USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Trenton > History of Trenton, New Jersey : the record of its early settlement and corporate progress. > Part 59
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DR. O. H. SPROUL was born in Middlesex county, New Jersey, in 1844. His father was the Rev. Samuel Sproul, a prominent and well-known Baptist clergyman in New Jersey, and his grand- father was Oliver Sproul, a Monmouth county farmer and general mechanic. The family comes from that Scotch-Irish stock, a race noted for their quick wit, strong common sense and success in life. His mother was a Holmes. This family came from New England and settled in Monmouth county, New Jersey, and several of its representatives were conspicious in Revolutionary annals. Dr. Sproul was educated at the public schools and prepared for college under his father's tuition. He taught in the pub- lic schools for a period of two years. He studied medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Foulke, of New Hope, Pennsyl- vania, and graduated in 1866 from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. For twenty-four years he practiced at Stockton, on the Delaware, and removed to Flem- ington in 1890, purchasing the property of the late Dr. Shannon and succeeding to his practice. For the past twenty-five years Dr. Sproul has been Secretary of the Hunterdon County Medical Society, and has been a constant attendant at the meetings of the New Jersey State Medical Society for the past thirty years, of which he has been President since 1894, having previously filled the offices of third Vice, second Vice and first Vice Presi- dent. The State society consists of about five hundred mem- bers, and his elevation to the Presidency was a just recognition of his devotion to the profession and high standing therein. DR. O. H. SPROUL. The doctor has been an ardent Republican all his life, and has frequently been on his county's ticket. He is the present Surrogate of Hunterdon county, to which office he was elected by a majority of 156 in a county usually Democratic by from 1,800 to 2,400 majority. He has also been identified with the public school system, and was District Clerk . at Stockton for twenty years. He is Past Master of Orpheus Lodge, No. 137, F. and A. M; Past High Priest of Wilson Chapter, No. 13, and is a meniber of St. Elmo Commandery, No. 14, K. of T., of Lambertville. In 1868 he married Miss Amy H. Dilts, by whom he had three children, all now happily living.
WILLIAM HOWARD LAKE was born in Delaware township, Hunterdon county, April 21st, 1850. His early life was passed upon a farm, and he received his education at the village schools. For many years he devoted his life to agricultural pursuits, and then fol- lowed the business of a miller. In the year 1895 he opened the hotel, now known as Lake's Hotel, in Flem- ington. It is delightfully situated and is one of the best-conducted inland hotels of the State. Mr. Lake's politics have always been Democratic, and he has taken a deep interest in the political and social affairs of his city and county. In the fall of 1882 he was nominated to represent the Second Assembly district in the New Jersey Legislature. That district was com- posed of the townships of Alexandria, Holland, Beth- lehem, Lebanon, Tewkesbury, High Bridge, Union, WILLIAM H. LAKE. Clinton, Readington and Franklin and Clinton borough. He was elected by a plurality of 989 votes, there being three opposing candidates in the field. Hc served as Chairman of the Committee on Reform School for Boys and as a member of the Com- mittees on Unfinished Business and Printing. He was re-elected the following year, receiving the heavy vote of 2,404. He served as Chairman of the Committee on Militia and as a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Agricultural College. He was elected Sheriff of Hunterdon county in November, 1890, and served three years, giving great satisfaction to all. Years of study in rela- tion to the monetary question that is now agitating our country, led him to espouse the cause of bi- metalism, and in private and public he was ever ready to defend this view.
