mr. Baker was married October 30th 1869, to Lydia J. Jenners. They have no children. He has always been a resident of the town in which he was born, and by industry, energy and perseverance he has acquired an ample competency.
COLONEL JOSEPH JACKSON.
Colonel Joseph Jackson, of whom it may be said he was the founder of Rockaway village, was a son of Ste- phen Jackson and Mary Burwell, and was born March 8th 1774, in the log house on the north bank of the river a mile above the village, where his grandfather Joseph Jackson had lived and died. At his birth there were but five houses in Rockaway. His early education was con- ducted by George Harris, of whom mention has been made, who taught the first school in Rockaway. He was one of the six children of Captain Stephen Jackson, who headed the school subscription list. December 10th 1792 his name was entered on the roll of the Morris Academy (of which his father was a proprietor), and while at the academy surveying and French were part of his studies. He made practical use of his surveying, and became skilled in the use of the compass. Having left the acad- emy in April 1793, he engaged in his father's business, at first as assistant and subsequently as his partner.
May 13th 1802 Colonel Jackson was married in New York to Eliza Platt Ogden, eldest daughter of Robert Ogden, of Sparta, N. J.
On the 29th of November 1796 he succeeded in getting a post-office established in Rockaway, and was postmas- ter until 1843, when President Tyler removed him. Feb- ruary 26th 1801 he was appointed major of the Ist bat- talion 3d regiment Morris militia, and in 1804 lieutenant colonel of the 3d regiment N. J. militia; as such he was ordered into service by the governor in the war of 1812, and did duty with his regiment for two or three months at Jersey City. He resigned his commission as colonel in 1817.
He was actively engaged in mining and manufacturing
Eng by H & C Hogycats N'Y
Henry Baker
361
THE JACKSONS AND HOFFS OF ROCKAWAY-S. B. HALSEY.
iron. The Swedes mines between Dover and Rockaway were worked by him for several years. He was also owner with his brother William of the Allen and Teabo mines. The Rockaway grist-mill and saw-mill, store and two forges were owned and operated by him, with other branches of industry.
In February 1813 he was elected by joint meeting judge of the court of common pleas of Morris county, and held this position until 1832, when he gave up the position of his own accord. He was elected ruling elder in the Rockaway Presbyterian church in 1818.
Part of his iron business he carried on at Paterson, in connection with his brother William, and they were the first parties who rolled round iron in the United States, which they did as early as 1820. In that year the gov- ernment advertised for five tons of American round iron as a sample lot to be delivered at the Washington navy yard. The Jacksons forwarded the lot, which was found superior to that of their competitors, and the contract to furnish 200 tons at the New York navy yard was awarded to them, and filled to the satisfaction of the government, at 6 cents per pound. In 1820 Colonel Jackson and his brother William built the Rockaway rolling-mills, and they continued in joint business until 1826, when the colonel became sole owner, and until 1834 he carried it on very prosperously, having in the meantime many prof- itable contracts for iron with the government.
In 1828 he was elected a member of the New Jersey Legislature as a Jackson Democrat, and was returned for the two following years. He was a strong adherent of General Jackson, but in his later years was a Whig.
His wife, Elizabeth Platt Jackson, died in 1807, leaving one daughter (Sarah, who married Samuel B. Halsey), and two sons, Stephen J. and Robert Ogden; the latter died in infancy. The colonel died on the 28th of January 1855, in the 85th year of his age, honored and respected by all.
DR. J. D. JACKSON.
Dr. John Darby Jackson, the youngest son of Stephen Jackson and brother of Colonel Joseph Jackson, studied medicine under Dr. Pierson, and graduated from the old medical university on Ninth street, Phila- delphia, in 1815. He was born in Rockaway, and prac- ticed here all his life. He was the only physician in the village of Rockaway until his son, the present Dr. John W. Jackson, commenced his practice. He was married October 24th 1816, to a daughter of General Solomon Doughty, of Long Hill, a sister of Senator Doughty, of Somerset county, N. J. He was a Democrat in politics, a member of the Legislature in 1835, 1836, 1855 and 1856. With Judge Freeman Wood, now of Dover, he was one of the first freeholders after the formation of the township, and he held many town offices both before and after the division. He died November 17th 1859, aged 65. His widow, Mrs. Agnes Jackson, is still living in the old family mansion, enjoying life at the age of 85.
