JERSEY SUPREME COURT JUSTICE PRESIDENT NJ BAR VOORHEES LETTER SIGNED 1911 VG
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:1640979 | Modified Item: No |
| Year: 1911 | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
WILLARD PENFIELD VOORHEES
(1851 - 1914)JUSTICE OF THE NEWJERSEY SUPREME COURT APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR FORT 1908-1914, PRESIDENT and TRUSTEE OFTHE NEW JERSEY STATE BAR ASSOCIATION 1907-1908TRUSTEE OF RUTGERSCOLLEGE 1909-1914, DIRECTOR OF THE NEW BRUNSWICK TRUST COMPANY&MEMBER OF THE BOARD OFDIRECTORS OF THE DIME SAVINGS BANK AT NEW BRUNSWICK.Judge Voorhees’ circuitcomprised the Counties of Monmouth, Burlington and Ocean.HERE'S A TYPEDLETTER SIGNED BY VOORHEES ON HIS “SUPREMECO...URT OF NEW JERSEY CHAMBERS” LETTERHEAD, 1p, DATED JUNE 27th, 1911, TO JOHN STILLWELLAPPLEGATE(1837-1916)INFLUENTIAL 1880s NJ STATE SENATOR, 1st MAYOR OF RED BANK, NJ, LAWYER, CIVIL WAR TROOP RECRUITER, AUTHOR, GENEALOGIST and PRESIDENT OF THEMONMOUTH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY!THE LETTERCONCERNS THE WISDOM IN ADVISING OR ACCEPTING A PLEA WITH RESPECT TO A NJSUPREME COURT CASE…THE TLS COMES WITHITS ORIGINAL STAMPED TRANSMITTAL ENVELOPE COVER WITH NEW BRUNSWICK NJ CDSPOSTMARK and “SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEYJUSTICE WILLARD P. VOORHEES” CORNER CARD. THE LETTER ALSO COMES WITH ACARBON COPY OF A LETTER REFERENCED IN HIS LETTER…THE DOCUMENT MEASURES 8½” x 14” AND ISIN VERY FINE, CLEAN CONDITION.A GREAT PIECE OFNEW JERSEY POLITICAL/JUDICIAL HISTORY FOR YOUR AUTOGRAPH & MANUSCRIPTCOLLECTION!BIOGRAPHY of the HONORABLEWILLARD P. VOORHEES, LL.D.WillardP. Voorhees was born in New Brunswick, New Jerseyon July 28, 1851. He was the son of Abraham and Jane Jarvis Voorhees, and anhonored member of a branch of the old Holland stock that went under the varyingcognomens of Voorhees, Voorhis, and van Voorhees, the name being changed withsucceeding generations.Willard P.Voorhees received preliminary education at the Rutgers grammar school of NewBrunswick, and further pursued his preparatory studies under the instruction ofGustavus Fisher. He then entered Rutgers College, and was graduated in 1871, inlater years becoming one of the Trustees of his alma mater. Upon leavingcollege he began the study of law in the office of Judge Woodbridge Strong andwas admitted to practice at the New Jersey Bar in November 1874. In February1878 he became a counselor.For thirtyfour years he practiced successfully in his native City of New Brunswick, winningdistinction in his professional work and acquiring a reputation for ability.His services were largely employed in the care and settlement of estates, asreceiver for enterprises in financial difficulties, in equity proceedings, andin corporation cases, private trusts, and litigations of large importance. Hewas solicitor for the New Brunswick Savings Institution, and he represented theNew Brunswick Hosiery Company and the United States Rubber Company. As receiverhe settled the affairs of the Mural Decoration Company, and the Dime SavingsBank, and made sale of the George Such collection of plants and orchids, probably at that time the largest in the United States. As counsel for theexecutors of Christopher Meyer, which was probably his most important case, heconducted the litigation over the will and settled a legal controversyinvolving between $6, 000, 000 and $7, 000, 000. Another important case in which hewas successful was that of Davis against Steel reported in 11 Stewart 168.In additionto his membership in the New Jersey Bar, Voorhees was attorney and counselor inthe United States District and Circuit courts. He built up a large practicealone entering into no legal partnership.He was aRepublican in politics but had no desire to become an active seeker afteroffice. For a time he was one of the Water Commissioners of New Brunswick andin 1884 was a candidate for county clerk of Middlesex County but was defeated.No other political aspirations interfered with his steady devotion to the law.On January22, 1908 he was appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by GovernorFort for the full term of seven years. It is one of the few instances on recordof the elevation of a practicing lawyer to the highest judicial station withoutprevious experience as presiding Judge of some lower court and entirelydissociated from political life. His Circuit comprised the counties