This biography was originally written by Joan in the 1990’s


James Agar,  was born of sturdy parents and he was reared on the farm of his father, and was accordingly strong and healthy. When he was six years old his mother, Mary Bailey Agar died in 1822.

He attended the nearby parish school (probably Episcopal), and when fourteen years old was bound out to the trade of nail maker until be became of age. In his long term of apprenticeship he became an expert in the art of nail making, a purely hand process. At the end of his apprenticeship, a near relative, Henry Burgess seeing the ambition of the young man and his knowledge of the trade offered him space in his blacksmith shop. Here in one-half of the shop he set up his forge and anvil and for two years conducted a prosperous business and became a trusted associate of his cousin in many ways.

Shortly after his marriage to Eliza Whittaker in 1839, he removed his shop to quarters of his own in the neighborhood of his home. He became very prosperous at his trade, employing apprentice and journeymen in the manufacture of nails for Henry and Watson Newton, prominent contractors of the town, shoemakers and other trades requiring his product. He took contracts for many thousands of nails at a time, supplying the general trade.

He became involved financially through misplaced confidence, having gone security on several notes. Being a man of honor, he met these adversities with fortitude, but they greatly reduced his finances. This led him to turn to a new field of labor, and about the year 1852 he emigrated to America, settling in Newark, New Jersey where he remained a short time.

After two years of saving, he sent for his family, who embarked from Liverpool in 1854. While on the voyage his wife Eliza and son James were stricken with “ship fever”, and died in a few days and were buried at sea. (See Northfield Baptist headstone below for date of 1854)

Upon the arrival of the vessel ‘Antarctic’, in New York, he learned of his great loss, with unbounded grief . With a father’s love for his motherless children he strove to make the best of things, working for and providing suitable schooling for his remaining children; Mary, John and Thomas Peter. In about three years he had saved sufficient funds to purchase a three acre farm, and in time bought several more acres, having in all about twenty acres of good farming land in Northfield, Livingston Township. He became prosperous as a farmer and after a few years exchanged his property for some in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. He resided in Newark with his second wife, Maria Wade until his death in 1881.

James was progressive in his ideas, and believed in improved methods of agriculture and was industrious and frugal. He was known for his strict honesty and religious principles, and while retiring in disposition possessed many friends of a true worth. He had a deep retentive memory and had a keen poser of calculating, especially in figures and was always correct. He was reared in the Episcopal faith, but became a communicant of the Orange Valley Congregational Church. He reared his family under christian influence and was a democrat in politics.

I don’t know when he married Maria Wade or the exact time he moved to Newark. His daughter Mary Ann married William Spencer Ashby in 1859 and they lived Livingston, New Jersey where they raised their eight children.

James and Maria are buried in the Northfield Baptist Church Cemetery and the headstone for James includes Eliza (Whittaker) Agar who was buried at sea. To read about her and her children’s voyage to America, read Mary Ann Agar leaves Ireland.

Maria’s headstone is on the left and reads:                                James’ headstone is on the right and reads:
MARIA WADE                                                                                  JAMES AGAR
Wife of James  Agar                                                                       Died Nov. 15, 1881
Died Oct. 3, 1873                                                                          ELIZA WHITTAKER – Lost at sea

His daughter, Mary Ann is buried with her husband William S. Ashby in Livingston Baptist Cemetery along with their two young daughters, Julia Ann and Lillian.

Eliza was the daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Whittaker) Whittaker of Carlow County, Ireland.

James and Eliza’s Children:

  1. Mary Ann        married William Spencer Ashby July 13, 1859 at age 19
  2. John                 married Grace E. Johnson March 31, 1869 (he was in the Civil War)
  3. Bessie               died as an infant in Knockullard, Ireland
  4. Benjamin         died as an infant in Knockullard, Ireland
  5. James               died at sea with his mother Eliza in Oct 1854
  6. Thomas Peter married Julia McSulla May 6, 1874 and he was scalded to death at the steam boat plant in Newark, New Jersey on December 10, 1902

James Agar died November 15, 1881 at St. Barnabas Hospital in Newark, New Jersey of senile gangrene, today we know it as arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. His first wife, Eliza died at sea of ship fever* in October 1854, along with their son James.

His second wife, Maria (Wade) died October 1873. Their tombstones are in the Northfield Baptist Church cemetery, Northfield, Livingston Township, Essex County, New Jersey.

*Read about ship fever in Mary Ann Agar leaves Ireland

SOURCES:
“Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey” Vol. 3 page 1146. Published 1910 New York by Francis Bazley Lee