A member of one of the pioneer families of New Jersey and himself a native and lifelong resident of the northwestern section of this State, Mr. VanBlarcom has made his home in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey, for almost six decades, ever since he came there as a young man of eighteen years in 1867. For many years one of the town's most prominent and successful businessmen, he has also taken a very active and effective part in the civic, financial and fraternal life of the community. Since 1912 he has been secretary of the Sussex County Mutual Insurance Company, one of the oldest and strongest companies of this type in New Jersey, and his unusual executive ability and energy have enabled him to make valuable contributions to its continuous growth and prosperity. In many other directions, too, he has done much to advance the development and welfare of Newton, and it was largely as the result of his intense public spirit and broad vision that this town enjoys one of the finest water supplies in Northwestern New Jersey. Though well advanced in years, he continues to look effectively after his many and important interests, making his headquarters in the Park Block, Newton, one of the most substantial buildings of the town, erected by him in 1895.

The VanBlarcom family came to this country from Holland, the first American ancestor settling in Bergen County, New Jersey, where he continued to live to the time of his death, having served as a soldier in the War of the Revolution. Garret VanBlarcom, a son of the founder of the family in America and grandfather of the subject of this article, was born in Bergen County, New Jersey, about 1780. He was a mason by trade, but spent the latter years of his life farming in Sussex County. He served in the War of 1812 and died in 1834. He married, about 1804, Mary DeGraw, a member of Huguenot family, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, North, and a devout Christian woman, who survived her husband for thirty years, dying in 1864 at the age of eighty years. They were the parents of four children: 1. Samuel, born in Bergen County, in 1805, continuing to live there until 1820, when he came with his parents to Sparta, Sussex County. There he followed farming throughout his life. He married, in September 1829, Elizabeth Gunderman, a daughter of Peter Gunderman, of Sparta, where she was born in 1911. They were the parents of eight children. 2. William, of whom further. 3. Susan, who married L.L. Conkling. 4. Mary Ann, who married J.F. Dunn.

William VanBlarcom, second son of Garret and Mary (DeGraw) VanBlarcom, and father of the subject of this article, was born at the "Ponds," Bergen County, New Jersey, in 1814. He came to Sussex County about 1835 and there engaged in farming, in which he was very successful. Later he moved to Lafayette Township, Sussex County, where he died in 1856. He never sought or held public office, but was always interested in the welfare and development of his community. He is buried in North Church Cemetery, Hardyston Township, Sussex County. He married Catherine A. Sutton, a daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Rorick) Sutton. Mrs. VanBlarcom's parents, in 1858, removed from Hardyston to Michigan, where they both died. She died at the age of seventy-seven years and was laid ot rest in Newton Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. William VanBlarcom were the parents of eight children: 1. Lewis, born in Sparta, Sussex County, July 19, 1835, a veteran of the Civil War and for many years one of the leading members of the Sussex County Bar. On August 25, 1862, he enlisted in the Union Army as a first lieutenant, Company B, 15th Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, being promoted in June, 1863, captain of Company C, of the same regiment. The latter formed part of the 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Potomac Army, and took part in most of the important engagements of the war, including the battle of Gettysburg. Captain Lewis VanBlarcom was severely wounded at Spottsvylvania, May 8, 1864, and as the result of his disability he fell into the hands of Confederate soldiers. Taken by them to one of their hospitals, it was found necessary to amputate one of his legs. Ten days later he was transferred to Richmond, Virginia, and there placed in Libby Prison, where he remained until September 12, 1864, when he was exchanged and brought to a Union hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, from which he was discharged December 10, 1864. He then returned home and took up the study and later the practice of law, in which he was eminently successful for many years. He married, August 17, 1871, Mary Thompson, a daughter of Dr. Alexander H. Thompson. 2. Garret, now deceased. Lucy A., now deceased, who married James E. Price. 4. Susan C., a resident of Newton, Sussex County, and widow of Nelson Ackerson. 5. Joseph, a resident of Franklin, Sussex County. 6. Andrew J., of whom further. 7. Hannah, now deceased, who was the wife of Charles Y. Dalsen [sic]. 8. William, Jr., who died at the age of eight years.

