Essex County NJ Archives Biographies.....Beach VANDERPOEL, 1808 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 10, 2008, 3:23 am

Author: Mary Depue Ogden, Editor  (1917)

VANDERPOEL, Beach,
Enterprising Citizen, Public Official.

  The great-great-grandfather of Beach Vanderpoel, one of Newark's honored
mayors of the early day, was Wynant Vanderpoel, born in Albany, New York, 1681,
died in Newark, New Jersey, April 14, 1750. Wynant Vanderpoel, of Albany and
Newark, was a son of Melgert Wyantse Vanderpoel, a grandson of Wyant Gerritse
Vanderpoel, born in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1620, died in Albany, New York, 1699,
and a great-grandson of Gerrit Vanderpoel, of Amsterdam, and his wife, Tryntje
(Melgert) Vanderpoel, also of Amsterdam. The Vanderpoel residence in Newark
began with Wynant Vanderpoel in 1730, and from that day until the present the
name has been an honored one in the official and business annals of the city.

  James Vanderpoel, father of Beach Vanderpoel, was prominent in Newark public
affairs from 1808 to 1836, and shortly after his retirement his son, Beach, took
up the father's unfinished work, and as mayor of the city for two terms and as a
business man for years, added new lustre to the family name. With the sons of
Beach Vanderpoel came into the family new lines of activity, and in the
professions—law, medicine, divinity and engineering—each bore a man's part,
proving their true mettle and strength of character.

  Beach Vanderpoel was born in Newark, New Jersey, October 26, 1808, and died in
the same city at the home erected by himself near the corner of Washington Place
and Halsey street. His early education was obtained under Andrew Smith, then
principal of old Newark Academy, and at the boarding school kept by Calvin S.
Crane, at Caldwell, New Jersey. He did not incline to a professional life, but
at the age of seventeen began a business career, becoming a clerk in the dry
goods house of Josiah James & Company, in New York City. Three years later, in
1828, he entered into partnership with his brother John, establishing the
importing and wholesale dry goods house of J. & B. Vanderpoel. The firm occupied
a store in Maiden Lane, and there until 1841 conducted a most successful
business. After the death of his father in 1842, Mr. Vanderpoel moved his
residence from New York to Newark, first occupying the old family homestead,
corner of Broad and Division streets, on the present site of the Continental
Hotel, afterward removing to the brick building he caused to be erected in 1868
on Washington Place. near the corner of Halsey street.

  After locating permanently in Newark, he became actively interested in the
official management of the Morris & Essex Railroad Company. He was chosen a
director in January, 1842, also was elected treasurer, and until the leasing of
the road to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western was one of its most prominent
active officers and managers. It is worthy of remark that James Vanderpoel, his
father, was one of the original founders of the road, and that after it passed
to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, Beach Vanderpoel continued a member of
the board of directors until his death. Like his father in his devotion to
public affairs, Beach Vanderpoel both in New York and in Newark was ever engaged
in all that pertained to the public good. In Newark he was especially
interested, and during the years 1846-47 capably and honorably filled the
mayor's office, by will of the voters, who twice elected him their chief executive.

  He married, March 3, 1834, Miss Fisher, of Hightstown, New Jersey, a
granddaughter of Colonel David Chambers, who commanded a regiment of
Continentals during the Revolution, leading them at Trenton and Monmouth. Great
as was the service Beach Vanderpoel rendered Newark as executive citizen, his
best gift to his native city was his five brilliant sons: William, Beach, Jr.,
James, Eugene, Wynant. 1. William, a graduate of Burlington College and Harvard
Law School, also spent a year in study at the University of Berlin, Germany. He
was an honored member of the Essex county bar, was a long time connected with
financial institutions of Newark, and secretary of the New Jersey Insurance
Company. He was a close student, with a mind of rare ability and culture, had
widely traveled, and was richly endowed with a wealth of manly qualities. He
died November 2, 1885. 2. Beach, Jr., was a graduate of Burlington College and
Harvard Law School, also studied for several years at the University of Berlin,
Germany. He was admitted to the Essex county bar and to the New York bar,
practicing at both, but most of his life was spent abroad, in European capitals.
3. Dr. James Vanderpoel was a graduate of Williams College, and of the College
of Physicians and Surgeons of New York. After obtaining his degree he was
connected with the staff of St. Barnabas Hospital and St. Michael's Hospital,
Newark, but later went to Japan, where he was assistant physician at the
Yokohoma General Hospital. He died there, January 14, 1876, in the thirty-fifth
year of his age; his was a life of rare promise, suddenly terminated. 4. Eugene,
of whom is further in an extended notice in a following sketch. 5. Rev. Wynant
Vanderpoel was a graduate of Princeton University, and a graduate in divinity at
Union Theological Seminary, New York. He took holy orders, and became a
clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal church.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

MEMORIAL CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW JERSEY

UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF MARY DEPUE OGDEN

VOLUME III
MEMORIAL HISTORY COMPANY NEWARK,  NEW JERSEY
1917


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