294
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
nient of the mill and the increase of facilities for
manufacturing. This he has been constantly doing,
and is at the present time erecting a large stone and
brick addition to the main building. The capacity of
the mill at the present time is from three to four tons
of manilla and flour-sack paper per day, with a ready
market in New York and Philadelphia.
This meagre outline exhibits somewhat the energy,
integrity, and business capacity of Mr. McCready.
It shows, at least, the drift of his life and some of the
obstacles he has overcome by that earnest, practical,
and persistent genius peculiar to the Scotch-Irish.
He is energetic, persevering, honest, and truthful,
exact in all matters, and an excellent business man.
In politics he has generally acted with the Demo-
cratic party, and has taken a deep interest in local
affairs. He was elected mayor of the city of Lam-
bertville in 1853, and was afterwards re-elected with-
out opposition for four consecutive terms.
He has been twice married, and has raised a large
family of children, eight of whom are living. He
first married Elizabeth Thompson, Dec. 3, 1840 ; his
second wife, whom he married Sept. 8, 1863, was
Olivia, daughter of Pierson A. Reading. His two
oldest sons are in extensive and successful business as
paper merchants in Philadelphia.
ALEXANDER HENRY HOLCOMBE.
Alexander Henry Holcombe is of English descent
by his paternal ancestors, and on the maternal side
of Holland extraction. His first American ancestor,
John Holcombe, came from England to Philadelphia
soon after the arrival of William Penn, and, after
spending a short time at Abington, Pa., came and
located a large tract of land, a portion of which is
now covered by the upper part of the city of Lam-
bertville. Mr. Holcombe was a Quaker or Friend.
He married, in 1707, Miss Elizabeth Woolrich, who
was also a member of the Society of Friends. They
had sons — Samuel and Richard — and several daugh-
ters. Samuel was the great-grandfather of the subject of
this sketch. Of his nine children, Richard, the grand-
father of our subject, was the sixth in the order of
birth ; he married Hannah Emley in 1776, by whom
he had six children, three sons and three daughters.
Emley Holcombe, the eldest son of Richard and
Hannah (Emley) Holcombe, was born in Amwell
township, near Lambertville, Sept. 21, 1777. He was
brought up to the mercantile business, beginning his
career as clerk in a store at Mount Airy, whence, after
lie had attained his majority, he came to Lambert-
ville, where he was clerk for several years, until he
married and purchased his home. He pursued the
mercantile business till near the close of his life, and
was also commissioner of deeds for a number of years.
He was brigade inspector, with the rank of major, in
1812 ; took an active part in the formation of the First
Presbyterian Church of Lambertville, was president
of the building committee and of the board of trus-
tees, and was senior elder at the organization, Sept.
24, 1822, having previously been an elder in the
Solebury Church, Bucks Co., Pa.
Major Emley Holcombe married, May 12, 1803,
Mary, eldest daughter of John and Mary (Veghte)
Skillman ; the latter was the widow of Garret Stryker,
who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Mary
Skillman was born Dec. 20, 1779. The children of
Emley and Mary (Skillman) Holcombe were William,
Ellen Ann, John Emley, Theodore, Charles Ogden,
Isaac Skillman, Mary, and the subject of this sketch.
Maj. Emley Holcombe died July 11, 1846, at the age
of nearly sixty-nine years.
A. H. Holcombe, the youngest of the family, was
born in Lambertville, June 1, 1821. He was brought
up to the mercantile business, part of the time as junior
partner in the firm of E. Holcombe & Son, and after-
wards that of Titus & Holcombe, until he commenced
studying law with John H. Wakefield, Esq., a promi-
nent member of the Hunterdon County bar, who re-
moved to Boston. Mr. Holcombe finished his legal
studies with Col. Peter I. Clark, of Flemington, and
was admitted to the bar in June, 1853. His education ,
besides that received at the common schools, has been
of a practical business character, self-acquired, and, in
the main, the result of his great love of books and his
fondness for reading and study. After being admitted
to the bar, he commenced practice immediately at
Lambertville, where he has continued in the profes-
sion ever since. He was duly admitted to the degree
of counselor after the first three years of practice,
and in the progress of his profession has endeavored
to keep abreast of the times.
