Christopher J. Mines Jr.

CHRISTOPHER J. MINES JR. was born in 1844 in New Jersey. He grew up in Camden.

Christopher J. Mines Jr. went to war in 1864. He enlisted as a Private on January 21, 1864 in Company H, 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment. He served alongside John Cavanaugh. Christopher J. Mines Jr. married John Cavanaugh’s sister Mary after the war.

The Fourth New Jersey had gone into service in the summer of 1861 and had seen considerable service prior to John Cavanaugh’s enlistment. When spring came, the regiment left winter quarters to confront the enemy once again. At the Battle of the Wilderness the First, Fourth and Tenth New Jersey regiments, lying on the left, were several times attacked with great ferocity by the Confederates, but at nightfall still held substantially the ground occupied by them in the morning—a heavy assault by the Confederate General Gordon just at dusk being repulsed with heroic gallantry. Among the wounded in that engagement was Lieutenant Colonel Van Syckel of the 4th. At the battle of Spottsylvania the regiment participated in the charge upon the “bloody angle,” winning its share of the glory and sustaining its share of casualties. During the first eleven days of Grant’s campaign against Richmond the regiment lost 26 killed, 126 wounded and 42 missing. The 4th fought at the North Anna river, Hanover Court House, Totopotomoy Creek, Cold Harbor, Weldon Railroad, Snicker’s Gap, Strasburg, Winchester and Charlestown. At the battle of the Opequan the Fourth was with the troops that pressed forward, swept up the opposite hill and forced back the Confederate line, obtaining permanent possession of the hill and holding it, though constantly exposed to a fire which inflicted severe loss, the 4th having 2 killed, 18 wounded and 1 missing. At Fisher’s Hill a private of the Fourth named Beach compelled a Confederate lieutenant colonel to surrender his sword, and there were other instances of daring no less noteworthy.

The regiment fought at Petersburg on January 9, 1865. John Cavanaugh and Christopher Mines Jr. were both promoted to Full Corporal on March 6, 1865. They took part in one last engagement at Petersburg on April 2. After Lee’s surrender the regiment was assigned to what was known as the provisional corps, Army of the Potomac, until mustered out on July 9, 1865. The total strength of the regiment was 2,036, and it lost during service 29 by resignation, 319 by discharge, 83 by promotion, 81 by transfer, 257 by death, 372 by desertion, 3 by dismissal, 109 not accounted for, mustered out 783.

Corporal Mines was not among those who mustered out of Company H, 4th New Jersey Infantry on July 9, 1865 at Hall’s Hill. He received a disability discharge from Company H, 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment New Jersey on August 3, 1865 at Newark, New Jersey.

Christopher Mines Jr. was politically active and served as Camden County Sheriff as well as holding other government posts.

Christopher J. Mines Jr. was a member of the William B. Hatch Post No. 37 of the Grand Army of the Republic, also known as the G.A.R.

Christopher J. Mines Sr. died at his home, 254 Line Street, on the morning of October 7, 1895 at the age of 73. Among his survivors were at least one daughter, Rachel Mines Milliette, and sons Christopher Jr. and William.

Christopher J. Mines Jr. passed away on December 3, 1903. He was buried at Harleigh Cemetery.

Brother William W. Mines also had a long and distinguished careers in Camden civic affairs. Son Dr. Marcus K. Mines, son of Christopher Mines Jr., practiced medicine in Camden for many years.

WILLIAM B. HATCH POST No. 37, of Camden, was instituted and chartered November 25, 1879, with eighty-one members and the following named Post officers:

Post Commander, John E. Grubb; Senior Vice-Commander, Richard J. Robinson; Junior Vice-Commander, Daniel J. Fullen; Surgeon, Thomas G. Rowand, M.D.; Chaplain, John Quick; Officer of the Day, John A. Dall; Officer of the Guard, Edmund G. Jackson, Jr.; Quartermaster, Christopher J. Mines, Jr.; Adjutant, Benjamin J. Pierce; Sergeant-Major, William A. Tatem; Quartermaster-Sergeant, William B. E. Miller.

