USA > Washington DC > Eminent and representative men of Virginia and the District of Columbia in the nineteenth century. With a concise historical sketch of Virginia > Part 18
USA > Virginia > Eminent and representative men of Virginia and the District of Columbia in the nineteenth century. With a concise historical sketch of Virginia > Part 18
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In politics Mr. Baker was a whig. When the democratic party became the ex- ponent of more liberal principles he joined it, and when it became allied with the slave-power of the south he as promptly abandoned it. He was an orig- inal Abolitionist, and acted with the free- soil party from its organization. When the republican party was formed, he with the free-soilers generally, united with that party and ever afterward remained a republican.
In religion, as in politics, he was thought- ful, studious and progressive. He was trained in the faith of orthodox congre- gationalism, and until middle life never attended any but orthodox preaching; but as he read his Bible and pondered over the great questions of duty and des- tiny he found both heart and mind protest-
ing against its harsh doctrines and June 28, 1884. John B. resides upon the
inadequate statements of the goodness, mercy and love of the Infinite Father. He became a Universalist. His wife, who had been educated a Baptist, joined him in his studies and reflections, and she, too became a Universalist. Both died consoled and sustained by that cheering faith.
followed his conviction of duty, the logic of events and of principles, to their legiti- mate conclusions, and did not flinch from their results. He enjoyed society, liked company and loved his friends and rel- atives. Although in the political minority of his town, he held the offices of select- man and treasurer and other positions of responsibility and trusts. His children were four sons, - Francis M., who was born February 8, 1826, and died April 13, 1838; Rufus, who was born March 8. 1831, and died February 15, 1861; John B., who was born April 6, 1834; and Henry M., who was born January 1I, 1841. Rufus married Miss Lucy S. Cutter, of Somerville, Mass., October 20, 1858. She was born August 29, 1833, and died March 26, 1866. They had no children. John R., married Miss Sarah J. Locke, of East Concord, November 14, 1865. They have had two children, -Rufus Henry, born March 16, 1870, and John Perley, who was born August 21, 1871, and died family homestead. Aaron W. Baker died July 12, 1876. In his life and char- acter the honest yeomanry of the Granite state found a fitting exponent. His wife survived in but a few years, and died May 20, 1881.
WILLIAM CORCORAN HILL.
Long before total abstinence, or even Although but a little over six years in temperance principles were popular, Mr. the real estate business, William Cor-
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coran Hill is now one of the most ex-|but is also a trustee and executor of the tensive and prosperous dealers in realty large estate of his uncle, W. W. Corcoran. in the city of Washington. He was born in Baltimore, Md., September 10, 1847, GARDINER GREENE HUBBARD, and is a son of the late Stephen P. Hill, D. D., who was born in Salem, Mass., was a Baptist minister and settled in Wash- ington, D. C., in 1850. Here Rev. Dr. Hill was pastor of the First Baptist church for over ten years, was beloved by his congregation for his piety and admired for his eloquence, and was not allowed to retire to private life until 1861, and then very reluctantly. He was married, in 1835, to Miss Ellen Corcoran, sister of the famous banker, William W. Corcoran, and died in 1884, having been preceded to the better land by his be- loved wife in 1879. The father of Mrs. Ellen Hill was Thomas Corcoran, a native of Limerick, Ireland, but an early settler of the District of Columbia and mayor of Georgetown for many years.
capitalist of Washington, D. C., was born in Boston, Mass., in 1822, and is descended from an ancient English family, one of whom, a Congregational minister of Ipsurch, England, settled in Boston long anterior to the famous "tea party" epi- sode. A son of this reverend gentleman, Henry Hubbard, was born in Boston, was the great-grandfather of Gardiner Greene Hubbard, and was a patriot of the Revo- lutionary war. His son, David Hubbard, was also a native of Boston, was a wealthy merchant, and died before the incoming of the present century. Samuel Hubbard, the son of David, was born in Boston in 1786, graduated at New Haven in 1802, and was admitted to the bar in 1805. After conducting an extensive law busi- ness for many years, and after having served several terms as member of both houses of the Massachusetts legislature, he was appointed, in 1840, judge of the supreme court of Massachusetts, and was the incumbent of this office at the time of his death, in 1848. He was married, in 1815, to Miss Mary Greene, a daughter of Abner Greene of Boston, one of the three richest men in America-the other two being John Jacob Astor of New York and Stephen Girard of Philadelphia.
