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(Page 278 and 279)
The earliest representatives of the Bodine family were among the band of Huguenots who fled to America to escape religious persecution and located at New Rochelle, in Westchester County, N. Y. From thence they emigrated to Staten Island, and later to New jersey. John Bodine, the grandfather of the subject of this biography was born in Cranberry, Middlesex County, N. J., about the year 1750, from which place he removed when a youth to Burlington County, and engaged in the active pursuits of life. He married and had children, - John, Stacy, Francis, Charles, Joel, Wilson, Jesse, Daniel, Samuel, Budd S., Susan (Mrs. Wright), Mary (Mrs. Moncrief), Abigail (Mrs. Hudson), Sarah (Mrs. Allen), and Lucy (Mrs. Fisher). These children were all born in the Wading River tavern, a popular resort, of which Mr. Bodine was for a period of forty years the respected landlord, and where his death occurred in 1820 or 1821. His son, Joel was born in 1795, and twice married, first to Miss Sarah Gale, to whom was born a son, Samuel, and second to Miss Phebe Forman, whose children were, John F., William H., Isaac E., Charles J., Alfred, Henry C., and one who died in infancy. Three of this number still survive. Mr. Bodine, 1824, made Philadelphia his residence, and in 1826 removed to Millville, Cumberland Co., N. J. In 1834 he repaired to Winslow, Camden Co., N. J., which place was for five years his home, when he chose Williamstown as a more permanent abode. His death occurred in Camden, in his eighty-fourth year. John F., his son, was born October 27, 1821, in Tuckerton, Burlington Co., and spent his youth in active employment when not enjoying the limited advantages of education there afforded. After two and a half years of service in the shop of a blacksmith, he entered a glass-manufacturing establishment, and at the age of seventeen was for three years an apprentice to the art of glass blowing. He then removed to Williamstown, and became assistant to his father, receiving, after attaining his majority, a salary for his services. At the age of twenty-five he had by industry and thrift accumulated the sum of six hundred dollars, with which a partnership was formed with his father and brother. This sum formed the nucleus around, which centered a large and successful business, that of hollow-ware glass manufacturing, with which a general store was connected, and continued until his retirement in 1882. Mr. Bodine was married in 1844 to Miss Martha, daughter of John Swope, of Williamstown, and had children, Emma (Mrs. Atkins), and Phebe (Mrs. Duffel). He married a second time to Miss Gertrude, daughter of Peter Boucher, of Columbia County, N. Y. Their children are Joanna (Mrs. Garwood), and Alice. In politics Mr. Bodine is a strong Republican, and has been actively identified with the political interests of the district and county. He filled offices of superintendent of schools and freeholder each for three years, and was in 1864 elected member of the State Legislature, where he served on the committees on Railroads and Corporations, having been chairman of the latter. He was in 1873 appointed one of the county judges and officiated for five years, after which he was elected to the State Senate for a period of three years, and chairman of the State Prison and Public Grounds Committees, also a member of the committees on Railroads and Canals, Lunatic Asylums, and Industrial School for Girls. Mr. Bodine is actively interested in the advancement of the religious interests of the village, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Williamstown. He is president of the Williamstown Railroad, which he was largely in building and director of the First National Bank of Camden. He is also identified with the Masonic order, and member of Brearley Lodge, No.2, of that order.
