USA > New Jersey > Memorial cyclopedia of New Jersey, Volume II > Part 39
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(IX) John D. Merselis, son and fourth child of Gerrit and Ellen (De Gray) Mer- selis, was born February 11, 1809, and died February 21, 1877. He married (first), July 4, 1829, Catherine Garritse ; (second), October 3, 1839, Esther Jane Berdan, daughter of John I. and Elizabeth (Goet- schius) Berdan. Children by first marriage : Mary, died unmarried: Garrit, married Annie J. Zabriskie; John Garritse, mar- ried Gertrude Van Blarcom: Ellen Jane, married Nicholas J. Demarest : Catherine Elizabeth, married Peter A. Van Houten. Children by second marriage: Anna, mar- ried Aaron K. Garrabrant ; David Henry, married Martha Jane Titus; Edo; Edo I., of further mention.
(X) Edo I. Merselis, son of John D. and Esther Jane (Berdan) Merselis, was born in Clifton, New Jersey, September 17, 1847, and died in Paterson, New Jersey, Janu- ary 5, 1908. He was given a good educa- tion, a part of which was acquired in the grammar school in Paterson, and it was completed in a business college in New York City, from which institution he was gradu- oted. At the age of twenty-two years he secured a position with the Paterson Sav- ings Institution, of which he was one of the organizers. and was actively connected with the institution from its inception. Being eminently fitted for the work in the bank by reason of the excellent business educa- tion he had received, and his experience as a clerk in one of the other banks of the city, the fidelity of the young man won for him recognition, and he was advanced from time to time until he was considered one of the most valuable men in the banking rooms. Scores of men and women have waited pa- tiently for Mr. Merselis to be disengaged in order that they might personally obtain his advice in business matters. He won the confidence of the public many years ago, because he was a man who never practiced deception, doing the very best he could to help his fellow men in a way that would bring them the highest benefit. His death was a severe loss to the institution and to the entire city of Paterson. Mr. Merselis was also officially connected with the First National Bank of Paterson. For many years after his marriage Mr. Merselis lived in the old Merselis homestead at the corner of Water and Albion streets. He was a regular attendant at the Second Reformed Church near his home, an active worker in every department of it, holding the highest offices in the gift of the congregation. His example before the youth of the church, in the bank and among his friends, was al- ways one that might be followed with profit to all. For several years previous to his death Mr. Merselis lived on the East Side. but he continued 1. Le faithful to the "over
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the river" church. He was interested in every movement that was for the betterment of the city and its people. He was careful in expressing opinions and was a man who never swerved from what he believed to be right. His quiet and courteous manner was noticeable and his influence in the right direction on every question was marked. He advised always, as it was not in his disposi- tion to scold even when there was occasion for it. The bank treasurer was noted for his regular habits, arriving at his daily du- ties at the proper hour, and performing his tasks in a conscientious manner. Mr. Mer- selis served five years as a private in Com- pany A, First Battalion, First Brigade, National Guard of New Jersey, and was honorably discharged, August 11, 1885. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the North Jersey Country Club, and the Hamilton Club of Paterson.
The home life of Mr. Merselis was ideal. His family always knew when to expect him home, and he never disappointed his friends. He loved the associations of his own fireside, and it can be said truly that his whole time was passed between his du- ties at the bank and the home circle. In social life he had many friends, and was a man who gave his acquaintances a warm welcome to his home ; but he found his chief happiness and source of contentment in those who were most nearly connected with him-his wife and children-to whom he was a devoted and loving husband and fath- er. The illness of Mr. Merselis was of short duration, and was of a very serious nature from its very commencement. He was at his duties the day after New Year's, although suffering from a severe cold, as were the other members of his family. He lost his strength rapidly, and on the Satur- day prior to his death, his family were in- formed by the physicians that his condition was a critical one, and the end probably not far off.
Mr. Merselis married in Paterson, Sep- tember 21, 1869, Saralı V. Zeluff, born Sep-
tember 19, 1852, a daughter of John P. and Sarah Jane (Boone) Zeluff ; granddaugh- ter of Peter and Margaret (Secor) Zeluff ; and granddaughter of James and Catherine (Van Houten) Boone. The only child of this marriage is : Cilla Ardella, born in Pat- erson, August 16, 1870. She married, March 19, 1896, Leslie Van Wagoner, and has had children: Edith Merselis, born February 28, 1807: Isabelle Merselis, Jan- uary 29, 1899; Sarah Merselis, November 16, 1900.
