History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 78

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts
Number of Pages: 1224

USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 78
USA > New Jersey > Union County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 78

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Netherwood .- Within a few years a number of gentlemen made purchase of a large tract of land about a mile from the depot of Plainfield, and about the same distance from Fanwood, on the line of the railroad, the land being elevated and having an ex- tended view of the surrounding country, the blue ridge of hills, and the valley. It is a charming elevation, and soon the interest of many who desired to make this a permanent in building a number of neat villas. Plans for a massive five-story brick building, with some two hundred and twenty-five rooms, elegantly furnished throughout, and complete in all its appoint- ments, were adopted, and in 1878 completed at a cost of nearly one hundred and seventy-five thousand dol- lars, called the "Netherwood Hotel," and designed for a luxurious summer resort for New York business men and their families. A very neat brick building for the depot is built, a Union Chapel for religious wor- ship and Sabbath-school, store, post-office, etc. The drives surrounding Netherwood are hardly equalled, as most of the avenues are neatly graded, macada- mized, trees planted by the side of foot-walks, and during the pleasant days of summer are frequented by many of the residents in their carriages. Nether- wood Hotel, near the depot at Netherwood, is built on

high ground, having a fine view of the surrounding country. It is reported that John H. Dean, Esq., has lately become the owner.

The Belvidere Land and Improvement Com- pany of Netherwood, N. J., have greatly improved this part of Plainfield by the erection of fine build- ings, and offer plots of land at a reasonable price to actual settlers. The attractions of this beautiful neighborhood are great and convenient to the depot of that name. There are schools, stores, post-office, etc.

Evona is a small hamlet, has a neat railroad station and some substantial dwellings, the residences of business men of New York. There is a hat-factory here. The roads are kept in excellent condition. The village is about two miles from Plainfield station, and one mile from Dunellen. The neighborhood contains some of the best families, who make it their country home. An Episcopal chapel is about being built a short distance east of the station.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

DAVID J. BOICE.

His grandfather, George Boice, resided near New Market, Middlesex Co., where he owned and car- ried on a farm. He had six daughters and three sons. Jacob, Henry (a farmer, succeeded to the home- stead and died in Plainfield), and Peter, who was a car- penter by trade, and resides in Newark, N. J., being the only surviving one of the nine children. Jacob was father of David J. Boice, was born in 1789 and died in 1845. He was respectively a farmer, a car- penter, and for many years kept a public-house at Samptown, New Market, and one year at the well- known " Old Sand Tavern" near Plainfield. His wife, Rebecca, was a daughter of David Blackford, of Samp- town, who was born in 1790 and died in 1838. Their children were David J. and Mary, widow of Peter Fitz Randolph, of Green Valley, Ill., where they set- tled about 1855.

David J. Boice received during his boyhood very little education from books, but during his minority learned the invaluable lessons of self-reliance and economy, which often go very far toward making the successful business man. He was not favored with abundant means in starting out in life, neither were position and valuable compensation for labor within easy reach when he had reached his majority. He remained at home until 1840, and in 1842 settled in Plainfield. In 1844 he erected a house on the cor- ner of Centre and Second Streets, where he resided until 1869. His first eight years after settling in Plainfield was spent in the employ of the Central Railroad Company. In 1850 he established a coal and lumber business there, which he has successfully

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

carried on until the present time, his office and yard facing on Park Avenue. His lumber is purchased at Albany, N. Y., and shipped by water via Hudson River to Elizabethport, thence by rail to Plainfield, and also direct by railroad from Michigan. His coal trade is mostly confined to the Lehigh Valley coal. His sales annually, when he first. began business, only amounted to some three hundred tons, whereas for many years prior to 1882 they have been three thousand tons.

Mr. Boice is one of the active and substantial busi- ness men of Plainfield, was one of the directors of the First National Bank for several years, and a member of Common Council for one term. He is a contrib- utor to the various local enterprises of the city, and has been a member, trustee, and usher of the First Baptist Church there for many years. His wife, whom he married in 1840, is Rachel, daughter of Jonathan F. Randolph, and sister of Peter Fitz Ran- dolph, before alluded to, of Plainfield. She was born in 1815. Their children are Sarah R., wife of J. D. Runyon, of New Brunswick, and Anna E., at home. Mr. Boice's residence, at the corner of Park Avenue and Fifth Street, he erected in 1869, whence he re- moved from his former residence.

