USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 33
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Samuel S. Marcy, M. D., was born at Willington, Tol- land county, Conn., December 7, 1793, and passed his boy- hood days in that section, where he availed himself of the advantages of the schools, and acquired a thorough Eng- lish education. At the age of twenty-one years he entered the office of Joseph Palmer, Jr., M. D., at Ashford, Conn., where he read and practiced for three years. He then attended lectures at the medical department of Yale Col- lege, and received his first diploma from the State Medical Society of Connecticut, and subsequently received the de- gree of M. D. from the faculty of Yale College. He mi- grated to Cape May county in 1817, and located at Cokl Sprirgs. On April 3, 1822, he married Miss Thankful Edmunds, a daughter of Robert Edmunds, of Fishing Creek, at one time judge of the Court of Common Pleas. and an elder in the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. Doctor Marcy moved to Cape May long before the place was incorporated, where he followed his profession until he retired, owing to his advanced age. He held many local offices, being a member of the Board of Freeholders during the years 1854, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859. 1860, 1861, 1862 and 1869. He was a member of City Council in 1856 and 1857; Recorder in 1861, and Alderman in 1858, 1859 and 1860.
He was a director and treasurer of the Cape Island Turn- pike Company for a long time, and one of the charter mem- bers of Cape Island Lodge, No. 30, F. and A. M.
He died in Cape May City February 13, 1882.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
In 1862 the Legislature passed an act allowing Cape Island to issue $20,000 in bonds for the purpose of erecting a water works, subject to the vote of the people.
The West Jersey Railroad was opened to Cape May in 1863. Then things soon took a start and people began to build cottages. The value of lots ranged according to fancy, and speculation was for a long time rife and much money was made.
St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church was incorporated in 1863.
In 1866 the charter of Cape Island was changed so that Councilmen were elected for two years instead of one.
On March 28, 1866, the "Cape Island Lodge, No. 30. Free and Accepted Masons," was incorporated, with Virgil M. D. Marcy, Alvin P. Hildreth, Samuel R. Ludlam, Joseph Q. Williams, Samuel R. Stites, Samuel S. Marcy and their associates as members.
The third disastrous fire on the island occurred on the last day of August, 1869, which destroyed that entire por- tion of the island lying between Washington street and the ocean, and between Ocean and Jackson streets, with the exception of the Columbia House and two or three other small buildings. Among the hotels burned were the United States Hotel, American House and the Atlantic and other small houses. The Atlantic was rebuilt.
About this time St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church was built at Washington and Franklin streets through the influence of Bishop Coleman, of Delaware.
In 1869 the mammoth Stockton Hotel, which stands to-day, was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at a cost of $600,000. This company owned it for about twenty years.
George Hildreth was born at Rio Grande, May 28, 1822. At sixteen he was employed in vessels carrying coal be- tween Philadelphia and New England ports. In 1839 he was wrecked at sea in the "Reaper," of Cape May. He was picked up by a passing vessel and carried to New York. He then became an employee of Richard C. Holmes in the wrecking business. After a period of such service he
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was engaged in buying and selling lumber. In 1846 he built the Columbia Hotel, and sold it in 1851. That year he built the West End.
From 1861 to 1863 he was engaged in fishing and in 1864 entered into the feed business, which he still conducts. In 1874 he built the Wyoming Hotel. On April 12, 1870, she was appointed keeper of Cold Spring Life Saving Sta- ition, and held the position for about fifteen years.
Military organizations have been numerous at Cape May «during the summer seasons. The Fifth Maryland encamp- ed here during the summer of 1873, and has been here several times since. The Baltimore Light Infantry, the Washington Light Infantry, Sixth, Seventh and Second New Jersey Brigades, the Philadelphia State Fencibles, the First Pennsylvania Regiment, and various civic socie- ties, such as St. John's Commandery of Knights Templar, have been here during various seasons.
