USA > Washington DC > The Biographical cyclopedia of representative men of Maryland and District of Columbia Pt. 1 > Part 33
USA > Maryland > The Biographical cyclopedia of representative men of Maryland and District of Columbia Pt. 1 > Part 33
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social and private life he has the merited confidence and regard of the community. His personal influence is not exerted for populair favor, as he has steadily adhered to an early resolve to keep out of the political arena. He was formerly a Whig, but is now a Democrat. He has been a public school commissioner, and is a trustee of the town academy. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church; a vestryman and warden ; has been chosen a lay delegate to successive diocesan and general conventions ; is Treasurer of the Episcopal Fund, and of the Board of Missions. He has had six children, four of whom are living, the eldest, Franklin Bache, named for one of the authors of the United States Dispensatory, a revered friend of his father, has arrived at his majority. He is a college student, and a postulant for holy orders. The second, Martha Hughlett, graduated with the class honors last year, and was valedictorian, at Dr. Wheat's Seminary, Winchester, Virginia; and the two youngest, William Hughlett and Virginia Lee, are yet at home attending school.
STEWART, COLUMBUS J., was born December 1, 1808, in Baltimore, Maryland. His paternal an- cestors were originally from Scotland, and came to this country, settling in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, about 1750. Ilis father, Stephen C. Stewart, took part in the war of 1812 against the British. At the early age of twelve years, Mr. Stewart was thrown wholly upon his own resources. His education was picked up as chance offered, mostly by self-instruction. In 1826, he became for four years apprenticed to Alexander Hub- bell, in the foundry and finishing business. Having com- pleted his apprenticeship, he spent about ten months in Frederick City, assisting William S. Brown to start in the brass business. Returning to Baltimore, he soon, in con- nection with his brother, John A. Stewart, set up in the bell hanging and locksmithing trade. A few years after- ward, they bought the lock patterns of George MeGregor, and C. J. Stewart was instructed by him in the trade of lock-making. From that time Mr. Stewart made lock- making a specialty. In this business he has so excelled as to have few equals in Baltimore, or in the United States. The lock of Mr. Hobbs, which took the gold medal at the first World's Fair in London, was put in competition with the lock of Mr. Stewart in the Maryland Institute Fair of 1852. The lock of Mr. Stewart was regarded superior to that of Mr. Hobbs, and by the judges was awarded the gold medal. In later years, Mr. Stewart has had awarded for his locks by the judges of the Maryland Institute Fairs, a number of gold medal certificates. The superiority of his locks has been the result of careful study and great mechanical ingenuity and skill. They have justly gained
for him more than a local celebrity. About 1863, Mr. Stewart began the builders' hardware business, in which he has ever since continned with large success. He has been a Director in the Maryland Fire Insurance and Land Company, and President of the Winans Permanent Land and Loan Company. For about forty-seven years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has for many years been a class-leader and a steward. In 1830, he married Mary Ellen, daughter of Martin Wyble, of Philadelphia, Pa. She died July 28, 1876. She was an excellent wife and mother, and a true Chris- tian. Mr. Stewart has eight children living. He is emi- nently a self-made man. Beginning the world a poor boy, and left to his own resources, by persevering industry and business sagacity, he has secured a handsome competence. By his fellow merchants, he is regarded not only as a re- liable business man, but one who is kindly and generous in word and deed.
