USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 28
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On December 5, 1859, President Buchanan made him postmaster of the town, which office he held until June 26, 1863, when he was succeeded by Mr. Joseph S. Leach.
In May, 1860, he married Mrs. Mary E. Tindall, widow of Rev. N. B. Tindall, a Baptist clergyman, and a daughter of Richard Thompson, of Court House.
In March, 1861, Mr. Magonagle was elected Mayor for one year, and, although his place was never filled by an- other appointment, the office was virtually vacant, because Mr. Magonagle had, shortly after election, volunteered his
357
LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION.
services to the country and gone off with the brave boys of Company A, Seventh Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers. He was only away a shot. ime, during which time he was quartermaster-sergeant. He was taken ill and never crossed the Potomac, and the illness never left him entirely.
He purchased the "Wave" in 1863 from Mr. Leach, and was its proprietor until his death. In 1865 he began the summer-time daily issue, which has been continued by suc- cessive proprietors of the paper since.
He was elected Mayor for the second time in March, 1863,
SURROGATES /8 OFFICE 85
CLERKS Ja OFFICE OS
SURROGATE'S AND CLERK'S OFFICE, BUILT IN 1865.
and re-elected in 1864, 1865, 1866 and 1867 for terms of a year each. He would have probably been elected in 1868, but he was elected to the House of Assembly in the fall of 1867. Before he had served to the end of his session, in 1868, he was elected a member of City Council, and died be- fore that term was served out. He was the first Democrat elected to the Assembly from the county.
In 1859 he united with the First Methodist Episcopal Church of this city, and remained a faithful member and worker and Sunday-school teacher during the balance of his life.
358
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
While in Trenton attending to getting some amendments to the city charter, which were finally passed in 1869, he was taken ill at a reception at the home of Hon. John P. Stockton, a firm friend of Mr. Magonagle, who has since that time been United States Senator and Attorney-General of the State. This illness, caused by the illness contracted in the army, became worse, and he died in his apartments in the American House, in Trenton, on the evening of Jan- uary 22, 1869. The body was brought home, and, after a large funeral, it was placed in its last resting place in the Cape May Court House Cemetery. He left a widow, who died in 1894.
At the time of his death he was a member of the Soldiers' Union, the Masonic Order and of the Good Templars.
In speaking of him in its obituary, the Philadelphia "Evening Bulletin" said:
Mr. Magonagle was a gentleman of varied abilities, and of the most estimable character. Generous and humane in his nature, his affections and sympathies were always enlisted on the side of mercy. These traits were eminently developed throughout the seven years he occupied the position of chief magistrate of Cape Island.
"In the adjudication of the varied cases which came be- fore him, Mr. Magonagle exhibited signal ability. His quick appreciation of legal duty and unmistakable power of analysis always guided his decisions and led him to a cor- rect determination of the cases that came before him. In the discharge of his duties on these principles he won for himself the warmest attachments of all who came in social and political contact with him. A community loses much when it loses such a man. Mr. Magonagle had been a resi- dent of Cape Island for many years, and had grown almost with the growth of that popular seaside resort.
"He had been successful in establishing his newspaper, the 'Ocean Wave,' on a firm and quite prosperous basis, and was an active spirit in advancing all the essential inter- ests and improvements of that city.
"Mr. Magonagle was a gentleman of pleasing and affa- ble manners; a well-known Democrat, but of moderate po- litical views; was a member of the Legislature in 1868, and
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LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION.
was esteemed by his colleagues for his honorable traits of character, and by the members of the press throughout the State for his social qualities, business enterprise and en- ergy."
Anthony Steelman, Sheriff from 1868 to 1871, was born in Atlantic county December 23, 1823, his father being Jo- nas Steelman. He attended the public schools until he was eighteen years of age. Then he worked on his father's farm until 1845, when, on October 6, he became a partner of Elijah Ireland, at Tuckahoe, in the mercantile business, and in August, 1847, became a partner of James Shoemaker, remaining with him twenty-three years. He then became sole owner, and conducted the business until he retired in 1895, having been in business then forty-nine years. He was a member of the Board of Freeholders nine years, and of the Upper Township Committee fifteen years.
