USA > New Jersey > The New Jersey coast in three centuries; history of the New Jersey coast with genealogical and historic-biographical appendix, Vol. III > Part 24
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The Van Dorens were of Holland-Dutch ancestry. The original progenitors came to America about 1690, and a member of this family is said to have been the first white child christened in the county of Monmouth; the ceremony is believed to have been performed in the Baptist church at Middletown. Peter Van Doren, a Hollander, and a grandfather of Mrs. Smock, was the original progenitor of the family in New Jersey. He was a zealous supporter of the Dutch Reformed church and was an active factor in the organization of "the old brick church." He married Jane Williamson, who bore him eleven children, named : Arthur, William, Jacob, Peter, Isaac, Polly, Sarah, Albert, Ann, Williampe E. and Jane. Isaac, the father of Mrs. Smock, received a good education and early in life was a farmer, but eventually he became a mill- wright and as such achieved extraordinary success. He was deeply interested in political affairs and as a Democrat was elected to many important township offices. He married Eleanor Conover Hankinson, daughter of Captain Kenneth Hankinson, who between 1760 and 1790 owned most of the desirable land, amounting to several thousand acres, in what is now Manalapan. He was an extensive farmer, miller, distiller and lumberman, and in his time was known as one of the wealthy men of the state. He fought for American independence in the war of the Revolution with the rank of captain. Mrs. Smock's grandfather Van Doren and her father were soldiers in the war of 1812, and three of her brothers fought for the Union cause in our late Civil war. Her brother William enlisted as a private and was elected first lieutenant of his company and for gallantry was afterward promoted to be its captain. Mr. Smock's grandfather Smock fought seven years during the American Revolution for the cause of the colonies and his father was a soldier in the war of 1812. Peter and Eleanor Conover (Hankinson) Van Doren had four daughters and two sons. Their posterity is now quite numerous, and some of their descendants have attained un- common prominence, one of their grandsons having been the late Governor William A. Newell, who is distinguished as the inventor of the life-saving service now in use by the United States government, one of the most beneficent and practical inventions of the last century.
Mr. and Mrs. Smock have in their house many ancient relics, all of which are from two to three hundred years old and some of which were brought from Holland by the original American ancestors of the family. Among these articles are many odd pieces of furniture, including chairs, sofas and clocks, together with a warming stove for the feet, curious dishes, a "gossiping stick" and numerous other things of interest.
ROBERT L. BROWN.
Classed among the prominent and enterprising farmers of Raritan township, Mon- mouth county, New Jersey, is found the subject of this review, Robert L. Brown, who is a native son of this state. He is a son of Henry P. and Eliza (Byers) Brown, both natives of the north of Ireland, the former born in 1828 and the latter in 1830. They were married in their native land, and in 1850 came to America, locating on land which is still owned by members of the family. The father passed away in this
RESIDENCE OF JOHN E. BECKMANN.
JOHN E. BECKMANN.
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county in 1883, but the mother is still living, having. reached the age of seventy-one years. They had a family of nine children, all of whom grew to years of maturity, namely : Joseph, a commission merchant of Denver, Colorado; Mary A., the de- ceased wife of William Coe; William, a farmer of Raritan township; Jane, deceased ; Eliza and Emma, who make their home with their mother; Robert L., our subject ; Elsie, a resident of Asbury Park; and Richard, who resides on a farm adjoining the old homestead.
· Robert L. Brown was born on the farm on which he still resides, on the 4th of July, 1861. He received his education in the common schools of the locality, and early in life he engaged in agricultural pursuits, having since been engaged in the tilling of the soil. He now conducts his farm in a scientific manner and is extensively engaged in the raising of vegetables and small fruits. He was married on the 14th of April, 1896, to Anna Walling, who was born March 15, 1857, a daughter of William R. and Marie (Nivison) Walling, both natives of Monmouth coun'y, their ancestors having been among its earliest settlers. He has followed agricultural pursuits through- out his entire business career, and is now employed as superintendent of the poor farm at Keyport. Unto our subject and wife have been born two children,-Laura and Robert. Mr. Brown votes with the Democracy, and religiously the family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Keansburg. The family is one of prominence in Monmouth county, where they have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.
JOHN EIBE BECKMANN.
