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ABRAHAM GARRISON DEMAREST
Originally published in 1900 |
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ABRAHAM GARRISON DEMAREST is descended in the seventh gen-
eration from David des Marest, the French emigrant and first American
ancestor of the Demarests (see p. 64). Samuel Demarest was born in Bergen County in 1778 and removed to " The Ponds " (in Franklin Township)
while a voting man, where lie settled and married Miss Maria Garretson,
a descendant of Gerret Gerrets, the Dutch emigrant and first American
progenitor of the Garretson, Garrison, and Van Wagenen families. Samuel Demarest, who was a farmer, died in 1837, and his wife in 1851). They
left several children, one of whom, Abraham Demarest. the father of
Colonel Abraham G., married Margaret Garrison, and resided at Oakland,
where their son, Colonel Abraham G., was born on the 16th of November,
1830. While the latter was still quite young he moved with his parents to
New York City, where he early became imbued with the military spirit, and
at the age of twenty-two recruited a company for the now celebrated
Seventy-first Regiment. of the City of New York, then known as the
American Rifles. Organized during the "Know Nothing" movement,
this regiment was composed exclusively of American citizens.
Colonel Demarest received his first commission from Governor Horatio Seymour in 1853. In 1855 he was again commissioned, by Governor Myron H. Clark, while in 1857 he was commissioned by Governor John A. King. In 1860 he removed to Cresskill, N. J. When the Civil War broke out he recruited a company at Closter, N. J., for the Independent Battalion of the Bergen County Brigade, and in 1862 was commissioned its Captain by Governor Charles S. Olden. One hundred and fifty men rendezvoused at Trenton under his command, becoming a part of the Twenty-second New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. When field officers were appointed Captain Demarest became Major. He held this rank until January, 1863, when he was commissioned Colonel. The regiment left Trenton for Washington, September 22, 1463, joined the Army of the Potomac, and thereafter participated in all the campaigns and hard-fought battles of that army. Colonel Demarest is a prominent member of the -Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the Grand Army of the Republic, and the Society of the Armv of the Potomac. After his return to civil life he removed from Cresskill to Tenafly, N. J., where lie has since engaged successfully in mercantile pursuits. Colonel Demarest's first wife was Charity Ferdon, daughter of Henry Ferdon and Frances Tallman. She died in October, 1872. He married (2) Ellen Van Giesen, of Paterson, N. J. His issue by the first wife were Margaretta, Maria Louise, and Edwin, and by the second wife Clifford, Amy E., Marion L., and H. Le Roy.
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