USA > New Jersey > Warren County > History of Warren County, New Jersey > Part 33
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(II) John (2), son of John (1) and Elizabeth Reading, was born in England about 1685, died in Amwell, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, November 7, 1767. He is buried in the yard of the Presbyterian church of Amwell, and about thirty years ago, two of his descendants, John G. Reading, of Philadelphia, and Franklin Read- ing, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, erected over his grave a handsome monument of Quincy granite. John Reading, Jr., or as he is more generally known, Governor John Reading, has very often been confused with his father, the most important error occur- ring in the Rev. George Mott's valuable "History of the Flemington Church," in which he states that the commissioner to run the state line between New York and New Jersey was John Reading Sr. The error in this statement is shown in a letter of James Logan to Colonel Daniel Coxe, in which he says, "The commissioners for running the line June 27th, 1719, are Joseph Kirkbride and John Reading Jr.," adding in parentheses, "Ye old man is deceased." Governor John Reading made many large purchases of land himself, and inheriting most of his father's Amwell property, he became one of the largest landed proprietors in that region. Like his father hie was a surveyor, a distinguished and profitable profession in the early days of the colonies, and was a man not only of great influence, largely concerned in the active manage- ment of public affairs, but also a man whose piety prompted to deeds of judicious beneficence. At the close of the year 1713, after the death of his father, and to supply his place he was appointed a member of the governor's council, an office which he held until his own death. In 1746, being the senior councillor, he succeeded in the management of government affairs, President Hamilton, the successor of Lewis Morris, first governor of New Jersey, after the separation of that province from New York. Again, by the death of Governor Jonathan Belcher, Mr. Reading, as president of the council was a second time called upon to act as governor. He was one of the earliest trustees of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, and his name is first on the list.
He married, in 1720, Mary, daughter of Joris (i. e. George) and Ann (Schoute) Ryerson, of Pequannock, Passaic county, New Jersey, who died April 17, 1774, aged seventy-eight years. Children : John, born in 1722, died in 1766, married Isabella Montgomery; George, 1725, died in 1792, married and was father of Major Samuel Reading of the revolution; Daniel, 1727, died in 1768, married Ephraim Reid, and was the ancestor of Brigadier-General William Reading, of the Mexican and civil wars; Joseph, referred to below; Richard, 1732, died about 1781, with his wife, Catharine, removed to Long Island; Thomas, 1734, died in 1814, married Rebecca Ellis, was a captain during the revolution and took part in the operations before Quebec in 1776; Ann, married the Rev. Charles Beatty; Mary, married the Rev. William Mills, of Jamaica, Long Island; Elizabeth, married John Hackett, of Hackettstown, New Jer- sey; Samuel, born 1741, died in 1749.
(III) Joseph, son of Governor John (2) and Mary (Ryerson) Reading, was born in Amwell, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, in 1728, died before 1806, when his will was proven. He was commissioned captain of a company of colonial militia by Gov- ernor Belcher, and in 1776 was appointed judge of the court of common pleas. He married Amy Pierson. Children: William, referred to below; John, married Mary
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Harrison, of Princeton, was a first lieutenant at the battle of Quebec; Joseph married Lucy Emley and was father of Anna Reading, who married Elisha Reading, referred to below; Samuel, married (first) Ellen Anderson and (second) Susan Rittenhouse; Pierson, married Mary Gaw; Amy, married Cornelius Harrison; Sarah, married Finchen Helens; Elizabeth, married Samuel Boyle; Nancy, died unmarried; Theo- docia, died unmarried; Rebecca, married John Anderson; Mary, died unmarried.
(IV) William, son of Joseph and Amy (Pierson) Reading, was born and died in Hunterdon county, New Jersey. He married Nancy Emley. Children: Elisha, referred to below; Joseph, married Nancy Doyl; Asher, married Margaret Wolverton; William, married Elizabeth Sergeant; George.
(V) Elisha, son of William and Nancy (Emley) Reading, was born in Fleming- ton, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, died in Rosemont, in the same county, aged be- tween seventy and eighty years. He was a farmer in Hunterdon county all his life and a Whig in politics. He married his first cousin, Anna, daughter of Joseph and Lncy (Emley) Reading, referred to above, who died in Rosemont, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, aged about seventy-five years. She was a Methodist in religion. Chil- dren : William; Anastasia; Joseph; Lucy E., married Thomas Comly; George Jack- son, referred to below.
