Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 85

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

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COLUMBUS WATKINS was born near Middletown, September 17, 1829. He re- ceived a good English education in the best

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schools of his neighborhood, and was advanced to the higher branches by his mother. In April, 1846, he entered, as clerk, the store of Polk & Beaston, in Odessa, remaining until his majority, when he went into partnership with Mr. Beaston. This continued until 1865, when Mr. Watkins purchased the interest of his partner. In addition to the usual business of a country store, he engaged in the purchase and shipping of grain, lumber, staves, coal, lime, fertilizers and produce generally, which he shipped in his own vessels to the principal northern ports. Odessa was for many years a leading grain port for a large section of Dela- ware and Maryland, and Mr. Watkins was one of the most extensive grain dealers of the town. He owned several vessels which were kept constantly employed. In 1878 he built the Clio, a passenger and freight Ericsson steamer, of 117 tons burden. Since 1876 he was made a director of the Odessa National Bank.

Columbus Watkins was married, May 29, 1855, to Miss Frances B., daughter of John Whitby, a leading merchant of Odessa, and had four children: I. Lydia Peterson (Mrs. Richard J. Foard); II. Frank Blackiston; III. Columbus Watkins; IV. John Whitby.

EDWARD FOWLER, M. D., was born in Wicomico county, Md., July 3, 1835, son of Edward Fowler, who was a leading farmer of that county.

The father of Edward Fowler, Sr., was also Edward Fowler, who was a farmer and resided at Spring Hill, which estate he purchased af- ter the death of his father. He removed to a farm which he owned on Dame's Quarter, near Deal's Island, but after a few years re- turned to Spring Hill where he continued to reside until his death. He was the eldest son and inherited the estate of his father who set- tled on the Wicomico river near Green Hill or White Haven, owning lands at both points. The presumption is that most of the Fowlers north and south sprang from this source. The mother of Doctor Fowler was Matilda, daugh- ter of Benjamin Dashiell, Esq., attorney-at- law, of the well known Dashiell family of Somerset county, Md.

When twelve years of age Edward Fowler began attendance at the Salisbury Academy under the charge of Col. S. A. Graham. Af- ter leaving school his purpose was to enter upon the study of law. He entered the office of Hon. L. T. II. Irving, but on account of ill health was compelled to abandon it. Ile re- turned home for the purpose of recuperating his health by out-door exercise, fearing to en- gage in a sedentary profession. After a short time, however, he began the study of medi- cine in the office of his brother, Dr. John E. Fowler. He matriculated at the University of Maryland and graduated from that institu- tion in 1858. Immediately he began the practice of his profession in partnership with his brother which continued until 1862, when he removed to Sharptown and was there for three years.

At the solicitation of citizens of Laurel he took charge of the practice of the leading physician, who had removed to the city of Philadelphia in 1865. The field upon which he entered was a laborious one, but his skill and devotion succeeded in building up a large and lucrative practice.

In 1881 Dr. Fowler was appointed by Gov- ernor Hall a member of the State Board of Health. From early life he was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church and filled many offices in the church and was frequently elected to the Diocesan Conventions of that church.

In politics Dr. Fowler became a Democrat and frequently vindicated his party's cause on the hustings.

Dr. Edward Fowler was united in marriage in April, 1861, to Miss Ellen, daughter of John E. Harris, of Wicomico county, Mary- land. She died in July, 1869, leaving two children, a son and a daughter. He was again married in 1870 to Miss Kate Harris, a sister of his former wife. Dr. Fowler was made a Mason in 1871, and connected himself with Hope Lodge, No. 4. He served his lodge in the capacity of Senior Deacon, Junior War- den, Senior Warden, and Master.

COL. ISAAC AUGUSTUS PECK was born at C'atskill on the Hudson river, New

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York, April 9, 1828, one of five children born to Ephraim M. and Eliza (Lowe) Peck. He was educated at the connnon schools of Ulster county, which he attended until thirteen years of age. Ilis father then put him to work in his shop where he learned the business of car- riage building, which he continued until twenty years old. He subsequently removed to Rahway, N. J., and took charge of the Union Carriage Works, and later became president of the company.

At the breaking out of the war Mr. Peek entered the United States service as clerk in the Quartermaster's department. After serv- ing three months he was connmissioned by the Secretary of War as colonel with authority to raise a regiment. He immediately proceeded to enlist men, and his regiment was mustered in as the "Second District of Columbia." Late in 1863, Col. Peck resigned his command on account of ill health. He went to North Caro- lina to recover his health, and after a short time he engaged in the lumber business in Brunswick county.

