Hudson County NJ Archives Biographies.....Charles D. DESHLER, 1818 - 1909 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nj/njfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 9, 2008, 11:14 pm Author: Mary Depue Ogden, Editor (1917) DESHLER, Charles D., Journalist, Antiquarian, Author. The late Charles Dunham Deshler, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was of the sixth generation of the Deshler family and of the eighth generation of the Dunham family in America, his ancestral lines being as follows: (I) Johann Deshler, born in Germany, came to America in 1730. (II) Adam Deshler, lived near Allentown, Pennsylvania, purchased, in 1742, from Frederick Newhard, two hundred and three and one-half acres, on which he built in 1760 the stone dwelling called Fort Deshler (still standing); furnished the provincial troops with supplies in the French and Indian war; married Apollonia _____. (III) David Deshler, born at Egypt, Pennsylvania. 1733, died at Bienj's Bridge, Pennsylvania, December, 1796; built in Germantown, 1772-73, the famous dwelling (afterward the residence of the Morris family) known as the Morris-Deshler house, which at one time was the headquarters of the British General Howe, and in 1793, during the yellow fever scourge, was occupied by President Washington as the executive mansion; married Susanna _____. (IV) John Adam Deshler, born 1766, died 1820; married Deborah Wagener. (V) George Wagener Deshler, born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, September 17,1793, died 1836; lived in Easton, Pennsylvania; prothonotary of Northampton county, Pennsylvania; editor for some time of the Belvidere (New Jersey) "Apollo;" married, May 4, 1818, Catharine Lawson Dunham. (VI) Charles Dunham Deshler, see forward. (I) Deacon John Dunham, born in England in 1589, came to New England in the ship "James" in 1630, and died in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1669; married Abigail _____. (II) Benajah Dunham, born 1640, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, died December 24, 16S0, in Piscataway. New Jersey; married, October 25, 1660, Elizabeth Tilson. (III) Rev. Edmund Dunham, born in Piscataway township, Middlesex county, New Jersey, July 25, 1661, died March 7, 1734; married, July 15, 1681, Mary Bonham (born October 4, 1661, died 1742). (IV) Rev. Jonathan Dunham, of Piscataway, born August 16, 1694, died March 10, 1777; married August 15, 1714, Jane Pyatt. (V) Colonel Azariah Dunham, born in Piscataway, New Jersey, 1719, died January 22, 1790; noted land surveyor; active in the Revolutionary War, being a member of the committee of correspondence; married Mary Ford, of Morristown, who was born September 22, 1734, in the old Ford house at that place, afterward Washington's headquarters. (VI) Dr. Jacob Dunham, of New Brunswick, born September 30, 1767, died August 23, 1832; married Elizabeth Lawson. (VII) Catharine Lawson Dunham, born July 14, 1791, died March 26, 1875; married, May 4, 1818, George Wagener Deshler. (VIII) Charles Dunham Deshler. (VI) Charles Dunham Deshler, eldest child and only son of George Wagener and Catharine Lawson (Dunham) Deshler, was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1819. When about four years old he was sent to New Brunswick, New Jersey, to make his home with his grandfather, Dr. Jacob Dunham, who then resided on Peace street at the foot of Church, in a house which is still standing, though remodeled. He was educated in private schools and at the Rutgers Preparatory School, where he was graduated in 1832 at the age of thirteen. After his grandfather's death in the latter year, he was apprenticed as clerk to Richard S. McDonald in the drug business in New Brunswick. Succeeding Mr. McDonald, he conducted the business under the firm styles of Deshler & Carter, Deshler & Boggs, and finally C. D. Deshler. During this period he took an active and prominent part in organizing the New Brunswick gas works, savings institution, and circulating library, as also the New Brunswick public school system, of which he has always been regarded as the founder. Moving to Jersey City, Mr. Deshler became editor of the "American Standard," resigning that position to accept the editorship of the Newark "Daily Advertiser," and conducted these papers with marked ability during a portion of the Civil War. Appointed by Governor Joel Parker commissioner for the sick and wounded Jersey troops, he spent considerable time in the South caring for the wants and interests of the New Jersey and other troops in the various hospitals. In 1865 he went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, occupying the position of treasurer of the Farmers' railroad, which ran from Petroleum Center to Oil City. He resigned that place to become secretary of the International Life Insurance Company of Jersey City, and later was engaged in business interests and literary work in New York City, where he was at various times editor of the "Christian Intelligencer," secretary of the United States Dairy Company, secretary of the Harney Peak Tin Mining, Milling and Manufacturing Company and book reviewer for the publishing house of Harper Brothers. Reestablishing his residence in New Brunswick, Mr. Deshler was until his death a prominent and highly esteemed citizen of that community. He was lay judge of the Middlesex county court of common pleas, postmaster of New Brunswick (appointed by President Cleveland), and agent for the Mutual Life Insurance Company. For many years he was vestryman of Christ (Episcopal) Church. Throughout his very long life he was strongly interested in public affairs, and he was associated on intimate terms with many of the most distinguished political leaders. Originally an ardent Whig (his first vote being cast for Harrison and Tyler in 1840), he later became a member of the so-called Know Nothing party, and finally of the Democratic organization. By appointment from Governor McClellan he served as one of the commissioners for the Blind and Feeble-minded, having charge of the erection of buildings, etc. At the centennial of the New Jersey State Legislature he delivered, by the invitation of that body, one of the addresses. A man of accomplished literary ability, for a portion of his life (as we have seen) a professional writer and editor, and at all times occupied more or less with literary studies and composition, no account of his career would be adequate without a somewhat particular allusion to this phase of it. His reading was most extensive, his tastes inclining especially to the study of English literature, of which he had a scholarly knowledge, and upon which he wrote and published valuable critical essays and other contributions. He was the author of "Selections from the Poetical Works of Geoffry Chaucer" (Putnam, 1848) and "Afternoons with the Poets" (Harper, 1879). He also devoted much attention to historical researches, and in this connection published many sketches and addresses. The George W. Deshler Memorial Library of the New Brunswick high school was given by him in memory of a son. Mr. Deshler died at his residence in New Brunswick, May 10, 1909, in his ninety-first year. He married, May 30, 1841, Mary Moore Holcombe, born October 10, 1824, in New Brunswick, died September 7, 1893, daughter of Theophilus Moore and Catherine Neilson (Farmer) Holcombe. The Holcombes in this line were an older Quaker family, originally of Lambertville, New Jersey. Children: 1. Edward Boggs. 2. George Wagener, graduate of West Point Military Academy, and afterward first lieutenant of Company A, First Artillery, United States Army; died of yellow fever at Fort Barrancas, Florida, July 28, 1875. 3. Monroe Holcombe (deceased). 4. James. 5. Kate. 6. Theophi-lus Holcombe (deceased). 7. Mary Holcombe. 8. Elizabeth Dunham (deceased). 9. Charles. 10. Frederick. 11. Edith. 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 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/njfiles/ File size: 8.2 Kb This file is located at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nj/hudson/bios/deshler-cd.txt