USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > The biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of representative men of Chicago, Minnesota cities and the World's Columbian exposition : with illustrations on steel. V. 2 > Part 9
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After finishing grammar school at twelve years of age, it was necessary for him to earn some- thing for himself, and for two years he served the Western Union Telegraph Co. as messenger boy ; afterward, at fourteen, he went to work as errand boy in a wholesale grocery house of this city. His boyish taste for games was sadly curtailed by his duties, but the habits formed of placing work before play have been the basis of much of his success.
At sixteen, by use of his savings, he was able to attend an excellent academy, and so forwarded his education to an appreciable extent. After a limited course at the academy, he returned to work, entering as clerk in a wholesale grocery ; and he occupied in succession various higher posi- tions till at twenty-one he became connected with his father in merchandise brokerage.
This enterprise, begun by his father in 1863,
had, under his judicious management, become well established in point of business and an hon- orable name. George Leslie was especially re- spected by all those with whom he dealt, as a man of unimpeachable integrity and of superior character.
Some time after this John H. was made a part- ner, and later on, owing to the ill health of the father, the responsibility and management of af- fairs devolved upon him. A more extensive business was entered into-adding to the broker- age the importing of foreign dried fruits and gen- eral commission in canned and domestic dried fruits, till, at the present time, the firm of John H. Leslie & Co., is among the most prominent in its line of any in the United States. Mr. Leslie, in connection with his business enterprises, has traveled somewhat extensively; he knows well the resources of our own vast regions, west and northwest, from personal observation, and also the country and people of Mexico; and, in addi- tion to the important centers of Europe proper, has visited Norway and the far eastern cities of Greece and Turkey.
Mr. Leslie was married in 1875 to Miss Sallie L. Woodworth, daughter of James H. Wood- worth, one of Chicago's honored citizens of early date-twice mayor of the city and member of Congress from Illinois.
Of Presbyterian teaching in early childhood, at the age of twenty-two, Mr. Leslie united with the Baptist Church of Highland Park, Ill., of which denomination he is to-day an active member, ready, at the call of Christian duties, to subserve other interests; is second vice-president of the Y. M. C. A., and has, for several years, held the offices of deacon and Sunday-school superinten- dent of the First Baptist Church of Chicago,
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Of Scottish birth and coming to this country at the early age of three years, Mr. Leslie has devel- oped into the staunchest of Americans, loving his adopted country with that steadfastness and loy- alty characteristic of the stock from which he sprung. Republican by education and choice, he is not so partisan as to fail to see the abuses of party ; he means to follow whatever in politics, whether national or muncipal, appeals to his con- victions as to what is the highest good. When, in 1891, a reform movement in muncipal govern- ment was inagurated by the nomination of a citi- zen's ticket, Mr. Leslie was named for the office of city treasurer, and though, in consequence of the cohesion of the old political parties, the movement was not at that time a success, Mr. Leslie's great personal popularity, together with
his forcefulness of public speech in the presence of audiences often numbering many thousands, contributed as much perhaps as any one cause to the surprisingly large vote that was polled for the citizens' ticket. United to his deeply grounded principles, his powers of oratory promise to be of much service in whichever good cause he espouses.
About forty-one years of age, in personal ap- pearance he is tall and robust, has light com- plexion, dark brown hair, and gray eyes; is of a kindly disposition and genial manners.
His fine business talents, excellent judgment in all practical affairs, and his devotion to the advancement of truth and right, place John H. Leslie among our worthiest representative busi- ness men of Chicago.
FRANCIS W. WALKER,
CHICAGO, ILL.
F RANCIS W. WALKER, of the law firm of Walker, Judd & Hawley, was born October 12, 1856, at Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Walker comes from old New England stock; while his father, Lucas B., and his mother, Lucinda (Le Suer) Walker, were natives of New York State, his an- cestry dates back to the early colonial days of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Mr. Walker re- ceived his early education in the Chicago schools. He is in the fullest sense a self-made man, for, while still a boy, the great fire wiped out the business of his father, who was at that time a prosperous merchant on South Water street, and the boy Francis was compelled at an early age, to work out, alone and unaided, the career which he had mapped out for himself. His earliest ambi- tions were in the direction of the law. Immedi- ately after the fire he obtained a position in the mailing department of the Chicago Times. In addition to this work he established a large paper route, and did the work of selling and distributing his papers himself. While carrying on this work he still kept in attendance at the high school. After completing the course at the high school he spent two years in Dyrenforth's Academy.
