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 32
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 32
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"Upon the inauguration of the work in and on the 26th of March, 1889, he was Richmond, he was made one of the trust- appointed, succeeding General John C.
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Black. In his arguments before the after a little more than six months' incum- soldiers and citizens of Indiana in behalf bency of the office, he placed his resigna- of General Harrison's election to the tion in the hands of the president and presidency, Mr. Tanner took as his key- retired. Soon after he commenced busi- note a sentence from a memorable speech ness in Washington as a prosecutor of made by General Harrison, in which that claims, which business has developed into gentleman declared, in speaking of our large proportions, and is eminently suc- veteran soldiers, that "it was no time to cessful.
use the apothecary's scales when you came to weigh the services of the men who saved the nation." Mr. Tanner's activity in the Grand Army of the Repub- lic, and familiarity with old soldiers in many states, had brought him into close contact with much of the suffering which existed among them, and when he went into the office as commissioner of pen- sions it was with the determination to do what the law permitted to relieve that suffering, and to live up to the promises made on the platform in the presidential
"By nature Mr. Tanner is a positive, out- spoken man, obedient to his convictions of right without regard to expediency or popularity; such a man is sure to have in the end the confidence, respect and sup- port of his fellows. With an abiding faith in the final triumph of the right in all questions, he has learned to labor and to wait. Being yet a young man, there is doubtless a brilliant future before him, if his life and health are spared."
RUFUS HILDRETH THAYER.
Forensic talent in the city of Washing- ton has no better exemplification than campaign. He found a vast number of that furnished by the rising and energetic soldiers on the pension rolls who received young attorney whose name is given the mere pittance of from two to four above. He was born in Michigan in 1849, family that dates its existence on this continent ever since the year 1630. In that year three Thayer brothers came over from England, and settled in Mas- sachusetts, and from one of these, Thomas Thayer, Rufus H. is a lineal descendant through Rufus Thayer, his father, who was born in Massachusetts in 1799, but who went to Michigan in 1822, and there underwent all the hardships of pioneer life, but also enjoyed its pleasures and un- limited freedom, and wrought out a home for himself from the almost boundless wilderness. He married Hersilora Utley, a native of Vermont, who shared with him a life of liberty and toil. Rufus Thayer was a captain of militia in the Indian war and in the " Toledo" war, and dollars per month. He took the ground but descends from an old New England the day he went into office that a man was entitled to more than two dollars per month, or he was not entitled to any pen- sion at all, and he refused to issue a cer- tificate for a less sum than four dollars a month. He proceeded to cut red-tape wherever it could be done under the law, and with justice to the soldier, but it was soon evident that some of his superiors in office had no idea of carrying out the promises made during the campaign, and were determined to save the surplus to the treasury, even at the expense of justice to the nation's defenders. This, in con- nection with a man of Mr. Tanner's posi- tive convictions and determined action, soon produced a friction which rendered office holding on his part very disagreea- ble, and on the 12th of September, 1889, died in 1888. His father was also named 30
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Rufus and was born in Massachusetts, East Braintree being the old family seat.
Rufus H. Thayer passed his earlier years on the farm, and had his sinews de- veloped and strengthened by hard work and his brain quickened by an abundance of fresh air. At the proper age and after the necessary preparatory study he en- tered the university of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and graduated in 1870, with the degrees of A. B. and M. A. At Washing- ton, D. C., he took a law course, in the Columbian university, which course was completed in 1873; nevertheless, he had been admitted to the bar of the District of Columbia in 1872, and begun practice in Washington. In 1874 he was made attor- ner of the supervising architect of the United States treasury department, which responsible position (as third in rank and carrying a large part of the executive work) he held until 1884, when he re- sumed the practice of his profession. In 1885 he was admitted to practice in the United States supreme court and has now a large clientage. He was a member of the board of trustees of public schools from 1889 to 1891, and is the present judge advocate-general of militia of the District of Columbia.
