Walsingham Griffin Ward (1819-1899)

From "Prominent Men: Scranton and Vicinity", 1906.

  Endowed with an aristocratic-sounding name, Walsingham Griffin Ward was for nearly fifty years a leading figure in the Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania bar. Admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1850, Ward practiced in both Lackawanna and Luzerne County. In 1870 he was elected as judge of the mayor's court of the city of Scranton, a post similar to that of a municipal judge. The first judge elected to that office, Ward served a five-year term and returned to his law practice after leaving the bench. A native New Yorker, Walsingham Griffin Ward was born in Dutchess County on October 7, 1819, the son of John and Cynthia (Sickler) Ward.

  Removing with his family to Wyoming County, Pennsylvania in 1831, Ward's early life was spent on his family's farm, and in addition to farming chores, he was a student at the Mannington Academy in Susquehanna County. At an early age, he was employed as a teamster for the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Co., traveling between Scranton and Carbondale, and in 1843 settled in Scranton. In 1846 he volunteered for service in the Mexican-American War, enlisting as a private in Co. I of the 1st Reg., Pennsylvania Volunteers. His service would prove short, as illness prevented him from active participation, and he was honorably discharged at Veracruz in April 1847.

  In 1848 Ward married in New York to Maria White, to whom he was wed until her death in December 1872. In 1874 he remarried in Massachusetts to Louisa Z. Hurlburt (1837-1887) and had one son, Douglass Hurlburt Ward.

  Having decided upon a career in law in the late 1840s, Ward studied in the law office of Edmund L. Dana (1817-1889), who was later to serve as a judge for Pennsylvania's 11th judicial district. In 1850 he was admitted to the state bar at Wilkes-Barre and opened his practice in Scranton. Through the succeeding years, Ward had several partnerships and was retained as an attorney "for defendants in about 80 homicide cases and for a long time had the principal criminal practice here and in Luzerne County." His status as a leader at the Lackawanna County bar was later attested to in his 1899 obituary, which remarked:

"The same fearlessness and aggressiveness which characterized his conduct in the trial of cases remained with him to the end. Having a thorough knowledge of law and evidence, a remarkable knowledge of men and a careful attention to details, together with a persistant and courageous perseverence, his earnest efforts in behalf of his clients were pretty generally successful."

   Before his election as judge Ward operated a partnership with Frederick William Gunster (1845-1900), a former student in his law office who went on to serve as Lackawanna County district attorney and as a state assemblyman. In October 1870 Walsingham Ward was elected as judge of the Mayor's Court of Scranton. Lewis Jones, one of the first occupants of that post, had been appointed by the Governor and served until an election could be held, and in October 1870 Walsingham Ward emerged the victor. The first man to win election to that post, he served until 1875, "when the provisions of the constitution abolished the office." His time on the bench was later lauded by the Scranton Times-Tribune, which noted:

"His decisions were affirmed in the higher courts with unfailing regularity, and his record as a judicial officer could not be excelled."

  After his term, Ward returned to his law practice and partnered with future judge Henry M. Edwards (1844-1925). Their firm lasted until 1877, and Ward later partnered with another former law student, George S. Horn. Remarked as a "devout student of the Bible", Ward was a deacon in the local Presbyterian Church, where he taught Sunday school. Widowed in 1887, Ward's partnership with Horn extended until his death, which occurred at his Scranton home on December 9, 1899. Due to poor health, he had been confined to his home for two months prior and was survived by his son Douglass. Following funeral arrangements, he was interred at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Dunmore, Pennsylvania.

From the Scranton Times-Tribune, December 12, 1899.

Delsworth Mote Buckingham (1866-1951)

From the Wilmington News Journal, January 1, 1927.

  The Strangest Names In American Political History makes a rare stop in Delaware to profile Delsworth Mote Buckingham, a lifelong resident of Hockessin who represented his town for one term in the state assembly. Born in Hockessin on August 22, 1866, Delsworth Mote Buckingham was one of three children born to Richard Gilpin (1841-1939) and Sarah (Mote) Buckingham (1841-1882). Little is known of his early life, except notice of his being a painter and paperhanger by trade, and in September 1896 married his first wife Etta Stone. By 1900 he remarried to Minnie Ament (1866-1934) and following their separation married Adeline Klair (1865-1961), to who he was wed until his death. These marriages were childless.

   Active in several fraternal groups in New Castle County, Buckingham was elected assistant secretary of the Newark Lodge, No. 3, Independent Order of Good Templars in 1886, and was a member of the Independent Order of Red Men, the Odd Fellows, the Loyal Order of Moose, and the Armstrong Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. A devout Presbyterian, Buckingham was a parishioner at the Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church for three decades and was a Sunday school superintendent.

  Prior to his time in the legislature, Buckingham had never held political office and entered into the race for state representative from New Castle County in 1926. That November he was elected, besting Democratic nominee Lewis Dickey, 879 votes to 506. Taking his seat in January 1927, Buckingham chaired the committees on Charities and Public Health and was named to the committees on Education, Elections, the Judiciary, Public Highways, and Temperance. 

  Following his term, Buckingham continued residence in New Castle County, and in May 1934 was reelected Red Clay Creek Sunday school superintendent for the ninth consecutive year. His final years were marred by a heart condition, and on October 14, 1951, he died of a heart attack at his home. He was survived by his wife Adeline, and both were interred at the Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

From the Wilmington News Journal, October 15, 1951.

Balfour Bowen Thorn Lord (1906-1965)

From the Port of New York Authority annual report, 1959.

"No man contributed more to making politics and public life an honored calling in New Jersey. Thorn Lord brought men of integrity and intellectual ability into public life and imbued them with his dedication to making the Democratic process function effectively and responsibly."