Most of the prominent citizens living at and about Coltsneck, Monmouth county, New Jersey, are descendants of old New Jersey families. A notable exception are the Beckmanns, John Frederick and John Eibe, who are natives of Germany, and possess all those sterling qualities which mark the German character.
John E. Beckmann is a merchant doing business at Brooklyn, New York, who has established a palatial summer residence near Coltsneck, near the elegant home of his brother, John F. Beckmann, who is a wealthy farmer. John E. Beckmann was born in Germany in 1852 and came to America in 1869 and located in New York City, where for six years he was engaged in the grocery business and for three years after that in the dairy business. He began business life for himself in 1878, when he established a grocery, which he managed successfully until 1889. After tak- ing a vacation, during which he made an extensive tour through the west and a voy- age to his native land, in which he traveled extensively, in 1891, he again established himself in the grocery trade at 1031 Flushing avenue, Brooklyn, New York, which he has built up to large proportions. He purchased his place at Coltsneck in 1897, in the following year built the handsome structure and outbuildings which constitute his summer home, and has since devoted much of his spare time to its improvement. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has passed through all the chairs of his lodge. Since 1885 Mr. Beckmann has been a member of the New Jersey Corps of Schutzen.
John F. Beckmann, elder brother of John E. Beckmann, was born in Ger- many in 1846, and emigrated to America in 1866, and for a short time lived at St. Louis, Missouri. Then locating in New York, he was in the milk trade there until 1868, when he removed to California, where until 1889 he was employed as delivery clerk and baggage agent for the Southern Pacific Railway Company. He then re-
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turned to his native country, where his daughter was finishing her education, and that same year purchased a farm of sixty acres, which he named Silver farm; this was his home until 1895, when he removed to his present beautiful place near Colts- neck. He married Miss Augusta Kemps in 1874, and she bore him a daughter named Ann Sophie. By his present wife, who was Miss Johannah Snedeker and whom he married in 1890, he has a daughter named Harriet L.
John E. Beckmann 'has made repeated trips to the land of his birth, which have necessitated his crossing the Atlantic ten times, and counting his first voyage over he has crossed eleven times. Notwithstanding Messrs. Beckmann are patriotic lovers of their fatherland, they are at the same time thorough Americans, alive to the interests of their adopted country and solicitous for its progress and prosperity. The parents of these wide-awake German-American citizens were Henry F. and Sophia Beckmann.
ALFRED H. MORTON.
Alfred H. Morton, treasurer and general manager of the American Rice Food & Manufacturing Company, was born July 12, 1853. He is the son of the late James and Jane Morton, natives of England, where they were married and from whence they came to the United States, locating in New York City. James Morton was a manu- facturer of glass, with offices in Duane strcet, New York City. He is now deceased, but his. widow survives him and lives at Matawan with her son, the immediate subject of this sketch.
Alfred H. Morton was educated in the schools of Monmouth county, New Jersey. His first business connection was in a clerical capacity at Matawan, and he was then for a number of years employed as traveling salesman for a wholesale grocery house in New York City. Since 1896 his business associations have been in con- nection with the manufacturing of Cook's Flaked Rice. The plant is at Matawan, New Jersey, and for particulars concerning this industry see sketch of Mr. H. H. Longstreet, in this volume. Mr. Morton was married, in 1893, to Minnie, daugh- ter of the late Sidney Walling, of M tawan, and they have one child, Mildred Morton. The family reside at Matawan and attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
AZARIAH CONOVER HURLEY.
Azariah Conover Hurley, city surveyor of Red Bank and Atlantic Highlands, who pursues his profession of civil engineering principally in Monmouth county, New Jersey, with offices and home at Red Bank, was born in Middletown township, Monmouth county, New Jersey, September 25, 1857. He is a son of the late Hudson and Eleanor (Bennett) Hurley, natives of Monmouth county and descendants re- spectively of the early Scotch-Irish and German colonial settlers of New Jersey. The late Hudson Hurley was one of the prominent agriculturists of the community and he died April 30, 1880, while his wife, Elanor S. Hurley, died April 27. 1881. Of their children three survive: Margaret A., wife of James Allen, of Red Bank; Lafayette Hurley, also a resident of Red Bank; and A. C. Hurley, the immediate subject of this sketch.