Col. Peck was appointed clerk in the United States Custom House at Wilmington, and af- terwards made Sergeant at Arms of the Con- stitutional Convention in the autumn of 1867. He received the contract to refit and re-fur- nish the Senate department of the Capitol buildings.

In 1869 he removed to Montgomery coun- ty, Pa., where he became superintendent of the sash, door and blind factory of Messrs. Barber and Henderson. Colonel Peck be- came interested in the lumber and bark busi- ness at Redden station in November, 1873. The same year he purchased 203 acres of land at Reddins station, on the J. & B. R. R., and erected thereon a large steam saw mill for the manufacture of flooring and a variety of turned work for the northern markets. Ile also engaged in the mercantile business which was started in June, 1880. In 1876 he built his comfortable residence, situated about half a mile from the station. Col. Peck was mar- ried, first, to Miss Mary E. Dumond, of Ulster, N. Y., May 21, 1839. Two children grew up: Clinton C., and Clara E. Peck. Mrs. Mary E. Feek died February, 1879. The Colonel was again married, to Miss Abbey A., daughter of Benjamin Burton, Esq., of Sussex county.

HION. EDWARD LIVINGSTON MAR- TIN was born in Seaford, Sussex county, March 29, 1837. He was the youngest son in a family of ten children born to Captain Hugh and Sophia ( Willis) Martin.

E. L. Martin attended the public and pri- vate schools of Seaford till 1830, when he spent a year in the Newark Academy, follow- ed by another year in Delaware College. Hle was next two years in the celebrated academy of Anthony Bohinar, in West Chester, Penn- sylvania, after which he entered the Univer- sity of Virginia, graduating four years later, in 1859, from the school of law. Returning to Delaware he further pursued his legal studies in the office of Hon. Daniel M. Bates, in Wilmington with whom he continued eigh- teen months.

In 1863 Mr. Martin was elected clerk of the State Senate, which remained in continu- ous session until 1865. In 1866 he again re- turned to the University of Virginia, where he spent six months in the law school, and on his return was examined and admitted to the bar in Dover, in the fall term of that year. Ile opened an office in Dover, but was soon summoned home by the illness of his father, with whom he remained till his decease, in June, 1867. Himself and his eldest brother, Luther Martin, were left executors of the will, and the care of his mother and of the estate devolved upon him. She lived till November, 1869. "Woodburn," the estate, fell to him and his brother Luther. The care of this prop- erty made it necessary for him to relinquish the active duties of his profession and devote himself to agriculture. The whole estate con- sisted of about four hundred acres, and Mr. Martin engaged in fruit culture with excellent success. Mr. Martin became a Democrat and for many years was one of its leaders in the state of Delaware. He was a member of the National Democratie Convention in Chicago in 1864, in Baltimore in 1872, in St. Louis in 1876, in Cincinnati in 1880.

In 1873 Mr. Martin was appointed a mem- ber of the board of commissioners by the Leg- i-lature to settle the boundary line between Delaware and New Jersey, Chief Justice Comegys and Hon. William G. Whitely being the other members from this state, and Cort- landt Parker, Abraham Browning and Albert Slape, the commissioners on the part of New

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Jersey. The commission was discharged in 1875, before a settlement was effected. In 1877 Mr. Martin was appointed by the Legis- lature, the commissioner from Sussex county to encourage the introduction and growth of the sugar beet interest. In 1878 he was nomi- nated by the Democratic party and elected to the Forty-sixth Congress. He served on the Committee on Accounts, on the Committee of the District of Columbia, and on the special committee for the Centennial Celebration of the surrender of Yorktown. Mr. Martin made so honorable a record in Congress that he was re-nominated by his party, and elected to the same office in 1880, his competitor being Ilon. John Houston, one of the judges of the Supe- rior Court of the state.

Edward L. Martin was married, March 17, 1869, to Miss Clara, daughter of William W. Dulaney, of Sussex county. They had tive children: I. Woodburn; II. William Dula- ney; III. Rosalie; IV. Mabel Bayard; V. Ed- ward Livingston, Jr.

