Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 94

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

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C'ol. Moore filled the office with such sig- nal fidelity and ability that to the bench, bar and people it was a matter of inch regret when a change was brought about through the mutations of politics. To show how the bench regarded him it is only necessary to quote Chief Justice Gilpin, who had also been attorney general; he said of Colonel Moore, "Ile has made a good officer and has tried more important capital cases than were ever tried by any other attorney general in the state; and during his term of office the law of murder has been firmly settled."

On retirement he devoted himself to his ever growing practice, and became attorney for the Junction and Breakwater, and Break- water and Frankfort Railroad Companies, for the Old Dominion Steamship Company of New York, and other corporations. After the expiration of his commission as attorney general he held no publie position, and was never before the people for office, although time and again his party sought him as a can- didate for congress. He had no personal political aspirations, and avoided polities bo- vond helping and advocating in an unosten- tatious way, the Republican party and its can- didates. Col. Moore was a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1854, and served as Deputy Grand Master of the state, an I Deputy Grand Iligh Priest.

October 23, 1860, Jacob Moore was mar-

ried to Miss Eliza R., daughter of John D. Rodney, of Georgetown. Five children were born to them, of whom only two survive: I. Charles Louther; II. Nellie. The son enter- ed the legal profession.

In social life Col. Moore was a great fav- orite as he was popular in his profession. He was a man of medium height, robust and mus- cular, with a calm, thoughtful face that lighted up, and materially changed in ex- pression, when speaking.

GEN. JAMES PARKE POSTLES was born at Camden, September 28, 1840, son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Roe) Postles. His father owned a large farm near Camden, and General Postles attended the country schools of that vicinity until 1853 when his parents removed to Wilmington. He completed his education in the excellent public schools of that place, and when he had passed the whole curriculum, he entered, in 1856, the office of his father, then a large and successful man- ufacturer of morocco leather. With the ex- ception of one year during which he was em- ployed as a clerk in the grocery store of J. S. Cowgill, he continned with his father until the outbreak of the war of the rebellion in 1861. Ilis enthusiasm and patriotism were so much aroused that he seized the first oppor- tunity to enlist for the defense of the Union. He joined company C, First Delaware regi- ment under Col. Henry Lockwood for three months. This regiment was assigned to duty on the line of the P. W. & B. R. R., and at the close of the term he was mustered out as first sergeant of his company.

On the re-organization of the connand for the three years' service he was com- missioned first lieutenant of company 1, First Delaware regiment. His regiment spent the winter of 1861-62 on duty at Fortress Mon- roe, where they acquired a discipline which rendered their subsequent service efficient. In the spring of 1862 they formed part of the column that captured Norfolk, Va., and they were afterwards sent to Suffolk. After the battle of Chantilly, fought September 1, 1862, they were assigned to the army of the Potomac, and participated in the Maryland campaign under General MeClellan, which

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was terminated by the rout of General Lee's forces at Antietam. In this engagement in which his company lost forty-four out of eighty-five men, Captain Evan S. Watson was killed, and Lieutenant Postles was promoted to the captaincy. They accompanied the army in its march, via Harper's Ferry to Fredericksburg, and went into winter quar- ters at Falmouth, Va.

Captain Postles commanded his company in the terrible battle at Fredericksburg in December, 1862, and was afterward appointed Inspector General, Second Brigade, Third Division, Second Army Corps. He served in this capacity until August, 1863, having meanwhile taken part in the battles of Chan- cellorsville and Gettysburg; and was then, on account of impaired health, detailed for duty at home in connection of the draft. In Sep- tember he was assigned to duty by the Secre- tary of War, as enlisting officer of the Fifth Maryland Regiment. After re-enlisting the men for three years the regiment was ordered on duty at Fort Delaware. Soon after their arrival there Captain Postles was appointed Inspector General of the Island, and contin- ved to discharge the duties of that office until July, 1864, when failing health rendered it necessary for him to resign, after a service of three years, two months and twenty-two days.

On his return from the army he re-entered his father's morocco manufacturing establish- ment, and in 1866 he was admitted to a part- nership under the firm name of S. Postles & Sons. In 1876, General Postles was appoint- ed by the Centennial Commission one of the judges for Leather and Leather Products for the Centennial Exhibition. Ile devoted five days of each week during a period of three months to this labor and examined minutely over two thousand exhibits. The work was so thoroughly and systematically done that their report was said to be the best classified in the exhibition. In January, 1877, General Pos- tles purchased his father's interest in the morocco business, and since that time he has been the sole proprietor.