(VI) George Jackson, son of Elisha and Anna (Reading) Reading, was born in Rosemont, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, September 19, 1815, was killed in an accident on a railroad he was helping to build at Raven Rock, New Jersey, November 15, 1881. After being educated in the public schools, he took to railroading, working at first for the Belvidere and Delaware railroad and later for the Pennsylvania rail- road. He at first assisted in surveying and railroad construction and afterward be- came foreman of the Belvidere division of the Pennsylvania railroad system. He was a Republican in politics. He married Elizabeth Case, daughter of Benjamin and Susan Swallow, of Hunterdon county, New Jersey, who was born in Rosemont and died in Stockton, New Jersey, aged ninety-one years. She was of German descent and she and her husband attended the Baptist church of which Mr. Reading was for many years a deacon. Her father was a farmer of Hunterdon county, and died at Rosemont, aged seventy-eight years. Children of Benjamin and Susan Swallow: Charles R .; John W .; William R .; Elizabeth Case, referred to above; Mary A .; Mar- tha R., now living; Tacy M .; Bartolette. Children of George Jackson and Elizabeth Case (Swallow) Reading: Emily G., deceased; Thomas C., deceased; Richard B., deceased; Bartolette B., living at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania; George Henry, re- ferred to below; Horace M., living at Stockton, New Jersey.
(VII) George Henry, son of George Jackson and Elizabeth Case (Swallow) Reading, was born at Raven Rock, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, July 20, 1852, and is now living at Phillipsburg, Warren county, New Jersey. He spent his early life at Raven Rock and received his early education in the district schools after which he took to railroading. He began his career June 1, 1869, as water boy to one of the section gangs and rose to the position of track foreman, afterward he became a brake- man in the passenger service, and August 1, 1896, he was promoted to passenger con- ductor on the Belvidere & Delaware railroad, a position he has held ever since. He is a Republican in politics and a Presbyterian in religion. He is also a member and past master of Orpheus Lodge, No. 137, Free and Accepted Masons, of Stockton, New Jersey. He married, April 28, 1878, Mary Ellen, daughter of Cornelius Keys, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, September 27, 1854. She was the only child of her father who was a boiler-maker, and died at the age of sixty-eight years. Children of George Henry and Mary Ellen (Keys) Reading: I. Thomas C., born January 22, 1879; living at Darien, Connecticut, and a train dispatcher on the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad; married Adelaide Waterbury; they have one child, Doro-
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thy Waterbury, born April 29, 1911. 2. Elizabeth May, born June 29, 1881, unmarried. 3. Herbert Jackson, born August 24, 1883, chief clerk to the yardmaster of the Penn- sylvania railroad at Phillipsburg, New Jersey, and sergeant of Company I, Thirteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard. 4. Bartolette S., of whom further. 5. Helen G., born June 1, 1893.
(VIII) Bartolette S., son of George Henry and Mary Ellen (Keyes) Reading, was born June 29, 1886. He was one of the organizers of the Easton Knitting Mills Company, of which he is treasurer, the other members of the company being: A. J. Bowers, president; F. B. McAlee, vice-president, and O. Paul Kaffke, secretary. The company was capitalized at $10,000 and later increased to $20,000. A charter was granted by the governor, April 15, 1910, and a tract of ground was purchased on Packer street, South Easton, where a three-story brick factory building was erected and equipped with modern machinery. The mill has been in operation a little over a year and has a capacity of about six hundred dozen stockings a day; they manu- facture ladies' silk hosiery and the output is handled by a New York concern, ship- ments being made to all parts of the country. The plant is equipped with electric power, and gives employment to about twenty odd hands. In addition to this enter- prise, Mr. Reading is serving in the capacity of paying teller of the Northampton National Bank of Easton, Pennsylvania.
SEIFERT
John Seifert, the first member of this family of whom we have definite
information, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he died about 1863. He was the descendant of a family of German origin, which had been settled in that county since 1748. His wife's name is unknown. His children were: Susan, married William Shimer; Lucy, married Peter Vogel, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; a daughter, who married Frank Jacoby; Fietta, married William Mills; William, of South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Samuel, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey; David F., referred to below; Charles F., of South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the last named being the historian of the family.
