Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-30
MUM
CALLED BY DEATH

the son of Asa Berton and Mary
p. Mann. Graduating from the
latter institution in 1858, he en-
tered Princeton. from which he
graduated in 1862. He then stud
led law with the late Judge AMI
Dodd, securing admission to the New
Jersey bar three years later. He at
once began the practice of law and
for more than half a century ranked
high In his profession.
Two years later he was appointed
township clerk OF East Orange, which
position he held for years, and was
soon after appointed township coun-
sell In 1867 he married Miss Elizabeth
Randall, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
John NJ. Randall, of East Orange.
In 1881 he was elected to the State
Assembly, where he served one term.
During this period he wes chairman
Of the committee appointed to revise
the State laws; was member of the
judiciary committee, and acted as
chairman Of the special committee
appointed to investigate the riparian
rights and records of the proprietors
of Amboy. In 1884 he was elected
surrogate. serving for five years, and
in 1894 he was chosen county counsel,
which office he held continuously I'M
til 1911, with the exception of the
years 1913, when a Democratic ad-
ministration was in control.
In 1895 Mr.. Mum was chosen to
act as counsel for the Essex County
Park Commission, and to him was
entrusted the expanding of s2.5o0,000
used for parks and boulevards.
Known in Educational Circles.
He is best known TO residents of
East Orange, however, through his
work in connection with the school
board. Throughout his thirty-hve
years of association with that body
his efforts to increase the number
of schools were unceasing. An eX-
ponent of the most progressive ideas
regarding education, he was given
credit more than any one man for
creating a school system which is to-
day one of the most advanced in the
State. He was made county superin-
tendent of schools under the new
school laws, but was forced to re-
sign owing to the pressure of other
business.
Mr.. Mum will also be remembered
as having drawn up the bill creating
the Essex County Court House Com
mission, which later led to the erec-
ton OF the present Court House in
this city. The existence of the Essex
House is also due to him, and it was
ne who selected the various works
on law now contained in the institu-
ton.
Throughout his life he maintained
the liyeliest kind of an interest in
politics. He was a stanch Republ-
can, and was at one time a member
of the Republican State Committee
Although a man Of quiet and I'M
assuming demeanor, no man was
more widely known in Newark, both
| in politics and in the legal profess
sion. By lawyers he was regarded as
an authority on questions of law
and he was consulted in many inn
portant cases. The wonder was that
a man who was so democratic in his
ways and apparently so careless in
| his methods had such a grasp of Law
, and so much erudition. In the affairs
of his political party he was a con-
slant and valued counsellor.
! Retired Two Years Ago.
Mr.. Mum was one of the origina
members Of the Mum Avenue Pres
! byterian Church congregation, %
| which there are but three now living
and for years conducted a Bible ella 81
connected with that church. He wa
the founder and head of the Law
firm of Mum g. Church, Of this city
from which he retired about tw
years ago, when failing health oblige,
him to give up active business.
He was directly descended from
Benjamin Mum, who came fron
England in 1857 to settle in Hart
ford, Conn. and who fought in tn
historic Pequod War. The fanil
came from Deerfield, Mass, in 171C
TO settle in this city.
Like his father, Mr.. Mum was sue
cesful, and was noted when young TO
his physical strength and powers 0
endurance. He was in the sixth gen
Grafton OF the Mum family in thi
country.
He was counsel for the Orang
Water Company since the inception
Of the concern in 1880. He was es
pecially concerned in matters relat
ing to water rights. He was a mem
Der OF the Republican State execu
tive committee, chairman of tn
icounty Republican committee and