William Corcoran Hill received his early education at Washington, and finished at Burlington college, in New Jersey. On leaving college at eighteen he began his business life as a clerk in Riggs & Co's. bank, Washington city, and for many years was a faithful and in- dustrious attaché of that noted financial institution. In 1886 he ventured into the real estate business, the firm being that of Hill & Johnston, and from that time until the present, success has followed his Gardiner Greene Hubbard was educated at Dartmouth college, N. H., from which institution he graduated in 1841-among his classmates being Prof. H. E. Parker and Rev. Leonard Swain. On leaving footsteps. He was married, in 1877, to Miss Sallie Phenix, daughter of Thomas Phenix of Baltimore and granddaughter of John A. Smith, the latter for forty years clerk of the district court. Mr. college, Mr. Hubbard studied for the law Hill enjoys the full confidence of the in Cambridge, and with Judge Curtis at people and his business talents are uni- Boston. In 1843 he was admitted to the versally recognized. Mr. Hill not only bar, and the same year formed a partner- carries on a large real estate business, ship with his former preceptor, Judge
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Curtis, and together with him practiced took a course of study at Jefferson Medi- until 1848, when he opened a law office on cal college, and also received private in- his individual account. From that time structions from Dr. Minos Hayes, Dr. until about 1873 he was very busily en- gaged in the local courts, but in the latter year he was compelled to remove to
Hare, and Dr. LeKnox Hodge. His voracious appetite for knowlege in his chosen profession having not yet been Washington, to transact business before satiated, he crossed the Atlantic and for congress, and this kept him employed a time studied at Wurzburg, Bavaria, and until 1880, when he retired. Mr. Hubbard then for fifteen months made a special was married, in 1846, to Miss Gertrude study of throat and chest disorders at McCurdy, of New York. Although re- Vienna, Austria. Being thus mentally tired from active practice of the legal equipped for an intelligent practice of profession, Mr. Hubbard is by no means medicine, he returned to Washington, an idle man. He is a director in the Bell where he has met with the most flatter- Telephone company, a trustee for the ing success, the profundity of his medical Clarke institution for the deaf at North- lore being recognized alike by the public ampton, N. H. (which, indeed, he was and his fellow-practitioners. With the lat- instrumental in founding in 1873), and is ter he stands deservedly high in esteem president of the National Geographic
and fraternizes with them as a member of society; besides performing the duties of the American Medical association, the these offices he takes an active interest in International Medical association, and much charitable work and in all enter- the Medical associations of the District of prises that tend to the advancement of Columbia and of Washington. general prosperity.
FRANCK HYATT. M. D.
This highly educated and rising young physician was born in Bladensburg, Md., in 1851, but when a child was taken by his parents to Hyattsville, a place named after his father in the same county - Prince George's, Md., - and until fifteen years of age attended Montgomery John's school; succeeding this, he for two years studied at the Maryland Agriculture col- lege, whence he went to the university of Virginia, where he passed his first year in an academical course of study and his second year in a medical course; he next entered the university of Maryland, from the medical department of which institu-
The doctor was most happily married, in 1878, to Miss Ella Carlton, daughter of H. L. Carlton, of Prince George's county, Md. Retrospectively it may be well here to add that the doctor's father was Chris- topher Clark Hyatt, who was born in Maryland in 1799, was a merchant during his business life, and retired to privacy about the year 1860 to pass away his re- maining years in serenity and comfort, the final call coming in 1883. His second wife, the mother of Dr. Franck Hyatt, bore the maiden name of Fanny R. Per- kins, and was a native of Maryland.
CHARLES P. JAMES.