CHARLES TURNER FLEMING, son of Beniah and Elizabeth (Turner) Fleming, was born in Mispillion hundred, November 16, 1805. William Fleming, grandfather of Charles T. Fleming, was born in Scotland, June 5, 1717, came to Delaware about 1740. He obtained a patent for 400 acres of land in Mispillion hundred, called "William's Choice." A part of this land is still in the possession of the family. In 1741 he erected a large brick dwelling. He died in 1784. Ilis wife, Jane ( Frame) Fleming, died March 7, 1765. Their children were: I. Andrew; II. Nathan; III. William; IV. Boas; V. Beniah; VI. Benoni. By a second wife he had an- other son, Thomas. After William Flem- ing's death all his children except Beniah emi- grated to the West. Mr. Fleming's father, Beniah Fleming, born January 10, 1762, re- mained at the old homestead, where he died October 12, 1845, at the age of eighty-three. Ile was a soldier in the Revolution in the Delaware Line. He married Elizabeth Tur- ner, born December 11, 1765. They had fourteen children, Charles Turner being the eleventh.

Charles T. Fleming received a good Eng-

lish education and taught school one year. In 1827 he went to Milford, where he attended evening schools and studing Latin and mathe- maties, the last being his special delight. In 1835, he became a surveyor and conveyancer, and was thus employed for over forty-five years. For twenty-one years he was a notary public and also commissioner of deeds for the state of New York, transacting an immense amount of business, and probably wrote more deeds than any other man in Kent county. Mr. Fleming has acted as agent for the Mill Creek, now the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company, from the time of its organiza- tion. In 1846 he was appointed receiver of the celebrated Potter estate, then in litigation, of which, in 1848, under a decision of the Court of Chancery, he was made the trustee. Mr. Fleming was, in 1837, elected by the Whig party to the legislature, in which he served honorably for two years. He identi- fied himself with the Republican party at the time of its organization and was a strong Union man. Ile was brought up a Presby- terian, but there being no church of that de- nomination in Milford, he and his wife united with the M. E. church. Charles T. Fleming was married January 4, 1838, to Mrs. Eliza- beth W., widow of Rynear Williams, daugh- ter of Peter T. Causey, and sister of Governor Peter F. Causey. She died May 16, 1847. Mr. Fleming afterwards married Mary S., daughter of William Richards of Northwest Fork hundred. They had three children: I. Mary Elizabeth, died in 1861, aged five years; II. Foster Causey, died in 1864, aged one year and four months; and one who died in infancy.

COL. EDMUND BAILEY, son of John and Eliza A. (Anderson) Bailey, was born August 17, 1840.

His father, John Bailey, farmer, was born June 10, 1797. He was married, in 1824, to Eliza A., daughter of William and Ann An- derson. They had four sons and five daugh- ters, Edmund being the youngest child. John Bailey was an industrious and enterprising citizen, a man of high character, who for forty years was a leader, trustee, and steward in the M. E. church. He died greatly lamented, November 7, 1870, and his wife, AApril 20,

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1874, in her seventy-fourth year. Mr. Bailey's grandfather, Edmund Bailey, was born in Kent, Del., about 1760. He was mar- ried to Ruth Cox and had five children. Ed- mund Bailey's paternal ancestors were emi- grants from England, his maternal ancestors were Welsh. He attended the best schools of the neighborhood until he was fifteen, when he spent two years in Dover in the classical school of Prof. Reynolds. His father desired him to take a full course in Dickinson Col- lege, but he could not be induced to absent himself from his home to which he was great- ly attached. In 1862, after a trip to Illinois and Missouri, he took charge of the home farm, his parents removing to Felton. In 1870 he removed to Canterbury and engaged in mercantile pursuits, and at the same time, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Capt. Thomas Draper, connneneed the manufacture of phosphates at Draper's Landing. After three years Mr. Bailey retired and until 1876 gave his attention to mercantile business. He then sold out his stock and spent three years in settling up his affairs. In the fall of 1878 Mr. Bailey returned to his farm, called "Chestnut Hill." It contains 230 acres, under a high state of entlivation, and is devoted about equally to fruit and grain. He had 3,500 peach trees, 400 apple, pear trees, and two acres in small fruits. Intelligent and en- terprising in character, he is prominent as an agriculturist, and takes a deep interest in the material prosperity of the state. Since its or- ganization, in 1878, he has been one of the directors, and general superintendent of the State Agricultural Society. It is due to his mangement that the state fairs were success- ful, paying twenty per cent. dividend on the capital stock. From his youth Mr. Bailey has been identified with the Democratic party. In 1868 he was elected a member of the Levy Court, and served acceptably for four years. In 1879 he was commissioned an aid-de-camp on the staff of Governor HIall with the rank of colonel. For several years he was an ac- tive member of the order of the I. O. O. F. In 1860 Mr. Bailey joined the M. E. church. Edmund Bailey was married, March 4, 1862, to Mary M., daughter of James G., and Sarah Waples. She died the following Oc- tober. On January 17, 1865, he was mar- ried to Susan A., daughter of Samuel A., and Susan (Brown) Short, of Kent county, by

whom he had four children: I. Mary Waples; II. Edith; III. Edmund Emerson; IV. Jolin. Mrs. Susan Bailey died December 25, 1872. On January 23, 1876, Mr. Bailey was married to Laura B., daughter of Jolm B., and Susan (Buckmaster) Anderson. They have one child, Anna Louise.

