History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 55

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140

USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 55
USA > New Jersey > Warren County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 55

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Jesse Hall, fifth and youngest son of Theodore and Gertrude (Gordon) Hall, grew to manhood in King- wood township, Hunterdon Co., where his parents settled about 1757. At this time Jesse was seven years of age. He passed his life in that township, engaged in agricultural pursuits, and at his death was buried in a private burial-ground owned by Jacob McLean, near the banks of the Delaware River, where many of his relatives are interred. His wife, whom he married in December, 1779, was Elizabeth, second daughter of William Heath, an carly resident of Amwell township, Hunterdon Co., who died while serving as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Of this union were born Gordon G. Hall, Aug. 12, 1780, who married Elizabeth Temple, of Kingwood town- ship, and who died in New York City, April 27, 1848,

leaving several children; Andrew Hall, Dec. 29, 1781, who married Amelia Palmer, of Vermont, was a prominent hatter in New York City for many years, and died May 10, 1832; Jesse Hall, Oct. 20, 1783, noted for his pre-eminent personal beauty, and who removed to the South at an early age; Sarah Hall, March 20, 1785, who married Edward Lane, and who resided until her death at Burlington, N. J. ; Heath Hall, Nov. 17, 1788, who married Mrs. Catharine (Nicholas) Tuicks, of Easton, Pa., raised a family, and died in 1854, in New York City ; John H. Hall, the subject of this memoir ; Susan Hall, Aug. 28, 1793, who married Hannen Jones in 1818; and Asa Hall, June 30, 1795, who married, in 1818, Catharine Sausman, of Newton, N. J., was a leading hat-manu- facturer in New York City for many years, and who died on May 23, 1849.

Judge John H. Hall was born in Kingwood town- ship, Hunterdon Co., N. J., April 25, 1791. At the age of seventeen he left home to learn the art of print- ing, and was apprenticed to Asher Miner, the founder of the Bucks County Intelligencer, Doylestown, Pa. From the examples and counsels of that excellent man he derived those lessons of integrity, economy, and good order to which he adhered throughout a long and useful life. At the age of twenty-two he removed to Newton, N. J., and with the aid of a small capital, acquired by his own labor, he established the Sussex Register, the first number of which was issued on July 6, 1813. He continued its publication un- interruptedly until Jan. 22, 1864, when he disposed of his interest. A portion of this period he had as- sociated with him as a partner the talented and popu- lar writer Benjamin B. Edsall, who by his ability and skill did much to give the paper a wide reputation. Perhaps no clearer knowledge of Judge Hall's per- sonal characteristics and public life can be obtained than by the perusal of a few extracts from the obitu- ary notice of him from the facile pen of Mr. Edsall, published in the Sussex Register at the time of his death. He says,-

"During this long period it is safe to say Judge Hall continually gained a wider and deeper hold upon the affections and esteem of the people with whom his lot had been cast. Thoughi never agreeing in political sentiment with the majority of the voters of this county, his sterling honesty and indisputable capacity for the correct and intelligent discharge of public business early led to his employment in official position. He was deputy sheriff for nine years, a part of the time doing nearly all the duties of his princi- pal. For thirteen years he was clerk of the board of freeholders, being annually re-elected, althrough the members of the board almost unanimously differed from him in political sentiment. For fifteen years he was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas; in 1836 he was chosen one of the Presidential electors for New Jersey, and voted for Gen. William H. Harri- son ; and in 1841 he was appointed clerk of the county,

John H Half

B. B. EDSALL.

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serving in that capacity until 1846. In all these posi- tions he acquitted himself with the greatest credit. He was painstaking, systematic, and scrupulously honest. As a judge no man could be more conscien- tious. Ile was cautions, considerate, and impartial, and when once his judgment was formed he was im- movably firm; nor fear nor favor nor hope of reward could swerve him a hair's breadth from what he be- lieved to be right and just. The correctness with which Judge Hall discharged his public duties is proverbial in this county, and the one distinguishing trait of his character which those best acquainted with him most frequently spoke of with admiration was that, no matter what business he transacted, whether small or great, it was thoroughly and com- pletely done. In all the relations of life-as a hus- band, a father, a neighbor, and a citizen-he ap- proached as near perfection as it is permitted for a human being to attain.