He was politically educated as an old line Whig, and in 1860, though not a voter, he was an enthusiastic champion of the Bell and Ever- ett party. As his record indicates, he was de- voted to the Union cause, but the issues of the war having been decided, he, like many

another gallant soldier, in time, became iden- tified with the Democratic party. In Decem- ber, 1878, he was appointed by Governor Cochran, Adjutant General of the State, to succeed the late General William S. McCaul- ley. General Postles became a Master Mason, and being a public spirited and enterprising man, was an active promoter of benevolent associations.

Gen. James Parke Postles was married Sep- tember 17, 1868, to Miss Sadie, daughter of the late William HI. Dodd, first Assistant En- gineer U. S. N., and who died of hydrophobia in November, 1878. Of this union was born one child, Grantley Parke Postles.

THOMAS COOPER served as a Repre- sentative in Congress from Delaware from 1813 to 1817. Ile was a cultured gentleman of more than ordinary ability, and filled his position in the halls of Congress with credit.

EZEKIEL COOPER FRAZIER was born November 10, 1825; son of Alexander Fra- zier, a farmer of North Murderkill hundred, who died April 23, 1867.

James Frazier, father of Alexander Frazier, emigrated from Scotland in 1798, landing at Oxford, Md. He acquired a handsome prop- erty as a farmer, and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. James Frazier married Deborah Emory, of Kent county, Del., and died at the age of fifty-five years, in 1853. The mother of Ezekiel Cooper was Catherine, daughter of Thomas Cooper, of Kent county. The following children were born to Ezekiel C. and Catherine (Cooper) Frazier: I. Ezekiel ( .; II. Sarah; III. Thomas C .; IV. Peter; V. Alexander; VI. Catherine; VII. William J .; VIII. Richard C .; IX. Mary Frazier.

Mr. Frazier grew up on his father's farm and attended the schools of his vicinity in the winter, until twenty years of age. He then took charge of the farm and managed it until he married and removed to his home on a farm containng 140 acres, one half mile north of Petersburg. Mr. Frazier was reared in the old Whig party which he supported until 1854, after which time he became identified

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with the Democratic party. He served as as- sessor of his district, and inspector of elections. In 1876 he was elected a member of the Levy Court. In these positions he served with credit, and won the confidence and respect of men of all parties as a faithful and able officer.

He joined the Baptist church in 1873 and served as treasurer of his church for several years. Ezekiel Cooper married, May 22, 1849, Miss Mary, daughter of Emory Knotts, of Kent county. Four children were born of this marriage: I. William E .; IL. Thomas K .; III. Joseph R .; IV. Sarah C. Frazier.

JOHN BRADY COOPER was born in Kent county, October 1, 1830. His parents, Richard and Mary (Brady) Cooper, are de- ceased. The former was a farmer. Both were members of the Baptist church.

Thomas Cooper, the grandfather, was born in Maryland, and removed to Kent county, Del., about 1790. He was an Episcopalian, and the family was of English origin. John B. Cooper attended the public schools of the county till he was twelve years of age.

Ile worked on the farm till he attained his majority, when he became a teacher in the public schools for ten years, and was very sue- cessful. He began with the lowest school and at the time of leaving was teaching the high- est school and receiving the largest salary paid in the county.

Hle then opened a small confectionery store in Smyrna, and as his business increased other things were added, till it finally became a store for general merchandise. In time it became the largest store in the town, and was filled with a greater variety of goods than any other store, his prosperity and continued success showing the confidence and esteem in which he was held by the citizens. He served as secretary of the Smyrna Building and Loan Association.

He became a member of the Methodist church in 1853, and afterwards a trustee for many years. John B. Cooper was married in 1855, to Mary F., daughter of John HI. Rash, of Kent county, and has two children living: I. Fletcher Ellsworth, and II. Irving Thomp- son Cooper.

HARBESON HICKMAN was born in Lewes, September 6, 1818. His father, George Hickman, was born January 14, 1779, on the old family homestead, at Hack- ley Barney, five miles from Lewes. He was for several years a merchant in Philadelphia, but returned to Lewes during the war of 1812, continuing the same avocation success- fully till 1844, when he retired. George Hiekman married Mary W. Mariner, of Lewes, and his death occurred in 1851.

The father of George Hickman was Na- thaniel Hickman, a farmer, who died about 1790. He had two brothers, Richard and Selby. Their father, whose name has been lost, came from England, settling in Dela- ware early in the eighteenth century.

