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

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Local History Notes:

SALEM, a county in the S. W. part of New Jersey, has an area of about 540 square miles. It is bounded on the W. by the Delaware river, on the N. E. by Oldman's creek, and on the E. and S. E. by Maurice river and Stow creek, and is drained by Salem and Alloway's creeks, which afford valuable waterpower. The surface is level; the soil in the northern and western portions is clay or loam, more or less sandy, and generally productive. In the S. E. part the soil is sandy or gravelly and less fertile; it yields, however, much timber of oak and pine, which are said to succeed each other alternately when a clearing is made. Indian corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, hay, and butter are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 825,622 bushels of corn; 173,871 of wheat; 226,918 of oats; 190,745 of potatoes; 27,882 tons of hay, and 399,097 pounds of butter. There were 15 flour mills, 16 saw mills, 2 chandleries, 1 cordage manufactory, 3 coach manufactories, 1 pottery, 2 ship-yards, and 5 tanneries. It contained 41 churches, and 2 newspaper offices; 3263 pupils attending public schools, and 125 attending academies or other schools. Marl is abundant in various places, and is used as a manure; iron ore is also found; but not in great quantities. A short canal of 3 or 4 miles connects Salem creek, navigable for shallops, with the Delaware, saving a distance to the craft which navigate the creek of about 20 miles. Organized in 1710, when it included the whole of the present county of Cumberland, and named from Salem, the seat of justice, which was founded by John Fenwicke in 1675. Population, 19,467.

Biographies:

Jacob Hufty, representative, was born in New Jersey. He was a judge in Salem county, N.J., 1797-1804; sheriff, I800; director of the board of freeholders, 1801; county collector, 1805; member of the legislative council of New Jersey, 1807; surrogate, 1808; and a representative from New Jersey in the 11th, 12th and 13th congresses, 1809-14, serving until his death, when he was succeeded by Thomas Bines. He died at Salem, N.J., May 20, 1814.

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

William Cassady Cattell, educator, was born at Salem, N. J., August 30, 1827; son of Thomas W. and Keziah (Gilmore) Cattell. He was graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1848, and at Princeton theological seminary in 1852, pursuing post-graduate studies there during 1853, under the instruction of Joseph Addison Alexander. During 1853-55 he was associate principal of Edgehill seminary, Princeton, N. J. In 1855 he was made professor of Latin and Greek at Lafayette college, Easton, Pa., and became pastor of the Pine street Presbyterian church at Harrisburg in 1859. In 1863 he was called to the presidency of Lafayette college, occupying that position until 1883, when he resigned and became emeritus professor of mental philosophy. When he came to the college as its president it had two small buildings and was at the point of suspension, and he left it with a rank among the foremost institutions of the country. He was appointed one of the directors of Princeton theological seminary in 1864. He accepted the office of secretary of the Presbyterian board of ministerial relief, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1884. In 1896 he resigned the secretaryship because of impaired health. He received the degree of S.T.D. from both Hanover and Princeton in 1864, and that of LL. D. from the University of Wooster in 1878. He died in Philadelphia, Feb. 11, 1898.

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

Anthony Quinton Keasbey, U.S. district attorney, was born in Salem, N.J., March 1, 1824; son of Dr. Edward and Mary Parry (Aertsen) Keasbey; grandson of Anthony and Hannah (Brick) Keasbey, and of Guilliam and Esther (Parry) Aertsen; great grandson of Edward and Prudence (Quinton) Keasbey; great2 grandson of Edward and Elizabeth (Bradway) Keasbey; great3 grandson of Edward Keasbey, who came from England in 1694, settled in Salem, N.J., and married Elizabeth Stuart in 1701. His grandfather, Anthony Keasbey, was for many years clerk of Salem county, N.J.; and his great grandfather, Edward Keasbey, was a representative in the general assembly of New Jersey, 1763-69, a member of the council of safety, and a deputy from Salem to the provincial congress at Trenton, 1775, and New Brunswick, 1776, at which latter convention a state constitution was adopted. Anthony Quinton Keasbey was graduated from Yale in 1843, and was admitted to the bar in October, 1846. He practised in Salem until 1853, when he removed to Newark, N.J., and formed a partnership with his former preceptor, Cortlandt Parker, which continued, 1855-76. He held the office of U.S. district attorney for New Jersey, 1861-86, having been appointed by five successive Presidents. He was married Oct. 18, 1848, to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Welsh Miller and after her death to her sister, Edwina Louisa. In 1876 he admitted into partnership with him his two sons, Edward Quinton and George Macculloch, under the firm name of A. Q. Keasbey & Sons. Yale conferred upon him the degree of A.M. in 1863. He died in Rome, Italy, April 4, 1895.

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

Alexander Gilmore Cattell, senator, was born in Salem, N. J., Feb. 12, 1816, son of Thomas W. and Keziah (Gilmore) Cattell. In 1840 he was elected to the legislature of New Jersey; in 1841-42 was clerk of the state house of representatives, and in 1844 served as a delegate to the state constitutional convention. In 1846 he removed to Philadelphia, engaged in business, and held various legal offices. He was a director of the Mechanics' bank, president of the corn exchange association, and in 1858 organized the Corn exchange bank of which he continued president for thirteen years. After 1855 he resided in New Jersey, and in 1866 was chosen to the United States senate as a Republican, succeeding John P. Stockton, Democrat, who was unseated. He served until the end of Senator Stockton's term, March 3, 1871, he having declined an election by the legislature that year. President Grant appointed him a member of the first civil service commission in 1871. During 1873 and 1874 he served as financial agent of the United States government in London, and while there refunded the government loans at a lower rate than formerly. He was a member of the New Jersey board of assessors and of education. He died at Jamestown, N. Y., April 8, 1894.

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