SAMUEL B. HALSEY.
Samuel B. Halsey was the son of Dr. Abraham and Mary Beach Halsey, and was born at Fishkill, N. Y., July 24th 1796. He entered Union College in 1811 and graduated in 1815. He commenced the study of law with Hon. James Talmadge, at Poughkeepsie, and in 1817 was appointed aid-de-camp by Governor Talmadge. He was licensed as an attorney by the supreme court of New York, October 30th, 1818, and practiced his profes- sion from that time until 1834, when he removed to Rockaway. He was twice elected to the Legislature of New York from Dutchess county, once in 1826 and again in 1830. At one of these elections he was the only member of his party that was elected. On his removal to New Jersey he abandoned the active practice of the law, and engaged in mining and manufacturing iron, farming, etc., and in assisting his father-in-law, Colonel Joseph Jackson, in the management of his affairs. He was frequently engaged, as master in chancery, in the settlement of estates, and from 1846 to 1851 was one of the judges of Morris county. He was twice elected to the Legislature of New Jersey, first in September 1841, and again in 1843. At the second election he was made speaker of the house. He died in Rockaway, Septem- ber 15th, 1871. His strict integrity and kindness of heart won the love and respect of all who knew him.
THE HOFF FAMILY.
Joseph Hoff emigrated to Morris county from Hun- terdon in the spring of 1775, and took charge of the Hi- bernia works for Lord Stirling. His brother Charles Hoff soon succeeded him, and moved to Mount Pleasant. Charles was a son-in-law of Moses Tuttle. His descend- ants occupied the family homestead continuously until the death of Miss Harriet Hoff in 1878, aged nearly 80, when the last family link with former generations was broken. Her will was the subject of a long contest about a year ago in the courts of this county by some distant connections, who sought to set it aside by reason of undue influence and incapacity through age. But her mental clearness and sterling good sense were so strongly conspicuous in all she had said and done during her long life that her last will and testament was held good. She was the owner of the Hoff mine. The Hoff homestead is still standing, in a good state of preservation, nearly opposite the Tuttle homestead.
Charles Hoff was a man of prominence in his day, a good scholar and penman. He was appointed a justice of the peace in 1800, and his method of keeping his docket shows business habits of. the first quality. This docket is in the county clerk's office, where it was de- posited July 15th 1812, No. 40, a strong, well preserved book. The first page contains an acknowledgment from Robert Hays that Charles Hoff paid him $2.25 on the 20th of November 1800 for that docket, and says: "This docket contains the proceedings of Charles Hoff, Esq., which commenced 28th November in the year of our Lord 1800.'
362
HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
The first suit is that of Abraham Seward vs. Reuben Palmer, which resulted in a confession of judgment for $7.50. David De Camp was constable and Experience Turner was a witness. On page 5 is a suit in favor of David Howell against Aaron Broadwell, in trespass, for wounding, while shoeing, a certain mare on the 10th of October 1800, which plaintiff alleged was the cause of her death in a day or two afterward, and demanded $60 damages. Warrant was granted January Ist 18or and given to David De Camp, constable. There was a jury of twelve men, and a verdict of $60 was rendered for the plaintiff, and $5.07 costs. The docket contains the following receipt as a settlement of this suit: " Received payment in full for the above judgment and costs from David Broadwell and his son Stephen Broadwell, in Cyder Spirits Carted by Charles Hoff. team. David Howell." .
The docket also contains a long list of marriages per- formed by the 'squire from January 1801 to November 1805, and we recognize the names there of three or four persons who are still living in the county.
