USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Trenton > History of Trenton, New Jersey : the record of its early settlement and corporate progress. > Part 58
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SENATOR W. H. MARTIN was born in Little York, Hunterdon county, New Jersey. He is the son of James C. Martin, who comes from one of the oldest families of New Jersey, and received his education at the public schools of his native town. He began his business career as a clerk in a store in Frenchtown, New Jersey, remaining thus em- ployed until 1875, when he engaged in business for him- self as a general merchant. In the year 1873 he was elected Tax Collector for the borough of Frenchtown by a large majority, which was increased the following year at his re-election to the same office. In 1877 he was elected to the Common Council, holding that office through four successive elections, and in 1881 was elected Mayor of the borough and re-elected the year following. Since 1875 he has been a director of the Union National Bank, and has been its President since 1887. In the latter year he was elec- ted a director in the Alexandria Bridge Company. In 1885 he was appointed Postmaster at Frenchtown. From 1888 to 1890 he served as a member of the State Assembly, being elected each year with an increased majority. In 1891 he was elected State Senator after an exciting cam- paign by a plurality of 981 votes over Captain John Shields, a popular member of the Republican party. In that body he served on all the important committees, and was during his last year in office Chairman of the Com- W. H. MARTIN. mittees on Corporations and the School for Deaf-Mutes. The Senator is, and always has been, a staunch Democrat, and, while his town has usually gone Republican, he has never been defeated for office, but has carried his own home by a fair majority. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is a Knight Templar in the Masonic Fraternity. In 1870 Senator Martin married Miss Lizzie Mettler. He has one daughter, Ella J., a beautiful and accomplished young lady. His handsome residence, on the corner of Harrison and Bridge streets, in Frenchtown, is the scene of many social gatherings, Mrs. Martin and their daughter being recognized social leaders in the community. As for the Senator himself, he is both socially and politically one of the best-known men in that section of New Jersey.
CHARLES N. FOWLER.
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CHARLES NEWELL FOWLER was born in Lena, Stephenson county, Illinois, November 2d, 1852. The early years of his life were passed upon a farm, working during the summer months and mean- while attending the preparatory school at Beloit, Wisconsin. He spent four years at the Yale University, graduating therefrom in 1876. He then began the study of law in the office of Williams & Thompson, Chicago, Illinois, graduated from the Chicago Law School, and was admitted to the bar of that city in 1878. For five years he followed his profession in the State of Kansas with signal success. As is now so common among those who are successful in the profession of the law, he became identified with large business interests. These interests, which were somewhat varied, familiarized him with the conditions and needs of every part of the country, as he traveled extensively and was constantly studying the trend of financial affairs and the rapid development of that period embraced within the years of 1884 to 1896. Mr. Fowler was elected in 1894 Representative of the Eighth district of New Jersey in the Fifty-fourth Congress, defeating his opponent, John T. Dunn, who was the Democratic nominee, by a plurality of 6,236 votes. He immediately commanded the attention and respect of his fellow-members in the House by his speeches and contributions to the press upon the financial and currency question, both attracting the attention of the whole country. He is a deep student of political economy, sociology and history, and his speeches and writings bear evidence of careful thought and mature deliberation. His earnest, vigorous and elo- quent plea for maintaining the Nation's honor and credit by adhering to the single gold standard has won him high praise from all students of finance. His bill for the reform of the currency system is one of the most comprehensive and complete yet formulated, and the thoroughness evidenced in its preparation shows constructive statesmanship of a high order. "The Congressional Record " (April 17th, '96) contained a full exposition of the measure introduced by him, which must necessarily add greatly to his reputation as a deep student, a close observer, a clear reasoner, and, above all, a thoroughly practical man. Mr. Fowler has been a resident of the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, for the past twelve years, and he has always been identified with every public move- ment that has tended to improve, elevate and ameliorate the conditions of life in the community where he resides. He has been particularly interested in the future of the boys, and has done much to advance the interests of the Pingry School, a college-fitting academy, of which he is President.