Mr. Harbeson Hickman attended the schools at Lewes till he was fourteen years of age, when he was sent for two years to an academy in Philadelphia. After four years spent in his father's store he, in 1839, entered into partnership with his brother, Nathaniel W. Hickman, in the wholesale hardware busi- ness which they conducted prosperously for ten years. In 1849 he sold out to his brother and was one of those, who, in that eventful rear, made their way to the Golden Gate. Af- ter remaining a few months in San Francisco he went to Stockton, where he entered into commercial life. Although, in 1831, his store and stock were destroyed by fire, a dis- aster which involved him in a loss of $100,- 000, he was not disheartened, but soon had a new fire-proof brick building completed and his business again in successful operation. In 1855 he sold out and retired from mercantile life. Mr. Hickman remained a few years longer in California, operating largely in real estate, bonds, stocks, etc., when, in 1859, he returned to his native town. He also became owner of about twenty vessels, most of them sailing to the West Indies and South Ameri- can ports, although some of them engaged in the European trade.

Harbeson Hickman was married, April 19, 1859, to Miss Elizabeth Causin, daughter of Benjamin and Marion Lee (Slater) Dickin- son.

COL. JOHN WAINWRIGHT was born in Syracuse, N. Y., July 13, 1839, and de-

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scended from the Wainwrights so long settled in Monmouth county, N. J. This name and stock has long been known as having had its representatives in the army and navy of the United States, and had a history as patriots and soldiers in our Revolutionary struggle for independence.

Colonel Wainwright was educated in the public schools of New York City, to which place his parents removed in his early boy- hood. He came with a widowed mother and two other children, younger than himself to this state when in his thirteenth year. 1Ie spent in New Castle and Wilmington the years intervening until his twentieth year, when he located in West Chester, at which place he was temporarily residing at the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, 1861. He became a private in the earliest organized company from that town, and it became a part of the Second Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was with his company and regiment through the period of its enlist- ment; was mustered out at Harrisburg, re- ceiving an honorable discharge; returned to West Chester and re-enlisted as a private in Company F, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers. John Wainwright passed through each intermediary grade, non-commissioned, commissioned and field officer, until he closed his military career as colonel, commanding the same regiment in which he enlisted as a pri- vate. The following are the dates of promo- tion: From first sergeant to second lieuten- ant, June 10, 1862; to first lieutenant, May 1, 1863; to captain, November 1, 1864; to major, December 1, 1864; to lieutenant colo- nel, March 14, 1865, for gallant and meritorious conduct at the storming of Fort Fisher; and colonel, June 15, 1865. Colonel Wainwright was twice wounded, at James' Island and at Fort Fisher, and was mustered out, with his regiment, August 28, 1865. IIe was present and engaged in twenty-three bat- tles and sieges. After the war he became a prominent merchant in Wilnington, and a valuable citizen of the state. Colonel Wain- wright joined the first Post of the Grand Army of the Republic ever organized in the state, and then became a member of DuPont Post, No. 2, of which he served as surgeon for two terms. He was appointed senior vice- commander of the Provisional Department of

Delaware, also assistant inspector-general on the staff of Commander-General Louis Wag- ner, and to the same position on the staff of Commander-General George Merrill. On January 11, 1882, at the annual department encampment he was unanimously elected commander of the department of Delaware, an honor which could come to none but a truly gallant and meritorious soldier.

Colonel Wainwright was united in mar- riage to Miss Enuna M. Edwards, of Coates- ville, Chester county, Pa., April 18, 1864.

BURTON JACKSON HART was born at Springfield Church, October 17, 1802. His father, Zachariah Hart, a blacksmith, was born in Indian River hundred in 1759. He was noted for his integrity and industry. His death occurred in 1809, and that of his widow, Nancy (Johnson) Hart, in 1819. Their children were: I. Naomi, married John Goodling, and died about 1860, leaving two children, Lizzie and Charlotte Gooding; II. Nancy, married Christopher Stockrider, and died about 1850, leaving two children, James and John Stockrider; III. Burton Jackson; IV. Isaac.

Zachariah Ifart was the only child of Zachariah Hart, Sr., who came to Delaware from Ireland, and married Miss Nancy Bur- ton, of Sussex county. He was a Protestant, and by trade a vessel builder on the Indian River. He died about 1786, at about fifty- three years of age.

