USA > Delaware > History of the state of Delaware, Volume III > Part 9
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He took an active interest in public affairs, and on October 6, 1775, was commissioned by Hon. John Penn, Governor of Pennsylvania, as high sheriff of Kent County. Mr. Barratt was re-elected sheriff in 1776, and served in that capacity dur- ing the Revolutionary War, in which he rendered most effi- cient services in aid of the struggling colonies. In October, 1779, he was elected a member of the Legislature and was a member continuously from that date until 1783, and the records show he took quite an active interest in the County and State and did his utmost to further the success of the patriotic cause. In 1780 he paid the Kent County troops £3,600 appropriated by the Legislature of which he was a member.
Philip Barratt was one of the first converts to Methodism, and was an intimate friend of Bishop Francis Asbury, whom he aided and protected from violence during the Revolutionary War. In May, 1780, he contributed the ground upon which Barratt's Chapel was erected, known as the " Cradle of Metho- dism," because, first, Bishop Asbury and Thomas Coke met there, November 10, 1784, and arranged the preliminaries for
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organizing the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, and, second, it was the place where sacramental ordinances were first administered in America by duly authorized Methodist preachers to Methodist communicants. To Methodists these facts invest Barratt's Chapel with rare historic interest. Philip Barratt died October 28, 1784, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, leaving five sons and three daughters.
ANDREW BARRATT.
Andrew Barratt, eldest son of Philip Barratt, was born Sep- tember 22, 1756, and was the most prominent of the sons. He studied law and was admitted to the Bar of Kent County. He was High Sheriff of Kent County for twelve years, 1780- 1792, and a member of the convention which framed the Constitution of 1792. He represented Kent County in the Assembly from October 20, 1791, and in the Senate in 1812, 1813 and 1814, and during that time served as Speaker. On November 12, 1816, he was elected a presidential elector as a Federalist and voted for Rufus King for President and Robert C. Harper for Vice-President. On November 14, 1820, he voted in the electoral college for James Monroe for President and Daniel Rodney for Vice-President. On January 23, 1799, he was appointed by Governor Bassett as Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the State of Delaware and served as such with great credit until his election to the State Senate.
He took quite an interest in educational matters. He drafted the Act of February 10, 1796, and was a school trustee under it for Murderkill Hundred, but as it was administered as a charity it did not prove a success except as recognizing the necessity of educating the masses. Upon the incorpora- tion of the Old Wilmington Academy as a college, in 1803, he was named as a trustee. It is said that this first Board of Trustees was composed of the most distinguished men in Delaware. As the eldest son he maintained his father's friendship with Bishop Asbury and the other Methodist
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preachers, Cooper, Garrettson and Pilmore, and there was hardly one of them who came to Dover who did not spend the night at least with Judge Barratt.
On the tenth day of January, 1796, Andrew Barratt " being fully persuaded that liberty is the natural birthright of all mankind and keeping any in perpetual slavery is contrary to the injunction of Christ, for which reasons he did manumit and set absolutely free all his negroes so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free people." (Deed Record H., Vol. 2, page 264.) Andrew Barratt died April 18, 1821, having figured as a prominent man in his day and generation.
DR. ELIJAH BARRATT.
Dr. Elijah Barratt, son of Philip Barratt, was born on his father's farm near Frederica, Kent County, Delaware, in 1771. He studied medicine with his brother-in-law, Dr. Nathaniel Luff. In his short professional career, Dr. Barratt attained a high position in medicine. He was a prominent member of the Delaware State Medical Society. Dr. Barratt was promi- nent not only as a physician, but also in political affairs. He was a strong Federalist and although urged refused to be a candidate for Congress.
About the time he was admitted to the bar, Henry M. Ridgely, a prominent lawyer of Dover and an intimate friend of Dr. Barratt became involved in a duel with William B. Shields, a lawyer of Wilmington, in which Dr. Barratt notably figured. The Doctor felt that he had been grossly insulted by Mr. Shields and in accordance with the spirit of the times, sought satisfaction through the "Code" and desired Mr. Ridgely to be the bearer of his challenge. The latter did so, and Mr. Shields refused to meet Dr. Barratt but challenged the bearer of the message. The challenge was accepted ; and the duel was fought and Mr. Ridgely was severely wounded. It was believed that the reason why Mr. Shields refused to meet Dr. Barratt was, that Dr. Barratt was a noted shot and
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a most determined man, and that he (Shields) was afraid to take the risk with him. Dr. Barratt was a trustee of the first Methodist Church, built in 1796, at Camdem, Delaware. He died April 11, 1809, and was buried in the old family bury- ing ground.
