Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 2, Part 6

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Publication date: 1972
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Number of Pages: 776

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the community in which he has spent his life, Mr. Cummins has preserved, unblemished, a reputation for integrity and honor, and as a citizen is influential and widely respected. He is a member of the Democratic party, but with so many other pressing demands upon his time and attention, has taken comparative- ly little interest in political affairs. He has been for many years a vestryman of the St. Peters P. E. church of Smyrna, having been from his boyhood in its communion. He was married, June 29, 1852, to Miss Juliet M., daughter of William Polk, Esq., of Odessa. The six children of this marriage are all liv- ing ; William Polk; Margaret P. ; Susan F. ; Juliet Agnes ; Edith J., and Albert W. Cum- mins.

AULL, GEORGE WOOLLEY, M.D., of Georgetown, was born in that place, September 7, 1807. His parents were James and Mary (Kollock) Maull. His father, who was a house-carpenter, served his apprenticeship at Millington, Md. He was in the war of 1812, and in 1823 was elected Sheriff of Sussex county for three years. John Maull, the father of James, was a ship- carpenter, and fought in the revolutionary army. He was an Episcopalian. He had nine sons and one daughter, whe all lived to old age. His youngest son, Joseph Maull, was Gover- nor of Delaware, and died while filling that office. The father of John Maull was from England and tradition says, came over with William Penn. The family settled in Lewes, and were among the first English settlers there. Dr. Maull was educated at the George- town Academy. When nineteen years old he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Joseph March, of Lewes, and afterwards con- tinued with Dr. Elias S. Richards. In 1827, he matriculated at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he graduated with distinction in 1830. Returning to his native town he took out his license in May of the same year, and commenced the practice of his profession. He soon took high rank and at- tained the largest practice of any physician in that part of the country. For sixteen years he never left his field of labor to stay over night, and his success was largely due to his untir- ing watchfulness and care His deep interest and faithful watching of every case entrusted

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to him, inspired in his patients a trust and con- | older sister, Mrs. Mary Nexia Stafford, took fidence that was restful and helpful to them him under her care till he was eighteen. Until and greatly aided his skillful administration of nearly that time he attended the neighborhood remedies. During the war he was left with schools, and afterwards engaged in teaching, almost the entire professional business of his locality in his hands, the other physicians being absent at the scene of hostilities. His practice has had no interruption from the time of his settlement in Georgetown to the present. He is now. probably, the oldest practicing physician in the state, and is still in the enjoy- ment of excellent health. He still has a large practice, although there are now many more physicians, and considers himself as capable as ever. He never wears glasses when driving. Dr. Maull has been for many years a member of the Medical Society of Delaware. He was married in 1830 to Miss Julia Hobbs, a native of Baltimore. Three of their five children are now living Dr. William Maull of Wilming- ton, whose plate and sketch are in this volume ; James Henry Maull, ex-Postmaster of George- town, and Emma Green, widow of the late John E. P. M. Parker, a prominent druggist of Georgetown. Mrs. Maull died August 3, 1874, at the age of seventy years. She was a member of the Presbyterian church, an excel- lent christian woman, and greatly beloved by all who knew her. In November, 1875, Dr Maull married Mary Jane Butler, his pres- ent wife. He has, occasionally, during his long and useful life, taken time to travel, and has made himself quite well acquainted with the western portion of the United States and Territories.

UMP, ISSAC, M. D., of Dover; was born in North West Fork hundred, Sussex county, November 8, 1809. He was the youngest of twelve children, whose par- ents were Olive and Mary (Priest) Jump. His father was born in Maryland and removed to Delaware in early life. He was a man of good education and stood high in the community. He was a farmer and also a surveyor and conveyan- cer, and wrote most of the deeds and all kinds of legal papers for the neighborhood. The elder James A. Bayard once said of him in court, that he could "draw a stronger instrument in fewer words than any lawyer in the state." He died at the age of fifty-six, when his son Issac was but one year old. The mother of the latter also died when he was only four, and an

