State Senate, where he served three years. He was chairman of the committee of the Senate on the establishment of the New Jersey Agricultural College, and was largely interester in securing for Rutger's College her agricultural endowment fund.

In 1868 he was elected surrogate of Cape May county for five years, and re-elected in 1873, but in 1877 resigned that position on January 1 to accept a seat in the State Senate again, to which he had been elected by the people for a term of three years.

Religiously, he is a Baptist, and has been affiliated with church work for sixty years, either as teacher, trustee, dea

DR. JONATHAN F. LEAMING.

con and clerk, and for a great many years was a Sundayschool superintendent.

A prominent citizen of Cape May during the war period was Dr. Coleman F. Leaming, of Court House. He was the second son of Jeremiah Leaming, who was in the Legislative Council in 1832 to 1834, and elder brother of Richard S. Leaming, who was a Senator in 1874 to 1877. The doctor was born on June 6, 1818. He was loan commissioner of Cape May county from 1863 to 1880. He was a member of the Board of Freeholders from Middle township in 1863, 64, 65. Previous to the war he practiced medicine in New York. For a number of years he has been

In 1866 the war debt of Cape May county had reached about twenty thousand dollars, and it was reduced at the rate of about thirty-five hundred dollars per year until extinguished.

Frederick Ricard, State superintendent of public schools, in his report of January 15, 1862, says of the Cape May county schools:

"The tax per child raised here for the purpose of education is exceeded by only three other counties in the State. There is no charge made for tuition in any of the public schools, though I regret to say that the average number of months which they are kept open does not compare favorably with that of other counties. The teachers here are, with very few exceptions, spoken of in the highest terms."

Cape May county's war Senator was Jonathan F. Leaming, A. M., M. D., D. D. S., who served from 1862 to 1865. He was born in Cape May county September 7, 1822. His family is of English extraction, he being the sixth in his line from Christopher Leaming, who migrated from England in 1670 and settled in Cape May county in 1691. He was a great-grandson of Aaron Leaming, second. He pursued his collegiate course at Madison University, New York, and subsequently at Brown University, Khode Island, and graduate at the Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, in 1846. In 1847 he commenced the practice of medicine. in his native county, which he pursued for fourteen years, compelled to relinquish it for the kindred but less arduous profession of dentistry on account of impaired health. In 1860 he graduated at the Pennsylvania Dental College, Philadelphia, and has since practiced dentistry in Cape May county. He has taken an active part in public affairs, educational, political and religious. For several years he was township superintendent of public schools, for fifteen years county school examiner; served two terms as trustee of the State Normal School, of which he was always a firm advocate and supporters.

In 1861 he was elected as a Republican to the New Jersey House of Assembly, and in 1862 he was elevated to the

State Senate, where he served three years. He was chairman of the committee of the Senate on the establishment of the New Jersey Agricultural College, and was largely interester in securing for Rutger's College her agricultural endowment fund.

In 1868 he was elected surrogate of Cape May county for five years, and re-elected in 1873, but in 1877 resigned that position on January 1 to accept a seat in the State Senate again, to which he had been elected by the people for a term of three years.

Religiously, he is a Baptist, and has been affiliated with church work for sixty years, either as teacher, trustee, dea

DR. JONATHAN F. LEAMING.

con and clerk, and for a great many years was a Sundayschool superintendent.

A prominent citizen of Cape May during the war period was Dr. Coleman F. Leaming, of Court House. He was the second son of Jeremiah Leaming, who was in the Legislative Council in 1832 to 1834, and elder brother of Richard S. Leaming, who was a Senator in 1874 to 1877. The doctor was born on June 6, 1818. He was loan commissioner of Cape May county from 1863 to 1880. He was a member of the Board of Freeholders from Middle township in 1863, '64, 65. Previous to the war he practiced medicine in New York. For a number of years he has been

a director of the West Jersey Railroad, and was for some years superintendent of schools in Middle township.

The war Assemblyman was Wilmon W. Ware, who served from 1862 to 1865, and who was State Senator from 1865. to 1868. He was born at Cape May City, where he always resided, in 1818, and was a brother of Joseph, Daniel C., Maskel and John G. W., all of whom held public offices of trust in Cape May City. He was a member of Cape Island Ctiy Council during the years 1854, 1864, 1870 and 1878. He served as city clerk from 1858 to 1861, and was a member of the Board of Freeholders in 1870. In politics he was Republican, having formerly been a Whig. He died at Cape May City on August 25, 1885.

CHAPTER XXVI.

LIFE FOLLOWING THE REBELLION,

John Wilson was elected sheriff in 1865 and served until 1868. He was born at East Creek, where his father, then a lad of nineteen, had settled, June 13, 1809. His father came from the north coast of Ireland to America. He always lived in that village, where he was a leading citizen. He was a merchant, and engaged largely in the shipping of cord wood. He was the first postmaster of his village, having been appointed in 1842, and occupying the position until he died, December 23, 1875. He was prominently identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church of his neighborhood and a devout Christian. In politics he was at first a Whig and then a Republican.

On June 14, 1865, the Board of Freeholders concluded to build a new surrogate's and clerk's office, and selected a committee to visit other counties and examine the public

Dr. Coleman F. Leaming, Sylvanus Corson and Joseph E. Hughes were chosen as the committee. On December 28 they reported to the Board that they had had the offices built at a cost of $5100 and that they were finished on December 1.

By the census of this year, and in spite of the war, the population had increased to 7625 persons, or a gain in five years of 495. The population was apportioned among the townships as follows: Upper, 1575; Dennis, 2019; Middle, 2077; Lower, 1355, and Cape Island, 599.

On September 10, 1866, the New Jersey Legislature, in special session, ratified the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Wilmon W. Ware was Senator and Thomas H. Beesley was the Assemblyman.

On January 16, 1767, a postoffice was established at Belle Plain, which was then in Cumberland county, but which is now within the bounds of Cape May county. On