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 6
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 6
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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
wrote, and his large attainments as a ful combination for sending armed men jurist and statesman made his influence in the field of journalism both felt and feared. His paper, the Philanthropist, gained an extensive circulation, and with the eloquent and powerful speeches de- livered by Mr. Birney in the large cities slavery and danger of civil war, he re- and towns of the free states did much to signed his agency and removed, 1833, to awaken the people of the north to the Kentucky for the purpose of separating dangers and encroachments of the slave it from the slave states by effecting the power, and the further annexations of
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new slave states in the south-west. In |McDowell, judge of the United States recognition of his prominence as an anti- circuit court. This wife died in 1839, and in the autumn of 184t he was united in marriage to a Miss Fitzhugh, and one year later removed to Bay City, Michigan. In personal appearance, Mr. Birney was of medium height, robust build, and his man- ners were those of a dignified gentleman. He was a model presiding officer, an eloquent and effective public speaker and a volumnious writer upon political ques- tions. He was for many years an earnest and consistent member of the Presbyte- rian church, with which he identified himself in the year 1826. slavery leader he was unanimously elected in 1837 to the office of secretary of the American Anti-slavery society, upon the acceptance of which he removed to New York city. As an officer of this society he traveled and corresponded extensively throughout the United States, attended the principal anti-slavery conventions, and by his wise and conservative counsel exercised a marked influence upon their deliberations. He was unalterably op- posed to secession, whether at the north or the south, and in the beginning of the abolition agitation voted for such anti- slavery candidates as were nominated by the leading parties. But as the issue grew under the aggressive action of the slave power to include the right of peti- tion; the trial by jury; the equality of men before the law; the right of the free states to legislate for their own territory; and the right of congress to exclude slavery from free territory, the old par- ties ceased to nominate anti-slavery can- didates, and the abolitionists were forced to make independent nominations for state offices and finally to form an inde- pendent party. Of this party Mr. Birney was the first and only choice for the presidency, having been first nominated in 1840, and later in 1844, receiving the former year 7,369, and the latter 62,263 votes. In 1845, Mr. Birney met with a serious accident by falling from a horse, resulting in partial paralysis, but during his disability he continued his contribu- tions to the press. In 1839 he emanci- pated twenty-one slaves that belonged to his father's estate, setting aside $20,000 to his co-heir for her interest in them.
James G. Birney transmitted to his children much of his own great talent, and his sons all became distinguished in their several fields of life work. James, the eldest, was born in Kentucky, of which state he was afterward lieutenant-gov- ernor; was appointed by President Grant minister to Holland in 1876, and served as such till 1882. Dion, was a physician, became captain in the Union army and died in the year 1864. David Bell was born in Alabama, was a lawyer by profes- sion and practiced in Philadelphia, entered the Union army as lieutenant- colonel, and by successive promotions became major-general. Fitzhugh was a gallant soldier, and died while in the serv- ice with the rank of colonel. James G., a grandson, was a captain of cavalry, served as staff officer with Generals Sheridan and Custer, and died near the close of the war. The second son of James G. Birney, Gen. William Birney, father of the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch, was born near Huntvsille, Alabama, May, 28, 1819. Hlis carly inclination led him to choose the legal profession for his life
Mr. Birney was married in 1816 to Agatha McDowell, a daughter of William work, and he began the practice of the
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same at Cincinnati, where his commanding talents soon won him a conspicuous place among the leading lawyers of that city. In the latter part of the forties he went to France, and, while pursuing his studies in Paris, took an active part in the revo- lution of 1848. Subsequently, he was appointed professor of English literature in the college of Bourges, and held the chair for some time with great credit to himself and entire satisfaction to the man- agement of that celebrated institution. Returning to his native country, he practiced law in New York city, entered the United States service as captain in 1861, and rose through all grades of pro- motion to the rank of brevet major-gen- eral of volunteers, in which capacity he served during the last two years of the civil war. He bore a distinguished part in the principal battles of the Virginia campaigns, and was afterward ordered to Florida to regain possession of the parts of that state which had fallen into the hands of the enemy, and reduce the Confederate strongholds. In 1863-4 he was detailed by the War department as one of three superintendents of the organ- ization of colored troops, and as such
[cian of St. Louis, Mo., and afterward of Cincinnati.