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DAVID CLARK PERRINE. The first marriage license issued by the first Governor of New Jersey to parties living in the Elizabethtown plantation was issued by Philip Cartaret. The contracting partics, Daniel Perrine and Maria Thorel, passengers on the ship "Philip," arrived at New York July 29th, 1665, landed at Elizabethtown in August, and were joined in matrimony February 18th, 1666, and shortly afterwards moved to Staten Island. Their children were Joshua, Peter, Henry, James, Daniel, William and Francyntie. Henry, of this number, is said to be the Henry of whom it is traditionally given embarked at Rochelle, Lower Charante, France, and came by the way of Netherlands in the ship "Caledonia " and settled on Staten Island. He married Maria and his children were John, Henry, &c. John, of this number (who settled somewhere in the vicinity and betwixt the places now known as Manalapan and Perrineville, and died in the spring of 1779), was the great-great-grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch. His children were John, Henry, James, Daniel, Joseph, William, Margaret, Rebecca, Hannah and Annie. John, of this number, whose birth occurred October 20th, 1722, and his death April 26th, 1804, married, June 3d, 1755, Mary Rue, who was born March 17th, 1736. Their children were Ann, Rebecca,
John, Hannah, Peter, Matthew and Joseph. John Perrine, who was born March 30th, 1762, and died November 17th, 1848, married Ann Stout, born Aug- ust 12th, 1761, daughter of David Stout and wife, Catherine Barclay. Their children were John, David, Lewis, William I., Enoch, Mary and Katc. John Per- rinc was a second time married, to Catherine Perrine, born December 17th, 1803, whose children were Isaac, Ann Eliza, Mary Matilda, Catherine H., Symmes Henry and George Washington. David Perrine, of this number, the father of David Clark Perrine, was born January 10th, 1784, and on the 31st of March, 1808, married Phebe Baird, born November 14th, 1790, daughter of Captain David Baird, an officer of the First New Jersey Regiment during the American Revo- lution, 1776-1783. Their children are Lydia, John D., Mary, David Clark, Alfred, Rei Baird, Deborah E., De La Fayette, Caroline, Charles, Edwin A., Stevens and Margaret Cook. David Clark Perrine was born on the 20th of October, 1816, at Clarksburg, in Millstone DAVID CLARK PERRINE. township, Monmouth county, and received his earliest advantages of education at Haightstown, New Jersey. On attaining his twelfth year he removed to Freehold, New Jersey, and began a business career as a clerk on a salary of $25 a year, with an advance of $10 each succeeding year for six years. At the expiration of this period he was admitted as a partner in the firm of Cowart & Perrine, and in 1852 dissolved partnership and embarked alone in mercantile pursuits. Mr. Perrine was, on the 5th of February, 1851, married to Hannah Matilda, daughter of David I. Van Derveer and his wife, Mary Conover. Their children are David Van Derveer, born May 25th, 1853; William Conover, born April 16th, 1855, who died May 6th, 1856 ; John Rhea, born May 23d, 1857, who died March 23d, 1861 ; Mary Conover, born April 17th, 1863, who died February 5th, 1873, and Arthur D., born April 28th, 1868, who died August 13th, 1869. Mr. Perrine, in addition to his extensive commercial interests in Freehold, conducted the business of milling on the Matchaponix river, in Middlesex county, New Jersey, and was regarded as the heaviest buyer and shipper of grain in the county. His private affairs, however, did not preclude active co-operation in the various projects connected with the public welfare as President of the Freehold Gas Light Company, Treasurer of the Freehold and Englishtown Turnpike Company and first Treasurer of the town of Freehold, by Democratic appointment. The subject of this brief sketch died July 6th, 1888, leaving surviving his wife and one son, David V. Perrine, who succeeded him in the large general mercantile business in Freehold and his other interests.
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FRANK T. LLOYD was born in Middletown, Delaware, October 29th, 1859. He was educated in the public schools and at the Middletown Academy, of which he is a graduate. He followed the trade of compositor from 1875 until 1882, but his nights were devoted to the study of law (for which he had always had an instinctive liking) under the Hon. James Otterson, of Philadelphia, and was admitted to the bar in the latter year. He has since given all his time to the practice of his profession, with his office at 1328 Arch street, Philadelphia, and has deservedly taken rank with the leading lawyers of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He was nominated on the Republican ticket to represent Camden county in the Assembly of 1896, and was elected by a plurality of 6,071 votes over Garrison, the highest candidate on the Democratic ticket. He was Chairman of the Cominittee on Industrial School for Girls and served as a member of the Com- mittees on Banks and Insurance, Boroughs and Borough Com- missions and Militia. He was re- elected to the 1897 Assembly by a plurality of 9,841 votes over Jones, the highest opposing candidate, and served as Chairman of the Committee on Ju- diciary and a member of the Committee on Elections. Mr. Lloyd's ability as a debater made him a conspicuous mem- * ber of the House of Assembly. His defence of the Johnson Judiciary amendments was one of the ablest speeches of the session, and had much weight in influencing the decision in their favor. He is the father of what is now known as the Lloyd Marriage bill, which, while stubbornly contested, was carried to a successful issue. No higher compliment could be FRANK T. LLOYD. paid to his ability than that expressed by his appointment to the Chairmanship of the Committee on Judiciary, a committee that was called upon to decide upon questions of the most vital im- portance to the State at large.