The "Star of the Cape," the second newspaper established in the county, first appeared at Cape May Court House about 1868, its publishers being J. Alvin Cresse and one Cheever. In less than two years' time it was moved to Cape May City by W. V. L. Seigman, who purchased it of its original owners, and who conducted it until 1883, when it was purchased by Thomas R. Brooks. Mr. Brooks edited it until May, 1889, when he sold it to Aaron W. Hand and N. Perry Edmunds. In February, 1890, Mr. Brooks pur- ·chased of Mr. Edmunds his interest, and finally the whole paper in 1894, but in September, 1895, he sold it to the Star of the Cape Publishing Company, who are the present own- ers. It is now managed for this company by Aaron W. Hand.
Thomas Rezo Brooks, a grandson of Rev. Thomas Brooks, a Baptist clergyman who preached at West Creek, was born at Heislerville, Cumberland county, N. J., Octo- ber 4. 1838. His grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, and he was one of those who were confined in the prison ship in New York harbor by the British for his ardent pa- triotism. His father was Samuel Brooks, a prominent of- ficial member and exhorter in the Methodist Church of «Cumberland county. His mother is Loraina, a daughter c.
360
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Barlow Williams, who was licensed as a local minister in the Methodist Church at the beginning of the present cen- tury. Mr. Brooks' parents removed to Philadelphia in the spring of 1839 and it was in the public schools of that city that he was mainly educated. In December, 1861, he mar- ried Miss Emma T. Brooks, of Smyrna, Delaware. In 1859 he began teaching school in his native county, and in 1869 closed his career as a teacher at Dennisville, this county, and accepted a position tendered him by the West Jersey Railroad Company. He was with this company for four- teen years. While yet with the company, in 1876, he be-
THOMAS R. BROOKS.
came associate editor of the "Wave." and in 1883 resigned his position with the company and purchased the "Star of the Cape," from which he retired in the fall of 1895. Under his editorial control the "Star of the Cape" became one of the most popular and successful journals in South Jersey. He now resides in Cape May City.
Dr. Edmund Levi Bull Wales, of Tuckahoe, was, about 1866, appointed a judge of the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals, to succeed Joshua Swain, Jr., who had died. He served in that capacity until 1881. Dr. Wales was a son of Dr. Roger Wales, and was born March 15, 1805. He-
361
LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION.
was a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and practiced medicine at Tuckahoe for many years. Hc was the wealthiest man of the county at the time of his death, on August 19. 1882.
His brother, Dr. Eli B. Wales, of Cold Spring, was for many years a judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Cape May county. He was born July 10, 1798, and died Sep- tember 24, 1883.
In 1870 Cape May's acreage was divided as follows: Beaches, 4424; marsh on which tide rose and fell, 58,824; bays and sounds and creeks, 10,443; fast upland, 96.480; total, 170,171 acres. Twenty-one thousand four hundred and two acres of this fast land were under cultivation and known as "improved land." The estimated total value of farms was $1,683,430. The total value of all farin produc- tions, including betterments and addition to stock, was $318,609. The live stock in the county (valued at $196,000) was divided as follows: Horses, 816; mules and asses, 4: milch cows. 1545; working oxen, 13; sheep, 382, and swine, 1751. The productions were as follows: Bushels of winter wheat, 19,064; bushels of rye, 171; bushels of Indian corn. 86,218; bushels of oats, 6648; bushels of buckwheat, 157; pounds of wool. 1095: bushels of Irish potatoes, 22,360; bushels of sweet potatoes, 21.193, and pounds of butter, 68,- 319.
The assessed valuation of real ond personal estate was $3.800,810; true value of real and personal estate. $5,599,- 383: total amount raised by taxation, $36,637; State tax, $2228; county tax, $11.529; town and city tax, $22,870; county public debt, nothing: township and city public debt, $50.600.
The population of the count y was apportioned as follows:
TOWNSHIPS.
WHITE
COLORED
TOTAL
Cape May City,
1245
148
1393
Dennis,
.1598
·2
1600
Lower,
1602
211
1813
Middle,
2 28
2195
Upper, .
1501
7
1528
8094
435
8529
362
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
In the beginning of the present century whale boats were used on the Cape May county coast for the saving of lives and merchandise from wrecks. These boats were built for such purposes in conjunction with use for fishing purposes of shore. They were owned by private parties, and the crews were necessarily volunteers. About 1840 Jonathan J. Springer, of Middle township, brother of Samuel Spring- er, sheriff, built a boat for the purpose, which was named "Insurance." This craft was built for the Vessel Insurance Company, for which Judge Richard C. Holmes was agent in Cape May county. The "Insurance," owing to its un- seaworthy qualities, was abandoned, and about 1852 the "Relief" was built by Mr. Springer for a company of nine. Some of those who served as volunteers in the crew were Richard Ludlam, Aaron D. Hand, George Hildreth, Isaac Isard, Jonathan Fifield, Elijah Townsend, Enoch Hand and James Crowell. About 1860 "The Rescue" was built and manned by Henry Y. Hewitt, captain; Richard Holmes, Enoch Hand, Cornelious Bennett, Swain, Church, Somers, Isard, William McCarty, Sr.