At the first meeting of the Post it was decided by a unanimous vote to name it in honor of the late Colonel William B. Hatch, of the Fourth Regiment. When Mrs. C. Hatch, the mother of the colonel was informed that the post had honored the memory of her son by naming it after him, she sent to the Post the following response:

Camden N. J.,
November 26th, 1879

John E. Grubb, Post Commander

Dear Sir,
It will afford me much pleasure to be identified with Post 37, G. A. E., named in honor of my son, William B. Hatch, by allowing me to present to the same its colors. The memory of my son is ever dear to me, and, while at the same moment I may have thought the sacrifice too great an affliction, yet I was consoled by the fact that I gave him up that this Union might be preserved. It was duty and patriotism that called him, and while I mourn him as a mother for a well-beloved son, yet I would not have stayed him, for the love of country and the upholding of this glorious Republic is what every mother should instill into her sons, as the purest and holiest spirit.

Yours truly,
C. Hatch

The following is a complete roster of this post for 1886:

Post Commander, Benjamin H. Connelly; Senior Vice-Commander, Adam C. Smith; Junior Vice-Commander, William Haegele; Surgeon, George Pfau; Chaplain, Samuel Gaul; Officer of the Day, Robert Crawford; Officer of the Guard, John D. Cooper; Quartermaster, Samuel J. Fenner; Adjutant, William B. Summers; Sergeant-Major, Stacy H. Bassett; Quartermaster-Sergeant, Otto K. Lockhart.