OLIVER HUFF BROWN was born in Farmingdale, New Jersey, December 12th, 1853. His very active business career began at the age of nineteen years, when he entered a small country store at New Branch, New Jersey. Here he remained two years, leaving to enter the employ of John A. Githens, of Asbury Park, for whom he acted as manager for eight years. During that period he made two European trips in the capacity of buyer. He began business for himself in 1881 at Spring Lake, and has built up the largest furniture, housefurnishing, fine china, glass and bric-a-brac business along the coast. In 1889 he established a branch store at Lakewood, New Jersey, which is the largest in Ocean county. His reputa- tion as an art connoisseur has spread beyond the limits of his native county, and many homes in Philadelphia, New York and other cities contain selections of wares from his establish- ments. He is also interested in the coasting trade, and is a part owner of several schooners, one of which bears his name. Mr. Brown was one of the organizers of the borough of North Spring Lake, and for twelve years has been a Councilman and for five years Mayor. He was also one of the organizers of the First National Bank, of Asbury Park, of which he is Vice Presi- dent ; the Monmouth Trust and Safe Deposit Company and the OLIVER H. BROWN. Lakewood Trust Company, being a director in each institution. He is, as well, a director in the Deal Beach Land Company. He was elected to the Assembly of 1897 by a plurality of 2,182 over Heyer, the highest candidate on the Democratic ticket, and served on the Committee on Boroughs and Borough Commissions and was Chairman of the Committee on Stationery. He introduced and had passed several measures of great importance to his locality, notably the opening of Shark inlet. He has a direct and forcible manner in speaking, which carries with it the weight of sincerity of purpose, Mr. Brown is a Mason, belonging to Asbury Lodge, No. 142.
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SOLOMON H. STANGER was born in Glassboro, New Jersey, March 27th, 1836. He passed his early life upon a farm, and after his school days at the old school-house of his native town were over, he took up the life of a farmer, and faithfully and successfully tilled the soil until the year 1881. In that year he left the farm to begin a mercantile life, opening a general store in what had become famous as the "Temperance House," located opposite the Methodist Episcopal Church, Glassboro. The business prospered under his manage- ment from the start, and is now grown to be and de- servedly ranks as the most successful and largest of its kind in the county. He has always been closely iden- tified with, and is a leader of, the Republican party in his county, having at heart its principles and doing all in his power to promote them. He has many friends, though, of both parties, who recognize his sterling quali- ties, and who have shown their appreciation by electing him to positions of trust. He was elected to the Board of Freeholders in 1885, and served in that capacity for ten successive years, holding the most important posi- tions within the power of gift of the board. His enviable legislative career began in 1892, when he was elected to the Assembly. For three successive years he was re-elected, and has the honor of being the only person from Gloucester county ever returned for so many successive periods. He was Chairman of, and served on, some of the most important committees while a member of the House, and his record was such SOLOMON H. STANGER. as to amply justify his nomination for State Senator in 1896. He was elected to the Senate of 1897 by a plurality of 1,636 votes over Myers, the highest candidate on the Democratic ticket. He was Chairman of the Committees on Engrossed Bills and Claims and Pensions, and served on the Com- mittee on Agriculture and Agricultural College. Senator Stanger takes the same careful, con- scientious and energetic interest in the duties of the Senate as characterizes him in his everyday life, and the affairs of his county will not suffer while they rest in his charge and are under his supervision.
