Scannell's New Jersey first citizens : biographies and portraits of the notable living men and women of New Jersey with informing glimpses into the state's history and affairs, 1919-1920, Vol II, Part 60

Author: Sackett, William Edgar, 1848- ed; Scannell, John James, 1884- ed
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Patterson, N.J. : J.J. Scannell
Number of Pages: 1454


USA > New Jersey > Scannell's New Jersey first citizens : biographies and portraits of the notable living men and women of New Jersey with informing glimpses into the state's history and affairs, 1919-1920, Vol II > Part 60


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President Wilson went to Paris the second time. Realizing that it was not the present which must be considered primarily, but the future, he was far less concerned about the peace terms to be imposed upon Germany, than to have the constitution for the Nations' League drafted, so as to make war a thing of the past, and settling all future diplomatic differences by International Arbitration Commission.


President Wilson is the author of the following works: "Congressional Government" (Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston) ; "The State" (D. C. Heath & Co., Boston) ; "State and Federal Governments of the United States" (D. C. Heath & Co., Boston ) : "Division and Reunion" (Longmans, Green & Co., London & New York) ; "An Old Master" (Scribner's, New York) ; "Mere Literature" (Houghton, Mifflin & Co.) ; "George Washington" ( Har- per & Brothers, New York) ; "A Short History of the American People" (Harper & Brothers, New York) ; "Constitutional Government in the United States" (Columbia University Press, New York) ; "New Freedom"


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(Doubleday Page & Co., Garden City, L. I.) ; "When a Man Comes to Him- self" (Harper & Son).


CAROLINE B. WITTPENN (Mrs. Henry 0.)-Jersey City, (125 Kensington Avenue) .- Civic Worker. Born in Hoboken, daughter of Edwin A. and Martha Bayard (Dod) Stevens ; married to Archi- bald Alexander; 2nd, in 1915 to Henry Otto Whittpenn, of Jersey City.


Mrs. Caroline Wittpenn's activities have been a large part of the state's civic history for many years. She has been particularly interested in the saving of the youth of the state for the honorable and self supporting activities of life. She regards it as one of the highest economic functions of the community that it make the life of every man, woman and child in it of as much value as possible in the work that counts for community better- ment. It was largely through her agitation of the conditions which she found to exist in the almshouse at Snake Hill, where a large colony of little children numbering several hundred were being degraded and unfitted for decent endeavor by herding in the same building with an army of adult vagrants, that the State Board of Children's Guardians came into existence. Before the Children's Guardians Board could be established however, the almshouse has been emptied of its little dependents and homes of proper atmosphere provided for them. The reform has since been accomplished at the Almshouses in all the other counties.


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With the same purpose-of saving lives that might by proper groom- ing, be made useful to the community-Mrs. Wittpenn was also deeply in- terested in the movement for the establishment at Rahway of the State Re- formatory for the confinement and up-life treatment of "first offenders." With her brother, Richard Stevens. of Hoboken, who is also unselfishly active in philanthropic community work, she was largely instrumental in securing the legislation that brought about the Probation Officer, and that led later to the establishment of the Courts for the Trial of Juvenile De- linquents. In all of these movements Mrs. Wittpenn was nobly aided by the late Mrs. Emily Williamson, daughter-in-law of the late Chancellor Benja- min Williamson, of Elizabeth.


Mrs. Wittpenn is a member of the noted Castle Point (Hoboken) fam- ily and a sister of Col. Edwin A. Stevens (q. v.).


Her husband, Henry Otto Whittpenn (q. v.). was Mayor of Jersey City for some years ard at the time of this writing is Naval Officer of the Port of New York.


Mrs. Wittpenn is at present President of the N. J. State Board of Children's Guardians, President Board of Managers of the Woman's Re- formatory and Probation Officer of Hudson County.


WARREN WOOD-Paterson., (77 Ward Street.)-Rock Drill Manufacturer. Born near Watertown, N. Y., September 17th, 1861.


