Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 2, Part 29

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Publication date: 1972
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 776

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the Supreme Court of the State, which office he filled with honor and ability for many years. He resided from that time at Passey, one mile south of Dover, now called Cooper's Corner. He was a man of irreproachable char- acter and accumulated considerable property, leaving, at his death, his widow and children in comfortable circumstances. By his first mar- riage he had three children: Richard, Elizabeth and Sarah, who all grew to maturity. The two younger married and left families. His wife dying, he married, about the year 1800, Clarissa, daughter of Jenifer and Jane Taylor, of Mispillion hundred. By her he had three children : Richard Jenifer, Ignatius Taylor and William Hughlett. Judge Cooper died at Passey, August 29, 1818, at the age of sixty- three years His wife lived to the same age, and died at her residence in Dover, March 24, 1841.

UNNING, ERASMUS CLARK, M. D., late of Wilmington, was born June 18, 1843, in Dover, where his father James Anderson Dunning, was for many years a merchant and prominent business man, and whose sterling integrity and christian character won him the warm re- gards of the community. He died, greatly regretted, February 6, 1865, in his 57th year. His wife, Louisa (Turner) Dunning, died Jan- uary 15, 1846, when her son Erasmus was only two and a half years old. He was their only child, and great attention was given to his education and training. He was just entering Dickinson College at the breaking out of the war, but at once decided to give himself to the service of his country. He had received the appointment of Third Lieutenant of Com- pany A of the Ist Delaware Cavalry, but by an order from the War Department this grade was abolished. Nothing daunted he resolved to serve as a non-commissioned officer and was mustered in as Orderly Sergeant, of the above company. But he was soon pro-

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second lieutenant of his company, and | 1872, to Miss Harriette Shallcross, daughter of first lieutenant the following December. Samuel Morris, Esq., of Chester county, Pa., and had one child, Mary Rogers Hartshorne Dunning. His sudden and unexpected death, June 7, 1880, from hemorrhage of the lungs, was deeply mourned in the community of which he was so bright an ornament. In April, 1864, he was commissioned Captain of his company, in which position he served with distinguished gallantry to the close of the war. Soon after he received this commission, his regiment was sent to Washington and here met that order which dismounted more than 20,000 cavalrymen and required them to serve OSS, HON. WILLIAM HENRY HAR- RISON, Ex-Governor of Delaware, was born June 2, 1814, at Laurel. His father, Caleb Ross, a well known and influen- tial citizen of Sussex, was born March I, 1784, and died Nov. 1, 1841. His mother, Leti- tia (Lofland) Ross, of Milford, was born March 5, 1787, and died in 1832. William H. Ross attended the schools of Laurel till 1832, when he was sent to Claremont Academy, Pa., a Friends' school, where he remained two years. On his return he became a clerk for his father, who was engaged in a large mercantile and grain business. In 1836 Mr. Ross visited Eu- rope with his father, traveling through Eng- land, Scotland, and Ireland, and spent the year 1837 in business in Adam's county, Ill. From 1840 to 1845 he was engaged in milling, tanning, and merchandising at Laurel, when he removed to his present estate contiguous to Seaford, where he has since resided. It consisted of 1,400 acres of worn out land, which he immediately began to improve and enrich, till it now produces twenty to thirty bushels of wheat to the acre instead of five as at first, and the yield of corn has been increased from ten to fifty bushels. He early engaged in fruit culture, and now has 1,200 peach trees in bearing and as many more in a thrifty young orchard ; 1,500 apple trees, 3,000 grape vines, and 150 acres in berries of different kinds. He is probably the largest grower of small fruits in the State. His 5,000 pear trees nearly all died from blight. As a farmer he has been eminently successful. He has recently turned over this whole interest to his son James J., who conducts the business of fruit growing and agriculture. In 1859 Gov. Ross built his handsome residence and now has one of the most beautiful homes in Delaware. In 1846, he was elected a captain of a Cavalry Company which was composed of the leading young men of Seaford, Laurel and contiguous hundreds. They furnished their own horses and equipments, very hand- as infantry. This was an extreme hardship, as the regiment was composed of men accus- tomed to the saddle from boyhood and who had enlisted for that special arm of the service. Yet no officer resigned, and each man took his musket and bravely bore his part in the hotly contested battles which followed. Through them all Captain Dunning passed unharmed. In March, 1865, the painful news reached him that his honored father had died after a short illness, and finding it imperative that he should return home and take his place at the head o the bereaved household, he resigned but a few days before the surrender at Appomattox. His position in the army, attained by hard won and successive steps, was reached before he was twenty-one, and his record was most honorable. He soon after commenced the study of medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in March, 1868. The following month he passed with credit an ex- amination before the Medical Board of the United States Navy, and was commissioned, April 21, Assistant Surgeon. He was first ordered to the Naval Hospital at Norfolk, and the following spring to the Navy Yard at Washington. Next he served on board the United States Monitor Dictator, and shortly after, at the request of Rear-Admiral Charles H. Poor, commanding the North Atlantic Squadron, was transferred to the flagship Severn. On this he went to the West Indies, but his health becoming impaired, returned, and after two months' sick leave, again reported for duty, and was assigned to the Naval Hos- pital at Washington, where he was resident surgeon for two years. January 1, 1873, he resigned this position and settled in Wilming- ton, where he had a large practice until his death. He was a man of fine appearance, frank and genial in manner, and his skill and ability won him a gratifying success. He was also a christain and a gentleman, and had many warm friends. He was married January 17,