Arthur A. Birney, a well known mem- ber of the Washington bar, was born in Paris, France, May 28, 1852, while his parents were residents of that city. He received his literary education in the schools of Cleveland, Ohio, and, having early determined to be a lawyer, prepared himself for the profession by private reading and a through legal course in the university of Ann Arbor, Michigan, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1873. After the completion of his professional training he went to Washington, and was admitted to the bar in 1873, and at once entered the office of WV. S. Cox, with whom he practiced for a period of eight months, effecting a co- partnership at the end of that time with his father, Gen. William Birney. In 1874 he was made assistant attorney of the District of Columbia, but resigned one year later to accept the office of assistant United States attorney, under H. H. Wells, ex-governor of Virginia, which position he filled very creditably until his resignation in 1877.
Since 1880, Mr. Birney has Been a assisted in equipping and sending to the lecturer in the law department of Howard field seven regiments. In this work he university. Mr. Birney has risen to an eminent position in the legal profession, and his talents have been frequently employed opened all slave prisons in Baltimore and freed their inmates, including many slaves belonging to men prominent in the in prominent civil suits before the higher Confederate service. The immediate result of this action was to hasten the abolition of slavery in the state of Maryland. At the close of the war Gen. Birney passed four years in Florida, and later, in 1874, moved to the national capi- tal, where he resumed the practice of his profession. The wife of Gen. Birney was Miss Catherine Hoffman, daughter of
tribunals of the district and different states. For several years he has con- ducted trials in the courts of the inany difficult and important causes with which his firm has been entrusted, and his rec- ognized abilities as a trial lawyer have caused him to be frequently called in to the assistance of brother attorneys. He is a close student, possesses an analytical Herman L. Hoffman, a prominent physi- mind, and by his determination to adhere
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to his chosen calling, nas before him a|until the present time, and which has, future of great promise and usefulness. through his probity as well as affability, Mr. Birney was married, in 1875, to Helen been made profitable and popular. In Conway, daughter of R. H. Conway, Esq., of Baltimore. 1869 Mr. Blackford was joined in matri- mony with Miss Nannie B. Steenbergen, the accomplished daughter of B. Steen- B. LEWIS BLACKFORD. bergen, of California, and this congenial
The buyers and sellers of real estate in union has been blessed with the birth of the city of Washington can have no bet- four daughters, three of whom survive, ter custodian of their interests than is Elizabeth Padelford, Mary Berkeley and found in the gentleman whose name Lucy Landon Carter, aged from fifteen stands at the head of this sketch, nor in- to twenty-two years.
sure a more careful trustee. Mr. Black- Hon. William M. Blackford, the father ford is a native of Virginia, having been of B. Lewis, was born in the valley of born in Fredericksburg, that state, in Virginia in 1800, and was educated at 1837, and is decended from one of its Dickinson college, in Pennsylvania, and earliest families, the progenitors of which was quite prominent in his day. For a came from Scotland in the early years of long time he was editor of the Frede- the eighteenth century. B. L. Blackford ricksburg Arena, one of the most ably was educated at the university of Vir- conducted journals of Virginia, and later ginia, completing his course of studies in 1857. He began his business life as a civil engineer in Lynchburg, Va., and was was editor for many years of the Lynch- burg Virginian, which was and is a power in the land. He also held several high thus engaged when the Civil war arose to political positions during his life, and, interfere with the prosecution of his vo- under President John Tyler, was United cation and call him to the defense of his States minister to New Grenada, South section. In April, 1861, he entered the America. At the time of his death, in Eleventh Virginia infantry as a non-com- 1864, he was president of the Exchange bank of Virginia, at Lynchburg. His wife bore the maiden name of Mary Berkeley Minor, and was a daughter of General John Minor of Hazel Hill, Va. missioned officer, but in May, 1861, was commissioned as second lieutenant of en- gineers, and in this capacity he served in the staff corps of engineers throughout the war until Appomattox, when he had General Minor was a veteran of the reached the rank of captain. During his Revolutionary war, also served as a mem- service in the Confederate army he took ber of the Virginia house of burgesses, part in the Seven-days fight around Rich- and in the war of 1812 held the rank of mond, at Fort Fisher, in the defense of general. He married, in 1792, Miss Lucy Landon Carter, daughter of Landon Car- ter, of Cleve, Va., -- one of the distin- Petersburg, and at Appomattox Court House. After peace had been proclaimed he resumed his calling of civil engineer- guished families of that generation. ing in his native state, but in March, 1868, Capt. Blackford's paternal grandfather was Benjamin Blackford, who was born removed to Washington and entered upon the real estate and insurance busi- in the valley of Virginia in 1761, and was ness, which has claimed his attention married to Miss Isabella Arthur. He
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was one of the first to develop the iron in 1861, in the First Minnesota infantry for industry of the state, being a large iron- master and furnace proprietor in Page
three months, but before the regiment left for active service Mr. Bond's term had ex- county, and died in Lynchburg in 1850. pired, and the regiment was mustered in B. Lewis Blackford is a close and careful for three years, filled up almost exclus- student of heraldry and has accumulated ively with lumbermen who had come to a great collection of coat-armor and St. Paul for the purpose, and Mr. Bond genealogical memoranda.