CHARLES POTTER, JR.,

proprietor and founder of the " Potter Printing-Press Works" at Plainfield, N. J., was born in Madison County, N. Y., April 21, 1824. His paternal grand- parents, George Potter and Mary Stillman, resided at Potter Hill, R. I., where the former died in 1801, leaving one son, Benjamin, father of John E. Potter, a well-known publisher of Philadelphia, and the youngest son, Charles, father of our subject. Charles Potter, son of George, born at Potter Hill, Sept. 7, 1799. After serving an apprenticeship with his older brother, Benjamin, at the carpenter's trade, at the age of nineteen went to Madison County, N. Y., where he married, June 22, 1823, Eliza, danghter of Samuel Burdick, who was born Sept. 22, 1807. He engaged in the successful manufacture of wagons in 1826, in West Edineston, Otsego Co., N. Y., which he con- tinved until 1836, when on account of failing health he settled, in 1837, on a farm in the town of Adams, Jefferson Co., N. Y., where he resides at present,

Charles Potter was a man of sterling integrity in all his business relations, industrious habits, and honesty of purpose.

Charles, Jr., son of Charles and Eliza Potter, re- ceived a fair academical education, and for two terms during his minority was a successful teacher. In the autumn of 1846 he went to Rhode Island, and the following winter taught the Potter Hill district school, where many of his relations resided and the home of his ancestors had been.

Although he had intended to take a course of agri- cultural chemistry at Yale in 1848, with a view of en-

gaging in scientific farming, upon the close of his school at Potter Hill he engaged as clerk with C. Maxsen & Co. there, with whom he remained two and a half years, when he was chosen to manage the affairs of the " Pawcatuck Manufacturing Company," a newly-organized company for carrying on the foun- dry business at Westerly, R. I. This he conducted so successfully and built up so large a local trade that at the end of three years the company declared a dividend of forty per cent. on the paid-up capital, and this unabated prosperity continued during the entire five years he had the management of its affairs. Be- lieving fully now that mechanics and not agriculture was his forte, and that his experience and thorough education in finance entitled him to an established business of his own, he declined the offer of a large salary from the company to continue for ten years as their superintendent and general manager.

In 1854, George H. Babcock, of Westerly, R. I., invented, patented, and had made a printing-press of about letter-page size for printing in several colors at one operation. Mr. Potter thought he saw in this a short road to wealth, and engaged with Mr. Babcock (now the president of the Babcock & Wilcox Boiler Company ) to build the presses, put them on the mar- ket, and for such service receive one-half of the profits. In January, 1855, he opened an office at 29 Beekman Street, New York, over James Conner's type-foundry, took several orders for presses of a larger size, and arranged for their construction. By experiments with the small press Mr. Potter discovered that bril- liancy in the colors was lost by printing one color over another before the preceding one was dry, and therefore the value of the press was greatly impaired. At the end of seven months he sold his interest in the business to Mr. Babcock, father of the inventor of the press, and in the operation had lost not only his time but all his capital. He became interested the same year, 1855, in a printing-press invented by Merwin Davis, of New York City, and putting his services against the capital of the Pawcatuck Manu- facturing Company, constructed and exhibited one of these presses in the Crystal Palace Fair in New York the same fall, receiving a gold medal, in 1856 a silver medal at the Mechanics' Fair in Boston, and at Mary- land Institute in Baltimore, and quite a demand sprung up for these presses.

In 1856, Mr. George H. Babcock invented a very simple job-press, which Mr. Potter arranged to build and introduce. While canvassing for these presses, seeing the demand for a cylinder-press for newspaper printing, he, in the latter part of the year, set about the work, made his drawings, and supervised the con- struction of his first cylinder-press in a machine-shop at Westerly, and from this has grown the business and presses so well known at the present day. This press was completed in the spring of 1858, and was sold and set up in the office of Pearsol & Geist, at Lan- I caster, Pa., and gave satisfaction. For three years

6 Potter for

Thickand R Grill

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TOWNSHIP AND CITY OF PLAINFIELD.