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somely uniformed and made a most excellent | light horse troop. They disbanded in 1849 after the Mexican war. Always a Democrat, as was his father before him, Gov. Ross was, in 1850, nominated by his party, and elected Governor of the State, being then only thirty- six years of age. In this high office he served greatly to his own honor, and the satisfaction of the people. His hearing having become seriously impaired, he has invariably declined to have his name used for any position since his gubernatoral term expired, although frequently solicited. He has represented his State in the Democratic National Conventions of 1844, 1848, 1856 and 1860. During the late war Gov. Ross visited Europe a second time, and made a tour of all the principal cities of France, Germany, Prussia, Belgium, Holland Switzer- land, Spain and Italy. It was his intention to visit the Holy Land, purposing to see Damas- cus, Jerusalem and Constantinople, but an un- forseen duty called him back to England when he had only gotten as far as Cairo, Egypt. He was united in marriage June 7, 1840, to Miss Elizabeth E., danghter of George K. Hall, Esq., of Middletown. Seven of their ten children survive : Letitia L., now widow of Victor Green, Esq .; James J., engaged in ag- riculture with his father, William M. and E C. Ross, Phosphate manufacturers at Seaford ; Sarah H., wife of Dr. S. R. Skellern, of Phila- delphia ; Mary G., wife of Montgomery Fisher, Esq., of Seaford, and Laura F. Ross.

EREDITH, PETER KNOTTS, Far- mer, Petersburg, Kent county, was born in the house where he now lives, July 18, 1834. His father William Meredith, also a farmer, was a man of prominence in the community, and very ac- tive and influential in political affairs. Elected in 1856 to the State Senate on the Democratic ticket, he was conspicuous in that body for his ability and influence. He retired from farm- ing in the spring of 1868, and during the re- mainder of his life resided at Marydell. In 1870 he received the appointment of Justice of the Peace, which office he held till his death in 1874, being then in his sixty- fifth year. He had for many years been a deacon and a leading member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church. His wife was Sallie Ann, daughter of Emory and Sallie (Lober)

Knotts, of North Murderkill hundred. They had nine children, of whom only four grew to maturity : Elizabeth, widow of William Cub- bage ; Peter K. ; Mary Ann, wife of James L. Cohn, and Sallie W., wife of Isaiah White- lock. Mrs. Meredith died in 1848. Her son, Peter K., is now living in the house built by his grandfather, Job Meredith, and on the farm then owned by him. The only child of the last named by his first wife was Elder Peter Meredith, long and favorably known as the pastor of Mount Moriah Baptist Church. By his second wife, Elizabeth Hatfield, he had four children : Rebecca, who married Thomas E. Frazier ; Whitely H., William, and Mary, now widow of Samuel Meredith. Job Mere- dith was a thrifty farmer, owning about 500 acres ofland, and noted for his executive ability. He was a Baptist, and died in May, 1825, in his 65th year. He had four brothers who all went to the West, in all parts of which their de- scendants may now be found. All the Mere- dith family in the United States it is believed descended from two brothers who came from Wales to Pennsylvania, about 1670. One of them afterwards came to Delaware and took up the land on which the subject of this sketch now resides, and which has from that time, over two hundred years, remained in the fam- ily, descending from father to son in each gen- eration. Peter K. Meredith attended the com- mon schools of his locality, and spent a short time at the Camden Academy. After attain- ing his majority he engaged in teaching, with much success, for four years, when he rented a farm near Hazletville, which he cultivated for eight years, and in 1868, rented the home farm for two years. In 1870 he purchased this estate, paying to his father the interest while he lived, and the other heirs their portion after he died. It consists of 400 acres of well improved land. Mr. Meredith has a fine peach orchard of 4,000 trees, which have been a paying interest, and from his vineyard he obtains from six to eight tons of grapes each year. He has also a pear orchard of 100 trees. and cultivates the small fruits. He has always been active in political affairs, and is an influential member of the Demo- cratic party. He is at this time a member of the Levy Court of Kent county. He was married in February, 1860,to Miss Ella Chambers, daugh- ter of John G. Chambers. Three of their four