   Such was the description by U.S. Senator Harrison Williams of Balfour Bowen Thorn Lord, a Democratic power player in New Jersey beginning in the 1940s. A former U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Lord was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1960 and in the year following his defeat was elected chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee. He served in that capacity until his death in June 1965, having taken his own life at a friend's home. The story of this once-prominent Garden State political figure begins with his birth in Plainfield on August 24, 1906, being the son of Carroll Putnam (1875-1958) and Frances Roberts (Troy) Lord (1883-1952). Possessing a plentiful name, the origins behind the name Balfour Bowen Thorn remain unknown, and through his career in public life, he was known as Thorn Lord.

  The son of a cotton merchant, Lord removed with his family to the South at a young age and enrolled at the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee. His time at the university saw him as a member of Alpha Tau Omega, the Junior and Senior German Club, and was manager of the track team. He graduated in 1927 and decided to pursue a career in law. His studies took him to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his degree in 1931. Lord returned to New Jersey sometime later to accept a position as a clerk in the office of a federal judge, and in 1932 established his law practice in Trenton.

  Thorn Lord passed the New Jersey bar exam in 1933 and in January 1934 was admitted to the state bar. In that same year, he married Margaret Twining Eastburn (1906-1987), with who he had one son, Thorn Lord Jr. (1937-1987). The couple later separated, and in 1943 remarried to Nina Walton Underwood (1903-1976), and had one daughter, Nina.

From the Suwanee Cap and Gown Yearbook, 1926.

    In 1935 the New Jersey State Bar Association designated Thorn Lord as one of ten members of a special committee on unauthorized practice of law in the junior section of the state bar association. He continued his rise in New Jersey law circles in 1936, beginning service as Assistant U.S. District Attorney for New Jersey, and following U.S. Attorney Charles Phillip's resignation in November 1943, was appointed to succeed him. Lord quickly threw himself into his new duties, with the office of first assistant attorney being abolished, and two new administrative assistants for civil and criminal cases being created. Despite entering into such a prominent post, Lord cited his desire to serve his country during wartime, highlighting his previous application to the attorney general, noting "I am perfectly willing to serve, but I can't even resign."

  Not long after assuming the reigns as U.S. Attorney Thorn Lord announced that his office had summoned a grand jury in connection to black-market liquor sales in the state, remarking that the session would "disclose unusual revelations concerning a black-market in New Jersey." His two-year tenure as U.S. Attorney was highlighted during his senate candidacy, with the Camden Courier-Post noting:

"During World War II Lord and his aides received special commendation for setting up the machinery for enforcement of the Selective Service Act in New Jersey. His office was also recognized nationally for appointing distinguished New Jersey citizens to serve as members of the Alien Enemy Boards on a non-partisan basis."

  Lord left the U.S. Attorney's office in 1945 and soon partnered with future Governor Richard Hughes to form a law firm. In 1947 Lord was elected as a Democratic committeeman for Lawrence township and held the additional roles of police and fire commissioner. In June 1947 he was elected as a delegate from Mercer County to the state constitutional convention, where he was named to the committee on Credentials, Printing, and Authentication of Documents. 

   Further political honors came Lord's way in 1948 when succeeded his friend Richard Hughes as chair of the Mercer County Democratic Committee, serving in that capacity until his death. This post saw Lord gradually become a political kingmaker in state democratic circles, with the Hackensack Record noting that:

"Operating on a theory that most non-voters are Democrats, he organized an efficient operation to get them registered. His policies pumped life into the Mercer Democratic organization, which soon swept every County-wide office, ending a long G.O.P. reign." 

  A founding figure in the National Democratic Club of New Jersey in 1950, Lord served as one of that organization's trustees and led the fight to curtail the power of the political machine of Frank Hague, mayor of Jersey City. In 1953 Lord proved pivotal in the nomination of Robert Baumle Meyner's nomination for Governor, his candidacy first being proposed at Lord's home. With Lord's behind-the-scenes guidance, Meyner won the Democratic nomination and later the governorship, serving two terms from 1954-1962.

From the Montclair Times, November 3, 1960.

    Following Meyner's election, he appointed Lord as a commissioner for the Port of New York Authority, representing New Jersey. His appointment was confirmed by the state senate in August 1955, and during his tenure would inspect New York Harbor and Port Authority developments. In 1958 he served as vice chairman of the board's committee on port planning and was touted by the state Democratic establishment as a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate. For the time being, Lord was denied the senatorial nod, not having the support of Hoboken mayor John Grogan and state conservation commissioner Joseph McLean.

  As the 1960 election year loomed, the New Jersey Democrats came to a consensus in February when Balfour Bowen Thorn Lord was announced as their U.S. Senate candidate, "being the unanimous choice of Democratic leaders from all 21 counties." By the time of his nomination, Lord was already a familiar face in the Mercer County Democratic Party but was little known in other areas of the state. Described as "Lincolnesque", with a Southern drawl, his favored brown fedora became a trademark part of his image, along with his trusty Ford, which he drove regularly for two decades. Noted as standing six feet two inches, the comparisons to Lincoln didn't end with height, however, with the Passaic Herald News remarking "Lord looks like Lincoln come to life. He walks and talks as most people think Lincoln used to walk and talk." The News further detailed Lord's long devotion to his party, noting:

"Nobody in the Democratic party has a better right to the U.S. Senate nomination than Lord. It is generally conceded that he could have been the candidate two years ago instead of Harrison A. Williams. He was one of the leading contenders. He discouraged the electors at that time, by expressing doubt that he was interested."

  Though given the nod by the state Democratic establishment, Lord himself didn't announce his candidacy until March 1960 and also noted that he'd be resigning from the New York Port Authority to focus on his campaign. That same month another New Jersey attorney, Richard Glasser, filed for the Democratic nomination, and in the April primary was soundly defeated by Lord, 177,429 votes to 40,134.

From the Hackensack Record, June 17, 1965.

