Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 53

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910

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born of this marriage, namely: Douglas J., now manager of the boiler works of W. McGregor & Company; Mary Ellen, the wife of Charles D. Willard, Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, California, who has one child, named Annie; the second daughter, now deceased, late wife of Virgil Kinzie, a wool merchant of Chicago; William G., who is engaged in business with his father; and Walter Herbert, who died at the age of twenty-one years in California, where he had gone on account of his health.

Mrs. McGregor's death occurred in July, 1876. She was a faithful wife and mother, a sincere Christian, and reared her children in the paths of sobriety, honesty and uprightness. Five years later, Mr McGregor was wedded to Mrs. Maria Pike, widow of Meshick Pike, of Bloomington, Illinois. She survived only five years after this marriage, and died in New Mexico, while return- ing from California with her husband. June 2, 1886, Mr. McGregor was united in mar- riage with his present wife, Maria L. Peugeot, daughter of Lemuel H. Flershem, and widow of Edward Peugeot, biographies of whom appear in this work.

In politics Mr. McGregor is a Republican, but is not oblivious of the shortcomings of his own or any other political party. In the last city elec- tion he was an earnest worker for George B. Swift, who is his personal friend. He is a leading spirit in the Illinois Club, of which he has been a mem- ber since its early days.

He joined the Union Presbyterian Church of Newburg, New York, in 1848, and for fifteen years was an active member, and for some time an Elder, in that organization, and for ten years Superintendent of its Sunday-school. After com- ing to Chicago he was a warm supporter of Dr. Swazey and an Elder in his church, the Ashland Avenue Presbyterian. He now worships at the Third Presbyterian Church.

Mr. McGregor haslived a busy life and success has come to crown his labors. He has a large circle of personal friends, who are warmly at- tached to him, and his home at No. 692 West Madison Street is at exceedingly happy one.

363

G. B. CARPENTER.

GEORGE B. CARPENTER.

EORGE BENEDICT CARPENTER was born in New York City July 14, 1845, going thence in boyhood to his grandparents' home upon a farm near Goshen, New York State, where early development took place and his entire aca- demic schooling was obtained. During the Civil War he continued to live there, being engaged in a store; thereafter going to Philadelphia to travel for a local house, to sell its paper upon commis- sion.

He came to Chicago about the beginning of the year 1866, in his twenty-first year, being helped by an uncle, Charles Tappen, then General Freight Agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, to a position with that corporation, in the capacity of freight clerk, in which duties he busied himself the following two years. Then, not finding this occupation congenial, he selected journalism, at a lesser income, commencing as re- porter on the Chicago Republican. After another two years of faithful service here he became as- sociated with another periodical, The Interior, on which a speedy reward of merit advanced him to the chief position as its managing editor, which duties were performed up to the date of the Big Fire. The Pulpit, a short-lived weekly, which had for its motive the printing of noteworthy ser- mons of the previous week, was a creation of his brain; but did not meet with deserved support, and was discontinued. But all this time he was feel- ing his way; associates had not yet come to rec- ognize his strength.

At this juncture came the inspiration destined to give superb tone to his accomplishments and a worthy home in our city to the Muse. The Star Lecture Course, as planned by himself be- fore the reconstruction of burned theatres, was instrumental in bringing the best lecturers and concert companies to our midst for several years; these entertainments being at first given in two places, namely, the Union Park Congregational

Church on the West Side, and the Michigan Av- enue Baptist Church on the South Side. The firm of Carpenter & Sheldon was continued after this had grown to be unprofitable upon the re- building of old and new playhouses, but turned its attention to the handling of real estate. In 1878 Mr. Carpenter developed mentally his grand scheme for the building of Central Music Hall, which after two years of unwearying energy was an assured success through enlisting the financial aid of leading capitalists. This fine building, now erected at the southeast corner of State and Randolph Streets, is to-day the noblest, most en- during monument standing to the memory of this young enthusiast, whose white heat of action so young in life consumed his usefulness, and whose handsome features, reproduced by the sculptor Volk, now grace one of its halls.

