Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 49

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1500

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NATHAN PRATT, M. D., Milford, Del., son of Henry and Unity (Lockwood) Pratt, was born in Hazlettville, Kent county, Del.

Henry Pratt was a native of the same coun- ty, where he spent his entire life on a farm. He married Unity Lockwood, and had chil- dren: I. Emily; II. Nathan; III. Martha, deceased; IV. Henry, farmer, of East Dover; V. John, deceased; VI. Louisa, deceased; VII. Unity, deceased. Henry Pratt and his wife are both deceased.

Nathan Pratt received the usual primary education, and afterward entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylva- nia, in Philadelphia, from which he received his diploma. For thirty-eight years he has practiced in Milford. During the Civil War, he served as assistant surgeon in the United States Hospital at Sixteenth and Filbert streets, Philadelphia, and afterward in the Sheridan Field Hospital at Winchester, Va. He has served the state of Delaware as andi- tor and as insurance commissioner; was a member of the Constitutional Convention of Delaware, and a Cleveland elector. Dr. Pratt was one of the promoters of the light and water improvements in Milford, and for soy- eral years held the office of president of the board of commissioners, which has these pub- lie works in charge. He is a member of the board of trustees of Delaware College and of the State Medical Society. His political af- filiations are with the Democratic party.

Dr. Pratt was married in Milford, to Mary,

Edwin B. Paynter

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daughter of William and Margaret (Wal- lace) Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Ilill were natives of Kent county. Mrs. Pratt was born in Sus- sex county, two miles from Milford, on the tract of land originally granted to her great- great-great-grandfather by William Pom. Dr. and Mrs. Pratt have children: I. Mar- garet ( Mrs. Albert C. Arnokl), of Cambridge, Ma-s., born July 3, 1863; II. John Lynn, M. D .; 111. William Burton; IV. Louis Lock- wood. Dr. Pratt has for more than twenty years been senior warden of Christ P. E. church of Milford.

John Lyn Pratt, M. D., was born in Mil- ford, October 18, 1864. Ile attended private schools in that place and St. Jolm's school, Brandywine Springs, Del. Afterward he studied medicine under his father's precep- torship, and took his medical course in Jeffer- son Medical College, Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in 1894. Ile has since then practiced his profession in Milford. On October 18, 1897, in Elkton, Md., Dr. John Lynn Pratt was married to Lucile Scott.

William Burton Pratt was born in Milford, August 18, 1866, was educated in select schools in Milford, in St. John's School, Bran- dywine Springs, and in the Episcopal High School of Virginia, near Alexandria. In 1855, he entered the junior class of the University of Pennsylvania and took a special course in the Wharton School of Finance and Economy. Afterward he read law with Senator Gray, in Wilmington, Del., but abandoned that pro- fession and engaged in the insurance busi- ness. In 1893 he went to Washington, D. (., as private secretary to Thomas Hawkins, fifth auditor of the United States treasury. He is now again interested in insurance in Milford. Louis Lockwood Pratt was born in Milford, July 17, 1876. He is now pursuing a course of study in electrical engineering.

WILLIAM S. EDWARDS, Lewes, Del., son of William F. and Catherine G. ( Barnes) Edwards, was born in Philadelphia, Novem- ber 24, 1848.

For several generations, the Edwards fam- ily has been well represented on the water. The great-grandfather of William S. Ed- wards, whose name was Simon Edwards, son of John Simon or Simon JJohn Edwards, was

captain of a packet boat plying between Lewes and Philadelphia. He married an Irish lady, Elizabeth -; they both died in Phila- delphia. Their son, William Edwards, was born in Lewes, Del., and died in Philadelphia, at the age of eighty-five. He was a pilot until he reached his eighty-first year. William Ed- wards was married at Lewes in 1812 to Maria Walker, who also died in Philadelphia. Their children are: I. William F .; II. Mary ( Mrs. Peter Dubosq), of Philadelphia.

William F. Edwards was born in Lewes, February 29, 1816, and passed his youth in the same place. He served six years as pilot's apprentice under his father, William Ed- wards, on pilot boats William Price and James Riddle. Mr. Edwards has well main- tained the reputation of his family for vigor and endurance; he continued in the pilot ser- vice until 1895, when he was ahnost eighty years of age, and now, while enjoying well- merited repose in his son's comfortable home, after his laborious and useful career, is still strong and hearty; having a good memory, he is well able to entertain and instruet younger generations with the history of his adventures and achievements. In early manhood, soon after his apprenticeship was over, William F. Edwards was married in Philadelphia to a lady of good family, Catherine, daughter of John and Jane (Schellenger) Barnes. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards for some time had their home in Philadelphia; Mrs. Edwards was born about 1820, and is still living. Their children are: I. Frank, married Kate Ladan, died in Philadelphia; II. William S .; III. Robert C., was a pilot, died, unmarried, in Philadelphia.