Henry Hand, a leading citizen, is a son of Recompence Hand, a pilot, and brother of Joseph Hand and Enoch W. Hand, who have been Councilmen. He was born in this city January 31, 1826, and was a cousin of General Scheuch, ·once U. S. Minister to England. He was educated in the public schools here. At sixteen he entered as a carpenter's apprentice at Philadelphia, learned his trade and returned home. He was chosen City Clerk and served from 1853 to 1855. In 1856, his health failing him, he went to Min- nesota and remained there three years, working at his trade. His health being restored, he returned to Cape May again, -and entered into partnership with Mashel Ware, under the firm name of Hand & Ware. This firm built many cot- tages here, the Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Newark, and in 1872 twenty-six life-saving stations along the New Jersey coast for the United States Government. He is a promi- nent member of the Cape Island Presbyetrian Church, and "has been an elder since 1869. From 1861 to 1863 he was a second time City Clerk, and from 1863 to 1866 was City Recorder. From 1869 to 1872 he was Tax Collector, and served as Assessor from 1872 to 1876, from 1878 to 1883, .and from 1884 to 1891. In 1895 he was chosen City Treas- jurer, which office he still holds.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
On March 22, 1872, the act to incorporate the Cold Spring and Cape May Water Company became a law, and John C. Bullitt, General William J. Sewell, Jacob F. Cake, James Leaming and Return B. Swain were the incorporat- ors. The works, which were finally in possession of the city, were started in 1874.
Return B. Swain was born in Middle township, now- near Swain's Station, on the West Jersey Railroad, Feb- ruary 19, 1826. He was raised on a small farm, and edu- cated in the district public school until the completion of his sixteenth year, at which period he commenced self education through the medium of text-books, with accom- panying keys. At nineteen he commenced life on his own. account as teacher in the public schools. When twenty years of age he went into the employ of E. T. Randolph & Co., iron manufacturers, at Millville, N. J., where he was a bookkeeper for two years. The confinement impaired his health, and he returned to a farm near his birthplace,. where his time was passed in farming and surveying in summer, and in teaching the district school in winter. This he did until 1865. In February, 1848, he had married Miss- Rachel Reeves, a daughter of Benjamin F. Reeves, of Cumberland county. The completion of the West Jersey Railroad to Cape May, in 1863, gave an impetus to im- provement in Cape May City, and in 1865 Mr. Swain moved to the place, where he became largely interested in many public enterprises, being a Master in Chancery, No- tary Public, surveyor and conveyancer. He was for a number of years a large real estate operator, and a long time superintendent of the Cape Island Gas Company. He was a member of the City Council in 1874. About 1880 he removed to Philadelphia, where he entered into the plumb- ing business and manufacturing of bath tubs.
CHAPTER XXX. CAPE MAY CITY.
John G. W. Ware, the twelfth Mayor of the city of Cape May, was born at Cape May City in 1825, and lived at Cape May all his life, being identified with nearly every public enterprise. He was known during his life as "Uncle John," because of the kindness he did in sickness and in aiding in ever public enterprise. He was a brother of Wil- mon W. Ware, who was once State Senator; Daniel C. Ware, who served as a Councilman; of Joseph Ware, who was twice Mayor of Cape May, and Maskel Ware, a chosen Freeholder of Cape May City.
When the first city charter went into effect in 1851 he was chosen a member of Council for one year. He was elected to the same office in 1857, 1858, 1859, 1864, 1865, 1866 and 1867 for one-year terms.
He was elected Alderman in 1870, and served until 1875, when he was elected Mayor for a term of two years. He was chosen again Alderman in 1877, and served until 1870- In 1881 he was again elected Alderman, and served until 1886. In 1888 he was again elected and served until his death, on September 8, 1894, which was caused by heart disease.
Dr. James Mecray, son of James Mecray, pilot, and first Burgess of Cape Island, was born at Cape May in 1842. He attended school in Cape May and at Philadelphia. Af- ter graduating at the University of Pennsylvania as a phy- sicin he entered the navy as a surgeon and served during the civil war. In 1866 he entered into partnership with Dr. Samuel Marcy, and established a drug business. After ten years Dr. Marcy retired, and his son, Dr. V. M. D. Mar- cy, became Dr. Mecray's partner, and the firm remains the same to this day. He seved in the City Council in 1868, and when the charter of 1875 went into effect he was elected a
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
member of Council for three years, serving as president. during his entire term. He served a second three-year term from 1881 to 1884. and was again president during the whole of his term. He was City Treasurer from 1869 to. 1871. He enjoys a large medical practice, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
John H. Benezet, merchant, is a descendant of Anthony Benezet, who was a patriot resident of Philadelphia during. the Revolution. He was born at Cape May Court House: in 1844. When sixteen his father died, and he then begam working on the plantations of different farmers urtil he
DR. JAMES MECRAY.
went to Woodbury, N. J., where he learned the tinman's. trade. By 1863 he had finished his trade, and then began business at Court House on his own account. He then began a housefurnishing business. In 1866 he opened an establishment at Cane Island. He afterwards, with his brother, Alfonso, established stores at Dennisville and Sea Isle City. He was a member of City Council in 1872 and 1873.