COXE, John Redman,
Physician, Professional Instructor.
John Redman Coxe, M. D., was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1773. He was ed- ucated in the schools of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, studied for his profession in Scot- land. and in 1794 was licensed to practice medicine. He subsequently spent two years in professional studies in Europe, and after his return in 1796 began practice in Phila- delphiia. He served as physician to the hos- pitals there, and in 1809 was appointed to the chair of chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania. In 1818 he was transferred to the chair of materia medica and phar- macy, and held it until 1835, when his col- leagues made a statement to the trustees de- claring the department of materia medica and pharmacy to be of too little importance to occupy the entire time of a professor, also asserting that Professor Coxe was in- competent to discharge the duties of the position, and recommending his removal from the faculty. This demand was car- ried into effect, much to the indignation of Dr. Coxe's friends. Dr. Coxe's subsequent record abundantly refuted the charge of incompetency.
Dr. Coxe was the author of numerous works : "Inflammation" ( 1794) ; "Impor- tance and Respectability of the Science of Medicine" ( 1800) ; "Vaccination" `( 1802) : "Combustion" (1811) ; "Emporium of Arts and Sciences" 2 volumes, (1812) ; "The
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American Dispensatory (5th edition, I822) : "An Inquiry into the Claims of William Harvey to the Discovery of the Circulation of the Blood" (1834) ; "Recognition of Friends in Another World" ( 1845) ; and "The Writings of Hippocrates and Galen. epitomized from the original translations" (1846). He also translated Orfila's "Prac- tical Chemistry" (1818) ; and edited "The Philadelphia Medical Museum" from 1805 to 1811. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, March 22, 1864.
DURAND, Cyrus and Asher B.,
Pioneer Engravers.
Cyrus Durand was born in Jefferson. New Jersey, February 27, 1787, son of a watchmaker, and descended from Hugue- not ancestors. He learned the trade of his father, and added to it a knowledge of the construction of machinery, in which he found profitable employment during the en- forcement of the non-intercourse acts of the British Parliament. In 1814 he located in Newark, New Jersey, and engaged in business as a silversmith. He volunteered as a drummer in the United States army. and served three months during the war of 1812-14. Returning home, in 1815, he con- structed machines for carding and weaving hair, to be used in manufacturing carpets. He then directed his attention to banknote engraving, and he made machines for lathe work and straight line engraving. This was apparently the beginning of geometrical lathe work, afterward universally used in banknote engraving. He also built machines for engine turning and transfer presses. He was chief of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington, D. C., for many years, and died in Irvington, New Jersey, September 18, 1868.
He married Mrs. Phoebe Woodruff, who lived to be one hundred years old. and they had six children. Of these, Jane Wade be-
came the wife of the Rev. John L. Chap- man ; Elias Wade became a noted landscape painter ; and Rev. Cyrus B. Durand was rector of St. James' Church, Newark, New Jersey.
Asher Brown Durand, a younger broth- er of Cyrus Durand, was born in Jefferson, New Jersey, August 21st, 1796. He learn- ed the art of engraving in the shop of his father, and in 1812 was apprenticed to Peter Maverick, engraver, with whom he became a partner in 1817. His engraving of "Trum- bull's Declaration of Independence," his first large work, which cost him three years of labor, at once brought him into favorable notice. The National Portrait Gallery con- tains many of his heads; and his "Musi- (ora" and "Ariadne" are excellent speci- mens of art. After ten years' practice as a painter, he relinquished engraving in 1835. and devoted himself chiefly to landscape painting. His pictures are pleasing in color and tone, and evince a high degree of poet- ic feeling and appreciation. The principal of his figure-pieces are, "An Old Man's Reminiscences," "The Wrath of Peter Stuyvesant," "God's Judgment on Gog," "The Dance on the Battery," and "The Cap- ture of André." Among the more notable of his landscapes are, "The Morning and Evening of Life," a pair, "Lake Scene- Sunset," "The Rainbow"; wood scene, "Primeval Forest," "In the Woods," "The Symbol," from Goldsmith's "Deserted Vil- lage." "Franconia Mountains," and "Rem- iniscences of Catskill Cloves." In 1854 he painted a portrait of the poet, William Cul- len Bryant. He was among the founders of the National Academy of Design, of which he was president, 1845-61. He died in South Orange, New Jersey, September 17, 1886. His son, John Durand, became a prominent art critic, and for several years conducted "The Crayon," a monthly publication spec- ially devoted to the fine arts.