(II) David F., son of John Seifert, of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was born on the old homestead, on which he also lived until his death, September 29, 1907. He was a farmer and a member of the Lutheran church. He was a Democrat in politics, and served as supervisor of his township. He was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and held many different offices in his lodge. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Heffler, of Springfield, Pennsylvania, who died June I, 1884. Children : Silla, married Joseph Fredericks; Adaline, married Frank H. Wieder; Harvey A., referred to below; John, died aged six years; Amanda, died in infancy; George, living in Palmer township, Northampton county, Pennsylvania; Edwin, living in Palmer township, Northampton county; and Morris, living in Durham township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania.
(III) Harvey A., son of David F. and Elizabeth (Heffler) Seifert, was born at Springtown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1859, and is now living at Alpha, Warren county, New Jersey. He received his education in the public schools, and spent his boyhood days at Springtown. He was then apprenticed to a harness maker, and after serving his time followed the trade as a journeyman for nine years. For the next two years he found employment as a clerk in a store, and then taking up the carpenter's trade he pursued for fifteen years a successful and profitable occupation, working principally in Bucks and Northampton counties, Pennsylvania, and Warren county, New Jersey, and rising to the position of a general contractor. In 1898 he came to Alpha, at a time when most of the buildings were little more than hastily constructed shacks, and since then he has built here over one hundred dwellings, the school building, and a number of business blocks, besides different office and store
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buildings. Besides his own residence, he owns ten dwellings, which he rents, and he has also other real estate interests in the town. He has always taken an interest in everything tending to improve the place, and was the prime mover in securing the erection here of the Alpha Silk Company's plant, which has just (1910) been finished, and which will give employment to over one hundred hands. July 30, 1901, he moved his family to Alpha, and made the place his permanent residence. Mr. Seifert is a Democrat in politics, and served for one year as auditor of Durham township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Later he was elected justice of the peace for Pohatcong township, and has now been serving for more than seven years. He was a delegate to the Democratic congressional convention, held at Doylestown, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, which nominated Congressman R. K. Bachman, and also to the convention which nominated Congressman James Martin and Mr. Katsenbach, September 20, 1910, and was a delegate to the convention held at Elizabeth, New Jersey, which nomi- nated William E. Tuttle. The town of Alpha was incorporated May 31, 1911, and Mr. Seifert was elected its first mayor, June 22, following. He is a member of Prosperity Lodge, No. 567, Free and Accepted Masons, of Riegelsville, Pennsylvania; of Eagle Chapter, No. 3, Royal Arch Masons, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, and of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, of Phillipsburg. He is a member of the Lutheran church, in Durham, Pennsylvania.
He married, in Durham, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, October 12, 1878, Mary E., daughter of James and Mary (Mccullough) Smith, of Catasauqua, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, who was born there, March 25, 1856. Her father served in the civil war, and is now living at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. Her mother is dead, and her brothers are John, James and Henry Smith. Children of Harvey A. and Mary E. (Smith ) Seifert: Franklin Leo, born June 28, 1880, died aged eight months; Carry M., born June 7, 1884; Mary E., born July 20, 1890, died aged six years seven months; Stewart A., born October 9, 1894, now working in his father's office, in Alpha; and Charles A., born October 26, 1899.
Joseph B. Hawk, the first member of this family of whom we have definite
HAWK information, was born in Pohatcong township, Warren county, on the old homestead owned by his father, and lived in the county all his life. His father had once served as sheriff of the county. Joseph B. Hawk had two brothers, Philip and Godfrey; both were ministers of the Christian church. He had only one son, Jacob S., referred to below.
(II) Jacob S., son of Joseph B. Hawk, was born in Pohatcong township, about 1826, and died there, March 11, 1910. He was a lifelong resident of that place. In early life he was fireman in a grain distillery. He became in two years foreman of the plant and remained there thirteen years. He then bought back the homestead farm, which had been sold, and lived there the rest of his life. Mr. Hawk was greatly interested in religious, political and military affairs, and read extensively. He was an earnest member of the Christian church. By commission of Governor Olden, he organized a military company and was made its captain. As a staunch Democrat he served on the board of freeholders and on the school board, and was once township committeeman. He was many times sent as a delegate to county, state and national conventions of his party. He married (first) Elizabeth, daughter of Herbert Smith, who died at the age of about forty, and was the mother of all his children, and (second) late in life, Sophia Winters. Children : Matilda, married Samuel D. Carpenter; Joseph H., referred to below ; Diana Z., now deceased, married Jacob L. Hawk; Mary F., now deceased, mar- ried William Sherrer; Isaac Newton, now deceased; William S., now deceased; Sarah B., now deceased, married George E. Deleree; Mattie, now deceased, married James Holden; Minnie, married Samuel S. Warman; Elizabeth, married Herbert S. Painter; Flavius J., now deceased.
