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 34
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 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65
was born February 10, 1829, in Mantua, Italy, where he received his collegiate education. As the Lombardo-Venitian kingdom was under the sway of the em- peror of Austria, young Tullio Verdi, in 1848, joined the Sardinian army in its at- tempt to drive Austria from Italy. In 1849, at the battle of Novarra, the Sar- dinian army was defeated and Austria remained in possession. Now Austria Dr. T. de S. Verdi has been married twice; first, in 1860, to Rebecca Denny, daughter of Dr. William H. Denny, of Pittsburgh, Penn., by whom he had four children, two of whom survive, viz: Sophie Wilkins, wife of Alfred J. Weston, of New York, and Denny, now a medical student. Mrs. Verdi died September 8, 1869, and the doctor remarried in 1873- Miss Natalie- Louise Sunderland, daughter of Judge Thomas Sunderland, of San Francisco, Cal., becoming his wife. exiled all Lombards who took arms against her, and Tullio de S. Verdi, being one of these, came to this country. He landed in New York at the age of twenty- one, and in a few weeks was invited to go to Providence, R. I., to teach modern lan- guages. There he took up his residence, and succeeded so far that in 1852 he was offered the chair of modern languages in Brown university of that city, which he unhesitatingly accepted. While thus en- gaged he studied medicine with the most Dr. Tullio de Suzzara-Verdi is of noble distinguished physician of that state, Dr. descent and traces his pedigree backward Howard Okie. After several years of through many centuries. From the " An-
334
PERSONAL SKETCHES - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
nuario della Nobilita Italiana, 1885"| (the annual registry of the Italian court of heraldry), we find that this family originated in Viadana, Lombardy, in 1413, Pasino Verdi being the head of the family-a man held in great considera- tion, being one of the lieutenants of Prince Gonzaga, of Mantua. From him came Biagio and Antonio, and among the most distinguished of the family was Giacomo, a jurist of great renown, who zara-Verdi is the author of "Maternity," a medical treatise for young wives and mothers; of "Mothers and Daughters," a treatise on hygiene for the preservation of the health of girls; of the "Infant Philosopher," a philosophical satire on the way of raising babies, and of the recent issue, "Popular Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases." He is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy, of the American Public Health association, became governor of the province. an honorary member of the Philadelphos Another one, Alessandro, was bishop of Societa Medicina of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Castellamare di Stabia in the sixteenth of the Trinity Historical society of Dallas, century. Another, Alessandro, was lieu- tenant of the Broken Lances of Ferdi- nand Carlo, last duke of Mantua. The doctor traces his line from Antonio-a Tex. He is an ex-president of the Homeopathic Medical society of the Dis- trict of Columbia, honorary correspond- ing member of the Italian Chamber of line of nobility which has continued un- Commerce of New York, etc., etc. He broken and uncorrupted to this day. The is also president of the alumni of the doctor's descent is authenticated by the Pennsylvania Homeopathic college. In official register of the nobility of Italy, 1890 he was knighted by King Humbert, issued annually. His father was Carlo of Italy, with the title of "Cavaliere de Suzzara-Verdi, who was born in Man- della Corona d'Italia."
tua, Italy, in 1808, and died in the same city in 1864. Carlo married Matilde Dall' THE WAGGAMAN FAMILY. Acqua, from whom six children were In the land office at Annapolis, Md., is found the record that, on the 20th of December, 1743, Capt. Henry Wagga- man patented 436 acres of land, called Waggaman's purchase, in Somerset county, Md. Said Henry Waggaman, who at this time settled in the province of Maryland, was the son of Jonathan Waggaman of England, and Margaret, daughter of Col. William Elliott of the British army. His uncle, Lieut. George Granville Waggaman, was appointed a general in the Dutch service and married a Scotch lady of large fortune, named Miss Duchette. Capt. Henry Waggaman born, viz .: Angelica (deceased), Paride, lawyer, poet and editor (deceased), An- nibale (civil engineer), Teodoro (surgeon in Cremona, Italy), Tullio (the subject of this sketch), Ciro, (physician, who mar- ried Miss Carrie Minturn, of New York, and who died in Florence, Italy, in 1888). Teodoro and Ciro, both exiled by Austria, came to join their brother Tullio in America, the former in 1852, the latter in 1854. Teodoro returned to Italy in 1858 to join Gen. Garibaldi in the war for the freedom of Italy. Ciro remained here, served as lieutenant in the One Hundred and First New York volunteers in 1862, was born in 1709, came to America in then as assistant surgeon in the army to early manhood, and married Mary, the end of the war. Dr. Tullio de Suz- daughter of Levin Woolford of Somer-
Ну Шagg an
337
PERSONAL SKETCHES - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
set. A merchant captain for some years, he abandoned this calling to enter politi- cal life. He was elected delegate from Somerset county to the lower house of assembly, in which he served honorably unmarried.