SEEMS, GENERAL JAMES M., Professor of Music, and an officer in the Union army, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, January 5, 1818, being the son of Jacob and Susanna (Grubb) Deems. Ilis father commanded a company of Maryland troops in the war of 1812, and his grandfather, Frederick Deems, served in the war of the Revolution. In his boyhood, Professor Deems attended the public schools of the city, but early exhibited a great fondness for music, which he studied with assiduity, but with no higher ambition than to become a good amateur musician. He left school at fourteen years of age, and commenced to learn engraving, but his mind would run continually on music, until finally he decided to make it his profession. He studied several years under Mr. George Loder, of Baltimore, and in April, 1839, sailed for Leipsic, Germany, intending to enter the Conservatory of Music, of which Mendelssohn was direc- tor. But he first visited Dresden, and there made the acquaintance of Reisign, the celebrated composer and di- rector of the opera, who informed him that although Men- delssohn was a great composer, Datzauer, the celebrated cellist, at the opera in Dresden, was the best teacher of musical composition in Germany, and, moreover, that at Dresden he would have access the whole year to fine con- certs and to the opera. This decided him to study in Dresden, where he remained until June, 1841. After visiting Paris, London, Brussels, and other cities cele- brated for musical performances, he returned to Baltimore in September of that year, and commenced teaching music. In April, 1848, he was appointed teacher of music at the University of Virginia, where he remained until June, 1858. He then took his family to Europe, and travelled intil September of the following year, when he returned
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to Baltimore, and resumed his profession. During these years, teaching had not been his only dependence, but he had also composed and published many pieces of music, In August, 1861, he assisted in raising the First Maryland Cavalry, in which he was commissioned Senior Major. lle served in Virginia under Generals Miles, Saxon, Ham- ilton, Slough and Siegel. Previous to the second battle of Bull Run, he was attached to the staff of the Eleventh Army Corps. After that battle, he was promoted to a Lieutenant-Coloneley, and served as chief of cavalry of the Eleventh Corps, until the formation of the Cavalry Corps under General Stoneman, when he was ordered to lis regiment. IIe commanded the regiment on Stoneman's great raid ; it was then in General Gregg's Division; he also commanded it in all those heavy cavalry fights against Stewart's Cavalry, at Brandy Station, Aldie, Up- perville, and other places, on their way to Gettysburg. At that battle, he commanded his regiment, and afterwards at Shepherdstown, and in many minor engagements, In September, 1863, being unable to ride any longer on ac- count of rheumatism contracted in the service, he was ordered to the hospital in Washington, and afterwards to Annapolis, Maryland, where he was mustered out of the United States service in November, 1863. At the close of the war he was breveted Brigadier General for gallant and distinguished service in the field. Previous to the war, he was an old-line Whig, but has since been a Re- publican. He was made an Odd Fellow at the age of twenty-two, and a Mason when thirty-two. He is a mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Society of the Army of the Potomac, the Society of the Stars and Stripes, and of the Musical Union of Baltimore, and the Musical Fund Society of New York. He has made three trips to Europe, and travelled in England, Ireland, France, Bel- gium, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. In his religi- ous opinions, he is inclined to the Lutheran Church. In October, 1844, he was married, by the Rev. Dr. John G. Morris, to Miss Mary I. Flack, daughter of James and Rachel Flack. He has four children, Florence, now Mrs. W. T. Young; James Henry, organist and pianist, and Professor of Music in the Western Female High School of Baltimore ; Clarence, a graduate of West Point, and Lieutenant . in the Fourth United States Artillery ; and Charles W., organist and pianist, and engaged in mercan- tile business. Professor Deems has composed orchestral music for over forty years; his published works are, Vocal Music Simplified, one hundred and seventy-two pages, an entirely original work; two volumes in Treble and Bass Clef, Deems's Solfeggi, for teaching vocal music in classes; Piano Instruction Book, and Organ Instruction Book ; Esther, a grand opera, of over six hundred pages; The Dead Guest, a comic opera; and an' oratorio, Nebuchadnezzar, with a great number of minor compositions, sacred songs in sheet form, standard. church music, and patriotic songs.