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Son of Morris and Margaret (O'Brian) Wood. Married at Pater- son, N. J., June 17th, 1915, to Annie Douglass, daughter of Daniel Hill and Dolly (Coates) Hill.


Warren Wood is descended from old Colonial families. His forefathers were with Washington at Yorktown, when the British General, Corn- wallis surrendered, while later descendants took an active part in the Civil War.


He was educated in the public schools of Hennepin and Chillicothe, Ill. His father and mother moving there over 50 years ago. Later moving to Chicago where he lived 13 years. From 1882 to 1886 he was a profes- sional trick bicycle rider, appearing in the principal cities of the coun- try


In 1891 he began the manufacture of rock drills and mining machinery and is still conducting the business. In this line of work, he has risen to the top, and his machinery is recognized by its extensive use, in all great projects, such as irrigation, tunnel building, reservoir construction. They were particularly used in the construction of the Panama Canal.


Mr. Wood is recognized in his home city as an active worker in public and. civic affairs. During the war he was closely associated with all movements which tended to bring the war to a victorious close, serving on liberty loan committees, Red Cross campaign committees and others.


He is a member of Paterson Lodge No. 60, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; the Paterson Rotary Club; North Jersey Automobile Club ; and the Lincoln Highway Association.


His business address is 30 Dale Avenue, Paterson.


EDWARD MOTT WOOLEY-Passaic, (71 Park Avenue.)- Author. (Photograph published in Vol. 1, 1917). Born in Mil- waukee, Wis., on February 25th, 1867; son of James T. and Mary A. Woolley ; married in 1898, to Anna Lazelle Thayer.


Children : Catherine, born 1904; Marion, born 1912.


Edward Mott Woolley is the author of many books and several hundred magazine articles. He was engaged in newspaper work on the Pacific coast and in Chicago for many years, and as a special writer for New York newspapers. As a newspaper reporter he laid the foundation for his maga- zine work, and since 1910 has been a special writer for the "Saturday Evening Post," "McClure's," "Colliers," "Everybody's," "American Maga- zine," "Scribner's," and other leading periodicals. In this work he has traveled widely, covering every state in the Union and European countries.


Since 1910 his home has been at Passaic. Mrs. Woolley is herself an author, having written half a dozen books for girls. She writes under the name of Lazelle Thayer Woolley.


Some of Mr. Woolley's books are "Roland of Altenburg," "The Junior Partner," "Addison Broadhurst," "The Winning Ten," the "Donald Kirk Series," "The Cub Reporter," and several historical romances. His work


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has ranged from romantic novels to detective stories and from school stor- ies for children to business stories. More than fifty of his business stories have been published in the "Saturday Evening Post."


JAMES THOMAS WRIGHTSON-Newark, (25 Walnut St.)- Physician. Born at Bay Hundred, Md., March 14th, 1853, son of William Lowe and Mary E. (German) Wrightson, married at New- ark, N. J., March 29th, 1881, to Minnie C. Lydecker, daughter of George E. and Olive Lydecker of Newark, N. J.


Children : William George, born March 23rd, 1882.


James Thomas Wrightson, is a descendant from an old Yorkshire family that came to America in the seventeenth century settling in Mary- land with Lord Baltimore.


He was educated in the country school of his birthplace, and at the age of sixteen he entered Calvert College, at New Windsor, Md. This he attended until 1871, when he entered the University of Maryland from which he graduated in 1878.


After completing his education, he came to Newark, where he has been practicing medicine ever since. For thirty years he served on the medical staff of St. Michael's Hospital. From 1889 to 1892 he served as county physician of Essex county. From 1902 until 1915 he was a member of the Newark Board of Health, and during that time was very active in the management of the City Hospital. It was chiefly through his efforts that a new home for the nurses was erected, with the latest improvements, and he also promoted the idea of erecting a new pathological labratory and procuring a pathologist and bacteriologist of ability, thus placing it upon a scientific basis. He also secured the erection of an additional story to the wings of the hospital which was fitted out into four operating rooms.


