The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-11-06
HON. JOHN LAMBERT.

The subject OF this sketch came of
sturdy old English stock. His great
great grandfather, John Lambert, was
born III Rowley, England and emigra-
ted with his parents, Francis and
Jane (Barber) Lambert, to Rowley.
Mass, in 1858. Ia 1869, this first
American John Lambert, married
Abigail Hutchinson, of Salem, Mass.
In 1864, their son Gershom was born.
The father dying soon after, the
mother married again and removed to
Stouingtep, Conn. There young Ger
shom grew to manhood and married
Deb orah Fink. John, son of Gershom
and Deborah (Fink) Lambert. was
born at Stonington in 1887. Growing
to manhood there he married Abigail
Bumstead, of Boston, in l7l3. Ger
shom, son of John and Abigail tBum-
stead Lambert, was born at Stoniug
ton, Conn, i'll 17l5, married Sarah
Merriam, of Lexington, Mass. and re-
moved to Amwell, Hunterdon county,
N. j., somewhere between l,35 and
liIG, settling on what became the
Lambert homestead, now owned by
descendant, Thomas Seabrook. John,
son of Gershom and Sarah (Merrimanl
Lambert, was born on the old home
stead i'll Amwell township, about two
aud n half miles north of Lambert
Vile, February "a, 1126. Here the
future United States Senator stubbed
his toe and nursed his stone bruise,
just like thousands of other boys not
! destined to political preferment His
early education wns secured i'll the
old Ruuk school house, which stood
ON the property now owned by Eliza
beth Parent, only few minutes walk
from tue Lambert farm This school
house, by the way, which was in use
until about 1918, furnishes an inter
esting item of neighborhood tradi-
ton. The teacher. whose name was
Pardee, having detected the son of IL
prominent settler i'll some act of boy
ish pilferlng, set the matter right by
giving the boy an unmercilul beating.
Only short time afterward the yirtu-
ous Mr. Pardee was himself caught
stealing when the outraged citizens
concluded to set the matter right ne
eording To the code Of Judge Lynch,
or at least make the culprit believe
they would. score or more of the
younger generation of Lamberts.
equipped with stout saxen rope, pro
eeeded to the school house for n salts
factory interview with tho offender.
Pardce saw them coming, closed the
school without the usual formalities
and holted Then followed the livli-
eat foot race for the Delaware river
ever seon in this vicinity, Reaching
| Centre Bridge some two hundred
yards ahead of the avengers, Pardee
escaped into Pennsylvania aud was
never heard of again. John Lambert
married Susanna Barber in is65, by
| whom lie had seven children. For
hs second wife he married Hannah
! tLittle) Dennis. Six children We're
the result of this union, three of them
dying III infancy. Although John
Lambert seems to have had no advan-
| tages beyond those of the common
schools Of his day and neighborhood,
| he soon became prominent III local
affairs. Many wills, eonveyabces aud
| ,ti, laanI Il 10 4 L., Ia
in his earlier manhood, are slill III OK
istence. He was in the Assembly of
New Jersey, l7a0 80; was elected 10
the Council 1891 aud served AZ Vice
President Of TINT body from 1870 to
1900; lie was acting Governor of New
jersey in 1902 3; Congressman 1909;
| United States Senator 1909 Is. Dur
ing the period of his activity III state
and national politics. he never lost
interest in local affairs. 1903 we find
| him tax collector for Amwell town
ship, then comprising Of what ARE
now Delaware, Raritan, East Amwell
| and West Amwell We have seen "a
tax receipt signature aud ending i'll
| the old formal was ~ say received by
me" In 1914 he secured the estab-
| lishment of II post Office at Lambert
| Vile and the appointment oil his
nephew, Captain John Lambert, as
the first postmaster. He died Feb
rnary 4, 1923. ripe IN yenrs, aud IN
political honors and was buried III tho
Barber Cemetery, near Dilts' Corner.
His posterity We're numerous and
widely scattered, and are still aeti We
and distinguished in tho varion =
walks of life.
Y.