following Mr. Potter canvassed the entire United States and most of Canada, selling this (cylinder) and the Babcock & Davis job-presses, having his ma- chines constructed and setting them up. Upon the breaking out of the late civil war, in 1861, Mr. Pot- ter lost all he had accumulated and found himself largely in debt besides through all Southerners re- pudiating their obligations for his sales. Nor did misfortune come only financially, for in April, 1863, while in the office of the Portland Press, Maine, he received a fall which resulted in the amputation of his left leg near the ankle, and at a time when the press business looked more hopeful. Finding at this juncture that he had been in the business some nine years, had made no money and was in debt, he re- solved that his experience should not be thrown away; that he would not only continue in it, but would not rest until the "Potter Printing-Press" should be acknowledged by all as having no superior. He made new designs, got out new styles of presses. Business rapidly increased until in 1865, not being able to attend to it alone, he associated with him as partner J. F. Hubbard, of Plainfield, under the firm-name of "C. Potter, Jr., & Co.," giving him a one third interest for two thousand five hundred dollars. Mr. Potter was now able to settle all his indebtedness, paying all claims in full. He at once removed the manufacture of his presses to Norwich, Conn., making arrangements for their manufacture with J. M. Huntington & Co. This business relation continued until 1877, when, upon the death of Mr. Huntington, it was dissolved, and two years later Mr. Hubbard, on account of failing health, also retired from the firm. Mr. Potter then associated with him Mr. H. W. Fish, for twelve years the confidential clerk of the old firm, and Mr. J. M. Fitsworth, his son-in-law, retaining the old firm-name. In 1879 he built new shops for the manufacture of his presses in Plainfield, 'N. J., contiguous to the New Jersey Central Railroad, which are probably the most com- plete works of the kind in this country and cover about two acres of ground. A specialty is made of Scott's patent presses, the fastest in the world, which print both sides, cutting, folding, counting, and put- ting in packages of twenty-five, fifty, or one hundred at the rate of five hundred and twenty newspapers per minute, or thirty-two thousand per hour on a single press, or sixty-four thousand per hour on a double press. In 1850 there were only two printing- press-shops in this country, and of the one doing the most of the business the New York Tribune of that year said, "That the house had built almost one per week of their celebrated presses," probably amounting to seventy-five thousand dollars. It is a safe calcula- tion to say that the other built half as much, making a total of about one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars. The business of the firm of C. Potter, Jr., & Co. for the year 1881 amounted to five hundred thou- sand dollars. Many firms have been established since

1855 for the manufacture of cylinder-presses, and all save one besides Mr. Potter's have failed. A view of his manufactory will be found on another page of this work. Mr. Potter is a thoroughgoing and en- terprising business man, liberal in the support of worthy local enterprises, and has introduced into Plainfield an industry that adds largely to the busi- ness interests of the city and gives employment to a large number of mechanics and laborers. In 1850, Mr. Potter was united in marriage to Miss Sarah P., danghter of Deacon Martin and Mehitabel Wilcox, of Unadilla Forks, N. Y., who has borne him four daughters, all of whom are living.

RICHARD R. CORIELL.

The Coriells are of French ancestry, and tradition traces their origin in New Jersey to three brothers- Elias, Emmanuel, and David-who emigrated from the island of Corsica to America in 1663, one settling at Lambertville, N. J. Abraham Coriell, grandfather of Richard R., settled in Piscataway township from over the mountains, and resided the remainder of his life near Newtown, in Middlesex County, where he reared a family of twelve children. He served as a baker in Gen. Washington's army during the Revo- lutionary war, was identified with the Presbyterian Church at Bound Brook, and reared his family under religious instruction. He died Sept. 22, 1828, at the advanced age of ninety years. The maternal grand- father of Richard R. Coriell was Abraham Smalley, also of Piscataway township, a large property-owner, who upon his death at an advanced age, having been born in 1756, divided his property among his sixteen children.

Mr. Coriell's father, Richard, born Feb. 3, 1775, died Dec. 17, 1838. His wife, Sarah Smalley, born April 8, 1774, died March 31, 1848. Their children were Ira, born Jan. 24, 1799, deceased ; Deborah, born Feb. 25, 1801, died March 6, 1876, was the wife of John Stanford ; Catherine S., born March 11, 1805, wife of William B. Fisher, of Illinois; Richard R., born Dec. I, 1808; Abraham S., born Dec. 5, 1811, deceased ; Sarah Ann, born Oct. 12, 1814, deceased ; Andrew S., born Oct. 8, 1815, deceased; Abner S., born Nov. 11, 1820, is postmaster at New Market, N. J.

