Col. Austen Colgate

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6913792

Born August 12, 1863, in Orange, N J
Died September 5, 1927, in Barnegat, N. J

Father, Samuel Colgate, head of firm of Colgate & Company (soap and perfume manufacturers); son of William Colgate, founder of Colgate & Company in 1806 (Colgate University named in his honor), and Mary (Gilbert) Colgate; grandson of Robert Colgate, who came from England in 1795 and settled first in Harford County, Md., and later in Delaware County, N. Y.

Mother, Elizabeth Ann Breese (Morse) Colgate; daughter of Richard Cary Morse (B A 1812) and Sarah Louisa (Davis) Morse; granddaughter of the Rev Jedediah Morse (B.A. 1783, D D. Edinburgh 1794), a tutor at Yale 1786-87; a niece of Samuel F B Morse (B A 1810) and Sidney E. Morse (B.A. 1811); descendant of Anthony Morse, who came from Marlborough, England, in 1635 and settled in Newbury, Mass.

Yale relatives include (besides his brothers)* Sidney E Morse, f$6, Richard Cary Morse, '62, William H Morse, '67, and Oliver C. Morse, '68 (uncles); Henry A Colgate, '13, S. Bayard Colgate, ex-ii> Gilbert Colgate, Jr , '22, Robert B. Colgate, '24, and John K. Colgate, ex-30 (nephews); and Edward L. Morse, '78, Richard C. Morse,
'06 S , Oliver C Morse, *io, and Anthony Morse, '15 (cousins).

Orange High School and Norwich (Conn ) Free Academy. Member Freshman Football team; captain Class Crew Junior year; taught at Bethany Sunday school; member Junior Promenade Committee, Gamma Nu (second declamation prize Freshman year), Eta Phi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and
Scroll and Key. Became connected with manufacturing department of
Colgate & Company as assistant superintendent soon after graduation and made superintendent in 1892; became member of the firm in 1896 and upon the incorporation of the company in 1908 was made a director and vice-president and served as such until his death, having charge of production at the factory in Jersey City; member New Jersey Assembly from Essex County 1906-1910 and a state senator for two consecutive terms (1911-16); delegate to National Republican Convention in 1916, 1920, and 1924; candidate for mayor of Orange 1910 and Republican candidate for governor of New Jersey 1916, but failed of election both times; president of State Association of Republican Clubs 1916, president of Taft League of New Jersey; charter member of Troop A, New York National Guard, and served with
that organization until commissioned as a Colonel in the New
Jersey State Militia and appointed aide to Governor Fort in
1908; held this position and that of Deputy Adjutant General
under Governors Wilson and Field; in 1911 appointed Deputy
Adjutant General in the National Guard and served as such
until January 18, 1917, aiding in the mobilization of the
militia for the Mexican border in 1916; served also as member
of National Advisory Board of the National Guard; president
of Jersey City Chamber of Commerce 1913-15 and member of
board at the time of his death; participated in gift of playground
to the City of Orange, furnished public band concerts in Orange Park and equipped a playground in Jersey City near his factory; president of Welfare Federation of the Oranges and Maplewood since 1923; an incorporator of a daily newspaper in the Oranges and Maplewood in 1926; trustee of Colgate University since 1898 (member of the executive and finance committees); in 1925 gave a $400,000 building to the university; LL.D. Colgate 1927; trustee of Peddie School,

Hightstown, N J., and of North Orange Baptist Church,

Orange; elected member of Essex County Country Club in 1896 and served as its governor 1907-1913 and as its president 1909-1912.

Unmarried.

Death due to heart disease.
Buried in Rosedale Cemetery, Orange.

Survived by three brothers, Gilbert Colgate, '83, Sidney M. Colgate, '85, and Russell Colgate, '96. His eldest brother, Richard M. Colgate, '77, died in 1919, and another brother, Samuel Colgate, '91, in 1902. By the terms of his will, one quarter of his residuary estate was bequeathed to Yale for scholarships.

Source: Yale Alumni Obituaries