WILLIAM CHAMBERLAIN was born in New York, , December 12th, 1839, and was educated in the public schools of that city. His father, James H. Chamber- lain, was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, and was a descendant of the Chamberlains of Monmouth county, of Revolutionary antecedents. William removed to Rahway, New Jersey, in 1864, and has ever since re- sided there. He was a member of the Board of Edu- cation of the city of Rahway in 1866 and 1867, and one of the Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1870 and 1871. He is a man of much energy and business sagac- ity, and has been for many years very active in Repub- lican municipal and State politics. He was elected to the New Jersey Assembly of 1886 by a plurality of 233 votes, and represented the Third Legislative dis- trict, which was composed of the First, Second, Third and Fourth wards of the city of Rahway, and the townships of Clark, Fanwood, Westfield and the city of Plainfield. He served as the Chairman of the Com- mittee on Industrial School for Girls and as a member WILLIAM CHAMBERLAIN. of the Committees on Corporations and Federal Rela- tions. He was re-elected to the 1887 Assembly by a largely-increased majority (542), and served on the Committee on Corporations. Mr. Chamberlain was elected Mayor of the city of Rahway, and filled the full term. He has for many years conducted a business in coal and masons' materials, and holds a high rank in the mercantile and social life of Rahway.
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ADRIAN NORMAN was born in Ouddorp, Holland, December 6th, 1841. His education was begun in the schools of his native town and completed in those of his adopted country, to which his family cmigrated in 1849 and located in the city of Passaic. At the breaking out of the Rebellion young Norman was in the employ of the large grocery house of Acker, Mcrrall & Condit. In 1862 he left that firm to enlist in the Second New York Harris Light Cavalry, serving under command of Colonel Judson Kilpatrick (afterwards Brigadier-(General) and under Colonel H. E. Davies. He participated in all the engagements that made that regiment famous, and was honorably discharged June 5th, 1865. Upon his return from the war he engaged in the ex- press business, in Jersey City, and was thus occupied until 1869, when he returned to Passaic and established himself in the same business. In 1893 he was appointed Postmaster of Passaic by President Cleveland, and still holds that office. His political inclinations are decidedly Democratic. He was very prominent in the campaign for Cleveland, and acted as Grand Marshal of the jubilee parade on the occasion of his election to the Presidency. Mr. Norman has been a Knight of Pythias since 1870, having filled all the chairs and is a member of the Grand Lodge. He is a member, and present Secretary, of the Passaic Gun Club. He was married October 19th, 1863, to ADRIAN NORMAN. Miss Annie Jelleme. He is the father of eight children, six boys and two girls, of whom seven are living, the eldest, Christian G., is Vice President of the Mela Fireproof Partition Company.
FOSTER M. VOORHEES, of Elizabeth, whose ancestors came from Holland to Long Island, about 1660, is a son of Nathaniel W. and Naomi (Leigh) Voorhees, and was born in in Clinton, New Jersey, November 5th, 1856. His father was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1854, but never practiced. Mr. Voorhees graduated from Rutgers College in 1876, and after teaching in a grammar school there for one year he began the study of law with Magie & Cross, of Elizabeth. He was admitted as an attorney in June, 1880, and has always practiced his profession in Eliza- beth, where he has become one of the foremost mem- bers of the Union county bar. He served with dis- tinction in the New Jersey Assembly in 1888, 1889 and 1890, and since the fall of 1893 has held the office of State Senator from his county, being re-elected in 1896. In 1894 he was tendered the appointment of Circuit Court Judge by Governor Werts, and later Governor Griggs offered him a clerkship in the Court of Chancery, but Mr. Voorhees declined both honors in preference for his large general law practice. In the House of Assembly he was the leader of the minority in 1889 and 1890, and was twice nominated by his party (Republican) for Speaker. In the Sen- ate he was the majority leader of the sessions of 1895, FOSTER M. VOORHEES. 1896 and 1897. Mr. Voorhees was a prominent member of the Elizabeth Board of Education for five years. At the organization of the Senate in 1898 he was unanimously chosen President of that body, and, upon the appointment of Governor Griggs to the Attorney-Generalship by Presi- dent Mckinley, he succeeded to the office of Chief Executive of the State of New Jersey.
