The Penn's Grove record., 1907-09-27
The Penn Grove Record
REPUBLICANS NOMINATE
Judge J. Franklin Fort


While there was some lively contests
in the Republican State convention on
the 10Th, which nominated j. Franklin
Fort for Governor between the regulars
and Colby men with their ''new ideas",
over delegates and the excise question,
the Colby men seem to have accepted
the result without bitterness.
While it may be surprising that Mr..
Colby introduced a ''new idea" plank
favoring local option with the purpose
of an open Sunday in North Jersey, it
was voted down by a vote of 619to 537.
~ was considered a defeat for the liquor
interest, but when Mr.. Fort appeared
before the convention. handed his resig-
nation as Judge to Gov. Stokes, and in
a speech said, l believe in the home
rule doctrine that each locality should
control its police power regulations, the
Essex delegation shouted with approval
and were satisfied.
JUDGE FORTS CAREER
Justice John franklin Fort was born
at Pemberton. Burlington County,
March 20, 1852, and is the eldest child
and only SOL Of Andrew II. and Hannah
A. Fort and a nephew of George F.
Fort who was Governor Of New Jersey
in 1852. He received his early educa-
ton at the Mount Holly Institute, and
later attended Pennington Seminary.
He began the study Of law in Philadel-
phia in the office of Edward M. PaXsOn,
afterward chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania. When Mr..
Paxson was appointed judge OF the
Court of Common Pleas of Philadel-
dhia.
Mr.. Fort continued his studies with
EVAN Merritt, Esq, then one of the
foremost lawyers in Burlington County,
and for nine months of hisstudent term
he was in the office of GarritS. Cannon,
the prosecutor of the pleas for Burllng-
ton County. He graduated from the
Albany Law School in 1872 with the de-
gree of LII. j. and was classmate Of
Alton B. Parker.
Mr.. Fort was admitted to the bar as
and attorney at the November term OF
1873 and as counselor III 1876. Ills po-
litical career began before he had at
tanned his majority in the Presidential
campaign of 1872. He served as jour
nal clerk of the House of Assembly
during the sessions of 1S73-74. In May
1874 he located in Newark and began
the practice of law in Essex County.
In 1873 he was appointed by Governor
Mcclellan as judge of the First District
Court of the city of Newark for the term
of five years, at the expiration of which
he was reappionted by Grovernor Lud-
low, but resigned the office on the third
year of his second term to resume ac-
i've practice.
MI. Fort married Miss Charlotte
'.sby daughter Of L. i@ta fo~H,
Senator William otainsly.
iu 1850 lie was c~Iaf~oar o. lie ool-
ven@ou which nominated general Y.
ara Gruah har Goyeraor, auG toWei
loe >,.ata Win / a. III, 'yasalso ahaig
man OF ,he""rigga convention in 1851
aud rs speaker with the latter in tie
"a.aiwtaF'' .,a3psiy r d. lat ysa,
whi.. res ged al-t Of t
nISy 4~iefaYllca4 uJye1HC- .All.
years. By a curious turn about Mr..
G riggs was chairman of the convention
that nominated Judge Fort for Cover
nor.
Governor Griggs appointed Mr.. Fort
Judge OF the Court of Common Pleas of
Essex County in December, 1896, and
on May A., 1900, he was appointed JUS
tice of the Supreme Court by Governor
Voorhees,, and the following year he
was appointed for the full term.
Justice Fort has been identified with
many of the banking interests of Essex
County for a number of years.
Justice Fort removed from Newark to
East Orange in 1889, and has lived at5l
Arlington Avenue, north, i'll that city
since that time. He has three children
Miss Margretta Fort, Franklin w.
Fort, a lawyer in Newark, and Leslie
r. Fort. He attends the Presbyterian
church, and is a trustee of the Mum
Avenue Church at East Orange and
the Spring Lake Presbyterian Church
at which latter place he summer
cottage. lie was active in st. Metho-
dist Episcopal Church for many years
when in Newark.