Comrades: Philip Achenbach, George L. Allchin, Isaac Albertson, Joseph Applegate, John W. Barclay, Martin M. Barney, Joseph Baxter, William W. Bennett, Charles L. Bennett, Henry Bickering, Abel Biddle, George K. Biddle, John Bieri, Robert M. Bingham, Socrates T. Bittle, George W. Bittle, Benjamin F. Blizzard, Joseph Borton, Frederick Bowers, Benjamin M. Braker, John Breyer, William H. Brians, Wm. J. Broadwater, William Broadwater, John Brown, Harris Brooks, William H. Brooks, Joseph F. Bryan, Joseph Buddew, J. Q. Burniston, George Burton, Frederick Buser, Thomas L. Bush, William Butcher, Isaac B. Buzby, Edward C. Cattell, Joseph Cameron, James H. Carey, William Carey, James Chadwick, James Chafey, George M. Chester, James D. Chester, Lewis L. Chew, Henry S. Chew, John W. Churn, Andrew B. Cline, Charles Clarke, Samuel J. Cook, Levi E. Cole, John J. Collins, John C. Cooper, John W. Cotner, Thomas L. Conly, Harvey M. Cox, Jason S. Cox, Harris Crane, Charles Cress, Joel G. Cross, O. C. Cunningham, John A. Dall, John Dalby, John H. Damon, Westley Dare, John E. Dawson, Adam T. Dawson, James L. Davis, William Davis, Amos R. Dease, Henry Deford, Lewis T. Derousse, Michael Devinney, Glendora Devo, John Digney, Joseph Dilks, William A. Dobbins, George W. Dunlap, Aaron B. Eacritt, John J. Early, Christopher Ebele, Godfrey Eisenhart, John Elberson, Charles Elwell, Charles Eminecker, John Esler, John H. Evans, Charles S. Fackler, James Fanington, James A. Farraday, John H. Farry, John Faughey, Wm. H. Fenlin, George G. Felton, George W. Ferguson, Charles W. Fish, Israel L. Fish, James Finnan, Samuel B. Fisher, Edward L. Fisher, Ephraim B. Fithian, Jacob T. Fisher, Edward Fitzer, Samuel Flock, Leonard Flor, John Fox, John S. Fox, H. H. Franks, Chas. B. Frazer, Thomas J. Francis, Samuel W. Gahan, Chas. H. Gale, James Galbraith, Thomas Garman, Harry Garren, John W. Garwood, Josiah Garrison, John B. Gaskill, Richard Gaunt, Wm. German, Christopher Getsinger, Christopher Gifney, Jacob Giffens, Albert Gilbert, James Gillen, Wm. Giffins, C. C. Greany, Charles Green, W. H. Griffin, Louis Grosskops, William Grindrod, John B. Grubb, Mark H. Guest, John Guice, Alfred Haines, Charles G. Haines, Japhet Haines, George F. Hammond, Charles Hall, Solon B. Hankinson, Samuel P. Hankinson, James Hanson, Charles Hannans, H. A. Hartranft, Mahlon E. Harden, William F. Harper, George W. Hayter, Samuel B. Harbeson, J. T. Hazleton, H. Heinman, James Henderson, William H. Heward, Franklin Hewitt, James T. Hemmingway, Charles Hewitt, Edward K. Hess, Samuel B. Hickman, George Higgens, Ephraim Hillman, C. M. Hoagland, Guadaloupe Holl, William A. Holland, Isaac K. Horner, Count D. G. Hogan, William H. Howard, Baxter Howe, Alien Hubbs, Charles G. Hunsinger, Presmel D. Hughes, I. N. Hugg, Sebastian Hummell, Edward Hutchinson, C. Innes, Alfred Ivins, Benjamin Ivins, E. G. Jackson Sr., E. G. Jackson Jr., Thomas Jameson, George Jauss, William P. Jenkins, James L. Johnson, Alfred Jones, B. F. Jones, William Joline, Charles Joseph, Charles Justice, C. H. Kain, E. E. Kates, Benjamin Kebler, Frank Kebler, Peter Keen, Henry N. Killian, J. W. Kinsey, C. H. Knowlton, Thomas W. Krips, Joseph H. Large, John E. Leake, John Lecroy, Charles Leonhart, George W. Locke, E. J. Long, Charles L. Lukens, J. H. Lupton, Valentine Machemer, Edward Macloskey, Edward A. Martin, William P. Marsh, John Mapes, William Mead, William Metcalf, E. A. Meyer, C. Meyers, George Meilor, C. A. Michener, William B. E. Miller, Jacob Miller, W. D. Miller, Samuel Mills, William W. Mines, Christopher J. Mines, George Molesbury, William. Moran, Edward More, Richard Morgan, John F. Moore, S. H. Moyer, Jacob L. Morton, John Muir, John J. Murphy, Isaac Murray, Charles Myers, W. H. McAllister, James McCracken, Edward C. McDowell, Hugh McGrogan, H. M. Mcllvaine, W. F. McKillip, W. J. McNeir, Lewis McPherson, E. McPherson, Jacob Naglee, William Naphas, Antonio Nosardi, Robert O’Keefe, John S. Owens, Robert Owens, Edward H. Pancoast, James Pancoast, Robert B. Patterson, William Patterson, E. W. Pease, John B. Pepper, Joel Perrine, John Peterson, D. E. Peugh, Frederick Phile, Samuel B. Pine, William M. Pine, Adon Powell, John Powell, John Portz, J. B. Prucelle, John Quick, S. E. Radcliffe, I. C. Randolph, James A. Regens, Philip Reilly, Charles P. Reynolds, Alexander Rhodes, Benjamin F. Richard, Andrew Ridgway, Benjamin Robbins, Edward C. Roberts, James Roberts, Richard J. Robinson, William B. Robertson, Isaac Rogers, John Rogers, William H. Rogers, Thomas G. Rowand, Sebastian Schaub, Maurice Schmidt, Christian K. Schallers, James Schofield, George W. Scott, John E. Scott, John M. Shemelia, Edward M. Siemers, John Simmons, Benjamin F. Shinn, Thomas Sheeran, James Shield, Charles Smith, George H. Smith, William W. Smith, Charles S. Small, Adolph Snow, W. Souder, Francis Senders, Robert Sparks, David C. Sprowl, Alfred L. Sparks, Abraham Springer, George W. Stewart, William L. Stevenson, Thomas G. Stephenson, Samuel R. Stockton, Thomas Stockton, Thomas H. Stone, Henry Strick, E. J. Strickland, Charles String, George F. Stull, George W. Swaney, Crosby Sweeten, William F. Tarr, William A. Tatem, Thomas S. Tanier, George Rudolph Tenner, Charles L. Test, Leonard Thomas, Benjamin Thomas, Henry C. Thomas, George F. Thorne, Wesley Thorn, Thomas W. Thornley, Alexander W. Titus, Joseph Tompkins, J. E. Troth, Isaac C. Toone, Samuel Tyier, Jacob M. Van Nest, Albert Vansciver, Joseph Wakeman, Theodore F. Walker, Charles Walton, George Walton, Joseph Welsh, David Watson, George W. Wentling, Edward West, Elmer M. West, George Weyman, Wilmer Whillden, James Whittaker, Samuel Wickward, Calvin T. Williams, George W. Williams, William H. Williams, John Williams, Samuel Winner, Amos P. Wilson, D. H. Wilson, G. A. Wilson, Richard Wilson, George Wispert, John W. Wood, Joseph Woodfield, Walter Wolfkill, E. W. Wolverton, Elijah Worthington, C. M. Wright, George B. Wright, Henry S. Wright, Wesley T. Wright, William Zane.