JOHN BARRATT.
John Barratt, son of Andrew Barratt, born February 9, 1784. Died in April, 1818. Educated at private schools and at Princeton College. Admitted to Kent County bar 1808 and Solicitor in Chancery August 15, 1808. March 15, 1810, he revised and collated Kent County records, and October 3, 1810, when twenty-six years old, was made Secre- tary of State by Governor Truitt. He served as clerk of the State Senate in 1810 and clerk of the House in 1812. He was prominent as a lawyer, orator and politician and was in many duels, although no one seems to have been seriously in- jured. An account of one of them mentioned in the " Free- man's Journal " of August 13, 1807, which is probably one of the more important ones, is as follows: " A duel was fought on Friday last between Mr. (Louis) McLane, son of Allen McLane of Wilmington, Delaware, and Mr. (John) Barratt of the same town. Two shots were exchanged. Mr. Barratt's second shot wounded his antagonist near the groin. Mr. McLane's first shot grazed Mr. Barratt near the waist. His second grazed his left hand which was placed on his right breast. The meeting was occasioned by a dispute which grew out of a former duel in which Mr. Barratt acted as second."
Louis McLane and John Barratt at this time were students at law in the office of James A. Bayard, and both were ad- mitted to the New Castle Bar in December, 1807, about three months later. Louis McLane subsequently had a most dis- tinguished career as United States Senator, 1827-29; Minis- ter to England, 1829-31; Secretary of Treasury, 1832-33 ; President B. & O. R. R., 1837-1847 ; also delegate to England during Oregon negotiations. John Barratt's early death in
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his thirty-fourth year ended a career full of promise by reason of his engaging manners and pronounced ability.
JAMES BARRATT, SR., AND JAMES BARRATT, JR.
James Barratt, Sr., was born in 1797, on his father's farm near Frederica, Kent County, Delaware, and removed to Mil- ton in 1823, where he built and occupied the first brick house. He and Governor David Hazzard engaged in the grain busi- ness, and also operated a bark mill, in which the Hon. Joseph Maull was interested with them. James Barratt was one of the representatives for Sussex County in the House of Repre- sentatives during the session commencing October, 1831, and was a director in 1831 and 1832 of the Georgetown Branch of the Farmers' Bank of the State Delaware.
In 1832 he removed to Philadelphia and engaged in the grain business with Samuel Neall, who was a native of Mil- ford, Delaware, under the firm name of Neall & Barratt, and later as James Barratt & Son. Much of their business con- sisted of consignments of grain from Delaware, which arrived in Philadelphia in small sloops and schooners of light draught, which were in early times called shallops. They carried 1000 to 2500 bushels of wheat, corn and oats, and on arrival were unloaded by colored men from half-bushel measures into bags, and sold on the wharf or stored in their warehouse, 402 South Delaware Avenue.
In 1854 he helped organize the Corn Exchange of Phila- delphia, and was its fifth president in 1859. The Corn Ex- change of Philadelphia, now better known by the more sig- nificant name of the Commercial Exchange, was composed of a membership conspicuous for their loyalty to the Union, and their zeal and liberality in sustaining the government in all its efforts to put down the Rebellion, and none of its members were more active in this work and the sending to the war a fully equipped regiment known as the "Corn Exchange " or 118th Pennsylvania Volunteers, than James Barratt, Jr., who was born in Milton, Delaware, December 27, 1826, and who
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was brought to Philadelphia by his father when a boy. He was admitted to the firm of James Barratt & Son in 1856 ; represented the Seventh Ward in Common Councils in 1862, '63, '64, '65.
On January 12, 1865, he was appointed one of the com- missioners under authority of councils, to pay bounties to volunteers. This commission distributed over twelve millions of dollars. On May 25, 1865, he was elected a Port Warden, and in 1867 was elected Vice-President of the Corn Exchange. He was First Lieutenant of the Corn Exchange Guard, a member of Company " D," First Regiment, Lodge No. 51 F. and A. M., Phoenix Hose Company, as well as of the Union League. He died February 2, 1872.