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(III) Joseph H., son of Jacob S. and Elizabeth (Smith) Hawk, was born in Springtown, Warren county, New Jersey, October 12, 1848. After attending the public schools of his native village, he took a course at Eastman's National Business College, at Easton, Pennsylvania, and completed his education at Poughkeepsie, New York. He was apprenticed to the carpenter trade with Henry Cooper, of Stewartsville, and, serving his time for three years, followed the trade for two years more. In 1878, he accepted a position at Springtown as assistant to the agent of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. In about three and one-half years he severed his connection with this company to take the position of station agent at Kennedy, New Jersey, for the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which position he held for the long period of twenty years. The station of Alpha was then established, and he was transferred to the same position at this new station. He has resided at Alpha since that time, a period of eight years. As soon as he became a resident of this place he purchased two dwellings, then being erected by the John H. Hagerty Lumber Company, and which he completed. He has also acquired other interests in the town. Mr. Hawk is a public-spirited citizen, ever ready to assist any movement that will help the town, and was one of the contributors to the church fund. He is a Democrat in politics, and has been very active in county, state and national affairs. He is a great admirer of William Jennings Bryan, and has been a strong supporter both of the late Senator Joseph B. Cornish, and of the present Senator Johnston Cornish. As many as fourteen times he has been a delegate to the Democratic gubernatorial and congressional conventions. His last service of this kind was at the convention in Elizabeth, September 20, 1910, which nominated William E. Tuttle for congress. He is a member of Bethlehem Lodge, No. 130, Free and Accepted Masons, of Bloomsbury, New Jersey. Formerly a member of the Christian church when he came to Alpha, where there is none of that denomination, Mr. Hawk united with St. James' Lutheran Church, his wife's congregation.
Joseph H. Hawk married, in December, 1876, Emma R., daughter of Robert and Mary C. (Cox) Stamets, for whose ancestry see Peter M. Winter in index. Children : Laura M., married Eugene Weller, of Alpha; Beatrice A.
Abraham Boyer, the first member of this family of whom we have definite BOYER information, is a native of Riegelsville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he is at present residing. He is a well-to-do farmer, and the proprietor of the Glendon Furnaces, at Glendon, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, which he operated himself for many years, although he has now retired from active life. He is a member of the Dutch Reformed church, and a Democrat in politics. He married (first) Elizabeth Apple, and (second) Catharine Long. Child, by first marriage, Jacob Oscar, referred to below. By second marriage : Nevin, now deceased; Esther, married P. H. Seipler; Edith Long, living with her father, unmarried.
(II) Jacob Oscar, son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Apple) Boyer, was born in Riegelsville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, about 1858, and died there, July 4, 1900. He received his early education in the public schools of Riegelsville, and then graduated from Myerstown College. After this he engaged in farming, being the possessor of two farms, one of thirty and the other of one hundred and forty acres of land. He was a member of the Dutch Reformed church, of Riegelsville, and a Democrat in politics, in which he took a great and active interest. He was township assessor for sixteen years, justice of the peace for more than twenty years, and was also com- missioner of deeds and a notary public. He was a member of the Junior United Order of American Mechanics, of Finesville, New Jersey, and of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. He married Ida Henrietta, daughter of Adam and Lucinda (Miller) Stever, of Hunterdon county, New Jersey. Children: I. Eliza- beth May, born March 4, 1883; married Walter Randolph Perigo; children: Clyde B. and Cora Belle Perigo. She inherited from her father the thirty-acre farm at Spring-
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ton, Warren county, New Jersey, and the family are now living there. 2. Harry Edgar, referred to below.
