Greenwich Presbyterian Church Greenwich, Warren County, NJ A Record of Marriages BEGIN MAN'S NAME PLACE OF ABODE WOMAN'S NAME PLACE OF ABODE FEE M D Y Kesler, John - Garrison, Eliza - - Jan 10 1824 END transcription of Newspapers->Marriages->17.18.jpg From The Pennsylvanian, Easton, Pennsylvania dated January 16, 1824: BEGIN Married--On Tuesday the 13th inst. by Rev'd W. B. Sloan, Mr. John Kessler of the Borough of Easton, to Miss Elizabeth Garrison, daughter of Mr. James Garrison of Greenwich township, Sussex county, N. Jersey. END It appears that James G. Kessler (9.203) and Arthur Kessler (17.18, child ii) were involved in the California Goldrush. It seems they appeared in the February 24, 1849 issue of the Panama Star out of Panama City, Panama as: BEGIN Arrivals at Panama from 15th inst. Kessler, A. --(Phoenix Mining Co. of Easton, Pa.) Kessler, J.G. --(Phoenix Mining Co. of Easton, Pa.) END Notes - Boats continually set sail from the eastern part of the USA bound to California during this time period. Many of the boats stopped over in Panama. - MEL From "History of Northampton County, Pennsylvania" by Peter Fritts in 1877: BEGIN STEAMBOAT DISASTER. In the year 1859, was again revived the old project of steam navigation on the Delaware, above Easton. Surveys and examinations of the stream were had, during the low water in August, with a view to ascertain and report on the feasibility of the project. The report was, of course favorable, for the wish was father to the belief. So it was decided to build at Easton, a small steamboat, to be placed on the Delaware, and to run between Belvidere and Port Jervis, a distance of sixty miles. Three of the corporators of the Kittatinny Improvement Company, viz Messrs, William R. Sharp, Alfred Thomas, and Richard Holcomb acting to their individual capacity were the projectors and proprietors of the boat enterprise. They employed Thomas Bishop, of Easton, to build the hull, the dimensions of which were: length (including wheel), eighty-seven feet; width fifteen feet six inches; width over guards nineteen feet; capacity about seventy tons. The, building of the machinery was entrusted to Mr. Wells, of South Easton Work was commenced at once, and, after one or two trials and alterations of machinery the boat was, on the fifth of March, 1860 declared ready to try the peril of the river. In the morning of Tuesday, the sixth of March, the Alfred Thomas (so had the boat been named for one of her owners), after receiving on board a party, consisting of gentlemen belonging to Easton and Belvidere-in all nearly one hundred persons-steamed away from the boatyard on the Lehigh, and down that stream, passing into the Delaware, through the outlet-lock at Williamsport. Heading up the river, she reached the Northampton Street Bridge about noon; and there she stopped, to allow such of her passengers as wished to, to go on shore. Many of them debarked at this point, but there were between thirty and forty who remained to make the trip to Belvidere. Those on board were: From Belvidere Alfred Thomas Richard Holcomb Hon. William R. Sharpe William Sharpe Jr. Mr. Carhart and son J. Depeu Labar John Smith Solomon McIntire Frederick Michler Peter Fisher Andrew Mellick. From Easton Valentine Schooley John Dehart Benjamin K Youells George Diehl Joseph Weaver George Smith Charles E. Buck Geo. Able Eugene Troxell Stewart Beatty Peter Bercaw Arthur Kessler David Troxell Edward McIntire Richard Williams Robert Burrell Jno. Clifton Charles Arnold Samuel Yates Henry Metier Samuel Schaeff (engineer) George Schaeff(fireman) William Diehl Joseph Losey, from Washington, N. J, 1. The company, consisting of eight members, was incorporated by the Legislature in the winter of 1860, but the act did not receive the Governor's approval until March 29th, twelve days after two of the corporators-Messrs. Sharpe & Holcomb-lost their lives by the explosion. The engineers bell sounded as the boat stood up the river. But it soon became evident that she could not proceed far without greater head of steam, she was brought to shore at the island just above town, and there, moored until the necessary power should have been accumulated. After lying there for a time, and having generated sufficient steam to carry her over the ripple, the word was given to cast off. Just at this moment, the upper works of the boat were lifted into the air, torn and scattered in fragments. Simultaneously came a loud report, which was heard through all the lower portion of the borough, and for a long distance on the other side of the river. The boiler had exploded! Of the passengers who, a moment before, had been seen standing on the deck, with no thought of peril, some were killed instantly, some terribly wounded, some drowned, and nearly all violently thrown in the river. The shattered wreck swung off from the shore and floated helplessly (but with the stripes and stars still flying) down the stream, and lodged against one of the piers of the railroad bridge. Boats at once put off from the shore to rescue the sufferers; the dead, such its could be found, were taken upon the island, and everything possible was done to alleviate the dreadful sufferings of the manned and scalded ones. A gentleman of the press, who was soon at the scene of the disaster, said: "With the rapidity of lightning the news of the disaster spread over Easton, Phillipsburg, and South Easton, and crowds hastened to the river bank. All the bateaux that could be found were seized upon, to carry persons