The last named received a common-school education, assisted in the cultivation
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of his father's farm and was thereafter variously employed up to 1881, when he entered the service of George Cooper, a civil engineer. Under his especially compe- tent preceptorship Mr. Hurley thoroughly mastered the profession which he has since followed. He was continuously associated with Mr. Cooper up to the time of the latter's dccease, in 1896, and during the following year attended to the winding up of the latter's business as manager for the widow of the deceased. He has since been engaged in the same pursuit. The late George Cooper laid out Atlantic Highlands, and with him in his work Mr. Hurley was associated. Later he very naturally suc- ceeded Mr. Cooper to the surveyorship of the place named. He was appointed surveyor of Red Bank in 1897. His political affiliation is with the Democratic party and his fraternal connection is with the Junior Order of the United American Mechanics, the Order of the. United American Mechanics, the Improved Order of Heptasophs and the Independent Order of Foresters. He was married January 6, 1887, to Margaret A., daughter of Cyrenius V. Bennett. Mr. and Mrs. Hurley have four children, Frederick T., George C. D., Azariah C. and Howard J., and the family reside at the corner of Bridge and Herbert avenues, Red Bank.
JOHN B. GROVER.
A vein of romance threads its way into the early history of the founders of the Grover family in this country. John B .. our subject, traces his line of ancestry from ·James Grover, who came into possession of six hundred acres of land, situated in Monmouth county, New Jersey, by will of his uncle, an early settler of Shrewsbury, to whom these lands were originally granted by King James II of England. The unique and romantic condition imposed on the legatee was that he should marry at the age of cighteen years. From time immemorial conditions of equal and surpassing strangeness have been laid upon gifts of this character, but few have been much easier of fulfillment than the one imposed upon young James Grover. Therefore, looking about for a suitable helpmate, he selected Deborah, daughter of William Vor- hees, whose family consisted of twelve promising children, nine of whom arrived at maturity.
James Grover was one of the first citizens of Leedsville. His popularity was attested by his being selected by the people of Monmouth county to represent them in the New Jersey legislature. His wise conduct of the affairs of the office and his close adherence to the interests of those he represented reflected credit not only upon himself but upon those who had made him their mouthpiece. He was a prominent and interested member of the Presbyterian church, a devout man who contributed generously to every holy and righteous enterprise of the church of his choice.
John B. Grover, whose name precedes this chronicle, was born on the old Grover homestead, situated in Middletown township, on July 27, 1830. His education was acquired in the public schools. His initiation into business was along agricultural lines; this he abandoned in 1858 for mercantile trade, which he followed successfully at Red Bank up to the year 1876, at which time he determined to carry on farming again; this he continued for some time, but finally disposed of his property, interest- ing himself extensively in building-sand, a large bank of which he owns. He is also interested in other real estate.
The old Grover homestead in which our subject was born and received his early training was originally built by his granduncle in 1730; this date is authentic, since it is plainly cut into the old shingles of the roof which still form ample protection against wind and weather.
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Mr. Grover married Miss Sarah A., daughter of William and Elizabeth Borden, in 1854; to thein were born six children, four of them being now living, viz .: William B., Elizabeth B., James, Abbie L .; Charles C. and Caroline are deceased. Mrs. Grover is a native of Monmouth and a member of an old and illustrious family, of whom mention is made in this work. Mr. Grover and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Red Bank.
JUDGE JOHN REMSEN.
No man in Monmouth county became the ideal citizen, attained the affection of his neighbors or the lasting regard of the Democratic party in a higher degree perhaps than Judge John Remsen. The uprightness of his private life, his simple, unassuming ways, his keen, analytical mind, and shrewdness as a political manager placed him among the eminent men of his locality.
Judge Remsen was born in New York City in 1819, a son of Abraham and Eliza- beth (Palmer) Remsen. The father was an officer in the war of the Revolution. The family is of Holland Dutch descent and came to America many years prior to the memorable struggle for independence. The Judge remained in the place of his nativity until reaching middle life, having been engaged in mercantile pursuits, and after coming to New Jersey he was engaged for several years as wrecking master along the coast of Monmouth county and at the station at Spring Lake. He was subse- quently appointed to the responsible position of judge, in which he served for two' terms, and it is needless to say that he proved an able administrator of the affairs of this important office. He was a man of stalwart simplicity and fine discrimination between right and wrong, and an accurate reader of human character.