In 1857 Judge Holmes built his self-righting life-saving boat, and in the summer of that year it was exhibited on the beach at Cape Island. This boat, however, never proved successful.
Judge Richard C. Holmes was born in Cape May county September 17, 1813. He was educated in Philadelphia, and the early part of his life was spent in the employ of Captain Joseph Hand, an extensive shipping merchant (who was also born in Cape May county). While in Captain Hand's em- ploy young Holmes gained a full knowledge of vessels, boots and seamen, and afterwards used his knowledge in saving hundreds of lives on the coast. He was an officer of both the State and the United States and agent for Phila- delphia and New York insurance companies. He was col- lector of the Port of Cape May about 1852. Judge Holmes died at his home, near Cape May Court House, January 25, 1863, aged 49 years.
The attention to establishing life-saving stations on the coast was first given by the United States Government in
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LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION.
1848, when William A. Newell, of New Jersey, was in Con- gress. He urged the expediency of action, and secured an appropriation of $10,000 to "provide surf boats, rockets, ·carronades and other necessary appurtenances for the better preservation of life and property from shipwreck. In 1849 boats were first placed on Cape May beaches for life-saving stations by the authority given above. The boats and ap- purtenances were not placed in the hands of persons held accountable. In December, 1854, Congress authorized the appointment of captains, who were paid $200 per year sal- ary, while the crews were to be volunteers. In 1871 the present organized service was established. New stations were built and equipped with boats and with rooms for liv- ing and sleeping, a code of signals adopted and full crews employed.
Geographical positions of United States life-saving sta- tions in Cape May county:
No. 30, Beasley's-South side Great Egg Harbor Inlet.
No. 31, Peck's Beach-Three and one-half miles above Corson's Inlet.
No. 32, Corson's Inlet-Near inlet, north side.
No. 33, Ludlam's Beach-Three and one-half miles above "Townsend's Inlet.
No. 34. Townsend's Inlet-Near the Inlet, west side.
No. 35, Stone Harbor-Three and one-half miles above Hereford Inlet.
No. 36, Hereford Inlet-Near Hereford Light.
No. 37, Turtle Gut-Six and one-quarter miles above Cape May City.
No. 38, Two-Mile Beach-Four miles above Cape May City.
No. 39, Cold Spring-One hundred feet west Madison avenue, Cape May Citv.
No. 40, Cape May-Near Cape May Light.
No. 41, Bay Shore-Two and one-half miles west Cape Mav City.
Thomas Beesley, of Dennisville, who was chosen State Senator in 1870 and served in 1871, '72 and '73, was a younger brother of Dr. Maurice Beesley. Thomas Beesley
364
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
was born in Cape May county August 22, 1815, and, after receiving a moderate education, engaged himself in mer- cantile pursuits. He became prominent as a counselor among men. He was five times chosen to the Assembly, serving in the years 1865, '66, '67, '69 and '70. He held local offices and was an ardent Union man. He was at first allied with the Whig party, and then with the Repub- lican, and as such was elected to public office. He died on. October 16, 1877.
Nelson T. Eldredge, of Lower township, who was chosen. sheriff in 1871, was a son of Jeremiah L. Eldredge, a prom- inent pilot who lived in the county. He was born in Lower township October 13, 1833. He served as sheriff from 1871 to 1874. He died in Lower township on June 16, 1886.
In 1872 postoffices were at Ocean View and Palermo,. the former on May 6 and the latter on December II. February 24, 1873, the office at South Dennis was first opened.
In 1872 the State Legislature passed a law authorizing the building of life saving stations along the beaches.
In 1875 the International Cape May Ocean Regatta came off, and the Cape May Cup, which was then won, has been carried all over the world and raced for many times since by those yachts famous both in Europe and America.
The cup was raced for by the New York Yacht Club from a buoy off Sandy Hook to Five-Fathom Beach, off Cape May.