continuing his studies by himself. From that time he made his own way in the world and obtained a professional education by his own exertions. At twenty he commenced the study of the languages, and somewhat later the study of medicine. In 1834 he entered the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated Doctor of Medicine in 1836, and settled in Dover in April of that year He is said to have had a larger practice than any physician who has ever lived in Dover, and has enjoyed throughout all these years the entire confi- dence of the community. He was a Director of the Farmers Bank at Dover from 1848 to 1853; and is a Director of the Delaware Railroad; elected to this position by the stockholders in 1868. For several years prior to 1876 he was President of the First National Bank of Dover. Dr. "Jump was a Whig in politics, and as such his influence was felt and decided, but for many years he would not allow his name to be used as a can- didate for office. In 1850 he was elected to the State Senate for a term of four years. Although in the minority in that body he ex- erted strong influence in behalf of hu- manity and justice, and the principles of his party. During his term, the code of Delaware was revised and what is known as " The Black Code" was re-enacted, but every provision of those measures Dr. Jump opposed with a strength and a decision that is now remem- bered to his honor. During the war his en- thusiasm for the Union and the old flag was in- fectious and inspiring. He succeeded in ob- taining arms from the Federal Government, and organized a company of which he was elected captain, and drilled them thoroughly in military tactics. Many of them afterward became officers in the field. When the rebels invaded Maryland and it became necessary to send men into that state from Delaware, he, to encourage those who had families depen- dent on their daily labor, had all the grain from his farms carried to his mill as a supply from which such families might draw free ra- tions during that time. Since the war Dr. Jump has been U. S. Examiner for his part of the state. In 1874 he was nominated for Gov-

Very truly yours

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ernor by the Republican party, and ran ahead | and of Lincoln in 1860. When the President of his ticket, but was defeated by his Demo- cratic opponent by only twelve hundred votes, though the average majority for the Democratic ticket was largely in excess of that. He has been for many years a steward in the Methodist church, with which he united in 1852. Dr. Jump was married in November, 1843, to Miss Ruth Anna, daughter of Jonathan Jenkins, of Camden, and sister of Mrs. Dr. Ridgely of Dover. She lived only eight months after her marriage. January 6, 1846, he married Miss Margaret Hunn, of New York city, who died three years and a half afterward, leaving him a daughter. He was again married, October 8, 1856, to Sarah Virginia, widow of Charles Alling, of Newark, N. J., and daughter of Alexander .C. Hyer, formerly a merchant of Philadelphia, and a member of the "Order of The Cincinnati." The daughter of Dr. Jump married Martin B. Hillyard, and died in 1878, leaving two children, Mary Olive and John Hunn Hillyard.

IELDS, COL. BENJAMIN, Lawyer of Wilmington, son of Thomas and Eliza Nields, was born in East Malborough township. Chester county, Penna., July 12, 1831. His ancestors were English Friends, and were among the earliest settlers of that part of the state. His parents both died while he was very young and his oppor- tunities of education were limited, but fortu- nately this neighborhood was noted for its spirit of liberal advancement and many advantages for culture were offered the young. These he so well improved that, when he reached the age of manhood, he was unusally well qualified for the profession he desired to adopt. In Dec. 1855, he commenced the study of law with John C. Patterson, Esq , in Wilmington. where, though an entire stranger, his generous dispo- sition and kindly social qualities soon won him many friends. His preceptor evidenced his entire confidence and trust in him by many generous acts, and was greatly gratified at the success which followed his admission to the bar at Georgetown, in April, 1859. The tendency of his early surroundings, as well as his own sense of right, having enlisted his symphathies in the anti-slavery cause, he be- came identified with the Free Soil party and was an active supporter of Fremont in 1856,

called for three months troops, in 1861, he, at once, assisted in raising a company of which he was appointed First Lieutenant. The reg- iment, when complete, was ordered to guard the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore railroad, between Baltimore and Havre de Grace, in which duty it continued until mus- tered out. In 1862 Lieutenant Nields raised a Battery of Light Artillery, the first and only Battery of the kind ever recruited in Delaware. He was commissioned Captain of this organi- zation which was composed of the first young men of the state. It was mustered into the service of the United States in August of that year, and was ordered to Camp Barry near Washington. It took part in the defense of Suffolk, Va., when that town was besieged by Longstreet, and later was sent to New York to assist the enforce- ment of the draft. On his return to Camp Barry, the private soldiers of his command presented Captain Nields with a very elegant jewelled sabre as an expression of their admir- ation for him as an officer, and their apprecia- tion of his unwearying care for their health and comfort. When the officers appointed by the British Government to visit the United States and examine the improvement in arms and war material, were in Washington, Gen- eral Barry, Chief of Artillery, U. S. A., selected the Ist Delaware Battery from among the many Batteries, both regular and volunteer, then near the city, as the one best displaying the perfection attained by this branch of the service in the United States. It was soon after ordered to the Department of the Gulf, and Captain Nields embarked at Baltimore in command of two Batteries in addition to his own. Arriving at New Orleans, February, 1864, he reported to General Banks, who as- signed him a position in the army fitted for the Red river expedition, and he, with his com- mand, took part in all the engagements of that disastrous campaign. After the battle of Sabine Cross Roads he was made Chief of Artillery on General Emory's staff, and as such had command of all the artillery of his division and of the siege guns of the expedition. For conspicuous gallantry at Cane River Crossing, April 23, 1864, he was promoted to a Lieuten- ant Colonelcy. In the fall of this year he was transferred to the Department of Arkansas,