Andrew J. VanBlarcom, the sixth child and fourth son of William and Catherine A. (Sutton) VanBlarcom, was born at Sparta, Sussex County, March 2, 1848. He was educated in the public schools of Sparta and at Mount Retirement, the latter a noted select school of that period, under the management of Professor Edward A. Stiles. In 1867 he came to Newton, where he started his business career as a clerk, a position which he held for some five years. At the end of this period he established himself in business on his account in partnership with John Huston. The new firm, known as Huston & VanBlarcom, engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business. The partnership continued for sixteen years, until Mr. Huston retired and Mr. VanBlarcom bought his interest in the business, continuing it for two more years under the name of A.J. VanBlarcom & Company. In 1895, he sold his business, and it was then that he undertook the erection of the well-known Park Block at Newton, where he still makes his offices. It was also during this period that he became interested in the Newton water supply. He became the father of the Newton water system and spared neither effort nor money until the new water works had been completed and a plentiful and healthful supply of water was assured for the community. He was a member of the first board of water commissioners. Since 1906 he has also been connected with the Sussex County Mutual Insurance Company of Newton as a direct and as a member of the finance committee, while since 1912 he has been its secretary. This company was established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature February 22, 1840. The members of its first board of directors were: John H. Hall, Isaac Bunnell, John Bell, Pierson Hurd, John Strader, Walter L. Shee, Robert F. Shafer, James Evans, Andrew A. Smalley, Zacariah H. Price, Joseph Northrup, Jr., George H. McCarter, Whitfield H. Johnson, Nathan Smith, Nathaniel Drake, Reuben F. Randolph, Isaac V. Coursen, Richard R. Morris and Elias L'Hommedieu. Mr. John H. Hall was the first president. The subsequent presidents of the company have been Robert H. McCarter, Jonathan Whittaker, Dr. Franklin Smith, Thomas Lawrence, William P. Coursen and David C. Truex. Whitfield H. Johnson was the first secretary and treasurer, and held office for twenty years, when he resigned to become Secretary of State for New Jersey. His successors have been: Dr. Franklin Smith, Daniel S. McCarter, Obadiah Pellet, John T. Stewart, Charles P. Rorbach, Peter S. Decker, Martin E. Hough, Israel L. Hallock and Andrew J. VanBlarcom. In 1926 the officers of the company, besides Mr. Truex, president, and Mr. VanBlarcom, secretary, where Nathan H. Hart (q.v.), vice-president, and Helen Griggs Roof, assistant secretary. Its board of directions includes many of the leading citizens of Sussex County, they are as follows: Watson R. Ayers, Fred W. Coursen, William E. Chambers, Theodore M. Rose, John N. Decker, Jacob J. Demarest, Nathan H. Hart, J.W. Masekar, F.A. Mott, James M. Stoll, B.D. Simmons, Lester T. Smith, Frank Smith, Hezekiah Smith, David C. Truex, J.W. Thompson, Obadiah Van Hour, Lewis VanBlarcom, and A.J. VanBlarcom. The executive committee consists of the following members: David C. Truex, Nathan H. Hart and Watson R. Ayers. The office of the company is located in Room No. 6, Park Block, Newton. Over $8,500,000 of New Jersey property is protected by policies issued by the company, which enjoys a very high reputation with the State authorities, an examiner of the banking department and insurance having recently described it as "giving its policy holders safe insurance at a comparatively low cost." Mr. VanBlarcom, as early as 1888, became a director of the old Sussex National Bank of Newton, and when this financial institution merged with the Merchants' National Bank he became also a director of the resulting bank, the present Sussex & Merchants National Bank of Newton, one of the strongest banks in Northwestern New Jersey. He is a charger member of both the Newton Club and the Newton Board of Trade. Fifty-four years ago he first joined Harmony Lodge, No. 8, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he has been an active member ever since. In the next year, 1873, he became a member of the Baldwin Chapter, No. 17, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is the oldest living Past High Priest, and in the affairs of which he has taken a deep interest, and during the fifty-three years of his membership he has missed only two meeting nights. He was served for more than fifty years as treasurer of this Chapter, and in October, 1926, was appointed Grand Representative of the Grand Chapter to West Australia, by the Grand High Priest, Marion H. Hall, of Newark, New Jersey. He is also a member of DeMolay Commandery, No. 6, of Washington, Warren County, Knights Templar, and of Mecca Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of New York City.

Andrew J. VanBlarcom married Nellie Van Doren, a daughter of Joseph and Eliza B. (Wilson) Van Doren. Mrs. Van Doren died in October, 1925, in her ninetieth year, and is buried in Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs. VanBlarcom were the parents of two children: Ruth, a graduate of Wellesley College, class of 1913; married to Philip E. Whiting. Children: Nancy Goodridge; Joan Thurston and Philip VanBlarcom. Philip E. Whiting is Eastern manager for the Walker Vehicle Company with headquarters in New York City, and a resident of New Rochelle, New York. Mildred, also a graduate of Wellesley College, class of 1921, in recent years the successful manager of a book shop in Brooklyn, New York. Mr. VanBlarcom makes his home in his residence at No. 53 High Street, Newton.

Source: Honeyman, A. Van Doren. 1927. Northwestern New Jersey: A History of Somerset, Morris, Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex Counties. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company.