The father of these children, Richard Coriell, was a millwright by trade, and followed this occupation most of his active business life. He was a stanch supporter of Andrew Jackson, although the Coriell family had previously voted with the opposition. His death occurred on his farm at Harris' Lane in Piscataway.

Richard R. Coriell received only the advantages of a common school education during his boyhood, and at the age of seventeen was apprenticed to learn the hatter's trade with Joel Vail, of Green Brook, N. J., with whom he remained for four years. After follow-

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

ing this business as a journeyman for nearly two years at Columbus and at New Market, he married on March 7, 1832, Margaret, daughter of Richard Elliott, a native of England, who emigrated to Nova Scotia, where he resided until his death. She was horn Jan. 1, 1811, and died in 1869. The children of this mar- riage are Isabella, deccased, was the wife of Morgan Bird ; Robert E., deceased ; Richard E., of New York City; William W., a wholesale produce dealer in Plainfield; Sarah, wife of J. W. Johnson, of New York.

After his marriage Mr. Coriell settled at Chester, N. J., where he purchased the hat-factory of Abra- ham Smalley, and for two years carried on business there. He settled in Plainfield in 1834, where for a time he worked at his trade as a hatter, and then opened a general fancy goods and millinery-store, which he carried on until he retired from business about 1860, since which time he has been engaged in the care of his property. Mr. Coriell united with the Baptist Church at Samptown, N. J., in 1832, and upon his removal to Plainfield joined the Baptist Church of that city, and is a supporter of all worthy local objects.

His present wife, whom he married June 4, 1873, is Sarah, daughter of John C. Peterson, of New York City, and her mother was Sarah Chadwick, a native of Bordentown, N. J. Mrs. Coriell was born May 26, 1820.

EVAN JONES.

Among the active, thoroughgoing business men who have engaged in real estate operations and contrib- uted materially to the growth of modern Plainfield is the subject of this sketch, who, like most men who have won a place in the financial and business circles of the day, early in life contended with straitened circumstances and poverty, and gradually reached success by indomitable perseverance and well-devel- oped calculations. He was horn in Cardiganshire, South Wales, on Feb. 24, 1820, and was one in a family of twelve children, seven of whom emigrated to this county at various times. David, deceased, came in 1816, settled in Jersey City, where he carried on the shoe business, and became one of its first aldermen. John settled in the same city about 1828, and was in the same business. Lewis came to Jersey City with his brother Evan in 1836, is a mason by trade, and resided there in 1882; Margaret, wife of Evan Evans, resided in Jersey City until her death ; Jane, wife of Evan Davis, resides at the same place, and came to America with her father, John Jones, in 1840; Esther married Benjamin Evans and settled in Ohio. Of the children left at home,-Mary, wife of Capt. John Jones, of New Quay, Daniel, Sarah, Han- nah, and Ann,-only the first mentioned survives in 1882. The father of these children died in Jersey City, and was buried in the Jersey City Cemetery.

After landing in Jersey City in 1836, as before

stated, Evan Jones, then a lad of sixteen, spent three years in learning the mason's trade with John P. Hill, a contractor and builder there. For one year following he worked as journeyman. In 1840 he re- turned to his native country, and married, that year, Miss . Eleanor Dudley, who was three years his senior and a native of the same place. Returning to this country, and thinking to better himself, he settled at Ravenna, Ohio, where he carried on business for himself for three years. Returning to Jersey City about 1844, for some three years he was the foreman of William Bumstead, and then with small capital established business for himself. Mr. Jones continued business there as a contractor and builder until 1863, with the exception of five years which he spent as a hardware merchant in the city, having erected for his mercantile business a store on Newark Avenue, Nos. 71 and 73, the length of which was ninety-two feet, and the width forty feet, respectively.

In 1863, Mr. Jones settled in Plainfield, where he purchased the Jacob G. Laing farm, containing fifty acres. This property he laid out into village lots and streets, and has erected several substantial dwellings thereon, the whole now being a part of the city of Plainfield.

In 1867, in connection with Job Male, Mr. Jones purchased twenty-four acres of land on the suburbs of Plainfield, which forms one of the most desirable parts of the city for a residence, and is largely built up with residences, many of which are of fine archi- tectural design. The Second Presbyterian Church is built upon this property.

