George Eccleston

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

George Eccleston

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

The amount of activity in agricultural circles indicates the prosperity of a section, the character of its inhabitants and the possibilities of its future growth and greatness. The thriving township of Montville, Morris county, New Jersey, has a number of finely cultivated farms, conducted by men of enterprise, energy and marked ability, and to this class belongs George ECCLESTON, of Towaco, who makes a specialty of peach culture.

His father was Robert ECCLESTON, whose entire life was spent in Ireland, where he nobly discharged his duties as a police officer. His death occurred at the age of thirty-six years. He married Margaret McGRAIL, who after his death came to the United States with her four children, and died in this country at the age of seventy-one years.

George ECCLESTON was born in Ireland about fifty years ago, and was a very young child when he came to this country with his mother, so that he is in everything except the actual fact of birth a true American, and all his interests have been identified with those of the land of his adoption. His mother having located in Morris county, New Jersey, young George attended the public schools of that county, and acquired a practical education there. For a number of years he followed a variety of occupations, among them being brass finishing and carpentry, and about twenty years ago decided that the life of a farmer was the most congenial. He accordingly purchased his present farm of eighty acres, and this venture has been a very successful one. While, to a certain extent, he does general farming, he makes a specialty of peach culture, has an orchard of about 2,000 trees, which is the largest of the kind in the county. He has picked as many as 500 baskets of this fruit in a single day, and the care with which it is packed and handles, and the excellent quality of his fruit ensures it a ready sale in the markets. He has made many improvements on his property, and the value of it has greatly increased since it came into his possession. While he takes a deep interest in whatever concerns the welfare of the community, the demands of his occupation are too numerous to admit of his holding public office, but he gives his support to the Republican party. He and the various members of his family attend the Reformed church. Mr. ECCLESTON married Carrie J. CRANE, a descendent of one of the old families of the county, and they have had children: Robert. Loretta and Ralph, deceased.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)