Mr. Thomas William Randall, long prominent as a lawyer in Paterson, died
at his residence at Upper Preakness, a few miles from that city, on Feb.
9, 1922, after a long illness. Up until a few days of his death he
expected to live at least through the coming Summer, but the final end
came with little warning.
Mr. Randall was born at Slough, in Buckinghamshire, England, about
twenty miles from London, near the historic Windsor Castle and famous
Stoke Pogis church, on June 24, 1853, and is a descendant of some of the
most substantial and oldest families in that locality. He arrived in the
United States, with his parents, on June 8, 1866, sailing from London,
and resided first in Franklin township, Bergen county, and later at
Hawthorne, in Passaic county, until he entered upon the study of his
profession. He first studied law in the office of Judge Hopper, in
Paterson, and afterwards with Messrs. Pennington & DeWitt, of Newark,
and also attended the Columbia Law School in New York. He was admitted
to the New Jersey Bar at the June Term of the Supreme Court in 1877,
and, after spending some time abroad, came to Paterson and entered upon
the practice of law, in which he was actively engaged ever after until
his last illness. He became a counselor at the February Term, 1889.
Mr. Randall took no active part in politics, and never held a political
office; he had no liking for mere partisanship. His practice was large
in the Orphans' Court and in Chancery proceedings, as he settled many
estates. He was a Special Master of the Court of Chancery and as such
many matters of reference were heard by him, and always with promptness
and efficiency. He was also a Supreme Court Commissioner. He was counsel
for many of the old Passaic families and for various corporations. In
the great Paterson fire he lost every thing in his office except what
was in his safe. He was an extensive reader of good books and had an
excellent memory, a refined taste and the best of habits. He had none of
the common vices of the day.
For many years Mr. Randall was a member of the Second Presbyterian
Church. He served there on the Board of Trustees and was also a member
of the Session. Mr. Randall served the Second Church in a legal capacity
without cost to the congregation and was always glad to give legal
advice to the poor in need of it. He also served for many years on the
Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Presbytery and was known by every
clergyman in that Presbyterian body. He was seldom absent at a stated
meeting.
Mr. Randall was also the recognized friend of the Young Men's Christian
Association and his services in legal transactions were also at the
disposal of the Board of Managers. He was counsel for the Young Women's
Christian Association and served as a member of the Investment
Committee, with other prominent men of the city.
When in 1886 the people of the People's Park District appealed to the
late Dr. Charles D. Shaw and the elders of the Second Presbyterian
Church for the establishment of a Sunday School in that district of the
city, Mr. Randall was one of the most interested members of the Session
in the movement to that end. Through the aid extended on behalf of the
plan the Sunday School was opened a few weeks after the request was
considered, and Mr. Randall became the superintendent. He frequently
referred to that service as one of the happy experiences of his life.
Later the school movement grew into the establishment of the Madison
Avenue Presbyterian Church, now one of the most thriving congregations
in the city, under the pastorate of the Rev. Franklin J. Miller. Mr.
Randall frequently visited the People's Park church and school to note
the progress of the work he had a prominent part in starting. He was
also interested in the St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, and in
establishing headquarters for the colored men on Governor street.
Mr. Randall was a Christian citizen and was concerned in the welfare of
Paterson. He was a member of the Passaic County Bar Association, a
director of the Paterson Building and Loan Association, and was
identified with the old Board of Trade. When the centennial celebration
of Paterson was held in 1892 he was one of the hundred prominent men of
the city selected to plan for that big event.
For several years before his death Mr. Randall was a member of the
Church of the Redeemer.
Mr. Randall was specially fond of his native England, and made various
journeys to that county. The Editor of this Journal has special cause to
know of his interest in travel and fine qualities as a traveler, having
been in his company abroad in 1898, 1903, 1907 and 1910, in some of
which occasions he extended his trip to France, Switzerland, Italy,
Germany and Holland; also to Ireland and Scotland. In 1910 he saw the
Passion Play. He was also a frequent visitor to Lake Mohonk. From its
beginning he was a patron and valued friend of this Journal, frequently
sending to it copies of legal articles from English newspapers and
occasionally contributing to its pages. The article we shall publish in
our next issue, entitled "A Letter to Portia," was received from him
only a few days before his death, as were some notes concerning the
death of his friend, Mr. Robert Hopper, also of the Paterson Bar.
In 1879 Mr. Randall married Miss Jennie S. Perry, a well known and
highly esteemed teacher in the Paterson Public Schools, and at one time
principal of School Number Two. Mrs. Randall died in 1912. There
survives one son, Edmund Brown Randall, who is now the Judge of the
Paterson District Court. A brother of Thomas W., Mr. Richard Randall,
also a member of the Paterson Bar, died Oct. 16, 1913.