Burton Jackson Hart received no educa- tion, except what he acquired himself, but was a man of good judgment, industrious and upright. He lived for many years on a farm belonging to Dr. Peter R. Jackson, of Milton. In 1850 he purchased a small farm of 30 acres in Georgetown hundred, where he lived the remainder of his life. Mr. Hart married, January 15, 1823, Miss Eliza F., daughter of Absalom and Hester (Warrington) Dodd. She was born October 16, 1804. They had children: I. Sarah Emeline, born October 17, 1825, married.John Bowers, and died in 1875, leaving one child; IT. Cornelius Coulter, born December 12, 1827, married Elizabeth Greenley, and died in 1869, leav- ing five children; IH. Hetty Jane Stockly,

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born November 27, 1828, married Edward B. Davis and died in Wilmington, June 11, 1863, leaving seven children; IV. James Dut- ton, born January 12, 1831, married Eliza Jane Willey; V. Eliza Ann, born March 20, 1834, married William HI. Vaughn, and died in May, 1871, in Milford; VI. Matilda Ada- line, born February 25, 1836, wife of Kenzie J. Jones; VII. Peter Jackson Hart, born June 7, 1838, and married, March 9, 1865, Miss Hannah. daughter of James G. and Mar- tha (Potter) Ford, of Vineland, N. J .; VIII. Alfred Burton Hart, born July 7, 1840, mar- ried Catherine Dickerson, and six months af- ter his marriage met his death by an accident, June 23, 1869; IX. Mary Elizabeth, born April 22, 1842, wife of Oliver E. Greenley; X. Clement Fowler Hart, born December 17, 1844, married Sallie Davis; XI. Leah Ellen Hart, born December 17, 1848, wife of Wil- liam B. Prettyman.

Burton Jackson Hart died July 9, 1859, at the age of fifty-seven, leaving to his family and community the grateful recollections of a good and useful life.

ISAAC STAATS was born June 27, 1809, son of Peter Staats. His father was a man of limited education, but his native force of character gave him prominence. He died at the age of fifty, in 1826.

The first wife of Peter Staats was Jane, daughter of Jacob Ryall, a native of Scot- land. Isaac was the youngest of their ten children, of whom seven grew to maturity. In 1860 Mrs. Jane Staats died, and two years later Peter Staats married Mrs. Jane, widow of Robert Naudain, and daughter of Dr. W. T. Johnson.

The father of Peter Staats was Capt. Abra- ham Staats, a farmer. His ancestor, Abra- ham Staats, from Holland, was one of the first settlers of Manhattan Island. On the invasion of that settlement by the English, the Staats removed to Staten Island, which received from them its name. When the Dutch conquered the Swedish settlements on the Delaware, they moved again to the lo- cality now known as Thoroughfare Neck, where they purchased large tracts of land of the Indians. The original deeds, in the

Dutch language, are still in the possession of the family. The names, Peter and Abraham, have descended regularly in all their genera- tions, each of which has produced the same hardy, industrious, economical, and highly respectable race of people. They were P'rot- estants and Presbyterians until the latter part of the last century, when most of them be- came connected with the Methodist Episcopal church. They have been the pillars of the Friendship church in the Neck.

Isaac Staats received a good common school education, and on his marriage, in 1832, went to live on the "Tide Mill Farm," where he resided forty-two years. On this farm be- fore the Revolution, was a tide grist mill in successful operation. One-half of this prop- erty, consisting of 72 acres of upland and 62 acres of marsh, he inherited from his mother. IIe was very prosperous, owning over 500 acres, and had one of the best stock farms in the county. His peaches also brought him handsome returns.

Mr. Staats was reared a Whig, was strongly opposed to slavery, and, although, his father had slaves, he refused to own property in his fellow-men. Hle voted for Lincoln in 1860, and was an ardent Republican. He was for ten years a trustee of the poor, was nearly all his life a clerk and commissioner of the school district, and held other local offices.

Ile joined the Methodist Episcopal church August 15, 1830. Since 1844 he was a trus- tee, and since 1861 a steward of the Friend- ship church.

He was married, March 22, 1832, to Ann, daughter of Jesse VanPelt. Of their chil- dren ten grew to maturity, viz: I. Eliza- beth; II. John Wesley; III. Sarah Jane; IV. Isaac Ryall; V. Mary; VI. Emily; VII. James Henry; VIII. Frances; IX. Abraham; X. George Staats.

The wife of Mr. Isaac Staats died May 5, 1873. March 12, 1874, he married Mrs. Catharine HI., widow of Morris Collins, and daughter of Samuel and Frances (Crawford) Armstrong. Mr. Staats had fourteen grand- children living. He was through life a great reader, and his powers of memory were re- markable. He was a man of character and standing, well preserved in his appearance, and prominent both in the church and com- munity.