Joseph Q. Williams, the sixth, eighth and thirteenth Mayor of this city, was born in Philadelphia, November 2, 1827, and came to Cape May about 1850, just previous to
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the incorporation of the city. Mr. Williams is a carpenter by trade, and began his career here as a builder and built many of the residences about the Cape. He married Miss Sarah E., a daughter of William Stites, one time Treasurer of Cape Island. His first office was that of Alderman, to which he was elected in March, 1856. It was for a term of one year. At that time the Alderman was a member of the Council and a justice of the peace. During the years beginning in March of 1857 and 1858 he served the city of Cape Island as Councilman. In 1860 he was elected Re- corder, and served for a year. This was virtually the same as an Alderman, and in this capacity was again Council- man and Justice of the Peace.
In 1862 he was put forward for Mayor, and was elected for one year. He introduced the system of paying over fines to the city treasury, a rule which his predecessors had not complied with. It was during this term also that the police were uniformed for the first time in this city.
In 1865, 1866 and 1867 he was successively elected a member of the City Council and performed also the duties of two other offices in the last of these three years. He was a triple office holder in that he was Councilman, Tax Collector and a Representative of Cape Island in the Coun- ty Board of Freeholders. His colleague in the Freeholder Board was Joseph S. Leach.
At the spring election in 1868 he was again chosen Mayor for one year, and was a candidate for re-election, but was defeated by a close vote by Waters B. Miller, who suc- ceeded him. During the year the Legislature passed a bill and made Mr. Williams, together with General Wil- liam J. Sewell, of Camden, afterwards United States Senator from 1881 to 1887, and from 1895 to 1901; Col. J. Frank Cake, a prominent hotel proprietor of his day in Wash- ington, Baltimore and Cape May; Hon. John C. Bullitt, a large property owner, but a resident and eminent lawyer of Philadelphia, who framed the famous Bullitt bill, or charter granted to Philadelphia in 1886; and Captain George Hildreth, of Cape May, the commission to improve the highways of the place. This commission lasted five
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
years and four months, and during its existence the mag- nificent Beach avenue, or boulevard, was built, the work of superintending which almost wholly devolved upon Mr. Williams. For this service Mr. Williams never received any pay.
In 1874 he was again elected Recorder for one year, and ofcourse was a member of the Council and Justice of the Peace. In the spring of 1875 the new charter of the city of Cape May went into effect, changing the name from the
JOSEPH Q. WILLIAMS.
City of Cape Island, and at the election he was elected Al- derman for one year. The duties of this office were purely judicial, and its holder virtually vice-Mayor.
In 1877 Mr. Williams was again elected Mayor for a term of two years, and in March, 1889, he was re-elected for two more years. He was succeeded in 1881 by Mayor Melvin.
In 1884 he was again elected to office, this time as a Councilman. He was re-elected in 1887 and 1890 and
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served until 1893, since which time he has given up office holding. In 1884 he was chosen as President of Council, and again was its president in 1887. He was a valuable member and in 1886 was one of the five who saved to Cape May her valuable water works franchise.
Mr. Williams has been a consistent Presbyterian and active in church work the greater part of his life. In 1854 he was elected superintendent of the Sunday school of the First Presbyterian Church, and for twenty-seven years labored in the same position. For a number of years he has been an elder in the church. and was twice elected a member of the Presbyterian General Assembly of the United States for the New Jersey Synod-that of St. Paul in 1888, and of Saratoga in 1894. It is very seldom that a layman is twice honored in this way. Mr. Williams is a fluent speaker. His son. J. Ashton Williams, has been City Recorder since 1891.
