James M. Reilly Papers
Scope and Contents
Much of this collection consists of invitations, pamphlets, and programs from events Reilly
attended, which are in Box 1. Folder 1 includes Board of Trade Events (mostly banquets, also a
Spanish speaking delegation to Newark in 1897). Folder 4 includes City of Newark events like
Halloween parties and the 1906 city Hall opening. Folders 5 and 6 include events for specific
industry groups Reilly was part of. Folder 7 includes miscellaneous events including a Governor
Edwards inauguration program and two Gottfried Krueger Association programs.
There are two manuscripts in the collection. “A Historical Review of the Development and
Progress of Industry in the City of Newark” (box 1, folders 8-9) became part of Vol. 1 of
Urquhart’s “History of the City of Newark”. The second manuscript, “Fifty Years 1866-1918
Board of Trade of the City of Newark” (box 2, folder 1) was not published, as far as we have
been able to determine.
The remainder of the collection consists of miscellaneous Board of Trade material (Box 1, folder
2), newspaper clippings (Box 1, folder 3), miscellaneous papers and correspondence (Box 2,
Folder 4) and various published material that is fragile or already exists in the New Jersey Room
collection. Periodicals, reports and publications include Interurban Conference material and a
booklet illustrated by artist C. Chapman Durand. These are listed by item in the contents list.
The bulk of photographs kept in the collection are unidentified, as well as a duplicate of a photo
of Japanese delegates at Thomas Edison’s factory, and several photos of non-NJ senators.
Buttons, badges, and ribbons include the Newark 1912 Industrial Exposition, various Newark
and national conferences, Victory Bond buttons and memorabilia from other various events
attended Mr. Reilly.
Oversized material includes mostly photographs of various trade association meetings, as well
as a further duplicate photo of the Japanese delegate at Edison’s factory.
Dates
- 1890 - 1935
Conditions Governing Use
Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.
Biographical / Historical
James M. Reilly secretary of the Newark Board of Trade (1863 – March 28, 1935). Born in New
Jersey to Irish immigrants in the 5th Ward (Ironbound). He attended St. James School. He began
helping out at the Board of Trade as a teenager. From 1882 he also was superintendent of
exhibits of the NJ State Agricultural Society.
Around 1890, Reilly married Anna Carrigan, also a daughter of Irish immigrants. From 1890 to
1908 James and Anna had eight surviving children. Urquhart’s 1913 History of Newark book
stated, “Home is heaven and happiness is wealth has been their rule in life”. His family lived for
many years in Orange and East Orange.
From 1892, Reilly was secretary of the NJ state lumberman’s Association. In 1900 he officially
became secretary of the board of trade although Urquhart’s History of Newark claims he
performed the duties for many years previous. His manuscript “Historical Review of the
Development and Progress of Industry in the City of Newark” became part of Urquhart’s
seminal Newark history. He was part of many organizations; he notably worked for the Citizens
Aid Committee during the 1893 panic, and raised $43000 for the victims of the High Street fire.
He also was involved in river and harbor improvement with the National Rivers and Harbor
Congress and the Atlantic Deeper Waterways Association, organizing the NJ State Rivers and
Harbors Congress.
He represented the State at various national conventions, was VP of Federal Building and Loan
Association, VP of the Kreischer Brick Company, senior trustee of St. James Hospital and
involved in the New Jersey Road Horse Association. He was a major influence in organizing the
Newark Industrial Exposition in 1912, which was attended by 175,000 people.
A new secretary Edmund Woolworth was appointed to the Board of Trade February 7, 1920
and on February 17th – Jame’s wife Anna died.
Reilly died March 28, 1935. His death was covered in papers throughout NJ and in New York
City. Anna May Riley married Frank Farrell, and their daughter Ellen Anne Farrell donated these
papers.
Extent
2.67 Linear Feet (3 Hollinger boxes, 1 Oversized Box) : Fileroom & Offsite
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection consists of records from Mr. James M. Reilly, who was secretary of the Newark Board of Trade from 1892-1920 and was active in many other industrial and other organizations in Newark and surrounding area.
Physical Location
Oversized box offsite.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donation of E. Anne Farrell, 2018-2019.
Separated Materials
Maps & Blueprints (to Map/Blueprint Collection)
Plan of the Proposed United Port (NA15)
New Jersey Showing Watersheds, 1890 (N16)
Atlas of Newark and the Metropolitan District, 1915 (2, NL39)
2 Philadelphia to New York and 1 to Boston Mass - Texas area US Army map (N17a & b)
2 blueprints, pierhead and bulkhead Passaic River (1916)
Newark street/ward map 1912 (NL38)
Tentative use, area, height maps Newark districts (ND48)
Proposed State Highway System (N15)
Unlabeled blueprint of Seth Boyden Homes (Drawer 5)
Periodicals
Newarker v. 2 no. 7 May 1913 (5), 5/6 April 1916
Books
Men of Newark (20 G21)
History of the City of Newark, NJ (973.932 Ur61)
Newark: the City of Industry (917.493 N428)
Reports
Meadowlands Reclamation Commission 1930 (to State Docs)
Passaic River and Newark Bay Inspection Trip Oct 23, 1907 (to Local Docs)
Identified Photos (cataloged to picture collection)
P.T. Quinn, John F. Dryden, E.A. Wilkinson, Robert Hancock, Charles Kilburn, Joseph Colier, John
L. O’Toole, W. F. Ellis, Isaac F. Roe, NJ State Fair Group President’s Tent (one copy in collection),
Board of Trade 1905, Huide children, St. James Church, Waverly Park horse track 1902 and
1906, honorary commercial commission of Japan at lab of Thomas Edison (original in
collection), Japanese delegates that brought the cherry trees to Newark
Processing Information
Material was sorted by type. Books, maps, city documents, state documents, and identified photos were removed, unless they already existed in the current CFCNJIC collection, were duplicates, or were not NJ related. Material was alphabetized by folder title / type. More specificity was included in finding aid for most folders.
- Author
- Beth Zak-Cohen
- Date
- 2019
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center, Newark Public Library Repository
3rd Floor
Newark Public Library
5 Washington St.
Newark NJ 07102 United States
973-733-7775
njreference@npl.org