  As the campaign season went into full effect, Lord took part in authoring the party platform unveiled at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles that August. Among the issues Lord pressed for were:

• Congressional action on medical care for the aged.
• An accelerated mutual security program.
• A minimum wage of $1.25 an hour.
• Housing and education legislation.
• "Meaningful" civil rights legislation.
• "A solution to national farm problems. We have been blessed by nature with abundance, and more ways should be found to share it with underprivileged peoples elsewhere."
• A strong support of aid to undeveloped nations, "not only on the grounds of humanitarianism but to counter the threat of Communist domination."

  During his campaign, Lord was brought into contact with presidential nominee John F. Kennedy, who campaigned in New Jersey during the fall of 1960. The two candidates both spoke at a Teaneck Armory rally in the waning days of the campaign and were both featured heavily in local political advertisements, with Kennedy himself remarking: 

"I shall rely on Thorn Lord's integrity, his broad experience in public life and his knowledge as a practicing politician to help solve some of the great problems facing the country today."

From the Passaic Herald News, November 3, 1960.

  Through the summer and fall, Thorn Lord traversed New Jersey to appeal to voters. Lord's Republican opponent that year was incumbent Clifford P. Case (1904-1982), a four-term U.S. Representative from New Jersey who had first been elected to the senate in 1954. In October 1960 he engaged in a debate with Case held at the Fair  Lawn Jewish Center in Hackensack, and spent further time in Gloucester County, meeting U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy at a Democratic function in Irvington. On election day in November it was Clifford Case who emerged victorious, polling 1,483,832 votes to Thorn Lord's 1,151,385. Though he polled an impressive vote count, Lord appeared "very hurt" by the defeat, with the Hackensack Record reporting in his 1965 obituary that:

"He lost by a big margin, and his eyes were filled with pain election night. There was speculation in the state house last night that perhaps he had never gotten over that defeat. It was hard to tell, though, as Lord was the sort of man who kept his own counsel."

   Despite his senatorial ambitions being dashed, Lord achieved a measure of consolation in April of the following year when he was elected as chairman of the New Jersey State Democratic Committee. As chairman, Lord pushed hard for the election of his old friend Richard J. Hughes as Governor, and in November 1961 saw him win the first of two terms in that office. Thorn Lord would simultaneously hold the posts of both state chairman and chair of the Mercer County Democratic committee until 1965, and just one week before his death was elected to another four-year term as Democratic state chair.

  On June 17, 1965, newspaper reports broke that Thorn Lord had been found dead at the home of his close friend Clifton Bennett, then serving as judge of the Mercer County Court. Reports of his sudden death continued to break, and in the coming days it was revealed that Lord had taken his own life by strangulation with an electric shaver cord, and was:

"Discovered about 4:30 pm yesterday slumped in an easy chair in the cellar recreation room of Mercer County Court Judge Clifton T. Bennett, his close friend of 25 years."

  Further investigation revealed that Lord had been despondent and had left a note prior to having "tied the cord around his neck and pulling both ends, garotting himself." On the day of his death, Lord had had breakfast with Bennett, who soon left for his daily work routine. Returning home later that day, Bennett discovered Lord's note and soon called the police. Newspaper reports published in the coming days gave varying stories in regards to Lord's despondency, with some reporting marital trouble, and others relating that he was still hurt by his senate loss.

  Lord's suicide shocked the New Jersey political establishment and left his family and friends in dismay. In the days following his death, numerous outpourings of grief appeared throughout state newspapers, memorializing Lord as "a leader of national stature." Among these memorials were the words of his friend, Governor Richard Hughes, who stated:

"The state has lost one of its finest citizens...His sole concern as a highly respected political and civic leader was good government and the well being of the people of this state."

 Balfour Bowen Thorn Lord was survived by his wife Nina, and his two children. He was later interred at the Trinity All Saints Cemetery in Princeton, New Jersey. 

From the Bridgewater Courier-News, June 17, 1965.

Uzal Haggerty McCarter (1861-1931)

From Newark's Anniversary Industrial Exposition, 1916.

   A leading financier in Newark, New Jersey, Uzal Haggerty McCarter's career in banking extended nearly fifty years. A founder of the Fidelity Trust Company, McCarter would serve that organization as its secretary, treasurer, and trust officer, and in the early 1900s became its president. McCarter was also a founding member of the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey and had fleeting political involvement in 1904 when he was chosen as a Republican presidential elector. The son of lawyer Thomas Nesbitt McCarter (1824-1901) and the former Mary Louisa Haggerty (1828-1896), Uzal Haggerty McCarter was born in Newton, New Jersey on July 5, 1861.

  Prominent in the political life of Sussex County, Thomas N. McCarter served as collector for the county from 1854-57 and in 1862 was elected to the state assembly, serving one term. He later declined two opportunities to sit on the state supreme court. Political service also beckoned to Uzal McCarter's brother, Thomas Nesbitt Jr. (1867-1955), who for three years was a district court judge for New Jersey. In 1902 he was named state Attorney General and served only a year before resigning.

  Uzal McCarter's education was obtained at the Pingrey School and the Newark Academy and graduated from Princeton University in 1882. After graduation he made his first move into finance, taking a position with Kidder Peabody and Co., a securities firm. In 1887 he left their employ to join the Lombard Investment Co. of New York, and married in January 1889 to Jane Meeker Lewis, to who he was wed until her death. The couple had one daughter, Isabelle Lewis (1890-1959).

   In the same year as his marriage McCarter left Lombard for a position with the Fidelity Title and Deposit Company of Newark. This firm, later known as the Fidelity Trust Company, merged with the Union National Bank to form the Fidelity Union Trust Co. in 1921. McCarter's long affiliation with Fidelity saw him serve as its executive manager, and, later, secretary and treasurer. By 1902 he had succeeded to the presidency of the Fidelity Trust Co., serving in that capacity for many years.