NORRIS S. BARRATT.
Norris S. Barratt, son of James Barratt, Jr., born in the City of Philadelphia, August 23, 1862, educated at public and private schools, admitted to the Philadelphia Bar in 1883 and to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1899, since which time he has been in active practice, Assistant District Attorney 1901 until September, 1902, when he was unanimously nominated for Judge of Court of Common Pleas No. 2, Philadelphia, to succeed Hon. Samuel W. Pennypacker, Governor of Pennsylvania, to which office he was elected for a term of ten years. He is interested in historical matters and is a life member of the Delaware and Pennsylvania Historical Societies, Delaware Society of Philadelphia, as well as the Penn Club, Union League and Law Association. He is also a thirty-second degree Mason and the representative of Lodge No. 2, F. and A. M. in the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
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THE RIDGELY FAMILY.
No family has added more to the honor of Delaware than the Ridgely family. The ancestors of the family settled in Maryland in the vicinity of Aunapolis, and Nicholas Ridgely came to Delaware about 1732, and after a year or two spent at Salem, New Jersey, settled in Dover in 1738, and two years later was appointed one of the provincial justices of the Supreme Court. From 1743 to 1755 he was Prothonotary of Kent County. He built the Ridgely house on Dover Green, still in possession of the family. It bears date A. D. 1728.
Charles Ridgely, son of Nicholas, was born in Salem, New Jersey, January 26, 1735. His mother was Mary Vining, widow of Benjamin Vining, whose earlier life had been spent near Salem. Soon after the birth of Charles, his parents settled at Dover, and there young Charles was educated with care. He studied medicine under the direction of Dr. Phineas Bond, and after completing the medical course settled in Dover, where he lived the rest of his days. He ranked high as a physician and was eminently successful in his chosen pro- fession, and his talents and character were of so high an order that he was called upon to fill many public stations. He married Ann Moore, daughter of William Moore, of Moore Hall, Pennsylvania. He died November 25, 1785, leaving two sons, Nicholas and Henry Moore Ridgely, both of whom became famous in the legal profession.
Nicholas Ridgely, son of Dr. Charles Ridgely, was born September 30, 1762, and after receiving a careful educational training, studied law under the direction of Robert Golds- borough, of Cambridge, Maryland. Admitted to the Bar in 1787, he early established himself in active practice, and was soon acknowledged as a lawyer of superior abilities. When only twenty-nine years of age he was appointed Attorney- General of the State, and occupied this responsible post for a period of ten years, when he succeeded William Killen as Chancellor of the State, which position he held until his death on April 1, 1830. As chancellor his memory is revered and
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honored. As a man he was the soul of honor, and as a judge, just, learned and impartial. A more extended biography of Chancellor Ridgely appears in this work under the head of Chancellors of the State.
Henry Moore Ridgely, another son of Dr. Charles Ridgely, was born at Dover, August 6, 1779. He was carefully edu- cated, partly at Dickinson College, and studied law with Charles Smith, Esq., a relative, at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. On his admission to the bar, in 1802, he early took high rank, and notwithstanding the eminent men at the bar at that time he won his way to the top. He was a man of superior judg- ment, and early showed an unusual aptness for business. He was the prime mover in the organization of the Farmers' Bank, incorporated in 1807, and becoming its president at the begin- ning, served as such until his death, forty years later, and contributed much to its establishment on a firm financial basis.
He was a pronounced Federalist in politics, and for many years the recognized leader of that party in this State. He was six times elected a member of the State House of Repre- sentatives. His public life in national affairs began in 1811, when only thirty-two years of age, by his election to the National House of Representatives. Two years later he was re-elected, and at the end of the term declined a renomination. While a member of Congress he was most active and held a prominent place in the public eye. He served as Secretary of State under Governor John Clark from 1817 to 1820, under Governor Jacob Stout from 1820 to 1821, and again under Governor Samuel Paynter from 1824 to 1827. In 1827 he served a short term in the United States Senate, being elected by the General Assembly to fill out the term of Nicholas Van- dyke, deceased.