A dunning letter in the fine round hand of Mr. Hoff was also found in the docket, which reads as follows: " Captain Matthias Winans to Charles Hoff, Dr. January 1796, to balance on ore, 4Is. 10d .; interest on ditto, 3S. 8d .; making £2 5s. 6d. Sir, please to pay the above bal- ance immediately to Esquire Hoagland, as it has been of long standing. Your Humb. Serv't Charles Hoff."
WILLIAM H. BAKER.
Henry Baker, the grandfather of William H., resided about half a mile from Westfield church, in Union county, N. J., on the road to Springfield. He married Mary Hedges, of Long Island. They had six children-five sons and one daughter. His fourth son, Jeremiah, was the father of William H.
William Hedges Baker, the subject of this sketch, was born January 3d 1806; and was married June 15th 1848 to Clarissa, daughter of Thomas and Maria Dell. They had ten children-Jeremiah, William H., Mary K. (wife of Dr. Samuel B. Johnson), Anna M. (wife of Horace L. Dunham), Andrew K., David, Phebe H., Thomas, Hen- rietta and Lydia J .- of whom seven are now living. The oldest, who was a tanner and farmer, died in 1873. Da- vid died suddenly October 18th 1881, lacking only ten days of his majority, and Phebe November Ist follow- ing, in her 19th year.
Mr. Baker owned in connection with his brother Henry the Baker homestead, the Valley forge, a grist-mill, and two iron mines. The De Hart Baker mine, located on Mine Hill, was developed by the Baker brothers, and af- terward, while under lease to S. T. Scranton & Co., was sold to the lessees and Messrs. Waterman and Beaver in 1873. It is now owned by the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company, of Scranton, Pa. The other mine, also called the Baker mine, in the township of Rockaway and near the homestead, was leased a number of years to the Allentown Iron Company and was very productive. Two veins cross the property-the Mount Pleasant vein and
the large vein which is extensively operated on the ad- joining Richards mine lot of the Thomas Iron Company. At present it is not operated. They were also owners of other farming, mining and timber lands. Probably the most valuable timber land in the county was owned by them. Their business operations were extensive and varied. Mr. Baker died June 27th 1876, quite suddenly, of heart disease, as he was sitting in his house convers- ing with a neighbor.
In politics he was a Democrat. He inherited his fa- ther's industrious habits and good business qualities. He was an upright, honest, kind and obliging man, greatly esteemed in the community, and his loss was deeply re- gretted. He was strongly attached to his home and fam- ily and rarely went away from Mt. Pleasant, but left all outside business matters to be managed by his brother Henry.
It is a remarkable fact that the Baker homestead has been in the possession of the family nearly a century. It was located by Jacob Ford in 1757. Known as the " Jonah Austin " plantation in 1774, it was afterward the property of Josiah Beaman, the iron manufacturer of Dover, by whom it was sold in 1792 to Jeremiah Baker, who devised it to his two sons Henry and William H. in 1861.
HON. L. A. CHANDLER.
Hon. Lyman A. Chandler was born at West Greenville, New York, in 1821, and died at Rockaway, September rrth 1865. Having been graduated at Middlebury Col- lege, Vermont, he came to New Jersey, and engaged for a time in teaching. He then applied himself to the study of the law, in Morristown, and in 1845 was admit- ted to the bar. In 1858 he was elected a member of the House of Assembly. The next year he was re-elected. In 1862 he was elected to the State Senate, from Morris county, and remained in the senate three years. As a legislator his terms of service were marked by energy, ability and fidelity. He was a trustee of the State nor- mal school from its foundation, and was one of its most zealous friends and advocates.
He resided in the village of Rockaway, having built the residence next to Dr. Jackson's. He was a Demo- crat in politics and his splendid natural ability enabled him to stand high in his profession as a lawyer, while socially he was genial and popular. He left two daugh- ters. His widow, Laura, a daughter of Dr. John D. Jack- son, of Rockaway, married Charles A. McCarty.
HUBBARD S. STICKLE.
The progenitor of the Stickle family in Morris county, Peter Stickle, came from Germany to America about the year 1760. He first resided in the State of New York, where he married Elizabeth Parliman. He soon after- ward settled in Rockaway Valley, Pequannock township, Morris county. His children were George, Peter, Ed- ward, James, Jacob, John, Anna and Elizabeth.