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JOHN T. DUNN is a native of Ireland, and was born in Tipperary in the year 1838, and came to America when but a child. Circumstances threw the burden of life upon his shoulders at a very early age, and his successful career has been the result of his own unaided efforts. He began work as a farm hand, and then served two years as a cabin boy on a vessel trading between Philadelphia and the West Indies, after which he was employed as a bobbin boy in a factory at Gloucester, New Jersey. Up to this time he had been deprived of all advantages of education. The desire for learning mastercd him, and without any cessation from his daily labors so applied himself that he has since been ably qualified to represent his adopted State in the Assembly chambers and in the halls of Congress. In the meantime he had learned the trades of iron moulder, brass and silver burn- ishing and house painting ; the latter vocation he followed for a number of years. Early in life he began to take an interest in political affairs, and during the Douglass campaign he spoke at Norwich, Connecticut, on the same platform with that noted orator. In 1878 he was elected Alderman of the city of Eliza- beth, and in 1891 was again elected to that office. He success- fully ran for the New Jersey Assembly in 1879, and served four- consecutive terms in that body, having been unanimously elected Speaker of the House at the beginning of the session of 1882. During his legislative career he has been one of the leaders of the Democratic party on the floor of the House. He is a gifted orator and a debater of exceptional ability. In 1892 he was elected to Congress over Winfield S. Chamberlain, JOHN T. DUNN. Republican, of Bayonne, New Jersey, by a plurality of 993. Mr. Dunn began the study of law in the year of his majority, but was forced to abandon his plans owing to a severe and long-continued illness. He subsequently, at the age of thirty-eight, resumed his studies, and to-day ranks among the leading lawyers of the State.
J. MARTIN ROLL was born in Springfield, Union county, New Jersey, August 29th, 1843. He comes from that good old Holland-Dutch stock, who peopled and made memorable the history of the Mohawk Valley, his forefathers settling in Springfield about the year 1742, and the family has ever since been identified with its interests and always prominently figured in the meas- ures instituted for its welfare. Young Roll received the edu- cation that was afforded by the village schools, and early in life was a factor in the affairs of his native town. Active and intelligent, quick-witted and possessed of a ready command of language, his voice was ever the loudest and his opinions most openly expressed in defense of, or endorsement of, any measure affecting the welfare of the town. He was a member of the Township Committee of Springfield from 1871 to 1883, and has been a member of the Union County Board of Freeholders since 1884, and is now President of the Board of Education. In 1895 he was elected to the Assembly by a plurality of 1,721, and served on the Committees on Corporations, Public Grounds and Buildings, Appropriations and School for Deaf-Mutes. He was re-elected in 1896 by a plurality of 5,294 over Noah Woodruff, J. MARTIN ROLL. the highest candidate on the Democratic ticket, and was Chair- man of the Committee on Railroads and Canals and a member of the Committee on Appropriations, two of the most important committecs within the gift of the Speaker. Mr. Roll was one of the most conspicuous members of both sessions of the House of Assembly, and his voice was the oftenest heard. As Chairman of the Committee on Railroads and Canals he figured in many a hotly-contested fight, and his speeches in defense of the committee's rulings were among the brightest made upon the floor of the House.
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HENRY CLAUSS was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, February 5th, 1836. He received every advantage offered by the schools of his native country, and was fully prepared to take up the battle of life when he arrived in America in 1854. Since that time he has been a resident of the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and has long ranked as one of its successful and influential citizens. While not aspiring to office, he has, nevertheless, a large political following, and has ever manifested a hearty interest in the Republican politics of his adopted country. He was elected to the Assembly of 1896 by a plurality of 1,624 votes over Green, the highest candidate on the Democratic ticket, and served on the Committees on Bill Revision, Unfinished Business and Ways and Means. He was re-elected to the 1897 Assembly by a plurality of 5,162 votes over Noah Woodruff, the highest candidate on the Democratic ticket, and served on the Ways and Means Committee and was Chairman of the Committee on Unfinished Business. Mr. Clauss is the proprietor of a profit- able bakery, situated at the corner of Elizabeth avenue and Sixth street, Elizabeth, New Jersey.
WILLIAM J. MORROW was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, December 10th, 1853. He received his education at the public schools, and began his business carcer of spring maker in the Liggett Spring and Axle Company, of his native city, of which concern he became the Superintendent in 1885. He was elected President of the National Association of Spring and Axle Work- HENRY CLAUSS. ers, at New York City, in 1884, and was re-elected, in Allegheny City, to the same office in the year following, resigning to accept the position of Superintendent of the Liggett company. He subsequently received an advantageous offer from the Tomlinson company, of Newark, New Jersey, which he accepted, and has ever since been in charge of the spring department of that large concern. In politics Mr. Morrow is an ardent Republican, and takes an active interest in the municipal affairs of Newark. He is a member of the Board of Aldermen, having been elected from the Tenth ward by a large majority. He takes much inter- est in athletic sports, and was at one time a member of the Columbian Boat Club.