The third President to visit Cape May county was General Grant, who came for four different seasons for short visits. On Saturday evening, June 13, 1873, he arrived at Congress Hall, Cape Island, and was at the opening of the hotel for the season. He brought with him several Cabinet officers and prominent citizens, among whom were General George H. Williams, Attorney-General; Hon. Benjamin Bristow, Secretary of the Treasury; Hon. R. B. Cowen, Assistant Secretary of the Interior; ex-Vice-President Hannibal Ham- lin, then United States Senator from Maine; General O. E. Hancock, United States Army, and Private Secretary to the President; Hon. A. G. Cattell, ex-United States Senator from New Jersey, and who was afterwards president of the
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LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION.
local banking institution, the New Jersey Trust and Safe Deposit Company; Governor A. R. Sheppard, of the Dis- trict of Columbia: Hon. John Goforth, Assistant Attorney- General; General Edward McCook, Governor of Colorado; Thomas H. Dudley, Consul to Liverpool, and others. The party was received by Company H, Sixth Regiment, the local military organization, and welcomed to the city by Mayor Waters B. Miller. During that season Hon. Fred- eric T. Frelinghuysen, afterwards Secretary of State un- der President Arthur, was a guest at the Stockton with his family. The following season Governor Thomas A. Hen- dricks, afterwards Vice-President of the United States, was a Stockton guest.
Frank Willing Leach, who left Cape May for other fields about this time, is the youngest surviving son of Joseph S. Leach, and was born at Cape May August 26, 1855. He was educated primarily at the local schools and by private tutor. Having read law with his brother, J. Granville Leach, he was admitted to the Philadelphia bar March 31. 1877. He immediately began the practice of his profession in that city, where he has resided since January, 1873. Mr. Leach, at an early age, even before attaining his majority, evinced an appetite for journalism and literature. When a youth he was president of the Philadelphia Amateur Press Association and critic of the Eastern Amateur Press Asso- ciation. About this time he was editor of "The Literary Gem," a monthly journal, published by the Crescent Liter- ary Society, of which organization, made up chiefly of col- lege students, he was the president. Soon afterward he be- gan contributing to current periodicals, his first story, a nov- elette, having been published in the "Waverly Magazine," when he was twenty-two years of age. Before this he had done work as a correspondent for the Philadelphia "Press" and Philadelphia "North American." For a number of years Mr. Leach has been engaged upon a biographical and genealogical work entitled "The Signers of the Declaration of Independence: Their Ancestors and Descendents."
Mr. Leach's tastes and inclinations ran to politics while he was yet a young man. In 1881 he was a delegate to the Republican State Convention, of which, also, he was the
366
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
secretary. The same year he followed the political fortunes- of Hon. Charles S. Wolfe, who ran as an independent can- didate for State Treasurer. Mr. Leach was secretary of the- Independent Republican State Committee that year, as well. as in 1882, when Hon. John Stewart was the independent candidate for Governor, and he was also secretary of the convention which placed the latter in nomination, May 24,. 1882. In 1883 he was chief auditor in the office of the City Controller of Philadelphia, and the following year he was- chief clerk, at the same time serving as secretary to the he became the secretary of the Republican State Committee Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of that city. In 1885 of Pennsylvania, which position he held until the summer of 1893. From 1886 to 1892, and again in 1895. he was secretary of the Republican State Committee. He was also a delegate to the State Convention of 1893. In 1888 he was secretary of the Republican National Convention, which met at Chicago, and from 1888 to 1892 he was assistant secretary of the Republican National Committee, and he conducted the campaign of that year. As a political or- ganizer he has few equals in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Leach is a member of the Pennsylvania Society Sons of the Revolution and of the Pennsylvania and New York Societies of Mayflower Descendants; also a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the American Academy of Political and Social Science, the Numismatic and Anti- quarian Society of Philadelphia, the University Archeolog- ical Association, the American Folk Lore Society, the Civil Service Reform Association of Philadelphia and the Gealog- ical Society of Pennsylvania; also of Mt. Moriah Lodge, No. 55, F. A. M., and Damascus Council, No. 536, Jr. O. U. A. M .; also of the Markham and Penrose Clubs of Philadel- phia, and the Harrisburg Club, of Harrisburg, Pa.
Hereford Inlet Light was established in 1874.
This light is located on the north end of Five-Mile Beach, in latitude 39º00'00" and longitude 74°47'00". Its height of tower is 493 feet and elevation of light 57 feet above sea level. It has a fourth-order lens and fixed red light, visible at a distance of thirteen nautical miles. Arc of illumination, N. E. by N. & N., around eastward to S. W. 3 S. This
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LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION.
structure is of wood and placed in a grove. The tower surmounts the dwelling. Both are painted straw color. Distant 102 nautical miles north of Cape May Lighthouse.