John Barnes, of Philadelphia, maternal grandfather of William S. Edwards, was also a pilot of long experience. He married Jane Schellenger, who reached the venerable age of ninety-four; both died in Philadelphia. Their children are: I. Sarah (Mrs. James Berryman), of Philadelphia; II. Daniel, of Woodbury, N. J., is eighty-one years of age; III. Mary (Mrs. Ellis), of Philadel- phia, deceased: IV. James, was a plumber of Philadelphia; V. Catherine G. (Mrs. William F. Edwards); VI. Joseph, of Philadelphia, deceased, was a spar-maker.

Until he was fourteen years old, William S. Edwards lived in Philadelphia, and at- tended the city schools. He then came to

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Lewes, and was apprenticed under his father on the pilot boat Enoch Turkey. After sery- ing for six years, the Pennsylvania Board of Port Wardens awarded him a "twelve-foot" license, in 1869, which he was one of the first to obtain, the old "nine-foot" license having been abolished just before that time. In 1870, Mr. Edwards received from the same board a first-class license. He was the fourth man to receive a Delaware license, in 1881; and during his long service on the river and bay, has shown marked ability and efficiency. Mr. Edwards has always voted the Democratic ticket. Hle is a member of Atlantic Lodge, 1. O. O. F., of Lewes, and ,of Lodge No. 149, 1. O. U. W., of Philadelphia.

William S. Edwards was first married in Leves, Del, in 1870, by Rev. George W. Burke, to Clara W., daughter of Cornelius and Hannah (Clifton) Burton. Their children are: 1. Catherine G. ( Mrs. Frederick G. Lub- ker) of Lewes, who when born was the repre- sentative of the fifth living generation on each side of her family; II. William S., Jr., now serving his last year as pilot's apprentice under his father's instructions; III. Dolly. Mrs. Clara Edwards died at her home in Lewes, from injuries received from the ex- plosion of a can of coal oil. In 1882, Wil- liam S. Edwards was married to Hannah W., daughter of R. W. and Alice Ann (Blizzard) White, all of Lewes, Del.

JOIN HYNDMAN ADAMS, late of Wilmington, Del., son of John and Margaret (Hyndman) Adams, was born in Wilmington, October 13, 1820.

Ilis ancestors, both paternal and maternal, were immigrants to this country, from Great Britain, and settlers in New Castle county, at about the middle of the eighteenth century. They were all of mixed English and Irish do- scent. John Adams and his wife Margaret, daughter of John Hyndman, were residents of Wilmington, where Mr. Adams, with his half-brother, James Cochran, was engaged in a large manufacturing business. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Adams were three sons and one daughter; the daughter died while still very young. Mrs. Adams was a woman of superior character, eminently faithful both to her church, the Presbyterian, and to her family. Hor third son, Carson Wilson Adams,

devoted himself to the ministry of that church, has received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, is pastor of a congregation in New York City, and a member of the West Chester presby- tery, Synod of New York. John Adams, the father, died in 1856, aged sixty years.

John Hyndman Adams, who was the see- ond of the family, was educated at Belknap's Academy, but left school at all early age to enter the employ of Duncan & Bros., hardware merchants, with whom he spent five years. He was next employed by Betts, Pusey & Harlan for three years, dur- ing which time he assisted in constructing the second pump furnished for the Wilmington water-works, and after helping to place it in position, was chosen to turn on the water. This was in 1537. Two years later, his first employers dissolved partnership, and John .1. Duncan, who remained alone in the busines-, offered Mr. Adams a position as salesman, which he accepted, honorably compensating Messrs. Betts, Pusey & Harlan for his time, although he was under no indenture. He re- mained with Mr. Duncan from 1839 until 1847, when he made a modest beginning on his own account in the hardware and range business. In ten years, by assiduous atten- tion to business and by strict economy, he had accumulated some capital, which he decided to employ in iron manufacturing. He became interested in the firm of MeDaniel, Craige & Co., manufacturers of bar iron, and proprie- tors of the Old Ferry Rolling Mill. As the iron trade was just then in an unusually de- pressed condition, but little profit was realized during the ensuing years and in 1860, Mr. Craige withdrew from the firm, which then he- came MeDaniel, Adams & Co. The chain link- made by this company for the govern- ment during the Rebellion, were very severe- ly tested by the government inspector, but none of the many thousands offered were re- jected. Mr. Adams' habits of diligent appli- cation to business, as well as his extensive practical knowledge, were at this time of the greatest service. He watched the manufac- ture day and night, often passing the entire night in the mill for that purpose. In 1563, the firm was succeeded by a new organization, the "Diamond State Iron Company," Mr. Adams being its president. In 1565 he ro- signed this position, sold out his interest in the

