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by Ole Erekson, Engraver, c1876, Library of Congress

https://www.ushistory.org/DECLARATION/signers/witherspoon.htm

 

John Witherspoon brought some impressive credentials and a measure of public acclaim with him when he joined the colonies in 1768, as president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton).
Born in 1723, he received the finest education available to a bright young gentleman of that era. John attended the preparatory school in Haddington Scotland. He proceeded to Edinburgh where he attained a Master of Arts, then to four years of divinity school. At this point he was twenty. In 1743 he became a Presbyterian Minister at a parish in Beith, where he married, authored three noted works on theology. He was later awarded a Doctorate of Divinity from the University of St. Andrews, in recognition of his theological skills. It was only through a protracted effort on the part of several eminent Americans, including Richard Stockton and Benjamin Rush, that the colonies were able to acquire his service. In colonial American, the best educated men were often found in the clergy. The College of New Jersey needed a first rate scholar to serve as its first president. Witherspoon was at first unable to accept the offer, due to his wife’s great fear of crossing the sea. She later had second thoughts, and a visit from the charming Dr. Rush secured the deal. He emigrated to New Jersey in 1768.
Dr. Witherspoon enjoyed great success at the College of New Jersey. He turned it into a very successful institution, and was a very popular man as a result. He also wrote frequent essays on subjects of interest to the colonies. While he at first abstained from political concerns, he came to support the revolutionary cause, accepting appointment to the committees of correspondence and safety in early 1776. Later that year he was elected to the Continental Congress in time to vote for R. H. Lee’s Resolution for Independence. He voted in favor, and shortly after voted for the Declaration of Independence. He made a notable comment on that occasion; in reply to another member who argued that the country was not yet ripe for such a declaration, that in his opinion it “was not only ripe for the measure, but in danger of rotting for the want of it.” Whitherspoon was a very active member of congress, serving on more than a hundred committees through his tenure and debating frequently on the floor.
In November, 1776, he shut down and then evacuated the College of New Jersey at the approach of British forces. The British occupied the area and did much damage to the college, nearly destroyed it. Following the war, Witherspoon devoted his life to rebuilding the College. He also served twice in the state legislature. In the last years of life he suffered injuries, first to one eye then the other, becoming totally blind two years before his death. He died on his farm, “Tusculum,” just outside of Princeton in November of 1794, a man much honored and beloved by his adopted countrymen.

https://www.ushistory.org/DECLARATION/signers/witherspoon.htm

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by Ole Erekson, Engraver, c1876, Library of Congress

John Hart was a New Jersey farmer. His exact date of birth is not known. His father had moved from Connecticut to a farm near Hopewell New Jersey. He helped to build, and later inherited, that very successful farm and was a leading member of his community. His first public service was a justice of the peace. In 1761 he was elected the New Jersey Assembly, there annually reelected until the assembly was dissolved in 1771. In 1775 he was appointed to the local Committee of Safety, the Committee of Correspondence, and a judge to the Court of Common Pleas. He was elected to the newly formed Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1776, and sent as a delegate for New Jersey to the Continental Congress that year. Hart’s property was looted in the course of the war. His Wife died on October 8, 1776. When the area was overrun by the British in November of that year, he was forced to hide for a time. He was engaged in public service throughout the war, twice reelected to the Congress and also serving the Commitee of Safety and as Speaker of the New Jersey assembly. On June 22nd 1778 he invited the American army to encamp on his farm. Washington had lunch with him, then had his famous Council of War at the nearby Hunt House. Twelve thousand men camped on his fields-during the growing season. After resting and preparing for battle the troops left on the 24th. On Tuesday, May 11th 1779, he died at the age of 66.

https://www.ushistory.org/DECLARATION/signers/hart.htm

>I have posted a lot on Valley Hospital’s proposed renewal plans over the last few weeks and I must say, that it is evident that the vast majority of comments come from those tax-paying residents of Ridgewood that do not want Valley Hospital to expand. Most of the pro-Valley comments appear to be from residents of other towns so as far as I am concerned, their comments do not count.

There are a number of issues that have come to light over the last couple of weeks and these may have been in place all along but as intelligent, tax paying residents of this Village, the majority of us were blindsided by those that are put into office to protect and serve the interests of the tax-paying residents of Ridgewood.