Previous to the war of 1861, he was commissioned
by Governor Newell judge-advocate of the Hunterdon
brigade, and held that position after the war broke
out, when, as a member of the brigade board, he as-
sisted in enrolling the militia of the county. During
the war he was commissioned by Adjt.-Gen. Stockton
to raise a company of volunteers. Under an act of
the Legislature passed in 1876 he was appointed by
Governor Bedle one of his aides, ranking as colonel.
Mr. Holcombe has been since early life a member
of the First Presbyterian Church of Lambertville,
and has been active in all its interests, especially in
the choir and Sunday-school.
He was married April 11, 1867, to Malvina Kay,
daughter of the late William G. Mentz, Esq., of Phil-
adelphia. They have had six children, of whom five
are living ; their first-born died in infancy.
The fine residence of Mr. Holcombe — a cut of which
appears on another page — was built by him in 1870,
and first occupied by his family in the fall of 1871.
In politics he has never taken a very active part,
though he has been identified with the Democratic
party. He was clerk of the Common Council at the
breaking out of the war, and has held other civil
offices.
/&S)^>dL~J-?^Ls
Ruv. George II. Larison, M.D., ia of Danish descent. Mi-
ancestor John Larison, in tin* war betwei n the king and nobles
of lti(»;», had lii" property e'»n li.-eated, and, leaving
wriii to the seashore disguised as n peasant, whi
to Scotland, and - i after came to America, Ian I ag on Long
Csland, where be purchased a large tracl of land upon wh iota
â– i. I [. ii.i i i in : ' wo were killed by i he l ndians,
and four survived, whose nam- were R . James, William,
and John. Roger wen! to Pennsylvania, and nothing was
afterwards heard <i him; Jame ottled on Stony Brook, Hope-
well township, now in Mercer Co., v .1., where he bou
e tate of two hundred and fifty acres of land, now 1
Ralph Ego, arid reared n family of bis sons; he died there in
1792, and was buried on In* farm. Hi- >i\ sons were John,
Andrew, Roger, William. Elijah, and David; and his d lu
Aohsa, Rachel, and Catr trine. William, who owned an original
tracl of land in Met cci County, diod th lose of the
last century. John lived in the same neighborhood in Mercer
County, where he die 1 al an advai en Bons.
Andrew, the second son of Jam L 1, n 1 the great-
grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Ho married s :
and had son*. — George, Andrew, James, and Benjamin, An-
drew being the grandfather of Dr. G. II. Larison. Ho was
born May 17. 1778, and married Mary, daughter of John Wil-
Bon, born Oot. 15, 1778; thoj bad sona John, Vndrc
Benjamin -and daughters, — Surah and Lav i no
son, -1 , die I Julj 26, 1 361 ; hifl wife, Mary, died Sept. 24, 1856.
Benji n, thefathorof Dr. Lari n in nab Ann Hol-
romi.r. daughter of Capt Go n 50 Holeombe, and had nine ohil
dren, of whom tbo doctor is the oldest. Hi broth 1
nelius W., M.D., of Bingos; the Into Rev. Indrou B. I
Ml', of Ringos; and John D, 1 onl proprietor of
the original homi
George Holoombe Larison was born in Delaware township,
Hunterdon Co., Jan I, I - :: 1 , md ws brought up on his fathers
farm, attending in boyh 1 the common Bohools of his dintriot.