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WOOD, George Bacon,
Physician, Author.
George Bacon Wood was born in Green- wich, Cumberland county, New Jersey, March 13th, 1797. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1815 with the degree of A. B., and in 1818 with that of M. D. He was Professor of Chemistry in the Phila- delphia College of Pharmacy from 1822 to 1831, Professor of Materia Medica from 1835 to 1850, and Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine from 1850 to 1860; he was also a physician in the Penn- esylvania Hospital from 1835 to 1859.
He was the author of numerous and val- uable works, chiefly relating to his profes- sion, and which rank among the classics of the medical sciences. His first important work, "The Dispensatory of the United States." written in conjunction with Frank- lin Bache, M. D .. (great-grandson of Ben- jamin Franklin), the original edition being published in Philadelphia in 1833 (8vo .. 1073 pages), at once stamped him as one whose research and professional knowledge were of the highest order. It was thor- oughly exhaustive in its description of the many medicinal agents peculiar to American practice, indicating minutely their various properties and effects. During the lifetime of Dr. Wood it went through thirteen edi- tions, about 150,000 copies having been sold. Before 1830 there had not been any United States pharmacopoeia or standard list of medicines and their preparation whose au- thority was generally recognized. In the year mentioned, two such lists were offered to the public, one prepared in New York, the other chiefly the work of Dr. Wood. In a severe review. Dr. Wood completely dem- olished the first of these, and by writing the "United States Dispensatory" caused the authority of the other to be universally ac- knowledged. In 1847 he published a "Treatise on the Practice of Medicine" (two volumes), which ran through six edi-
tions, the last being in 1867. He also pub- lished in 1856 a "Treatise on Therapeutics and Pharmacology," which had three edi- tions, (two volumes, 8vo., 1848 pages), and a volume containing twelve lectures, six ad- dresses and two biographical memoirs, in 1859. It consisted of lectures and address- es on medical subjects, delivered chiefly be- fore the medical classes of the University of Pennsylvania. He also wrote "The His- tory of the Pennsylvania Hospital :" "His- tory of the University of Pennsylvania"; "Biographical Memoir of Franklin Bache," etc. In the first and last of these pamphlets will be found an account of Wood and Bache's "Dispensatory and United States Pharmacopoeia," of which he, in connection with Dr. Bache and others, was editor of the editions of 1831, 1840. 1850 and 1860. In 1872 these memoirs, with the addition of the "History of Christianity in India." "The British Indian Empire," "Girard College." and other papers, were collected into a vol- ume entitled "Memoirs, Essays and Ad- dresses." In 1865 he endowed an auxiliary faculty in the University of Pennsylvania. consisting of five chairs: one of zoology and comparative anatomy ; one of botany ; one of geology and mineralogy : one of hy- giene ; and one of medical jurisprudence, all of the subjects to be especially considered in their relation to medicine. Dr. Wood was president of the American Philosoph- ical Society in 1859: and for many years president of the College of Physicians in Philadelphia. He died in that city, March 20, 1879.
RUST, George P.,
Lawyer, Public Official.
Although not a native of Passaic or of the State of New Jersey, George P. Rust was so intimately connected with the pro- fessional interest of that city, in which he resided from boyhood, that few knew it was his adopted city. Of Holland and Ger- man parentage, one of a large family of
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children, his start in life was humble, but by his own talent and energy he rose to a leading position among men of mark. He was a hard worker, and from the time he graduated from high school, at the age of fifteen, his life was one of intense appli- cation, but rewarded by abundant success as a lawyer, business man and citizen.
George P. Rust, son of Andrew and Hen- rietta (Gerber) Rust, was born in Brook- lyn, New York, March 9, 1861, and died in Passaic, New Jersey, April 21, 1913. He attended the Brooklyn public schools until he was twelve years of age, then accompan- ied his parents to Passaic, which was ever afterward his home. He there entered the high school, completing the course and grad- uating with the class of '76, ranking high in scholarship. He was determined to be- come a lawyer, and from graduation until he was twenty-one, he was office boy, clerk and law student in the offices of the late Henry K. Coddington. an eminent lawyer of Passaic. He was fully qualified for ad- mission to the bar, and in 1882, on attain- ing legal age, he was admitted an attorney at the first term of the court held after at- taining his majority. He at once began practice in Passaic, was admitted a coun- sellor at the June term, 1885.