One of the most disastrous fires which has ever visited this seaside resort burned over the most interesting and profitable part of the ocean front of Cape May City on Sat- urday, November 9. 1878. The fire broke out in the Ocean House about 8 o'clock in the morning, amid excellent ele- ments, and lasted until night. The wind was an ally, and the limited fire apparatus, was of no avail. At half past five in the afternoon it had crossed Ocean street, and taken everything clean on Beach avenue from Congress street to Stockton Row, and the mammoth Stockton seemed in the clutches of the fiend when the efforts of the Cape May, Vineland and Camden firemen, and the steamers which the two latter companies had brought with them, finally sub- dued it. All night long and Sunday the people were storing away their goods which they had saved. Trains came down crowded the next day from Philadelphia. The burned district covered an area of over thirty acres, divided as fol- lows: Congress Hall property, five acres; the block bound- ed by Perry, Jackson and Washington streets and the beach, eight acres; the block bounded by Jackson, Decatur and Washington streets and the beach, eight acres; the prop- erty destroyed between Decatur and Ocean streets, from east
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
of Washington street to ocean, five acres; the property an- nihilated between Ocean and Guerney (Stockton Row) streets, five acres. The Star of the Cape, of the Thursday following the fire, said: "The ravages of the fire can scarce- ly be appreciated from a pen description. Where on Sat- urday morning stood thirty acres covered with magnifi- cent hotels, gems of cottages and thousands of bath houses, is now a blackened waste, swept by the besom of destruc- tion, leaving nothing in its wake but spectre chimneys and smouldering ruins." The property destroyed was estimat- ed at $600,000, and included nine hotels: Congress Hall, Centre House, Ocean House, Avenue House, Merchants', Centennial, Atlantic, Knickerbocker and Columbia, all frame buildings. The principal cottages burned were Fry- er's Bluff and Ocean Cottages, on Perry street; J. E. Me- cray's, Peterson's, Fenlin's, Eliza Miller's, King's Ocean- Villa, Hildreth's Wyoming Cottage, Chill's, McConnell's two, and Rudolph's, on Jackson street; Judge Hamburg- er's, King's three, Denizot's and Columbia's two on De- catur street; Smart's, Fisher's, Bullitt's and Wolfe's on Ocean street.
When the fire fiend had finished its work it left the fol- lowing hotels: Stockton, Arctic, National, St. Elmo, Sea Breeze, United States, Chalfonte, Arlington, Clarendon, Cape May House, Delaware House, White Hall, Chester County House, Mineral Spring, Tremont House, Baltimore, American, Washington, Greenwood, and Young's.
In the place of the burned ones Congress Hall was re- built of brick on the ocean part of the property where it stands now. Congress place was laid out, and where the main building of Old Congress Hall stood is now the El- beron and several private properties.
The New Columbia was built of brick on Jackson street, occupying the block in which six of the burned hotels stood. Cottages have gradually taken the places of the ruins, and Cape May has not to-day those large hostelries, but the more modern houses are of the smaller class. Nearly thir- ty cottages were burned, whose places were taken inside of three years by forty-six new ones.
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CAPE MAY CITY.
On February 11, 1880, John Mecray Post, No. 40, Grand Army of the Republic, was organized, with twenty-one old soldiers as members, as follows: George W. Barnes, Samuel C. Barton, James H. Carman, James V. Clark, James Cran- dol, John B. Davis, James J. Doak, Francis K. Duke, P. J. Donnelly, William B. Eldredge, William Farrow, Augustus C. Gile, Thomas Lemmon, Christopher S. Magrath, Wil- liam W. Messich, John N. Reeves, Mitchell Sandgran, Charles Sandgran, Henry W. Sawyer, Henry P. Seaman and John D. Speace.
FREDERICK J. MELVIN.
Frederick J. Melvin, the fourteenth Mayor of Cape May, was born at Lumberton, North Carolina, February 28, 1848. When only six months old his parents removed with him to Philadelphia, where he resided until he was sixteen years of age. Young Melvin attended the public schools. there until he came to Cape May, being employed for sev- eral summer seasons by the Harlan and Hollinsworth Steamboat Company, of Wilmington, on their line of small steamers which plied between Philadelphia and Cape May, traveling in those known as "Lady of the Lake," "Felton,"
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
"Sue" and others. During the winter seasons he was em- ployed in the gas fixture business in Philadelphia.
When he attained his twentieth year he entered the em- ploy of George B. Cake as clerk in the old Washington House, which stood where the Knickerbocker Building now stands, and was later a clerk at the Sherman House, previously called the Tontine, but now the United States Hotel, at Jackson and Lafayette streets. After this Mr. Melvin entered the employ of the firm of Richardson & Farrow, who during their time were the most prominent provisioners in the city of Cape May.