Judge Remsen was united in marriage with Jane F. Osborn, of Spring Lake, a daughter of Captain Forman and Elizabeth (Bailey) Osborn, the history of whom is given with that of Abram Osborn, a brother of Mrs. Remsen. Four children were born unto this union, namely: Carrie, the wife of Dr. Abram E. Frantz, of Wil- mington, Delaware; Bessie R., wife of Gilson S. Humphrey, a retired merchant of Binghamton, New York; Edward W., who married Miss Flora Campbell and lives in retirement on his farm at Spring Lake Beach, Monmouth county ; and J. Howard, who married his cousin, May Osborn, and is a retired farmer in Manasquan, Mon- mouth county. In political matters the Judge allied his interests with those of the Democracy, and was an active and influential worker in the ranks of his party. He was always considered an impartial and fair-minded judge, as well as a prosperous and influential business man, and when called from the scene of earth's activities, on the 17th of November, 1884, the community mourned the loss of one of its truest and best citizens. His life was characterized by energy, perseverance and determination, and as a man of business and as an honorable Christian gentleman no man had a cleaner record or was more highly respected than he.
The widow of Judge Remsen makes her home at Spring Lake, Monmouth county, New Jersey, where she has a beautiful cottage.
FREDERICK ELISHA HALL.
There is scarcely a more popular man in Belmar, New Jersey, than the subject of this sketch. Frederick Elisha Hall, who was born at Farmingdale, New Jersey, on July 2, 1872. He is the son of Edwin Louis and Mary Anna (Stillwell) Hall. The
T. FRANK APPLEBY
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first of the family to settle in America was a native of Scotland, who located at Farm- ingdale, New Jersey, where Britton Hall, the grandfather of our subject, was born. Up to the time of Edward Louis Hall, father of subject, the family followed agri- cultural pursuits. Edward was born at Farmingdale, where he was reared, and early began the mastery of the carpenter's trade. Subsequently he located at Spring Lake, New Jersey, where he was a contractor and builder for some years. He is now employed as superintendent of the Montana Gold Dredging Company, of Bannock, Montana. From 1886 to 1900 he served as the justice of the peace for Wall township, and no man could have more faithfully or honestly performed the duties of the office. He organized the Spring Lake volunteer fire department, was its first chief, and also a member of council of the borough of Spring Lake for several years, which he was instrumental in organizing.
Mr. Hall, our subject, was educated at the public schools of Como, New Jersey, and graduated from the high school in 1887. He has been employed for fifteen years in various positions on the New York & Long Branch Railroad; was station agent at Como from October, 1896, to May, 1899; he was promoted to the responsible position of agent of the New York & Long Branch Railroad at Belmar on June I, 1899, which he fills most acceptably. He is also agent for the Adams Express Com- pany, manager of the Western Union Telegraph Company and member of the firm of Dillon & Hall's Express. Mr. Hall takes quite an active interest in political affairs, being a member of the Wall township Democratic executive committee for Belmar. There is every promise that his career will be a brilliant one, if present indications count for anything. He is president of Good Will Hose Company No. I, of Belmar, which proves the high esteem in which as a man of ability and intelligent foresight he is held.
Fraternally he is a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics of Manasquan and of the Tribe of Improved Order of Red Men of Belmar, New Jersey. He is a member also of the Methodist Protestant church of North Spring Lake, of which he was elected trustee in 1898, and in which capacity he served three years.
Mr. Hall was united in marriage on August 17, 1892, to Miss Carrie Louise Algor ; their three children are: Mildred Jennie, born March 15, 1894; Anna Lillian, born June 5, 1896; and Cora, born in August, 1898.
T. FRANK APPLEBY.
None of the residents of Asbury Park has labored more industriously to ad- vance the interests of the city than he whose name heads this sketch. From the time that he reached his majority he has not only been active in business and mu- nicipal affairs, but has also been foremost among those to whom the material pros- perity of the city is largely due.