WILLIAM H. REID was born in Englishtown, Monmouth county, New Jersey, December 15th, 1851. He received his education at the village schools, Freehold Institute and Tren- ton Business College, and has ever since followed the life of a farmer. In local affairs he has ever taken a deep interest, and 1 few men, if any, are more actively alive to the needs of his township than he is. For the past thirteen years he has been a member of the Township Committee of Manalapan, the last six years of which he has served in the capacity of Chairman. He was nominated in the fall of 1896 to represent his county in the House of Assembly. He was the farmers' candidate, and was successfully elected, receiving a total vote of 10,247. Mr. Reid amply justified the expectations of his constituents, and had passed a number of bills in their interest. Among them were Assembly bill No. 231, amending the act relative to WILLIAM H. REID. executors and administrators, and Assembly bill No. 130, which gave tax assessors authority to require every person and corporation (excepting those which make report to the State Board of Assessors) to furnish a detail statement, under oath, of all ratables in their possession subject to taxation. He is quiet and unassuming in his manner, but has much latent power, which is brought out when the necessary occasion arises, and during the session he exhibited a degree of combativeness which was as effective as it was unexpected. Mr. Reid served on the Committees on Agriculture and Agricultural College and Towns and Townships.
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WILLIAM MILLER BAIRD, M. D., was born in Knowlton, Warren county, October 23d, 1849. His education begun at the public schools of his native town, was finished by an academic course at Dr. Knighton's Academy, Belvidere, and at the Pennington Seminary. For four years he was engaged with the United States Exploring and Surveying Expedition in their work on the frontiers of Kansas, Indian Territory, Texas and New Mexico. Upon his return he began the study of medicine at the Bellevue Hospital, New York City, and upon receiving his diploma commenced practice in Washington, New Jersey, in the year 1877. His ability as a practitioner was speedily recognized, and he soon received a lucra- tive practice. He held the office of County Physician of Warren county for four years. The doctor was actively interested in the affairs of Washington, and was at one time Chief of its fire department, which he accepted to save the relief fund to the department. He was President of the Washington Board of Health, and did the work that created the State Board of Charities and Corrections. He was elected to the New Jersey Assembly of 1886, and re-elected to the 1887 Assembly. Upon the organization of the House his election to the Speakership was attended with a degree of excitement never before witnessed upon a similar occasion in the halls of the New Jersey Legislature. Disaffection was rife among both parties against the leaders, and a coalition was formed which resulted in WILLIAM M. BAIRD. Dr. Baird being elected Speaker. His election was declared amid great excitement, and forcible attempts were made to eject him from the chair, but, in spite of all opposition, he gained his seat, and broke the gavel before he brought the House to a realizing sense of the futility of its actions.
Dr. Baird is both a physician and surgeon. He is a talented writer, and has contributed several valuable essays upon important medical subjects.
JOHNSTON CORNISH was born in Bethlehem, Hun- terdon county, New Jersey, in 1859. He was educated in the district school of Bethlehem township of his native county, and graduated from the business col- lege of Easton, Pennsylvania. In the year 1883 he became junior partner in the firm of Cornish & Com- pany, piano and organ manufacturers. Since then that company has steadily grown, until to-day it is one of the largest manufacturing interests of New Jer- sey. When only twenty-five years of age he was elected Mayor of Washington. Two years later he was re-elected to the same office. He filled the full term of two years, and declined renomination in 1887 and 1888. He was elected State Senator for Warren county in 1890 by a plurality of 1,780 votes over Mr. Reese, the highest candidate on the Republican ticket. He served nearly the full term, resigning to qualify JOHNSTON CORNISH. himself as a member of Congress. While in the Sen- ate he served as Chairman of the Committee on Banks and Insurance and as a member of the Committee on Boroughs. He was elected to the Fifty- Third Congress as a Democrat, receiving 1,039 votes plurality over ex-Congressman Benjamin F. Howey, one of the strongest Republicans in the district.