CAPTAIN AMMI AMERY THOMAS,
removed to Kansas in 1872, where he con tinued the practice of law, receiving in the same year the appointment of register of the United States land office at Cawker City, and afterward at Kirwin, continuing here until 1877, removing the same year to Washington, where he practiced as an attorney before the departments, though confining himself principally to business connected with the general land office and the interior department. He prosecuted with signal ability and success some of the most important land contest cases that the department was ever called upon to consider, some involving vast tracts of the public domain and others involving titles to town sites worth millions of dollars. Gradually relinquishing his practice be- fore the general land office because of the general falling off of business in that bureau, he turned his attention to such active pursuits as invited investment, and with the capital he had accumulated soon became a stockholder in the United States Electric Lighting company, the Second National bank, the Metropolitan Railroad company the Brightwood Rail- way company (of which he was the origi- nator) and other enterprises. His keen perception and shrewd insight into the proper management of corporate enter- prises like these were not long in causing a demand for his active participation in their control, for he at once became a director in the United States Electric Lighting company, of which he is now the
one of the prominent financiers and capi- talists of Washington city, was born in Alexander, Genesee county, N. Y., August 29, 1847. He was educated at Middlebury academy, N. Y., and St. John's academy, president, a director in the Second Nashotah, Wis. He studied law in Mil- National bank, and, prior to its sale to waukee, Wis., and was admitted to the another company, president of the Bright- wood Railway company. He is also the president of the Creosote Lumber and Construction company at Fernandina, Fla., beside being the general manager of bar in 1872. He had been previously appointed assistant United States marshal of Wisconsin, and served as such in 1870 and 1871. He married Elizabeth Parks of Oconomowoc, Wis., August 8, 1869, and the Carolina Oil and Creosote company,
a. a. Hurmax
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engaged in the same character of business |in 1755, commissary-general in 1758, and at Wilmington, N. C. He is a director in a deputy from Stonington in the Connec- ticut general assembly from 1760 to 1771. The monument at Groton, Conn., bears the names of his two brothers who were slain at the Fort Griswold massacre in 1781, with the names also of those belong- ing to collateral branches of the family. the Metropolitan Railroad company of Washington city, a director and large stockholder in the Atlantic Building com- pany, president of the Inter-Ocean Build- ing company, and one of the three project- ors and owners of the mammoth struct- ure now occupied by the Washington city post office. These, with other enter- prises of a minor character, demand the most active energies and an exhaustless mental capacity for their successful management, and in Capt. Thomas these qualities find full development.
Amery Thomas, father of Capt. A. A. Thomas, was born at Skaneatles, N. Y., in 1800, and died in 1886. He was a lawyer, and practiced principally in Bata- via, N. Y., and McHenry, Ill. He married Flora Butler, daughter of Dr. A. R. R. Butler, a noted physician of Genesee county, N. Y., and to them were born four children, of whom three survive, as fol- lows: Julia, wife of Edwin Jesup; Mary, unmarried, and A. A. Thomas.