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HENRY WHITE CANNON was born in Leipsic, October 28, 1844. He enjoyed the best educational advantages that the neighborhood afforded. At fifteen he had the misfortune to lose his mother, and the vear following went to school at Fairfield, Herkimer county, N. Y. After an absence of two years he returned, and until 1873, de- voted himself to farming. This was not lost time; he found abundant opportunity for thought, discussion, reading and study, and finally his ripening powers demanded a dif- ferent field of exercise.

Having decided to become an editor Mr. Cannon encountered the usual amount of op- position; friends were fearful that he might fail, and being an ardent Republican, the op- posite party were especially anxious to per- suade him that the path of duty and success lay in some other direction. But he was not to be deterred. Settling with his family in Dover, he issued the first number of the State Sentinel, May 15, 1874. This paper, the organ of the Republican party in his county, and the first Republican newspaper ever pub- published in Dover, has, from the first, advo- cated, fearlessly and with telling effect, the principles of that party.

In one year it was found necessary to en- large it, and it continues to be a growing suc- cess. Mr. Cannon soon proved his talent for journalism to the entire satisfaction of friends and foes; he also convinced then that he was a man of business and executive ability. His enthusiasm in advocating the principles of his party made his editorials lively and inter- esting for people of whatever political faith; and his future full of promise, both for him- self and his paper. He was chairman of the state central committee from 1880 to 1882.

Henry White Cannon was united in mar- riage in January, 1869, to Miss Ella, dangh- ter of Emory Green, Esq., a merchant of Philadelphia, and has two children: I. Mary G .; II. Henry W. Cannon.

JOHN MARION WILKINSON was born in Hillsboro, Caroline county, Md., Oc- tober 4, 1850. His father, William Wilkin- son, engaged in milling in Baltimore county in that state, and became the owner of the

Milford Mills. He married Mahala, daugh- ter of Joshua Shipley, of Caroline county.

The family are descended from Rev. Eph- raim Wilkinson, who was sent as a missionary from England, and was rector of a church in Queen Anne's county for many years. John M. Wilkinson was the second son and fourth child in a family of seven. His early instruction was under a private tutor, and at eighteen he entered St. John's College at An- napolis, taking a partial course. He com- meneed the study of medicine at Hillsboro, and after attending three courses of lectures in the University of Maryland, graduated with the class of 1874. He settled at once at Willow Grove, where he has been very suc- cessful, his large and increasing practice ex- tending over an area of ten miles. Always a hard student and enthusiastically devoted to his profession, he enjoys a reputation not often attained. His success is the result of his unaided efforts, good sense and worth. Being also a gentleman of culture and retine- ment his society is valued aside from his pro- fessional skill; Dr. John Wilkinson was mar- ried October 4, 1876, to Miss Mary E., daugh- ter of Robert Frazier, Esq., of Kent county. They have but one child, Anna Lavinia Wil- kinson.

DR. AND REV. JAMES JONES, sur- geon in the Continental army, was born near Newark, April 6, 1756. His parents were James and Susanna Jones. The father of the first James and grandfather of Dr. Jones, came from Wales, settling on the Welsh tract, when the first James was two years old.

Dr. James Jones entered the army at Val- ley Forge as Surgeon, and experienced untold hardships and danger in his profession with the army until the close of the struggle. IIe was an honored member of the Order of the Cincinnati. Doctor Jones settled in the practice of his profession at Duck Creek, now Smyrna, and there married Mary Creigh- ton, in April, 1783. Twelve children were born to them, of whom six died in infancy. Sarah married Major John Wilds; of this marriage was Mary, mother of A. Price Grif- fith. Mary married George Walker. The former resides in Smyrna, and Susan married Thomas W. Eliason, Esq., of Chestertown,

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Md. Lydia was the wife of Maj. Elias Naudain. Esther married Daniel Magear, and four children of this mariage became resi- dents of Smyrna. Doctor Jones married his second wife, Margaret Simpson, on the 16th of June, 1818, whom he also survived. Ile, in 1792, bought a large tract of land near "Bryn Zion" Baptist meeting house. He was physician, farmer and Baptist minister, hav- ing been ordained April 8, 1789. For his ministerial services he would not receive com- pensation. He was equally distinguished in both the ministry and medicine. He was one of the able and excellent inen of Delaware.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 94

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