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children are now living : John G., Gilbert Judson, and Sallie Ann. His wife died in February, 1866. In April, 1867, he married Miss Susan, daughter of Ambrose Broadaway. By this marriage he has three children : Leora Virginia, Wm. Broadaway,and Mary Evelyn. Mr. Mer- edith is one of the most enterprising, success- ful and highly esteemed farmers of his county.

ONES, COL. JAMES H., was born in Wilmington, May 6, 1821. He was the son of Morgan Jones and Mary (Hemp- hill) Jones, the former a native of Wor- cester county, Md., the latter of Wil- mington, the daughter of William Hemphill. He received his education in Wilmington, and Ellington, Conn., where he was under the tui- tion of Hon. Mr. Hall, whose excellence of character and scholarship he ever gratefully remembered. On March 3, 1847, he was com- missioned Second Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps. Previously to that time he had served several years in the United States Rev- enue service. In the years 1847-48 he was on duty on shore with the United States Army in the Mexican war, and in the succeeding two years on board the steam frigate Raritan of the home squadron. In the year 1851 and '52 he sailed on the Raritan and Princeton, and was also stationed at the navy yard, Philadel- phia. September 1, 1853, he was commissioned First Lieutenant and ordered to the Macedo- nian in the East India squadron, under the command of Commodore Perry. The chief object of the expedition was a treaty of com- merce with Japan, which was admirably con- summated by that able and accom- plished officer. It was many years be- fore Col. Jones recovered from the deleterious climatic effects of this cruise. From 1856 to 1858 he was stationed on board the receiving ship Ohio, at Boston Navy Yard. He sub- sequently served on board the Macedonian and Richmond, and in 1861, while at the Washington Navy Yard, was commissioned Captain, and was engaged in the battle of Bull Run. From 1861 to '67 he served suc- cessively in the Pacific Squadron, at the Navy Yard, Washington, in the Mediterranean, and at the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hamp- shire. In 1864 he was commissioned Major and Lieutenant Colonel. From 1868-71 he was stationed at Mare Island Navy Yard,

California, and after that up to 1880, was in command of the Marine Barracks Navy Yard, Boston. On March 16, 1879, he was commis- sioned Colonel, and in 1880, was ordered to the command of the Marine Barracks, at League Island, Pa., and while preparing for his re- moval to that station, was seized with severe acute pneumonia, which terminated his life in a few days, at the age of fifty-nine years. Col. Jones was one of the best officers in the ma- rine service of the United States. His long and varied service brought him in connection with a great number of the of- ficers of the Navy, among whom he had many friends, being esteemed by them an hon- orable, accomplished and generous officer, and an excellent disciplinarian. In 1863, having already sailed for the Mediterranean, he was found so debilitated by disease of the bowels, which still lingered in his system, as well as by an old injury of the leg, that the fleet sur- geon recommended his return home. On leav- ing his ship a letter was handed to him from Admiral Bell, who, regretting the necessity which compelled him to leave, complimented him for his brave and uncomplaining devotion to duty, although bearing such marked evi- dences of pain and debility. To the library of the Naval School at Annapolis, to the Dela- ware Historical Society, and to the library of the Historic Genealogic Society, of Boston, he made large and valuable donations of books, and to the St. Johns Espiscopal Church, of Charlestown, Mass., of which he was a member, and also one of the vestry under the rectorate of Rev. Dr. T. Lambert, he made liberal con- tributions. He left several manuscript volumes of interesting descriptions of the places which he visited in his various cruises, and of the important incidents of his voyages. His wife, to whom he was married September 27, 1842, was the daughter of Mr. John Patterson, mer- chant, of Wilmington, Del. She still survives him. He was buried in the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery, by the side of his only daughter, who had died at the age of three years-the only child of her parents.