His military career began in June, 1861, two months after the rebellion commenced, when he enlisted in company A, Twenty- eighth Wisconsin infantry, being then less than fifteen years of age. After a period Abial Thomas, grandfather of Capt. Thomas, was born in Boston, Mass. He married a Miss Nancy Stanton. The great-grandfather of A. A. Thomas was Job Thomas, who was born in New Lon- don, Conn., and was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war. The captain's maternal grandmother was Matilda Stone, who was married to Dr. A. R. R. Butler, who was in the war of 1812. Matilda was a cousin of the late President Arthur. The ma- ternal grandfather of Mrs. Elizabeth (Parks) Thomas was Nathaniel Gorham, a signer of the constitution, who presided over the constitutional convention in 1787. He also saw service in the Revolution. Her great-grandfather Parks was a colo- nel on Gen. Washington's staff. of service in this command he enlisted in company A, Thirty-ninth Wisconsin, in May, 1864; August following was taken prisoner and detained in confinement in Alabama until February 22, 1865, or over five months, when he was paroled. He was finally mustered out of the service in March, 1865. That Captain Thomas came from fighting stock is evinced by the genealogical history of his ancestors on both sides. His paternal grandfather was an officer in the last war with Eng- land (1812-15), and fought in eleven en- gagements on our Northern frontier. He was severely wounded at Queenstown Heights, was taken prisoner of war at Lundy's Lane, and kept eleven months as such, suffering the untold miseries to which all American prisoners were then JOSEPH FORD THOMPSON, M. D. subject who were unfortunate enough to In the list of names of the many emi- nent physicians who reside in Washington, D. C., the name of Dr. J. Ford Thomp- fall into the hands of the British. The father of this ancestor of the captain was a lieutenant in the expedition to Cape son holds a conspicuous place. He comes Breton in 1745, a captain at Crown Point from an old Maryland family, and was
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born in that state, in St. Mary's county, about 1872, when he was transferred to the chair of surgery, which he still holds. On the opening of the Garfield Memorial hospital he was appointed its surgeon, and about the same year was appointed surgeon to the Children's hospital, still March 20, 1837, and is a son of Charles Thompson, also a native of St. Mary's county, born in 1802. Charles Thompson was a planter, but filled many of the county offices, being quite a popular gen- tleman in his community. His marriage retaining both positions. In 1887 he was took place, in 1834, to Ann Eliza Yates, appointed surgeon to the Emergency of St. Mary's, and his death occurred in 1884. Of his four children, Noma is the| wife of Dr. M. V. Bogan, of Washington, D. C .; Dr. J. Ford Thompson is the sub- ject proper of this sketch; Dr. Benedict Thompson married Miss Alice Lawn, of Baltimore, Md., but is now deceased, and the youngest child is Charles Thompson, a lawyer in active practice in Washing- ton. The father of Charles Thompson, Sr., was named Thomas, and he, also, was born in St. Mary's county, Md., married there, and became the father of four chil- dren, viz: Charles, Thomas, Macy and Emma. hospital, but three years later resigned. He is also one of the surgeons to Colum- bia Hospital for Women. Dr. Thomp- son has made two trips to Europe for the purpose of improving his knowledge of surgery. The year 1872 he passed in Paris at the hospitals, and in 1882-3 he passed eighteen months in Europe, prin- cipally in Vienna, adding materially to his already extensive store of scientific knowledge, and he now confines his prac- tice to surgery. He is a member of the American Medical association, American Surgical association, and of the Medical association of the District of Columbia and of Washington. The doctor was united in wedlock, in 1860, with Miss Marion V. Greeves, daughter of the late John Greeves, of Washington, and their union has been blessed by the birth of three children: Anna Noma, Marion V., and J. Ford Thompson, Jr.
Dr. J. Ford Thompson received his preparatory education at the Rittenhouse academy, Washington, and studied medi- cine at the university of Maryland, from which he graduated in 1857, and immedi- ately settled in Washington, and for two years practiced his profession in partner- ship with his brother-in-law, Dr. M. V. Bogan. He then opened an office of his own, and was in private practice until April, 1861, when he entered the Federal service as acting assistant surgeon, hold- ing the position four years, principally on hospital duty at Washington. In 1864 he was appointed surgeon to the Providence hospital at Washington, and until 1876 held that position and also continued to carry on his private practice. In 1864, also, he was appointed professor of an- atomy in the National Medical college at Washington and filled the chair until
WILLIAM BAKER THOMPSON,
attorney-at-law and real estate dealer of Washington, D. C., was born in Fort Ed- ward, N. Y., in 1838, and is a descendant of one of the oldest families of New England, being able to trace his line back five American generations to John Thompson, who was born in England and came to America with his father, An- thony, who was born in Coventry, Eng- land, and came over with Gov. Eton's colony, which settled in New Haven, Conn., in 1638, Anthony being one of the
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signers of the colony constitution of that ington. This office he held until the latter now populous city. From John descended part of President Arthur's administration, when he was appointed second assistant postmaster-general, and served in this ca- Samuel, who was born in New Haven, and from Samuel descended a second Samuel, who was also born in New pacity until the inauguration of Cleve- Haven, and from this Samuel descended land, when he resigned and engaged in Caleb, who was born in Dutchess county, his present business of dealing in real N. Y., and from Caleb descended Judah, estate, in which traffic he now stands also born in Dutchess county, N. Y .; he among the leaders. In 1883 Mr. Thomp- was a lieutenant in the war of 1812, mar- son was married to Miss Emma Key, ried Mary Harris, and died in 1826. daughter of Postmaster-general Key. From Judah descended Israel, the father of William Baker Thompson. Israel JOSEPH M. TONER, M. D. Thompson was born in Fort Ann, N. Y.,
Joseph Meredith Toner, M. D., of Wash- in 1803, was a civil engineer and farmer, ington, D. C., was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., married Martha A. Baker, and died in 1 890.