"To those who know but little of the man whose venerable form is now clad in the habiliments of the grave this language may seem somewhat extravagant. But the writer of these lines-who is himself no longer young, and who has scen enough of the gloss and tinsel which in this world passes too often for pure gold to make him somewhat cynical-is the last one to indulge at such a time in insincere compliments or in unmerited eulogiums. For over thirty years the closest personal and business intimacy subsisted be- tween the deceased and the writer, and when we say that beyond all men that we ever knew he was a model of manly probity, we are unconscious of uttering anght but the simple truth. There have existed many men of more capacious intellect,-many of a higher fancy and better calculated to dazzle the multitude with sparkling rhetoric and radiant wit ; but for the solid courtesy of a true gentleman, the joeund good humor of an every-day companion, the ever-ready sympathy and kindness of a warm friend, and the sound common sense, the sterling worth, and the invincible integrity that may be relied upon either for wise counsel or safe example, there are few persons that ever lived who furnished a better model than Judge Hall. Ripe in years, in usefulness, in the love of kindred and friends, and in the esteem of the public, he sinks at last to his final rest. He leaves to his family a fair amount of wealth honestly earned, as well as the richer legacy of a good name won. by the consistent practice of those moral and social virtues which all admire and few emulate. ... Sincere, unaffected, and humane; upright and exact in all his dealings; forbearing to the erring ; kind to all; exhibiting the same courtesy and consideration towards the poor and dependent that he did to the rich and influential,-he was a man : 'take him for all in all, we ne'er shall look upon his like ngain.'"

country in which he lived, and took an active interest in all objects tending to improve the moral, religious, and educational tone of society. Ile was a regular attendant at town-meetings, and his portly form could be seen slowly ascending and descending the court- honse hill, according as he voted "Yea" or "Nay" on questions submitted to the meeting, as was the custom in earlier days. lle felt a friendly interest in the cause of religion and education, and donated the land, in the rear of his homestead in Newton, on which were erected the "old academy" and the first Metho- dist Episcopal church edifice. For a number of years he was engaged in the mercantile business in Wan- tage township and at Newton, in partnership with the late William Johnson, under the firm-name of Hall & Johnson. He passed away on Dec. 4, 1865, and lies interred in the village cemetery at Newton, where a modest tombstone marks his last resting-place, bear- ing upon its face the truthful legend, "The memory of the just is blessed." It is believed that he never made an enemy in the world. Though not devoid of strong traits of character, and at times of great posi- tiveness of conviction, his manner was uniformly courteous and kind, conciliating rather than antag- onizing persons of opposite views and opinions.

Judge Hall married Elizabeth, daughter of William Sansman, of Newton, N. J., who died May 1, 1862, in her sixty-seventh year. Of the union were born ten children,-namely, Susan, who married Henry B. Stoll, of Sussex County, and who now resides at Terre Haute, Ind .; Amelia, who married William L. Ames, of St. Paul, Minn., and who is dead; William, who died unmarried in early manhood; Sarah, who married Richard B. Westbrook, of Philadelphia, and who re- sides in Newton ; Anna, who married Matthew Arm- strong, of Greenville, N. J., and who is also deceased ; Catharine, who became the wife of Gen. John B. San- born, of St. Paul, Minn., and who is dead ; Caroline, decensed, wife of John Armstrong, of Greenville, N. J .; John, who died young; Bathsheba, who married John F. Conger, of Newton, also deceased ; and Frederick W., who died in his youth.

BENJAMIN BAILEY EDSALL.

Benjamin B. Edsall, son of Benjamin and Nancy (Denton) Edsall, was born at Maspeth, L. I., on the 25th of January, 1811. His father was a sea-captain, and died when Benjamin B. was about ten years of age. His mother was a woman of great moral worth and Christian excellence, a member of the Middle- village Methodist Episcopal Church, on Long Island, and in his early life educated her son in the principles of morality and integrity. She died in Newton, N. J., at the age of seventy-five.