He is now on the Board of Directors of the Morris Plains State Hos- pital and has been a consulting physician for the institution for a number of years, also visiting physician to the Newark Memorial Hospital and Newark Orphan Asylum. He is a member of the American Medical As- sociation, the Practitioner's club of Newark, the New Jersey State Medical Society, and the Essex County Medical Association which honored him in 1901 by naming him to the presidency.


His business address is 25 Walnut St., Newark, N. J.


GEORGE WURTS-Paterson, (149 Hamilton Ave.)-Editor. Born at Easton, Penn., on September 13th, 1829; son of John Ja- cob and Ann Barbara (Norris) Wurts; married at Newark, on June 15th, 1854, to Elizabeth Camp Ross, daughter of Edwin and Sarah Johnson (Moore) Ross.


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Children : William L. R., born May 5th, 1857; George H., born December 20th, 1868.


George Wurts, Dean of New Jersey Journalism by right of the longest continued service in editorial work, was Secretary of State of New Jersey from 1897 to 1902. His first newspaper employment was with the Newark "Daily Advertiser." While he was busy there as a reporter, John Y. Foster resigned his position as editor of the "Newark Mercury" to take up maga- zine work in New York City and Mr. Wurts succeeded to the editorship. Incidental to his editorial duties he was one of the New Jersey corres- pondents of the "New York Times" and the "New York Evening Post." When the Brooklyn "Daily Union" was started, in 1863, he was offered the associate editorship of that paper, and accepting, he served there until February 1, 1865. His resignation from that position was handed in that he might become Editor of the Paterson "Daily Press" in which he had pur- chased an interest. He has since been actively engaged in the service of that newspaper and is now associate editor of its consolidated suc- cessor, the Paterson "Press-Guardian."


Mr. Wurts was President of the New Jersey State Editorial Associa- tion in 1876, and has done some writing in prose and verse for among others the oid "Knickerbocker Magazine," the "Continental Monthly," "Harpers Magazine" and "Scribner's." His editorial activities opened great politi- cal opportunities for him but though often solicited he declined all offers of nominations for elective offices. He served however as Secretary of the New Jersey State Senate during the legislative sessions of 1880-1SS1-1882, and Gov. Griggs appointed him Commissioner of Banking and Insurance in 1896 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of George S. Duryee. He served in that office when the term of Henry C. Kelsey, who had been Secretary of State for twenty-seven years, expired in April 1897. Gov. Griggs, ap- pointed Mr. Wurts as Mr. Kelsey's successor. He served until 1902.


FARNHAM YARDLEY-West Orange, (Llewellyn Park)-Man- ufacturer. Born at Yonkers, N. Y., August 8, 1868. Son of Charles Burleigh and Margaret Tufts (Swan) Yardley (q. v.). Married at West Orange, N. J., April 2, 1907, to Harriet Mallett Jenkins, daughter of Alfred Blunt and Adelaide Francis (Mullett) Jenkins.


Children : Alfred Jenkins, October 25, 1911.


Farnham Yardley is a descendant of old Colonial families. One of his ancestors, William Biles, emigrated to America in 1679, settling at New Castle, Del. He was a signer of "Penn's Great Charter with the Indians," whereby William Penn bought from the natives the present site of the city of Philadelphia. Mr. Yardley was educated at the Ashland School in East Orange, N. J., from which he graduated in 1885. He then entered Philips Academy, at Andover, Mass., from which he graduated the following year.


He became an insurance broker in New York City, and was one of the organizers of the present corporation of Kirkland & Yardley. In


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1911 he was elected vice-president of Jenkins Bros., and succeeded Mr. Jenkins as president on the death of Mr. Jenkins in 1916; also president Jenkins Bros., New York; President Jenkins Bros., Ltd., Montreal; and Vice-President Jenkins Rubber Co., Elizabeth, N. J. From 1894 to 1899 he was aide to the Commanding Officer, N. R. N. J., with rank of adju- tant, and is now on the retired list.