He subsequently engaged for a time in teaching. In 1853 he
sntored the 1 Diversity of Lowisburg, Pa., from which he bud-
Bequently reoeived the honorary degree
Having resolved to adopt the profession of medicine, ho com-
menced '11- studii â– n il h Hon. : imui I Lilly, Ml', as pri
and attended lectures at the Medioal Departmonl of the ' Di-
versity of Pennsylvania, from which he graduate i. in 1 958, with
the degree â– I Dool â– of Medicine. He immediately entered
upon the praotiee of hie profession at Dolington, Bucks Co., Pa,,
and the following year removod to Lambortvillo, V J., where
he bos since resided, and bos attained an extensive and profitable
practice.
He is a member of the District Modioal Society of Hunterdon
County, and was for teven years it- secretary. He is also a
member of the State Medical Society, an I n 1 I its third
lent in I S 12 \ and presided over the one hundred and
ninth annual meeting, held at Atlantic City, .May 25, 1875, when
he delivered the annual address. Previous to hie being elected
president of this body he hud held the positions of first, second,
and third vice president. While holding the latter office ho
ssny on "Diseases Prevalent in the Valley of the
Delaware," which was well received, and published with the
transactions of the society. Daring the prevalence of the snmll-
Lambertvillc, in M''- ; (3-1 . he attended nil
and only lost four. 11*' subsequently prepared a paper on
|i"\ and its Treatment," for the uiedieal so.-iety in
1864, which was well received by the profession, and Bled
ie important papers of the society. His prod
one, but ho makes a speoialtj ol obstetrics, and has so
tar attended over one thousand oases successfully; he has also
1 cess in Burgical cases.
]>r. Larison has on three or four occasions been a deli
the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and at one of it- sessions in
Carlisle delivered an a. hires - before that body. He was ono of
the t'n -1 viec ]ii. -nirni- of the American Academy of Medicine,
in 1876, and was elected t" the same office in 1878 and
L879.
Ho wo â– â– d r a member of the oity council 1
bortville, and has held all the grades in the New Jer
militia from Becond lieutenant to brigadier-general, ei
that of lieutenant-colonel. Ho is surgeon on the staff 01 Col.
â– .il known regiment the Seventh Regiment Now
ttional Guard.
Cn educational matters l»r. Larison boa taken a prominent
part He n â– - elected town Buperintendent of sol Is in 1862,
and has filled that position both under the town and oity or-
ion to the present tune, being continuously p
on the Democratic ticket, although parties have had • variety
of changes dm in
ous under his management. Ho has also at times dovoted bis
leisure h< pro] iration of pupils for ooltege and for
1 he me lical profession.
at the University of Lewisburg he
1 mombor of the Baptist Church, and heSs now a regu-
larly ordained minister of that denomination. Until quite re-
contlj he was pastor of a church, ohiefly of bis own gathering,
v, on the opposite side of the Delaware, in Bo
Pa,, to whom he ministered overj Sunday morning and
for seven years. Under his mini-try this ohuxoh rooeli e 1 ad-
ditions numboring about one hundred members. Dr. 1
tc I with the H
Ohurehos. At the organisation of that ling, Psu,
he preached the opening sermon, and was chosen moderator of
the meeting.
He ra Sarah ^'., daughter of Caleb K. Pishar,
of Ringos, V J,
,^2^^%^t^^^
CITY OF LAMJ5HKTYILLK.
295
RICHARD MoDOWELL.
Richard McDowell was bora aear Dublin, [reland,
Jan. 8, 1824. Ee is a bod of Robert and Mary (Toft)
McDowell, — the former died in [reland when thi sub-
ject of this sketch was about five years old ; the latter
came with him to this country in 1882, and died in
Lambertville, N. J., April 14, 1879. Richard was
brought up at Crescentville, aear Philadelphia, till
seventeen years of age, at which time he went to
Bridesburg, Pa., to learn the trade of a machinist.
