The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-10-23
Useful Career of
J. Franklin Fort
The Training and Experience
That Eminently Fit Him
For GOvernOrship.


John Franklin Fort was born in
Pcmbcrtou Burlington county, \. j.,
on March ~. 1852. and is the son of
Andrew H. Fort who still lives in
Mount Holly His father WIS in iSb6-
81 member of the house of assem-
bly,. and his fathers brother WIS Gov
ernor George f. Fort, who held the
executive Office from ISL 10 1893
Young Fort remained In Fcmberton
until he was twenty-onc Years of age.
leading the life of a farmers boy and
having his share OF the country hoy
hardshps His early education WIS
secured in Miss Nicholson's private
seheel III Remhcrton. and after that he
went Ia the Pcmberton academy,
where his teacher WAS Charles Il.
1lcndriekson. warm personal friend
Of the Judge and in recent years his
associate on the supreme court bench.
Justice Forts next tutor WAS
William Hutchinson. afterward we'll
known ns John Sands. under which
name he wrote articles fer the New
York sun. He then went To Mount
Holly institute, conducted hy Charles
Aaron, and from there he Went to Pen
ninston seminary. where he graduated
in ls6o
In the fail of 1860 he entered the law
office af former chief Justice Edward
" Paxton who was then II we'll
known praeticing lawyer in Philadel-
phia. but six months later Fort was
compelled Ia return to New Jersey be
cause of Mr. PaXton's appointment 10
II common pleas iudgeship by Govern
or Gerry of the keystone State Upon
his return he entered the office of
EVAN Merritt in Mount Holly. and in
order To help pay his expenses while
studying he taught school ut EVAN
Vile He was also in the office of
Colonel Garret =. Cannon nj BORDEN
town. from which place he went 10 the
Albany Law school. where he gradn
ated in 1872 with the degree of LII Il
II roommate ut the law school MIS- for.
mer chief Judge Alton Il. Parker, can
didate on the Democratic ticket for
president of the United States in 1901.
This friendship still continues
Returning from law school without
having attained his majority, Fort
again entered the office Of Evan Mer-
,If in
just passed twenty-one by Il few
months. he MAS admitted To the bar
When Mr Fort returned from law
school the Greeley Grant campaign Of
ls12 WIS in progress. and he entered
that campaign FOR General Grant With
yigor During the next three months
he made twenty seven speeches in
south Jersey In the winter OF 1873
he MAS made assistant Journal clerk
OF the assembly. and he also held the
same position in 1874. earning money
enough IA reimburse his father for
every cent the latter had spent on his
education
Justice Fort went To Newark ut the
solicitation ef John w Taylor, then
president of the senate. who WAS 1T
that time the senator from Essex.
Hardly had he settled In Newark be
fore he became Interested In politics.
aud In 1871 he Went on the stump for
George \. llalsey the Republican can.
didate for governor. shortly after this
Mr.. Fort married Miss Charlotte
Stninshy. daughter of former State Sen
ator William Stainshy of Newark
In ISIS Governor Mcclellan appoint
ed MIR Fort judge of the district
court in Newark, and he was reap
pointed hy Governor Ludlow. hut re
signed the office in 1856 10 practice law.
In iSsi he WAS elected delegate AT
large by the Republican state conven-
tion Ia the national convention held
nj chic.tst NJ that place. with six 9th
ers, he aufel independently and voted
for Georg, + Elmunds ( Vermont for
president until the latter Was dropped
and then voted with the rest of the
Jersey delegation for James I; Rlaine.
whom he LOYALTY and vigorously sup
ported after the convention. In 1889
he WAS chairman Of the convention
which nominated General l., Bnrd
Gruhh for governor and toured the
state with him and was greatly diSap
pointed NJ his defeat He was also
chairman of the Griggs convention in
1879 and was a speaker with the latter |
In the 'whirlwind" campaign of that
year, which resulted in the election of
the first Republican governor ~ thirty |
wears
In 1895 Judge Fort was a delegate 10 |
the national convention ut St Louis, |
at which Mckinley ana Hobart were |
nominated and speaking for New Jer- |
sey, he placed the name of Carrot A.
Hobart before the convention He was |
also chairman OF the committee ON ere |
dentials M this convention and pre-
scented the majority report for that |
which read the notorious ].
Edward Addicks of Delaware out Of
the Republican party Judge Forts
speeches denouncing Addicks and later