  McCarter achieved further distinction in 1903 when he and his brother Thomas joined to organize the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey. With both brothers aware that major utility companies in the state were facing bankruptcy, a conference of the state's premier financial minds was called, with Thomas McCarter being named to a subcommittee to discuss solving the problem. Uzal McCarter, also attending the conference, "suggested one big company be formed with $10,000,000 cash capital". Thomas, then the attorney general of the state, resigned from office in July to take the presidency of the Public Service Corporation, with Uzal McCarter serving as a member of its board of directors.

  Uzal McCarter's lone foray into New Jersey politics came in 1904 when he became a candidate for Republican presidential elector. At the Republican state convention held that September, both McCarter and famed engineer Washington Augustus Roebling were chosen presidential electors at large. McCarter's election necessitated his resignation as president of the Union National Bank of Newark and was one of twelve electors for Theodore Roosevelt and Charles Fairbanks.

From the Central New Jersey Home News, September 20, 1904.

  Following his time as an elector McCarter continued with the Fidelity Trust Co. and the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey, and in 1909 was reelected to the board of directors of the New Brunswick Trust Company. In 1917, he announced that the Fidelity Trust Co. had purchased a site for an up-to-date banking house, "paying for it $10,000 per front foot, or $660,000 for sixty-six feet." Envisioned as a multi-story structure, the building would be "devoted exclusively to the institution's various departments."

  After the Fidelity Trust Co.'s merger with the Union National Bank, Ual McCarter continued as president, and through the 1920s guided the institution's trajectory, overseeing "a merger policy absorbing one bank after another under the control of the Fidelity, the theory being that each additional bank was self-sustaining." Active in many other areas of public life, McCarter was a founder of the New Jersey Banker's Association and held memberships in the New York Yacht Club, the Newport Golf Club, the Princeton and Banker's Clubs, the Monmouth Boat Club, and The Rumson and Essex Country Clubs. In 1916 McCarter emerged as a leading figure in the 250th anniversary of the founding of Newark, serving as chairman of the committee of 100 for the city's Industrial Exposition held in May-June of that year. 

  In 1928 McCarter made headlines when he announced, that as a lifelong Republican, he would be voting for Democratic candidate Alfred E. Smith in that year's presidential election. In an interview concerning his change of political faith, McCarter remarked:

"I will cast my ballot for Al Smith for President. While I was in some doubt as to whether I would actually vote for Governor Smith after all my years of Republicanism, this doubt was dispelled when I met him at dinner last night. His personality, with its combination of culture and democracy, together with the impression he gives forth of the utmost of integrity and ability, convinced my of his desirability for the presidency. The views which I formed, after listening to Governor Smith's speech of acceptence, were more than confirmed in personal contact." 

   Uzal McCarter continued to be a force in New Jersey financial circles until his death. Having contracted a cold while onboard his yacht, the illness later developed into bronchial pneumonia, which claimed his life at his home in Red Bank on August 15, 1931. He was survived by his wife and daughter and was interred at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark. Following his death McCarter was memorialized by the Paterson Morning Call for his "rugged honesty, and his unfailing wit and humor", as well as his philanthropy. It was left for the Call to eulogize him as:

"As the best business getter for his bank; he searched the daily newspapers for leads to new business and no one person in his great banking institution worked harder to bring into the bank new accounts. Attention to small details and a determinatioon and energy to make good, account for the success of Mr. McCarter in whose death New Jersey loses her greatest banker."

Tunis Van Doren Hoagland (1813-1872), Teunis Garret Bergen (1806-1881)

From "The City of New Brunswick; Its History, Its Homes, Its Industries", 1908.

  Tunis Van Doren Hoagland was a 19th-century carpenter who had fleeting involvement in politics in 1858 when he became mayor of New Brunswick, New Jersey, being elected to fill a vacancy. While there is a dearth of resources on Hoagland's life, the sources that do exist mention him as a leading figure in his city, and in addition to his mayoralty served as keeper of the New Jersey State Prison at Trenton. A lifelong Garden State resident, Hoagland was born of Dutch extraction in Somerset County, New Jersey on July 3, 1813, the son of Henry and Gertrude (Van Liew) Hoagland.

  Descended from a long-established Dutch family, Tunis Hoagland's early life remains largely unknown. Before embarking on a career in carpentry he worked briefly as a clerk in a grocery store, and later followed in his father's stead and learned carpentry. He would go into business for himself, and at the time of his death in 1872 was "said to have been the best master carpenter and architect this city as ever had." Hoagland's 1872 obituary in the New Brunswick Daily Times further details that "he planned and built the whole row of houses in Paterson street to Elm row", which he later sold for "a moderate profit for himself." This same obituary notes other homes in the city that bore his handiwork, and that by 1858-59 he had "relinquished the business."

  Tunis V.D. Hoagland married Anna Eliza White (1815-1868) in 1835. The couple's thirty-three-year union saw the births of fifteen children, several of whom died in childhood. At the time of his death in 1872, only five of Hoagland's children survived him.

   By the 1850s Hoagland had become active in the civic life of his region, and in 1851, he and several other New Brunswick citizens were founding organizers of the Willow Grove Cemetery Association. This was followed by Hoagland's involvement in the organizing of the New Brunswick Water Company, which was incorporated in 1858. After retiring from the carpentry trade Hoagland's business dealings included a blind and sash factory, and a grist mill--The Girard Mills--located in the Spring Street area of the city. Additionally, Hoagland ventured into the production of mineral paints (perennis brown), which proved popular in the South until "war broke up the business." Hoagland is also remarked as a director of the Mutual Life Insurance Company, a trustee of the Lancastrian School, and an honorary member of Protection Engine Co. No. 5.

  Tunis Hoagland first entered politics in the 1850s, being affiliated with the Know-Nothing movement, and after backing a then-popular liquor law, ran unsuccessfully for the New Jersey State Assembly in 1855/56. His political fortunes changed in 1857 when John Bayard Kirkpatrick, the Democratic mayor of the city, resigned due to clashes with the board of aldermen, then predominantly Know-Nothing. Kirkpatrick's resignation necessitated a special election, with four candidates vying for the mayoral chair. Hoagland, backed by a loose coalition of Republicans and Know-Nothings, won the race "by a 40 majority."