His strict attention to his public duties, as well as his apt- ness in financial matters, so attracted the Federalist leaders that he was offered the important post of Treasurer of the United States, but this he declined. His exalted standing at
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the bar is shown by the fact that he was offered the Chancel- lorship and the Chief Justiceship, but declined both, evidently not being inclined towards judicial honors. After the expira- tion of his term in the United States Senate, the remainder of his life was spent quietly at Dover in the practice of the law and in looking after the interests of the Farmers' Bank, always dear to his heart. His death occurred at his home on Dover Green on August 6, 1847. Mr. Ridgely was one of the ablest men that Delaware has produced.
Edward Ridgely, son of Henry M. Ridgely, was born at Dover, April 30, 1831. He was graduated from St. Mary's College, Maryland, in 1850, and immediately began the study of law with Martin W. Bates. He began practice in 1853, and for nearly fifty years was an honored member of Kent County Bar, ranking as one of the leaders among associates who had no superiors anywhere. With defective eyesight from his youth, a man of less ambition would have been greatly discouraged ; but so well grounded was he in the principles of the law that it became a second nature to him and when an opinion was procured on a legal question from Edward Ridgely, the client was satisfied that it was the result of the most exhaustive research, and there was no inclination to question its correctness.
As a counselor he was unsurpassed. He made no profes- sions as a public speaker, but as a well-read lawyer none stood higher, and no member of the Bar carried greater weight with the Court. Public life was distasteful to him; he had pro- nounced opinions on political questions, but was always just and conservative. He served as Secretary of State under Governor William Burton, and acted as chancellor ad litem in several cases. He was the last of a brilliant galaxy of legal lights whose ability and learning illumined the Kent County Bar in the latter third of the nineteenth century. His death occurred at Dover, October 17, 1900.
Charles G. Ridgely, the oldest son of Henry Moore Ridgely, was born at Dover, August 12, 1804. A precocious child, he
HENRY RIDGELY. 1817-1904.
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was able to read Homer's Iliad at the age of eight, and his parents were interested in giving him the benefit of every educational advantage. He graduated at St. Mary's College, Maryland, at an unusually early age and then went to the Military Academy at West Point. At the latter institution he made an enviable record but was forced to resign before graduation, becoming incapacitated for military duty by lame- ness resulting from rheumatism. Devoted to the classics, some years were spent in the study of literature, and after- wards studying law with his father, he was admitted to the Bar in 1835. A year later he settled at Georgetown.
His brilliancy as a speaker and his acknowledged learning and ability soon brought him a numerous clientage. Active, industrious, tactful, he had every quality of the political leader. Eloquent in speech, he became without effort the fore- most man in the Whig party in Sussex County, and had his life been spared he would undoubtedly have figured conspicu- ously as a public man, but as is so often the case with char- acters of such rare promise, the fire of life seemed to burn out the feeble frame. His death occurred July 6, 1844, and his remains were buried in the Episcopal churchyard at George- town.
Henry Ridgely, another son of Henry Moore Ridgely, was born April 15, 1817. He was particularly favored by his uncle, Chancellor Ridgely under whose direction he was edu- cated. He attended Newark Academy and afterwards gradu- ated from St. Mary's College, Maryland. He took a course in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1839. His medical preceptor was Dr. Jacob Randolph of Philadelphia. He practiced medicine in Dover for a few years, but soon devoted all of his time to the oversight of his large landed interests. He inherited the fine business quali- ties of his father and was unusually successful as a farmer and fruit-grower.
He amassed a comfortable fortune, at one time it being claimed that he was the wealthiest man in Kent County.
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For a time he took some interest in politics, being identified with the Democratic party, and was a delegate to the Demo- cratic National Convention of 1856, and in the same year was a Presidential elector. In 1861 he was a delegate to the Peace Convention that met at Washington. In later years he gave no attention to politics, being extremely independent in his political views. His strength was as a business man. He was elected a director of the Farmers' Bank in 1843, and in 1849 was elected its President, serving as such uninterrupt- edly until his death, a period of fifty-five years.
