Richard P. Messiter

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Richard P. Messiter

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

Richard P. MESSITER, president of the Boonton National Bank, of Boonton, Morris County, New Jersey, is a member of an old English family. We find the name originally in Christian Malford, England, whence the family removed to Maiden Bradley, Somersetshire, England, in 1640.

Richard MESSITER, son of Moulton and Mary (RING) MESSITER, was born in Wincanton, 1759, served as treasurer of Somerset county, and held the rank of colonel in the English army. He emigrated to America in 1815, settling at Liberty, Sullivan county, New York, where he engaged in mercantile business. He made a business trip to the city of New York in 1830, and contracted yellow fever there of which he died at Newburgh on his return trip to his home. He married (first) Mary BRICKETT, who died in England in 1812, (second) 1818, Abigail GILBERT. Children:

Uriah, see forward;
Edwin, died in infancy;
Alfred, was postmaster for many years of the town of Liberty, where he was also a merchant, and married Hannah MATTISON, of Bethel township, Sullivan county, New York;
George, died in infancy.
Rev. Uriah MESSITER, son of Richard and Abigail (GILBERT) MESSITER, was born in Liberty, New York, 1821, and died March 7, 1877. He was a clergyman of the Methodist denomination and had charge of various churches in towns along the Hudson river and also in the city of New York. He married, 1850, Sarah Elizabeth, who died in 1905, daughter of James B. and Ellen (LANGDON) KETCHAM, of Fishkill, New York. They had children:
- Richard P., see forward, married, 1908, Edith STORM, who died six months later;
- Ruella, born April 5, 1857, married William J. TRAVIS, and resides in Brooklyn.

Richard P. MESSITER, son of Rev. Uriah and Sarah Elizabeth (KETCHAM) MESSITER, was born in Fishkill, New York, February 7, 1851. His education was acquired in the public schools of the various towns to which his father was called as a minister, and he then went to New York and matriculated at the New York University, leaving this institution while in his sophomore year in order to enter the employ of the firm with which he has been connected since that time. In 1900 he became a member of this firm, MINOT, HOOPER & Company, and is now acting in the capacity of office manager and credit man, and is rounding out his forty-third consecutive year with it.

Mr. MESSITER married, December 4, 1875, Hannah H., daughter of the Rev. William and Ellen (HAIT) BLOOMER, of Cornwall, New York, where he was a Methodist Episcopal clergyman, and is a descendent of a family which has been resident in New York State for a number of generations. They has children:

Hannah H., mentioned above;
Catherine, married George COOK, deceased;
Ellen, married Frederick DIBBLE;
Peter Hazen, deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. MESSITER have had children:

Grace, married Fletcher H. Sillick, who is comptroller of the Manhattan & Hudson Railroad, resides in Boonton, and has two children: Fletcher H. Jr., and John Richard.
Arthur, resides in Philadelphia, is connected with the Hale & Kilburne Manufacturing Company of New York, and married Malinda LAWSON.
Helen, unmarried.

Mr. MESSITER and his wife are attendants of the Methodist church, and he is a member of the Boonton Club, and the Merchants’ Club of New York. Mr. MESSITER is a reliable and worthy citizen who gives earnest and intelligent support to all measures which tend to further the development of the city. He has never aspired to public office, feeling that he was working for the best interests of the city by devoting his time and energies to the furtherance of its business prosperity by means of the concern with which he is connected. His career has been one of usefulness and uprightness and he has earned the respect and esteem of business and social acquaintances.

This biography was transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003).