Martin
V.
Bergen

MARTIN V. BERGEN and his brother Christopher A.  Bergen were prominent lawyers in Camden for many years in Camden. 

His son, Martin V. Bergen Jr., was a member of the Camden County Historical Society.  

Martin Voorhees Bergen and his brother Christopher A. (of whom a sketch follows) are descendants of an old and prominent family, after whom Bergen County, N. J., was named, and they are representatives of the eighth generation in this country.

The common ancestor of the family of Long Island, New Jersey and adjacent regions was Hans Hansen Bergen, of Bergen, in Norway, who removed from there to Holland, and thence, in 1633, to New Amsterdam (now New York). Some of his descendants settled in what is now Bergen County about fifty years later. Samuel Disbrow Bergen, of the seventh generation in America, and his wife, Charity (daughter of Judge Peter Voorhees, of Blawenburgh, Somerset County), were residents early in the present century of Middlesex County, N. J., near Cranberry, and lived at what was known as the Bergen Farm or Homestead. Their son Martin V. was born there February 12, 1839. He prepared for college at Edge Hill School and entered the sophomore class at Princeton in September, 1860. Graduating from the college in 1863, he commenced the study of law the same year in the office of Peter L. Voorhees, of Camden, where he continued until he graduated in November, 1866, as an attorney-at-law. He was licensed as a counselor-at-law in November, 1869. He opened an office in the fall of 1866 at 119 Market Street, Camden, and continued to practice there until he formed a partnership with his brother and removed to 110 Market Street. He has been twice elected superintendent of the Camden City schools and now holds that position. He was married, in February, 1880, to Mary Atkinson, of Merchantville, N. J.

The firm of Bergen & Bergen (M. V. & C. A.) has been quite uniformly and steadily successful, and probably has as large and as widespread a clientage and correspondence as any law firm in Camden. They have been frequently opposed by the best legal talent in the county and State, and have fully as often been victors as vanquished, and enjoy a high reputation. Two of the most notable cases in which they have won success were those of the Marshall estate, and the Jesse W. Starr Camden Iron-Works case in bankruptcy.

The former, which aroused much interest in the southern part of the county, was an action charging breach of trust on the part of the executors, and involved the title to five farms and a large part of the village of Blackwood. Bergen & Bergen appeared for the creditors against the executors, who were represented by S. H. Grey, and Peter L. Voorhees, Esqs. In the bankruptcy suit against Jesse W. Starr, above alluded to, in which about three hundred thousand dollars were involved, Bergen Brothers were also successful in forcing the creditors of Mr. Starr, to terms. Christopher A. Bergen, as a rule, attends to the court business and Martin V. devotes his attention more particularly to that department of practice which is the function of the counsel, though he also appears frequently in court. Both are well-read lawyers and able advocates.

Both of the brothers are pronounced Republicans, though neither is an active politician. Christopher A. in 1884 was the choice of a large section of his party for the position of State Senator, but declined making any effort to secure the nomination. He was elected president of the Camden County Republican Club in 1886. Martin V. Bergen has also been named as a candidate for legislative honors, but has held no offices of consequence other than the school superintendency..

Philadelphia Inquirer * March 20, 1888

Philadelphia Inquirer
July 31, 1891

Frederick A. Rex - Christopher A. Bergen
Martin V. Bergen - Thomas Guthridge
Charles L. Roehr - Cooper Hospital
Royden Street - Pine Street
Joseph Hatch - Deborah Jones
South 4th Street - South 7th Street
  Chestnut Street

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