died in 1809, leaving a widow, three sons -- Thomas Ennalls, George Augustus, and Henry Pierpont -and a daughter, Eliza, who was born in 1784, and died in 1866, for three terms.
Thomas Ennalls Waggaman, the eldest son of Henry Waggaman, was born in 1770, and married, in 1805, Martha Jeffer- son Tyler, the sister of President Tyler;
Among his contemporaries in public life were his younger brother, Ephraim, who was commissioned on the 7th of October, 1745, as associate justice in the he died in 1832 and was buried at Green- county court of Worcester; and his cousin, way, the homestead of Governor Tyler Charles Elliott, attorney-general of the of Virginia. He left a widow and seven
province of North Carolina, whose tomb in Newbern bears the inscription, "An honest lawyer indeed." Family papers of this date include letters from Henry's elder brother, William Elliott, who was
children, viz: John H., George Granville, Mary Agnes, Ann Countess, Mary Stephenson, Floyd and Sarah.
George Augustus, second son of Henry Waggaman and Sarah Ennalls, was born engaged in the East Indian service, and in Maryland in 1782. Hè left his native after much adversity accumulated a large state in 1810 and settled in Louisiana, fortune- and sends a Saloan stone to where he married Marie Camille Arnoult. the American head of the family " on He was successively district judge, which to have his coat of arms cut."
Capt. Henry Waggaman died at his of representatives, and state senator, home Monie, at the head of Monie Creek, Md., in 1761, leaving a large estate to be excitement, was elected to the United divided among his four sons - named John Elliott, William Elliott, Henry and George, of whom all, with the exception of Henry, died without issue.
secretary of state, member of the house and finally, during a time of high party States senate, where he and Mr. Webster sat side by side. He was appointed by Mr. Tyler minister to the court of St. James, but his appointment was defeated by the senate. He died from the effects of a wound received in a duel with Mr. Denis Prieur, at that time mayor of New Orleans. The papers of the day speak of him as one of the veterans who served under the old hero of Chalmette, when the British were driven from the Cres-
Henry Waggaman, third son of Henry and Mary Waggaman, was born in 1758. He married Sarah, daughter of Col. Thomas Ennalls of Dorchester county, province of Maryland. A lawyer by pro- fession, he was one of the delegates from Somerset to the provincial meeting of deputies in November, 1774, was elected cent city, and as a brave soldier, learned delegate from Dorchester county in 1781, judge, a wise statesman and legislator. and re-elected in 1785; was one of the Senator Waggaman left a widow and commissioners appointed by the state to six children: Henry St. John, Marie accept the constitution of the United Christine, Eugene, Isabelle Mathilde, States in 1787, and was a candidate for Mary Camille, Eliza Georgianna. congress in 1804, but *was defeated by
Dr. Henry Pierpont Waggaman, the Mr. Goldsborough of Cambridge. He third son of Henry Waggaman and 32
3,38
PERSONAL SKETCHES-DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Sarah Ennalls, was born in 1785. He / she entered the convent of the Visitation, married Eliza Cropper of Dorchester Georgetown, where she still lives. county, Md., and their children were Catherina, Virginia and John Cropper.
John H. Waggaman, son of Thomas E. Waggaman and Martha Jefferson Tyler, was born in 1808. He married Lydia, daughter of Samuel Smoot of the District of Columbia. He studied law under his uncle, President John Tyler, and in the office of Hon. Wm. Wirt, and for thirty years held a position in the general land office. He died in 1881, leaving a widow and four sons: Thomas Ennalls, Dr. Samuel, Henry Pierpont and John Floyd, and one daughter, Martha Tyler, all of whom reside in the city of Washington.
