Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-14
LIBRARY MEMORIAL
TO RARITAN GUARDS
Head of Jersey Masons Will
Lay Cornerstone for Build
ing in Keyport.

lenEflHt 10 the AcHHFk NNHFs1
KEYPORT. \. j., June Likely
port is going TO commemorate its
famous old organization. The Rari-
tan Guards. with memorial
library building. With .pomp and
circumstance. as BELTS an important
occasion in this quaint old Jersey
town. the cornerstone will be laid
next Tuesday afternoon The affair
will be in charge of the Masons, and
leading members Of the fraternity
from all over the State will be here
TO participate
Names. famous in the history Of
the State. are on the old rolls Of the
'Raritan Guards Grand Master
Fred E. Tilden. Of Jersey city. with
his full staff. will conduct the cere-
monies. and close to 1.000 Masons are
expected TO be present.
At the outbreak Of the civil war
Keyport found it harbored many
Young ...en cage. x, Sc &c the front front
They were organized into company
of volunteers. became part of the
Twenty-ninth New Jersey and fought
throughout the war After hostili-
ties had ceased they returned to
Monmouth county. and those who
had come from Keyport were loathe
to give up their associations.
The "Raritan Guards was the re-
suit Later, during the big railroad
strike of 1877. the company was called
out, and did important duty during
the riots in the northern part of the
State
Upon the company's return from
riot duty II was decided it should
have an armory. Landowners cut
down priced trees on their estates.
took them first to saw mills and
later delivered the lumber to the
armory site The building of the first
prise
On March 8. 1878. the Raritan Guard
Military Association was organized
with the following officers: Presi-
dent, James H. johnson: vice-presi
dent. n. j. McCabe; secretary. Harry
II. Seabrook; treasurer, Benjamin A.
Lee; executive committee, H ".
Maynard, T. L. Seabrook, Malcolm
Carhart. A. F. Bedle and Benjamin
F. S. Brown.
In 1885 the organization decided tn
include library feature. and the
late Judge Alfred Walling, jr.. pre-
pared the papers. Since then the or
ganization has been known as the
Raritan Guard Library and Military
Association, and library was main
tanned upon the second floor of the
old armory.
When the New Jersey State Guard
was reorganized the Keyport COM
pany was disbanded, and then. -four
years ago, the armory was destroyed
by fire. Time threatened to help
| keyport forget the Raritans Their
came the idea of a library which
would perpetuate the memory of tbs
organization. The old site was sold
and the proceeds, with what money
was in the treasury. was used il
purchasing the new site and begin
ming construction.
On May 26. 1879, Colonel B. A. Lee
then of Keyport but now of New
York. succeeded to the presidency o
/ the association. and he has held tn,
place continuously since then. TIL,
other members of the board are Ruful
Ogden, who was prominently connect
ed with the old Raritan Guard in tn,
SOS and whose interest in the organi
cation has tided it over many tigh
places; H. W. Maynard. a veteran o
two regiments which saw service il
| the Civil War; Isaiah Clayton, Johr
S. Matthews, William c. cowles anC
Benjamin F. s. Brown. All of then
were among the original contributor
to the fund which started the OLD
/ armory.
Keyport now has a free public Ii
brary, and the directors will be asket
to take possession of the new build
ing. Frank VanBrakle is president o
the Library Association; Mrs. Arthu
NJ. Brown, vice-president: George
Heyer, secretary. and Henry Salz
| treasurer.