The following brief biography of Asso- ciate Justice Charles P. James is taken from H. W. Crew's Centennial History of tion he graduated in 1872, having been, the city of Washington, D. C., 1892: during the interval, a resident student in Charles P. James was appointed on the the hospital. In Philadelphia he next District bench July 29, 1879, and holds a
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commission as one of the judges of the period devoted himself to the study of the supreme court of the District law, the result being that he was admitted to the bar at Wooster in 1850. Thence he went to Ravenna, where he opened a law office and entered upon the practice of that profession in which he later be- came so famous. In 1858 he removed to Mansfield, Ohio, and was in the midst of his professional duties when the Civil war broke out, whereupon he and his brother- several years of successful practice at the in-law, Colonel W. E. Tidball, of New York, who had been authorized by the the secretary of war to raise a regiment in that city, eagerly set themselves to work to aid in the preservation of the Union. General Jeffries raised four com- panies of volunteers in Mansfield and in Richland county, Ohio, which four com- panies were consolidated with others raised by Colonel Tidball, which formed the Fifty-ninth regiment of New York volunteers, of which Mr. Jeffries was made of Columbia dating from December 10, 1879, the date of the confirmation of his appointment by the United States sen- ate. Judge James, in addition to his duties upon the bench, was for four years professor in the law school of George- town college, performing the duties .of that position with entire satisfaction. He was born in Ohio, graduated at Harvard university, and commenced the practice of the law in the city of Cincinnati. After bar, he was appointed a judge of the superior court of Cincinnati and held that office for several years with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the commu- nity. In January, 1864, he came to the city of Washington and entered upon the practice of his profession in the city. He | was successful as a practitioner, was en- gaged in several cases of importance, and was distinguished for those sterling quali- ties of patience and unassuming industry that are the best guaranties of professional distinction. When congress determined to create a commission to make a com- plete revision of the statute laws of the adjutant, which position he filled till about United States, Mr. James was appointed one of the commissioners. With that energy and strict attention to the ap- pointed duty before him which has always distinguished him, he entered upon the work of the office to which he was assigned, and the result shows how faith- ful and industrious he was.
GEN. NOAH L. JEFFRIES,
November 1, 1861, when he was detailed as acting-assistant adjutant-general of the brigade. This rank he held with great credit until March, 1862, when he was commissioned assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of captain in General Wessel's brigade, Casey's division, Fourth army corps, army of the Potomac; the fall succeeding this he was promoted to major, and gallantly served under this title until February, 1863, when he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-col- onel and assigned to duty under General
at present one of the leading attorneys at law in Washington, D. C., was born in Huntingdon county, Penn., in the Juniata valley, December 3, 1828, and descends froni good old Quaker stock, his great- grandfather, Robert Jeffries, having come R. P. Schenk at Baltimore. He was to the country with William Penn. The next detailed as assistant provost-mar- shal-general for Maryland and Delaware, parents of Noah L. having removed to Ohio, the latter was educated at the clas- and given charge of the draft and of the sical school of Wooster, that state, in recruiting service. His next promotion which he finished his literary studies in was to the rank of colonel, in July, 1864, 1847. For several years thereafter he when he was appointed assistant. provost- taught school in Ohio, but during that marshal-general of the United States,
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with headquarters in the war department | maternal great-grandfather, who chris- at Washington, D. C., and there he was tened it "Ridley Park," in honor of his own family name. Here are kept the archives and relics and historical reminis- cences of the Jeffries family, which is of Norman origin and dates back of the Conquest. advanced to the rank of brigadier-gen- eral, but continued to perforni the duties of provost-marshal-general until the close of the war. His active field duty was, however, comparatively brief, but gallant and meritorious. He fought at Williams-
General Jeffries has twice been bound burg, Fair Oaks ( Seven Pines), in a in the blissful ties af matrimony, his first number of skirmishes, and in the seven wife having been Miss Minerva Tidball, days' fight around Richmond, which last daughter of Joseph Tidball of Mansfield, ended his field service, inasmuch as he Ohio. To this union was born a daughter, was sent home to die from what were Henrietta L., who is now happily married thought to be mortal wounds; but he hap- to Col. W. L. Brown of New York city. pily recovered as has been seen, and lived to perform most valuable duty for the government in other positions than that of fighting.