Major George Granville Waggaman, the second son of Thomas E. Waggaman and Martha Jefferson Tyler, was born in 1816. He married a Mrs. Kennedy of St. Louis; their union was without issue. Major Waggaman, who was a graduate of West Point, and served honorably in the Florida and Mexican wars, died in 1884. Of him a friendly biographer writes: "With his keen insight into character, his large experience of men, Major Waggaman was one of the most interesting companions I have ever met."
Floyd Waggaman, third son
of Thomas E. Waggaman and Martha J. Tyler, was born in 1820; he served as purser in the U. S. frigate Macedonia, and died in 1857, unmarried. His sisters, Mary Agnes, Mary Stephenson and Ann Countess, also died in early life.
Henry St. John Waggaman, eldest son of Senator George A. Waggaman and Camille Arnoult, was born in 1819, and married Adele Bujac, of Philadelphia, Penn.
Marie Christine Waggaman, daughter of Senator George A. Waggaman and Marie Camille Arnoult, married John Sandfield MacDonald, chief justice and premier of Ontario, Canada.
Isabelle Mathilde, daughter of Senator Waggaman and Marie Camille Arnoult, was born in 1829, and married Judge Henry Duplessis Ogden of New Orleans.
Mary Camille, third daughter of Sena- tor Waggaman and Marie Camille Ar- noult, was born in 1831 and died in 1849. Eliza Georgianna, fifth child of the same, was born in 1835, married Mr. John R. Conway, and died in 1867.
Col. Eugene Waggaman, second son of Senator George Waggaman and Marie Camille Arnoult, was born in 1826, and married, in 1852, Felicie Sauve, of Louis- iana.
Col. Waggaman commanded the Tenth Louisiana volunteers during the late war. His gallantry in the field of battle, his courage under defeat, have fully sustained the motto beneath the family coat of arms:
" Je m'élève au dessus de l'adversité."
Jonathan Waggaman, of London, Eng- land, married Margaret Elliott, daughter of Col. William Elliott, of the British army; by this union two daughters and three sons were born. One of the daugh- ters married a Mr. Burroughs, the other
Sarah Waggaman, the youngest daugh- ter of Thomas E. Waggaman, married John Baptist Cantatore, of Italy - a gen- tleman of rare attainments. During the a Mr. Bishop; the latter was a lawyer in administration of her uncle, Mr. Tyler, good standing and practice. The three she assisted in the hospitalities of the sons were Henry, William Elliott, and White house. After her husband's death Ephraim.
- -
34I
PERSONAL SKETCHES-DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
John Elliott Waggaman, Henry's eldest gives almost a complete history of the son, seems to have been sent to Philadel- family. His inquiries after each member phia to school and died while there; his of the family are concise and a very satisfactory evidence of all the parties herein named. It was dated June 24th, 1746, Pasquotank, North Carolina. remains were brought to Monie. William Elliott Waggaman, the second son, died in early manhood; Henry, the third son, lived to perpetuate the name; George, the fourth son, died without issue. MR. BRAINARD H. WARNER,
Captain William Elliott Waggaman seems to have been, from his own letters, engaged in the East India service; after much adversity, he writes his brother, Captain Henry Waggaman, that he has succeeded beyond his most sanguine ex- pectations in accumulating a fortune, and hoped to have the pleasure of seeing him. This is from a letter dated Canton, Dec. 28th, 1744, in which he speaks of a Saloan stone he has sent him, on which he may have his "coat of arms cut. After which you will please send to me the impres- sion." In all the letters between the two brothers there is an earnest appeal to those ties of kinship which are rarely evinced in the 19th century.
Captain Elliott Waggaman died in Calcutta the 14th of July, 1748, leaving most of his estate to his brother Henry, with certain bequests to his brother Ephraim. Lieut .- Col. George Granville Desiring to avail himself of the greater advantages offered by the national capital to complete his education, in about a year and a half Mr. Warner returned to Wash- ington, resumed his former position in the treasury department, at the same time Waggaman, younger brother of Jona- than Waggaman and uncle of Captain Henry Wagganan of Somerset county, province of Maryland, was appointed a general in the Dutch service, at which time he married a Scotch lady of fortune, entering Columbian university law school. name unknown.