ofBurlington Monmouth and Ocean.JusticeVoorhees married March 15, 1877, Miss Sarah Rutgers “Sally” Neilson of NewBrunswick, daughter of Theodore G. and Catharine Bayard (Rutgers) Neilson. Theyhad one daughter Catharine Rutgers who died in her fourth year.Beside thewidow, Justice Voorhees left two half brothers Clifford, a lawyer, and HowardC., a physician, both of New Brunswick, and several half sisters one of whom isMrs. Harold S. Buttenheim of Madison. Another half sister, Mrs. John Voorhees ofJersey City was killed some years ago when a runaway horse dashed through therailing of a viaduct over the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks at Jersey City.Justice Voorhees was a trained musician devoting himself to the organ.For years he was the organist of the First Presbyterian Church. He had localfame as a horticulturist and orchid grower. He was a member of the HollandSociety, the New York Athletic Club, the Union Club of New Brunswick, and otherorganizations. He was also a Directorof the New Brunswick Trust Company, and Trustee of the Francis East ParkerMemorial Home, Rutgers College.The funeralwas held June 3rd from the First Presbyterian Church, New Brunswick, andinterment was in the Elmwood Cemetery. Dr. William W. Knox assisted by Dr. W. H.S. Demarest, President of Rutgers College. At the request of the family, no onemade an address at the funeral. The honorary pallbearers were Chancellor EdwinR. Walker, Chief Justice William S. Gummere, and Associate Justices, Charles G.Garrison, Francis J. Swayze, Thomas W. Trenchard, Charles W. Parker, James J.Bergen, James F. Minturn, and Samuel Kalisch .The services were attended by alarge representation of the members of the Middlesex County Bar Association andby many lawyers from out of the city and county.(Voorheesdied on May 31, 1914.)Source: The New Jersey Law Journal, Volume 37, No. 6, June 1914I am a proud member ofthe Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC), The Ephemera Society ofAmerica, the Manuscript Society and the American Political Items Collectors(APIC) (member name: John Lissandrello). I subscribe to each organizations'code of ethics and authenticity is guaranteed. ~Providing quality service andhistorical memorabilia online for over twenty years.~WE ONLY SELL GENUINEITEMS, i.e., NO REPRODUCTIONS, FAKES OR COPIES!
(1851 - 1914)JUSTICE OF THE NEWJERSEY SUPREME COURT APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR FORT 1908-1914, PRESIDENT and TRUSTEE OFTHE NEW JERSEY STATE BAR ASSOCIATION 1907-1908TRUSTEE OF RUTGERSCOLLEGE 1909-1914, DIRECTOR OF THE NEW BRUNSWICK TRUST COMPANY&MEMBER OF THE BOARD OFDIRECTORS OF THE DIME SAVINGS BANK AT NEW BRUNSWICK.Judge Voorhees’ circuitcomprised the Counties of Monmouth, Burlington and Ocean.HERE'S A TYPEDLETTER SIGNED BY VOORHEES ON HIS “SUPREMECO...URT OF NEW JERSEY CHAMBERS” LETTERHEAD, 1p, DATED JUNE 27th, 1911, TO JOHN STILLWELLAPPLEGATE(1837-1916)INFLUENTIAL 1880s NJ STATE SENATOR, 1st MAYOR OF RED BANK, NJ, LAWYER, CIVIL WAR TROOP RECRUITER, AUTHOR, GENEALOGIST and PRESIDENT OF THEMONMOUTH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY!THE LETTERCONCERNS THE WISDOM IN ADVISING OR ACCEPTING A PLEA WITH RESPECT TO A NJSUPREME COURT CASE…THE TLS COMES WITHITS ORIGINAL STAMPED TRANSMITTAL ENVELOPE COVER WITH NEW BRUNSWICK NJ CDSPOSTMARK and “SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEYJUSTICE WILLARD P. VOORHEES” CORNER CARD. THE LETTER ALSO COMES WITH ACARBON COPY OF A LETTER REFERENCED IN HIS LETTER…THE DOCUMENT MEASURES 8½” x 14” AND ISIN VERY FINE, CLEAN CONDITION.A GREAT PIECE OFNEW JERSEY POLITICAL/JUDICIAL HISTORY FOR YOUR AUTOGRAPH & MANUSCRIPTCOLLECTION!BIOGRAPHY of the HONORABLEWILLARD P. VOORHEES, LL.D.WillardP. Voorhees was born in New Brunswick, New Jerseyon July 28, 1851. He was the son of Abraham and Jane Jarvis Voorhees, and anhonored member of a branch of the old Holland stock that went under the varyingcognomens of Voorhees, Voorhis, and van Voorhees, the name being changed withsucceeding generations.Willard P.Voorhees received preliminary education at the Rutgers grammar school of NewBrunswick, and further pursued his preparatory studies under the instruction ofGustavus Fisher. He then entered Rutgers College, and was graduated in 1871, inlater years becoming one of the Trustees of his alma mater. Upon leavingcollege he began the study of law in the office of Judge Woodbridge Strong