remained at home, serving a while as a member of the school board. In June, SAMUEL R. BOND, 1862, Mr. Bond went out as an officer in one of the most experienced lawyers of a military expedition sent across the Washington, D. C., has been a resident of plains by the secretary of war, under that city for the past twenty years. He special act of congress, and commanded was born in Ipswich, Mass., in Novem- by Captain James L. Fisk, assistant quar- termaster United States 'volunteers, to discover a new route to the gold fields of Idaho, and to protect emigrants on their way thither, as well as to test the temper of the Indians of the region. This expedition succeeded in discover- ing the gold deposits east of the Rocky mountains, near the present site of He- lena, Mont .; a number of emigrants settled in the Prickly Pear valley and there formed a nucleus for the settlment which subsequently developed itself as Montana city. Others of the emigrants crossed the mountains and settled at what note, but still prominent. After gradu- is now Virginia city, Idaho, and in that ber, 1834, and graduated from Dartmouth college with the class of 1855, which embraced among its members a number of students who have since risen to pro- minent positions in life, including such men as Hon. Nelson Dingley, ex-gov- ernor of Maine; Hon. W. J. Fields, chief justice of the Massachussetts supreme court; William L. Ladd, late judge of the supreme court of New Hampshire; Greenleaf Clark, late judge of the su- preme court of Minnesota; W. H. H. Allen, judge of the supreme court of New Hampshire, and others of lesser ating, Mr. Bond went to Paris, Tenn., and there taught the academy for a year,
vicinity. The expedition proper went on to Walla Walla, Washington territory, and and next year was professor in the Odd there disbanded, the officers returning to Fellows' college. During this period he the states via San Francisco and the read law with Hawkins & McKissick, isthmus and landing in New York. In was admitted to the bar in 1857, and January, 1863, Mr. Bond left New York commenced the practice of his profession. city and proceeded to Washington city, Later in the same year he went to St. where the report of the expedition was Paul, Minn., continuing his practice, and written out by him, as its journalist, and in 1860 and 1861 served as city attorney. published among the public documents In the latter year he formed a co-part- of the war department. Immediately nership with Greenleaf Clark, under the thereafter Mr. Bond was appointed as a firm name of Bond & Clark-the partner- clerk in the treasury department, in ship lasting until 1862. While still serv- which he served two years and then re- ing as city attorney, Mr. Bond enlisted, signed. In the meanwhile, having been
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admitted to the bar of the supreme ity, Washington, D. C., from which he court of the United States and of the graduated in 1885, and passed two years District of Columbia, Mr. Bond entered again upon the active practice of his pro-
as interne of the children's hospital of the District of Columbia; he was then the fession. From this, however, he tempo- senior resident physician of Columbia rarily withdrew himself on being elected, hospital for nearly three years, or up to 1888, when he entered upon private prac- which office he filled two years, and then tice in the city of Washington. His skill was soon recognized and his business grew apace, but it was after a short time
in 1868, water registrar of Washington, resumed his law practice. In 1872, during the territorial government of the District of Columbia, Mr. Bond was elected to only that it was thought necessary to call and served one term as member of the upon him to fill positions in which his legislative assembly. He was one of the ability might have a broader scope for its organizers and incorporators of the Belt Line railroad company, acted as its at- torney, and for a time as its president. For two years Mr. Bond was president and for six years trustee of the board of All Saints church, and superintendent of its Sunday school for several years; he he was also for several years president of the associated charities for his district, and is at present a director of the District of Columbia Bar association, and, in fact has ever been forward in rendering his aid, in time and in money, to the advance- ment of all kinds of enterprises calcu- lated for the benefit of the community of which he is a member.
