History of Burlington, (Burlington County) New Jersey United States of America

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Local History Notes:

BURLINGTON, a county occupying the middle part of New Jersey, has an area of about 600 square miles. It is bounded on the N. W. by the Delaware river, and S. E. by the Atlantic ocean, extending entirely across the state. It is drained by Little Egg Harbor river, which partly bounds it on the S. W., and its branches flowing into the Atlantic, and by Rancocus, Assiscunk, and Crosswicks creeks, falling into the Delaware. The surface is generally level, and in many parts covered with pine timber. The soil in the N. W. portion, for about 12 miles from the river, is a very fertile loam; the remainder principally sandy, with a substratum of clay. Indian corn, wheat, potatoes, hay, and butter are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 883,011 bushels of corn; 364,461 of potatoes; 152,369 of wheat; 41,783 tons of hay, and 688,868 pounds of butter. The quantity of hay was the greatest produced by any county in the state. There were 4 chandleries, 3 newspaper, and 1 calico-printing establishment, 2 cotton and 2 woollen factories, 7 foundries, 4 glass manufactories, 28 flour mills, 2 grist mills, 2 paper mills, 52 saw mills, and 19 coach manufactories. It contained 83 churches, and 6771 pupils attending public schools, and 1400 attending academies or other schools. Bog iron ore is found in many places, and marl is abundant in the western part. Animal relics, such as shells, bones, and also petrified vegetables, are frequently found in the marl. In Springfield township there is a petrifying well. The Camden and Amboy railroad traverses this county, and a branch railroad connecting Burlington with Mount Holly is included within it. Organized in 1694, and named from Bridlington, commonly pronounced Burlington, a town of England. Capital, Mount Holly. Population, 43,203.

Biographies:

Eliakim Littell, editor, was born in Burlington, N.J., Jan. 2, 1797; son of Stephen and?(Gardner) Littell, and grandsen of Eliakim and Hannah (Jewell) Littell. His paternal grandfather was a captain in the Revolutionary army and with his company aided in the defence of Springfield, N.J., June 4, 1870. Eliakim settled in Philadelphia in 1819 and founded the National Recorder, a weekly literary paper, changing the name to the Saturday Magazine in 1821 and to the Museum of Foreign Literature and Science in 1822. His brother, Dr. Squier Littell, assisted him in editing the journal. In 1841 the business was removed to Boston and in April, 1844, he published the first number of Littell's Living Age, which was continued weekly. In 1855, he also established Panorama of Life and Literature, a monthly magazine. The "compromise tariff," which became a law during the administration of President Jackson, is said to have been formulated by Mr. Littell. He married Mary Frazer, daughter of John and Mary Anne (Frazer) Smith, sister of Gen. Persifor Smith, and granddaughter of Col. Persifor Frazer, and their son Robert (born in Philadelphia, May 5, 1831, died in Brookline, Mass., April 7, 1896), succeeded his father as editor and manager of the Living Age. Mr. Littell died in Brookline, Mass., May 17, 1870.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Edward Burd Grubb, soldier, was born in Burlington, N.J., Nov. 13, 1841; son of Edward Burd and Euphemia (Parker) Grubb; grandson of Capt. Peter Grubb, and a descendant of John Grubb of Delaware. He was graduated from Burlington college in 1860, and in 1861 joined the Union army as private, and was soon promoted 2d lieutenant, then 1st lieutenant and captain. He participated in the battles of Bull Run, and all the battles of the army of the Potomac; was made an aide on the staff of General Taylor, and was promoted major and lieutenant-colonel in 1862, and colonel in 1863. In 1864 he was appointed colonel of the 37th N.J. volunteers, and was brevetted brigadier-general, March 13, 1865. After the war he engaged in the iron business in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In 1888 he was the Republican candidate for governor of New Jersey, and in 1889 was appointed by President Harrison U.S. minister to Spain. He succeeded in getting the reciprocity treaty between the United States and Spain for Cuba and Porto Rico ratified, and induced the Spanish government to remove its prohibition against the importation of American pork and to agree to a treaty on copyright. After accomplishing his mission he returned to America and resigned before the completion of his term.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Joseph Pancoast, surgeon, was born in Burlington, N.J., Nov. 23, 1805; son of John and Anne (Abbott) Pancoast. His first maternal ancestor in America emigrated from England to Pennsylvania with William Penn. He was graduated at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1828, and settled in practice in Philadelphia, Pa., where he married, in 1829, Rebecca, daughter of Timothy Abbott of that city. He taught classes in practical anatomy and surgery, was one of the physicians to the Blockley hospital in 1834, head physician of the Children's hospital for several years, and one of its visiting surgeons, 1838-45. He was professor of surgery in Jefferson Medical college, 1838-47, succeeding Dr. George McClellan, and was transferred to the chair of anatomy, serving 1847-74, when he resigned and was succeeded by his son, Dr. William H. Pancoast. He was surgeon to the Pennsylvania hospital, 1854-64. He performed many novel and skilful operations which are recorded in medical works. He was a member of the American Philosophical society; the College of Pharmacy; The Philadelphia County Medical society; the Medical Society of Pennsylvania, and other scientific institutions. He contributed to the American Journal of the Medical Science, The American Medical Intelligencer and the Medical Examiner; translated J. Frederick Lobstein's Treatise on the Structure, Functions, and Diseases of the Human Sympathetic Nerve from the Latin (1831); edited Manse on the Great Sympathetic Nerve (1841); Manse on the Cerebro-Spinal Axis of Man (1841); and Quain's Anatomical Plates (1852); and is the author of: Treatise on Operative Surgery, with Descriptions of all the New Operations (1844, revised edition, 1852); A System of Anatomy for the Use of Students, based on the work of Casper Wistar (1844), and several essays. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., March 7, 1882.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Linnaeus Ives, educator, was born in New Haven, Conn., June 22, 1831; son of Nathan Beers and Sarah (Badger) Ives; grandson of Eli Ives. He was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1852, and from Jefferson Medical college, M.D., 1854. He practised in New Haven, 1856-68, and was professor of the tbeory and practice of medicine at Yale, 1868-73. He resigned his chair on account of ill-health, accepted the professorship of the diseases of the nervous system in the University Medical College of New York, and went to Europe to make a special study of that subject. Owing to a continued failure of his health, he never entered upon that position. He published: Prophylaxis of Phthisis Pulmonalis; The Therapeutic Value of Mercury and its Preparations; The Bible Doctrine of the Soul. He died at Burlington, N.J., March 21, 1879.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Burlington, (Burlington County) New Jersey

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