Mr. Yardley has always taken an active part in public affairs. From 1902 to 1906 he was councilman of the city of East Orange, and was chair- man of the Water Committee, and during his term of office the present water system was installed. He also was the creator of the Municipal Farm. In 1916 to 1917 he served one term as Mayor of the Town of West Orange, declining renomination.


He is the Governor-General of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey, Secretary and member of the Board of Trustees of the Y. M. C. A. of the Oranges, member of the Board of Trustees of the Orange Orphan Society, of the Board of Governors of the Orange Free Library and the Orange Public Bath; Chairman of the Defence Committee for West Orange, President of the West Orange Rifle Club, member of the Executive Committee of the Citizen's War Committee of the Oranges, one of the Trustees of Llewellyn Park, West Orange, and was Federal Food Administrator for the Oranges, chairman of the First Liberty Loan Cam- paign and War Savings Committee for West Orange, and President of the American Supply & Machinery Manufacturers' Association.


He is a governor of the Orange Lawn Tennis Club, member of the National Municipal League, New Jersey Historical Society, New England Society of the Oranges, Essex County Country Club, Founders and Pa- triots of America. Sons of the American Revolution, Union Club and Mer- chants Club of New York City, and Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York.


MARGARET TUFTS SWAN YARDLEY-East Orange, (401 William St.)-Club Woman. Born at Albany, N. Y., May 14, 1844, daughter of Samuel and Lucretia Green (Staniels) Swan ; married at New York City, April 18, 1866, to Charles Burleigh Yardley, son of Joseph and Margarett (Taylor) Yardley.


Children : Lucretia Green, born Jan. 31st, 1867; Farnham, born Aug. 8, 1868; Margaret Eveleth, born June 27th, 1870; Sam- uel Swan. born Dec. 5th, 1873; Chas. B., born Jan. 6th, 1883.


Margaret Tufts Swan Yardley is a descendant of Colonial ancestry. Her parents were New Englanders who traced their lineage back to Revolu- tionary days.


She lived in Alabama, until thirteen years of age, being tutored by a governess. In 1862 the family moved to New York. She attended Miss Schenkberg's Boarding School and later Mrs. Cary's Boarding School at Philadelphia, where she remained until the Civil War broke out in 1862.


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Between that time and 1871 when she moved to New Jersey, nothing noteworthy is connected with her life. On her coming to Orange, however, she became interested in Women Club work, and joined one of the first clubs of its kind, the Sorosis (N. Y.) in 1871 and the Woman's Club of Orange in 1876. In 1894 she became president of the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs and in 1912 became New Jersey State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution.


At the time of the Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1892 celebrating the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America, Mrs. Yard- ley was appointed one of the Lady Managers of the Exposition. It was her duty to collect the names and works of the Women Writers of New Jersey. She gathered the writings of about 400 women and compiled two volumes of those writings for newspapers, which she called "The Scrap Book of the Woman Writers of New Jersey." Copies of this book were sent to all the libraries of the state, and to many libraries outside of the state. The books collected are in the library of the State House at Trenton. From time to time, books are added to the Library of Women Writers.


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ADDENDA


Received too late for insertion in regular order in the body of the book.


MARY LOUISE ACKLEY-Vineland, (11 State Street) .- Civic Worker. Born at Vineland, N. J., September 19th, 1886 ; daughter of John A., and Autha V. (Smith) Ackley.