  Hoagland's mayoral tenure proved brief (1857-58), and he was succeeded by Peter C. Onderdonk. He reemerged on the political scene in 1862 when he was appointed Keeper of the State Prison at Trenton. His brief time in office saw him undertake an extensive revision of the prison, and following this repair work could boast of a prison surplus of $13,000. Hoagland later drew the ire of contractors who "killed his reelection for the succeeding year", and was subsequently bribed with "a note and $500 to quiet him." Proving to be made of the sterner stuff, Hoagland would turn over the money to the New Jersey State Library.

  In the latter period of his life, Hoagland engaged in the manufacture of printers ink and was a mercantile tailor before retiring in the late 1860s. Widowed in 1868, he made one last run at public office in 1869, hoping to be named Collector for Middlesex County. He was defeated and later changed his political affiliation to Democrat. The last months of Hoagland's life were marked by a long decline in health, and he died at his home on December 4, 1872, aged 59. He was interred alongside his wife at the Willow Grove Cemetery in New Brunswick.

From Reed's History of Kings County, New York, 1683-1884.

  A long-tenured figure on The Strangest Names In American Political History, Teunis Garret Bergen's name was first located by this author via the online Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress back in 2002. The only "Teunis" to win election to Congress, Bergen served one term as a U.S. Representative from New York and had been a three-time delegate to the state constitutional conventions of 1846, 1867, and 1868. Born in Brooklyn on October 6, 1806, Teunis Garret Bergen was the son of Garret and Jane (Wyckoff) Bergen.

  Descended from a family with its roots in New York extending back to the 1630s, Bergen worked the family farm in Gowanus during his youth and attended the Erasmus Hall Academy in Flatbush. Readying himself for a career in farming, Bergen studied surveying, "in which he soon became proficient." He married Elizabeth Roelof Van Brunt (1807-1890) in December 1827, and the couple's fifty-three-year union produced at least seven children: Gertrude (1831-1865), Jane (1832-1919), Garret (1833-1893), Elizabeth (1837-1893), Johanna (1839-1913), Van Brunt (1841-1917), and Lemma (1844-1846).

  Early in his life, Bergen joined the "Kings County Troop" of the New York State National Guard, and through the succeeding years attained the ranks of captain, ensign, adjutant, lieutenant colonel, and colonel in the 241st Regiment. He began treading the political waters with his election as township supervisor of New Utrecht and served 23 years in office (1836-1859). For four years (1842-46) he was chairman of the Kings County Board of Supervisors, and in 1846 was elected a Kings County delegate to the state constitutional convention. He would again serve as a delegate to the conventions of 1867-68 and was a member of the committees on Canals and Indians. Additionally, Bergen would attend multiple democratic state conventions after beginning his political career.

  Elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention of 1860, Bergen journeyed to Baltimore and during the convention proceedings "vigorously opposed the resolutions of that body which caused the breach between the Northern and Southern Democratic party." In 1864 he announced his bid for the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 2nd district and that November was elected, defeating Union Republican Samuel Maddox by a vote of 13,630 to 8,829. He served one term and wasn't a candidate for renomination in 1866.

  After leaving politics Teunis Bergen focused his efforts on writing history and genealogy, and between 1866 and his death he authored numerous works, including: "The Bergen Family" (1866), "The Genealogy of the Van Brunt Family" (1867), and portions of "A Register of the Early Settlers and Freeholders of Kings County, N.Y., from Its First Settlement by Europeans to 1700." A founder of the Long Island Genealogical Society, Bergen also held membership in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, and in 1878 published "A Genealogy of the Lefferts Family, 1675-1878."

  Teunis G. Bergin continued residence in New Utrecht until his death from pneumonia on April 24, 1881, aged 76. He was survived by his wife Elizabeth, and both were interred at the famed Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. 

Rulif VanCleve Lawrence (1871-1938)

From the Long Branch Daily Record, March 17, 1938.

  We continue our stay in New Jersey and visit Monmouth County to profile Rulif VanCleve Lawrence, a curiously named lawyer who served that county as prosecuting attorney and court of common pleas judge. After several years on the bench, Lawrence advanced to the New Jersey state circuit court, where he served until his death. Born on April 29, 1871, in Freehold, New Jersey, Rulif VanCleve Lawrence was the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Woolley) Lawrence.

  Lawrence's early education was obtained in schools local to Freehold, including the high school and Freehold Institute. Wanting to pursue a career in law, Lawrence enrolled at the New York Law School and also studied in the office of Frank B. McDermott. He was commissioned as counselor-at-law in 1896 and began his career in public service in 1893 with his appointment to the Freehold board of elections. Lawrence married in 1899 to Adeline Swift Yard (1868-1942), to who he was wed for nearly forty years. The couple had three children, Elizabeth (1900-1974), James Sterling Yard (1903-1971), and Sylvia (1906-1963).

  Establishing himself in practice in Freehold, Lawrence also operated a law office in Asbury Park beginning in 1900. In 1912 he was appointed to the Monmouth County Tax Board by Governor Woodrow Wilson and continued service on the county board of elections. Before his appointment county prosecutor Lawrence "served as counsel to several municipal bodies" and was town counsel and attorney for Freehold and Neptune, respectively. Additionally, Lawrence served an indeterminate period as secretary of the Monmouth County Democratic Committee and was a member of the Freehold Board of Education and the Freehold Public Library board of trustees. Rulif Lawrence was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity for many years, being past master of the Mount Olive Lodge No. 16, and a past regent of the Royal Arcanum Lodge No. 1501 of Freehold.