DAVID LAWSHE was born near Ringoes, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, September 28th, 1844. After receiving all the advantages afforded by the common schools, he attended the Trenton Business College, from which he graduated. His present business is that of the manufacture of handles, and his firm has a well-known and established reputation. Mr. Lawshe has held many offices of trust in his county, and is probably the best-known and most thought of. From March, 1888, to March, 1893, he was Collector of Taxes, and he is now filling the office of President of the Board of Education of Delaware township, where he resides. He was nominated for the New Jer- sey House of Assembly of 1896, and was elected by a plurality of 270 votes over Reading, Republican, the highest candidate on the Republican ticket. He was re-elected to the 1897 Assembly DAVID LAWSHE. by a plurality of 627 votes over Simpson and 708 votes over Holcombe, the opposing Republican candidates. He served as a member of the Committees on Corporations, School for Deaf-Mutes, Boroughs and Borough Commissions and Militia. In the fall of 1897 he was again re-elected to the Assembly, thus serving three consecutive terms in the State Legislature. Mr. Lawshe is a member of Orpheus Lodge, No. 137, F. and A. M., of Stockton, New Jersey, and a Past Grand of Leni Lenape Lodge, No. 15, I. O. O. F., of Lambertville, New Jersey. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum.
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JOHN RAMSEY was born in Readington township, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, October 11th, 1835. He received his education at the local schools, and has always resided in the county of his birth. He was married to Miss Catharine Ann Brokaw November 22d, 1856. The issue of the marriage was five children. The elder, Josephine, married State Senator George Large, of Hunterdon county ; Ella married Ed- ward B. Allen, a son of George Allen, now deceased, one of the most prominent lawyers of New Jersey in his time ; Lilian mar- ried Frederick Bodine, a leading merchant of Flemington, New Jersey ; John B. is in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, holding a position of trust, and the youngest daugh- ter, Katherine, is still residing with her father. Mr. Ramsey met with the loss of his wife in 1893. In politics Mr. Ramsey is an old-time Democrat, and has held many offices of trust as a gift from that party. He is at the present time Sheriff of Hun- terdon county. He is known for his generosity and integrity, and respected by his constituents and fellow-citizens, irrespective of party, and it was largely due to what has been said of him here that he was elected to hold the responsible position of Sheriff on the Democratic ticket when the State was taken from the political col- JOHN RAMSEY. ums of his faith and placed by over 80,000 in the Repub- lican fold.
GEORGE KYTE was born in South America, May 22d, 1846, but has resided in this country since he was two years of age. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in the United States Army and served during the Rebellion. He has for many years been prominent in the local affairs of Union county. He was a member of the Township Committee of Fanwood, New Jersey, for eight years, and was for six years a member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. He served three consecutive terms in the New Jersey House of Assembly and was Sheriff of Union county from 1893 to 1896. Mr. Kyte is still a resident GEORGE KYTE. of Fanwood, New Jersey, and is actively engaged in real estate transactions.
CHARLES NELSON READING was born in Frenchtown, Hun- terdon county, New Jersey, January 7th, 1854. He is a direct lineal descendant of the Hon. John Reading, who was President of Council and, by virtue of his office, Governor of the State of New Jersey in 1757 and 1758. Charles was educated at the public schools of Frenchtown, and has from early youth been prominently identified with its mercantile and political interests. He was elected a member of Council of the borough of French- town in April, 1884, and was re elected to the same office the following year. He was elected Mayor of Frenchtown in April, 1886, to which office he was re-elected in April, 1887, and he served both terms. In 1891 he was elected a member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Hunterdon county and served CHARLES N. READING. two years. He was elected to the New Jersey Assembly of 1894 by a plurality of 177 votes over Chamberlain, the highest candidate on the Democratic ticket. He was Chairman of the Committee on Riparian Rights and a member of the Committees on Bill Revision and Railroads and Canals. He was re-elected to the 1895 Assembly by a plurality of 345 over his former opponent, althoughi Alpaugh, his Democratic colleague, had a plurality of 376 over Simpson, Republican. He served on the Committee on Towns and Townships and was Chairman of the Committee on Riparian Rights. Mr. Reading conducts a business of general merchant.