IL spent an apprenticeship thereof lour year-, ami
one enr as a journeyman, and was married there,
Jane 24, 1846, to Elizabeth B., daughter of John and
Mary .lone-, of Uridosburg, l'a., formerly of Wales.
lie next spent two years as a machinist in Hazclton,
l'a., when In- removed to Trenton, N. J., and re-
mained about four years in the employ of Van Cleve
& MeKain, in the machine business. < >n dan. I.
1856, lie moved to Lambertville and took a place in
the shops of the Belvidere Delaware Railroad Com-
pany, under N. S. Congdon, master-mechanic. At the
death of Mr. Congdon, Sept. 2">, 1862, Mr. McDowell
was appointed master-mechanic in his place. This
appointment was made at the instigation of Ashhel
Welch, then president of the I'.elvidere Delaware Kail-
road Company, and lias been held by Mr. McDowell
ever since.
Beside- lie regular business of his occupation, he
baa been active and very successful in outside en-
terprises, — as, for instance, in the purchase of a con-
trolling interest in the Lambertville Gas Works, in
l.sTi8, and in the Cottage Mill addition to Lambertville,
in 1871, — OUt of which he has realized handsome
returns. In 1878 he built a line residence on ( 'ottagc
Mill, at a cost of twenty thousand dollars, which is
Considered one of the line-t in Hunterdon County.
In 1807 he built and fitted up the Centennial Paper-
Mill at Lambertville, in charge of which he placed
his son, who has carried on the business successfully
ever since. Me assisted in organizing the Ajnwell
National Hank of Lambertville, of which In- is at
present one of the directors.
Me has live children living, -three sons and two
daughters. John W.. the eldest s.,n, i- a member of
the firm of McDowell ,\ Son, paper manufacturers
of Lambertville; the other two sons are attending
school, and the daughters reside at home.
Mr. McDowell has been till within a few years a
Whig and a Republican in politic-; but in the cam-
paign for Mr. Tihlcn, in L876, he became a Democrat,
and has since acted with that party. Me ha- been
elected a number of time- t.. the City Council, and
was chosen the first mayor of LanibertvilUe upon the
adoption of the city charter, in 1ST'.'.
20 18211. The house in which he first -aw the light
stood on a spot now occupied by the bed of the Penn-
sylvania Canal. The town of his birth, like the
house, has disappeared, so that, unlike most p
Mr. Arnett would find it difficult to point out it-
exact location. His father, Jacob, died while Cor-
ueliu- was yet an infant. The only other child — a
brother — died iii his youth. Jacob Arnett's widow
survived her husband about twenty years, dying in
1842, in Bucks County, not far from Bmithtown.
CORNELIUS AKNI i i
Cornelius Arnett. one of I.ainbcrtville's host-known
citizens, was born in SmithtOWD, I'.uek- < !o., l'a.. duly
lfjU*~^J&>
Young Cornelius began life, therefore, under aus-
pice- that promised to develop hi- vigorous energies.
Mi- mother was poor, and he was early taught to
exercise the spirit of self-reliance. At the age of
seven In- was a strong, rugged lad. and, as a beginning
of a career marked since that period by industrious
perseverance and self-help, he was "put out" to one
Mr. Delp, a Bucks County farmer, for whom he
labored diligently during the space of five year-.
After that he worked two years lor a farmer named
Daniel Bevighouse, and then for four yean drove a
tow-horse on the Pennsylvania Canal. At the age of
eighteen that is to -ay. in L888 -he made his home
ill Lambertville. for the purpose of learning the trade
of -hoemaking with his uncle. Thomas I'.nt , with
whom he remained one year.
In 1889 be engaged in the shoemaking business at
Lambertville on hi- own account. Sept. 2. 1840, be
married Rebecca, daughter of Joseph Reasoner, of
Hunterdon County, and in a little while gave up his
296
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
shoeniaking business to take control of the brick-
making enterprise previously conducted at Lambert-
ville by his wife's father. Shortly after, however, he
resumed shoe-manufacturing, and carried that on, as
well as the brick business, until 1864, when he aban-
doned the shoe trade permanently. Still his time was
fully occupied, as, in 1855, he added to his interests
that of building contractor, and was largely engaged
in the construction of bridges, buildings, etc. In
1863 he erected the capacious saw-mill which he still
carries on in connection with his building and brick-
manufacturing industries. In these various enter-
prises he employs upwards of sixty people, and
contributes largely to the manufacturing prosperity
of Lambertville.