ARGADINE, ROBERT WHITTA- KER, M. D., of Felton, was born near Canterbury, April 28, 1844, being the eldest son of Henry K. Hargadine and Ruth, his wife, the daughter of William

Eratby GGesher A SomEklyn N.Y.

dans At- Jones-

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Whittaker, both still living. They have had finement of hospital practice, and an entire eight children, five of whom are living. Henry change became imperative. He returned to Delaware in December, 1870, and settled in Felton, where his reputation and skill secured him a large practice, and the close acquaint- ance of years only increases the esteem and confidence with which he is regarded. Dr. Hargadine was married, October 31, 1872, to Miss Mary Evelyn, daughter of Edward J. and Elizabeth (Reynolds) Carter, of Kent county, and granddaughter of Robert W. Reynolds. They have five children : Edward Carter, Mary, Elizabeth, Robert and Albert Henry Hargadine. K., the younger of their two sons, is a farmer near Canterbury ; the eldest daughter, Mary C., married Walter Burton, who descended from the Rodney family. She died in 1874, leaving a son, Rodney Burton. The father of Dr. Hargadine was early left an orphan, and at a tender age had to earn his living, and make his own way in life. His father, Robert Hargadine, was a farmer in comfortable cir- cumstances, but died in 1831, at the age of thirty-two. The father of the last named was Mark Hargadine, also a farmer. The family is old, of German or Saxon origin, the name being originally Hagedone, the same as Haw- MCWHORTER, THOMAS SEE, Far- mer, near St. George's, was born on the farm where he now resides, Feb- ruary 17, 1815. His father, Thomas McWhorter, also a farmer, was born in that vicinity in 1776. His first wife was Rachel Packard, by whom he had six children: Horace, Jefferson, Leontine, Mary, Sarah Jane, and Thomas See. He next married Mrs. Elizabeth Segars, of Philadelphia. The two children of this marriage died in infancy, and again losing his wife, he married Mrs. Mary McCaulley, of St. George's. Thomas Mc- Whorter died in October, 1858. His father, John McWhorter, also a farmer, died when he was only six years of age. The last named owned between 400 and 500 acres of land, between St. George's and Dela- ware City. He was a brother of the celebrated Presbyterian clergyman, Rev. Alexander Mc- Whorter, a chaplain in the Revolutionary army, and widely known in that denomination, particularly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where most of his life was passed. Another brother was Hugh McWhorter, the oldest of the family, a farmer, and owned the lands now be- thorn in English. The family came to Amer- ica just prior to the Revolution ; is now very numerous, and scattered in every part of the country. Robert W. Hargadine attended school from three to six months of the year, till nearly eighteen years of age, after which he spent over two years at schools of a higher grade, at Camden and Dover. He then taught one year and spent the winter of 1864 in his uncle's store in St. Louis. Returning to Dela- ware he studied medicine in the office of Dr. Thomas Cahall, of Frederica, graduating M. D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1867, and entered St. Mary's Hospital, Phila- delphia, as Resident Surgeon. In that insti- tution, with which he was connected three years, he enjoyed unusual advantages for per- fecting himself in the knowledge of his pro- fession. Besides his general practice, he de- voted much time to the study of microscopy under the celebrated Dr. James Tyson, and became one of the founders and original mem- bers of the Microscopical society of that city. In 1868 he was elected a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, before which he read an original paper on the crystalization of longing to Anthony Higgins, near St. George's. the blood. This attracted much attention The father of these three brothers was Alex- ander McWhorter, a Scotch Presbyterian, who came to America in the early part of the eighteenth century and settled nearSt. George's, where he owned a large landed estate. His descendants have been numerous and promi- nent in that locality for over a century. Rachel (Packard) McWhorter was the granddaughter of Derrick See, the original settler of that name, who owned a large tract of land south of St. George's, adjoining the canal, and consist- from physiologists, and the eminent scientist and author, the late Professor Samuel Dickson, became from that time his warm friend. He was also in 1868 elected a member of the Phil- adelphia Hospital Association, and a member of the Pathological Society, in the proceedings of which he took an active part, and con- tributed several valuable papers with speci- mens. A brilliant career was opening before him when his health failed from the close con-

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

ing of over 1000 acres in one body. This is a noted surgeon in the revolutionary war now divided into four farms : one owned by

and who joined Washington at Valley Forge. Thomas See McWhorter, another by his | See the sketch of Rev. and Dr. James Jones brother Leontine, (both inherited from their in this volume. Alfred P. Griffith attended mother), and the two farms of John P. Hudson. the schools of Smyrna, till his eighteenth year, after which he was clerk in a store for two years. He then entered Bryant and Stratton's business college in Phila-