  In January 1914 Governor James Fielder appointed Lawrence to succeed John Applegate as Monmouth County prosecutor, with the appointment going into effect February 1st. Lawrence's time in the prosecutor's office proved to be short, however, and in April 1915 Fielder appointed him as judge of the Monmouth County Court of Common Pleas, succeeding  John Slocum, who had been named to the state public utilities commission. Sworn in for a five-year term, Lawrence was reappointed to the bench in 1920 by Governor Edward I. Edwards.

From the Asbury Park Press, January 17, 1914.

   In January 1925 Rulif Lawrence was renamed common pleas judge by Governor George Silzer and was confirmed by the state senate. One year after his reappointment, Lawrence's name was bolstered to succeed circuit court judge Nelson Y. Dungan, who had resigned. In 1926, the New Jersey legislature voted to increase the number of circuit judges in the state from ten to twelve, and in April Lawrence and fellow judge Newton Porter were successfully nominated and confirmed to fill the new seats. 

  Lawrence was reappointed to the circuit court in 1933, for what would have been a seven-year term, but died in office. His death occurred shortly after he excused himself from a trial on September 17, 1938, having fallen ill. Returning to his chambers, Lawrence "dropped dead" shortly thereafter, and was discovered by physician H.H. Freedman, who had been summoned by court aides. In the days following his death, Lawrence was memorialized throughout Monmouth County newspapers, including a lengthy tribute in the Monmouth Democrat (via the Long Branch Daily Record), which eulogized him as "witty, considerate, and gracious." The Democrat further remarked that:

"In the death of Circuit Court Judge Rulif V. Lawrence, New Jersey has lost one of its most respected and outstanding citizens, and highly competent jurists. He was known throughout the length and breadth of the state, as an able, experienced, dignified and broadminded judge. He upheld the American ideals of equal rights and penalties for all, regardless of social or financial status, and never let politics play any part in his official acts as judge...The secret of Judge Lawrence's judicial contribution to the Judiciary of New Jersey and to its general welfare lies in the wisdom of Victor Hugo--"Law is a thing human; Justice is a thing devine." From a self made man he arose by serious application to the attainment of his objective--a skillfull and just judge."

 Lawrence was survived by his wife Adeline and their three children and was interred at the Maplewood Cemetery in Freehold. Sadly, Adeline Yard Lawrence survived her husband by only four years, committing suicide by asphyxiation in the kitchen of her home in July 1942. Distinguished in her own right, Adeline Lawrence attained prominence in political service in Monmouth County, being a Democratic candidate for the state senate in 1924 and was a member of the Democratic State Committee. She was also a member of the New Jersey Board of Institutions and Agencies and was interred at the same cemetery as her husband.

Rulif VanCleve and Adeline Yard Lawrence.

Freas Leslie Hess (1896-1959)

From the History of Somerville, New Jersey, 1909-84.

  A standout figure in the history of Somerset County, New Jersey, World War I veteran Freas Leslie Hess served a decade as mayor of Somerville and midway through his terms won a seat in the state assembly. He later was elected by his fellow representatives as speaker of the house for the 1945 session and also served as majority leader. Hess continued his political ascent in 1948, when he was elected to the state senate, and continued in that office until 1951. The son of James Gearhart (1865-1939) and Eleanor Amelia (Stevens) Hess (1866-1937), Freas Leslie Hess was born in Thorndale, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania on March 11, 1896.

  During his youth, Hess was a student in the Sonestown, Pennsylvania school district and graduated from the local high school in 1913. He entered the workforce in the early 1910s when he joined the Garlock Packing Company of Palmyra, New York, and in 1916 took employment with the Johns-Manville Corporation, then located in Manville in Somerset County, New Jersey. He continued affiliation with that company until his death, being superintendent of packings at the time of his passing. 

  Shortly after joining Johns-Manville Freas Hess was called to military duty, enlisting in the U.S. Army. He took rank among the 311th Infantry Reg., 78th Division, with which he would serve in France. Hess later attended Officer's Candidate School while in Europe and was commissioned a second lieutenant. He served until the close of WWI and was discharged in May 1919. Freas L. Hess married Wilhelmina Taylor (1890-1977) in April 1920, to who he was wed until his death. The couple had three children, Freas Leslie Jr. (1921-2001), and twins John Edwin (1929-2018) and Jean Elizabeth (1929-1997).

  Returning to his position at Johns-Manville, Freas Hess was active in the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Y.M.C.A. In the 1920s, and in 1924 chaired the church's Pioneer Club banquet, which saw famed clergyman Samuel Parkes Cadman as a featured speaker. Hess took an active role in the Somerville Male Chorus, serving as its vice-president, and was active in several civic and fraternal groups, including the Somerville Exchange Club, the Harold Halstead VFW Post, the Boy Scouts, the Solomon's Lodge No. 46 of Free and Accepted Masons, and the Keystone Chapter No. 25 of Royal Arch Masons. A devoted baseball fan, Hess is remarked as having played semi-pro baseball during his early life.

   Following his removal to Somerville Freas Hess took an active role in local Republican circles, and made his first foray into politics in 1928 when he was a candidate for the Somerville borough council. He won the election that November and served a three-year term. Towards the end of his term, Hess agreed to serve another year on the council to fill a vacancy, due to the resignation of Robert L. Adams, then mayor-elect of Somerville. Hess was reappointed to the council in January 1932 but refused to be a candidate for renomination that fall.

  In April 1933 Hess announced his candidacy for mayor of Somerville. Hoping to garner the Republican nomination, Hess proved successful, and in the May primary was virtually assured the election, handily defeating his only serious challenger, councilman Fremont Masker. No Democratic candidates entered the mayoral primary, and that November Freas Hess was elected unopposed.

From the Bridgewater Courier-News, April 14, 1933.