In 1875, Mr. Walker entered the law office of Mills & Ingham, carrying on his studies here in
connection with his course in the Union College of Law. After graduating with high honors in 1877, Mr. Walker formed a partnership with Law- rence M. Ennis, of this city, under the firm name of Ennis & Walker. This partnership continued until December, 1884, when Mr. Walker was ap- pointed First Assistant State's Attorney.
In the history of this city there has been no period so stormy and full of exciting and im- portant events as the three years from 1884 to 1887, during which time Julius S. Grinnell was State's Attorney, and Francis W. Walker was his First Assistant-the trial of the anarchists; the county commissioners charged with bribery and fraud, known as "The Boodlers;" the three Italians, whose brutal murders are still fresh in the minds of all, and the many other important criminal trials which have contributed so much to the eventful history of the city of Chicago. In 1887, Mr. Walker resigned his position in the States Attorney's office, and formed a partnership with Edward J. Judd, under the firm name of Walker & Judd, which partnership continued until January, 1892, when the present firm of Walker, Judd & Hawley was formed, Mr. Samuel F. Hawley being admitted to the firm at that time. Mr. Walker is a prominent member of the
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Iroquois and Douglas Clubs, and of the Royal Arcanum. He is also a Knight Templar and a thirty-second degree Mason. In politics he is a staunch Democrat, and is always found in front rank of speakers in every campaign.
Intellectually, Mr. Walker is much more than a lawyer, as the large and well chosen library at his home, and his fondness for it, will testify. Meta- physics, science, history, political economy, and in fact all branches of study he enjoys after the manner of the truc scholar. As a lawyer, Mr. Walker finds his natural place in the court room. No one acquainted with the profession will deny that Mr. Walker is possessed to the fullest extent
of the qualities which go to make up the success- ful advocate. He has a very eloquent and force- ful manner, which, together with his strong perso- nality and strength of character, have placed him where he stands to-day, one of the most prominent advocates at the Chicago bar. Possessing personal and social qualities of a higher order, Mr. Walker is much esteemed by all who know him, and as a citizen he has the confidence and respect of those who appreciate a gentleman of culture. As an energetic, upright, and conscientious lawyer he is destined to occupy a very prominent position, not only at the bar of Chicago, but of the United States.
JAMES P. MALLETTE,
CHICAGO, ILL.
T HERE is probably no city on this continent where there are so many young, energetic and self-made men who have won for themselves, by their own unaided exertion, an honorable record and a comfortable competency, as in the city of Chicago. In the race of life the active and persevering invariably lead. Courage, constancy and confidence, combined with ability and pru- dence, always lead to success. To young America is largely due Chicago's phenomenal success. Prominent among the young representative men of this city is James P. Mallette.
He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 17, 1851, where his father, Francis Mallette, was one of the early settlers. He was a Frenchman by birth, but had been for a long time in this country, engaged in lead mining with success at Galena, Illi- nois ; but at the time of his death, in 1860, his estate realized little more than the family homestead. His mother, Isabel (Berry) Mallette, belongs to an old southern family who were formerly large slave- holders. Young Mallette was third in a family of three boys and two girls, and is now the oldest living and the only representative of the family in Chi- cago. He received his education in the public schools of St. Louis and graduated from the high school there, when about sixteen years of age. His first employment in business was in a tobacco commission house in St. Louis, where he remained for a year and then went into business, in partner-
ship with his brother-in-law; but they were not successful. His next venture was as traveler for a wholesale oil house in St. Louis, in which he was very successful. His active habits and busi- ness ability was not only recognized by the firm by which he was engaged, but by business men generally ; and he was offered such inducements by a Chicago house in the wholesale woodenware trade, that he accepted their offer to travel for them in 1873. After two years he went into business for himself, first in wholesale wooden- ware and afterwards in the manufacture of fur- niture. The firm of Mallette and Raymond con- tinucd successfully for several years. About this time Mr. Mallette became interested in real-estate speculations, in connection with Charles B. Eggleston, and these ventures proving highly successful, the firm of J. P. Mallette & Co. was organized, and he sold his interest in the furniture business and devoted his time entirely to real- estate transactions. The busy and active habits of Mr. Mallette soon after found another field for work and we find him a member of the firm of R. E. Brownell & Co., contractors for street building and other public improvements, with quarries opened at Thornton, Illinois, averaging about one hundred cars of stone a day. Both the real-estate and contracting proved very successful, were con- solidated under the name of Eggleston, Mallette & Brownell, and are continued to the present date.