1. What did Valley Hospital (corporate) promise to certain entities in return for their support of the hospital’s expansion plans?
2. Why does it appear that the interests of Valley Hospital were put ahead of the interests of the tax-paying residents of Ridgewood?
3. Why did certain members of the planning board not recuse themselves from the voting process knowing that there were conflict of interest issues?
4. In reference to the last planning board meeting;
a. Who changed the venue from BF to GWMS – regardless of what else was planned that night, if the PB meeting was scheduled to take place that night, the venue must have been booked for that night without conflict and therefore the apparent conflict does not appear to have been legit.
b. Who authorized Valley Hospital’s PR director to coordinate with the RPD who could and who could not gain entry to the PB meeting?
c. As the majority of residents that night were all law-abiding concerned citizens, in the company of their children, why was it deemed necessary to bring in police reinforcements? Did the planning board think that it was hosting a mini-G8 summit?
d. Who is footing the bill for all non-RPD deployment that night?
5. What redress do the tax-paying residents of Ridgewood have for the unsightly behavior of the planning board?
a. The appearance of corruption
b. The manipulation of Valley Hospital to direct the terms of procedures of a Village meeting, a village in which Valley Hospital does not pay taxes

There are major concerns about the future of our great Village and very few of those that have been elected to office to protect and serve our interests appear to be doing just what they were elected for.

As per Valley Hospital’s website, out of the five current hospitals in Bergen County, there are currently 300 hundred unused beds on a daily basis, so even if it is state-mandated for hospitals to provide single occupancy rooms, there must be room at all our hospitals to incorporate this provision without the need to change the size of any of the hospitals that are currently operable giving the fact that we currently have an over flow of hospital beds.

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For the July 5th parade, the Elks Club Of Ridgewood
at 111 Maple Ave. be offering an outdoor barbecue.
Starting at 9 am, we will have the usual BBQ fare, chips,
and beverages at the cheapest prices in town.
In addition, our bar in open to the public serving ice
cold brews, cocktails & Liz’s once in a lifetime amazing
Bloody Mary’s. She only makes them once a year.
Stop in, the air conditioning will be cranking since it
will be hot out there. We’ll have the World Cup on.
All proceeds help support the running the Elks and
our charitable foundations including Camp Moore.

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Ridgewood council holds reorganization meeting
Thursday, July 1, 2010
BY MICHAEL SEDON
The Ridgewood News
STAFF WRITER

https://www.northjersey.com/news/97603459_Ridgewood_council_holds_reorganization_meeting.html

Keith Killion was named the new mayor during the Village Council reorganization meeting on Thursday afternoon. Tom Riche, who along with Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh won the municipal election in May, was named deputy mayor. Both terms will expire in 2012.

“Ridgewood, more than ever, is facing some monumental decisions — budgets, the pool, Valley Hospital,” Killion said. “I pledge to this council we’ll listen to every individual, no matter how long it takes in a venue that will be able to accept as many people that wish to speak as possible. We do not want to repeat those logistical mistakes of the past.”

Killion noted that departing Councilman Pat Mancuso has completed the longest run as an elected official in the village’s history, with 20 consecutive years on the governing body.

Killion will serve as liaison to the Ridgewood Community Center Advisory Board, and council representative to the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee and Board of Education.

Riche will serve as council representative to the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee, Fourth of July Celebration Committee, Project Pride and the Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Committee.

“It was long ago in the days of the Van Emburghs, the Hoppers and the Graydons when the Ridgewood vision was formulated,” Riche said. “Those that came before us had the foresight to make Ridgewood the community that it is today. We, the council of 2010, are the protectors of that vision. We are the protectors of its beauty and values that draw people here.”

read the full story:

https://www.northjersey.com/news/97603459_Ridgewood_council_holds_reorganization_meeting.html

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Abraham Clark
1725-1794

Representing New Jersey at the Continental Congress

https://www.ushistory.org/DECLARATION/signers/clark.htm

by Ole Erekson, Engraver, c1876, Library of CongressBorn: February 15, 1725
Birthplace: Elizabethtown, New Jersey
Education: Self-taught, Surveying, Law (Surveyor, Lawyer, Sheriff)
Work: Land attorney; High Sheriff of Essex County, NJ.; Member of New Jersey Provincial Congress; Elected to the Continental Congress, 1776 ~1784.
Died: September 15, 1794

Abraham Clark was born into the life of a farmer at what is now Elizabeth, New Jersey. His father saw an aptitude for mathematics and felt that he was too frail for the farm life and so young Abraham was tutored in mathematics and surveying. He continued his own study of the Law while working as a surveyor. He later practiced as an attorney and in this role is said to have been quite popular because of his habit of serving poor farmers in the community in cases dealing with title disputes. In succeeding years he served as the clerk of the Provincial Assembly, High Sheriff of Essex (now divided into Essex and Union) County. Elected to the Provincial Congress in 1775, he then represented New Jersey at the Second Continental Congress in 1776, where he signed the Declaration of Independence. He served in the congress through the Revolutionary War as a member of the committee of Public Safety. He retired and was unable to attend the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787, however he is said to have been active in community politics until his death in 1794. Clark Township, New Jersey, is named in his honor.

Sources: PFG, HCT

https://www.ushistory.org/DECLARATION/signers/clark.htm