About this time Charles Elliott, attor- ney-general of the province of North Carolina, writes to his first cousin, Captain Henry Waggaman of Somerset county, province of Maryland, that his office has just been conferred upon him by the gov- ernor of the province. In this letter he business for himself. In 1876 was erected
president of The Washington Loan and Trust company, was born in Great Bend, a small town in the northern part of Pennsylvania, in the year 1847. When about sixteen years of age he came to Washington, where he obtained a clerk- ship in the Judiciary Square hospital. After four months' service in that position, he was promoted and transferred to the war department, then located in the old building on the corner of Seventeenth street and Pennsylvania avenue. Here he remained until December, 1866, when he entered the treasury department. Six months later he was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue for the ninth district of Pennsylvania, with headquar- ters at Lancaster. At this time he began the study of law in the office of the late Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, then the repre- sentative in congress for that district.
. Soon after his graduation from that school, in 1869, Mr. Warner decided to abandon the profession of law and to enter upon a business career. He accordingly became a member of the real estate firm of Joshua Whitney & Co., and subsequently, at the death of Mr. Whitney, began the same
342
PERSONAL SKETCHES - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
the well known building, No. 916 F street, northwest, then the finest structure on that street, which is still occupied by the firm of B. H. Warner & Co., the active management of whose business Mr. War- ner entrusts to his associates, although his interest in its prosperity remains una- bated and he gives it his continued ad- vice and supervision. Mr. Warner organized the Columbia National bank, and was elected its president, which office he continued to fill for more than four years, until his resignation in 1891, that he might devote his undivided time and energy to the upbuilding of the financial institution of which he is now the head, and of which he was also the founder -- the Washington Loan and Trust com- pany.
Although a busy hard-working man, Mr. Warner has found time to take prac- tical interest in many institutions of the District of Columbia as well as all pro- jects for its welfare and advancement. This is particularly true of religious and charitable work. The mere mention of a few of the positions he has filled, in ad- dition to those already named, such as member and president of the school board, president of the Young Men's Christian association, president of the Red Cross Auxiliary association for the District of Columbia, president of Central dispensary and Emergency hospital, and various other positions in connection with such institutions, serves to show in what directions Mr. Warner's efforts have been and are being directed. Mr. Warner is also a stockholder and director in many leading corporations.
Outside of his adopted city, Mr. War- ner has taken, and still takes, especial pride in the development and welfare of Kensington, Montgomery county, Md.,
about eleven miles from Washington, on the Metropolitan branch of the B. & O., of which place he is the founder. Here he and his family spend most of their time at their delightful country-seat, when they are not enjoying their equally pleasant city residence at No. 2100 Mas- sachusetts avenue. Mr. Warner has been twice married and has a happy household of eight children. He may well be said to aspire to something above mere money making as an evidence of success.
WILLIAM BENNING WEBB
was born in the city of Washington, September 17, 1825, and received his early education at the private schools of Washington and at a boarding school conducted by the Rev. Dr. Austin, an Episcopal clergyman, in Baltimore county, near the city of Baltimore, in Maryland. In 1840 he entered Columbia college, now Columbian university, at Washington city, and graduated in 1844, taking the degree of bachelor of arts. In 1847 the same institution bestowed upon him the degree of master of arts. He studied law under the guidance of the Hon. Henry May, and was admitted to the bar of the Dis- trict of Columbia in 1847. Commencing the practice of his chosen profession im- mediately upon his admission to the bar, he pursued it with varying success and without interruption for several years. In 1856, he married a daughter of Henry K. Randall of Washington, a grand- daughter of Thomas Munroe, one of the earliest commissioners of the District of Columbia. On the breaking out of the rebellion, in 1861, he was elected captain of a company of volunteers and offered the services of himself and his company to the government. There being no or- ganization of troops at the time, to which
4. Braukt
345
PERSONAL SKETCHES - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