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The beautiful residence suburbs, Auburn Park and Eggleston, give proof of progressive ideas and business foresight; they are so well known as attractive, healthful and well laid out residence districts that it is unnecessary to add that the firm deserves the very highest credit and that they are receiving a very large patronage from the Chicago public.
Mr. Mallette is not only a man of good business training, industrious habits and of great executive ability, but he has the reputation in all his busi- ness transactions of the highest honor and of incorruptible integrity. For a number of years he has devoted himself to the duties of vestryman of Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church. He was one of the organizers of the "Home" Club of Englewood, a social organization, of which he was afterwards president for three consecutive years ; he is also a member of the Union League Club and a Knight Templar in the Masonic fraternity. Al-
though his life has been a busy one, Mr. Mallette has found time to inform himself by travel, and has enlarged his mind and increased his knowledge by that means, which is so often neglected by business men. In politics he is a Republican and takes a great interest in local affairs; while a strong advocate of the principles of his party, he is tolerant and liberal with all who differ from him.
Mr. Mallette was married June 27, 1877, to Miss Mabel L. Stevens, of Chicago, and their union has been blessed with a family of seven children-three boys and three girls of whom are living. While of a social and buoyant disposition, Mr. Mallette is a thoroughly domestic man, who finds in the companionship of his accomplished wife and in the affection of his children his greatest happiness; and in his home, which he has surrounded with everything that can increase the comfort or add to the pleasure of his family, he spends the most pleasant hours of his life.
NICHOLAS B. DELAMATER, A.M., M.D.
CHICAGO, ILL.
T HE practice of medicine may consistently be said to have fallen by inheritance to him whose name heads this sketch, he being the eighth son in the genealogical order of his family to follow that profession. He was born February 21, 1844, in Albany county, New York, the son of Ira M. Delamater, M.D., and Elizabeth (Beebee) Delamater. Both his paternal and maternal an- cestors were among the pioneer settlers of Albany county, New York, and came originally from Hol- land, and were active participants in the Revolu- tionary war. Our subject is one of three chil- dren. After leaving the public schools, Nicholas completed his preparatory studies at the Albany Academy and afterward entered as a student at Harvard College. This was during the early part of the war of the rebellion. And in 1863, catching the spirit of the times, and true to his sense of duty and patriotism, he exchanged the student's " cap and gown " for the uniform of the soldier, and enlisted in the service, becoming second lieutenant in a company of the Seventeenth Regi- ment, State Volunteers. He was in active service until. the close of the war in 1865,
and participated in many of its famous battles, such as Gettysburg, the Battle of the Wilderness, etc. After the close of the war he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, and for about three years was engaged in . the wholesale dry- goods trade at Richmond, Indiana. During these years of army service and business life, he retained his love for study, and made good use of such op- portunities as offered to cultivate his mind and in crease his store of knowledge. He then engaged in farming for a short time and also taught school, and having determined to carry out his earlier plan of entering the medical profession, pursued a course of medical studies at Hahnemann Medi- cal College, Chicago, graduating from that insti- tution with the degree of M. D., in 1873. He thereupon established himself in practice in Chi- cago and began that professional career in which he has achieved great success. Recognizing his eminent fitness for the position, the authorities of the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College, in 1881, elected him lecturer on mental and nervous diseases, a position which he still (1890) holds. Dr. Delamater is also on the staff of attending phy-
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sicians at the College Hospital and at Cook County Hospital.