T. Frank Appleby, son of Theodore F. and Margaret S. (Mount) Appleby, was born October 10, 1864, at Old Bridge, Middlesex county, New Jersey. In 1875 the family moved to Asbury Park, where the father of our subject, in addition to pur- suing his occupation as a merchant, invested in real estate. He built the Appleby house on First avenue, north of which streets had not then been laid out. He after- ward built the Hotel Bristol.
The boyhood days of our subject, until his eleventh year, were passed at Old Bridge. He was educated at Pennington Seminary and at Fort Edward Collegiate
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Institute, from which he was graduated in 1885. While at the Collegiate Institute he was deeply interested in athletics, and while at Pennington acted as captain of the football team. His summers were passed at Asbury Park, and during those months he was not idle, doing many small things that brought him a few dollars.
At the age of twenty-one he began his business career by becoming a member of the real estate and insurance firm of Willisford, Dey & Company. He at once became active in his line of business, and from the start gave indications of what the future would bring. Having unbounded confidence in the increase of the value of property along the New Jersey coast, and being willing to back his opinions by making investments in property, he found it necessary to sever his connections with his partner. Therefore in 1887 he established himself in business without a partner, and since then has conducted a large and profitable real estate and insurance business. He has bought large amounts of property, and has sold much thereof profitably. In 1886 he built the Appleby building, and in 1897 enlarged it by adding an additional story. It is the only office building with passenger elevator service in the city. He was one of the original company that laid out Allenhurst, and asso- ciated with Mr. Winsor, he laid out Bradley Park. His business extends up and down the coast for many miles and is by no means confined to the limits of Asbury Park.
For 'ten years he was a member of the board of education, during which time he served as president and district clerk, and as chairman of high school building committee. He also 'held membership on the state board of education for seven years, and by his splendid qualifications and activity made himself prominent in school affairs throughout the entire state.
In 1898 Mr. Appleby was elected to the city council, of which he is now presi- dent, and it was chiefly through his efforts that the local water rate was lowered from three dollars to one dollar a thousand cubic feet. He was also largely instru- mental in changing the methods of conducting the financial affairs of the city and succeeded in reducing the interest charges. He is also president of the Wesley En- gine Company; a director of both the Asbury Park Building & Loan Association and the New Jersey Fire Underwriters Association; a director of the Asbury Park & Ocean Grove Bank, and member of the board of directors of the board of trade. He takes an active interest in the doings of the Junior Order United American Me- chanics, and is also a member of the local Masonic lodge. Being a foremost real estate dealer, he is thoroughly informed on all matters pertaining to improvement, and is an acknowledged authority on such subjects.
A Republican in politics, he is . classed as a conservative in local affairs, but has not confined his efforts in behalf of his party to this vicinity. In 1895 he was a delegate to the national Republican convention, and stumped the state for Presi- dent McKinley. He also has been delegate to most of state and county conventions since 1896. He was one of the party that accompanied the President on his trip from Vice-President Hobart's home to Ocean Grove in 1899, when the auditorium at the latter place served as a rostrum for a number of talented speakers. At the big political meeting in Asbury Park in July, 1900, Mr. Appleby was temporary chairman, while Senator Mark Hanna filled that position permanently.
Mr. Appleby has been chairman for several years of the Joint Carnival Asso- ciation, which conducts the carnival held annually on Wesley Lake. He was chair- man of the Fourth of July celebration committee in 1900 and 1901, and at the celebra- tion in the latter year read the Declaration of Independence. Possessed of a pow -. erful and magnetic voice, together with natural declamatory ability, his delivery of
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the forceful lines of Jefferson was received with marked interest and attention, and received words of praise from Dr. Talmage, who was the orator of the day.
In 1889 Mr. Appleby married Miss Alice Hoffman, of I.ebanon, Hunterdon county, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Appleby are the parents of three children, Stewart, Harry and Theodore. He is a member and trustee of the First Methodist church and is deeply interested therein.
The career of Mr. Appleby as illustrated above proves most forcibly the power of energy and perseverance. He has made himself a success, and although devoted to his business, he has ever been willing to give of his time and means to all worthy public enterprises. No man has been more zealous in behalf of enterprises organized for the advancement of Asbury Park or for the well-being of its inhabitants.
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