FRANCIS VINCENT, historian, was born March 17, 1822.

Francis Vincent was brought up in Dover, where he remained until the age of seventeen. There were, at that time, but few books in Dover, only two of the citizens, Henry M. Ridgely and Jorn M. Clayton, having really good libraries. Francis Vincent enjoyed free access to Mr. Ridgely's library, and to this privilege he owed the better part of his edu- cation, and the high ideas which have influ- enced him through life, and through him have proved of such great benefit to others. On December 27, 1839, he came to Wilmington to learn printing in the office of the Delaware Gazette. Immediately after his arrival he con- nected himself with the Franklin Lyceum. Most of the literary young men of the place belonged to this Society. Ile afterwards also joined the Wilmington Literary and Debating Society, of which he was president for many years. Before he attained his majority he de- livered several lectures and addresses before this Society. On August 22, 1845, in com- pany with William T. Jeandell, Mr. Vincent commenced the publication of a newspaper entitled The Blue Hen's Chicken, which, from its originality, piquacy and life, at once be- came popular. In three months it had the largest circulation of any paper in Wilming- ton. This journal was the first to depart from the old-fashioned method of journalizing, which, in the country, consisted mainly of making extracts from the metropolitan news- papers. It was devoted to matters nearer home, was much more interesting to the gen- eral public. It thus at once became a model, and as such a thousand copies were sent all over the country. All the country news- papers of the present day are conducted on the plan originated by The Blue Hen's Chicken. In the second year Mr. Vincent be- came sole proprietor of this paper and through its columns began to advocate a series of state

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and national reforms. Many of these he originated and with the assistance of others urged on by his ability and persistency, a large number were adopted. Among these reforms were the freeing of the Wilmington bridge; the reduction of the hours of labor to ten a day; the exemption of necessary household goods from seizure for debt. Ile also suc- ceeded in abolishing lotteries; the whipping of white women; imprisonment of non-resi- dents debtors; and public executions. Owing to the influence of his article on the subject, the railroad from Wilmington to Reading was built, the Delaware railroad run through the state to Wilmington; the branch road connect- ing Milford and Lewes, and the General In- corporation act passed. Almost every meas- ure proposed by him was agitated and re- ceived the support of a large body of citizens. Mr. Vincent was a determined opponent of slavery and an earnest friend of the colored people; in denouncing and making known their wrongs he made his influence strongly felt. In 1850, Judge Eggleston, of Mary- land, declared from the bench that any one taking his paper from the postoffice was liable to imprisonment. Francis Vincent was in ad- vance of his day, and urgently advocated all those common-sense reforms that at the pres- ent time seem as necessary as light and air. In 1854 he sold his paper, receiving for it fifty percent. more than had ever been given for any paper in the state before. He assisted in the organization of the Republican party in Delaware.and was prominent in its coun- sels, and predicted the exact results of the war-the freeing and enfranchising of the colored people. In 1861 Mr. Vincent pur- chased The Commonwealth, and changed its name to The Blue Hen's Chicken. One of its first uses was to urge the fortification of the Delaware-and the Breakwater, which was also taken up by the other papers, and was ae- complished. In September, 1864, he was elected alderman of the city, and was re-elect- od five successive times. In 1870 he pub- lished his first volume of the History of Dela- ware. In 1873 he called public attention to the great loss of life by shipwreck on our coast, and by his persistent efforts secured the establishment of life-saving stations all along the sea line of Delaware, Maryland and Vir- ginia. In the fall of the same year he was

elected city treasurer, and was re-elected three times, the last time running ahead of his ticket by 700 votes. The life of Mr. Vincent has been a blessing to the state.