During the years 1874 and 1875 Mr. Melvin travelled for a New York firm, and in the latter year and early in 1876 superintended for a glass firm their part of the construc- tion of the big main building of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. During the Centennial he also ran a res- taurant near the Exposition grounds. In 1877 he began business for himself in Cape May, opening a paint ware- house at the corner of Mansion and Jackson streets, which he conducted for about five years. In the spring of 1880 he was chosen by the people Alderman for a term of two years. After serving one year of his term, in 1881, he was elected Mayor for a term of two years, and was re-elected in 1883 for another term. He retired from the chair in 1885, after an administration which was a credit to his adopted city and to himself. Through his influence in the summer of 1881 St. John's Commandery, No. 4. Knight Templars, of Philadelphia, visited the Cape for four days, and the city was gay and festive. The commandery came again in 1882, and were royally entertained through the ef- forts of Mayor Melvin and the committee he selected. On this occasion the commandery presented him with a mag- nificent Templar's charm, and conferred upon him the rare honor of making him an honorary member of the command- ery. In 1883 he entertained President Chester A. Arthur, who was a visitor.
In the summer of 1881 the Washington Light Infantry, through his efforts, came to Cape May for their first en- campment. This famous organization was commanded by
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Colonel William G. Moore, chief of police of Washing- ton city, who had previously been private secretary to Presi- dent Andrew Johnson. The infantry was composed of the cream of Washington's male population. In 1883 they came again to Cape May, and were again royally enter- tained. Before going home the infantry presented to Mayor Melvin, at the Stockton Hotel, in the presence of a large assemblage, a gold-headed cane, on the head of which was inscribed, "To Hon. F. Melvin, August, 1883, from the Washington Light Infantry, Washington, D. C." When the regiment was about to depart for their homes on that visit Mayor Melvin went to the depot to bid them good- bye and a safe return. In appreciation of his kindness he was arrested and carried by them to Washington, and re- ceived by a grand ovation, a military reception, and with fireworks en route. A grand banquet was given there in his honor, at which were in attendance nearly all the promi- nent citizens and officers in Washington.
For nine years previous to 1894 he was proprietor of the Sea Breeze Hotel, the property of the great Pensylvania Railroad.
President Cleveland appointed him postmaster of Cape May City on April 16, 1886, which office he held until April 16, 1889, when he resigned and was succeeded by Post- master F. L. Richardson. In 1890 he entered the hotel business in Washington, which he successfully carried on for three years.
In 1884 he purchased the grocery business of Stillwell Hand, in Cape May City, and has successfully managed it. In 1888 he was the Democratic nominee for State Senator, but while polling a full Democratic vote was defcated in the landslide which carried President Cleveland into temporary retirement and made General Harrison President. He is a prominent Free Mason.
Isaac H. Smith, merchant, is a son of Isaac Smith, pilot (1805-1881), was born in Lower township on October 12. 1830. He passed his boyhood days there, and then learned to be a tailor in Philadelphia. Afterwards he established himself in the clothing business here, and became a suc- cessful merchant. He is an elder of the Presbyterian
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Church. He is a director of the New Jersey Trust and Safe Deposit Company, and his advice in financial matters has always been considered wise by a large number of people who consult him frequently. He has served the city in various capacities creditably. He was Tax Collector in 1868, and member of Council from 1873 to 1878, and again from 1879 to 1882. He was chosen Treasurer of the city from year to year, often without opposition, front 1883 to 1895.
Eldridge Johnson, also a prominent merchant, was born January 1, 1838, in West Cape May. He attended the old cape school, and then began business life as a clerk in the stores of Enoch Edmunds, and later was a partner with W. Burr Miller in the general store business. For many years Mr. Johnson has devoted himself to his shoe business and to the management of his property. He is a trustee of the Presbyterian Church, and has for years been president of the Cape May Saving Fund and Building Association. Mr. Johnson was seveteen times elected City Treasurer, serving from 1860 to 1869 and from 1871 to 1879. He was a mem- ber of City Council from 1880 to 1883 and from 1895 to the present.
The iron ocean pier was erected at the foot of Decatur street in 1885 at a cost of $60.000.
James Henry Edmunds, the fifteenth and seventeenth Mayor of Cape May, was born in Lower township, Cape May county, August 7, 1847. He is a son of Hon. Richard D. Edmunds, who has been Sheriff, Assemblyman and Re- corder of Cape May City. The first office which he held was that of Overseer of Poor in 1874. When the new charter went into effect in March, 1875, he was elected a member of the City Council for a term of two years. In March, 1878, he was again elected to Council for a term of two years to fill a vacancy, and again in 1883 he was elected for a term of three years. When he had served two years of this term, in March, 1885, he was elected Mayor for a term of two years, and was successively re-elected in 1887, 1889 and 1891. In 1893 he was defeated. He became a candidate in 1895, and was elected for a two-year term. He has been superintendent of the local beach front rail-
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