Mary Louise Ackley has long been active in settlement, educational and in up-life work of all kinds. She was a volunteer worker for two years in the University settlement house which is under the supervision of the Y. M. C. A. of the U. of P. For four years she has been the County Superintendant of Elementary Sunday School work, and three years Vice President of the (primary) State Elementary Counsul, New Jersey State Sunday School Association. As an organizer Miss Ackley established the Wildwood Civic Club of Wildwood, N. J., in which she held the office of recording secretary for two years; the Child Welfare Association; she was corresponding secretary for two years of the Music Section of the W. C. C., of which she was chairman for one year; and vice-chairman for two; the Theta Mi Chi Corority. of Comb's Conservatory, of which she was President for one year. Among the other associations which have claimed the connection of Miss Ackley are the Mu Phi Epsilon National Sorority, in which she was historian for tyo years, and the Woman's Committee of the National Defense Society, Hannah Arnett Chapter, D. R .; Woman's Club of Vineland. She was also the chairman of the Vineland Three Minute Women, and at present is president of the Alumni Asso- ciation of N. J. Summer School of Methods and served three years.


Miss Ackley is from old Revolutionary stock forebears, many of them having served as soldiers in th early wars of our country such as 1776 and 1812. Hr great, great uncle, Willian Smallwood held the rank of Major General in the Revolutionary War, and was Colonial Governor of Mary- land. Also her great, great grandfathers, John Ackley and William Brown took part in the war and her great grandfather, John Brown, kept up the tradition of the family by serving the country in 1812. Her grandfather William Ackley and two uncles, Charles F. and William S., served in Civil War (1861-'65) and her brother, John A. Ackley, Jr., volunteered in the World War, July 14, 1917. In 1913, the father of Miss Ackley served a term in the Assembly and in 1914-'15-'16 represented Cumberland County in the State Senate.


Many of the clubs which have been previously mentioned still claim the membership of Miss Ackley.


DAVID H. AGANS-Farmer. Born at Pleasant Run, N. J., on Nov. 20, 1868,


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He was educated in the public schools of Redington Township until 1878, when at the age of ten he entered the Reading Academy at Fleming- ton, where he completed his schooling.


Assmblyman Agans now is the owner of a 130 acre farm at Three Bridges and is an enthusiastic agriculturist. .


Mr. Agans is prominent in all activities, public and civic in his lo- cality. For three years, he served as a member of the Board of Education of Readington Township, and on the Board of Registry and elections four years.


He is a charter member of Riverside Grange and became its first mas- ter, serving eight years. In 1904 he was elected lecturer of the New Jer- sey State Grange, and after serving ten years, was re-elected in 1916, and still holds that office.


Assemblyman Agans is serving his second term in the Legislature. He was re-elected in the fall 1918 elections.


WILLIAM H. ALBRIGHT-Woodbury .- Publisher. Born at Elmer, N. J., on Dec. 20, 1875, son of Louis W. Albright.


Mr. Albright was educated in the public schools of Camden, graduating from the Camden High School. At the age of sixteen he entered the newspaper profession, and for twelve years was on the reportorial staff of the Philadelphia Ledger. Since 1903 he has been associated with his father in the publishing and printing business in Woodbury.


For more than twenty years, Mr. Albright has been active in Gloucest- er county politics. For several years he was secretary and treasurer of the Republican County Committee, and is now secretary of the Republican State Committee. He was chosen secretary of the Senate in 1918 and 1919.


He was president of the Red Bank Battle Monument Commission which erected the handsome shaft on the Delaware for the State.


COLLINS B. ALLEN-Salem-Farmer. Born at Salem, N. J., on Aug. 9, 1866.


Senator Allen was educated in the public schools of his birthplace, also at a private school in Salem.


Senator Allen has been prominent in the public affairs of Salem County, and began public life in 1896, when he was elected a member of the Board of Education of Mannington Township, and the following year was appointed district clerk of the School Board. He still holds both positions. The same year he was also elected Township Clerk and held the office until he was elected to the Senate in 1914. From 1905 until 1908 he also served as Sheriff of Salem County.


At the fall of 1914 elections he was elected to the Senate on the Re- publican ticket over Smick, high Democrat with a plurality of 519 votes.


