NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Biographical and Genealogical History of Morris County New Jersey. Illustrated. Vol. II., Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1899.

At no time or place do we find a large enterprise, carefully managed and running smoothly year after year, furnishing employment to numbers of men and proving a benefit alike to employer and employe, without finding back of it all a truly great man. Such a one is found in the subject of this Sketch, William BARTLEY, who is at the head of the foundry and machine-shop industry in the town which bears his name, Bartley, New Jersey. A review of his life is of interest in this connection, and is as follows:

William BARTLEY was born in Morris county, New Jersey, in close proximity to his present location, March 3, 1825. The BARTLEY family have long been residents of this country. John BARTLEY was a patriot in the American Revolution, and when not engaged in war was a prominent farmer, well known and highly respected. He was a resident of Somerset county, New Jersey, where his son Hugh, the father of our subject, was born. Hugh BARTLEY, like his father, was a prominent farmer, a leading spirit in his locality, and was actively interested in the political affairs of his day. He was a colonel in the state militia during the days of training and drilling. He married Sarah POTTER, a daughter of Samuel POTTER, and the children-born to them were as follows:

• Mary C., wife of J. S. SOLOMON;
• Jonathan;
• Samuel, who died at Princeton, Illinois;
• Elizabeth, deceased, who was the wife of Aaron SOLOMON;
• Hannah P.;
• William, the immediate subject of this review; and
• Hugh, Jr.

William BARTLEY passed his youth and early manhood on the old home farm, near the village of Bartley, and acquired the rudiments of his education in the country schools. His knowledge of books gained in the little country school-house has, year by year, been supplemented by that broader knowledge which is to be obtained only in the school of experience. He remained on the farm until he attained his majority. Then he engaged the foundry business under the firm name of Bartley & King, near his present location, and was afterward in the same business at Pottersville, with one of the Potters, with whom he remained five years. At the end of this time he returned to the valley of his nativity and engaged in business for himself, erecting his first building for the purpose in 1861. As necessity demanded, he from time to time enlarged his plant until it assumed its present large proportions. To-day it is an enterprise of considerable importance to Morris county. Both the factory and the beautiful little hamlet of Bartley are monuments to our subject and reflect his progressive spirit.

Mr. BARTLEY is a Democrat, was at one time active in political matters in the township, and is an ex-freeholder of the same. Religiously he is a Presbyterian. He is an influential member of the church at Flanders and contributes largely to its support. Indeed, he is generous to a fault, giving freely of his means to any and all worthy causes.

Mr. BARTLEY was married in 1850 to Miss Almira WOLFE, daughter of Augustus WOLFE, and of their children we make brief record as follows:

• Samuel, who was born September 4, 1856, married Mary L. SLATER, and has seven children:
  • Edith,
  • Eva,
  • William,
  • Helen,
  • Mabel,
  • Anna and
  • Lila.
• Augustus H., who was born September 1, 1858, married Lizzie N. SHARP, and is the father of three children
  • Meta,
  • Mary and
  • Irenaeus P.
• William Blauvelt, the third child in order of birth, was born August 12, 1860, and died in infancy.
• Irenaeus P., the youngest child of our subject, was born December 9, 1861, and his death occurred in November, 1888. He was a promising young man, being a skilled civil engineer and draughtsman, and was connected with his father's establishment for some years. For about two years he held a responsible position with an important bridge concern at St. Joseph, Missouri, after which he became associated with his father, as above stated. He was a young man of fine character and marked ability, and his untimely death was a great blow to those near and dear to him.

This biography was scanned and contributed by Catherine Smith DeMayo.

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