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company, and connected himself in 1866 with the MeCullough Iron Company, manufactur- ers of block and galvanized sheet iron, an es- tablishment which has since become the most extensive one of its class in the country, turn- ing out prodnets equal to those of European factories. For twelve years Mr. Adams was vice-president of this company, and for four years president; and during the whole sixteen years his industry was an example to every employee. ITis particular department was that of purchase and sales, in which he devoted himself to the interests of the company with constant and unflagging attention. Mr. Adams relinquished business in April, 1882, and celebrated his retirement by making, with his wife, a visit to Europe during the follow- ing summer.

Mr. Adams was a powerful factor in poli- ties, as well as in business. Thoroughly con- vinced, in 1856, of the soundness of the prin- . ciples upon which the new party, the Republi- can, was organizing itself, he gave it his hearty allegiance, and continued to do so throughout his life. He was president of the Club of the People's Party, active in Wilmington during the winter of 1859-60, and was chairman of a large and enthusiastic ratification meeting, held in June, 1860, after the Chicago Con- vention which met in May. This meeting was held in the Wilmington City Hall, and was the first gathering of the citizens of a slave state for the purpose of applauding the nomination of Abraham Lincoln. During the war, John II. Adams was president of one of the divisions of the Union League. In every way possible to a private citizen, he up- held and assisted the cause of the Union in that time of its severest trial. In 1866 he was dele- gate from New Castle county to the Loyalist National Convention, held in Philadelphia for the purpose of bringing together Union men from all parts of the country, for fraier- nal greetings. IIe was a delegate also to the convention called at Boston, for February, 1868, by the National Board of Trade, and was an active member of the committee there appointed to take into consideration thesubject of Taxation, a very grave one at that juneture. In the same year, Mr. Adams was the Repub- lican nomince for state senator from his coun- ty, but his ticket was defeated at that election because of the popular opposition to the

"Fourteenth Amendment." He was elected to the city council of Wilmington in 1867, and twice afterwards re-elected; he became president of that body in 1869. He was an advocate of a currency based on gold, of which all dollars, coin or paper, should be worth the same amount.

From childhood, John HI. Adams had al- ways highly appreciated the value of intel- lectual culture. He had by his own efforts made up for his lack of scholastic opportuni- ties; he had read and observed much, had at- tended a night school during several winters, and, with six other young men, had organ- ized a Young Men's Literary and Debating Society, which developed first into the Frank- lin Lyceum, and afterwards into the Wil- mington Institute, and to which Mr. Adams continued to be attached during his whole life. He was elected president of that society, Oc- tober 18, 1841. No one, therefore, could have been more suitably chosen as a member of the board of education of his native city; and in that body he served with enthusiasm, by word and deed, the cause of popular education. IIe was decidedly in favor of the introduction of the study of Latin into the high school of Wil- mington; and beginning with 1873, he an- nually offered two gold medals, of the value of abont thirty dollars each, one to the young man, the other to the young woman, pupils of the high school, who should pass the best ex- amination on English grammar. These medals are called the "Adams prizes;" they were pre- sented by the most esteemed citizens of Wil- mington, with suitable addresses,

John Hyndman Adams was married in 1844 to Mary Anna, daughter of the late Samuel MeCleary, one of the first to intro- duce into Wilmington the manufacture of im- proved cotton, woolen and paper machinery. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Adams are: I. Margaret Hyndman (Mrs. Alexander Clark), of Cincinnati, O., has children, i. John II. Adams, ii. Ralph Ewing, iii. Winthrop Alex- ander; IT. Susan Springer ( Mrs. Henry L. Townsend), of Germantown, has one daugh- ter, Marian Adams. Mr. Adams was a faith- ful member of the Presbyterian church. His decease was the passing from earth of a man exemplary in all relations, and distinguished for usefulness.