JOHN THOMAS WILSON, farmer, son of William and Rachel (Naudain) Wilson, was born April 17, 1841. John Wilson at- tended the schools of the district and at fifteen was sent to the academy at New London, Pa., then under the direction of Professor Edward D. Porter, afterwards Delaware College, and of Minnesota University. At that institu- tion he took a classical and mathematical course, remaining two years. In 1859 he re- turned to his home, where in the management of his father's estate he gave evidence of the ability which distinguished him. In less than a year the entire charge of this large property passed into his hands. On the death of his father, in 1879, Mr. Wilson was appointed administrator of the estate, both in Delaware and in Maryland. The estate consisted of about thirty-five hundred acres of finely im- proved and valuable land. The "Brick Store" farm descended to William N. and John T. Wilson, through their mother, having been in the possession of her family since the origi- mal patents were given them by William Penn. The estate had forty thousand peach trees in bearing. Ile had an orchard-master for each orchard, a culling superintendent and a shipper. The largest crop of peaches gath- ered from the trees was in 1875, when about 80,000 baskets were grown, but not all of them were shipped. Mr. Wilson was quite a sportsman, and heartily enjoyed a day in the fields and forests. His out-door habits from childhood, were favorable to a fine physical de- velopment. He was a natural musician, played well on several instruments, and was formerly the leader of the Diamond State Band, of Middletown.

DAVID HENRY HOUSTON, M. D., ex-surgeon-in-chief of the First Division, Second Corps, of the Army of the Potomac, son of John and Elizabeth ( Wiltbank) Hous- ton, was born in Concord, Sussex county, June

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23, 1819. David Houston received a good English education at Washington Academy, Princess Aune county, Md., and at the cele- brated Quaker school of Samuel Smith in Wilmington, where he remained till he was twenty. In 1839 he began reading medicine with his brother-in-law, Dr. Samuel K. Wil- son, of Lewes. The house in which Dr. Sam- nel K. Houston resided, known as "Governor's Ilall," was built by Col. David Hall, of the Revolutionary army. Dr. S. K. Wilson dying in 1840, the late Dr. Henry F. Hall, of Lewes, became his preceptor. David II. Houston graduated, in 1842, from Jefferson Medical College and practiced his profession, with great success, in Lewes, until 1836, when he removed to his farm near the town, and as far as possible relinquished his practice.

In September, 1861, he entered the army as surgeon of the Second Regiment of Dela- ware Volunteers, and was in its encampments on the Eastern Shores of Maryland and Vir- ginia. In May, 1862, just after the battle of Fair Oaks, his regiment joined the Army of the Potomac in front of Richmond, on the Chickahominy, where it was attached to the Second Brigade of the First Division of the Second Army Corps. He served with it through the seven days' battle, ter- minating with that of Malvern ITill. After the battle of Antietam he was made brigadier surgeon, and filled that position until after the battle of Chancellors- ville in 1863. In the following autumn he was appointed surgeon-in-chief of the First Division of the Second Corps, and served as such on the staff of General Hancock, then in command of the division, in the battle of Fredericksburg, which occurred in the follow- ing December, and in the battle of Gettys- burg in July of the next year. As surgeon- in-chief of that division he served on the staff of General Francis Barlow through all the battles of the campaign of 1864, until July, when the army encamped in the rear of Petersburg. His regiment had now become very much reduced, and their term of enlist- ment having expired, asthere were not enough veterans to re-form they were not re-enlisted and Dr. Houston retired from the army. Soon after his return home, however, a special regu- lation was adopted to meet such cases, and he was offered the same position without a regi-

ment, but being fully satisfied that the war was near its close, he declined. In May, 1878, Dr. Houston was appointed treasurer of the Junction and Breakwater, the Breakwater and Frankford, and the Worcester Railroad Com- panies. Dr. Houston was one of the few men, in that locality, who cast their votes for Mr. Lincoln in 1860. In 1874 and again in 1876, he was the Republican nominee for the legislature, but the ticket was defeated. David Henry Houston was married in 1842, to Han- nah Bell, of Lewes, who died in 1850. In 1856 he was married to Comfort Tunnell Hitchens, also of Lewes. Their surviving children are: I. John; II. Selby; III. Robert Griffith. Their only daughter, Elizabeth, died at the age of five years.

COLUMBUS HENRY, M. D., was born in New Castle hundred, New Castle county, Del., December 8, 1843.

Ilis parents, James Henry and Matilda Morrison were of Scotch descent and were among the carly founders of the old Presby- terian church of White Clay Creek. They belonged to that celebrated family of Morri- sons, whose talent has given so many illustri- ous men to the pulpits of the Presbyterian church and to various institutions of learning in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 85

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