his company could be assigned, his offer 1863 Mr. Webb resigned the office of was refused. Mr. Webb had previously superintendent of police and resumed the held for many years commissions in the practice of his profession, which he quietly local militia of the District of Columbia pursued until 1885, when President Cleve- land appointed him the republican com- missioner of the District of Columbia, under the law creating a permanent form of government for that district. Prior to this appointment and during the adminis- tration of President Hayes, upon the occasion of a vacancy on the bench of the supreme court of the District of Columbia, a petition was circulated and largely signed by the prominent business men of Washington city and other por- tions of the district, asking the president to appoint Mr. Webbto the vacancy men- tioned. This mark of respect and kind- ness was unsolicited on his part. and was therefore the more gratifying to Mr. Webb. Upon his appointment as com- missioner of the district, Mr. Webb en- tered at once and with great zeal upon the performance of his new duties. There had been assigned to his charge the care and supervision of the public schools, and he devoted himself to the study of their needs, introducing a system of manual training, which, commencing with very small and rather experimental begin- nings, has become a most valuable and important part of the educational system of the community. By degrees this feature has so extended as to embrace all of the schools, and from it have grown naturally the schools for instruction in cooking, the and was, at the time of the opening of the rebellion, a major, and at one time in com- mand of one of the regiments of that militia. With several other gentlemen holding commissions in the militia, he was drilled by a drill-master deputed for the pur- pose of instructing such officers in those portions of the duty of a soldier which were thought necessary to fit them for the emergencies likely to ensue upon the dif- ficulties then existing. In the fall of 1861 congress passed a law creating for the District of Columbia the system of police known as the metropolitan police, and authorizing the appointment by the presi- sident of the United States of a board of police commissioners. The board thus constituted was authorized to select a superintendent of metropolitan police for the district, and Mr. Webb was selected the first superietendent of the metro- politan police in September, 1861, and at once entered upon the duties pertaining to that office. He devoted himself to the work of the office to which he had been called and successfully organized the sys- tem of police, which, during the rebellion, and the vicissitudes attending that war and while the District of Columbia was the camping ground for hundreds of thousands of troops, suddenly called into the service of the country, preserved the peace and order of the community in a sewing schools, and it may be said the manner so remarkable as to be worthy of business school, all of which are now re- the most distinguished comment by those having charge of the affairs of the govern- ment. The system of police so organized ferred to with much pride by all who take an interest in public education. Not to dwell too much upon details, it may be is still in full force and is recognized as said that several branches of the local the best system of police possible for the government were greatly benefited by the comfort and welfare of the district. In wise attention paid to them by Mr. Webb
346
PERSONAL SKETCHES - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
and his colleagues during their adminis- |nances relating to that city, known always tration of public affairs. The laws as Webb's Digest, and at this day re- governing the sale of liquor in the dis- conized as the only authoritative body of the local law of the capital city. As pro- fessor in the school of law of the National university, he has, in addition to the per- formance of the duties pertaining to his professorship, prepared and delivered to the classes of that institution a series of lectures on the courts of the United and practice of the Federal courts are commented upon and defined to the student. In addition to this he has with great care prepared several chapters of a recent history of the city of Washington, and has edited part of a treatise on economic legislation prepared by Mr. Arthur Foote, now passing through the press and soon to be offered to the pub- lic. Mr. Webb has also, during his pro- fessional career, been the counsel for the Washington Gas Light company, the Adams Express company, and at one time of the First National bank of Washing- ton. He is now a director in the Wash- ington Gas Light company, and in the Central National bank of his native city, and is assiduous in his attention to the duties pertaining to these offices. Mr. Webb, in his advancing years, continues the pursuit of his professional duties, in trict, the methods of keeping the accounts of the receipts and disbursements of the revenues, the proper discipline and control of the fire and police departments, and the management of the whole system of charities and corrections, were all bene- fited by changes and improvements sug- gested and carried into effect by the States, in which the peculiar jurisdiction gentlemen referred to. At the expiration of his term of service Mr. Webb was with- out delay re-appointed by President Cleve- land to the office of commissioner. His nomination was referred by the senate to the committee of that body having charge of the affairs of the District of Columbia and was, after due consideration, favor- ably reported, with a recommendation that it should be confirmed. The senate, however, for various reasons deemed suf- ficient in the then existing condition of affairs, refused to consider this and several other nominations, and with the expiration of the congress Mr. Webb's commission was determined and Pre- sident Harrison appointed a successor to the office held by Mr. Webb. Upon this he again retired to private life. Uniting with himself his two sons, Henry Randall Webb and John Sidney Webb, who had become practicing lawyers, he entered conjunction with his sons, with unabated once more upon the active practice of the devotion, and finds time for the proper care and supervision of the several trusts in which he is concerned, and also for the law and has continued to pursue its duties up to the present time. During his whole career Mr. Webb has been laborious in performance of such literary labors as the pursuit of the duties of his profession, present themselves to his attention.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.