Dr. Delamater has been honored with member- ship in many prominent associations and societies, particularly the Chicago Academy of Homeopa- thy ; the Wisconsin Homeopathic State Society and the Illinois Homeopathic State Society. He is also a member of the Royal League, the Royal Arcanum and the Union League Club of Chicago. About 1886 he became a member of Landmark Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. Dr. Dela- mater's travels have been confined to the United States. He has always been a close observer of
events and makes it his business to keep in touch with the progress of the times, not only in the line of his profession, but also in all matters of public or general interest. For more than twenty years he has been a consistent member of the Baptist denomination. His political sentiments have al- ways been Republican, though he takes little active interest in political affairs more than to perform his duties as a loyal citizen. Dr. Delamater was married November 3,, 1870, to Miss Ella J. Link, of Woodstock, Illinois; a most estimable woman, who figures prominently in charitable and benev- olent work.
CHARLES H. FERGUSON,
CHICAGO, ILL.
IN the front rank of the great financial insti- tutions of the world stands the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, it having the largest cash assets of any company in the world. To manage the affairs of the Chicago agency of such a corporation requires a man of superior ability, tact, industry and firm integ- rity. Such a man was found in the subject of this sketch, who has mastered the problems of life insurance. He has under his control one hundred and fifty agents, and his skill and ability as a manager and executive officer has been shown in the phenomenal growth of the company's business in Illinois since he has had charge of it.
Charles H. Ferguson was born in Oswego, New York, August 13, 1846, the son of George L. and Amanda ( Boes) Ferguson. His father was a promi- nent furniture manufacturer and dealer at Oswe- go, Hannibal, Fulton, and Auburn, New York, for over fifty years, and died in the latter city at the age of seventy-six.
Charles attended the public schools until he was thirteen years old. From his thirteenth to his sixteenth year he was a clerk in a drug store at Auburn, New York, after which he went west and became a clerk in the wholesale grocery. house of Messrs. Blair and Persons at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
When the war of the Rebellion opened he en- listed in Company A, Thirty-ninth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. His regiment was
assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, under Gen. A. J. Smith. After serving the full term of his enlistment, he was honorably discharged.
Returning to Milwaukee, he was in the pay- master and purchasing departments of the Chi- cago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, and express business, until about 1869, when he returned to Auburn, New York, and became a solicitor for the Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany of New York, under Mr. Albert W. Law- ton, then and now (1892) district manager at that place. In 1873 he accepted the general agency of the Oswego and Onondaga Fire Insurance Company for the west. Three years later the company retired from business, reinsur- ing with the Commercial Union of London.
In June, 1876, Mr. Ferguson entered the em- ploy of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, at Chicago, as cashier, and remained until 1881, when he was appointed acting agent, to succeed Mr. John W. Meaker, resigned. In 1883 he received from Messrs. Merrell and Ferguson, general agents at Detroit, the appointment as local agent for Chicago. In 1886 he formed a copartnership with Mr. H. S. Winston, as man- aging agents for Chicago and Cook county. The partnership terminated by limitation February I, 1889. In June, 1887 (prior to the dissolution), he was appointed by the Mutual Life Insurance Company, general agent for Illinois, which posi- tion he now holds.
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Sincerely Yours
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Mr. Ferguson is a member of the George H. Thomas Post, G. A. R., and also of the Union League and Calumet clubs, and is now (1892) president of the Life Underwriters' Association of Chicago, and a member of the executive commit- tee of the Life Underwriters' Association of the United States.
Mr. Ferguson was awarded the general agent's prize, a beautiful solid silver bowl, at Saratoga,
New York, in June, 1888, for good management and success.
Mr. Ferguson married Miss Sarah L. Miller, at Auburn, New York, whose death occurred in December, 1885. Four children were born to them, viz., George Miller, now in business with his father ; James Larnard, a student in the Uni- versity of Michigan; Charles H., Jr., and Jessie May, deceased.
HON. ALBERT G. SCOTT,
KEARNEY, NEB.