George, the father of Hubbard S., was born in Rock- away Valley, August 3d 1763. He was a farmer. About
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11 76. Baker
OLD HOMESTEAD
ORIGINALLY
JEREMIAH BAKER
THE BAKER HOMESTEAD "MT. PLEASANT "
NEAR
DOVER, N . J. ROCKAWAY. TP.
563
THE LIFE OF HUBBARD S. STICKLE.
the year 1782 he married Sarah, daughter of David and Mary Beaman. Their children were Hubbard S., George, David, Peter, Parliman, Beaman, Maria and Washington (twins), Adams, Mahlon, Chilion, Sarah, and two sons who died in infancy. Of these only Hubbard S., Beaman, Maria, Adams, Mahlon and Sarah are known to be living.
Hubbard Stansbury Stickle, the eldest of this large family, was born in the village of Rockaway, September 4th 1783-the day following that of the acknowledg- ment of American independence. He often boasted that he was the first free man born in New Jersey. He lived in the county during his entire life. At the age of 25 he became the foreman of the old iron forge at Denmark, and about the same time married Sarah, a daughter of Francis and Charity McCarty, of Rockaway. From Denmark he went to Stony Brook, where he built a forge and school-house, and also formed a religious society and had it supplied with regular preaching services by ministers from different points. He enlisted in the war of 1812, but was not called into active service. From Stony Brook he returned to Rockaway, and engaged in the mercantile business as the head of the firm of Stickle & Rutan, on the site now occupied by the firm of B. K. & G. W. Stickle, his grandchildren. He lived in the residence now occupied by Mrs. B. K. Stickle. He sold out this business to B. K. Stickle, and lived for a while on a farm in Denville, afterward known as the Peter Freeman farm, and later removed to the Francis McCarty homestead, on the Hibernia road.
His children were: Francis, born November 12th 1808;
George Parliman, August 5th 1812; Edward Allen, Oc- tober 7th 1815; Barnabas King, October 12th 1817; John McDowell, May 7th 1820, and Harriet Newell, Au- gust 24th 1823. Of these all are living except the fol- lowing, who died at the dates given: George P., Septem- ber 28th 1821; John McDowell, September 9th 1821, and Barnabas King, October 7th 1875.
Mrs. Stickle died April 12th 1854, and Mr. Stickle was married January 4th 1863 to Mrs. Jane McGrath, widow of Isaiah W. McGrath.
Mr. Stickle was always prominently connected with the business interests of Morris county and accumulated a competency: He held a number of local offices, in which he was careful and competent. In politics he was a Republican. He said he " was born a Whig and had always been one." He was a member of the Presbyter- ian church more than seventy years. He always enjoyed the confidence and esteem of the community in which he lived. He resided near the old homestead, where he was born. At the close of his life he was undoubtedly the oldest native of the town, but he retained good health and perfect memory. His remarkable recollection of events of over four score years ago made him an en- tertaining conversationist. He managed his business personally, up to the last day of his life.
He died suddenly on the 18th day of June 1881, aged 97 years, 9 months and 14 days. With Mr. Stickle passed away one of the landmarks fast receding beyond the memory of man, and his death severed a link which connected us with the past century.
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ROXBURY TOWNSHIP.
BY REV. E. W. STODDARD, D. D.
OXBURY is one of the five townships that formed the county of Morris February 2rst 1798. The present towns of Washington, Chester and Mount Olive were within its limits. In February 1798 Washington was set off; in January 1799 Chester, and in March 1871 Mount Olive, so at this time Roxbury has only a small portion of its original territory. The line dividing East and West Jersey drawn in July 1675 inter- sected Roxbury; beginning near Waterloo, it passed the east side of Budd's Lake, and west of Bartleyville, on its way from the northwest corner of the State to Little Egg Harbor.