   Sworn into office in January 1934, Hess swiftly made appointments to various borough offices, and "pledged an administration that will do its full part in bringing about a complete economic recovery", stating:

"As to the future we feel, that good times are slowly and surely returning, and the time is not that far distant when everyone will have a chance to earn a fair and honest wage. We have learned during the past year or two that in these days of reconstruction, in order to be successful we must first get our house in order, pay our bills, and set up our business on a sound and economical basis. This we can certainly apply to the management of our borough and to this end we as your governing body pledge our best efforts." 

   All told Hess served five consecutive terms as mayor (1934-1944), and during his terms was a member of the administrative board of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, and in 1938 was president of the Somerset County Association of Mayors and Township Committee Chairmen. Midway through his mayoralty Hess was bolstered by his fellow Republicans as a potential candidate for the state assembly. After several months of consideration, Hess threw his hat in the ring in August 1938, remarking:

"To represent Somerset County in the state assembly would be an honor and an opportunity for broader public service. Because such an opportunity appeals to me and with a feeling that it is my duty to accept the call of the many voters who have expressed their confidence in me, I have consented to become a candidate for the Republican nomination." 

From the Bridgewater Courier-News, August 9, 1938.

  In September 1938 Hess defeated Frederick R. Wyckoff in the Republican primary, and that November bested Democrat Harvey S. Smalley Sr. by a "majority of 4,900." He took his seat in January 1939 and during the 1939-41 session was named to the committees on Corporations and Labor Industry, and the joint Sinking Fund Committee. Additionally, he would chair the joint committee on Buildings and Grounds. Hess continued to pull political double duty, serving as mayor of Somerville while an incumbent assemblyman. He was re-elected to the state assembly in 1940, and concluded his decade-long tenure as mayor in January 1944, being succeeded by Howard S. Lyon. 

  Hess's second assembly term saw him continue service on the committees on Corporations, and Labor and Industries. He also sat on the committee on Municipalities and was chairman of the committee on the Revision of the State Constitution. He would win a third term in 1942, and after his fourth assembly win in 1944 was elected by his fellow assemblymen as speaker of the house for the 1945 session. Described by the Bridgewater Courier News as "the quiet gentleman from Somerset County", Hess announced his main goal as speaker was to "put across the program of efficiency and governmental reform initiated last year by Gov. Walter E. Edge." During this term, Hess served as president of the Somerville Republican Municipal League from 1945-46.

  Freas Hess was elected to one further term in the assembly in 1946, and served on the committee on Unemployment Compensation, and chaired the Committee on Military Affairs. In February 1947 he announced his bid for the state senate, hoping to succeed incumbent H. Rivington Pyne, and in June won the Republican nomination. In the days following his win, the Bridgewater Courier noted Hess's familiarity "with the problems of labor and industry in his position of superintendent of packing in the Manville factory of Johnson-Manville."

From the Bridgewater Courier, October 30, 1947.

  The general election in November saw Hess defeat Democratic nominee Anthony Kearns, polling 14,673 votes to 7,305. Sworn in January 1948, early in his tenure Hess introduced Senate Bill 205, which aimed to create the Borough of Raritan in Somerset County. In his last year of service, he chaired the New Jersey Air Pollution Commission, which sought an appropriation of $35,000 for the state health department to combat air pollution. He continued to represent Somerset County in the senate until his defeat for renomination in April 1951, losing the Republican primary to Malcolm Forbes.

  After leaving state government Freas Hess remained a leading citizen in his region, serving as a trustee of the Somerset Hospital, chairman of the Somerset County Officials Association (1938-1955), and until 1954 was director of Somerville Civilian Defense. He would serve as chairman of the Somerville-Raritan Sewage Authority until his death and was a member of the municipality committee of the New Jersey Taxpayer's Association. In May 1955, after three decades of public service to Somerville, Hess was named Man of the Year by the borough Chamber of Commerce and was feted with a reception at the Far Hills Inn in Somerville. 

  The last weeks of Hess's life were marred by ill health, and after a brief illness died at the Somerset Hospital on November 7, 1959, aged 63. Days following his death he was memorialized in the Bridgewater Courier News as having:

"Contributed much time and effort to various civic organizations, municipal and statewide governmental groups. Freas Hess had the ability of assuming responsibility and producing. He long will be remembered for his service to his home town, his state, and his fellow citizens."

  Hess was survived by his wife of nearly forty years, Wilhelmina, and their three children. Following her death in 1977 Wilhelmina Taylor Hess was interred alongside her husband at the New Somerville Cemetery.  

From the Central New Jersey Home News, November 8, 1959.

Burr Ackley Towl (1868-1952), Burr Ackley Towl Jr. (1912-1991)

From the Westfield Leader, March 22, 1979.

  The city of Westfield, New Jersey has been helmed by over fifty mayors in its history, including a father-son pair possessing the name Burr Ackley Towl. The first of these men, Burr A. Towl Sr., was a native of Ohio who found success in business in both New York City and Cranford, New Jersey. In addition to his residency in those areas, Towl resided in Westfield, New Jersey, where he engaged in banking. He entered local politics with his election to the city council, and in 1928 was elected to a two-year term as mayor of Westfield. Born in Parma, Cuyahoga County, Ohio on July 2, 1868, Burr Ackley Towl was the son of Theodore and Sarah Lucretia (Ackley) Towl. 

   Little is known of Towl's early life or education, except notice of his graduation from the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. In the early 1880s Towl's father, a manager with the Standard Oil company's tax and real estate department, moved to Brooklyn, New York. In the mid-1880s Burr Towl followed in his father's stead and joined Standard Oil, and by the time of his retirement in 1938 was the manager of the tax and real estate departments of three Standard Oil subsidiaries, the Buckeye Pipeline Co., the Northern Pipeline Co., and the New York Transit Company. 

  Burr A. Towl married in Brooklyn on April 20, 1892, to Lettie Mandeville Crane (1868-1956), their wedding occurring at the bride's home. The couple were wed for sixty years and had five children: Edwin Irving (1894-1918), Miriam Edith (1896-2000; lived to age 103), Elizabeth M. Towl Gilmour (born 1901), Burr Ackley Jr. (1912-1991), and Edwin Irving (1918-1962). 