On Friday, the 7th of January, 1881, Mr. Car- penter was called away from a prosperous earthly life, after but a brief illness occasioned by over- work. Obsequies were held in Central Music Hall, to whose creation he had devoted so much of his last years, and which was the pride of his heart. Loving hands did every beautifully grace- ful act that could be performed to make the final services touchingly memorable. The since la- mented Rev. David Swing delivered the funeral address, which was listened to with rapt atten- tion by the elite of our city. The opportunity offered by the demise of one so popular passing away in the height of young powers was the means of inspiring that gifted divine with a sym- pathetic eloquence rarely heard. During the im- pressive ceremony Mr. Swing made use of the following exquisite language:

"Rarely has there come into this world a young man so full of the study and love of the public. * * Youth forgot all selfish pleasures and hon- ors, forgot that accumulation of money which blinds and consumes so many; forgot the pleasures

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G. B. CARPENTER.

of food and drink; forgot the peace of the evening fireside, that it might toil for what pertained to mankind. * * He has fallen the victim of his own impassioned nature. * * He gathered up many years into a few, and compelled us to weep to-day the tears which should have been long delayed. * * It remains for me to say fare- well to the most useful of all our young men."

His remains were taken to Rose Hill, followed by sincere benedictions of multitudes to whom the results of his work had brought happiness. Those who best knew honored him, while respect and affection were universally entertained for him.

Among the organizations making formal ac- knowledgement of their loss, were the Apollo Club, the Central Music Hall Company, and the Press Club; the resolutions of which last, being of unusually graceful significance, are repro- duced verbatim:

"The Chicago Press Club, having learned with sincere sorrow of the death of George B. Carpen- ter, formerly a member of the journalistic profes- sion in this city, desires to place upon record its appreciation of his many noble qualities. Dur- ing his journalistic career he won the esteem of his associates; and, had he remained in the pro- fession, his abilities would have enabled him to attain a high position in its ranks. Asan amuse- ment manager he achieved success because of his indomitable energy; and in all his career as a manager he catered only to the highest and pur- est taste, and thus became a public benefactor. As a citizen he was remarkable for his public spirit and enterprise; as a man he was lovable and beyond reproach; as a companion he was eagerly sought; and we who knew his many vir- tues mourn him deeply and sincerely.

"The sympathy of the club is hereby extended to the family of our departed friend, who has left to them the richest legacy a husband and a father can leave-the memory of a true man."

Mr. Carpenter married, May 25, 1870, Miss Lucy A. Boone, a daughter of Levi D. Boone, M. D., whose wife was Louisa M. Smith, both her parents being very early and esteemed residents of Chicago. Three children greeted their every way congenial union:

Marion Louise Carpenter, born in 1872, educat- ed at Miss White's private school of this city, and upon the violin, being given the superior advant-

ages of the "Hoch Schule" of Berlin, Germany, under the distinguished Prof. Emanuel Wirth;

Susie Tappen Carpenter, born in 1874, also a graduate of Miss White's school; with the added accomplishment of painting, acquired at the Berlin (Germany) School of Art during the family tour abroad.

George Boone Carpenter, born May 7, 1879; now attending the famous Armour Institute of Chicago, where he already evinces marked bias toward the profession of architecture.

Mrs. Carpenter was born January 30, 1852, in this city, and was educated at the Dearborn Semi- nary, where before graduation she developed rath- er remarkable vocal talent, which, unfortunately, later exacting duties have conspired to repress. From the time of her husband's death in 1881, she became the agent and secretary of the Cen- tral Music Hall Company, with which she con- tinued in that business relation of great de- mands and personal responsibility for the full period of ten years, having been the lessee of the hall all the said period. Resigning therefrom in 1891, she took her family to the European Con- tinent for a period of two years, wintering in Ber- lin and dividing the summers among various places of advantage, that the incalculable benefits of both travel and study might fit her children for adorning the more elegant, refined walks of life. Returning to her ever-dear America and the metropolis of her nativity, she at once became deeply interested in musical matters, having acted most efficiently during the last two preceding years as President of the Chicago Amateur Mu- sical Club, one of the conspicuous associations of its kind in the country, being able to boast of a membership of six hundred. Previous to her incumbency of this chair she had been serving upon its Executive Committee.

For the first thirteen years of her married life, the family residence was upon Michigan Avenue, but the cozy home which now welcomes through its portals representatives of our city's elite is located at No. 3222 Lake Park Avenue, sur- rounded by choice neighbors and overlooking that ever changeably interesting panorama of the harbor of Lake Michigan.