(III) Harry Edgar, son of Jacob Oscar and Ida Henrietta (Stever) Boyer, was born at Hughesville, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, February 26, 1885, and is now living at Phillipsburg, New Jersey. He received his early education in the public schools of Finesville and Carpentersville, Warren county, New Jersey, and graduated from the Easton Business College in 1900. He then worked for about eighteen months at the trade of machinist with the Ingersoll Rand Drill Company, and then, his father's health beginning to fail, he was obliged to return home and take charge of the farm. When his father died he inherited this, the hundred and forty-acre farm, mentioned above, and for four years longer he continued to manage it. In the spring of 1910 he removed to Greensbridge, a suburb of Phillipsburg, and leasing his farm established his present milk business. He has built himself a dwelling house which is second to none in the place, and besides owning several real estate properties there and in Alpha, he is a stockholder in the Easton National Bank. He is a Democrat in politics, and since 1906 has served as assessor of his township. He is a member of Bethlehem Lodge, No. 124, Free and Accepted Masons, of Bloomsbury, New Jersey, and of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. In religion he was a member of the Dutch Reformed church, of Riegelsville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and is now a member of the Phillipsburg Presbyterian church.
He married, March 11, 1908, Luella Mae, daughter of Franklin Pierce and Eliza- beth (Worman) Myers, of Bloomsbury, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, who was born there, April 20, 1885. She was educated in the public schools of Bloomsbury, Good Springs and Stewartsville, and then up to the time of her marriage taught school at Brotzmansville, Pahaquarry township; at the Hicks school, Franklin township, and at the Asbury school, all in Warren county. Her father, who was born at Good Springs, Warren county, New Jersey, is a farmer living about two miles from Stewartsville, on a well-stocked farm of ninety acres of land. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as committeeman and was trustee of schools for Franklin township. He is a Presbyterian in religion, and a member of Bethlehem Lodge, No. 124, Free and Accepted Masons, of Bloomsbury, New Jersey.
He married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Beers) Worman. Chil- dren: Charles S. (Myers) ; Martha Agnes (Myers); Luella Mae (Myers), referred to above; J. Edward (Myers); Bessie Kathryn (Myers) ; Frank Albert (Myers).
INSLEY Godfrey Insley, the first member of this family of whom we have definite information, was born in New Jersey, and died March 5, 1864. He was descendant of Christopher Insley, a lieutenant in the British army in the revolutionary war, under the Board of Associated Loyalists, of New York. He was very wealthy in land, owning a large tract in Warren county, New Jersey, but nearly all of it was lost to the family after the war. His wife, Rachel, was a distinguished woman of. Warren county, and on an occasion of visiting her husband during the war was escorted through the British ranks with great honors. Lieutenant Insley was killed March 24, 1781, in an attack on the Whig post at Toms River, New Jersey. One of their children, Rachel Insley, was the mother of the late John I. Blair. Godfrey Insley was a farmer. In his early days he resided in Franklin township, but afterward in Stewartsville, and still later in Lopatcong township. He was a Lutheran in religion, and a highly respected citizen. He married Barbara Fine, who died March 26, 1855. Children : Philip Fine, born April 7, 1800, died May 1, 1878, married (first) Elizabeth Barber, and (second) Henrietta Horner ; Mary; Catharine; Christopher; John ; Jacob; Godfrey; Margaret; George, referred to below.
(II) George, son of Godfrey and Barbara (Fine) Insley, was born in Lopatcong township, Warren county, New Jersey, in October, 1814, and died January 7, 1888. He
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is buried in St. James' Lutheran cemetery. He was educated in the public schools of New Village. His whole life was that of a farmer, and was passed as a resident of Warren county. From his father he inherited a farm of sixty-five acres. At one time he was captain of the "Light Horse Cavalry," a company of well-drilled men and equipped with beautiful uniforms. Captain Insley was versed in military matters. His judgment was much valued by his friends and his education had been enlarged by wide reading. He was a member of St. James' Lutheran Church, actively interested, and was a man of the best habits. He married, October 14, 1841, Maria, daughter of James and Esther (Glendiner ) Horner, who was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, January 17, 1818, and died July 31, 1906. Her family was of Scotch-Irish extraction, residing on a farm near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. There were two daughters beside Mrs. Insley. Mrs. Insley was an earnest Christian woman, active in the work of St. James' Lutheran Church, in whose graveyard she is buried. Children of George and Maria (Horner) Insley: James Vliet; Albert Glendiner; Mary Elizabeth, all referred to below.
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