Richard S. Leaming, Senator from 1874 to 1877, was a prominent inan of the county. He was a son of Jeremiah Leaming, who was Senator from 1834 to 1836, and was born in Cape May county July 16, 1828. In early life he evinced business capacity, and began business as a ship builder at Dennisville, where he was successful in his opera-
/
RICHARD S. LEAMING.
tions. During the war he became a staunch Union man, and was active in moving supplies and securing volunteers. He became a member of the Republican party upon its formation. He was a member of the Board of Freeholders from Dennis township during the years 1862, '69, '70,'71 and '72. He served as a member of the Assembly in 1871, '72 and '73. The latter year he was chosen to the Senate and served during the years 1874, '75 and '76. He was a candi- date for Presidential elector in 1888 on the Harrison and Morton ticket. He was a prominent Baptist and many
368
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
years superintendent of his Sunday school. He died at Dennisville on May 25, 1895.
In 1874 Dr. Alexander Young, of Court House, served in the Assembly. He was a grandson of Henry Young, who was surrogate of Cape May from 1743 to 1768. Dr. Young was born at Beesley's Point March 27, 1828. After getting a primitive education, he entered Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, in 1857, and two years later was graduated an M. D. He settled at Goshen and practiced there until 1873, when he removed to Court House. Early
1. 11.8
XANDER YOUNG.
in life he became a member of the Petersburg M. E. Church, and was some years a class leader. While at Goshen he gave attention also to cranberry growing and had one of the largest bogs in the county.
Beginning in 1868, he served in the Board of Freeholders for about fifteen years from Middle township, and from 1870 until he retired he was the director (president) of that body. He died at Court House on May 17, 1887.
In 1874 Joseph E. Hughes was appointed a judge of county courts by Governor Joel E. Parker. Judge Hughes,
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LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION.
who was a son of James R. Hughes, a well-known local educator of his day, and a grandson of Aaron Eldredge, surrogate from 1802 to 1803, was born in Lower township July 31, 1821. In his thirteenth year he became a mem- ber of the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. He grew to manhood on his father's farm and was studious and acquired a moderate education. He entered upon farming, and for fifteen years taught the district school. For many years superintendent of the Cold Spring Sunday-school, and was
JOSEPH E. HUGHES.
made an elder of the church in 1835, where he remained until 1875, when he united with the church in Cape May City, of .which he is to-day an elder. He was clerk of the Township Committee and town superintendent of schools. In 1865 he was a member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, and was its clerk in 1871 and 1872. During the latter year he removed to Cape May City, and was in 1874 elected to the City Council. In 1874 he was appointed judge, and served until 1882, when he was appointed postmaster of Cape May City by President Arthur. He held this position four years. In 1886 he was chosen alderman, and served two years. In
370
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
1893 he was appointed again a judge of the courts by Gov- ernor Werts, and served until the law was changed in 1896. In politics he is a moderate Republican. He was in private life engaged in mercantile pursuits and the hotel business ..
By the State census of 1875 Cape May had a population of 8190, of which 354 were colored persons. The popula- tion, according to townshis, was: Upper, 1569; Middle, 2355: Lower, 1480; Dennis, 1585, and Cape May City, 1201.
In 1875 Cape Island was given a new charter by the Legislature, and its name changed to Cape May City. The- new charter provided for a mayor, an alderman, and a re- corder, elected every two years; nine councilmen for three year terms, three going out of office each year, and a col- lector of taxes, assessor of taxes, treasurer and overseer of poor, each elected anually. The limit of indebtedness was fixed at $100,000.
Richard D. Edmunds, who served in the Assembly in 1875, was a son of Robert Edmunds, a soldier in the War of 1812. He was born in Lower township in 1814, where he spent his boyhood days. He obtained an education as best he could, and then entered into mercantile pursuits and farming. He served in the Board of Freeholders from Lower township in 1857. In 1862 he was chosen loan com- missioner of the county, and held that office for a year, hav- ing that autumn been chosen sheriff. He served in that capacity until 1865. Afterwards he removed to Cape Is- land, and, in 1871, was chosen from there a member of the Board of Freeholders. In 1875 he was elected recorder of Cape May City under its new charter, and served one year. He was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for some years previous to his death. For fifteen years he was an elder of the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. He died on October 8, 1879.
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