Thomas See Mc Whorter attended the Acad- emy at St. George's till eighteen years of age, when he served an apprenticeship of four years

in locomotive building in New Castle. He | delphia, graduating in 1862. He was next,

then returned to farm life, residing at the homestead, where he still lives, and which his father gave up to him in 1846. He has suc- ceeded well in life by his industry, economy and fair dealing. His family have, for the most part, been members of the Democrat party, but he has been always a strong temperance man, and voted the Republican ticket from the or- ganization of that party. He was a devoted friend of the Union during the war, and earn- estly supported the general government. He is a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church in St. George's. Mr. McWhorter was first married, in 1846, to Margaret Jane, daugh- ter of his cousin, John McWhorter. Their only surviving child is John Francis McWhor- ter, who married Mary Susan, daughter of Pur- nell J. Lynch, in 1870, and resides near Mid- dletown. Mr. McWhorter lost his wife in April, 1848, and was again married, December 23, 1856, to Miss Emma, daughter of William and Margaret (Burkhart) Scott, of Philadel- phia.

for two years, in partnership with his brother, Franklin W. Griffith, in general mercantile business. In 1866, he entered into partnership : with his father in the grain commission busi- ness, which continued until the death of the latter, in 1868. He now devoted himself to farming and fruit raising, till 1874, when he engaged also in the Real Estate and Insurance business in Smyrna all of which he still con- tinues. Mr. Griffith was one of the originators of the Fruit Growers' National Bank, of Smyrna, and was elected a member of the first board of directors. This position he resigned in 1878. He has also been a director in the public library of Smyrna, is vice-President of the Smyrna Building Loan Association, and one of the most highly esteemed citizens of that place. He is an active and efficient member of the M. E. church, with which he united in 1869, has been a class leader since 1871, and s also a member of the board of Trustees. In 1874, he was a lay delegate to the Wilming- ton Annual Conference. He was married, April 12, 1871, to Miss Ella T., daughter of Rev. Thomas Jefferson Thompson, D. D., then presiding elder of the Easton district. They have one child living, Julia Wilds Griffith. Their only son, Alfred Carlisle, a lovely child of one year, died in 1876. As a business man, Mr. Griffith is active, earnest, honest, reliable, and well deserves the success he has achieved.

RIFFITH, ALFRED PRICE, Smyrna, Real Estate and Insurance Agent, Dealer in Pianos and Organs, and also engaged in farming and fruit raising, was born in Odessa, May 10, 1843. His father, Joseph C. Griffith, was born in Sus- sex couty, in 1797, and commenced life as a carpenter and pump maker. He afterwards turned his attention to fruit growing and be- came one of the earliest and most successful EYNOLDS, SAMUEL M., Merchant of Middletown, was born near Newark, Aug. 1, 1842. His father is John Rey- nolds of whom see sketch in this volume. His mother was Mary G., daughter of peach growers in the state. His father was | Samuel Griffith, and his grandfather was one of four brothers who came to this country from Wales early in the eighteenth century. Joseph C. Griffith married Mary Creighton, daughter Samuel Moore, of New Castle county. Mr. of Major John Wilds, who commanded the Reynolds was the fourth child of his parents. Delaware troops in the war of 1812. He was He began in early life to attend school, and one of the finest looking men in the army after reaching his tenth year entered the and always dressed in the antique style. Newark Academy, where he continued four He married the daughter of Dr. James Jones, years. He then entered the Delaware College

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and continued at that Institution for two years. In the year 1858 he commenced a farm life but left this employment to clerk in the store of Hon. J. F. Williamson at Newark. In the spring of 1861 he entered his father's store as a clerk, but became a partner in 1863, the firm name being changed to John A. Reynolds and Son. In September of 1864 the store was removed to Middletown, and a brother, Edward Reynolds, was admitted as a partner. Four years after Mr. Jno. A. Reynolds retired from the business, the firm name, however, continu- ing the same. In 1871 the store was removed to a three-story brick building erected by the firm. Soon after this removal Mr. S. M. Rey- nolds bought out his brother's interest and be- came sole proprietor. In 1876 he bought the contiguous dwelling and altered it into a gro- cery store. Mr. Edward Reynolds again be- came a partner in 1868, the business having attained such large proportions as to require his assistance. They annexed another build- ing and opened a clothing and gents' furnish- ing goods department. This enterprising firm bought out the store of Thos. O. Culbreth in Dover, and re-opened a merchandise establish- ment under the firm name of E Reynolds & Co. Their stock of goods in Middletown will amount to the worth of $30,000 including dry goods, notions, clothing and gents' furnishing . goods, with a large line of boots, shoes, hats and caps, there being a large assortment in every department of general merchandise. Mr. Reynolds is a member and a trustee of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. Mr. Reynolds was united in marri- age on the sixth day of Dec., 1865, to Miss Mary Cochran, daughter of R. T. Cochran of New Castle county, Del. Two children are the fruit of this marriage, Mary and Bessie Reynolds.

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Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 2, Part 29

Author: Publication date: 1972 Publisher: Number of Pages: 776

Author:
Publication date: 1972
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 776