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When his term of office expired in 1917 he was re-elected to the office over David English, high Democrat with an increased plurality of 1,707 votes.


He is director of the Salem National Banking Company as well as a director of the South Jersey Farmer's Exchange. He is a member of the Salem Grange No. 172, for two years holding the office of master, and is also a member of Forest Lodge, No. 7, Knights of Phythias.


JOHN S. AMERMAN-Neshanic Station-Merchant and Assem- blyman. Born at Neshanic, N. J., Jan. 9, 1862.


John S. Amerman was educated in the schools of Neshanic. He is serving his third term in the Legislature. At the fall elections, 1918, he was elected with a plurality of 312 votes over his opponent Maxwell, high Democrat. Assemblyman Amerman stands for clean politics, square deal- ing and efficient economy and is against government control of public or private business.


JOHN H. BACKES-Trenton .- Jurist. (Photograph published in Vol. 1, 1917) Born in Trenton, August 18, 1863; son of John and Mary Hannis Backes ; married at Trenton, August 28, 1889, to Elizabeth Cherry Hattersley, daughter of Charles M., and Joseph- ine Hattersley, of Trenton.


Children : Florence, Elizabeth and Eleanor.


John H. Backes is a Vice-Chancelor of the New Jersey Court of Chancery, and one of a family of six brothers, five of whom are lawyers.


Mr. Backes is of German parentage. As a boy, he attended a local parochial school, and at the age of thirteen entered the law office of Ed- ward H. Murphy, Trenton, where he was office-boy and clerk. He served an apprenticeship until he was admitted to practice at the Bar as an attorney at the November term, 1884. He was licensed as a counselor at the February term, 1888. Shortly after he was admitted to the Bar, he opened an office at the corner of State and Warren Streets, Trenton, where he practiced his profession, until he was elevated to the bench. His prac- tice was extensive and varied, he appearing in the law and equity courts of the State in many important litigations.


In politics, Vice-Chancellor Backes is a Democrat, but although for many years prominently identified with his party, never sought or held a political position.


In February, 1913, Chancellor Walker appointed Mr. Backes a Vice Chancellor for the term of seven years.


THEODORE JOHNSTON BADGLEY-Montclair, 196 Walnut St.)-Lawyer. Born at Hampton, East Tenn., Sept. 16, 1871;


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son of Alfred S. and Jennie E. (Simerley) Badgley ; married at Holmesburgh, Pa., Jan. 22nd, 1908, to Emma E. Dutton, daughter of James B. and Melissa (Kramer) Dutton, of Montclair, N. J.


Theodore Johnson Badgley, although starting in early life a career of business, later took up the study of law and was admitted to New Jersey Bar as an Attorney during the November term of 1899, and as Counsellor- of-law at the November term of 1902.


Mr. Badgley is a descendant of the family which originally settled at Elizabeth, N. J., in 1737, and Jonathan Badgley who fought in the battle of Springfield, N. J., during the Revolution.


Although he has been a resident of New Jersey for more than thirty years, he has also dwelt in Laurel, Md., Bakersville, N. C., Hampton, Fast Tenn., and Newark, N. J.


First associated with his father Alfred S. Badgley. at Montclair, he later became a member of the law firm of Riker & Riker, at Newark. As a staunch Republican, Mr. Badgley was elected to the House of Assembly in 1917 and 1918 from Essex County.


His education was obtained in the public schools of Maryland and North Carolina and although at one time a student of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, he was not given the opportunity to complete a eourse in that instiution.


Mr. Badgley is not only a prominent club member but has also held many important offices in various societies. He is a Past Master of the Montclair Lodge, number 144, F. & A. M .; Past and Exaulted Ruler of the Montclair Lodge, B. P. O. Elks, No. 891; member of New Jersey Con- sistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Jersey City ; Salaam Tem- ple of the Mystic Shrine, Newark, N. J., and Montclair chapter, Sons of the American Revolution.




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