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and during the winter and following spring, served as Chief of Artillery and Ordnance on the staff of General Joseph J. Reynolds. In May, 1865, he was one of the officers appointed to receive the surrender of rebel troops west of the Mississippi, under the command of General Jeff. Thompson, and June 24, 1865 was mustered out of the service, having been the only member of the bar of New Castle county who had en- tered the army for the three years' service. In the fall of 1865, he opened a law office in Wilmington, since which time his practice has steadily increased until it has grown to one of the largest and most remunerative in the state. Although always maintaining a deep interest in matters of public concern, and never failing to render active assistance in every important political campaign, he would never allow his name to be used as a candidate for public office, preferring to devote his whole attention to the practice of his profession. His sympathy is ever actively enlisted in the cause of the unfortunate, and all schemes for the encouragement of the deserving and the succor of the helpless find in him a hearty supporter. Colonel Nields was married, June 27, 1867, to Miss Gertrude W., daughter of James and Mary A. Fulton, of Ercildoun, Pa The family are Friends and for generations have been residents of that locality. Colonel and Mrs. Nields have now five children : Percy, Greta, Bessie, James Fulton and Edgar.

1828, to Sallie N., daughter of William and Charity Moore. She died, November 25, 1833, without children, and he married next, Febru- ary 12,1835, Rebecca M., daughter of James H. and Nancy Phillips, also of Sussex county. Two children of this marriage are living; Nancy E., wife of Dr. Joseph A. McFerren, of Phila- delphia, and Rebecca A., wife of Daniel Fooks, druggist of Laurel. Winder Dashiell was suc- cessful in life and left considerable property. He died, May 31, 1851. His parents were John and Nancy Dashiell. John Dashiell was born, November 15, 1757, in Somerset, now Wicomico county, Md , near Wetipquin. About 1788, he removed to Laurel, Delaware, where he was for a number of years a prosperous merchant. He purchased, in 1796, the estate on which the subject of this sketch was born, and which was his home the remainder of his life. He married, June 25, 1780, and had seven chil- dren. Three of them married; Betsey, to David Howard, of Somerset Co., Md., and had a family of children ; Winder, mentioned above, and Nancy, who married Luther Moore, and was the mother of J. Turpin Moore, a promi- nent citizen of Laurel. John Dashiell died, April 13, 1818. His father was Winder Dashiell, a descendant of the ancient family of Somerset county, Md. They were originally "Hugue- nots or French Protestants, who, upon the the revocation of the edict of Nantes, or in some earlier persecution, fled to England. The origin of the name is said to be a motto of the pious Huguenots, 'GoD a shield:' the word God in early times ending as well as commencing, with a capital. The name was first 'D' a shield,' next 'Dashiel,' finally, 'Dashiell.' The American head of the family was James Dashiell, who settled in the above county about 1666. He purchased and resided upon land at the head of Wetipquin creek, and which, by his will, dated in 1696, admitted to probate in 1697, he devised to his son James. The records in the land office at Annapolis, also show that the first James Dashiell, patented lands in Somerset county in 1672, 1673 and 1696. He left four sons ; viz , James, Thomas, George and Robert, and one daughter, Jane. From the elder James have descended, it is believed, all the families in the United States account is taken from the records of the family