April 30, 1825. He is the elder of two sons, the only surviving children of Mere- parents were natives of the state of Penn-
William Baker Thompson was educated dith and Ann (Layton) Toner. Both his preliminarily in the common schools of Washington county, N. Y., and this edu- sylvania. His father grew up in Lancas- cation was supplemented by a course of ter county, and was raised to agriculture. His mother, Ann, daughter of James Lay- ton, was born in Fayette county, near the present site of Layton station, on the Con- nellsville railroad.
study at the college in Fort Edward. Leaving the latter institution in 1857 he taught school one winter, and in the spring went to Chemung county, where he resided until 1862, and then went to Michigan and entered the Eleventh Michigan cavalry as second lieutenant; after several actions he was promoted to be first lieutenant, and then to a cap- taincy, but declined to accept commission in the latter capacity and served through
Dr. Toner received his early education at the common schools of the city of Pitts- burgh, and of Westmoreland county, his childhood being passed partly in each of these localities. Subsequently he attended the Western Pennsylvania university for a year, and was then sent to Mount St. the war until September, 1865, as first Mary's college, where he continued his lieutenant, with which rank he was mus- studies for two years longer, but left with- tered out. After the war he engaged in out having completed a classical course. the real estate business at Hudson, Mich., After this he engaged in mercantile pur- until 1867, when he embarked in banking suits for a short time, but as his mind at the same place, and still holds his in- developed he was gradually led to a recog- terest therein. In 1868 Mr. Thompson nition of a preference for the medical was appointed to a position in the railroad profession.
In the autumn of 1847 he began the
mail service, in which he served in vari- ous capacities until 1878, when he was study of medicine with Dr. John Lowman, appointed general superintendent of the the leading physician of Johnstown. Penn. railroad mail service, and settled in Wash- The office of his preceptor offered excep-
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tionally good opportunities for a certain | much of the literature on cholera, yellow class of clinical instruction. It was usual in those days for the senior student to compound his preceptor's prescriptions, to assist in surgical operations, and occasion- ally to visit with him the sick-room.
Dr. Toner attended his first course of lectures at the Jefferson Medical college in Philadelphia in the winter of 1849-50. At the close of this term, he entered (March 1, 1850) the Vermont Medical college at Woodstock, and received the degree of doctor of medicine from this institution in June, 1850. In July of this year he began to practice at Summitville, a village of about 350 or 400 inhabitants, situated at the summit of the Alleghany mountains, on the Portage railroad, in Cambria county, Penn.
As might be expected on heavy railroad work, such as that on this mountain, many accidents occurred, requiring prompt sur- gical interference, much of which fell to his care. This led him for the time to give a preference to surgery, and induced him to spend another winter in Philadel- phia, to further perfect himself in that branch. After attending this, a third course of lectures, he received the degree of M. D. from Jefferson Medical college, in the spring of 1853. In the fall of the same year he removed to the city of Pitts- burgh, and was in practice there during the cholera epidemic of 1854.
At the earnest invitation of a college friend, the Hon. William Walsh, now of Cumberland, Md., he removed in 1855 to Harper's Ferry, Va., but a residence of six months convinced him that the place was too small for any considerable profes- sional advancement. He accordingly took up his present residence in Washington on the 7th of November, 1855.