The population of Roxbury township at different cen- sus dates has been as follows: 1810, 1,563; 1820, 1,792; 1830, 2,262; 1840, 2,230; 1850, 2,263; 1860, 2,865; 1870, 3,320 (14 colored); 1875, 2,157; 1880, 2,139-including Drakeville (201) and Port Morris (228). We append the assessor's statistics for 1881: Acres, 12, 158; valuation of real estate, $572,450; personal property, $137,375; debt, $39,745; polls, 492; State school tax, $1,705.76; county tax, $1,592.36; road tax, $2,000.
Mill to Pottersville it is called Lamington River. Thence onward it is called the north branch. The south branch of the Raritan rises about a mile from the source of the north branch, with not so large a quantity of water, and runs near the base of Schooley's Mountain and nearly southwest, till these two small streams have received large additions and are nearly twenty miles apart. Thence the westward stream turns eastward, and unites with the north branch near New Brunswick.
From its broken and elevated condition Roxbury township is only moderately productive in grain and grass. Corn and apples are grown in abundance ; also cherries. In the township is an apple distillery, and on the border of the township are two others, which con- sume each year many thousands of bushels of apples in producing alcoholic spirits.
In past years charcoal was made in large quantities. Bloom furnaces for the manufacture of soft iron were located near Baker's Mills, in the northeastern part of the township. Another was located at Shippenport, near Port Morris, and the best quality of charcoal iron was made.
The surface of the township is broken by the School- LAKE HOPATCONG. ey's Mountain range (named from William Schooley), which passes entirely across it from the southwest Roxbury contains about one-third of Lake Hopatcong. This lake lies on its northwestern border, about nine hundred feet above tide water. It is nine miles long and one mile in width. Its situation rendered possible the building of the Morris Canal. This lake is the un- failing storehouse of the water that flows through this channel, westward to Easton, and eastward to the har- bors of Newark and New York. The basin supplying Lake Hopatcong contains 115,500 acres. At the outlet the banks were raised eight feet, and a lock was set, controlling the flow of the water to the summit level. Through this lock pass all boats bearing ore from the mines in Jefferson township, and wood from the borders of Sussex county. This canal was for many years one of the chief outlets of the Lehigh Valley coal traffic. Lake Hopatcong quietly treasured in its nine miles of length the melting snows and falling showers, and gen- erously yielded its waters from its summit height to the toward the northeast. For a long period iron has been found, though not in so large quantities as in the range on the eastern border, now in the township of Randolph. The King mine, lying in the range northwest of Drakeville, was opened in 1878, and is capable of producing 5,000 tons a year. The Gove mine, opened in 1875, lies about a mile and a half north of Drakeville. It produces good ore and has a capacity of 5,000 tons a year. Another range begins in this township, which, passing southward, divides the north and south branches of the Raritan River. The north branch of the Raritan has its rise in a large spring near McCainville. There flows from the spring during all the year a stream of clear, cool water, remarkable for its quantity and purity, which no severity of drought has sensibly diminished. For about ten miles it is known as Black River. At Succasunna its waters spread out in a miniature lake, with a fall of a few feet at the outlet. From Cooper's | necessities of the Delaware and the Passaic. The bor-
365
RESORTS ON LAKE HOPATCONG-SURVEYS IN ROXBURY-SUCCASUNNA.
ders of this lake are exceedingly rugged, broken and irregular ; green and wooded hills rise from its edge ; bold and bare rocks narrow its bounds and separate coves and small bays, upon which stand cottages for summer residences and here and there the humble cabin of the fisherman. On its east border, about midway in its length, stands the Lake View House, in this township. It is on a bold bluff, about one hundred feet above and three hundred feet east of the lake. It has accommo- dations for about one hundred and fifty guests and is kept open half the year. The "Matilda," a small screw steamer, passes down the lake, through the lock, to Hopatcong station, on the canal, to meet passengers coming by railroad. Some years ago a Delaware Indian, Chinkope, the last of his tribe, applied with his squaw for a passage with their canoe from Jersey City to Lake Hopatcong. Here they roamed, hunting and fishing, amidst the haunts of their ancestors. In early times there was at the outlet of the lake a forge with four fires.
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