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JAMES E. Mooy was born at New Hope, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, July 16th, 1841. His parents removed to Lambertville, New Jersey, while he was quite young, where he accepted a position as telegraph operator for the Belvidere-Delaware Railroad Company, remaining thus employed until November, 1875, when he resigned. Previous to this, in 1867, he had been elected Town Clerk of Phillipsburg, and re-elected eight times. He was serving his ninth year when he was elected County Clerk, an office he filled for one term. In the fall of 1884 he was elected State Senator, receiving the unprecedented majority of 2,526 votes. During his term as Senator he served on the most im- portant committees, and at the organization of the Sen- ate in 1887 he was his party's nominee for presiding officer of that body. At the joint meeting of the Legis- lature in 1888 to elect a State Treasurer he was the choice of his party for that office, but was defeated by Colonel Toffey, whose party was largely in the majority. Since his retirement from the Senate he was, for two years, Secretary of the Board of Managers of the State Hospitals and his party's choice for several town offices. In politics Mr. Moon is a Democrat of the old school. He was one of those who answered to President Lincoln's first call for troops in 1861, and he enlisted in Company E, Third Regiment, under command of Captain Angel. There is no man in his county more prominently con- nected with secret societies, he having passed the chairs in some twelve or fifteen subordinate bodies and the JAMES E. MOON. chairs in the Grand Lodges of the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order United Workmen. The follow- ing is a list of the more important, with his standing therein : Past Master and Past District Deputy Grand Master, Delaware Lodge, F. and A. M .; Past High Priest, Eagle Chapter, R. A. M .; Past Grand and Past Chief Patriarch, I. O. O. F .; Past Master and Past Grand Master, Ancient Order United Workmen ; Past Dictator, Knights and Ladies of the Golden Star ; Past Commander of the G. A. R .; Past Regent, Royal Arcanum ; Past Chancellor and Past Grand Chancellor, Knights of Pythias, and a member of the Uniform Rank ; also a member of De Molay Commandery, K. of T .; Washington Council, R. and S. M., and a thirty-second degree member of the New Jer- sey Consistory, Scottish Ritc. Mr. Moon is in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, as their agent and col- lector at Phillipsburg, on the Morris canal, and has held that position since June, 1881.
DAVID OGDEN WATKINS was born in Woodbury, New Jer- sey, June 8th, 1862. He was educated at the schools of his native town, and began life as a farm hand on the farms in his neighborhood. He early evinced a desire for the legal profes- sion, and while his days were passed in tilling the soil he burned the midnight oil in the study of law. He prosecuted his studies to such good purpose that he was admitted to the bar at the November term of the Supreme Court in 1893 as an attorney and as a counselor at the February term, 1897. He was elected Mayor of Woodbury in 1886, and was four times re-elected for DAVID O. WATKINS. the one-year term. In 1892 he was elected Councilman from the Third ward, and held that office until 1895, when he was re-elected for another term of three years. He was elected President of the City Council in March, 1895, and re-elected the follow- ing year, and again re-elected the year following, liis term expiring in 1898. He was elected Captain of Company E, Sixth Regiment, National Guard, in 1896. He was a member of the Assembly of
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1897, receiving a plurality of 1,862, the largest ever given a candidate for public office in Gloucester county. He served on the Committees on Bill Revision and Corporations. Mr. Watkins was re- elected to the Assembly for 1898, and at the organization of that body was elected Speaker.
BARTLETT C. FROST, a lawyer of Phillipsburg, was born March 17th, 1833, in the town of Leeds, Androscogin county, Maine, and is a son of Oliver P. and Esther Frost. His family is of English descent, and was among the early settlers of New Eng- land. His preliminary education was obtained in the schools of his native town, and when he reached the age of eighteen years he himself became a teacher, which avocation he pursued for some time, and then completed his studies at the Maine Wesleyan Semi- nary. In 1854 he removed to New Jersey, and recommenced teaching, first at Clarksville and afterwards at Springtown and Hughesville. Having resolved to devote himself to the profes- sion of law, he entered the law department of the university at Albany, New York, and also became a student in the office of Peckham & Tremain, of that city, and in 1859 was admitted to practice at the New York bar. His name having already " been registered in New Jersey as a student-at-law, he returned thither, continued his reading, and in November, 1859, was licensed as an attorney in that State. He immediately entered upon the practice of his profession at Phillipsburg, Warren county, and met with marked success in building up a large and lucrative business, which extends to all the counties in the BARTLETT C. FROST. State, and for two years was Corporation Counsel of Phillipsburg and for five years of Lopatcong township, adjoining Phillipsburg. He was the Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors of the two first building and loan associations in the town of Phillipsburg from the start until the close, which were managed with great success, and which contributed in a marked degree to the material prosperity and growth of the town, through which many workingmen, by monthly payments, were enabled to obtain comfortable homes and save money for themselves and their families. In politics he is a Republican, and is at the present time Mayor of Phillips- burg, a thriving and bustling town of over ten thousand inhabi- tants. He is a member of Delaware Lodge, No. 52, F. and A. M .; Eagle Chapter, No. 30, and De Molay Commandery, No. 6, K. of T.
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