On February 25th, 1901, on the motion. of the Honorable John W. Griggs, then At- torney-General of the United States, he was admitted to practice as an attorney and counsellor-at-law of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was hard working and painstaking, preparing his cases with the greatest care, and as he grew in experi- ence he became the peer of the strongest men of the Passaic bar. He was associated as counsel with many important cases, and at the age of twenty-six was appointed city counsel for the City of Passaic, serving from 1887 until 1894. In this capacity he was associated with John W. Griggs, later Governor of New Jersey and Attorney-Gen- eral of the United States, in the important
suit "The Newark Aqueduct Board vs. The City of Passaic," a celebrated case, to be found in New Jersey Law Reports, and which was a suit to prevent Passaic from sewering into the Passaic river. Another noted case in which he was counsel was, "In the matter of the application to con- firm an assessment for the construction of a sewer in the City of Passaic." He drafted the "King Law," under which a permanent board of assessors was created, a law that, although fiercely attacked and criticized, was declared by the courts to be constitu- tional. So well was that law drafted that it stood for nine years without amendment.
After retiring from the office of city coun- sel, Mr. Rust resumed private practice, and when his earthly career closed, the finest eulogies pronounced were those of his legal brethren. He was a man of strong char- acter, high principles, was generous, just and upright, numbered his friends among all classes and was held in the highest es- teem. Mr. Rust was also actively connect- ed with Passaic's business interests and en- terprises. He was one of the organizers of the People's Bank and Trust Company, the Hobart Trust Company, and of the Guarantee Mortgage and Title Insurance Company, serving the latter as its first vice- president and general counsel. He was for twenty years proprietor of the "Passaic Daily News." He was elected a member of the board of education in 1886, and was ever a friend of the public school system. He was appointed on the first shade tree commission in Passaic, and took a lively interest for many years in the development of the beautiful trees for which the city is noted. In politics he was a Republican. He was of genial nature, and enjoyed the soci- ety of his friends and fellow members of the State Bar Association, the Acquacka- nonk Club, the Passaic Club, the Yountakah Country Club of Passaic, and the Republi- can Club of New York City.
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FREEMAN, Alexander Hamilton,
Progressive Citizen, Public Official.
The name Freeman carries back in New Jersey to the signing of the "Fundamen- tal Agreement," October 30, 1666, Stephen Freeman having been one of the Milford signers. He was of English parentage, and one of the original settlers of Milford, Con - necticut, in 1646. Newark (New Jersey) records show that "Widow Hannah Free- man (survey of land 1667) hath for her division of upland lying near the Mountain, containing forty acres." Whether after the death of her husband about 1680, she mov- ed to the "Mountain" is not known, but her son Samuel inherited it from her, and his son Samuel (2) Freeman and his sons Deacon Samuel (3), Timothy. Abel and Thomas, it is said owned all the land lying between South Orange avenue on the south and the old cable road on the north.
Deacon Samuel (3) Freeman was born at the "Mountain" homestead of his fath- er, in 1716, died in Orange, October 21, 1782. He was elected deacon of the First Presbyterian Church of Orange in 1748, and held that office continuously until his death, thirty-four years. The contract for building the church edifice for the First Presbyterian Church of Orange was made by Samuel Freeman with Moses Baldwin.
Joseph Freeman, youngest son of Deacon Samuel, and of the fifth American gener- ation, was.a soldier of the Revolution. serv- ing with the Essex county militia. After the war ended, he moved to the Hudson Valley of New York, in Saratoga county. It is said one of his sons was chosen the first mayor of Schenectady. Another of his sons, Uzal W. Freeman, was a survey- or, laid out some of the streets in upper New York City, and is said to have made the first city maps of Paterson. New Jer- sey. He married Sarah Ann Angevine, of Huguenot descent, who settled in New Ro- chelle, New York. She was a daughter of
Gilbert Angevine, a soldier of the Revolu- tion.