He was one of the early promoters and directors of the Delaware Railroad, was for many years connected with the Kent County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, part of the time as its president, and took an active part in two building and loan associations in Dover. He married first, Virginia E. Jenkins, daughter of Jonathan Jenkins, and the golden wedding of the happy couple was celebrated in 1893. One daughter, Ruthanna J., who is now the wife of Dr. James H. Wilson, was the only child of this marriage. Dr. Ridgely's second wife was Miss Annie T. Kemp, of Easton, Maryland. She survived him at his death, which occurred at his hand- some home in Dover on September 17, 1904.
HENRY RIDGELY, JR.
The present living representative of the long line of illus- trious Ridgelys is Henry Ridgely, Jr., son of Edward Ridgely, and grandson of Henry Moore Ridgely. Born on January 19, 1869, his early life was spent in the public schools of Dover and at the Conference Academy. Entering as a law student with his father, he took a full course in law at the University of Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the Kent County Bar in 1890. Having an analytical mind coupled with remark- able receptive powers, he is recognized as a most able and capable lawyer, and though but seventeen years at the Bar, he ranks as a leader, and his opinions on legal questions carry great weight not only with his brother attorneys, but with the
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Court. He promises to fully uphold the enviable records made by his father and grandfather at the Bar. Mr. Ridgely is not one-sided, he is useful and public-spirited in the com- munity in which he lives, and his charming personality makes him a welcome guest wherever known,
THE CLAYTON FAMILY.
No family in Delaware can boast a prouder lineage than the Claytons, and none has gained a more distinguished standing. The earlier generations were Friends in religion and the later generations gave evidence of the thrift, industry and stability of their forbears, characteristics of that early religious sect.
The first Delaware Clayton was Joshua Clayton who was a descendant of Robert de Clayton who became Lord of the Manor of Clayton by gift from William the Conqueror, in recognition of his laudable services in battle. Joshua Clayton. the first Delaware settler of the family, it is claimed, came to America with William Penn in 1682, accompanied by his cousin William Clayton. The latter settled in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The name Joshua has been repre- sented in every generation of the family since the original settler.
The earliest of the family to reach distinguished public sta- tion in Delaware was Joshua Clayton, the son of John and great-grandson of Joshua, the original settler. His father was a miller and for some years operated the mill near Wyoming in Kent County, and in this vicinity the son Joshua was born in 1744. He studied medicine and while a young man married Rachel McCleary, an adopted daughter of Richard Bassett, afterward United States Senator and Governor of Delaware. About the time of his marriage he settled in New Castle County, near the Maryland State line and lived there until his death, his life being devoted to his profession, and to his public duties.
He served in one of the Maryland battalions in the Revo- lutionary War, and after acquitting himself most honorably
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as a soldier, resumed his residence on Bohemia Manor, but was soon called to public duty, serving for three years from 1786 to 1789, as State Treasurer, and then, being elected by the General Assembly, served as President of the State from May 30, 1789, until January 13, 1793. The Constitution of 1792 coming into operation, he was, in the fall of 1792 elected by the people Governor of the State, for the full constitutional term of three years from 1793 to 1796. Two years later, he was elected a member of the United States Senate from Dela- ware, to fill a vacancy, but after serving about a year he went voluntarily to Philadelphia to minister to those affected with yellow fever at that place, and falling a victim to the dread disease, he died in that city on August 11, 1798. He was a skilled physician, a statesman of breadth and capacity, and altogether a most estimable citizen.
JOHN CLAYTON.
Contemporary with Governor Joshua Clayton was his brother, Judge John Clayton, born in Murderkill Hundred in 1749. Evidently a man of education and refinement, he was chosen first a Judge in Admiralty, and afterwards, in 1788, one of the justices of the Court of Common Pleas, in which latter position he served four years. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1792. That he had the courage of his convictions is shown by the following incident. He was acting as one of the commissioners appointed by Act of the General Assembly for remodeling the State House at Dover, and before the alterations were completed, the General Assembly sought to meet in the unfinished building, but the Kent County authorities objected, and John Clayton was ap- pointed to represent Kent County, and to prevent the Gen- eral Assembly from meeting there.
It is related that Mr. Clayton entered the assembly rooms with drawn sword and demanded that the assemblymen vacate, and he was so imperative in his demands that the assembly was forced to withdraw ; the further sessions of that year were
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