A LBERT G. SCOTT was born at Barre, Ver- mont, on June 12, 1825, to Jacob and Laura Scott. His father, who was a prosperous farmer, was a man of considerable prominence. He served two terms in each branch of the Vermont Legis- lature, and was twice elected Probate Judge and once County Commissioner. In 1849 he retired from farm life, and became editor and publisher of the Green Mountain Freeman, an anti-slavery journal published at Montpelier, Vermont, which under his management became one of the leading papers of New England in the cause of freedom and equal rights. He was colonel of the State militia for several years.
Albert spent his boyhood on his father's farm, and attended the district school, and later con)- pleted his schooling at Newbury Seminary, Ver- mont. After leaving school he engaged in farm- ing, spending the winter months in teaching dis- trict school, for which he received a compensation of thirteen dollars per month and his board.
In 1851 he moved to La Salle, Illinois, and en- gaged in general merchandising until 1856, when he removed to Sheffield and established himself in the lumber trade. Two years later he added to his business that of general merchandising and buying and selling grain, and also gratified his love for farming by engaging in agricultural pur- suits. He did a thriving business and accumulated considerable property. In 1879 he removed to Kearney, Nebraska, his present home. He here continued the lumber business, and dealt in grain extensively, and also bought several large farms and raised grain on an extensive scale. He built seven elevators along the line of the Burlington
and Missouri Railroad. In 1883 he became one of the founders of the First National Bank of Kear- ney, and has been chairman of its board of directors and a member of its finance committee since its organization. The bank's capital is one hun- dred and fifty thousand dollars, besides a large surplus.
Mr. Scott has always taken a commendable in- terest in public matters, and is known for his pub- lic spirit. While residing at Sheffield, he repre- sented his district in the Thirty-first General Assembly of Illinois, it being the session at which General John A. Logan was elected to the United States Senate. He was also a member of the city council four successive terms, and trustee of the public school fund, and was alternate delegate to the National Republican Convention in 1876. Since removing to Nebraska, in 1884, he was elect- ed alternate to the National Republican Conven- tion at Chicago.
In May, 1890, he was nominated by Governor John M. Thayer, of Nebraska, as a Commissioner for the World's Columbian Exposition, and his appointment was confirmed by the State Depart- ment at Washington, D. C., May 21, 1890.
In politics, Mr. Scott is a staunch Republican. He voted the "Liberty ticket " for representatives to the State Legislature of Vermont in 1847.
His religious faith has always been thoroughly orthodox; his first teachings were in that direc- tion, and he has never discovered any good reason for changing his views. In 1889, he was a State delegate to the triennial association of the Con- gregational Church held at Worcester, Massa- chusetts.
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He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1854, and became a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Good Templars in 1855.
In March, 1849, Mr. Scott married Miss Eliza- beth A. Hatch, who died in 1852. In 1857 he married Miss Emily A. Smith.
Mr. Scott is a man of temperate habits and
refined tastes, and possesses personal qualities of the highest order. He exerts a wide influence in his State, and is greatly esteemed by a wide range of loyal friends. His business ventures have been uniformly successful, and he enjoys an ample for- tune. He is withal domestic in his tastes, and en- joys more than all else his social and home life.
JOHN M. GARTSIDE,
CHICAGO, ILL.
OHN M. GARTSIDE was born in Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1849, the son of Benjamin and Caroline (Measey) Gartside, who were natives of Lancashire, England. His parents came to this country early in life and settled in Philadelphia, where they lived for many years. Here the father became a steel portrait artist and was in the employ of John Sartain, editor of " Sar- tain's Magazine," of Philadelphia.
In 1855, the family moved to Iowa City, Iowa. Their limited means became more so during the financial crisis of 1857. The change of climate and other causes incident to settlement in a new country combined, so wrought upon the father's health that he was prostrated upon a bed of sick- ness, leaving the care of the family to his courage- ons wife and eldest son, the subject of this sketch. He chopped wood, worked on the farm, often do- ing a man's work, and never letting an opportu- nity go unimproved whereby he might contribute to the needs of the family. In 1861 the family moved to Davenport, Iowa, where John was per- mitted, in a measure, to gratify his burning desire for an education, and where he obtained work at once in the merchant tailoring establish- ment of Mr. P. L. Conc, at one dollar per week, but reserving a portion of his time for study. In this manner for four years he worked and attended the common and high schools, and later attended the evening sessions of the Bryant and Stratton Business College.
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