over to the island, where the wounded, and some of the dead, lay. Such it sight as the writer of this there witnessed, he had never before looked upon, and hopes never to behold again. Some of the unfortunate passengers, were blown into the river, others were thrown on the island, and others again, who had been but slightly injured, jumped from the stern of the boat into the water, and swam to shore. Nearly all the physicians of the borough were on the island, shortly after the explosion, rendering all the assistance to the sufferers that lay in their power." Following are the names of the sufferers: Killed Judge William R. Sharpe Richard Holcomb, of Belvidere George Shaeff (fireman) Samuel Shaeff (engineer) George Smith, Jos. Weaver, of Easton Mortally Wounded Valentine Schooley Samuel Yates Henry Metler Arthur Kessler, of Easton Missing William Sharpe, Jr, Belvidere Stewart Beatty, Easton Wounded Benjamin M. Youells (leg, broken in two places) Peter Bereaw leg broken), of Easton Andrew Mellick (arm broken), Belvidere Edward McIntire Eugene Toxell William Diehl, of Easton John Smith Salomon McIntire Frederick Michler, of Belvidere Jos. Losey, Washington, N. J. Richard Williams Robert Burrell, of Easton. Mr. Peter Fisher, of Belvidere, being anxious to reach that place, and doubting whether the boat would be able to get up, resolved to go ashore on the Jersey side, and take the train for home. He had but just left the Alfred Thomas, in a small boat, when the explosion occurred. The appalling event cast the deepest gloom over the entire community. A meeting for the relief of such of the sufferers as needed pecuniary assistance, was held at the Court House, on the eighth, and an ample sum was raised on the spot; so that all that could be done, was done for both the dead and living. As to the cause of the disaster, of course, there were many theories; only two of which, however, it is necessary to notice, viz.: the opinion of the coroner's jury, and that of the Scientific American. That journal, in commenting on the tragedy, said: The boat had been standing with steam up, for some time prior to starting, and had the engineer kept the feed-pump going then, and had he permitted a slight escape of steam, the accident would not have happened. The boiler is stated to have been too small and that a sufficient quantity of steam could not be generated to work upward against the current of the river; therefore the boat stopped to raise steam to the pressure of one hundred and twenty-five pounds to the inch, and, in doing this, the flues became red hot, as the pressure increased. When the signal was given to start, the engineer commenced pumping cold water, and the explosion instantly followed. Previous to the explosion, the gauge indicated a pressure of one hundred and twenty-five pounds. There is no mystery as to the cause of this explosion; the boiler was managed with an intent to commit suicide." The coroner's jury, which convened at Easton on the day following the catastrophe, gave it as their opinion that: "the said explosion was caused by the undue heating of the boiler, owing to a deficient supply of water therein; and further, that said boiler (without reference to other defects which, in their view of the cause of the explosion, need not be considered) was ignorantly and improperly constructed in this-that the gauge-cocks were placed too low; the lower one being below the crown-sheet, and the second, lower than the first should have been; that the said boiler was constructed at South Easton, under the supervision and direction of Samuel Schaeff; that the said Samuel Schaeff was also engineer of the said boat on the occasion aforesaid, and, in their opinion, did not exercise due care and skill." The wrecked boat was, after a time, disengaged from the, place where it hung against the railroad bridge pier, taken to Philadelphia, put in repair, and refitted with machinery, and, it is said, performed some light service for the government during the war of the Rebellion. There is no doubt that the experiment of the Alfred Thomas closed forever the chapter of attempts at steamboat navigation on the upper Delaware. END Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2005 19:50:53 -0600 From: Joyce Cappellano BEGIN The following is the info I have without the census: 1. John Kessler b: abt 1794 + Elizabeth Garrison b: abt 1799 Elizabeth was the daughter of James Garrison (born in February of 1767, probably in New Jersey) and Dinah Robins (born on October 9, 1772). James Garrison lived most of his life in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. She married John Kessler of the borough of Easton, Pennsylvania on January 13, 1824. Elizabeth was living in Greenwich Township, Sussex County, New Jersey at the time of her marriage. 2. James G. Kessler b: abt 1825 + Ruth Margaret Hulsizer b: abt 1831 3. Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Kessler b: abt 1854 + Edmund J. Karcher b: abt 1847 3. John Kessler b: abt 1856 3. Annie Green Kessler b: 12/10/1858 d: 4/6/1943 + John Jacob Steiner b: 7/19/1858 d: 03/07/1922 4 Jay Clarence Steiner b: 8/2/1881 d: 8/8/1937 + Madge b: 03/15/1884 + Caroline L. Smith b: abt 1886 5 John Jacob Steiner b: 6/19/1909 d: 3/23/1964 + Florence May Pflieger b: 01/01/1900 d: 12/23/1983 5 Ruth May Steiner b: 5/23/1924 d: 10/22/2001 5 Helen Jane Steiner b: 5/27/1931 5 Barbara Ann Steiner b: 8/11/1937 4 Albert K. Steiner b: 3/5/1884 d: 1/29/1913 2. Arthur Kessler b: abt 1827 2. Samuel Kessler b: abt 1830 END