365

GODFREY MACDONALD.

Mrs. Carpenter comes rightly by her talents, being the direct descendant of two distinguished old American families, the Rathbone and the Daniel Boone. Of the former we are able to glean the following very satisfactory account from a volume of genealogy published years ago, and which, we are glad to note, is now about to be brought down to the present generations:

Rev. William Rathbone is the first of that name found in the United States, about the year 1637; he was an author, and not in accord with the prevailing doctrines of the Massachusetts Colony, as appears from the Historical Collec- tion of that state.

John Rathbone, Senior (probably a son of the preceding), of Block Island, Rhode Island, was elected Freeman May 4, 1664, and was one of the sixteen original purchasers of that island from Governor Endicott. In 1676 he was a Surveyor of Highways; in 1682, 1683 and 1684, Represen- tative in the Rhode Island General Assembly; in 1686, one of the petitioners to the king in refer- ence to "Quo Warranto;" in 1688, one of the Grand Jury of Rhode Island; and in 1689 nar- rowly escaped the hostilities of the French, who pillaged the island and bore his son into captiv- ity. He married and had eight children, the third being,

John Rathbone, Junior, who married, January 10, 1688, Ann Dodge, and had eight children, the fourth being

Joshna, born February 9, 1696; married, Feb- ruary 16, 1724, Mary Wightman, daughter of Valentine Wightman, of Groton, Connecticut, by

whom he had twelve children, their fourth being

The Rev. John Rathbone, born June 26, 1729, near Stonington, Connecticut; he married, Janu- ary 8, 1751, Content Brown, daughter of Hum- phrey Brown, by whom he had thirteen children, their eldest being

John Rathbone, born October 20, 1751, in Canterbury, Connecticut; died March 14, 1843; one of the most distinguished merchants of New York City. He married, in 1775, Eunice Wells, in Westerly, Rhode Island, and had eleven chil- dren, of whom the sixth was

Clarissa Harlowe Rathbone, born in Stoning- ton, Connecticut, November 19, 1787; married, June 6, 1808, in New York City, to Theophilus Washington Smith, who was born in that city September 28, 1784, and was an incumbent of the Supreme Bench of the State of Illinois for twenty-five years, during which time he never had an opinion reversed; the writer of several valuable judicial treatises. His parents emi- grated from Europe in 1761, his father being a native of Dublin, Ireland; his mother, a native of London, England. They had nine children, of whom their fourth was

Louisa Matilda Smith, born in New York City June 25, 1814; married in 1833, at Edwardsville, Illinois, Levi Day Boone, who was born in Fayette County, near Lexington, Ky., December 8, 1808, and died in Chicago, January 24, 1882. They had eleven children, and their third was

Lucy Adeline Boone, the present Mrs. George B. Carpenter, and representative of the ninth Rathbone generation in America.

GODFREY MACDONALD.

F fied with the railroad interests of the United States for more than forty years, and is one of the best known of the many men connected with that line of business. He is a native of Scot- land, a land whose sons have been instrumental

ODFREY .MACDONALD has been identi -. in no small degree in developing the industries and shaping the destinies of the Western World. His father was William Macdonald, of Ballyshear, near Campbeltown, County of Kintyre, Argyle- shire, who came to America with his family in 1844. After a few years' residence in Canada he

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GODFREY MACDONALD.

returned to his native land, where he was appoint- ed Professor of Natural History at the College of St. Andrew's in Fifeshire, and held that position until his death, which occurred in January, 1875, at the age of seventy-six years. I11 1820 he mar- ried Miss Jane Blair, of Doonholm, on the "banks and braes of bonnie Doon." They were the par- ents of six sons and five daughters, of whom Godfrey is the sole survivor, and the only one who became a resident of Chicago. The two youngest brothers of the latter died in India, after an active service of over thirty years in the British army, a period which included the famous Indian Mutiny. These were Col. William Macdonald, of the Twelfth Regiment, Bengal Native Infantry, who died at Sihchar in 1884; and Maj. Lorne Macdonald, of the Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ben- gal Native Infantry, who died at Agra in 1883.