Mr. Arnett has thus, since his seventh year, been
the architect of his own fortune, and that his history
is the record of a busy life is apparent at a glance.
He has been too busy to give any time to politics,
even had his inclinations pointed that way. During
three terms he has acted as a valued member of the
Lambertville Common Council, but for public office
he has no taste. He is quite content to be an humble
citizen, faithful in the performance of his manifold
business duties. To use his own language, "he was
born and cradled a Democrat," but the issues of the
war set him firmly upon the rock of Republicanism,
and there he has ever since unfalteringly stood. For
upwards of thirty years lie has been a leading mem-
ber of I. 0. 0. F. ; for more than forty years a staunch
and unflinching advocate and worker for the cause of
temperance, and nearly that length of time a member
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His children have
numbered nine, — Charles W., who was born July 26,
1841, entered the war of the Rebellion, was wounded
. at the battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862, and, being
conveyed home, died there Nov. 11, 1862 ; Anna E.
was born Sept. 6, 1843, and died June 8, 1870; Vic-
toria was born March 9, 1846, and is now Mrs. J. J.
Lair, of Lambertville ; Emeline, born Aug. 12, 1848,
is Mrs. P. K. Hazen, of Lambertville; George W.,
born Feb. 19, 1851, lives in Lambertville; Franklin
P., born Oct. 7, 1853, died June 11, 1856 ; Mary H.,
born July 1, 1856, is now Mrs. C. H. Wilmot, of Lam-
bertville ; Clara V. and Edward B. McClellan, born,
respectively, Oct. 11, 1858, and Oct. 18, 1862, are
living with their parents.
JAMES C. WE EDEN.
James C. Weeden was born in Kent, England, on the
15th of September, 1815; he died at Lambertville,
N. J., March 25, 1866, aged fifty years six months
and fi'ii days. While in England Mr. Weeden had
followed various occupations : he was first a mason,
and then engaged in butchering, which he carried
on till he removed to Manchester and established
himself in 1 li <•■wholesale stationery and paper-stock
trade, which he conducted up to the time of his emi-
gration to America. He married, in Brighton, Eng-
land, Ann Bage, who was born in Surrey, about fifty
miles from London, and who still survives and resides
at Lambertville.
In 1851, Mr. Weeden came with his wife to this
country, landing in Philadelphia. He came from
there to New Hope, opposite Lambertville, where, in
May following, he took charge of the Ingham or
Great Spring Paper-Mill. He had full control of the
mill from that time forward, and made the enterprise
of manufacturing paper there very profitable. In
1860 he commenced building a much larger mill at
Lambertville, called the Mountain Spring Mill, the
first ground for which was broken on the 4th of
December.
The difficulties in carrying out such an enterprise
at the beginning of the war, when everything was in
a state of uncertainty, were very great. But Mr.
Weeden persevered in the face of all these discour-
agements, and his efforts were finally crowned with
success. The price of paper advanced during the war,
and he made money. He continued in successful
business till the time of his death, and left a com-
petence to his widow during her lifetime.
Mr. and Mrs. Weeden had no children of their
own, but brought up a nephew, William H. Gandy,
now of Lambertville. In 1865, Mr. Weeden gave
him an interest in the business, and he carried it on
as superintendent after his uncle's death till August,
1878, under the firm-name of J. C. Weeden & Co., as
it had before been. Since 1878 Mrs. Weeden has
had full control of the business, and has carried it on
herself. For the last twenty-five years they have
manufactured Mann's patent parchment copying-
paper and tissue manillas.
