James B. Dalrymple

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

James B. Dalrymple

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

As a general farmer and dealer in ice, Mr. DALRYMPLE is a successful businessman, whose keen discrimination, sound judgment, diligence and enterprise have brought him a richly merited prosperity. His dealings are conducted with the strictest regard for the ethics of commercial life, and his integrity is above question. His entire life has been passed in Morris County, and his many excellencies of character have gained him the warm regard and confidence of those with whom he has been brought in contact. Born on the old family homestead, in Randolph township, on the 11th of December 1825, he is the son of John and Nancy (BRIANT) DALRYMPLE. The ancestry on the paternal side can be traced back to Scotland, whence came the first of the name to America. He had a family of seven sons, the youngest of whom was Joseph DALRYMPLE, the great-grandfather of our subject, who was born October 29 1714. The grandfather was John DALRYMPLE, a highly respected citizen of Morris county. Both he and his wife held membership in the Presbyterian church, and when called to the home beyond their remains were interred in the cemetery at Medham. In his political association he was a Whig.

John DALRYMPLE, the father of our subject, was born February 10, 1797 and having arrived at years of maturity he married the daughter of John BRIANT. They had four children: Ann, who was born Nov 1 1824; Aaron P., deceased, Mary M., who was born Dec 22 1838, and is the wife of William BUDD, of Chester; and James B., our subject. The parents were members of the Presbyterian church, of Mount Freedom, and were buried in the Mt. Freedom cemetery. The father held the political faith of the Whig party in early life, and afterward joined the ranks of the Republican party, marching under its banner up to the time of his death. The DALRYMPLES together owned at one time more than ten thousand acres of land in Morris county.

James B., DALRYMPLE was reared amid the quiet surroundings of farm life, and in the work of fields and meadows bore his part from an early age. Practical experience soon made him familiar with all this and fitted him for his own useful career after he had attained to man's estate. During the winter seasons he attended school, pursuing his studies in Millbrook for a time and later in the Center Grove school, where he was a schoolmate of Dr., PIERCE, who went to New York city and became a surgeon in the Civil war with headquarters at Hilton Head, South Carolina, where he died a short time before the cessation of hostilities. Mr. DALRYMPLE continued on the home farm until he attained his majority and then started out in life for himself.

He was married Feb 23 1859, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary L Bailey, of Basking Ridge, who was born Apr 11 1840. Her parents Charles and Mary (HENSLEY) BAILEY, were both natives of Morris County and belonged to old honored families. Mr. and Mrs. DALRYMPLE have two children, Jerry C. and Ella L. The former was born October 11,1863, and married Jennie L. HEDDEN, daughter of Isaac B and Millicent HEDDEN, of Newark, New Jersey.

Mr. DALRYMPLE has a valuable and well improved farm of one hundred acres, and the fields, being highly cultivated, return him a golden tribute for his care and labor. In 1881 he began dealing in ice, having constructed near his home a pond, which is fed by spring water, and thus the ice is of very superior quality. He puts up annually three thousand tons of ice of which he disposes in the four summer months, deriving therefrom a good income. He is a progressive farmer, and enterprising business man, one whose methods are honorable and who has not only gained a liberal patronage but has also won the public confidence in an unqualified degree. He and his family are members of the First Presbyterian church of Dover, and in politics he is a Republican.

Transcribed by Ida King