William  H.  Eightmieb  is  of  Holland  extrac-
tion, being  a  grandson  of  James  Eightmire,  who
resided  in  Middlesex  County,  N.  J.,  where  he  was
both  a  farmer  and  a  school-teacher.  Among  his
six  children  was  Jacob  V.,  born  March  4,  1800,
who  also  resided  in  Middlesex  County,  where  he
filled  the  double  role  of  farmer  and  merchant.
He  married  Isabella  Franks  and  had  twelve  chil-
dren— nine  sons  and  three  daughters— all  of  whom
reached  mature  years.  The  death  of  Mr.  Eight-
mire occurred  in  October,  1880.  He  was  in  his
political  predictions  a  Whig,  and  later  a  Eepubli-
can.  Though  averse  to  office,  he  was  the  recipient
of  many  distinctions  conferred  by  citizens  irre-
spective of  party.  A  man  of  public  spirit,  he  was
liberal  with  his  means  in  enterprises  pertaining
to  both  church  and  state.  His  son,  William  H.
Eightmire,  was  born  May  19,  1845,  in  Middlesex
County,  N.  J.,  where  his  youth  was  spent.  At  the
age  of  seventeen  he  entered  the  army  as  a  soldier
in  the  Twenty-eighth  Eegiment  New  Jersey  Vol-
unteers, and  remained  in  service  ten  months.  He
was  taken  prisoner  at  Chancellorsville  and  con-
fined for  three  months  at  Belle  Isle,  opposite  Eich-
mond,  enduring  meanwhile  many  privations.
Having  effected  an  exchange,  he  was  sent  to  the
convalescent  camp  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  and  soon
after  returned  to  his  home.  On  recovering,  he
removed  to  South  Amboy,  and  later  came  to  Cam-
den as  an  employee  of  the  Camden  and  Amboy
Eailroad.  He  subsequently  entered  and  was
graduated  from  the  Eastman's  Commercial  College,
Poughkeepsie,  when,  having  made  Jersey  City  his
residence,  he  remained  for  four  years  associated
with  the  Jersey  City  and  Bergen  Eailroad.  Mr.