Godfrey Macdonald was born in January, 1829, at Ballyshear. He was educated at Edinburgh, in the high school and the Edinburgh University, but left there at the age of fifteen years to accom- pany his parents to Canada. Their residence was in the neighborhood of Niagara Falls, Ontario, until 1850, when he returned with the family to Scotland. Two years later, however, he again came to Canada and engaged in business at Grimsby, near Hamilton, Ontario.

In 1853 he made his first trip to Chicago, and continued to visit this city at intervals until 1857, when he and his family became permanent resi- dents. At that date he was appointed Assistant Agent of the Grand Trunk Railroad at this place. From 1859 to 1863 he was engaged in the cattle and distilling business in central Illinois. At the latter date he was appointed Contracting Freight Agent of the Michigan Southern & Northern In- diana Railroad, which was eventually absorbed by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad. He continued his connection with these corpora- tions as General Western Freight Agent until 1876, when he resigned to accept the same posi- tion, with charge of their export freight business, with the Michigan Central & Great Western Railroads. In 1881 he was appointed General Through Freight Agent of the Detroit, Grand Haven & Michigan Railroad, with headquarters

at Milwaukee. Resigning in 1883, he was ap- pointed General Agent of the Union Pacific Rail- road in Chicago. This position he also resigned in 1884 to attend to personal business in Colorado. In November, 1887, he returned to Chicago and accepted a position with the "Nickel Plate" line, with which he has since been employed, and at present occupies pleasant offices in the Traders' Building.

There is probably no other man in Chicago, if there is in the United States, who has become so thoroughly familiar with the transaction of freight business as Mr. Macdonald. He has applied himself to the development and mastery of its de- tails with all the vigor and enterprise which char. acterize his race in its undertakings. In 1871 he published a volume of foreign freight and premium tables, showing comparative measures of capacity and value. It is useful in facilitating the transac- tion of foreign freight business, and these tables have come into general use by railroad men all over the United States and Canada, by many of whom he is characterized as the "father of the export business of America."

In 1853 Mr. Macdonald was married to Miss Mary Blackwell, eldest daughter of Dr. John Harrisson Blackwell, a prominent physician of Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Of the four children born to them, two died before reach- ing mature years, and the survivors are Charles Blair, Vice-President of the banking house of Tracy, Macdonald & Company, of Chicago; and Godfrey H., First Lieutenant of the First United States Cavalry, now stationed at Ft. Riley, Kan- sas. Mr. Macdonald has been for thirty years past a member of Christ Church of Chicago, and is one of the most active members of St. An- drew's Society, of which he was President for two years. He has been identified with the Chicago Board of Trade for more than thirty years, and has been a member of the Chicago, Washington Park and other popular clubs. He has acquired an extensive acquaintance, not only among rail- road officials, but including many of the leading business men of the nation, and may be justly termed one of the representative citizens of Chi- cago.

367

A. H. DARROW.

ALEXANDER H. DARROW.

LEXANDER HAMILTON DARROW is one of those gallant men, now residing in Chicago, who cheerfully gave their time and services in defense of the Union when treason threatened its destruction. Though he spent about three years with the Federal army, and was exposed to constant dangers, he has never applied for a pension nor received aught for his services except the regular pay of all volunteers.

His progenitors for more than a century past had been conspicuous for their patriotism and disinterested public spirit. The Darrow family is of English origin, and was one of the earliest to locate in Rochester, New York. John Dar- row, grandfather of Alexander, who was a black- smith by trade, while a young man helped to forge an immense chain which was stretched across the Hudson River to impede the passage up that stream of British war vessels. James, the son of John Darrow, settled on a farm in Orleans Coun- ty, New York, which he cleared of the primitive forest. About 1856 he removed thence to Clar- endon, Calhoun County, Michigan, where his death occurred in 1884, when nearly eighty-four years of age. His wife, Mary Milliken, died there in 1880, at the age of seventy-five years. She was born in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and represented one of the earliest families of that commonwealth. Her grandfather participated in the battle of Bunker Hill, and his wife, Mrs. Mary Milliken, who is well remembered by the subject of this sketch, lived to the age of ninety- seven years, her death occurring in Clarendon, New York. Alexander Milliken, a son of this couple and the father of Mrs. Darrow, became an