At the age of seven young Edsall, as if by intui- tion, showed the bent of his mind by ingeniously constructing n miniature printing-press, and thus early began to lay the foundation for a life business,

Besides his editorial and official labors, Judge Hall was closely identified throughout his life with the general growth and development of the section of in the faithful prosecution of which he afterwards

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became so noted in Northern New Jersey, and espe- cially in Sussex County.

His parents were poor and unable to afford him even a common-school education. Upon the death of his father he commenced an apprenticeship with Joseph Harper, now the well-known Harper & Brothers, printers of New York City, who was an own cousin of his mother. Here he remained until he was twenty years of age, and became thoroughly educated as a printer by profession. For some time thereafter he was employed on the Orange County Patriot, at Goshen, but in 1833 was introduced by the editor of that paper-Mr. Hendric-to Judge John H. Hall, then editor and proprietor of the Sussex Register, at Newton, N. J. Here a new field of use- fulness was opened to him; he embraced it with all the fervor of an ardent nature, and subsequent events showed he was eminently qualified to fill it. Noth- ing could have been more fortunate than his associa- tion with Judge Hall in the control and management of the Register, which from a struggling, obscure newspaper was ultimately, through their joint man- agement, made a prosperous and thriving journal.

The judge's sober age, his mild and gentle manner, and his experience in life were well calculated to moderate Mr. Edsall's naturally sanguine tempera- ment, and as years passed on this early acquaintance ripened into firm and earnest friendship; and, in 1855, Mr. Edsall was offered an equal copartnership in the Register office, which continued until the death of Judge Hall, and to the last each maintained the greatest respect for the other. We relate these events in Mr. Edsall's earlier career as an incentive to other young men who, without friends to aid them, are about to assume responsibility, and to show that patient industry and economy, in the long run, form the surest road to competency and fame.

So thoroughly was Mr. Edsall identified with the paper that his name became a household word wher- ever it circulated. He continued in charge of the Register, after Judge Hall's decease, until his own death, which occurred March 27, 1868. Mr. Edsall was exceedingly industrious; he prepared all, or nearly all, the editorial matters for his paper, and selected with great care the miscellaneous reading which rendered its columns so attractive. Yet he still found time to do a large share of the severe phys- ical labor of the office, and many of his readers re- member him toiling at the large hand-press upon which the paper was printed during nearly the whole time of his connection with it. Without any of the aids now within the reach of the humblest, he stored his mind with a vast fund of information, from which a wonderful memory enabled him to draw at will as from an inexhaustible fountain. His style of writing was terse and forcible, and so peculiar to himself that the habitual reader could easily detect the occasional articles from other pens which appeared in editorial garb.

In politics Mr. Edsall was a Whig of the Henry Clay school, and followed the fortunes and earnestly advocated the measures of that organization until it sank beneath the heavy load which its pro-slavery adherents sought to place upon it. When the Repub- lican party rose out of its ruins, he was among the first in New Jersey to join in this new movement, and by his pen and voice contributed in no inconsiderahle degree to its success. Firm in his adherence to prin- ciple, bold in his advocacy of measures which met his approval, fearless in his denunciation of corrupt and venal men, he was nevertheless fair and honor- able with political opponents, giving praise wherever due ; so that among his warmest personal friends were numbered many with whom he combated strennously. Among the members of his own party he had the love and respect of all. He was so far above the tricks of the mere politician that no one ever accused him of duplicity or nnfairness.

Up to 1846 the discussion of public questions was frequently marked with the grossest personalities. Political lampooning was the fashion of the age, but as Mr. Edsall grew older and ripened in experience he changed his manner and style to strictly polemic discussion. Here he displayed the greatest strength and vigor of his masculine mind. Naturally analytic and vituperative, he seldom resorted to these weapons unless hardly pressed by his opponent, and then no one knew better than he how to use them. He might wound, but it was not in his nature to trample upon a fallen enemy. Upon the contrary, his strong arm and generous heart were invariably extended to lift one up,

Starting out in life a Democrat, contrary to the generally-received opinion he gave his first vote, in 1832, in favor of Gen. Andrew Jackson for President. He also was opposed to the re-charter of Biddle's Bank, was opposed to high protective tariffs, favored the repeal of the law imprisoning men for debt, and advocated the adoption of the present New Jersey State constitution. In fact, in habits, manners, and associations he was the antipodes of an aristocrat, and enjoyed himself best in the company of plain, straightforward men.

