Henry M. Dalrymple

Biographical and Genealogical History of Morris County New Jersey. Illustrated. Vol. I., Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1899

One of the leading and respected citizens of Morristown is Henry M. DALRYMPLE, whose life has been characterized by honor business, loyalty in affairs of state, and cordiality and kindness in social circles. His genuine worth commands the highest esteem and Morris county numbers him among her valued representatives. He was born near Dover, this county, April 10 1832, and is the son of Henry and Harriet (HOAGLAND) DALRYMPLE, also natives of Morris county. In 1767 Joseph DALRYMPLE purchased land in Randolph township and established there a homestead, which has remained in the possession of the family. He had fourteen children, including Solomon DALRYMPLE, who became the father of nine children, one of them being Henry DALRYMPLE, the father of our subject.

Henry M. DALRYMPLE was reared on the home farm and acquired a fair education in the common schools. At the age of eighteen years he left the parental roof and entered the employ of the old Morris & Essex Railroad, as assistant surveyor and in that capacity was employed about five years. On the expiration of that period he went to the west and entered the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad Company as land examiner and surveyor, but before the end of a year returned to Morris County and re-entered the employ of the Morris & Essex Railroad Company, whose line afterward became a part of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. For a time he served as assistant station agent at Jersey City and then was appointed station agent at Morristown, where he was located at the time of the breaking out of the Civil war.

Prompted by patriotic impulses, he enlisted in the Union army, entering the service August 7 1861, and being commissioned second lieutenant of Company K, First Regiment of New York Engineers, to rank as such from December 3 1861. He was made adjutant of the regiment October 10 1862, and first lieutenant December 5 1862, and in May 1864, on the death of Captain Henry l SOUTHARD, commanding the company, he was promoted to the vacancy, his commission dating from June 14 1864. He retained command of the company in the operations in front of Petersburg and Richmond and in the other engagements which occurred in the closing period of the war. He was brevetted major of the United States Volunteers for gallant and meritorious service March 13 1865, and was mustered out with his regiment June 30 1865, at Richmond, Virginia, at the close of the war. This regiment had been organized in New York city to date from September 27 1861, and Company K was with it throughout the war. As a part of the Department of the south, it was engaged in all the various operations under Generals SHERMAN, HUNTER and GILMORE, participated in the siege of Pulaski, the battle of Poctaligo, the expedition of Charleston, under HUNTER, the sieges of Forts Wagner and Sumter, and Charleston, under General GILMORE, erecting the famous "Swamp Angel Battery," which threw the first messengers of death into Charleston. Early in the spring of 1864 the regiment was ordered to join the Army of the James, at Fortress Monroe and Bermuda Hundred, and did hard work under command of General GRANT, in his operation in front of Petersburg and Richmond. Major DALRYMPLE was a most valiant and loyal soldier and still maintains his relations with his old army comrades through his membership in A.T.A. Torbett Post No. 24 G.A.R., and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, being a member of the commandery of the state of New York.

At the close of the war Major DALRYMPLE returned to his family and home in Morristown. In 1856 he had married Frances Jane WHEELER, and they have four children. The Major resumed his position as station agent at Morristown, but two years later resigned in order to engage in the coal and lumber business, which he has since followed. He was at first in partnership with a Mr. TOMKINS and later was alone. He then formed a partnership with J. Frank LINDSLEY, an association which was continued for eleven years, when Mr. LINDSLEY withdrew from the DALRYMPLE-HASTINGS Company was organized. The company has a very extensive trade and the enterprise is now on a paying basis, yielding to the stockholders a handsome income. The company is well known for the thorough reliability of its members, who are men of good business principles and ability and command the respect of the entire public.

Politically Major DALRYMPLE is a Republican, and through ardent in support of the principles he has never been an office-seeker. Nevertheless he has several times responded to the urgent solicitations of his friends to accept office, and has served for two terms as a member of the Morristown common council and some time since was for two years a member of the Morris county board of chosen freeholders, to which position he was again chosen in the spring of 1897. Socially he is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs to the Society of the Army of the Potomac. Both he and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian church of Morristown, of which he has been an elder for more than twenty years. Both the Major and his wife hold an enviable position in social circles and have the warm regard of many friends

Transcribed by Ida King

This page was last modified on: 01 January, 2014