History of Somerset County New Jersey United States of America

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Frederick Frelinghuysen, senator, was born in Somerset county, N.J., April 13, 1753; son of the Rev. John Frelinghuysen (1727-84), a founder of Queens college. New Brunswick, N.J.; and grandson of the Rev. Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen, founder of the family in New Jersey, who emigrated from Freisland and settled in 1720 on the Raritan river near Somerville. Frederick was graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1770 and was admitted to the bar in 1774. He was a member of the provincial congress of New Jersey, 1775-76, and in 1778 was elected by the legislature a delegate to the continental congress, serving 1778-79, and again 1782-83. He commanded a corps of artillery at the battle of Trenton, was made colonel of militia, took part in the battles at Springfield and Elizabethtown, and in June, 1778, in the battle of Monmouth Court House. He was elected to the United States senate, serving in the 3d and 4th congresses, 1793-96. He resigned in 1796 and was succeeded by Richard Stockton. He was commissioned by President Washington major-general in the army raised to suppress the whiskey insurrection in Pennsylvania. He was a trustee of Princeton, 1802-04. He correctly predicted the day of his death at the time he fell ill and died at his home near Millstone, N.J., on his fiftieth birthday; April 13, 1804.

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

James Madison Drake, journalist, was born in Somerset county, N.J., March 25, 1837. At an early age he learned the printer's trade in his father's office in Elizabeth, N.J., and in 1852 was employed on a Trenton newspaper. In 1853 he established the Mercer Standard and in 1857 the Evening News. In 1860 he issued The Wide Awake, a Republican campaign sheet. He was an alderman of Trenton, 1860-61. In April, 1861, he organized the first company of volunteers raised in New Jersey, declined the captaincy and accepted the rank of ensign. After serving three months he re-enlisted in the 9th N.J. volunteers with which regiment he remained until the close of the war, being promoted through the several ranks to captain. He was wounded at Winton, N.C., in 1863, while leading his company in a charge. In the battle of Drewry's Bluff, Va., May 16, 1864, he, with most of his command, was captured and confined in Libby and other prisons. While being transferred from Charleston to Columbia, S.C., on Oct. 6, 1864, Captain Drake with three comrades escaped from the train, and after forty-seven days' wandering reached the Union lines at Knoxville, Tenn. He was presented with a congressional medal, accompanied by a complimentary letter from the secretary of war, by recommendation of General Grant. After the close of the war he returned to Elizabeth, N.J., where he published The Daily Monitor. In 1889 he established the Sunday Leader and the Daily Leader. He was the organizer and commander of the Veteran zouaves of Elizabeth, and was brevetted brigadier-general by special act of the state legislature. He is the author of: History of the 9th New Jersey Volunteers; Fast and Loose in Dixie, and Across the Continent.

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

Isaac Van Arsdale Brown, clergyman, was born in Somerset county, N. J., Nov. 4, 1784. He was graduated from Princeton college in 1802, and studied for the Presbyterian ministry. His first pastorate was at Lawrenceville, N.J., where in 1810 he founded a classical school. In 1842 he engaged in literary work at Mr. Holly, and subsequently removed to Trenton, N. J. He became a member of the American Bible society at its organization, and aided in establishing the American colonization society. His published writings include: "The Unity of the Human Race," "Historical Vindication of the Abrogation of the Plan of Union by the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America," and a life of Robert Finley, D.D. (1855). He died in Trenton, N.J., April 19, 1861.

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

James Linn, representative, was born in Somerset county, N.J., in 1750; son of Judge Alexander Linn. He was graduated at the College of New Jersey, A. B., 1769, A.M., 1772. He studied law; was appointed 1st major in Colonel Sterling's 1st regiment of Somerset militia, Feb. 3, 1776; was deputy from Somerset county to the state legislature in 1776, and resigned his commission as lieutenant-colonel in the militia, June 28, 178l. He practised law in Trenton, N.J.; was a member of the state legislature, 1793-97; a Democratic representative from New Jersey in the 6th congress, 1799-1801, and gave the casting vote of the New Jersey delegation for Thomas Jefferson for President in 1801. He was supervisor of revenue by appointment of Jefferson, 1801-05, and secretary of state for New Jersey, 1805-20. He died, in Trenton, N.J., Dec. 29, 1820.

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

History of Somerset County New Jersey

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