The marriage of Mr. Bond took place in 1864, to Miss Mary A. Hunt, daughter of Dr. Ebenezer Hunt, of Danvers, Mass., whose father, Israel Hunt, was a Revolu- tionary soldier.
JOHN WESLEY BOVEE, M. D.
This popular and rising young physi- cian of Washington, D. C., was born in Clayton, Jefferson county, N. Y., Decem- ber 31, 1861. He received his prepara- tory and literary education at the high schools of Dexter and of Chaumont in his native county, and his medical educa- tion was acquired at Columbian univers-
exercise than afforded by private prac- tice. He is now obstetric surgeon to Columbia hospital, attending physician to St. Ann's Infant asylum, surgeon in charge at Washington Asylum hospital, attending physician to Providence hos- pital and clinical professor of gynecology and obstetrics in the medical department of the National university; he is a mem- ber of the American Medical association of the Medical association of the District of Columbia, and of the Medical society of Washington, as well as vice-president of the Medical and Surgical society of the District of Columbia, and he has had many other tokens of recognition of his professional worth. Many of the best treatises on medical subjects now in print ® have come from his able pen, and many of his papers have been read before various societies, meeting with approba- tion and edifying the hearers. But few practictioners, less than ten years after graduation, have attained a higher pro- fessional position than has Dr. Bovée.
William Henry Bovée, father of the doctor, was born in Gloversville, N. Y., in 1827, and was reared as a farmer. In 1850 he married Miss Sarah E. Roat, daughter of John Wesley Roat, of New York city, and to this union there were
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born twelve children, of whom two died to the judgeship of the supreme court of in infancy and ten now survive, as fol- the District of Columbia, over which he lows: George Willard, William Henry,
still presides with firmness and dignity. Fred, John Wesley, M. D., Frank McClel- Judge Bradley is a grandson of Abraham lan, Hiram Danforth, Charles, Burton G., Bruce and Lula S. Bovée.
Bradley, who came from Philadelphia to Washington with the government, hav-
About 1610 a French family named ing been made assistant deputy post- Bovée left France forever and took up master general, which office he held its abode at Amsterdam, Holland. Early in the present century some of its de- scendants migrated to America, settling near the Hudson river. Among them was the family of Jean Bovée. One of his children, John, born in Amsterdam, married Emeline Baird, the niece of Gen. Winfield Scott, to whom were born ten children, the eldest being William H. Of the ten children but seven are now living. until the incoming of Andrew Jackson as president. Charles Bradley, the father of Judge Bradley, was born in Washington in 1816, was a merchant in early life and was cashier of the National Bank of the Republic from its organization until his death in 1881, and certainly no financial concern was ever more ably conducted. In 1841, Charles Bradley married Catherine Ann Coyle, daughter of Andrew Coyle, of Washing- ton, and to them were born eight child- JUDGE ANDREW COYLE BRADLEY, ren, viz: Charles Smith; Andrew C .; Elizabeth Carson, wife of Augustus A. Healy, of New York; Mary, who died unmarried; Henrietta Gaither; Emma Coyle, wife of John C. Heald; Catherine and Robert Edmund. The marriage of Judge Andrew Coyle Bradley took place in 1873, the bride being Sue H. Young, daughter of William P. Young (de- ceased), of Portsmouth, Va., the offspring of this union being Andrew Young Brad- ley and Charles Hamilton Bradley.
