"Portrait and Biographical Record of Hunterdon and Warren counties, New Jersey"
Chapman Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1898
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JEHIAL G. SHIPMAN. This is a name that
has been known throughout the state of
New Jersey and, indeed, in many other parts
of the country during much of the century now
drawing to a close. It is a name intimately associated with the annals of the legal profession in Warren, his native county, a name
that recalls to the memory of dozens of progressive lawyers in various regions of America
the kind and skillful guidance that its possessor gave to them when they were young and
aspiring, but doubting and often discouraged
students of the great principles of law. For two
generations the young man who had determined
to enter the ranks of this profession, were he a
resident of this community, felt himself truly
fortunate could he obtain permission to study
under the direction of Mr. Shipman, and in later
years would point to this fact with pride.
The Shipmans are of Norman descent, and the
founder of the family was knighted by Henry
III of England, in 1258. Edward Shipman,
from whom the' American branch is descended,
was a refugee from religious persecution, and,
casting in his lot with the colonists in Maybrook,
Conn., he settled therein 1635. The grandfather
of our subject was one of the original settlers of
Morristown, N. J., and two of his sons served
with credit in the war of the Revolution.
On the farm owned by his father, David Shipman, a leading citizen of Warren County, the
subject of this sketch was born October 3, 1818.
He passed his childhood years on the homestead
near the town of Hope. For a time he was a
student in Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., then
under the presidency of Dr. George Junkin. In
1842 he graduated from Union College, New
York, at the time when Dr. E. Nott was
president of the institution, and among his classmates were Clarkson A. Potter and W. A. Beach.
Before leaving college he began the study of law
and subsequently entered the office of William
C. Morris, of Belvidere. Having been admitted
to the bar in 1844, he rapidly rose to a place of
prominence in his profession, and gained an assured patronage.
The first case in which he appeared was the
trial of Carter and Parks, who were under an indictment for murder. Great interest was felt in
the case throughout this and adjoining states,
and, as he was retained as counsel for the state,
and it fell to his lot to make the opening argument for the prosecution and he met the opportunity with a most powerful speech, his fame
as an advocate was at once an assured fact. He
was engaged in many very important cases. In
the New Jersey Law and Equity Reports his
name appears again and again as counsel in most
of the notable cases of this order for a long period
of years. His practice in the criminal courts was
nearly or quite as extensive and varied.
In i860 Mr. Shipman and the late Judge Bradley (afterward member of the supreme court of
the United States) were engaged in the defense of
the Rev. J. S. Hardin, a Methodist minister, who
was convicted and hanged for the murder of his
wife. He was also interested in the famous trials
of the Warren County officials, which created
much interest and consternation in some circles
a few years ago, as the defendants were found
guilty and sent to the penitentiary for fraud and
embezzlement. Many important corporations retained him as their counsel, among these the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, the New
York, Susquehanna & Western, and the Lehigh
& Hudson River Railroad. When the Warren
branch of the first-named company was organized
he was very active in it, and was a life-long director of the enterprise. For years he was
a director of the Belvidere National Bank and
a trustee of Lafayette College. In 1878 he was
appointed one of the advisory masters of the
court of chancery of New Jersey, by Chancellor
Runyon, and numerous important cases were
heard by him while sitting in the place of the
gentleman mentioned.
Though an earnest and forcible champion of
the principles of the Republican party, both in
private conversation and on the platform as well,
he would never allow his name to appear as a
candidate for public honors, notwithstanding the
fact that he was often urged to withdraw his objections, and was even spoken of as candidate for
governor of the state. From 1853 until the close
of his busy and useful life he was a consistent
member of the First Presbyterian Church of Belvidere, and for some years was a ruling elder in
the congregation. In 1847 he married Mary
Louisa, daughter of William C. Morris. His
death took place in Belvidere December 10, 1892.
He is survived by his widow and three children : a
sou George M. , whose sketch may be found in
this volume; and two daughters, Anna M., wife of
Joseph H. Wilson, attorney-at-law; and Mary,
who married William C. Albertson, all of Belvidere.
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