From this hardy, honorable stock came Alexander Hamilton Freeman, born in New York City, December 30, 1810, died in Orange, New Jersey, December 16, 1883. At the age of seven years his father moved to Montville, Morris county, New Jersey. and four years later to Paterson, New Jer- sey. After attending school until sixteen years of age, he began learning the tin- smith's trade in Paterson, completing his years of apprenticeship, and becoming a high class workman. In 1836 he establish- ed a shop in Orange, on Main street, near Harrison, remained one year, and then re- turned to Paterson. In 1844 he again lo- cated in Orange, building a shop and res- idence on Main street, near Hillyer. As he prospered, he enlarged his business, pur- chased additional business property, erect- ed store buildings, and although twice a victim of costly fires, he rebuilt, prospered. and left behind him a name honored in bus- iness circles. His character was a strong uncompromising one, right was right, wrong was wrong, and there was no middle ground. He supported with all his energy every movement for the betterment of his city. and no man was held in higher esteem. Uprightness and energy were his dominant traits, and although for many years in offi- cial public life, no man ever questioned his integrity. For thirty years, Mr. Freeman held the office of justice of the peace : for ten years he was a member of the Orange board of education, and for four years he was a member of the city common council. His work for the public schools was con- tinuous and valuable. He was president of the board of education at the time of his death, and has left to posterity an elaborate history of the public schools of Orange.
In politics he was a Republican, but before the founding of that party was an Abol- itionist ; strongly championing the cause of the slave, and often offending those less ad-
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vanced in thought than himself. He was a delegate to the Buffalo Convention of 1842 that nominated an Abolition ticket headed by James G. Birney for president, but when the Republican party made slavery an issue, he promptly allied himself with that party. He was an equally earnest worker for the cause of temperance, was a leading member of the Temple of Honor, (then a prominent temperance society), held all offices in the State society, and for one year was head of the national order. In religious faith he was a Presbyterian, belonging to the First Church of Orange, serving for several years as elder. He excelled in "good works" and left to his children a name be- yond reproach.
Mr. Freeman married Lucinda, daughter of Judge Benjamin Crane, for twenty-five years judge of Morris county courts. She was a lineal descendant of Jasper Crane, the founder of the Crane family in Essex county, whose son. "Deacon" Azariah, mar- ried a daughter of Governor Treat. Mrs. Freeman died August 5, 1889, and was laid to rest with her husband in "beautiful" Rosedale Cemetery. Children : 1. J. Addi- son, M. D., a surgeon of the Union army, serving with the Thirteenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, and the United States Volunteer Corps appointed by President Lincoln, in charge of the United States Gen- eral Hospital, at Nashville, where he died of pneumonia, December 29, 1864. His body was brought to Orange, and buried in the family plot in Rosedale. He was aged thirty-one years, a graduate of Princeton, class of '52, and graduate of College of Physicians and Surgeons, M. D., class of '56, 2. Ginevra, now a resident of Orange, New Jersey. 3. Wilberforce, (q. v.).
FREEMAN, Wilberforce,
Lawyer, Leader in Community Affairs.
Wilberforce Freeman, younger son of Alexander Hamilton and Lucinda ( Crane) Freeman, was born in Paterson, New Jer- years later. At a special meeting of the di-
sey, August 8, 1842, and died in Orange, June 19, 1907. He prepared in private schools, then entered Princeton College, and there was graduated at the head of the class of '64. Deciding upon the professon of law, he entered the Law School of Columbia University, and was graduated LL. B., class of '68. In 1871 he was admitted counsel- lor at law, and until his death was engaged in the practice of his profession in Orange, an honored member of the Essex county bar. He was junior member of the firm of Blake & Freeman, and conducted the larg- est practice enjoyed by any firm in the county outside of the city of Newark. He practiced in all State and Federal courts of the district, was a member of the county and State bar associations, and held in high esteem by his brethren of the profession.
His public service was long and valuable. He was elected a member of the common council in 1868; succeeded his father as a member of the board of education in 1883, and served twelve years, most of that time chairman of the teachers committee ; served fourteen years as a member of the board of excise commissioners, was one of the three men composing the first board, and served until two months prior to his death, when he resigned, having been four times reappoint- ed. In 1869 with his partner, John L. Blake (afterward Congressman), he draft- ed the revised charter for Orange, they also drafting several ordinances necessary under the new charter. Among these was one de- vised by Mr. Freeman, under which it was possible for saloon keepers to be punislied for "receiving and entertaining" people on Sunday. He was one of the active men of the Republican party, a hard worker, sound in judgment, and honest in every purpose.
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