In 1870, Mr. Jones purchased about two acres of land on Park Avenue and Seventh Street, erected a substantial residence thereon, and in 1872 he erected the " Park House" on the same block, an elegantly- designed building of five stories, an attractive and popular resort by people from New York and other cities. An engraving of this favorite hotel may be seen on another page of this work. Mr. Jones has taken a somewhat active part in local matters since he became a resident of Plainfield, and served in the Common Council of the city during its first two terms. Mrs. Jones died in Plainfield in October, 1875, leaving two surviving children,-Lewis Dudley and David D .; one daughter, Catharine, died at the age of eighteen, and five other children died young.

Mr. Jones' present wife, whom he married Dec. 11, 1876, is Emma E., daughter of Abel Ketcham, of Long Island, who has borne him two children,- Sadie Willet and Gracie.

ELIAS R. POPE.

Samuel Pope, his paternal grandfather, resided in Washington Valley, N. J., where he spent his active business life as a farmer. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and after his death his widow, who was before her marriage a Miss Moore, drew a

Evan Jones

Henry Is Latiment

ERSope

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TOWNSHIP AND CITY OF PLAINFIELD.

pension. Their six sons were Samuel, Joseph, Squire, enth-Day Baptist Memorial Fund, an endowment fund for the maintenance of Alfred University. He has been president of the board of fire commissioners of Plainfield for fifteen years, and a member of the board Fire Insurance Company of Plainfield, and treasurer since its organization, and secretary for four years. James, Henry, and John, and their daughters were Rhoda, wife of Augustus Moore, of Smalleytown, N. J., and Sarah. Of these children, only Rhoda survives in 1882. Samnel settled in Jerseyville, Ill., | for eighteen years, and also a director of Washington where he became a wealthy and influential citizen. Squire settled in Wisconsin ; the others settled in the vicinity of their birth. John, father of our subject, Mr. Pope has for many years been identified with local politics ; was collector and treasurer of Union County in 1874-75, a member of the lower branch of the State Legislature in 1875-76, when he served upon important committees, and he was appointed post- master of Plainfield Feb. 13, 1882. Mr. Pope is an active, thoroughgoing business man, and readily lends his support to all worthy local objects. born in 1807, married Sarah R., daughter of Barzilla Dunham, of New Durham, N. J., who was born in 1812, and survives in 1882. Their children are Elias R .; David S., of Plainfield ; Sarah E., deceased, was the wife of Edward Runyon, of Dunellen ; Charles S., of Dunellen; Howard A., of the firm of Pope Bros., dry-gonds merchants of Plainfield ; Simon R. and Asa D., of Dunellen ; and James C.

John Pope was a shoe manufacturer at Dunellen during his active business life, and carried on a small farm there. He took no particular part in matters of a public character, but lived a quiet and uneventful life. He was a member of the Seventh-Day Baptist Church at New Market, in Middlesex County, N. J., and for many years served the church as trustee. He died in 1874.

Elias R. Pope, son of John, born at Dunellen March 8, 1836, spent his boyhood at home, and received only the advantages of the school of his native place. At the age of fourteen he went into the busy world to care for himself. Coming to Plainfield, he engaged as a clerk in the general store of Isaac S. Dunham, who was also engaged in the manufacture of clothing. Here he remained for fourteen years, and for three years following he was a partner with Mr. Dunham in his branch store at Basking Ridge. In 1867 he be- came a member of the firm of Pope, Parse & Mundy, general merchants, at the corner of Front and Somer- set Streets, Plainfield. After six years Mr. Mundy withdrew, and for the following three years the firm was known as Pope & Parse. Howard A. and David S. Pope then became partners in the concern, Mr. Parse withdrawing, and the firm of Pope Brothers continued until 1881, when David S. Pope withdrew from the business, and the firm has since continued business under the name of Pope Brothers. In 1872, Mr. Pope turned his attention largely to real estate operations and other business outside of his mercantile operations, and from his first settling in Plainfield he has taken an interest in all that pertains to its growth and pros- perity. He was one of the founders of the Dime Savings Institution, organized in 1868, and has been treasurer since. He was one of the directors of the First National Bank for ten years, resigned in 1875, and was one of the organizers of the City National Bank, its president until 1879, and vice-president since. He has been a large stockholder of the Plainfield Gas- light Company since 1873, and one of its directors ; one of the board of trustees of the Young Ladies' College for several years, and since 1873 he has been treasurer and one of the board of trustees of the Sev-

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 78

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts Number of Pages: 1224

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts
Number of Pages: 1224