As of 1886, the Hatch Post met every Thursday evening in their own G. A. R. Hall, on Stevens Street, below Fifth Street. This same building had been used in the late 1870s as the original home of the congregation that formed the Tabernacle Baptist Church. The Hatch Post was affiliated with Hatch League No. 2, of the Loyal Ladies League, their auxiliary, which met at the Post Hall.

On October 1, 1902 Paul Woodward murdered two young boys by giving them poison. Frank T. Lloyd, then Camden County prosecutor, was responsible for leading the investigation and prosecuting the case. Woodward was arrested on October 4, 1902, and was quickly indicted on murder charges. J. Wesley Sell was Camden County’s sheriff in October of 1902, nearing the end of his term. Sheriff Sell was succeeded as Sheriff on November 12, 1902 by Christopher J. Mines Jr., which coincidentally was the first day of Paul Woodward’s trial, before Judge Charles G. Garrison. Paul Woodward was found guilty of murder in the first degree, and Judge Garrison sentenced him to death by hanging. Woodward was executed on January 7, 1903 at the Camden County Jail, with Sheriff Mines supervising.

People mentioned in the coverage below: joseph jennings — jennings’ third regiment band — frank t. lloyd — Dr. William S. Jones — william d. hart — dr. paul n. litchfield — F. Morse Archer — john foster — john painter — john cherry — isaac toone — Paul Woodward — george m. beringer — Charles G. Garrison — J. Wesley Sell — Christopher J. Mines Jr. — frederick a. rex — J. Frederick Voigt — george f. kappel — Isaac Toy — harry s. scovel — John S. Smith — O. Glen Stackhouse — Hugh Boyle — George H. Stineford Sr. — Frank S. Albright — Thomas Walton — Dr. William H. Iszard

Other people involved in this case: John Coffin — W. Price Jennings — Mrs. Edith Barber — Rev. C. A. Adams — Rev. John Lyell — Rev. William H. Fishburn — Rev. Gilbert Underhill — Rev. John Warnock — Harry Bowen — Joseph Simpkins — Ann Somers — William May — Lillian Martin — James Sheiding — Harry H. Robinson — Edwin Hillman — William Robinson — George Asay — William Powell — William Anderson — Charles Eiley — Thomas J. Atkinson — Wilson English — Harry Avis — George H. Stineford Sr. — John M. Hyde — William Heggan — John St. Clair — Charles S. Hess — William Rex — Daniel J. Horgan — Isaac Siebert — W. Wilmer Collins, Druggist — Major Edward Coffin — William Coffin — William Coffin Jr. — Kingston Coffin — Fayetta Jennings — Charles May — Mary Eiler — William F. Smith — Lee Hubert — Maurice Daniels — Thomas Woodward — Bella Woodward — James Bland — James Morrisey — Samuel Paul — Fred George

Typical Convention Rumpus Stirred ‘Regular’ and ‘True’ Republicans as Gibbs and Morgan Were Nominated for Sheriff in ‘81

(Another in a series of articles on Camden affairs and personalities of yesteryear)

By BEN COURTER

Rival factions in the political conventions of long ago were more bitter toward one another than toward the common foe. So-called “rump” conventions were by no means exceptions. By “rump” was meant merely those who refused to play with the regulars and who set up the nominations, as did the Bull Moose on the national scale in the historic scrap of 1912 which resulted in the three-cornered battle of Wilson, Roosevelt and Taft, giving the Princeton professor the start that was to make him a world figure. Factions we still have, of course, and it is quite proper, since too much regularity often breeds party decay. But present-day political methods are certainly lacking in the spectacular rumpuses that stirred the rank and file in the period when delegates met and made their nominations.

In a recent article allusion was made to the Democratic convention of September 20, 1878, when Nathan T. Stratton, of Millville, was nominated for Congress by the Democrats in the midst of downright fisticuffs, when “liar” and “hypocrite” and worse was hurled about the hall.

Lest it may be assumed the party of Jefferson and Jackson only was given to such methods, it is fitting to give a picture on the other side of the political house. Dr. William H. Iszard’s inexhaustible scrap book, loaned me by his son, former Assemblyman Iszard comes across with a copy of a tabloid political sheet, “The True Republican,” which gives a recital of a battle royal in the G.O.P. ranks which will be of interest to some old-timers I know are still about.

