Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-26
A.A. VANCE, AT So,
IN GOOD HEALTH
Friends Congratulate Veteran
Morristown Editor on His
Birthday.
Especial to the Newark star.I

lSDGclHA 10 inc NEWAEA StaHsl
MoRRISTOwN. Jan. 26.--Alanson
A. Vance. whose fame as a news
paper editor during the greater part
of the last half of the last century
was more than Statewide. celebrated
his eighty-e eighth birthday yesterday
at his home. on Ridgedale avenue.
Mrs. Vance. aided by her sister. Miss
Lille r. Muchmore. kept "open-house''
and friends of Mr.. Vance from far
and near called and paid their re-
spects or sent him messages of con-
graduation. 1t was the first In many
years that none of Mr.. vance's chill
dren was present. But they wers
with him in spirit and thought for
from Coronado Beach. Cal. came a
telegram from Mr.. and Mrs George
S. Vance, and from North Yakima,
Wash, another message was received
from Mr.. and Mrs. Woodruff M.
Vance. Two other members of his
family. too. were kept away. Fred
erick Muchmore and Mrs. Clayton p.
Chew. both of whom are Ill, but
sent their congratulations to Mr..
Vance.
Mr.. Vance is in good health and
takes an active interest in affairs of
the town. State and nation. When
the weather permits he comes up to
the centre of the town and generally
stops in at the Jerseyman office,
where he used to hold forth as the
wielder of a trenchant editorial pen.
Mr.. Vance retired from active work
in 1895. when he sold his interest in
the "Jerseyman" to Isaac r. Pierson,
who succeeded him as editor. Mr..
Pierson. in 1911. celebrated the fiftieth
anniversary of his being in the print
ing business. having entered the Of
fee of Mr.. Vance as an apprentice in
1851 and eventually buying him out
Began as a Printer.
Mr.. Vance was born in Newton.
Sussex county. on January rs, 1925.
At thirteen years of age he was ap-
prenticed to learn the printers trade
in the office of the Newton Herald
and later was employed on the Sus-
sex Register, completing his APP
premiership with that paper. He left
Newton in 1S47 and sought work at
his trade in New York.
After a few years he was per-
suaded by ]. L. Barlow to accompany
the latter to Deckertown. now Sus-
sex. in Mr.. Vance's home county and
aided in establishing new, paper
called the New Jersey Home Jour
nal.
In 1851 Mr.. Vance married Miss
Mary Martin. of Deckertown, and
soon afterward returned to New York,
where he was again employed as a
printer until May of that year, when
he accepted a position on the FIRE.
DOMAIN, of New Brunswick. While
corrected with this paper Mr.. Vance
wrote his first editorial paragraphs.
He continued to write for the press
during the Scott campaign. one of the
hottest of the political history of the
Country.
While thus engaged Mr.. Vance was
waited upon by Sheriff Van Ness and
Jeremiah M. DeCamp. of Morristown,
who acted as a committee represent
ing the Wing party of Morris county,
and desired him to purchase the Jer-
seyman, which at the time of the visit,
was being conducted in a manner I'M
satisfactory to the Wings. Mr.. Vance
consented to their proposition and it
was not long before his editorials in
the paper attracted widespread notice.
While close and conscientious
student Of political affairs, Mr.. Vance
did not conf1ne his attention exclu-
sively to politics during his many
years of writing, but championed all
movements looking to the betterment
of Morristown along all lines. Through
his efforts much of the public opinion
that finally resulted in the incorpora-
ton of the town and in establishing
its school system was formed. He was
also interested in church work.
Staunch Republican.
Mr.. Vance Joined the Republican
party when 1t was formed. Mr.. Vance
stood by it through the Civil War and
ever since has been on the side of that
party. For fourteen years Mr.. Vance
was postmaster of Morristown, being
appointed by President Lincoln and
later re-appointed by President Grant.
In 1869 Mr.. Vance's newspaper labors
were lightened by his admitting the
Ia tie Lewis o. Stiles to partnership
with him. Mr.. Vance has served as
member of the Board of Freeholders,
and his experience in that body led
him to champion a scheme Tor
smaller board, elected from districts
instead of the present large board or
of the small board elected by the
county at large.
In April, 1873, Mr.. Vance lost his
wife by death. He was again married
in January, 1875, his second union be-
ing with Carrie d. Muchmore, of Nor
ristown. OF his two sons one, George
Vance, is in the railroad business in
the west. Woodruff M. Vance. until
recently a newspaperman well-known
in this part of the State, having been
with The Newark Star and other
papers is in the State of Washington,
where he is conducting fruit ranch.