WILLER, O. W., was born, April 26, 1827, at Shef- field, Massachusetts. His grandfather, on his father's side, Samuel Miller, was a minister, noted for his ability, wit, and Christian devotion, His father, John M. Miller, was a manufacturer, of Sheffield, Massachusetts. His mother, Mercia Bryant, was a descendant of the Puritans. Mr. Miller, when ten years of age, was put, by his father, on a farm .. After six months of harsh experience of farm life, he became heartily tired of it, and went home, leaving the farm at midnight. Having seen the harbor of New Haven, and being pleased with the appearance of the vessels, and the apparently easy mode of a sailor's life, he wished to go to sea. So, when a few months over ten years of age, his father put him on board a vessel, engaged in the coasting trade, in which he spent about five years, But he found the life of a seaman different from what it had first ap- peared to him. For so young a boy, he had to endure great hardships and privations. When about fifteen years of age, he commenced sailing to the West Indies. From this time he made many voyages to different parts of the world. He gradually rose through all the grades of sea- manship, until he became captain and owner. He was the first to take, in an American vessel, a cargo of fruit from the West Indies to London, England, Mr. Miller never made habitual use of either intoxicating liquors or tobacco, to which sailors are very much addicted. Al- though, for fifteen years he sailed as captain, so excellent was his scamanship, his caution and sagacity, that he never had a vessel which he commanded lost. Neither, in all that time, did he ever lose a man, or mect with any seri- ous accident. In 1862, in company with C. S. Bushnell, he began to build steamships. This he continued to do until he had built seventeen steamers, some of which were built by contract. The others, in almost every case, were sold almost as soon as built, and many of them, before they were finished. A number of them were bought by the United States Government. They were all sold at a good profit. IIe still holds an interest in a number of ves- sels. In 1864, he went to New York, and, for several years, was engaged in the ship-brokerage business. He then went to Baltimore, Maryland, and engaged in the oyster and fruit-packing business, in which he has since continued. In 1871, he associated with him, Mr. G. W. Bunnell, with whom he has since done a large business. On December 8, 1854, he married Elizabeth II., daughter of Mr. Dan. Smith, of Fair Haven, Connecticut, a man who, by his sterling integrity and business acumen, had raised himself to a fine business and spcial standing. Mr. Miller has two children living. Mr. Miller is eminently a self-made man. In childhood, thrown upon his own re- sources, and into the daily companionship of those among whom corrupting influences are usually rife, he not only avoided the grosser vices, but maintained a degree of moral purity which is not often found among those who
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have been ledged by the best social restraints. Amidst the active duties and the beguiling influences of a sea- man's life, he found time so to perfect himself in the science of navigation, as not only to raise himself to the first command, but in the most intricate and difficult voy- ages, never to meet with a serious accident. By his fellow- merchants he is regarded as a man broad in his views, sagacious in his conclusions, genial in his feelings, and kindly in his acts.
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27 SCFARLAND, CEPHAS DODD, Lawyer, was born, January 26, 1838, in Washington County, Penn- sylvania. When he was five years of age, his father removed with him to Monongalia Coun- ty, Virginia, where Cephas attended school until thirteen years of age. In his fourteenth year, he entered Washington College, Washington County, Pennsylvania; that institution now being known as the Washington and Jefferson College, and it is a matter worthy of record, that that institution was founded by his great-grandfather. Ile diligently pursued his studies there for four years, and, at the age of eighteen, went to Pittsburgh, where he entered Duff's Commercial College, in which law lectures were delivered. After receiving a diploma from that college, he returned to Monongalia County, Virginia, and com- meneed reading law, in the office of IIon. Waitman T. Willey, who was, subsequently, United States Senator from West Virginia. After a close application to legal studies for two years and a half, Mr. McFarland was ad- mitted to the bar, in that county. Acting upon the ad- vice of llon. John A. Dillie, a relative, and who was an eminent lawyer, afterwards Judge of the Circuit Court in Western Virginia, he went to Baltimore, and established himself in his profession, which he has uninterruptedly and successfully prosecuted thenee to the present writing. Mr. McFarland has been engaged as counsel in several impor- tant cases, involving large amounts of money. The first con. siderable one was that of Mel'herson v. The State, to compel the latter to pay the Maryland Militia ( which was organized immediately after the civil war) the sum of $300,000, in the absence of a law providing for the same. Governor Swann, in the interval between the sessions of the State As- sembly, indneed Messrs. Alexander Brown & Sons, bankers, to advance the moneys to purchase arms, and another firm to furnish the uniforms. In the above suit, which was in- stituted as a test one, Mr. Mcfarland was associated, as counsel for the plaintiff, with the late William S. Waters, and was successful ; causing the entire stipulated amount to be paid. IIe has been engaged in several important will eases, in which he has been remarkably successful. In July, 1875, he was appointed, by Mayor Joshma Van- sant, as Examiner of Titles under the city, hokling said
office until the expiration of Mr. Vansant's term, and bringing to the discharge of its duties superior qualifica- tions. In polities, Mr. MeFarland is a conservative Demo- vrat, and has taken an active pit in many of the most important campaigns of the great national parties, estab- lishing a reputation as a fluent and eloquent speaker. As a lawyer, he has been eminently successful. His father was John Mel'arland, a native, and highly respected farmer, of Washington County, Pennsylvania. He was a quiet, unostentatious gentleman, and possessed an exeep- tionably irreproachable character. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was also a native of the same county, and an extensive agriculturist. Mr. McFarland's mother was Miss Ruth Dodd, daughter of the Rev. Cephas Dodd, D.D., an eminent Presbyterian elergyman, of Washington County, Pennsylvania, where he performed his ministerial duties for forty years. He was installed in 1803. The Dodds were among the first and most distin- guished settlers in Western Pennsylvania, when that coun- try was almost a wilderness. There they took an active part in the establishment of Presbyterianism. Thaddeus Dodd, son of Stephen Dodd, was born in 1740, and died in 1793. He was a very talented minister of the Presbyterian Church, a fine scholar and accomplished mathematician. Hle was the first Principal of Washington College, Penn- sylvania (1789). Mr. MeFarland is a descendant, both on the paternal and the maternal side, of rigid Presbyterian stock, and is, himself, a striet and eonseientious member of the First Presbyterian Church. He married, in 1865, Miss Emily Chubb, daughter of Prentice Chubb, who died during her infancy, when she was adopted by the late Isaac Munroe, for a long time editor and proprietor of the Baltimore Patriot. Ile has three children living, Munroe, Bessie, and Carita. Mr. Mcfarland is a polished gen- tleman, of an amiable and affectionate disposition, and an upright and useful citizen.