influential farmer in western New York. His wife, Sally Nay, was a daughter of a Continental soldier who also fought at Bunker Hill. Mr. and Mrs. James Darrow were devout Presbyterians, and were distinguished for their devotion to prin- ciple. Their children were: Elizabeth, Mrs. A. C. Hopkins, of Homer, Michigan; Charles E., now a business man of Chicago; Russell; Alvira, Mrs. I. L. Winn, also of Chicago; Alexander H .; Sally Ann, Mrs. L. A. Harris, of Marshall, Michigan; James Henry; and John H. The last two are engaged in mercantile business at Homer, Michigan. All the members of this fam- ily are still living except Russell T., who enlisted in 1861 in Company M, Second Michigan Caval- ry, and for his gallantry was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant. The three years' term for which he enlisted had expired, and he was offered a Major's commission as an inducement to re-enlist. This he declined, but volunteered to remain with his company for a few days, and dur- ing this time he was killed at the battle of Frank- lin, Tennessee. James Darrow had been a con- servative Whig, as opposed to the Abolition wing of his party, but upon the outbreak of hostilities between the South and the North became a stanch supporter of the Government, and three of his sons, Russell T., Alexander H. and James H., became soldiers in its defense.

Alexander H. Darrow was born at Clarendon, Orlearns County, New York, November 20, 1841, and was educated at an academy at Holley, New York, and another at Homer, Michigan. In August, 1862, he enlisted and was assigned to Company M, of General Sheridan's old regiment,

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A. H. DARROW.

the Second Michigan cavalry. This regiment was employed on the skirmish line at Rienzi, Mississippi, when he joined it as a recruit, and for the next year and a-half he was almost con- stantly engaged in that line of duty. At the end of that period he was detailed as military book- keeper under Gen. Sooy Smith, Chief of Cavalry on General Grant's staff, with headquarters at Nashville, Tennessee. When General Sherman succeeded to the command of this army, he con- tinued in the same capacity, but, having been granted a furlongli at the time of the memorable march to the sea, he did not accompany that ex- pedition. Upon his return from furlough he was stationed at Louisville until the close of the war.

During the first part of his service, Mr. Darrow helped to form a detail of two hundred and fifty cavalrymen which escorted a wagon train loaded with supplies for the army from Gallatin, Ten- nessee, to Cave City, Kentucky. Upon arriving at Glasgow, toward evening, he and his comrades who composed the advance guard were surprised to find the town occupied by General Morgan with about six thousand Confederate cavalry. After a hurried consultation, the little band of Federals determined to charge the enemy, and attempt to run their wagons through the town, a design which was quickly and successfully car- ried out. They had no more than passed the out- skirts of the city, however, before the enemy recovered from their surprise and confusion, and, discovering the weakness of the wagon escort, fiercely pursued the train along the road to Cave City, to which point it escaped under cover of a re- lief party sent to its rescue, though about fifty Federals were captured. Mr. Darrow had his clothes riddled with bullets during the first charge, but escaped without wounds. He became sepa- rated from his command, and his horse, which was lame, stumbled and fell, throwing him heav- ily to the ground. This accident caused a tem- porary lameness, which prevented his escaping on foot, and he was captured and marched back to Glasgow. During the excitement and confusion of the evening, he managed to elude his guards and, under cover of the darkness, he made his way out of town and reached a farmhouse, where

he was kindly sheltered for a few days until he was able to travel. His host had a brother-in- law who was a Captain in Morgan's force. Mr. Darrow finally reached the Union lines at Mum- fordville, where he was warmly welcomed by his brother and other comrades, who had given him up for dead, as the other prisoners had been pa- roled and returned to camp several days pre- viously.

In 1868 he came to Chicago, and soon after en- tered the employ of the Republic Insurance Com- pany. Beginning as a clerk, he was promoted to the position of cashier of the company, which was the only Chicago insurance company which paid in full the losses sustained by the great fire. Its policy-holders received three and a-half mill- ions of dollars. In 1872 he became the state agent of the Agricultural Insurance Company of Watertown, New York, with which corporation he has ever since been identified. Since that time the premiums received in this state have nearly doubled, and for twenty-two years past he has been the General Agent for the Western De- partment, which now includes ten states. The offices of this branch have been for two years past in the Security Building, and under his able management the business has always been pro- gressive, profitable and satisfactory.

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 53

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co. Number of Pages: 910

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910