For his second bride the general led to the altar Miss Maria B. Armstrong, née Brown, of Watertown, N. Y., daughter of Hon. Levi H. Brown, and to this felicitous union has also been born a daughter- Rebecca Parsons Jeffries. The general is still full of vigor and retains his early habits of industry and his talent for guiding his assistants, albeit he gives his
In 1865 General Jeffries was appointed on a commission of three to adjust the war claims of West Virginia, and in this service his legal attainments were largely utilized. On the completion of this work in the same year. the general was ap- personal attention to the more important pointed by Governor Swain, of Maryland, details of his extensive practice. inspector-general of the state militia, with the rank of major-general, and in this JOHN O. JOHNSON. capacity he completely reorganized the
This gentleman, although bred to the military branch of the state government. ministry, is nevertheless one of the most Having completed this task, the general active business men of the city of Wash- resigned to accept the office of register ington. In this brief sketch of his varied of the United States treasury, tendered and active life it is not necessary to give him by President Johnson, although that more than a plain narrative of the chief events of his career. He was born in Som- erset county, Penn., November 21, 1846, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Stutzman) Johnson, both natives of the county named above. John O. was responsible position had not been sought nor asked for by General Jeffries. In this office he also displayed his usual ex- ecutive ability, and held it until March, 1869, when he resigned and entered upon his present law practice in Washington, educated at Westmoreland college in which city he makes his residence during preparation for Franklin and Marshall the winter months, his summers being college at Lancaster, from which he graduated in 1868; he then attended the Theological seminary at Mercersburg, passed in his picturesque country home near Philadelphia. This model summer retreat was owned by the general's Penn., and from this he graduated in
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1871. Following this event he was given man, with his hand and brain in constant the charge of St. John's reformed church activity. at Schuylkill Haven, Penn., and for thir- George Johnson, the father of John O.,
teen and a half years filled most faithfully was born in Somerset county, Penn., the position of pastor, building a new March 4, 1814, and is a large landowner church edifice during his pastorate. In in the county, as well as a merchant doing 1884 he went to Norristown, Penn., an extensive business. To him and his where for three years he was in wife (Elizabeth Stutzman, who died in charge of the Church of the Ascension, 1876) were born twelve children, of whom and there, also, he erected an addition eight grew to maturity, as follows: Ella- to the church building. Bronchial nora, wife of Jacob C. Philson; Barbara trouble, or diphtheritic sore throat, now C., Theophilus, John O., George, Emma, so seriously impeded his power of married to B. F. Collins; Irene and Mary. speech that he was compelled to retire The father of George Johnson was named from the active ministry, and in Febru- C., and was there induced to engage of which he has made a success, and which he still follows. In the fall of 1890, at the solicitation of Col. Joseph D. and settled in Shepherdstown (West Va., Taylor, of Ohio, Mr. Johnson undertook
William, who was born in Somerset ary, 1887, he removed to Washington, D. county, Penn., in 1781, married Elizabeth Baker, and died in 1867. The founder of in the real estate and insurance business, the family in America, George Johnson, the father of William, wasa native of Eng- land; when a youth he came to America as it now is termed), espoused the cause the onerous task of establishing the Ohio of the patriots, served throughout the National bank at Washington, and suc- entire Revolutionary war, and then ceeded in collecting funds to the amount settled in Somerset county, Penn., where he married Miss Lohr, and reared a large family of children.
of $200,000 as the capital stock, acting as cashier and manager without compensa- tion, until February, 1891, when the bank
August 2, 1871, Mr. Johnson married opened its doors for business. Mr. John- Katharine Lacey Darlington, daughter son then resigned the position of cashier of Edward C. Darlington and his wife, and was at once elected vice-president, Emily Franklin, daughter of Judge and a member of the board of directors. Walter Franklin, all formerly of Lan- Col. Taylor, the president, being a non. caster, Penn .; but at the time of the resident a large part of the year, Mr marriage Miss Darlington resided in Williamsburg, Va.
Johnson is acting president, and it is needless to say that he is now performing
One of Mrs. Johnson's maternal an- the functions of these offices with great cestors, Walter Franklin, had the honor executive ability. Mr. Johnson is also a of loaning his mansion in New York to director in the Washington Improvement George Washington as his residence dur- & Investment company, director in the ing the inauguration ceremonies in 1789. Meridian Investment company, was one Franklin Square, N. Y., derived its name of the originators of the Lincoln fire in- from the family. Mrs. Johnson's paternal surance company, and it will thus be seen great-grandfather, Gen. Lacey, was with that he is a thoroughly practical business Gen. Washington at Valley Forge. Her
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grandfather, Dr. William Darlington of the Corcoran art gallery, and chairman West Chester, Pa., was well known in of its committee on works of art. To scientific circles both in Europe and him the capital city and country are in- America as an enthusiastic botanist.
debted for one of its most interesting
To the congenial union of Mr. and features, the National museum, for he Mrs. Johnson have been born four child- first conceived the idea, and urged it with effect.
ren: Emily Franklin, Edward Darling- ton, Elizabeth Eleanor, and Mary Emlen, who add sunshine to the parental resi- dence at College park - a fine homestead, which Mr. Johnson has recently pur- chased - already picturesque and pleas- ant, and where the happy hours are passed away.
