"Portrait and Biographical Record of Hunterdon and Warren counties, New Jersey"
Chapman Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1898
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HON. GEORGE MARSHALL SHIPMAN.
As was his distinguished father before him,
Judge Shipman is a leading member of the
bar of Warren County, though his reputation is
not confined to the limits of the same. More
than twenty years have passed by since he was
admitted to professional practice. He is a native
of Belvidere and has spent most of his life in this
pretty and enterprising town, in the upbuilding and improvement of which he takes a deep
interest.
The birth of our subject occurred April 20,
1850. He is a son of Jehial and Mary Louisa
(Morris) Shipman, whose history may be found
elsewhere in this work. In his home life he
lived in an atmosphere of literature and books.
While he had the inspiration of his father's
companionship and talents to quicken his ambition and his example to emulate, yet much of
his subsequent success in life has been due to
the mental and moral training imparted to him
by his mother, who is a woman of superior
mental gifts and character. Her father, William C. Morris, was for many years prosecuting
attorney for the county of Warren, and her
mother was the daughter of the late Gen.
William Stryker, a distinguished Jerseyman.
Under the tutelage of Rev. Frederick Knighton, D. D., of Belvidere Classical Academy, the
subject of this sketch was prepared for college.
In June, 1870, at the early age of twenty years,
he graduated from Princeton, in the classical
course. He then began the study of law under
his father, and three years later was admitted to
the bar. In June, 1876, he became a counselor.
He was a partner of his father until the latter's
death, and since then has practiced alone. In
numerous civil and criminal cases in the county
annals he has been actively engaged on one side
or the other, and was connected with the noted
murder trials of Patrick Ward, Titus, Bolak,
Andrews and others. In the winter of 1898
Governor Griggs appointed him presiding judge
for the county of Warren, in the court of common pleas. Since the death of his father he has
taken his place as counsel for the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western, the New York, Susquehanna & Western; the New Jersey Central and
the Lehigh and Hudson Railroads. He is a director in the East Bangor Slate Company, and a
director and attorney for the Belvidere National
Bank, vice-president of the Belvidere Water Company, director of the Warren Woodworking
Company and other large concerns. Socially
he is a member of the Easton (Pa.) Pomfret
Club. He is actively connected with the American Bar Association.
As a lawyer Mr. Shipman takes front rank
among the leading members of the bar of New
Jersey, and as a pleader in the higher courts of
the state, United States, district and supreme
courts, he has won distinction. His papers,
which are prepared with great thoroughness,
show broad knowledge and familiarity with the
application of the principles of law. As an advocate before court or jury, he brings to bear a
mind thoroughly trained and cultured. He is a
clear, logical and eloquent speaker, always presenting his case with ability and skill. In political affiliations he is a stanch Republican and
one of the leaders of his party in the state.
June 26, 1878, Judge Shipman married Anna
Louisa Wilson, daughter of Richard D. and Margaret (Stewart) Wilson, of Belvidere. They have
three children, Margaret, Jehial G. and George
M. The family are identified with the First
Presbyterian Church, of which Judge Shipman
has been a member since his boyhood; after the
death of his father he was chosen to succeed him
as a ruling elder.
(c) 2000-2013 American History and Genealogy Project
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