of the supreme court of the District of Columbia, was born in Washington, Feb- ruary 12, 1844, and is a son of Charles and Catherine Ann (Coyle) Bradley, both of Washington. A. C. Bradley had entered the Columbian university at Washington, and would have graduated in 1862, but for the breaking out of the war before his reaching the senior class. He left the college in 1861 and entered the depot quartermaster's office and com- missary-general's office in Washing- ton, and remained in those offices until the fall of 1865, when he went to Cam- bridge, Mass., and attended the Harvard law-school, from which he graduated in July, 1867. He was admitted to the Suf- folk bar at Boston, Mass., on examina- tion, before returning to Washington, and on his arrival was admitted to prac- tice in Washington city, his business in- creasing steadily until March, 1889, when he was appointed by President Harrison
JOSEPH P. BRADLEY.
The late Joseph P. Bradley, of the United States supreme court, was born at Berne, Albany county, N. Y., March 14, 1813. He was of English descent, and was the sixth from Francis Bradley, an English emigrant, who settled in Connec- ticut in 1645, and was attached to Gov. Eaton's staff. His great-grandfather fought in the Revolutionary war for American independence, and his grand-
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father was a hero of the war of 1812. He | the Grant and Colfax electoral ticket of was the eldest of eleven children, and spent his boyhood on a farm. When he had reached eminence, wealth and fame, he was often heard to say, " I still preserve the family spinning wheel and loom as my best title to hereditary respectability."
He attended the country school during the winter months, laboring on the farm and assisting as he grew older his grand- father and father in the cultivation of the farm and in manufacturing leather, tan- ning vats having been built upon the farm.
When sixteen years of age Mr. Bradley taught a country school, studying at the same time, and acquiring a practical knowledge of surveying by running lines upon the neighboring farms. He ac- quired a love for literature, which was indulged in as far as the town library would permit. He entered Rutgers col- lege in September, 1833, where he was graduated with high honors in 1836.
For a time he thought of studying for the ministry. After serving a few months as principal of a classical school he com- menced the study of law in Newark, and was admitted to the bar in 1839. He was for many years director and chief counsel of two of the principal railroads in the state, and for nearly twenty years he was connected with life insurance companies of New Jersey. In 1859 the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Lafay- ette college. In October, 1844, he mar- ried the youngest daughter of the late Chief-Justice Hornblower, of New Jersey.
that state. His sound reputation as a lawyer, his unquestioned talents, with his recognized patriotic efforts to promote the success of the Union cause, gave him prominence for appointment as an associ- ate justice of the United States supreme court. President Johnson had been pre- vented by law from filling a vacancy upon that bench. By act of April 10, 1869, the full number of judges was restored. Jus- tice Grier, who expected to resign, took a warm interest in the appointment of Mr. Bradley, and presented his name to Pres- ident Grant. Mr. Stanton was nominated and confirmed, however, but died Decem- ber, 24, 1869, before qualifying. Justice Grier resigned in the month of Decem- ber, to take effect February 1, following. His resignation he accompanied with a letter to the President strongly recom- mending the nomination of Mr. Bradley, and other persons of eminence at the bar or in public life added their endorsement.
The question of the constitutionality of the legal-tender act was then before the court and was attracting attention throughout the nation. The nominations to fill the vacancies in the supreme court were for this reason looked forward to with unusual interest. The court announced its decision in March, 1870, the day the nominations of Judge Strong and Mr. Bradley were sent into the senate, and charges, unfounded, so far as is known, were made that appointments were in- tended to secure the reconsideration of the decision of the court.
Mr. Bradley was a whig in early life, Justice Bradley was a member of the electoral commission of 1877, more famil- iarly known as the famous "eight to seven commission." He, above all the members of the commission, was singled and joined the republican party upon its foundation, but took little active interest in politics until 1862, when he ran for congress in the fifth district of New Jer- sey, and was defeated. In 1868 he headed out for invective, and the most bitter re-
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proach was heaped upon him in the parti- |before him, he was able frequently to san press. For months after the electoral guide the younger members of the court count he was the object of the most un- and prevent errors. After his attack of sparing and scathing abuse. He bore it all, the grip in the spring of 1891, his attend- though, with an equipoise that defied his ance on the court had been quite rare. He took his seat in his last term on the detractors.
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