andwas admitted to practice at the New Jersey Bar in November 1874. In February1878 he became a counselor.For thirtyfour years he practiced successfully in his native City of New Brunswick, winningdistinction in his professional work and acquiring a reputation for ability.His services were largely employed in the care and settlement of estates, asreceiver for enterprises in financial difficulties, in equity proceedings, andin corporation cases, private trusts, and litigations of large importance. Hewas solicitor for the New Brunswick Savings Institution, and he represented theNew Brunswick Hosiery Company and the United States Rubber Company. As receiverhe settled the affairs of the Mural Decoration Company, and the Dime SavingsBank, and made sale of the George Such collection of plants and orchids, probably at that time the largest in the United States. As counsel for theexecutors of Christopher Meyer, which was probably his most important case, heconducted the litigation over the will and settled a legal controversyinvolving between $6, 000, 000 and $7, 000, 000. Another important case in which hewas successful was that of Davis against Steel reported in 11 Stewart 168.In additionto his membership in the New Jersey Bar, Voorhees was attorney and counselor inthe United States District and Circuit courts. He built up a large practicealone entering into no legal partnership.He was aRepublican in politics but had no desire to become an active seeker afteroffice. For a time he was one of the Water Commissioners of New Brunswick andin 1884 was a candidate for county clerk of Middlesex County but was defeated.No other political aspirations interfered with his steady devotion to the law.On January22, 1908 he was appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by GovernorFort for the full term of seven years. It is one of the few instances on recordof the elevation of a practicing lawyer to the highest judicial station withoutprevious experience as presiding Judge of some lower court and entirelydissociated from political life. His Circuit comprised the counties ofBurlington Monmouth and Ocean.JusticeVoorhees married March 15, 1877, Miss Sarah Rutgers “Sally” Neilson of NewBrunswick, daughter of Theodore G. and Catharine Bayard (Rutgers) Neilson. Theyhad one daughter Catharine Rutgers who died in her fourth year.Beside thewidow, Justice Voorhees left two half brothers Clifford, a lawyer, and HowardC., a physician, both of New Brunswick, and several half sisters one of whom isMrs. Harold S. Buttenheim of Madison. Another half sister, Mrs. John Voorhees ofJersey City was killed some years ago when a runaway horse dashed through therailing of a viaduct over the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks at Jersey City.Justice Voorhees was a trained musician devoting himself to the organ.For years he was the organist of the First Presbyterian Church. He had localfame as a horticulturist and orchid grower. He was a member of the HollandSociety, the New York Athletic Club, the Union Club of New Brunswick, and otherorganizations. He was also a Directorof the New Brunswick Trust Company, and Trustee of the Francis East ParkerMemorial Home, Rutgers College.The funeralwas held June 3rd from the First Presbyterian Church, New Brunswick, andinterment was in the Elmwood Cemetery. Dr. William W. Knox assisted by Dr. W. H.S. Demarest, President of Rutgers College. At the request of the family, no onemade an address at the funeral. The honorary pallbearers were Chancellor EdwinR. Walker, Chief Justice William S. Gummere, and Associate Justices, Charles G.Garrison, Francis J. Swayze, Thomas W. Trenchard, Charles W. Parker, James J.Bergen, James F. Minturn, and Samuel Kalisch .The services were attended by alarge representation of the members of the Middlesex County Bar Association andby many lawyers from out of the city and county.(Voorheesdied on May 31, 1914.)Source: The New Jersey Law Journal, Volume 37, No. 6, June 1914I am a proud member ofthe Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC), The Ephemera Society ofAmerica, the Manuscript Society and the American Political Items Collectors(APIC) (member name: John Lissandrello). I subscribe to each organizations'code of ethics and authenticity is guaranteed. ~Providing quality service andhistorical memorabilia online for over twenty years.~WE ONLY SELL GENUINEITEMS, i.e., NO REPRODUCTIONS, FAKES OR COPIES!