He was a patriot and well-wisher of his country, and no man held more exalted views of personal rights than he. In the exigencies of the war he be- lieved it to be conscientiously his duty to go with the anti-slavery party, without reference to its ulterior effect upon a Union of the States. In the fall of 1860, Mr. Edsall was placed in nomination for member of Congress in his district (Fourth) by the Republicans, hnt, the party being largely in the minority, he failed of election, although he ran far ahead of his party vote.

In dealing with public questions his method was always straightforward and manly. Possessing reten- tive memory, great power of language, and always " well read," he usually had the advantage of an op-

1-12

Richard Di Grumman

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ponent from the outset in dealing with figures and facts. To this he united the severe analytical knowl- edge of the printing-office, which can nowhere be learned so well in any other school; so that in en- countering his opponent, if opportunity presented, he overwhelmed him with a regular broadside of Paix- han guns. This was the secret of his sarcastie power, and those who had to confront him in the political arena preferred to draw his fire rather than rush up in the face of a masked battery.

This was Benjamin B. Edsall in the editorial sanc- tum; out of it, he was the kindest and most genial of men. A friend or a stranger was ever welcome to partake of the hospitality of his home, which he had surrounded with many comforts. Political differences were never allowed to sever his personal friendships. llis opinions of men and things were seldom changed in the light of either prosperity or adversity.

So strong a hold had this man upon public opinion, , making up his accounts, and a further leave of two

even in a county where he was never an acknowledged political leader, that he may be said to have moulded publie sentiment upon many subjects in a manner quite unconscious to those who supposed they enter- tained different sentiments from his. This was the result of an integrity of character never questioned.

Although not a member of any church, he had for a long time prior to his decease been a generous sup- porter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the secular affairs of which he took a deep and active interest.

llis wife was Eliza A., a daughter of Smith F. and Phebe (Walling) Williams, whom he married Jan. 24, 1852. She was born in Morris County, April 20, 1822, and survives in 1880, residing in Newton, N. J.

Mrs. Edsall is a woman of keen foresight, possessed of more than ordinary business ability for her sex, and to her frugality and constaney her husband was largely indebted for his accumulations. They had no children, but an adopted daughter was an inmate of their home.

RICHARD F. GOODMAN.

This gentleman is descended from Samuel Goodman, who, with his brother Richard, came from Hertford, England, in 1633, and with a party of colonists from Salem, Mass,, traveled across the country to the Con- necticut River, and, settling there, named the place Hartford, adopting as a coat-of-arms and motto those of llertford, England, after which it was named. Some members of the Goodman family have ever since resided in Hartford. Edward Goodman, the father of Richard, is still a practicing attorney, and his uncle, Aaron C., president of the Phoenix Mutual Insurance Company.

Richard F. Goodman, born April 12, 1841, at Hart- ford, Conn., was graduated from Harris Military Aendemy in 1858, and the following year entered Trinity College, from which he was graduated with honor in 1863. After a short vacation, early in Feb- ruary following, he was appointed an acting assistant

paymaster in the United States navy and stationed at the Brooklyn Navy-yard. He was then ordered to the United States Steamer " Nightingale," which lay in the Gulf of Mexico, but after a short eruise of two months returned North. The department compli- mented Paymaster Goodman upon the fact that in this his first report his accounts were found to be com- plete and without errors. In Angust he was ordered to join the " Miami" at Hampton Roads, Va., in a more responsible position.

The "Miami" was the first vessel of the navy to ascend the James River, and Paymaster Goodman was sent there to take charge of the store-ships of the large fleet which followed, performing that important duty until they returned North in May, 1865. The cruise being ended, he declined a place among the regular assistants, with the promise of speedy promo- tion, and resigned at the end of leave granted for

months was aecorded, at the end of which he was ex- ensed from active duty and given leave without date, and in 1868 he was honorably discharged.

Entering the Albany Law University, he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws, was afterwards ad- mitted to the bar in Connecticut, and went into part- nership with his father, Edward Goodman, remaining until he purchased the Sussex Register and moved to Newton, Oct. 1, 1869.

