Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-21
R AMBOY in HISTOR'
SKETCH OF GOVERNOR BLOOMFIELD
BY H. e. -PICKERSGIbL

- - 4 80 ~
| clude some account of the doughty
old warrior, astute politician anC
statesman which a family already
! old in Woodbridge in Revolutionary
| times gave to the nation, Moreover
Joseph Bloomfield studied law II
Perth Amboy and this old place has
a right to claim at least a small
share of pride in the fame which
J became his. Joseph Bloomfeld's
father was DR.. Moses Bloomfield
who bore a conspicuous part in the
Revolutionary struggle In the halls
of legislation and in local organiza-
tions formed to help on the fight fol
independence, rather than in "a uni
form. The elder Bloomfield was a
member of the legislature n of the
Provincial Congress and served on
the Committee of Safety, that Won
derful instrument for good in the
struggle against the mother country
which did so much to protect and
advance the interests of the patriots
before their cause could boast OF
signal success upon the field of bat
tie.
Governor Bloomfield became OF
legal age in the year of ~independ-
NANSNt -
after attending a classical school In
Cumberland county that he came to
Perth Amboy and took up Black
stone, as a student In the law ot1ce
OF Cortlandt Skinner, the last royal
attorney general OF New Jersey,
General Skinner Che atterward had
that title in the military forces of
the King) had another student at
tho time in thnE npr20n of n0TRW
Bell. Even as Governor bloomfield
is represented by lateral descendants
now respected citizens or this part
of New Jersey, so mare Ben, VINO
married a sister OF governor William
Paterson, is connected with the pres
ent generation by a great niece OF
Mrs. Bell, who occupies the ancestral
home on kearny avenue. +.
And before the devastating nanu
of progress or the 1901 Oh
Development ttwo grim monsters
that ever darken the pathway OF the
local historian) does its full work let
it be Loted that the building IN
which Cortlandt Skinner had his law
offices. and where Andrew Bell ana
Joseph Bloomfield wen to him TO
learn the principles and practice OF
Id W. Ill al ct ~
corner of Smith and water streets.
1t serves to show the original craze
of Smith street, for 1t was bullt on
the level and the basement now USED
as a store was originally under
ground. Long may 1t remain MAJ
lowed, as it IS, by it's associations
with one who fought increasingly
that this nation might be n by
another whose course was such tnat
after peace had come he was apIe
to return to his old Ampoy nome ana
for half a century and more con-
tribute to the growth and develop
ment of the old town.
Whitehead, the historian, records
The fact that M of the first tasks
given Bloomfield In military service
was to capture his old preeeptor,
General Skinner. In this, as IN Few
undertakings in his career the com
Ing general was unsuccessful.
The young law student was com
missioned a captain in the Ihlro
New Jersey Regiment, COMMANDED
by Colonel Elias Dayton. lie Iaileo
to capture Cortlandt Skinner, bu'
soon afterward he MADE Lady Johh-
ston a prisoner. under orders o
his superiors, while on an expedition
to the northern part of New YORK
originally intended to extend to
Quebec. 1t was whlle in that part
of what was to become the empire
State that captain Bloomheld re-
ceived a letter from his father III
Woodbridge inclosing a copy or the
Declaration of independence declar-
ing the colonies free and lndepend-
ent states. That was on July IA
What would a collector of Amerl-
cana give for a copy of the printing
of the Declaration which the patr1-
otto old Woodbridge doctor sent to
his son, the youthful captain!
When General Schuyler, Alexander
Hamilton's father-in-law that was to
be, arrived it was Captain Bloom
fields duty to guarC him day and
night. on this expedition with
Bloomfield was Ebenezer Elmer, who
was destined to be the last surviving
New Jersey officer of the Revolution
At Ticonderoga, late in the first
year, Captain Bloomfield, in spite OF
his youth, was appointed judge adj
vocate of the Northern Army. He
was soon appointed major of his
regiment, which was at Brandywine
and Monmouth. Sometime in ITS
he resigned his commission in the
army. In the fall of that year he
was chosen clerk of the Assembly
and he was for several years regis.
trar of the court of admiralty. II
1888 William Paterson, grandfather
of the distinguished and courtly gen
IF IF. u" soss 4 of Te, Attorney Fs%s~0s sens sssIsnf {
W ora : ne nao peen natneu upon en'