ASHIELL, WILLIAM W., Capitalist of Laurel, was born about two miles from that place, on the estate now known as "Patrimonium," December 9, 1823. His father, Winder Dashiell, a farmer and merchant in Laurel, resided part of the time on this estate and part of the time in the village. He was born, August 1, 1789, and married, December 11, 1816, Mary, daughter of Isaac and Polly Moore, of Sussex. One child of this marriage is now living, Mary Jane wife of William Bacon, residing near Barren Creek Springs, Wicomico county, Md. Mrs. Dashiell died, July 24, 1821, and Mr Dashiell married, January 30, 1823, Polly, daugh- ter of Charles and Nellie Moore, also of Sus- sex. She had one child, the subject of this i who bear the name of Dashiell." The above sketch, and died, September 1I, 1827. Mr. Dashiell was married the third time, April 20, in "Representative men of Maryland, and Dis-

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trict of Columbia." William W. Dashiell at- tended the common schools of his neighbor- hood, and for three or four years the Laurel academy, which enjoyed at that time the in- structions of a very superior teacher. In 1842 he became a merchant in Laurel, in partner- ship with his father, who furnished the capital while he transacted the business. After four or five years his father withdrew, and Mr. Dashiell continued alone. Besides everything kept in a general store, he dealt, to a limited extent, in wood, produce, lumber, grain, etc., and also owned and run several vessels. In 1854 he retired from mercantile business, and purchased large tracts of land, now amount- ing to about 4,500 acres, all of which are rented, and in a good state of cultivation. Upon them are 25,000 peach trees, and he has large interests in small fruits. He also owns and rents several stores and dwellings in Laurel, and has an interest in three coasting schooners. He has always kept closely to business, and has become one of the most wealthy men of the place : modest and indis- posed to office, he is esteemed as one of the most worthy of men. "In politics he is a Demo- crat. In 1840 he united with the M. P. church, in which he has been an office bearer for many years. He was married June 26, 1854, to Miss Miranda H., daughter of Capt. William and Eleanor Wheatley, of Broad Creek hundred. Her father was a descendant of an ancient English family who early came to America, and settled in Dorchester county, Md. The family are numerous in that county, and have always been highly regarded. Mr. and Mrs. Dashiell have had four children ; Alma Ellen, died in infancy, Mary Clara, Eleanor, died April 27, 1864, and Marian Dashiell.

IRD, ROBERT MONTGOMERY, M. D., Physician and Author, was born in New Castle, February 5, 1805, and died in the city of Philadelphia, January 23, 1854. He was of an old Delaware family and his earliest progenitors in America settled in New Castle about A. D, 1700. He was educated at Mount Airy College, German- town, and afterward studied medicine and graduated M. D., from the University of Penn- sylvania. He engaged in the practice of his profession for one year in Philadelphia, and then gave it up for literary pursuits. His first

introduction to the public as an author occurred in 1828, when he published in the Philadelphia Monthly Magazine, tales entitled "The Ice Island," "The Spirit of the Reeds", and "The Phantom Players," and the poem entitled "Saul's Last Days." Though he wrote several comedies, it was in tragedy that he excelled, which gave a freer sweep to his imagination and the powers of mind required in the deline- ation of the sublime and terrible. Edwin For- rest was the means of introducing Dr. Bird's plays to the public, and they, specially the "Gladiator," were written for him, and with reference to his peculiar powers. The "Glad- iator" laid the foundation of Forrest's fame and fortune. George H. Boker once said : "If Dr. Bird had managed rightly about the 'Gladiator' he would have died a rich man." As it was he received from Forrest $1,000 for each of three plays, and $2,000 on account, in all $5,000. There wa's a contract by which Dr. Bird was to receive an adequate share of the profits, but it was never put on paper. Dr. Bird had an interview with him touching this matter in 1837, when he evaded the claim, and he never saw him afterward. We think the pub- lic exaggerates the Gladiator's literary merits. It has some fine lines, but the author counted it full of mere thunder and stage effect, and little more. "Oraloosa" was probably inferior; "The Broker of Bogota" was better, and the author's favorite, except "Pelopidas," a play never produced. Dr. Bird was that unfor- tunate being, a universal genius. Had his talents been less varied, doubtless they would have made a deeper mark. As it was, he attained success in the drama and in fiction, and later in journalism. In early years he wrote poetry ; but verse-making was his amusement rather than serious pursuit. He had gigantic literary plans, but on this splendid framework no house was ever built. The treatment he received at the outset of his career did him irreparable harm. Always a thinker and a brain worker, he was not fitted for the battle of life. No business education checked the fastidiousness of an intensely poet- ical temperament, or enabled him to seek and hold his own. Guileless, generous, the soul of honor, truth and unselfishness, he was more than once the victim of false or ill-judging friends, and his last conscious utterance was, " My life. has been a failure." His novels appeared in