ARROW, JOSEPH HENRY, Druggist and Member of the House of Delegates, Maryland, was born February 11, 1831, near Hagerstown. His par- ents, Nathaniel and Mary (McCall) Farrow, were natives of Maryland, his father being of French- English descent and his mother of German ancestry. Mr. Farrow's educational advantages were very limited. Ile attended school in his native county until he was fourteen years of age, working part of the time in the shop with his father, who was a cooper. At that age he commenced work regularly in the shop and continued in his father's employ until his majority. In early manhood he had a taste for the law and desired to qualify himself for that profession, but not being able to do so, he entered into the drug business at Williamsport, and has continued in that
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business at the same place up to the present time. He was in the employ of the Revenue Department, at Williams- port, during the late war, having accepted the position of aid to that department, in 1863, and continued in the place until the office was abolished, in 1864. He was elected Mayor of Williamsport, in 1869, and was the only Repub- lican that held office in that part of the State at that time. He was elected to the office of Mayor twice in succession, and was twice elected Commissioner of the Town Board. In 1875, he was elected a member of the House of Dele- gates, and re-elected, in 1877, the contest being very close both times. In the second contest Mr. Farrow led his ticket by a large majority, having become quite popular among the members of both parties. During the first ses- sion he worked energetically for equal taxation in the State, opposing all exemptions, except churches and bury- ing grounds. He also cast his influence in favor of the bill providing for a homestead exemption of $500, instead of $Too. He is an active member of the Free Masons, hav- ing joined the order in 1862, and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was married, September 3, 1853, to Miss Mary Susan Nitzel, daughter of John Nitzel, of Washington County, and has five children living. For- merly an old-line Whig, he afterward became a member of the Knownothing party, and has been a Republican since 1864, when he voted for Lincoln and Hamlin. During the late war he was a firm Union man, and, at the outbreak of the war, was very outspoken in his opposition to seces- sion, at the risk of great personal peril. Ile has been prosperous in business as well as successful in politics, and has attained his present position entirely through his own exertions and merits.