Rival Conventions

That was the convention to nominate a sheriff called at Gloucester City Hall on Saturday, October 8, 1881, where we find the redoubtable Colonel James Matlack Scovel once more a moving factor, but this time in the ranks of the “regular Republicans” or at least so they called themselves as opposed to the “rump” set up by a rival group. Christopher J. Mines, long Fifth ward leader and later sheriff, apparently had been selected as temporary chairman with William A. Husted, who died last year well in his 70’s, as secretary. But when that part of the delegation marched up to city hall, like the famed king’s horses—they marched down again.

As a matter of fact, not much marching was done in the hall—for it was asserted by the “true Republicans” that when they essayed to enter the portals they found Colonel Scovel and Henry M. Jewett, father of Harry Jewett, a Camden newspaperman of the long ago and for years later Jersey editor of the Inquirer, in command. More, it was charged “people representing the worst elements of society” were on guard and presented a phalanx which even the huskies of the opposing force could not break. Mines was strong-armed by the minions of Scovel and Jewett and there was so much hooting and yelling and cussin’ that the “true” part of the outfit walked out, all 29 of them, over to Moss’ hall where they proceeded to carry on their convention to their own taste.

And all 29 of these valiant Republicans voted for Eli B. Morgan as their candidate for sheriff. You old timers will be interested in recalling these delegates who refused to kowtow to ‘Colonel Jim.’ In the Third ward there was James M. Lane, Charles S. Cotting and George Martin, in the Fourth, Husted, the Sixth, C. C. Smith, Thad Varney, Charles A. Sawyer; in the Seventh, Stephen Walters, Charles Lederman, William Simpson; in Gloucester, John W. Wright, David Anderson, Frank Mills, Robert Lafferty, Richard Allen, Jesse Daisey, Samuel Wood; in Haddon, Charles M. Macready, Elwood J. Haines: in Delaware, William Brick, William Graff, Isaac Coles; in Merchantville, Matthias Homer, William Naylor, and in Center, James Davis, Garrett Patton and Gilbert Shaw.

Hot Statement

These “true Republicans” in a statement to the party rank and file, under the Algeresque title of “Now or Never,” scathingly said: “It becomes the duty of every Republican voter of Camden county, who has the future interest of the party at heart, to administer a severe and lasting rebuke to all candidates who employ the element and encourage the means that were used in controlling the Sheriff’s convention at City Hall, Gloucester City. It discounted anything within the memory of the oldest Democrat inhabitant. What with Col. Joseph Nichols urging the crowd to go elsewhere and nominate Gibbs, and the immaculate Billy Warner of the Fifth ward ordering them to burst the door in, coupled with the commanding voice of that great patriot and life-long Republican, James M. Scovel, alias Mountain Partridge, together with the curses and threats from John Furey, Jack Quigley, Pud Young, Bill Derr, ‘Tar Heel’ Jim Hayes, the able city solicitor, and a gang of Philadelphia roughs, a beautiful spectacle was presented.”

The “Gibbs” mentioned was Theodore B. Gibbs who long lived in the white mansion on the banks of Clementon lake and whose ancient grist mills ground the grain for farmers from miles around. None in the county was held in higher esteem and in later years most of the valiant 29 were among his closest friends, unnecessary proof the political animosities are, as a rule, not very enduring. Gibbs was nominated by the “regular” Convention which ousted the 29 and a mighty hot shrievalty campaign ended on November 10 with his ejection, in spite of the “now or never” demand of his opponents headed by Eli Morgan.

The latter was a real estate man, son of Randall Morgan, elected sheriff by a whisker over “Ham” Bitten in 1869, and brother of J. Willard Morgan, long a Republican chieftain. It was the elder Morgan who defeated Bitten, a rough and ready character nominated as a joke, by a narrow squeak.

In the shrievalty scrap of 1881. Gibbs received 5381 and Morgan, 1189. Angus Camerson, the Democratic candidate was given 4450 votes. Nor did the “true” nominees for coroner fare any better. Sam Bennett, William Thompson and Alexander Powell being defeated by ‘Doc’ John D. Leckner, Jacob Justice and William Duble.

But the “true” Republicans licked their wounds and most of them were ready to “yen their heads off” when Colonel Scovel in later campaigns made the welkin ring with his call from the rostrum to wallop the enemy. If you now come across any of the few actors of that period still in the flesh an allusion to that “spectacle” of half century ago will sure bring one big chuckle with the declaration “them was the days.”