He has succeeded in bringing together
fever, and the other epidemics which have visited our country. The local histories of cities, towns, counties, and of the states as they contain much medical biography, accounts of local epidemics and topo- graphical information, are for this reason included in his library. His collection of American medical journals is the most complete in the country, except that of the library of the surgeon-general and that of Dr. Purple, of New York.
He conceived the idea of forming a sub- ject index of the contents of all the Amer- ican medical journals, and has completed the task up to 1870, covering sixty-five complete files, thus greatly increasing their value for reference. This index in- cludes everything of importance contained in them, whether original or selected mat- ter, and thus differs from a somewhat sim- ilar work which is being carried on by Dr. Billings of the surgeon-general's office. Dr. Toner's work is an index, properly so-called, which will be of special value to all possessors of files of the leading Amer- ican medical periodicals, while the work of Dr. Billings is rather a catalogue of all original papers alone in medical journals of all languages.
Dr. Toner has been an active collector of the contributions of American medical authors, particularly those of early date. He has also paid attention to the collec- tion of reports and transactions of state and local medical societies, the publica- tions of various boards of health, and other matters pertaining in any wise to medical and sanitary science. His library has always been at the service of the pro- fession of Washington. In 1865, on the appearance of cholera in the United States, the doctor published a list of the works in his collection treating upon this disease,
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and tendered their use to the profession. ment is appreciated by all the leading He had numerous applications from a members and friends of progressive medi- distance; the books were sent by mail or cine throughout the United States. by express as required. They were all returned without loss or injury.
Prompted by a desire to encourage students to aspire to a higher and more scientific education in the profession, and being impressed with the idea that much remains to be effected for the encourage- ment of special and original studies, per- haps through other means than those in vogue, Dr. Toner founded in 1872, by en-
Shortly after locating in Washington, Dr. Toner became connected with the Medical society, and also with the Medi- cal association of the District of Columbia, and has been an active co-laborer in them, and has been honored by them with their highest offices. On retiring from the dowment, the "Toner lectures," to con- presidency of the Medical society, in 1870, sist of a series of discoveries, memoirs or in accordance with the usage of that body, lectures, which "should contain some new he read an address in which he discussed the vital statistics of the United States from the foundation of the government to 1870. A synopsis of the part of this paper which related to population was published with plates and diagrams by the bureau of education, in 1872.
truth or discovery, based on original in- vestigation," which were, if approved, to be published. Six lectures have already been delivered. They have all been ac- cepted for publication "as additions to knowledge," and printed by the Smithson- ian institution. This is the first attempt to endow a course of lectures based on the conditions of adding new facts for the advancement of medicine.
With the same philanthropic desire to induce students to work on original lines of investigation and by experiment, and to make discoveries, to promote laudable emulation among them, he has furnished a gold medal for the students of Jeffer- son Medical college, this medal to be awarded for the best thesis embodying the results of original investigation, ex- periment or research, in some branch of medical science.
As evidencing the consideration Dr. Toner has given to the efficient working of the American Medical association, we will allude to his action, in 1865, in pro- posing an amendment to the plan of or- ganization, which secured an increased annual assessment on each member. This furnishes a fund that enables the society to pay all its current expenses, including rent of a meeting hall and the publication of its transactions. Harassing appeals for additional contributions and the de- pendence upon eleemosynary aid from members and from the profession at the localities visited, were thus dispensed He has also, for some years past, placed at the disposal of the faculty of the uni- versity of Georgetown, D. C., a medal to be awarded at the annual commencement to the student showing the greatest pro- ficiency in the natural and physical sciences. with, thereby elevating the society at once to the plane of an independent and self-sustaining body, and making it a wel- come visitor to every city. His counsel for good in the affairs of the association is not confined to this measure alone, but may be seen in nearly every volume of Dr. Toner's attention has been drawn the society's transactions, and his judg- to the study of preventive medicine. Be-
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ginning in 1865 with the consideration of compulsory vaccination, he followed with papers on cholera, yellow fever, and other contagious diseases. Later he published his "Dictionary of Elevations and Cli- matic Register," a convenient repository of facts of value to writers in studying the geographical distribution of disease.
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