REASLEY, JACOB F., was born, March 7, 1814, in Notingen, Baden, Germany. Ilis father, Philip H. Greasley, was a farmer and landholder of that place. Ilis mother was Christiana, daughter of George A. Daub, also a farmer and landholder of Notingen, as had been his ancestors for a number of gen- erations. Mr. Greasley attended the government schools until he was fourteen years of age. Having assisted his father until he was seventeen, he then made up his mind to come to America, and started with a man who under- took the care of him until his arrival at Baltimore. Mr. Greasley had forty dollars with which to pay his way from Germany. When he arrived at New York, the man who had taken him in charge continned with him as far as Philadelphia, where he was left to himself. His money having given out, he, with a friend, walked to Baltimore. In about three weeks after getting to Baltimore he appren- ticed himself, for three years, as a butcher to Louis Weiss. After completing his term of apprenticeship, he worked for Mr. Weiss as journeyman, for about one year, at ten dollars
per month, which was the highest wages then given. About this time he found a friend in Mr. Peter Zell, who advised him to begin business for himself, and offered him his board and the use of a horse and wagon, provided Mr. Greasley would kill for him his cattle and render some other help. Mr. Greasley accepted this offer, and in De- cember, 1835, began in a small way the butcher business on his own account. He now worked very hard, and in consequence of overwork was taken sick and confined to his room for about six months. On his recovery, he rented a slaughter-house and stable, with two rooms above, for eight dollars per month. In these rooms his mother kept house for him. His business continued to increase, he married, January 5, 1837, Miss Louisa, daughter of Rich- ard and Elizabeth Lenox. She could speak the Ger- man language with fluency, and having acquired habits of industry, made him an excellent wife. They worked hard and saved what they made. In 1852 Mr. Greasley sold his business, and the place in which it was carried on, to John H. Toffling. After spending about three and a half years in a branch of the same business, he resumed his former occupation, selling over four hundred cattle per year; and in 1856, sold out to his nephew, Jacob II. Greasley. IIe, however, stayed in the market, helping his nephew, for about three years. Having retired from busi- ness, Mr. Greasley has built a handsome dwelling on Druid. IIill Avenue, which he intends in future to make his home. In 1833 he was converted. In 1841 he was elected Trustee of the Otterbein Church, of the United Brethren in Christ, of which he has ever since been an eanest and active member. He is also Trustee of the Bal- timore Salem Mission Church, and of the Baltimore Fifth Church of the same denomination. His business career of forty years was one of the very smallest beginnings, and by industry, economy, prudence and integrity, he has se- cured a handsome competence, and thus gives by his life and success, encouragement to young men who have to struggle with like difficulties. Through life he has avoided the use of tobacco and intoxicating liquors, and has been thus kept from much bad company and other evils to which the use of these would almost unavoidably have led him. He is a man of large and generous heart, a true friend, and a devoted Christian.
REYNOLDS, GEORGE B., M.D., was born near the city of Richmond, Virginia, October 26, 1846. He received his principal education at the Uni- versity of Virginia, where he also attended a regu- lar course of medical lectures. Removing to Baltimore he matriculated, as student of medicine in the old Washington University, now the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons, latter city, whence he graduated in
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the spring of 1871. Immediately after receiving his diploma he entered Bay View Hospital, Baltimore County, as Resident Student and Physician. After enjoying the professional advantages of that institution for two years, Dr. Reynolds was elected as Physician in chief of the Washington University Hospital, corner of Calvert and Saratoga Streets. For nearly four years he occupied that responsible position, during which period hundreds of cases of the most difficult and critical character, especi- ally those which were the results of accidents, occurring in and around Baltimore, and the successful treatment of which required the highest order of surgical skill, came under his care and management. Several capital surgi- cal operations were performed by Dr. Reynolds while in charge of the hospital, in a manner, and with such suc- cessful results, as to demonstrate his thorough profes- sional skill. While occupying the position referred to he was appointed by Mayor Joshua Vansant, as City Vac- cine Physician for the Ninth and Tenth Wards of Bal- timore, and served for the two years of that gentleman's second term of office. As Vaccine Physician for those wards he acted as Surgeon at the Middle Police Station. While in charge of the hospital, Dr. Reynolds also filled the Chair of Demonstrator of Anatomy, in the Washing- ton University, which position he held for a year subse- quent to his resignation (in 1875), of that of the hospital physician. His duties in both positions were performed with such fidelity and ability, and success as an instruc- tor, as to invoke the highest praise from the faculty of the University. After retiring from both the positions mentioned, he entered actively into private practice. As it required but little of his time and attention, and did not materially interfere with his professional duties, he accepted, in 1878, the position of Visiting Physician at Bay View Hospital, which he now occupies. In 1875, Dr. Reynolds married Miss Ida Fisk, daughter of Charles B. Fisk, a celebrated engineer of Washington, District of Columbia. The doctor's father was James W. Rey- nolds, of Virginia, a gentleman of independent fortune and high respectability; and his mother was Miss Carter, a descendant of a highly honored family, who settled in Virginia (from England) in Colonial times. Dr. Rey- nolds is an accomplished physician and surgeon; a gen- tleman of general and varied intelligence, and pleasant address ; popular with his professional brethren, and one whose competency inspires implicit confidence among his patients.
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