Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-03-04


Saturday afternoon when the bulletin
was posted here that the PERTH
AMBOY EVENING NEWS had re-
ceived a dispatch from Washington
announcing that Frank e. DeGraw
had ben recommended TO the Presi-
dent for the appointment to the post
mastership to succeed the late Ber-
nard Roddy, Sr. Mr.. DeGraw was
among the first to hear the news after
the bulletin was up and he was kept
busy the remainder of the afternoon
and all day yesterday receiving con-
gratulations.
The dispatch from Washington
was not received in time to have il
published in the edition OF the EVE
MING NEWS which circulates in
South Amboy, but once the bulletin
was posted 1t did not take long for
the word to spread
The recommendation is practically
as good as the appointment and Mr.
DeGraw can be expected to soon as
sumo his new duties.
Mr.. DeGraw was born in Princeton
in 1914 and came to South Amboy
with his parents in 1854. He grew
up among his present surroundings
and received his education, like most
of the boys of his time in what was
then called the common schools of
the village. After reaching the age
at which he could be profitably en-
ployed, he entered the service of the
Camden & Amboy Railroad Company,
in whose service he remained until
that company leased their roads to
the p. r. r. in 1872.
About this time he went into the
coal business for himself at the yard
now conducted by e. w. Bostwick, in
which business he remained for sew
eral years, when he entered the SER
vice of the P. r. h. at their coal
wharves, where he was employed in
different departments until 1885,
when Terminal Agent A. C. Davis,
now deceased, advanced him to the
position of genral foreman and man
ager of the whole coal shipping de-
partment at South Amboy. This pos
ition he retained until 1901, when
Mr.. Davis, having reached the age
limit, was relieved and pensioned.
The opinion of many at that time
was that for his efficient and faithful
service he should have been Mr.
Davis successor, but the powers that
be willed it otherwise and Hon. D. C.
Chase was appointed.
Later Mr. DeGraw rendered his
resignation and since that time he
has been identified with the fire in
surance business in the borough.
All through his life the people of
the borough have had the utmost
confidence in his integrity and ability
and have made II known to the public
by their elevating him to offices of
public confidence and trust He was
made mayor of the borough when the
borough was in its infancy. Later,
he was made one of the freeholders
of MiddleseX county and we have
been informed it was rgely due to
his efforts that the bridga connecting
the two Amboys ever a. lumed any
thing like a definite form and which
eventually eliminated in the bridge
being completed.
The people of South Amboy have
also shown their appreciation of Mr..
DeGraw by electing him a member OF
the Board of Education, which Office
he has held for the last twenty-three
years, and for number of years he
has held the Office OF secretary OF the
board, in which position he has given
such satisfaction that his friends, te
make assurance doubly sure that he
would be elected at the election held
last year, placed his name on two OF
the tickets in the field and Mr.. De-
Graw was elected by large vote.
He bears the honor at the present
time of holding commission as a
justice of the peace of MiddleseS
county, he is clerk of the Board OF
Health and vital statistics, and re-
corder of the borough. And, to fur
ther show the confidence the citizens
of South Amboy have in Mr.. De-
Graws integrity and ability they
have, through their efforts, induced
their senators and the representative
from this district to recommend him
for our postmaster. Mr.. DeGraw has
been a staunch republican and in
times past the republican party,
through his assistance, has been able
to carry forlorn hope and turn what
looked like defeat into victory. There
is not the least doubt but when he
takes charge of the Office and gets ac-
quainted with the routine of duty he
will give satisfaction as far as possi-
BILE for any one