S. H. KAUFFMANN,
who, as president of the Evening Star Newspaper company, has general direc- tion of its affairs, was born in Wayne county, Ohio. He learned the printing business, and has been, with the excep- tion of two comparatively brief intervals, connected with journalism all his life, first in Ohio, and at present at Washing- ton, where he became one of the pro- prietors of the Star in 1867. Since then, except during seven or eight years when he was either traveling abroad, or con- nected with the editorial departinent of the paper, he has been president and general manager of the company, but always contributing largely to its editorial and art and literary columns. He is vice- president of the American Newspaper Publishers' association. Although thor- oughly devoted to his business, Mr. Kauffmann has found time to become well known in other spheres of life as well. His journeyings, to which allusion has been made, have covered two visits to the Pacific coast and extended into Europe, Asia, and Africa. He has always been fond of, and is within his means a liberal patron of art. He is a trustee of
Mr. Kauffmann is connected with most of the organizations in Washington calcu- lated to develop intellectual and social activities. He is a member of the Cos- mos and Union clubs, being president of the latter, also a member of the Literary, the Philosophical, the Geographic, and Anthropological societies of Washington, and of the American Geographic so- ciety of New York. He is an enthusiastic angler and a member of the Oquassoc Angling association of Maine, of the Percy Summer club of New Hampshire, of the Woodmont Rod and Gun club of Maryland, and of the American Fisheries society.
The marriage of Mr. Kauffmann took place, 1852, to Miss Sarah Clark Fracker, daughter of John T. Fracker, of Zanes- ville, Ohio, but a native of Boston, and this union was favored with six children, three of whom are living, viz: Rudolph, Victor, and Louise. Both the sons are connected with the editorial department of the Star. ( See sketch of Crosby S. Noyes, this volume.) Mr. Kauffman is of Austrian descent, his great-grand- father, Benjamin, having come from that, his native land, prior to the American revolution and having made settlement in Pennsylvania. Rudolph Kauffmann, the son of Benjamin and father of S. H. Kauffmann, was born in Lancaster county, Penn., was a farmer, and married Jane Hay, of York county, in the same state. Mr. Kauffman entertains his friends hos- pitably in a roomy and comfortable house
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on Massachusetts avenue, filled with In 1865, he was appointed by Mr. Lincoln books and pictures, every nook and collector of the port of New Orleans, his corner of which bears some evidence of the good taste of its owner. commission having been signed by Mr. Lincoln on the day he was assassinated. He served as collector at New Orleans HON. WILLIAM PITT KELLOGG, until July, 1868, when he was elected to the United States senate by the first re- publican state government under the reconstruction act of congress. In June, 1872, he was nominated for governor by the regular republican party -Warmoth, who had been elected governor in the spring of 1868, having abandoned the party,declaring for Greeley,and coalescing with the democratic party, who had nom- inated John McEnery for governor. Mr. Kellogg resigned his seat in the senate and made an active canvass of the state, receiving a majority of the votes upon the face of the returns, but as the returning board had been appointed by Governor Warmoth, an attempt was made to change the returns and declare McEnery governor. This the republicans opposed. They appealed to the courts and secured an injunction against the proceedings of the board under the enforcement act of 1871. The case was heard finally upon its merits before Judge Durell and a decision rendered in Mr. Kellogg's favor. The regular republican legislature chosen with Mr. Kellogg convened in legislative ses- sion, as did also the legislature claimed to have been elected by the democrats. Kellogg was regularly inaugurated at the state house in January, 1873. John Mc- Enery set up a government, and his legis- lature assembled at Odd Fellows' hall, New Orleans. During the winter of 1873, a committee of congress held an investi- gation regarding the case, and a bill was reported by a minority of the committee recommending another election, but it
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