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this order : "Calavar," 1834 ; "The Infidel," 1835; "Hawks of Hawk Hollow," 1835; "Shep- pard Lee," 1836; "Nick of the Woods," 1837 ; "Peter Pilgrim," 1838 ; and "Robin Day," 1839. Of these "Nick of the Woods" was by far the most popular ; "Calavar" (me judice) by far the best and a genuine romance. Most of them were reprinted at the time in London. In July, 1837, Dr. Bird married Mary Eliza, daughter of Philip F. Mayer, D.D., pastor (1805-57) of St. John's Lutheran Church, Phila- delphia. They had but one child, Frederic Mayer (see Johnson's Encyclopedia), now Chaplain and Professor at the Lehigh Univer- sity. In 1839, his health caused him to retire to a farm on the Elk river, in Cecil county, Md., and he shortly after removed to his native town, New Castle. There for some years he was occupied with scientific, literary, and polit- ical writing; being active in Whig politics, and very intimate with Hon. John M. Clayton. At one time he was talked of for the Senate, and suggested as Director of the Smithsonian In- stitution. In 1842-3 he was Professor of Materia Medica in the short lived Philadelphia Medical College, and associated therein with the Mc- Clellans, Dr. Morton and other eminent men. In 1847, Mr. Clayton desired to consolidate the North American and the United States Gazette and make a great Whig paper. He arranged with Dr. Bird to purchase a one-third interest, and he removed to Philadelphia. For the next six and a-half years his life was very retired and laborious, and his editorials gave the paper rank and weight. In January, 1854, worn out, not so much by work as by the worries of business, a brain fever carried him off within ten days. He, perhaps, never wrote an impure line, spoke, consciously, an un- true word, or did a mean or selfish act. He had no cause to be ashamed of having lived, or of being loth to die. His gravestone in Laurel Hill records simply his name, date of birth and death, and the text, " He giveth His beloved sleep."

known as Dame's Quarter, in that county. The name was originally Pollock and by contrac- tion came to be Polk. This family is one of the historic families of the United States, and from this settlement sprung the wide spread branches of the Polks who have given a Gov- ernor to Delaware, and to several other States of the Union, more than one Senator to the United States Congress and one President to our Nation ; besides a Bishop to the Protestant Episcopal Church and a Lieutenant General in the late confederate army. History tells, also, of this family in connection with the famous Mecklenburg Declaration of Indepen- dence in 1775, of which they were among the chief promoters, and their love of liberty and culture down to the present time. The subject of this sketch received a careful and classical education,and after these preparatory studies, entered Nassau Hall, Princeton, in 1864, and after four years, graduated from that honored institution with great credit, in the class of 1868. After several years of travel and wide observation, he entered the office of Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, as a student of law, and after three years was admitted to the bar. He settled in Wilmington in the practice of his pro- fession in which he has been successful, and to which he is greatly devoted ; having obtained by his life and abilities a large share of the public confidence. Mr. Polk is quiet and polished in manner, a gentleman of high social standing, and a well read lawyer.

UMMINS, DANIEL, Merchant and Land Owner of Smyrna, was born in that town, April 12, 1820. His parents were John and Susan (Wilson) Cum- mins. He attended the schools of his vicinity and was afterward sent to Dela- ware College, from which institution he grad- uated, and began life in the capacity of a clerk in the store of his brother George W. Cum- mins. After a short time and before he was of age, he was given an interest in the business. This partnership continued for two years, when he joined Mr. Jacob Raymond and began the

OLK, JOHN P. R., Attorney at Law, Wilmington, was born, October 18, mercantile business. The firm of Raymond 1845, in that city. He is the sixth in and Cummins did a large business, buying and descent from Robert and Magdalen i shipping grain, lumber, etc., to northern Polk, who emigrated from Scotland to markets in which they were very successful. Ireland, and to America in 1660, and settled in , Mr. Cummins bought out the interest of his Somerset county, Maryland, at a place still partner in 1844, and assumed full control of

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Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 2, Part 6

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

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