II .- THE NEW JERSEY HERALD.

This newspaper was established by Col. Grant Fitch in the fall of 1829, it being the third enterprise of the kind within the present limits of the county of Sussex. A brief sketch of its founder seems necessary as an in- troduction to a history of the paper itself.

Col. Fitch was born in Norwalk, Conn., in 1782. He was a son of Haines Fitch, and a grandson of Thomas Fitch, who was for ten years Governor of the colony of Connecticut. The education of Grant Fitch, which included the higher branches of learning, was completed at Norwalk, but, instead of studying any of the learned professions, he chose a mercantile life, in which pursuit he spent a short time in Burlington, Vt., but very soon removed to Westtown, Orange Co., N. Y., where he married a daughter of Judge Benja- min Halsey, who was subsequently a well-known citi- zen of Sussex County.

When quite a young man Col. Fitch removed to New- ton and engaged in mercantile pursuits, in which he was successful. His place of business was in the small brick building, now used as a meat-shop, on the cor- ner opposite the library buikling, which he erected. About the year 1820, acting upon the advice of true but unwise friends, he removed to Markshoro', Warren Co., and established a cotton-factory just below the village, on the Paulinskill. With this enterprise there are no pleasant reminiscences connected, so far as he was concerned, or any of those who succeeded him,

In the spring of 1829 he returned to Newion, a

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wiser if not a richer man, but with no special inten- tion of founding a newspaper. It was not until after the death of his wife, which occurred in September of that year, that he conceived the idea of embarking in this, to him, new and experimental business. It may have been an expedient suggested by preceding misfortunes, and accepted as an available resource. The field of operations was broad enough, for at that time there was but one newspaper published in the county,-the Sussex Register, established by John H. Hall sixteen years before, which was Whig in poli- tics, whereas Democracy of the old Jefferson and Jackson school was largely in the ascendant in the county. This advantage, however, was confronted by a formidable array of drawbacks. It was the time of slow coaches, when matters great and small were alike subject to the most mature deliberation ; when, if a man subscribed for a newspaper, it was because he was convinced that he could not get on without it. A tri-weekly stage brought the mails from New York City, and there were two or three weekly side mail- routes in the county, which furnished the postal fa- cilities and means of travel for several years thereafter. What still further added to the difficulties in the way of success was the strong hold which the Register had gained upon the people of the county. Judge Hall was one of the most genial and popular of men, and much of his time was spent in canvassing the differ- ent townships and becoming personally acquainted with and making friends of the people. Hundreds of Democrats continued to patronize the Register from force of habit and pure regard for its publisher. It re- quired time, patience, and hard labor for Col. Fitch to establish his paper, but he lived to see it success- fully accomplished.

The Herald was first printed in an old building on Main Street, opposite the Cochran House, where William W. Woodward's hardware-store now stands. The size of the paper was twenty by twenty-eight inches, the reading-matter being set in clean bour- geois and the advertisements in bourgeois and brevier type. The subscription price was two dollars per year. The first press was an old-fashioned Washing- ton lever press, which was worked by hand. This answered the purpose until 1840, when it became necessary to enlarge the paper. To avoid the expense of a new press the experiment of enlarging the old one was tried, and it was successfully accomplished by the skillful workmen in the Lafayette foundry, then owned and operated by that irrepressible Demo- crat Alexander Boyles. Twice during the first ten years of the Herald's existence its proprietor was awarded the contract for printing the Legislative Jour- nal. The gross proceeds of each contract amounted to about six hundred dollars, and it required about six months, with such mechanical facilities as were avail- able, to complete the work.

In 1842, after thirteen years of arduous labor, Col. Fitch retired from the editor- and proprietorship of

the Herald, which he had founded. He was suc- ceeded by his son, Charles W. Fitch, now of Wash- ington, D. C., who published it just one year.

During the period the paper was owned by the Fitches the location of the office was several times changed. For a little while it was in a building on Spring Street, where Jacob Kimble now resides, and later, for several years, it occupied the site of the O'Leary building, opposite the court-house. . From there it was removed to the Beach building, on Bazaar Corner, where Samuel Johnson's store now stands. Here Charles W. Fitch left it, in the fall of 1843.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 55

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1140

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140