John W. Thorp

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

John W. Thorp

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

John W. THORP is one of the representative men of Netcong, Morris county, New Jersey, who has set an example for good citizenship. The family to which he belongs has been resident in Morris county for a number of generations, his great-grandfather, with a brother having come from Germany, and settled there. John William THORP, grandfather of the Mr. THORP of this sketch, had children:

William;
Ira, of further mention;
Mahan;
Matilda, who married William VORHIS;
Harriette, married Talmadge LEEK.

Ira, son of John William THORP, was born at Ironia, Morris county, New Jersey, in 1829, and died in Newton, Sussex county, in 1896. He was still a young man when he removed to the State of Indiana, but sold his property there about 1866 and returned to the east. He lived in Ironia for about ten years, then made his home in Chester, Morris county, later removed to Hackettstown. He was living in Indiana during the Civil War, and enlisted as a soldier from that State. He married Hephzibah, a daughter of Jonas and Cynthia HULTS, of New York State. They had children:

Jonas, deceased;
Cynthia, never married;
John W., whose name heads this sketch;
Hyram H., who died at the age of three years;
Matilda, married William BOSS, of Newton, New Jersey;
Orison H., a carpenter of Rochester, New York, married Lilian BIEGEL;
Charles, a carpenter, of Newton, New Jersey, married Edna BOND.

Mrs. Hephzibah THORP was born in 1827, and died in 1892.

John W. THORP was born six miles from Roanoke, Indiana, August 13, 1859. He was but a few years of age when his parents returned to Morris county, and acquired his education in the public schools of Ironia and Chester. Upon the completion of his education he found employment in the mines near his home, and at Mine Hill, Sussex county, New Jersey, and was active in work of this kind for a period of thirteen years. He was of a naturally ambitious disposition, and sought a means of employment which would enable him to rise to higher things. March 5, 1886, he commenced his duties as a fireman for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company, and held this eight years. September 23, 1895, he entered upon a permanent position as engineer for the same company, having charge of a freight train until 1911, when he became engineer of a mixed train on the Sussex branch of the road; and March 2, 1913, he resigned his position. Mr. THORP is a man of much public spirit, and is now in office as superintendent of the Netcong Water Works. He gives his political support to the Democratic party, but will not allow himself to be bound by partisan ties, and entertains the most liberal views on all subjects. He has been a resident of Netcong since 1879, and purchased his present home there in 1887. He and his wife are members of the Stanhope Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he holds official position. His connection with other organizations is a follows: Musconetcong Council, No. 113, J.O.U.A.M.; P.O.S.A.; O.L.E.F.; Olive Lodge, No. 41, I. O. O. F., of Stanhope; and three fraternal insurance companies. Since its organization he has been a member of the local fire department.

Mr. THORP married, March 9, 1885, Bernice M., daughter of William DRAKE. They have one daughter:

Edna M., who married H. Andrew FORCE, of Netcong, who is rate clerk at Port Morris for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company, and they have one daughter:
- Romain.

Mr. THORP is plain and unassuming in his manner, and has many characteristics which make him justly popular among his fellow citizens.

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