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IION. JOIN PECKWITH ALLMOND, Wilmington, Del., son of William and Phebe (Jefferis) Allmond, was born in Brandywine Village, now within the city limits, May 6, 1835.

Ilis paternal ancestors were French, and were distinguished for longevity. They set- tled nearly two hundred years ago upon the banks of the Delaware river, between Edge- moor and Philadelphia, where they became the owners of large estates. Mayor Allmond's great-grandfather reached the venerable age of ninety six.

Ilaving obtained a thorough English edu- cation at the academy of the village, and at the Friends' school, John P. Allmond relin- quished the study of text-books at the age of seventeen, in order to acquire a handicraft. Before this time, he had occupied his sum- mers in giving such assistance as a capable and willing boy can afford, on vessels employed in the coast trade, finding pleasure as well as profit in those water-journeys. The occupation to which he now devoted his attention was wood-turning which he learned in the shop of Mr. Gregg Chan- dler. His indenture was for four years' ser- vice as apprentice, but by diligence he ac- quired the trade in three years; then he bought the remaining year, also the stock and goodwill of Mr. Chandler, and upon attain- ing his majority, engaged in business on his own account. In this business although suc- cessful, he continued for only a year; he then sold it, and began dealing in groceries, a ven- ture which proved to be so profitable that he has continued in the business ever since.

Always interested in the prosperity of the city, John P. Allmond has been active and greatly influential in its affairs. A measure serviceable to the community by promoting improvements, and very beneficent in its oper- ations for persons of moderate means, was the incorporation of the Brandywine Loan Asso- ciation, which was due to the efforts of Mr. Allmond. Its plan was similar to that of the Building and Loan Associations now so popu- Jar, and like them, it enabled many to own their dwellings who would not otherwise have done so. From its incorporation in 1869, to the expiration of the time to which it was limited, in April, 1879, Mr. Allmond was president of the association, conducting its af-

fairs ably, and to the advantage of its mem- bers. He also served the city as a member of the Board of Construction which superin- tended the completion of the Cool Spring Reservoir, one of the finest public works of Wilmington. John P. Alhond was elected mayor of the city by the largest majority ever given to any candidate for that office, in September, 1878. The term of office of Mayor AAllmond and the other city officials was extended by legislature in the winter of 1881, to July, 1882. The duties of his office were conscientiously performed, and the affairs of the city prospered under his excellent man- agement. Mr. Allmond has been for more than forty years a Freemason; he is Past Grand Secretary and Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, and was warmly and active- ly interested in the erection of the splendid temple of the Masonic order in Wilming- ton, laboring with great zeal and persever- ance as chairman of the committee on plans, and a member of the building committee.

John Peckwith Allnond was married, June 24, 1856, to Sarah M., daughter of Moses and Mary Pahuer, of Brandywine village. Of the ten children of Mr. and Mrs. Allmond, three are deceased; those surviving are: 1. Mary; II. William Stewart; III. John P .; IV. Charles M .; V. Hettio P .; VI. Sallie M .; VIL. Florence. The parents of Mrs. Allmond are honored members of the Society of Friends.

DAVID WILLIAM MAULL, M. D., Wilmington, Del., son of Dr. George W. and Julia Ann (Hobbs) Maull, was born May 16, 1831, in Georgetown, Del., where his father was for more than half a century actively engaged in the practice of the healing art.

From early manhood, David W. Maull deter- mined to devote his energies to the same noble profession, and his course of study was shaped in accordance with this design. He received at the academy of his native town a thorough English education, and such a knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages as would be of service in acquiring the technicalities of his art. At the age of eighteen, he began the study of medicine, his father being his procep- tor; after sutheient preliminary reading, he matriculated at the Jefferson Medical Col- lege, of Philadelphia, from which institution he received his diploma in 1853. He prae-

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tieed with his father, in Georgetown, until the beginning of the war of the Rebellion. At one time during those eight years (1853- 1861), a special experience was obtained as surgeon on board of an emigrant ship, which made trips between Liverpool and Philadel- phia; in this position, however, he passed only a few months. In May, 1861, Dr. D. W. Maull enlisted for the three months' service, as a private in Company G, First Delaware Volunteer Infantry, was elected first lieuten- ant of his company, and afterwards promoted to captain. The company spent its term of enlistment in doing guard duty at Elkton, Md., and at Perryville, Md., and was mu-tered out in August. On his return to Sussex conty, Dr. Maull at once interested himself in the raising of Company E, of the same regi- ment, re-organized for the three years' service. Ile was mustered in at Wilmington as regimental surgeon. The regiment first encamped for a short time at Ilare's Corner, and was then ordered to Fortress Mon- roc, where it lay at the time of the engage- ment between the Monitor and Merriman. After remaining at the fortress from Septem- ber 16, 1861, until May, 1862, the regiment was ordered to assist in the attack upon Nor- f. Ik, at which time President Lincoln super- intended in person the embarkation of the troops. For about two months, from May to July, the First Delaware was at Norfolk; it was then moved forward to Suffolk, and lay there until September. Dr. Maull fittel up the large academy at Norfolk as an army hos- pital. His position while there was no sino- enre; such diseases as typhoid fever, cerebro- spinal meningitis, and a sort of malaria known as the "Dismal Swamp fever," were very pre- valent among the enlisted men; he had also many patients among the negroes who flocked in from all the surrounding country. The reghuent was now attached to the Third Di- vision, Second Army Corps, and moved west- ward, arriving at Antietam in time to take part in the battle of September 17. From that time until the surrender of Gen. Lee, it fought in almost every battle of the Army of the Potomac. Dr. Maull was surgeon in charge of the Division Hospital at the battle of Gettysburg; and through all the engage- ments, from the Rapidan until the close of the war, he continued to be surgeon-in-chief of

the Second Division of the Second Army Corps. During the first fight at Fredericks- burg, while the Confederate forces were shell- ing the town, Dr. Maull succeeded in remov- ing all the wounded men under his care safe- ly across the river upon stretchers, across a pontoon bridge, although the enemy's fire was directed against the bridge.

Dr. Maull was made surgeon-in-chief of the Third Division of the Second Army Corps, February 15, 1864, and of the Second Di- vision of the same corps, September 13, 1864. In the absence of the Medical Director, he was made Acting Medical Director of the corps, December 27, 1864. He was, through- out his four years' service in the army, so con- stantly in the practice of operations, by night and by day, including wounds of every des- cription, from the most trivial to the gravest, that the surgical experience acquired in that time was equivalent to that of many years of civil practice; nor were his opportunities for experience as a medical practitioner much less advantageous. On April 20, 1865, Dr. Maull resigned his position, and started for his home; on this occasion, the medical officers of the di- vision framed several resolutions of respect and regard for the retiring surgeon, which were afterwards transmitted to him. He re- sinned practice in May, 1865, at Wilmington, which city is still his home. Ilis devotion to his professional duties and his kindly and con- scientious care of his patients have been at least as efficient factors in creating his exten- sive practice in this city, as his skill and ex- perience. He has kept pace with all new dis- coveries and improvements, especially in the line of surgery, which may be said to be his favorite branch of practice; he has acemmu- lated an extensive medical library, with sur- gical instruments and appliances of every va- riety, and a fine collection, almost a museum, of scientifie preparations, specimens and mod- els. He has performed many of the greater and more delicate surgical operations, a large number of which are recorded in the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Re- bellion, issned from the office of the U. S. Sur- geon-general.

Shortly after his establishment in Wilming- ton, Dr. Maull received the unsolicited ap- pointment of U. S. examining surgeon for pensions; he was president of the examining

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board until it was disbanded. For about six years, he was vaccine physician of the city of Wilmington. He was a member of the board of education for five years; for one year, he Was surgeon of the Delaware Division of the P., W. & B. R. R. He was an active mem- bor of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and has been its vice- president. He was for some years president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, established in 1880. For five years, he was Medical Director of the Mu- tual Life Insurance Company, and is medical examiner for a number of the principal life insurance companies. Dr. Maull's literary taste and talent were early recognized. While a young man, he assisted in editing a weekly paper in Georgetown. He was a correspond- ent of the New York Daily Tribune in 1860, the veteran journalist, Horace Greeley, in- viting him to write upon any subject that he might select. Dr. Manll also contributed articles to current medical literature. He is a member of the State Historical Society of Delaware, and at its solicitation, wrote in 1865 a memoir of Brigadier Gen. Thomas 1. Smythe, whose intimate associate he had been during his military life; this memoir was pub- lished by the society in book form.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 49

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa. Number of Pages: 1500

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1500