Mr. Weeden was very much respected in Lambert-
ville, and his death was felt to be a great loss to the
community. During his residence here he had shown
himself ready to aid every good work. To the poor
and the suffering he was a liberal benefactor. To the
cause of Christian beneficence he contributed regu-
larly and largely. He took an active interest in
Christian missions and in the Bible cause. As a
citizen, he was public-spirited and patriotic ; as a
neighbor, ever ready to oblige ; and as a Christian,
humble and affectionate. He had made a public
profession of religion quite early in England, and was
received as a member of the Presbyterian Church of
Lambertville in 1855.
He was a Republican, and did much to aid the
friends of the Union during the Rebellion, working
on local committees, contributing funds, and acting
as treasurer of the Union League of Lambertville.
He was also active in promoting every measure for
the benefit of the city in which he lived; among
other things, he was instrumental in organizing the
Aquitong Fire Company, of which he was vice-presi-
dent at the time of his decease. That company, at a
meeting held March 26, 1866, testified their apprecia-
#*
'
^^^
-£Z^<£<^
CITY OF LAM BERT VILLE.
297
tion of his character, and their deep sorrow occa-
sioned by his death, in a series of resolutions, which
We quote, as follows :
"Whereas God in his all-wise and mysterious
providence has called us to mourn the loss of our
mosl estimable and valued member, taken from us in
the midst of life, and at a period of ripened manhood,
thereby warning us that life in all its most cheering
prospects is uncertain, therefore
"Sesolved, That with hearts filled with deep sorrow
avc have heard I lie announcement of the deatli of
James ( '. Wceden, a useful member and an honored
vice-president of this company.
" Resolved, That in the death of our beloved brother
we are called upon to mourn the loss of one whose
active usefulness and kindness had greatly endeared
him to us and to the community, and whose memory
will long be cherished by those who knew him.
"Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the
family of the deceased in their sore bereavement,
humbly trusting that He who ' tempers the wind to
the shorn lamb' will fold His love and protection
around them and speak consolation to their stricken
hearts.
" Resolved, That, as a testimonial of respect for the
memory of the deceased, our engine-house and appa-
ratus be drapeil in mourning for thirty days.
"Resolved, That our company will, as a body, at-
tend the funeral of the deceased, and that the other
lire-companies lie invited to unite with OS on that
occasion.
" I'rsiilnd, That a copy of these resolutions be pre-
sented to the family of the deceased by the secretary,
and also be published in the Lamhcrtville Beacon.
"James M. Robinson,
" William Dean,
" Jos. Smith,
"Committee."
The Union League, at a meeting held March 2X,
L866, passed a -cries of similar resolutions, in which
tin \ : cstiiv to the excellence i t Mr. \\ seder . char-
acter, and express their sense of bereavement at his
death.
.MillN BPBOAT.
John Sproat was born in Cockermouth, Cumberland,
England, May ID, lSlll. He died at Lambert \ ill.-.
N. J., April 16, 1878, in the sixty-eighth year of hi-
age. His wife, Elizabeth Denwood, was a native of
the same town in England. They emigrated to Amer-
ica in 1840, in the spring of which year Mr. Sproat went
from Philadelphia to New Hope, Pa., for the purpose
of taking charge of the flax-mills situated there. Sat-
isfactory arrangements not being made, he returned
to Philadelphia, where he continued the business in
which he was at that time engaged, which the follow-
ing card w ill explain :
20
"SPROAT,
Imi-oiiti.i: Of
Potent Llnon Shoo Threw), Sewing Thread, Gelling Twine, Bookbind-
ers', Saddlers', und Draggtobl 1 Thnftd uml Twine of every
description, Fine Linen Yarns, Ac,
no. 37 strawberry street,
Philadelphia."
In 1843, Mr. Sproat came to Lambertville, N. .1..
and leased of .Jonathan I'i-k a building which stood
below where the depot now Stands, converted it into