NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Americans are beginning to realize the moral as well as the historical significance of genealogical foundations. A nation which relies upon the record of its homes for its national character cannot afford to ignore the value of genealogical investigations as one of the truest sources of patriotism. The love of homes inspires the love of country. There is a wholesome influence in genealogical research which cannot be over-estimated. Moreover, there is a deep human interest to it. The HARVEY family, both on the paternal and maternal sides, is one of very old standing in New Jersey and in Morris county, and members of both branches have figured prominently as pioneers and as soldiers in early wars of this country.

Levi HARVEY, paternal grandfather of him whose name forms the caption for this review, was born at Lake Hopatcong, Morris county, New Jersey, January 6, 1799, died December 9, 1882, at the venerable age of eighty-three years. In Jefferson township of this county was solemnized his marriage to Sarah SOUTHARD, one of whose brothers was a commissioned officer in the War of 1812, he having enlisted for service in that conflict while on a visit to the Atlantic coast. To Levi and Sarah (Southard) HARVEY were born five children, concerning whom the following brief data are here incorporated: 1. Joseph P., mentioned in the following paragraph. 2. Silas was a pioneer settler in the vicinity of Helena, Montana, where his demise occurred in 1873; he took the first gold-stamp mill into the Helena valley in the early ‘60’s, carrying the same from Salt Lake City by team, a distance of 500 miles. 3. Sarah, married George LUFF, a New York grain merchant, who retired from business in the early ‘70’s; they resided on the estate known as Walnut Ridge, near Garrison, New York, at the time of their respective deaths. 4. Mary C., became the wife of William E. COLLIS, a ship chandler of New York City, they both died at Chester, New Jersey, where they established their home in 1862. 5. Harriet N., married Charles E. GILDERSLEVE, who was a high official in various patriotic orders.

Joseph P. HARVEY, first in order of birth of the five children born to Levi and Sarah (SOUTHARD) HARVEY, was a native of Succasunna, Morris county, New Jersey, where he was born in 1831. He died in 1894, aged sixty-three years. He married Elizabeth CORWIN, born February 13, 1834, died July 2, 1895. At the time of their marriage they were given a half of the old CORWIN homestead in Morris county and on that estate they passed their entire lives, as did also Mrs. HARVEY’s parents and grandparents. The original CORWIN estate comprised 1,000 acres of land and extended from Holmes Hollow to Black river. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. HARVEY had four children: 1. Sylvester G., a prosperous farmer in the vicinity of Ironia; he married a widow whose maiden name was Elizabeth MESLAR. 2. Sarah L., married Henry B. HALSEY, who is now deceased; she resides at No. 101 Fairview avenue, Orange, New Jersey. 3. Edward C., the immediate subject of this review. 4. William Collis, a farmer by occupation, occupies the old parental homestead. Joseph P. Harvey was a progressive and intelligent citizen and he figured prominently in many projects forwarded for the good of the general welfare in his home community.

The maternal great-grandparents of Edward C. HARVEY were John and Elizabeth (BRYAN) CORWIN, the former of whom was born in Chester township, near the Pleasant Hill schoolhouse, in Morris county, New Jersey, and the latter of whom was a native of the vicinity of Mount Freedom, this county. A brother of Mrs. CORWIN erected the Mount Freedom Presbyterian Church, in which the CORWINs were enrolled as first members, John and Elizabeth (BRYAN) CORWIN had a son Isaac B., born April 125, 1806, died May 6, 1888. He married Maria HILLIARD, a daughter of Thurston HILLIARD, of Dutchess county, New York. He came to Morris county, New Jersey, in the latter part of the eighteenth century and died on a farm in this section in 1810. His wife, whose maiden name was Eunice JACKSON, was a member of the old JACKSON family, of Revolutionary fame, of the vicinity of Morristown. To Thurston HILLIARD and his wife were born the following children: Charles, Henry, Amina, David Jackson, Maria, wife of Isaac B. CORWIN, as noted above. The mother of the foregoing children died November 8, 1830. Maria (HILLIARD) CORWIN died May 8, 1849, in the forty-fifth year of her life. Her only child to mature was Elizabeth (CORWIN) HARVEY.

Edward C. HARVEY, son of Joseph P. and Elizabeth (CORWIN) HARVEY, was born at Ironia, Morris county, New Jersey, November 10, 1863. After completing the curriculum of the public schools of Ironia, he was matriculated as a student in a collegiate institute at Newton, Sussex county, this state, there remaining until he had reached his nineteenth year. In 1883, at the age of twenty years, he accepted a position in the land department of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, with headquarters at Mandan, North Dakota. He immediately began to familiarize himself with land grants from Bismarck to the Montana State line and part of his work was to look after surveys and to help colonize new towns in that region. At this time he also shipped horses, saddles, and supplies to the end of the railroad line and rode over the prospective extensions of the road. Subsequently he made observations in western Washington and reported to the land department of the railroad company in selecting springs and town sites. In 1888 he succeeded Mr. M. B. Richards as chief clerk in the land department at St. Paul, Minnesota, where he supervised the general advertising and immigration work of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company for the ensuing three years. About that time there was a drought in the west of two years’ duration and the railroad company contributed $100,000 to the western farmers for the purpose of buying seeds for crops. Mr. HARVEY had charge of distributing that money.

In 1891 he went to Salt Lake City as a representative of a syndicate of real estate dealers, remaining in that city for three years and there plotting and selling a large tract of land held by easterners. In 1893 he returned to Morris county, New Jersey, and located for a time at Ironia, where he looked after the old homestead farm and where he served as a member of the board of freeholders for one term, during which time he took an active part in the building of the Roxbury High School. He established his permanent home in Succasunna in 1896, and here erected a beautiful house in 1900. He has been most profitably engaged in real estate operations at Lake Hopatcong and in other cities of Morris county in recent years and he still holds extensive land interests in the west.

In 1889 Mr. HARVEY was united in marriage to Jennie PATRIDGE, a daughter of Thomas J. PATRIDGE, a prominent soldier in the Civil War who was killed in the battle of Gettysburg. Mr. PATRIDGE married Emma COTTRELL, whose ancestors were pioneer settlers in the vicinity of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. HARVEY have two daughters: Helen Hunt Jackson, who was born in Salt Lake City; and Florence Shearman, a native of Morris county, and a graduate of the Roxbury High School in the class of 1913. Both daughters are at the parental home.

Mr. HARVEY is a progressive and enterprising business man. His pioneer western experiences have broadened his mind and developed in him that innate human sympathy which begets comradeship and which cements to him the friendship of all with whom he comes in contact. He thoroughly enjoys home life and takes great pleasure in the society of his family and friends. While he does not participate actively in public affairs, he is ever on the qui vive to do all in his power to promote the general good. Upright and honorable methods have characterized all his business dealings and he is everywhere looked upon as a sterling and representative citizen of Succasunna and Morris county.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)

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