  In the late 1890s, Burr Towl removed to Cranford, New Jersey, where he would reside for over twenty years. Early in his residency, he became a founding director of the Kyle Automatic Water Filtering Company, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, and was later president of the Cranford Board of Education for an indeterminate period. By 1921 he and his family had resettled in Westfield, and in the succeeding years, he experienced further business distinction, holding a directorship in the Westfield Trust Co. He later served as vice president of that concern and was a director of the Westfield Federal Building and Loan Association.

  Towl made his first move into city politics with his election to the Westfield city council in 1925 and served until 1928. Beginning with his time on the city council, Towl chaired a committee that planned the construction of a new YMCA building in town in 1927, work that continued following his election as mayor. Through Towl's early efforts, $300,000 in pledges were received to aid in its building, with the cornerstone being laid in May 1928.

  In March of the last-named year, Towl announced his candidacy for Westfield mayor, with his name being bolstered by the city Republican committee. In March 1928 write-up in the Westfield Leader, Towl was touted as "well qualified for the office", with the Leader noting:

"The Republican Executive Committee in presenting the name of Burr A. Towl, to the voters as a candidate for mayor believe it will meet with the approval of the majority of the people of the Town. Mr. Towl has served one term and is serving his second as a member of the Council. He has proven himself a man of resources, and has served upon important committees and his judgement has been sought by his collegues."

From the Westfield Leader.

  In November 1928 it was a Republican sweep in Westfield, with Towl winning the mayoral race, and four Republican nominees gaining city council seats. Sworn into office in January 1929, Towl announced his appointive officials and outlined what would be the important aspects of his term, including work on the Rahway Valley Trunk Sewer. Decades following his death Towl was lauded by the Westfield Leader as being  "an originator of an idea to cover all streams in town and provide drainage for surface water." Additionally, Towl noted the separation of "police and traffic work" and instead announced a committee to better handle the city's traffic problems. 

  Burr Towl declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1930 and implored Republican voters to cast their ballot for nominee Frederick S. Tipson. That November Tipson was elected, and he served one term. Several years after his term Towl returned to politics when he was re-elected to the city council, where he sat from 1936-39. 

  Active in other areas of Westfield public life, Towl held memberships in the Sons of the American Revolution, the Atlas Lodge No. 125 of Free and Accepted Masons, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Burr Ackley Towl Sr. died at his home in Westfield on November 24, 1952, aged 84. His wife Lettie survived him by two years, and following her death in 1956 was interred alongside him at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield. 

From the Bridgton Courier-News, November 24, 1952.

From the Bridgewater Courier-News, January 3, 1961.

  In the decades following Burr Towl Sr.'s mayoralty, his son Burr Ackley Towl Jr. achieved political prominence of his own, being elected as mayor of Westfield in 1960. Like his father, Towl was connected with the Buckeye Pipeline Company in New York City, serving as its assistant general counsel for many years. Born in Cranford, New Jersey on March 2, 1912, Burr Ackley Towl Jr.'s early life was spent in Cranford before removing to Westfield with his family. A student in city schools, Towl graduated from the Pingry School in 1930 and later enrolled at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.

  Following graduation in 1934, Towl wed Morris County native Florence Sayre (1912-1984), their marriage occurring in 1936. The couple were wed for nearly five decades and had three daughters, Patricia, Carol, and Barbara. Towl began a long connection with the Buckeye Pipeline Co. of New York in the late 1930s, which continued until his retirement in 1977. He would serve that company as its attorney for over three decades, "specializing in city assessment and municipal problems." Desiring to pursue a law degree, Towl later enrolled at Fordham Law School, where he attended night classes and earned his degree in 1946.

   In 1960 Burr Towl Jr. announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for mayor of Westfield, and after clinching the nomination outlined his campaign platform, noting:

"I have steadfastly held the one objective of a town government which is responsive to the will of the people. I shall need and expect the best thinking of all civic-minded citizens." 

 In a November 1960 Westfield Leader article on his candidacy, Towl further explained what his administration would strive for, including:

• A town planning program "centered around a committee of town officials and qualified citizens" that would address zoning, traffic and parking facilities, and Westfield's "residential character."
• "Give close and continuing attention to a sound fiscal policy, thus keeping the tax burden at a minimum."
• "A town government responsible to the will of the people."

    

From the Bridgewater Courier News, January 3, 1961.

   Several days following that article's publishing Burr Towl defeated Democrat Arthur Fried and was sworn in as mayor in January 1961. Recognized as the first second-generation mayor in Westfield's history, Towl acknowledged his lack of political experience and how he had been called to seek political office:

" During the last few years I observed a lack of flow of information between the council and the people...It seemed to me that citizens were not as fully informed as they should have been about municipal matters, and some of my friends convinced me that I could help do something about it."

   Towl's mayoralty extended two terms (1961-1964) and during his administration, an $822,000 addition was made to the city's YMCA/YWCA facilities. Active in the civic life of his community, Towl was a former president of the Board of Trustees of the Fairview Cemetery, a member of the College Men's Club and Echo Country Club of Westfield, and a member of the Sons of the American Revolution Westfield Chapter. Additionally, he was a past commodore of the Shelter Island Yacht Club on Shelter Island on Long Island, New York. He and his wife were longstanding members of the local Presbyterian church, with Towl being a deacon, elder, clerk of session, and choir member.

  Widowed in 1984, Towl later remarried to Jeannette Palmer Enders (1920-2002), a graduate of the Julliard School and a past regent of the Westfield Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter. The couple was wed until Towl's death at age 79 on August 29, 1991, in Mountainside, New Jersey. He was survived by his wife, daughters, and stepchildren, and was interred at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield.