Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 82

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

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Albert Curry, early in his history, took a large interest in the public improvements of the state, and has been a director of the Dela- ware railroad for many years; has taken a great interest in the educational affairs of the community, and served as school commis- sioner of his distriet; and at the breaking out of the late Civil War was appointed by Gov- ernor Burton, enrolling officer for his distriet, and served in this position throughout the war. Ilis desire was to be a soldier in the field, and but for untoward circumstances pre- venting, he could not have been induced to occupy a merely civil post in the struggle. In polities he has been a Republican from the organization of that party in the state, and be- fore this, was a member of the People's party, and a Whig until the party ceased to exist. Always adverse to public life, and to official position dependent on a political canvass. it was with some surprise that Mr. Curry's friends first learned that he had consented, af- ter the greatest persuasion, to become a candi- date for Governor on the Republican ticket in 1882. His modesty and pefect freedom from political aspirations, being not less marked characteristics of the man than his intelli- gence, honor, and special fitness to serve credi- tally, and with fidelity and purity in any po- sition his fellow citizens might induce him to be a candidate for. Albert Curry was united in marriage, May 2, 1848, to Miss Sarah .A., daughter of John Hurst, of Sussex county.

JAMES NICHOLSON was born in New Castle county, February 6, 1814. His father, William Nicholson, was born in Dover, but resided, most of his life, in Pencader hundred, where he was for many years a justice of the peace. William Nicholson was very promi-

nent in the community, an active and influen- tial member of the old Whig party, and an intimate friend of John M. Clayton. He died in 1856, at about 75 years of age. Ilis son, James, is his only surviving child by his mar- riage in 1812, with Millicent Savin, of Kent county. She died in 1838, and he was after- wards married. His second wife was Rachel Layman, by whom he had two children, Wil- liam P. and Pauline.

Mr. James Nicholson received a good com- mon school education, was brought up to in- dustrious habits, and early commenced to make his own way in life. He was a clerk for a while, worked in making the old French- town and New Castle railroad, and at nine- teen, taught school, which he followed for two years. For about a year he superintended the construction of a part of the P., W. & B. R. R. Removing to Ceeil county, Md., he com- bined farming with hotel keeping, but re- turned in two years to a farm in the vicinity of Glasgow, and soon after became the tax col- lector and constable of Pencader hundred for four years. He afterwards kept the hotel at Glasgow for two years, and next, at Summit Bridge for thirteen years, cultivating also the hotel farm. From 1852, he kept a country store until 1855, when he became a contractor for the building of the Delaware railroad.

In 1856, Mr. Nicholson purchased the Caulk farm near Summit Bridge, where he lived and succeeded well, but rented it in 1858, and returned to mercantile life at Sum- mit Bridge, and also kept hotel till 1865, when he purchased a fine farm in Chester county, Pa., and resided there a year. On ac- count of the death of his eldest son, he sold this property and returned to his store at Summit Bridge, and soon purchased there there the Beach hotel farm. He added to it an adjoining farm, making in all 217 acres close adjoining the village. He purchased in 1856, the Pleasant Valley farm, at the foot of Iron Hill, near Glasgow, A Democrat in polities, he always took a deep interest in party affairs, Mr. Nicholson was first cleated as assessor of his hundred against his father, who was the Whig candidate. In 1868, he was appointed recorder of New Castle county, by Governor G. Saulsbury, which office he held five years. In 1876, he was elected to the Legislature and served during the ses-

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sion of 1877. He became a Mason in 1870, joining St. John's Lodge, New Castle county.

James Nicholson was married, July 3, 1838, to Miss Sarah, daughter of William and Anna ( Underwood) Adair, of Pencader hundred."

REV. JAMES BATEMAN was born in Queen Anne county, Ma., January 4, 1775. Ile married Susan, daughter of John Marim, of Kent in the vicinity of Dover. Five chil- dren were born to them: I. Hannah Marim; II. Mary; IHI. James; IV. Charles M .; V. Jolm Henry Bateman. Rev. James Bateman trav- eled as an itinerant in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware; his death occurred in Greensboro, Caro- line county, Md., May 31, 1830, where he was buried. The testimony of The General Minutes of the Methodist Epis- copal church respecting him, is most honorable, and the following encyclo- pedie notice embraces all that needs to be said: "A Methodist Episcopal minister, born in Maryland, 1775, converted in 1800, en- tered the itinerant ministry in the Philadel- phia Conference in 1806, located in 1814, re- entered in 1817, and preached until his death. As a man he was amiable, urbane and gener- ous; as a Christian, gentle, candid and full of charity; as a preacher, sound, earnest and warm; as a presiding elder, discreet, firm and wise. Ilis life was useful and loving, and his death triumphant."

JOIIN HENRY BATEMAN was born in Chestertown, Kent county, Md., March 13, 1830. Ilis father, Rev. James Bateman, died a few weeks after the birth of this son, who was brought up by his uncle, Charles Marim. At the age of fourteen, he became a clerk in Milford, and later in Wilmington. In 1848, he was employed in the woolen factory on the Brandywine, and subsequently superintended the farm of his uncle, near Dover. He was next in business in Dover, and, in 1857, ro- ceived from Governor Causev the appoint- ment of justice of the peace and notary pub- lie for Kent county. This office he resigned, upon being apointed clerk by C. II. B. Day, collector of internal revenue.

President Lincoln appointed him postmas- ter at Dover, in 1861, and he held this office for two terms. On April 28, 1868, he was elected Cashier of the First National Bank of Dover, which position he satisfactorily occupied. In politics he early became an en- thusiastic Republican, and a prominent and influential worker and writer for the success of his party. Mr. Bateman united with the M. E. church in 1845, and is superintendent of the Sabbath-school of the Wesley church of Dover. John II. Bateman was married, February 26, 1852, to Caroline S., daughter of Andrew and Rebecca Armstrong, of Bran- dywine.

BAUDUY SIMMONS was born in Chris- tiana hundred, near what is now DuPont Sta- tion, January 24, 1805. His father, John Simmons, died in the infancy of this son who was his youngest child. The family is one of the oldest in the state, and far back were members of Old Swedes' church.

John Simmons had, besides, two other sons: George and John, and one daughter, Han- nah, who married Jesse Gregg. All are de- ceased.

Bauduy Simmons was trained to the labors of the farm which he followed for a time, but about 1830, he entered the store of his uncle, George Simmons, who was then a shipping merchant at Front and Orange streets, at a time when Wilmington carried on an extensive trade with the West Indies. In 1837 Baudny Simmons entered into partner- ship with Jeremiah Duncan in the lumber business, at Front and Tatnall streets. Soon after, he purchased Mr. Duncan's interest and entered into partnership with Joshua Sin- mons, which continued till the death of the latter in 1863, when his son George took his place, and Mr. Bauduy Simmons' son, Sam- uel G., was also admitted to the firm, from which Mr. Sinnons retired in 1872.

In early life Mr. Simmons was an old line Whig and afterwards a Republican. He was for a number of years a member of Old Swedes' church, and later in life a vestryman in St. Andrew's P. E. church. His wife was Ann, daughter of Samuel Gregg. Mr. Sim- mons died February 2, 1882, at his residence, 304 West street, aged a few days over seven-

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ty-seven years, and was laid to rest in Old Swedes' cemetery.

SAMUEL ROBERTS was born January 2, 1826. His father was James Roberts. Sam- uel Roberts attended the schools of his neigh- borhood until twelve years of age. He was put to work upon the farm and continued to assist his father until 1839, when he obtained a position as clerk in the store of his cousin, James Roberts. After some fifteen months he, by request of his father, returned home, where he remained until twenty-three years of age.

In the spring of 1849, Samuel Roberts be- gan farming for himself. He devoted his land principally to grain, but cultivated peaches to some extent. Besides the home farm, he became owner of an adjoining tract of 160 acres, also a farm of 200 acres, known as Thomas' Landing, which he purchased in 1878. Mr. Roberts joined the Democratic party, and served as a member of the Levy Court of New Castle county, from 1874 to 1878, with credit to himself and to his party. Mr. Roberts joined the Methodists denomina- tion in 1859, and subsequently served as trus- tee and steward of Asbury M. E. church at Smyrna. He was united in marriage, May 16, 1850, to Miss Catharine, daughter of John and Catharine (Davis) Wilson, of Sussex county.

CAPTAIN DAVID EASTBURN BUCK- INGHAM, son of Alban and Mary (East- burn) Buckingham, was born February 3, 1840, at Pleasant Hill, New Castle county. David E. Buckingham grew up on the farm, attending the public school in winter, until his fifteenth year, when he was sent to Eton Academy, and enjoyed its advantages for four terms. He had chosen the medical profes- sion, but in his twentieth year engaged in teaching. Soon after the war broke out, and this changed all his plans. He became orderly sergeant of a company of home guards, at Mermaid Hill, Mill Creek hundred. He was mainly instrumental in forming company E, of the Fourth Delaware Volunteers; was ap- pointed first lieutenant, and with his regiment entered on the peninsular campaign, under General MeClellan. He was the eldest of

four brothers, all of whom except the young- est, a mere boy, were soldiers in the late war. His brother, Richard, first sergeant of Com- pany E, was afterwards lieutenant of the regiment and all were intense in their loyalty of the old flag. On the pen- in.sula, the regiment was stationed at Gloucester, opposite Yorktown, Va., where Captain Buckingham was ill in the hospital with malarial fever. He was soon after in the action of Bethesda church, and while engaged in storming the earthworks, was prostrated by the windage of a cannon-shot, but revived suf- ficiently to enter the works with his com- pany, though afterwards, he was for several days incapacitated for duty. He was with his command in crossing the James, and also on June 16 and 17, in the terrible struggle in which one-third of the regiment was killed and wounded. Among the wounded was his brother, Richard; he himself narrowly es- caped, a ball having cut through the breast of his coat. At the battle of Weldon railroad and at the burning of the Davis house his gal- lantry was conspicuous. In the latter action he earned the brevet of captain, with honora- ble mention of services rendered in the cam- paign before Richmond. At Rowanty river the Fourth Delaware was ordered to cross the bridge after several regiments had been diven back; his company was in the advance and finding the bridge impassible, he ordered the men to cross the stream; the ice broke under his feet Int he swain across amid the bullets of the enemy. At Hatchers Run, Captain Buckingham, with some of his men, advanced to the house in which Colonel Bailey, of the Third Delaware, was killed, but fell back in time to escape capture. At the action of White Oak Roads he escaped unhurt. The night before he slept in the twigs having as companions, Capt. E. C. Stotesenburg, Capt. Thomas Challenger, Lt. Alpheus Wilson and his brother, Sergeant Major Buckingham. At the close of this battle, Wilson was dead, the Sergeant Major wounded and carried to the rear, and the two Captains were prisoners. At midnight, when in charge of the pickets, he received orders to withdraw them, and the regiment joined the crops and marched until noon of April first, and at four p. m. formed in line and attacked the enemy in the battle of the Five Forks. At the

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"Chimney's" Captain MeClary being killed, the command of the regiment devolved upon him. After this action, in which 3,000 of the enemy were captured, General Lee com- meneed his retreat. Captain Buckingham was in command until April 5. Captain Buck- ingham was in every march and in every bat- tle of this regiment from their leaving Wil- mington; he was the only officer of whom this could be said. Of medium height, with- out an ounce of superfluous flesh, his powers of endurance were wonderful. He was mus- tered out of service on June 7, 1865.

Captain Buckingham was married January 1, 1868, to Sarah L., daughter of Isaac Van Trump. Their children are: I. Mignionette O .; II. David E., Jr .; III. Sadie L.

MARTIN BARR, M. D., deceased, son of John and Elizabeth (Brownf) Barr, was born in 1792, in Sterling township, near Lancaster, Pa.

The records of the aBrr family date from the twelfth century. They were always Prot- estants and Republicans, and on the side of the Albigenses in the twelfth century, joined that body, living among the Alps. In 1580 they removed to the district of Languedoc in the south of France, the principal seat of the Albigenses church. There they enjoined re- ligious liberty until the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, when they fled to Eng- land. While residing in England, John Barr, great-grandfather of Martin Barr, met with William Penn, and on the Proprie- tor's return to his colony, came with him to America. Here he and Justine Kerr pur- chased from Penn 30,000 acres of land, in Lancaster county, Pa., paying an English shil- ling per acre. His son John, father of Dr. Martin, inherited a part of this land and en- paged in farming and milling. He was a pa- triot and during the dark winter of 17- sup- plied General Washington with flour while encamped at Valley Forge. John Barr, 2, was married to Elizabeth Brown. They had two children: I. John; II. Martin. John Barr, 2, died in 1802, aged forty-eight.

Martin Barr was educated by Rev. Francis Latta at his academy in Lancaster county, and at the age of eighteen entered the office of

the celebrated Dr. Benjamin Rush of Phila- delphia. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1813, and after practicing for three years in Philadelphia, removed to Middletown, where he spent the remainder of his life. In 1819, having had several hemor- rhages, he traveled through the South, and was by this means entirely restored. He He- came large and robust, weighing 200 pounds, and his strength and endurance were remarka- ble. Although he often rode from forty to sixty, and sometimes even eighty miles a day, he seldom felt fatigue, starting at four o'clock in the morning, on a breakfast of warm bread and milk, he would accomplish an immense amount of labor, and his energy never seemed to flag. Possessed of high intellectual en- dowments, he was a thorough scholar and a constant student. Dr. Martin had a natural gift in detecting disease and remarkable skill in treating it. Ile had a large practice and lecame one of the most distinguished physi- cians and skilful surgeons of his day. Dur- ing the forty years of his residence in Mid- dletown he collected $160,000, but used his means unsparingly, and kept up a very large family, from ten to twenty-two relations being with them a great deal of the time. In man- ner Dr. Barr was modest and unassuming. He was a prominent member of the State Medical Society, and was often urged to accept official position, but declined fearing that the public duties would not permit him to meet the re- quirements of his large practice. Martin Barr, M. D., was a member of the Presbyte- rian church, but his wife was an Episcopalian. Ile was married in 1815, to Jane, daughter of William Adams, of Mount Pleasant, Pa. Of their twelve children, five died in infancy. Those who lived to maturity are: I. John 1. Barr, M. D., graduated from the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania in 1837, became distin- guished as a practitioner in Delaware City, died in 1857, leaving one daughter; II. Capt. Joseph M. Barr, born in March, 1822, studied with John M. Clayton, gradu- ated from the Yale Law School in 1848, prae- tired in New Castle a short time, was editor of the the Delaware State Journal, and after- wards editor and proprietor of The Common- wealth in Wilmington, enlisted as captain of Company C, under Col. Lockwood, in the Union army, re-enlisted as captain of a com-

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pany in the Fourth Delaware, was prostrated with fever in the seven days' fight on the Chickahominy, joined the veteran reserved corps at Chicago, died in Middletown, July 1, 1876, leaving one son; ILI. William II. Barr, M. D .; IV. Capt. Frank Barr, of the steamer Colfax, United States revenue ser- vice, at Wilmington, N. C .; V. Mary A., died about 1839, in her twenty-second year; VI. Eliabeth, also died in early womanhood; VII. Jane, married Rev. John Atkinson, a minis- ter of the P. E. church, died in 1857. Dr. Martin Barr closed his long and useful life, September 19, 1874, aged eighty-one years.

JAMES MARTIN, son of William and Fanny ( Little) Martin, was born in Christiana hundred, October 25, 1815.

William Martin was born in Ireland, and came to this country at the close of the last century, landing in New Castle, and remaining for some time in Wilmington, Del. After spending sixteen years as superin- tendent for E. I. DuPont, on one of his farms, devoted to sheep raising, Mr. Martin rented a farm for over thirty years, and afterwads a farm at Mt. Cuba, where he spent the rest of his life. He died in 1852, in his seventy- ninth year. Ilis wife died in 1862, aged eighty-nine years. Of their nine children, five lived to maturity: I. Joseph, a sea cap- tain; II. Irene; III. John; IV. James; V. Fanny.

James Martin was brought up on the farm, and received a good common school business education in the old Hendrick school house, at Du Pont Station. At twenty-three years of age he married Elizabeth Margaret, daugh- ter of Benjamin Chandler, and built a house on his father's farm, where he remained and cared for his parents in their declining years. After the death of his mother, the property being sold and divided, Mr. Martin removed to Wilmington, and engaged in business. For ten years he was a butcher, and afterwards he dealt in cattle, retail and wholesale. Mr. Martin was originally an old line Whig, was a stanch Union man, and although past the age requiring military duty, enlisted in the Union army, and spent the first part of the war in the field, fighting for the old flag. After the

war, he was interested in politics, and was a faithful and influential worker for the success of the Republican party. In 1857 he was col- lector for Christiana hundred, and in 1882 he was, by a general vote of the Republicans of New Castle county, chosen by a large ma- jority as their candidate for sheriff, and was elected to that office on November 7. Mr. Martin was the only Republican candidate on the county ticket that was elected, in fact, he was the only member of that party throughout the state, elected to any office.

James Martin was married, in 1836, to Elizabeth Margaret, daughter of Benjamin Chandler. They had eight children, six of whom lived to maturity: I. Benjamin C., en- listed in the First Ohio Artillery, took part in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 18, 1862, died of fever while in the army; II. Jo- seph E., served in the Union army; III. E. J., also a soldier in the Union army; IV. William C .; V. James V .; VI. Elizabeth.

COL. RICHARD TOWNSEND, son of samuel Townsend, was born in Appoquini- ming hundred, December 3, 1839.

Richard Townsend attended the common schools of his native hundred, and at sixteen became a student in the academy at New Castle, and afterwards attended one of the best schools in Wilmington. He remained. with his father until he attained his majority, when he established himself in the fruit trade in Philadelphia, but at the end of a year, be- lieving New York to be a better place for business, he removed to that city and con- nected himself with Garom, Vermilyea & Co., fruit commission merchants. He also con- ducted a mercantile interest at Townsend, till 1868, when he began farming on the Hall farm in Appoquinimink hundred, and was successfully engaged in peach growing. Six years later, on acount of increasing business in New York, he relinquished farming for four years. In 1876 Mr. Townsend bought a farm of 176 acres, one hundred of which were in peaches. This farm, one of the best in the hundred, the property of his uncle, the late John Townsend, is finely located and is highly cultivated, Mr. Townsend being one of the most practical and successful agricul-

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turists and fruit growers in the county. For over twenty years he superintended the sales of his father's large fruit interests, which in 1866 aggregated over 100,000 baskets. Hle was a member of the official staff of Gov. John W. Hall, with the rank of colonel. In 1867 he united with the M. E. church, in which he has held every official position. He was the founder of that church at Townsend, and a trustee of the Wilmington Conference Academy at Dover.

Mr. Townsend was married in 1863, to Sarah A., daughter of James T. Carter, of Philadelphia. Their children are: I. James Carter, a member of the M. E. church from the age of twelve; II. Frederick; III. Henri- etta; IV. Richard, Jr., was born January 22, 1880.

JAMES MORROW was born in County Down, Ireland, February 24, 1819.

In 1835 James Morrow followed his elder brother, William, to the United States and was employed in his brother's store until he was apprenticed to the late Dell Noblitt, cabi- net maker. Mr. Morrow had enjoyed ordi- nary educational advantages in his own coun- try, and, after his arrival in Wilmington, con- tinued to study in the intervals of his other occupations, attending the academy of Rev. Samuel M. Bayley. The time specified in his indenture having expired, in 1840 he en- gaged in cabinet making on his own account, but relinquished it in 1844 and entered the grocery business. Here, for more than forty years, he enjoyed quiet and uninterrupted prosperity, his business expanding yearly. As his sons grew up they were given places in the business, and in 1873, the eldest, William E. Morrow, was admitted to a partnership under the firm name of James Morrow & Son. In 1869 Mr. Morrow was president of the Wilmington Mills Manufacturing Com- pany, and was for many years a director of the National Bank of Wilmington and Bran- dywine.

In 1847 James Morrow was married to Bethia Ferris, daughter of William D. Eves, of New London, Chester county, Pa. Their children are: I. William E. Morrow; II. R. D. Morrow; III. James C. Morrow.

WILLIAM CORBIT SPRUANCE, son of Presley and Sarah (Corbit) Spruance, was born in Smyrna, April 2, 1831.

William C. Spruance prepared for College under the tuition of Rev. Geo. Foote, at Port Pen, and afterwards at Newark Academy. Ile entered Princeton College in January, 1849, and graduated in 1852. Ilis legal studies were prosecuted under Chief Justice Comegys, Hon. George B. Rodney, and at Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Mass. He was admitted to the bar in November, 1855, at New Castle, where he remained until 1871, when he removed to Wilmington. For about three years Mr. Spruance was Deputy At- torney General, attorney for New Castle coun- ty for twelve years, city solicitor of Wilming- ton for two years. In 1876 he was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, and resigned that office in 1880. Ilis eminent ability, persistent energy and vigorous methods, won for him success at the bar, and placed him in the front rank of the profession. Trained in the Whig school of polities, and firmly opposed to human slavery, he joined the Republican party at the out- break of the rebellion.

William C. Spruance was married in 1858 to Maria Louisa, eldest daughter of the Rev. J. B. Spotswood, D. D., of New Castle. Their children are: I. Presley; II. John S .; III. Ar- thur W .; IV. William C .; V. Edith.

JOIIN JONES, son of Joseph and Sarah Jones, one of the original firm of Pusey & Jones, machine and vessel builders of Wil- mington, was born in Lancashire, England, in 1818. In 1824 his parents, Joseph and Sarah Jones, both of Lancashire, Eng., emigrated to America, and settled at Cedar Grove, above the city of Philadelphia, but afterwards re- moved to Delaware, where Mr. Jones worked as a machinist, on the Brandywine, three miles above the city.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 82

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