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ISAAC S. CRAMER, M. D., son of Peter E. and Sarah (Smith) Cramer, was born at Changewater, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, May 24th, 1834. His father dying when Isaac was only twenty months old, his mother, being thus deprived of the support of her young husband, went to her father's home in Bethlehem township, now Union. In April, 1840, she removed to Bloomsbury, Hunterdon county, and during the two years in that place put her children to school. She then removed to Asbury, where the children enjoyed schooling privileges for three years, and then, for the purpose of giving them better advantages, she spent a year with the boys at New Hampton. Returning to Asbury, she remained there until the spring of 1849. During the year 1849 Mr. Cramer attended the academy at Stewartsville, Warren county. He returned to Asbury in the spring of 1850, and, after a short time spent in a store, commenced the study of medicine with Dr. John Blane, of Perryville, Hunterdon county, New Jersey. He continued his studies until he went to attend lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York City, then located at No. 67 Crosby street, where he graduated, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine March 10th, 1854. After graduation he commenced practice with Dr. Blane, and continued there until January 8th, 1855, when he removed to Sargeantsville, where he pursued the practice of his pro- fession for exactly thirty-five years, being succeeded by Dr. William E. Cornog, of Altoona, Penn- sylvania, on January 8th, 1890. The country practice rendered the doctor's rides extensive and laborious, but he realized the pleasure of doing much good, as well as achieving success as a practitioner. In politics he is a Democrat, and has taken an active interest in behalf of the party, being frequently a delegate to county, congressional and State conventions. In the fall of 1889 his friends gave him the nomination for Surrogate of his county, to which office he was elected at the following election in November by a handsome majority. He immediately took charge of the office at the county seat, Flemington, but did not change his residence until the following March, where he still
continues to reside. He was for several years the Secretary of the District Medical Society of Hunterdon county, and has done much to advance the interests of that institution. He has also been President of the society, and is a permanent member of the New Jersey State Medical Society and a member of the American Medical Association. Dr. Cramer has taken an active interest in Masonry since 1858, at which time he was made a Mason in Darcy Lodge, No. 37, F. and A. M., of Flemington, ISAAC S. CRAMER. New Jersey. He was chosen Master of that lodge for two terms. He assisted in instituting, and was one of the charter members of, Orpheus Lodge, No. 137, F. and A. M., of Stockton, New Jersey, and was elected Master two terms, 1873 and 1874. He was Treasurer from 1875 to 1890, and is still a member of the lodge. He was one of the charter members of both Wilson Chapter, No. 13, R. A. M., and St. Elmo Com- mandery, No. 14, K. of T., of Lambertville, New Jersey, and still holds membership with them. He is a Past High Priest of Wilson Chapter. February 14th, 1855, Dr. Cramer married Margaret R. Ingham, daughter of Jonathan W. Ingham, a brother of Hon. Samuel D. Ingham, Secretary of the Treasury under General Jackson. She was a native of Warren county and a graduate of the female seminary at Pennington, New Jersey.
DAVID S. CRATER, now serving his fourth term as Surrogate of Monmouth county, New Jersey, is a son of John and Catherine Jeroloman Crater, and was born July 19th, 1846, at Clarksburg, Mercer county, New Jersey. His family came originally from Holland, and were among the early settlers of New Jersey. Mr. Crater was educated in the public schools of Long Branch and under the tuition of a private tutor. Subsequently he served three years as a printer in the office of the "Monmouth Democrat." In 1882 he was appointed by Governor Ludlow to fill the vacancy made by the resignation of the Surrogate, A. R. Throckmorton, of Monmouth county. He was admitted to the bar as an attorney in 1879 and as a counselor in 1886. He has been Treasurer of the town of Freehold since 1876. Mr. Crater is a staunch Democrat. He is a member of the State Democratic Committee. He was one of the organizers of the Freehold Fire Department and the Firemen's Relief Association, and takes an active interest in the following societies, of which he is a member : Olive Branch Lodge, No. 16, F. and A. M .; Monmouth Lodge, No. 20, I. O. O. F .; Freehold Lodge, No. 41, A. O. U. W .; Royal Arcanum and Topanemus Tribe, No. 210, O. R. M.
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